The Civil War Papers of Lt. Colonel Newton T. Colby, New York Infantry
Dublin Core
Title
The Civil War Papers of Lt. Colonel Newton T. Colby, New York Infantry
Subject
Newton Colby
Description
The diary of Newton Colby which details his military service with the 23rd New York. Colby and the 23rd spent several months in Arlington during the Civil War and were involved with the August 27, 1861 Ball's Crossroads Skirmish which took place in Four Mile Run Valley. The 23rd also camped at Upton's Hill.
Creator
Newton Colby
Source
Edited by William Hughes
Date
1861-1865
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Following in the footsteps of ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, New York State militiaman Newton T. Colby readily volunteered for service at the outbreak of the Civil War. Joining the 23rd New York Volunteer Infantry as a first lieutenant in 1861, he saw minor action with the regiment around the outskirts of Washington D.C. Yet, military politics soon disillusioned the young man and following the occupation of Fredericksburg in May of 1862, Colby resigned his commission.
Soon after his return home however, Newton T. Colby joined the newly formed 107th New York Volunteer Infantry. An inexperienced unit, they would only see picket duty at Second Manassas, but soon after, Colby and the Volunteers faced the true horrors of war in the battles of Antietam and Chancellorsville. While the 107th New York Volunteer Infantry went on to join Sherman in his March to the Sea, Colby ill with typhoid fever, was discharged in 1863. Not healthy enough for battle, yet still desiring to play a part in the war, Colby joined the Veteran Reserve Corps and returned to the Nation’s Capitol, where he served as the military superintendent of Old Capitol Prison. Here captors and captives would overcome the hostilities of war and, Lt. Newton T. Colby would become an eyewitness to history.
Letter from Lt. Newton Colby:
Arlington Heights
Thursday Aug 29 (1861)
Dear Father
Having been very busy for a dew days past - I have been prevented from answering your very interesting and kind letter - but having a little leisure I will try and write you to day. First in order allow me to inform you to that I have been under fire for the first time on Tuesday - the 27th last - and in all probability I shall never again be where I shall see bullits fly thicker - But let me begin at the beginning - Tuesday moring - orders came from headquarters to our Colonel - to detail two comnpanies and a Field Officer - who would be joined by three companies from other regiments - and proceed to Ball's Crossroads - Well - an Elmira company and ours was selected and having been joined by the others we went there by orders of the Lt. Col. Crane - took position just on the brow of the hill on our side of the rail road - being 1 or 11/2 miles beyond Ball's Crossroads - The road from the cross roads to the place we occupied is straight and quite level - and runs through an open country until reaching us - We were on the brow of a rather steep long hill - covered on both sides of the road with woods - until you get to the bottom and there the road crosses the railroad - and ascends the hill on the other side of the valley - Down the hill on our side and up the other side too - the road had been cut down so that there were high banks on each side - The road on the opposite side of the railroad went through the cut above mentioned and was pretty steep until - you get up the hill and there is a level spot with woods only on one side. In the valley and on each side of the railroad there was no woods for 3 or 4 rods - it having probably been cleared for the railroad - After arriving to the edge of the woods and on the brow of the hill we halted and our company was detailed to occupy one side of the road in the edge of the woods and the other company was drawn up along the road - By order of the Lt. Col - I was to take 4 men and proceed down the hill and find out how things were - and he says - he ordered me not to to cross the railroad - but I did not hear that part of the order - if he gave it. Well I took a rifle from one of the men and with the men I went down the hill and just in the edge of the woods and a few rods of the railroad I came upon our outside line of picket guards - who cautioned me not to go into the open ground as the Rebels were in the woods and would fire on us - I reconnoitered the other side thoroughly and sent one my men to the Lt. Col - to get his field glass and got into a place on the hill side where I could see the road on the opposite hill and I saw the Rebels to the number of 4 or 500 - with one piece of artillery -commanding the road - They had grey uniforms and were commanded by an officer on horseback - Well all I could discover made me believe that there were none of the enemy below the artillery station and I accordingly determined to cross the railroad and go up the hill and look about - and did so - and when I got up there I found our Orderly Sergeant - Sherwood (1st Sgt Delos C. Sherwood) and two or three of our men - we got behind some trees-when all of a sudden some of the devils fired at us. The shots came from just in front of us and apparently were about about 15 or 20 rods off- Just then I saw one of the grey whelps behind a tree - partly and fired at him - with what effect I could not tell - Well it was pop-pop till at length one of my fellows