I have told this story twice. My Brave Boys, which I co-authored with Mark Travis, covered the
Fifth’s history from 1861 through its return to Concord after Gettysburg. It
was my privilege to write the Fredericksburg chapter, and I found many letters
and accounts written by the soldiers to guide me.
Col. Edward E. Cross, the first commander of the Fifth, is also
a major figure in Our War. During the
decade after My Brave Boys came out,
I learned more about Cross. Robert Grandchamp, a dogged young researcher and
member of the Fifth New Hampshire re-enactors, shared many of his finds during his
work on Col. Edward E.
Cross, New Hampshire Fighting Fifth: A Civil War Biography. Other sources
also provided new information about Cross, especially his prewar days in
Arizona.
Col. Edward E. Cross |
The Our War chapter
included other new material. The Parsons family gave the letters of George S. Gove,
a 21-year-old sergeant from Raymond who fought bravely with the Fifth, to the
Milne special collection at the University of New Hampshire last year. I also
found a moving letter written by three wounded veterans of the Fifth. The three provided the ending to my chapter, writing of Cross: “A better man to look after the
welfare of his men never wore the eagles. Were we to enlist for a score of
times, we should go under Col. Cross each time.”
But
the information just keeps coming. David Morin, an early Fifth re-enactor, is a
vacuum cleaner for new material about the Fifth. Check out his photo collection here. Since Our War came out, Dave has
shared several things with me, including two letters about Fredericksburg.
In
one, 30-year-old Lieutenant Janvrin Graves of Tuftonborough writes that the
body of Edward E. Sturtevant, the Fifth’s major, was found and buried on the
field along with those of Capt. William Moore of Littleton and Lt. Charles
Ballou of Claremont. Written to Moore’s father, the letter asserts that Moore’s
pockets were “rifled of all their contents by the rebels.”
I have long believed
that Sturtevant, whose clothing was also rifled, was never identified because
he was mangled by an artillery shell. Graves did not claim he had seen the body
– only that those on a burial detail said they had. And I think Graves was
wrong about who stole the belongings of Moore, Sturtevant and many other dead
Union soldiers. On the basis of where the bodies were, the thieves were almost
surely their Union comrades.
The
great-great-granddaughter of Charles Hale shared another letter with Morin. Her
name is Megan Hale-Raber, and she lives in Suquamish, Washington.
Charles Hale as a corporal. |
Hale,
a 21-year-old from Lebanon and a Fifth New Hampshire corporal at
Fredericksburg, survived the war and was later a guide at the Gettysburg
battlefield. Generations of historians (including me) have used his account of Col. Cross at
Gettysburg. Hale’s Fredericksburg letter, written to his
mother, describes the battle as “horrible, terrible, beyond description” and
gives an eyewitness account of the heroic death of James Perry, his captain and
fellow townsman.
Here it is:
Near Falmouth December 18, 1862
My dear Mother,
I wrote you a few hasty lines day before
yesterday, thinking at the time to write you again soon. Yesterday I tried
several times to write and give you a description of the engagement as I saw
it, but I failed in accomplishing it. Such were the circumstances connected
with it. It was horrible, terrible beyond description. I can see in it nothing
but a useless slaughter. The noblest, bravest hearts that ever fought were
sacrificed. I was on the field from the time we entered till after the stars
began to shine, and such scenes as I there saw may we never be called again to
witness.
I did not see Captain Perry fall, did not know
that he was struck till I was hit, and in going back a merciful providence
directed my steps and there he lay in the mud at my feet. It was near a small
brick house; a slight board fence screened us from the sight of the
sharpshooter, but afforded no more resistance to the bullets than a sheet of
paper. I couldn’t move him to a safer place, so I determined to stay with him.
At first, he was insensible, but Lieut. Graves of our regiment gave me some
whiskey with which I moistened his lips. Soon he began to revive and in a short
time was perfectly rational. The fatal bullet had passed through his lungs. He
knew he must die, and his only regret was in leaving his wife and little one –
wished me to tell his friends he died like a true soldier holding the stars and
stripes – he had just picked up the Flag and had it in his hand when hit.
Perhaps Mr. Cheney would like a list of the
casualties. It is not so that I could it today but if I have time perhaps I
will send it soon. I would rather you would not make any portion of what I
write public, that is to publish it. My duties are rather more confining than I
would wish, still it goes smoothly. Our regiment is so small now that but
little is required of us.
My health continues. The scratch on my thigh
does not trouble me and is losing its soreness. Father’s dear kind letter I
received before we recrossed the river. The papers came yesterday. Please write
to me often dear mother and remember to pray for your boy. Your prayers have
been my shield in these trying scenes. I know it must be so. Remember me to
inquiring friends.
Yours affectionately,
Charles
This
is the way of history: The past keeps changing.
What excellent information. Our thanks for your post.
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