Larry Purtell
Little Meadows, PA, USA
Posts: 719
 | | Col. Adrian Rowe Root -94th NY, July 1st 1863 | | Posted on: 7/26/2010 10:41:17 AM | A good account of the aftermath of the fighting on July 1st. Col. Root describes meeting a quartermaster from the 8th Georgia that he had previously known in Buffalo N.Y. by the name Of Sammy Hall. My research tells me this man is most likely Qtr. Master Sergt. S.H.M. Hall. He served in this capacity until 7/8/64 when he was reduced to the ranks and sent back to company-B in which he originally enlisted. On 8/6/64 he deserted and was furnished transportation to Philadelphia. Apparently he decided to return to his Northern roots.
THE BATTLES AT GETTYSBURGH.; Interesting Letter from Col. Root, of the Ninety-fourth New-York His Experiences in the Rebel Lines. Col. ROOT, of the Ninety-fourth New-York, writes the following interesting account of the first day's battle at Gettysburgh, with his experience as ... The Second New-York in the Battle of Gettysburgh.
Published: July 26, 1863
prisoner, to the Buffallo Commercial:
On June 30, marched nearly to Gettysburgh, our brigade arriving at about 1 o'clock P.M., and finding WADSWORTH's division engaged with a superior force of the enemy, and suffering severely, Gen. REYNOLDS, the Corps Commander, having been killed early in the action. Our division passed on to the left of Gettysburgh, and advanced to WADSWORTH's support, the First brigade forming line of battle upon a wooded ridge, and, by direction of Gen. PAUL, throwing up hastily-constructed breastworks of fence-rails, &c. These were scarcely completed before we were ordered to move to the right, and having moved about 500 yards, found ourselves under a heavy fire of ???sketry and artillery. In order to see the enemy I advanced the Ninety-fourth in line through the grove to a rail fence, toward which the enemy's line was advancing through a wheat-field. My regiment opened a heavy fire upon the enemy's line, which soon wavered, then broke and hastily retreated. I deemed the moment a proper one for advancing across the wheat-field to another fence, whence I hoped to silence, and, if possible, capture a battery which was vigorously shelling us from a wooded elevation beyond. At that moment an Aid came up and informed me that I was in command of the brigade. Gen. PAUL having been wounded. I hesitated no longer, but gave the order to the Ninety-fourth to charge. The gallant fellows sprang over the fence with a cheer, charged across the field in the face of a heavy fire, and occupied the desired position, from which they opened a heavy fire upon the enemy's battery. I then went to Gen. ROBINSON, reported my action, and asked for orders. Gen. R. thought it hardly desirable to attempt to carry the enemy's position, and directed me to recall my men to their original position. Riding to the front, I ordered the regiment back, and was turning my horse, when a shell exploded directly over me, and so near me as to completely stun me. One fragment tore my cap from my head, and my entire system was so shocked and prostrated that I was unable to keep my seat in the saddle. I accordingly rolled off in a bewildered frame of mind -- and my share in the battle had ended. Two of my men carried me to the rear, and drenched me with water.
Meantime the enemy, pressing the corps in superior force, succeeded in flanking it on both sides, and forced it to retreat in haste through Gettysburgh to a bill beyond. In passing through Gettysburgh, the enemy headed off a portion of the corps, and captured a large number of prisoners, among whom were nearly 200 of my own regiment. While all this was transpiring I remained helpless and semi-conscious on the field, and was taken possession of by some exultant rebels. By a sort of retributive justice, my captors belonged to the Thirty-third North Carolina Regiment, the identical regiment captured by my brigade at the first battle of Frederick. Dec. 17, 1862. When the rebels had occupied Gettysburgh their pursuit ceased, and having some leisure they turned their attention to their prisoners, of whom they had taken about four thousand. The Thirty-third North Carolina recognized me, shook hands vigorously, and escorted me to their Colonel, who anxiously inquired it "I'd take a drink," at the same time proffering a canteen of whisky. Later in the evening my gen???rous captors took me to the headquarters of Gen. A.P. HILL, who gave me a good supper, and offered to parole me at once, or to wait and exchange me after the Confederates had taken Baltimore. I preferred being exchanged at Baltimore, but subsequently ??? thought of the hundreds of our wounded men in the rebel lines, and asked permission to attend to their wants, and offering to be personally responsible for a detail of prisoners, if they could be given me. Gen. HILL at once gave me permission to attend to out wounded, and subsequently gave me a detail of one hundred and fifty men of the Ninety-fourth New-York Volunteers to assist me. I was required to sign an obligation to remain prisoner of war until duty exchanged. All the other prisoners were paroled, and sent to Carlisle, but I declined the parole, as did my men also, and only accepted the provisional parole in order to be enabled to relieve the sufferings of the wounded. That night I passed on the battlefield, doing what little I could to relieve the misery around me. All I could do was to supply water and receive dying; messages for home friends, and encourage the less severely wounded. I shall never forget that first night -- no, nor any of those days and nights until the long and fearful fight had ended. But that first night was the most painful of all, for with the exception of one map, I was alone in endeavoring to assist the hundreds of wounded men around me, and meanwhile suffering inexpressible distress myself, from very consciousness of my inability to materially relieve the misery which wrung with useless sympathy every chord of my nature.
