CHAPTER XVI.

MIDNIGHT SHELLING. A SPY. PROMOTIONS. RETURN OF GENERALS MCCALL AND REYNOLDS. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE PENINSULA. VOYAGE ON THE JAMES AND POTOMAC. GENERAL POPE'S MOVEMENTS. HUNTING OUR DIVISION. RUNNING THE GAUNTLET.

A LITTLE after midnight, on the 1st of August, the enemy brought some light batteries to Coggin's Point and the Coles House, on the right bank of the James river, directly opposite Harrison's Landing, and opened a heavy fire upon our shipping and encampments. The shot and shell flew around our camp in the most lively manner, which occasioned a grand stampede among the darks," who took to the swamps and hid themselves. The majority of the boys taking a philosophical view of the matter considered themselves about as safe in one place as another, and did not disturb themselves from their blankets, while others of a more excitable nature, after admiring the pyrotechnical display for a time, lit their candles and went to playing cards. In about thirty minutes our guns silenced their fire, and the next morning, three of their dead, a disabled caisson and flag were found. Our loss was ten killed and fifteen wounded. No harm of the slightest consequence was done to the shipping, although several of the vessels were struck. One of the dead had no wound or mark upon him whatever, which was probably occasioned by a ball rolling over his chest and pressing the breath out of him. The popular opinion that a cannon ball passing near one's mouth may take away the breath and produce death is

erroneous.

The next morning, the Coles House, which had been a rendezvous for the enemy, was destroyed, and four hundred men of our brigade were sent over the river under command of Colonel McNeill, of the "Bucktails,"

to fell the timber, and a picket guard of four hundred of the First Michigan were thrown out to protect them. They returned at night with an abundance of fruit, vegetables and berries. These details were continued daily, entrenchments were thrown up by contrabands, and some heavy guns put in position, giving us a safe debouche and securing us from further midnight cannonading.

One day our detail brought in a man who attempted to run through our pickets. He was an intelligent young Virginian, who crossed the river with them in the morning, representing himself as being connected with the commissary department, and appearing perfectly at home th the men. When taken he was on horseback, and tried hard to escape. He showed considerable bitterness. against the "Yankees," appeared indifferent as to what they might do with him, and although annoyed at his capture, an expression of concealed fun was, in unguarded moments, caught lurking in his bright eyes. He was turned over to the provost-marshal. The next day he

crossed again with a squad of cavalry, from whom he managed to slip, and despite their efforts could not be recaptured. We afterwards learned that he was a spy in the employment of General McClellan.

On the 3d, Colonel Averill, with three hundred men of the Third Pennsylvania and Fifth regular cavalry, marched to Sycamore Church, some five miles from Coles House, where they found and attacked a cavalry force of the enemy five hundred and fifty strong, whom they routed, and burned their entire camp and commissary and quartermaster's stores.

On the 4th the following promotions were read out on dress parade: Major G. A. Woodward to be lieutenantcolonel, vice McCandless, promoted; Captain Horace Neidé, Company A, to be major, vice Woodward, promoted; First Lieutenant Daniel H. Connor, Company A, to be captain, vice Neidé, promoted; Second Lieutenant John J. Ross, Company A to be first lieuteuant, vice Connor

promoted; First Lieutenant John M. Clark, Company F to be captain, vice John E. Barnacle, resigned. The same day Dr. A. G. Coleman, of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, reported for duty as assistant-surgeon; each regiment being now allowed two assistant-surgeons. About this time Captain P. McDonough and Lieutenant John Curley, Sergeants John Cullin, Company B; Andrew Casey, Company C; Edward Cherry, Company D; George H. Morrow, Company E; H. C. Hostetter, Company G; William McGlenn, Company H; Peter Gillis, Company K, and private William Aiken, Company A, were detailed to proceed to Philadelphia on recruiting service. About this time James Harbison, Company D, died, and was buried in the Fifth Corps' ground, in a pretty woods near the banks of Herring Landing. His death was hastened by the recent loss of almost all his relatives. While here we were paid off by Major Pomeroy up to the 1st of July.

