Union soldiers

“ It was Johnston’s reinforcements, marching up from the railroad. On they rushed, fresh, vigorous, and burning with ardor, through masses of wounded soldiers that lay by the road. The infantry broke from the double-quick to a swift run—the cavalry rode in on a sharp gallop—the artillery wagons were encircled with men eager to get their ordnance in place against the thrice-exhausted Union troops. In a continuous stream these columns swarmed into the woods, the greater force centering around the hill about which the storm of battle had raged fiercest. ”

“ Those who ask these questions simply fail to comprehend either the magnitude of the civil war, the vast number of men enlisted in the ranks of the Union Army, the hardships or privations to which they were exposed, the frightful legacy of wounds and disease their service entailed, or the time that has elapsed since their final muster-out. When these things are considered, the wonder will be, not that so many, but that so few of the soldiers of the Union need the helpful sympathy and assistance of their more fortunate comrades, and of all generous and grateful people. ”

“ In every eye burned the unquenchable fire of patriotic ardor, and in every heart was the aspiration to join in defence of one common country. Old men, who must have seen the earlier struggles of our history, came forth to bless the young soldiers on their march to take share in a grander and more noble struggle than any the American continent had yet witnessed. ”

“ Soldiers, our work is done! These terrible days of war are over. Throughout the land soldiers' societies exist. Let every man that was a soldier join these societies, and do all in their power to help those widows and orphans whose husbands and fathers fill a soldier's grave, and ever remember that our flag, the stars and stripes, must wave o'er this Glorious Union now and forever. As a country we have no equal. ”

“ However, the gallantry displayed by the attacking force, and the stubborn defensive battle maintained by the Union Army, have seldom, if ever, been excelled or equalled by veteran troops in any war by any race or in any age.
Union officers of high rank may perhaps be justly criticised for not having been better prepared for the battle by intrenchments, concentration, etc., but certainly both officers and soldiers deserve high commendation for their heroic, bloody, and successful resistance after the conflict began. ”

“ The Union attack has been repulsed, it is true; but the Union soldiers, though disorganized, discouraged, and disappointed, are not dismayed. Their officers not yet having learned how to fight, and themselves lacking the cohesion of discipline, the men have lost their regimental organizations, and owing to the causes mentioned, slowly retire across Sudley Ford of Bull Run, in a condition of disintegration, their retreat being bravely covered by the 27th and 69th New York, (which have rallied and formed there) , Sykes's Infantry battalion, Arnold's Battery, and Palmer's Cavalry. ”

“ Daily would some adventurous band of Federal soldiers explore the intricacies of the rebel defences, coming constantly in collision with the enemy. In these adventures the new and efficient regiments of sharpshooters, just introduced into the United States army, rendered valuable service.
A month before the Union army invested Yorktown, the iron battery Merrimac had made her advent in Hampton Roads, and after destroying the noble old frigates Cumberland and Congress—the pride of a past era—she met the Monitor, her conqueror and the nation’s champion. ”

“ The men for the mere avowal of their attachment to the Union flag and the Constitution were hunted like deer, and if caught, murdered in cold blood. Most of them managed, though with great peril, to escape to the Union army, where they became valuable soldiers, and by their thorough knowledge of the country and their skill in wood-craft rendered important service as scouts and pioneers. ”

“ On Sunday, especially, several portions of the ground were fought over three and four times, and the two lines swayed backward and forward like advancing and retreating waves. In repeated instances, rebel and Union soldiers, protected by the trees, were within thirty feet of each other. Many of the camps, as they were lost and retaken, received showers of balls. At the close of the fight, General McClernand’s tent contained twenty-seven bullet-holes, and his Adjutant’s thirty-two. In the Adjutant’s tent, when the Union forces recaptured it, the body of a rebel was found in a sitting position. ”

“ It was a vast army of citizens peaceably going home after the most bloody and terrible of modern wars. Of the more than a million Union soldiers under arms in the spring of 1865, before the next winter all but about fifty thousand had been quietly mustered out and become, in the main, orderly and industrious citizens. ”

