My First Campaign

by Joseph W. Grant

From the place where I stood in the ranks, I could see two defunct rebels, who were killed the day before, while our batteries shelled the city. I took the liberty to go close, and look at the one nearest me. A shell had struck him in the head, cutting the top of it completely off, leaving nothing above the eyes; killing him of course instantly.

From this place I continued on to another street, to see a group of dead bodies. There were sixteen of them, all belonging to a Massachusetts regiment, and who fell the night before, while engaged in dislodging the enemy. They were laid in a row, and buried close where they fell. I could not help thinking, as I gazed upon the mournful scene, of the loved ones at home, who were waiting, watching, and praying for the safe return of these poor men, who, in the dispensation of a mysterious Providence, they never more could see on earth.

I turned away from the sad spectacle to become acquainted with other features of this cruel war. I had passed along several streets, when the rapid firing of the enemy warned me to return to my regiment. The shells were bursting all about us, and I found the regiment on my return already in line, and soon after we moved and took a position in a less exposed situation, where we remained through the night. I went to a house close by, found some boards, returned to the street, where we were ordered to remain, placed one end of these boards upon the sidewalk, the other end resting in the middle of the street, and finding some straw in the neighborhood, made my bed upon these, and "laid me down to sleep."

Early in the morning, the different regiments were all astir, preparing for the coming battle. The different companies of our regiment were drawn up in line, our haversacks were filled with three days' rations, which consisted of crackers, pork, sugar and coffee, our canteens with water, and moving some half mile farther down the city, we rested on our arms, in readiness to take the part assigned us. While in this place, we were somewhat sheltered from the enemy's shells, which were thrown at different intervals, several of them dropping and bursting in the river, directly in front of us, causing much dodging and twisting, throughout the different regiments.

There was a space directly in front of our position, upon which there were no buildings, close upon the river. This space was occupied early in the forenoon, by the Irish Brigade, and I saw for the first time, Thomas F. Meagher, the general commanding this brigade, well known as the Irish patriot and fighting general. This brigade were called into action early in the day, and moved to the front at once. This was at about ten, A. M.

The booming of cannon and the sharp cracking of the musketry, soon told us that the "ball had opened," and at twelve o'clock, M. we were called upon. Our line was quickly formed, and we moved on. Filing to the left, we passed up a steep hill on the "double quick," and soon came in sight and within range of the enemy's guns, who immediately brought them to bear upon us. The firing becoming too hot for us, we were brought into line, and ordered to lie close to the ground. Down we went, accordingly, into the mud, and the firing partly ceased. Again we rose, and rushed ahead, the artillery playing upon us more furiously than ever. Gaining a trench, a short distance ahead, we again came to a halt and formed our line anew. Being partially sheltered from the enemy's fire, we stopped long enough to catch our breath, then throwing off our blankets, passed up the bank, and hurried on. Some twenty rods ahead of this trench, the railroad from Fredericksburg to Richmond passes, making a cut some twenty feet deep. Expecting to find a shelter in this from the enemy's fire, we sprang ahead. Upon gaining the bank, with one spring I ploughed to the bottom. I had hoped to find another breathing spell here, but found myself disappointed in this, as the enemy had a battery in position from which they threw shot and shell the whole-length of this cut, and it was here we first came under the fire of their musketry. We were ordered to gain the opposite bank as soon as possible. The ascent was very steep, and being out of breath, it required much effort on our part to reach the top. I never in my life strove harder than I did to gain the top of this bank. The distance from this place to the position we were to gain, was perhaps forty rods. And this under a scorching fire of musketry and artillery, at short range. We hurried ahead as fast as possible, knowing this to be no place to make long stops. Our regiment at this time was partially broken up, every man knowing the danger, exerted himself to escape it; and by a "double quick," which at this time had become a run, we were fast gaining the position already occupied by the rest of our brigade, which was partly sheltered from the fire of the enemy.

The report of the cannon, the shriek of the shell, its explosion in our midst, the sharp cracking of the musketry, and the whiz of the Minnie ball, (the different missiles ploughing and cutting up the ground in front of us,) furnished a terrible ordeal, through which the Twelfth were called upon to pass.

Thus we hurried on until we gained the position assigned us. Here a hillock, running parallel with our lines, and slightly elevated above the surface of the plain, intervened between us and the enemy. This afforded us some protection, and here within two hundred yards of the enemy's redoubt, our forces came to a halt, and it was only after our arrival here that we could bring our muskets to bear upon the enemy. Our regiment was brought into this action under many disadvantages. It will be remembered, that up to this time we had been in the service but eight weeks, had journeyed from Rhode Island, had established two different camps in Virginia, and just completed a march of one hundred miles. Tired and worn out with our long and weary march, and before we had time even to form our camp, or obtain any thing to eat, beside "marching rations," (hard crackers and salt pork,) upon which we had subsisted for the two weeks previous, and in all our inexperience as to how we should render our compliments to the foe, we were invited across the Rappahannock, and introduced to the enemy. Upon the first start, on going into action, we ascended a hill where scaling ladders would have been an advantage to us. Then followed a feat of fence jumping, passing barns, brick kilns, &c. Through these gymnastic exercises we were conducted by our colonel, ably seconded by our gallant major. The regiment passed these obstacles in good order, and under a heavy fire reached the first trench, where the line was formed anew. Here our gallant major unfortunately received a severe wound, was placed on a stretcher, and carried to the rear. This threw the whole command upon our colonel, who without assistance, found it extremely difficult to bring the regiment into action in a manner suited to the notions of some of our military brethren, who felt disposed to criticise us. This class of warriors, with a knowledge of military tactics that would hardly enable them when in four ranks to file right and left without blundering, in their criticism showed little judgment and much injustice, towards a brave and loyal regiment.

We retained our position until nightfall, when, having spent our ammunition, we were drawn off the field. It was nearly dark when we were ordered to fall into line, with strict orders to keep as quiet as possible, so as not to attract the attention of the enemy. We accordingly fell in, and moved quickly off. Upon approaching the railroad, the firing which had ceased commenced anew, and raged furiously. Our troops having charged upon the enemy's works, were endeavoring to carry them at the point of the bayonet, but were overpowered and driven back. As we were in range, this charge brought the enemy's fire directly upon us, as we were passing into the railroad cut. We hastened ahead, threw ourselves down and lay as close as possible, waiting for the storm to pass over. As soon as the firing slackened, we hastened to our feet, and hurrying along the track, soon entered the city and were out of danger, and thus ended a day ever to be remembered in the history of the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers.

Having as great a dread of going off the field without a blanket, (having thrown mine away upon going into the fight,) as of the few balls that were following us up, I lingered in the rear and managed to secure one. I found a large pile a short distance from the railroad depot, which our regiment in their hurry to escape passed without securing. They had a perfect right to have taken them, if they had chosen to. They suffered severely afterwards for the want of them, and I think if they should go into a fight again under circumstances that should cause them to throw away their blankets, especially in mid-winter, they will take good care to secure another when they come off the field. While getting my blanket, the regiment passed out of sight and hearing, and coming off the railroad into the street, the only one I could find whom I knew, was A. W., who had halted to catch his breath, having become nearly exhausted in trying to keep up with the regiment. As we could see or hear nothing of the regiment, I persuaded A. to go with me and get a blanket, he being also without one. We then returned to the city, and after awhile found our regiment, in the same place where we started from in the morning, and in this place we stopped for the night.