CHAPTER VIII.

FROM OPEQUAN BRIDGE TO THE SURRENDER OF LEE, INCLUDING HATCHER’S RUN AND HIGH BRIDGE.

On the 19th of December we left our log cabins so laboriously constructed, with some regrets, and possibly with some hard words, but a soldier’s life is one of obedience, and, in a few hours, our nice quarters at Opequan were forgotten, and we were ready to build others as uncomplainingly as we had these, wherever our camp would be pitched. It was a drizzly, cold day, and for some unknown reason we were very slow in getting started.

But at length, about 2 o’clock P. M., we were all on board the cars and on our way to Washington, where we arrived early the next morning. In about two hours we embarked on board the steamer Keyport and started down the Potomac.

We sailed under sealed orders, not knowing for a certainty where we were going until after passing Fortress Monroe, though our destination had been pretty well guessed.

We experienced very rough weather while on the voyage, and a great many of the men were sea-sick, and we were compelled to anchor for the night off the Rhappahannock river, the steamer having four feet of water in the hold. It was a disgrace to our country thus to jeopardize the lives of men. We, of course, had no option in the matter; on this vessel we were to sail and that ended the matter; if the steamer had gone to the bottom with us—and it was a wonder that she did not—the verdict would have been as usual—a terrible loss of life, and no one to blame. But this was only one of ten thousand cases, where the men who were in the field, nobly battling for the nation’s life, suffered through the wicked greed of gain in others.

On the 22d we got under-way early in the day, passing Fortress Monroe on the right and “Rip Raps” on the left.

The angry waves dashing against their sides on that icy December morning, caused them to appear anything but inviting spots to us, accustomed to soldiering among green hills and grassy hillsides.

Early the next morning we disembarked at Jones Landing, near City Point, and marched about five miles in a northerly direction, taking our position in the line on the right of the 24th corps, to which we were now attached as the independent division, Gen. John W. Turner commanding.

We passed a cold and sleepless night, there being about four inches of snow on the ground, and wood very scarce.

Our train did not get up until nearly morning. The next morning we went to work on our camp in good earnest. From a wood, about a half mile distant, the men split out slabs and carried them, on their shoulders, notching them together in regular backwoods style, covering them with their “dog-tents,” making houses large enough to accommodate from six to eight men.

They then built a fire place in each out of sticks laid up in cob-house fashion, plastering heavily with clay both on the inside and outside, and made ourselves quite comfortable for the winter.

The weather was very disagreeable all through the months of January and February, raining or snowing nearly every day, keeping us in slush nearly all the time. Firing was constantly going on at the front, and during the day hearing cannonading was the regular order, but no general engagement occurred during the winter. While here inspections were quite frequent, and very rigid, and great pains were taken with the appearance and discipline of the regiment. We were under arms and at the breast-works every morning at daybreak. Many promotions were made during the winter, Capt. Chamberlin to Major, 1st Lieutenants Davis, McCracken, Snyder and Bevington to Captains, and 2d Lieutenants Husted, Pumphrey, Sowers and Keyes to 1st Lieutenants. The last being soon after detailed on brigade staff.

Captains Randolph, Rosenbaum and Robbins, and Lieutenants Davis, Acker and Boyce, joined the regiment, they having made their escape from “Rebel prisons” during the fall and winter, this being the first we had seen of them since the disastrous fight at Winchester, June 15th, 1863.

Sometime in March we received a new stand of colors, our old ones being completely in ribbons, and Major Chamberlin going home on a leave of absence, took them with him to Ohio, and presented them to the Governor for safe keeping.

About the middle of March everything began to assume a busy air throughout the army, and it was evident that military movements would soon begin.

On the 25th our division received orders to be ready to move at an hours notice, and on the night of the 27th the orders came, and very shortly we were on the way, crossing the James River under cover of the darkness. We then struck off to the rear of our works for a short distance, and then away towards our left. All night long through that dense woods and pitchy darkness we slowly picked our way. The road was very muddy, and the march a tiresome one. We halted about 4 o’clock in the morning for a short rest.

Snatching a hasty breakfast at 8 o’clock, we were again on the road, pushing on all day towards the left. We now became aware that Sheridan was pressing the enemy’s right, and that we were probably on the way to reinforce him.

On the morning of the 29th we reached the position assigned us in the vicinity of Hatcher’s Run, and remained quietly behind the works until the next day.

Early in the morning we moved out beyond the entrenchments, and immediately the crack of musketry announced that skirmishing had begun, but we steadily pressed them back, through the tangled woods and across creeks and gullies. About noon the rain commenced falling in torrents, making our advance very tedious.

We stopped at night, and at once commenced fortifying our position. All next day the rain continued to pour, making it impossible for us to move our artillery, and we were compelled to remain idle. Early on the 31st our division moved out to the attack, the regiment being on the skirmish line, were immediately under fire, and drove the enemy steadily back until within five hundred yards of their entrenched position on Hatcher’s Run. Just before a halt was ordered, the regiment made a gallant charge, driving the Rebs from a point of timber, capturing some prisoners and gaining a very desirable position and maintained it against a heavy cannonade and musketry fire throughout the day. As soon as night came on, we set to work building breast works, using rails and loose stones, and digging dirt with our bayonets, we were very soon pretty strongly entrenched. We remained there all night, getting very little, if any, sleep. Firing commenced early in the morning and was kept up steadily through the day, no change, however, being made in our position. Now by all reason of fairness we certainly should have been relieved. We had been on severe duty for two days, sending many of our dead and wounded back to the rear, amply attesting the work we had done. We had cooked nothing to eat during the time, though the boys in the rear had sent us out hot coffee on several occasions. But Gen. Turner sent a special request to Col. Kellogg, who had gallantly and in person commanded the line; asking that he remain with his regiment, on the line, for another night. Of course his request was complied with.

