large field of standing corn confronts us just to the westward
of the wheat-field in which we had been lying, and we under-
stand that the enemy is approaching under cover of the tas-
seled stalks. Before this, however, the turnpike bridge has
been fired by Lieutenant Fish's men, and the story is best told
by one of the company as follows:
"Colonel William H. Seward, Jr., received orders from Gen-
eral" Wallace about 9 A. M. to detach two comjjanies from his
regiment for perilous duty. Colonel Seward immediately de-
tached Company B by the following order (the line was resting
in place): 'Lieutenant Fish, order your company in line and
move it down to that bridge, and hold it at all hazard.'
The order was promptly executed. The company arranged
to stubbornly defend the passage of the bridge. The rebels
tried to dislodge the company by directing shells on the bridge,
which raked the structure with terrific force, but failed in their
design. 'Hold it at all hazard,' was the order. As the battle
raged furiously, the lines changed front, and from the situation
of the respective armies it became evident that the bridge must
be burned to prevent General Breckinridge, who was waitiug
near Frederick City with two divisions, from crossing the
bridge and intersecting our rear. Members of the company
procured sheaves of wheat from a near-by field, and placed
them under the southeast corner of the roof of the bridge.
About 12..30 P. M. Lieutenant Fish received an order from
Colonel Seward to burn the bridge, which was promptly ex-
ecuted. Privates Alvcn N. Sova, Samuel K. Mack, and Sergeant
Albert L. Smith participated in setting the fire, which wrapped
the roof in fiames like magic. It was impossible to rejoin the
regiment at this time. The only escape was to the rear, but
Lieutenant Fish declined to move his company without orders.
.\bout 2 P. M. a field-officer rode up and ordered Lieutenant
Fisli to move his com])any to the rear immediately, which he
i
FREDERICK CITY.
Grave of Barbara Frietchie (Riijht). Graves of Francis Scott Key and Wife.
Confederate Monument. Old Storehouse, Monocacv Junction.
TO AND THUOUGn MON'OCACr. 129
did wliile beinj;; ursod forward by rebel btillets. On interseet-
ina tbe railroad it was found that Lieutenant R. E. Burton
and two privates were missing or taken prisoners. On cross-
inj; the railroad the situation seemed perilous, and to prevent
the further reduction of his ranks Lieutenant Pish gave this
unique order: 'Sergeant Stanford, put the bayonet through the
first damned man that attempts to leave the ranks.' On reach-
ing the woods and filing to the right soon came out into an
open field, and were intersected by General Wallace on his
return from the stone bridge, where he had been to personally
give orders to Colonel Brown. On uearing the company the
general asked, 'What troops are these?' Lieutenant Fish re-
plied, 'It is Company B of the 9th New York Heavy Artillery.'
General Wallace said, 'Lieutenant Fish, it is no fault of your
company nor the 9th New York Heavy Artillery regiment that
this battle has been lost.' Lieutenant Fish replied, 'General,
I trust not.' On starting to leave the company. General Wal-
lace remarked, 'Lieutenant Fish, I certainly will remember you
in my report.' and rode away rapidly."
The other company to which special duty was assigned was
M, whose captain, Anson S. Wood, thus describes its perform-
ance of duty:
"I was directed to take flies enough from Company E (six
men. Lieutenant Freeoft) to make with my company my 100
men for picket duty, and an orderly from General Wallace's
staff was directed to show me where to go. I had no orders,
and no intimation was given me that we were in the presence
of the enemy.
"I crossed the bridge, and marched up the pike toward Fred-
erick, anticipating a pleasant day on picket when suddenly a
rebel skirmish-line opened full upon us. I immediately ordered
my men to lie down, and went forward a short distance to
ascertain whether there were any of our troops near by. I
soon discovered a Union captain, and learned from him that
he had some sort of a skirmish-line on the left of the pike look-
ing toward Frederick, and that he outranked me. I told him
that I reported for orders and awaited his instructions. He
said he thought T had lietter move my men up and reinforce
his line. I did so, and within Ave minutes the captain and the
few men he had there disappeared from my sight and hearing
forever. The rebel skirmish-line was a few hundred yards in
9
130 NINTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY.
our front, and we exchanged shots from time to time, but the
tiring was very light. I had been upon the skirmish-line but
a short time when I received a visit from General Ricketts,
accompanied by two or three members of his staff. He in-
quired of me who was in command of the line, and I stated to
him the disappearance of the captain to whom I had reported
for orders. He directed a soldier standing near to knock down
the fence so he could ride on the ])ike, directed me to stop the
firing, or advance the line, said he would send a field-officer
to take charge of the line, whereupon Captain Damon of the
general's staff pointed to a mounted officer a long distance in
the rear, and said: 'That is Colonel , who is field-officer
of the day.' (Jeneral Ricketts said, 'I will send him to you.'
