Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 8.
Frank Moore, Ed.

After the fight at Bristoe we followed on Lee's retreating army pretty briskly, but soon found they had too rapidly fallen back, and had [161] thrown too many obstacles in our way for us to overtake them. The troops were then encamped in a kind of semi-circle, extending from Warrenton via Auburn, to the line of railway near Catlett's Station. On the evening of the ninth instant, a General Order indicating the line of forts was issued to the corps commanders, and early on the morning of the seventh--Saturday--the troops fell back into column in the following order: the Sixth corps moved from Warrenton to Rappahannock Station; the Second, Third, and Fifth corps marched by Warrenton Junction along the line of railroad by way of Bealton, where the First corps brought up our extreme left. I should have stated that our cavalry was out some days on a reconnaissance, and had ascertained that the enemy occupied the forts at Rappahannock Station, and were also in force to the south of Kelly's Ford. From Bealton the Fifth corps continued in direct line of march to form a junction with the Sixth, while the Second and Third deployed for Kelly's Ford.

General: I have the honor respectfully to give the following account of the late movement of this regiment:

On the morning of the seventh instant, I received orders to move my regiment from its former encampment near Warrenton, in company with the corps; accordingly we took up our line of march toward the Rappahannock Station, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. marching nearly fifteen miles, we discovered the enemy occupying a strong position near the Station, intrenched within redoubts and rifle-pits. At three o'clock P. M., the Twenty-First New-York volunteers and my regiment were ordered forward to the front, in line of battle. Being upon an open plain, with scarcely any protection, the advance was slow and cautious. During this advance the enemy made but little demonstration upon us, except an occasional shell or shot. Approaching within about five hundred yards of the enemy's rifle-pits, we were ordered to lie down at a point where the crest or small elevation of ground afforded us a little protection, which position we held until nearly seven o'clock P. M., when I received orders to move my regiment forward. The line of battle was Fifth Maine volunteers on the right, and Twenty-First New-York volunteers on the left, the line consisting of about five hundred and fifty muskets. Under cover of the night, we approached to within twenty-five yards of the enemy in his pits, when I gave the order to “charge.” At this moment we received a terrific volley from the enemy's infantry, and the next, our boys had sprung into the rifle-pits, sweeping every thing before them. These intreachments were occupied by more than double the men that my own front presented, but so sudden and unexpected was our movement upon them, that the enemy seemed paralyzed. After disarming them, by a rapid movement to the right, we succeeded in capturing nearly the whole force in the pits, who were their ignorant of the fate of those on the left. During the entire charge, my regiment did not fire a gun. carrying all at the point of the bayonet, and the following are the captures made by this regiment alone:

One thousand two hundred prisoners, one thousand two hundred small arms, one caisson, and four stands of colors. Of the prisoners, there were over one hundred commissioned officers, including five colonels, one lieutenant-colonel, and one major.

The enemy's force consisted of the First Louisiana brigade, and a North-Carolina brigade, comprising the Sixth, Seventh, and Fifty-fourth regiments. The First Louisiana brigade (most of which fell into the hands of my regiment) was the first command ever assigned to the late General “Stonewall” Jackson. We occupied the fortifications during the night, advancing to near Brandy Station yesterday. The affair was a complete and glorious victory.

It affords me the greatest pleasure to report the unwavering bravery of every officer and man in my command, each vying with the other in the execution of various deeds — none flinching, but pressing forward with a determined will to win. Where all so nobly did their whole duty, it is difficult to discriminate between them.

The colors captured by this regiment were from the following regiments, and taken by the officers and men whose names I take great satisfaction in reporting:

Eighth Louisiana, captured by Lieutenant A. S. Lyon, commanding company K.

Sixth North-Carolina, captured by James Littlefield, company I.

Seventh North-Carolina, captured by Corporal T. P. Blondell, company D.

Fifty-fourth North-Carolina, captured by Corporal T. Shackford, company A.

The loss in my regiment in this engagement was seven killed and twenty-eight wounded.

I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

You may welcome a detailed account of the recent action at Rappahanock Ford, in which several New-England regiments took a most prominent and glorious part.

