Charging in Dashing Style: With the 5th Alabama at Chancellorsville

For one soldier in the 5th Alabama, the hardest fighting at Chancellorsville didn’t occur during Jackson’s celebrated flank attack on the evening of May 2nd. It occurred when the regiment erroneously charged against General John Geary’s entrenched Federal division on the morning of May 3rd which resulted in not only heavy casualties but the loss of the regiment’s colors.

          The men had recently advanced and were firing upon a Federal battery when they found themselves under a crossfire. “In a few moments, the crossfire slackened and supposing that they were being driven back on the left, we were ordered to charge,” the soldier stated. “We did so in dashing style, or least a portion of the regiment (the rest not hearing the order) and carried the redoubts of Chancellorsville Heights. Just as we were ordered to charge, our color sergeant was wounded and George Nutting, seizing the colors, waved them in proud triumph and cried, “Come on, boys!” That portion of the regiment who heard the order to charge stormed the heights, and our colors were the first planted on them. Then a terrible fire from our left opened upon us and we were compelled to fall back, not having any support. While doing this, George Nutting, who had been slightly wounded while advancing, was captured with our colors along with several of our company.”

          This following letter, written by a soldier in Co. D of the 5th Alabama Infantry with the initials of S.C., first saw publication in the June 5, 1863, edition of the Alabama Beacon published in Greensboro, Alabama. I suspect that the author was Second Lieutenant Samuel Cowin; he describes the death of his son Dr. John H. Cowin in the text of the letter but does not refer to him as his son so I have some doubts as to Cowin’s authorship of this account. Overall, the regiment lost 24 killed, 133 wounded, and 121 missing during the campaign, a total of 278 men. 

 

The Chancellor House became the epicenter of the fighting on May 3, 1863. It was on this day that the 5th Alabama suffered its heaviest casualties along with losing its colors. 

Camp of the 5th Alabama Regiment, near Grace Church, Caroline Co., Virginia

May 11, 1863

Colonel Harvey, dear sir,

          Knowing that many of your readers feel a deep anxiety to hear of the movements and achievements of our gallant regiment during the past week’s fighting and maneuvering, I will endeavor to gratify the public by giving as accurate a narrative of the facts as a participant can do.

          We left camp on Wednesday the 29th ultimo and marched to Hamilton’s Crossings where we took position in a skirt of woods to the right of the railroad. The enemy was reported crossing in heavy force immediately in our front but no demonstration was made that day. About sunset, it commenced raining and continued through the night and the next day. The next morning [April 30] about 3 o’clock we moved farther to the right and occupied our front line of entrenchments. A desultory firing was kept up during the day by the enemy’s batteries on the north bank of the river and our guns occasionally replied. Still the enemy did not seem inclined to attack us and another night passed in undisturbed quiet.

          Friday morning [May 1] before dawn we were on our way to Kelly’s Ford, information having been received that Hooker had crossed at that place and at United States Ford and was marching down the river endeavoring to turn our left flank. We hurried on and after a very fatiguing march of about 10 miles reached the field where McLaws and A.P. Hill were in position. We maneuvered around until nearly dusk when we heard that Stuart was in their rear and Jackson intended getting there, too. The news elated the men to a high degree and we marched till about 10 o’clock that night in the finest spirits.

          The next morning [May 2] by dawn we resumed our march for Hooker’s rear and although a very toilsome and fatiguing one, and though we had scarcely anything to eat (our trains having failed to come up the preceding night) the men submitted to it with cheerfulness. We arrived in position late in the afternoon and after resting half an hour, our sharpshooters were pushed forward and we advanced. In a few minutes, we came upon the enemy, taking them completely by surprise. We drove them before us in the greatest confusion and our boys rushed on in pursuit with deafening cheers of exultation. Scarcely any resistance was offered and the prisoners that we captured say we broke four successive lines of battle.

Colonel Edward O'Neal's Alabama brigade, including the 5th Alabama, were in the front line of Jackson's flank attack on May 2nd as depicted in this map from the American Battlefield Trust. The 5th Alabama held the left flank of the brigade and our correspondent reported that Co. D suffered just 5 casualties, all slightly wounded, during this very successful assault. 

          Our brigade captured portions of three batteries and an immense number of prisoners, driving the enemy before us two miles or more with great slaughter. Night compelled us to desist from the exciting chase and we threw ourselves down upon the red field we had won in the midst of the dead and the dying, to seek the repose we so much needed. Our loss was comparatively small- only five men in our company were wounded and all slightly: Privates C.J. Houseman, S.B. Jackson, M.H. Jones, R.B. Price, and John L. Youngblood. Colonel [Edwin L.] Hobson received a slight though painful wound while leading us on.