But the next day. July 2, my detail of 150 men of the Ninety-fourth came to my assistance, and while the fight raged furiously at the front, my brave fellows labored assiduously under a constant fire of our own batteries to collect our wounded men.
The poor fellows were placed in a barn, until one hundred and seventeen had been placed there, and there was no more room, and then the rest were laid in rows on the ground outside. We had no luncheons, but we had water, and the men worked faithfully in their labor of mercy, rendering me prouder of them than ever before. That their labors were not entirely devoid of risk may be inferred from the fact that several shot and shells passed into and through our improvised barn hospital. One of these shells exploded and fore the lower jaw from a Tennessee Major who had stopped to look at our wounded, and he died in a few moments. Of the great artillery fight of July 3, and subsequently of the magnificent infantry charges of rebels, I was as you may suppose, a most interested spectator, but I cannot now take the time to describe them. I will only say that after having been present at a number of important engagements, the battle of Gettysburgh, in my opinion, exceeded all previous battles of the war in sublimity and grandeur, as well as in carnage and subsequent human misery. You will bear in mind that within the rebel lines, I was at perfect liberty to go where I chose. I was a witness to their losses as well as our own. There were numerous instances to which it seemed as though all possible human misery had been concentrated. Can you imagine anything more appalling than human beings with ???rattered jaws, limb., heads, helpless, speechless, yet conscious, and with the pleading eye eloquent with imploring agony. I saw many such, and could only leave them to perish slowly where they had fallen.
But I will not shock you with a detailed description of these horrors. During the night of the 4th instant, the rebels began their retreat, disappointed, but very far from being dispirited; their artillery infact, their cavalry splendidly mounted, their infantry in perfect discipline. The officers bade me good-bye, saying, as they shook hands, that they hoped to meet me again under pleasanter auspices.
By dawn of the 5th inst., the Confederates had entirely disappeared, leaving me and my detail with the wounded, and by noon our lines had extended out to our rudely Improvised hospitals, and our wounded, for the first time since the action of the 1st inst., received medical attendance.
I should like very much to tell you of some of the strange incidents which occurred to me during my involuntary sojourn with the rebels, but cannot do so now without violating the terms of my parole. You will doubtless be surprised to learn that I met several Buffalonians in the rebel army (where won't you meet them?) On one occasion, while walking over the field, I met a mounted rebel officer, who after passing me, turned his horse, and overtaking me, asked if I was not Col. R. On my replying in the affirmative, he asked me if I knew him. I looked at him a moment, and replied, "Yes, you rascal, I know you very well. I used to see you licked every day at FAT's school."
Whereat the rebel laughed, and announced himself as the Quartermaster of the Eighth Georgia regiment, and wanted to know if he could do anything for me. On my replying that I wanted nothing but surgeons, which he could not supply, he began a review of the old school boy days of the long past childhood, asking after many who had been long ago dead and buried, and finally, and with hesitation, inquiring about his father and mother. I remembered that his brother was lost at sea, and I expressed the opinion that poor "GUSSY" had been the more fortunate of the brothers. Whereupon the Confederate smiled gravely, and said that he must be going along, as he had been detailed to "borrow" some horses from the Pennsylvania farmers. Then with a request that I would send his love to his parents and family, my old schoolmate, SAMMY HALL, rode away ??? to negotiated his "loan" of some horses from the Pennsylvania farmers.
This letter is becoming too long for you to read with comfort, and I will finish it forthwith My own physical condition is quite satisfactory, with the exception of an occasional twinge of pain in my cranium consequent upon what the surgeon declares to have been a "concussion of the brain." I regard his opinion with much satisfaction, in view of the fact that a friend of mine has frequently told me that I had no brains, or I would be at home behaving myself, instead of wasting my days as a three years' volunteer. I am now awaiting instructions as to the validity of my parole, which I consider valid and binding, and shall fulfill its conditions, to the extent of my ability, my only object in assuming them having been to relieve the sufferings of our wounded men.
I cannot state definitely the losses in my regiment during the recent ba???ties. About one hundred men only are now with the colors, but doubtless most of the "missing" were taken prisoners. I do not yet know the number of killed and wounded.
I remain yours very truly, A.R.R.
The following is a list of killed, wounded and missing of Company C, Second New-York State Militia at the battle of Gettysburgh, July 2 and 3, 1863:
Killed.
Sergt. John B. Wilson.
Mathew Byrnes.
James Gray.
Wounded.
Sergt. Chas. H. Rigby.
Sergt. Jeremiah S. Hayes.
Corp. Jos. W. Heusted.
Corp. Henry C. Austin.
Corp. John J. Austin.
Daniel E. Desmond.
George W. Ternald.
Edward Farron.
Benj. A. Hanney.
Charles A. Marcotte
Peter Mullaney.
Michael O'Neil.
William Stewart.
William Walker.
Missing.
Nicholas Hoykas.
John Maxwell and Charles McKenna wounded and in New-York. A.A. MAXWELL.
Captain Company C. Second N.Y.S.M.
Capt. MAXWELL has been in all the battles in which the Army of the Potomac has been engaged -- 22 in all -- since the first Bull Run, and has thus far escaped with only a slight scratch.
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"My goal is to live forever. So far, so good.
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