"The Unearthly Sounds Known Only To Men Who Have Been Through The Battle"
Elbridge J. Copp volunteered for military service in 1861, joining the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment. He eventually rose to the rank of colonel and fought in numerous battles. The following description of battle comes from Copp's book Reminiscences of the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 and details his regiment's advance near Drewry's Bluff in May 1864 during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign. Though wounded in the attack, Copp recovered, returned to military action, and survived the war.
...through the woods a little way was a rebel fort and a whole lot of soldiers. Forward was the command, and entering the woods we soon found ourselves in soft swampy land, through which ran a creek. Across the swamp and creek was a foot bridge.
We had scarcely stepped upon the bridge, the Major at the head of the regiment, and I within a few feet of him, when our skirmishers opened fire, and a general fusillade from the enemy followed, the bullets singing by our ears. Major Randlett immediately, in a loud voice gave the command, "Left front into line," he and myself advancing rapidly across the foot-bridge. The regiment came into line of battle by this movement, advancing through the swamp and creek, waist deep in places into an opening, where we met the enemy outside of their works; they had opened fire, and so close were some of them when firing in our faces, that they threw down their arms and begged for their lives. Into a field and up a slope the charge was made with a yell; the rattle of musketry was now intense; our boys were dropping to the ground, killed and wounded, the zip and ping of the rifle ball in rapid succession, the crack of artillery and shells exploding, uniting with the shriek of those who were wounded were the unearthly sounds known only to men who have been through the battle. The firing was now hot and heavy. From buildings on our left came a rapid fire from every window; our two left companies were ordered by the colonel to charge upon the buildings. We were then moving up the slopes in the direction of the rebel works; men were falling all around me, but it was the last in my thoughts that I should be hit myself.
Forward we were charging under this hot fire from the entrenchments and the buildings. I was just getting over a fence, and in the act of jumping, with my sword raised in my right hand, when I felt the sting of a bullet. Looking, I saw that a ball had passed between the hilt of my sword and my hand, taking off a piece of my riding glove and the flesh. Looking at it for an instant, thinking it a close call, I was again hit by a rifle ball in the shoulder; the blow was as from a heavy club and I fell to the ground. I did not wholly lose consciousness; my thoughts now were for my own safety and of getting back out from under fire; I tried to rise but fell back and lay upon the ground between the rows of the cultivated land. The fight was going on—I heard the yell of victory and I could see the boys as they mounted the works of the enemy. Again I tried to rise to find my way to the rear, but faint from loss of blood, I fell, after having gone a few paces; there I lay, for I do not know how long; around me there were many wounded, and numbers that were moving, staggering along, to get out from under the fire, and there were those who would never rise again.... With a supreme effort I got on my feet, and staggered back to the edge of the woods, and lay down again, leaning against a log. Not far from me was an officer standing behind his horse, watching the tide of battle. He saw me and spoke. He asked me if I was able to ride his horse to the rear and report the situation to General Terry; he said, he was General Foster on the staff of General Butler. I did not need to answer his question as he soon saw my condition; my left arm was hanging limp, and the blood running down, dropping from my fingers; he then said he would help me to the rear as soon as possible. I had other help however; in some way, I do not know how, I was taken back across the foot-bridge to the negro cabins, which had already been made a hospital and had been filled with the wounded, many more lying upon the ground outside; here I was given stimulants, and laid upon a blanket near the building.
Source:
Elbridge J. Copp, Reminiscences of the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, (1911).
