BATTLE OF WEST POINT, VA.
May 7, 1862.
West Point is the name given to the landing-place at the head of the York river, which is formed by the junction of the Pamunkey and Mattapony rivers, and is thirty miles above Yorktown.
After the evacuation of that place, and the entrance of the Federal troops, the Union army proceeded in its advance toward Richmond by different routes, as already detailed. One column marched by the land route, under Heintzelman, Sumner, Hooker, Kearney and Keyes, while General Franklin led his corps by transports up the York river to West Point, leaving Yorktown at nine o’clock, on Tuesday morning, May 6th. The banks of the river presented a fine appearance, and white flags were displayed from many of the houses. The house of Mr. Bigler, a firm loyalist, was almost covered with an immense flag, bearing the stars and stripes, while one of the ladies of the house waved the beautiful emblem of peace along its folds, from one of the windows. The rebels had set fire to a valuable mill belonging to Mr. Bigler, and its ruins were still sending up great clouds of smoke into the air, a lurid witness of the destruction which had marked their progress. The army arrived at West Point about two o’clock, P. M., and commenced its disembarkation.
In consequence of the shallowness of the approach by water, it became necessary to use pontoon boats and scows to facilitate the landing. Operations were therefore slow; but the troops were landed by midnight. The rebels did not dispute the landing. Pickets were immediately thrown out into the woods in front, the roads leading to the landing-place examined, and trees were thrown across the roads. The pickets were occasionally engaged during the night, but only two or three of the Federals were lost in these irregular skirmishes. The night was spent in active labors and in jealously watching the movements of the foe.
At half-past three o’clock the next morning, the whole division was under arms. At six o’clock information that the enemy was approaching was received, and the troops prepared at once to meet him. The Gosline Zouaves, (Pennsylvania,) New York Sixteenth, Eighteenth, Thirty-first and Thirty-second, and Maine Fifth were ordered to take the advance; the New Jersey brigade following them up as a reserve. The Fourth New Jersey having in its front a marsh, and immediately on its far side a piece of woods, from which the enemy could fire upon it with advantage, Colonel Simpson ordered his fine body of pioneers to throw a bridge over the creek. This was the work of a few moments, and his regiment, by direction of Colonel Taylor, took possession of the woods, and were strongly posted behind a ravine, ready to deliver a telling fire upon the rebels, in the contingency of the Fifth Maine, immediately in front, being driven back. This contingency, however, did not occur.
The Thirty-second New York, Colonel Matteson, of Newton’s brigade, was directed to clear the wood of rebels, who had made their presence known to the pickets. The Sixteenth New York was ordered to the same work in other portions of the wood. The Thirty-second proceeded to execute their duty. Entering the wood they came upon a ravine, at the bottom of which they were fired upon by the rebel skirmishers. They charged at once, delivering a galling fire upon the enemy’s position. The enemy retired, the troops following until a second ravine appeared in view. In attempting to cross this the rebels from the other side again poured a volley into them with considerable effect. They had not, however, the power to drive back the Federal troops, who gallantly pursued the rebels, delivering their fire upon them, or rather upon their position, for they kept themselves adroitly concealed by the woods. At a third and last ravine, the rebels had erected a breastwork on the opposite side, from which they opened on the Federals with small arms, and grape and canister from mountain howitzers. The Thirty-second charged gallantly up to within a few feet of the work, but were forced to fall back from the superior force of the enemy. They retired in admirable order. There were only seven companies of the Thirty-second regiment engaged against Alabama, Texas, South Carolina and Tennessee troops.
At two o’clock, P. M., the gunboats, three in number, opened fire upon the enemy from their large guns, the shells apparently taking effect in the right quarter, for the enemy soon afterwards retired, their battery being silenced on the first shot from the boats. The enemy’s retreat could be traced by the line of smoke in his rear. The retreating rebels were evidently attempting to destroy every thing on their route. The Sixteenth and Thirty-first regiments, New York Volunteers, were also engaged with the enemy in the woods. The loss of the Thirty-second regiment New York Volunteers was nearly one hundred in killed and wounded. Three officers,—Captain Young, of company D; Captain Brown, of company C, and Lieutenant Wallace, of company G—were killed, and Lieutenant Stone, of company B, and Lieutenant Twaddle, of company F, wounded severely, and thirteen privates were killed. The total loss in the different regiments of Newton’s brigade was about two hundred in killed, wounded and missing. The loss of the rebels was heavy, as was presumed from the fact that they were seen from the transports carrying off their dead and wounded in great numbers.
Most of the Federal regiments that took part in this engagement suffered severely, and many prisoners were taken by the rebels. The timely service rendered by the gunboats was mainly instrumental in defeating the enemy.
Captain Montgomery, of General Newton’s staff, had a most extraordinary escape from the Hampton Legion, into whose picket lines he became entrapped. Captain Montgomery knew that only the utmost self-possession could extricate him from his difficulty, and he coolly saluted them. They supposed he was a rebel officer, and asked him how far General Hampton was from them. Montgomery told them he had left him about ten rods distant, and said, “Now, boys, the General expects you to do your duty to-day!” and turned his horse slowly around to retire. But the rebels saw the “U. S.” on his cap, and immediately sprang to their feet, while the Captain was dashing with all the speed of his horse down the road. But too late. A volley of minie rifle balls whistled round him, and his horse fell dead, pierced by seven balls. He fell upon Captain Montgomery’s leg, giving him several severe bruises. The Captain fell back, with his head in a ditch, where he lay some ten minutes, pretending to be dead. The rebels came up to him, talking, swearing, and making their comments on the Yankee, while they rifled his pockets.
The brave fellow lay perfectly still, holding his breath, while these rude men were searching his person; but a sense of his ludicrous position came upon him too strongly, and he burst into a hearty fit of laughter, much to the astonishment of those who believed themselves to be pillaging a dead body.
Of course, there was no avoiding his fate now, and he surrendered himself a prisoner of war, with the merry laughter still bright upon his face. His captors were greatly annoyed by his coolness and his “shamming,” and were leading him off to headquarters, when a couple of shells came whizzing through the air and exploding in their midst, dispersed them. Captain Montgomery seized the opportunity, and plunging into the woods found his way to the Federal lines, where, after a little rest, he mounted another horse and joined the fight again.