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HISTORY of the FIFTY-FOURTH REGIMENT
of
MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
1863-1865
by Luis Fenollosa Emilio
Published:
Boston:
The History Book Company
1894.
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CHAPTER IV.
DESCENT ON JAMES ISLAND
[Page 51]
ALL
suspense regarding the employment of the Fifty-fourth ended July 8,
with the receipt, about noon, of orders to move at an hour's notice,
taking only blankets and rations. Three hours after, the
regiment began to embark, headquarters with seven companies finding
transportation on the steamer "Chasseur," the remaining ones on the
steamer "Cossack," with Colonel Montgomery and staff.
Lieutenant Littlefield, with a guard of one
hundred men, was detailed to remain at St. Helena in charge of the
camp. Assistant-Surgeon Bridgham also remained with the
sick. Captain Bridge and Lieutenant Walton were
unable to go on account of illness. A start was made late in
the afternoon in a thunder-storm, the "Cossack" stopping at Hilton
Head to take on Captain Emilio and a detail of ninety
men there. The following night was made miserable by wet
clothes, a scarcity of water, and the crowded condition of the small
steamers.
About 1 a. m. on the 9th, the transports arrived off
Stono Inlet; the bar was crossed at noon; and anchors were cast off
Folly Island. The inlet was full of transports, loaded with
troops, gunboats, and supply vessels, betokening an important
movement made openly.
General Gillmore's plans should be
briefly stated. He desired to gain possession of Morris
Island, then in the
[Page 52]
enemy's hands, and fortified. He had at disposal ten
thousand infantry, three hundred and fifty artillerists, and
six hundred engineers; thirty-six pieces of field artillery,
thirty Parrott guns, twenty-seven siege' and three Cohorn
mortars, besides ample tools and 'material. Admiral
Dahlgren was to co-operate. On Folly Island, in
our possession, batteries were constructed near Lighthouse
Inlet, opposite Morris Island, concealed by the sand
hillocks and undergrowth. Gillmore's real
attack was to be made from this point by a coup de main, the
infantry crossing the inlet in boats covered by a
bombardment from land and sea. Brig. Gen. Alfred
H. Terry, with four thousand men, was to make a
demonstration on James Island. Col. T. W. Higginson,
with part of his First South Carolina Colored and a section
of artillery, was to ascend the South Edisto River, and cut
the railroad at Jacksonboro. This latter force,
however, was repulsed with the loss of two guns and the
steamer "Governor Milton."
Late in the afternoon of the 9th Terry's division
moved. The monitor "Nantucket," gunboats "Pawnee" and "Commodore
McDonough," and mortar schooner" C. P. Williams
"passed up the river, firing on James Island to the right
and John's Island to the left, followed by thirteen
transports carrying troops. Col. W. W. H. Davis,
with portions of his regiment — the One Hundred and Fourth
Pennsylvania - and the Fifty-second Pennsylvania, landed on
Battery Island, advancing to a bridge leading to James
Island.
Heavy cannonading was heard in the direction of Morris
Island, at 6 a. m. on the 10th. Before night word came
that all the ground south of Fort Wagner on Morris Island
[Page 53]
was captured with many guns and prisoners. This news was
received with rousing cheers by Terry's men and the sailors.
At dawn Colonel Davis's men crossed to James Island,
his skirmishers driving a few cavalry. At an old house the
main force halted with pickets advanced. While this movement
was taking place, a portion of the other troops landed. That
day a mail brought news of Vicksburg's capture and Lee's defeat at
Gettysburg. Lieut. Edward B. Emerson joined the
Fifty-fourth from the North.
About noon of the 11th, the regiment landed, marched
about a mile, and camped in open ground on the furrows of an old
field. The woods near by furnished material for brush shelters
as a protection against the July sun. By that night all troops
were ashore. Terry's division consisted of three
brigades, — Davis's, of the Fifty-second and One Hundred and
Fourth Pennsylvania and Fifty-sixth New York; Brig. Gen. Thomas
G. Stevenson's, of the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts, Tenth
Connecticut, and Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania; and Montgomery's, of
the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts and Second South Carolina.
James Island is separated from the mainland by Wappoo
Creek. From the landing a road led onward, which soon
separated into two: one running to the right through timber, across
low sandy ground to Secessionville; the other to the left, over open
fields across the low ground, past Dr. Thomas Grimball's
house on to the Wappoo. The low ground crossed by both these
roads over cause ways formed the front of Terry's lines, and
was commanded by our naval vessels. Fort Pemberton, on the
Stono, constituted the enemy's right. Thence the line was
retired partially behind James Island Creek, con-
[Page 54]
sisting of detached light works for field-guns and infantry.
