War diary and letters of Stephen Minot Weld

Tuesday, May 10. — Weather pleasant. Heavy firing began on our right, and continued during the day. Regulars were sent to Colonel Humphreys to keep up the communication with General Meade. The 59th and 56th were afterwards ordered there. An attack was made along the whole line about 5 P.M. We gained ground in front of our corps. The firing on Meade’s left surpassed anything I have ever heard. The firing lasted over an hour, but with what success I cannot say. The 56th was afterwards moved over the creek to support a battery. I had my headquarters with them. We all of us felt dreadfully to-day on account of Tom Stevenson’s death. Was with him when he died. Had some of my men make a coffin for him. On the left of the road were three or four terraces, and he was lying down under one of them, when a sharpshooter from Spottsylvania fired at him from one of the trees. The bullet penetrated his head, and he died in half an hour. He will be a sad loss to us all.

Monday, May 9. — Started at 3.30 A.M. for Spottsylvania Court House. After numerous halts and losing our way, we got within three miles of the town, when we were ordered to make a forced march and join General Willcox, who was engaged with the enemy. The day was fearfully warm and dusty, and in making the march we lost some hundred stragglers who soon turned up, however. Found General Willcox and reported to him. Was ordered to keep the brigade in reserve. His division, together with Lesure’s brigade, was posted on the heights beyond the Nye River, and about a mile from Spottsylvania. Beyond we could see the rebel lines and the rebel troops moving, together with their trains. The corps lost about 200 men in to-day’s fight. Sent the 57th and 56th Massachusetts to a point on this side of the river. Headquarters with the Regulars.[1]

[1] The series of engagements from May 8 to 18 is known collectively as the Battle of Spottsylvania.

Sunday, May 8. — Reached Chancellorsville about noon, where we found all the trains of the army and the Reserve Artillery. It seems that the enemy retreated during the night (?). We are making for Richmond as fast as we can. Our loss in the late fight [of the 5th and 6th] is from 10,000 to 11,000. The battle is to be called Battle of the Wilderness. Camped for the night about two miles from Chancellorsville. Weather warm and pleasant. Saw Captain Ladd, and dined in his tent with General Stevenson.

Saturday, May 7. — We were posted as a reserve for the brigade. Had no fighting in our front during the day. We held the Brock Road. Weather pleasant. Heavy firing on the right. I was placed in command of my brigade, being the senior officer present. All the wagons were sent to Chancellorsville last night. Sent out again to-day and found Colonel Griswold’s body, robbed of everything. He looked very natural. Had a coffin made and had Charley buried, as we could not send the body home. We started for Chancellorsville at one A.M.

[We regained the ground we had lost in the morning, and found Griswold’s body stripped of everything but the underclothing. I sent back at once to the headquarters wagon and got his valise, and opened a note I found in it, a facsimile of which is printed opposite page 280. Of course I could not find any black bag, but there is a curious sequel to this. Some five years after the War I was at a party in Boston, when a married lady whom I was talking to asked me if I was not with Colonel Griswold. I said I was, and after beating around the bush for some time she finally said, “Do you know whether anything was seen of a locket that he had around his neck?” I said no, it could not he found, but he asked me to get it and send it to his mother. She said, “My picture was in that locket.”]

Friday, May 6. — Started about 3 A.M. and marched on the Plank Road to a point near General Meade’s headquarters. From here we were sent to the left and ordered to report to General Birney. All this time the musketry firing was fearful. It was one continual roll, at long intervals broken by the loud booming of a cannon. We went up what was called the Brock Road. We kept receiving orders from Generals Hancock, Birney and others, so that “things were slightly mixed.” We found quite a sharp fight going on, the enemy having been driven two miles since morning. The firing was almost entirely from musketry, as we were in the celebrated Wilderness, where the country is thickly wooded, with a thick underbrush of scrub-pine, briars, etc. Our brigade was filed to the right of the Orange Court House Road, and placed in column of regiments with the left resting on the road. We advanced, being the third line, some half a mile without much opposition. We were engaged in this way about three hours, from 8.45 until 11.45, losing only about six men. At about 12 the enemy flanked our left, and we were sent to oppose their advance. We were posted in a ditch along the side of the road, and on the left. A heavy fire was immediately opened on us, and as some of the men were in confusion from some of the Second Corps running through them, Colonel Griswold ordered the colors forward. Colonel Griswold was shot dead, through the neck, and consequently I was left in command of the regiment.

As the enemy had crossed the road on our left and right, I asked General Webb, who was to the rear a few paces, whether I should not order them to retreat. He said I had better do so. His actual words were: “Get out of there as d—d quick as you can!” We had to try a double quick-step in order to save our colors and escape being taken prisoners. I tried to rally the men five or six times, but as soon as we stopped we got a volley which started us on again. The men did not retreat until I ordered them to do so. They behaved admirably. I was very much astonished that they did not all run when the Second Corps ran over them. Sergeant Harrigan, our color-sergeant, behaved nobly. When we had gone back about 30 or 40 rods, Captain Adams was wounded and left in the hands of the enemy. We reached the road with about 75 men and the colors, —more men than were with the colors of any other regiment. We soon collected 100 more men, and by afternoon the ranks were swelled to 300.

