14th Regiment (New York State Militia)
The 14th Regiment New York State Militia was a volunteer militia regiment from the City of Brooklyn, New York. It is primarily known for its service in the American Civil War from April 1861 to 6 May 1864, although it later served in the Spanish–American War and World War I.
In the Civil War, the regiment was made up of a majority of abolitionists from the Brooklyn area. It was led first by Colonel Alfred M. Wood and later by Colonel Edward Brush Fowler. The 14th Brooklyn was involved in heavy fighting, including most major engagements of the Eastern Theater. Their engagements included the First and Second Battles of Bull Run, the Battle of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House. During the war, the men of the 14th Brooklyn were well known by both armies and throughout the country for their hard drill, hard fighting, and constant refusal to stand down from a fight. During their three years of service they never withdrew from battle in unorderly fashion.
On 7 December 1861, the State of New York officially changed the regiment's designation to the 84th New York Volunteer Infantry. But at the unit's request and because of the fame attained by the unit at First Bull Run, the United States Army continued to refer to it as the 14th.
The 14th Brooklyn received its nickname, the "Red Legged Devils", during the First Battle of Bull Run. Referring to the regiment's colorful red trousers as the regiment repeatedly charged up Henry House Hill, Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson yelled to his men, "Hold on Boys! Here come those red legged devils again!"
In the early part of the war, when the 14th Brooklyn was in General Walter Phelps' brigade, the brigade was named "Iron Brigade". It would later become known as the "Eastern Iron Brigade" after John Gibbon's Black Hat Brigade was given the name "Western Iron Brigade". At the conclusion of the war, all members of the "Eastern" or "First" Iron Brigade were given medals for their service within the Iron Brigade.
Formation and early history of the Regiment
The Fourteenth Regiment New York State Militia was officially constituted on 13 May 1847 when the New York State Legislature consolidated individual militia companies into regiments. It was organized on 5 July 1847 with two companies: Company A, the Union Blues, and Company B, the Washington Guards. Companies C to H were organized in February 1848.While the Fourteenth Regiment's purpose was to protect the city of Brooklyn and surrounding areas, in its early history it was more of a social club, where men of venerable lineage could train in military tactics and spend the weekends with other militiamen. The regiment used the armory at Henry and Cranberry Streets as its headquarters.
On 4 June 1854, a portion of the 14th Regiment, under the command of Colonel Jesse C. Smith, was called to help suppress a riot caused by an anti-Catholic street preacher referring to himself as "the Angel Gabriel." In the so-called Angel Gabriel Riot, the regiment assisted the police in making a number of arrests. In early 1861, the 14th was called several times to the Naval Yard "in anticipation of an attack... by Rebel sympathizers".
In 1860, the United States Zouave Cadets traveling drill team of Chicago, under the command of Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth, came through Brooklyn. The officers and men of the 14th Brooklyn were so impressed with the drill and uniforms of the drill team that they decided to take on a similar version of the French military uniform known as the "Chasseur" uniform. This uniform remained their battle dress uniform throughout their term of service in the American Civil War. Brooklyn paid to keep the regiment in this uniform, and it remained one of the few regiments not to don the all blue standard Union military uniform.
After the firing at Fort Sumter and President Abraham Lincoln's proclamation for volunteers to suppress the rebellion, the 14th volunteered themselves for a period of three years. Colonel A.M. Wood telegraphed Washington that his regiment was prepared, but New York Governor Edwin D. Morgan refused to send them. Colonel Wood then went to Washington and along with Congressman Moses F. Odell explained the situation and as a result, President Lincoln directly ordered the regiment into action.
The regiment became a personal favorite of Lincoln. Whenever the President was in the area of the regiment, he would attempt to pay them a visit. He would ask for the 14th Brooklyn to act as his personal guards when in camp or near the battle field. Because of this attention by the President, the 14th Brooklyn was nicknamed "Lincoln's Pups" or "Lincoln's Pets", a name the regiment would later shed after the First Battle of Bull Run. President Lincoln gave a speech to them when the regiment mustered out in 1864, thanking them for their fine and honorable service to the United States.
The 14th Brooklyn Regiment left New York on 18 May 1861, arriving in Washington, D. C. the next day. It was officially mustered into United States service by General Irvin McDowell on 23 May 1861 and initially served at and near Washington.
