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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/33718-8.txt b/33718-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a0065db --- /dev/null +++ b/33718-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1354 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Reminiscences of service with the Twelfth +Rhode Island Volunteers, and a memorial of Col. George H. Browne, by Pardon E. Tillinghast + +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: Reminiscences of service with the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, and a memorial of Col. George H. Browne + +Author: Pardon E. Tillinghast + +Release Date: September 13, 2010 [EBook #33718] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REMINISCENCES OF SERVICE *** + + + + +Produced by Barbara Kosker 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.) + + + + + + + + + + PERSONAL NARRATIVES + + OF EVENTS IN THE + + WAR OF THE REBELLION, + + BEING PAPERS READ BEFORE THE + + RHODE ISLAND SOLDIERS AND SAILORS + HISTORICAL SOCIETY. + + + + THIRD SERIES - NO. 15. + + + + PROVIDENCE: + PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY. + 1885. + + + + +PROVIDENCE PRESS COMPANY, PRINTERS. + + + + + REMINISCENCES OF SERVICE + + WITH THE + + TWELFTH RHODE ISLAND VOLUNTEERS, + + AND A + + MEMORIAL OF COL. GEORGE H. BROWNE. + + + + BY + + PARDON E. TILLINGHAST, + [Late Quartermaster Sergeant of the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers.] + + + PROVIDENCE: + PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY. + 1885. + + + + +[Edition limited to two hundred and fifty copies.] + + + + +REMINISCENCES OF SERVICE + +WITH THE + +TWELFTH RHODE ISLAND VOLUNTEERS. + + +The months of July, August, September and October of 1862, were stirring +times in Rhode Island,--and in fact throughout the entire North. The +vigorous onward movement of our army towards Richmond, which had been +long and frequently promised, was still deferred. The decisive victory +won by the Union forces over Lee's army at Malvern Hills at great cost, +which, in the judgment of every officer in the Army of the Potomac save +one, and he the chief, should have been immediately followed by a +determined advance towards the rebel stronghold, which was only about a +day's march distant, was supplemented by the now somewhat stereotyped +order to "fall back," thus presenting the not altogether inspiring +military spectacle of a victorious army running away from its defeated +and thoroughly demoralized enemy. + +General Pope's campaign in Northern Virginia, inaugurated with a great +flourish of trumpets, had resulted disastrously; the rebel army was +greatly encouraged by the inactivity and the vacillating conduct of +their opponents, and had commenced a vigorous aggressive movement. The +National capital was again in imminent peril, causing a feverish +excitement throughout the country; Baltimore and Cincinnati were +seriously threatened, and a great crisis was evidently at hand. Vigorous +measures must be adopted at once, or our boasted Republic would soon be +a thing of the past. + +The President, in view of the great emergency, had ordered drafts, +amounting in the aggregate to six hundred thousand men, one-half thereof +for three years, and the other half for nine months, the latter to be +drawn from the enrolled militia; and the utmost activity everywhere +prevailed in connection with the raising, equipping and forwarding of +this vast army of recruits. + +Rhode Island was thoroughly alive to the occasion, determined not to be +outdone by any of her sister States in meeting this new and pressing +demand upon her loyalty and her resources; and meeting it too, if +possible, without resort to a draft, which, of course, was obnoxious to +the sentiments of the people. In order to promote enlistments, the +stores in some places were closed at 3 P. M. each day; war +meetings were held every evening, and the greatest enthusiasm was +manifested. The whole State seemed to be one vast recruiting camp, and +all the people, both male and female, to be engaged in the business. For +it should ever be remembered, to the praise of the women of Rhode +Island, that they were fully as loyal and as devoted to our country's +cause during the rebellion, as were the men; and that in very many cases +they suffered and sacrificed quite as much at home, though in different +ways, as did their husbands and sons and brothers in the field. + +In such a state of public feeling what could I, a young unmarried man, +do consistent with a fair amount of self-respect but enlist? Evidently +nothing; and so I left the teacher's desk and enlisted as a private in +Company C, Eleventh Rhode Island Volunteers, under Captain Charles W. +Thrasher. I was detailed for service in the quartermaster's department +under Lieutenant John L. Clark, and shortly after was transferred with +him (I never knew why) to the Twelfth, and was appointed by Colonel +Browne to the office of Quartermaster Sergeant. + +Camp Stevens, in Providence, was a lively place during the latter part +of September and the first part of October, 1862. The Eleventh and +Twelfth regiments were both encamped there together during a part of +this time, preparatory to their departure for the seat of war. The +former left on Monday, October sixth, and the latter on Tuesday, October +twenty-first. + +The Twelfth Regiment was composed mainly of good Rhode Island material, +and was officered by intelligent, patriotic and brave-hearted men. There +were representatives from nearly all of the ordinary walks and callings +of life, thus furnishing the command with facilities for almost any +emergency; and it was proverbial that whatever could be done by anybody +could be done by some one in this regiment. The officers and the +privates were well disposed towards each other; there was a prevalent +spirit of prompt obedience to orders; and in general a manifest +disposition on the part of all to make themselves useful and serviceable +both to the Government and to each other. + +A journey of seventy-seven hours from Providence, partly by rail, partly +by water, and partly on foot, brought this newly-formed regiment to Camp +Chase, which was situated across the Potomac from Washington, in the +neighborhood of Arlington Heights. The work of pitching our tents was at +once commenced and rapidly pushed forward. But before it was completed, +a violent storm of wind and rain broke upon us which continued for +nearly two days without intermission. And such a storm! I think I never +saw the like before or since. It did not simply rain, but it came down +in great broad sheets of water; it poured; it came in great gusts. And +then the wind--it whirled, it roared, it got upon its giant legs, and +fairly howled with rage as the weary hours of that first night in camp +wore away. + +And such a sorry sight as that camp presented the next morning was not +calculated to promote one's military enthusiasm, to say the least. Many +of the tents, all of which had been hastily erected, had been blown down +during the night, and the drenched and shivering inmates were wandering +about in search of shelter or assistance in again erecting their +uncertain habitations. Baggage and camp equipage were scattered in all +directions, and confusion held high carnival generally. As if this were +not enough for beginners, we were also treated to our first installment +of Virginia mud, which covered the entire surface of the ground to a +depth of two or three inches. No description of this unique article, +however, is necessary here. It is perhaps needless to say that our first +impressions of a soldier's life in the "Sunny South" were not altogether +favorable. + +But this storm, like all others, came to an end, and the bright, warm +sunshine, together with the diligence of many busy hands, soon repaired +most of the damage; so that the regiment was able to appear on brigade +review in gallant style, on Tuesday, the twenty-eighth of October, the +fourth day after our arrival, before the venerable General Casey, in +whose division it had been brigaded. + +One week was the length of our stay at Camp Chase, at the end of which +brief period we folded our tents and made a "Sabbath day's journey," +although somewhat longer than that permitted by the Jewish economy on +that sacred day, to Fairfax Seminary. (I may remark in passing that +perhaps not the most scrupulous regard was had by most of the commanders +who conducted the operations of our armies, either to the Jewish or +Christian economy concerning the Sabbath day). This proved to be a +charming location, indeed. The land was high, overlooking the broad +Potomac for a long distance; the city of Alexandria, situated two miles +to the south, was in full view, while in the distance on our left was +the magnificent dome of the capitol at Washington. The land sloped in a +broad, undulating sweep towards the Potomac in front of us; the large +and dignified brick buildings of Fairfax Seminary, then used as a +hospital, were situated just to the north, in the rear, surrounded by a +stately grove of trees (which, sad to say, speedily succumbed to the +soldier's axe); several fine country residences were scattered about in +the immediate vicinity, evidently the recent homes of affluence and +luxury, but now abandoned to the tender mercies of strangers in arms, +being used mainly by general and field officers, with their staffs, for +headquarters. And although their owners were rebels fighting against the +Government, I must, nevertheless, confess to a strong feeling of +sympathy which I then had for them, and thousands like them, in the +untold and untellable distress, privation and suffering which they and +their families must have experienced in being driven as exiles from +their homes and firesides, their property appropriated to the use of +their enemies, and what they, in the main, honestly considered their +inalienable rights, taken from them. But such is and will continue to be +the fate of war. + +Regiments of soldiers were on every side of us. A few rods in front was +the Fifteenth Connecticut, Colonel Wright; in the rear was the +Thirteenth New Hampshire, Colonel Stevens; on the right the +Twenty-seventh New Jersey, Colonel Mindil; and on the left a stalwart +regiment of "six footers" from Maine; while for a mile or more in all +directions little else was visible but camps of soldiers. Truly this was +a "tented field." Everything about our new camp, which was named Camp +Casey, was soon put in the best of order, cleanliness and good order +being prime virtues with Colonel Browne, and always being strenuously +insisted on. + +Our company was detailed each day at first for picket duty on the long +line at the front near Cloud's Mills, which was about five miles +distant; but subsequently the entire regiment performed this duty for +twenty-four hours at a time, alternating with the other regiments of the +brigade. The regiment was diligently perfecting itself in the manual of +arms, and a military air and bearing were everywhere apparent. We had +now commenced soldiering in good earnest. My principal duties, under the +direction of the quartermaster, were to see that the commissary +department was kept constantly