Thought this was an excellent account of Col. Emory Upton's charge on the Mule Shoe salient at Spotsylvania, May 10, 1864. From the diary of Clinton Beckwith (pictured above) who enlisted in the 121st New York Volunteer Infantry at the young age of 16 in 1862.
About 5 P. M. we moved over the works down into the woods, close up to our skirmishers (the 65th N. Y.), who were keeping up a rapid fire, and formed in line of battle. Regiment after regiment came up and formed in line, we being in the first or front line and the right of the column, the 96th Penn. On Our left and the 5th Maine On the left of the 96th. Behind us was the 49th Pennsylvania, behind it the 43d N. Y. and behind it the 2d Vermont. Behind the 5th Maine were in order the 5th Wisconsin, the 119th Pennsylvania and the 6th Vermont. The Rebel rifle pits were about two hundred and fifty yards in front of our skirmish line. They had no skirmishers out, ours having driven them in, but they were firing from their breastworks, on top of which they had logs to protect their heads. Our batteries (one on the right and three in the rear of us) were belching away at them, and they were answering but feebly. Occasionally the hum of a bullet and the screech of a shell gave notice that they were on the qui vive.
As soon as we were formed Colonel Upton, Major Galpin and the Adjutant came along and showed to the officers and men a sketch of just how the Rebel works were located, and we were directed to keep to the right of the road which ran from our line direct to theirs. It was a grass grown farm road leading to the main or Catharpin road, which was the road we wanted to get and hold. We were ordered to fix bayonets, to load and cap our guns and to charge at a right shoulder shift arms. No man was to stop and succor or assist a wounded comrade. We must go as far as possible, and when we broke their line, face to our right, advance and fire lengthwise of their line. Colonel Upton was with our regiment and rode on our right. He instructed us not to fire a shot, cheer or yell, until we struck their works.
It was nearly sundown when we were ready to go forward. The day had been bright and it was warm, but the air felt damp, indicating rain. The racket and smoke made by the skirmishers and batteries, made it look hazy about us, and we had to raise our voices to be heard. We waited in suspense for some time. Dorr I. Davenport with whom I tented, said to me, "I feel as though I was going to get hit. If I do, you get my things and send them home." I said, "I will, and you do the same for me in case I am shot, but keep a stiff upper lip. We may get through all right." He said, "I dread the first volley, they have so good a shot at us."
Shortly after this the batteries stopped firing, and in a few minutes an officer rode along toward the right as fast as he could, and a moment afterward word was passed along to get ready, then "Fall in," and then "Forward." I felt my gorge rise, and my stomach and intestines shrink together in a knot, and a thousand things rushed through my mind. I fully realized the terrible peril I was to encounter (gained from previous experience). I looked about in the faces of the boys around me, and they told the tale of expected death. Pulling my cap down over my eyes, I stepped out, the extreme man on the left of the regiment, except Sergeant Edwards and Adjutant Morse who was on foot. In a few seconds we passed the skirmish line and moved more rapidly, the officers shouting "Forward" and breaking into a run immediately after we got into the field a short distance.
As soon as we began to run the men, unmindful of, or forgetting orders, commenced to yell, and in a few steps farther the rifle pits were dotted with puffs of smoke, and men began to fall rapidly and some began to fire at the works, thus losing the chance they had to do something, when they reached the works to protect themselves. I got along all right and there were a number of us in the grass-grown unused road, and several were shot, but I could not tell who, because I was intent upon reaching the works. We were broken up some getting through the slashing and the abatis. By this time the Rebels were beginning to fire the second time, and a rapid but scattering fire ran along the works which we reached in another instant. One of our officers in front of us jumped on the top log and shouted, "Come on, men," and pitched forward and disappeared, shot. I followed an instant after and the men swarmed upon, and over the works on each side of me. As I got on top some Rebs jumped up from their side and began to run back. Some were lunging at our men with their bayonets and a few had their guns clubbed. Jim Johnston, Oaks and Hassett, were wounded by bayonets. One squad, an officer with them, were backing away from us, the officer firing his revolver at our men. I fired into them, jumped down into the pits and moved out toward them.
Artwork of Upton's charge by Rick Reeves.