Deserters having reported the enemy were moving south of James river, and that the force in Richmond was small, General Hooker with his division, and Pleasanton's cavalry was sent to feel in that direction, on the 2d, and having been joined by General Sedgwick's division, he succeeded in turning Malvern Hill on the morning of the 5th, and driving the enemy back toward Richmond. The enemy's force consisted of a very considerable body of infantry and artillery, and over one hundred prisoners were captured and a number killed and wounded, with a loss on our side of three killed and eleven wounded. Colonel Averill pushed a reconnoissance in the direction of Savage Station and near White Oak Bridge he encountered the Eighteenth Virginia cavalry, whom he drove, capturing twenty-eight men and horses, and killing and wounding several. Hooker encamped that night on Malvern Hill, and on the morning of the 7th returned to camp. While this movement was being made orders were issued to hold our division in readiness to move with two days' cooked

rations. General McClellan at one time intended to have supported him with the whole army, but the receipt of advices from Washington induced him not to do so.

On the 10th all the regimental bands were mustered out of service, brigade bands only being provided for by the late act of Congress. The same day, orders were received to pack our knapsacks, and label each with the owner's name, and send them down to the landing to be shipped in charge of the quartermaster-sergeant. Orders were also received to have three days' cooked rations in haversacks and five in bulk. At dark we were got into line and marched to the upper landing and then to the lower one, and after waiting there until eleven o'clock, we returned to our camp.

On the 13th, Generals McCall and Reynolds arrived from Richmond, and the Reserves paraded to receive them. The reception was most enthusiastic, the boys cheering and throwing their hats in the air. General McCall having not yet recovered from the effect of his sickness and imprisonment, did not assume command but went north. This separation was final between the general and the division, every officer and man of which respected, honored and loved him. It was he who organized, disciplined, and brought to that high state of efficiency the division, which rendered them so efficient. in the field and won for them a proud and glorious

name.

General Reynolds succeeded to the command of the division. The same night the sergeants of the old First Brigade met and resolved to raise a subscription among the men to present to General Reynolds a magnificent sword, belt and sash. The same day General Meade arrived from Philadelphia and took command of his brigade, which was now the First, and General Seymour assumed the command of our brigade which was now the Second.

On the 30th of July Major-general Halleck, commanding United States Army, issued orders for the shipment

of all the sick from Harrison's Landing to the north, which at that time amounted to about twelve thousand five hundred, which was immediately commenced.

It having been determined to withdraw the Army of the Potomac from the Peninsula to Aquia creek, orders for the same were issued on the 3d of August. The reasons that led to this determination were, that at that time General McClellan's army numbered but ninety thousand effective men, and the army of General Pope, charged with the covering of Washington, numbered but thirty-eight thousand. The former was twenty-five miles from Richmond and the latter about eighty or ninety miles from Washington, while between them were the enemy, numbering over two hundred thousand men. This would enable the enemy to fall with his superior numbers upon one or the other as he might elect, without either being able to reinforce the other in case of attack. It was in the enemy's power at any time to exchange Richmond for Washington, and while the loss of their capital would be but trifling to them, the loss of Washington to us would be conclusive, or nearly so, in its results upon the war. General McClellan most earnestly protested against the withdrawal of his army, he contending that the true defence of Washington was on the banks, of the James river; that the heart of the rebellion laid directly in front of his army, and that a decided victory there would crush the military strength of the rebellion. He asked for reinforcements to the extent of thirty-five thousand men, and as the Government had no disposable troops to send him, he pointed to Burnside and Pope's forces from which they could be drawn. Without attempting to criticize the military opinions of either General McClellan or Halleck, we think that subsequent events showed the absolute necessity of withdrawing the army from the Peninsula.

It having been ascertained that "Stonewall" Jackson was moving north, General McClellan, in compliance with orders from Washington, embarked five batteries