Arrival at Fortress Monroe—Washington—Georgetown Heights—Monocacy
Junction—Up and down the Valley of the Shenandoah—Battle of Opequan
Creek.
On the eighth day after crossing the bar off the Mississippi, the
ship reached Fortress Monroe, where Lieut.-Colonel Richardson
received orders to proceed to Washington immediately. Entering the
Potomac, the men realized that they were no longer on Louisiana
waters; the hills stretching up from the river, the hay and grain
fields just reaped, and the scattering farm-houses, being in striking
contrast to the low banks of the Mississippi, with its plantations,
its negro cabins, its orange-trees, and its alligators.
The steamer came to anchor off Alexandria; and was subsequently towed
up to a wharf in Washington, the regiment remaining on board till
morning, when it landed and marched through the city to Georgetown
Heights. While resting on the sidewalk in Pennsylvania Avenue, the
regiment received a visit from Col. Ingraham, who appeared glad to
see the boys, and who must have been struck with the great change in
the appearance of his old command since he had last seen it.
All summer, the troops in Louisiana had been obliged to drink warm,
dirty water, from rivers, bayous, and mud-holes; and when, upon
arriving at Georgetown Heights, two cool, delicious springs were
found bubbling out of the rocks, the satisfaction was unbounded, and
many men lingered around them as if attracted by some fairy spell.
The stay in Georgetown was a short one. On Sunday afternoon, July 31,
the regiment broke camp, and again marched through Washington, to the
Baltimore depot. The closed stores, the crowd of church-going folks
on the sidewalks, and the absence of vehicles in the streets, told
the men of the Thirty Eighth that they were once more in a land where
the Sabbath was outwardly observed, at least. A brief extract from a
letter written a day or two after the march through Washington will
give an idea of the interest which the arrival of troops at that time
excited.
“.... There was an interest and a curiosity manifested by the
citizens never exhibited in New Orleans. In that city, regiments
might march through the streets from morning till night, and no
one would think of asking who they were, or where they came from.
In Washington, on the contrary, the questions put to us were quite
numerous. The deep color burnt into our faces by the Louisiana sun
told plainly that we were no militia men, even if our marching
and general appearance did not show it; and so the first question
was, ‘What corps do you belong to?’ ‘The Nineteenth.’ ‘Oh, Banks’s
men.’ And the inquirers generally appeared to be pleased at the
information. A general surprise was shown at the smallness of the
regiment; and one man asked me, ‘What company is that?’ ‘_Company!_’
said I, ‘That’s the Thirty Eighth Massachusetts _regiment_.’ ‘Where’s
the rest of them?’ ‘A good many were buried in Louisiana.’ ‘Oh, you
belong to the Nineteenth Corps.’ I expected, before we got through
Washington, to be asked what _squad_ we were.”
It must be remembered that the enemy then threatened Washington by
way of Harper’s Ferry, and the arrival of the Nineteenth Corps was a
great relief to their fears, although the regiments appeared small,
accustomed as they were to the arrival of new regiments with full
ranks.
After a supper at the “Soldier’s Rest,” the regiment took the cars
about eight o’clock, and reached Monocacy Junction a little before
noon the next day, going into camp in a reaped grain-field, near
the still smoking ruins of the depot, and in the vicinity of the
battle-field of Monocacy, where the first division of the corps was
then in camp.
No movement took place until the 4th of August, when the cars were
again taken, and, in company with the Third Massachusetts Cavalry,
which had been dismounted, the regiment rode to Harper’s Ferry,
bivouacking for the night on the heights overlooking the town.
August 6th, the army broke camp, and marched to Halltown, four
miles beyond Harper’s Ferry, where the Thirty Eighth was attached
to the first brigade of the second division, then in command of
Col. McCauley, of the Eleventh Indiana. On the 10th, the whole
force, artillery, cavalry, and infantry, under Gen. Sheridan, moved
forward in pursuit of the enemy, the cavalry skirmishing with their
rear-guard; and, on the night of the 12th, the regiment went into
camp a few miles beyond Middletown, near Cedar Creek.
The men of the Nineteenth Corps, who had been worn out by the Red
River campaign, who had regained but a small portion of their
strength while encamped on the banks of the Mississippi under the
burning sun, and who had been packed almost as close as slaves on the
transports, began this new campaign under unfavorable circumstances.
Unlike the level plains of Louisiana, the marching in this portion
of Virginia was over hills and through valleys, and the summer heat
was still intense; but the clear, cold springs all through the valley
were a luxury the Thirty Eighth was unaccustomed to, and men lingered
around them, drinking again and again.
The army remained at Cedar Creek until near midnight of the 15th,
when, in danger of being flanked by the enemy, the whole command
fell back toward Winchester, the Thirty Eighth going into camp at
Milltown, where they remained during the day. The reveillé was beaten
at one o’clock, A. M. of the 17th, and passing through Winchester,
the regiment reached Berryville at noon, and went into camp.