Just at this time, our second line came up and we received another volley from the line in front of us and the battery fired one charge of cannister. Colonel Upton shouted "Forward" and we all ran towards the battery, passing another line of works, and the men in them passed to our rear as prisoners, or ran away after firing into us. Continuing we ran over the battery taking it and its men prisoners, and on beyond, until there was nothing in our front, except some tents by the roadside and there was no firing upon us for a few moments, of any magnitude. I looked into the ammunition chest of the battery to see if I could find something to put in the vents of the guns to prevent their being fired again in case we had to leave them. There were several of our company there. I remember Jesse Jones and Dorr Davenport, Johnny Woodward, Judson A. Chapin and I think they took the wheels off one of the guns, and I broke off a twig in the vents of two guns, but we were ordered to go to the works and moved to the right.
While moving as ordered, some Rebel troops came up and fired a volley into us. We got on the other side of the rifle pits and began firing at them and checked their advance. It was now duskish and it seemed as though the firing on our front and to our right became heavier, and the whistle of balls seemed to come from all directions and was incessant. I said to the man next to me "I guess our men are firing from the first line. We had better go back there. I don't believe our men carried the works on the left." (We had been told that Mott's division and a division of the Ninth Corps were to charge immediately after us if we carried the works in our front.) He answered "The fire is all from the Rebs." In a moment a battery opened upon us and we fell back to the first line over which I got and came across some of the regiment. There were also some from the 5th Maine and a number of other regiments. We continued firing. We could now see the flashes of the guns and knew they were coming in on us. A great many of our men were shot in this locality, but I thought the wounded would all have a chance to get back. I knew that we could not stay there. The wounded between us and the Rebs were in terrible plight, and must all have been shot to pieces by the fire from both sides.
Colonel Upton asked for volunteers to make a rush on the Rebel battery, but did not get any. The undertaking looked too desperate. He asked for men from the 121st New York, saying, "Are there none of my old regiment here?" But there were only a few of us there and our cartridges were running low. I do not know how long we remained there firing. It seemed like an hour, but I don’t suppose it was. Finally word was passed along to fall back quietly to our skirmish line and back we started. Getting back into the open field, it was covered with dark forms lying on the ground, and many more moving back. I came at Once across a group and recognized Tom Parsons of the 5th Maine. He was shot through the wrist, both bones were crushed and he suffered terrible pain. Between him and another man was a wounded captain and Parsons said "For God’s sake help us back with him." Giving the man my gun, I stooped in front of the captain, and catching him by the legs hoisted him as gently as I could upon my back, carried him to the edge of the woods, and under shelter of our skirmish line, and there left him with some of his regiment. I kept on trying to find some of our own fellows.
Reaching the works we started from, I found one of the company. Back of the works a little ways, in the edge of the pines where our men were assembling was the 95th Pennsylvania. Occupying these works less than an hour we began to get some idea of the awful loss we had sustained. I looked around for Davenport, made inquiries, but could get no tidings of him. I went to the brigade hospital, and saw many of our regiment, shot in all shapes, but Dorr was not with them. Just as I was starting back, a Company I man said, "One of your company is lying in the woods just where we started to charge." I went out to the skirmish line again. There was some firing on the line by the Rebels. There were some wounded men out in the field, as we could tell by their cries and groans, and I went out a little way, passing several dead men, and helped bring in a badly wounded man. Realizing how hopeless it was to find Dorr, I came back, tired out and heartsick. I sat down in the woods, and as I thought of the desolation and misery about me, my feelings overcame me and I cried like a little child. After a time I felt better and went back to camp. I found the men, and talked over the charge for a long time.
On the morning of the 11th we mustered barely a hundred men. Captain Gordon I think was in command of the regiment. We changed our position a little on the 11th and as we glanced along the terribly thinned ranks and upon the shattered staff and tattered colors, we were filled with sorrow for our lost comrades, and deep forebodings for the future. A splendid regiment had been nearly destroyed without adequate results. In but a week's time, since leaving our pleasant camp on Hazel River, pitiless war had destroyed our bravest and best men. The loss of General Sedgwick had been keenly felt. He had ever been a source of pride to us and his calm courage and masterly military skill was an anchor of hope, and an abiding confidence in our ability to whip the foe!”
