"The Irish Ninth in Bivouac and Battle"
by Michael H. Macnamara
CHAPTER XI.
Our Captain and the General. -- Mechanicsville. -- Battle of Gaines' Mills. -- Battle of the Chickahominy. -- Our Position after the Battle. -- Night Scenes.
AFTER the stirring events mentioned in the preceding chapter, our regiment returned to Gaines' Mills, where they performed the varied duties incidental to camp life, and had an opportunity to recruit themselves after the severe ordeal their physical powers had undergone, taking their share of picket duty with other regiments.
On one occasion a detachment of one hundred men of ours, under the command of Captain John Carey, were posted at and around Newmarket Bridge, adjacent to Gaines' Mills, with special instructions to hold the bridge against the enemy at all hazards. From secret information he had received, General Fitz-John Porter was led to expect that an attack would be made on the bridge on this particular night, and feeling anxious, and knowing the importance of the position, went himself and conferred with the captain in command of the picket, "Carey of ours," as before stated. After giving minute instructions, as he was leaving, General Porter said to Carey, "Well, captain, you know what you have to do; mind, I hold you responsible;" to which the gallant captain, with his usual bluntness, replied, "Make yourself perfectly easy on that score, general; whoever passes over here must pass over the dead bodies of a hundred Irishmen." This reply may, by some, be taken as speaking boastingly; yet we can vouch for its accuracy, as expressing the confidence existing between our officers and men.
In this way the month of May and part of June were passed; nothing of importance occurring to call for remark. On the afternoon of the 26th of June the regiment marched for Mechanicsville, and, on arriving there, formed in line of battle, and took part in the engagement which took place there. We remained under fire, until the enemy was repulsed, the regiment stacking arms and sleeping on the scene of the encounter, and early in the morning we marched back to our old camp at Gaines' Mills.
Immediately on our return to camp, we received orders to cook some food, and be ready to march in half an hour, at the expiration of which time our regiment fell back about two miles, and stacked arms, prior to sending out two companies as skirmishers. Shortly afterwards, we retraced our way back toward Gaines' Mills. When we arrived at the Mill Creek we found a section of Titball's United States Battery, unsupported, and gallantly contesting the passage of the bridge at the mill. The two flank companies of our regiment were then deployed as skirmishers, and shortly afterwards it was found necessary to send out two more, and finally two more companies to support the whole. (This line was gallantly commanded by Major P.T. Hanley, afterwards promoted Lieutenant-Colonel.) At this time the enemy came around us so closely that they gradually overlapped our lines; we then saw that only one of two alternatives presented itself -- the capture of our entire regiment or retreat. The latter, as it would still preserve to us the advantage of position, was adopted, though not until we received orders from General Griffin. We then made our retreat gradually and slowly, contending every inch of ground, till we reached Porter's main line. This affair was fought with indomitable firmness. When we had orders to advance and hold the Mill Creek, two other regiments had been ordered to advance with us. These regiments, however, by some misapprehension of orders, did not move forward with us. This alone would have been sufficient to intimidate most men; with the Ninth it had a contrary effect. They advanced and firmly held the position, fighting a vastly superior force, and keeping them at bay, until General Griffin gave orders to fall back; then, for the first time, the general learned that the other regiments, supposed to be coöperating with us, had not arrived on the ground, and was, therefore, greatly surprised. In this engagement we had six men killed, twenty wounded, and one missing. Proudly we write of the determination and coolness displayed by our little band in their isolated position, as only brave men can and will do. They fought, and won for themselves a name which time will hallow and preserve.
