Chapter 43: Hatcher's Run. News of Lee's surrender.
From December 16, 1864, until February 5, 1865, the regiment remained at Fort Emory, on the Vaughan Road. On February 5, marching orders were received. At 5 A. M. the regiment joined the brigade and marched out on to the Vaughan Road to take part in the expedition which ended in the battle of Hatcher's Run.They tramped to within half of a mile of the junction of the Gravelly Run and the Vaughan Road, where the corps massed. Gen. Humphreys had succeeded Gen. Hancock in command of the corps. The division was commanded by Gen. William Hays, although at this particular time it was in charge of Gen. Thomas A. Symth, of the Third Brigade, while the Second Brigade was in charge of Col. William A. Olmstead of the 59th New York Regiment.
General Smyth was ordered to send one of his regiments out to find the enemy and feel their position. For this important work the Nineteenth Massachusetts was detailed. Col. Rice at once advanced the regiment as ordered and struck the enemy's skirmishers near the junction of the roads, where the enemy occupied a position naturally strong, which they had covered with strong earthworks. The salient of their position was the house and mill of Mr. Armstrong, where the enemy had concentrated their greatest force. Five companies of the Nineteenth deployed as skirmishers to the right of the house, two in its front, and one to the left; the remaining companies in support advanced, engaged the enemy's skirmishers and drove them back on their lines of battle, and carried the enemy's works near the ford, fighting heavily and constantly. [358]
During this fighting, Lieut. William H. Tibbetts, of Co. E, was killed while attempting to force a passage of the Run with his little company. He was a brave and skillful officer and his conduct and memory will never be forgotten. He had been promoted only five days before, from Sergeant Major.
Col. Rice ordered a stretcher to be brought out for him, and Co. A. and Co. B. under Lieut. Hodgkins were sent out to relieve his command. They advanced on the double quick and reached the position without injury although the bullets fell thickly about them. Lieut. Tibbetts was taken to the rear where he died in a short time. Robert E. Pike, of Co. E, was also found to have been killed and three of the men had been wounded.
The enemy in front of Companies A and B disappeared suddenly, and for two hours nothing was seen of them. Finally a large company of rebels led by an officer on horse back was seen going on the double-quick for a small redoubt directly in front of the little command from the Nineteenth. Several volleys were fired at them, but despite these the enemy gained the shelter and immediately opened a terrible fire which drove the two companies back to the rear and right.
Soon afterward the regiment advanced and silenced them and they declined to contest further at this point. At about 2 P. M. the men threw up light rifle pits which were occupied at 4 P. M. Then the enemy opened a furious fire of shot and shell, simultaneously with the works in front but with no effect upon the Nineteenth. During the night the firing was light and confined to the pickets, the regiment continuing to occupy the works.
Casualties,—Feb. 5th, 1865.
Killed,—Second Lieut. Wm. H. Tibbetts.
Private R. E. Pike, Co. E.
Wounded, Private William Mills, Co. A, left arm.
Private M. Gorey, Co. E, abdomen.
Sergt. Daniel J. Murphy, Co. F, abdomen. [359]
Everything remained in comparative quiet until 4 P. M., Feb. 6, when, upon advance of the Fifth Corps, the enemy opened with great vigor upon their whole line. After fighting about an hour and a half, the Fifth Corps fell back hastily, and in some confusion, leaving this regiment (in the extreme advance) in a very exposed position, its left flank entirely exposed to the enemy, from which, however, the regiment extracted itself without leaving its position. During the night of the 6th the firing was confined to the pickets.
On the afternoon of the 7th the Fifth Corps again advanced and succeeded in recovering their position. During the day a heavy shower of rain and snow rendered military movements almost impossible.
On the 8th the men began throwing up a permanent line of works, and on the 10th commenced a new winter camp in rear of the line, without anything of importance occurring until the 25th of March, except a Corps review by Gen. Grant, Gen. Meade and others on March 11th.
