George Whitefield Powers

“ Sheridan on the ground at noon, put a new face upon matters. The army was no longer without a leader. A temporary breastwork of rails was thrown up, behind which the rebel advance was awaited; and, as they drew near, a terrific volley of musketry staggered and repulsed them. The tide was turning. Riding over the field, showing himself to every regiment, and everywhere received with enthusiasm, the presence of a master-spirit was at once felt; and when the proper time came, and the order was given to charge, the army advanced with a power that crushed all [173] resistance. ”

“ The place was full of rumors in regard to fighting at Kinston, where Johnston was trying to overpower Schofield before the arrival of Sherman; and all the available troops were being sent to the front.
At eight o’clock, P. M., the regiment crowded into and on top of its portion of an immense train of box-cars, and after a moonlight ride through the turpentine forests of North Carolina, reached Newbern at midnight, waking the town with cheers; for the brisk March air made the blood run quick, and the men were in the best of spirits. ”

“ Thursday last (the day of the reception of the gallant Thirty Eighth regiment, three full companies of which were recruited from this city) was the greatest day Cambridge has ever known. Every heart beat high with exultant joy and pride, for there was not a citizen, young or old, who did not have a special interest in the patriot soldiers whose return has made us all so happy in the repossession of our brave soldier sons, brothers, husbands, and friends. ”

“ Entering the Potomac, the men realized that they were no longer on Louisiana waters; the hills stretching up from the river, the hay and grain fields just reaped, and the scattering farm-houses, being in striking contrast to the low banks of the Mississippi, with its plantations, its negro cabins, its orange-trees, and its alligators.
The steamer came to anchor off Alexandria; and was subsequently towed up to a wharf in Washington, the regiment remaining on board till morning, when it landed and marched through the city to Georgetown Heights. ”

“ No noisy mob appeared to dispute the passage up Pratt Street; but the sullen, averted looks of the majority of the people on the sidewalks betokened no love for the Union. A substantial dinner was furnished the regiment at the Union Relief Rooms (for Baltimore had Unionists, whose devotion to the country was as intense as was their hatred to Secession) ; and it was then learned, that, instead of going to Washington, and thence on to Virginia, the regiment was to occupy a camp in the vicinity of Baltimore, about to be vacated by the Thirty Seventh New York, whose term of service had expired. ”

“ For the past month, the weather had been rapidly growing warmer, the roads more dusty, and the swamp and bayou water on the line of march more unpalatable; and the regiment parted with regret from the clear Atchafalaya, with its green, shady banks, and its beautiful scenery.
A portion of the country in this vicinity having been flooded by breaks in the levee, the progress was slow; the artillery and wagons being obliged to go on top of the embankment raised to keep back the waters of the Old River,—a former bed of the Mississippi. ”

“ On the 11th of May, the second brigade and the Twenty Fourth Iowa and the One Hundred and Twenty Eighth New York broke camp, to march to Augusta, leaving the remaining regiments of the third brigade to do the light picket-duty, which was now merely nominal, and which was kept up chiefly to prevent an illicit trade between the city and the country before proper regulations were established.
The appearance and habits of the country people, who daily passed out and in the lines, were amusing to men who had been accustomed to the New England way of doing things. ”

“ I pulled my coat about my ears as the wind whistled by,—I looked out through the chasms in the barrack sides at the clear, cold moonshine,—I looked up at the dense smoke hiding the roof,—I looked around at men’s faces as the camp-fires lighted them up,—and I wished again that the men and women at home might see and hear these men, and be glad as I was in their devotion, and learn, as I did, something from their cheerful endurance. ”

“ Climbing up the steep banks, the brigade entered the woods, and, marching through a swamp, came in the rear of the enemy, when the Thirty Eighth was sent forward in advance to skirmish, and ascertain the position of the rebels. Moving steadily forward through woods and across open fields, occasionally receiving a shot from a concealed enemy, the regiment passed a narrow stream, skirmished up a thickly wooded hill, and down its descending slope, till a rail-fence was reached, bounding a cleared piece of ground, beyond which was another wooded bluff, showing signs of rebel occupancy. ”

“ Hastily packing knapsacks, the three companies were soon in line. The citizens of Cambridge had provided horse-cars to convey them to Boston; but, in the first flush of military spirit, they voted to march. The knapsacks, filled to overflowing with innumerable articles then considered essential to a soldier’s well-being, bore heavily on the backs of the new recruits; and without arms and equipments, and not fully uniformed, the column had not a very military aspect as it marched down Main Street. Dusty and tired, the halt in Cambridgeport was a welcome one ”

“ At noon, we halted for an hour or so, and then resumed our march; but, while we had been laying in front of Port Hudson, the sun had been climbing up in the heavens, and it was found that we could not march as we had done. Men began to fall, all through the line; and the hospital stretchers were soon filled with them, panting for breath. The whole force was at once taken into the woods, where it remained until six o’clock in the evening, when the march was resumed, and kept up till nine o’clock.... ”

“ On Wednesday the weather was clear and cooler, and though the chances were that camp would be broken up, one brigade having marched in the rain the day previous, I again took my bag, filled with paper, envelopes, pencils, and newspapers, and found our friends still in their old quarters. From inquiry I had learned they were in need of these things, but when I had satisfied their demands, I had still ‘a few more left.’ Coming up to a squad of Iowa men, I said, ‘Any of you here would like some paper?’ Not a word in reply. Every man seemed stolid and dumb. ”

“ Never has our city worn a happier, a more brilliant, or a more social aspect. The streets were thronged with the people, who seemed anxious to express by their presence, their joy at the return of our volunteers. Their lively holiday attire added largely to the gay appearance, which the decorations that met the eye on every hand, gave to the streets through which the procession marched. ”

