CHAPTER IV. FEBRUARY-APRIL, 1862. DEPARTURE FROM ROANOKE ISLAND. — THE BATTLE OF NEWBERN. IN CAMP NEAR NEWBERN. DEATH OF MISS CARRIE E. CUTTER. - ON the 26th of February, 1862, orders were issued to put fifteen days' rations on the transports and hold ourselves in readiness to reëmbark; and on the 4th of March the regiment returned to the "Northerner" again. The old craft was gayly decorated with flags and streamers for the occasion. A banner, hung across her upper saloon, bore the words, "Welcome to the brave 21st; and we received a very warm welcome from all hands on board her. We remained until March 11th, lying at anchor just off the island, and then ran down Pamlico Sound, coming to anchor off Hatteras Inlet after dark. Moving on at seven o'clock on the morning of the 12th, the imposing fleet, of which the "Northerner" now formed a part, steamed across Pamlico Sound and into the mouth of the Neuse River. Soon after we got under way, a general order was read, announcing that we were making an important movement which would tend to demoralize the enemy and aid in the operations against Richmond, and as we entered the Neuse we were officially informed that Newbern was our destination. Our fleet was composed of nearly all the transports and gun-boats which had left Hatteras Inlet for Roanoke Island five weeks before, and pushed up the broad and glassy river, with the transports in two parallel lines, and the gun-boats on the flanks and in the advance. It was a majestic spectacle, never to be forgotten. The weather was pleasant, and the troops crowding the decks of the transports were full of life. and enthusiasm as they passed on to their fate in that mighty fleet which extended its well-ordered lines as far as the eye could reach. After running some forty-five miles up the river we came to anchor at dark off the mouth of Slocum's Creek, sixteen miles below the city of Newbern. Some of our gunboats in advance were now firing heavily, but we had met with no opposition and seen no signs of life along the wooded banks of the great river. As the vessels took position for the night they became gay with brilliant signal lanterns. The gun-boats threw a few shells into the woods near us, apparently for the fun of the thing. Bright rebel signal-fires shone inland, and the music of the bands added to the beauty and inspiration of the scene. We turned in early, and, after a refreshing sleep, awoke on a cheerless, rainy morning, which was to bring forth no man knew what. Nobody, however, seemed to be in a very solemn state of mind as we landed in small boats and leisurely waded through the mud to the shore. As there was no show of opposition, little enthusiasm was displayed in the landing, although some of the first regiments which landed made an attempt at a dash as they floundered through the deep mud and planted their flags on the land. Their cheers, however, fell rather flat, and they soon stacked arms and sat down to await the disembarkation of the rest of the troops. It was nearly noon when the army took up the line of march for Newbern, with three days' rations of hard bread and salt beef in haversacks, and sixty rounds of ammunition in cartridge boxes and pockets. The beautiful old city of Newbern, on which we were moving (a place of about six thousand inhabitants), is situated at the confluence of the rivers Neuse and Trent. Great importance was attached to its occupation as being an excellent base for a movement into the interior of the State to cut the enemy's communications between Virginia and the Gulf States. The main line of intrenchments erected for its defense against a land attack was situated about four miles below the city, was well placed, and of the most formidable character, consisting of heavy earth-works about two miles in length, mounting forty-six pieces of artillery; the right resting on a deep morass, and the left terminating on the west. bank of the river Neuse in a powerful fort (Fort Thompson), mounting thirteen very heavy guns. There were also several batteries along the river, which was further obstructed by piles, sunken vessels, and torpedoes. The rebel works were held by eight thousand men, under the command of General L. O'B. Branch. The Union army moving to attack, commanded by General Burnside, consisted of thirteen regiments of infantry and a battery of six boat-howitzers, numbering in all not over nine thousand men. The Union brigades and regiments were as follows: First brigade, commanded by General Foster: 23d, 24th, 25th, and 27th Massachusetts, and 10th Connecticut regiments. Second brigade, commanded by General Reno: 21st Massachusetts, 51st New York, 51st Pennsylvania, and 9th New Jersey regiments. Third brigade, commanded by General Parke: 4th and 5th Rhode Island, and 8th and 11th Connecticut regiments. BATTLE OF NEWBERN. As Colonel Clark's official report gives in such full detail the incidents of our march to the battle-field and the part taken by the regiment in the battle, I give it entire, as being of more general interest than an account of my own experiences. HEADQUARTERS 21ST REGT. MASS. VOLS. CAPT. EDWARD M. NEAL, Ass't Adj't-Gen. 2d Brigade. Captain About nine o'clock on the morning of the 13th inst., the 21st Massachusetts Volunteers, seven hundred and forty-three strong, landed at the mouth of Slocum's Creek, and by order of General Reno advanced about two miles