Part 13

It was now evident to all that the end of the rebellion was near at hand. Johnson was retreating from before Sherman, who, with the forces of Generals Terry and Schofield combined, was sweeping everything before them. Charleston and Wilmington in our hands, and all blockade running stopped, there was no hope for them. The last gun and the last article from England had reached them, and all hopes of foreign intervention long since abandoned. With their men deserting by hundreds, and all communication with Richmond and Petersburg severed, with the exception of two roads, and those insufficient to supply the armies within the defences of the rebel capital; the last raid of Sheridan had done them more injury than any previous one. Our army was large and well equipped, only waiting for the roads to permit an advance. The men dreaded a forward movement, as there was no way of flanking Lee; their works must be assaulted and carried at an immense loss of life if attempted, but a decisive blow must be struck and that soon.

The 17th of March being St. Patrick's day, it was largely celebrated by the Irish brigade, by racing, tumbling and jumping for the amusement of the rest; there were several accidents, and one or two were killed. On the 20th, the 1st division 6th corps was reviewed by General Meade. This was the finest day there had been in some time and the men presented a fine appearance. The New Jersey brigade was admired by all for its precision in marching, and for the noble bearing of the men. Several major-generals were present; also Admiral Porter. General Wheaton, the division commander, was mounted on a superb horse, with a splendid bridle and saddle presented to him by the men. At three o'clock the review was over, and the men marched back to their quarters.

All surplus baggage was now sent to the rear, as instructions for a general movement of the armies operating against Richmond were issued, and all sutlers, purveyors and citizens were ordered to leave within twenty-four hours. General Sherman moved from the White House, crossed the James, and formed a junction with the army of the Potomac in front of Petersburg.

The 14th regiment now numbered three hundred men for duty, commanded by Lieut. Colonel Janeway. The men had but a few months to stay, and were not anxious to again enter an engagement. The orders from Grant were for the men to move on the left, for the purpose of turning the enemy from their position around Petersburg. All preparations were how made for an immediate advance as soon as the weather would permit. The month of March with its colds and rains had nearly passed. Gen. Sherman had reached Goldsboro, and was resting his weary army. Johnson was in command of Hood's army, but like the army of Lee, his men were deserting in large numbers, as they deemed their cause lost; but their leaders determined to hold on to the last, and then, if unsuccessful, to leave the country.

The 6th corps had been so far recruited that it numbered nearly twenty thousand men. After the battle of Monocacy the 14th numbered but ninety-five men for duty. The regiment had been repeatedly recruited, and now, with three hundred men and eighteen officers, was ready for the campaign. A great many of the men had received furloughs, but there were some who had not seen their homes since enlisting. Of the number that had left New Jersey nearly three years before, there but few remained; numbers had been killed, and numbers were at their homes discharged on account of wounds. At the hospitals many poor fellows lay in pain that would willingly rejoin their comrades if able; there were scarcely any of the old boys left that had not been wounded.

On the 23d of March, Lee passed along the whole line of the rebel army, inspecting and reviewing the troops. There was very little display of the old enthusiasm with which his presence was wont to be greeted, as the men were discouraged and saw no farther use of fighting. Desertions were still numerous, and a new arrangement was made by the rebel officers; instead of details from the several regiments as heretofore, a whole regiment was placed at once on picket. They believed that this would prevent desertions. But this new device was wholly without effect, as whole companies would desert at once, bringing with them their arms and equipments.

The troops were all in their respective positions, with no positive orders to move, nor was it scarcely thought that the enemy would dare attack our position. Early on the morning of the 25th of March, when least expected, they assaulted our lines in front of the 9th corps, and so unexpected was the attack, that ere our men could recover from their surprise the enemy had captured Fort Steadman and part of the line to the right and left of it, established themselves and turned the guns of the fort upon us. But the troops on either flank held their ground until the reserves were brought up, and after a desperate battle the enemy was driven back with heavy loss in killed and wounded, and two thousand prisoners. They paid dearly for their advance, as it was their intention to break our lines, if possible. General Meade at once ordered the other corps to advance and feel the enemy in their respective fronts. The campaign had now commenced, which soon ended in the downfall of the rebellion. It was hastened by the enemy, as General Grant would not have moved so soon.

