Part 8 (1/2)
The papers now contained rumors of another movement on foot, and, of course, I was very anxious to return. A few days later, after an examination, the doctor gave me my discharge. It was now ten days since I had left camp on a three-days' leave, but my discharge from the hospital operated as an extension, and I had no difficulty in getting transportation and pa.s.ses through the lines to rejoin my regiment. I performed my errands for the officers of the regiment, which consisted in getting various articles for their comfort, and in several cases a bottle of something to ”keep the cold out.” As I write, I have before me, in perfect preservation, all the official papers covering that trip.
Here are copies of the papers required to get back to the regiment. They will give an idea of the conditions, getting in and out of Was.h.i.+ngton at that time, as well as of the load I had to carry back:
HEAD-QUARTERS MILITARY DISTRICT OF WAs.h.i.+NGTON, WAs.h.i.+NGTON, D. C., January 22, 1863.
Lieutenant F. L. Hitchc.o.c.k, 132d P. V., with servant, has permission to proceed to Falmouth, Va., for the purpose of rejoining his regiment, and to take the following articles for officers and men: (1) one drum, (3) three express packages, carpet sack containing liquors, (1) one box of provisions, (1) one box of clothing. Quartermaster please furnish transportation.
By Command of Brigadier-General Martindale, Military Governor of Was.h.i.+ngton.
JOHN P. SHERBURNE, _a.s.sistant Adjutant-General_.
No. 247.
a.s.sISTANT-QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE, SIXTH STREET WHARF, WAs.h.i.+NGTON, D. C., January 23, 1863.
Pa.s.s on government boat to Aquia Creek, three boxes and one drum, liquors and sutlers' stores strictly excluded.
For Adjutant F. L. Hitchc.o.c.k, 132 Pa. Vols.
J. M. ROBINSON, _Captain and A. Q. M._
The word liquors above is erased with a pen. It is difficult at this day to realize that Was.h.i.+ngton was surrounded with a cordon of sentries. All places of entrance and exit were under the strictest military surveillance. General Martindale, as its military governor, was supreme in authority. No one could come or go, and nothing be taken in or out, without his permission.
The servant included in the above pa.s.s was a ”contraband,” picked up in Was.h.i.+ngton for the trip. There were hundreds of them clamoring for an opportunity to get down to the army. They were glad to do all one's drudgery for the chance of going, for once there, plenty of jobs could be found, besides the excitement and attractions of ”Uncle Sam's” army were to them irresistible. I reached camp early in the evening and delivered my supplies, the officers being promptly on hand to receive them. The return of an officer from ”civilization” was an event of no ordinary moment, and I had many calls that evening. The following anecdote of Major-General Howard was told that evening, apropos of the delivery of the ”commissions” I had brought. The general was well known to be uncompromising in his opposition to the presence of liquor of any kind in camp, or elsewhere, and especially among the members of his official family. Yet shortly after the battle of Fredericksburg, one of his staff had a present of a bottle of ”old Rye.” He put it away until some time during the general's absence he could safely bring it out and treat his fellow-members of the staff. The opportunity came one day when his chief announced his absence at army head-quarters for a couple of hours, and mounted and rode away. The hidden treasure was brought out and due preparation made for the delectation of all hands, and he was in the act of pulling the cork in front of his tent, when, suddenly hearing the clatter of horse's hoofs, he looked up just in time to see the general returning for a forgotten paper. He had barely time to swing the bottle behind his heels as he closed them in the position of a soldier, and arose and respectfully saluted. The position and salute were strictly according to army regulations, but with a general's own staff such formality was not usual. The general evidently caught the situation, for he was tantalizingly deliberate in acknowledging the salute, and finally remarked, with a twinkle in his eye, looking him full in the face: ”Mr.----, your position is faultless and your punctiliousness in saluting truly admirable. Were you getting it ready to send to the hospital? Very commendable, indeed; it will do so much good.” And to the hospital, of course, it had to go, much to the chagrin of all the staff.
