Chapter I: Preface

This volume does not propose to review the causes, rise and progress of the unhappy civil strife, which for more than two years has rent our land; neither is it designed to describe all the operations which have marked the war in the single department of Virginia and Maryland.

It aims merely, as the title page indicates, at giving a narrative of one of the many Regiments which the Empire State has sent into the field, together with a description of the various campaigns in which it participated.

Nor should it be inferred, from the embodying of their experience in book form, that the soldiers of the 33d esteem their services more worthy of notice than those of numerous other Regiments. The work has its origin in the general desire expressed on the part of the members and friends of the command to have the scenes and incidents connected with its two years’ history collected and preserved in readable shape—valuable for future reference—interesting as a souvenir of the times.

The plan, as will readily be seen, comprises separate sketches of each company until merged into the Regiment; the regimental history from the period of its organization at Elmira, in May, 1861, until its return from the war, May, 1863; brief biographies of the various officers, and muster rolls of the men.

Such facts as did not come under the personal observation of the writer, have been derived from the statements and reports of Division and Brigade Generals, and other sources. Owing to the confusion consequent upon the death, disease and desertion attending a two years’ campaign of nearly one thousand men, some of the members may find themselves incorrectly “accounted for.”

A double interest attaches to the numerous engravings which embellish the volume, from the fact that instead of being gotten up to order, they were “drawn on the spot” by a skilful artist—an officer of the Regiment—who participated in all the scenes through which it passed. They constitute in themselves a pictorial history of the first two years of the Eastern campaigns.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Patriotism of Central New York.—Determination of the People to
put down the Rebellion.—Raising of Troops.—Organization of the
various Companies of the 33d New York Regiment, 13

CHAPTER II.

Elmira a Place of Rendezvous.—Arrival of Troops.—Organization
of the Thirty-third.—A Beef Incident.—Presentation of a
Flag.—Mustering into the United States Service, 30

CHAPTER III.

Departure for Washington.—Patriotism of the Williamsport
Ladies.—Arrival at the Capital.—Camp Granger.—Destroying a
Liquor Establishment.—“Cleaning-out” a Clam Peddler.—Review by
Governor Morgan.—First Death in the Regiment.—First Battle of
Bull Run.—Changes among the Officers, 39

CHAPTER IV.

Removal to Vicinity of Chain Bridge.—Upsetting of
Ambulances.—The Regiment Brigaded.—Frequent Alarms and
Reconnoissances.—Reviewed by General McClellan.—Crossing
of the Potomac.—Forts Marcy and Ethan Allen.—Formation of
Divisions.—Colonel Stevens.—First Skirmish with the Enemy
at Lewinsville Camp.—General Brooks.—General Davidson.—The
Seventy-seventh New York added to the Brigade.—A Novel
Wedding in Camp.—Circulating a Temperance Pledge.—Battle of
Drainesville, 45

CHAPTER V.

Grand Review of the Army, at Bailey’s Cross-Roads.—Pleasant
Acquaintances formed.—Changes and Deaths at Camp
Griffin.—Dissatisfaction at the General Inactivity.—President’s
War Orders.—Gen. McClellan’s Plans and Correspondence with the
President, 60

CHAPTER VI.

Advance of the Army of the Potomac.—The Thirty-third taking
up the line of march.—Flint Hill.—General McClellan decides
to move on Richmond by way of the Peninsula.—Embarkation of
the Thirty-third at Alexandria.—Embarkation Scene.—Mount
Vernon.—The Monitor.—Arrival at Fortress Monroe.—Agreeable
change of the climate.—Hampton.—Reconnoissance to Watt’s
Creek.—Rebel Epistolary Literature.—Bathers shelled by the
rebel gunboat Teaser.—Building a Redoubt, 56

CHAPTER VII.

Continued Arrival of Troops.—Advance of the Army of the
Peninsula.—Arrival of the Regiment at Young’s Mills.—An
Aged Contraband.—Lee’s Mills.—The Various Companies of
the Thirty-third ordered to the Front.—Caisson struck
by a rebel Ball.—Continued Firing of the Enemy.—Falling
back of the National Forces.—Heavy Rain Storm.—The Beef
Brigade.—Enemy’s Fortifications.—Troublesome Insects.—Night
Skirmishing.—Celerity of the Paymaster’s Movements.—Evacuation
of Yorktown.—Early information of the fact brought to Col.
Corning by Contrabands.—The Rebel Works taken possession of, 76

CHAPTER VIII.

Battle of Williamsburg, 82

CHAPTER IX.

Williamsburg.—Condition of the Roads.—Pamunkey
River.—Contrabands.—Arrival of General Franklin, 94

CHAPTER X.

Battle of Mechanicsville, 103

CHAPTER XI.

“Gaines’ Farm.”—Liberty Hall.—Battle of Seven Pines.—Fair
Oaks.—Rapid rise of the Chickahominy.—The Gaines Estate.—An
aged Negro.—Golden’s Farm.—Camp Lincoln.—Letter from an
Officer, 109

CHAPTER XII.