undertook to run across the road to another tree and as tumbled into the road and called out that he was shot twice! As he fell - the cowardly cus set up the most infernal yell I ever heard and as for me I was completely carried away with rage and excitement - Sgt. Sherwood just then got a fair shot a one and knocked him head over heels and now it was our turn to hurrah and we did I tell you and I gave the word to charge and drive the "sons of bitches" out of the wood - and we all jumped from behind our trees and rushed forward - most imprudently too - for they received us with a volley - which although they did not his us - convinced me at once that they had more than 40 men right before us - Oh Lord how the balls whistled around us - and by gracious just guess my surprise on looking to my left into open field - to see 30 or 40 of them going around to cut us off - I hastily order the men to fall back and that as quick as it could be done and away we went down the hill - When we got across the railroad - we halted and were thinking of trying to make a stand - when whiz whiz - came another volley all around us - Again we took to trees and on looking back saw them in large numbers crossing the railroad - I made a shot from my tree that I think cost them a man - for he stood perfectly exposed and not more than 20 rods off - No sooner had I fired than a ball struck the tree that I was behind and the bark flew into my neck in a fine shower - Lt. Bradley of "ours" who was behind a tree close by sung out - "By God lieutenant you have got to look out" - and I thought so too and made a run through the balls which constantly swept the hill side to another tree - and then to another till I reached the open fields and here I had about 50 rods to go over and the edge of the woods behind me lined with rebels firing like the very devil at us - But there was no other course except to be taken and I preferred taking the chances through the field. Just ahead of me was Sgt. Sherwood and just behind me Cpl. Crandall (Albert R. Crandall of Alfred, NY) and every time they fired the balls whistled pretty close I ask you - and we fell to the ground and then up and away - In this way we managed to reach our company - so tired that I could hardly stand - I found Cpt. Todd ready to give them a warm reception - I told him how they were coming and we both decided that we would deploy into the woods and meet them - and he gave the order to do so. I learned against the fence to rest a minute and the company had got 8 or ten rods off where the Lt. Col came riding up and ordered us to all to fall as they were out flanking us - I repeated his order to Cpt. Todd and then fell back - and such a storm of bullets as swept the road from each side as I "skedaddled" down the road - I never saw - Jupiter - how they did whistle and hiss - striking the bushes - rails and in the dirt on every side - Cpt. Todd had his men - about 1/2 the company - full down behind the fence and briskly returned the fire - while the others were ahead of me falling back - The Cpt. did no hear the Cols order - and consequently stayed behind and he behaved cool and well and so did all our men - We were the last to retire - the other company having left the ground before I came up the hill and the Cpt. could not rally them - We retired in good order - with at least 4 or 500 men before us - in all I came awful close to being cut off and surrounded in the woods - Now I tell you and just think - their men and us came out of the woods at the same time and if we have been a few minutes later we might have landed in Richmond - Well we all got back to the crossroads and found we had one man killed dead and several (6-8) wounded - while the loss the enemy must have been 20 -30. Indeed a woman who lived the other side of the railroad said she counted 332 men carried by on litters the evening after the fight - I fired 4 or 5 shots and I think I hit my man twice out of the 5 shots, once in the valley by the railroad on the hill - I fired into a group of 1/2 dozen huddled together - I can say and fully feel to thank God that I am alive today - and though it was a skirmish only - still all are of the opinion that balls will never come thicker or faster than they did there - I send you a map which I tried to make - showing the situation of our troops and where the rebels attacked us and other locations - After we got back to Ball's Crossroads - a part of Sherman's Battery came dashing to up to support us in case the made an attack - but all was quiet through the night - but the next day the Rebels came out about 2 miles on our right with artillery and commenced throwing shells and rifled cannon shot at Hall's House - their aim was very bad - the shells bursting high in the air and after firing 10 or a dozen times they desisted - General McDowell - who came up ordered General Wadsworth to go to Hall's House and withdraw our pickets and it was done - After our fight a company of U.S. Cavalry came dashing up to Ball's Crossroads - stayed a few minutes and then put back again - we were relieved by companies from other regiments and returned to camp and i was glad to find a place under cover to lay my tired legs - the night before being passed lying in the road - with my rubber blanket under me in company with Cpt. Baldwin of the Brooklyn 14th where our picket lines joined each other - Taken all together we had an exciting time ........
