The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog
The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog
The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog
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een no exception, for that cost us some unnecessary fight<strong>in</strong>g. After the unfortunate issue of the campaign of the<br />
Army of Virg<strong>in</strong>ia, * <strong>Humphreys</strong>, to his great contentment, was transferred from the staff and eng<strong>in</strong>eer's duty<br />
to the command of a division of new troops, with which he hastened to re<strong>in</strong>force the army at Antietam.<br />
" His alacrity and energy were equally commendable. He prided himself greatly on this march, and refers<br />
to it even eight months later, <strong>in</strong> his report after Chancellorsville, dated May lo, 1863, as follows: 'In mak<strong>in</strong>g this<br />
my la^t report of the operations of my division as at present constituted, I trust I may be excused for recurr<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
the service it has performed. Hastily organized <strong>in</strong> September last, near Wash<strong>in</strong>gton, the regiments newly raised, it<br />
made a long and pa<strong>in</strong>ful march of more than twenty-three miles <strong>in</strong> a dark night to take part <strong>in</strong> the expected battle<br />
of the next day at Antietam.' A few weeks subsequent to this march, <strong>Humphreys</strong> made a reconnoissance— October<br />
16-19, >S62—<strong>in</strong>to Virg<strong>in</strong>ia, which was an operation perfect <strong>in</strong> its k<strong>in</strong>d. This report bears the follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dorsement<br />
of his superior: 'General <strong>Humphreys</strong> accomplished <strong>in</strong> a most satisfactory manner the object of the expedition, and<br />
carried out most judiciously the <strong>in</strong>structions of the command<strong>in</strong>g general.' It was on this occasion <strong>Humphreys</strong> first<br />
acted <strong>in</strong> conjunction with Hancock, and it laid the foundation of that mutual esteem and confidence <strong>in</strong> each other's<br />
trustworth<strong>in</strong>ess under every circumstance of peril, which grew stronger and stronger throughout the war.<br />
" Although Fortune had hitherto frowned upon his advancement, she afforded him opportunity, about three<br />
months afterward, at the first battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. <strong>The</strong>re <strong>Humphreys</strong> displayed himself <strong>in</strong><br />
the full magnificence of his imexceeded and unsurpassable <strong>in</strong>trepidity and commandership. * * « « «<br />
In this battle excellent troops were coldly and cruelly ordered to dash themselves to pieces to no purpose. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
were ordered <strong>in</strong>to a shambles to be slaughtered, and they were so. <strong>The</strong> Confederates' charge, on the third day at<br />
(Gettysburg, courageous as it was, will nevertheless, upon exam<strong>in</strong>ation, scarcely enter <strong>in</strong>to a close comparison with<br />
the Union assaults upon Marye's Heights. <strong>The</strong> Confederates <strong>in</strong> July, 1863, had clear ground before them, and there<br />
were no works to carry <strong>in</strong> their front; whereas the Union troops had not only to cross a bridgeless canal, but to<br />
assail a wall which was equal to a fortification, under every species of deadly and concentrated fire of sheltered<br />
musketry, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Barksdale's unerr<strong>in</strong>g riflemen, with heavy reserves <strong>in</strong> the rear, and of tiers of batteries. * *<br />
When Bumside ordered Sumner to storm Marye's Heights, the sturdy veteran, while clearly estimat<strong>in</strong>g the perils <strong>in</strong><br />
his front, simply remarked, 'An order is an order and must be obeyed.' * * * He afterward described<br />
'those fortifications' <strong>in</strong> these pregnant words: '<strong>The</strong>y were tier upon tier for two or three tiers. If we had carried<br />
the first tier we could not have held it, because their next tier was a much more formidable row of fortifications,<br />
only a mile distant, and <strong>in</strong> a higher position still; and no doubt large masses of <strong>in</strong>fantry were between the two<br />
crests; and hav<strong>in</strong>g got on the top of one crest, we would have been compelled to contend with large masses of fresh<br />
troops, over whom their own batteries could fire [upon us]. I was ordered by the general command<strong>in</strong>g to select<br />
the corps to make the attack. I selected the corps [divisions] of General French and General Hancock, two of the<br />
most gallant officers <strong>in</strong> our army, and two corps [divisions] that had neither of them never turned their backs to<br />
the enemy.' * * * ** «*«*«««*«««*»«<br />
"<strong>The</strong> experienced French General of Brigade, V. de Chanal, <strong>in</strong> report<strong>in</strong>g to the Emperor Napoleon III.,<br />
remarks as follows of <strong>Humphreys</strong> at Fredericksburg: 'At the battle [of Fredericksburg], a major <strong>in</strong> the United<br />
States Topographical Eng<strong>in</strong>eers, whom the war had elevated <strong>in</strong>to a general <strong>in</strong> the volunteer army, <strong>Humphreys</strong>,<br />
desired to lead back his command, composed of Pennsylvanians—whose three months' term of service was to expire<br />
the next day— to the attack of an important position. <strong>The</strong>se poor fellows, disheartened by several checks, and th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g<br />
perhaps as well of their liberation so near at hand, had la<strong>in</strong> down and cont<strong>in</strong>ued deaf to the threats as well as to<br />
the enUeaties of their conunander. <strong>The</strong>n <strong>Humphreys</strong> dismounted, and accompanied by his son, a youth of sixteen,<br />
who never left his father's side, advanced slowly toward the enemy. <strong>The</strong> Pennsylvanians, shamed by this example,<br />
started to their leet, and rushed to the attack.'<br />
"<strong>The</strong> first surge up the slippery slope was made by French, Third Division, Second corps, with a boldness<br />
and backbone that carried his front l<strong>in</strong>e to with<strong>in</strong> thirty or forty paces of the never-to-be-forgotten ' Ha ! Ha ! stone<br />
wall.' <strong>The</strong> undertow of repulse swept it back, leav<strong>in</strong>g beh<strong>in</strong>d 1,200 dead and wounded out of about twice that<br />
number. <strong>The</strong> second surge forward was made by Hancock's First Division, Second corps. It broke with<strong>in</strong> twenty-<br />
five paces of the stone wall, when the reflux occurred. In an 'evil quarter of an hour,' of 5,600 hale men 2,013<br />
lifeless or mutilated forms lay m<strong>in</strong>gled with the mass of victims to the preced<strong>in</strong>g attempt. Bumside was not yet<br />
satisfied ! <strong>Humphreys</strong> was next sent <strong>in</strong> over the palpitat<strong>in</strong>g or stiffen<strong>in</strong>g wrecks with his Third Division of the Fifth<br />
corps. '<strong>Humphreys</strong>,' says General de Trobriand, 'was probably the best officer <strong>in</strong> the Army of the Potomac that<br />
day. He had a quick eye and a clear head. That the fight<strong>in</strong>g, which his division did—some of the very best fight<strong>in</strong>g<br />
that was done at Fredericksburg— was so good, was due to him. He had only two brigades, and among these were<br />
several regiments which had never before been <strong>in</strong> battle.' As ordered, his men divested themselves of their knapsacks,<br />
haversacks and overcoats—<strong>in</strong> fact, everyth<strong>in</strong>g not <strong>in</strong>dispensable to service or which could encumber their movements.<br />
No smooth, meadowy field rose gently, as at Gettysburg, after the canal was crossed, to the position to be carried.<br />
On the contrary, the <strong>in</strong>terval was broken, crossed by fences and spr<strong>in</strong>kled with build<strong>in</strong>gs, which afforded admirable<br />
covers [to the defenders], and just at the foot of the ascent proper to Marye's Heights, a sunken road between deep