5th U.S. Artillery at Gaine's Mill

tmh10

Major
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Location
Pipestem,WV
Friend W-,
I received your letter some time ago. The date I cannot recollect just now, but it was while we were at Fredricksburg, Virginia, two days before we left to join General McClellan, opposite Richmond. My duties were so pressing just then that I could not write to you. I am sorry to say that I am still unable to do my duty as Quartermaster Sergeant, (which is my position in the battery) as I have been on the sick list since the 5th of July. I will give you a short description of our late battles before Richmond. Our battery was within four miles of Richmond, near Mechanicsville, and in strong hopes of being in Richmond on the Fourth of July; but we were greatly disappointed.

On Thursday, June 26th, between 6 and 7 the battery was brought in action against the rebels. As long as we could we see that night we literally mowed them down like grass, with our grape and canister. At ten o’clock, that night, we were ordered to fall back still farther to Gaine’s Mills, where we had the second trial with our guns, which I and all the boys will never forget as long as we live.

On the first day’s fight we lost but one man in our battery. He was shot below the left knee and died the same night. His name was John Searfoss, of Easton. On the 27th of June we lost F.S. Ginginger. He was shot in the back and the ball passed out in front of his body; but he kept on his horse until he got off the battlefield, when he was sent to the hospital at Savage’s Station, where he died on Saturday night, June 28th. Sergeant Brodie was also wounded on the 27th, and was at Savage’s Station, where he was taken prisoner, - W. Naylor was shot dead; Corporal Geo. Hauck was shot in two places almost at the same time, and it was supposed that he died almost instantly; we tried hard to bring his body off the field, but just then the infantry that was to support our battery broke and ran.

At this time we gave the rebels double-shotted canister; - that is, two shots of grape at one discharge. We cut them down terribly, but it seemed as if the whole rebel crew were just in front of our guns, as we could see the large gaps we made at each discharge of our guns, and how quickly they were closed up again. They had at least six to our one in front of us. When they saw that our infantry broke they outflanked us and came near capturing the battery and taking us prisoners. They were within ten feet of our guns when we left the field. Our noble Captain was wounded here, and three of our cannons and four caissons taken. We might have saved more, but our horses were shot. In all the battles of Mexico, I never saw men fight so determinedly as did our boys from Easton, which made my heart swell with pride. There is pluck and courage in our town to be proud of. I hope that all traitors may bite the dust and our noble institutions all be restored and our flag wave again over every inch of our beloved country.

Sergeant E.N.R. Ohl,
Battery C, 5th U.S. Artillery
 
Interesting letter. The Union boys deserved a better outcome from this fight. As brace and determined as the Rebs were they never should have broke through those solid lines. Gaines Mill, so interesting in so many ways. We see Lee's favorite tactic of an attempted flanking move with Stonewall and his frontal assaults like Picketts Charge. The charge worked the flanking move didn't really, at least as planned. What must of the night after that battle of been like? The wounded, the traumatized, the scared out of the minds young troops and the organized retreat over the Chickahominey. Crazy!
 
The following is an eyewitness report from a Federal Infantryman. “We hold our position here in advance of the second line. One of the color bearers is down and the other one brings me the colors. I have to find another color bearer, which requires time, as I am gathering squads of men to form in rear of Griffin's battery as a support. That accomplished, we call in our scattered men. The enemy attempts to cross the road and take this battery in rear, but two regiments have reformed to the right of the house and hold them in check. Our artillerymen are straining every nerve to keep back the enemy columns, who are rushing on in frantic masses and trying to sweep the whole crest.”


General D. H. Hill had sent five North Carolina regiments to take the guns in front and flank, but only one of them, the 20th North Carolina, managed to reach the battery. The Carolinians seized the guns, a section of the U.S. 3rd Artillery, and even turned one of them against the Yankee line but promptly lost them to a counterattack by the 16th New York. As the Carolinians and New Yorkers struggled for the battery, the rest of D. H. Hill’s Division pushed towards the crest of the hill.[1]


Again from the Federal lines: “Now comes the order to us: "Rise up!" Instantly every man is on his feet, some only to fall again and rise no more, as a fresh burst comes from the enemy. Now our gallant commander cries, "Ready, aim low, men. Fire!" Every piece is discharged in a withering volley. We pull back quickly and are halfway across the field before the enemy recover sufficiently from our volley to fire at us. Then we see another column moving up the slope to take us in flank and rear. There is too much smoke for us to distinguish who they are. Some call out that they are our own men, and hesitate. But we are soon decided, for they give us a volley.” "Step now, men, if you ever stepped." Thank God, the fence is close at hand. But great gaps have opened in our ranks. Directly in front of me six men fall in quick succession, so rapidly that I have to pause an instant to avoid trampling on them. I pass into one of the gaps, and soon we are over the road and forming behind the second fence in McGhee's orchard. The 14th have opened fire on our pursuers. We rally our shattered ranks. Every post, bush, and tree now covers a man who is blazing away as fast as he can load and fire. All the open space below us is a sea of men. Column after column forms and charges up to the very muzzles of our guns, which belch forth grape and canister in a continual stream. Column after column melts away like smoke, but is quickly reformed and again rushes on.”


