Such facts as did not come under the personal observation of the writer, have been derived from the statements and reports of Division and Brigade Generals, and other sources. Owing to the confusion consequent upon the death, disease and desertion attending a two years’ campaign of nearly one thousand men, some of the members may find themselves incorrectly “accounted for.”
A double interest attaches to the numerous engravings which embellish the volume, from the fact that instead of being gotten up to order, they were “drawn on the spot” by a skilful artist—an officer of the Regiment—who participated in all the scenes through which it passed. They constitute in themselves a pictorial history of the first two years of the Eastern campaigns.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER I. | |
| Patriotism of Central New York.—Determination of the People to put down the Rebellion.—Raising of Troops.—Organization of the various Companies of the 33d New York Regiment, | [13] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Elmira a Place of Rendezvous.—Arrival of Troops.—Organization of the Thirty-third.—A Beef Incident.—Presentation of a Flag.—Mustering into the United States Service, | [30] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Departure for Washington.—Patriotism of the Williamsport Ladies.—Arrival at the Capital.—Camp Granger.—Destroying a Liquor Establishment.—“Cleaning-out” a Clam Peddler.—Review by Governor Morgan.—First Death in the Regiment.—First Battle of Bull Run.—Changes among the Officers, | [39] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Removal to Vicinity of Chain Bridge.—Upsetting of Ambulances.—The Regiment Brigaded.—Frequent Alarms and Reconnoissances.—Reviewed by General McClellan.—Crossing of the Potomac.—Forts Marcy and Ethan Allen.—Formation of Divisions.—Colonel Stevens.—First Skirmish with the Enemy at Lewinsville Camp.—General Brooks.—General Davidson.—The Seventy-seventh New York added to the Brigade.—A Novel Wedding in Camp.—Circulating a Temperance Pledge.—Battle of Drainesville, | [45] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Grand Review of the Army, at Bailey’s Cross-Roads.—Pleasant Acquaintances formed.—Changes and Deaths at Camp Griffin.—Dissatisfaction at the General Inactivity.—President’s War Orders.—Gen. McClellan’s Plans and Correspondence with the President, | [60] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Advance of the Army of the Potomac.—The Thirty-third taking up the line of march.—Flint Hill.—General McClellan decides to move on Richmond by way of the Peninsula.—Embarkation of the Thirty-third at Alexandria.—Embarkation Scene.—Mount Vernon.—The Monitor.—Arrival at Fortress Monroe.—Agreeable change of the climate.—Hampton.—Reconnoissance to Watt’s Creek.—Rebel Epistolary Literature.—Bathers shelled by the rebel gunboat Teaser.—Building a Redoubt, | [56] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| 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, | [76] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Battle of Williamsburg, | [82] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Williamsburg.—Condition of the Roads.—Pamunkey River.—Contrabands.—Arrival of General Franklin, | [94] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Battle of Mechanicsville, | [103] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| “Gaines’ Farm.”—Liberty Hall.—Battle of Seven Pines.—Fair Oaks.—Rapid rise of the Chickahominy.—The Gaines Estate.—An aged Negro.—Golden’s Farm.—Camp Lincoln.—Letter from an Officer, | [109] |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Proximity to the Rebels.—Colonel Taylor fired at by a Sharpshooter.—Picket Skirmishing.—Building a Bridge.—Position of Affairs.—General McClellan Reconnoitring.—He writes to the President.—Lee’s Plans.—Second Battle of Mechanicsville.—Shelling the Thirty-third’s Camp.—Battle of Gaines’ Farm.—A Retreat to the James decided upon, | [118] |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| Battle of Golden’s Farm, | [127] |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| The Retreat Commenced.—The Thirty-third one of the last Regiments to Leave.—Savage’s Station.—Destruction of Property.—General Davidson Sun-struck, | [134] |
| CHAPTER XV. | |
| A Tedious Night March.—White Oak Swamp.—Sudden Attack by the Enemy.—Narrow Escape of General Smith.—A Cowardly Colonel, | [142] |
| CHAPTER XVI. | |
| The Enemy Out-generaled.—Arrival at Malvern Hills.—The Thirty-third assigned to Picket Duty.—Battle of Malvern.—Arrival at Harrison’s Landing.—General McClellan’s Address.—Building a Fort.—Slashing Timber, | [148] |
| CHAPTER XVII. | |
| Arrival of Reinforcements.—Visit of President Lincoln.—Attack by the Enemy.—Reconnoissance to Malvern Hills.—A Deserter drummed out of Camp.—A change of base decided upon.—Return March to Fortress Monroe.—Scenes by the way, | [159] |
| CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| Abandonment of the Peninsula.—Arrival at Acquia Creek.—Disembarkation at Alexandria.—Pope’s Operations.—Death of Generals Stevens and Kearney.—Retreat to the Fortifications.—Responsibility for the Disaster.—Fitz-John Porter, | [165] |
| CHAPTER XIX. | |
| General McClellan Restored to Command.—Re-organization of the Army.—Advance of the Enemy into Maryland.—March from Washington.—Battle of Crampton’s Pass.—Harper’s Ferry Surrendered, | [176] |
| CHAPTER XX. | |
| The Battle of Antietam, | [184] |
| CHAPTER XXI. | |
| Appearance of the Field after the strife.—Union Losses and Captures.—Bravery of the Raw Levies.—The Thirty-third complimented by the Brigade Commander, | [196] |
| CHAPTER XXII. | |
| Pennsylvania Militia.—Visit of the President.—Beautiful Scenery along the Potomac.—Harper’s Ferry.—“Jefferson’s Rock.”, | [202] |
| CHAPTER XXIII. | |
| Hagerstown.—Martinsburg.—A New Campaign.—Return of Colonel Taylor.—Crossing the river at Berlin.—Appearance of the Country.—Loyal Quakers.—Removal of General McClellan.—His Farewell Address.—Causes of his Popularity, | [207] |
| CHAPTER XXIV. | |
| Gen. McClellan’s Departure.—Gen. Burnside’s Address.—March to Fredericksburg.—Reasons for choosing this Route.—Randolph Estate.—Failure of the Pontoons to Arrive.—Stafford Court House.—The Thirty-third preparing Winter Quarters.—Scouting Parties.—The Ashby Family, | [ 218] |
| CHAPTER XXV. | |
| Completion of the Potomac Creek Bridge.—An interesting relic of Virginia Aristocracy.—General Burnside determines to cross the river.—March of the Sixth Corps.—White-Oak Church, | [228] |
| CHAPTER XXVI. | |
| Laying of the Bridges.—A solemn scene.—Bombardment of Fredericksburg.—Gallantry of the Seventh Michigan and other Regiments.—Crossing of the left Grand Division, | [236] |
| CHAPTER XXVII. | |
| Battle of Fredericksburg, | [243] |
| CHAPTER XXVIII. | |
| 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, | [251] |
| CHAPTER XXIX. | |
| Another Advance.—The Army stalled in mud.—Removal of General Burnside.—General Hooker succeeds him.—Character of the two men.—General Franklin relieved, and General Smith transferred to the 9th Army Corps.—His Parting Address.—Colonel Taylor assigned to a Brigade.—A Contraband Prayer Meeting.—Sanitary Condition of the Army, | [261] |
| CHAPTER XXX. | |
| Splendid Condition of the Army.—Gen. Hooker’s Programme.—A Forward Movement.—Battles of Chancellorsville and Vicinity.—Jackson turns Hooker’s Right Wing.—Operations below Fredericksburg.—Strategy.—Address from the Commanding General.—The Washington Estate.—Crossing the Rappahannock, | [276] |
| CHAPTER XXXI. | |
| The Storming of Fredericksburg Heights, | [290] |
| CHAPTER XXXII. | |
| Battles of Salem Heights, | [302] |
| CHAPTER XXXIII. | |
| Gen. Stoneman’s Expedition Successful.—Reasons for the Campaign proving a Failure.—Death of Jackson.—His Character.—Gen. Neill’s Report, | [315] |
| CHAPTER XXXIV. | |
| Departure for Home.—Ovations at Geneva and Canandaigua, | [322] |
| CHAPTER XXXV. | |
| Splendid Ovation at Canandaigua.—Speeches and Addresses by E. G. Lapham, J. P. Faurot, and the Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Chaplain of the Regiment.—Return of the Regimental Banner to the Ladies of Canandaigua.—Parting Exercises.—The Thirty-third passes into History, | [334] |
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
The period through which we are now passing, may properly be said to comprise one of the three great epochs which, according to Voltaire, mark the history of every nation. Nay more. Have not the providential developments of the rebellion revealed a new goal in our national progress? Instead of being a dire calamity, may we not rather consider the present civil war as a means, in the hand of Divine Providence, for the solution of a great moral problem—the overthrow of slavery? So completely had the South become wedded to her peculiar institution, that no other instrumentality save the sword was adequate to effect their separation. The shock of battle would alone loosen the bonds of the captive. If this were the design of Providence in inflicting this war upon us, no one can deny that events are slowly though surely working for its accomplishment. Every acre of territory gained possession of by our soldiers is an acre gained for freedom, and already entire States have been wrested from the grasp of the usurper. Such a design precluded the possibility of success on the part of the rebels; for, as the death of one of the Siamese twins necessarily terminates the existence of the other, so will the destruction of slavery ensure the downfall of the Southern Oligarchy.
Alexander Stephens has styled it “The Corner-stone of the New Confederacy.” The corner-stone demolished, how can the superstructure remain? If, then, the blood which has flowed on so many battle-fields, will wash out the foul stain from our national escutcheon, will it have been shed in vain?