The weather too became bad, raining steadily, and increased the wretchedness of our physical and mental condition. I think at this time we were consolidated into a battalion of four companies. Colonel Upton had been made a brigadier general upon the field by General Grant, and a popular and hard won promotion it was; and at this time after years of mature reflection I know of no officer, who ever came within my knowledge, for whom I have a more abiding admiration and respect. He was in my judgment as able a soldier as ever commanded a body of troops, and I never saw an officer under fire who preserved the calmness of demeanor, the utter indifference to danger, the thorough knowledge of the situation, and what was best to do, as did Colonel Upton.
As soon as we were formed Colonel Upton, Major Galpin and the Adjutant came along and showed to the officers and men a sketch of just how the Rebel works were located, and we were directed to keep to the right of the road which ran from our line direct to theirs. It was a grass grown farm road leading to the main or Catharpin road, which was the road we wanted to get and hold. We were ordered to fix bayonets, to load and cap our guns and to charge at a right shoulder shift arms. No man was to stop and succor or assist a wounded comrade. We must go as far as possible, and when we broke their line, face to our right, advance and fire lengthwise of their line. Colonel Upton was with our regiment and rode on our right. He instructed us not to fire a shot, cheer or yell, until we struck their works.
It was nearly sundown when we were ready to go forward. The day had been bright and it was warm, but the air felt damp, indicating rain. The racket and smoke made by the skirmishers and batteries, made it look hazy about us, and we had to raise our voices to be heard. We waited in suspense for some time. Dorr I. Davenport with whom I tented, said to me, "I feel as though I was going to get hit. If I do, you get my things and send them home." I said, "I will, and you do the same for me in case I am shot, but keep a stiff upper lip. We may get through all right." He said, "I dread the first volley, they have so good a shot at us."
Shortly after this the batteries stopped firing, and in a few minutes an officer rode along toward the right as fast as he could, and a moment afterward word was passed along to get ready, then "Fall in," and then "Forward." I felt my gorge rise, and my stomach and intestines shrink together in a knot, and a thousand things rushed through my mind. I fully realized the terrible peril I was to encounter (gained from previous experience). I looked about in the faces of the boys around me, and they told the tale of expected death. Pulling my cap down over my eyes, I stepped out, the extreme man on the left of the regiment, except Sergeant Edwards and Adjutant Morse who was on foot. In a few seconds we passed the skirmish line and moved more rapidly, the officers shouting "Forward" and breaking into a run immediately after we got into the field a short distance.
As soon as we began to run the men, unmindful of, or forgetting orders, commenced to yell, and in a few steps farther the rifle pits were dotted with puffs of smoke, and men began to fall rapidly and some began to fire at the works, thus losing the chance they had to do something, when they reached the works to protect themselves. I got along all right and there were a number of us in the grass-grown unused road, and several were shot, but I could not tell who, because I was intent upon reaching the works. We were broken up some getting through the slashing and the abatis. By this time the Rebels were beginning to fire the second time, and a rapid but scattering fire ran along the works which we reached in another instant. One of our officers in front of us jumped on the top log and shouted, "Come on, men," and pitched forward and disappeared, shot. I followed an instant after and the men swarmed upon, and over the works on each side of me. As I got on top some Rebs jumped up from their side and began to run back. Some were lunging at our men with their bayonets and a few had their guns clubbed. Jim Johnston, Oaks and Hassett, were wounded by bayonets. One squad, an officer with them, were backing away from us, the officer firing his revolver at our men. I fired into them, jumped down into the pits and moved out toward them.
Artwork of Upton's charge by Rick Reeves.
Just at this time, our second line came up and we received another volley from the line in front of us and the battery fired one charge of cannister. Colonel Upton shouted "Forward" and we all ran towards the battery, passing another line of works, and the men in them passed to our rear as prisoners, or ran away after firing into us. Continuing we ran over the battery taking it and its men prisoners, and on beyond, until there was nothing in our front, except some tents by the roadside and there was no firing upon us for a few moments, of any magnitude. I looked into the ammunition chest of the battery to see if I could find something to put in the vents of the guns to prevent their being fired again in case we had to leave them. There were several of our company there. I remember Jesse Jones and Dorr Davenport, Johnny Woodward, Judson A. Chapin and I think they took the wheels off one of the guns, and I broke off a twig in the vents of two guns, but we were ordered to go to the works and moved to the right.
