MILITARY: One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Second Regiment, Bucktail Brigade, Chapter 10 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB & JP Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm Table of contents for the book with graphics, may be found at http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/military/cw/150-bucktails/ 150-bucktails.htm ________________________________________________ HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS, SECOND REGIMENT, BUCKTAIL BRIGADE. BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL THOMAS CHAMBERLIN, HISTORIAN OF THE SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION. REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION, WITH COMPLETE ROSTER. PHILADELPHIA: F. McMANUS, JR. & CO., PRINTERS, 1905. PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS 79 CHAPTER X. NIGHT MARCH TO PORT CONWAY-ARTILLERY ENGAGEMENT AT POLLOCK'S MILLS. ON the morning of April 20 the several regiments of Doubleday's division were instructed to provide themselves with three days' cooked rations and be in readiness to move in light marching order at a moment's notice. The word was received by the 150th with great enthusiasm, for, although the direction and destination of the movement were unknown, the men were eager to engage in serious work. The column started late in the afternoon, taking a south-easterly course across the fields for some miles, when it struck a road leading through King George's Court-House, and followed it. Night presently came on, and with it a heavy and persistent rain, soaking the troops to the skin and turning the old Virginia highway into the semblance of a hog-wallow, through which they floundered with difficulty in the darkness. For a long distance the route lay in the woods, and, the road being overflowed by one or two swollen brooks which crossed it, the column splashed through water knee-deep, making humorous demands for "gun-boats" with which to continue the journey. Frequently a burst of laughter, accompanied by cries of "Brace up!" told of disaster to some unwary plodder whose foot had turned on a slippery stone, or who had been tripped by a submerged root, dooming him to an unwelcome bath. The men marched cheerfully and well, but in the intense darkness and under such trying conditions it was impossible to maintain the regulation "distance". The column naturally strung out to an undue length, necessitating frequent halts to 80 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH enable it to close up. About ten o'clock the head of the regiment overtook the 121st Pennsylvania, or the larger part of it, under Major Biddle, who said the road was impassable; but the 150th pushed ahead and got through. Between two and three A. M. the march was arrested, a few fires were built with much effort, and officers and men stretched themselves in the dryest places that could be found for a little sleep. When morning dawned all presented a woe-begone appearance. Clothing, arms and accoutrements alike gave evidence of a fatiguing struggle with the pasty soil of the "Old Dominion", and an inspecting officer would have torn his hair from sheer mortification at the spectacle. Some idea of the intense darkness which prevailed on this march can be formed from the statement of the adjutant that on reaching one stream, swollen by the rain to a roaring torrent, he found the rear battalion of the regiment, under command of the lieutenant-colonel, apparently lost and hopeless on the bank, without light or the means of procuring it, having become separated from the van, which had gone on across the raging flood under the leadership of the colonel. Probably half an hour was consumed before, by the united efforts of officers and men, a light was obtained sufficient to show how the stream might be forded. During the night the rain turned into snow, which probably made the almost fireless bivouac a little more endurable, besides generously casting its mantle over the bedraggled state of the command in the morning. After an hour or two spent in repairing damages and preparing the much-needed coffee (the meat rations had been cooked before leaving camp), ranks were formed and the brigade continued its march about five miles farther, stopping at a point about half a mile from Port Conway. It was then nearly ten o'clock, and the pontoon train had not yet arrived. After some delay it appeared and moved down to the river, almost immediately opposite the village of Port Royal, where the men PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS 81 who accompanied it, aided by a liberal detail of pioneers, began stretching the canvas over the frames in preparation for a crossing. For this latter mission the 150th had been selected by Colonel Stone, and quietly awaited the summons to man the boats, first moving down into the fields and taking position behind a church. Captains Widdis and Jones with their companies, under Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper, were to cross above the town, and the rest of the regiment to effect a passage below at the same time. Eight companies of sharpshooters from the 143d and 149th were to line the banks and cover