At day-break the grand movement was made along the whole line, that gave us Petersburg, and sent the Rebels broken and shattered from their last stronghold in Virginia.

The advance was begun on our right, and as the cheers of our troops announced their success, Col. Kellogg became very anxious to lead his regiment against the works in our front. Twice he sent for permission before it came.

The regiment was all ready, and at the word, leaped over their rail pens and away for the enemies works, and without a stop, over their defences, capturing several hundred prisoners, two cannon and two battle flags. One of these battle flags is still in possession of Col. Kellogg, at Norwalk, and the other is deposited with our own colors at the Capital.

After our division had forced their lines at Hatcher’s Run, we joined our corps, and pressing on after the 6th corps, swerving to the right and closing in on the enemy around Petersburg. Just at night, our division was selected by Gen. Gibbon, to carry by storm two large forts on the South of the city.

We were soon formed in column by brigade, with our brigade in front. Company D, now the brigade sharpshooters, were deployed in front. At the order, our three brigades sprang forward to the charge at a right shoulder shift; the sharpshooters opened a rapid fire that was so well directed, that their guns were used with very poor effect. Without a stop the first fort was reached, and after ten or fifteen minutes of desperate resistance was ours. The second one then fell with scarce a struggle.

The roar of battle was now heard along the whole line, the enemy fighting bravely behind their works; but at the close of that Sabbath evening we knew that the strength of the Rebellion was broken.

During the night Petersburg and Richmond was evacuated, and the Rebel army in rapid retreat towards Danville. Early in the morning we were in pursuit, taking the road towards Burkesville, along the South Side road. Gen. Ord being in command of our portion of the army. We marched to Burkesville, arriving there at 11 o’clock on the night of the 5th, being square on Lee’s flank, who was to the north of us and on the road towards Farmville. The army was completely jaded, having been on the march since early morning, and rest was imperatively demanded. The General, however, called for two picked regiments to go out and destroy the bridges that cross the Appomattox, near Farmville, and thus cut off the enemy’s retreat in that direction. The 123d Ohio and 54th Pennsylvania were selected, and with a squadron of the 4th Massachusetts cavalry, the whole under command of Gen. Theodore Read, at once started. They met the head of Lee’s army near the point designated, and at once bravely attacked them.

Col. Kellogg was in command of the infantry, Gen. Read being away with the cavalry on a reconnaissance.

Deploying a heavy line of skirmishers, we stubbornly maintained our position, though against a largely superior force. After having repulsed them several times, Gen. Read, knowing we could not long withstand their rapidly increasing force, resolved to charge with his little band of cavalry, and endeavor to cut his way through to the main army. Gallantly that squadron rode to the assault, many of them destined never again to hear the bugle’s call. The brave Read was killed, and eleven officers of his staff and cavalry killed or wounded.

None of them succeeded in getting through, nor did any of them return to us. Still we held our ground, and as the Rebels marched out beyond our flanks, more men were deployed, until finally, both regiments were a mere skirmish line. For several hours this unequal contest was waged, till at last the boys began to get out of ammunition, and very soon that cry became general.

Col. Kellogg, who had been hoping all along that the army would come to his rescue, now saw there was no use longer to resist, and ordered the line to fall back slowly and in as good order as possible, thinking that some of the command, at least, might escape through the woods.

But as soon as they saw our line breaking back, they swooped down upon us in great force, and in few moments both regiments were prisoners. We lost a good many men in this engagement. Capt. Randolph was shot through the breast by a cavalryman, after having surrendered.

This gallant little fight of these two regiments received honorable mention by Gen. Grant, in his report of the war. He says that their brave and stubborn resistance at this point, checked Lee’s retreat long enough to enable Gen. Ord to get up with his main force, compelling Lee to intrench himself, thus causing great delay in the enemy’s movements.

The regiment, or so many of them as did not make their escape after their capture, remained prisoners until Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House—a period of two days—but time enough for the Rebels to “go through” our boys, stripping them of everything valuable, taking even their hats and shoes. In striking contrast to the treatment they received at our hands after their surrender, when scarcely a Reb was allowed to start on his homeward tramp without a well-filled haversack and canteen.

The regiment at once came back to the division, but in the treaty agreed upon, being counted as paroled prisoners, were ordered to report at Parole Camp, Annapolis as such.

The Rebel Army of Northern Virginia had surrendered. And on that quiet Sabbath evening as the lightning flashed the intelligence from city to hamlet, the church bells rang out the glad tidings over the free North, and the Nation thanked the God of battles that the end for which we had suffered and struggled so long, had come. For four long years had these two mighty armies met in conflict and contested for the mastery.

Their dead lie all along the valley from the Potomac to Lynchburg; they are sleeping where they fell, at Antietam and Gettysburg, on the heights of Fredericksburgh, and through the dark thickets of the Wilderness. They lie in the dark forests’ of the Peninsula all the way up to Deep Bottom, and around Petersburg. Along the tangled morass near Hatcher’s Run, and the Weldon Road, their graves mark the fierce conflict. Brave Old Army of the Potomac, long suffering, gallantly fighting, your reward has come; never again will the boasted army of Northern Virginia meet you in equal conflict; yours is the victory and “fairly won.”