supplied with everything in the way of +subsistence which the army regulations allowed. Washington and +Alexandria were the great reservoirs of these supplies, and to one or +the other of these places I went three or four times a week, accompanied +by two or more four mule teams, with which to haul the stores to camp. +The great army bakery was in the basement of the capitol building, +whither we went for our supply of bread. And I think I do not exaggerate +by saying that I have seen a line of army wagons half a mile or more in +length, each awaiting its turn to be filled with the nice brown loaves. +I need hardly say that after leaving the vicinity of Washington we bade +an enforced good-bye to soft bread. + +On one of my journeys to Alexandria, after getting my teams loaded with +rations, I took a stroll about the somewhat antiquated city, visiting +places of interest, amongst which was the Marshall House, where the +brave Colonel Ellsworth met his terrible fate, and from which house the +entire banisters of the stairs which he ascended in going to the roof to +haul down a rebel flag, had been carried away piecemeal by visitors, as +mementoes of the tragic event. Other parts of the building had also been +sadly mutilated for the same purpose. But the stars and stripes had +permanently supplanted the rebel flag hauled down by the lamented +Ellsworth, and were proudly floating from that now historic building. + +I also visited another place of interest, but with what different +feelings I will not attempt to relate. It was a large block which bore +the following prominent sign: "PRICE, BIRCH & CO., DEALERS IN +SLAVES." Connected with it was a huge pen to hold the slaves, and +an auction block from which thousands doubtless had been bought and +sold. But for this establishment and what it represented, neither the +tragic scene at the Marshall House nor the gigantic military operations +then going on from one end of the country to the other, would ever have +been witnessed. + +I was also mail-carrier for the regiment to and from the post office in +Alexandria, and was always cheerfully received on my return with a heavy +mail; for amongst the chief delights of a soldier was a letter from +home. As there was no salary attached to this branch of the mail service +I was not accused of offensive partisanship, but permitted to hold the +office to the end of my term of enlistment. + +November 27, 1862, was recognized by us as Thanksgiving day, although +the turkey, without which no Yankee can properly observe the day, was +conspicuous only by its absence. The usual amusements of the occasion, +however, including a sack race between two men, each enveloped in a +bed-sack drawn up and tied under his chin, were engaged in and greatly +enjoyed. The governor's proclamation was read by Chaplain Field, and +appropriate religious services were conducted by him in front of +headquarters. + +As it had been currently rumored for some time that Camp Casey was to be +our winter quarters, the boys had taken great pains to make their +habitations as snug and cosy as possible for the rapidly approaching +cold weather. The non-commissioned staff, of which I was a member, +appropriated to their use a roofless negro hut in the rear of the +stately old mansion house which was occupied by the colonel and staff +for headquarters, and by using the fly of a large tent for a roof, and +otherwise improving it, we converted it into very comfortable quarters, +anticipating quite a jolly time therein during the winter. The mess +consisted of Sergeant Major Daniel R. Ballou, subsequently promoted to +the office of lieutenant for bravery at the battle of Fredericksburg; +Commissary Sergeant Amasa F. Eddy; Quartermaster's Clerk Erastus +Richardson; the Quartermaster Sergeant, and William, the colored boy. + +But alas for all plans which have no firmer base than rumors in the +army. For the regiment had no more than fully settled down to +housekeeping for the winter, when, on Sunday, November thirtieth, orders +were received that Colonel Wright's brigade, of which the Twelfth Rhode +Island was a part, would move to the front the next day at twelve +o'clock. As to their destination, no one knew save Colonel Browne, if +indeed he did, and, as a matter of course, speculations and conjectures +of all sorts were freely indulged in. "Shelter tents" were issued at +once, the men were ordered to provide themselves with three days' cooked +rations and have everything in readiness to move promptly at the +appointed time. Truly, "there was hurrying to and fro, and gathering in +hot haste," each one busily making ready for his unknown journey. There +was but very little grumbling about leaving our nicely arranged camp and +beautiful situation, although we had but very recently received what +seemed to be almost a positive promise that these should be our winter +quarters. + +The baggage was reduced to the lowest marching standard, and the men +ordered to take nothing in their knapsacks except what they actually +needed. The consequence was that a large portion of their "traps" had to +be left behind, and judging from the number of officers' trunks which I +shipped to Rhode Island after the regiment left, I doubt not that more +dress uniforms adorned the wardrobes at home than their owners in the +field. Such things look exceedingly nice on dress parade or review, but +they are not altogether useful on a forced march or in a fight. + +The hour of departure having arrived, the companies marched from their +several streets, the regimental line was formed, and all was in +readiness for a move. I must confess to an almost overwhelming feeling +of loneliness as I saw the long soldierly column moving off, led by the +splendid band of the Thirteenth New Hampshire, for amongst other things +I thought it quite probable that before I should again see them, their +ranks might be thinned by the terrible shock of battle. And so, alas! +they were. But having received orders from the colonel to remain in +charge of the camp, which remained as before, except that its occupants +were gone, the tents being all left standing, I had no alternative but +to obey. About seventy men were left in the camp, all of whom, with the +exception of the quartermaster's clerk and myself, were on the sick +list. Truly this was "a sick house with no doctor," for the surgeon and +each of his assistants had gone forward with the regiment. We were +cheered, however, just at evening by the return of our kind-hearted +assistant surgeon, Doctor Prosper K. Hutchinson, now long since gone to +his reward, who was sent back to remain with the sick ones until they +should be able to join their comrades. The clerk and myself now +appropriated the colonel's somewhat luxurious quarters to our use, and +as we had plenty of provisions and a good cook, there was no occasion +for us to complain of our fate. + +The fourth day after the regiment left, winter set in in good earnest. +Snow fell to the depth of several inches, and the weather was bitterly +cold and severe. I contrasted my comfortable quarters, as I sat by a +blazing wood fire at night, with those of my comrades huddled in shelter +tents and shivering from cold, somewhere on their tedious march to the +front, and heartily pitied, while I could not alleviate, their +condition. With the aid of some of the convalescents I struck the tents, +turned over the camp stores and equipage, except a small part which was +to go forward to the quartermaster's department in Washington, settled +my accounts with the Government, and, through the kindness of the +quartermaster of the One Hundred and Eleventh New York, who loaned me +the use of his teams, hauled the balance of the baggage to Alexandria, +placed it on board a boat for Acquia Creek, and on the seventeenth of +December took leave of Camp Casey, and with thirteen men went forward to +join my regiment. It was found encamped near General Sumner's +headquarters on the heights opposite Fredericksburg, which place I +learned it reached after a week's march from Camp Casey, travelling +upwards of sixty miles--part of the time through the mud, and part +thereof through the snow and over the frozen ground. My friend, Captain +Lapham, who experienced the hardships of this never-to-be-forgotten +march, has already vividly described it to you in his admirable paper on +the Twelfth Rhode Island. + +The terrible battle of Fredericksburg had been fought three days before +my arrival at Falmouth, and I knew of it only from others and from the +fearful havoc which it had made in the ranks of my comrades, upwards of +one-fifth of the entire regiment having been either killed, wounded, or +found missing at the close of that sanguinary contest. The part taken by +the gallant Twelfth has also been graphically portrayed in the paper +just referred to, by one who took an honorable part therein, and it +would be presumption in me to attempt a word in addition. + +The great Army of the Potomac, now upwards of one hundred thousand +strong, was stretched along the eastern bank of the Rappahannock from +Falmouth southward to, and including, General Franklin's division, and +for miles there was but little space between the regimental camps of +this mighty host. Our picket line was on the left bank of the river, +while that of the enemy was on the right in plain sight, and for the +most part the two lines were within reach of each other's rifles. But +there was little firing done, it seeming to be tacitly understood that +their principal business was to mutually watch, instead of shoot, each +other. Anxious to see how rebels in arms looked, I rode the length of +our picket line and inspected them as best I could, from this tolerably +safe distance, and became satisfied that a nearer approach was +undesirable. + +Our base of supplies was Acquia Creek, about fifteen miles in our rear, +towards Washington, and thither I had to frequently go for our +subsistence. The trains to this place were daily laden with the sick and +wounded on their way to the great hospitals in and around Washington. +And some of the sights that I saw in connection with the removal of our +poor, maimed, sick and dying soldiers, shortly after the terrible +battle, would be too painful to relate. I do not mean that they were not +as well treated and as kindly cared for as was practicable under the +circumstances, but that from their great numbers, the inadequate means +for handling them, and the distance over which they had to be +transported in crowded box cars and filthy steamboats before much could +be done for them, it was impossible but that their sufferings in many +cases should be of the most aggravated character. + +Our situation while in front of Fredericksburg was anything but +comfortable. The men lived in all sorts of rudely constructed cabins, +bough-houses and even subterranean huts, having no tents save the +miserable misnamed shelter tents, which were used only as roofs for the +conglomerate of structures which their ingenuity had devised. The +fire-places were made of logs cemented and plastered with mud, and the +chimneys mainly with empty barrels set on top of each other, (the heads +being first knocked out,) and they also cemented together and plastered +with mud. This Virginia