through the pine woods along the south bank of the river Neuse toward Newbern. Coming out upon a large open field, the regiment stacked arms to await the arrival of the general with the rest of the brigade. Company G, under Lieutenant Taylor, formed the advance guard, and discovered a short distance into the woods, beyond the cleared space, a large number of wooden barracks which had been vacated about two hours before by rebel cavalry whose equanimity had been disturbed by shells from the gun-boats. An advance of some four miles brought the regiment to Croatan, where we found a very extensive earth-work running at right angles to the highway. One thousand rebel infantry had just deserted it. The colors of the 21st were placed without opposition upon the parapet and heartily cheered by officers and men. Near this work a halt of an hour was made for dinner, during which the pioneers tore up the track of the railroad connecting Newbern with Beaufort. From this point the regiment was ordered to move forward upon the railroad track, and Company D, under Lieutenant Barker, was sent forward as advance guard. About a mile of advance brought the regiment to a place where the highway crosses the railroad, and a half a mile to the right of the latter, on the river Neuse, a deserted earth-work was discovered by Lieutenant Reno, aide-de-camp to the general. Company H, under Captain Frazer, with the colors, was detached from the regiment, and under charge of General Reno, visited the work, and, waving the Star-Spangled banner bearing the honorable inscription, "Roanoke, February 8th, 1862," and the spotless white colors of Massachusetts with the noble motto "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem," gave three hearty cheers and hastily rejoined the advancing regiment. Proceeding along the railroad about a mile farther, the advance guard came upon a building containing several tents, a complete set of artillery harnesses, and a few boxes of ammunition for six and twelve-pounder guns. Lieutenant Barker with Adjutant Stearns then made a reconnoisance to the right of the railroad and found an extensive encampment, also recently evacuated by rebel cavalry. Here were large quantities of clothing, commissary and hospital stores, over which a guard was placed. One mile farther on the regiment bivouacked for the night, throwing out a picket guard of two companies on the front and left, the right being guarded by the 24th Massachusetts Volunteers, and the rear by the 51st New York Volunteers. The rain, which commenced to fall about ten o'clock of the 13th instant, continued in showers through the night, and on the morning of the 14th mist and fog enveloped everything. Notwithstanding every precau tion on the part of both officers and men, very many of the rifles were rendered quite unserviceable by the moisture. In some the powder was too wet to ignite, and in many of the Enfield rifled muskets the rammers were almost immovable from the swelling of the stock. It is a great defect in this weapon that the friction of the wood along the whole length of the rammer is relied upon to keep it in place, since it is quite impossible that the rammer should be well secured when the musket is dry and sufficiently loose for service when wet. It is a noteworthy evidence of discipline and courage on the part of the men, that more than fifty of them went into the battle with only their bayonets to work with, and it was very hard to hear them in the thickest of the fight, while standing helpless in their places, beg their officers to give them serviceable muskets, and to see them eagerly seize the weapons of their comrades as fast as they fell beneath the leaden storm from the enemy's earth-works. Private Sheehan of Company E left his company, to secure the musket of a man whom he saw killed in Company K, and when asked by Major Rice why he did not take the gun of one who had been shot in his own company, replied that it was, like his own, good for nothing. About seven o'clock A. M. General Reno ordered his brigade for-` ward, the 21st Massachusetts in the van. The advance guard consisted of Company G, and was led by Corporal Stratton,1 who deserves much credit for his coolness and intrepidity in pushing on through swamps and thickets, and along the track of the railroad, both on the 13th and 14th instants, every moment exposed to be fired upon by a concealed foe. Adjutant Stearns directed the movement of the first two squads of the advance guard in the most admirable manner during the entire march from the place of landing to the battle-field. As it was known that the defenses of the enemy were thrown across the highway to the right of the railroad, the regiment proceeded cautiously through the woods on the left of the railroad and parallel with it. After advancing about half a mile, a locomotive was seen coming down the road, and General Reno at once ordered us to file to the left and advance into the forest, which was no longer a level, open, pine wood, but the ground was broken into hills separated by deep ravines, and the timber was of oak, whitewood, and other deciduous trees, and of the largest description. The 1st brigade, under General Foster, having advanced upon the highway, came first upon the enemy, and the battle was now raging fiercely upon our right and along 1 Corporal Stratton was killed at the battle of Antietam. ED. |