Uniform of the 14th Brooklyn
The typical uniform of a Union Soldier was that of a four-button blue sack coat, light kersey blue wool trousers and a blue cap. At the beginning of the war both the Union and Confederate armies had a variety of uniforms within their regiments. As the war continued, the Union Army began to standardize the uniform worn by its regiments. By early 1862 most Union regiments were wearing blue. However, Brooklyn paid for and outfitted the 14th Brooklyn throughout the war, keeping them wearing their unique chasseur-style uniform for all three years of their service.The headgear worn by the 14th Brooklyn was a navy blue and red kepi. The top of the cap was covered in dark navy blue and the lower half by a dark red with a band of blue around the bottom of the cap. Upon the front of the cap the regiment had the number '14' and above it was the company designation. On the sides of the caps were New York state buttons holding the chin strap onto the kepi. At the First Battle of Bull Run the 14th were issued havelocks, a white material that fitted over the kepis and had a long piece of cloth that hung down below over the neck. The idea was to catch air and cool the neck of the soldier. The havelocks proved ineffective as headgear, however many were used as bandages on the battlefield.
The tunics worn by the 14th Brooklyn were a beautiful combination of red and dark blue adorned with small gold buttons running up and the center of the chest. The tunic was made with a red false vest with 14 buttons closing the vest. Over the false vest was a dark blue shell with 14 buttons on either side of the shell. Some later models of the jacket did away with the false vest and actually sewed the vest into the shell making it a complete jacket. On the jacket were chevrons on the lower arms symbolizing light infantry. Earlier recruits also were issued "Shoulder-Knots" composed of thick red fabric that were attached with thread on one end and a gold button on the other.
The trousers worn by the 14th were very similar to that of the Zouave pantaloons, the only difference being that they were not as baggy as the Zouave pantaloons. The color was a vibrant red color. At the bottom of the trousers the 14th wore gaiters or leggings with seven gold buttons on each gaiter symbolizing the number 14.
Sometime in 1862, Colonel E.B. Fowler wrote a letter home commenting on the regiment, a bit about the uniforms, and the tactics in which he had to use. It was later placed in the regimental history.
"In 1860 the Board of Officers adopted the French 'chasseur' uniform, consisting of ashy red trousers, white leggings, a blue jacket, red chevrons and shoulder knots. A fixed to the head was to be a french style kepi with blue band, red above and blue top.
This change of uniform for the regiment was the first in many progressive steps of conformity. Later in early 1861 when the regiment arrived in Washington these improvements were matched by the introduction of the rifled musket and minie ball which took the place of the smooth bore with its round ball and buckshot.
A mixture of Gilhams' Militia Tactics and Hardee's translation of the French tactics were substituted for the old Scott "heavy infantry" tactics as well as its accompaniment of leather stock and pipe clayed belts.
''Little did the officers of that board dream that the uniform that they then adopted would become historic, sung of in poets' lays and transferred to the artist's canvas as that of the "red-legged devils," the Brooklyn Fourteenth."''
First Bull Run
At the First Battle of Bull Run, the 14th Brooklyn was assigned to the First Brigade in Col. David Hunter's Second Division in General Irwin McDowell's Army of Northeastern Virginia. The Regiment was ordered up to Henry House Hill to reinforce the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment and the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the "Fire Zouaves". These regiments had been ordered to support two batteries of cannon under the command of Captains Charles Griffin and James B. Ricketts on the Union right flank. Before the arrival of the 14th Brooklyn at Henry House Hill, the 11th New York had withdrawn to the Manassas-Sudley Road under heavy assault and then fought off a flank attack from Confederate Colonel J. E. B. Stuart's cavalry. As the 14th Brooklyn moved up the hill, the 11th New York rallied and joined with the 14th to support the guns. Colonel Stuart's subordinate W. W. Blackford wrote this account in his memoir, "War Years with Jeb Stuart" :"Colonel Stuart and myself were riding at the head of the column as the grand panorama opened before us, and there right in front, about seventy yards distant, and in strong relief against the smoke beyond, stretched a brilliant line of scarlet - a regiment of New York Zouaves in column of fours, marching out of the Sudley road to attack the flank of our line of battle. Dressed in scarlet caps and trousers, blue jackets with quantities of gold buttons, and white gaiters, with a fringe of bayonets swaying above them as they moved, their appearance was indeed magnificent."