mud, when thoroughly dried by the fire, is +almost as hard as common brick. The water which we had to use and drink +here was simply execrable. I don't think it was so bad as that in the +Cove Basin, but it had a very similar appearance. Each little spring and +rivulet were eagerly sought and constantly used by continual streams of +soldiers, necessarily keeping them in a perturbed and more or less +filthy condition; and besides, it was impossible that some portion of +the vast amount of offal accumulating from this great army should not +find its way into these sources of our water supply. This was specially +so when, as frequently happened, several regiments were encamped on the +same little stream. Much sickness was caused during our uncomfortable +stay here by this detestable water. + +On the sixteenth of January, 1863, we received marching orders, but were +directed to remain in camp, simply holding ourselves in readiness to +move at short notice. The line of march of the right grand division +commenced on January nineteenth and was continued through the twentieth. +Regiment after regiment, followed by long strings of batteries, +continued to move directly past our camp all day long, going to the +right. Another great battle was supposed to be imminent. But alas for +human plans; whether made by great generals or by persons unknown to +fame, they are exceedingly liable to be thwarted. On the afternoon of +the twentieth a cold northeast storm of wind, snow, sleet and rain came +on and continued with increasing force for more than thirty-six hours, +which necessarily put an end to the strategic movement of General +Burnside, for the roads became utterly impassable for the artillery, and +practically so for all military purposes. After floundering about in the +clayey mire for three days, the brave fellows came tramping back, weary +and thoroughly disgusted, and again took up their abode in their +wretched old quarters. Our gallant General Burnside was now relieved of +the command of the great Army of the Potomac, and General Hooker +appointed to succeed him. + +On the afternoon of February ninth, we broke camp and took the cars for +Acquia Creek, en route for Fortress Monroe, as was supposed, but really +for Newport News. There was hilarious rejoicing on all hands at the +prospect of at last getting away from our abominable quarters. The huts +were set on fire; bonfires were made from the great piles of combustible +débris which had accumulated during the winter; the rude barns which had +sheltered our horses and mules added to the conflagration, and for an +hour or so before embarking we held high carnival amidst the smoking +ruins of "Camp Misery." At Acquia Creek we went on board the transport +steamers Metamora and Juniata, and the next morning steamed down the +broad Potomac. + +The agreeable change of situation, together with the pleasant sail, were +very invigorating, and the men seemed almost to forget that they were +soldiers, and to imagine themselves on some holiday excursion. Arriving +off Fortress Monroe at four A. M. of the second day out, we +awaited orders from General Dix, which being received we proceeded to +Newport News and disembarked. We had at last got beyond Virginia mud, +though still in Virginia, the soil at this place being light and sandy, +and the ground for miles almost as level as Dexter Training Ground. + +The schooner Elizabeth and Helen from Providence, which we had long been +expecting, arrived about the same time. She brought a little more than +three hundred boxes from friends at home for our regiment, and our +portion of the cargo of vegetables was about ninety barrels. So that, +altogether, we had a "right smart heap" of the good things from home. +The contents of the boxes being largely of a very perishable nature, +were considerably damaged on account of having been so long on the +journey. But we made the best of it, and enjoyed the unpacking of those +boxes quite as much, without doubt, as our friends at home did the +packing. Nothing could have been more beneficial to us than the generous +supply of vegetables which we received, having subsisted mainly on salt +meats and hard-tack while at Fredericksburg. + +"A" tents were here issued to the companies; everything was cheerful and +tidy about the camp, and we seemed to be living in a new world. My +duties called me to Fortress Monroe nearly every day, which gave me a +delightful little sail, together with charming scenery and plenty of +work. The scene of the exciting and unequal contest between the Merrimac +and the Cumberland, in Hampton Roads in March, 1862, was immediately in +front of us; and about a mile from the shore, in the direction of +Norfolk, could be seen a portion of the masts of the latter, emerging +from the water. + +After a stay of precisely six weeks at Newport News, during which time +nothing of very great importance transpired in the Ninth Army Corps, +all of which were encamped at this delightful place, the Second +Brigade, of which the Twelfth was a part, was ordered to the far-off +city of Lexington, Kentucky. Our regiment at once embarked on the +steamer Long Island for Baltimore, whence we were to go by rail to the +West. Some of the scenes on board that steamer at night were ludicrous +in the extreme. I have heard of one's "hair standing seven ways for +Sunday," of things being "at sixes and sevens," and "all heads and +points," but I must aver that the packing of the men on that boat +exceeded anything I had ever seen in the way of mixing up human beings. +They bestowed themselves in every conceivable position. It was almost an +impossibility to go three steps without causing some one to cry out, +"Keep off from me!" or, "O, my fingers!" an oath generally preceding the +expression, just for the sake of making it emphatic. The head of a +soldier might frequently be seen mixed in with the feet of two or three +of his immediate neighbors. And in one case I discovered two men lying +directly under one of the horses, fast asleep. I soon ascertained, +however, that they had been imbibing too freely of poor whiskey, and +that therefore there was probably little immediate danger from their +situation. + +A sail of sixteen hours brought us to Baltimore, and a ride of three +hundred and forty miles over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad took us to +Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where we arrived at twelve o'clock on Saturday +night, March twenty-eighth, tired and hungry. To our great joy we were +immediately invited into the large and beautifully decorated hall +occupied by the Soldiers' Relief Society, where we found a splendid +supper awaiting us. There were twelve tables, each running the entire +length of the hall, each arranged to accommodate one hundred men, and +all richly laden with an abundance of delicious food and fruit. +Compliments were few and exceedingly brief, but the rattle of crockery +and knives and forks was long and continuous. The Seventh Rhode Island +was in the hall at the same time, and you may be assured that Little +Rhody showed an unbroken front here, as she had already done under more +trying circumstances elsewhere. Suspended from the front of the platform +was the following in large letters: "PITTSBURGH WELCOMES HER COUNTRY'S +DEFENDERS;" while underneath this was "ROANOKE, NEWBERN, FREDERICKSBURG, +BURNSIDE, and the NINTH ARMY CORPS." + +After the sumptuous repast was ended, Colonel Browne stepped upon the +platform, and in a few appropriate and feeling remarks returned his +thanks to the citizens of Pittsburgh for their hospitality to the +soldiers of Rhode Island, and closed by proposing three cheers for our +benefactors, which were given with a roar that seemed almost to raise +the roof. We then marched out to make room for others that were waiting, +the remainder of our brigade being near by. One of the waiters, who, I +was informed, was the daughter of one of the first citizens of the city, +told me that this hall had not been closed night or day for more than a +week, and that every soldier who had passed through the city for a long +time had partaken of their bounty if he chose to do so. Nearly five +thousand had been fed during the past twelve hours, and still there was +an abundance. + +At ten A. M. we took the cars for Cincinnati, which we reached +after a pleasant ride of about four hundred miles through the most +delightful section of country we had yet seen. We almost imagined +ourselves making one of "Perham's Grand Excursions to the West." +Everywhere along the route we met with tokens of welcome and +encouragement. White handkerchiefs fluttered from ten thousand fair +hands, while the stars and stripes were displayed "from cottage, hall +and tower," in great profusion. At Steubenville, Ohio, I should judge +the inhabitants were nearly all at the depot on our arrival, where they +greeted us with cheer upon cheer, besides innumerable expressions of +loyalty and good will. Five long trains of cars, containing the five +regiments of our brigade, kept within a short distance of each other +during this entire journey, and when the forward train stopped, the +others would come up within a few rods of each other, thus constituting +an almost unbroken train for about two miles. The impromptu foraging +parties that emerged from each of those trains whenever they came to a +brief halt, it is unnecessary to describe to veterans. + +The brigade received a perfect ovation at Cincinnati. The streets were +crowded with the enthusiastic populace, many buildings were brilliantly +illuminated, and the entire conduct of the people proved most +conclusively that the Union sentiment here was dominant. While passing +along one of the streets our regiment was treated to a perfect shower of +nice white handkerchiefs, which were thrown from the windows of a large +brick block by a company of ladies. Each of these souvenirs was +delicately perfumed and bore the name of the fair donor. We were also +treated to another supper here, which, had we not fared so very +sumptuously at Pittsburgh, would have been pronounced the _ne plus +ultra_ of feasts. After eating till we could eat no more, a fresh supply +was brought on with which to fill our empty haversacks for the remainder +of the journey. + +I was busily occupied all night, in company with a squad of men, in +transferring the baggage across the river to Covington in ferry-boats, +and loading it on board the train which was to convey us to Lexington, +which city we reached the following day, having been six days on the +journey from Newport News. We encamped on the State Fair Grounds, west +of the city, a spacious and charming location, adorned with elegant +shade trees, and surrounded with the stately suburban residences of some +of the chivalry of Kentucky. You may perhaps infer that we were somewhat +influenced by our aristocratic surroundings when I inform you that while +here, our fire-wood consisted mainly of black-walnut, the ordinary +fence-rails in that vicinity being composed of that material. + +The Sunday following our arrival here, the regiment was visited and +briefly addressed by the venerable General Leslie Coombs, of Kentucky, +that staunch and life-long enemy of secession, who was a friend and old +acquaintance