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.
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.
Thursday, July 6th, the Regiment broke camp, and proceeding through Georgetown, along the River Road, took up a new position near the Reservoir, about one-half of a mile from Chain Bridge.
This spot had previously been designated asCamp Lyon, after the lamented hero of Springfield, Mo. Two heavy four-horse ambulances, containing the sick, were accidentally precipitated down a steep embankment, while moving to the new camp. Fortunately no one was killed, though several were severely injured. The baggage wagons did not come up the first night, and the men were compelled to sleep in the open air, without blankets. A report being brought in that the rebels were advancing on the Maryland side of the river, a detachment of one hundred men, consisting of ten from each Company, started out on a reconnoissance about one o’clock in the morning. Discovering no signs of the enemy, however, the force returned at daylight.
The Thirty-third was here for the first time brigaded, being placed, together with the Third Vermont and 6th Maine, under the command of Colonel, since General, W. F. Smith. The Second Vermont was afterwards attached to the Brigade. The time was principally employed in drilling, constructing rifle-pits, and a redoubt mounting three guns. There were repeated alarms during the stay here.
CAMP LYONS.
CAMP LYONS.
On one occasion word was received from General McClellan that the enemy had crossed the Potomac in large force, and were advancing upon the city. General Smith immediately ordered out his command, posting the Thirty-third behind a stone wall, where they remained until the returning cavalry scouts reported the alarm to be false. During thelatter part of the month one Company crossed the Long Bridge, on a reconnoissance, with a section of artillery and fifty cavalry, and proceeding on the Falls Church road, thence to Lewinsville, drove the rebel cavalry pickets to their camp at Vienna, arrested a prominent secessionist, and returned by way of Langley, reaching camp at sunset.
General McClellan, accompanied by President Lincoln, Secretaries Seward, Chase and Cameron, reviewed the Brigade on the 29th of August.
The following changes took place while here: Henry N. Alexander appointed Quarter-Master, vice H. S. Suydam, resigned.
Sylvanus Mulford, promoted to full Surgeon, vice T. R. Spencer, promoted to Brigade Surgeon.
Patrick Ryan, 2nd Lieutenant of Company K, resigned, succeeded by Edward Cary, who was immediately detailed to General Smith’s staff.
Peter Weissgreber, Co. G, died in camp.
On the 3rd of September a detachment of fifty-two men, from Companies C and D, crossed the river, and proceeding as far as Langley, threw out skirmishers to the right and left of the road. During the afternoon an alarm was created by the pickets coming upon General Porter’s, stationed further to the left, who were mistaken for rebels. They were all immediately withdrawn, with the exception of three members of Company D, who refused to leave, in their eagerness to get a shot at the supposed grey-backs. This mistake provoked considerable merriment, although it resulted veryunfortunately in the shooting of the most valuable spy in the employ of the government, who imprudently ventured beyond the line of skirmishers.
About eleven o’clock on the same evening the entire Brigade crossed over the Long Bridge. On reaching the Virginia shore the Thirty-third filed off in the fields at the left, Companies A, F and D being deployed in front, as skirmishers, for a mile or more. The remainder of the Regiment lay upon their arms all night, with the exception of a small party employed in cutting away timber which interfered with the artillery range.
Other troops, to the number of ten thousand, likewise crossed over that night, and eighteen hundred axes were immediately set to work in felling the dense forest of half-grown pines, where forts Marcy and Ethan Allen now stand. This location was christened Camp Advance. Numerous fortifications were constructed, and in three days’ time heavy siege guns mounted. The troops always slept upon their arms, ready to repel an attack at a moment’s notice. One night a severe rain storm washed several of the knapsacks belonging to the Thirty-third into a gully running near by, filled the band instruments with water, and drenched through to the skin all who were not provided with shelter. The arrival of tents on the 15th occasioned much joy among the men.
CAMP ADVANCE.
CAMP ADVANCE.
During the same day the æronauts reported the enemy as moving in large numbers, and the entire army slept on their arms. The “movement”proved to be merely a raid for the purpose of destroying “Hall’s House,” and property belonging to other Unionists. Lieutenants Mix and Gifford were sent north from here on recruiting service, and D’Estaing Dickinson, of Watertown, was appointed Assistant Surgeon.
Hitherto the army had been organized into Brigades simply. Divisions were now formed, and the Thirty-third was attached to the Third Brigade, commanded by the lamented Colonel Stevens, and consisting of the Forty-ninth and Seventy-ninth N. Y. and Forty-seventh Pa. General Smith was appointed commander of the Division. This change consummated, Camp Advance was abandoned for Camp Ethan Allen, which was taken possession of September 24th. The men were employed in working on Fort Allen, slashing timber, performing picket duty, &c., &c. A visit from the Paymaster was made here, who distributed several months’ pay among the troops. Colonel Stevens, in a special order, prohibited profanity in his command.
It was while lying at Camp Ethan Allen that the Thirty-third engaged in its first skirmish with the enemy.