This brigade is composed of the Fifth Wisconsin, commanded by Colonel T. S. Allen; the Sixth Maine, Lieutenant-Colonel B. F. Harris; the Forty-ninth Pennsylvania, Lieutenant-Colonel T. M. Hulings, and the One Hundred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania, Colonel P. C. Ellmaker-all volunteer [163] regiments. The brigade commander is Brigadier-General David A. Russell, of the regular army, formerly well known to Massachusetts as the able colonel of one of her best regiments, the Seventh.

The late operations on the seventh instant were conducted on the left, at Kelley's Ford, by the First, Second, and Third corps, under command of Major-General French, and on the right, at Rappahanock Ford, by the Fifth and Sixth corps, under command of Major-General Sedgwick. In this corps, Brigadier-General Wright place, had command of the corps in Sedgwick's place, while General Russell assumed the command of the First division, vacated by General Wright.

At daybreak, on the morning of the seventh instant, this corps left its pleasant camps in and around Warrenton, and moved rapidly on toward Rappahanock Station, this division leading the corps, while this brigade had the advance in the division. After marching about six miles, we arrived at Fayetteville, where all the companies but one, of the Forty-ninth Pennsylvania volunteers, were thrown out as flankers and skirmishers. Thus we advanced, unmolested by the enemy, and arrived about noon at Rappahanock Station. Here we halted in the edge of a piece of timber, distant about a mile and a half from the river. We at once formed a line of battle, the left resting on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, and the right of our division line connecting with the left of the Second division of this corps, commanded by Brigadier-General Howe. To our left, on the other side of the railroad, extended the lines of the Fifth corps. The Forty-ninth Pennsylvania, Fifth Wisconsin, and One Hundred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania formed our brigade front. The Sixth Maine were posted about a hundred paces in advance of our centre, and shortly after we had halted, the skirmishers of the Forty-ninth were relieved by five companies of the Sixth Maine, who were rapidly thrown forward to the crest of a hill half a mile to our front. About three o'clock P. M., the skirmish-line was advanced to the foot of a hill rising from the river. This hill is in reality a part of the river-bank, which here rises up so as to command the front for a mile or more, and was further strengthened by an elaborate redoubt, containing two twelve--pound Parrott guns, taken originally from Milroy at the capitulation of Winchester. On the rebel right, and near the railway, was another smaller redoubt, (also containing two three-inch ordnance guns taken from us, the one at Antietam, the other at Chancellorsville,) which crowned a hill but little lower than the one just described, from which it was distant some six hundred feet. To the enemy's left of the larger fortification, extended a long line of formidable, carefully constructed rifle-pits. These redoubts and rifle-pits were lined with troops — in short, Stonewall Jackson's old brigade was there. The famous Louisiana Tigers were here too. There was one entire brigade (five regiments) and three regiments of another brigade, all under command of General Hayes. The regiments were well dressed, finely equipped, and splendidly armed.

Now for our position. Between us and these works lay a hill, which shut them off from our view. Descending this, and passing over several hundred yards of broken country, you come to another hill, from whose crest were visible the enemy's intrenchments and the opposite side of the river. Between this second hill and the enemy lay a distance of half a mile, flat, to be sure, but trying ground for a charge. For, in the first right across the path extended a ditch twelve or fourteen feet wide, with steep banks, some six feet deep, and filled with mud and water to an average depth of three feet. Crossing this, the field was broken for some distance with stumps and underbrush, then came a smooth, clear stretch, then a road, then a dry moat, some twelve feet wide and five deep, and above you rose the strong, defying fortifications. It was indeed a position of immense strength, and well justified the rebel belief that they could hold it against our entire army. But they reckoned without General Russell and his gallant brigade — a brigade which has been his care and pride, and which he waited but this opportunity to test the metal of. Just before sunset, our skirmish-line, under command of Major Fuller, of the Sixth Maine, lay on the other side of the dry moat above described, connecting on its left with a sister regiment, the Twentieth Maine, belonging to the Fifth corps. The railway at this point deflected slightly to the left, and some of the skirmishers of the Twentieth, commanded by Captain Morrill, found themselves on our side of the railway. At this time General Russell sent word to General Wright that the works in his front could be carried by storm, and that he desired to try it. Permission was given, and General Russell at once moved forward his brigade in two lines of battle, the front line consisting of the remaining five companies of the Sixth Maine on the left and the Fifth Wisconsin on the right, and the rear line of the Forty-ninth Pennsylvania on the left, and the One Hundred and Nineteenth on the right. As senior colonel, Colonel P. C. Ellmaker, of the One Hundred and Nineteenth, was in command of the brigade this day, and well and gallantly did he sustain himself in his new and trying position.