of Colonel Browne. His tall and manly form, his long, +flowing white hair, and his stately bearing, together with his stirring +and patriotic remarks in favor of the preservation of the Union and the +vigorous prosecution of the war, made an impression upon my mind that I +shall never forget. + +After a week's sojourn here, our brigade turned its face southward and +commenced what subsequently proved to be a long series of marches back +and forth across the State, protecting exposed points and preparing for +a probable meeting with the rebels either under General Breckenridge or +General Morgan, who were constantly menacing the southern borders of the +State. And besides, the mountainous districts thereof were infested with +marauding bands, mainly under the general direction of Morgan, who were +carrying on a guerrilla warfare both against the Unionists of the State, +who constituted a majority of all the people, and also against the Union +forces stationed there, thus keeping the citizens in a constant state of +anxiety and trepidation. The pillaging and murdering of the peaceable +and inoffensive citizens of that would-be loyal State by these organized +bands of ruffians, constitute to my mind one of the darkest pictures of +our civil war. + +Twenty-two miles over a macadamized road, through the celebrated "Blue +Grass" region, brought us to Winchester, a pleasant inland village in +Clarke county, where we were allowed to remain for the full period of +eight days. Our next stopping place was at Richmond, a very inviting +post-village of about fifteen hundred inhabitants in Madison county, +twenty miles south of Winchester. This march, which occupied two days, +took us through some of the most picturesque natural scenery to be found +in the State, including Boonesboro, the scene of Daniel Boone's famous +exploits with the Indians, at which place the entire brigade crossed the +Kentucky river in a common scow which would hold only fifty men at a +time. This delayed us for at least half a day, so that we had a good +view of the wild surroundings. + +I must here relate a personal incident. After arriving at Richmond, I +was sent back to Winchester to bring forward some stores and supplies +which had been necessarily left there. Our teams had not arrived from +Covington, and I was detained for three days awaiting their appearance. +I was stopping at the house of one Mr. Bush, a well-to-do planter, whose +acquaintance I had made while the regiment was encamped there. On the +third night of my stay with him I was suddenly aroused from a sound +sleep at one o'clock by two soldiers who had entered my room, and who +immediately confronted me, one with a drawn sword, and the other with a +revolver, which he held in one hand, and a lighted candle in the other. +They said nothing, except to caution me that any attempt to move from my +present position would be at the peril of my life. One of them commenced +to search my clothes, while the other stood guard over me, holding his +glistering revolver uncomfortably near my head. I thought my hour had +probably come, taking it for granted that the men were rebel soldiers +and had taken advantage of my isolated situation to first rob and then +dispatch me. But I finally mustered courage enough to ask them their +business as politely as I knew how, and was promptly informed, greatly +to my surprise, that I was a rebel spy and their prisoner and that they +were Union soldiers sent there to arrest me. I at once felt relieved, +knowing that I could readily establish my identity, and furthermore that +I was tolerably safe anyway in the hands of Union soldiers. Mr. Bush, +who had followed them into the room in his night-clothes, immediately +assured them that I was not a rebel spy, or even a rebel, but a member +of the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, and manifested considerable +indignation that he should even be suspected of harboring rebel spies. +Some papers and letters in my pockets supported the testimony of my +host, and after considerable time spent in examining them, my brave (?) +captors concluded that I was not the man they were looking for, and left +me without so much as an apology for their mistake, to ponder upon my +deceitful appearance. I learned the next day that two rebel spies had in +fact been prowling about the neighborhood for several days, and that +these officers (for such they were) had been searching for them. + +A week at Richmond, three days at Paint Lick Creek, a tributary of the +Cumberland, a week at Lancaster, and on we go, still southward, till we +reach Crab Orchard, a Kentucky watering place of considerable note, +where we remained for ten days. It was not every brigade that was +allowed to spend this length of time at a fashionable southern watering +place during the sultry days of June, at the expense of the Government. + +Instead of proceeding still further southward, as had been expected, we +were here suddenly ordered to execute a "right about face," and retrace +our steps to Nicholasville, a point twelve miles south of Lexington, +where it was understood we were to take the cars en route for the +far-off city of Vicksburg, where we were to assist General Grant in the +siege against that rebel stronghold. This was not encouraging news to +soldiers whose term of enlistment would expire in a little more than +thirty days. Back we went, however, through the dust and heat, making +the distance in two long days, the boys frequently rallying each other +on the march with the remarks: "It's all in the nine months, boys;" and, +"Why did you come for a soldier?" + +Just as we got in sight of Nicholasville another surprise awaited us. +One of the General's aids came dashing up to Colonel Browne with orders +detaching his regiment from the brigade and directing him to report to +General Carter at Somerset, more than seventy miles away, without delay. +Half of this distance lay directly back over the route we had just +travelled. This was, indeed, provoking. But we were soldiers, and had +learned that our first and principal duty was prompt and unquestioning +obedience to orders. So we bade good-bye to the other regiments of our +brigade by giving three hearty cheers for each as they marched past us +on their long journey to the West, and immediately turned our faces +southward again and started for Somerset. + +It then being nearly sunset, we bivouacked for the night as soon as we +came to a convenient place, and resumed our backward march at daylight +the next morning. The First Tennessee Battery and a regiment of mounted +infantry soon joined us, and in company with them we reached Somerset, +having gone by the way of Camp Dick Robinson and Hall's Gap, after a +four days' march. In six successive days we had marched one hundred +miles. And what was somewhat remarkable, we went into camp at the end of +this time with not a man left behind. + +After a stay of ten days at Somerset, during which time our base of +supplies was at Stanford, thirty-three miles away, and could only be +reached by our mule teams, we moved down to the Cumberland river, where +we encamped on a high and precipitous bluff overlooking the river and +the rugged mountainous scenery for a long distance. A brief rest and on, +on we went again, bivouacking for a night on the battle-field of Mill +Springs, where General Zollicoffer met his fate; climbing the mountains +with our heavily laden mule teams, building bridges, constructing roads, +and making but slow progress over the roughest country that I ever saw. +Several of my teams were capsized and rolled down a steep embankment, +mules, drivers and all; others got mired in swamps, and it was with the +greatest difficulty that they were ever extricated; but we pulled +ourselves along in one way and another over a distance of thirty miles +of this sort of country, and finally reached Jamestown (popularly known +as "Jimtown"), on the southern border of Kentucky, on the twenty-third +day of June, which place proved to be the end of our journey southward. + +The Thirty-second Kentucky infantry, called the "thirty two-sters," +Colonel Wolford's famous cavalry regiment, six hundred strong,--the most +dare-devil set of fellows, probably, in the Union service,--together +with two mounted regiments of infantry, here reported to Colonel Browne +and were temporarily placed under his command, and everything made ready +for a brush with the rebels, which was daily expected, General Morgan +being reported just in front of us with a large force. On the +twenty-ninth of June our pickets were suddenly attacked and driven in by +the enemy, causing the greatest excitement in camp. The long roll was +instantly sounded; the men rushed to their companies with all possible +speed; the regiment was formed in line of battle at a double-quick by +Lieutenant Colonel Shaw, and all was ready for the fray. Company A, +Captain Alexander, and Company C, Captain Allen, had been previously +stationed about half a mile in front, on a road leading south towards +the Cumberland river, where they had felled trees and erected a sort of +rude barricade called Fort Alexander, in honor of the captain in +command, which position they continued to hold. + +The battery took a position on the Columbus road, on which the enemy was +approaching; the other regiments were just in the rear, while Wolford's +cavalry went forward on a keen run, their famous commander being at +least a hundred yards in front of his men when he passed our regiment, +presenting, in connection with his headlong followers, a scene of the +wildest excitement. He speedily came in contact with the enemy,--whose +particular object at this time was the capture of our battery,--drove +them back without bringing on a general engagement, captured a score or +more of prisoners, and so thoroughly routed and scattered the enemy by +his bold and vigorous dash, that they made no further attempt to dispute +the possession of this antiquated town with our forces until the morning +of the fourth of July following. + +Our quartermaster's train, however, was attacked two days later, on its +way from Green river, whither it had been for supplies, by a guerrilla +band of about fifty men; but as the train was guarded by a company of +mounted infantry from the Seventh Ohio, the attack was repulsed after a +vigorous contest, with some loss on both sides, and our provisions and +quartermaster arrived in camp unharmed the next day, to the great joy of +the regiment, who were nearly out of supplies. + +On the third of July a battle was fought near Lebanon, which was a short +distance to the north of us, between a portion of General Carter's +forces and those under General Morgan, in which quite a number were +killed and several wounded. + +We commenced the celebration of the glorious Fourth by forming in line +of battle with alacrity at half-past three A. M., our pickets +having been again driven in, and the rebels seeming determined to have a +bout with us before we left Kentucky. And I think our men would as soon +have fought as not on this occasion, being tired of the constant +annoyance, and ready to prove to Kentucky bushwhackers what kind of +stuff they were made of. But, fortunately for both sides doubtless, the +rebels remained outside