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| Captain William Saxton, Co. C, 157th Regiment, New York Volunteers. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, May 16, 1903.
WAR REMINISCENCES.
By Captain Saxton of the 157th Regiment, N. Y. Vols.
BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.
Deadly Work of the Confederate Artillery Upon the Plain Before Mary's Hill—Building a Log House for Winter Shelter—Christmas Day—Too Late for Stuart's Cavalry, but in Time for a Turkey.
CHAPTER 18.
Sumner's right grand division and part of Hookers were concealed from the enemy by the fog in the streets of Fredericksburg, where they bivouacked during the night without fires.
The fog that was a shield to our movements was a medium for conveying sound to the Confederates on the hills back of town, and they could hear, if not see, every preparatory move that was made.
About 11 o'clock on the morning of Dec. 13, 1862, the fog raised and the forward movement began. Gen. Couch, commander of the Second Corps, started Gen. French's division out of town on two parallel streets leading direct to Mary's Hill, the stronghold of the Confederates.
Battle of Fredericksburg.
Beyond the town and in front of Mary's Hill is a plain, half a mile wide. At the base of the hill runs a sunken road, known as the Telegraph road. On the side next to the town was a solid stone wall four feet high against which earth had been thrown, making it so strong that our artillery made no impression on it. Behind this wall in the sunken road was stationed Gen. Cobb's and Kershaw's brigades, 2,500 strong. Above this road on the hillside, in two tiers, one back of the other, overlooking the town were located Confederate batteries. The chief of the Confederate artillery remarked to Longstreet "We can cover that plain so a chicken couldn't live on it. We can comb it with a finetooth comb."
As soon as the move began, the Confederate artillery opened a most destructive fire on the advance, and on the town itself. Our artillery replied from Stafford Heights, but the range was so great many shells burst among our own troops as they advanced.
At the edge of the town our troops encountered a canal whose bridges had been torn up and the men had to cross on the stringers. As soon as they were across they were formed into three brigade lines two hundred yards apart in the order of Kimball's, Andrews and Palmer's and started on the charge. Gen. Hancock followed with his division in the order of Zook's, Meager's and Caldwell's brigades. Howard's division was ordered to connect on their right.
Across this plain, on which were several houses, gardens and fences which obstructed the move, pushed French's division, brigade after brigade. The cruel artillery mowed great swaths through their ranks as they advanced. Almost to the stone wall they go, when Cobb's brigade rises up and pours into the advancing ranks such a withering fire that they recoil, fall back in the rear of the cluster of houses, reform, and charge again, and again Hancock's division comes on in like manner, charges, falls back, rallies, charges again, and again falls back.
There was no cheering on the part of our men, but a stubborn determination to obey orders and do their duty.
About 3 o'clock Longstreet brought up some reinforcements. This movement was mistaken by the Federals. It was reported they were falling back and Humphrey's division of the Fifth Corps was sent in over the same ground that French and Hancock had fought. He was driven back in the same manner that they had been. Human soldiers could not take this position by direct attack so long as ammunition held out.
Howard had some fighting on the right, and near sunset Getty's division of the Ninth corps was ordered to charge to the left, but was repulsed.
Time to Quit.
During that afternoon, that plain became so obstructed with the dead and wounded as to interfere with the movement of the troops. Hooker said once during the afternoon: "There has been enough bloodshed to satisfy any reasonable man, and it is time to quit."
That night was bitter cold and many a poor boy died of exposure.
The next day, Sunday, the 14th, our troops began digging trenches along the edge of town, our wounded were gotten off, some skirmishing and artillery firing was indulged in on both sides, and on the night of the 15th our troops recrossed the river and took up the bridges.
The Loss in the Battle.
The Union loss in this disastrous battle was 1,284 killed, 9,600 wounded, 1,769 missing; total 12,653. The Confederate loss was 595 killed, 4,074 wounded, 653 missing; total, 5,332.
Dec. 16—We of the reserve corps, who had arrived on Stafford Heights the night before, put up our tents and dried our clothes. Had inspection of arms in the afternoon, and received orders to be ready to march at a moment's notice. Struck tents and waited till after dark, when the order was countermanded and we were directed to be ready to march at 6 o'clock the next morning. Pitched tents again, not wishing to lie out in another rain storm.
