Events succeeding the Battle.—A North Carolina Deserter.—The
Bernard Estate.—Re-crossing the River.—The Thirty-third in
its Old Camp.—Families on the Picket Line.—A Courageous
Female.—Changes in the Regiment.
The dawn of Sunday found the left Grand Division arranged in much the
same order of the day previous. The Thirty-third still held the position
which it had occupied during the afternoon. An attack from the enemy was
now hourly expected, but they made no demonstrations, and what was most
inexplicable to Gen. Franklin and every one else, failed to open their
guns planted along the crest, and completely sweeping every part of the
plain. The men rested on their arms, and the day was spent in removing
the wounded from the field.
Collected in the rear of the Bernard House were several of the prisoners,
who were addressed by Chaplain Lung in the afternoon. Prominent among
the number was a member of the Fifty-fourth North Carolina, mostly
composed of conscripted Union men. Finding that he could not escape to
the North, or avoid being impressed, he concluded to accept $1,200, to
go as a substitute, and desert at the first favorable opportunity. He
was caught in the act, and sent to Richmond and imprisoned. On the day
before the battle, he was hurried up to Fredericksburg, with several
others, and sent to the front with a gun. When the enemy gave way before
Meade’s charge, he remained behind, concealed in the bushes, expecting
our soldiers would come up and rescue him. The charging force failing,
however, to follow up their success, he was seized with the most intense
forebodings. Knowing full well that he would surely be shot, if thus
caught in the act of deserting the second time, in a moment of frenzy,
he whipped out his jack-knife, and made two perforations, opposite each
other, in his left leg, hoping thereby to make his officers think that
he was wounded, and on this account lagged in the rear. He afterwards
fortunately made his escape. The wound was a poor apology for a gun-shot
hole, though it might have passed muster with the rebel surgeons if he
had been taken, and thereby saved his life.
The Bernard House, since destroyed by fire, was a large, elegant stone
mansion, built after the English style, and fitted up in a princely
manner. The spacious apartments were furnished with velvet carpeting,
damask curtains, statuary, and paintings—everything which wealth could
command. Several large libraries of choice volumes evinced a literary
taste on the part of the occupants, while the well stocked larder, and
spacious wine-cellar, testified no less to their epicurean proclivities.
The proprietor, A. N. Bernard, a corpulent bachelor of the genuine F.
F. V. stamp, was arrested when our forces first crossed, for conveying
information to the enemy. He was, however, granted the freedom of his
house, and wandered about from one room to another, almost distracted at
seeing the “Yankees” carrying away his furniture and books, devouring his
sweetmeats, and drinking, in Union toasts, his imported liquors. He had
sown the wind, he was now reaping the whirlwind.
Monday passed in much the same manner as Sunday. The enemy could be
seen erecting new batteries along the crest, but did not open upon
us. Why this failure to shell our forces, which lay for two days upon
the open plain, exposed to the destructive cross-fire of their guns,
remains a mystery to our Generals to this day. They probably desisted,
hoping that we would renew the attack, or were afraid to fire upon
them, lest, infuriated and exasperated, our troops would, as a dernier
resort, recklessly charge up the heights, and capture their batteries, at
whatever cost.
Monday evening the retrograde movement across the river, which had
several hours previously been determined upon, commenced. The three
Grand Divisions began crossing simultaneously. A light rain and a heavy
wind blowing away from the enemy, favored the perilous movement, and it
was conducted in safety. A more masterly retreat from before an enemy
was never executed. So secretly had all the preliminary movements been
conducted, that when the various Regiments were quietly ordered to fall
in, they supposed it was for a night attack. The Thirty-third re-crossed
about 9 o’clock, and before morning the entire army was over.
Thus terminated the first battle of Fredericksburg, the greatest we had
yet fought, and surpassing in magnitude that of Waterloo. General Lee had
three hundred guns in position, and one hundred thousand men (see London
Times’ Correspondence); General Burnside nearly the same number of guns,
and one hundred and thirty thousand men; whereas the combined forces of
Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo, before the arrival of
Blucher, amounted to only one hundred and fifty thousand; two hundred and
forty pieces covering the whole amount of their artillery.
We were repulsed, but not dispirited.
“The strife
Was not inglorious, though the event was dire.”
Such brave, heroic fighting as the Union Soldiers performed on that
bloody Saturday, has never been surpassed, and will ever redound to the
glory of our arms. For nine long hours they stood upon an open plain,
exposed to the cross fire of hundreds of hostile cannon, unprotected by
shelter of any kind, and fought an enemy concealed in forests, behind
breastworks and in rifle-pits. Had no delays occurred at the outset, the
assault would undoubtedly have proved successful, but after the enemy had
had time to withdraw all their forces from below and mass them in front,
defeat was a foregone conclusion.
Officers and men were disposed to believe that the movement had been
peremptorily ordered from Washington, until the appearance of General
Burnside’s frank and manly letter, assuming the entire responsibility.
From that time forward, the army questioned his military capacity, but
could not refrain from admiring his qualities as a man.
[Illustration: WHITE-OAK CHURCH, VA.]
After re-crossing the river, the Thirty-third bivouacked in the dense
woods near by, where it remained two days. Tuesday morning, a squad of
rebel officers rode down over the battle-field to the Bernard House. This
brought them within range of our guns planted on Stafford Heights, and
Battery C, Fifth Regulars, immediately dropped a shell among them, which
exploding, killed two, and sent the others fleeing back to the hills.
