158th New York Infantry Regiment's Civil War Newspaper Clippings
One Hundred and Fifty-Eighth Regiment, N. Y. V.
[Special Correspondence of the N. Y. Sunday Mercury.]
MOREHEAD, N. C., March 21.
Attack Expected—Scouting—A Villain.
There are great expectations of the Rebels making an attack on Newbern; five companies of our regiment are at present in Newbern engaged in erecting a fort, and, as for us here, we are just as busy as we can be. All the darkeys around here are pressed, and are at work cutting down trees, while the Second Massachusetts Heavy Artillery are engaged in planting them. We have received a re-enforcement in the shape of a battery. We are out scouting most day and night in search of guerrillas. There was an expedition went out the other day in chase of a schooner, who left here without permission; they caught her in Hyde County, also an ex-officio (or United States detective) who had deserted from us. We captured this man last summer, at Blunt's Mills, so this makes the second time. You had better believe he made use of some nice language to us (the One Hundred and Fifty-eighth). There is a United States mustering officer coming here in a day or two, for the purpose of mustering the old members into the service of the United States, from the 12th day of September, 1862, and the most of the regiment was enlisted before the 31st of August, 1862; that would make some men three months longer than their three years to serve. We all know we never were mustered in as a regiment; but in Portsmouth, Va. there was some dissatisfaction in regard to it, and Colonel Jourdan told the regiment, on dress-parade, that we were mustered in as much as we ever would be, and more oaths we never would be called on to take. So I think, and most of the regiment does, that we will keep him at his word. The S. R. Spaulding arrived here the other day with 200 recruits for the Third Cavalry and Third New York Artillery.
On Wednesday week, our Lieut. Colonel, McNary, met with an unlucky accident while in Newbern. He was riding along a corduroy road, and the horse becoming frightened, reared up, and fell back on him, hurting his spine.
We have organized a Dramatic Association, under the title of the "Empire Glee Club". The officers are: James Atchinson (Hospital Steward), President; Orderly Sergeant Aug. Schaub, Secretary; Sergeant Jos. May, Treasurer.
We receive our mails now pretty regularly about twice a week. We have our Mercury regularly at hand, which is a comfort a soldier knows how to enjoy.
There is a rumor that the pickets at Newport Barracks are driven in, so I suppose we must go out scouting again. MAJOR.
One Hundred and Fifty-eighth Regiment, N. Y. S. V.
[Special Correspondence of the N. Y. Sunday Mercury.]
(1863) NEWBERN, N. C, April 18.
Relieving Foster—Force of the Troops—Finding the Enemy — Disadvantages — A Retreat— Firing the Woods—Return to Camp—Another Expedition.
I only mean in this letter to give you the history of our last march. The object of this expedition was to relieve Gen. Foster, who has been shut up in Washington for the last two weeks, with but few troops, yet still able to hold his position if the supply of grub and, ammunition holds out.
Soon after we left, we made the opposite side of the Trent River. It took all night and part of the day following to get the troops, artillery, etc., over. Got off at about three o'clock, P. M., with a force of about 3,000 infantry, one battalion of cavalry, and sixteen pieces of artillery, the whole under command of Gen. Spinola. We marched ten miles, and bivouacked for the night at a certain cross-roads, where we expected, but failed to meet, with any opposition. Third day, got on to a certain creek, which it was necessary to cross in order to dislodge the Rebels, and break up the blockade of the river. Here we opened on the enemy under great disadvantages. The woods were so thick on either side of the road that the guns had to be unlimbered, and draged into position by the men themselves; and then it was impossible to get more than three guns to work. Under all these disadvantages, we drove them pell mell over the bridge, the planks of which they carried over with them. Under this state of things, with our best artillery officer (Capt. Belger) wounded, and about fifteen others, (all slightly), the Rebels having our range to a dot, it was concluded best to retreat, which was effected in the most perfect order.
The march back to the cross-roads was effected after nightfall, the advance set the woods on fire, which, far and near, presented the finest sight of the kind I ever saw.