of "Jimtown," and our forces remained inside, +resting on their arms all day, and momentarily expecting an attack, +which, however, was not made. And on the fifth of July, General Carter, +deciding doubtless that this part of the State was not worth fighting +for any longer, abandoned it to the enemy and moved his forces +northward; first to Somerset, and then to Stanford, our base of +supplies, which he continued to hold. Somerset was again reached after +three days of the most difficult marching we had ever experienced, a +heavy rain storm being in progress most of the time, rendering the +movement of the artillery and heavy-laden army wagons well nigh +impossible. With ten mules on one team, and two industrious swearers to +drive them, I was only able to make a distance of two rods through the +mire in the space of one whole hour, on one occasion during the first +day of this march, which, by the way, was on Sunday. + +Of course the army could move no faster than the wagon train on this +march, as the rebels were immediately in our rear, ready to pounce upon +us if a good opportunity was offered. + +Eight days of continuous marching, most of the time over the same route +we had travelled twice, and some of it three times before, and we were +again at Nicholasville, where our regiment took the cars for Cincinnati +by the way of Lexington. Our term of service had expired, but at the +request of our greatly beloved General Burnside, we remained at +Cincinnati for a week to assist in protecting that much frightened city +from the raids of the somewhat ubiquitous General Morgan, who had +preceded us from "Jimtown" to that more populous and inviting +community. Another journey of a thousand miles--not, however, on +foot--and the Twelfth Regiment was again at home. + + + + +MEMORIAL OF GEORGE H. BROWNE, + +[Late Colonel of the Twelfth Regiment.] + + +Colonel George H. Browne departed this life at Providence on the +twenty-seventh day of September, A. D. 1885, in the sixty-eighth year of +his age, sincerely lamented by all who knew him. He was a Rhode Islander +by birth and education; thoroughly imbued with the history and +traditions of the State, and always identified himself with its best +interests. Conservative, candid and outspoken, and an excellent judge of +human nature, he was not easily deceived or led to do an unwise or even +an injudicious act. To say that he was a wise, prudent and thoroughly +conscientious man, is but to voice the common sentiment of all those who +knew him. + +Since September of 1862, I have known Colonel Browne well, and been +honored by his constant friendship. During the period of his service in +the army, my duties brought me in almost daily contact with him; I was +one of his mess during our Kentucky campaign, and had the opportunity to +study his character and habits with deliberation; while since the war I +have known him in the walks of private, professional and political life. +And for stalwart manliness, transparent honesty and true nobility of +character, I can unhesitatingly say that I have not known his superior. + +As the commanding officer of the Twelfth Regiment, he at once inspired +both the confidence and love of his men. His utmost energies were +continually put forth for the efficiency and usefulness of his command, +while his efforts for the personal welfare of each individual member +thereof were proverbial. Indeed, in the latter respect he seemed more +like a kind father watching over the welfare of his children, than a +cold military commander issuing the stern edicts of war. It was his +daily habit to go about the camp and personally inspect the same, +frequently making his appearance in the tents and huts of the privates +as well as in the quarters of the officers, for the purpose of +ascertaining their condition as to cleanliness and comfort; inquiring +after the wants of the men; visiting the hospital and speaking words of +hope and good cheer to those who were sick, and in many other ways +seeking to minister to the welfare of his command. A single instance of +his unselfish devotion to the good of his men illustrates this +characteristic. + +On Sunday, May 3, 1863, his regiment marched from Richmond, Kentucky, to +Paint Lick Creek, a distance of twelve miles, through a drenching rain. +Many of the men had become foot-sore or otherwise disabled by reason of +the great amount of marching they had recently done, and some of these +became unable to complete the journey; whereupon, Colonel Browne, +Lieutenant Colonel Shaw, and other field officers, gave up their horses +to the use of these disabled ones, and themselves tramped with the men +through the mud and rain for a good part of this distance. + +Colonel Browne was a brave man. He faced the guns of the enemy at +Fredericksburg where the battle waxed hottest, with as much apparent +coolness as though simply facing his regiment on dress parade. A ball +pierced his mantle; "the noise of battle hurtled in the air," and +death-dealing missiles were flying thick about him, but he neither +wavered nor blanched. Wherever his regiment was ordered to go, thither +he promptly went in front of it, inspiring his followers with courage +both by his genuine heroism and his manly words of cheer. + +His bravery, however, was not of the ostentatious or noisy sort. It was +more like the current of a still but deep-flowing river, which moves +calmly but steadily onward, irresistibly drawing to itself, and +unconsciously controlling all the lesser streams about it. He never +paraded his virtues before his fellow-men, or posed as a hero or +statesman for public applause. Indeed, he utterly scorned all attempts +made by others for the sake of notoriety and position as vulgar and +unworthy. He admired, however, and honestly won, the fame which follows +generous and noble deeds, and not that which is sought after by the +demagogue and the charlatan. He was notably considerate and courteous in +his treatment of his subordinates in office, never seeming to command, +while in fact exercising the most perfect control. + +Colonel Browne retained an abiding interest in the men of his regiment +to the day of his death. His greetings to them on the street, in the +marts of trade, and especially at their annual reunions, were always +warm and hearty. A single incident will serve to illustrate his interest +in their welfare. Meeting me one day last winter on Westminster street, +he said: "Judge, _I've got some good news to tell you_," and invited me +to step into a bookstore which he was then passing while he should +reveal it. "Do you remember Sergeant ----, of Company ----?" said he, his +face all aglow with that expression of happiness which was peculiar to +him. "Yes, Colonel, I do; what about him?" "Why, he's been out West, and +by diligence and skill in a profitable business which he there engaged +in, first as clerk and subsequently as one of the firm, and now as the +manager thereof, has actually made his fortune, and is to-day a rich and +highly respected man. And he came to see me the other day and told me +all about it." And then with much enthusiasm and honest pride in his +manner, said: "_Isn't that good news from one of our boys?_" Had this +sergeant been his own son, he could hardly have manifested more joy in +his prosperity. + +His private benefactions to several of his men who had long been in +indigent circumstances, are known and remembered by Him who said: +"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, +ye have done it unto me." + +There was no circumlocution or ambiguity in Colonel Browne's methods. +Whatever he had to do, he went about in a direct and business-like way, +and prosecuted it to completion in the same straightforward manner. He +had none of the arts or tricks of the demagogue, and was utterly +incapable of double-dealing or hypocrisy. And no man whom I have ever +known, more thoroughly detested these base qualities in others. He had +no patience with shams or subterfuges of any sort whatsoever, and did +not hesitate to frown upon them with indignation whenever and wherever +they appeared. If diplomacy has been correctly defined as being the art +of concealing one's thoughts in his language, he never would have made +a successful diplomat; for he always said just what he meant, and always +meant just what he said. + +Colonel Browne's abilities, both natural and acquired, were of a high +order. He had a broad, vigorous and well-balanced mind, which had been +thoroughly trained and disciplined to habits of logical and exact +reasoning, and a power of analysis which led him to correct conclusions +with almost mathematical certainty. He was not a superficial thinker, +but always insisted on laying bare the very roots of the matter under +consideration, and then gradually working upwards to natural and +legitimate conclusions. His processes of reasoning were inductive rather +than dogmatic. With such a mind, so constituted and developed, he was +eminently fitted for positions of trust and responsibility, whether +private or public, which foot the citizens both of his native town and +State were not slow to learn and appreciate. + +As a legislator he was diligent, prudent and conservative, possessing +the courage of his convictions, always exerting a large and salutary +influence by his candor, integrity and good judgment, and readily won +the confidence and esteem of his associates. Public office was with him +a public trust, to be administered with strictest fidelity and care. + +In his chosen profession, in which the strength of his vigorous manhood +was spent, he attained eminence and preferment, being a recognized +leader of the bar of this State for many years before his death. A safe +and able counsellor, an ingenuous and convincing advocate and an +honorable opponent, he brought to the practice of his profession those +qualities which insure success. Quibbles and quirks and barren +technicalities were an abomination to him as a foundation upon which to +base an action or a defense. Like Solon, "who built his commonweal on +equity's wide base," so he built his legal structures on the broad +principles of justice, truth and right. + +In 1874 he was elected to the high and honorable office of Chief Justice +of the Supreme Court of this State by a legislature composed mainly of +his political opponents, a monumental tribute to his integrity, learning +and ability. He declined the office, however, and remained in the +profession which he had dignified and honored to the day of his death. + +As a private citizen he was a man of unimpeachable character, generous +impulses, and high and noble purposes. His life was pure and +unostentatious, and his manner frank and undisguised. Let us ever +cherish his memory, and strive to emulate his virtues. + + + +-----------------------------------------------+ + | Transcriber's Note: | + | | + | Typographical errors corrected in the text: | + | | + | Page 33 Kentuckey changed to Kentucky | + | Page 34 guerilla changed to guerrilla | + +-----------------------------------------------+ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Reminiscences of service with the +Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, and a memorial of Col. George H. Browne, by Pardon E. 