The rear line was halted at the foot of the second hill, and the front line moved to its top. On nearing the top, the other five companies of the Sixth Maine were deployed as skirmishers, rapidly spread out, and covered their fellows in the advance, while the Fifth Wisconsin, directing themselves in solid line of battle upon the stronger and larger fort, followed closely up. As the skirmish-line was advancing. Major Fuller, who had recognized the Twentieth Maine men, said to Captain Morrill, who had formerly been a non-commissioned officer in his own regiment, and who was in command of a skirmish detail of seventy-five men, that the Sixth Maine was on his right, and asked him if he would not charge the fort in front with them. Captain Morrill at once [164] ran along the line of his skirmishers. “Boys,” said he, “the Sixth Maine is on our right; let's go in with them.” About fifty men of the Twentieth Maine at once responded to this call, and like true soldiers rushed into the danger with the Sixth. Pressing forward with the skirmish-line went their general; the rear skirmishers scramble through the moat, they are up with the advance, General Russell orders the “charge,” and forward, with fixed bayonets, without stopping to fire a shot, dash the gallant fellows. Several shell have been thrown to stay their course, and now from four cannon belches forth a torrent of spherical case, and the air is resonant with the hum of thousands of rifle-bullets. The skirmishers leap the parapet, the right wing passes through the stronger redoubt, and wheels down to aid its left in the fort nearest the railway, leaving the Fifth Wisconsin to complete the work so well begun in the larger fort. Hand to hand they fight with triple their number. Walker, the senior captain of the Fifth Wisconsin, the scarred hero of a score of battles, has fallen, mortally wounded in the head, between the larger redoubt and the rifle-pit on its left. Gallant Captain Ordway, next on the list, of the same regiment, as he leaps upon the parapet and waves his sword, to stimulate his men, falls dead inside the fort, shot through the heart. Close by Walker lies the stalwart form of the hitherto unhurt Furlong, captain in the Sixth Maine--poor, brave, warm-hearted Furlong! Within the fort, pierced through the body, and with his brains blown out, lies Lieutenant McKinley, of the same regiment. At the foot of the hill, in the road, lies Lieutenant-Colonel Harris, with a shattered hip — Harris, than whom no better or braver officer lives. Half-way up the ascent lies Major Wheeler, of the Fifth Wisconsin, but just recovered from a previous wound, to be again struck down. At the edge of the parapet, urging on the men, Lieutenant Russell, aid-de-camp and near relative to the General, is smitten from his horse with a dangerous wound — a courageous, high-toned soldier. Close by him falls Clark, Adjutant of the Sixth Maine--rebel-hating, rebel-defying, even as he was borne from the field.