There were 135 recruits received at this camp, and the following transfers are recorded:
Major Moncena Dunn, prisoner of war, since June 22, 1864, promoted from Capt., Co. D.
| Co. D. | First Lieut. Wm. A. McGinnis, prisoner of war, transferred from Co. E. |
| E. | First Lieut. John T. Ross, in command of company, appointed to company since last return. |
| I. | First Lieut. Chas. C. Filley, in command of company, appointed to company since last return. Transfers: |
| B. | Sergt. William Elliot. |
| B. | Sergt. Harrison Bowyer, from Co. K, Feb. 19th. |
| D. | Sergt. Ernest A. Nichols, from Co. C, Feb. 1st. |
| E. | Sergt. John O'Brien, from Co. D, Feb. 1st. |
| E. | Sergt. John H. Steele, from Co. C, Feb. 1st. |
| K. | Corp. William Tirrell, from Co. H, Feb. 1st. |
| K. | Private Wm. Edward Fletcher, from. Co. C, Feb. 1st. |
| K. | Quartermaster Sergt. John Lee, from Co. F, Feb. 1st. |
[360]
The dawn of March 25 was ushered in by the sullen roar of the hostile artillery at Fort Steadman, when Gen. Lee made that morning the last attack upon the Union lines which he ever had the audacity to make. Every one was on the qui vive. Gen. Humphreys, with his accustomed promptitude, instantly took advantage of the enemy having depleted his forces to swell the column of attack on the right. Shortly the Second Corps was in motion and early in the day threw itself with its traditional vigor and impetuosity upon the advanced lines of Lee which were carried and held with small loss. The Nineteenth Massachusetts regiment, for the first time in its history, became the spectators of a great action. The First and Second Divisions being held in reserve, no loss was sustained by this regiment, which supported, for the greater part of the day, the Tenth Massachusetts Battery. At dark, the Brigade moved out on the cross roads about two miles. At 11 P. M. returned to the works and lay on their arms until 3 A. M. of the 26th, when they returned to camp and occupied their old quarters.
On the night of the 28th it became known that the Army of the Potomac would move on the enemy's works the following day. That night the regiment went out on picket upon the advanced line near Hatcher's Run, occupying ground held by the enemy on the morning of the 25th. At 9 A. M. of the 29th the regiment moved to join the corps, being relieved by the One Hundredth New York and Eleventh Maine of the Fourth Corps. At 11 A. M. rejoined the corps upon the ground formerly occupied by the Fifth Corps. During the afternoon a rapid advance was made. After heavy skirmishing the enemy abandoned their advanced line immediately in front of Dabney's Mills. The Corps occupied these works during the night. In the morning this regiment advanced with the Corps in line of battle through woods and slashing about one mile, and occupied a crest of land at the Burgess House, immediately in front of the salient of the enemy's interor line. Here the men lay all day, during a heavy rain and constant skirmishing, without loss. Part of the troops were engaged all day in throwing up works in the front.
On Friday, the 31st, the regiment moved to the left of the works, and moved still further to the left hourly during the day. [361] Heavy fighting by the Fifth Corps, First Division, Second Corps and cavalry on the left. Heavy firing on the flank in the afternoon, but without loss in the Nineteenth. At night moved still further to the left and took part in support of General Mott, one half mile east of the Boydton Plank Road.
On Saturday, April 1, the regiment moved to the right, nearly to the old position, at the Burgess House; remained there until 5 P. M., when they were moved out in front and began to throw up a new line of works, with the right advanced. Heavy cannonading was carried on at the right nearly all day. At that time the Confederate lines had been pushed back to the Burgess Mill, near the junction of the Boydton and White Oaks Road, where there were two earthwork forts with three guns.
At 6 A. M. April 2nd, the regiment moved out to the picket line at the front and right, in close skirmish order, with the Seventh Michigan and Thirty-Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers. The regiment took cover under a slight ridge of land after moving through 200 yards of slashing. They got to within 100 yards of the enemy's chief fort undiscovered. They were then ordered to lie down and rest.