the crossing with an active fire, if necessary. On the southern bank of the stream, for a considerable distance above and below Port Royal, rifle-pits had long been constructed by the enemy, and here and there a "butternut" could be seen behind the earthen breastwork, his form with difficulty distinguishable on account of the color of his uniform. In the main street of the village, in front of an hotel, a small group of rebel soldiers was gathered, calmly surveying the movements of the Union forces with the aid of a field-glass. They seemed quite unconcerned, and in all probability, seeing no artillery to cover an intended crossing, quickly inferred that the expedition was a feint. Back on the hills, however, behind the village, a signal-flag was in vigorous motion, conveying news of the movement to the "proper authorities". The entire absence of field-batteries had not been noticed by Stone's brigade during the harassing night march; but now that the hour for attempting a passage of the river was apparently at hand, and no guns were put in position to protect the boats, the officers most nearly concerned began to "smell a rat", and laughed heartily at their previous stupidity. Suddenly, while the troops were lolling at ease in the pleasant sunshine, awaiting further developments, the sound of bugles was heard, followed by the clatter of hoofs and the rumbling of heavy wheels, and a section of artillery was seen 82 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH approaching from the direction of the woods, at a rapid trot, and turning into the field in rear of the pontoons with an air that seemed to presage immediate business. At the head of the column rode Quartermaster Voorhis, of the 150th, with drawn sabre, accompanied by a bugler, while two or three mounted subordinates of his department, impersonating non-commissioned officers, followed in their proper places beside the guns. Each piece was drawn by four horses with skilful drivers, and each caisson carried its complement of gunners. With the wild sweep of a tornado this unexpected Union re-enforcement came into view of the rebel group at Port Royal, and, traversing the broad field with an ominous cracking of whips and piercing bugle blasts, wheeled suddenly to the left, countermarched a short distance, and went into position, with the guns bearing on the rebel village. The stentorian tones of the quartermaster, as he gave the command, "On the right into battery!" could have been heard a mile away; and but for that tell-tale field-glass at the old tavern, Port Royal might have trembled for her safety. As it was, it scarcely needed a second glance to detect the fact that the guns were wooden, skilfully wrapped with ponchos to give them the proper color, and that the caissons were feed-boxes, carefully disguised by a covering of rubber blankets. The beds of two wagons of the commissary department had been removed, the running-gear uncoupled, and, with sections of a stout sapling of suitable length and thickness, it was easy to do the rest. Nevertheless, the quartermaster received the plaudits of the entire division, all admitting that he had acquitted himself superbly and covered his "arm of the service" with glory. Owing to the lack of rope, thole-pins and other necessary articles, none of the boats were ready until dusk, when some of them were carried to the river's edge and one or two launched. Meanwhile immense numbers of camp-fires were kindled in all PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS 83 directions, and every precaution was taken to indicate the presence of a large body of troops. Soon after nightfall the pontoons were broken up and reloaded, and the division began its return march. Proceeding a mile or two, a halt was made, fires were built in the woods, and the command bivouacked. About 4.30 A. M. the march was resumed, and, with sufficient halts at the breakfast and noon hours for the men to rest and clean up, the regiment reached camp about five P. M., in good condition, having come by a shorter and better road, by which the swollen streams were avoided. A day or two later a similar expedition was made by a detail from another division, which, properly equipped in the matter of boats and artillery, effected a crossing without opposition, taking a few prisoners. The object of these movements was evidently to keep the enemy from withdrawing troops from his right, the plans for the movement on Chancellorsville having already been laid. That General Lee was deceived by these demonstrations is obvious from the circumstance that General Jackson's lines were immediately extended to Port Royal, and his troops were not recalled until the thunder of the guns at Chancellorsville made it plain that Hooker's aim was to turn Lee's left. The deception was the more easily practised from the fact (as stated by Lieutenant Louis R. Fortescue, ,of the Signal Corps) that early in 1863 the rebels had possessed themselves of our signals, and this being known to General Hooker, he purposely used them to mislead the enemy, who eagerly swallowed the bait. Thus, messages announcing the landing of large bodies of Union troops at a point below Aquia Creek were sped over the flags and promptly interpreted by the enemy. Doubleday's expedition to Port Conway was a part of this scheme of deception. 