Potomac. The ignominious result of this conflict produced intense dissatisfaction among the soldiers, who sadly pictured the brilliant victory that might have been gained if a sober and intelligent officer had wielded the immense power which had been so heedlessly conferred upon a besotted major-general. The happy North Carolinians who were captured by the regiment most willingly and truthfully said that Johnson's division of Ewell's corps comprised all the troops that were posted in the Raccoon-ford Road; and the thin line of skirmishers won a part of this position upon the right, which was entirely undefended. Six Union divisions confronted one composed of rebels: a force could easily turn their left flank; and they would have been routed by the overwhelming masses of the third and sixth corps, which were aligned near this point. A division that was termed by the veterans "pets," or "lambs," because a corps general bestowed every favor upon it, was placed within the range of hostile cannon for the first time; but it was demoralized by the pernicious example of this drunkard and the cowardice of its commander, and tarnished its history with disgrace, which subsequent service under brave leaders removed. The sixth corps marched at midnight in the proper direction to Robertson's Tavern: the division retired from its position at daybreak upon the 28th, and plodded slowly through the rain, which did not cease until noon, and covered the roads with mortar-beds of red mud. The corps advanced several miles upon the broad turnpike that passed through Orange Court House, and then moved in the rear of the army from the right to the left; and the men ascertained the lines that defined the front by listening to the intermittent volleys of the skirmishers. The enemy gradually fell back; and shelters of small stones which the sharpshooters had occupied were scattered at short intervals in many places. Near one of them I saw the body of a dead rebel, who carried a haversack which was filled with his rations, that consisted of nothing except dry corn. The column bivouacked after sunset, and furnished details for picket-duty, who were ordered to report to one of that large class of staff-officers that are always inefficient in the presence of danger. Those that belonged to the regiment marched two miles in the night, forded runs, leaped walls and fences, and discovered with amazement upon the following morning that their companies were only a few paces in the rear of their posts. The army had finally concentrated; and the soldiers arose at half-past four, A.M., upon the 29th, and prepared for action, not against a divided and surprised force, but one which was on the alert, and strong. The dark clouds lowered constantly during the day, and occasionally parted to remind those upon the earth of their existence; while the division upon the left of the corps made a reconnoissance, and connected in the afternoon with a large flanking force under the command of Gen. Warren. "Where are we?" some of them asked an old inhabitant. "Ringe County," he replied. The trees were judiciously cut to guide the moving lines; but the thickly wooded country and the state of the impassable roads continually hindered them, and the powers of darkness prohibited an attack, when three signal guns were fired at half-past five, P.M. A horse, laden with turkeys and chickens for the use of a general, passed by the regiment a few minutes after orders were read to the men to live upon half-rations, and became the innocent subject of many emphatic phrases. The division bivouacked at nine, P.M., and thousands of cold and weary forms clustered around the low fires which were allowed; and commands were frequently issued, "That fire is too high," ""Take off that log at once," when a desire to receive comfort triumphed over caution. Nov. 30, 1863, is a day that will be long remembered by the troops that were massed at Mine Run; not because a battle was fought, but for the singular reason that no conflict took place. The division was under arms at one, A.M.; instructions were repeated in whispers by the officers; and no conversation or unnecessary noise was permitted as it marched upon the famous plank road, from which it debouched to the left, formed in three lines, and the brigade was placed in the front and supported by the "Excelsior" and Jersey brigades. Gen. Warren commanded six divisions, comprising twenty-eight thousand men, and extending three miles, that were aligned in a similar manner for the purpose of storming the breast works of the rebels, who had fortified the strong ridges west of Mine Run. This is an insignificant tributary of the Rapidan, that varies in depth from three to five feet, and is crossed by the plank road near old Verdiersville. The mathematicians in the ranks amused themselves by multiplying three miles by three lines, and obtaining a product which they termed a " nine-mile charge." All the dispositions for the assault had been made before daybreak; many knapsacks and haversacks had been unslung to relieve the bearers of the weight; muskets had been stacked; and at eight, A.M., the signal-gun would resound through the forest from the right; the trusty bayonets would be fixed; the vast columns with their tattered flags would rush forward with hurrahs; and the caps had been removed from the pieces to prevent those that carried them from discharging a bullet. The night had been excessively cold; the blankets and clothing were covered with frost; the water in the canteens was condensed into a cake of ice; and it is a sad fact that Union soldiers were benumbed and died upon the picket-posts. The fires were extinguished, and every one sought physical warmth and excitement by keeping all the limbs in motion; and squads were running, wrestling, or striking hands, for several hours; and some climbed up the trees to gather persimmons. Several unlucky pigs which wandered from the safe woods at this opportune moment were relentlessly pursued until rations of fresh pork were secured. The division awaited the final word of command behind a hill which protected it; and most of the ground in its front was cleared, so that groups examined the works of the en emy, |