Their left was the fortified camp of Secessionville, where, before
Battery Lamar, General Benham was repulsed in
the spring of 1862.
General Beauregard, the Confederate
Department commander, considered an attack on Charleston by way of
James Island as the most dangerous to its safety. He posted
his forces accordingly, and on July 10 had 2,926 effectives there,
with 927 on Morris Island, 1,158 on Sullivan's Island, and 850 in
the city. Few troops from other points were spared when Morris
Island was attacked on the 10th; therefore Terry's diversion
had been effective. Had Beauregard's weakness been
known, Terry's demonstration in superior force might have
been converted into a real attack, and James Island fallen before
it, when Charleston must have surrendered or been destroyed.
Captain Willard, on the 11th, with
Company B, was sent to John's Island at Legareville to prevent a
repetition of firing upon our vessels by artillery such as had
occurred that morning.
In the afternoon the Tenth Connecticut and
Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania, covered by the "Pawnee's" fire,
advanced the picket line. Word was received of an unsuccessful
assault on Fort Wagner, with considerable loss to us.
Abraham F. Brown of Company E accidentally shot himself to death
with a small pistol he was cleaning. Late that afternoon
Lieutenant-Colonel Hallowell, with Companies D, F, I, and K,
went out on picket in front of our right, remaining throughout a
dark and stormy night. During the night of the 13th,
Captain Emilio, with Company E, picketed about
Legareville. Capt A.
[Page 55]
P. Rockwell's First Connecticut Battery arrived from
Beaufort on the 14th.
Between the 10th and 16th there had arrived for the
enemy from Georgia and North Carolina two four-gun batteries
and six regiments of infantry. Beauregard also reduced
his force on Morris Island and concentrated on James,
under command of Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood.
Gillmore still kept Terry there, inviting attack,
although the purpose of the diversion had been accomplished.
On the 15th the enemy demonstrated in front of the Tenth
Connecticut pickets. It was rumored that two scouts
had been seen about our lines.
Some thought had been given to securing a line of
retreat; for the engineers were reconstructing the broken
bridge leading from James Island, and repairing causeways,
dikes, and foot-bridges across the marshes along the old
road to Cole's Island, formerly used by the Confederates.
Companies B, H, and K, of the Fifty-fourth, under
command of Captain Willard, were detailed for
picket on the 15th, and about 6 p. m. relieved men of
Davis's brigade. Captain Russel and
Lieutenant Howard, with Company H, held the
right from near a creek, over rolling ground and rather open
country covered with high grass and thistles.
Captain Simpkins and Lieut. R. H. L. Jewett
held the left of the Fifty-fourth line with Company K and a
portion of Company B. It was over lower ground,
running obliquely through a growth of small timber and
brush. There was a broken bridge in the front. A
reserve, consisting of the remainder of Company B, under
Lieut. Thomas L. Appleton, was held at a stone house.
Captain Willard's force was five officers and
about two
[Page 56]
hundred men. From Simpkins's left to the Stono
the picket line was continued by men of the Tenth
Connecticut, holding a dangerous position, as it had a swamp
in rear. Frequent showers of rain fell that evening.
All night following, the enemy was uneasy. Lurking men
were seen, and occasional shots rang out. Captain
Willard, mounting the roof of the house, could see
great activity among the signal corps of the enemy. He
sent word to his officers to be vigilant, and prepared for
attack in the morning.
About midnight the men were placed in skirmishing
order, and so remained. Sergeant Stephens of
Company B relates that George Brown of his company, a
" dare-devil fellow," crawled out on his hands and knees and
fired at the enemy's pickets.
An attack was indeed impending, arranged on the
following plan: Brig. Gen. A. H. Colquitt, with the
Twenty-fifth South Carolina, Sixth and Nineteenth Georgia,
and four companies Thirty-second Georgia, about fourteen
hundred men, supported by the Marion Artillery, was to cross
the marsh at the causeway nearest Secessionville, "drive the
enemy as far as the lower causeway [nearest Stono] rapidly
recross the marsh at that point by a flank movement, and cut
off and capture the force encamped at Grimball's."
Col. C. H. Way, Fifty-fourth Georgia, with eight hundred
men, was to follow and co-operate. A reserve of one
company of cavalry, one of infantry, and a section of
artillery, was at Rivers's house. Two Napoleon guns
each, of the Chatham Artillery, and Blake's Battery,
and four twelve-pounders of the Siege Train, supported by
four hundred infantry, were to attack the gunboats "Pawnee"
and "Marblehead" in the Stono River.