The General had already sent back for the rest of his brigade; yet during the ten minutes that perhaps passed before they could come up at the “double-quick,” sixteen out of twenty-one officers, and a hundred and twenty-three out of three hundred and fifty enlisted men, of the Sixth Maine, had fallen, and of the Fifth Wisconsin, seven officers and fifty-six men were killed and wounded. The moment is a trying one. Captains Packard and Tyler, and Lieutenant Russell, the entire staff of the General commanding the division, have all in succession been sent back to hurry up the remainder of the brigade. But how can men, encumbered with knapsack, gun, equipments, and eight days rations — a weight of sixty pounds or more — get over the ground any faster than are the Forty-ninth and One Hundred and Nineteenth coming on? The moment is a trying one, for from the rifle-pit to the left of their larger redoubt the rebels are pouring in a murderous, enfilading fire upon our men in that work, and are striving vainly to regain their lost vantage-ground; while their fellows, driven from the smaller work, and unable to cross the river, reinforce them in numbers. But the heavy tramp of swiftly coming feet is heard above the din of musketry, the General himself rides down the hill, across the moat and road, to meet his advancing column — the “double-quick” becomes a run, from the fort the Fifth Wisconsin shout for assistance, and with a wild burst Pennsylvania goes into the fight. And now all resistance at the forts is at an end. The sullen prisoners are sent to the rear. Now seven rebel battle-flags are brought up to the edge of the rifle-pit for the disheartened foe to rally around. The sight stimulates the officers of the two Pennsylvania regiments to madness, and they beg permission of General Russell to take down the flaunting rags. That officer, however, cool and self-possessed, even when danger is at its height, refuses, for the men are needed to hold the captured works, and he has already sent back message after message to the Second brigade (commanded by Colonel Emory Upton) to hurry forward two regiments to charge those rifle-pits, and he will not expose his men to an attack from foe and friend alike. Surely and swiftly, needing no reminder when he knows he is needed at the front, comes forward Upton — courageous and ambitious — with his solid columns, loading as they advance at the double-quick. They unsling their knapsacks at the foot of the hill, and with the deep Anglo-Saxon “hurrah,” the gallant One Hundred and Twenty-first New-York and Fifth Maine dash at the rifle-pits. The Fifth is on the right and the One Hundred and Twenty-first on the left of their advancing line. Dusk has now fairly shut in. “Steady, men, don't fire a shot,” rings out Upton's voice above the roar of battle, and at a charge in they go. One volley only is fired at them, and the deadly pit is theirs. Through the pit and down the hill they go to the rebel pontoon-bridge, now and for some time too hot for a safe passage. The rebels are huddled in flocks, like frightend sheep, and are captured by hundreds. The firing ceases, and the day is ours.

Thus ended one of the most daring and successful exploits of this war — an exploit which was the sole offspring of one man's brain. The hour and occasion were propitious, the troops were reliable, and General Russell seized his opportunity.

What are the results? Four guns, four caissons, filled with ammunition, five limbers, one color, five hundred prisoners, several horses, and many hundred stand of small arms, were captured by Russell's brigade alone. Two strong redoubts, the key to the rebel position at this point, were carried by a mere skirmish line. Colonel Upton's brigade, the movements of which were directed by General Russell, took some one thousand one hundred prisoners, the rebel pontoon-bridge, seven colors, and a strong [165] rifle-pit. The whole constitutes a more glorious and magnificent result than has attended the victories of entire armies in this war. And this result was obtained by a brigade whose numerical strength was but one thousand five hundred and forty-nine, officers and men, assisted by two regiments only of another brigade, and opposed to a force of more than double their number.

The success of this operation is entirely attributable to the personal bravery, labor, and supervision of the commanding General, David road A. Russell. No more modest, unassuming man serves in this army, and for himself he claims and asks no credit. Only for his regiments here, as in camp, is he solicitous; and for those regiments, the Fifth Wisconsin and Sixth Maine, composing the party that stormed the redoubt, and the Forty-ninth and One Hundred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania, who so promptly and bravely supported the storming column, is he jealous. Yet his post, as a division commander, was well to the rear of his troops. In place of that position, he accompanied the skirmish line, was with them in the assault, rode over every inch of the battle-field, did the business of a dozen aids, rode fearless and triumphant amid the storm of bullets, provided for every contingency, and when, finally, the day was ours, was perhaps the least exultant man upon that hill.