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Tillinghast. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + p { margin-top: .5em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .5em; + text-indent: 1em; + } + h1 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h5,h6 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h2 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h3 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h4 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + a {text-decoration: none} /* no lines under links */ + div.centered {text-align: center;} /* work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 1 */ + div.centered table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;} /* work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 2 */ + ul {list-style-type: none} /* no bullets on lists */ + ul.nest {margin-top: .15em; margin-bottom: .15em; text-indent: -1.5em;} /* spacing for nested list */ + li {margin-top: .15em; margin-bottom: .15em;} /* spacing for list */ + + .cen {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em;} /* centering paragraphs */ + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} /* small caps */ + .tr {margin-left: 25%; margin-right: 25%; margin-top: 5%; margin-bottom: 5%; padding: 1em; background-color: #f6f2f2; color: black; border: dotted black 1px;} /* transcriber's notes */ + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; right: 2%; + font-size: 75%; + color: silver; + background-color: inherit; + text-align: right; + text-indent: 0em; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal;} /* page numbers */ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Reminiscences of service with the Twelfth +Rhode Island Volunteers, and a memorial of Col. George H. Browne, by Pardon E. Tillinghast + +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: Reminiscences of service with the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, and a memorial of Col. George H. Browne + +Author: Pardon E. Tillinghast + +Release Date: September 13, 2010 [EBook #33718] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REMINISCENCES OF SERVICE *** + + + + +Produced by Barbara Kosker 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> + + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h2> PERSONAL NARRATIVES</h2> + +<h4>OF EVENTS IN THE</h4> + +<h1><span class="smcap">War of the Rebellion</span>,</h1> + +<h4> BEING PAPERS READ BEFORE THE</h4> + +<h3> RHODE ISLAND SOLDIERS AND SAILORS<br /> + HISTORICAL SOCIETY.</h3> +<br /> +<br /> + +<hr style="width: 5%;" /> +<h4> <span class="smcap">Third Series - No. 15.</span></h4> +<hr style="width: 5%;" /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h4> PROVIDENCE:<br /> + PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY.<br /> + 1885.</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + + +<h4>PROVIDENCE PRESS COMPANY, PRINTERS.</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h2>REMINISCENCES OF SERVICE</h2> + +<h4>WITH THE</h4> + +<h1>TWELFTH RHODE ISLAND VOLUNTEERS,</h1> + +<h4>AND A</h4> + +<h3>MEMORIAL OF COL. GEORGE H. BROWNE.</h3> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h4>BY</h4> + +<h2>PARDON E. TILLINGHAST,</h2> +<h4>[Late Quartermaster Sergeant of the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers.]</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h4>PROVIDENCE:<br /> +PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY.<br /> +1885.</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h4>[Edition limited to two hundred and fifty copies.]</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>REMINISCENCES OF SERVICE</h2> + +<h4>WITH THE</h4> + +<h2>TWELFTH RHODE ISLAND VOLUNTEERS.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The months of July, August, September and October of 1862, were stirring +times in Rhode Island,—and in fact throughout the entire North. The +vigorous onward movement of our army towards Richmond, which had been +long and frequently promised, was still deferred. The decisive victory +won by the Union forces over Lee's army at Malvern Hills at great cost, +which, in the judgment of every officer in the Army of the Potomac save +one, and he the chief, should have been immediately followed by a +determined advance towards the rebel stronghold, which was only about a +day's march distant, was supplemented by the now somewhat stereotyped +order to "fall back," thus presenting the not altogether inspiring +military spectacle of a victorious army running away from its defeated<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> +and thoroughly demoralized enemy.</p> + +<p>General Pope's campaign in Northern Virginia, inaugurated with a great +flourish of trumpets, had resulted disastrously; the rebel army was +greatly encouraged by the inactivity and the vacillating conduct of +their opponents, and had commenced a vigorous aggressive movement. The +National capital was again in imminent peril, causing a feverish +excitement throughout the country; Baltimore and Cincinnati were +seriously threatened, and a great crisis was evidently at hand. Vigorous +measures must be adopted at once, or our boasted Republic would soon be +a thing of the past.</p> + +<p>The President, in view of the great emergency, had ordered drafts, +amounting in the aggregate to six hundred thousand men, one-half thereof +for three years, and the other half for nine months, the latter to be +drawn from the enrolled militia; and the utmost activity everywhere +prevailed in connection with the raising, equipping and forwarding of +this vast army of recruits.</p> + +<p>Rhode Island was thoroughly alive to the occasion, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>determined not to be +outdone by any of her sister States in meeting this new and pressing +demand upon her loyalty and her resources; and meeting it too, if +possible, without resort to a draft, which, of course, was obnoxious to +the sentiments of the people. In order to promote enlistments, the +stores in some places were closed at 3 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span> each day; war +meetings were held every evening, and the greatest enthusiasm was +manifested. The whole State seemed to be one vast recruiting camp, and +all the people, both male and female, to be engaged in the business. For +it should ever be remembered, to the praise of the women of Rhode +Island, that they were fully as loyal and as devoted to our country's +cause during the rebellion, as were the men; and that in very many cases +they suffered and sacrificed quite as much at home, though in different +ways, as did their husbands and sons and brothers in the field.</p> + +<p>In such a state of public feeling what could I, a young unmarried man, +do consistent with a fair amount of self-respect but enlist? Evidently +nothing; and so I left the teacher's desk and enlisted as a private in +Company C, Eleventh Rhode Island <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span>Volunteers, under Captain Charles W. +Thrasher. I was detailed for service in the quartermaster's department +under Lieutenant John L. Clark, and shortly after was transferred with +him (I never knew why) to the Twelfth, and was appointed by Colonel +Browne to the office of Quartermaster Sergeant.</p> + +<p>Camp Stevens, in Providence, was a lively place during the latter part +of September and the first part of October, 1862. The Eleventh and +Twelfth regiments were both encamped there together during a part of +this time, preparatory to their departure for the seat of war. The +former left on Monday, October sixth, and the latter on Tuesday, October +twenty-first.</p> + +<p>The Twelfth Regiment was composed mainly of good Rhode Island material, +and was officered by intelligent, patriotic and brave-hearted men. There +were representatives from nearly all of the ordinary walks and callings +of life, thus furnishing the command with facilities for almost any +emergency; and it was proverbial that whatever could be done by anybody +could be done by some one in this <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span>regiment. The officers and the +privates were well disposed towards each other; there was a prevalent +spirit of prompt obedience to orders; and in general a manifest +disposition on the part of all to make themselves useful and serviceable +both to the Government and to each other.</p> + +<p>A journey of seventy-seven hours from Providence, partly by rail, partly +by water, and partly on foot, brought this newly-formed regiment to Camp +Chase, which was situated across the Potomac from Washington, in the +neighborhood of Arlington Heights. The work of pitching our tents was at +once commenced and rapidly pushed forward. But before it was completed, +a violent storm of wind and rain broke upon us which continued for +nearly two days without intermission. And such a storm! I think I never +saw the like before or since. It did not simply rain, but it came down +in great broad sheets of water; it poured; it came in great gusts. And +then the wind—it whirled, it roared, it got upon its giant legs, and +fairly howled with rage as the weary hours of that first night in camp +wore away.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span>And such a sorry sight as that camp presented the next morning was not +calculated to promote one's military enthusiasm, to say the least. Many +of the tents, all of which had been hastily erected, had been blown down +during the night, and the drenched and shivering inmates were wandering +about in search of shelter or assistance in again erecting their +uncertain habitations. Baggage and camp equipage were scattered in all +directions, and confusion held high carnival generally. As if this were +not enough for beginners, we were also treated to our first installment +of Virginia mud, which covered the entire surface of the ground to a +depth of two or three inches. No description of this unique article, +however, is necessary here. It is perhaps needless to say that our first +impressions of a soldier's life in the "Sunny South" were not altogether +favorable.</p> + +<p>But this storm, like all others, came to an end, and the bright, warm +sunshine, together with the diligence of many busy hands, soon repaired +most of the damage; so that the regiment was able to appear on brigade +review in gallant style, on Tuesday, the twenty-eighth of October, the +fourth day <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span>after our arrival, before the venerable General Casey, in +whose division it had been brigaded.