Four Years With the Iron Brigade

by Lance Herdegen

  8th [January 1863] Got breakfast at the same place as supper. We were then formed into a company, marched under guard to the boat that sh’d start to Aquia creek at 8 A.M. Got aboard and off we went. The guards coming aboard as the boat started. Reached there, 12N, were marched to a bord shanty where we were given dinner &c. Turned over to another guard & there we had to wait until we were sent after which was two days for Frank and I.

  9th [January 1863] when the Provost Marshal [Military Police] of our, the first army corps, came after us & about a doz belonging to it. We went up to Falmouth Station on the cars. Then marched to the Provost Marshals office which was four miles. Raining Jehu like and had been all the afternoon. It was now dark and verry dark. The Provost Marshal said we must be sent to our Regts. And the Captain of the Provost said we couldn’t go, that he would give us something to eat which he did. Ordered his cook to give us plenty of coffee and crackers which we ate with a good relish and he showed us a fodder pile which he himself had slept in the first night they came there so we made a bed in it and luckily it stopped raining, rested well.

  10th [January 1863] And we were then singled out for our Regts and guard sent with us and the guard taking each right to his Co and getting a receipt from the Colonel of the Regt for the men.

  So we started and came about 4 miles, found the Boys in good spirits & good health generally, rather better than usual and the company numbered 40 men which was much larger than I expected to find. There had most of the Boys got back from the Hospitals, found the boys in better quarters than last winter. And I got in with 3 other boys who had built their shanty for 4. And it wasn’t quite finished so I turned in and helped them fix it up verry comfortable. But I am sorry to say that two of my tentmates are verry lousy and when we change camp or move I shall try to get in with somebody else or tent so as to leave them out for they are verry dirty Soldiers. And they might be clean, I think when we are in camp if they would try. They are two of them college educated folks too. Well after I got here I had to help them finish the cabin by banking it, build chimney, making a door, putting up shelves &c. Things too numerous to mention it. Anybody that has lived in the woods will know how it is done. Well about our Company officers. Lieut Young in command of the company and the only commissioned officer here now. As Captain Callis is in Wisconsin recruiting and hope he will never (unreadable) again.

  [Ed. Note: back cover reads: “Turn to the front leaf.” The following section is written on the first two pages of the diary.]

  For the company was never in better condition than it is at present, and I am sure that we never had so good or so plenty food for we have a great plenty and we do just about as we please and run about almost where we please and are always here when there is anything to do and we have no trouble anyway whatever. And the company was never so obedient as it now is for everyone seems to like him and try to please him and he does the same.

  Well about the camp. It is near Bell Planes [Belle Plaine] on the Potomac River and about 7 miles from where we lay last summer when we were in this part of the country. The camp is on a small ridge. The soil is rather sandy which keeps it dry and there is plenty of wood and water also. But we have to carry all of it up the hill and that goes hard. Well I have received no letters from home since I came to the camp. I wrote one to Mother & Henry yesterday. Well this Book is full and I will commence another so.

  Good By.

  1863

  Private William Ray did not return to the Seventh Wisconsin Volunteers until the middle of January 1863. Because of his Brawner’s Farm wound, he had missed the battles of Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. When he finally returned to duty he found about 40 men in his Company F in their winter camp on a slight ridge not six or seven miles from where they had spent the previous winter. There were more than he expected, and the regiment had substantially changed during his absence.

  Captain John B. Callis, who had organized the company, was back in Wisconsin on recruitment duty, and in command was Lieutenant Henry Young. Colonel William W. Robinson was back in command of the regiment after recovering from his Gainesville (Brawner’s Farm) wound. Lieutenant Colonel Charles A. Hamilton was about to resign and return to Wisconsin to practice law. It was also understood that Callis was about to be promoted to major to replace George Bill, who had also been wounded at Gainesville and had just resigned. The Seventh and the other old regiments of the brigade had been much reduced by the hard fighting of the past few months, and a new unit—the Twenty-fourth Michigan—was added in October 1862. General John Gibbon was also gone, promoted to division command in another corps; in his place was Solomon Meredith of the Nineteenth Indiana.

