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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/28481-h.zip b/28481-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3a9d547 --- /dev/null +++ b/28481-h.zip diff --git a/28481-h/28481-h.htm b/28481-h/28481-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7878726 --- /dev/null +++ b/28481-h/28481-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2186 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of History of Company F, 1st Regiment, R. I. Volunteers, by Charles H. Clarke. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 15%; + margin-right: 15%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .right {text-align: right;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .medium {font-size: 80%;} + .small {font-size: 50%;} + .large {font-size: 120%;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + ul { list-style: none;} + div.wrapper {float: left; margin-left: 5em; width: 15em;} + div.wrap2 {float: left; margin-left: 10em; width: 25em;} + div.endwrap {clear: left;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 1em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i10 {display: block; margin-left: 5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i6 {display: block; margin-left: 3em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i8 {display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of History of Company F, 1st Regiment, R.I. +Volunteers, during the Spring and Summer of 1861, by Charles H. Clarke + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: History of Company F, 1st Regiment, R.I. Volunteers, during the Spring and Summer of 1861 + +Author: Charles H. Clarke + +Release Date: April 2, 2009 [EBook #28481] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COMPANY F *** + + + + +Produced by Karen Dalrymple and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + + + +<h1> +HISTORY +<br /> +<span class="small">OF</span> +<br /> +COMPANY F, 1st REGIMENT, +<br /><br /> +<span class="medium">R. I. VOLUNTEERS,</span> +<br /><br /> +<span class="medium">During the Spring and Summer of 1861.</span> +</h1> + + +<h2> +<br /> +BY CHARLES H. CLARKE, +<br /><br /> +<span class="medium">A MEMBER OF THE COMPANY.</span> +</h2> + +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> + +<div class="center"> +NEWPORT, R. I.: B. W. PEARCE, PRINTER.<br /> +1891. +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION"></a>INTRODUCTION.</h2> + + +<p>In the following pages I have endeavored to present a correct +description of the service performed by Company F, 1st Regiment R. I. +Volunteers, during the spring and summer of 1861. While many of my +comrades who served in that company may differ with me in some of the +statements I have made, still I think that all will agree that what I +have presented is as correct an account as can be had at this late +period of that service. Thirty years is a long time for men to +remember the particulars of any event, unless some memoranda of the +same is at hand. During that service I endeavored to keep as correct +as possible a daily journal of events, and from that journal I have +prepared this brief history of the company, and I trust that my +comrades who may read this will excuse any inaccuracies that in their +opinion may appear; for it is my desire to place before you a correct +history of Company F, the first company of volunteers that left +Newport on the 17th of April, 1861, for the defence of the Stars and +Stripes in the great war of the rebellion.</p> + + +<div class="right">CHARLES H. CLARKE.</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="HISTORY_OF_COMPANY_F" id="HISTORY_OF_COMPANY_F"></a>HISTORY OF COMPANY F.</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>CALL TO ARMS.</h3> + + +<p>Early in the month of April, 1861, several of the Southern States +having withdrawn from the Union, forts, arsenals and navy yards +within the limits of those States were taken possession of by the +Confederate forces. On the 12th of April, Fort Sumter, at Charleston, +S. C., was fired upon, and after two days' bombardment by the rebels, +commanded by General Beauregard, the garrison, comprising seventy +United States Regulars, commanded by Major Robert Anderson, +surrendered the fort. Meanwhile the National Capital at Washington +was in danger, and on the 15th of April Abraham Lincoln issued his +proclamation, calling for seventy-five thousand troops for the +defence of the city of Washington.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p> +<p>Governor Sprague, of Rhode Island, tendered the services of one +regiment of Infantry, and one battery of Light Artillery, which being +accepted by the Secretary of War, the Governor at once sent a +telegram to Colonel George W. Tew, commanding the Newport Artillery +company, asking how many men of his command would go to Washington +for the defence of the Capital. Colonel Tew replied that he would go, +with fifty men. April 16th, Colonel Tew received another telegram +from the Governor, directing him to recruit his company to one +hundred, and to report at Providence, armed and equipped, upon +receipt of orders. At that time the Newport Artillery were as well +equipped as any company in the State. They were armed with the latest +improved Springfield rifles. They had just purchased, at their own +expense, fifty artillery sabres of the latest French pattern. They +had likewise, the year preceding, had made to their order new +military overcoats, which no other company in the State was at that +time provided with. These overcoats and sabres were afterwards +purchased of them by the State of Rhode Island, and were used for +equipping the 1st Battery.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p><p>On April 16th Colonel Tew called a meeting of the company, and after +reading the telegrams received from the Governor that day, made a +patriotic speech, and was followed by Mayor Cranston, who was +present. Colonel Tew then requested those of the company that would +volunteer to go to Washington, to step to the front, when +thirty-three of the thirty-nine active members of the company +responded. A call was then made for volunteers to fill up the company +to the required number of one hundred men, and in a very short time +there were more men applied than could be taken.</p> + +<p>That evening the company paraded through the streets of the city, to +the inspiriting music of a fife and drum, and were dismissed at 10 <span class="smcap">P. +M.</span>, to meet again on the receipt of orders from Providence, to be +announced by the discharge of three guns on the Mall, and by the +ringing of the church bells.</p> + +<p>At 7 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, Wednesday, April 17th, a mounted courier arrived from +Providence with orders for Colonel Tew to report that day in +Providence with his company. Colonel Tew, upon the receipt of the +order, sent word by return courier that he would be in Providence +with his company at 2 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span></p> + +<p>At 8 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, one of the company's brass guns was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> dragged by hand to +the Mall and fired three times by the gun squad that had remained in +the armory all night so as to be on hand when orders came.</p> + +<p>Never before in the known history of the city was there so much +excitement as was caused by the firing of those guns. Business of all +kinds was suspended for the time being, and the people began to +realize that the time had come for action.</p> + +<p>When the orders came that morning, Colonel George W. Tew was at work +at his trade, a mason, on Wellington Avenue. On receiving the order +he laid down his trowel and other tools, adopted the trade of a +soldier, and for four long years he served his country with credit to +himself and to the State of Rhode Island.</p> + +<p>First Sergeant A. P. Sherman was driving on his market wagon +attending to his morning trade when he heard the signal guns. Leaving +his team on the street, he started at once for the armory on Clarke +street, and commenced to form the company.</p> + +<p>In less than one hour the company were in line and ready to start. +Like the minute men of Revolutionary times, they left their bench, +their desks, and farm, at the call to arms. Thames street, Washington +square and Clarke<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> street were thronged with people. The artillery +was at that time as at present the pride of Newport and it is not +strange that so much interest was manifested, and, besides, they were +about to leave home and friends, not knowing whether they would ever +return. They went from pure patriotism and love of the Old Flag; and +it is an undisputed fact to-day that had it not been for the +promptitude with which the first troops responded to the call of the +President, the city of Washington would have been taken by the rebel +forces. At the armory there were there assembled many prominent +citizens, Mayor W. H. Cranston and several of the clergy. Speech +making and hand shaking were indulged in for some time, and at 11.30 +<span class="smcap">A. M.</span> the company marched to Sayer's Wharf by way of Clarke, Touro +and Thames streets, escorted by about fifty past members of the +company. On the wharf, Rev. Samuel Adlam, of the First Baptist +Church, offered prayer, and was followed by Mayor Cranston and Hon. +Charles C. Van Zandt, in brief addresses. Rev. Thatcher Thayer, who +had for many years been chaplain of the Artillery company, and still +holds that position, (1891) offered a touching prayer in behalf of +the company and the cause for the support and defence of which they +were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> now about to leave home, kindred and friends, after which the +benediction was pronounced by Rev. Henry Jackson, D. D. A brief +season was then allowed for individual leave-takings, and at 1 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span> +the company marched on board steamer Perry for Providence to form a +part of Rhode Island's first regiment in the war of the rebellion.</p> + +<p>Following is a correct roll of the company, as copied from the +muster-out roll of the regiment:</p> + +<h3>COMPANY ROSTER.</h3> +<div> +<div class="wrap2"> +<ul> +<li>Captain,—<span class="smcap">George W. Tew</span>.</li> +<li>1st Lieutenant,—<span class="smcap">William A. Steadman</span>.</li> +<li>2d " <span class="smcap">Benjamin L. Slocum</span>.</li> +<li>Ensign,—<span class="smcap">James H. Chappell</span>.</li> +<li>1st Sergeant,—<span class="smcap">Augustus P. Sherman</span>.</li> +<li>2d " <span class="smcap">Thomas S. Burdick</span>.</li> +<li>3d " <span class="smcap">John S. Coggeshall</span>.</li> +<li>4th " <span class="smcap">Edward S. Hammond</span>.</li> +<li>1st Corporal,—<span class="smcap">John D. Washburne</span>.</li> +<li>2d " <span class="smcap">Benedict F. Smith</span>.</li> +<li>3d " <span class="smcap">Ray B. Tayer</span>.</li> +<li>4th " <span class="smcap">Henry L. Nicolai</span>.</li> +</ul> +</div> +</div> +<div class="endwrap"></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center">PRIVATES.</div> + +<div> +<div class="wrapper"> +<ul> +<li>John A. Abbott.</li> +<li>Charles B. Barlow.</li> +<li>Albert N. Burdick.</li> +<li>George C. Almy.</li> +<li>John H. Bacheller.</li> +<li>Christopher E. Barker.</li> +<li>Charles Barker, Jr.</li> +<li>Andrew P. Bashford.</li> +<li>William Booth.</li> +<li>Daniel Boss.</li> +<li>Jeremiah Brown.</li> +<li>Adelbert P. Bryant.</li> +<li>Thomas Brownell.</li> +<li>Henry Bull, Jr.</li> +<li>Benjamin D. Carlisle.</li> +<li>Robert Carlisle.</li> +<li>Allen Caswell.</li> +<li>Charles H. Clarke.</li> +<li>Edward F. Clarke.</li> +<li>Frederic A. Clarke.</li> +<li>Gustavus A. Clarke.</li> +<li>Joshua P. Clarke.</li> +<li>David M. Coggeshall, Jr.</li> +<li>Lawton Coggeshall.</li> +<li>Robert D. Coggeshall.</li> +<li>Robert Crane.</li> +<li>Perry B. Dawley.</li> +<li>Benjamin F. Davis.</li> +<li>William P. Denman.</li> +<li>Lance DeJongh.</li> +<li>Silas D. DeBlois.</li> +<li>Stephen DeBlois.</li> +<li>William H. Durfee.</li> +<li>Henry T. Easton.</li> +<li>Benjamin Easton, Jr.</li> +<li>John F. Easton.</li> +<li>William J. Eldridge.</li> +<li>Edmund W. Fales.</li> +<li>John Fludder.</li> +<li>Augustus French.</li> +<li>Thomas J. Harrington.</li> +<li>Joseph J. Gould.</li> +<li>Rowland R. Hazard.</li> +<li>William Hamilton.</li> +<li>Samuel Hilton.</li> +<li>Benjamin C. Hubbard.</li> +<li>George A. Hudson.</li> +<li>Harris Keables.</li> +</ul> +</div> +<div class="wrapper"> +<ul> +<li>William Keating.</li> +<li>Edwin A. Kelley.</li> +<li>Theodore W. King.</li> +<li>William H. King.</li> +<li>Israel F. Lake, Jr.</li> +<li>Thomas O. Lake.</li> +<li>Henry B. Landers.</li> +<li>John B. Landers.</li> +<li>Overton G. Langley.</li> +<li>Charles E. Lawton.</li> +<li>George P. Lawton.</li> +<li>Thomas H. Lawton.</li> +<li>David Little.</li> +<li>Charles L. Littlefield.</li> +<li>John B. Mason.</li> +<li>James Markham.</li> +<li>Daniel A. McCann.</li> +<li>William M. Minkler.</li> +<li>Walden H. Mason.</li> +<li>Michael A. Nolan.</li> +<li>George H. Palmer.</li> +<li>Frederic J. Peabody.</li> +<li>Edwin H. Peabody.</li> +<li>John P. Peckham.</li> +<li>Peyton H. Randolph.</li> +<li>John Rogers.</li> +<li>Benjamin H. Rogers.</li> +<li>John H. Robinson.</li> +<li>John F. Scott.</li> +<li>Thomas Scott.</li> +<li>Thomas Sharpe.</li> +<li>Bartlett L. Simmons.</li> +<li>John B. F. Smith.</li> +<li>George B. Smith.</li> +<li>Charles Southwick.</li> +<li> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +John Stark.</li> +<li>George W. Taber.</li> +<li>Edward Terrell.</li> +<li>William H. Thayer.</li> +<li>William Towle.</li> +<li>Arthur R. Tuell.</li> +<li>James P. Vose.</li> +<li>William H. Waldron.</li> +<li>George S. Ward.</li> +<li>Charles S. Weaver.</li> +<li>George R. White.</li> +<li>Edward Wilson.</li> +<li>William H. Young.</li> +</ul> +</div> +</div> +<div class="endwrap"></div> + +<p>To be added to this roll, should be the names of James H. Taylor, +John S. Engs, and James W. Lyon, members of the regimental +non-commissioned staff, who were members of the company from Newport, +but their names do not appear on the muster-out roll of the company.</p> + +<p>On arriving at Providence, the company marched to Railroad Hall, on +Exchange Place, where they were to be quartered until such time as +the regiment could be uniformed and equipped. The organization of the +regiment commenced at once. Ambrose E. Burnside was appointed +colonel; Joseph S. Pitman, lieutenant colonel; John S. Slocum, 1st +major; Joseph P. Balch, 2d major; Charles H. Merriman, adjutant; Rev. +Augustus Woodbury, chaplain. All company officers were elected by the +company, approved and commissioned by the Governor. The position in +line of the companies and the letter by which they were to be known, +was drawn by lot by the captains. The Newport company was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span>designated +by the letter F, and drew third position in line, which constituted +them the color company of the regiment. In the making up of the +non-commissioned staff, there were appointed James H. Taylor as +hospital steward, James W. Lyon as ordnance sergeant, and John S. +Engs as sergeant major; Edward S. Hammond was appointed as left +general guide of the regiment.</p> + +<p>As fast as the uniforms could be made, they were issued to the +companies. These consisted of a light blue blouse, of the Garibaldi +pattern, dark grey pants, and Kossuth hat, with the brim turned up on +the right side, and fastened to the crown with a brass plate, eagle +shaped. Instead of overcoats, we were provided with red woollen +blankets, with a slit in the centre, to wear over our shoulders in +bad weather; also one grey blanket, knapsack, to contain our extra +clothing, haversack, canteen, tin plate, knife and fork, spoon, and +tin cup.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>OFF FOR THE FRONT.</h3> + + +<p>On Saturday, April 19th, the first detachment, made up of details +from all the companies, to the number of nearly six hundred men, +including the regimental band, of twenty-four men, were in readiness +to start for Washington. The regiment formed on Exchange Place at +noon, where they received a costly and beautiful regimental flag, of +silk, presented by the ladies of Providence. Colonel Burnside, on +receiving the precious gift, remarked as follows:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I know that the gallant men I carry away will prove themselves +worthy of the beautiful banner presented to them by you. We are +fully impressed with the fact that we take with us your most +fervent prayers, and we shall constantly feel that your eyes are +upon us. God grant that we may yet see the Union out of danger. +Bidding you an affectionate farewell, and thanking you in behalf +of my command, for your kindness, I feel that I can <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>assure you +in the name of each and every one of them, that no act of theirs +shall ever cause you to regret this your generous and patriotic +contribution to the cause we mutually cherish."</p></div> + +<p>The flag was then given in charge of Company F, the color company of +the regiment, Charles Becherer, of Company G, being detailed as color +sergeant.</p> + +<p>A short regimental parade was made through the streets of Providence +to the wharf where steamer Empire State was lying with steam up, in +readiness to take the regiment to New York. At about 2.30 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span> the +boat cast off her lines and steamed down the bay and through the +harbor of Newport out to sea. When the steamer was passing Long +Wharf, a salute was fired by a gun squad of the past members of the +Newport Artillery. A salute was also fired from Fort Adams, as the +steamer passed on her way out to sea.</p> + +<p>Sunday morning, April 20th, arrived in New York. The regiment, with +its baggage, was at once transferred to the United States Government +transport Coatzacolcos, on board of which we remained all that day, +and Monday steamed away for Annapolis.</p> + +<p>A tug boat which spoke us in the afternoon, gave us<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> the information +that the Norfolk navy yard had been blown up and destroyed by orders +from our government. At daylight the next morning we came in sight of +Fortress Monroe, and sailing on up Chesapeake Bay, anchored for the +night, and the next day steamed up into the harbor of Annapolis and +landed. We were kindly received by the officers of the United States +Naval Academy, who furnished us with quarters in the government +building for the night.</p> + +<p>General Benjamin F. Butler, of Massachusetts, was there in command of +the United States forces, composed mostly of New England troops.</p> + +<p>Thursday morning we set out on the road to Annapolis Junction. We +were told by inhabitants we met that we never would reach Washington, +as the road was in the possession of Confederate troops and their +friends; but we tramped along, and overtook the 71st New York +Regiment at noon, halting an hour or two in their company, and after +having had a good rest, about 4 o'clock resumed our march for the +Junction, discovering no signs of the enemy as we proceeded, and at +about 8 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span> halted for the night. We encamped in a field beside the +railroad, posting sentinels on all sides, as we expected an<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> attack +at this place. Camp fires were kindled, supper prepared and eaten, +after which preparations were made for the night. The 71st New York +coming up and halting at our bivouac, we exchanged greetings with +them, furnished them with hot coffee, and informed them, as they took +their departure on the road, that it was a short march for them to +the Junction—"only nine more miles." A member of the 71st afterwards +composed a song entitled "Nine Miles to the Junction," the words of +which were as follows:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">The troops of Rhode Island were posted along<br /></span> +<span class="i6">On the road from Annapolis station,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">As the 71st Regiment, one thousand strong,<br /></span> +<span class="i6">Went on in defence of the nation:<br /></span> +<span class="i8">We'd been marching all day, in the sun's scorching rays,<br /></span> +<span class="i10">With two biscuits a day as our rations,<br /></span> +<span class="i8">When we asked Governor Sprague to show us the way,<br /></span> +<span class="i10">And "How many miles to the Junction?"<br /></span> +<span class="i8">[Repeat:]<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">The Rhode Island boys cheered us on out of sight,<br /></span> +<span class="i6">After giving the following injunction:<br /></span> +<span class="i6">"Just to keep up your courage—you'll get there to-night,<br /></span> +<span class="i6">For 'it's only nine miles to the Junction!'"<br /></span> +<span class="i8">They gave us hot coffee, a grasp of the hand,<br /></span> +<span class="i10">Which cheered and refreshed our exhaustion;<br /></span> +<span class="i8">We reached in six hours the long promised land,<br /></span> +<span class="i10">For 't was "only nine miles to the Junction."<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">And now as we meet them in Washington's streets,<br /></span> +<span class="i6">They always salute us with unction;<br /></span> +<span class="i4">And still the old cry some one will repeat—<br /></span> +<span class="i6">"It's only nine miles to the Junction!"<br /></span> +<span class="i8">Three cheers for the warm hearted Rhode Island boys,<br /></span> +<span class="i10">May each be true to his function;<br /></span> +<span class="i8">And whene'er we meet, let us each other greet,<br /></span> +<span class="i10">With "Only nine miles to the Junction."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Nine cheers for the flag under which we will fight,<br /></span> +<span class="i6">If the traitors should dare to assail it.<br /></span> +<span class="i4">One cheer for each mile that we made on that night,<br /></span> +<span class="i6">When 't was "Only nine miles to the Junction."<br /></span> +<span class="i8">With hearts thus united, our breasts to the foe—<br /></span> +<span class="i10">Once more with delight will we hail it;<br /></span> +<span class="i8">If duty should call us, still onward we'll go,<br /></span> +<span class="i10">If even "nine miles to the Junction."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>This was set to the air, "Tother side o' Jordan," and was adopted +into the regiment, becoming one of our camp fire songs.</p> + +<p>During the night, after the departure of the 71st, nothing transpired +to disturb us.</p> + +<p>At about 4 o'clock <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> April 26th, we were once more on the road to +the Junction, which we reached at about 5.30 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, and at once +commenced loading baggage and provisions on the cars. At 9 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, +everything being in readiness and the road reported clear, we started +for Washington, where we arrived about noon, and were at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> once +marched to the Patent Office, on 7th street, where we were to be +quartered until a site for a camp could be selected.