While moving as ordered, some Rebel troops came up and fired a volley into us. We got on the other side of the rifle pits and began firing at them and checked their advance. It was now duskish and it seemed as though the firing on our front and to our right became heavier, and the whistle of balls seemed to come from all directions and was incessant. I said to the man next to me "I guess our men are firing from the first line. We had better go back there. I don't believe our men carried the works on the left." (We had been told that Mott's division and a division of the Ninth Corps were to charge immediately after us if we carried the works in our front.) He answered "The fire is all from the Rebs." In a moment a battery opened upon us and we fell back to the first line over which I got and came across some of the regiment. There were also some from the 5th Maine and a number of other regiments. We continued firing. We could now see the flashes of the guns and knew they were coming in on us. A great many of our men were shot in this locality, but I thought the wounded would all have a chance to get back. I knew that we could not stay there. The wounded between us and the Rebs were in terrible plight, and must all have been shot to pieces by the fire from both sides.
Colonel Upton asked for volunteers to make a rush on the Rebel battery, but did not get any. The undertaking looked too desperate. He asked for men from the 121st New York, saying, "Are there none of my old regiment here?" But there were only a few of us there and our cartridges were running low. I do not know how long we remained there firing. It seemed like an hour, but I don’t suppose it was. Finally word was passed along to fall back quietly to our skirmish line and back we started. Getting back into the open field, it was covered with dark forms lying on the ground, and many more moving back. I came at Once across a group and recognized Tom Parsons of the 5th Maine. He was shot through the wrist, both bones were crushed and he suffered terrible pain. Between him and another man was a wounded captain and Parsons said "For God’s sake help us back with him." Giving the man my gun, I stooped in front of the captain, and catching him by the legs hoisted him as gently as I could upon my back, carried him to the edge of the woods, and under shelter of our skirmish line, and there left him with some of his regiment. I kept on trying to find some of our own fellows.
Reaching the works we started from, I found one of the company. Back of the works a little ways, in the edge of the pines where our men were assembling was the 95th Pennsylvania. Occupying these works less than an hour we began to get some idea of the awful loss we had sustained. I looked around for Davenport, made inquiries, but could get no tidings of him. I went to the brigade hospital, and saw many of our regiment, shot in all shapes, but Dorr was not with them. Just as I was starting back, a Company I man said, "One of your company is lying in the woods just where we started to charge." I went out to the skirmish line again. There was some firing on the line by the Rebels. There were some wounded men out in the field, as we could tell by their cries and groans, and I went out a little way, passing several dead men, and helped bring in a badly wounded man. Realizing how hopeless it was to find Dorr, I came back, tired out and heartsick. I sat down in the woods, and as I thought of the desolation and misery about me, my feelings overcame me and I cried like a little child. After a time I felt better and went back to camp. I found the men, and talked over the charge for a long time.
On the morning of the 11th we mustered barely a hundred men. Captain Gordon I think was in command of the regiment. We changed our position a little on the 11th and as we glanced along the terribly thinned ranks and upon the shattered staff and tattered colors, we were filled with sorrow for our lost comrades, and deep forebodings for the future. A splendid regiment had been nearly destroyed without adequate results. In but a week's time, since leaving our pleasant camp on Hazel River, pitiless war had destroyed our bravest and best men. The loss of General Sedgwick had been keenly felt. He had ever been a source of pride to us and his calm courage and masterly military skill was an anchor of hope, and an abiding confidence in our ability to whip the foe!”
The weather too became bad, raining steadily, and increased the wretchedness of our physical and mental condition. I think at this time we were consolidated into a battalion of four companies. Colonel Upton had been made a brigadier general upon the field by General Grant, and a popular and hard won promotion it was; and at this time after years of mature reflection I know of no officer, who ever came within my knowledge, for whom I have a more abiding admiration and respect. He was in my judgment as able a soldier as ever commanded a body of troops, and I never saw an officer under fire who preserved the calmness of demeanor, the utter indifference to danger, the thorough knowledge of the situation, and what was best to do, as did Colonel Upton.
- History of the 121st New York State Infantry by Isaac Oliver Best, pp. 128-34.
Small memorial to Upton's charge on the battlefield.