Campaign of the Fourteenth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers

by J. Newton Terrill

At 9 o'clock the enemy's advanced skirmishers made their appearance; our skirmishers had crossed the river, and advanced with promptness to meet them. After a short time it was found impossible to withstand the enemy, as they out-numbered us six to one. Our skirmishers were driven back across the river, and the battle began, the enemy opening with several pieces of artillery; the battle raged terribly for eight long hours. The enemy crossed the river, driving our men steadily back, and coming up in four lines of battle thirty thousand strong. Our little band of five thousand men fought as if everything depended upon the issue, several times driving the enemy back, strewing the ground with rebel dead, and not until flanked right and left did the men fall back. The boys from the 14th fought nobly, but with regret saw that they must retreat. The regiment being on the extreme left of the line suffered severely; Lieut.-Col. Hall, Adjutant Buckalew and several officers were wounded; Captains Stullts, Kanine and Conover were killed, and every officer, both field and line, was either killed or wounded except Captain J. J. Janeway of Co. K. The command of the regiment devolved upon him, and he fought bravely, leading the men on. The one hundred days' men would not fight, but ran in all directions panic-struck, some of them reaching Baltimore, fifty-eight miles distant, without halting.

Eight long hours had passed, the enemy were pressing on all sides, and it soon became evident that unless we retreated all would be lost. At four o'clock the order was given to fall back, which was done in order, the men disputing every inch of the ground; we had but four pieces of artillery, and that without ammunition. The enemy poured grape and cannister into our retreating columns, mowing down the men like grass. More than one-half of the division were killed and wounded; several hid in the woods and were captured next day. It was now every man for himself; knapsacks, haversacks, and even canteens were thrown away. The main force of the enemy moved on the Georgetown Pike to Washington, the cavalry and a portion of the infantry following the retreating column as far as New Market, six miles distance. It was a hard fought battle, but what could five thousand men do against thirty thousand? Capt. Harris, from Co. C, was twice wounded, and was again struck while being helped to an ambulance; several staff officers were also wounded, among them Capt. King, adjutant general of the division. Capt. Janeway was wounded in the shoulder shortly after taking command, and was forced to leave; the regiment was now without a commander. Several recruits had arrived after the battle of Cold Harbor, and the regiment was partly filled, entering the fight with three hundred and fifty men; but ninety-five came out, two hundred and fifty-five being killed, wounded and captured in that terrible battle. Of the nine hundred and fifty men that left New Jersey, but ninety-five were left for duty, on the night of July 9th, without an officer to command them. The other regiments suffered greatly, but none of them losing as many men as the 14th. The news had reached Baltimore and Washington that the enemy were pressing on and preparations were made for an immediate defence, the citizens turning out in vast numbers entrenching. The cities were proclaimed under martial law and none allowed to leave. Time and again had the 14th regiment drilled battalion and skirmish drills over the same hills, little thinking that a terrible battle would be fought, and that the regiment would suffer as it did. Although it resulted in a defeat to our arms, it detained the enemy, and thereby served to enable Gen. Wright to reach Washington with the two remaining divisions of the 6th corps, which had been sent as soon as Gen. Grant was aware of the enemy's movement.

The 19th army corps from General Banks' command had been sent to reinforce the Potomac army, but were immediately sent north with the 6th army corps, together with the 8th army corps that had lain along the Baltimore and Ohio railroad as guards. In a few hours a large army had assembled at Washington, with the citizens of the place and every foot of ground guarded; every avenue bristling with cannon. It was three days march for the enemy from Moncacy and in that time Washington was in a state of defence; all the forts were manned and the heavy guns loaded and shotted. Citizens were armed and formed in companies, all work being suspended. The remnant of the division reached the Baltimore pike, retreating rapidly toward Baltimore, marching all night, passing through New Market, Mount Airy and several small villages along the route; reaching Ellicott's Mills on Sunday afternoon, having marched fifty-five miles without resting. Harry Gillmore, with two hundred rebel cavalry, had advanced as far as the railroad, destroying it between Baltimore and Washington, capturing a train of cars and a mail and severing all communication for two days; there was no Union cavalry near and they did as they pleased. Frederick City was filled with rebel wounded, as our boys had made every shot tell; if the first line was missed they were sure to hit one of the rear lines. Two hundred thousand dollars was demanded from the citizens, or the place would be laid in ashes; the amount was paid by the banks; the city was pillaged and the houses robbed. From Monocacy, the enemy having moved on Washington, reached Rockville on the evening of the 10th.

