Campaign of the Fourteenth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers

by J. Newton Terrill

On the 1st of December the 1st division moved, and was placed on cars at Winchester for Washington. It was now certain the corps was to leave and Winter quarters were abandoned. On the 3d, the 3d division followed the 1st, General Wright having gone the previous day. The division marched ten miles, taking the cars at Stephenson Station and riding one hundred and forty-two miles on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, again passing Monocacy Bridge; it being night the men were mostly asleep; arrived at Washington on Sunday morning. But a few months before, when the city was in danger and the troops were hurried from City Point, the people flocked to see them and cheer them on their way, now scarcely a sound was heard, Washington was out of danger. The 6th corps was again to return to City Point, and by the people their hardships in the valley were forgotten; they passed scarcely noticing the men, and without a reception of any kind the troops were placed on transports for City Point. The weather had changed and was as warm and as mild as spring. The troops were furnished with three days' rations, and by three o'clock were all on board. The 14th was placed on transport Keyport, passing Fortress Monroe, and arriving at City Point at 11 o'clock on Monday morning, riding on Grant's railroad sixteen miles. This track is laid on the ground without grading and runs up hill and down in range of the enemy's shells. The corps was to take the quarters of the 5th corps, they moving on a reconnoissance to Weldon, North Carolina, for the purpose of cutting the Southside railroad, and as much of the enemy's communications as possible. The regiment had been in the middle department nine months, lying at Monocacy Bridge; in the Potomac army one year; and in the valley five months, and now back in the Potomac army again. The 5th corps' quarters were on the Weldon railroad that had been captured at an immense loss of life. There were now but two roads leading into Richmond, the Southside road and the Danville road, which were now aimed for, and as soon as the 6th corps arrived, the 5th with two divisions of cavalry, moved out to Hatcher's Run, on the Boydton plank road. They did not wish to leave their quarters, but were glad to see the 6th corps come back and willingly gave up their quarters to them. The troops halted until morning, and then occupied the tents vacated by the 5th corps. The headquarters of the 3d division was in a pretty place, having been fitted up with considerable care, but the quarters of the men were very poor, being put up in the Fall with no intention of remaining.

The troops remained in quarters but one day, when they were ordered to the support of the 5th corps, which had attacked the enemy at Weldon, destroying thirty miles of the Southside road, and burning a large amount of rations, besides capturing a number of prisoners and contrabands. The division returned the next day, having marched but ten miles, the 5th corps needing no assistance. It was snowing hard, and the men suffering severely lying out in the storm. Both armies now confronted each other for a distance of forty miles, with works in some places but a few rods apart, but every precaution was taken to prevent a surprise. The men from both sides were on friendly terms, talking with each other and exchanging papers. In front of Petersburg was a fort named Fort H—l from its close proximity to the rebels. Firing from this fort was incessantly carried on day and night, and the men gave it that name as it was continually under fire, killing numbers daily.

Winter quarters were now fairly established, the men fixing up the old tents very comfortably. Cold weather had now commenced and rainy days were frequent; furloughs were granted the men from ten to twenty days, large numbers visiting their homes. General Sherman was moving through the heart of Georgia. His campaign is familiar to my readers, and as the 14th was in the Potomac army, it is not necessary to give an account of Sherman's march. It was supposed by the men that the armies of Grant and Sheridan would be consolidated in time, but all ideas of soon moving were abandoned, as the roads were almost impassable, while Sherman was farther south and able to move with his heavy trains, living on the country. It was the main object of Grant to hold Lee in check to prevent him from re-enforcing Johnson, and in time to sever all communication from Richmond, compelling Lee to retreat farther south or to surrender. By frequent moving he had extended his lines some distance, thereby weakening the enemy's lines considerably. They were getting short of rations, as Sherman was cutting their railroads in every direction. A vast amount of supplies was stored at City Point for the use of our armies; sutlers were in abundance and City Point in reality soon became a city. The headquarters of General Grant were on a hill near the river. Immense guns and fortifications were seen in all directions, fully manned by men, while it was with difficulty that the enemy could raise enough men to fill their works. Pickets and videttes from each side were but a few rods apart, and frequently conversed with each other. The battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg were forgotten, and no one would ever think that those men who now were so friendly with each other, had ever engaged in terrible strife on the field of battle. The men from Early's command were in front of the 3d division, and when on picket the scenes of the valley were often talked of, but always with bitterness on the side of the enemy. Our boys would cry out, "Halloo, Johnny Reb., did you get enough of the valley?" Johnny replies, with his fingers up to his nose, "Do you Yanks see anything of the South-side railroad?" Our men had been aiming for that, but had failed repeatedly.

The 14th was now re-organized, having received several recruits, to the amount of two hundred. Captain Janeway, for bravery and meritorious conduct, was promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment, he and Lieutenant Baily being the only old officers from Freehold. The officers were now mostly enlisted men, and by their conduct had won for themselves a lasting reputation. Among those that distinguished themselves, and in every action were at their posts, were Captains Wanser, Manning and Marsh; Lieutenants Foster, Barkalew, Fletcher, Hanning, White and Manderville. Each one had entered the ranks and had won for himself his position. Colonel Truex was still in command of the brigade, acting Brigadier General. The division commanded by General Seymour, formerly commander of the 2d brigade, being captured in the Wilderness, he was taken to Charleston and subsequently released, and placed in command of the division in the absence of General Ricketts.

All was now quiet in camp, with the exception of cannonading in front of Petersburg, and picket firing along some portion of the line. This was the third and last Winter in the army for the regiment; the first Winter was spent at Monocacy, the second at Brandy Station, and the third at Petersburg.