</p> + +<p>Tuesday, April 30th, the second detachment of the regiment arrived, +in command of Lieutenant Colonel Pitman, and on May 1st the regiment +was paraded in front of the Patent Office, the occasion being the +raising of the Stars and Stripes on that building. The flag was +hoisted by President Lincoln, after which the regiment was drilled by +Colonel Burnside, under review by the President and members of the +Cabinet.</p> + +<p>Thursday, May 2d, the Light Battery arrived from Providence, in +command of Captain Charles H. Tompkins, and in the afternoon the +entire regiment marched to the Capitol grounds, and was sworn into +the United States service, by Major McDowell, of the Regular army.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>LIFE IN CAMP.</h3> + + +<p>Preparations were at once made to go into camp. A detail of mechanics +was made from the regiment, and under the direction of Lieutenant +Walker, of Company E, the requisite buildings were erected, and on +May 10th the regiment went into camp in their new quarters, on the +Keating farm, near the Bladensburg road, about a mile north of the +Capitol. It was named Camp Sprague, in honor of Rhode Island's +Governor.</p> + +<p>Ten rows of buildings had been constructed, parallel with each other, +for company quarters, a row for each company, with a street about +fifteen feet in width between the buildings. The quarters of each +company comprised six squad rooms, each room having accommodations +for a non-commissioned officer and eighteen men, and on three sides +of each sleeping room were bunks; there was also an outer room, or +porch, with a table<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> extending lengthwise, for use as a dining room. +The company officers occupied a building separated from the men by a +narrow street. The regimental officers and band were very pleasantly +located in a shady grove, in cottage shaped buildings, with piazza in +front, standing in the rear of and at right angles with the company +quarters.</p> + +<p>We soon got settled in our new home at Camp Sprague, and commenced at +once the duties of soldier life. Previous to this we had been in an +unsettled condition, taking our meals at restaurants and using the +Patent office for sleeping quarters, with not much duty to perform, +except answering to roll-calls. Now, however, we knew just what was +expected of us every day. Our duties commenced soon after daylight, +ending at 9 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span> At about 5 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> we were aroused from our slumbers +by the beating of the reveille, which duty was performed by Drum +Major Ben. West and his fife and drum band, when each man was +required to turn out, take his place in line in the company street, +and answer to his name. This duty was performed with a great deal of +promptitude, at first, but after a while some of the boys did not get +started out of their bunks in time to complete their toilet, and +often would appear in line thinly clad, and it was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> no unusual thing +to see some appear bareheaded and without shoes or stockings. One +squad of the company was particularly noted for their tardiness at +reveille. I don't think this was owing to any neglect on the part of +the sergeant in charge; for Sergeant Hammond was wont to boast that +he had "the banner squad," and he exacted of them everything in the +line of duty. But two of his men appeared to be impressed with the +notion that the nights in that latitude were too short to satisfy +their demands for sleep. They would lie in bed and wait until the +last roll of the drum, then tumbling out, they would have hardly +sufficient time to take their places in line to answer to their names +when called. One morning, during roll-call, the company were +surprised to see running from the direction of Sergeant Hammond's +quarters two men to all appearances of African descent. The First +Sergeant, not knowing who they were, ordered them to stand aside, and +then continued the calling of the roll. When the names of John B. M. +and L. DeJ. were called, two "colored gentlemen" responded. The first +sergeant, after roll-call, reprimanded them for appearing in such +condition, advising them to in future be more prompt at roll-call. +Some one or more merciless wags among<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> their comrades had, during the +silent watches of the night, and while they slept the sleep of the +just, surreptitiously decorated their countenances with burnt cork. +Of course Hammond knew nothing of it until their appearance at +roll-call; but I do not think that afterwards there were any of +Hammond's squad tardy at roll-call.</p> + +<p>Directly after reveille came the sick-call, when those who required +medical attention went to the hospital; breakfast at 7, guard-mount +at 8 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, company drills and target practise from 9 to 11 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, +dinner at noon. In the afternoon, battalion drill of the entire +regiment, and at sunset dress parade, which on pleasant days was +witnessed by a large number of the citizens and notables of +Washington, including President Lincoln and members of the Cabinet. +After the parade, the regiment formed in double column, closed en +masse, when our chaplain, Rev. Augustus Woodbury, read a portion of +scripture, followed by prayer, the service closing with singing the +doxology by the entire regiment, accompanied by the band, with most +solemn and impressive effect; tattoo roll-call at 9 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, taps at +9.30, when lights were extinguished and every man was supposed to be +in his bunk for the night; but on many occasions there was more of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +supposition than reality. Notwithstanding the circumstance that we +were United States soldiers, and as such bound to obey the army +regulations, there were in nearly every squad men who would at times +commit acts that had they realized the consequences if found out, +they would not have suffered themselves to do. To take men from civil +life, with no previous military training, and subject them to army +discipline, is a difficult task to accomplish, and is a work of time; +nor is it a matter for wonder that men forget their being soldiers +and liable to severe punishment for misdemeanors.</p> + +<p>After taps, it was the custom of the officer of the day to make the +rounds of the camp to make sure that all lights were out and +everything quiet in the company quarters. Sometimes this officer, if +he manifested a disposition to be officious in the discharge of his +duties, came to grief. There was one who, when detailed as officer of +the day, generally had about all the business he cared to attend to, +in the vicinity of Company F quarters, after taps. A candle would be +left burning on the table in a room, to attract the officer's +attention, who on seeing it would shout at the top of his voice, "Put +out that light in Company F quarters!" Some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> one in bed would reply, +"Go to H—ades, you old granny!" The officer, entering, would be +deluged with a shower of tin pans and plates, placed on a shelf +purposely rigged directly over the entrance, propped up by sticks, +and at the proper time tripped by means of a string manipulated by +some person to the officer unknown, the light being at the same +instant extinguished by some one in the plot, the transaction +overwhelming the officer with impotent wrath.</p> + +<p>May 21st, John Abbott and Thomas H. Lawton were discharged from the +company on account of disability, returning home.</p> + +<p>May 23d, Governor Sprague left camp for home, to be inaugurated as +Governor for another year. A detail of thirty men from the regiment +was made to-day, and placed under command of Lieutenant Tower, of +Company E, to operate a ferry for transporting troops across the +river to Alexandria. They worked only nights, returning to camp at +daylight in the morning. Company F furnished five men—Sergeant +Burdick, John B. F. Smith, Andrew P. Bashford, George R. White, and +Peyton Randolph, all of whom had been sailors previous to enlistment +in the army, and consequently were familiar<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> with that line of duty, +and to them it was mere pastime.</p> + +<p>Although away from home and friends, we as sons of old Newport could +not permit 'Lection day to pass without notice. Nearly all of us had +sent us from home boxes containing cake and blue eggs, and with these +as a basis, we made preparations to celebrate the day. At sunrise we +flung to the breeze a beautiful American flag, from the 1st +sergeant's quarters. This flag, presented to us by Mr. William +Vernon, of Newport, is still in the possession of the Newport +Artillery company. A salute was fired by our battery, in honor of the +day, and at 9 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> a table was spread in the quarters, with plenty +of cake and egg pop. Private George C. Almy was deputed to call on +and invite the company and regimental officers to visit us and +partake of the good things. It was a very enjoyable occasion, Colonel +Burnside and Chaplain Woodbury making some pleasant remarks.</p> + +<p>May 31st, David Little, Fred J. Peabody and William Waldron, of +Company F, were discharged on surgeon's certificate, for disability, +and returned home.</p> + +<p>About the first of June there were rumors in camp of a movement of +troops; extra rations were cooked, and other preparations made for a +forward movement.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p> +<p>June 6th, John S. Engs, who had been company clerk, was promoted to +the position of sergeant-major of the regiment, to fill the vacancy +caused by the resignation of John P. Shaw, who had been promoted to +lieutenant in the 2d Rhode Island Regiment, and Augustus French was +appointed company clerk.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 192px;"> +<img src="images/img025.jpg" width="192" height="191" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>EXPEDITION TO HARPER'S FERRY.</h3> + + +<p>On Saturday, 8th of June, orders came for an expedition to Harper's +Ferry. The day before starting, we had issued to us new caps of the +French forage pattern, also white linen havelocks, to wear over them, +which added greatly to the appearance of the men, being likewise a +decided protection from the scorching rays of the June sun.</p> + +<p>June 10th, the regiment broke camp, and marching to Washington took +cars for Baltimore, arriving at which place we marched across the +city to embark for Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. We had anticipated +trouble in marching through the streets of Baltimore; but the roughs +of the then rebellious city knew better than to oppose the passage of +a regiment and battery armed and equipped as was the 1st Rhode +Island. The regiment marched<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> across the city from the depot where we +landed, without a halt, with its band playing national airs. We were +well supplied with ammunition, and the battery could have swept the +streets of any mob essaying to obstruct its progress. We soon reached +and boarded the cars, arriving at Chambersburg at noon, 11th, and +starting again by rail for Greencastle, Pennsylvania, which place we +reached at sunset the same day. After leaving the train we marched +about three miles beyond the town, where we bivouacked for the night +in a grove beside the road. We had no tents nor rations, the wagons +not having come up. The regiment formed in a hollow square, stacked +their muskets, and lay down on the ground, without covering, other +than their blankets; sentinels were posted on the road, the battery +parked in the rear of the regiment, and every precaution taken +against surprise during the night. Tents arrived the next morning at +daylight, but no rations. The tents we pitched and made preparations +for a few days' stay. Troops were all the time coming and marching. +The army to which we were at that time attached, comprised about nine +thousand men, commanded by General Patterson, and was organizing for +an attack upon Harper's Ferry.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p> +<p>June 12th, at noon, Governor Sprague rejoined us, having left Rhode +Island at once on learning that we had departed from Washington.</p> + +<p>At about sunset, while many of the regiment were seated on fences +watching the passing troops, a Pennsylvania regiment came along the +road, halting a few moments for rest in front of our camp. Directly +some of our regiment discovered a man in one of the Pennsylvania +companies who had been arrested by our regiment as a spy, while we +were quartered at the Patent office in Washington. A rush was made +for him, he was dragged from his company, and but for the +intervention of some of our officers he would have been strung up on +the spot.</p> + +<p>Saturday morning, June 13th, we once more started, our destination +being Williamsport, Maryland, distant fourteen miles. This was one of +the hardest marches that we made. The weather was hot, the roads +rough and dusty, and when we went into camp at Williamsport, there +was only one officer and fourteen men of our company with the colors, +present. The balance of the company were exhausted, and were +straggling along the road, but by sunset they had all arrived in +camp. We<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> pitched our tents in the woods and rested the whole of +Sunday.</p> + +<p>Monday morning, June 15th, broke camp at daylight, and started on the +road for Harper's Ferry. We had barely got started, when a mounted +orderly arrived from Hagerstown, Maryland, with orders for Colonel +Burnside to return with his regiment and battery to Washington, at +once. Harper's Ferry had been evacuated by the rebels, who were also +moving in the direction of Washington. Our regiment and battery set +out at once on the road for Hagerstown, arriving there at noon. +Without stopping we marched on through Funkstown, arriving at +Boonsboro, Maryland, at 3 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, where we halted for a rest. We found +the people of the place loyal, and disposed to show us every possible +attention. We halted on the public square, or common, and the ladies +of the town gathered in large numbers and supplied many of us with +cake and other refreshments. Here the regiment and battery rested +until 5 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, when the march was resumed. Entering a pass of the +South Mountain, the acclivity looming up on both sides, every +precaution was taken against any possible surprise by the enemy. The +battery was divided, one-half in the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>advance and the remainder in +the rear of the column.</p> + +<p>At 9 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span> we reached Middletown, where the people showed themselves +in large numbers, as we passed their quiet homes. We made no stop at +Middletown, but tramped along, tired and hungry, stopping about +midnight and camping on a hill on the outskirts of Frederick City, +Maryland, having marched thirty-six miles since daylight. Men from +all the companies soon collected rails and built a camp-fire, +illuminating the surrounding country and causing the ringing of a +fire alarm in Frederick City.</p> + +<p>At 4 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> June 18th, we broke camp and marched into Frederick, +halting at some old barracks, said to have been built during the +Revolutionary war. We were the first Union troops that had entered +Frederick City since the commencement of hostilities, and the event +naturally caused no little stir among the inhabitants of that +semi-rebellious city. Nearly if not quite all its prominent citizens +were in sympathy with the rebel cause, and we were consequently not +regarded by them with any degree of favor. The presence, however, of +twelve hundred well drilled and disciplined troops and a battery of +six rifled guns, proved a quite potent reminder of what might<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> be +expected should there be any undue interference. Soon after entering +Frederick, our company was marched to a restaurant and provided with +an excellent breakfast, after which we returned to the old barracks. +We were given permission by our officers to look about the city, with +orders to report in camp at noon. Many of the citizens were found to +be true Union men, by whom we were courteously received and kindly +treated, and I don't believe that during our brief stay in town any +member of the regiment, either by word or deed, left any unfavorable +impression among the inhabitants. In the afternoon, just previous to +the departure of the regiment, a deputation of Union citizens, both +men and women, waited upon us and presented to Mrs. Kady Brownell an +elegant American flag. Mrs. Brownell was the wife of Robert S. +Brownell, of Company H, and when her husband enlisted, in Providence, +she insisted on accompanying him, and was with the regiment during +its entire term of service, in all its long marches sharing its +privations and enduring its hardships. At the battle of Bull Run she +was on the skirmish line with her husband, who was at the time a +sergeant. She wore a uniform somewhat similar to that of the +regiment, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> was proficient in the use of a revolver and a short, +straight sword, that she always wore suspended at her side.</p> + +<p>At about 4 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, the regiment took up the line of march for the +depot, to take cars for Washington. In marching through one of the +principal streets leading to the depot, a crowd of rebel toughs +issued from a side street, and following us, volunteered insulting +remarks concerning us and the flag. Captain Tew, of our company, had +at that time a colored servant, who had been with us for some time. +This sooty individual, who was known by the name of John, had +somewhere on the march picked up an antiquated sword and belt, which +he had buckled on and felt very proud of. The sight of this negro, +thus attired, appeared to kindle the wrath of Frederick City's +chivalry to such an extent that they attempted to seize and make way +with the boy, and for a short time the excitement ran high. The color +sergeant, seeing that an attack upon us was threatened, drew his +revolver and stood on the defensive. The right wing of the regiment, +not being aware of the disturbance, continued on its march. +Lieutenant Colonel Pitman, who was in command of the left wing, +noticing the aspect of things, took prompt action, halting the +companies, most of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> men of F company loading their muskets, as +they expected that the mob, which by this time had largely increased +in numbers, would make an attack. At this juncture Colonel Burnside +rode up and was about to issue some order to our officers, when a +squad of city police, or home guard, appeared upon the scene and +dispersed the mob, after which we resumed our march, soon arriving at +the depot, where we took a train for Washington, reaching that place +at daylight the next morning, June 19th.</p> + +<p>Company F was immediately detailed to unload tents and other baggage +from the cars. The regiment marched at once to our old quarters at +Camp Sprague. While engaged on our work of unloading, our ever +thoughtful commissary sent us a barrel of Camp Sprague ginger-bread, +for lunch, and some good friend of the company, I never knew who, +furnished us with a barrel of "conversation water" to wash it down +with. We finished our work at 5 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, and marched out to camp, where +we found a nice breakfast awaiting us. We resumed camp duties at +once. Although we had been on a ten days' tramp, and had made one of +the longest marches that had up to that time been made, in one day, +by any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> troops, and had not during the whole time been over-stocked +with rations, all the boys were in good condition and in readiness +for any duty required of them.</p> + +<p>Saturday June 22d, at 3 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, the camp was aroused by the beating of +drums, and for a few minutes all was excitement, until it was +announced that the occasion of the alarm was the arrival at our camp +of the 2d Rhode Island regiment, via Washington, which place they had +reached a few hours previous, and were waiting outside to allow us +time to form our regiment so as to receive them in true military +style, which was done a few minutes later, and K Company, Captain +Charles W. Turner, our company asked to breakfast with us that +morning. The 2d Regiment went into camp in tents in a shady grove +adjoining us, and as long as we remained in Washington, both +regiments mounted guard and had dress parade together every day. Many +officers of the Second had seen service in our regiment previous to +the formation of theirs, and we were intimately acquainted with many +of its men, particularly those from Newport; and the men of our +company will always look back with a great deal of pleasure to those +days in the summer of '61, when the men of the two regiments passed +so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> many pleasant hours in each others' society. The associations +formed at that time, and later on in the war, between soldiers, were +fraternal in their character, and to this day the same feeling exists +among members of the Grand Army of the Republic, and will continue as +long as the men that were associated with us shall live.</p> + +<p>June 28th, the 1st and 2d Regiments, with the band of each, and the +two Rhode Island light batteries, made a parade in the city of +Washington, marching up through Pennsylvania Avenue to the White +House, and counter-marching and passing in review before the +President and other notables, among whom was the venerable General +Winfield Scott, then so aged and feeble as to be unable to stand, +sitting in a chair as the troops moved past. The parade was a grand +showing for Little Rhody, over two thousand men in line, and so +finely officered, armed and equipped. The Washington papers were +enthusiastic in their praises of our soldierly appearance. In this +parade we marched full company front, three ranks deep. The Hardee +tactics were then in use in the army, but on this occasion we +observed the three-rank formation prescribed in the Scott tactics +previous to the war. The old General was highly pleased to see troops +thus<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> formed, as he was the originator of the three-rank formation, +and I do not think he ever before or after saw so many troops +arranged in that manner. We returned to camp at 5 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, and at +evening parade Colonel Burnside complimented the troops highly for +their soldierly bearing and general behaviour while in the city that +day.