The whole army was now in motion and winter quarters abandoned; pushing forward, the 2nd and 6th corps captured and held the enemy's strongly intrenched picket line with heavy loss. The enemy made desperate attempts to retake this line but without success; our losses were heavy but the enemy's still greater. Ever since General Grant halted in front of Petersburg, General Lee had been watching for some weak point in our lines where he might hope for success, and not waste his men against our strongly fortified line. He took his time because it was necessary to be very careful, he could not afford to lose a chance or a single man and yet this point where he made his attack was apparently on the supposition that Gen. Grant had weakened his lines to help Sherman, as his attack was in heavy force; but the whole affair was a splendid one for us as they were repulsed with great slaughter, their loss in killed, wounded and prisoners amounting to nearly six thousand men, and this at that time was a terrible loss to Lee. The nights were spent with anxiety by the men, lest each morning should bring the report that the enemy had retreated during the night before. It was firmly believed that Lee would retreat, and with Johnson and him combined, a long, tedious and expensive campaign consuming most of the Summer, would become necessary. By moving out of quarters, the army would be in a better condition for pursuit, and would at least by the destruction of the Danville Railroad, retard the concentration of the two armies of Generals Lee and Johnson, and cause the enemy to abandon much material that they might otherwise save.

It was not fully ascertained at first the amount of damage done by the enemy in their attack on the 25th. They had massed four divisions under General Gordon, and when our men were asleep, made a furious attack on our line in front of the 9th corps, capturing the fort and guns, and at the same time they attacked Fort Haskell, but were repulsed with heavy loss. President Lincoln and lady were present, and witnessed the fight at a distance. For several days, the division commanded by General Gordon had held a position in front of the 9th corps, and at midnight they were silently and promptly formed for a charge; everything was now ready, and the order forward was given without raising an alarm or a suspicion. The rebel troops were out safely to their line of works thrown up for the protection of their skirmishers. At a given signal they bounded over these works and rapidly cutting gaps in our _Chevaux de Frise_, pressed on with a yell towards our lines. The attack being sudden and totally unexpected, and made in almost overwhelming force, caused our skirmish line to give way before our reserves could get up. The rebels, confident of success, pressed on with vigor and succeeded in breaking our line at a point near Fort Steadman; reaching our abattis they poured a terrific volley in our lines, breaking through on the left; they captured the fort by charging from the rear. So rapidly was this accomplished that the officer in command of the fort was captured with a portion of his men. Re-enforcements soon arrived from the other corps, and a terrible volley was poured into the enemy's ranks, who were now bent only on plunder; they could not long remain under such heavy fire and at last were compelled to fall back. Our infantry flanked the fort and cut off a large body of the rebel troops, that were commanded in person by Gen. Gordon, who led the attack. As they fell back they were literally slaughtered by our men, as grape and cannister were poured in their retreating ranks. This was their last hope, and crest-fallen, they fell back to their lines with a loss of over six thousand men.

Just four hours after the repulse of the rebel attack on the right of our line, the thunder of artillery and the crash of musketry again rolled loudly on the chilly March air. This time, however, everything was changed, the sound came from the left, not from the right; we were now the attacking party, not the rebels, and the ground we won was not recovered by them. General Grant, angry at their boldness, determined to let them know that the Potomac army was yet as ready as ever, and the 6th corps, which never knew the word fail, was ordered to the assault for the purpose of preventing the rebels from massing their troops, and at the same time to ascertain if possible their strength; advancing in three lines, the enemy's entire skirmish line was captured. They had erected a number of rifle pits in front of their main line; they were driven out of these works and compelled to fall back or else be captured; several surrendered at once as they were anxious to enter our lines. The position from which the attack was made by the 6th corps, was at the left of our line and near Fort Fisher; the thirty pound guns doing terrible execution. At two o'clock in the morning, Major-General Wright and staff reached Fort Fisher, where he was joined by Generals Wheaton, Seymour, Getty, Keifer and other 6th corps officers. The picket line was now held by the 10th Vermont and 14th New Jersey, supported by the 110th and 122d Ohio regiments. The order forward was given, and the first assault was made by the 10th and 14th, under command of Colonel George B. Davison, of the 10th Vermont. The rebel position was charged with great gallantry and success, entering and occupying the line assaulted. The rebels were now aware of the weakness of the attacking party, as the two regiments advanced, and they soon massed a column of troops to drive them back; but the 3d division of the 6th corps was on hand and gave them such a volley that they fell back in confusion, and the entire line remained in our possession. The loss in the 14th regiment was comparatively small, as the fighting did not continue long. The artillery in the different forts by this time became warmly engaged with the rebel batteries, and a company of the 9th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, of the 3d division, sent a shell with such accuracy as to blow up a caisson in one of the rebel forts; shells were screaming through the air, and away to the left volleys of musketry told that the 2nd corps was now heavily engaged. Part of the 3d division was placed on the left of the line with the 2d corps. It was composed of the 10th Vermont, 14th New Jersey, 110th and 122d Ohio, 6th Maryland and part of the 9th N. York Heavy Artillery; this composed nearly all the 2d brigade, with two regiments from the 1st brigade.