On the morning of September 29th, Smith’s entire Division moved up the Lewinsville Turnpike, to attack, as was generally supposed, the rebel force at Vienna. On arriving, however, at Makell’s Hill, between Langley and Lewinsville, the men were formed in line of battle, and Mott’s battery planted in front, supported by the Thirty-third. Other batterieswere also unlimbered, and placed in position. Co. B., together with twenty-five New Hampshire sharp shooters, were deployed in front as skirmishers. After firing a few shots—from Mott’s battery—at and dispersing a squad of rebel cavalry in the distance, the force moved forward to the edge of a dense pine forest. Taking seven men with him, Lieut. Draime proceeded through the thicket, to reconnoitre the country beyond, and was, not long after, followed by the entire Company, under Captain Corning. Several herd of cattle were captured, and a large amount of booty secured, at the residence of Captain Ball, the rebel cavalryman who was taken prisoner at Alexandria, and afterwards violated his parole. Great numbers of wagons were in the meantime sent out, in various directions, to secure forage. Very suddenly, however, the rebels opened a warm artillery fire along the whole line, which was responded to by our batteries. Many of the enemy’s missiles struck among the Thirty-third, but fortunately no one of the regiment was injured during the entire skirmish. Seeing Lieutenant Draime and his men at the Ball residence, they shelled them furiously, but did not prevent their carrying off a good supply of honey, which was highly relished by them and their comrades.
Having obtained a large amount of spoil, the whole force returned to camp. Lieut. Col. Walker resigned at Camp Ethan Allen, and Capt. Corning was appointed to his place. He was succeeded by Lieut. White, and he, in turn, by 2d Lieut. Draime.
CAMP GRIFFIN.
CAMP GRIFFIN.
On the 10th of October, the whole Division again moved out to Makell’s Hill, and formed in line of battle, skirmishers being thrown out in front. After remaining here several hours, the force fell back to Langley, and from there proceeded east on the Kirby road to “Big Chestnut.” In the afternoon of the next day they advanced half a mile further, and went into camp, at what has since been known as “Camp Griffin,” where the Thirty-third remained until the final advance was made.
On the second day after locating here, sixty men, under command of Capt. Platner, proceeded on a reconnoissance beyond the picket line, and falling in with some rebel cavalry, killed two of the number; Lieut. White shooting one of them dead. The fleeing enemy were pursued until they reached the cover of a dense thicket, when, being strongly reinforced, they turned upon the pursuing party, who escaped back in safety to camp by closely following the sinuous windings of the Virginia rail fences.
On the same afternoon Co. E. had a skirmish with the rebel cavalry, killing several of them in the woods where they were engaged. Some of the other Companies hastened to its support, but did not reach the ground in time to participate in the melée. This was the last of the picket firing before Washington. The men were employed here in drilling, “slashing,” reviews, sham-fights, and picket duty. Frequently they proceeded out on picket at two or three o’clock in the morning, when the mud was knee-deep, often remaining for thirty hours or more without being relieved.
During the month of October, Col. Stevens left for the south, taking the Seventy-ninth Highlanders with him. Col. Taylor assumed command of the Brigade, until Gen. Brennan was sent to take charge of it. Not long after he was likewise ordered south. The Forty-seventh Pennsylvania accompanied him, the Eighty-sixth New York taking its place. Gen. Brooks now commanded the Brigade for a few days, at the end of which time General Davidson, a loyal Virginian, from Fairfax County, was placed over it. Previous to the outbreak he had been a Major in the regular cavalry service, and was a brave and popular officer. He rode a spirited mustang, presented to him by Kit Carson, while serving on the western frontier. The Eighty-sixth New York was soon sent back to Casey’s Division, and the Seventy-seventh, raised in the vicinity of Saratoga, succeeded it. As an instance of the great cutting down of the impedimenta of our armies, this regiment then employed one hundred and five double wagons for transportation, where only five are now used for that purpose. The same can be said of most of the commands.
A novel wedding came off one night at the Chaplain’s quarters, the happy couple being a private and a laundress belonging to Company C. The affair was conducted with all the ceremony the circumstances of the case would permit of, and to the satisfaction of the guests, who were regaled with wedding cake, wine, and other refreshments, decidedly palatable after the long experience on “hard tack.”While the after-festivities were happily progressing, the fortunate bridegroom suddenly brought them to a close by grasping the hand of his “fair one,” and disappearing in the direction of his domicile, with a general invitation to “call round.” The wife remained with her husband until the battle of Antietam, when, he being wounded, they both departed for the North.
About $400 were contributed by the various Companies for a chapel-tent and reading-room. A temperance pledge, circulated among the men, was signed by a large number, many of whom have kept it until this time. On the day of the battle of Drainesville, the long roll beat, and the Brigade proceeded out to “Freedom Hill,” where it was drawn up in line of battle to intercept the rebels, should they, in case of a defeat, attempt to escape in that direction. The enemy not appearing, the Regiments returned to camp at sunset.
At the time of the Ball’s Bluff affair they were furnished with three days’ rations preparatory to again moving, but were not called out.