</p> + +<p>Soon after the arrival of the 2d Regiment, a change was made in the +detail for camp guard. Previous to this there were ten men and a +non-commissioned officer detailed every day from each company, for +guard duty. But owing to the increased size of the camp, it was +necessary that more men should be detailed, consequently an order was +issued that a full company from each regiment be detailed every day +for that duty. This new order of things was the occasion for +considerable argument among the members of Company F, and we had men +with us who were always ready for an argument, particularly if they +believed they would be benefited by it. Albeit, while most of the +company were ever ready and willing to obey every order emanating +from proper authority, there were yet some who always reserved the +right, as they thought, to growl. Some contended that it was contrary +to army regulations, and that Company<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> F could not be thus detailed, +they were the color company of the regiment, and in case of an alarm, +if the entire company were detailed for extraneous duty the colors +would be without a guard. The matter was finally referred to Colonel +Burnside, who at once decided that the color guard of eight men were +exempt from general guard duty, but the balance of the company would +mount guard. It would seem as though this should have settled the +matter, but such was not the fact; in a few days Company F was +detailed for guard duty, and at the proper time we were marched upon +the parade ground, the customary evolutions pertaining to guard mount +gone through with, and the order was given to march the guard off to +the guard-house. Off we started, the band playing, but on our arrival +at the guard-house our first sergeant was not with us, and on looking +in the direction of the parade ground he was observed standing there +alone, Robinson Crusoe like, "monarch of all he surveyed." On being +requested by the adjutant to report for duty, he objected to doing +so, and went to his quarters. He was soon ordered to report at +headquarters, charged with disobedience of orders, but was allowed to +give his reasons for not complying with orders relating<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> to guard +duty, which he readily did. They were that a 1st sergeant of a +company was not a duty sergeant, and was consequently by the +regulations exempt from such duty while in camp. The matter being +referred to Colonel Burnside, that officer promptly ruled that the +sergeant was right, and ever after the 1st sergeants of companies +were relieved from service in that direction while in camp. It was a +notable circumstance, which I wish to record here, that while Colonel +Burnside always exacted of us a strict compliance with all orders, he +was at the same time ready and willing to listen and act upon any +complaint from officers or men, and invariably his decisions were +just. He treated all alike, and was ever on the look out for the +welfare and comfort of the men. As an illustration of General +Burnside's ideas of duty, it was decided to erect a temporary +structure for the purpose of holding religious services on the +Sabbath. One day the sergeant-major made application to the captains +of companies for a detail of mechanics for this work, in response to +which details were sent from all except one of the companies, the +captain of this company stating to the sergeant-major in response +that he had no mechanics, his company being composed wholly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> of +business men and clerks. This circumstance being duly reported to +Colonel Burnside, he instructed the sergeant major to direct the +captain of that company to detail ten men at once, as there were some +foundation holes to dig, and he did not wish mechanics to do that +sort of work.</p> + +<p>Fourth of July was celebrated by both regiments in camp. There was a +review of the regiments and batteries, and services held appropriate +to the day, in which were included singing, music by the bands, and +an oration by Rev. Father Quinn. In the afternoon we had sports of +all kinds; a member of the second regiment gave a tight rope +performance, and a member of the battery procured and turned loose a +pig, well greased, said porker to become the property of the one that +could catch and hold him; prizes were offered for the champion +wrestler and clog dancer, respectively, both of which were captured +by members of Company F, notwithstanding they had to compete with +picked men from both regiments. James Markham took the clog dancer +prize, and John H. Robinson laid every man on his back that presented +himself before him.</p> + +<p>We now commenced to have early morning drill.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> Every morning, +directly after sick call, all the companies of the regiment moved out +of camp in different directions, for one hour's drill before +breakfast. This new order was not relished any better by the officers +than the men, there was seldom more than one officer with us on these +occasions, and often, as soon as a point outside the camp had been +reached, the order to rest was given, particularly if there was a +shady place handy; and I am of the opinion that those morning drills +did not add much to our efficiency as soldiers.</p> + +<p>On the morning of July 9th, the battery of the 2d Regiment were +marching out for drill, and when a short distance from camp one of +the ammunition chests exploded, killing one man, and mortally +wounding the corporal of the gun, the latter dying in a few hours; +the caisson was blown to pieces, and the wheel horses fatally +injured. That afternoon funeral services were held in the camp of the +2d Regiment, and the remains of the deceased comrades were that +evening put on board the cars for transportation to Providence.</p> + +<p>About the 10th of July, there were rumors in camp of an intended +advance into Virginia; extra rations were ordered, and new shoes +issued to the company.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p> +<p>July 11th Edward Wilson, of F company, who had deserted at Frederick +City, returned to camp, was placed in the guard house, and at dress +parade, July 12th, his dishonorable discharge was read to the +regiment. William H. Durfee and George S. Ward were the same day +discharged on account of disability.</p> + +<p>July 14th, we received orders to be in readiness to march at short +notice, in light marching order, with no tents or unnecessary +baggage. The order was received by the men, generally, with much +enthusiasm, and as a decided relief from the monotonous existence +incident to camp duty. The men had come out there to assist in +putting down the rebellion and sustaining the honor of the flag, and +as their term of service drew towards a close, they felt anxious that +their journey to and sojourn in Washington and vicinity should be +productive in results.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>ADVANCE INTO VIRGINIA, AND BATTLE OF BULL RUN.</h3> + + +<p>On the morning of July 16th, came the order to move. F Company +mounted guard, that morning, in marching order, with forty rounds of +ammunition in our boxes, three days' rations in our haversacks, and +blankets strapped on our backs. Both regiments formed on the parade +ground at 10 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> Our company was relieved from guard and took its +position in line, with the colors.</p> + +<p>Both regiments marched into Washington, the battery of the 2d +Regiment accompanying us. The camp was left in charge of about sixty +men of the regiment, who had been on the sick roll, but had so far +recovered as to be in condition for camp duty. Corporal Nicolai and +Private Terrell, of our company, had been on the sick roll, but +insisted on taking their place in the ranks, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> marched into the +city, but were obliged to return to camp the same night, not being +sufficiently strong to endure the march.</p> + +<p>Arrived in the city, we halted on Pennsylvania Avenue, waiting for +the other regiments of our brigade, comprising, besides our own and +the 2d, the 7th New York and 2d New Hampshire and 2d Rhode Island +Light Battery, to join us, the whole comprising the Second Brigade, +Second Division, commanded by General Hunter. It was late in the +afternoon before we were ordered to move. All day troops had been +crossing Long Bridge, and we had to wait until the whole of the First +Division of infantry, artillery and cavalry had crossed. The army +consisted of about forty-four thousand men, commanded by General +McDowell; there was also attached to the column a battalion of United +States Marines.</p> + +<p>Our brigade crossed Long Bridge at about 4 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, and marched with +our entire Division as far as Anandale, where we bivouacked for the +night in the fields beside the road. Soon after halting, the boys +began to think about supper, and little fires were kindled, coffee +made, in our tin cups, and it is my opinion that the greater part of +the three days' rations issued to us that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> morning were consumed that +night. After supper, rolling our blankets about us, we lay down on +the ground and enjoyed a good night's rest, notwithstanding that +quite a shower of rain fell during the night.</p> + +<p>We were on the road again soon after daylight the next morning. +Hunter's Division, to which we were attached, marched on the direct +road to Fairfax Court House. Soon after leaving Anandale, signs of +the enemy's presence began to be visible: the roads were blocked with +trees that had been felled and piled across the way, some of the +obstructions so completely filling the road, that we were obliged to +make a detour around them, through the fields. A company of sappers +and miners attached to the 71st New York, and a detail of men from +the 2d New Hampshire, with their axes cleared the road for the +artillery to pass. Earthworks were occasionally found in the rear of +these obstructions, thrown across the road; but in every instance +they had been abandoned as we approached them; in some of these there +were evidences of their having been occupied by the rebels the night +previous.</p> + +<p>The 2d Rhode Island, which was at the head of the column, was now +ordered to send out skirmishers; also<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> the carbineer company, Captain +Goddard, of our regiment, was detailed for skirmish duty. We advanced +cautiously, and soon a halt was ordered. Firing at the front was +heard, where our skirmishers were driving the rebels back. Colonel +Burnside, riding through our ranks, ordered us to load our muskets +and be sure and obey all orders from our officers.</p> + +<p>It was now about 9 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, and we knew that we were nearing Fairfax +Court House, and knew also that the enemy were there in force and +would resist our advance, which they no doubt would have done, had it +not been that they had knowledge of the other two Divisions of our +army under Generals Tyler and Heintzelman, who were advancing rapidly +on other roads leading to Fairfax. After a halt of about fifteen +minutes, the order to advance was given, and in a short time we +marched into Fairfax Court House without having fired a gun, the +rebels having retreated in such haste as to leave their tents +standing, and in many of their camps we found clothing and baggage of +various kinds. The 2d Rhode Island Regiment pursued the retreating +enemy a short distance beyond the town. As we marched into the place +the band played Yankee Doodle, and the color sergeant<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> of the 2d New +Hampshire mounted to the cupola and hoisted his flag.</p> + +<p>We soon had possession of the town, and the regiments of the Division +were stationed in different localities. We captured a Southern mail +that had just arrived, and soon the ground in the vicinity of the +Post Office was covered with mail matter of all kinds. We had quite a +treat reading some of the letters that were picked up, particularly +those written by fair rebels in the sunny south, who never dreamed +that eyes other than those of their adored would scan their contents; +but in time of war things are "mighty onsartin," to which love +letters constitute no exception.</p> + +<p>Nearly all the inhabitants had left the place on our approach, +leaving behind their household furniture and goods. About all the +residences of the so called chivalry were left in charge of one or +more colored servants of the family, and in some instances these +houses were protected from plunder through a guard placed over them +by order of our commanding officer, while many of the homes of the +poorer classes were broken into and plundered of articles of all +kinds. For the first three hours of our occupation of the place, this +state of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>affairs existed. The men, not being restrained of their +liberty, roamed wherever they saw fit, and everybody, officers as +well as men, appeared anxious to gobble up everything within their +reach, (the term "stealing" in connection with it appeared to have +become obsolete, there, articles looted being viewed in the light of +spoils of war.) While some hunted for relics, others were in pursuit +of something to eat, and others, still, would appropriate to +themselves anything they could lift, or that "was not nailed down," +whether it would be of any use to them or not, and I actually saw one +man with more plunder than could be loaded into an ordinary express +wagon. One man of our company who had looted a large linen table +covering was so afraid that some one would steal it from him, that he +made a square package of it and secreted it inside his blouse, which +act of his, whether meritorious or otherwise, doubtless was the means +of saving a life at Bull Run the next Sunday, when Allen Caswell was +wounded in the stomach, the force of the shot being broken by the +aforesaid table covering.</p> + +<p>Soon after noon matters got quieted down a little. The entire army +was at or near Fairfax; guards were posted on all the roads, and an +order was issued that any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> man caught looting or committing any +depredation should be committed to Alexandria jail for six months. +But I am of the opinion that if the guards had seen one-half the +stealing, or heard the dying squeals of those orphan pigs as they +were being slain for supper that night, Alexandria's jail would have +been a full house, and the fighting force of the army materially +reduced. All the companies of the regiment had one or more men that +excelled others not only in their proficiency as soldiers, but they +were "professors" in any art or device that tended to add comfort and +enjoyment to themselves, particularly when in an enemy's country, and +under the necessity of providing their own rations. Just such a man +as this we had in our company. James Markham never was known to have +an empty haversack, and always managed to procure a full supply of +rations, even at times at great personal risk. Just before dark on +the afternoon of the day of our occupation of Fairfax, and after the +before mentioned order had been given, this man Markham was on guard +on a narrow road leading out of the town; on the side of the road +where he was pacing was a tight board fence, and on the side opposite +a zig-zag, or "Virginia" rail fence. Markham's attention<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> was called +by some one to a shoat pig that had all day escaped the "slaughter of +the innocents," and was at that moment making the best of his way +toward the maternal nest. The temptation on Markham's part to capture +this sprig of porkdom was too mighty to be overcome by any lingering +fear of Alexandria's dungeon, so instantly clapping his musket to his +shoulder he blazed away, with the result of piggy's dropping in his +tracks, without so much as an audible grunt. He sprang out, and had +barely secured his prey, when a mounted officer with a squad of +cavalry came galloping down the road. Markham proved himself equal to +the occasion; quick as thought he tucked the hind legs of the animal +underneath his waist-belt behind him, and backing up against the +fence, coolly presented arms to the provost guard as they approached, +and in reply to the officer's inquiry, "Who fired that shot?" +answered, "It was a sentry beyond, down the road." The guard rode on, +down the road, but it is presumed they never learned with any degree +of accuracy "who fired that shot."</p> + +<p>Our company was detailed for picket guard, that night. Brigade guard +mount took place in the woods at sunset. Our regimental Band, led by +the veteran Joe Greene,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> played his familiar piece, "The Mocking +Bird." Our company was marched in the direction of Leesburg, and +posted in the edge of the woods, where picket guard head quarters +were established. At about 11 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, about one-half of our company +relieved a company of the 14th Brooklyn, the balance of the company +not going on until 1 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> There was occasional firing by the outer +picket, or cavalry vidette, during the night. General McDowell had +his headquarters that night in a covered carriage in the rear of an +old blacksmith shop, privates Charles E. Lawton and Silas D. DeBlois, +of F Company, being on post near the carriage.</p> + +<p>At daylight, July 18th, we were ordered to report to the regiment. +The army now started on the road to Centreville, and marched until +about 9 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, when a halt was ordered. We lay in the road until +about 2 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, waiting for the divisions on the other roads to come +up. At about 3 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, firing was heard in the vicinity of +Centreville, and we started at once, for some distance going on the +double-quick. The occasion of the firing was soon ascertained to be +that some of the troops of the First Division having advanced to the +vicinity of Blackburn's Ford, were fired upon by the enemy, who<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> were +there in force, and after an engagement of about an hour the Union +troops fell back, having lost about twenty men. We continued on our +march that afternoon, to near Centreville, where we were ordered to +camp. Hunter's entire division were encamped in the fields on both +sides of the Warrenton Road, and we were that night given to +understand that we would probably remain there a day or two; +consequently the next morning, July 19th, we commenced to construct +temporary huts of pine trees and boughs for a shelter. That afternoon +we had fresh beef sent us in the shape of live cattle, which were +distributed to the troops, two to each regiment. Sergeant Major John +S. Engs, of our company, asked the privilege of shooting one of these +animals, which being granted, he armed himself with a Burnside +carbine and fired at about twenty paces, striking the ox in the fore +shoulder; the animal started on the run, everybody after him, the +sergeant major leading the charge. The ox, after a chase of half an +hour or more, succumbed to exhaustion and was readily despatched; the +remaining ox was killed by a man who understood the business. We +broiled, fried and stewed our fresh beef that night, and made +ourselves as comfortable as possible.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span></p> +<p>Saturday, July 20th, we loafed around camp, wrote letters home, and +visited other camps. At sunset we had dress parade, when orders were +read to be in readiness to march at a moment's notice, and for no man +to leave his company during the night. Our dress parade was witnessed +by General McDowell, his staff and officers, besides officers and men +from other regiments; both the Rhode Island regiments were in line. +After dress parade the usual religious services, (which were never +omitted while in camp,) were held, followed by the singing of the +Doxology. To many who stood at parade rest, that evening, listening, +with heads uncovered, to those words of comfort and encouragement +from our chaplain, it was to be the last attended on earth, for ere +the setting of another sun, they would be lying dead on the fields of +Manassas. At tattoo roll-call we were informed by our officers that +our regiment would probably march at daylight. The boys rolled their +blankets around them, and lying down, secured what little sleep they +could, with thoughts busy with the dear ones at home and the probable +events of the morrow.</p> + +<p>At about 2 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> Sunday, 21st, the call sounded, and on every side +and in all directions was heard the sound<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> of the bugle and the drum, +calling the soldiers from their sleep; and before the echoes of those +bugle notes had ceased reverberating among the Virginia hills, our +brigade was in line on the road, and ready to move. We were fully +assured in our minds that a battle was to be fought that day; in fact +Colonel Burnside had the day before stated to our officers that, +although the period for which we enlisted had expired, he did not +purpose to turn back at such a time, in the face of the enemy, and +when the government needed our services; and it is to the credit of +the regiment, and the State of Rhode Island, that regardless of the +expiration of our term of enlistment we manfully did our duty during +that campaign.</p> + +<p>The order to march having been given, we tramped steadily along the +Warrenton Road, no sounds being heard save the steady tread of the +soldiers, and the occasional low words of command from the officers; +the stars were still visible, and the nearly full moon was going down +behind the western hills. At about daylight we passed through +Centreville, and soon arrived at the small bridge at Cub Run. While +on the road that morning, we were quite surprised to see Theodore W. +King, of our company, join us. He had been quite sick<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> in the +hospital at Centreville for two days, but hearing of our regiment +passing on the road, he left the hospital and started for his +company, saying that if there was any fighting to be done, his place +was with Company F. King, though only a mere boy, did his duty +manfully on that eventful day, and about noon, in the heat of the +battle, fell, mortally wounded.</p> + +<p>Just before arriving at Cub Run, we met on the road a regiment and +light battery going to the rear. In reply to questions, they said +their time was out, and they were going home. This regiment, the 4th +Pennsylvania, and the battery of the 8th New York, were the +recipients of comments from our men not in the highest degree +complimentary to them as men and soldiers, turning back in the face +of the enemy, and that must have caused their cheeks to tingle with +shame.</p> + +<p>The whole three divisions of the army were now in the vicinity of Cub +Run. The first division, General Tyler's, was ordered to cross, after +doing which these troops advanced along the road to near the Stone +Bridge. We crossed Cub Run bridge at 5.30 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, after which we +struck off to the right through the woods from the main road.