The 14th Brooklyn, 11th New York, and 1st Minnesota were placed into position by Major William Farquhar Barry, McDowell's chief of artillery, at the crest of Henry House Hill. They were ordered to hold their position and assault if the opportunity was there, but were under no circumstances to leave the guns to the Confederates. The three regiments and cannon found themselves confronting the 33rd Virginia Infantry on the left of Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's line.
Confusion soon erupted on the battlefield in front of them. Thinking the 33rd Virginia, clad in dark blue frock coats and dark blue trousers, were the Union troops supporting the guns, Major Barry ordered Ricketts to hold his fire. This allowed the Virginians to charge the batteries and capture the guns. The 14th Brooklyn, however, rushed up the slope and drove the 33rd Virginia back, recapturing the two guns. The 14th then continued to fire into the left flank of Jackson's line, driving the 33rd Virginia back through the 2nd Virginia Infantry. Under the pressure from the 14th Brooklyn, a large portion of the 2nd Virginia joined the retreating 33rd Virginia and the left of Jackson's line began to collapse. However, Jackson ordered the 4th and 27th Virginia forward. They were joined by the 49th Virginia Infantry, two companies of the 2nd Mississippi Infantry, and the 6th North Carolina Infantry. In hand-to-hand combat the New Yorkers were driven back to the Manassas-Sudley Road and Ricketts' battery and Griffin's two guns captured.
The 14th Brooklyn, the 69th New York Militia and 11th New York would charge up Henry House Hill four times, in an effort to recapture Ricketts' and Griffin's cannon. The other two regiments met with little success, but the 14th Brooklyn found gaps and weaknesses in the Confederate lines and exploited them. The 14th Brooklyn briefly took control of the two guns following one charge, only to be routed yet again by the Confederates. The constant charging of the 14th Brooklyn's tactics caught the eye of General Jackson himself. This is when he made his famous statement to his troops: "Hold on Boys! Here come those Red Legged Devils again!" With that the regiment received its nickname the "Red Legged Devils".
While the 14th Brooklyn and 11th New York Volunteer Infantry were briefly in control of the two guns, the Louisiana Tigers advanced up the hill. The 14th and 11th fired upon the battalion from their superior position, causing significant losses. The Tigers then fired their own rifles, and the majority of the 14th fell to their knees. Encouraged by this, the Tigers dropped their rifles and took out their Bowie knives in an attempt to finish off the survivors. As the Tigers neared the crest of the hill, the 14th Brooklyn stood up. Though both the 14th Brooklyn and the Tigers, who had left their rifles at the bottom of the hill, were poorly trained and lacked real wartime experience, a savage hand-to-hand fight began between the two units. Though the Tigers fought with ferocity and determination, the 14th Brooklyn had the superior field position and eventually the Tigers retreated back down the hill. This brief confrontation permanently made the 14th Brooklyn and the Tigers rivals.
The efforts of the 14th Brooklyn, however, were in vain, and they were immediately flushed from the position yet again by the powerful Confederate counterattack. The two guns would not be retaken again. As the Confederates launched their strong counterattack, the Union army panicked and fled. They had been startled by the fierce, brutal fighting that the Confederates had brought, it being completely unlike the riot quelling they had performed in the past. It is local legend that the 14th Brooklyn refused to flee with such blind abandon as the rest of the Union army, but rather were ordered off the field, but this has not been corroborated by any contemporary records.
During the battle, the 14th Regiment suffered two officers and 21 men killed, 64 wounded, and 30 taken prisoner. Ten of the wounded would die of their wounds. Colonel Wood himself was wounded and captured by the enemy.
After the First Battle of Bull Run, the State of New York decided to change the regiment's designation from 14th State Militia to 84th New York Volunteer Infantry. The men of the regiment were displeased and began a letter campaign, joined by the citizens of Brooklyn. Finally the men asked the help of General Irvin McDowell. McDowell spoke to the government and to the regiment's command, and his words bestowed upon the regiment the motto which would follow it throughout history:
''"You were mustered by me into the service of the United States as part of the militia of the State of New York known as the Fourteenth. You have been Baptized by Fire under that number and as such you shall be recognized by the United States government and by no other number"''