          At early dawn Sunday morning [May 3] the enemy commenced shelling us, we being our third or rear line of battle with Jackson’s old division the second and A.P. Hill’s the first. In a few moments Hill’s division was hotly engaged and we moved forward to their support. As we advanced through the dense woods that border the heights around Chancellorsville, a most terrific storm of shot, shell, grape, and canister ploughed our lines. The air was alive with the roar of musketry, the boom of cannon, the bursting of bombs, the unearthly whizzing of shot and grape, and the confused din of strife.

          However, we moved steadily forward and, in a few minutes, passed over our second line of battle, Jackson’s old division. Still the order was “forward” and we soon found ourselves beyond our first line of battle and confronting a strong breastwork of trees and the battery which had been playing such havoc with us. We were then ordered to lie down and the men cautioned to direct their fire at the cannoneers. A few moments previous, Colonel [Edward A.] O’Neal commanding the brigade, was wounded and Colonel [Josephus M.] Hall took his place, being the senior colonel, leaving Captain [William Thomas] Renfro of Co. B in charge of the regiment.

Colonel Edward A. O'Neal, 26th Alabama, wounded at Seven Pines and Chancellorsville
28th governor of Alabama (1882-1886) 

          We had not lain there long before the enemy opened an enfilading fire from our left, dealing destruction through our ranks. Here, many of our gallant boys were wounded and Dr. [John H.] Cowin received the shot that in a few hours proved fatal. Peace to his ashes. No more gallant soldier ever fought or died for his country. His comrades feel deeply his loss and while dropping a tear over his grave, console themselves by reflecting that he fell near the colors, gallantly fighting.

          In a few moments, the crossfire slackened and supposing that they were being driven back on the left, we were ordered to charge. We did so in dashing style, or least a portion of the regiment (the rest not hearing the order) and carried the redoubts of Chancellorsville Heights. Just as we were ordered to charge, our color sergeant was wounded and George Nutting, seizing the colors, waved them in proud triumph and cried, “Come on, boys!” That portion of the regiment who heard the order to charge stormed the heights, and our colors were the first planted on them. Then a terrible fire from our left opened upon us and we were compelled to fall back, not having any support.

The colors of the 5th Alabama were captured by a soldier in the 111th Pennsylvania during the fighting on May 3, 1863 at Chancellorsville and were returned to the state in 1905. They currently reside with the Alabama Department of History and Archives. 

          While doing this, George Nutting, who had been slightly wounded while advancing, was captured with our colors along with several of our company: Captain Williams, Lieutenants Jones and Christian, Corporals Pastuer, Simms, and Hafner, and Privates Carroll, Chadwick, Farrier, Hagins, Hutchinson, Pickens, Ward, and Wright. Sergeant Major A.G. Ward, our adjutant, and many of the regiment were also taken. We fell back into the woods and in a few moments the Stonewall Brigade charged up and re-occupied our position. [The colors of the 5th Alabama were taken by a soldier in the 111th Pennsylvania, part of General Thomas Kane’s Second Brigade of General John Geary’s Second Division of the 12th Army Corps.]

          The fighting, which had been most obstinate all morning, now changed into an artillery duel, our batteries shelling the retiring foe and they replying to prevent our advancing farther. Our forces were too much exhausted to continue the pursuit and we slept on the field undisturbed that night. The next day [May 4] no advance was made by either party and both sides were busily engaged in fortifying their positions. The quiet was unbroken save by the occasional firing of pickets. Tuesday [May 5] our sharpshooters were ordered to advance and find out as much as possible in reference to the position and strength of the enemy. They did so, and the enemy, thinking our whole line was advancing, opened a raking fire of grape and canister upon them. Our batteries replied and for a few moments the din and roar was fearful.

          Tuesday night there was a severe rainstorm and Hooker, taking advantage of this, recrossed the river. Wednesday morning [May 6] we discovered their retreat and parties were immediately sent out to pick up prisoners and gather up arms and other property. About 2 or 3 p.m., we left the field and reached our old camp near Grace Church about 10 p.m.

          Our victory cost us very dearly, as the loss among our officers was severe. Our regiment lost about 275 killed, wounded, and missing. But it always thus. In every engagement, we mourn the loss of our gallant dead. “Peace to their ashes.”

S.C.

Source:

Letter from S.C., Co. D, 5th Alabama Infantry, Alabama Beacon (Alabama), June 5, 1863, pg. 2


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