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span></p> +<p>At precisely 6 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> the first gun was fired, by Tyler's forces, the +object being to engage the enemy's attention while the second +division could get into position on the left and rear of their lines. +Soon after entering these woods, K and F Companies of the 2d Rhode +Island, and the carbineer company of our regiment, were thrown out as +skirmishers. When we entered these woods we had with us a guide, +dressed in citizen's clothes, riding a grey horse at the head of the +brigade, but after firing began he disappeared from view.</p> + +<p>At 10 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> we arrived at Sudley Ford, where we were to cross. +General McDowell and staff met us, and we were informed by them that +the enemy were moving a large force to meet us. After a short halt +for the purpose of filling our canteens, we forded the stream. The +firing of Tyler's troops could now be distinctly heard. We marched on +up the road, past Sudley Church and a number of farm houses; a female +standing at the gate of one of these latter made the remark in our +hearing that they were all ready for us, and that she hoped we would +all be killed before night.</p> + +<p>Soon after passing these houses, the 2d Rhode Island, who were in the +advance, continued on in the main road,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> our regiment branching off +into and through a cornfield. Our skirmishers were now engaged with +those of the enemy, and driving them back; shells were exploding +around and above us as we again came out upon the road. Soon we +passed a soldier lying near a fence, wounded. It proved to be William +McCann, of K Company, (of Newport) of the 2d Rhode Island; he had +been struck in the head by a fragment of shell, and died soon after. +I think he was the first man wounded belonging to our brigade.</p> + +<p>Our entire brigade was now halted in a huckleberry pasture, on the +edge of some woods. In front of us was a rising ground, of which the +enemy apparently had gained possession. Shot and shell were falling +among us on every side. The Second Rhode Island, with their battery, +were at once ordered to advance toward this rising ground, or hill, +and in doing so the enemy opened on them, and for about twenty +minutes we stood watching them, with no orders to advance to the +assistance of our sister regiment. At this time the division +commander, General Hunter, had been wounded, and Colonel Burnside +being the senior Brigadier, took command of the entire division. He +at once ordered the 71st New<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> York to the assistance of the 2d Rhode +Island. They advanced a short distance, and then lying down, refused +to proceed further, until their two howitzers, which one of their +companies were dragging by means of ropes, arrived to their support. +Colonel Burnside then gave the command for the 1st Rhode Island to +advance. Before moving, we received orders to unsling blankets and +haversacks and lay them on the ground at our feet. We marched away +and left them, and never saw them again. We came up in line of battle +on the right of the 2d Regiment and at once commenced firing. Soon +the men of F Company that were detailed to serve in the carbineer +company joined us; they had been on the skirmish line all the +forenoon, but became somewhat mixed when the firing commenced, and +were ordered to report to their respective companies. John Rogers was +one of the detail, and he was wounded in the leg while running across +the field to join us.</p> + +<p>Our regiment was so posted, that to preserve the line it was +necessary to divide our company by a rail fence, a portion on each +side. John P. Peckham was shot in the head and instantly killed, and +when he fell, his musket which he was using fell over the fence. Our +color<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> sergeant, Charles Becherer, was shot in the right shoulder and +disabled. Albert N. Burdick, 1st color corporal, then took the flag, +and was soon wounded in the arm by a musket ball. At this time +Governor Sprague, who was acting as aide for Colonel Burnside, rode +through the line to go to the left, when his horse was struck by a +rifle ball and fell dead, the Governor going down with him. Captain +Tew and Sergeant Sherman went to his assistance, helping him to +regain his feet; he was considerably bruised, but not otherwise +injured. After two color bearers had been wounded, the regimental +flag was taken and held by Private Robert D. Coggeshall, until, by +order of Captain Tew, he was relieved by Private William Hamilton, of +the color guard.</p> + +<p>Shot and shell were flying in all directions; we had lost a number of +men, and the other companies of the regiment had suffered +considerable loss. An officer now rode in front of our regiment and +gave the order to cease firing, as we were shooting our own troops. +The smoke, which had occasioned this, soon lifted in our front, when +we discovered a regiment bearing the union flag marching up the hill +in our direction. When a short distance from us, they gave us a +volley, which we returned at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> once, when they turned and retreated +down the hill. This regiment was the 4th Alabama, and their colonel, +Egbert Jones, was carried to our field hospital, mortally wounded. +With others of our regiment I went over the field after the firing +had ceased, and our conclusion was that they were amply repaid for +the cruel and unmanly deception practiced upon us. It was never known +who the officer was that gave the order to cease firing; he appeared +in front of our lines, mounted, with sword uplifted when he gave the +order, which was recognized by our company officers, they mistaking +him for an aide-de-camp or staff officer. It was, however, the +opinion of many of the regiment at the time that he was a rebel +officer.</p> + +<p>Soon the firing in our front ceased. Our ammunition was all expended, +we having been under fire for nearly four hours, and had driven the +enemy from that portion of the field. This position, from which we +had forced the enemy to retire, and which we then held, is known as +Buck's Hill, and was regarded as a position of much importance for +our forces.</p> + +<p>The Third Division had now arrived, and were coming up to our +support, and a battalion each of Regular <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span>infantry and United States +Marines now came up and occupied our position, while our brigade was +marched back into the woods for a brief rest and for a fresh supply +of ammunition. Having stacked our muskets, the roll was called by the +1st sergeant, and men detailed to look after the dead and wounded. +George C. Almy, Christopher Barker and myself were detailed to go for +water. Taking as many of the men's canteens as we could carry, we +wended our way toward a small, one-story gambrel roof farm house, +which was being used by our surgeons as a field hospital, near which +was a well of water. The grounds about the house were covered with +wounded and dying men, and it was almost like fighting, to get a +supply of water from that well. We however succeeded in filling a +portion of our canteens and returned with them to the company. Almost +immediately after our arrival back to where the company were resting, +the order was given to "fall in." Heavy firing was now again heard on +our right, and our officers informed us that the regiment was to +change position. Soon troops began to march past us in great +confusion; our regiment marched out upon the road and halted. A body +of troops passed us headed for the rear, among them two companies of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +Regular cavalry, whose principal participation in the day's +engagement had been the performance of semi-aide-de-camp duty.</p> + +<p>We were by this time satisfied in our minds that our army was +retreating. At this juncture our brigade started back on the road +along the edge of the woods, and soon reached the Warrenton road +leading to the Stone Bridge. Our regiment preserved good order until +they had nearly reached the bridge; the enemy had a battery in +position to rake the road over which the retreat was being conducted, +and on arriving in proximity to the bridge, we found it to be +completely blocked with teams; a large army wagon had, in crossing, +been struck by a shell and the horses killed. The battery of the 2d +Rhode Island Regiment were there, and four of their six guns; after +getting one of these over, they dismounted and spiked the remaining +three, the men and horses fording the stream. In our regiment it was +impossible to preserve order, and ours, like that of the others, +became a go-as-you-please march in fording the stream; Governor +Sprague strove to halt the regiment and make a stand to beat back the +enemy, whereupon Colonel Burnside very promptly informed the +Governor, in unmistakable<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> and incontrovertible language, that +himself was in command of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment. After +crossing, the road branched off to the left, beyond the range of the +enemy's fire, and our regiment re-formed and waited until most of the +demoralized troops had passed, after which we marched in good order +back to our bush camp at Centreville that we had left in the morning, +reaching there at 9 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, tired, hungry, thirsty and dusty, and many +of the regiment wounded. To add to our general discomfort, a +drizzling rain had set in, and we were without blankets, having, as +before stated, left them on the field, with our haversacks, before +going into action. We, however, lay down in our bush huts, expecting +to remain until morning; but about midnight we were aroused and +ordered to start on the road to Washington. The drizzle had not +abated and the night was dark; we had been in a state of continued +and unusual activity since 2 o'clock the previous morning, and in +addition had been all day without food. Footsore and weary we started +on our march of twenty-six miles to Washington, and soon after +daylight, Monday, July 22d, reached Long Bridge, where we made a halt +and rations were served to us, and at 8 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> we crossed over to +Washington,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> and marched across the city to our old home at Camp +Sprague. The roll was called, a ration of whiskey was given us, and +all turned in for a much needed and well earned rest.</p> + + +<h3>OPINIONS ON THE BATTLE.</h3> + +<p>Many opinions have been given as to the causes that led to the defeat +of the Union army at Bull Run. General Sherman, who commanded a +brigade in the battle, said it was the best planned and worst fought +battle of the war. It has been said by some writers that the plans of +the commanding general were not carried out, and that each of the +three division commanders whose forces were actually engaged acted on +their own responsibility and were governed by circumstances. It is a +fact well known to-day, that the Union army, at or in the vicinity of +the battle field, were in numbers quite sufficient to have at least +held any and every position that a portion of the army had gained. On +a map now in possession of Charles E. Lawton Post, G. A. R. of this +city, of Bull Run battlefield, drawn under the direction of Generals +McDowell and Beauregard, by order of the War Department, the position +of every regiment and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> brigade of both armies at the commencement of +the engagement is defined, and in a note appended to the map it is +stated that the engagement was commenced by the Burnside brigade, and +it is a historical fact recognized at this time, that the battle was +fought and won by the Second Division, commanded by Burnside, General +Hunter having been wounded before the troops had been brought into +position, supported by no other troops, until noon, when a brigade of +the Third Division, which had followed us through the forest road, +came to our assistance. From 9.30 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> to 1 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, these seventeen +regiments of infantry and four light batteries, unaided by any other +troops, fought and drove the enemy from their position on Buck's +Hill; and when the two brigades of Tyler's First Division, commanded +by Generals Sherman and Schenck, crossed Bull Run river, over Stone +Bridge, at 1.30 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, there was not a rebel force of any description +on the north side of Warrenton road, west of Stone Bridge. At this +time victory was assured for the Union army. At the Stone Bridge was +Tyler's entire division, comprising fifteen regiments of infantry and +three batteries, the Fourth Division, General Runyon, with seven +regiments, Fifth Division, General Miles, eight<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> regiments, and one +battery. Of these thirteen thousand men, only two brigades of the +First Division crossed the river in the afternoon, and they were +engaged only about one hour, namely, in the vicinity of the Henry +House, when they were repulsed by the enemy, whose forces were now +all concentrated at that point. Rickett's Regular battery (formerly +Magruder's stationed at Fort Adams previous to the war) was lost, +recaptured, and lost again. These two brigades of the First Division +retreated, panic stricken, and our reserve of twelve thousand men, at +Stone Bridge, retreated without firing a shot, while our Division, +the 2d, was holding the position we had gained in the morning. This +was the supreme moment, when a Sheridan or a Warren would have swept +the opposing forces from the field, or captured their entire army. +Colonel Burnside, seeing the aspect matters had assumed, formed his +troops into line and fell back to the Warrenton road, fearing he +might be cut off at Stone Bridge. Hunter's Division covered the +retreat and were the last troops that crossed the bridge, and was the +only Division of the army that occupied its former quarters, as these +did, at Centreville that night.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>DAY AFTER THE BATTLE.</h3> + +<p>The day after the battle was a busy one in camp; men were straggling +in all day, some of them that we had left among the wounded at the +field hospital on our departure the evening previous, who had managed +to hobble along on the road, and after a while reached camp. Some of +these, owing to the darkness of the night, had taken the wrong road +from Fairfax and brought up at Alexandria, whence they set out anew, +reaching Long Bridge and the camp some hours later. Among these +latter was John Fludder, who did not arrive until Monday afternoon, +when he surprised us by bringing with him the regimental flag, which +we had supposed to have been lost when the regiment "straggled" at +Stone Bridge, as no one could give any information in regard to it. +Fludder found it where it had been dropped in the confusion of +retreat, and in order to save it tore it from the staff and secreting +it about his person, thus brought it in. Samuel Hilton, who had been +left on the field for dead, also came straggling in; he had been hit +in the temple by a partially spent fragment of a shell and laid out +senseless and inanimate, and was afterwards revived by the drizzling +rain, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> were also quite a number belonging to other regiments.</p> + +<p>Company F had its full share of losses in killed and wounded. The +first man of the company wounded was John B. Landers, shot through +the wrist; then followed John Rogers, shot in the leg, Charles +Becherer, color sergeant, wounded in the shoulder, Albert N. Burdick, +color corporal, wounded in the arm, John P. Peckham, shot in the head +and killed, Andrew P. Bashford, shot in the breast and taken +prisoner, Theodore W. King, shot through the groin, mortally wounded, +taken prisoner, and afterwards died in Philadelphia, when on his way +home, Thomas J. Harrington, shot in the head and killed, Allen +Caswell, shot in the stomach, Henry T. Easton, wounded in the arm, +Samuel Hilton, wounded as above stated, Bartlett L. Simmons, taken +prisoner, Robert Crane, never accounted for, but supposed to have +been killed during the retreat.</p> + +<p>July 24th, Doctor David King and Alderman James C. Powell, of +Newport, arrived in camp. Doctor King obtained a pass through the +lines for the purpose of attending his son, wounded as above stated, +and who was a prisoner in Richmond. Alderman Powell was deputed by +the city government of Newport to look after the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> sick and wounded of +Company F on their way home.</p> + +<p>Orders were received, July 24th, to make preparations for return to +Rhode Island, as our term of service had expired. Colonel Burnside +offered the services of the regiment for a longer time, as it was +expected that the rebels would make an attack on Washington; but it +was thought our services would not be needed, and preparations for +departure were accordingly made. On Thursday, July 25th, we had dress +parade for the last time in Washington. After the parade, the 2d +Regiment was formed in line directly opposite and facing us, and the +men of the two regiments exchanged muskets, each with the man +opposite him; the muskets of the Second were old, smooth bore, +altered over, while those of the First were the latest improved +Springfield rifles. During the evening, we improved the opportunity +to visit the camp of the Second, bidding them good bye, and receiving +such messages and tokens as they desired to send home to friends.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>"HOME, SWEET HOME."—ARRIVAL.—FLAG PRESENTATION.</h3> + + +<p>At 9 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, 25th, the command was given to "Fall in;" the line was +formed, we marched into the city, and at midnight bid farewell to +Washington, the cars taking us into Baltimore at daylight, where we +waited on the streets all the forenoon for the special train that was +to take us to Philadelphia. We got away from Baltimore at 2 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, +arriving in Philadelphia in the evening. We had been expected, and +were entertained by the citizens with a fine collation at the New +England rooms.</p> + +<p>We left that city at 2 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, July 27th, arriving in New York soon +after daylight, where the regiment embarked on board steamers Bay +State and State of Maine, for Providence. Each steamer took five +companies, ours being on the State of Maine, on board of which we +were given a nice breakfast. We steamed out of New York at about 11 +<span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, July 27th, the transports proceeding<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> slowly to avoid arriving +in Providence at a late hour in the day. At 10.30 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span> we were off +Beaver Tail light; F Company was called and formed on the hurricane +deck, Captain Tew arranging with the steamer captain to sail through +the inner harbor of Newport. When opposite Fort Greene, a squad of +the Newport Artillery fired a salute, which was answered with +cheering by F Company, and the blowing of the steamer's whistle. Both +steamers proceeded up the bay and anchored, it being the wish to not +land before daylight.</p> + +<p>At 6 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> Sunday, July 28th, landed, and, escorted by the militia of +the state, marched through the city to Railroad Hall, Exchange Place, +where a substantial breakfast awaited us. After breakfast and +speeches by Bishop Clark and others, the regimental companies +residing outside of Providence were ordered to their homes, to report +again in Providence August 2d.</p> + +<p>F Company, escorted by the past members of the Newport Artillery, +Colonel Fludder in command, and the Old Guard, both of which +companies had that morning come from Providence to receive us, left +for Newport on steamer Perry at 11 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, arriving at Sayer's Wharf +in Newport, at 1 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span></p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> +<p>On our arrival we found the wharf and streets of the city through +which we were to pass crowded with people of all ages and both sexes, +as though the whole of Newport had turned out to greet us. Services +were omitted by the churches, all evidently regarding it as a duty +appropriate to the Sabbath to welcome to their homes those who had +gone forth to peril their lives at their country's call. Tears +dropped from many eyes, as those were remembered who had left home +with us, but would never return.</p> + +<p>We marched up Thames street, our sick and wounded in carriages, +through Touro street and Bellevue Avenue, to Touro Park, where we +were welcomed in addresses by Mayor Cranston and other city +officials. On invitation of Mr. William Newton, proprietor of the +Atlantic house, we partook of an excellent dinner at that hostelry, +after which a short street parade was made to the armory on Clarke +street, where we were dismissed, with orders to report again on the +2d of August.</p> + +<p>On Friday, August 2d, we reported at the armory and proceeded to +Providence; we received our pay and were mustered out of the United +States service, by Colonel Loomis, of the 5th United States Infantry. +In the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> afternoon a final parade was made by the entire regiment, but +F Company were obliged to leave the line before its conclusion, in +order to take the 5 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span> boat for home.</p> + +<p>A few days after the arrival home of the company, a beautiful set of +flags was received by Mayor Cranston, a gift from Rhode Islanders +residing in California to the color company of the 1st Rhode Island +Regiment, and were accompanied by the following explanatory letter:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<div class="right"><span class="smcap">San Francisco, Cal.</span>, Aug. 30, 1861.</div> +<p>Hon. <span class="smcap">Wm. H. Cranston</span>, Mayor City Newport:—<br /> +</p> + +<p><i>Sir</i>,—At a meeting of the natives and citizens of Rhode Island +now residents of California, we, the undersigned, were appointed +a committee to forward to your Honor a set of regimental colors +for the First Rhode Island Regiment, to be by you presented to +them in person as a token of our esteem and admiration for the +prompt, noble and efficient response made by them to the +patriotic call of our country to fight for constitutional +liberty, and for the brave, honorable and veteran-like manner in +which they have performed their duties.</p> + +<p> +Very Respectfully, your obedient servants, +</p> + +<div> +<span style="margin-left: 15em;">WILLIAM SHERMAN,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 15em;">E. P. PECKHAM,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 15em;">JAS. M. OLNEY,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 15em;">B. H. RANDOLPH,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 15em;">C. V. S. GIBBS.