A Week Filled with Anxiety, Labor, Danger, and Death: The 51st Pennsylvania at the Battle of Camden

Looking back on the Battle of Camden, North Carolina, Captain J. Merrill Linn of the 51st Pennsylvania remembered the entire expedition that led to the engagement as a "week filled with anxiety, labor, danger, and death." The regiment had been marching for hours when suddenly a Confederate cannon opened fire on their column. 

    "Bang goes a cannon and a 6-lb round ball struck about 50 yards to the left of the road we were on and went bounding and rolling past," he wrote. "We halted. Then came another which struck in the midst of us in the road but hit no one. We were ordered to get over into the field to the right which we did and the regiment entered a wood. Meantime, one of our pieces was unlimbered and answered. The Rebels kept our range and followed is with round shot, shell, and canister. We turned to the left to get on their flank. We were ready to drop from exhaustion and many laid down as if they were dead."

 Captain J. Merrill Linn's letter describing Camden first saw publication in the May 9, 1862, edition of the Union County Star and Lewisburg Chronicle. “Camden is about 18 miles north of Elizabeth City and was advanced upon by two brigades," the paper reported. "The first, comprising the 6th New Hampshire, 89th New York, and 9th New York (Hawkins’ Zouaves) under acting Brigadier Hawkins, started from Roanoke. The second brigade, consisting of the 21st Massachusetts and 51st Pennsylvania, was under acting Brigadier Bell and started from Newbern. The 51st Pennsylvania numbered 700 men with others smaller. Our vessels reached the Pasquotank River about the same time on Friday, April 18. The first brigade was led (by treachery or incompetency) 8-10 miles out of the way and the second brigade was then put in advance and did the first fighting although the first brigade, which came up afterwards, suffered the most.” 

 

Captain James Merrill Linn, Co. H, 51st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
(Courtesy of Forrest Fothergill, Find-A-Grave)

Newbern, North Carolina

April 25, 1862

          We have this afternoon returned after a week’s absence- a week filled with labor, anxiety, danger, and death. At 5 o’clock on a bright summer morning of Saturday April 19, 1862, we landed in a cornfield just below Elizabeth City on the left bank. We had no breakfast and what we ate that day we snatched at intervals from our haversacks. We passed the courthouse, then through a beautiful, highly cultivated country. The clay road was fine marching and we congratulated ourselves that for once we had good weather. The first brigade missing their way, we passed them and got in advance.

          Between 12 and 1 o’clock, we were moving pretty fast, our regiment ahead, and had been going steadily for an hour. Just in front of us was a dense smoke across the road which we supposed to be the bridge burning. Lieutenant Morris rode by; I stopped him and told him that we were nearly dead with fatigue. He said he would tell the general and I encouraged the boys to stick to it; we would rest when we got to where the smoke was.

          Just then, bang goes a cannon and a 6-lb round ball struck about 50 yards to the left of the road we were on and went bounding and rolling past. We halted. Then came another which struck in the midst of us in the road but hit no one. We were ordered to get over into the field to the right which we did and the regiment entered a wood. Meantime, one of our pieces was unlimbered and answered. The Rebels kept our range and followed is with round shot, shell, and canister. We turned to the left to get on their flank. We were ready to drop from exhaustion and many laid down as if they were dead.

The shots were crashing in among us and one unfortunate discharge of canister fell among Co. E, killing William R. Hoffman (whose stomach was hit by a piece of shell) and wounding some others. Still the regiment kept moving on; the Rebels lost sight of us and we passed down towards their right flank. The cannons ceased playing on us and turned their attention to the front. The Rebels had taken up their position on a road that ran perpendicular to the one we approached by skirting a wood having cleared land in front. All the roads in this country have deep ditches along the side and this, with a rail fence in front, gave them an admirable rifle pit and breastwork.

51st Pennsylvania cover showing the battle honors for Roanoke, Newbern, and Camden

We got in along by a rail fence running perpendicular to their position about 200-250 yards from them. A few skirmishers opened on them and they gave us a regimental volley. Our wishes and prayers have come at last. We had met the 3rd Georgia but as they wore blue overcoats (captured on the Fanny) someone cried out we were firing on our own men. The colors were ordered to be raised and such a storm of bullets it has never been my luck to hear. It sounded to me like hail on window glass. The colors were lowered and we went to work. It was hot work and bloody. Three of our own company were wounded- they were dropping all around.

The 9th New York attempted a charge, came out in good order on the double quick, but a discharge of canister confused them, and they came in over us pell-mell. If we hadn’t been phlegmatic Dutchmen, we might have run, too, as it was well-calculated to get up a panic. We kept behind the fence, lying down to load and taking the best opportunity to fire. Everyone appeared very deliberate and I am proud to say that Cos. C, E, G, and H worked like heroes. I do not speak of them in disparagement of others, but because they came more under my observation.

51st Pennsylvania National Colors

We moved by the flank down the fence. Somebody said, “Charge!” and down went the fence with a crash. Over we went and across the field in time to see the Rebels leave. Brouse of Co. C fell here, shot through the head. We can’t tell how much the enemy suffered but we could see them drive up with a four-horse wagon and carry off the wounded. They left 6 dead on the field. We took some prisoners and whipped the 3rd Georgia and an Alabama regiment.

It commenced to rain. We were too tired to pursue. We stacked arms and marched to the position we occupied when we charged to bivouac for the night. The other regiments were dispersed all around, each throwing out pickets. After visiting our wounded at the hospital, Beaver got a gate, we made a fire and had coffee and after discussing the day a little while, turned in to sleep with the hope the Rebels would leave us alone until morning.

About 9 o’clock that evening, Lieutenant Colonel Bell called us up, stated our circumstances, and gave us orders to wake up the men quickly and get ready to march. The enemy had received reinforcements; our pickets heard them stack arms and prepare to attack us in the morning. We did so and taking the caps off the pieces, filed out and formed in the field. It was very dark and you could just distinguish the black form of the man before you. The first brigade moved first, then our regiment followed by the 21st Massachusetts, two pieces of cannon, the pioneers and axe men who destroyed the bridges after us.  

Then we made a march of 28 miles such as never has been equaled. In almost perfect silence (it had rained and the roads were horrible as they get bad very quickly here) you could hear nothing but the slomp of the mud. We reached our landing about 4 o’clock in the morning. We have never experienced anything like it- marched 36 miles and fought a battle in 24 hours.

The Rebels fired on our hospital. The bullets flew all around while they were carrying in the wounded. So now, on the anniversary of the day some of us left Lewisburg to enter the three months’ service, we have another name for our flag: Camden, with General Burnside’s permission.

          The position of the Rebels was admirably chosen and they burned two houses and the fences in order that the smoke might conceal their position. It is the first time I have noticed that expedient. We could hear the cannon and see the ball where it struck but could not see the flash of their guns. So, we had to root them right out, hunt them up, and were on them almost before we knew it. General [Jesse] Reno was around among us all the time and they cannonaded him very heavily once as he crossed a field.

Source:

Letter from Captain James Merrill Linn, Co. H, 51st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Union County Star and Lewisburg Chronicle (Pennsylvania), May 9, 1862, pg. 1

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