Newton
Soon after his return home however, Newton T. Colby joined the newly formed 107th New York Volunteer Infantry. An inexperienced unit, they would only see picket duty at Second Manassas, but soon after, Colby and the Volunteers faced the true horrors of war in the battles of Antietam and Chancellorsville. While the 107th New York Volunteer Infantry went on to join Sherman in his March to the Sea, Colby ill with typhoid fever, was discharged in 1863. Not healthy enough for battle, yet still desiring to play a part in the war, Colby joined the Veteran Reserve Corps and returned to the Nation’s Capitol, where he served as the military superintendent of Old Capitol Prison. Here captors and captives would overcome the hostilities of war and, Lt. Newton T. Colby would become an eyewitness to history.
Letter from Lt. Newton Colby:
Arlington Heights
Thursday Aug 29 (1861)
Dear Father
Having been very busy for a dew days past - I have been prevented from answering your very interesting and kind letter - but having a little leisure I will try and write you to day. First in order allow me to inform you to that I have been under fire for the first time on Tuesday - the 27th last - and in all probability I shall never again be where I shall see bullits fly thicker - But let me begin at the beginning - Tuesday moring - orders came from headquarters to our Colonel - to detail two comnpanies and a Field Officer - who would be joined by three companies from other regiments - and proceed to Ball's Crossroads - Well - an Elmira company and ours was selected and having been joined by the others we went there by orders of the Lt. Col. Crane - took position just on the brow of the hill on our side of the rail road - being 1 or 11/2 miles beyond Ball's Crossroads - The road from the cross roads to the place we occupied is straight and quite level - and runs through an open country until reaching us - We were on the brow of a rather steep long hill - covered on both sides of the road with woods - until you get to the bottom and there the road crosses the railroad - and ascends the hill on the other side of the valley - Down the hill on our side and up the other side too - the road had been cut down so that there were high banks on each side - The road on the opposite side of the railroad went through the cut above mentioned and was pretty steep until - you get up the hill and there is a level spot with woods only on one side. In the valley and on each side of the railroad there was no woods for 3 or 4 rods - it having probably been cleared for the railroad - After arriving to the edge of the woods and on the brow of the hill we halted and our company was detailed to occupy one side of the road in the edge of the woods and the other company was drawn up along the road - By order of the Lt. Col - I was to take 4 men and proceed down the hill and find out how things were - and he says - he ordered me not to to cross the railroad - but I did not hear that part of the order - if he gave it. Well I took a rifle from one of the men and with the men I went down the hill and just in the edge of the woods and a few rods of the railroad I came upon our outside line of picket guards - who cautioned me not to go into the open ground as the Rebels were in the woods and would fire on us - I reconnoitered the other side thoroughly and sent one my men to the Lt. Col - to get his field glass and got into a place on the hill side where I could see the road on the opposite hill and I saw the Rebels to the number of 4 or 500 - with one piece of artillery -commanding the road - They had grey uniforms and were commanded by an officer on horseback - Well all I could discover made me believe that there were none of the enemy below the artillery station and I accordingly determined to cross the railroad and go up the hill and look about - and did so - and when I got up there I found our Orderly Sergeant - Sherwood (1st Sgt Delos C. Sherwood) and two or three of our men - we got behind some trees-when all of a sudden some of the devils fired at us. The shots came from just in front of us and apparently were about about 15 or 20 rods off- Just then I saw one of the grey whelps behind a tree - partly and fired at him - with what effect I could not tell - Well it was pop-pop till at length one of my fellows undertook to run across the road to another tree and as tumbled into the road and called out that he was shot twice! As he fell - the cowardly cus set up the most infernal yell I ever heard and as for me I was completely carried away with rage and excitement - Sgt. Sherwood just then got a fair shot a one and knocked him head over heels and now it was our turn to hurrah and we did I tell you and I gave the word to charge and drive the "sons of bitches" out of the wood - and we all jumped from behind our trees and rushed forward - most imprudently too - for they received us with a volley - which although they did not his us - convinced me at once that