Chapter15 - Life On Bolivar Heights

CHAPTER XV

LIFE ON BOLIVAR HEIGHTS

The second day after our arrival, we spent much of our time in looking about us, everything was so changed from what we had been accustomed to see them at Harrisburg, and we soon found that we had much to learn before we could claim to be veterans.

It will be remembered that Bolivar Heights was the scene of Miles’ disgrace­ful and cowardly surrender, by which act it was turned over to the Rebels, and had been retaken but a short time before our arrival by a portion of the troops of our Division, under command of Gen. John W. Geary, and as may well be imagined, we anxiously searched for the traces of the battle, the marks were rare however, owing to the fact that it had only been a little skirmish.

We were interested in the novel way the men carried water for culinary purposes.  It consisted of a piece or wood about five feet long, with a place cut out to fit the carriers shoulders, it had both ends provided with hooks, straps or rope, to which the buckets were fastened, and thus one man could easily carry two buckets at a time.  The arrangement was similar to those used by the Spanish or French peasants in carrying grape or other fruits.

The first shell we heard explode was thrown from Napp’s battery, from the fort in which it was placed.  The shell was thrown at an unoccupied house outside of the lines.  A number of our boys went up to see the firing when they ascertained the fact that the Rebel cavalry frequently made their appearance in that locality and that Major Napp was experimenting with a view of obtaining the proper range.  Several shells exploded immediately over the house. This was something new to us, and whilst it was fine fun to see the practice as long as the shells were fired towards the enemy, we imagined that it would not be so funny when the shells once would be thrown towards us.  As we turned towards our quarters, Abel Seesholtz remarked that it would be a long time before any of the members of Company G, would be hit with a shell.  0n being asked why?  He replied in his good-natured way:

“Because if the Johnnies were to throw any shells at us, we’d “shake” so that it would be impossible to hit us.”  Poor Abel he lost his life by a shell.

In the afternoon Will McFall and several more of us, went over to the old farm house between the picket lines and the fortifications, and whilst there we saw a guard shoot a member of the 111^th P. V. I.  The guard was placed at an old board fence, with instructions not to allow any one to tear down the fence or to carry off the boards.  We had attempted to get one ourselves but when commanded by the guard, to “drop that board,” we at once dropped it.  We walked around the house, and soon after heard the report of a gun, and upon going to where the guard was stationed, we found that he had shot a man who disobeyed his order.  The ball had entered the right leg above the knee, shattering the bone and making amputation necessary.

A soldier was sent to the Division Hospital for a stretcher. Upon its arrival he was taken to the hospital where the leg was amputated, and it was afterwards reported that the man had died.  This incident served to impress upon the writer’s mind the necessity of promptly obeying the command given by a guard or picket.

We arrived at the company just in time to receive several letters from home in the mail.   Those who had the pleasure of receiving those precious letters whilst in the army, know full well how welcome were the messengers of love, from those who were near and dear to us.

The same train that brought us the mail also brought Lt. Schroyer to the company, he having remained at Harrisburg to attend to some business connected with the company.  The boys were all glad to see him.

After supper, an order was sent to the company for a detail of thirty men for fatigue duty, the men to take their dinners along, and to report at regimental head-quarter’s by eight o’clock, a.m., next morning.  We did not happen to be among the detail, but some of the detailed men were extremely anxious to know what FATIGUE duty was.  John P. Haas went up to the officers’ quarters and soon returned with the intelligence that those who had been detailed would have to work upon the forts which Geary was erecting for the purpose of making the defenses on the height more formidable.  Upon the receipt of this news the boys were not so anxious to go.

The detail started out at the proper time, and after reporting at regimental head-quarters; the regimental detail was placed in charge of Lt. Byers, who reported at Division head-quarters, and with the rest of the detail were marched to the south-east side of the hill, where a large earth fort was in the course of construction, and here the first fatigue detail sent out by Company G, worked.

In the evening when the boys returned to the company, they reported that the Captain in charge had credited the 147^th detail, which by the way was composed mainly of our company, with having done more work than all the remainder of the Division, and the blisters on the hands of the boys who had been on the detail certainly vouched for the Captain’s assignation.  They had been too green, and had worked harder that day, than they ever did again under similar circumstances.