“ As rapidly as possible Union volunteer regiments were disbanded, and soon the mighty host of 1,000,000 men was reduced to a peace footing of only 25,000. Before the great army melted away into the greater body of citizens its soldiers enjoyed one final triumph—a march through the capital of the nation, undisturbed by death or danger, under the eyes of their highest commanders and the representatives of the people whose country they had saved. ”

“ In order to effect this desirable purpose, and to remove the prejudices which may have taken possession of the mind of any of the good people of the States, it is earnestly recommended to all the troops that, with strong attachments to the union, they should carry with them into civil society the most conciliatory dispositions; and that they should prove themselves not less virtuous and useful as citizens than they have been persevering an victorious as soldiers. ”

“ Occasionally the report of a musket could be heard during the night, then a second, and an interval of silence. But few of the soldiers slept. The communication with Springfield was cut off, and Union messengers were falling into the enemy’s hands. As yet the Federals had gained little advantage, and with desperate fighting had only succeeded in repelling equally desperate attacks. Nothing but hard fighting could avail them. Filled with these thoughts, the soldiers solemnly gave their wives and children into each others’ charge, no one being aware who the survivor would be. ”

“ We were without intrenchments or defensive advantages of any sort, and more than half the army engaged the first day was without experience or even drill as soldiers. The officers with them, except the division commanders and possibly two or three of the brigade commanders, were equally inexperienced in war. The result was a Union victory that gave the men who achieved it great confidence in themselves ever after. ”

“ It seems that we, while yet alive, should rise and testify to them of what we have seen and known, for we soldiers of the Union have had ample praise and honor to the ends of the earth: but they have been comparatively forsaken even by their selfish and perfidious professed friends in Europe who once encouraged them. ”

“ Squads of rebel soldiers kept in sight of the Union pickets during the night, and at times would come boldly up and surrender themselves as prisoners of war. At daylight General Pope 362and staff, and Assistant Secretary of War Scott, went down to the locality, and General Pope assumed the full command. It was expected that some resistance would be made, and no one surmised that the enemy, who it was learned had marched over from Island No. ”

“ Taylor; the Sumter Flying Artillery, Captain Cutts, and detachments from Ransom’s and Radford’s Cavalry. The rebel troops fought well, and did honor to themselves as soldiers, whose nerve and bravery would have been worthy of triumph in a sacred cause. Their loss was seventy-five killed, one hundred and fifty wounded, and thirty prisoners. Of the Federals, seven were killed and sixty-one wounded.
EXPEDITION TO SHIP ISLAND. ”

“ Great Union speech of Joseph Holt, at Louisville, Ky.
13. Battle of Carrick’s Ford, Va., and death of Gen. Garnett, rebel commander. Defeat and rout of the rebels, with a loss of 150 killed and wounded, and 800 prisoners. Federal loss 13 killed, 40 wounded.
15. Skirmish at Bunker Hill, Va. Rout of rebel cavalry by fire of R. I. battery. The rebels pursued by 2d U.S. cavalry.
15. Peace meeting at Nyack, N. Y.
16. Railway cars, containing Union troops, fired into at Millsville, Mo. 3 soldiers killed, 7 wounded; 7 rebels killed.
16. Federal army under Gen. McDowell marched toward Manassas. ”

“ A government steamer conveying prisoners from Lexington, Mo., to Fort Leavenworth, broke her rudder, and being obliged to land, the vessel was seized by the rebels, the prisoners liberated, and 40 Federal soldiers captured.
10. 156 Union prisoners, among them all the principal officers held captive by the rebels at Richmond, were sent to Castle Pinckney, in Charleston harbor.
10. Battle of Carnifex Ferry, near Summersville, Va. Federal commander, Rosecranz, rebel, Floyd, who retreated with small loss. Federal loss, 16 killed, 102 wounded. ”