The event of special interest at this time was the movement later known as the ”mud march.” Troops had for three days been moving up the river, destination, of course, unknown to us, but now they were returning, a most sorry, mud-bedraggled looking crowd. We were glad enough not to have been with them. Our corps had been for a week under marching orders, to move at a moment's notice, but the final order never came, and we were spared this experience. Whatever the movement was designed to be, it was defeated by plain, simple MUD. It should be spelled in the largest capitals, for it was all-powerful at this time. Almost immediately after the movement began, it commenced to rain heavily. The ground was already soggy from previous rains, and it soon became a vast sea of mud. I have already spoken of Virginia mud. It beggars description. Your feet sink into it frequently ankle deep, and you lift them out with a sough. In some places it seemed as bottomless as a pit of quicksand. The old-established roads were measurably pa.s.sable, but, as I have heretofore explained, most of the troops had to march directly across the fields, and here it proved absolutely impossible to move the wagon-trains and artillery any distance. This was the main reason why the movement had to be abandoned. I saw many wagons down over their hubs, stalled in the mire. And the guns and caissons of a battery of artillery were stalled near our camp, and had to be abandoned for the time. The horses were saved from miring with great difficulty. A few days later the guns and caissons were hauled out with ropes.
There were dead mules and mired and broken wagons all along the route of the marching troops. The number of animals that perished in this futile march must have run up into thousands, killed by exposure over pulling or miring. It should be understood that when the army moves, and the mule trains of ammunition and rations are ordered to move, they must go as long as it is physically possible, mule or no mule. The lives of a thousand mules, more or less, is nothing compared with the necessity of having ammunition and rations at the proper place at the required time.
I saw one mule team stalled in one of these sloughs. The heavy wagon was down so that the box was in the mud and the four mules were wallowing in a death struggle to get out. Harness was cut and they were freed, all to no purpose. Their struggles had made the slough like a stiff pudding, which was apparently bottomless; the more they struggled the deeper they got. Finally a chain was hooked about the neck of one of the leaders and fastened to another wagon and the mule hauled out, but with a broken neck. The experiment was repeated in a modified way with the other leader, now over back in the mire, but with no better results. The others had ceased to struggle and were slowly sinking, and were mercifully killed and allowed to bury themselves in the mire, which they speedily did. It may be asked why more civilized methods were not employed to extricate these valuable animals. Why fence rails or timbers were not placed under them as is usual? The answer is, there was not a fence rail nor anything of that nature probably within ten miles.
Everything of this kind had long ago been used for fire-wood for the soldiers' cooking. And as for timbers there probably was not a stick nearer than Aquia Creek, more than ten miles away. Again it may be wondered why the chain was not pa.s.sed around the mule's body rather than his neck. Simply because the former was impossible without running the risk of miring the driver in the slough, and he was not disposed to run any risk of that kind. Had this been practicable, it is doubtful if the result would have been any better, for without padding the chains would have killed or mangled the mule, and there were no means at hand for that purpose. The destruction of this cla.s.s of property, always very severe under favorable circ.u.mstances in the army, was during this mud movement simply appalling. The loss of one or more mules meant an abandonment of the wagon and its contents to the weather in many instances, and the same was true where a team was mired.
The rebels were evidently interested observers of this mud march, for their pickets taunted ours with such questions as ”How d'ye like Virginia mud?” ”Why don't you 'uns come over?” ”How are you, mud?” etc., and they put up rude sign-boards on which were scrawled in large letters, ”Burnside stuck in the mud!” ”Burnside's name is Mud!” etc.
[Ill.u.s.tration: MAJOR FREDERICK L. HITCHc.o.c.k
132D P. V.
A year later Colonel 25th U. S. C. T.]
The ”mud march” had evidently settled it that there would be no further attempt to move until better weather conditions prevailed, which could not reasonably be looked for before April, and so we settled down for a winter where we were, back of Falmouth. The several corps were spread out, occupying an area extending from within three miles of Fredericksburg, nearly down to the Potomac. Our corps, the Second, was located nearest to the latter city, and our picket lines covered its front to Falmouth and some miles up the river. Our division, the Third (French's), had the line from the railroad bridge at Fredericksburg to Falmouth, something over two miles. Being now a field-officer, my name was placed on the roster of picket field-officers of the day. My first detail on this duty came almost as soon as my commission. My duties had hitherto been confined almost exclusively to the staff or executive business of the regiment. Further than making the necessary details of officers and men for picket duty, I had never had anything to do with that branch of the service. I had, therefore, only a smattering knowledge of the theory of this duty. It may well be judged, therefore, that I felt very keenly this lack, when I received my order to report for duty as division field-officer of the day, the following morning.
Here I was suddenly confronted with the responsibility of the command of the picket forces covering the dividing line between the two hostile armies. A demonstration of the enemy was to be looked for any moment, and it was most likely to occur on our front. I had hoped to have a few days to study up and by observing its practical work get some little idea of my new duties. But here was the detail, and it must be obeyed.