The riderless horses dashed down to the river, and were shot by our men,
employed in digging rifle-pits on this side.
Friday, December 19th, the left Grand Division moved back to _White-Oak
Church_, and the Thirty-third re-occupied the camp which it had left on
the Thursday previous. Once more the men applied themselves to the labor
of building log-huts and fitting up winter quarters. The “Cabins” were
arranged in long rows fronting on the road, and protected from the wind
by the grove of hemlocks. The weather continued very warm and pleasant,
and but little sickness prevailed in the Regiment. Christmas was devoted
to mirth and hilarity, the Colonel giving a dinner party to the officers
at his tent.
Marching orders were again received on the 30th, but were almost
immediately countermanded. General Burnside had arranged another plan of
attack, but the details having been ferreted out by rebel sympathizers at
Washington, he was compelled to relinquish it. The Regiment frequently
went on picket, and as a general thing enjoyed the change. The Fitzhughs,
Balls, and several other families who lived near the picket line, always
welcomed the officers and men to their houses. Though confessed rebels,
many pleasant hours were spent in the society of the daughters, whose
brothers and lovers were absent in the rebel army. There was in fact
hardly a corporal’s guard of young men left between the Potomac and
Rappahannock, so effectually had the conscription act been enforced.
Among other maidens who were accustomed to entertain the Regiment, was
the betrothed of Geo. B. Davis, a nephew of Jeff.’s. One afternoon a
cavalryman, after vainly ransacking the out-buildings of her father’s
plantation for corn, approached the door in which the young lady was
standing, and insisted that some of the grain, “which he knew was
concealed in the house, should be given him.” “We have none, was the
reply.” “Stand aside until I go in and see for myself,” he rudely
retorted, at the same time whipping out of its sheath a heavy Colt’s
Revolver. No sooner done than the fair girl planted herself firmly in the
door way, drew a small repeater from her bosom, and deliberately aiming
it at the rascal’s head, exclaimed, “Approach one step further towards
this house, and you are a dead man.” Cowed and baffled by this exhibition
of bravery, the trooper turned on his heel and left. This incident
illustrates the coolness and courage with which some of the Virginia
women are endowed.
The following changes, in addition to those already mentioned, had
occurred in the Regiment up to this time.
Captain Theodore Hamilton, Co. G, promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, 62d N.
Y.
Captain G. Murray Guion, Co. A, promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, 148th N.
Y.
Captain A. H. Drake returned to duty from Salisbury, North Carolina,
October 6th.
Captain H. J. White, Co. B, resigned.
Captain James M. Letts, Co. I, resigned.
Adjutant Charles T. Sutton resigned.
First Lieutenant H. J. Draime, Co. B, promoted to Captain B.
First Lieutenant E. J. Tyler, Co. A, promoted to Captain A.
First Lieutenant John W. Corning, Co. B, promoted to Adjutant.
First Lieutenant G. A. Gale, Co. G, promoted to Captain G.
First Lieutenant E. E. Root, Co. I, promoted to Captain I.
John Gummer, Co. E, promoted to First Lieutenant E.
Charles D. Rossiter, appointed First Lieutenant D.
Otis Cole, appointed First Lieutenant H.
First Lieutenant R. C. Niles, Co. H, resigned.
First Lieutenant H. G. King, Co. F, resigned.
Second Lieutenant G. W. Marshall, Co. G, promoted to First Lieutenant G.
Second Lieutenant Ira V. Germain, Co. G, dismissed.
Second Lieutenant Pryce W. Bailey, Co. A, promoted to First Lieutenant A.
Second Lieutenant Jefferson Bigelow, Co. D, resigned.
Second Lieutenant J. Marshall Guion, Co. H, resigned.
Second Lieutenant C. H. Howe, Co. I, resigned.
Second Lieutenant William H. Long, Co. I, promoted to First Lieutenant
I, and since on Brennan’s, Davidson’s and Neill’s Staffs successively,
Assistant A. G.
Second Lieutenant L. C. Mix, Co. C, promoted to First Lieutenant B.
Second Lieutenant H. H. Hills, Co. F, promoted to First Lieutenant F.
Second Lieutenant Walter H. Smith, Co. E, resigned.
First Sergeant J. F. Winship, Co. F, promoted to Second Lieutenant F.
First Sergeant G. T. Brennan, Co. I, promoted to Second Lieutenant I.
First Sergeant J. E. Stebbins, Co. C, promoted to Second Lieutenant C,
vice Mix, promoted.
First Sergeant Byron F. Craine, Co. D, promoted to Second Lieutenant G.
First Sergeant T. H. Sibbalds, Co. A, promoted to Second Lieutenant A.
First Sergeant C. H. Howe, Co. I, promoted to Second Lieutenant I.
Sylvester Porter, Co. H, promoted to Second Lieutenant H.
W. W. Smith, Co. E, appointed Second Lieutenant E.
William E. Roach, Co. D, appointed Second Lieutenant D.
Orlando Bacon promoted to Sergeant-Major.
John W. Alexander promoted to Quartermaster-Sergeant.
Corporal J. F. Barker promoted to Commissary-Sergeant.
John J. Carter promoted from Commissary-Sergeant to Second Lieutenant B.
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.
First Surgeon S. Mulford, resigned.
First Assistant Surgeon D’Estaing Dickinson, promoted to full Surgeon.
Second Assistant Surgeon Richard Curran, promoted to First Assistant
Surgeon.
Duncan McLachlen appointed Second Assistant Surgeon.
Edmund De Graff appointed Hospital Steward.