</p> + +<p>One week was the length of our stay at Camp Chase, at the end of which +brief period we folded our tents and made a "Sabbath day's journey," +although somewhat longer than that permitted by the Jewish economy on +that sacred day, to Fairfax Seminary. (I may remark in passing that +perhaps not the most scrupulous regard was had by most of the commanders +who conducted the operations of our armies, either to the Jewish or +Christian economy concerning the Sabbath day). This proved to be a +charming location, indeed. The land was high, overlooking the broad +Potomac for a long distance; the city of Alexandria, situated two miles +to the south, was in full view, while in the distance on our left was +the magnificent dome of the capitol at Washington. The land sloped in a +broad, undulating sweep towards the Potomac in front of us; the large +and dignified brick buildings of Fairfax Seminary, then used as a +hospital, were situated just to the north, in the rear, surrounded by a +stately grove of trees (which, sad to say, speedily succumbed to the +soldier's axe); <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span>several fine country residences were scattered about in +the immediate vicinity, evidently the recent homes of affluence and +luxury, but now abandoned to the tender mercies of strangers in arms, +being used mainly by general and field officers, with their staffs, for +headquarters. And although their owners were rebels fighting against the +Government, I must, nevertheless, confess to a strong feeling of +sympathy which I then had for them, and thousands like them, in the +untold and untellable distress, privation and suffering which they and +their families must have experienced in being driven as exiles from +their homes and firesides, their property appropriated to the use of +their enemies, and what they, in the main, honestly considered their +inalienable rights, taken from them. But such is and will continue to be +the fate of war.</p> + +<p>Regiments of soldiers were on every side of us. A few rods in front was +the Fifteenth Connecticut, Colonel Wright; in the rear was the +Thirteenth New Hampshire, Colonel Stevens; on the right the +Twenty-seventh New Jersey, Colonel Mindil; and on the left a stalwart +regiment of "six footers" from <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>Maine; while for a mile or more in all +directions little else was visible but camps of soldiers. Truly this was +a "tented field." Everything about our new camp, which was named Camp +Casey, was soon put in the best of order, cleanliness and good order +being prime virtues with Colonel Browne, and always being strenuously +insisted on.</p> + +<p>Our company was detailed each day at first for picket duty on the long +line at the front near Cloud's Mills, which was about five miles +distant; but subsequently the entire regiment performed this duty for +twenty-four hours at a time, alternating with the other regiments of the +brigade. The regiment was diligently perfecting itself in the manual of +arms, and a military air and bearing were everywhere apparent. We had +now commenced soldiering in good earnest. My principal duties, under the +direction of the quartermaster, were to see that the commissary +department was kept constantly supplied with everything in the way of +subsistence which the army regulations allowed. Washington and +Alexandria were the great reservoirs of these supplies, and to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>one or +the other of these places I went three or four times a week, accompanied +by two or more four mule teams, with which to haul the stores to camp. +The great army bakery was in the basement of the capitol building, +whither we went for our supply of bread. And I think I do not exaggerate +by saying that I have seen a line of army wagons half a mile or more in +length, each awaiting its turn to be filled with the nice brown loaves. +I need hardly say that after leaving the vicinity of Washington we bade +an enforced good-bye to soft bread.</p> + +<p>On one of my journeys to Alexandria, after getting my teams loaded with +rations, I took a stroll about the somewhat antiquated city, visiting +places of interest, amongst which was the Marshall House, where the +brave Colonel Ellsworth met his terrible fate, and from which house the +entire banisters of the stairs which he ascended in going to the roof to +haul down a rebel flag, had been carried away piecemeal by visitors, as +mementoes of the tragic event. Other parts of the building had also been +sadly mutilated for the same purpose. But the stars and stripes had +permanently supplanted the rebel flag hauled <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>down by the lamented +Ellsworth, and were proudly floating from that now historic building.</p> + +<p>I also visited another place of interest, but with what different +feelings I will not attempt to relate. It was a large block which bore +the following prominent sign: "<span class="smcap">Price, Birch & Co., Dealers in +Slaves.</span>" Connected with it was a huge pen to hold the slaves, and +an auction block from which thousands doubtless had been bought and +sold. But for this establishment and what it represented, neither the +tragic scene at the Marshall House nor the gigantic military operations +then going on from one end of the country to the other, would ever have +been witnessed.</p> + +<p>I was also mail-carrier for the regiment to and from the post office in +Alexandria, and was always cheerfully received on my return with a heavy +mail; for amongst the chief delights of a soldier was a letter from +home. As there was no salary attached to this branch of the mail service +I was not accused of offensive partisanship, but permitted to hold the +office to the end of my term of enlistment.</p> + +<p>November 27, 1862, was recognized by us as <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>Thanksgiving day, although +the turkey, without which no Yankee can properly observe the day, was +conspicuous only by its absence. The usual amusements of the occasion, +however, including a sack race between two men, each enveloped in a +bed-sack drawn up and tied under his chin, were engaged in and greatly +enjoyed. The governor's proclamation was read by Chaplain Field, and +appropriate religious services were conducted by him in front of +headquarters.</p> + +<p>As it had been currently rumored for some time that Camp Casey was to be +our winter quarters, the boys had taken great pains to make their +habitations as snug and cosy as possible for the rapidly approaching +cold weather. The non-commissioned staff, of which I was a member, +appropriated to their use a roofless negro hut in the rear of the +stately old mansion house which was occupied by the colonel and staff +for headquarters, and by using the fly of a large tent for a roof, and +otherwise improving it, we converted it into very comfortable quarters, +anticipating quite a jolly time therein during the winter. The mess +consisted of Sergeant Major Daniel R. Ballou, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>subsequently promoted to +the office of lieutenant for bravery at the battle of Fredericksburg; +Commissary Sergeant Amasa F. Eddy; Quartermaster's Clerk Erastus +Richardson; the Quartermaster Sergeant, and William, the colored boy.</p> + +<p>But alas for all plans which have no firmer base than rumors in the +army. For the regiment had no more than fully settled down to +housekeeping for the winter, when, on Sunday, November thirtieth, orders +were received that Colonel Wright's brigade, of which the Twelfth Rhode +Island was a part, would move to the front the next day at twelve +o'clock. As to their destination, no one knew save Colonel Browne, if +indeed he did, and, as a matter of course, speculations and conjectures +of all sorts were freely indulged in. "Shelter tents" were issued at +once, the men were ordered to provide themselves with three days' cooked +rations and have everything in readiness to move promptly at the +appointed time. Truly, "there was hurrying to and fro, and gathering in +hot haste," each one busily making ready for his unknown journey. There +was but very little grumbling about leaving our nicely arranged camp and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span>beautiful situation, although we had but very recently received what +seemed to be almost a positive promise that these should be our winter +quarters.</p> + +<p>The baggage was reduced to the lowest marching standard, and the men +ordered to take nothing in their knapsacks except what they actually +needed. The consequence was that a large portion of their "traps" had to +be left behind, and judging from the number of officers' trunks which I +shipped to Rhode Island after the regiment left, I doubt not that more +dress uniforms adorned the wardrobes at home than their owners in the +field. Such things look exceedingly nice on dress parade or review, but +they are not altogether useful on a forced march or in a fight.</p> + +<p>The hour of departure having arrived, the companies marched from their +several streets, the regimental line was formed, and all was in +readiness for a move. I must confess to an almost overwhelming feeling +of loneliness as I saw the long soldierly column moving off, led by the +splendid band of the Thirteenth New Hampshire, for amongst other things +I thought it quite probable that before I should again see them, their +ranks might be thinned by the terrible <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>shock of battle. And so, alas! +they were. But having received orders from the colonel to remain in +charge of the camp, which remained as before, except that its occupants +were gone, the tents being all left standing, I had no alternative but +to obey. About seventy men were left in the camp, all of whom, with the +exception of the quartermaster's clerk and myself, were on the sick +list. Truly this was "a sick house with no doctor," for the surgeon and +each of his assistants had gone forward with the regiment. We were +cheered, however, just at evening by the return of our kind-hearted +assistant surgeon, Doctor Prosper K. Hutchinson, now long since gone to +his reward, who was sent back to remain with the sick ones until they +should be able to join their comrades. The clerk and myself now +appropriated the colonel's somewhat luxurious quarters to our use, and +as we had plenty of provisions and a good cook, there was no occasion +for us to complain of our fate.</p> + +<p>The fourth day after the regiment left, winter set in in good earnest. +Snow fell to the depth of several inches, and the weather was bitterly +cold and severe. I contrasted my comfortable quarters, as I <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>sat by a +blazing wood fire at night, with those of my comrades huddled in shelter +tents and shivering from cold, somewhere on their tedious march to the +front, and heartily pitied, while I could not alleviate, their +condition. With the aid of some of the convalescents I struck the tents, +turned over the camp stores and equipage, except a small part which was +to go forward to the quartermaster's department in Washington, settled +my accounts with the Government, and, through the kindness of the +quartermaster of the One Hundred and Eleventh New York, who loaned me +the use of his teams, hauled the balance of the baggage to Alexandria, +placed it on board a boat for Acquia Creek, and on the seventeenth of +December took leave of Camp Casey, and with thirteen men went forward to +join my regiment. It was found encamped near General Sumner's +headquarters on the heights opposite Fredericksburg, which place I +learned it reached after a week's march from Camp Casey, travelling +upwards of sixty miles—part of the time through the mud, and part +thereof through the snow and over the frozen ground. My friend, Captain +Lapham, who experienced the hardships of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>this never-to-be-forgotten +march, has already vividly described it to you in his admirable paper on +the Twelfth Rhode Island.