The line was now formed for another assault, and when everything was in readiness the flag of the 1st brigade of Colonel Truex was waved as a signal to move forward. From the parapet of Fort Fisher the blue cross of the 3d division, 6th corps, waved, and from thousands of brave men about to risk life and limb came back a ringing cheer, and as onward they swept many a God-speed followed them. The batteries on both sides were hard at work, and not many minutes elapsed before the sharper ring of small arms was heard.

The line was fast closing on the rebel position, and their outer works were soon reached. Major Prentiss, from the 6th Maryland, was the first to enter their works. Scores of rebels preferred capture to running away, and as soon as they saw our troops inside of their lines, they threw down their arms and gave themselves up as prisoners of war. The loss on both sides was heavy; the 14th, as usual, fought well, losing their share of men in killed and wounded. The result of this fight proved that the enthusiasm and energy of Lee's troops had dwindled down to zero. They fought like hopeless, not desperate, men; the spirit which animated them two years ago had been broken by repeated defeats, and tamed by short rations. The new position gained was, on Sunday morning, March 26, held by the entire 6th corps, ready to repel any attack the enemy would make. The 14th was again on picket, and the long night passed slowly away, without a shot along the entire line; the enemy was badly beaten and was quiet the rest of the night. Our men fought splendidly and successfully, and at night there was a wide-spread enthusiasm among the troops at the glorious success of the day. The enemy began the sanguinary work.

The Spring campaign was now opened with favorable auspices to our side, with a prospect of soon ending the war. The ground gained by the 6th corps was held during the next three days, the lines having been advanced one mile and a half from our former position. The 14th was now relieved from picket; tired and weary, the men lay down to sleep, having had none for nearly three days. The rebel dead, as they lay strewn around, were but skin and bone, a fact not to be wondered at, when it is remembered that for the last six months their chief article of diet had been a small quantity of corn meal daily.

From the night of the 29th to the morning of the 31st, the rain fell in such torrents as to make it impossible to move a wheeled vehicle, except when corduroy roads were laid in front of them. On the 30th, General Sheridan had advanced as far as Five Forks, where he found the enemy in force, and awaited re-enforcements. In the meantime, the 2d and 6th corps were holding the line they had captured without any farther fighting, awaiting orders to advance. The men were now confident that the enemy's main works could be carried, and were clamorous to be led on; but the rain and roads would not permit an advance.

On the morning of April 1st, General Sheridan, re-enforced by the 5th corps, drove the enemy back on Five Forks, capturing all their artillery and six thousand prisoners. In front of the 2d and 6th corps there was nothing but picket firing during the day; at night a heavy cannonade commenced, and was kept up until morning. Gen. Grant now ordered an attack along the entire line; accordingly, the 6th corps was massed and formed in three divisions. At three o'clock on Sunday morning, without a noise, the column was formed for a charge, with the 9th corps in reserve to follow the 6th, if successful. General Sheridan, with his cavalry and the 5th corps, were to attack at the same time, the result being well known to our readers. At four o'clock the order to move forward was given, and the 3d division in advance, with a yell charged the enemy's works, and their entire line was captured with many prisoners and guns. The 6th corps swept everything before them; the wildest enthusiasm prevailed, and the men fought reckless of life and limb. Three thousand prisoners were captured by the 6th corps alone. There was a tremendous struggle during the day in woods, fields, hills and valleys, and on the roads and creeks a few miles south and west of Petersburg, and from twenty to thirty miles beyond the rebel Capital; never was such a scene presented to the eye. The whole rebel army was now in full retreat before our victorious troops. Petersburg was captured by the 6th corps and the Southside road reached and torn up for many miles. The result of this day's fight was the capture of Petersburg with twelve thousand prisoners, many thousand stand of arms, and the utter rout of the rebel army. The most wicked of all rebellions had now absolutely received its death-blow, and was so positively crushed that no power on earth could save it. Lee's retreat proved an utter rout. At midnight on Sunday, Richmond was evacuated, Jeff. Davis taking the rail for Danville; the lower portion of the city was burned and totally destroyed. For four long years had our brave men fought, and now the rebel Capital was in our possession, General Wetsell entering and occupying it on Monday morning at daylight. The rebel army seemed to hold together feebly before the battles, but the fierce struggle of Saturday and Sunday had completely used them up. We had taken twelve thousand prisoners in the two days, and there were twelve thousand more killed and wounded. Only one-half of Lee's army was now left; such a force could not long stand alone with a victorious army in pursuit. It was now Lee's intention to join Johnson if possible, and such a run would cost them ten thousand more men.

