Detailed description of the intense street fighting of the
20th Mass. in Fredericksburg, Va. on December 11, 1862. Contained in the
Manuscripts of the Boston Public Library.
Camp 20th Regiment near Falmouth
Va. December 18th 1862
My dear John:
I have determined to write you a tremendous letter, giving a
full account of our late battles and answering your letter about my
expenses, the Estates etc received by Col. Lee. And first the account of
the battle etc. The Regiment went out on picket, on the 10th, and I staid
in camp to finish my Court Martial proceedings. I heard of our expected
move, but did not in the least anticipate what was to come. The Regiment
came in from picket at 4 AM on the 11th, and we were ordered to march at
5. About that time the firing began at the river, and at 6 AM we marched
down to a point about opposite the Northern part of the (canal?). It was
still very dark, the valley of the river was filled with smoke from our
batteries along the bank, and the noise was tremendous. We staid on our
open plain which was filled with troops.Our Brigade was to cross first,
the 7th [Michigan] leading as skirmishers. They put a pontoon bridge half
over, and then the Rebels in the houses and from the cellars which they
had made into Riflepits poured in such a hot fire as to run our men off.
The river here is about as wide as Pemberton Square[in
Boston] is long, and the bank's high and especially steep on our
side. The 7th Michigan and the 19th [Mass.]
were deployed as skirmishers along the banks to protect the laborers on
the bridge, but they could not do so, for the smoke and fog were very
thick. The weather this day and for the following three days were mild.
Occassionally the Rebels would throw a few shells to where we were, but
not much damage was done. After a little time the guns were directed to
the city to clean out the Rebel sharpshooters, and the bombardment lasted
steadily till about 4 P.M. The City was now on fire in 3 places, and this
smoke added to the darkness through which our guns incessently flashed. We
were close to the batteries. The sound was tremendous. We had now lain all
day here and still nothing was done. Several of the Officers were lounging
on a pile of boards, I was rather tired and almost asleep, when Col. Hall
rode up and said the 7th Michigan had volunteered to cross in pontoon
boats. This was indeed a desperate thing, but in a few moments some one
said they were crossing, we heard a sharp firing and some cheers, and then
that they were across and had occupied the nearest houses. We were ordered
to fall in at the same time, and in a few moments marched down the bank
and followed the 19th across in pontoon boats. The 19th, as I said, was
already at the foot of the bank, deployed. Some of the 7th Michigan
wounded were being brought back, among them the Lieut. Colonel shot in the
shoulder. The Michigan men made a rush at the nearest houses and took
quite a number of prisoners. The orders to the whole brigade were to
bayonet every armed man found firing from a house, this being, I believe,
contrary to the rules of war, but it was not of course obeyed. In fact no
prisoners were taken but the few the Michigans took, and the wounded who
lay about struck by our shells. The 7th Michigan was deployed on the left
and a short distance up the street at the ford(?) of which we landed, and
the 19th on the right, both holding houses, fences , etc., exchanging
shots with the Rebels who were a little further back. The pontoon bridges
were hurriedly finished, and the Rebels then opened on it with shell,
doing little damage, but somewhat disturbing the troops crossing. When a
good many troops had got over, we were advanced up the street in column of
companies right in front, and Macy was ordered to "follow the
skirmishers", that is the 7th Michigan, and advance into the town, at the
same time the 19th on the right , and the 42d, which had been deployed on
the extreme left were ordered to advance also. I can explain our position
best by a plan.[map ]
The 20th advanced up the street, and when the head of the
column out to where the 7th Michigan men were, on the left, in a kind of
alley way, and occupying a house, Macy called to them to go ahead. Capt.
Hunt, their commanding officer was there, and he hesitated and refused.
