Union veterans speak

A UNION VETERAN'S STORY. Norm G. Cooper, editor of the Coffee Cooler, Brooklyn, N. Y.: "On the 29th of August, 1862, I was a musket bearer in Company . E, ' Twenty fourth New York Infantry, First Brigade, First Division, First Army Corps, and, by carelessness in obeying the orders of our colonel, I got into a fight at Groveton, Va. The whole regiment was careless also, we ought to have known better. Our charge about dusk was not a success we got licked. Some sardine of a 'Johnny' shot a ball through my arm, and I didn't want any more shooting. We all retreated. I could not get away fast enough, on account of loss of blood, and had to halt and keep halting, till I found myself alone. It was, perhaps, 8 P.M. when I looked to a small hill a short distance off and saw a lot of soldiers in the moonlight. I went toward them and hailed them as follows: 'Are there any of the Twenty fourth there?' The question came back: 'Twenty fourth what?' I replied: 'Twenty fourth New York.' Some one said, ' Yes,' and a sergeant of a Texas regiment stepped toward me and said: 'You are a prisoner.' Then I was sold. Can you find that 'noncom.' for me? He gave me a drink [of] water." Confederate Veteran, March 1897.

Three Years In The Army: The Story Of The Thirteenth Massachusetts Volunteers From, 1861-1864 Charles E. Davis Jr.
   Friday, August 29.
     Another hot day. At 5 A.M. we marched to Bristoe Station, about five miles, rested until 3 P.M., and then marched to the Bull Run battlefield of 1861, passing through Manassas.      An order had been issued for the muster–out of the band, but owing to the excitement of those busy days, no attention was paid to it. In the meantime they kept along with us, not knowing where else to go.
This skurrying back and forth over almost the same ground day and night, with short rations and hard work, was harassing. The rank and file knew little about what was going on, though it did know that Jackson and Longstreet had crossed the Bull Run Mountains in spite of our efforts to stop or delay their movements. We also knew that Stuart had made a daring and successful raid on Pope's headquarters. Therefore, right or wrong, it betokened to us an uncertainty and confusion at headquarters, and we felt the hour could not be far distant when we were to encouter some hard fighting. These reflections had no effect on our sleep, however, which was sound as usual. Saturday, August 30.
     We spent the first half of the day in marching back and forth in an aimless sort of way, occasionally halting as if waiting for some one to put us on the right road. In one of these halts we were ordered to leave our knapsacks, whereupon we piled them up on the side of the road in the woods, and for aught we know they are there yet. [A.D. 1893.] Toward the middle of the afternoon, under the protection of a knoll, we hastily drew rations, – eighteen hard-tack, nine spoonfuls of sugar and nine of coffee, which allowance was to last us for three days. In fact this had been our allowance for some time. During all this marching and counter-marching, a desultory firing was kept up by the enemy.

     Having drawn this meager supply of rations, we were marched to the top of a knoll near by and halted. Quite a number of the boys loaded with canteens started off for water. They had hardly gone when the enemy opened the battle in deadly earnest by a tremendous artillery fire. The air seemed filled with shot and bursting shell, the noise of which was deafening. While we stood wondering what we should be called upon to do, General McDowell rode up, and inquiring what regiment we were, ordered us into line at once on the double-quick. As we filed down the knoll, we noticed the hospital men bringing off the zouaves of General King’s division on stretchers, and a bloody sight it was.
    Suddenly we received the order, “On right by file into line!” and we at once found ourselves facing the enemy. We were led by General McDowell, whose courage we had so often doubted. We soon found it was lively work, and the boys were falling fast; but General Tower was close to us with all the words of encouragement at his command. Standing in his stirrups he gave the order to fix bayonets and then to “Charge!” In battle the order to charge is not given in the placid tones of a Sunday-school teacher, but with vigorous English, well seasoned with oaths, and a request, frequently repeated, to give them that particular province of his Satanic Majesty most dreaded by persons fond of a cold climate. At the same time you are ordered to yell with all the power of your lungs. It is possible that this idea may be of great advantage in forcing some of the heroic blood of the body into the lower extremities. Whatever may be the reason, it was certainly a very effective means of drowning the disagreeable yell of the enemy. We charged three times, and on each occasion were successfully driven back by the solid mass of men in front of us. As we fell back for the last charge, General Tower, on horseback (in the midst of Company B), a conspicuous mark for the enemy who were within twenty-five yards of us, was shouting “For God’s sake re-form the line!” when he was sent flying through the air, both horse and rider fearfully wounded.      It was hot work, and the thinness of our line, compared with the solid ranks of the enemy, made it painfully evident that we could stand the terrible fire but a short time longer. Where was our supporting column? Part of the time they had been firing into our backs, under the impression that we were the enemy. Fortunately that error was discovered before much harm was done. Already the enemy had planted some batteries on a neighboring knoll on our left flank, and were giving us the benefit of a raking fire. The order was then given to retire; but as only part of the regiment heard it, our retreat was irregular and occasioned some confusion and separation of companies.

     The brigade retired in fair order, acquitting itself creditably, carrying off all guns except those lost in actual combat, and having checked the enemy’s pursuit. That night we bivouacked at Centreville.

     General Hartsuff having been sent to the hospital previous to the battle, his brigade was merged with that of General Tower, under whose immediate command we fought.