Without going into details, we arrived at Newbern on the evening of the 10th. I understand that four men and twenty-four horses were thrown from the flatboat, and drowned. The health of our regiment is good. Over thirty have been discharged, and it is understood to be the intention of the Government to weed out all that are physically unfit for duty, and fill up the regiment with good men. A part of our regiment are on picket at Deep Gully.
We have had very cold weather here for the last three weeks. At night, especially, a double allowance of blankets is very desirable.
Another expedition has just started for the relief of General Foster and his little command.
ONE IN THE RANKS.
From North Carolina--Affairs in the 158th
Brooklyn Regiment.
CAMP OF THE 158th Regiment, N. Y. S. V.,
Newberne, N. C, Aug. 10, 1863.
(Correspondence of the Eagle.)
Affairs in this Department are, at present, very quiet, but extensive movements are talked of, to take place as soon as reinforcements arrive—either from the draft or otherwise. The taking of Wilmington will, no doubt, be embraced in the programme.
Our regiment has been here since January 1st, when we arrived from Suffolk, Va. Since then, we have done hard and valuable service, such as heavy marches, raids, picket duty, and building breastworks, and doing other fatigue duly. We have, under the directions of our able and indefatigable Brigade Commander, Col. James Jourdan, encircled this town with a cordon of entrenchments which it will be difficult for a rebel force to take.
Some of the officers having lately left the Regiment, either by resignation or dismissal, new promotions have been made as follows:
1st Lieutenant Jacques Kalt, Co. D., to be Captain of Co. E.
2d Lieutenant Wm. Booz, Co. F., to be 1st Lieutenant.
Sergeant Major Jos. E. Palmer, Jr., to be 2d Lieutenant of Co. C.
COM. Sergeant Ed. Reilley to be 2d Lieutenant of Co. A.
1st Sergeant Theodore Linder to be 2d Lieutenant of Co. E
1st Sergeant Edward Gray to be 2d Lieutenant of Co. F.
The roster of line officers of this organization stands as follows at present:
Company A--Captain Jacob David, 1st Lieutenant P. Branagan, 2d Lieutenant E. Rielly.
Company B.—Captain Wm. Cuff, 1st Lieutenant Wm. Coles, 2d Lieutenant J. E. St. Felix.
Company C.--Captain Charles Smith, 1st Lieutenant, vacant, 2d Lieutenant J. E. Palmer, Jr.
Company D.--Captain P. B. Steele, 1st Lieutenant, vacant, 2d Lieutenant E. T. Johnston.
Company E.—Captain Jacques Kalt, 1st Lieutenant T. F. King, 2d Lieutenant T. Linder.
Company F.—Captain Hyron Kalt, 1st Lieutenant Wm. B. Booz, 2d Lieutenant Ed. Gray.
Company G.--Captain, vacant, 1st Lieutenant John Cain, 2d Lieutenant A. Lindsley.
Company H.—Captain Wm. A. Furey, 1st Lieutenant S. C. Roof, 2d Lieutenant H. P Mayo.
Company I—Captain G. W. McCown, 1st Lieutenant E. Gillen, 2d Lieutenant M. Campbell.
Company K.—Captain B. B. Purdy, 1st Lieutenant, J. C. Gerrard, 2d Lieutenant J. Haggarty.
In the field and staff no material changes have taken place.
I hope the drafted men will soon come that we can have a chance to reduce that blockade-running port, Wilmington, which would be a hard blow for Jeff.
Begging pardon for this intrusion, I remain
ONE OF THE 158TH.
One Hundred and Fifty-Eighth New York Regiment and other.
White, driver of ambulance, killed.
Tibbetts, Signal corps, killed.
A bugler named Brewster, D, Captain West, 12th New York cavalry, was killed.
Twelve or fifteen blacks were killed—five or six were blown to pieces.
Commissary Sergeant Ennerer, 158th New York, dangerously wounded, since dead.
Jas. Seaman, D, 158th New York, killed.
Lieutenant W. W. Wells, 58th Pennsylvania, Aid to Colonel Classon, was seriously wounded in the left foot, since amputated, not expected to recover.
Jas. Beales, 158th New York, dangerously wounded.
Jas. Ives, I, 158th New York, dangerously wounded.
Christopher Hempstead, station agent on railroad, was struck by one of the dismembered arms and severely, but not dangerously, injured.