It should be explained that the picket line consists of a cordon of sentinels surrounding the army, usually from two to three miles from its camp. Its purpose is to watch the enemy, and guard against being surprised by an attack. Except for this picket line, the main body of troops could never sleep with any degree of safety. To guard against attacks of the enemy would require it to remain perpetually under arms.
Whereas with its picket lines properly posted it may with safety relax its vigilance, this duty being transferred to its picket forces. This picket service being a necessity of all armies is a recognized feature of civilized warfare. Hence, hostile armies remaining any length of time in position near each other usually make an agreement that pickets shall not fire upon each other. Such agreement remains in force until a movement of one or the other army commences. Notice of such a movement is, of course, never given. The other party finds out the fact as best it can. Frequently the withdrawal or concealment of the picket line will be its first intimation. Ordinarily, picket duty is not only of the very highest responsibility, but an exceedingly dangerous duty. Until agreements to cease picket-firing are made, every sentinel is a legitimate target for the sentinels or pickets of the enemy, hence extreme vigilance, care, and nerve are required in the performance of this duty.
The picket line in the presence of the enemy is generally posted in three lines,--viz., First, the line of sentries; second, the picket supports, about thirty yards in rear of the sentries, and third, the guard reserves, about three hundred yards farther in the rear, depending upon the topography of the country. Each body const.i.tutes one-third of the entire force, _i.e._, one-third is constantly on duty as sentinels, one-third as picket supports, and one-third as grand reserves. The changes are made every two hours, usually, so that each sentry serves two hours on ”post” and four hours off. The latter four hours are spent half on grand reserve and half as picket supports. The supports are divided into companies, and posted in concealed positions, near enough to the sentry line to be able to give immediate support in case of attack, while the grand reserves, likewise concealed, are held in readiness to come to the a.s.sistance of any part of the line. Ordinarily this part of the picket force is able to sleep during its two hours of reserve service. The supports, however, while resting, must remain alert and vigilant. It being the duty of the picket-line to prevent a surprise, it must repel any sort of attack with all its power. In the first instance the sentinel must promptly challenge any party approaching. The usual formula is: ”Halt! Who comes there?” The approaching party failing to obey the command to halt, it is his duty to fire at once, even though he be outnumbered a hundred to one, and it cost him his life. Many a faithful sentinel has lost his life in his fidelity to duty under such circ.u.mstances. For although the picket is there to prevent a surprise, the attacking party is equally bent on getting the advantage of a surprise, if possible, and many are the ruses adopted to capture sentinels before they can fire their guns. He must fire his gun, even though he be captured or run through with a bayonet the next instant. This gives the alarm, and the other sentries and picket supports open fire at once, and the reserves immediately join them, if necessary, to hold or impede the progress of the enemy. It is thus seen that in case of an attack the picket force finds itself maintaining a fight possibly against the whole opposing army, or whatever the attacking force may be. Fight it must, cost whatever it may, so that time may be gained to sound the ”long roll” and a.s.semble the army. Many of our picket fights were so saucy and stubborn that the attacks were nipped in the bud, the enemy believing the army was there opposing them. In the mean time, mounted orderlies would be despatched to army head-quarters with such information of the attack as the officer of the day was able to give.
Having now given some idea of picket service, I return to my own first experiences as field-officer of the day. I was fated to have several rather singular experiences on that first day. The first occurred in connection with my horse. I mounted and started for division head-quarters, about a half-mile away, in ample time to reach there a little before the appointed time--eight o'clock, but reaching the outer edge of our camp my horse balked, and in answer to my efforts to move him began to kick, rear, and plunge. He tried to throw me, and did nearly everything except roll over. Every time I headed him forward, he would wheel around and start back for his stable. I coaxed him, then tried the spur, all to no purpose. I was losing valuable time, besides having a very uncomfortable kind of a fight on hand. I realized I must make him obey me or I could never handle him again. An orderly from General French came galloping over with the expected peremptory message.
One minute's delay with him was almost a capital offence. I could only return word that I was doing my best to get there. The general and his staff then rode over to see my performance. He rea.s.sured me with the remark, ”Stick to him and make him obey you, or kill him.” Well, it took just about one hour to conquer him, at the end of which time I had ploughed up several acres of ground, my horse was in a white lather, and I was in the same condition. When he quit, he did so at once, and went on as cleverly as though nothing had happened. The cause of this freak I never understood, he never having done so before, and never did again.