Macy was obliged to halt and urge him to go forward. Capt. Hunt still
refused, saying he had no orders, and Macy, much irritated, told him his
orders, which were very plain, to go forward and follow the 7th. Orders
came from the rear to press on, Hunt still hung back, saying the Rebels
were there in force, and "no man could live around that corner", or some
such words. Macy was of course terribly angry, and turned off saying: "Go
to hell with your regiment then", or something like that, and gave the
order to advance. All this occurred but for 2 or 3 minutes, yet it was
very troublesome, as the rear was pressing close. My Company was close to
Abbott's, and we entered upon the main street within a moment of each
other. That instant a tremendous and deadly fire swept down from the front
and left. The Rebels occupied the houses and were behind fences, and could
not be seen except for the flash of the guns. It staggered the column, but
in a moment we pressed on, led by Abbott in his usual fearless manner. At
the same time my Company was ordered to left wheel, and Capt. Shepard gave
the first word, and the Company swung round right across the worst line of
fire. Capt. Shepard called over, hit in the foot, and shouted to me to
take command. 1st Sergeant Campion fell, and 2 or 3 more, and before I
could get to my place, they had fallen into a momentary confusion, and it
was with no little difficulty I could bring them into line and open fire
down the street. The Rebels evidently took good aim. Almost every ball
struck, and a very lat\rge proportion were killed outright or desparately
wounded. The 3rd Company had wheeled to the right but had found the fire
coming from the rear and left (to them) and had soon entered the houses on
the left and fired to the front. The men were killed and wounded so fast
that the rest of the Regiment was immediately called up and supported the
Companies first in position. In this way Companies, D, A and C came up and
filled that part of the street my company could not cover. The entire
place was heaped with bodies, and although night was coming on, the Rebels
were not silenced, but still fired, and even got into a small house on the
left of Company I, from which Abbott vainly tried to dislodge them in
entering a house on his left. Our guns were getting clogged, our fire
slack, and Macy sent back urgent requests for help, and for the Regiments
on our right and left to advance, and altogether to clear the Rebels out.
The 59th New York were sent up to relieve us, but as soon as they got
under fire, gave way, and ran back, and were only rallied by the efforts
of our Officers, and their own Lieut. ? who seemed the only decent man
they had. Just before they came up, I was struck by a spent ball in the
upper part of my groin, a very severe blow which cut completely through my
trowsers. I fell backwards, and was assisted by a soldier. My leg was
completely paralyzed , and I almost lost my consciousness, and felt sure I
was shot through. I left the Company to Sergeant Clark, and limped to the
rear, suffering considerable pain. Just around the corner I leaned against
a fence, and now felt better and found I could move my leg. Just then the
59th gave way, and came running back, and I made an effort to stop them,
and after a few minutes they were rallied, and I then found I could stand,
and got back immediately to my Company which was still as I left it. My
leg was pretty stiff for 3 days but is now perfectly well. It ws now
getting dark, my Company had dwindled down to about 8 men and the rifles
were so foul they could hardly be loaded. We had fired about 30 rounds.
Macy had sent up the other Companies and the left of the street was left
open, the men who were left firing from the right partly sheltered by the
brick building. The 59th had been got up and were ordered to relieve us,
and my few men were allowed to go to the rear with Company D under
Perkins. I did not mention that Capt. Dreher had been ordered to support
me with his company, and had come up, but he almost immedialtely withdrew
his company and they fell entirely back. The color bearer, however, was
shot.[Web note: Cpl.
Anton Steffens, this web page developer's
great great uncle, was likely the color bearer referred to.] Abbott
had suffered terribly and the 59th were sent to relieve him, and as it was
now dark and the firing less deadly, they stood about the corners and kept
firing while our Companies were drawn a little back, but only to the head
of the street where there were two stores. In a few moments, however, they
all came running back in terrible confusion and were only stopped by
Abbott, Herbert and myself who placed ourselves across the street and
fairly forced them to halt. They could not be brought up and so (as we had
received orders) we got back our men to the houses and stores at the head
of the street and the firing gradually dropped off. We got in our wounded
and helped them to the rear as well as we could. Just as the 59th gave way
the last time, I went forward to where two men were carrying back a
wounded Captain of the 59th and helped him off. His blood was pouring out
in a stream which I could hear, but not see. He was mortally wounded and
was I hear their best Officer. Lieut. McKay was shot just by me, a short
distance behind Company I near the corner, just before we fell back for
the night. He was one of our very best officers. We occupied these houses
all night. The enemy fell back, and there was no more firing. On the
whole, it was about as trying a fight as could well be. Abbott said it was
far worse than Ball's Bluff.
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