Too much praise cannot be given to any regiments engaged in this fight; but the meed of honor is more especially due to the men and officers of the Fifth Wisconsin and Sixth Maine. The help rendered by our artillery must not be forgotten. A battery of the Fifth corps, planted in a piece of woods to the left of the railway, (I am informed the battery was formerly Griffin's and afterward Hazlett's,) made some splendid shooting. On a hill running to the right of the storming party, from which hill the enemy's skirmishers were driven by Howe's skirmishers of the Second division, were planted Martin's and Waterman's batteries, and four twenty-pound Parrott guns from the reserve artillery, The rebels say that the shells from all these guns were dropped directly over their works, and were thrown with more precision than they ever before witnessed.

A history of the misfortune which befel our brigade on the afternoon of Saturday, the seventh instant, is due to the friends of the unfortunate officers and soldiers at home. I therefore beg leave to offer, for the information of such, only such information as I have been able to gather from the officers who escaped. On Friday the Louisiana brigade, under Brigadier-General Hayes, was sent across the Rappahannock to act as a picket-guard at the point where the railroad from Culpeper Court-House to Manassas crosses the Rappahannock. Whilst the enemy held this road, during the latter part of the summer, he had thrown up a line of breastworks from a point a short distance below the end of the railroad bridge, on the other side, which works faced from the river and extended some distance up, and diverging from the river. The Louisianians occupied the lower part of these works; the pontoon-bridge, the only place of crossing for infantry, being upon their left, and about one hundred yards above where the rail-bridge had been burned. At half-past 2 o'clock P. M., the long-roll was beat in our encampment, and every man fit for duty called upon to fall in — we knew not why, as we had no artillery, the day being quite windy, and our camp being about six miles from the river. The whole of Early's division was marched rapidly to the river. Brigadier-General Hoke's brigade of three regiments, the Sixth, Fifty-fourth, and Fifty-seventh, now commanded by Colonel A. C. Godwin, formerly first provost-marshal of Richmond, was ordered over the river to occupy the extreme left of the breastworks. This brigade crossed the river under a heavy fire of artillery, (for the Louisianians were already sustaining a furious fire from several batteries.) This fire from the artillery and sharp-shooters was kept up until after sunset. The other two brigades of General Early's division, commanded by Brigadier-Generals Gordon and Pegram, were held in position on this side the river. By sunset the enemy had extended his lines, in the form of a half-moon, so as to envelop our forces entirely, his right and left resting on the river above and below. At the same time he had formed three lines of attack, one behind the other, to assault the works held by General Hayes and the right of Hoke's brigade. The sun had gone down when this terrible onset was made. Although the odds were greatly against us, and we had only four pieces of artillery on that side of the river, our men received the shock as brave men only do. The Louisianians fought with a desperation. The enemy's front line was torn to pieces, and scattered in confusion. Being reenforced by the second and third lines, the enemy again advanced upon the works, and, by overpowering numbers, leaped the works into the ditch, and came to a hand-to-hand fight.

Our brave men, being thus so greatly outnumbered, were compelled to yield. Some surrendered, others rushed to the pontoon and escaped, some others, being cut off from that, plunged into the river below and swam across, a few being drowned; General Hayes escaped after he had surrendered; Colonels Monaghan and Peck swam the river. More than half this brigade are missing. The extreme right of General Hoke's brigade fought with equal valor, and shared a similar fate. The possession of the works held by the Louisianians gave the enemy possession of the pontoon-bridge, and thus cut off General Hoke's brigade from any escape, except by swimming. Our extreme right being thrown back, the brave Colonel Godwin, although surrounded on all sides, except on the river-side, [166] still fought on, and when compelled to yield ground to overwhelming odds, fell back with a force of about seventy-five men, still returning the enemy's fire, and refused to surrender until fighting was useless.

Lieutenant-Colonel Tate and Major York, Captains McPherson and Ray, and Lieutenant Mebane, of the Sixth, with Captain Adams, of the staff, broke away, and escaped over the bridge in the darkness. Lieutenants Williams, Smith, and Fitzgerald, of the Fifty-fourth; Brown, of the Sixth, with a few others, plunged into the river and swam safely over; but, unfortunately, some others were drowned. Lieutenant-Colonel H. Jones, Jr., of the Fifty-seventh, and Captain White, of the Sixth, plunged in to swim, but the coldness of the water compelled them to put back.