Proximity to the Rebels.—Colonel Taylor fired at by a
Sharpshooter.—Picket Skirmishing.—Building a Bridge.—Position
of Affairs.—General McClellan Reconnoitring.—He writes
to the President.—Lee’s Plans.—Second Battle of
Mechanicsville.—Shelling the Thirty-third’s Camp.—Battle of
Gaines’ Farm.—A Retreat to the James decided upon, 118

CHAPTER XIII.

Battle of Golden’s Farm, 127

CHAPTER XIV.

The Retreat Commenced.—The Thirty-third one of the last
Regiments to Leave.—Savage’s Station.—Destruction of
Property.—General Davidson Sun-struck, 134

CHAPTER XV.

A Tedious Night March.—White Oak Swamp.—Sudden Attack by the
Enemy.—Narrow Escape of General Smith.—A Cowardly Colonel, 142

CHAPTER XVI.

The Enemy Out-generaled.—Arrival at Malvern Hills.—The
Thirty-third assigned to Picket Duty.—Battle of
Malvern.—Arrival at Harrison’s Landing.—General McClellan’s
Address.—Building a Fort.—Slashing Timber, 148

CHAPTER XVII.

Arrival of Reinforcements.—Visit of President Lincoln.—Attack
by the Enemy.—Reconnoissance to Malvern Hills.—A Deserter
drummed out of Camp.—A change of base decided upon.—Return
March to Fortress Monroe.—Scenes by the way, 159

CHAPTER XVIII.

Abandonment of the Peninsula.—Arrival at Acquia
Creek.—Disembarkation at Alexandria.—Pope’s Operations.—Death
of Generals Stevens and Kearney.—Retreat to the
Fortifications.—Responsibility for the Disaster.—Fitz-John
Porter, 165

CHAPTER XIX.

General McClellan Restored to Command.—Re-organization of
the Army.—Advance of the Enemy into Maryland.—March from
Washington.—Battle of Crampton’s Pass.—Harper’s Ferry
Surrendered, 176

CHAPTER XX.

The Battle of Antietam, 184

CHAPTER XXI.

Appearance of the Field after the strife.—Union Losses
and Captures.—Bravery of the Raw Levies.—The Thirty-third
complimented by the Brigade Commander, 196

CHAPTER XXII.

Pennsylvania Militia.—Visit of the President.—Beautiful Scenery
along the Potomac.—Harper’s Ferry.—“Jefferson’s Rock.”, 202

CHAPTER XXIII.

Hagerstown.—Martinsburg.—A New Campaign.—Return of Colonel
Taylor.—Crossing the river at Berlin.—Appearance of the
Country.—Loyal Quakers.—Removal of General McClellan.—His
Farewell Address.—Causes of his Popularity, 207

CHAPTER XXIV.

Gen. McClellan’s Departure.—Gen. Burnside’s Address.—March
to Fredericksburg.—Reasons for choosing this Route.—Randolph
Estate.—Failure of the Pontoons to Arrive.—Stafford Court
House.—The Thirty-third preparing Winter Quarters.—Scouting
Parties.—The Ashby Family, 218

CHAPTER XXV.

Completion of the Potomac Creek Bridge.—An interesting relic of
Virginia Aristocracy.—General Burnside determines to cross the
river.—March of the Sixth Corps.—White-Oak Church, 228

CHAPTER XXVI.

Laying of the Bridges.—A solemn scene.—Bombardment of
Fredericksburg.—Gallantry of the Seventh Michigan and other
Regiments.—Crossing of the left Grand Division, 236

CHAPTER XXVII.

Battle of Fredericksburg, 243

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Events succeeding the Battle.—A North Carolina Deserter.—The
Bernard Estate.—Re-crossing the River.—The Thirty-third in
its Old Camp.—Families on the Picket Line.—A Courageous
Female.—Changes in the Regiment, 251

CHAPTER XXIX.

Another Advance.—The Army stalled in mud.—Removal of General
Burnside.—General Hooker succeeds him.—Character of the two
men.—General Franklin relieved, and General Smith transferred
to the 9th Army Corps.—His Parting Address.—Colonel Taylor
assigned to a Brigade.—A Contraband Prayer Meeting.—Sanitary
Condition of the Army, 261

CHAPTER XXX.

Splendid Condition of the Army.—Gen. Hooker’s Programme.—A
Forward Movement.—Battles of Chancellorsville and
Vicinity.—Jackson turns Hooker’s Right Wing.—Operations
below Fredericksburg.—Strategy.—Address from the Commanding
General.—The Washington Estate.—Crossing the Rappahannock, 276

CHAPTER XXXI.

The Storming of Fredericksburg Heights, 290

CHAPTER XXXII.

Battles of Salem Heights, 302

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Gen. Stoneman’s Expedition Successful.—Reasons for the Campaign
proving a Failure.—Death of Jackson.—His Character.—Gen.
Neill’s Report, 315

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Departure for Home.—Ovations at Geneva and Canandaigua, 322