Dec. 17—Our regiment started on the back track at 6. Snowed hard part of the time. We camped about a mile from Stafford court house. John Ford rode up shortly after halting; he had been taken prisoner, had just been exchanged and had joined the Tenth cavalry the day before and was now on his way to join his company on picket.
Building a Shelter.
Dec. 18—Marched at 8. Went about four miles and camped in some woods on Accokek creek. At once, notwithstanding we were so worn out, we went to work to secure some logs for a shanty. Four of us form a partnership, Oscar Courtney, LeRoy Dyer, Orson Strobeck and myself. Two soldiers sleeping together are called "bunkies." Orson Strobeck is my bunky and Courtney and Dyer are bunkies. We gather a few logs and saplings. One stands guard to keep them from walking away while the rest work. We don't know how long we shall be here, but we want to be shielded from the inclemency of the weather whether our stay is long or short.
Dec. 19—When we awake in the morning we are so lame and sore and stiff we can hardly move; we limp and halt about like a man of eighty with the rheumatism. Oh! for a few days of rest. Thank fortune. We will not have to drill or march today. If we only had an axe we could work at our shanty. There are only one or two axes for a company and they are awfully dull, and we have to wait our turn for them. Some of us have procured small hatchets and we are in clover.
Dec. 20.—Company C went out on picket two miles from camp, but fortunately one of us does not have to go and we leave him "to guard the stuff."
Dec. 21, Sunday.—Coming back from picket we secure a few boards from an old barn, which we carry to camp to build the gable ends of our "mansion." We are especially careful to save all the nails we can find for this is the only means we have of obtaining these much needed articles.
Dec. 22.—Found a few pieces of brick, the ruins of an old house a mile from camp, which we bring in our arms for a fire place and chimney for our mansion. We also find a few stones for the same purpose,
Visited an old church on the top of a hill in the woods back of our camp.
A Virginia Mortar Bed.
Dec. 23.—All four of us partners work on our mansion, two as carpenters, two as masons. We dig a hole in the ground near the creek and make a mortar bed. Virginia soil is particularly well adapted to this purpose. We carry the mortar to our site on a piece of board and construct a fire place and chimney from the few pieces of brick and stones we have collected. When these are exhausted, we substitute small sticks, laid up cob house fashion, and we plaster them "within and without." We copy after Virginia houses and our fireplace and chimney with a small door occupy one entire end, the chimney being wholly on the outside. We build up the sides and the other end of our mansion with the logs and poles we have secured. Our ridge pole is about six feet high. Over this we stretch our four pieces of shelter tent buttoned together, and have a room seven feet long, six feet wide and three feet high at the sides, sloping upwards to six feet at the ridge.
Dec. 24—Company C went on picket. All the sergeants are not needed and I stay in camp and board up the gable end of our mansion and make a door. When this is completed, I wash and mend some clothes.
Using a Housewife.
Most of the soldiers before leaving home have been furnished by a thoughtful mother, sister or lady friend with a "housewife," one of the most useful and handy articles found in a soldier's knapsack. I have it still. A strip of morocco leather about three inches wide and six inches long, on the side of which are pockets for thread, thimble and buttons and a place to stick needles and pins. This is rolled up into a small roll and tied or buttoned, and when a soldier has to sew on a button, close up a rip, or put on a patch, all he has to do is to unroll his housewife and his implements are before him. Blessings on the loved ones who provided him with this handy outfit.
Dec. 25, 1862, Christmas.—What are the friends doing up North? We are practicing target shooting.
Dec. 26.—Drilled. Our chimney smokes so badly we have to tear it down and "reconstruct" it.
Captured a Turkey.
Dec 28.—About 9 p. m. our company fell in with five others and marched all night in the direction of Dumfries, then turned to the left around the town, the object being to intercept some of J. E. B. Stuart's cavalry, who had made a raid on Dumfries the evening before and captured twenty-five wagons and 200 prisoners. We were two hours too late for the cavalry, but my bunkie got a part of a turkey and some corn meal. We slept that night at Dumfries with nothing over us but our blankets and the night was very cold.
Dec. 29.—Started back to camp, where we arrived at 4 p. m. Had boiled turkey and cornmeal mush for supper and slept in our mansion.
Dec. 30.—It rained at intervals, but we drilled.
Dec. 31.—Ordered to muster for pay, but we went on picket instead.
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