The 1st and 2d divisions of the 6th corps had been sent from City Point and landed at Washington, and on a double quick proceeded to Fort Stephens; by this time the enemy had reached there. Skirmishers from both armies were immediately thrown out; the enemy, with dismay, saw that instead of one hundred days' men and men from the Invalid corps, they saw the red and white cross of the old 6th corps; they had laid in front of Washington during the afternoon, intending to attack at night; during that time the 6th and 19th corps had reached there, and Washington was out of danger. The 3d division deserves all the praise for saving the National Capital; holding them in check so long at Monocacy, enabled other troops to arrive, but not a moment too soon. A severe skirmish ensued, in which we lost about two hundred in killed and wounded; the enemy's loss supposed to be greater. All was anxiety in the city, as the fighting was but three miles distant, near Tennelly Town, but when the veterans from the Potomac army arrived they were loudly cheered, and were treated well. President Lincoln and members of the Cabinet were present in Fort Stephens, witnessing the fight; the skirmish lasted two hours, in which the enemy were defeated and driven back; Washington almost within their grasp, was no longer in their power. Vain delusion! Had the 3d division retreated from Monocacy without fighting, the enemy would have reached there twelve hours sooner, and the place would have been taken and hundreds of men lost their lives. Every drop of blood shed at Monocacy, every life lost, was sacrificed in a noble cause. Those fallen heroes, whose bones lie bleaching there, if they could only know that their lives saved our National Capital from destruction, would willingly exclaim, "I die content, I gave my life for my country."

The division remained at Ellicott's Mills until Monday afternoon, stragglers coming in every few hours in squads; the men were placed on baggage cars for Baltimore, sixteen miles distant, arriving there at dark, lying near the track until morning; then marching two miles to Druid Hill Park, near the outskirts of the city. This park was fitted up at a great expense and was a beautiful place, the citizens were very unwilling that the troops should encamp there, but General Ricketts promising that nothing would be disturbed, consent was given, the men encamping in regimental order; tents on a line and orders given not to molest a thing, which was done. The rolls of the different regiments were called; but one thousand three hundred men reported for duty of the five thousand men embarked from Petersburg; three thousand seven hundred had been killed, wounded and captured at Monocacy Bridge; an equal number of the enemy were slain as they advanced in four lines, and a bullet was sure to hit one. General Ricketts reported the division unfit for duty; the men had lost their blankets and all their clothing, keeping nothing but their guns. General Early finding that re-enforcements had arrived retreated from Washington and was pursued by the two divisions of the 6th corps, and the 8th and 19th corps on the afternoon of the 14th. The division was ordered to join in the pursuit; being placed in baggage cars for Washington, forty miles distant, reaching the suburbs of the city at night, encamping until morning. The next day marching through the city and through Georgetown, halting in the afternoon near Tennelly Town; rations were issued and cattle furnished for a tramp; moving again, marching in all eighteen miles; halting at night near Cross Roads twelve miles from Washington.

Learning the exact condition of affairs at Washington, General Grant telegraphed the assignment of Major General Wright to the command of all the troops that could be available to operate in the field against the enemy, and directed that he should get outside of the trenches with all the force he could and push Early to the last moment. On the 16th the division started early, marching twenty-five miles; crossing the Potomac at Edwards Ferry, wading it, nearly one mile wide and waist deep. While the remnant of the Potomac army was lying in their camps at Petersburg, the 6th corps was marching in the hottest of weather from fifteen to twenty-five and even thirty miles per day, moving up and down the Shenandoah Valley until a decisive battle was fought at Winchester, resulting in defeat to the enemy and victory to us. On Sunday, the 17th, but eight miles were made; the column halting near Leesburg; the 3d division joining the corps as they had halted for us to come up, and now began the hardest marching, unparalleled in history. The 6th corps having the name of marching farther than any corps in the army and were called Wright's walkers, for their rapidity in marching; horses and mules fell lifeless along the road and were speedily replaced by others, but the men that fell never to rise again could not be replaced. The ambulances were full, and every baggage wagon with those that could not walk. The army now numbered over forty thousand men, all under command of Major General Wright, and was called the middle military division, composed of the 6th, 8th and 19th army corps, with sixty pieces of artillery.