Just at that moment the rebel skirmishers gave the general a
salute, and he turned and rode away. I immediately deployed
the larger number of my men to the east side of the pike. I
never saw the officer after that, never received any orders from
that time on from any source, but fought my part of the
battle untrammeled with orders from any source. Not long
after the general left. Lieutenant Parrish discovered
that an attempt was being made to fiank us on the
extreme right, and I directed him to change our line
so as to i)revent it. Some time prior to the commence-
ment of the battle proper, the rebel skirmish-line was rein-
forced by troops moving up from the direction of Frederick.
An advance was made on our line, and 1 ordered the men to
fall back to the line of the railroad. 1 think it was about this
time that Surgeon Chamberlain was captured at a farm-house
between the lines, but some distance to the left of my line.
About this time Captain Parker of the lOGth New York, with
one or two comj)anies, moved forward on my left. My skir-
mish-line in falling back to the railroad disjilayt'd about as good
soldierly qualities as the most strict disciplinarian could desire.
They maintained an excellent line, loading and firing rapidly,
keeping the rebel advance in check until they reaclied the cover
of the railroad cut, I recall particularly one soldier, a tall,
stern man, formerly a school-teacher in one of the western
counties of the state (I think his name was MelUiu). who
stoi)])ed and fired each tinu' with great deliberation and ex-
cellent effect. After we reached the line of the railroad, a few
of the Maryland 100-day men made their appearance and helped
TO AND THROUGH MONOCACY. 131
to bold our line. Just before the bridge was fired, a message
came to me that it was to be burned, that I was to hold my line
as long as possible, that if it became necessary to get out^ I
could come on the railroad bridge or ford the river, and the
place where fordable was pointed out to me. I am unable to
state from where the message came, but 1 think it must have
come from General Wallace through one of his staff.
"From my jtosition I had an excellent opportunity to witness
the main battle. If I had been fortunate enough to have a field-
glass. I could have taken it in in all its details. I held my
position on the railroad till after our troops were driven from
the tield. then recrossed the river. Lieutenant Parrish and a
part of the men taking to the water. I crossed with the bal-
ance of the men under a severe fire, but fortunately without
loss. One man was killed fording the river with Lieutenant
Parrish. I do not recollect how many were killed and wounded
out of the hundred men I took up on the skirmish-line that
morning, but I think our loss was not so heavy as in the other
companies of the regiment. I was slightly wounded myself.
"T shall always think that no troops ever behaved better on
the field of battle than the handful of men who delayed for
one day Jubal Early and his Confederate forces on their way
to capture Washington. After crossing the river my company
reformed in one of the ritle-pits, from which we were ordered
by General Ricketts himself on his retreat from the battle-
field. I think my company was the only organization that
kept together. I know that from time to time other members
of the old regiments joined us, and I think ours was the first
regiment to recover and get into shape after the battle.
''Among other things I vividly remembered was seeing Colonel
Taft's black horse galloping riderless to the rear, and later on
Adjutant I'ringie on his cream-colored steed following rapidly
in the same direction. That day and the night following tried
my physical endurance more severely than any other like period
of my army service. I never I'ecall it without wondering how
I ever could have endured it. It was the best and the hardest
day's work of my soldier's life. It was the last time I marched
on foot; from that time on I was mounted."