they had more than 40 men right before us - Oh Lord how the balls whistled around us - and by gracious just guess my surprise on looking to my left into open field - to see 30 or 40 of them going around to cut us off - I hastily order the men to fall back and that as quick as it could be done and away we went down the hill - When we got across the railroad - we halted and were thinking of trying to make a stand - when whiz whiz - came another volley all around us - Again we took to trees and on looking back saw them in large numbers crossing the railroad - I made a shot from my tree that I think cost them a man - for he stood perfectly exposed and not more than 20 rods off - No sooner had I fired than a ball struck the tree that I was behind and the bark flew into my neck in a fine shower - Lt. Bradley of "ours" who was behind a tree close by sung out - "By God lieutenant you have got to look out" - and I thought so too and made a run through the balls which constantly swept the hill side to another tree - and then to another till I reached the open fields and here I had about 50 rods to go over and the edge of the woods behind me lined with rebels firing like the very devil at us - But there was no other course except to be taken and I preferred taking the chances through the field. Just ahead of me was Sgt. Sherwood and just behind me Cpl. Crandall (Albert R. Crandall of Alfred, NY) and every time they fired the balls whistled pretty close I ask you - and we fell to the ground and then up and away - In this way we managed to reach our company - so tired that I could hardly stand - I found Cpt. Todd ready to give them a warm reception - I told him how they were coming and we both decided that we would deploy into the woods and meet them - and he gave the order to do so. I learned against the fence to rest a minute and the company had got 8 or ten rods off where the Lt. Col came riding up and ordered us to all to fall as they were out flanking us - I repeated his order to Cpt. Todd and then fell back - and such a storm of bullets as swept the road from each side as I "skedaddled" down the road - I never saw - Jupiter - how they did whistle and hiss - striking the bushes - rails and in the dirt on every side - Cpt. Todd had his men - about 1/2 the company - full down behind the fence and briskly returned the fire - while the others were ahead of me falling back - The Cpt. did no hear the Cols order - and consequently stayed behind and he behaved cool and well and so did all our men - We were the last to retire - the other company having left the ground before I came up the hill and the Cpt. could not rally them - We retired in good order - with at least 4 or 500 men before us - in all I came awful close to being cut off and surrounded in the woods - Now I tell you and just think - their men and us came out of the woods at the same time and if we have been a few minutes later we might have landed in Richmond - Well we all got back to the crossroads and found we had one man killed dead and several (6-8) wounded - while the loss the enemy must have been 20 -30. Indeed a woman who lived the other side of the railroad said she counted 332 men carried by on litters the evening after the fight - I fired 4 or 5 shots and I think I hit my man twice out of the 5 shots, once in the valley by the railroad on the hill - I fired into a group of 1/2 dozen huddled together - I can say and fully feel to thank God that I am alive today - and though it was a skirmish only - still all are of the opinion that balls will never come thicker or faster than they did there - I send you a map which I tried to make - showing the situation of our troops and where the rebels attacked us and other locations - After we got back to Ball's Crossroads - a part of Sherman's Battery came dashing to up to support us in case the made an attack - but all was quiet through the night - but the next day the Rebels came out about 2 miles on our right with artillery and commenced throwing shells and rifled cannon shot at Hall's House - their aim was very bad - the shells bursting high in the air and after firing 10 or a dozen times they desisted - General McDowell - who came up ordered General Wadsworth to go to Hall's House and withdraw our pickets and it was done - After our fight a company of U.S. Cavalry came dashing up to Ball's Crossroads - stayed a few minutes and then put back again - we were relieved by companies from other regiments and returned to camp and i was glad to find a place under cover to lay my tired legs - the night before being passed lying in the road - with my rubber blanket under me in company with Cpt. Baldwin of the Brooklyn 14th where our picket lines joined each other - Taken all together we had an exciting time ........
Newton
Collection
Citation
Newton Colby, “The Civil War Papers of Lt. Colonel Newton T. Colby, New York Infantry,” Mapping the Civil War in Arlington, accessed April 25, 2024, https://mtcwia.com/items/show/134.