Having gradually retreated and reached the lines of General Porter, the enemy could be observed cautiously following our green flag in its retrograde movement, and then were gradually led on towards that section of the wood where our regiment had taken up its position, a fierce conflict at the same time raging over the extensive area which surrounded us. Having got our regiment into good form under the crest of a hill, we perceived, to our astonishment, that our entire army had disappeared from view, and that we, alone and unsupported, were left to meet the advancing foe; while, to add to our dismay, whole batteries, which we had lately seen in full play, and doing, as we hoped, effective service, were deserted by our men, and in full possession of the advancing hordes. An effort was being made to collect the scattered and disconnected portions of our corps in a valley about half a mile in the rear. Midway between that valley and the advancing yelling enemy, the remnant of the Ninth stood in line, amid the chaotic dispersion that reigned around. Colonels might be seen vainly striving to collect the remnants of their regiments; colors without escort; men rushing madly about, seemingly without knowing where to go, what to do; and disaster, black and overwhelming, seeming to envelop all. Our little band, standing among the dead, hoping, longing for support, -- though none came, as no troops could be rallied to that position amid the terror and confusion that prevailed, -- was compelled to be the spectators of this terrible scene. Many noble fellows shed tears of anguish and rage as they looked upon the solitary flags wandering over the fields in the hands of their faithful bearers, who anxiously called aloud for defenders; yet still our regiment retained its position, their colors, torn with shot and shell, still gayly fluttering in the breeze, the stars and sunburst gleaming out a calm defiance. Suddenly a rebel brigade detached itself from line, and ran forward against the position occupied by the "Ninth;" on they came, and delivered a tremendous volley, their discordant yells grating upon our ears. Our regiment stood firm as statues, vigorously clutching their weapons, waiting the order of their commander. To stand was impossible; two more such volleys, and the Ninth would have been a regiment of dead ! We must either go forward or retreat. It was resolved to advance. The glory that was offered was too tempting for an Irishman to resist.
Lieutenant-Colonel Guiney, who was then in command (Colonel Cass, who had been gallantly fighting all day, and who was unfit for the saddle from exhaustion, having turned over the command to his lieutenant-colonel), immediately ordered the color-bearers forward, and gave the command, "Men, follow your colors !"* Upon this our brave little line dashed forward, and delivered a galling and destructive fire, and then, coming to the charge, immediately dashed upon the enemy's lines, broke, chased, and routed them; and again, when we succeeded in driving the enemy, we hotly pressed upon his heels into an open field. This success, however, was but temporary; for the enemy, by a fierce, enfilading fire, caused our poor fellows to fall so fast, that it was deemed expedient to retire. The firing was continued without intermission, and our regiment was again forced to fall back; yet again and again they rallied, and once more dashed forward like giants, and closed with their opponents in a desperate struggle, at the same time cheering, as only Irishmen can cheer, their idolized emblem still at their front, waving its folds amid the torrent of bullets and clouds of smoke which enveloped it, and driving the enemy back, step by step, they regained more ground than they had lost.
But our gallant regiment, decimated by the shot and shell of the enemy, exhausted by the rapid firing of eight consecutive hours, without food, many of them falling from thirst and exhaustion, paused in their victorious career, vainly striving to advance against the overwhelming legions of the enemy. But all their valor was in vain. They fell back, step by step, sending to their foes the leaden messengers of defiance. Human nature could do no more; but at last, in the sullen savageness of despair, with heroic determination, they rallied again, and rushed once more on the astonished foe; again they fell back; these terrific encounters were repeated nine times in succession. General officers, separated from their commands, fired with enthusiasm by the gallant conduct of our men, joined with them in these fearful conflicts. Thus the fierce struggle went on with alternate success until darkness came on, and the enemy withdrew from the contest.
Dusk was fast approaching, and our men, weary and worn out, taking advantage of the lull which ensued, threw themselves carelessly down upon the hill-side, striving to forget in sleep the gloom and disaster of the day. Gloomy, indeed, it was; the dead and the living intermingled, while, occasionally, a moan or cry of anguish from some poor, maimed, bruised, or dying soldier, as he strove to ease the pain of his gaping wounds, begged for water to moisten his parched tongue, or cool his throbbing brow; again the frenzied cry of a sufferer, the intensity of whose pain had hurled lordly reason from its throne, -- all these would rouse the tired soldier, though but for a moment, and again he slept on, strange though it may seem. Meanwhile, the night progressed slowly, its monotony only broken by the deep breathing of the sleeping men of our regiment, or the agonized cry of the wounded around us -- then followed by an oppressing silence. The night had far advanced, when, looking toward the valley before mentioned, we discerned what seemed to be compact masses of troops approaching; nearer and nearer they came, until they reached the hill whereon we lay; then, in the feeble light, we gladly hailed the "green and gold" banner of "Meagher's Immortal Brigade." They had come to relieve us. They greeted us with rousing cheers which we as heartily returned, and resigned to them the position we had held during the day.†
In a report of this battle by "A Prussian Officer," the credit of the action has been given to the "Irish Brigade;" on the contrary, they took no part in the battle of the Chickahominy; it was the green flag of the Ninth that deceived the "Prussian Officer," and occasioned the statement in his report.