It was well along in the afternoon when we. who had been
lying so long on the brow of the hill, were ordered in. We
were very near tlie river, onlv one regiment, the 110th Ohio, at
132 NINTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY.
our right, intervening. Colonel Seward sat Lis borse as erect as a
centaur; Lieutenant Colonel Taft was also in his place and
mounted with Adjutant Pringle. Our alignment is excellent,
and the colors stream along as we advance over the space sepa-
rating us from a standing field of corn. Here is another
strong fence whose rails afford us excellent rests for our guns
as we rapidly flre into the field through which the enemy is
making his way and firing as he comes. We are finding no
fault with our part of the game, and our Harper's Ferry
muskets are doing such execution that we think ourselves
able to hold the place indefinitely. But there is trouble
at th.e extreme left, where we are flanked. Soon the order comes
to fall back, which we obey slowly, keeping up a desultory
fusilade at the rebels, who climb our fence in a surprisingly
brief tinie after our leaving it. A halt is made near the point
where we had thrown down the fence. Lieutenant Harmon of
Company H unconsciously used the refrain of Root's Battle
Hymn as he exclaimed, "Rally round your tlag. boys*."' for the
colors were there. Further along, towards the left, and under
the hill. Colonel Seward, who had been injured by his wounded
horse falling upon him, and who was supported by two men,
was directing an officer and guard to advance to a tree some
rods nearer to the enemy to secure Lieutenant Colonel Taft,
who was lying there wounded. This order Lieutenant Colviu
of Company H essayed to obey, l)ut before the officer could be
reached, the rebel line had swept by, and the effort was futile.
Our lieutenant colonel thus wrote latei' of his injury: "1 was
withdrawing from the field when a numbness seized my left
leg and I dropped to the ground." The rebels took his sabre,
revolver, watch, pencil and ]m'u. though he had surrendered
to a general officer. He was aftiM-wards carried to Frederick,
but it was not till September Idth that Lyons accorded him
a handsome welcoiiie home, the Rev. L. W. Brown speaking for
the people, and Colonel A. D. Adams for the wounded officei'.
By this time our own lines were thrown into great confusion.
The flank movement on the left had driven down towards
Gambriirs mill jiortions of the 1st Brigade, and our own '2d
was mingled with I hem. Colonel M. K. McClennan of the 138th
Pennsylvania was in temporary coTumand of the 2d Brigade,
and possibly he was the officer who was shouting, "Elevate
your pieces, men; elevate your pieces;" this in regard to the
I
i
I
TO AND THROUGH MONOCACY. 133
advancinf"' Confederates who, iu gieat uiiiubers, are bearing
down upon us. From some source conies the order to shift for
ourselves, and the Monocacy tield Is left behind us. One private
recalls hearing the color sergeant of the Ninth say, "I don't
see any tise in staying here any longer," and said private
thought his record safe iu that he left the field behind the
colors. Colonel Seward got away, riding on a bridleless mule,
which he directed by means of a silk handkerchief inserted in
his mouth. The day has ended disastrously, so far as we are
concerned, but for nine hours a handful of men has held Early's
thousands, thus permitting the remainder of our corps to reach
A\'ashington and so prevent the consummation of the rebels'
audacious plan to capture the Capital.
One who was in the battle thus writes: "I pass a comrade
sitting by the roadside. Blood is trickling from a wound just
below his heart. I had carried his gun the night before, and
'now I say 'Good by' to him; there is no fear, no regret in his
tone as he replies. A brave country boy he had lived, and
death has no terrors for him. He could not have smiled more
sweetly had he been lying down to pleasant dreams. Hours
afterwards. I carry a canteen full of water to another comrade
lying on a i)ile of grain in the store-house by the railroad, and
he, too, had no complaints, no repinings. He said only, 'I have
my death wound." and with the dew of youth yet fresh upon
him, with all the prospects of long life ended, he closed his
eyes in dreamless sleep. And so they died in the east and in
the west, the young and the old; on the field amidst the roar
of musketry and cannonading; in the hospitals, of wounds and
fever; on the lonely picket line; as scouts and videttes; and
who records any regrets? They deemed the cause worthy the
sacrifice. Eyes grow dim in many a Northern home
'For a singer dumb and gory,'
but he recked not; lie was past all pain and sorrow. For him
there was burial near the place where he fell, and for the future
his name upon the nation's deathless roll."
At this moment, however, flushed with victory the enemy,
horse and foot, with -seemingly an unending array of artillery,
])resses hiird ujiou our retreating lines. The falling back is not
undisputed, and the stul)bornuess of those covering the rear
rendered the escape of most of the men ])ossible. There was a
134 NINTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY.
short train at the station, upon which many took refuge, and
with it steamed away to safety, but to those who left the field
last there was not even Hobson's choice. There was nothing
for them but quick eyes and alert feet. They had a general no-
tion tliat salvation lay in the direction of Baltimore, and thither
they directed their footsteps, in many cases interrupted by the
pursuing cavalry that seemed to be almost ubiquitous. If the
men knew enough to keep off the traveled ways, in the woods
and fields, they generally managed to escape the foe, but he
followed hard' and fast, and captures were made when the sol-
dier thought himself entirely out of the range of pursuers.