The 6th corps was temporarily commanded by Gen. Ricketts, the 8th by Gen. Kelly and the 19th by Gen. Emory. The rebel army confronting us were thirty-five thousand strong, commanded by Gen. Jubal Early, and formed in five divisions, commanded by Gens. Rhodes, Ramsen, Wharton, Pegram and Gordon, with the notorious guerillas, Imboden, Jones and Harry Gillmore, the latter from Baltimore, together with Mosby, ever hovering in our rear and on our flank, and knowing every foot of the ground. These for a time were more than a match for our gallant little army, as every house our army passed contained persons that would not hesitate to inform the enemy of our movements, and who were in league with those guerilla bands. The troops were all now together, and were encamped near Leesburg, until three o'clock on the morning of the 18th, when the troops were routed out, drawing three days' rations, with orders to move. Marching out on the Georgetown pike, passing a place called Hamilton, and then marching ten miles, through Snickersville, near Snicker's Gap, the Potomac army encamped on the same ground the previous year when in pursuit of Lee—reaching the banks of the Shenandoah river during the afternoon; the enemy had halted, and were in force on the opposite side, with a determination to resist our advance and to give battle if our troops attempted a crossing; everything was in their favor, as our men had the river to cross under fire. There was no other alternative but to wade it nearly waist deep, and with a raking fire from concealed batteries posted on a hill. The column halted, and a skirmish line was formed, the men cooking dinner. Nearly every man had something that he had picked up on the way, as the country was filled with everything, such as hogs, chickens, honey and potatoes; all served for a meal, and was eaten with a relish. Hard-tack and salt pork remained in the haversack until needed.

The command of General Hunter had now reached and re-occupied Martinsburg, destroying over one million dollars worth of rations, and capturing one thousand prisoners that the rebels had left as guards, moving by detour, he flanked the enemy. As his force was insufficient to meet them if they should fall suddenly upon him, he with his command reached us while at Snicker's Gap, and reported to General Wright; they had suffered almost incredible hardships, having lived on the country for several weeks. Hunter was ordered to throw out a line of skirmishers, and force the river; supported by the 1st division of the 6th corps they succeeded in crossing the river, when the enemy's skirmishers advanced in three lines, driving Hunter's men pell mell back in confusion, several of them being drowned; the 1st division did not cross, as darkness came on. Both sides commenced shelling, and several in the 6th corps were killed and wounded, the Major of the 2d New Jersey infantry losing his leg; thus the day ended in disaster and defeat; but the men were not disheartened, and rested as quietly on their arms as though at home; a man can soon get used to anything. Many soldiers have slept as soundly in action as if nothing was occurring, the deep booming of the cannon and even shells striking near, failing to arouse them.

The troops remained at Snicker's Gap two days, and nothing important occurred, the enemy being still in force on the opposite side, and both armies with pickets on each side of the river. All sorts of rumors were circulated throughout camp, some of them very absurd. The men were glad to rest, as none felt like marching, the sun being hot and the sand very dry. On the morning of the 20th, it was discovered that the enemy had left our immediate front, but having no cavalry, Gen. Wright could not ascertain their movements. At eleven o'clock the troops were ordered to move, wading the Shenandoah at Snicker's Gap. A splendid shower came up and was very refreshing, as there had been no rain in sometime; the column halted in a woods on the banks of a river. It was now evident that the enemy were again making for Washington, and at dark the troops were ordered immediately back, recrossing the river; marching all night and part of the next day; moving back on the same road, the men nearly worn out, and halting all night near Goose Run Creek, having marched since crossing the Shenandoah thirty miles.

The men now began to murmur at General Wright for marching them so hard, this march being equal to the retreat from Culpepper, then the weather being cold the men were enabled to stand it better. The next morning the troops moved out again, marching twenty miles; halting at dark near Lewinsville, the men were too tired to cook, and threw themselves on the ground regardless of anything, and were soon asleep; it was now sixteen days since the division had left Petersburg; having travelled during that time, by water three hundred miles, by rail one hundred and sixteen miles, and on foot one hundred and seventy-five miles, total five hundred and ninety-one miles in that short space of time; but this was comparatively nothing, considering the marching the men were compelled to undergo while in the Shenandoah Valley.