“ The enemy’s loss in killed was one thousand four hundred and twenty-three officers and men; their loss in wounded amounted to five thousand six hundred and ninety-two. The Unionists took two thousand two hundred and forty-eight prisoners, among whom were one hundred and thirty-seven field-officers, captains, and subalterns, representing fifty-three regiments of infantry, sixteen regiments of cavalry, thirteen batteries of artillery, and seven battalions, making sixty-nine regiments, six battalions, and thirteen batteries, beside separate companies. ”

“ The surprise had been well-nigh complete and the first rush of the gray infantry carried everything before it, leaving the foremost Union camp in their hands. Indeed, for a time the Federal army was not much more than a disorganized mob, completely bewildered by the shock of battle, and thousands of men blindly sought refuge in the rear, heedless of their officers who, with a few exceptions, strove valiantly to organize an effective defense. ”

“ They fell back again; and the Unionists not wishing to follow up the advantage they had gained, continued to retreat till they had neared the town, and there they were charged upon by the whole force of the enemy’s cavalry. The Unionists kept up a continuous firing upon the advancing rebels, but the enemy’s column came steadily onward. The National troops now executed a brilliant, and very skillful movement—each front company delivered its fire, and then retreated to the rear, leaving the next one behind in front, and so succeeding until the one in rear was again in front. ”

“ With a wild, triumphant cry, they sprang forward, sabre in hand, and drove the enemy like chaff before them. The sharp ring of carbines, the clang of sabres, and the ringing shouts of the triumphant pursuers, filled the air with the enthusiasm of the scene. At the edge of the town, the Union cavalry overtook the flying rebels, and dashing into their midst, a hand-to-hand struggle took place, in which the rebels were compelled to fight for their lives. ”

“ As the war was a sectional one in its origin, many of our best officers believed that the volunteer regiments should be formed into brigades and divisions, without reference to the States from which they came. They held that an army organized in this way would more rapidly develop the national spirit and become a more efficient military machine than one formed on state or sectional lines, and the general practice to the end of the war, in the Union army, was in accordance with this idea. ”

“ The result of this day’s battle was not favorable to the National troops; the fighting of each and every division engaged was superb, but the number of the enemy so far exceeded that of the Union army that when the engagement for the day was closed by the approach of night, the whole National force was driven back, and had lost a great many men. ”

“ Meanwhile the unionists who had realized the situation were but a short distance up the street, preparing for the shock of battle which seemed so imminent. The entreaties to return to barracks and the formation into battalion went on. There stood one hundred and eighty manly youths, armed and equipped and eager for the fray, awaiting the command forward. They were of the very flower of the South. A little later on many of them won marked distinction, boys as they were in armies the soldiers of which for gallantry and endurance have never been excelled in the history of the world. ”

“ Two thousand an hour slain! Ten thousand more had been mangled and crippled for life. The ratio of deaths to the simply wounded, was never equalled in war. One to one. The Unionists mowed the enemy down by brigades ”

“ THE ENEMY LARGELY REINFORCED—DESPERATE FIGHTING OF THE UNION TROOPS AGAINST SUPERIOR NUMBERS.
The enemy pursued them in a broken, hesitating way, like men astonished at their own success; wanting confidence, they did not venture in force to follow the retreating army, but captured many of the scattered bands dispersed over the wide field of conflict. One detachment of cavalry charged on a helpless crowd of wounded, who were gathered near a hospital building; when a handful of unorganized men, mostly civilians, seized upon the first weapons at hand, and repelled it bravely. ”

“ The Union soldiery toiled incessantly in the trenches, while covering parties, with efficient batteries, stood guard in their defence, and daily sacrificed some of their brave numbers while protecting their toiling comrades.
The labors of the Federal army soon became apparent. Formidable earthworks began to show their heads, and artillery of the largest calibre was put in position. The rebel generals were struck with astonishment and dismay when the evidences of engineering skill hitherto unsuspected, stood revealed before them. ”