We were on the Plank Road to Orange Court House, where we were engaged, and after the fight we were placed behind rifle-pits on the Brock Road. We were in action about three and a half hours. Saw John Perry just as I was going into the fight. Got a bullet through my boot-leg, while we were retreating. The fire was the heaviest I have ever been under. Several of my men, that I drove out from behind trees, were killed by my side. Trees were cut down by the bullets, and bark was knocked into my face time and again by the bullets. We were not able to get poor Charley Griswold’s body. Sent out for it, and also for Zab Adams’s, but could find no traces of either. The last words that Charley said to me were, “Poor Bartlett is killed.”[1] The result of the day’s fight was that we gained ground all along the line, capturing several hundred prisoners. The enemy partially turned our right.

[When we were advancing on this morning we passed several rebels lying on the ground, who had been wounded a little while before. One of them asked one of our men for some water. The man stopped at the brook, got him some water, and then went ahead. As soon as we had gone fifty yards or so, the fellow we had given water to drew himself up and shot one of our men. Some of the others went back and quickly put him out of the world. It was a mean, cowardly thing for a man to do who had been treated as we treated him.

The firing to-day was the heaviest I have ever known or heard. I think the regiment did remarkably well considering that they were a new regiment, and that the old troops whose terms of enlistment were expiring did not behave very well — as one might naturally expect where troops who were to go out of service the next day were put into a heavy fight. I have every reason to feel proud of the regiment. Griswold’s death was a sad blow to me, as I was very fond of him. He was extremely brave and behaved like a gallant soldier. He was shot through the jugular vein while holding the colors, which were covered with his blood.]

[1] General Bartlett was not killed, as Griswold had heard.

Thursday, May 5. — Started at daybreak and marched 6 miles, when we joined the remainder of the regiment near Germanna Ford. We soon started again, and crossed the river on a pontoon bridge at the ford. Heard that the army met with little opposition here. Saw some of General Grant’s staff, who told us that our army was in position at Mine Run and was to attack this morning. General Grant ordered us to hold the hills and fortifications which command the crossing, which we did. His aide told us that Sherman telegraphed that all looked well, and that he was to attack to-day. Gillmore and Smith attack Petersburg to-day, and we feel of the enemy at Mine Run, where he retreated after the crossing of the army yesterday. Heard cannon and musketry about one o’clock, continuing at intervals during the afternoon. Started about 8 P.M. to march, but were ordered back again. The 10th and 4th Regulars joined us to-day.

Wednesday, May 4. — Started at about 7 o’clock for Brandy Station. Halted there in the sun for four or five hours. At 4.45 P.M. we started for Germanna Ford. Saw Colonel Marshall just before I left. The regiment marched and marched, but as it was separated, the latter half did not reach the ford until next morning, having marched 27 miles, 6 miles out of our way. We went into camp at 2 A.M. with about fifty men, constituting all that was left out of four companies. Other regiments were just as bad. Weather pleasant. March the hardest I have ever been on. Saw Colonel Macy to-day and lent him my horse to ride ahead.

Bealeton Station, Va., May 3, ’64.

Dear Hannah, — I am very sorry indeed that you did not find us at Annapolis. We started quite suddenly, and had only about 24 hours’ warning. We marched to Washington, and passed in review before the President, who was at Willard’s Hotel, and then moved across Long Bridge to camp near Alexandria. We remained there one day, and then moved on to Fairfax C. H., where we camped one night, moving on the next morning to Bristoe Station, passing over country that I have been through so many times. We camped for the night at B. Station, and then moved to Licking Run, two miles beyond Warrenton Junction. The next morning we reached Bealeton Station, where we are now camped. Our regiment is picketing the railroad for about five miles.

The Ninth Corps is to guard the railroad while the Army of the Potomac advances. If they are successful, we shall probably move down to Aquia Creek, and guard that railroad to Fredericksburg. . . .

Tuesday, May 3. — Rode up to Rappahannock Station, where I found my horse with the 59th Massachusetts Volunteers. Crossed the Rappahannock on a pontoon bridge, which was built under charge of Captain Slosson. Went to General Meade’s headquarters, where I saw Colonel Lyman, Bates, Bache, Riddle, Joy, Mason, and Biddle. Then went to cavalry headquarters, where I saw Colonel Kingsbury. Found General Sedgwick’s headquarters about half a mile from here, where I saw the general and Whittier. Saw Henry Dalton and General Wright, and dined with them. Saw the orders issued for the movement of the army, and also General Meade’s address to the army. The Army of the Potomac moves to-morrow at 4 A.M. They cross the river at Germanna and Ely and Culpeper Mine fords. We follow at the two first fords. Had a jolly time, and reached camp at 6 P.M. Found that we were under orders to move at a moment’s notice. Liked my horse very much indeed. Received a letter from Hannah. Day pleasant, although it sprinkled in the evening and threatened rain for to-morrow.