Thursday, the 18th, opened with a rain-storm; but the weather seldom
interfered with Gen. Sheridan’s operations, and the army still fell
back, encamping at night in the vicinity of Charlestown, where the
Thirty Eighth remained until the 20th, when, in pursuance of orders,
it changed camp, and rejoined the third brigade, which had just
arrived in the Valley under the command of Col. Sharpe.
Sunday, Aug. 21, orders came to pack up; and the regiment formed
in line of battle, stacked arms, and threw up breastworks, heavy
skirmishing going on at the front; but, during the evening, again
fell back, passed through Charlestown, and reached Halltown at one P.
M., of the 23d, going into camp for the night. During a heavy rain,
the next day the regiment built more breastworks, and then moved to
the left; but returned on the day following, and remained in camp
until Sunday, the 28th, when the army again assumed the offensive,
and advanced to Summit Point, a few miles beyond Charlestown. While
these movements were being executed, skirmishing between the advance
of one army and the rear of the other was continually going on, and
the cavalry were almost constantly in the saddle.
On the 3d of September, the army again broke camp, and marched to
Berryville, where a sharp encounter took place between a portion
of the Eighth Corps and Early’s force; but the enemy retiring, the
engagement did not become general. The third brigade, however, formed
in line of battle, took up a position on a ledge of rocks, and
remained there all night, sending out two companies as skirmishers.
Every one was wet through, and the wind swept coldly over the ledge.
Sunday, Sept. 4, the regiment was detached from the brigade, and
marched further to the front, where new breastworks were thrown up,
the rain still continuing; the enemy, all the while, shelling the
line, and skirmishing constantly going on. During the next fortnight,
but little worthy of mention transpired, except that the army here
completed a third line of breastworks.
On the 14th, a detail was sent from each company to procure the
blankets belonging to the men in the regiment, which had been packed
at Baton Rouge previous to the Red River campaign, and which were
then supposed to be at Harper’s Ferry; but upon the arrival of the
detail at that place, it was found that the boxes had been sent to
Washington, and the blankets were not received until late in October.
When the weather permitted, company, battalion, and brigade drills
took place while the regiment was encamped in this place.
Although Gen. Sheridan kept his own counsels, he was not deceived in
regard to the movements of Early. At three o’clock, on the morning of
the 19th of September, the reveillé was beaten in the camps, and the
army marched through Berryville, the Nineteenth Corps halting beyond,
and being informed that they would probably fight on that spot. At
this time, heavy cannonading was heard on the right, and at the
front, where the cavalry was engaged. After halting an hour or two,
the Nineteenth Corps advanced by the flank, passing a hospital into
which great numbers of wounded men were being brought, who had fallen
when the cavalry drove the enemy from the woods on each side of the
Winchester Pike. Passing through a defile, the brigade came upon a
high table-land, and formed in line of battle on the edge of a belt
of woods between the opposing forces, the third brigade being at this
time on the extreme left of the Nineteenth Corps, and connecting with
the Sixth Corps. Each regiment sent out skirmishers, who advanced
into the woods, followed by the brigade in line of battle; and
emerging on to an open plain, which was crossed at a rapid pace, the
enemy were encountered in the woods beyond, and the battle became hot.
The brigade had advanced too fast, leaving its right flank exposed;
and, unable to withstand the heavy fire concentrated upon it, the
Thirty Eighth fell back, having lost many officers and men. At one
time, the battle-flag was within a few yards of the banner of a rebel
regiment, and its capture seemed imminent; but color-sergeant Lunt,
supported by color-corporal Abbot, bravely carried it through. Col.
Sharpe and Lieut.-Col. Richardson had been wounded; and the command
of the brigade devolved upon Lieut.-Col. Neafie, of the One Hundred
and Fifty Sixth New York, Maj. Allen taking command of the Thirty
Eighth.
The regiment, as usual, had gone into battle with few officers.
Lieuts. Whitney and Davis, and Sergt. Palmer, in command of
companies, had been shot down, with many warrant officers, and many
men; and in the retreat, owing to this fact, and to the nature of the
ground, the regiment became separated from the brigade, which had
been partially broken up by the impetuosity of the first charge. The
men, however, rallied around the colors; and, under the lead of Major
Allen and Adjutant Wellington, again sought the front of the fight.
After a desperate struggle, the enemy broke; and, having formed his
army in three crescent-shaped lines of battle, Gen. Sheridan gave
the order, “Forward!” Before that victorious charge, the veterans
of Stonewall Jackson fled in confusion, the whole rebel force
went “whirling through Winchester,” and the Union army remained in
possession of the hard-fought field.
The cavalry followed the retreating enemy, and gathered up the spoils
of the victory; but the infantry went into camp on the outskirts of
Winchester, and rested from the labor and excitement of the day,
while the great news was silently speeding its way North to electrify
and gladden the loyal hearts of the country. The Valley of the
Shenandoah was no longer to recall memories of defeat and humiliation
alone.
The loss in the regiment had been eight killed, thirty-eight wounded,
eight prisoners, and one missing. A number afterward died from the
effects of the wounds received; but those captured were remarkably
fortunate, the majority of them being paroled in a few days, and sent
to Annapolis.