[Page 57]
In the gray of early dawn
of July 16, the troops in bivouac on James Island were awakened by
dropping shots, and then heavy firing on the picket line to the
right. Clambering to the top of a pile of cracker-boxes, an
officer of the Fifty-fourth, looking in the direction of the firing,
saw the flashes of musketry along the out posts. In a few
moments came the sharp metallic explosions from field-guns to the
left by the river-bank. Wilkie James, the
adjutant, rode in post-haste along the line, with cheery voice but
unusually excited manner, ordering company commanders to form.
"Fall in! fall in!" resounded on all sides, while drums of the
several regiments were beating the long-roll. But a few
moments sufficed for the Fifty-fourth to form, when Colonel Shaw
marched it to the right and some little distance to the rear,
where it halted, faced to the front, and stood in line of battle at
right angles to the Secessionville road.
Rapid work was going on at the outposts. Before
dawn the pickets of the Fifty-fourth had heard hoarse commands and
the sound of marching men coming from the bank of darkness before
them. Soon a line of men in open order came sweeping toward
them from the gloom into the nearer and clearer light.
Colquitt, with six companies of the Eutaw
Regiment (Twenty-fifth South Carolina), skirmishing before his
infantry column, crossing Rivera's causeway, was rapidly advancing
on the black pickets.
Simpkins's right was the first point of contact;
and the men, thus suddenly attacked by a heavy force, discharged
their pieces, and sullenly contested the way, firing as they went,
over rough and difficult ground, which obstructed the enemy's
advance as well as their own retirement.
[Page 58]
Soon the enemy gained the
road at a point in rear of Russel's right. Some of the men
there, hardly aware of their extremity, were still holding their
positions against those of the enemy who appeared in the immediate
front. It seemed to Sergt. Peter Vogelsang
of Company H, who had his post at a palmetto-tree, that in a moment
one hundred Rebels were swarming about him. He led his
comrades to join men on his left, where they advanced, firing.
With effect too, for they came to the body of a dead Rebel, from
whom Vogelsang took a musket. Russel's right
posts, thus cut off, were followed by a company of the Nineteenth
Georgia, and after the desultory fighting were driven, to escape
capture, into the creek on the right of the line, where some were
drowned.
Those most courageous refused to fall back, and were
killed or taken as prisoners. Sergt. James D. Wilson of
Company H was one of the former. He was an expert in the use
of the musket, having been employed with the famous Ellsworth
Zouaves of Chicago. Many times he had declared to his
comrades that he would never retreat or surrender to the enemy.
On that morning, when attacked, he called to his men to stand fast.
Assailed by five men, he is said to have disabled three of them.
Some cavalrymen coming up, he charged them with a shout as they
circled about him, keeping them all at bay for a time with the
bayonet of his discharged musket, until the brave fellow sank in
death with three mortal besides other wounds.
Captain Russel, finding that the enemy
had turned his flank before he could face back, had to retire with
such men as were not cut off, at double-quick, finding the foe about
the reserve house when he reached it. A mounted
[Page 59]
officer charged up to Russel, and cut twice at his head with
his sword. Preston Williams of Company H caught
the second sweep upon his bayonet and shot the Confederate through
the neck, thus saving his captain's life. From the reserve
house Russel and his men retired, fighting as they could.
Captain Simpkins's right, as has been
told, first bore the force of the attack. By strenuous efforts
and great personal exposure that cool and gallant officer collected
some men in line. With them he contested the way back step by
step, halting now and then to face about and fire, thus gaining
time, the loss of which thwarted the enemy's plan. Of his men,
Corp. Henry A. Field of Company K especially distinguished
himself.
Captain Willard at the reserve house at
once sent back word, by a mounted orderly, of the situation.
To the support of his right he sent Lieutenant Appleton
with some men, and to the left First Sergeant Simmons of
Company B with a small force, and then looked for aid from our main
body. He endeavored to form a line of skirmishers, when the
men began coming back from the front, but with little success.
The men could not be kept in view because of the underbrush nearly
as high as a man. As the expected succor did not come, the
officers and the remaining men made their way back to the division.
It will be remembered that with the first musket-shots
came the sound of field-guns from the Stono. The enemy's four
Napoleons had galloped into battery within four hundred yards of the
gunboats, and fired some ten rounds before they were replied to;
their shots crashed through the "Pawnee" again and again, with some
loss. It was im-
[Page 60]
possible for the gunboats to turn in the narrow stream, and their
guns did not bear properly. To drop down was dangerous, but it was
done; when out of close range, the "Marblehead," "Pawnee," and
"Huron" soon drove their tormentors away from the river-bank.