</span><br /> +</div> + +</div> + +<p>On Tuesday, October 29th, 1861, a formal presentation<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> of the flags +to Company F took place on Touro Park. The company were present in +good numbers, and Colonel Burnside was also present by invitation. +Mayor Cranston, after reading the correspondence accompanying the +flags, remarked as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Company F, accept this offering—our unconquered and +unconquerable national flag—and this State standard, the emblem +of freedom for more than two hundred years—the patriotic and +cheerful gift of Rhode Islanders in the Eden of the Pacific to +you, their brothers in the Eden of the Atlantic. Guard them +sacredly and well—carefully preserve and affectionately cherish +them; if necessary, lay down your lives in their defence against +foreign invasion or domestic insurrection, and your reward will +be the gratitude of honest and loyal men on earth, the +approbation of God, and eternal felicity in that new Paradise +where there will neither be wars nor rumors of wars, and where +the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace will reign supreme +forever."</p></div> + +<p>Colonel Burnside responded. After a few remarks acknowledging the +kindness of the patriotic Californians, he turned to the members of +Company F and addressed them as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"With you, Company F, I leave these colors. For their proper +keeping I need give you no charge. You have been tried and have +indeed been found not wanting. Take them; accept them as a part +of the history of the First Rhode Island Regiment, as a part of +the history of your own gallant state and as an emblem of the +glory of your dearly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> loved country. Love the one flag and +revere the others. Many dark hours we have already passed +through, and many more are yet to be undergone. But let no man +of us falter as to the success of our glorious cause. In all our +work, however dangerous or arduous, we shall be followed by the +prayers of loved friends at home and of the true and loyal of +all our country, and of the good and true of every land. The +great God above may chasten us in his wisdom, but rest assured +He will never forsake us in His justice. To you, Mr. Mayor, I +render my sincere thanks for your kind words of me. They are +indeed precious to me. The words of commendation which have been +spoken of my conduct by my approving fellow citizens are my +highest reward. And as to Company F, I have no fears but they +will do as they have done before—their whole duty. Better +soldiers never trod the soil of this or any other land. Not a +man of them failed to execute my orders to the letter. Never +soldiers did their duty—their whole duty—more promptly or +gallantly. Take these beautiful flags, Company F, take them and +keep them; you have the well earned right to keep them. Twice +was your own flag stricken down in the field of battle and then +a third man from your ranks seized it and it was borne aloft in +safety from the field though pierced with many bullets.</p></div> + +<p>Then turning to the Mayor, he added:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"And in conclusion allow me to thank you, sir, and all concerned +in this presentation, for this beautiful gift to Rhode Island's +first and gallant regiment.</p></div> + +<p>Company F then made a parade through the city, displaying the flags.</p> + +<p>At a meeting held by Company F at the armory of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> the Artillery +Company, November 5th, 1861, it was voted to place the flags in +charge of three members of Company F, and Corporal Tayer and Privates +DeBlois and Terrell were appointed that committee, with instructions +to place them in the Newport city hall for safe keeping. It was soon +afterwards ascertained that the place allotted to them in the city +hall was damp, and it was decided to remove them to a place where +they would be better preserved, and could be seen at any time. The +place selected was the Artillery Company's armory, where they were +suitably mounted, and will doubtless always remain.</p> + +<p>Soon after the muster out of F Company, recruiting commenced at once +for new regiments from Rhode Island, and of 108 officers and men +composing Company F at muster out, 84 re-entered the service either +in the army or navy, many of them occupying positions of rank in both +branches of the service during the war.</p> + + +<h3>CONCLUSION.</h3> + +<p>Company F, 1st Rhode Island Regiment, is a thing of the past. Thirty +years have come and gone since the enactment of the stirring scenes +in which we participated;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> but those scenes and incidents still exist +in the minds and memories of the men composing that company. A large +portion of its members have left the city, and many have been carried +to that silent camp where they "sleep their last sleep, have fought +their last battle; no sound can awake them to glory again." But as +each succeeding 17th of April rolls around, the surviving members of +the company meet to talk over the incidents of the long ago, tell +stories of camp and field, and say a word of those who have left us +to return no more; and we shall continue these gatherings at least +once a year, until the last man of Company F shall have been mustered +out to join those who have gone before.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of History of Company F, 1st Regiment, +R.I. Volunteers, during the Spring and Summer of 1861, by Charles H. Clarke + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COMPANY F *** + +***** This file should be named 28481-h.htm or 28481-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/4/8/28481/ + +Produced by Karen Dalrymple and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Clarke + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: History of Company F, 1st Regiment, R.I. Volunteers, during the Spring and Summer of 1861 + +Author: Charles H. Clarke + +Release Date: April 2, 2009 [EBook #28481] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COMPANY F *** + + + + +Produced by Karen Dalrymple and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + HISTORY + OF + COMPANY F, 1st REGIMENT, + R. I. VOLUNTEERS, + During the Spring and Summer of 1861. + + + BY CHARLES H. CLARKE, + A MEMBER OF THE COMPANY. + + + NEWPORT, R. I.: B. W. PEARCE, PRINTER. + 1891. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +In the following pages I have endeavored to present a correct +description of the service performed by Company F, 1st Regiment R. I. +Volunteers, during the spring and summer of 1861. While many of my +comrades who served in that company may differ with me in some of the +statements I have made, still I think that all will agree that what I +have presented is as correct an account as can be had at this late +period of that service. Thirty years is a long time for men to +remember the particulars of any event, unless some memoranda of the +same is at hand. During that service I endeavored to keep as correct +as possible a daily journal of events, and from that journal I have +prepared this brief history of the company, and I trust that my +comrades who may read this will excuse any inaccuracies that in their +opinion may appear; for it is my desire to place before you a correct +history of Company F, the first company of volunteers that left +Newport on the 17th of April, 1861, for the defence of the Stars and +Stripes in the great war of the rebellion. + + CHARLES H. CLARKE. + + + + +HISTORY OF COMPANY F. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +CALL TO ARMS. + + +Early in the month of April, 1861, several of the Southern States +having withdrawn from the Union, forts, arsenals and navy yards +within the limits of those States were taken possession of by the +Confederate forces. On the 12th of April, Fort Sumter, at Charleston, +S. C., was fired upon, and after two days' bombardment by the rebels, +commanded by General Beauregard, the garrison, comprising seventy +United States Regulars, commanded by Major Robert Anderson, +surrendered the fort. Meanwhile the National Capital at Washington +was in danger, and on the 15th of April Abraham Lincoln issued his +proclamation, calling for seventy-five thousand troops for the +defence of the city of Washington. + +Governor Sprague, of Rhode Island, tendered the services of one +regiment of Infantry, and one battery of Light Artillery, which being +accepted by the Secretary of War, the Governor at once sent a +telegram to Colonel George W. Tew, commanding the Newport Artillery +company, asking how many men of his command would go to Washington +for the defence of the Capital. Colonel Tew replied that he would go, +with fifty men. April 16th, Colonel Tew received another telegram +from the Governor, directing him to recruit his company to one +hundred, and to report at Providence, armed and equipped, upon +receipt of orders. At that time the Newport Artillery were as well +equipped as any company in the State. They were armed with the latest +improved Springfield rifles. They had just purchased, at their own +expense, fifty artillery sabres of the latest French pattern. They +had likewise, the year preceding, had made to their order new +military overcoats, which no other company in the State was at that +time provided with. These overcoats and sabres were afterwards +purchased of them by the State of Rhode Island, and were used for +equipping the 1st Battery. + +On April 16th Colonel Tew called a meeting of the company, and after +reading the telegrams received from the Governor that day, made a +patriotic speech, and was followed by Mayor Cranston, who was +present. Colonel Tew then requested those of the company that would +volunteer to go to Washington, to step to the front, when +thirty-three of the thirty-nine active members of the company +responded. A call was then made for volunteers to fill up the company +to the required number of one hundred men, and in a very short time +there were more men applied than could be taken. + +That evening the company paraded through the streets of the city, to +the inspiriting music of a fife and drum, and were dismissed at 10 P. +M., to meet again on the receipt of orders from Providence, to be +announced by the discharge of three guns on the Mall, and by the +ringing of the church bells. + +At 7 A. M., Wednesday, April 17th, a mounted courier arrived from +Providence with orders for Colonel Tew to report that day in +Providence with his company. Colonel Tew, upon the receipt of the +order, sent word by return courier that he would be in Providence +with his company at 2 P. M. + +At 8 A. M., one of the company's brass guns was dragged by hand to +the Mall and fired three times by the gun squad that had remained in +the armory all night so as to be on hand when orders came. + +Never before in the known history of the city was there so much +excitement as was caused by the firing of those guns. Business of all +kinds was suspended for the time being, and the people began to +realize that the time had come for action. + +When the orders came that morning, Colonel George W. Tew was at work +at his trade, a mason, on Wellington Avenue. On receiving the order +he laid down his trowel and other tools, adopted the trade of a +soldier, and for four long years he served his country with credit to +himself and to the State of Rhode Island. + +First Sergeant A. P. Sherman was driving on his market wagon +attending to his morning trade when he heard the signal guns. Leaving +his team on the street, he started at once for the armory on Clarke +street, and commenced to form the company. + +In less than one hour the company were in line and ready to start. +Like the minute men of Revolutionary times, they left their bench, +their desks, and farm, at the call to arms. Thames street, Washington +square and Clarke street were thronged with people. The artillery +was at that time as at present the pride of Newport and it is not +strange that so much interest was manifested, and, besides, they were +about to leave home and friends, not knowing whether they would ever +return. They went from pure patriotism and love of the Old Flag; and +it is an undisputed fact to-day that had it not been for the +promptitude with which the first troops responded to the call of the +President, the city of Washington would have been taken by the rebel +forces. At the armory there were there assembled many prominent +citizens, Mayor W. H. Cranston and several of the clergy. Speech +making and hand shaking were indulged in for some time, and at 11.30 +A. M. the company marched to Sayer's Wharf by way of Clarke, Touro +and Thames streets, escorted by about fifty past members of the +company. On the wharf, Rev. Samuel Adlam, of the First Baptist +Church, offered prayer, and was followed by Mayor Cranston and Hon. +Charles C. Van Zandt, in brief addresses. Rev. Thatcher Thayer, who +had for many years been chaplain of the Artillery company, and still +holds that position, (1891) offered a touching prayer in behalf of +the company and the cause for the support and defence of which they +were now about to leave home, kindred and friends, after which the +benediction was pronounced by Rev. Henry Jackson, D. D. A brief +season was then allowed for individual leave-takings, and at 1 P. M. +the company marched on board steamer Perry for Providence to form a +part of Rhode Island's first regiment in the war of the rebellion. + +Following is a correct roll of the company, as copied from the +muster-out roll of the regiment: + + +COMPANY ROSTER. + + Captain,--George W. Tew. + + 1st Lieutenant,--William A. Steadman. + + 2d " Benjamin L. Slocum. + + Ensign,--James H. Chappell. + + 1st Sergeant,--Augustus P. Sherman. + + 2d " Thomas S. Burdick. + + 3d " John S. Coggeshall. + + 4th " Edward S. Hammond. + + 1st Corporal,--John D. Washburne. + + 2d " Benedict F. Smith. + + 3d " Ray B. Tayer. + + 4th " Henry L. Nicolai. + + PRIVATES. + + John A. Abbott. + Charles B. Barlow. + Albert N. Burdick. + George C. Almy. + John H. Bacheller. + Christopher E. Barker. + Charles Barker, Jr. + Andrew P. Bashford. + William Booth. + Daniel Boss. + Jeremiah Brown. + Adelbert P. Bryant. + Thomas Brownell. + Henry Bull, Jr. + Benjamin D. Carlisle. + Robert Carlisle. + Allen Caswell. + Charles H. Clarke. + Edward F. Clarke. + Frederic A. Clarke. + Gustavus A. Clarke. + Joshua P. Clarke. + David M. Coggeshall, Jr. + Lawton Coggeshall. + Robert D. Coggeshall. + Robert Crane. + Perry B. Dawley. + Benjamin F. Davis. + William P. Denman. + Lance DeJongh. + Silas D. DeBlois. + Stephen DeBlois. + William H. Durfee. + Henry T. Easton. + Benjamin Easton, Jr. + John F. Easton. + William J. Eldridge. + Edmund W. Fales. + John Fludder. + Augustus French. + Thomas J. Harrington. + Joseph J. Gould. + Rowland R. Hazard. + William Hamilton. + Samuel Hilton. + Benjamin C. Hubbard. + George A. Hudson. + Harris Keables. + William Keating. + Edwin A. Kelley. + Theodore W. King. + William H. King. + Israel F. Lake, Jr. + Thomas O. Lake. + Henry B. Landers. + John B. Landers. + Overton G. Langley. + Charles E. Lawton. + George P. Lawton. + Thomas H. Lawton. + David Little. + Charles L. Littlefield. + John B. Mason. + James Markham. + Daniel A. McCann. + William M. Minkler. + Walden H. Mason. + Michael A. Nolan. + George H. Palmer. + Frederic J. Peabody. + Edwin H. Peabody. + John P. Peckham. + Peyton H. Randolph. + John Rogers. + Benjamin H. Rogers. + John H. Robinson. + John F. Scott. + Thomas Scott. + Thomas Sharpe. + Bartlett L. Simmons. + John B. F. Smith. + George B. Smith. + Charles Southwick. + John Stark. + George W. Taber. + Edward Terrell. + William H. Thayer. + William Towle. + Arthur R. Tuell. + James P. Vose. + William H. Waldron. + George S. Ward. + Charles S. Weaver. + George R. White. + Edward Wilson. + William H. Young. + +To be added to this roll, should be the names of James H. Taylor, +John S. Engs, and James W. Lyon, members of the regimental +non-commissioned staff, who were members of the company from Newport, +but their names do not appear on the muster-out roll of the company. + +On arriving at Providence, the company marched to Railroad Hall, on +Exchange Place, where they were to be quartered until such time as +the regiment could be uniformed and equipped. The organization of the +regiment commenced at once. Ambrose E. Burnside was appointed +colonel; Joseph S. Pitman, lieutenant colonel; John S. Slocum, 1st +major; Joseph P. Balch, 2d major; Charles H. Merriman, adjutant; Rev. +Augustus Woodbury, chaplain. All company officers were elected by the +company, approved and commissioned by the Governor. The position in +line of the companies and the letter by which they were to be known, +was drawn by lot by the captains. The Newport company was designated +by the letter F, and drew third position in line, which constituted +them the color company of the regiment. In the making up of the +non-commissioned staff, there were appointed James H. Taylor as +hospital steward, James W. Lyon as ordnance sergeant, and John S. +Engs as sergeant major; Edward S. Hammond was appointed as left +general guide of the regiment. + +As fast as the uniforms could be made, they were issued to the +companies. These consisted of a light blue blouse, of the Garibaldi +pattern, dark grey pants, and Kossuth hat, with the brim turned up on +the right side, and fastened to the crown with a brass plate, eagle +shaped. Instead of overcoats, we were provided with red woollen +blankets, with a slit in the centre, to wear over our shoulders in +bad weather; also one grey blanket, knapsack, to contain our extra +clothing, haversack, canteen, tin plate, knife and fork, spoon, and +tin cup. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +OFF FOR THE FRONT. + + +On Saturday, April 19th, the first detachment, made up of details +from all the companies, to the number of nearly six hundred men, +including the regimental band, of twenty-four men, were in readiness +to start for Washington. The regiment formed on Exchange Place at +noon, where they received a costly and beautiful regimental flag, of +silk, presented by the ladies of Providence. Colonel Burnside, on +receiving the precious gift, remarked as follows:-- + + "I know that the gallant men I carry away will prove themselves + worthy of the beautiful banner presented to them by you. We are + fully impressed with the fact that we take with us your most + fervent prayers, and we shall constantly feel that your eyes are + upon us. God grant that we may yet see the Union out of danger. + Bidding you an affectionate farewell, and thanking you in behalf + of my command, for your kindness, I feel that I can assure you + in the name of each and every one of them, that no act of theirs + shall ever cause you to regret this your generous and patriotic + contribution to the cause we mutually cherish." + +The flag was then given in charge of Company F, the color company of +the regiment, Charles Becherer, of Company G, being detailed as color +sergeant. + +A short regimental parade was made through the streets of Providence +to the wharf where steamer Empire State was lying with steam up, in +readiness to take the regiment to New York. At about 2.30 P. M. the +boat cast off her lines and steamed down the bay and through the +harbor of Newport out to sea. When the steamer was passing Long +Wharf, a salute was fired by a gun squad of the past members of the +Newport Artillery. A salute was also fired from Fort Adams, as the +steamer passed on her way out to sea. + +Sunday morning, April 20th, arrived in New York. The regiment, with +its baggage, was at once transferred to the United States Government +transport Coatzacolcos, on board of which we remained all that day, +and Monday steamed away for Annapolis. + +A tug boat which spoke us in the afternoon, gave us the information +that the Norfolk navy yard had been blown up and destroyed by orders +from our government. At daylight the next morning we came in sight of +Fortress Monroe, and sailing on up Chesapeake Bay, anchored for the +night, and the next day steamed up into the harbor of Annapolis and +landed. We were kindly received by the officers of the United States +Naval Academy, who furnished us with quarters in the government +building for the night. + +General Benjamin F. Butler, of Massachusetts, was there in command of +the United States forces, composed mostly of New England troops. + +Thursday morning we set out on the road to Annapolis Junction. We +were told by inhabitants we met that we never would reach Washington, +as the road was in the possession of Confederate troops and their +friends; but we tramped along, and overtook the 71st New York +Regiment at noon, halting an hour or two in their company, and after +having had a good rest, about 4 o'clock resumed our march for the +Junction, discovering no signs of the enemy as we proceeded, and at +about 8 P. M. halted for the night. We encamped in a field beside the +railroad, posting sentinels on all sides, as we expected an attack +at this place. Camp fires were kindled, supper prepared and eaten, +after which preparations were made for the night. The 71st New York +coming up and halting at our bivouac, we exchanged greetings with +them, furnished them with hot coffee, and informed them, as they took +their departure on the road, that it was a short march for them to +the Junction--"only nine more miles." A member of the 71st afterwards +composed a song entitled "Nine Miles to the Junction," the words of +which were as follows: + + The troops of Rhode Island were posted along + On the road from Annapolis station, + As the 71st Regiment, one thousand strong, + Went on in defence of the nation: + We'd been marching all day, in the sun's scorching rays, + With two biscuits a day as our rations, + When we asked Governor Sprague to show us the way, + And "How many miles to the Junction?" + [Repeat:] + + The Rhode Island boys cheered us on out of sight, + After giving the following injunction: + "Just to keep up your courage--you'll get there to-night, + For 'it's only nine miles to the Junction!'" + They gave us hot coffee, a grasp of the hand, + Which cheered and refreshed our exhaustion; + We reached in six hours the long promised land, + For 't was "only nine miles to the Junction." + + And now as we meet them in Washington's streets, + They always salute us with unction; + And still the old cry some one will repeat-- + "It's only nine miles to the Junction!" + Three cheers for the warm hearted Rhode Island boys, + May each be true to his function; + And whene'er we meet, let us each other greet, + With "Only nine miles to the Junction." + + Nine cheers for the flag under which we will fight, + If the traitors should dare to assail it. + One cheer for each mile that we made on that night, + When 't was "Only nine miles to the Junction." + With hearts thus united, our breasts to the foe-- + Once more with delight will we hail it; + If duty should call us, still onward we'll go, + If even "nine miles to the Junction." + +This was set to the air, "Tother side o' Jordan," and was adopted +into the regiment, becoming one of our camp fire songs. + +During the night, after the departure of the 71st, nothing transpired +to disturb us. + +At about 4 o'clock A. M. April 26th, we were once more on the road to +the Junction, which we reached at about 5.30 A. M., and at once +commenced loading baggage and provisions on the cars. At 9 A. M., +everything being in readiness and the road reported clear, we started +for Washington, where we arrived about noon, and were at once +marched to the Patent Office, on 7th street, where we were to be +quartered until a site for a camp could be selected. + +Tuesday, April 30th, the second detachment of the regiment arrived, +in command of Lieutenant Colonel Pitman, and on May 1st the regiment +was paraded in front of the Patent Office, the occasion being the +raising of the Stars and Stripes on that building. The flag was +hoisted by President Lincoln, after which the regiment was drilled by +Colonel Burnside, under review by the President and members of the +Cabinet. + +Thursday, May 2d, the Light Battery arrived from Providence, in +command of Captain Charles H. Tompkins, and in the afternoon the +entire regiment marched to the Capitol grounds, and was sworn into +the United States service, by Major McDowell, of the Regular army. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +LIFE IN CAMP. + + +Preparations were at once made to go into camp. A detail of mechanics +was made from the regiment, and under the direction of Lieutenant +Walker, of Company E, the requisite buildings were erected, and on +May 10th the regiment went into camp in their new quarters, on the +Keating farm, near the Bladensburg road, about a mile north of the +Capitol. It was named Camp Sprague, in honor of Rhode Island's +Governor. + +Ten rows of buildings had been constructed, parallel with each other, +for company quarters, a row for each company, with a street about +fifteen feet in width between the buildings. The quarters of each +company comprised six squad rooms, each room having accommodations +for a non-commissioned officer and eighteen men, and on three sides +of each sleeping room were bunks; there was also an outer room, or +porch, with a table extending lengthwise, for use as a dining room. +The company officers occupied a building separated from the men by a +narrow street. The regimental officers and band were very pleasantly +located in a shady grove, in cottage shaped buildings, with piazza in +front, standing in the rear of and at right angles with the company +quarters. + +We soon got settled in our new home at Camp Sprague, and commenced at +once the duties of soldier life. Previous to this we had been in an +unsettled condition, taking our meals at restaurants and using the +Patent office for sleeping quarters, with not much duty to perform, +except answering to roll-calls. Now, however, we knew just what was +expected of us every day. Our duties commenced soon after daylight, +ending at 9 P. M. At about 5 A. M. we were aroused from our slumbers +by the beating of the reveille, which duty was performed by Drum +Major Ben. West and his fife and drum band, when each man was +required to turn out, take his place in line in the company street, +and answer to his name. This duty was performed with a great deal of +promptitude, at first, but after a while some of the boys did not get +started out of their bunks in time to complete their toilet, and +often would appear in line thinly clad, and it was no unusual thing +to see some appear bareheaded and without shoes or stockings. One +squad of the company was particularly noted for their tardiness at +reveille. I don't think this was owing to any neglect on the part of +the sergeant in charge; for Sergeant Hammond was wont to boast that +he had "the banner squad," and he exacted of them everything in the +line of duty. But two of his men appeared to be impressed with the +notion that the nights in that latitude were too short to satisfy +their demands for sleep. They would lie in bed and wait until the +last roll of the drum, then tumbling out, they would have hardly +sufficient time to take their places in line to answer to their names +when called. One morning, during roll-call, the company were +surprised to see running from the direction of Sergeant Hammond's +quarters two men to all appearances of African descent. The First +Sergeant, not knowing who they were, ordered them to stand aside, and +then continued the calling of the roll. When the names of John B. M. +and L. DeJ. were called, two "colored gentlemen" responded. The first +sergeant, after roll-call, reprimanded them for appearing in such +condition, advising them to in future be more prompt at roll-call. +Some one or more merciless wags among their comrades had, during the +silent watches of the night, and while they slept the sleep of the +just, surreptitiously decorated their countenances with burnt cork. +Of course Hammond knew nothing of it until their appearance at +roll-call; but I do not think that afterwards there were any of +Hammond's squad tardy at roll-call. + +Directly after reveille came the sick-call, when those who required +medical attention went to the hospital; breakfast at 7, guard-mount +at 8 A. M., company drills and target practise from 9 to 11 A. M., +dinner at noon. In the afternoon, battalion drill of the entire +regiment, and at sunset dress parade, which on pleasant days was +witnessed by a large number of the citizens and notables of +Washington, including President Lincoln and members of the Cabinet. +After the parade, the regiment formed in double column, closed en +masse, when our chaplain, Rev. Augustus Woodbury, read a portion of +scripture, followed by prayer, the service closing with singing the +doxology by the entire regiment, accompanied by the band, with most +solemn and impressive effect; tattoo roll-call at 9 P. M., taps at +9.30, when lights were extinguished and every man was supposed to be +in his bunk for the night; but on many occasions there was more of +supposition than reality. Notwithstanding the circumstance that we +were United States soldiers, and as such bound to obey the army +regulations, there were in nearly every squad men who would at times +commit acts that had they realized the consequences if found out, +they would not have suffered themselves to do. To take men from civil +life, with no previous military training, and subject them to army +discipline, is a difficult task to accomplish, and is a work of time; +nor is it a matter for wonder that men forget their being soldiers +and liable to severe punishment for misdemeanors. + +After taps, it was the custom of the officer of the day to make the +rounds of the camp to make sure that all lights were out and +everything quiet in the company quarters. Sometimes this officer, if +he manifested a disposition to be officious in the discharge of his +duties, came to grief. There was one who, when detailed as officer of +the day, generally had about all the business he cared to attend to, +in the vicinity of Company F quarters, after taps. A candle would be +left burning on the table in a room, to attract the officer's +attention, who on seeing it would shout at the top of his voice, "Put +out that light in Company F quarters!" Some one in bed would reply, +"Go to H--ades, you old granny!" The officer, entering, would be +deluged with a shower of tin pans and plates, placed on a shelf +purposely rigged directly over the entrance, propped up by sticks, +and at the proper time tripped by means of a string manipulated by +some person to the officer unknown, the light being at the same +instant extinguished by some one in the plot, the transaction +overwhelming the officer with impotent wrath. + +May 21st, John Abbott and Thomas H. Lawton were discharged from the +company on account of disability, returning home. + +May 23d, Governor Sprague left camp for home, to be inaugurated as +Governor for another year. A detail of thirty men from the regiment +was made to-day, and placed under command of Lieutenant Tower, of +Company E, to operate a ferry for transporting troops across the +river to Alexandria. They worked only nights, returning to camp at +daylight in the morning. Company F furnished five men--Sergeant +Burdick, John B. F. Smith, Andrew P. Bashford, George R. White, and +Peyton Randolph, all of whom had been sailors previous to enlistment +in the army, and consequently were familiar with that line of duty, +and to them it was mere pastime. + +Although away from home and friends, we as sons of old Newport could +not permit 'Lection day to pass without notice. Nearly all of us had +sent us from home boxes containing cake and blue eggs, and with these +as a basis, we made preparations to celebrate the day. At sunrise we +flung to the breeze a beautiful American flag, from the 1st +sergeant's quarters. This flag, presented to us by Mr. William +Vernon, of Newport, is still in the possession of the Newport +Artillery company. A salute was fired by our battery, in honor of the +day, and at 9 A. M. a table was spread in the quarters, with plenty +of cake and egg pop. Private George C. Almy was deputed to call on +and invite the company and regimental officers to visit us and +partake of the good things. It was a very enjoyable occasion, Colonel +Burnside and Chaplain Woodbury making some pleasant remarks. + +May 31st, David Little, Fred J. Peabody and William Waldron, of +Company F, were discharged on surgeon's certificate, for disability, +and returned home. + +About the first of June there were rumors in camp of a movement of +troops; extra rations were cooked, and other preparations made for a +forward movement. + +June 6th, John S. Engs, who had been company clerk, was promoted to +the position of sergeant-major of the regiment, to fill the vacancy +caused by the resignation of John P. Shaw, who had been promoted to +lieutenant in the 2d Rhode Island Regiment, and Augustus French was +appointed company clerk. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +EXPEDITION TO HARPER'S FERRY. + + +On Saturday, 8th of June, orders came for an expedition to Harper's +Ferry. The day before starting, we had issued to us new caps of the +French forage pattern, also white linen havelocks, to wear over them, +which added greatly to the appearance of the men, being likewise a +decided protection from the scorching rays of the June sun. + +June 10th, the regiment broke camp, and marching to Washington took +cars for Baltimore, arriving at which place we marched across the +city to embark for Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. We had anticipated +trouble in marching through the streets of Baltimore; but the roughs +of the then rebellious city knew better than to oppose the passage of +a regiment and battery armed and equipped as was the 1st Rhode +Island. The regiment marched across the city from the depot where we +landed, without a halt, with its band playing national airs. We were +well supplied with ammunition, and the battery could have swept the +streets of any mob essaying to obstruct its progress. We soon reached +and boarded the cars, arriving at Chambersburg at noon, 11th, and +starting again by rail for Greencastle, Pennsylvania, which place we +reached at sunset the same day. After leaving the train we marched +about three miles beyond the town, where we bivouacked for the night +in a grove beside the road. We had no tents nor rations, the wagons +not having come up. The regiment formed in a hollow square, stacked +their muskets, and lay down on the ground, without covering, other +than their blankets; sentinels were posted on the road, the battery +parked in the rear of the regiment, and every precaution taken +against surprise during the night. Tents arrived the next morning at +daylight, but no rations. The tents we pitched and made preparations +for a few days' stay. Troops were all the time coming and marching. +The army to which we were at that time attached, comprised about nine +thousand men, commanded by General Patterson, and was organizing for +an attack upon Harper's Ferry. + +June 12th, at noon, Governor Sprague rejoined us, having left Rhode +Island at once on learning that we had departed from Washington. + +At about sunset, while many of the regiment were seated on fences +watching the passing troops, a Pennsylvania regiment came along the +road, halting a few moments for rest in front of our camp. Directly +some of our regiment discovered a man in one of the Pennsylvania +companies who had been arrested by our regiment as a spy, while we +were quartered at the Patent office in Washington. A rush was made +for him, he was dragged from his company, and but for the +intervention of some of our officers he would have been strung up on +the spot. + +Saturday morning, June 13th, we once more started, our destination +being Williamsport, Maryland, distant fourteen miles. This was one of +the hardest marches that we made. The weather was hot, the roads +rough and dusty, and when we went into camp at Williamsport, there +was only one officer and fourteen men of our company with the colors, +present. The balance of the company were exhausted, and were +straggling along the road, but by sunset they had all arrived in +camp. We pitched our tents in the woods and rested the whole of +Sunday. + +Monday morning, June 15th, broke camp at daylight, and started on the +road for Harper's Ferry. We had barely got started, when a mounted +orderly arrived from Hagerstown, Maryland, with orders for Colonel +Burnside to return with his regiment and battery to Washington, at +once. Harper's Ferry had been evacuated by the rebels, who were also +moving in the direction of Washington. Our regiment and battery set +out at once on the road for Hagerstown, arriving there at noon. +Without stopping we marched on through Funkstown, arriving at +Boonsboro, Maryland, at 3 P. M., where we halted for a rest. We found +the people of the place loyal, and disposed to show us every possible +attention. We halted on the public square, or common, and the ladies +of the town gathered in large numbers and supplied many of us with +cake and other refreshments. Here the regiment and battery rested +until 5 P. M., when the march was resumed. Entering a pass of the +South Mountain, the acclivity looming up on both sides, every +precaution was taken against any possible surprise by the enemy. The +battery was divided, one-half in the advance and the remainder in +the rear of the column. + +At 9 P. M. we reached Middletown, where the people showed themselves +in large numbers, as we passed their quiet homes. We made no stop at +Middletown, but tramped along, tired and hungry, stopping about +midnight and camping on a hill on the outskirts of Frederick City, +Maryland, having marched thirty-six miles since daylight. Men from +all the companies soon collected rails and built a camp-fire, +illuminating the surrounding country and causing the ringing of a +fire alarm in Frederick City. + +At 4 A. M. June 18th, we broke camp and marched into Frederick, +halting at some old barracks, said to have been built during the +Revolutionary war. We were the first Union troops that had entered +Frederick City since the commencement of hostilities, and the event +naturally caused no little stir among the inhabitants of that +semi-rebellious city. Nearly if not quite all its prominent citizens +were in sympathy with the rebel cause, and we were consequently not +regarded by them with any degree of favor. The presence, however, of +twelve hundred well drilled and disciplined troops and a battery of +six rifled guns, proved a quite potent reminder of what might be +expected should there be any undue interference. Soon after entering +Frederick, our company was marched to a restaurant and provided with +an excellent breakfast, after which we returned to the old barracks. +We were given permission by our officers to look about the city, with +orders to report in camp at noon. Many of the citizens were found to +be true Union men, by whom we were courteously received and kindly +treated, and I don't believe that during our brief stay in town any +member of the regiment, either by word or deed, left any unfavorable +impression among the inhabitants. In the afternoon, just previous to +the departure of the regiment, a deputation of Union citizens, both +men and women, waited upon us and presented to Mrs. Kady Brownell an +elegant American flag. Mrs. Brownell was the wife of Robert S. +Brownell, of Company H, and when her husband enlisted, in Providence, +she insisted on accompanying him, and was with the regiment during +its entire term of service, in all its long marches sharing its +privations and enduring its hardships. At the battle of Bull Run she +was on the skirmish line with her husband, who was at the time a +sergeant. She wore a uniform somewhat similar to that of the +regiment, and was proficient in the use of a revolver and a short, +straight sword, that she always wore suspended at her side. + +At about 4 P. M., the regiment took up the line of march for the +depot, to take cars for Washington. In marching through one of the +principal streets leading to the depot, a crowd of rebel toughs +issued from a side street, and following us, volunteered insulting +remarks concerning us and the flag. Captain Tew, of our company, had +at that time a colored servant, who had been with us for some time. +This sooty individual, who was known by the name of John, had +somewhere on the march picked up an antiquated sword and belt, which +he had buckled on and felt very proud of. The sight of this negro, +thus attired, appeared to kindle the wrath of Frederick City's +chivalry to such an extent that they attempted to seize and make way +with the boy, and for a short time the excitement ran high. The color +sergeant, seeing that an attack upon us was threatened, drew his +revolver and stood on the defensive. The right wing of the regiment, +not being aware of the disturbance, continued on its march. +Lieutenant Colonel Pitman, who was in command of the left wing, +noticing the aspect of things, took prompt action, halting the +companies, most of the men of F company loading their muskets, as +they expected that the mob, which by this time had largely increased +in numbers, would make an attack. At this juncture Colonel Burnside +rode up and was about to issue some order to our officers, when a +squad of city police, or home guard, appeared upon the scene and +dispersed the mob, after which we resumed our march, soon arriving at +the depot, where we took a train for Washington, reaching that place +at daylight the next morning, June 19th. + +Company F was immediately detailed to unload tents and other baggage +from the cars. The regiment marched at once to our old quarters at +Camp Sprague. While engaged on our work of unloading, our ever +thoughtful commissary sent us a barrel of Camp Sprague ginger-bread, +for lunch, and some good friend of the company, I never knew who, +furnished us with a barrel of "conversation water" to wash it down +with. We finished our work at 5 A. M., and marched out to camp, where +we found a nice breakfast awaiting us. We resumed camp duties at +once. Although we had been on a ten days' tramp, and had made one of +the longest marches that had up to that time been made, in one day, +by any troops, and had not during the whole time been over-stocked +with rations, all the boys were in good condition and in readiness +for any duty required of them. + +Saturday June 22d, at 3 A. M., the camp was aroused by the beating of +drums, and for a few minutes all was excitement, until it was +announced that the occasion of the alarm was the arrival at our camp +of the 2d Rhode Island regiment, via Washington, which place they had +reached a few hours previous, and were waiting outside to allow us +time to form our regiment so as to receive them in true military +style, which was done a few minutes later, and K Company, Captain +Charles W. Turner, our company asked to breakfast with us that +morning. The 2d Regiment went into camp in tents in a shady grove +adjoining us, and as long as we remained in Washington, both +regiments mounted guard and had dress parade together every day. Many +officers of the Second had seen service in our regiment previous to +the formation of theirs, and we were intimately acquainted with many +of its men, particularly those from Newport; and the men of our +company will always look back with a great deal of pleasure to those +days in the summer of '61, when the men of the two regiments passed +so many pleasant hours in each others' society. The associations +formed at that time, and later on in the war, between soldiers, were +fraternal in their character, and to this day the same feeling exists +among members of the Grand Army of the Republic, and will continue as +long as the men that were associated with us shall live. + +June 28th, the 1st and 2d Regiments, with the band of each, and the +two Rhode Island light batteries, made a parade in the city of +Washington, marching up through Pennsylvania Avenue to the White +House, and counter-marching and passing in review before the +President and other notables, among whom was the venerable General +Winfield Scott, then so aged and feeble as to be unable to stand, +sitting in a chair as the troops moved past. The parade was a grand +showing for Little Rhody, over two thousand men in line, and so +finely officered, armed and equipped. The Washington papers were +enthusiastic in their praises of our soldierly appearance. In this +parade we marched full company front, three ranks deep. The Hardee +tactics were then in use in the army, but on this occasion we +observed the three-rank formation prescribed in the Scott tactics +previous to the war. The old General was highly pleased to see troops +thus formed, as he was the originator of the three-rank formation, +and I do not think he ever before or after saw so many troops +arranged in that manner. We returned to camp at 5 P. M., and at +evening parade Colonel Burnside complimented the troops highly for +their soldierly bearing and general behaviour while in the city that +day. + +Soon after the arrival of the 2d Regiment, a change was made in the +detail for camp guard. Previous to this there were ten men and a +non-commissioned officer detailed every day from each company, for +guard duty. But owing to the increased size of the camp, it was +necessary that more men should be detailed, consequently an order was +issued that a full company from each regiment be detailed every day +for that duty. This new order of things was the occasion for +considerable argument among the members of Company F, and we had men +with us who were always ready for an argument, particularly if they +believed they would be benefited by it. Albeit, while most of the +company were ever ready and willing to obey every order emanating +from proper authority, there were yet some who always reserved the +right, as they thought, to growl. Some contended that it was contrary +to army regulations, and that Company F could not be thus detailed, +they were the color company of the regiment, and in case of an alarm, +if the entire company were detailed for extraneous duty the colors +would be without a guard. The matter was finally referred to Colonel +Burnside, who at once decided that the color guard of eight men were +exempt from general guard duty, but the balance of the company would +mount guard. It would seem as though this should have settled the +matter, but such was not the fact; in a few days Company F was +detailed for guard duty, and at the proper time we were marched upon +the parade ground, the customary evolutions pertaining to guard mount +gone through with, and the order was given to march the guard off to +the guard-house. Off we started, the band playing, but on our arrival +at the guard-house