  Of more significance was another matter. No longer were the soldiers of the other regiments calling the Westerners “the Black Hats,” but “The Iron Brigade of the West.” The proud name supposedly dated back to South Mountain on September 14, 1862, when General George B. McClellan watched the brigade fight its way up the National Road. Upon inquiry, “Little Mac” was told the troops belonged to Gibbon’s Western brigade. “They must be made of iron,” McClellan said to another officer (or at least that is how he reported it later). The casual remark was overheard by a newspaper correspondent. “This brigade has done some of the hardest and best fighting in the service,” the correspondent wrote a few days later. “It has been justly termed the Iron Brigade of the West.”

  But it was at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on July 1, 1863, that Meredith’s First Brigade of the First Division of the First Corps won undying fame. There, the Westerners came on the run from the south that morning to be thrown into line northwest of the town. The Second Wisconsin, Nineteenth Indiana, Seventh Wisconsin, and Twenty-fourth Michigan plunged forward en echelon into a woods on a slight ridge to repulse James Archer’s advancing Confederate brigade. “There are those damned black hatted fellows again,” the Rebel infantrymen called to one another over the gunfire. To the north, the Sixth Wisconsin successfully captured hundreds of Confederates they had helped trap in an unfinished railroad cut.

  The bloody morning success evolved into a desperate struggle early that afternoon. Three hours later the Confederates came at them again in thick lines of well-formed infantry. With loud yells and unstoppable tenacity, the Southerners smothered the Federal position atop Seminary Ridge. On the left, the Iron Brigade regiments stubbornly held on and soon found the enemy on three sides. “Come on, Johnny! Come on!” some of the Wisconsin boys shouted with an angry wave of a clenched fist. In the fierce and frantic shooting, in the smoke and swirl of bullets, the black-hatted soldiers fell back from one position to another. And soon the defensive line was gone.

  In the press and confusion of the Union retreat, the shattered regiments of the Iron Brigade tried to keep together, moving through the streets of Gettysburg until, finally, they came to a Federal line being patched together near a cemetery on a low hill south of town. The Confederate pursuit sputtered to a halt in the deepening darkness as newly arriving Union regiments tramped in to take their place along the growing Federal line. The delaying fight of the Iron Brigade and other units, as well as the hesitation of the enemy generals to press their advantage, was decisive. The new Union position south of Gettysburg proved the key to victory. For the next two days the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia hammered Meade’s Federal lines in a series of unsuccessful attempts to dislodge the Union soldiers before abandoning the field on July 4 and marching back to Virginia.

  No brigade in the army had performed better service at Gettysburg than the Iron Brigade, but the cost had been frightful. Indeed, the “Iron Brigade of the West” had been shot to pieces. Within a few hours, some 1,200 of the 1,883 men taken into the battle had fallen. In the Seventh Wisconsin, of 343 engaged, 178 were among the killed, wounded, or missing.

  One of them was William Ray.

  Volume 8

  An Emancipation Act

  January 26, 1863 to February 27, 1863

  [Ed. Note:
This book is in poor condition. Someone gave it to Ray for his use, but it already had notations and drawings written in it. Ray recorded his observations on the available space. This problem is compounded by the fact that some pages are missing. It begins as follows below, with some concluding observations on the Union defeat at Fredericksburg, Virginia, in December 1862, and Union General Ambrose Burnside.]83

  . . . to trade off for Burnside but I don’t wonder at the doing it for it was truth that we were stuck and they were ready for us where we were going to cross as it afterwards proved

  January 26, 1863

  And a . . . day & rained nearly all night. There was nothing unusual transpired. I got a letter from Henry today it being the first mail I have had since coming to the Regt. It stated he was well and he heartily endorsed the Emancipation Act which I am glad to hear. I made a washboard with a jackknife. You would smile to see the skills displayed on it. And I didnt get to use it today on account of the stormy weather and I expect to be on guard tomorrow.84