Back with the Confederates we find them at the crest of the hill just prior to the action described above. “Pausing some little time, under shelter of a small but abrupt hill, an advance into the field was determined upon, in three lines, Anderson’s Brigade leading, the 5th, 12th and 26th Alabama next, and part of Garland’s Brigade in the rear. The word “Forward” was given, and with a ringing cheer our men rushed onwards, passing to Anderson’s left, and taking a position abreast of him, and away they went, the U. S. regulars retreating before them, and both sides loading and firing as they hurried on. For nearly a mile the pursuit continued. The enemy wheeled other regiments so as to give us a flanking fire from two directions from infantry and artillery, and the field was swept with a hailstorm of shot, shell, grape, canister and bullets. Fortunately the dense smoke kept them from seeing our men distinctly, and most of their shot fell behind us. Nothing there could stop our men, and after scattering the regulars, the 5th and 26th Alabama dashed across a public road in their front, routed another regiment drawn up there to receive them, and pushed up against others.”[2]


Here are a few more first-hand accounts of the action. William Rinaldi of the 5th Alabama gives us the following account: “Such musketry I have never heard before. “Seven Pines” was nothing compared to it.....Charged a piece of woods on which the 30th N. C. was or had been engaged. They had driven the Yankees off and did not know it. When we got to them they were keeping up a deafening fire --- some behind trees, some lying on their backs loading, then rising, firing and falling on the ground again. --- When the firing was stopped it was ascertained that there were no Yankees in five hundred yards. The 5th (Alabama) was then ordered to charge on opposite side of field --- the Yankees fled like sheep on the hill. Repaired.... under cover of hill. Marched to top of hill and fired several rounds. As the men came to the top of the hill the 5th gave them a broad side. I saw ranks open in at least twenty-five places. The balanced fired and then ran. We had driven the men from the battery and the field. In making the charges our men were exposed to the fire of two batteries with a heavy fire from right, left and front. But they knew nothing of fear. Had charged and fought a distance of five hundred yards.”[3] James J. Hutchinson reported, “The 5th (Alabama) charged a battery of cannon, whose artillerists fled before the bayonets reached them, and just as the guns fell into the hands of our men, a Federal regiment actually charged them. In an instant Major Hobson wheeled the regiment and advanced to meet them with the bayonet, but when within thirty paces they turned and fled, and their example was followed in all directions by the Federals..”[4] “..our regiment with the 26th Ala of our brigade charged out into a field ½ mile broad attacking two brigades of the enemy drove them back and took a battery. I with my handful of a company took 15 prisoners at the guns. Twas one of the most heroic charges ever made, but dearly we paid for it, we had here a fair chance and showed what our regiment was made of, the men rallied beautifully, and came off the field in good order, having routed the enemy completely.”[5] Wrote Captain Eugene Blackford of Company K, 5th Alabama, a week or so later. The men of the 5th and 26th Alabama had, almost alone, beaten back two large bodies of the enemy on the top of the hill and captured Federal battery in their front.[6]


The men of the 5th Alabama had not gone unscathed during their charge. From General D. H. Hill’s official report: “The Fifth and Twenty-sixth Alabama (Rodes' brigade) encountered a battery in their front, which they charged and captured. Colonel Christopher Claudius Pegues, the noble Christian commander of the Fifth Alabama, fell mortally wounded in this charge.” “Upon falling (says General Rodes) he called to the next officer in command, Major [E. L.] Hobson, and told him that the Fifth had always been in the advance, and that it was his last wish that it should go ahead and allow no regiment to pass it. Major Hobson gallantly- carried out his wishes, and led the regiment constantly ahead of all others in the division except the Twenty-sixth Alabama, which, under its brave Colonel (O'Neal), kept steady with it.”[7]


[1] “To the Gates of Richmond – The Peninsula Campaign” by Stephen W. Sears. Page 237

[2] “The Beacon”, August 8, 1862, Letter of J. J. Hutchinson dated July 14, 1862

[3] Diary of William Rinaldi

[4] “The Beacon”, August 8, 1862, Letter of J. J. Hutchinson dated July 14, 1862

[5] Letter of Eugene Blackford dated July 2nd, 1862

[6] Official Records, Report of Brigadier General Robert E. Rodes

[7] O. R. Series 1, Volume II (Part II), page 625
 
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