our first sergeant was not with us, and on looking +in the direction of the parade ground he was observed standing there +alone, Robinson Crusoe like, "monarch of all he surveyed." On being +requested by the adjutant to report for duty, he objected to doing +so, and went to his quarters. He was soon ordered to report at +headquarters, charged with disobedience of orders, but was allowed to +give his reasons for not complying with orders relating to guard +duty, which he readily did. They were that a 1st sergeant of a +company was not a duty sergeant, and was consequently by the +regulations exempt from such duty while in camp. The matter being +referred to Colonel Burnside, that officer promptly ruled that the +sergeant was right, and ever after the 1st sergeants of companies +were relieved from service in that direction while in camp. It was a +notable circumstance, which I wish to record here, that while Colonel +Burnside always exacted of us a strict compliance with all orders, he +was at the same time ready and willing to listen and act upon any +complaint from officers or men, and invariably his decisions were +just. He treated all alike, and was ever on the look out for the +welfare and comfort of the men. As an illustration of General +Burnside's ideas of duty, it was decided to erect a temporary +structure for the purpose of holding religious services on the +Sabbath. One day the sergeant-major made application to the captains +of companies for a detail of mechanics for this work, in response to +which details were sent from all except one of the companies, the +captain of this company stating to the sergeant-major in response +that he had no mechanics, his company being composed wholly of +business men and clerks. This circumstance being duly reported to +Colonel Burnside, he instructed the sergeant major to direct the +captain of that company to detail ten men at once, as there were some +foundation holes to dig, and he did not wish mechanics to do that +sort of work. + +Fourth of July was celebrated by both regiments in camp. There was a +review of the regiments and batteries, and services held appropriate +to the day, in which were included singing, music by the bands, and +an oration by Rev. Father Quinn. In the afternoon we had sports of +all kinds; a member of the second regiment gave a tight rope +performance, and a member of the battery procured and turned loose a +pig, well greased, said porker to become the property of the one that +could catch and hold him; prizes were offered for the champion +wrestler and clog dancer, respectively, both of which were captured +by members of Company F, notwithstanding they had to compete with +picked men from both regiments. James Markham took the clog dancer +prize, and John H. Robinson laid every man on his back that presented +himself before him. + +We now commenced to have early morning drill. Every morning, +directly after sick call, all the companies of the regiment moved out +of camp in different directions, for one hour's drill before +breakfast. This new order was not relished any better by the officers +than the men, there was seldom more than one officer with us on these +occasions, and often, as soon as a point outside the camp had been +reached, the order to rest was given, particularly if there was a +shady place handy; and I am of the opinion that those morning drills +did not add much to our efficiency as soldiers. + +On the morning of July 9th, the battery of the 2d Regiment were +marching out for drill, and when a short distance from camp one of +the ammunition chests exploded, killing one man, and mortally +wounding the corporal of the gun, the latter dying in a few hours; +the caisson was blown to pieces, and the wheel horses fatally +injured. That afternoon funeral services were held in the camp of the +2d Regiment, and the remains of the deceased comrades were that +evening put on board the cars for transportation to Providence. + +About the 10th of July, there were rumors in camp of an intended +advance into Virginia; extra rations were ordered, and new shoes +issued to the company. + +July 11th Edward Wilson, of F company, who had deserted at Frederick +City, returned to camp, was placed in the guard house, and at dress +parade, July 12th, his dishonorable discharge was read to the +regiment. William H. Durfee and George S. Ward were the same day +discharged on account of disability. + +July 14th, we received orders to be in readiness to march at short +notice, in light marching order, with no tents or unnecessary +baggage. The order was received by the men, generally, with much +enthusiasm, and as a decided relief from the monotonous existence +incident to camp duty. The men had come out there to assist in +putting down the rebellion and sustaining the honor of the flag, and +as their term of service drew towards a close, they felt anxious that +their journey to and sojourn in Washington and vicinity should be +productive in results. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +ADVANCE INTO VIRGINIA, AND BATTLE OF BULL RUN. + + +On the morning of July 16th, came the order to move. F Company +mounted guard, that morning, in marching order, with forty rounds of +ammunition in our boxes, three days' rations in our haversacks, and +blankets strapped on our backs. Both regiments formed on the parade +ground at 10 A. M. Our company was relieved from guard and took its +position in line, with the colors. + +Both regiments marched into Washington, the battery of the 2d +Regiment accompanying us. The camp was left in charge of about sixty +men of the regiment, who had been on the sick roll, but had so far +recovered as to be in condition for camp duty. Corporal Nicolai and +Private Terrell, of our company, had been on the sick roll, but +insisted on taking their place in the ranks, and marched into the +city, but were obliged to return to camp the same night, not being +sufficiently strong to endure the march. + +Arrived in the city, we halted on Pennsylvania Avenue, waiting for +the other regiments of our brigade, comprising, besides our own and +the 2d, the 7th New York and 2d New Hampshire and 2d Rhode Island +Light Battery, to join us, the whole comprising the Second Brigade, +Second Division, commanded by General Hunter. It was late in the +afternoon before we were ordered to move. All day troops had been +crossing Long Bridge, and we had to wait until the whole of the First +Division of infantry, artillery and cavalry had crossed. The army +consisted of about forty-four thousand men, commanded by General +McDowell; there was also attached to the column a battalion of United +States Marines. + +Our brigade crossed Long Bridge at about 4 P. M., and marched with +our entire Division as far as Anandale, where we bivouacked for the +night in the fields beside the road. Soon after halting, the boys +began to think about supper, and little fires were kindled, coffee +made, in our tin cups, and it is my opinion that the greater part of +the three days' rations issued to us that morning were consumed that +night. After supper, rolling our blankets about us, we lay down on +the ground and enjoyed a good night's rest, notwithstanding that +quite a shower of rain fell during the night. + +We were on the road again soon after daylight the next morning. +Hunter's Division, to which we were attached, marched on the direct +road to Fairfax Court House. Soon after leaving Anandale, signs of +the enemy's presence began to be visible: the roads were blocked with +trees that had been felled and piled across the way, some of the +obstructions so completely filling the road, that we were obliged to +make a detour around them, through the fields. A company of sappers +and miners attached to the 71st New York, and a detail of men from +the 2d New Hampshire, with their axes cleared the road for the +artillery to pass. Earthworks were occasionally found in the rear of +these obstructions, thrown across the road; but in every instance +they had been abandoned as we approached them; in some of these there +were evidences of their having been occupied by the rebels the night +previous. + +The 2d Rhode Island, which was at the head of the column, was now +ordered to send out skirmishers; also the carbineer company, Captain +Goddard, of our regiment, was detailed for skirmish duty. We advanced +cautiously, and soon a halt was ordered. Firing at the front was +heard, where our skirmishers were driving the rebels back. Colonel +Burnside, riding through our ranks, ordered us to load our muskets +and be sure and obey all orders from our officers. + +It was now about 9 A. M., and we knew that we were nearing Fairfax +Court House, and knew also that the enemy were there in force and +would resist our advance, which they no doubt would have done, had it +not been that they had knowledge of the other two Divisions of our +army under Generals Tyler and Heintzelman, who were advancing rapidly +on other roads leading to Fairfax. After a halt of about fifteen +minutes, the order to advance was given, and in a short time we +marched into Fairfax Court House without having fired a gun, the +rebels having retreated in such haste as to leave their tents +standing, and in many of their camps we found clothing and baggage of +various kinds. The 2d Rhode Island Regiment pursued the retreating +enemy a short distance beyond the town. As we marched into the place +the band played Yankee Doodle, and the color sergeant of the 2d New +Hampshire mounted to the cupola and hoisted his flag. + +We soon had possession of the town, and the regiments of the Division +were stationed in different localities. We captured a Southern mail +that had just arrived, and soon the ground in the vicinity of the +Post Office was covered with mail matter of all kinds. We had quite a +treat reading some of the letters that were picked up, particularly +those written by fair rebels in the sunny south, who never dreamed +that eyes other than those of their adored would scan their contents; +but in time of war things are "mighty onsartin," to which love +letters constitute no exception. + +Nearly all the inhabitants had left the place on our approach, +leaving behind their household furniture and goods. About all the +residences of the so called chivalry were left in charge of one or +more colored servants of the family, and in some instances these +houses were protected from plunder through a guard placed over them +by order of our commanding officer, while many of the homes of the +poorer classes were broken into and plundered of articles of all +kinds. For the first three hours of our occupation of the place, this +state of affairs existed. The men, not being restrained of their +liberty, roamed wherever they saw fit, and everybody, officers as +well as men, appeared anxious to gobble up everything within their +reach, (the term "stealing" in connection with it appeared to have +become obsolete, there, articles looted being viewed in the light of +spoils of war.) While some hunted for relics, others were in pursuit +of something to eat, and others, still, would appropriate to +themselves anything they could lift, or that "was not nailed down," +whether it would be of any use to them or not, and I actually saw one +man with more plunder than could be loaded into an ordinary express +wagon. One man of our company who had looted a large linen table +covering was so afraid that some one would steal it from him, that he +made a square package of it and secreted it inside his blouse, which +act of his, whether meritorious or otherwise, doubtless was the means +of saving a life at Bull Run the next Sunday, when Allen Caswell was +wounded in the stomach, the force of the shot being broken by the +aforesaid table covering. + +Soon after noon matters got quieted down a little. The entire army +was at or near Fairfax; guards were posted on all the roads, and an +order was issued that any man caught looting or committing any +depredation should be committed to Alexandria jail for six months. +But I am of the opinion that if the guards had seen one-half the +stealing, or heard the dying squeals of those orphan pigs as they +were being slain for supper that night, Alexandria's jail would have +been a full house, and the fighting force of the army materially +reduced. All the companies of the regiment had one or more men that +excelled others not only in their proficiency as soldiers, but they +were "professors" in any art or device that tended to add comfort and +enjoyment to themselves, particularly when in an enemy's country, and +under the necessity of providing their own rations. Just such a man +as this we had in our company. James Markham never was known to have +an empty haversack, and always managed to procure a full supply of +rations, even at times at great personal risk. Just before dark on +the afternoon of the day of our occupation of Fairfax, and after the +before mentioned order had been given, this man Markham was on guard +on a narrow road leading out of the town; on the side of the road +where he was pacing was a tight board fence, and on the side opposite +a zig-zag, or "Virginia" rail fence. Markham's attention was called +by some one to a shoat pig that had all day escaped the "slaughter of +the innocents," and was at that moment making the best of his way +toward the maternal nest. The temptation on Markham's part to capture +this sprig of porkdom was too mighty to be overcome by any lingering +fear of Alexandria's dungeon, so instantly clapping his musket to his +shoulder he blazed away, with the result of piggy's dropping in his +tracks, without so much as an audible grunt. He sprang out, and had +barely secured his prey, when a mounted officer with a squad of +cavalry came galloping down the road. Markham proved himself equal to +the occasion; quick as thought he tucked the hind legs of the animal +underneath his waist-belt behind him, and backing up against the +fence, coolly presented arms to the provost guard as they approached, +and in reply to the officer's inquiry, "Who fired that shot?" +answered, "It was a sentry beyond, down the road." The guard rode on, +down the road, but it is presumed they never learned with any degree +of accuracy "who fired that shot." + +Our company was detailed for picket guard, that night. Brigade guard +mount took place in the woods at sunset. Our regimental Band, led by +the veteran Joe Greene, played his familiar piece, "The Mocking +Bird." Our company was marched in the direction of Leesburg, and +posted in the edge of the woods, where picket guard head quarters +were established. At about 11 P. M., about one-half of our company +relieved a company of the 14th Brooklyn, the balance of the company +not going on until 1 A. M. There was occasional firing by the outer +picket, or cavalry vidette, during the night. General McDowell had +his headquarters that night in a covered carriage in the rear of an +old blacksmith shop, privates Charles E. Lawton and Silas D. DeBlois, +of F Company, being on post near the carriage. + +At daylight, July 18th, we were ordered to report to the regiment. +The army now started on the road to Centreville, and marched until +about 9 A. M., when a halt was ordered. We lay in the road until +about 2 P. M., waiting for the divisions on the other roads to come +up. At about 3 P. M., firing was heard in the vicinity of +Centreville, and we started at once, for some distance going on the +double-quick. The occasion of the firing was soon ascertained to be +that some of the troops of the First Division having advanced to the +vicinity of Blackburn's Ford, were fired upon by the enemy, who were +there in force, and after an engagement of about an hour the Union +troops fell back, having lost about twenty men. We continued on our +march that afternoon, to near Centreville, where we were ordered to +camp. Hunter's entire division were encamped in the fields on both +sides of the Warrenton Road, and we were that night given to +understand that we would probably remain there a day or two; +consequently the next morning, July 19th, we commenced to construct +temporary huts of pine trees and boughs for a shelter. That afternoon +we had fresh beef sent us in the shape of live cattle, which were +distributed to the troops, two to each regiment. Sergeant Major John +S. Engs, of our company, asked the privilege of shooting one of these +animals, which being granted, he armed himself with a Burnside +carbine and fired at about twenty paces, striking the ox in the fore +shoulder; the animal started on the run, everybody after him, the +sergeant major leading the charge. The ox, after a chase of half an +hour or more, succumbed to exhaustion and was readily despatched; the +remaining ox was killed by a man who understood the business. We +broiled, fried and stewed our fresh beef that night, and made +ourselves as comfortable as possible. + +Saturday, July 20th, we loafed around camp, wrote letters home, and +visited other camps. At sunset we had dress parade, when orders were +read to be in readiness to march at a moment's notice, and for no man +to leave his company during the night. Our dress parade was witnessed +by General McDowell, his staff and officers, besides officers and men +from other regiments; both the Rhode Island regiments were in line. +After dress parade the usual religious services, (which were never +omitted while in camp,) were held, followed by the singing of the +Doxology. To many who stood at parade rest, that evening, listening, +with heads uncovered, to those words of comfort and encouragement +from our chaplain, it was to be the last attended on earth, for ere +the setting of another sun, they would be lying dead on the fields of +Manassas. At tattoo roll-call we were informed by our officers that +our regiment would probably march at daylight. The boys rolled their +blankets around them, and lying down, secured what little sleep they +could, with thoughts busy with the dear ones at home and the probable +events of the morrow. + +At about 2 A. M. Sunday, 21st, the call sounded, and on every side +and in all directions was heard the sound of the bugle and the drum, +calling the soldiers from their sleep; and before the echoes of those +bugle notes had ceased reverberating among the Virginia hills, our +brigade was in line on the road, and ready to move. We were fully +assured in our minds that a battle was to be fought that day; in fact +Colonel Burnside had the day before stated to our officers that, +although the period for which we enlisted had expired, he did not +purpose to turn back at such a time, in the face of the enemy, and +when the government needed our services; and it is to the credit of +the regiment, and the State of Rhode Island, that regardless of the +expiration of our term of enlistment we manfully did our duty during +that campaign. + +The order to march having been given, we tramped steadily along the +Warrenton Road, no sounds being heard save the steady tread of the +soldiers, and the occasional low words of command from the officers; +the stars were still visible, and the nearly full moon was going down +behind the western hills. At about daylight we passed through +Centreville, and soon arrived at the small bridge at Cub Run. While +on the road that morning, we were quite surprised to see Theodore W. +King, of our company, join us. He had been quite sick in the +hospital at Centreville for two days, but hearing of our regiment +passing on the road, he left the hospital and started for his +company, saying that if there was any fighting to be done, his place +was with Company F. King, though only a mere boy, did his duty +manfully on that eventful day, and about noon, in the heat of the +battle, fell, mortally wounded. + +Just before arriving at Cub Run, we met on the road a regiment and +light battery going to the rear. In reply to questions, they said +their time was out, and they were going home. This regiment, the 4th +Pennsylvania, and the battery of the 8th New York, were the +recipients of comments from our men not in the highest degree +complimentary to them as men and soldiers, turning back in the face +of the enemy, and that must have caused their cheeks to tingle with +shame. + +The whole three divisions of the army were now in the vicinity of Cub +Run. The first division, General Tyler's, was ordered to cross, after +doing which these troops advanced along the road to near the Stone +Bridge. We crossed Cub Run bridge at 5.30 A. M., after which we +struck off to the right through the woods from the main road. + +At precisely 6 A. M. the first gun was fired, by Tyler's forces, the +object being to engage the enemy's attention while the second +division could get into position on the left and rear of their lines. +Soon after entering these woods, K and F Companies of the 2d Rhode +Island, and the carbineer company of our regiment, were thrown out as +skirmishers. When we entered these woods we had with us a guide, +dressed in citizen's clothes, riding a grey horse at the head of the +brigade, but after firing began he disappeared from view. + +At 10 A. M. we arrived at Sudley Ford, where we were to cross. +General McDowell and staff met us, and we were informed by them that +the enemy were moving a large force to meet us. After a short halt +for the purpose of filling our canteens, we forded the stream. The +firing of Tyler's troops could now be distinctly heard. We marched on +up the road, past Sudley Church and a number of farm houses; a female +standing at the gate of one of these latter made the remark in our +hearing that they were all ready for us, and that she hoped we would +all be killed before night. + +Soon after passing these houses, the 2d Rhode Island, who were in the +advance, continued on in the main road, our regiment branching off +into and through a cornfield. Our skirmishers were now engaged with +those of the enemy, and driving them back; shells were exploding +around and above us as we again came out upon the road. Soon we +passed a soldier lying near a fence, wounded. It proved to be William +McCann, of K Company, (of Newport) of the 2d Rhode Island; he had +been struck in the head by a fragment of shell, and died soon after. +I think he was the first man wounded belonging to our brigade. + +Our entire brigade was now halted in a huckleberry pasture, on the +edge of some woods. In front of us was a rising ground, of which the +enemy apparently had gained possession. Shot and shell were falling +among us on every side. The Second Rhode Island, with their battery, +were at once ordered to advance toward this rising ground, or hill, +and in doing so the enemy opened on them, and for about twenty +minutes we stood watching them, with no orders to advance to the +assistance of our sister regiment. At this time the division +commander, General Hunter, had been wounded, and Colonel Burnside +being the senior Brigadier, took command of the entire division. He +at once ordered the 71st New York to the assistance of the 2d Rhode +Island. They advanced a short distance, and then lying down, refused +to proceed further, until their two howitzers, which one of their +companies were dragging by means of ropes, arrived to their support. +Colonel Burnside then gave the command for the 1st Rhode Island to +advance. Before moving, we received orders to unsling blankets and +haversacks and lay them on the ground at our feet. We marched away +and left them, and never saw them again. We came up in line of battle +on the right of the 2d Regiment and at once commenced firing. Soon +the men of F Company that were detailed to serve in the carbineer +company joined us; they