Reports from various sources led Grant to believe that the enemy had again detached three divisions from the army in front of Petersburg, to again attempt the capture of Washington, via the Shenandoah Valley. He therefore sent the 2d corps and Greggs' division of cavalry from the army of the Potomac, and a force of General Butler's army, to threaten Richmond from the north side of the James to prevent Lee from sending troops away, and if possible to draw back those that were sent. In this move six pieces of artillery and several hundred prisoners were captured. Detained troops that were under marching orders ascertained that but one division of the three reported detached had gone, which soon returned when the movements of our forces had been discovered. The enemy having drawn heavily from Petersburg to resist this movement, the 5th corps moved out on a reconnoissance on the left, to take possession of the South-side road. During the day there was considerable fighting, but the enemy were found in force, and the 5th corps was ordered back, forming a line in rear of the army and building new quarters.

The 6th corps was under marching orders, but did not leave as they were not needed. Camp life again passed very pleasantly, as quiet was resumed. A branch railroad was completed from the City Point and Petersburg Railroad to the Weldon Railroad, and supplies were forwarded in all kinds of weather without difficulty to all parts of the line. Occasionally the enemy shelled our trains as they passed, but our batteries opening theirs were soon silenced, as our ammunition was plenty and theirs scarce. Recruits now arrived rapidly, and the army was increased to one hundred and fifty thousand men. The enemy, by merciless conscription, had pressed every man and boy in the field capable of bearing arms, leaving none but the negroes at home to do the work. Each Friday there was an execution of some kind in the army; men were hung for deserting to the enemy, and others were shot for jumping bounties and then deserting. It soon became a common thing, but it was necessary as a lesson to others that these men should be executed. The troops had lain in camp some time, when Grant again attempted to take the South-side Road. The 2d corps followed by two divisions of the 5th corps, with the cavalry in advance and covering the left flank of the army, forced a passage of Hatcher's Run and moved up the north side of it towards the South-side Road, until the 2d corps and part of the cavalry reached the Boydton Plank Road where it crosses Hatcher's Run; at this point our advance was but six miles distant from the South-side Road, and the whistle of the enemy's engine could be plainly heard. But finding that we had not reached the end of the enemy's communications, and no place presented itself for a successful assault, it was determined to withdraw within our fortified line, and orders were given accordingly. On the return the enemy moved out across Hatcher's Run, and made a desperate attack on General Hancock's right and rear. Hancock immediately faced his corps to meet it, and after a bloody combat drove the enemy within his works, and withdrew that night to his old position.

From this time forward the operations in front of Richmond and Petersburg until the spring campaign of 1865 were confined to the defence and extension of our lines, and to offensive movements for crippling the enemy's lines of communications, and to prevent his detaching any considerable force to send south. Visitors from the north again came in large numbers, among them several distinguished foreigners. Our lines were to them a wonder, as they thought it impossible for two armies to lie in such close proximity to each other without fighting all the time; but the past had taught the men that picket firing was but murder, and resulted in no advantage to either side. The men drilled daily and were inspected each Sunday. The spring campaign was looked forward to as a hard one, as it was supposed that Lee and Johnson combined, if once together, would move south, and we would have to follow. The tents of the men were ordered to be cleaned neatly, as several cases of small-pox had made their appearance. General Seymour commanding the division, was a strict disciplinarian, and orders were issued by him that were thought by the men to be useless; every non-commissioned officer was ordered to wear his chevrons, and if not obeying was immediately reduced; each man in the division was also ordered to wear his badge, and if any private was found without the blue cross, he was placed under arrest. Division headquarters were but a short distance from the troops, and were near the camp of the 50th New York engineers, they having the prettiest camp in the army. They built a splendid church, and negro minstrels were held nightly, officers of distinction visiting it, and divine service was forgotten; each night found the church full of men, who, if service had been held, would not have been found there.

Christmas was spent as usual dull and lonesome. Boxes were sent from home to the men, and those that had none fared well, as the rations given the men by the Government were plenty. The last day of the year was very rainy. Early in the morning the rebel pickets in front of the division made an attack, and surprised our men. The morning was dark and our men were driven back, but the reserve pickets soon formed and drove the rebels back in turn. Three men from the 9th New York were killed and several were captured. The firing soon ceased, and the last day of the year passed gloomily enough. The regiment was mustered in for four months pay by Colonel Janeway, and the members of the 14th spent the last day of the year very dull and lonesome in camp.

January 1st, 1865, was a dull New Year's to the men, for instead of a warm dinner at home, the fare of the men was hard-tack and salt pork. The bands of the regiments were playing national airs. It was the Sabbath and all was as still as death; not a shot disturbed the silence of the day. The soldier as he thought of his home, contrasted that with camp life, and wondered when the war would end. Most of the headquarter officers were under the influence of liquor, but the regimental officers were unable to obtain whiskey and remained sober, as the orders of Gen. Seymour were very strict, that no whiskey should be sold at the brigade commissaries. It was feared that the enemy would make an attack at night, and orders were given the pickets not to sleep, as it was rumored in the southern papers that Lee was about to astonish the world by some bold movement, and what it was no one could tell. His movement was anxiously looked forward to by the men, as it was reported that he was heavily re-enforced by troops from General Hardee's command and from Breckinridge's. The rebels seemed to be in good spirits, and our men supposed something unusual had occurred, but it turned out that the rebel officers had furnished the men gunpowder and whiskey, and then ordered them to cheer in honor of some great victory, but what victory it was they knew not, neither did our men.