The glory of that day cost us too much blood to be easily parted with. ‡
From the general officers of our division, our regiment received expressions of satisfaction and admiration for their courageous and heroic defence of a most exposed position, for many hours, against a vastly superior force. In the closer phases of the conflict the desperate strength of the Irish soldier made tremendous havoc among the ranks of the enemy. On that day the Ninth won great renown, and by their bravery showed themselves worthy of the land which gave them birth and of maintaining the honor of their adopted country.
In this action we lost Captains Madigan, Carey, O'Neil, and McCafferty, and Lieutenants Frank O'Dowd and Richard P. Nugent, who fell gallantly fighting while discharging their duties. Our total loss in this engagement was seventy-one killed, one hundred and thirty wounded, and fifteen missing.
*"The Ninth Massachusetts Regiment was the rear of the retreating column which had just passed over a hill into a large, open plain. . . .
"To break and run was not for the men who had covered themselves with glory during the entire day. Colonel P. R. Guiney (now in command) decided to form a line of battle on his colors, and resist the approach of the enemy until the advance of the retreat should have been far enough to leave ground sufficient to enable him to commence his retreat in good order. Colonel Guiney, with his standard-bearers, advanced upon the rebels with the words, 'Men, follow your colors !' It was enough. Before that small band of jaded heroes waved the 'Stars and Stripes' and the 'Green flag of Erin,' and, with loud huzzas, they rushed upon the rebels, driving them up the hill. Nine times did the remnant of the Ninth drive, with ball and buckshot, the advance of the rebel army before they could make their retreat, the rebels being often within sixty yards of them." -- Military Correspondence of the New York Herald.Return to text †"The Ninth Regiment (Massachusetts Volunteers), with a handful of regulars, were the last to leave the field." -- General Marcy. (Vide Slocum's Report.)
Return to text ‡ "The billows of battle raged fiercely around. The struggle was man to man, eye to eye, and bayonet to bayonet. The hostile 'Meagher Brigade' [the Ninth Massachusetts Volunteers], composed chiefly of Irishmen, offered heroic resistance. After a fierce struggle our people were compelled to give way, and at length all orders and encouragements were in vain. They were falling back in great disorder. Infuriate, foaming at the mouth, bareheaded, sabre in hand, at this critical moment General Cobb appeared upon the field at the head of his legion, and with him the Nineteenth North Carolina and Fourteenth Virginia.
"At once the troops renewed the attack, but all their devotion and sacrifice were in vain. The Irish held their position with a determination and ferocity that called forth the admiration of our own officers. Broken to pieces and disorganized, the fragments of that fine legion came rolling back from the charge. The Nineteenth North Carolina lost eight standard-bearers, and most of their staff-officers were either killed or wounded. Again Generals Hill and Andrews led their troops to the attack, and some regiments covered themselves with immortal glory. Our troops exhibited a contempt of death that made them the equal of old, experienced veterans; for, notwithstanding the bloody harvest the destroyer reaped in our ranks that day, no disorder, no timid bearing, revealed that many of the regiments were under fire for the first time. But the enemy, nevertheless, quietly and coolly held out against very attack we made, one after the other, notwithstanding the fact that this solitary brigade had to stand their ground from four until eight o'clock P.M. They [the Ninth] performed feats of incredible valor; and it was only when the news came that Jackson was upon them in the rear, at about eight, they retired before our advance. Despite the dreadful carnage in their ranks, they marched on with streaming banners and rolling drums, and carried with them all their slightly wounded and all their baggage, and, when the cavalry of Davis and Wickham went in pursuit, repelled this assault with perfect coolness." -- The Peninsular Campaign. By a Prussian Officer (Rebel).Return to text
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