  January 27, 1863

  And stormy it being rain until toward night when it turned to snowing and snowed al night. I was on guard today, there being only one post and there being 10 guards. We only had to stand once a piece 2 hours & 20 minutes. I being the 8th one, I had to get up at 2 oclock at night. I was quite sick all the night up to an hour or so before when I got up and vomited and was better right away so that I felt a great deal better when I got on post which is some 40 rods distant from my shanty. In going there I had to go through snow nearly knee deep to my great surprise. There being some bales of hay there, I broke one open and got in thereby keeping my feet dry and protected from the cold. The time passed off well, by singing two or three Patriotic Songs such as the Ocean Wave, the Star Spangled Banner &c. The guard arrangement is verry good. The guards are allowed to go to their quarters and the Corporal or Sergeant which ever it may be comes & notifies them when their turn comes. That is even better than I should have asked had that Privilige been allowed me. When the time was up my relief came promptly and I returned to my quarters & went to Bed again, had a good nap.

  January 28, 1863

  And a fine day. Stoped snowing soon after daylight. When I awoke this morning the sun was high up. Probably one hour. The snow is going off verry fast under the rays of the warm sun. The report is that [Union General Joseph] Hooker has superceeded Burnsides which if true, we, I think, will soon have something to do in some way. Probably he may not do any better than Burnside but I hope so, if such a thing could be shone which I for one doubt verry much.

  We are verry scarce of rations for several days but not bad off. We will have Plenty hereafter as they will have got it fixed again as it was before we march. I signed for a hat and a pair of pants and I have drawn me a new haversack so I will get fit out ere long. While out on that march I got a good knappsack that was being thrown away by a soldier and if I hadnt drawn a Blanket I could have got one the same way.

  January 30, 1863

  And nothing exciting. It is a fine day. We are likely to have soft Bread soon as the Brigade is building a Bakery. It is built with logs. It will soon be done I think as there are a great many at work on it. There is Bakers to from the Regt so that will save US the expense of hiring them. And when we march they can shoulder the musket again.

  January 31, 1863

  And fine day & I got at that long talked of job Washing. I joined fires with the Co Washman and he showed me a number of new tricks about washing. It was hard getting a fire started on account of the snow which has not all gone off yet. But pretty much so on the hillsides and we being in the hollow we had it to contend with which made it rather bad. But I soon got some water hot and went at it to try my new washboard which I was well pleased with. I soon rubbed out 6 or 7 pieces & got them on to boil. Then being quite hungry I came up to the shanty and got dinner which I had fixed and started to boil and left in care of one of the tentmates which he did well. Then returned and took the clothes out, rinsed them, they looked well. In fact I never knew how to wash before and I think when I get home I will not go verry dirty if I couldnt get them washed by some woman. But I live and learn and I have learned a great deal since I came into the Army.

  February 1, 1863

  And looks like storm. We got orders last night at roll call to start on Picket at 8 A.M. this morning. We had revilee early and got breakfast, got two days rations. That being the time we had to stay on duty. When going by headquarters we halted and new orders for forming and conducting a new picket line. Went on at great speed reaching the line at 10 A.M. the time set forth in the new orders. The distance to the lines is about three miles. In consequence of forming the new line it was late in the afternoon when our company got posted. We, our, the Left rear, we were quartered near a house and the officers made that their headquarters. There being a safeguard there, I was called upon to go and relieve him, by Lieut [Henry] Young, he being one of the officers that had command there. He saying that I should get some wood, as much as we should use as we would set the folks fire. This I gladly done for I didnt feel verry well having a bad cold at the time. And it was raining some and was likely to be a bad night. So I got plenty of wood, got my things moved in, soon was seated by a Blazing fire in the old fashioned Chimney and sat and chatted till about 9 P.M. when the Old lad had supper on the table and urged us to eat. That being my privilige as it always is a safeguards. So I and three or four officers sit down to the table. The supper consisted of Buiscuits & Pancakes (the latter made of cornmeal) ham and eggs, butter and the best kind of coffee. Supper over, we chat with the Family awhile. They consists of the two old folks and their two grown up Girls or young ladies, more properly speaking and they all were so ignorant that one person raised in the North would know more than them all. Oh but they were worse than any Negro that had been in the North 6 months. I never had an Idea before how Ignorant a person could be. But I see where the Blight of Slavery has been. There is Ignorance to the worst degree. The poor white is Below the negro if anything.