had been on the skirmish line all the +forenoon, but became somewhat mixed when the firing commenced, and +were ordered to report to their respective companies. John Rogers was +one of the detail, and he was wounded in the leg while running across +the field to join us. + +Our regiment was so posted, that to preserve the line it was +necessary to divide our company by a rail fence, a portion on each +side. John P. Peckham was shot in the head and instantly killed, and +when he fell, his musket which he was using fell over the fence. Our +color sergeant, Charles Becherer, was shot in the right shoulder and +disabled. Albert N. Burdick, 1st color corporal, then took the flag, +and was soon wounded in the arm by a musket ball. At this time +Governor Sprague, who was acting as aide for Colonel Burnside, rode +through the line to go to the left, when his horse was struck by a +rifle ball and fell dead, the Governor going down with him. Captain +Tew and Sergeant Sherman went to his assistance, helping him to +regain his feet; he was considerably bruised, but not otherwise +injured. After two color bearers had been wounded, the regimental +flag was taken and held by Private Robert D. Coggeshall, until, by +order of Captain Tew, he was relieved by Private William Hamilton, of +the color guard. + +Shot and shell were flying in all directions; we had lost a number of +men, and the other companies of the regiment had suffered +considerable loss. An officer now rode in front of our regiment and +gave the order to cease firing, as we were shooting our own troops. +The smoke, which had occasioned this, soon lifted in our front, when +we discovered a regiment bearing the union flag marching up the hill +in our direction. When a short distance from us, they gave us a +volley, which we returned at once, when they turned and retreated +down the hill. This regiment was the 4th Alabama, and their colonel, +Egbert Jones, was carried to our field hospital, mortally wounded. +With others of our regiment I went over the field after the firing +had ceased, and our conclusion was that they were amply repaid for +the cruel and unmanly deception practiced upon us. It was never known +who the officer was that gave the order to cease firing; he appeared +in front of our lines, mounted, with sword uplifted when he gave the +order, which was recognized by our company officers, they mistaking +him for an aide-de-camp or staff officer. It was, however, the +opinion of many of the regiment at the time that he was a rebel +officer. + +Soon the firing in our front ceased. Our ammunition was all expended, +we having been under fire for nearly four hours, and had driven the +enemy from that portion of the field. This position, from which we +had forced the enemy to retire, and which we then held, is known as +Buck's Hill, and was regarded as a position of much importance for +our forces. + +The Third Division had now arrived, and were coming up to our +support, and a battalion each of Regular infantry and United States +Marines now came up and occupied our position, while our brigade was +marched back into the woods for a brief rest and for a fresh supply +of ammunition. Having stacked our muskets, the roll was called by the +1st sergeant, and men detailed to look after the dead and wounded. +George C. Almy, Christopher Barker and myself were detailed to go for +water. Taking as many of the men's canteens as we could carry, we +wended our way toward a small, one-story gambrel roof farm house, +which was being used by our surgeons as a field hospital, near which +was a well of water. The grounds about the house were covered with +wounded and dying men, and it was almost like fighting, to get a +supply of water from that well. We however succeeded in filling a +portion of our canteens and returned with them to the company. Almost +immediately after our arrival back to where the company were resting, +the order was given to "fall in." Heavy firing was now again heard on +our right, and our officers informed us that the regiment was to +change position. Soon troops began to march past us in great +confusion; our regiment marched out upon the road and halted. A body +of troops passed us headed for the rear, among them two companies of +Regular cavalry, whose principal participation in the day's +engagement had been the performance of semi-aide-de-camp duty. + +We were by this time satisfied in our minds that our army was +retreating. At this juncture our brigade started back on the road +along the edge of the woods, and soon reached the Warrenton road +leading to the Stone Bridge. Our regiment preserved good order until +they had nearly reached the bridge; the enemy had a battery in +position to rake the road over which the retreat was being conducted, +and on arriving in proximity to the bridge, we found it to be +completely blocked with teams; a large army wagon had, in crossing, +been struck by a shell and the horses killed. The battery of the 2d +Rhode Island Regiment were there, and four of their six guns; after +getting one of these over, they dismounted and spiked the remaining +three, the men and horses fording the stream. In our regiment it was +impossible to preserve order, and ours, like that of the others, +became a go-as-you-please march in fording the stream; Governor +Sprague strove to halt the regiment and make a stand to beat back the +enemy, whereupon Colonel Burnside very promptly informed the +Governor, in unmistakable and incontrovertible language, that +himself was in command of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment. After +crossing, the road branched off to the left, beyond the range of the +enemy's fire, and our regiment re-formed and waited until most of the +demoralized troops had passed, after which we marched in good order +back to our bush camp at Centreville that we had left in the morning, +reaching there at 9 P. M., tired, hungry, thirsty and dusty, and many +of the regiment wounded. To add to our general discomfort, a +drizzling rain had set in, and we were without blankets, having, as +before stated, left them on the field, with our haversacks, before +going into action. We, however, lay down in our bush huts, expecting +to remain until morning; but about midnight we were aroused and +ordered to start on the road to Washington. The drizzle had not +abated and the night was dark; we had been in a state of continued +and unusual activity since 2 o'clock the previous morning, and in +addition had been all day without food. Footsore and weary we started +on our march of twenty-six miles to Washington, and soon after +daylight, Monday, July 22d, reached Long Bridge, where we made a halt +and rations were served to us, and at 8 A. M. we crossed over to +Washington, and marched across the city to our old home at Camp +Sprague. The roll was called, a ration of whiskey was given us, and +all turned in for a much needed and well earned rest. + + +OPINIONS ON THE BATTLE. + +Many opinions have been given as to the causes that led to the defeat +of the Union army at Bull Run. General Sherman, who commanded a +brigade in the battle, said it was the best planned and worst fought +battle of the war. It has been said by some writers that the plans of +the commanding general were not carried out, and that each of the +three division commanders whose forces were actually engaged acted on +their own responsibility and were governed by circumstances. It is a +fact well known to-day, that the Union army, at or in the vicinity of +the battle field, were in numbers quite sufficient to have at least +held any and every position that a portion of the army had gained. On +a map now in possession of Charles E. Lawton Post, G. A. R. of this +city, of Bull Run battlefield, drawn under the direction of Generals +McDowell and Beauregard, by order of the War Department, the position +of every regiment and brigade of both armies at the commencement of +the engagement is defined, and in a note appended to the map it is +stated that the engagement was commenced by the Burnside brigade, and +it is a historical fact recognized at this time, that the battle was +fought and won by the Second Division, commanded by Burnside, General +Hunter having been wounded before the troops had been brought into +position, supported by no other troops, until noon, when a brigade of +the Third Division, which had followed us through the forest road, +came to our assistance. From 9.30 A. M. to 1 P. M., these seventeen +regiments of infantry and four light batteries, unaided by any other +troops, fought and drove the enemy from their position on Buck's +Hill; and when the two brigades of Tyler's First Division, commanded +by Generals Sherman and Schenck, crossed Bull Run river, over Stone +Bridge, at 1.30 P. M., there was not a rebel force of any description +on the north side of Warrenton road, west of Stone Bridge. At this +time victory was assured for the Union army. At the Stone Bridge was +Tyler's entire division, comprising fifteen regiments of infantry and +three batteries, the Fourth Division, General Runyon, with seven +regiments, Fifth Division, General Miles, eight regiments, and one +battery. Of these thirteen thousand men, only two brigades of the +First Division crossed the river in the afternoon, and they were +engaged only about one hour, namely, in the vicinity of the Henry +House, when they were repulsed by the enemy, whose forces were now +all concentrated at that point. Rickett's Regular battery (formerly +Magruder's stationed at Fort Adams previous to the war) was lost, +recaptured, and lost again. These two brigades of the First Division +retreated, panic stricken, and our reserve of twelve thousand men, at +Stone Bridge, retreated without firing a shot, while our Division, +the 2d, was holding the position we had gained in the morning. This +was the supreme moment, when a Sheridan or a Warren would have swept +the opposing forces from the field, or captured their entire army. +Colonel Burnside, seeing the aspect matters had assumed, formed his +troops into line and fell back to the Warrenton road, fearing he +might be cut off at Stone Bridge. Hunter's Division covered the +retreat and were the last troops that crossed the bridge, and was the +only Division of the army that occupied its former quarters, as these +did, at Centreville that night. + + +DAY AFTER THE BATTLE. + +The day after the battle was a busy one in camp; men were straggling +in all day, some of them that we had left among the wounded at the +field hospital on our departure the evening previous, who had managed +to hobble along on the road, and after a while reached camp. Some of +these, owing to the darkness of the night, had taken the wrong road +from Fairfax and brought up at Alexandria, whence they set out anew, +reaching Long Bridge and the camp some hours later. Among these +latter was John Fludder, who did not arrive until Monday afternoon, +when he surprised us by bringing with him the regimental flag, which +we had supposed to have been lost when the regiment "straggled" at +Stone Bridge, as no one could give any information in regard to it. +Fludder found it where it had been dropped in the confusion of +retreat, and in order to save it tore it from the staff and secreting +it about his person, thus brought it in. Samuel Hilton, who had been +left on the field for dead, also came straggling in; he had been hit +in the temple by a partially spent fragment of a shell and laid out +senseless and inanimate, and was afterwards revived by the drizzling +rain, as were also quite a number belonging to other regiments. + +Company F had its full share of losses in killed and wounded. The +first man of the company wounded was John B. Landers, shot through +the wrist; then followed John Rogers, shot in the leg, Charles +Becherer, color sergeant, wounded in the shoulder, Albert N. Burdick, +color corporal, wounded in the arm, John P. Peckham, shot in the head +and killed, Andrew P. Bashford, shot in the breast and taken +prisoner, Theodore W. King, shot through the groin, mortally wounded, +taken prisoner, and afterwards died in Philadelphia, when on his way +home, Thomas J. Harrington, shot in the head and killed, Allen +Caswell, shot in the stomach, Henry T. Easton, wounded in the arm, +Samuel Hilton, wounded as above stated, Bartlett L. Simmons, taken +prisoner, Robert Crane, never accounted for, but supposed to have +been killed during the retreat. + +July 24th, Doctor David King and Alderman James C. Powell, of +Newport, arrived in camp. Doctor King obtained a pass through the +lines for the purpose of attending his son, wounded as above stated, +and who was a prisoner in Richmond. Alderman Powell was deputed by +the city government of Newport to look after the sick and wounded of +Company F on their way home. + +Orders were received, July 24th, to make preparations for return to +Rhode Island, as our term of service had expired. Colonel Burnside +offered the services of the regiment for a longer time, as it was +expected that the rebels would make an attack on Washington; but it +was thought our services would not be needed, and preparations for +departure were accordingly made. On Thursday, July 25th, we had dress +parade for the last time in Washington. After the parade, the 2d +Regiment was formed in line directly opposite and facing us, and the +men of the two regiments exchanged muskets, each with the man +opposite him; the muskets of the Second were old, smooth bore, +altered over, while those of the First were the latest improved +Springfield rifles. During the evening, we improved the opportunity +to visit the camp of the Second, bidding them good bye, and receiving +such messages and tokens as they desired to send home to friends. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +"HOME, SWEET HOME."--ARRIVAL.--FLAG PRESENTATION. + + +At 9 P. M., 25th, the command was given to "Fall in;" the line was +formed, we marched into the city, and at midnight bid farewell to +Washington, the cars taking us into Baltimore at daylight, where we +waited on the streets all the forenoon for the special train that was +to take us to Philadelphia. We got away from Baltimore at 2 P. M., +arriving in Philadelphia in the evening. We had been expected, and +were entertained by the citizens with a fine collation at the New +England rooms. + +We left that city at 2 A. M., July 27th, arriving in New York soon +after daylight, where the regiment embarked on board steamers Bay +State and State of Maine, for Providence. Each steamer took five +companies, ours being on the State of Maine, on board of which we +were given a nice breakfast. We steamed out of New York at about 11 +A. M., July 27th, the transports proceeding slowly to avoid arriving +in Providence at a late hour in the day. At 10.30 P. M. we were off +Beaver Tail light; F Company was called and formed on the hurricane +deck, Captain Tew arranging with the steamer captain to sail through +the inner harbor of Newport. When opposite Fort Greene, a squad of +the Newport Artillery fired a salute, which was answered with +cheering by F Company, and the blowing of the steamer's whistle. Both +steamers proceeded up the bay and anchored, it being the wish to not +land before daylight. + +At 6 A. M. Sunday, July 28th, landed, and, escorted by the militia of +the state, marched through the city to Railroad Hall, Exchange Place, +where a substantial breakfast awaited us. After breakfast and +speeches by Bishop Clark and others, the regimental companies +residing outside of Providence were ordered to their homes, to report +again in Providence August 2d. + +F Company, escorted by the past members of the Newport Artillery, +Colonel Fludder in command, and the Old Guard, both of which +companies had that morning come from Providence to receive us, left +for Newport on steamer Perry at 11 A. M., arriving at Sayer's Wharf +in Newport, at 1 P. M. + +On our arrival we found the wharf and streets of the city through +which we were to pass crowded with people of all ages and both sexes, +as though the whole of Newport had turned out to greet us. Services +were omitted by the churches, all evidently regarding it as a duty +appropriate to the Sabbath to welcome to their homes those who had +gone forth to peril their lives at their country's call. Tears +dropped from many eyes, as those were remembered who had left home +with us, but would never return. + +We marched up Thames street, our sick and wounded in carriages, +through Touro street and Bellevue Avenue, to Touro Park, where we +were welcomed in addresses by Mayor Cranston and other city +officials. On invitation of Mr. William Newton, proprietor of the +Atlantic house, we partook of an excellent dinner at that hostelry, +after which a short street parade was made to the armory on Clarke +street, where we were dismissed, with orders to report again on the +2d of August. + +On Friday, August 2d, we reported at the armory and proceeded to +Providence; we received our pay and were mustered out of the United +States service, by Colonel Loomis, of the 5th United States Infantry. +In the afternoon a final parade was made by the entire regiment, but +F Company were obliged to leave the line before its conclusion, in +order to take the 5 P. M. boat for home. + +A few days after the arrival home of the company, a beautiful set of +flags was received by Mayor Cranston, a gift from Rhode Islanders +residing in California to the color company of the 1st Rhode Island +Regiment, and were accompanied by the following explanatory letter: + + + San Francisco, Cal., Aug. 30, 1861. + Hon. Wm. H. Cranston, Mayor City Newport:-- + + _Sir_,--At a meeting of the natives and citizens of Rhode Island + now residents of California, we, the undersigned, were appointed + a committee to forward to your Honor a set of regimental colors + for the First Rhode Island Regiment, to be by you presented to + them in person as a token of our esteem and admiration for the + prompt, noble and efficient response made by them to the + patriotic call of our country to fight for constitutional + liberty, and for the brave, honorable and veteran-like manner in + which they have performed their duties. + + Very Respectfully, your obedient servants, + + WILLIAM SHERMAN, + E. P. PECKHAM, + JAS. M. OLNEY, + B. H. RANDOLPH, + C. V. S. GIBBS. + + + + +On Tuesday, October 29th, 1861, a formal presentation of the flags +to Company F took place on Touro Park. The company were present in +good numbers, and Colonel Burnside was also present by invitation. +Mayor Cranston, after reading the correspondence accompanying the +flags, remarked as follows: + + "Company F, accept this offering--our unconquered and + unconquerable national flag--and this State standard, the emblem + of freedom for more than two hundred years--the patriotic and + cheerful gift of Rhode Islanders in the Eden of the Pacific to + you, their brothers in the Eden of the Atlantic. Guard them + sacredly and well--carefully preserve and affectionately cherish + them; if necessary, lay down your lives in their defence against + foreign invasion or domestic insurrection, and your reward will + be the gratitude of honest and loyal men on earth, the + approbation of God, and eternal felicity in that new Paradise + where there will neither be wars nor rumors of wars, and where + the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace will reign supreme + forever." + +Colonel Burnside responded. After a few remarks acknowledging the +kindness of the patriotic Californians, he turned to the members of +Company F and addressed them as follows: + + "With you, Company F, I leave these colors. For their proper + keeping I need give you no charge. You have been tried and have + indeed been found not wanting. Take them; accept them as a part + of the history of the First Rhode Island Regiment, as a part of + the history of your own gallant state and as an emblem of the + glory of your dearly loved country. Love the one flag and + revere the others. Many dark hours we have already passed + through, and many more are yet to be undergone. But let no man + of us falter as to the success of our glorious cause. In all our + work, however dangerous or arduous, we shall be followed by the + prayers of loved friends at home and of the true and loyal of + all our country, and of the good and true of every land. The + great God above may chasten us in his wisdom, but rest assured + He will never forsake us in His justice. To you, Mr. Mayor, I + render my sincere thanks for your kind words of me. They are + indeed precious to me. The words of commendation which have been + spoken of my conduct by my approving fellow citizens are my + highest reward. And as to Company F, I have no fears but they + will do as they have done before--their whole duty. Better + soldiers never trod the soil of this or any other land. Not a + man of them failed to execute my orders to the letter. Never + soldiers did their duty--their whole duty--more promptly or + gallantly. Take these beautiful flags, Company F, take them and + keep them; you have the well earned right to keep them. Twice + was your own flag stricken down in the field of battle and then + a third man from your ranks seized it and it was borne aloft in + safety from the field though pierced with many bullets. + +Then turning to the Mayor, he added: + + "And in conclusion allow me to thank you, sir, and all concerned + in this presentation, for this beautiful gift to Rhode Island's + first and gallant regiment. + +Company F then made a parade through the city, displaying the flags. + +At a meeting held by Company F at the armory of the Artillery +Company, November 5th, 1861, it was voted to place the flags in +charge of three members of Company F, and Corporal Tayer and Privates +DeBlois and Terrell were appointed that committee, with instructions +to place them in the Newport city hall for safe keeping. It was soon +afterwards ascertained that the place allotted to them in the city +hall was damp, and it was decided to remove them to a place where +they would be better preserved, and could be seen at any time. The +place selected was the Artillery Company's armory, where they were +suitably mounted, and will doubtless always remain. + +Soon after the muster out of F Company, recruiting commenced at once +for new regiments from Rhode Island, and of 108 officers and men +composing Company F at muster out, 84 re-entered the service either +in the army or navy, many of them occupying positions of rank in both +branches of the service during the war. + + +CONCLUSION. + +Company F, 1st Rhode Island Regiment, is a thing of the past. Thirty +years have come and gone since the enactment of the stirring scenes +in which we participated; but those scenes and incidents still exist +in the minds and memories of the men composing that company. A large +portion of its members have left the city, and many have been carried +to that silent camp where they "sleep their last sleep, have fought +their last battle; no sound can awake them to glory again." But as +each succeeding 17th of April rolls around, the surviving members of +the company meet to talk over the incidents of the long ago, tell +stories of camp and field, and say a word of those who have left us +to return no more; and we shall continue these gatherings at least +once a year, until the last man of Company F shall have been mustered +out to join those who have gone before. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of History of Company F, 1st Regiment, +R.I. Volunteers, during the Spring and Summer of 1861, by Charles H. 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