To capture the Tenth Connecticut, the enemy, after
dealing with the Fifty-fourth, sent a portion of his force; but the
resistance made by Captain Simpkins had allowed time for the Tenth
Connecticut to abandon its dangerous position at the double-quick.
None too soon, however, for five minutes' delay would have been
fatal.
A correspondent of "The Reflector," writing from Morris
Island a few days later, said: -
"The boys of the Tenth
Connecticut could not help loving the men who saved them from
destruction. I have been deeply affected at hearing this feeling
expressed by officers and men of the Connecticut regiment; and
probably a thousand homes from Windham to Fairfield have in letters
been told the story how the dark-skinned heroes fought the good
fight and covered with their own brave hearts the retreat of
brothers, sons, and fathers of Connecticut."
The valuable time gained by
the resistance of the Fifty-fourth pickets had also permitted the
formation of Terry's division in line of battle. Hardly
had the Fifty-fourth taken its position before men from the front
came straggling in, all bearing evidence of struggles with bush and
brier, some of the wounded limping along unassisted, others helped
by comrades. One poor fellow, with his right arm shattered,
still carried his musket in his left hand.
Captain Russel appeared in sight,
assisting a sergeant
[Page 61]
badly wounded. Bringing up the rear came Captains
Willard and Simpkins, the latter with his trousers and
rubber coat pierced with bullets. As the pickets and
their officers reached the regiment, they took their places
in line.
A few minutes after these events, the enemy, having
advanced to a position within about six hundred yards of the
Federal line, opened fire with guns of the Marion Artillery,
making good line shots, but fortunately too high.
It was a supreme moment for the Fifty-fourth, then
under fire as a regiment for the first time. The sight
of wounded comrades had been a trial; and the screaming shot
and shell flying overhead, cutting the branches of trees to
the right, had a deadly sound. But the dark line stood
stanch, holding the front at the most vital point. Not
a man was out of place, as the officers could see while they
stood in rear of the lines, observing their men.
In reply to the enemy's guns the Connecticut battery
fired percussion-shells, and for some time this artillery
duel continued. To those who were anticipating an
attack by infantry, and looking for the support of the
gunboats, their silence was ominous. Every ear was
strained to catch the welcome sound, and at last it came in
great booms from Parrott guns. Very opportunely, too,
on the night before, the armed transports "John
Adams" and "Mayflower" had run up the creek on our right
flank, and their guns were fired twelve or fifteen times
with good effect before the enemy retired.
The expected attack on Terry's line by infantry
did not take place, for after about an hour the enemy
retired in some confusion. By General
Terry's order, the Fifty
[Page 62]
fourth was at once directed to reoccupy the old picket line.
Captain Jones with two companies advanced,
skirmishing; and the main body followed, encountering arms
and equipments of the enemy strewn over a broad trail.
At the reserve house the regiment halted in support of a
strong picket line thrown out. Parties were sent to
scour the ground, finding several wounded men lying in the
brush or in the marsh across the creek. They also
brought in the body of a Confederate, almost a child, with
soft skin and long fair hair, red with his own blood.
This youthful victim of the fight was tenderly buried soon
after.
Some of our dead at first appeared to be mutilated; but
closer inspection revealed the fact that the fiddler-crabs,
and not the enemy, did the work. It was told by some
of those who lay concealed, that where Confederate officers
were, the colored soldiers had been protected; but that in
other cases short shrift was given, and three men had been
shot and others bayonetted.
Colonel Shaw had despatched Adjutant
James to report that the old line was re-established.
He returned with the following message from General
Terry: "Tell your colonel that I am exceedingly
pleased with the conduct of your regiment. They have
done all they could do."
During the afternoon a mail was received. After
reading their letters Colonel Shaw and
Lieutenant-Colonel Hallowell conversed. The
colonel asked the major if he believed in presentiments, and
added that he felt he would be killed in the first action.
Asked to try to shake off the feeling, he quietly said, "I
will try." General Beauregard reported his loss
as three killed,
[Page 63]
twelve wounded, and three missing, which is believed
to be an under-estimate. We found two dead Confederates,
and captured six prisoners representing four regiments.
The Adjutant-General of Massachusetts gives the Fifty-fourth
loss as fourteen killed, eighteen wounded, and thirteen missing. Outside our regiment the casualties were
very light.
General Terry in his official report says:
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" I desire to express my
obligations to Captain Balch, United
States Navy, commanding the naval forces in the river, for the
very great assistance rendered to me, and to report to the commanding general the good services of
Captain Rockwell and
his battery, and the steadiness and soldierly conduct of the
Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Regiment who were on duty at
the outposts on the right and met the brunt of attack."