The records state that fifty-one men from the eight com-
panies were killed or mortally wounded this day, among them
Lieutenant James H. Ellis of Company E. He had enlisted in
Company D as a sergeant, and had been promoted to quarter-
master sergeant of the regiment. Thence he went as 2d lieu-
tenant to Company E. He was born in Lyons April 1st, 1843;
was reared there; served from 18.59 to enlistment, in R. H.
Murdock's store as clerk; was a member of Grace Church and
Sunday-school; his death occasioned widespread grief in his
native village.
The official dispatches and reports concerning this day's work
are worthy of insertion complete, but only an abstract can be
given. It is to be regretted that our commanding officers were
not more explicit. Dispatches on record in Washington show
that had they (the dispatches) been received earlier, our regi-
ment had had no part in the Monocacy fight. Fortunately for
our military reputation, we were in the battle before they were
sent. The truth of the whole matter was that all Washington
was badly scared, and with justice; only the timely arrival of
the 1st and 2d Divisions of the 6th Corps saved the city from
pillage and conflagration, and it was our heading off Early at
Monocacy that jiermitted such result. Early himself in 1888
told the writer that the sight of the Greek cross on the works
north of Washington was what induced his retreat. "D-
that 6th Corps," said a Confederate officer in front of the Cap-
ital, "we find it everywhere."
For those who were taken prisoners a special chapter will
be given. Now we must follow the fortunes of the two battal-
ions, to whose members the dav at Monocacv was memorable.
I
1
RETREAT AND PURSUIT. 135
CHAPTER XV.
Retreat and Pursuit.
The turnpike from Frederick to Baltimore is as straifrht and
as hard as the hand of man can make it. Those who had a good
start found the road a convenient one to follow towards Balti-
more. Tliose who could, marched all night, and at some hour
of the 10th reached Ellicott City, passing on their way St.
Charles College, named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton. the
last survivor of the signers of the Declaration, whose gener-
osity had endowed this institution, one of the famous Roman
Catholic enterprises of the state; hut our boys are more inter-
ested in food and raiment than in mind and religion, and did
not improve the opportunity to "go through college." though
they did remark its appearance as they marched by.
The men were badly scattered; the largest number that any
one company could muster was thirty-one, officers and men.
Here something like organization was had; camp was pitched
and pickets thrown out.
The 11th of July saw the regiment en route for Baltimore by
way of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, a more agreeable form
of locomotion than that recently practiced. Twelve men of
Company M were left at the Relay House to serve the big guns
there in case of need, and Maryland's chief city is reached
at about 10 A. M. by some of the regiment, though others did
not leave Ellicott City till nearly night. The 12th was spent in
camp, and the rest thus secured was decidedly grateful to the
weary men, though it is recorded that some of the soldiers
were not too tired to break open certain bales of soldiers' cloth-
ing and so help themselves. The law that heaven helps those
who help themselves seems to have been firmly planted in
the minds of all soldiers, both North and South. As many had
not yet reported, rations went begging, and on moving camp
the "boys" gave to a needy woman two-thirds of a barrel of
pork, a larger supply than she had ever possessed at any one
time before.
On the 13th camp was changed to Washington park, near the
edge of the city, having to travel about one mile to reach it.
Hard by is the estate of Mr. Kirby, a lumber merchant, also
136 NINTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY.
a small fort without ir\iards. though some other troops are
camped near.
By the 14th the Ninth was ready for another advance, and
after luarchiug to Druid hill, the men moved to NN'ashiugtou
station, and thence by rail rode to the Capital. In leaving
Baltimore, one company so won the jrood opinion of a Mr.
Quirk that he gave to each man a head of cabbage, but as if
to compensate for this good fortune, they had to march full five
miles, one mile directly away from the station. The crowning
motive in most of the marcliing and countermarching of the
war the unprofessional mind has never been able to compre-
hend. The sight of a comjiaiiy of men. each bearing a cabbage,
must have been an insiriring one, and though there is no record
of the epithet "Cabbage-head" being hurled at these battle-
proved soldiers, it must be acknowledged that the i)rovocation
was great. Rundown sees the boys in ^^'ashiugton, and en-
camped at or near Soldiers' Rest.
