"Maverick's" Journal of the Chancellorsville Campaign

My blog posts have been few and far between of late because I have been hip deep in working on several book projects, the foremost of which, Army Life According to Arbaw: The Civil War Letters of William A. Brand of the 66th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, will be published later this spring. William A. Brand enlisted in  Co. G of the 66th Ohio in the fall of 1861 but shortly after the regiment left the state in January 1862 he was assigned as a clerk in the quartermaster department of the regiment working for his father Joseph C. Brand. The 24 year old attorney possessed a keen eye for detail and a nimble pen which he used to describe his regiment's service through three years of war. 

Army Life According to Arbaw is set for release in late March by Columbian Arsenal Press. Here's the latest version of the cover. 

The process of transcribing and editing Brand's voluminous letters (Arbaw will feature over 80 of his wartime missives) has truly been a pleasure, and one of the more enjoyable aspects of editing a project like this are the side stories and diversions that you come across. One of those pleasant diversions I present tonight: it consists of a journal from Private Peter Mitchell of Co. D, 66th Ohio Volunteer Infantry covering the Chancellorsville campaign. Mitchell's journal was published in serial form in the Urbana Citizen & Gazette a year after Chancellorsville when the Army of the Potomac was marching into the Wilderness once again to tangle with Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. By then, however, the 66th Ohio had been transferred west to the Army of the Cumberland and was about to embark on the Atlanta campaign. 

Now I'm going to show my age a bit when I say that I popped a bit when I found the author was Pete Mitchell- I immediately thought of "Maverick" (Lt. Pete Mitchell) from the 1986 hit movie Top Gun which was one of my favorite movies back in the day. Now I'm not saying that Private Pete Mitchell was as reckless as his movie version (Private Pete admits to being something of a coward in his journal), but his detailed account of campaigning and combat in May of 1863 makes for compelling reading. Mitchell was separated from his regiment on May 3rd and was captured while trying to get back to Federal lines. His imprisonment was relatively brief; he spent the better part of a week marching to Richmond, spent a few days on Belle Isle, and by May 16th he had been exchanged and was back in Federal hands.

So without further ado, please enjoy "Maverick's" account of the Chancellorsville campaign:

Colonel Charles Candy of the 66th Ohio led the brigade at Chancellorsville even though he had been injured at the outset of the campaign when his horse stumbled over a tree stump. 

About the middle of April, rumors began to circulate in the brigade that we were to leave Dumfries in a few days and on the morning of April 20, 1863, the brigade left Dumfries and took up its line of march through a drizzling rain for Aquia Creek where our division lay. Carrying knapsacks and eight days rations, we made a short march and camped at Chippewatney Creek.

April 21: This morning I was detailed as a picket and was in the advance. In the evening we camped at White Oak Church and was placed on picket near it. This building has stood more than a century. It was built by William Moncure of England and he was long a minister in it. The tombs of himself and family are in the church. I was told that George Washington was married in this church. It is an odd looking old building and is knocked to pieces considerably by the soldiers.

April 22: Arrived at Aquia Creek and General Geary came out to meet us. We fixed up quarters and laid here till April 27^th. Today the 12^th Corps left Aquia Creek and the 11^th Corps broke camp at Stafford Courthouse.

April 28: Arrived at Kelly’s Ford on the Rappahannock. The 11^th Corps crossed over on the pontoons and the 5^th Corps joined us here. This evening the 66^th Ohio was paid off- got four months wages. Most of us gave our money to the surgeon for safekeeping as we expected to get into a fight in short time and there was no telling who was going to dodge the balls or who was to be killed.

April 29: This morning early the 5^th and 11^th Corps crossed the river and the army moved forward in the direction of Fredericksburg by different routes, skirmishing occasionally with small parties of Johnnies. In the evening we arrived at the Rapidan River. Our advance of cavalry here ran upon and captured a party of Rebel engineers building a large bridge across the river. They were taken by surprise having no idea that we had commenced any movement. Our rear was fired upon by a party of Rebel cavalry with one piece of artillery but no damage was done. The 12^th Corps crossed this evening and the First Division had to wade the rapid stream. It was waist deep to a man and the cavalry had to station themselves in the stream below to catch the little drummers and weak ones who got upset and washed downstream.