84 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH From this time forward eight days' rations, cooked and uncooked, were required to be kept on hand, compelling the men to store "hard-tack" in their knapsacks (already burdened with two-score extra rounds of ammunition), it being a physical impossibility to squeeze a week's supply of provisions into an ordinary haversack. This, more than anything else, foretold with certainty the near approach of an important movement, involving the whole army. On the 26th of April the adjutant writes, "There is little regimental news. Gimber (captain of Company F) has been highly complimented in General Cutler's report as general officer of the day for his management of the picket line. General Cutler's report was sent down, and I read it at dress parade this morning, together with Colonel Stone's Order No. 12, prescribing the manner of conducting a march. General Doubleday has, I believe, made a report placing the failure of our expedition (to Port Conway) on the pontoons. General Benham, chief of the pontoons, has replied, vindicating his pontoons. In this last report General Benham makes two or three misstatements, maintaining, among other things, that his pontoniers put up eight pontoons in thirty minutes. In the first place, but six pontoons were put together. Secondly, this was done mainly by our men, the pontoniers proving useless. Third, this could be done only by fastening them with ropes borrowed from the houses around". On Monday, April 27, the Eleventh, Twelfth and Fifth Corps broke camp and began the march towards Chancellorsville. On the following day the Sixth, Third and First Corps were on the banks of the Rappahannock, - the First at Pollock's Mills, nearly four miles below Fredericksburg, with a pontoon bridge successfully laid and one division (the First, - Wadsworth's) firmly established on the south side; the Sixth a mile or two higher up, with its pontoons also in position, and one division safely across. On Wednesday, the 29th, the MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN F. REYNOLDS. [portrait] PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS 85 Third Corps left for Chancellorsville, the Second moving to Banks's Ford the same day. The First and Sixth rested quietly, awaiting the result of the movement of the main portion of the army. On Friday heavy firing was heard in a westerly direction, announcing an engagement between Hooker's and Lee's forces. On Saturday morning, May 2, the First Corps was under arms at a fairly early hour, with orders to proceed to Chancellorsville. For some reason the start was delayed a considerable while, during which some of the enemy's batteries in the fortifications a mile or more beyond the river dropped several scores of shells and solid shot among the troops, causing a general stampede of the colored servants, but resulting in very few casualties. The 150th escaped injury entirely, but Colonel Wister had a narrow "call", a shell dropping within a foot of his horse's nose, as he sat in the saddle waiting for the order to move, and burying itself at the animal's feet without exploding. A day or two previous, when a similar shelling occurred, several batteries of the corps were trained on the rebel fortifications, and an animated duel was kept up for an hour or more, with no noticeable result. It was on this previous occasion that the 150th was first under fire, and it underwent the ordeal most handsomely. The regiment was resting on a hillside, in column of divisions, when, without warning, the long Whitworth projectiles began to pass over it with their curious whirring sound, and some to fall unpleasantly near. Another regiment in close proximity, similarly greeted, was stampeded and scattered in most unmilitary confusion. Colonel Wister immediately formed his command, put it through some exercises of the manual and some simple battalion movements, and only then marched it slowly and deliberately to a place of shelter. The effect of this, their first taste of fire, on the men was admirable, filling them with confidence and pride in their own courage and discipline. 86 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH Speaking of the occasion when Colonel Wister had so narrow an escape from the shell which struck among a group of officers of which he was the centre, Adjutant Ashhurst says, "On Saturday morning we got orders to move about eight, but, just as we started at the head of the column (the 149th, in advance, was moving out of the hollow to go up the river), the rebs reopened with shell on us. We halted in the hollow for a few minutes, where we were pretty safe. Only one shell came directly among us, and that came into a group composed of Colonel Wister, our major, *Parsons, and myself, but went into the ground without exploding. Had it burst, it would probably have made a clean sweep of us". About nine o'clock came the order to march, and the column stepped out to the irregular music of bursting shells, which continued to accompany it for at least a mile of the way. _____ *Capt. John E. Parsons, of Col. Stone's staff