  I wanting to go to bed (as a safeguard is allowed to sleep) the old woman showed me to a bedroom not forgetting to remind me if I heard the chickens squak or pigs squeal I must up and out to see what was the matter. And all I would have to do is get up look out the door as it was tolerable light, could see the pig sty and hen coop. I found my bed to be a feather bed. But not so good as a straw bed in Wisconsin for it was like evrything else about the Establishment. It looked as if it had been in use for a hundred years. The house had been a fine one in its day, it being large and three stories high. One of those being a kind of basement story. Evrything, furniture and all as I said before looked a old and the people now living here are verry poor. I thought I had seen the Vales of Poverty in my time but I never see such a one as that.

  February 2, 1863

  And fine looking morning. Rather cold last night. I got a warm breakfast similar to the supper last night. No other man but myself to sit down. I thought myself rather lucky to have two ladies and the Mother of them to breakfast with. It was such an unusual thing. But however I got along verry well for they were verry Ignorant. But were verry tidy and good cooks. Their victuals was cooked excellent such as it was which I have before named. Set around all day without any dinner. But had supper about dark, earlier than last night. The Officers are coming again tonight. This seems to be a resort for officers to get meals. Evening passed off about the same as last Evening. I had to get a good deal of wood as the old man is quite sick and they must keep a fire upstairs and they have fireplaces only and two going all the time so it takes a good deal of wood.

  February 3, 1863

  And fine but cold morning. Got breakfast as usual. But two or three officers of the Picket line breakfasted here. Expect the Relief soon. 10 A.M. and the Relief has come. I don’t know what Regt, I believe 7th Indiania. A man was sent to relieve me. Before he got to the house the Old woman pitched out to him about getting some wood. Scared him half to death he said. He thought h
e was elected for 48 hours work. Pretty hard guard duty to have to get all the wood for the house when the guard at a house is not obliged to do anything and they are obliged to feed & give him bed.

  Well I soon joined the company and was trudging for home, evry man for himself as they were relieved, they would start home. I reached home about 12 N. Built fire, got dinner.

  February 5, 1863

  And stormy, rather snowy. I am on fatigue duty today and had to work all day in the storm. Those who wished got two or three drinks of whiskey. I, as always, rather discouraged it if anything. We were putting [up] a shed for the horses and mules of our Regt. There being about 40 men at work at different things about it, we got it up. But that night, it being stormy, it blew down as I said it would when I saw how they were putting it up. For I am some acquainted with such work having done it at home some for cattle shed &c about the farm. I got pretty wet and didnt feel well to begin with & had not for several days. The shed was covered and sided up with pine instead of straw as at home.

  February 6, 1863

  And rainy this morning. About 1 P.M. cleared off. Was a fine evening. One of my tentmates came fatigue duty today and the fatigue party have to put up the shed again that we put up yesterday. This caused some merriment amongst the Boys. Twas a rather hard joke on us fellows of yesterday. They worked till noon & then was let off on account of the storm which soon stopped and was a fine evening. Today we was to had Inspection but it didnt come off on account of the storm. There having been an order issued to have Co Inspections evry Tuesday and Friday, and Regimental Inspection evry Sunday morning. So they calculate to get the Regt up in good condition by the next muster for Pay.