While the 6th corps was holding the captured picket line without much fighting, there was severe fighting on the left of the line. It was reserved for this corps to divide the formidable rebel army, which for so many months defied our power to drive them from the city of Petersburg. There were two objects in view; one to create a division in favor of Gen. Sheridan, and the other to cut the rebel army in two and destroy the far-famed Southside road. The first notice given the men was at nine o'clock, when a dispatch came from Gen. Meade, telling of the success of Gen. Sheridan on the left, and his heavy capture of prisoners, and ordered the troops to be massed at three o'clock on Sunday morning as was heretofore stated, and charge the rebel line. The pickets were also ordered to advance in front of the different divisions, but did not succeed in arousing a suspicion among them that we were to attack. The rebels showed how far they were from suspecting a movement, by calling out to know if we were celebrating April fool's day at that time in the morning. The order given for the assault was carried out very punctually, owing to the fact that the greater the surprise the greater would be our chance of success; the troops therefore moved outside of the works at two o'clock. The moon had gone down, and the night was intensely dark; a thin chilly mist arose from the ground, which served still farther to conceal our movements from the enemy. On the extreme left of the line was the 1st brigade, with Colonel Truex in command, and the 14th New Jersey on the right of the brigade under Colonel Janeway. In forming the line, it was Gen. Wright's intention to attack in such overwhelming force that failure would be impossible; then when the column had made good its entrance into the rebel works, the divisions on the right and left might deploy, and drive the enemy from their works as effectually as if a fresh corps had attacked. To co-operate with the attacking column, Gen. Park, with the 9th corps, was held in reserve, while Sheridan, far away to the left, was thundering on their flank. Just before the attack, Gen. Wright and staff rode up to the picket line; a match was struck and the time ascertained; it wanted just fifteen minutes of four o'clock, and an officer was sent back to Fort Fisher with orders to fire a signal gun exactly at four o'clock. A few shots were fired by the enemy as the match was struck, and then all was still; no object was visible at a distance of a few yards, and of the thousands of men massed, not one could be seen by the enemy's line.

Suddenly a bright flash leaped out into the darkness, and a loud report from a twelve pounder rolled in the air; a minute elapsed and a similar sound came from the left some ten miles away, telling that the signal was understood. The veterans of the different divisions were now pushed forward, and the dull crash of musketry and the flash of artillery told that the battle had begun. The enemy was surprised, but soon rallied, and a terrific strife now took place. The entire line from right to left was heavily engaged. Daylight dawned slowly to the men, whose hearts were already relieved, as it was noticed that the enemy's firing became more feeble. Gen. Wright's assertion was fulfilled, that he would go through them like a knife, as their entire line was captured, together with thousands of prisoners, numerous pieces of artillery and many battle flags. It was the most complete achievement of the war, and the first rays of the morning's sun beamed on the ramparts of the captured forts with the rebel army in full retreat. To retain what we had gained was necessary to gain more; for this purpose, the 3rd division was deployed to the left from forts on other parts of the line. The rebels were already firing on our men, and it was necessary to capture those forts and silence the guns. The two brigades under command of Colonels Truex and Keifer, pushed gallantly forward, and Gen. Wright after assuring himself of the safety of that part of the line, turned his attention to the left. The division took possession of a portion of the rebel lines, and soon struck the Southside road, destroying it for over ten miles. Later in the day when our men had completely cleared the rebels out of that part of the line, the work of destroying the road was resumed. General Seymour continued pushing toward the rebels left with the 3d division, and at one point had as severe a fight as any which occurred during the day. The rebels had a battery of six guns, two twenty pounders and four light field pieces, which they served in magnificent style. Our line was rapidly advanced and a charge made by the 1st brigade, and six more guns were added to the number already captured. From this point our progress to the left was comparatively easy, as the enemy were in full retreat. Soon a line of glittering bayonets were seen advancing towards us, and Major-General Gibbons informed Gen. Wright that the advancing column belonged to the 24th corps.