General Terry was ordered
to evacuate James Island
that night. At about five o'clock p. m., the Fifty-fourth
was relieved by the Fifty-second Pennsylvania, and returned to the bivouac. While awaiting the marching
orders, several officers and men of the Tenth Connecticut
came to express their appreciation of the service rendered
by the Fifty-fourth companies attacked in the morning, by
which they were enabled to effect a safe retreat. Afterward, upon Morris Island the colonel of that regiment
made similar expressions.
Col. W. W. H. Davis, with his own and Montgomery's
brigades, and the Tenth Connecticut, was to retire by the
land route. Brigadier-General Stevenson's Twenty-fourth
Massachusetts and Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania were ordered to take transports from James Island.
By Colonel Davis's order the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts
[Page 64]
was given the advance, moving at 9.30 o'clock that night, followed
by the other regiments, the route being pointed out by guides from
the engineers, who accompanied the head of column.
All stores, ammunition, and horses of the Fifty-fourth
were put on board the steamer "Boston" by Quartermaster Ritchie,
who, with his men, worked all night in the mud and rain.
Surgeon Lincoln R. Stone of the Fifty-fourth and Surgeon
Samuel A. Green of the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts saw that all
the wounded were properly cared for, and also embarked.
It was a stormy night, with frequent flashes of
lightning, and pouring rain. Colonel Davis, at the
proper time, saw to the withdrawal of the Fifty-second Pennsylvania,
which held the front lines. So silently was the operation
accomplished that the enemy did not discover our evacuation until
daylight. When the Fifty-sixth New York, the rear-guard, had
crossed the bridge leading from James Island, at 1 a. m., on the
17th, it was effectually destroyed, thus rendering pursuit
difficult.
That night's march was a memorable one, for the
difficulties of the way were exceptional, and only to be encountered
upon the Sea Islands. After passing the bridge, the road led
along narrow causeways and paths only wide enough for two men to
pass abreast; over swamps, and streams bridged for long distances by
structures of frail piling, supporting one or two planks with no
hand-rail. A driving rain poured down nearly the whole time,
and the darkness was intense. Blinding flashes of lightning
momentarily illumined the way, then fading but to render the
blackness deeper.
Throughout most of the march the men were obliged to
[Page 65]
move in single file, groping their way and grasping their leader as
they progressed, that they might not separate or go astray.
Along the foot-bridges the planks became slippery with mire from
muddy feet, rendering the footing insecure, and occasioning frequent
falls, which delayed progress. Through the woods, wet branches
overhanging the path, displaced by the leaders, swept back with
bitter force into the faces of those following. Great clods of
clay gathered on the feet of the men.
Two hours were consumed in passing over the dikes and
foot-bridges alone. In distance the route was but a few miles, yet
it was daybreak when the leading companies reached firmer ground.
Then the men flung them selves on the wet ground, and in a moment
were in deep sleep, while the column closed up. Reunited solidly
again, the march was resumed, and Cole's Island soon reached. The
regiments following the Fifty-fourth had the benefit of daylight
most of the way.
Footsore, weary, hungry, and thirsty, the regiment was
halted near the beach opposite Folly Island about 5 a. m., on the
17th. Sleep was had until the burning sun awakened the greater
number. Regiments had been arriving and departing all the
morning. Rations were not procurable, and they were fortunate
who could find a few crumbs or morsels of meat in their haversacks.
Even water was hard to obtain, for crowds of soldiers collected
about the few sources of supply. By noon the heat and glare
from the white sand were almost intolerable.
In the evening a moist cool breeze came; and at eight
o'clock the regiment moved up the shore to a creek in readiness to
embark on the "General Hunter," lying in the stream. It was found
that the only means of board
[Page 66]
ing the steamer was by a leaky long-boat which would hold about
thirty men. Definite orders came to report the regiment to
General Strong at Morris Island without delay, and at 10
p. m. the embarkation began. By the light of a single lantern
the men were stowed in the boat.
Rain was pouring down in torrents, for a thunder storm
was raging. Throughout that interminable night the long-boat
was kept plying from shore to vessel and back, while those on land
stood or crouched about in dripping clothes, awaiting their turn for
ferriage to the steamer, whose dim light showed feebly in the gloom.
The boat journey was made with difficulty, for the current was
strong, and the crowded soldiers obstructed the rowers in their
task. It was an all night's work. Colonel Shaw
saw personally to the embarkation; and as daylight was breaking
he stepped in with the last boat-load, and himself guided the craft
to the "Hunter." Thus with rare self-sacrifice and fine
example, he shared the exposure of every man, when the comfortable
cabin of the steamer was at his disposal from the evening before.
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