April 30: This morning was drizzly and disagreeable. The 1^st Brigade (Colonel Candy’s) was in the advance as it generally is when any work is to be done. A body of Rebel infantry, cavalry, and artillery attacked us and tossed a few shells at us. A couple of regiments went out to see what they were made about and try to argue with them, but they refused to be comforted and went off in a huff; probably they had urgent business elsewhere and could not stop to hold a conversation with us. I suppose they came out to exterminate the Yankee vandals that were ‘invadin’ their sile’ but the Yanks didn’t exterminate worth a cent today. I guess it wasn’t a very good day for business. This afternoon we arrived at Chancellorsville. There is but one house here and it is a hotel. The Johnnies had thrown up rifle pits here this morning but left them as we came up. The 5^th Corps formed a junction with us here. Our brigade went on picket in the woods; the brush was so thick that we could hardly push our way through it.

Hooker's bold campaign was a rousing success right up to the point where he made contact with Lee's army on May 1st; Hooker pulled back and had his men entrench which gave the initiative to Lee who pulled off one of the masterpieces of his tenure as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. Map by Hal Jespersen (www.cwmaps.com)

Friday, May 1: We laid still here on our posts till 11 o’clock when we started out again. I understand that we have received supplies and reinforcements across the United States Ford. Before we had proceeded far the sound of skirmishing in front gave evidence that the enemy was determined to dispute our further advance in the direction of Fredericksburg, and in a short time a boom whiz bang made our knees shake and proved that we had found what we had been looking for and would have some work to do yet. Our brigade was ordered forward to feel for the enemy. We had to pass through a tangled thicket of pines and laid down behind a hill covered with timber but the Johnnies found us out and sent several shells whizzing over our heads striking the ground not 30 feet behind us throwing the mud 25 feet high. One shell burst over us and a piece struck in the ground close by the side of an officer of the 29^th Ohio, making him jump to his feet as if he had been shot. 

We were ordered to fall back again and back we went for half a mile through the thick underbrush and across a field covered with cord wood until we got to where we started from. All along here the ground was covered with knapsacks, blankets, coffee pots, frying pans, and everything that would encumber a man in a fight and when we fell back the Rebs got everything. Our brigade was stopped and had to wait till the whole force passed and then all the brigade went but our regiment. General Geary rode past and said, ‘Boys, you better get out of this or you will be cut to pieces.’ Lieutenant Colonel Powell and Major Palmer were both gone to attend to some other duty and there was no commander for us. Things looked a little frightful for the Rebs were coming up throwing shells at our retreating columns and we expected every minute to receive a volley from the bushes around us. But though there were some anxious countenances on every side of me, the eyes of my brave comrades flashed defiance and with grim smiles they muttered ‘damn them, let them come.’ Not a man stirred to leave till at last we received orders to file into the woods, deploy as skirmishers, and move back with the troops. 

Major General John White Geary of Pennsylvania; he was closely connected
with the 66th Ohio from August 1862 until the end of the war as either
its brigade or division commander. 

As we fell back, we passed two pieces of artillery waiting to give their compliments to the Rebs. The Captain of the battery called to us to stay with him and not leave him alone. Captain Dye took his company and placed it by the battery; but the Rebs had made a furious attack on the left of us and our men had fallen back further than we were. We advised the officer to move his guns out of there as quick as he could and he took our advice and lit, and we joined our regiment which was drawn up in line in the woods on the right of the plank road. Colonel Candy ordered us to cut down the saplings in front of us and at it we went with a will and soon formed a pretty strong barricade and we sat down behind it waiting for the Johnnies, but no Johnnies came and after a while we went to work and built breastworks of rails, logs, and dirt, piling it the best we could with a few picks and spades we could get from the pioneers and with boards. The Rebs did not trouble us, but the pickets kept firing all night. The Rebels seemed to be in great glee; they had large fires built and we could see them gathered around them singing and yelling and their bands could be heard playing all the evening.

May 2: Today the enemy advanced on us in solid columns, but as soon as they came in range of our artillery, it opened on them with grape, and such a terrible crashing as it made through the timber I never hear, nor do I want to hear it again. It mowed the Rebels like grass and forced them to fly in disorder. General Geary went out in front of our line, it was said, to attack a Rebel wagon train, but he found quite a large swarm of live Rebels before he went far and they had a sharp fight for a while. We could see General Geary riding around on his big black charger giving commands, but he soon dismounted, finding it too hot for horseback exercise. Somehow the troops got into confusion and fired into each other and mixed up things generally and they were ordered back to the rifle pits; but the 7^th and 29^th Ohio boys were too spunky to quit that way and after the Pennsylvania and New York regiments had returned to their pits, they charged the Rebs and drove them to their breastworks in the woods and then fell back to their position. The 66^th was not ordered out but lay in the breastworks and looked on. After this it was expected that the Rebels would attack us and try to break our line here, and preparations were made to receive them. We were anxious to see them but they did not come. 