In the evening another detail was made and we found our name called among the rest.  The next morning as on the previous day the regimental detail was marched to Division head-quarters.  Here we first saw General Geary, and were favorably impressed with his commanding appearance, and more especially when he informed us that owing to the fact that day was Sunday, and as it was not a of absolute necessity, we should return to our commands and report for duty on the following morning.

We got back in time to take part in the Sunday inspection.  Here we were a lot SMARTER than the rest of the detail as they were just in time to be too late and did not get into camp until it was over.  As our company had not yet received their arms, we only took out our knapsacks and had our clothing inspected.

This being our first inspection it did not prove much of a success.  We did not know how to pack our clothing and none of us had put on clean clothing that morning, and had placed our dirty clothing in the pockets of our haversacks, with no regard to order or system.  The adjunct came to our company and assisted our officers to inspect us.  When we were ordered to “open knapsacks” we felt considerably mortified.  After the adjutant gave us some instructions in preparation of inspection in the future, we were given in charge of the Orderly who then marched us to our camp.

Inspection over, a number of the company visited the town and made a number of  purchases of the suttlers there, owing to the fact that we had no “stamps” we remained in camp, anxiously awaiting the call to dinner to fall in for our “bean soup.”

At this time Sergeant Whitmer dealt out our cooked rations, and as it is a very natural thing for soldiers to growl, the job was a very unpleasant one.

At this dinner, a little incident occurred which at the time afforded the company not a little sport, Serg’t Whitmer had given Edward Fisher, a tin cup at coffee, and his ration of bean soup, when Fisher said in his particular vernacular:

“I wish. you’d give me a few more of your beans, mine’s all soup”

Whitmer made a reply that Fisher did not like, and throwing his plateful of beans over Whitmer, remarking:

“There, darn you, take your soup.”

Whitmer retaliated by throwing a cup of coffee over him, saying.. “If you don’t want soup take an extra ration of coffee.”

Chapter 20 - On The March

CHAPTER XX

ON THE MARCH

We soon had our supper prepared and about as hastily dispatched the same, after which we begin to make our preparations for the night.

Corporal Eby proposed that he would take his trick on duty, which would save him the necessity of remaining awake to post the relieves, and at the same time re­duce our duty to that extent. Giving Eby the preference on account of his stripes, he took post first, whilst the remainder of us wrapped our blankets around us and soon found repose and forgetfulness in profound slumber, which was not disturb­ed until we were aroused by one of the boys to take our station on duty.

To those who have paced the lonely beat, or stood silently watching for the approach of an unseen enemy, or perhaps crouched upon the earth with the organs of sight and hearing taxed to the utmost tension, to discover anything that might possibly be occasioned by the stealthy approach of the much dreaded bushwhacker, will be able to fully sympathize with us upon this occasion.  The various pick­et fires which in the earlier part of the night had blazed forth so brightly had almost disappeared when we took our trick, and only now and then as the dying embers were stirred up by some guard or half-frozen soldier, was there any fire vis­ible.  As is the experience of all soldiers, the two hours that we were on duty, were apparently much longer than the six we were off. At length however we heard the other pickets along the line being re­lieved, and after standing a little while longer we called McFall and again laid down to sleep, thankful that half of our trick had been faithfully performed.

Long before our time had come to go on post, we were awakened by old General Jack Frost, and when we got up we found that the old General had wakened up the rest of the boys, who had gathered around the fire and were endeavoring to coax some green twigs to burn, but which like the old woman’s chimney would do nothing but smoke.

After a number of ineffectual attempts to make the fire burn, we gave up in despair, and seated ourselves upon our ponchos, threw our blankets over us and tried to resign ourselves to our fate, but it was no use, the cold was too much for us.

At last a happy idea struck Eby, which was nothing more or less, than that we spread the four ponchos, or gum blankets, on the ground with one of the woolen ones and then use the other three blankets over us.  We did so, and were astonished to find how much warmer three blankets were than one.