Under cover of the fog, the sharpshooters attached to the Nineteenth regiment (Old First Company Andrew Sharpshooters) were advanced to the front of the ridge to pick off the enemy's artillery men, and protect the advance of the infantry At 6.30 as the fog lifted, the order came ‘Upward and Forward’ and the regiment rushed out with a wild yell, receiving a heavy fire; the resistless impetuosity of their advance did not, however, allow of the enemy's giving them but one volley. The regiment poured over the ramparts on all sides and the fort was won. Many prisoners were taken here.
The right companies then moved up the right flank and captured the small fort on the right of the first one. The fort first spoken of contained two brass 12-pounders and three caissons; that on the right one brass Howitzer. The prisoners numbered 150. The right companies then advanced through the heavy slashing in the rear of this line, and vigorously followed the confounded and terror stricken fugitives from the captured [362] line of works. Part crossed the Run with the seventh Michigan Volunteers and swelled the number of prisoners rapidly to 700. Shortly after, the regiment re-assembled, joined the Brigade and advanced to Petersburg by the Boydton Plank Road.
Upon reaching within three miles of the city the Corps wheeled to the left and camped for the night at Sutherland Station, on the South Side Railroad. The loss in this command during the day's operations was:
Lieut. J. E. Hodgkins, wounded, ankle.
Private Charles Gooch, killed.
Henry Hilton, wounded, mortally.
Charles Koppitz, wounded.
George Clay, wounded.
Returning the next morning nearly to Petersburg, the regiment was gratified by the intelligence that the city had fallen, and set out in pursuit of the fleeing army. This pursuit was continued until the surrender, six days later, but during that time some severe engagements took place. The men rested until 2. P. M., then marched back by the same road, halting 14 miles nearer Burkesville than on the previous night. Camped at 10.50 and, next morning, at 7 A. M., moved again, halting at Jettsville. On the 5th the division camped at dark at Burkesville.
On the 6th they marched until 9. A. M. Heavy fighting was going on at the front all day. The men went on picket in front of the brigade at 9 A. M. on the 7th, two miles from Blacks and Whites, upon the Bush River. On the following day they marched at 7.15, the regiment following in rear of the First Division. They crossed Bush River at High Bridges and joined the brigade in front of Farmville at 11 A. M. Heavy fighting was going on all about them. The Seventh Michigan and Fifty-Ninth New York were here captured by the enemy nearly en masse at 1 P. M. A general advance was made by the Sixth and Second Corps. The enemy abandoned Farmville, and the division was instantly pushed to the right of the town and formed in line of battle. At 3. P. M. heavy [363] fighting began on the right; the Division at once advanced at ‘double-quick’ for three miles, to support the overmatched First Division. Upon arriving at the field of battle they formed line on the right and on the rear of the First Division, covering their flank. At nightfall the Division changed front forward on left battalion and threw up works. In this action Capt. Isaac H. Boyd, who had been commissioned, but not mustered as Major, and was acting Asst. Inspector General of the First Brigade, First Division, Second Corps, was mortally wounded.
Saturday, the 8th, was consumed in advancing alternately in line of battle and by the flank until 12:30 that night, skirmishing vigorously at times all day.
On April 9th the regiment marched at 8 A. M. and pursued the enemy to within two miles of Clover Hill, or Appomattox Court House. In a few hours it was announced to the troops that General Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia had surrendered to General Grant and the Army of the Potomac. General Meade rode through the lines at 5 P. M., amid the wildest enthusiasm. All was quiet until 10 A. M., April 11 when the Corps began its march back to Burkesville, Va. That place was reached at 7. A. M., April 13. Two days later the regiment went into camp upon higher ground, where the men remained until 2 P. M. on May 2, when the Corps marched toward Richmond and passed through that place on May 6. At Fredericksburg on May 11 a very heavy thunderstorm and hail storm was experienced and the water was frequently knee deep. The column reached Vienna on the 13th and rested on the 14th.
On the 15th of May the regiment marched to Bailey's Cross Roads, Va., and went into camp.