In the afternoon General Lee massed his columns and made a fierce attack on the right wing composed of the 11^th and 3^rd Corps and the fighting for some time was terrible with musketry and artillery. Three times the enemy attacked us and as many times we drove them back in confusion. Our artillery mowed them down by hundreds but they seemed determined to break our lines if it cost their whole army. They brought a battery to bear on us and on Hooker’s headquarters in our rear and for a while the shells burst around us pretty thick and fast; but Knapp’s and Hampton’s batteries soon sent them back in a hurry. Two or three times during the night the Rebels attacked our right wing; first would be heard the increasing fire as their skirmishers advanced and then would be heard whole volleys mingled with the screaming of the Rebs and the shouts of our men; then two or three heavy guns would be fired and for a few seconds the musketry would almost cease then recommence and as the whole force would meet, the musketry and rapid discharge of artillery would make a continual roar. As the enemy would be repulsed the firing would gradually cease and all would be quiet except the continual pop, pop of the skirmishers. 

Jackson's crushing flank attack delivered in the afternoon of May 2, 1863 landed squarely on the right rear of the 12th Corps under General Henry Slocum; the corps fell back to near the Chancellor House (Hooker's headquarters) to salvage the situation. Map by Hal Jespersen (www.cwmaps.com)

Once in the night the enemy made an attack on the 66^th Ohio and they got up to our breastworks and fired over us before we knew it. We sprang up and returned their fire and drove them back and many to save themselves sprang over the breastworks and surrendered. One Rebel caught the musket of a man standing by my side and asked him ‘What in the hell are you firing at?’ He then climbed over the breastwork and sprang over my head and went to the rear. These were exciting times for the stragglers were now pouring back by hundreds and at times whole regiments would go past. They all said the Rebels were whipping them. This began to be evident from the increased number of shells and shot dropping around us, much too near and fast to be comfortable. At one time the troops on the right of us (a Pennsylvania regiment) broke and ran away, leaving their rifle pits empty. A few, very few, of the 66^th were drawn away, but the whole regiment sprang up and commenced cursing them for running and my own voice was not the weakest in the crowd for, coward though I am, I like to see men stand to their posts. The boys all came back in short time. In this way we passed the night laying in the ditches getting what sleep we could when there was no fighting and when the fighting commenced we would sit up with our rifles ready in our hands waiting for whatever might come while the enemy’s shells were striking and bursting all around us, though luckily no one was hurt.

Stampede of the 11th Corps on the Plank Road as depicted by A.C. Redwood in 1886. 

May 3: This morning the fighting again commenced on our right and our men were being rapidly driven back, the Rebels having got into our rear. The troops on our left were compelled to get on the outside of the breastworks on account of the shell and grape from the Rebels batteries in our rear striking there, but where we lay we could not get any protection at all for the Rebels fired right lengthwise of our earthworks, ploughing the earth all around us, and throwing dirt over us. It is a wonder that many of us were not killed but there was not a man killed and but one or two wounded. In a short time we were ordered to leave the breastwork and our division drawn up in an open spot by the Chancellor House (Hooker’s headquarters) and General Geary gave us a few words and started us back into the woods along our rifle pits, the 66th Ohio in the front. 

Map from my upcoming book which shows the tight spot that the 66th Ohio found itself in on May 3, 1863. Private Mitchell was captured while trying to escape back to Federal lines.
Map by Hal Jespersen. 

As we advanced into the woods, the 60^th New York (which had been captured) broke from their guards and escaped, taking some of the Rebel guards with them. It soon became too hot for us to stay here for the Rebels were advancing in overwhelming force and so we began to fall back slowly. I did not see a man offer to run away, but slowly retreating and fighting, we walked on out the woods and formed in the road and lay down behind the 7^th Ohio. We did not lie here long but went on back here. I got lost from the regiment and laid down behind some breastworks or rather before them for the Rebels had got behind our lines and here the men were compelled to get on the outside of the rifle pits to protect themselves from the enemy’s artillery which was playing on Hooker’s headquarters and on our artillery near it. 

Here I had a narrow escape from being killed. I was sitting on a chunk of wood talking to the boys when the bullets came zipping around me, and I went and sat against the breastworks, and just as I did so, two musket balls struck in the chunk I had been sitting on and other struck in the ground close to me, and a shell burst just above the top of the breastwork over my head and stunned me a little but did not touch me. When the Rebels came up, our men behind the breastworks broke and ran but the officers rallied them. Again they broke and away they went like a drove of frightened sheep across an open field where the grape and shell were tearing up the ground in every direction and there must have been a great many of them killed there. I could not see it to rush across there (I guess I was not scared bad enough or perhaps I was scared too bad) so with two or three others of the 66^th, I went along the rifle pits, climbing over the brush as best we could, and when we got into the woods our men were all gone except some wounded and the shell and grape were whizzing through the timber.  We struck out along a kind of ravine but we were too late- the Johnnies were on us and we had to ‘come out of thar’ and go to the rear of the Rebel army. 