Just as the east sky began to be streaked with the light gray tints of the morning, heralding the approach of the king of day, the division bugle announced that preparations for the day’s advance would now be in order.  Soon the Brigade bugles took up the strain and were soon responded to by the regimental drum corps.  The pickets began to pack up and prepare to join their respective commands.  It did not take us long to get ready to join the boys, but finding that we did not get relieved as soon as we expected we ate our breakfast, which like on the previous day consisted of crackers and speck.  We had some of the coffee left that had been given us on the previous day, and all that was needed was a proper vessel to boil it in.  While we were debating how to get one, an officer’s servant passed the post with a two quart coffee kettle dangling from his haversack.  Maxey McFall seized his gun, and aiming it at the darkey and commanded him to drop the kettle, this at first he refused to do.  “Click” went the hammer of the gun, as Maxey cocked it, and the darkey getting excited, handed over his kettle to us.

Soon the regiments began to move, but by some oversight we were not relieved until after 9 o’clock, when we were pushed rapidly ahead.  The road was filled with teams, artillery and troops, and we found it very difficult to make very much progress.

Whilst on our way to overtake the line, Gen. Geary and his staff came riding up.  The General halted us and upon learning where we belonged and how we had been left behind, ordered us to move forward briskly until we should join our regiment.  We had heard of the General’s hasty temper, as well as of his big boot, and were all somewhat nervous when he first talked to us, and we just more than made haste as long as he remained in sight.

We came up to the regiment at about 5 o’clock, and soon after our Division moved into a field and cooked dinner.   Here the Colonel found fault with the company for the first, and we believe only time, we were ordered to stack arms, and our company not having any arms before the day previous, we were naturally a little awkward, and since the greater part of the Division officers witnessed our blunder, and being anxious to have his regiment show up well, was naturally a  little nettled, and riding up the company on a gallop said: “D—m you Captain Davis, will your men never learn to stack arms?”

“Wait and see Colonel,” was the quick reply of our Captain.

The Colonel road to the rear of the regiment amidst the smiles of those who had heard the reply.

The boys soon had a roaring fire going and, Laubenstine coming up, the coffee kettles were hung over it, and in less time than it takes to tell it we were ordered to fall in for coffee.

We lay in the field for several hours, when the bugle again sounded the advance and we moved forward again being greatly refreshed by the rest and dinner.  On passing a farm house in the course of the afternoon, the boys discovered some chickens in a field and immediately started in hot pursuit.  The Colonel called the men back, one of our boys having almost succeeded in capturing one, was rather slow to give up the chase, and the result was, in the evening after the regiment had gone into camp, he was sent for to carry wood for the Colonel’s fire, as a punishment for violating the order prohibiting foraging, and how the Colonel knew the boys name will be easily understood when we inform the reader that the forager carried a knapsack that bore the following inscription:

“J. C. Long, Co., G, 147^th, P. V. I.”

Considerable trouble was also occasioned by the fact that we did not know our guns as yet, which difficulty was increased by several parties, Lot Ulrich in particular, who had his name written upon the strap of no less than half a dozen guns, so that he would be able to claim, and also prove the claim by showing his name, which he had no trouble to do.  So well did this become known that when he claimed his own gun he had trouble to keep it.  It frequently happened that some one of the boys, bent on a little fun, would steal his gun and when Lot would claim the gun, the matter would be left to the company, which certainly would decide against him, and the fun would commence.  Lot would go from gun to gun and before he was through would claim a dozen, and at least one of someone else’s and cut or write his name upon the strap.

Those who have carried a musket or a knapsack during the late unpleasantness or any war, will bear us out that the assertion that growling soon becomes ­chronic, and that some one can be found at all times who upon the slightest provocation will furnish the “chin music” for the benefit of his comrades.  We at least have no hesitancy in stating that old Company G had a sufficient number of growlers to stock a brigade.  We had our marching growlers as well as our camp growlers and cowardly skulking growlers, in short we had them of all kinds.  Foremost upon the list of marching growlers came Jeremiah Moyer.  He always carried one of the heaviest knapsacks, never played out or skulked, but he had a terrible habit of fault finding as soon as we started on the march.  If the command moved slow Jerry would say, “I wish they would a march, if they a going to.”  Whilst on the other hand, if they marched fast, Jerry would say, “die verflucht kelver sie dadet une behauf dote marche eb sie uff geva.”  Thus after marching several hours Jerry would begin to find fault and universally end with a threat to soon fall out if the column did not halt to rest.  A threat which he never once put into execution, being always on hand for any emergency.

At about 4o’clock we came in sight of Leesburg, and went into camp about half a mile from town, having marched about 14 miles.