“ The distance to the works was farther than we had anticipated, and consisted of a succession of hills and ravines, blocked up with fallen trees, scrubby bushes, and brambles. As we passed the brow of every hill, we were exposed to a severe fire, and our men fell thick and fast; yet the regiment kept on, for the voice of Gen. Paine was heard, in spite of the roar of cannon and musketry, ‘Forward Thirty Eighth. Forward Fifty Third.’ Many of the officers had fallen; the nature of the ground rendered it impossible to keep a line, and the four advance regiments soon became completely mixed up. ”

“ The Twenty Second Iowa occupied one side of the stable; and when the two regiments were frying pork over dozens of fires up and down the length of the building, it required strong lungs to stand the smoke and smell. Nevertheless, one Boston lady, Mrs. James H. Norris, an agent of the Christian Commission, learning that a Massachusetts regiment was in Baltimore, found it out, braved the unpleasant surroundings, and delivered mittens, socks, needle-books, etc., not only to those who needed them in the Thirty Eighth, but also to the Iowa boys. ”

“ The Fourth Wisconsin made its first appearance at this review as cavalry. Mounted on horses and mules of every description, with most primitive and unique equipments, it excited considerable merriment, and gave little promise of the [82] great reputation it afterwards attained,—the pride of the Army of the Gulf, and the terror of the rebels of Louisiana.
At this time, an order was issued by the brigade commander, forbidding officers to address the men as “boys,” saying that they were men in every sense of the word, and should be so styled at all times. ”

“ In a day or two, the regimental and company baggage that had been packed was returned, and the A tents again pitched.
Saturday, March 29th, the regiment took its turn at chopping down the forests in the vicinity of Baton Rouge, so that the guns from the fort might have a free range, in case of an attack from the enemy. Some could use the axe professionally; and all tried their hands on the lofty oaks, beeches, and magnolias, whose fall resounded through the forest, until the sound of the recall, at four o’clock, when the regiment returned to camp, tired, but in great good-humor. ”

“ The regimental baggage was again packed away; and all personal property, with the exception of a rubber blanket, overcoat, and change of clothing to each man, was packed in the knapsacks, and nailed up in large boxes; and at two o’clock, on the morning of the 9th, the reveillé woke the sleeping camp, the tents were struck, and, by seven o’clock, the regiment was on board of the cars, bound for the interior of Louisiana. For eighty miles, the road ran through a low, swampy country. ”

“ Banks’s army was then at Grand Ecore, and busily at work throwing up breastworks,—the pine forests furnishing abundant logs for the purpose,—while the river was crowded with gun-boats and transports. Of course the recent battles were the general topics discussed, and there appeared to be as many opinions regarding the details as there were soldiers present. The Western officers and men laid the blame of the repulse on the Eastern generals; the infantry charged it on the cavalry, the artillery on the infantry support; the navy on the army. ”

“ About four o’clock, the Baltic weighed anchor, and followed the fleet, the gun-boat Augusta bringing up the rear, as convoy. Of course, the destination was the great theme, and rumors [27] flew thick and fast, but nothing definite was learned.
The weather was very beautiful; and the men thronged the deck, reading, writing, and watching the movements of the strange fishes and birds which occasionally made their appearance. There was comparatively little sea-sickness, and the general health of the regiment was good. The cooking facilities were poor. ”

“ The people in Winchester, and all through the Valley, were bitter foes to the Union, giving constant information to the enemy of all military movements; and many of the prominent citizens had been sent to Fort Henry, in Baltimore. The women adhered to the Confederate cause with a tenacity that could not but win respect, and daily brought baskets of food to the captured rebels. ”

“ But the North-western farmer boys have looked on this rich soil; the North-western and the North-eastern lumbermen have felled the tall trees near the river-bank; the mechanics of Massachusetts and New York have seen the field for improved implements in husbandry and in domestic life; and ere many years this distant Southern country will put on a new life, and be the seat of an educated, industrious people.
The boat reached Alexandria at midnight, and, the next morning the regiment disembarked, and went into camp three miles beyond the city. ”

“ The men had lost everything not on their persons,—clothing, blankets, likenesses of friends, letters, journals of the two years’ service, and mementos of the Louisiana campaigns; and, worse than all, over thirty of their comrades were on their way to torture and starvation in Salisbury or the Libby. Leaving the cavalry to pursue the flying enemy, the infantry, cold and hungry, bivouacked for the night on their old camp-grounds. In the morning, the army moved two miles toward Strasburg, and remained there until the 21st, when the second division returned to Cedar Creek. ”

“ The regiment remained on board until morning, and then went into quarters in a warehouse on Bay Street, where it remained until the 26th, the [192] weather still being cool enough to make ice at night. At this time, Savannah presented a scene of desolation sad to behold, even in an enemy’s country. Pools of green, stagnant water stood in the principal streets; the beautiful squares had been stripped of their railings and fences to build the shanties of Sherman’s troops, who were encamped all through the city ”

“ B. For hours, the men in the roadway remained beneath the scorching sun, suffering for want of water, and knowing that the least movement would be the signal for a death-messenger from the enemy; yet, notwithstanding the constant artillery and musketry fire, men slept soundly at times. During the afternoon, the dry brush and trees in the ravines took fire, adding to the intense heat, and driving portions of the troops to seek new cover. ”

“ On the evening of the 23d, after brigade drill, the colonel addressed the regiment briefly, stating that they would probably spend Christmas there, and that he wished them to enjoy the day as well as they could under the circumstances. The camp was to be given up to the regiment from ten o’clock, A. M., till “tattoo;” they were to elect their own field, staff, and line officers; make their own camp-regulations, and hold the regimental officers to a strict observance of them, punishing any violation of them with confinement in the guard-house. The men entered into the proposal with spirit. ”