We managed to fill our haversacks out of a castoff knapsack filled with hardtack for we were pretty sure we would need them. As we went back to the rear, I noticed that there was a great many dead Rebels lying around our rifle pits where they had been shot by our regiment and the 7^th Ohio when they came down through the woods. We were taken back and turned over in charge of the provost guard. They were along the plank road. Here the Rebel batteries were placed at the commencement and here were piled bars of pig iron which they threw at us. From here we were taken to the extreme right of the battlefield. We stopped here and were counted off, and at dusk started out, but were stopped in the road and after a long time were brought back and stayed all night. Whenever I laid down and got into a doze, I could hear the sound of cannon, the skirmishing and bursting of shells, as plain as I had heard it for the last three terrible days. But wearied nature soon overcame everything and I sank to sleep and slept soundly till morning. The reason that we were not sent away in the evening was that Stoneman’s cavalry was rushing around in the enemy’s rear and they were afraid he would find us. Their cavalry and artillery were moved out though.

May 4: This morning we started out again. There was a large squad of us. There are 14 of the 66^th Ohio boys here besides Captain Sampson. All the old citizens were out riding around at a safe distance from the battlefield yesterday and today to get a sight of the Yankees. Our boys sauced them a good deal but they turned up their noses in supreme contempt of Lincoln’s minions. One man had his wife and little boy out on horseback to see the captured invaders. The boy had in some way captured an old shoe brush (a Yankee trophy I suppose) and one of our boys said to him ‘Won’t you black my shoes?’ He seemed horrified to think that a Yankee should have the impudence to speak to him and answered, ‘I’ll let you know that I don’t black shoes for Yankees.’ The Rebels were jubilant over their victory and would often ask us where Joe Hooker started to go. We would tell them he had started to go to Richmond. Then they would ask where he was going now; but when we would inquire about Stoneman, they were silent. We arrived at Spotsylvania Courthouse and were put in the courtyard for the night. The Rebel soldiers crowded around the wall anxious to swap canteens or buy penknives, writing paper, or anything else and pay almost any price in their scrip or greenbacks if they had them.

Tuesday, May 5: Started out this morning pretty early- were ordered to leave our shelter tents for the wounded, as they said, but most of the boys tore them up or wrapped them in their blankets and carried them away. At least the Confederacy did not get much good of them. This afternoon we arrived at Guinea Station and in the evening we had one of the hardest rain storms I ever saw accompanied by thunder and lightning that it seemed as if judgement day was coming. Every man that was not lucky enough to have a rubber blanket was drenched to the skin and for a while it seemed as if the rain would beat through our rubbers even but it did not much. There are two other squads of Yankees here besides the one I am in. We have not drawn anything to eat yet I hope we will soon for my hardtack is about played out.

Wednesday May 6: Still at Guinea Station. We drew ‘salt hoss’ and flour today. We mix up our flour with water and salt if we have any and bake the best we can. It is tough as sole leather and heavy as lead. The nigger cooks charge a dollar for a loaf of this bread eight inches across and an inch and a half thick. This is the kind of bread the Rebel soldiers have and they don’t seem to know that there is anything better in the world. I don’t suppose that half of these fellows ever lived much better at home. A squad of 2,000 prisoners left for Richmond. They will have to walk of course as all the trains are busy hauling their sick and wounded to Richmond. All the 66^th boys but four went today.

Thursday May 7: Another squad of 1,200 prisoners started for Richmond today. I was too late to go with them. I suppose the rest of us will go tomorrow. It has been wet weather ever since we came here. I do not feel very well. I caught a very bad cold laying around in the wet without much cover; besides that the good we get is enough to kill a dog and it won’t do to get sick here for it is everyone for himself. Most of these fellows with me are Dutchmen and though they may be kind-hearted enough, still I would rather be able to take care of myself. Our guards (the 38^th Georgia regiment) are very clever but when peanuts and gingersnaps are selling at a dollar per quart and an old yellow-legged hen for $3 and everything else in proportion, kindness cannot be expected to go farther than words. So taking all things together I shall keep up a cheerful heart and that is everything. I would like very well just now to have some of Uncle Sam’s hardtack and pork. I am boiling a cup of his good coffee. I must quit writing an try it.