The casualties of our brigade are small in killed and wounded. Adjutant Mebane, of the Sixth, wounded in arm and side; William Johnston, Captain White's company, wounded in thigh severely, though not mortally; Sergeant Crisman, Captain Hooper's company, killed. The brigade is almost annihilated. The Fifty-fourth regiment has only one captain (Paschall) left, with five lieutenants, and about fifteen men remaining. The fragments of the brigade are now collected under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Tate, of the Sixth, and attached to the Louisiana brigade. These fragments now number about two hundred and seventy-five men. This is a serious disaster, so far as our feelings are concerned, but it does not shake our hopes as to success. This sad affair took place in the presence of General Lee and Major-General Early, who had arrived on this side the river.

The loss of the enemy has been serious, as the ground in front of our works was literally covered with his dead. At midnight on Saturday night, General Lee began to fall back. On Sunday morning, he formed the line of battle beyond Culpeper; but although the enemy had forced the guard at Kelly's Ford, and compelled General Rhodes to fall back with a loss of two hundred men killed, wounded, and missing, yet no attack was made on us by the infantry. In the afternoon, the enemy's cavalry attacked General Wilcox's brigade, and were badly cut up. During Sunday night General Lee fell back to his old position south of the Rapidan.

P. S.--Lieutenants Morrison, Lefler, and Maynard, of the Fifty-seventh, are all safe.

General order No. 101.

The Commanding General congratulates the army upon the recent successful passage of the Rappahannock in the face of the enemy, compelling him to withdraw to his intrenchments behind the Rapidan. To Major-General Sedgwick and the officers and men of the Fifth and Sixth corps participating in the attack, particularly to the storming party under Brigadier-General Russell, his thanks are due. The gallantry displayed in the assault on the enemy's intrenched position of Rapahannock Station, resulting in the capture of four guns, two thousand small arms, eight battle-flags, one bridge train, and one thousand six hundred prisoners. To Major-General French and the officers and men of the Third corps engaged, particularly to the leading column, commanded by Colonel De Trobriand, his thanks are due for the gallantry displayed in the crossing at Kelly's Ford, and the seizure of the enemy's intrenchments, and the capture of over four hundred prisoners, The Commanding General takes great pleasure in announcing to the army that the President has expressed his satisfaction with its recent operations.

General orders, No. 51.

officers and soldiers: Your gallant deeds of the seventh of November will live in the annals of your country, and will be not the least glorious of the exploits of the Army of the Potomac.

But your General cannot but express to you himself his congratulations upon your success, and his appreciation of your daring and gallantry. To have carried by storm, with a mere skirmish line and a feeble support in numbers, powerful earthworks, a strong natural position, manned by the flower of the rebel army, and strengthened by artillery, would be an achievement that a division of our forces might well feel pride in; but it was not too much for the gallant sons of Maine and Wisconsin.

The hearty, generous, and glorious support of Pennsylvania in the strife should serve to bind yet closer together the East, the Middle States, and the West, and to her troops belongs no small share of our victory.¹

Your General felt confident that soldiers, who in camp observe all the strict rules of military life with fidelity, would prove equally reliable in the field; and in this, the first essay of your prowess, you exceeded his most sanguine expectations.

With the actual results of your engagement you are all too familiar to render any recapitulation necessary; but there is the further reflection to offset the saddening influence of the loss of your well-tried and courageous brothers-inarms, that any subsequent attack upon your opponents, better prepared and strengthened as they would have been, must have been attended with a yet sadder and, it may be, a less successful result.

And it is just and fitting here to acknowledge the soldierly conduct and valuable assistance of [167] Colonel Upton and his gallant regiments, the Fifth Maine and the One Hundred and Twenty-first New-York. Prompt in their support, they deserve our heartiest thanks, as by their bravery they won a large share of the honors of the day.

The banners of this brigade shall bear the name, “Rappahannock,” to perpetuate, so long as those banners shall endure, dropping and shredding away though they may be for generations, the proud triumph won by you on the seventh of November, 1863.

By command of Brigadier-General D. A. Russell.