The march on the 1.5th liegan before breakfast, and termi-
nated at Tenuallytown, where orders were received to report to
Major Snyder at Fort Reno, but somehow this conflicted with
(leneral Ricketts' notions, and the two battalions moved on,
leaving the othei- in the fort which it had lielpi'd defend dur-
ing p]arly's raid. >Vhile here I'resident Lincoln drove out to
our camp to congratulate the troops on their stubborn resist-
ance at Monocacy. His carriage stopped in the midst of our
regiment and the boys gathered about him in great crowds.
A tall strijiling of a lad of Company D crowded his way to the
carriage, and, liamling the president the eagle-plate from his
cartridge-box straps, with a Confederate bullet sticking fast
in its centi'e, said, "See, Mr. Lincoln, this saved my life at
Monocacy; the force of tlie bullet knocked me down." The
ju'esident took the relic in his hand, looked it over carefully,
and after commenting on the fortunate escape of the soldier
with the man who sat beside him — a nuMuber of his Cabinet,
probably Seward — he handed it back to the soldier, saying,
"Young man, keej) that foi' your children and grand-children,
for future generations will ]irize that as the greatest heirloom
you could possibly leave them."
The pursuit of the I'aiders. loo long delayed, was now begun,
and we passed on aftei' them, ci'ossing the I'olonuic at or near
Edward's Ferry. As there were no laws against such iiroi-ccd-
RETUKAT AND ITltSl'IT. 137
ings many of the men cross en (lishahiUc, carrying their cloth-
ing on lieads or shoulders. Nothing but laughter greets the
unfortunate soldiers who step on slimy rocks and receive in-
voluntary immersion. The water was about three feet deep,
and the current strong. Cami)ing near by, excellent facilities
are found for seciuiiig food in the way of sheep and hogs from
neighboring farmers, always supposed to be disloyal, and in
the discussion of dainties thus secured the cud of the IGtli day
arrives.
Next day the march was resumed, and was continued through
Leesburg about four miles. Government rations falling short,
there was all the more need of replenishment from ueigliboriug
sources, and the regiment began taking lessons in self-help, a
principle well ingrained before the end of the season's cam-
paign. On the 18th the march is resumed, extending through
Hamilton, Snickersville and Snicker's Gap to the Shenandoah
river. It was our first view of the stream so redolent of Ameri-
can history, and with whose name that of the 6th Corps
through the events of the coming months was to be inextrica-
bly blended. A division of our forces, 8th Corps, had crossed
the river, but had been driven back by the enemy, some of our
soldiers having drowned, so said, in the recrossing. We were
under fire for a time, and a few of the regiment wounded.
Business begins early the IDth, for it is 3 A. M. when the camp
is roused, rations drawn, and preparations made for breakfast.
The latter is not fully ready when orders come to pack up,
but we lie here all day, finding the berries on the mountain-side
unusually good.
At 1(1 A. il. the l20th, we get away and wade tlie Shenandoah
at Snicker's ford through thirty inches of water, and two or
three miles beyond halt. Hungry soldiers — they were always
so — soon gather in sheep, hogs and bacon; what purveyors!
A resident farmer says the two armies have destroyed (5,000
sheep for him. If alive at the end of the century, one might
wonder what he thinks of the protection of wool industries.
The lilst saw a falling back on our part, and we recrossed the
river at about 11 P. M., Company B guarding the wagon-train.
Gneirillas were troublesome, and some stragglers are captured
by them. It is an all night's marcli, and before we camp we have
passed through Leesburg, crossed Goose creek, near which on
the i22d we bivouac; our distance from Washington being esti-
138 NINTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY.
mated from eifrht to twelve miles. This retiring upon Wash-
ington was made on the supposition that Early had returned
to Lee's army, and onr ()th Corps with the 19th was to rejoin
Grant as quickly as possible, expecting to take waiting trans-
ports in Washington. It has been claimed that in the preced-
ing thirty days we had traveled 600 miles.
The '2M finds the Ninth once more in the District of Colum-
bia. Having left camp in the morning, we pass down by the side
of Fort Marcy, cross the chain bridge and late in the afternoon