Saturday May 9: We did not leave yesterday (the 8^th) as I expected but this morning we drew one day’s ration of salt horse and hardtack instead of flour and started on our road to Richmond. We passed through Bowling Green, a beautiful little town full of pretty Secesh girls who flocked out to see the Yankees go by. They thought that Lee and Stonewall Jackson had captured mighty near all of Joe Hooker’s army this time, but we told them that we were only his outpost pickets and that Joe Hooker’s army was all right yet. We camped a mile and a half from Bowling Green. Here I found one of the 66^th Ohio boys that I did not know was captured.

Sunday May 10: This evening we got to Hanover Station and drew two days’ rations of crackers and bacon and camped in the woods nearby. This evening the martial band of the 38^th Georgia gave us some music for the first time.

Monday May 11: This evening we camped at Brook Church about two miles from Richmond. The land along here is in a fine state of cultivation and the country looks well.

Tuesday May 12: This morning we started for Richmond. Captain [Major William L.] McLeod commanding the 38^th Georgia gave his men orders to use the butts of their muskets on the citizens if they crowded on them in the streets but they had no occasion to do so, for everyone seemed to be in sorrow for they had lost their favorite General Stonewall Jackson. We passed through the city all right and were taken to Belle Isle. Here we met some of Rosecrans’ men (Colonel Streight’s command) who had been captured while on a raid into Georgia. Among them I found an old acquaintance whom I had not heard from since I enlisted. We got one-fifth of a loaf of bread for our supper. [Major McLeod would be killed a month and a half later on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg; see http://38thga.com/drupal/node/36] 

Private Mitchell's stay at the dreaded Belle Isle Prison Camp was thankfully short; he arrived on May 12th and left three days later for City Point, Virginia where he was given over to Federal custody. The paroled prisoners continued on from City Point to Camp Parole in Annapolis, Maryland.  Mitchell was glad to be out of the "Conthievocracy" as he termed it. 

Wednesday May 13: Still on the island; we are getting paroled today. We drew one hardtack. Some fellows bring loaves of bread the size of one’s fist over the river in boats and sell them for a quarter apiece. So we get along in some way. The weather is very hot.

Thursday May 14: Still paroling; we did not get anything to eat except what we buy and it is hard to get to the boats for as soon as they come near the shore the men wade in to them and buy all they have or take it by force.

Friday May 15: Finishing paroling this morning and in the afternoon we started for City Point, drawing rations before we went. We were marched very fast until we got nearly to the city of Petersburg and as we had run nearly all the guards down, we were stopped and told to camp in the woods along the road. We had marched about 20 miles in half a day, and part of it in the dark over wet, slippery, rough roads. We had cavalry guards behind us to keep us up and whenever a weak fellow straggled behind they would hurry him up by beating him over the head and shoulders with their sabers and I understand that some were killed.

Saturday May 16: Started early this morning for City Point and arrived there about noon. This is a small place; all or nearly all the houses were deserted and nearly everyone bears the marks of our shells and some are very plain, too. One house has half the side torn out by a bursting shell. In a very short time I found myself on board the transport John Wright and I was in transports of joy to get out of the bloody Conthievocracy at last, but not until I had devoured half a loaf of bread and a big slice of bacon did I fell myself safe and comfortable. There were five transports here to take us off. In a short time we were floating down the James River bound for Yankee land.

The busy wharves of City Point, Virginia; Mitchell boarded the steamer John Wright and sailed to Annapolis, Maryland.

May 17: We are still sailing down the James River. Today we passed the spot where the ships Cumberland and Congress were sunk by the Rebel ram Merrimac. We stopped at Fortress Monroe, took on provisions, and moved in the direction of Annapolis.

May 18: This morning on awakening I found that we were anchored at Annapolis. We landed at the old Naval Academy where I spent three weeks in September 1862 when wounded. Little I thought then as I saw paroled prisoners landing here or going away that I, too, would land here so soon as a paroled prisoner, but here I found myself this lovely morning. We were marched out to Camp Parole to the music of a red-legged ‘zoo-zoo’ brass band and were quartered here on the naked ground until we could get quarters. In due time we got into comfortable barracks and began to live well. As soon as possible we drew clothing and two months’ pay. At present I and one comrade are staying in a room in the barracks and living finely. I have strung up my hammock to the rafters and by reading novels, eating my rations, and writing my journal and letters home, I pass the time very pleasantly. Hoping my readers are enjoying themselves as well as I am, I bid one and all good bye.

Camp Parole at Annapolis, Maryland. Several companies of the 144th Ohio performed guard duty here during the summer of 1864 as written about in my first book No Greater Glory.