</p> + +<p>The terrible battle of Fredericksburg had been fought three days before +my arrival at Falmouth, and I knew of it only from others and from the +fearful havoc which it had made in the ranks of my comrades, upwards of +one-fifth of the entire regiment having been either killed, wounded, or +found missing at the close of that sanguinary contest. The part taken by +the gallant Twelfth has also been graphically portrayed in the paper +just referred to, by one who took an honorable part therein, and it +would be presumption in me to attempt a word in addition.</p> + +<p>The great Army of the Potomac, now upwards of one hundred thousand +strong, was stretched along the eastern bank of the Rappahannock from +Falmouth southward to, and including, General Franklin's division, and +for miles there was but little space between the regimental camps of +this mighty host. Our picket line was on the left bank of the river, +while that of the enemy was on the right in plain sight, and for the +most part the two lines were within <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>reach of each other's rifles. But +there was little firing done, it seeming to be tacitly understood that +their principal business was to mutually watch, instead of shoot, each +other. Anxious to see how rebels in arms looked, I rode the length of +our picket line and inspected them as best I could, from this tolerably +safe distance, and became satisfied that a nearer approach was +undesirable.</p> + +<p>Our base of supplies was Acquia Creek, about fifteen miles in our rear, +towards Washington, and thither I had to frequently go for our +subsistence. The trains to this place were daily laden with the sick and +wounded on their way to the great hospitals in and around Washington. +And some of the sights that I saw in connection with the removal of our +poor, maimed, sick and dying soldiers, shortly after the terrible +battle, would be too painful to relate. I do not mean that they were not +as well treated and as kindly cared for as was practicable under the +circumstances, but that from their great numbers, the inadequate means +for handling them, and the distance over which they had to be +transported in crowded box cars and filthy steamboats before much <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span>could +be done for them, it was impossible but that their sufferings in many +cases should be of the most aggravated character.</p> + +<p>Our situation while in front of Fredericksburg was anything but +comfortable. The men lived in all sorts of rudely constructed cabins, +bough-houses and even subterranean huts, having no tents save the +miserable misnamed shelter tents, which were used only as roofs for the +conglomerate of structures which their ingenuity had devised. The +fire-places were made of logs cemented and plastered with mud, and the +chimneys mainly with empty barrels set on top of each other, (the heads +being first knocked out,) and they also cemented together and plastered +with mud. This Virginia mud, when thoroughly dried by the fire, is +almost as hard as common brick. The water which we had to use and drink +here was simply execrable. I don't think it was so bad as that in the +Cove Basin, but it had a very similar appearance. Each little spring and +rivulet were eagerly sought and constantly used by continual streams of +soldiers, necessarily keeping them in a perturbed and more or less +filthy condition; and besides, it was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>impossible that some portion of +the vast amount of offal accumulating from this great army should not +find its way into these sources of our water supply. This was specially +so when, as frequently happened, several regiments were encamped on the +same little stream. Much sickness was caused during our uncomfortable +stay here by this detestable water.</p> + +<p>On the sixteenth of January, 1863, we received marching orders, but were +directed to remain in camp, simply holding ourselves in readiness to +move at short notice. The line of march of the right grand division +commenced on January nineteenth and was continued through the twentieth. +Regiment after regiment, followed by long strings of batteries, +continued to move directly past our camp all day long, going to the +right. Another great battle was supposed to be imminent. But alas for +human plans; whether made by great generals or by persons unknown to +fame, they are exceedingly liable to be thwarted. On the afternoon of +the twentieth a cold northeast storm of wind, snow, sleet and rain came +on and continued with increasing force for more than thirty-six hours, +which necessarily put an end to the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>strategic movement of General +Burnside, for the roads became utterly impassable for the artillery, and +practically so for all military purposes. After floundering about in the +clayey mire for three days, the brave fellows came tramping back, weary +and thoroughly disgusted, and again took up their abode in their +wretched old quarters. Our gallant General Burnside was now relieved of +the command of the great Army of the Potomac, and General Hooker +appointed to succeed him.</p> + +<p>On the afternoon of February ninth, we broke camp and took the cars for +Acquia Creek, en route for Fortress Monroe, as was supposed, but really +for Newport News. There was hilarious rejoicing on all hands at the +prospect of at last getting away from our abominable quarters. The huts +were set on fire; bonfires were made from the great piles of combustible +débris which had accumulated during the winter; the rude barns which had +sheltered our horses and mules added to the conflagration, and for an +hour or so before embarking we held high carnival amidst the smoking +ruins of "Camp Misery." At Acquia Creek we went on board the transport +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>steamers Metamora and Juniata, and the next morning steamed down the +broad Potomac.</p> + +<p>The agreeable change of situation, together with the pleasant sail, were +very invigorating, and the men seemed almost to forget that they were +soldiers, and to imagine themselves on some holiday excursion. Arriving +off Fortress Monroe at four <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> of the second day out, we +awaited orders from General Dix, which being received we proceeded to +Newport News and disembarked. We had at last got beyond Virginia mud, +though still in Virginia, the soil at this place being light and sandy, +and the ground for miles almost as level as Dexter Training Ground.</p> + +<p>The schooner Elizabeth and Helen from Providence, which we had long been +expecting, arrived about the same time. She brought a little more than +three hundred boxes from friends at home for our regiment, and our +portion of the cargo of vegetables was about ninety barrels. So that, +altogether, we had a "right smart heap" of the good things from home. +The contents of the boxes being largely of a very perishable nature, +were considerably <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span>damaged on account of having been so long on the +journey. But we made the best of it, and enjoyed the unpacking of those +boxes quite as much, without doubt, as our friends at home did the +packing. Nothing could have been more beneficial to us than the generous +supply of vegetables which we received, having subsisted mainly on salt +meats and hard-tack while at Fredericksburg.</p> + +<p>"A" tents were here issued to the companies; everything was cheerful and +tidy about the camp, and we seemed to be living in a new world. My +duties called me to Fortress Monroe nearly every day, which gave me a +delightful little sail, together with charming scenery and plenty of +work. The scene of the exciting and unequal contest between the Merrimac +and the Cumberland, in Hampton Roads in March, 1862, was immediately in +front of us; and about a mile from the shore, in the direction of +Norfolk, could be seen a portion of the masts of the latter, emerging +from the water.</p> + +<p>After a stay of precisely six weeks at Newport News, during which time +nothing of very great importance transpired in the Ninth Army Corps, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>all of which were encamped at this delightful place, the Second +Brigade, of which the Twelfth was a part, was ordered to the far-off +city of Lexington, Kentucky. Our regiment at once embarked on the +steamer Long Island for Baltimore, whence we were to go by rail to the +West. Some of the scenes on board that steamer at night were ludicrous +in the extreme. I have heard of one's "hair standing seven ways for +Sunday," of things being "at sixes and sevens," and "all heads and +points," but I must aver that the packing of the men on that boat +exceeded anything I had ever seen in the way of mixing up human beings. +They bestowed themselves in every conceivable position. It was almost an +impossibility to go three steps without causing some one to cry out, +"Keep off from me!" or, "O, my fingers!" an oath generally preceding the +expression, just for the sake of making it emphatic. The head of a +soldier might frequently be seen mixed in with the feet of two or three +of his immediate neighbors. And in one case I discovered two men lying +directly under one of the horses, fast asleep. I soon ascertained, +however, that they had been imbibing too freely of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>poor whiskey, and +that therefore there was probably little immediate danger from their +situation.</p> + +<p>A sail of sixteen hours brought us to Baltimore, and a ride of three +hundred and forty miles over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad took us to +Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where we arrived at twelve o'clock on Saturday +night, March twenty-eighth, tired and hungry. To our great joy we were +immediately invited into the large and beautifully decorated hall +occupied by the Soldiers' Relief Society, where we found a splendid +supper awaiting us. There were twelve tables, each running the entire +length of the hall, each arranged to accommodate one hundred men, and +all richly laden with an abundance of delicious food and fruit. +Compliments were few and exceedingly brief, but the rattle of crockery +and knives and forks was long and continuous. The Seventh Rhode Island +was in the hall at the same time, and you may be assured that Little +Rhody showed an unbroken front here, as she had already done under more +trying circumstances elsewhere. Suspended from the front of the platform +was the following in large letters: <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>"<span class="smcap">Pittsburgh Welcomes Her +Country's Defenders</span>;" while underneath this was "<span class="smcap">Roanoke</span>, +<span class="smcap">Newbern</span>, <span class="smcap">Fredericksburg</span>, <span class="smcap">Burnside</span>, and the +<span class="smcap">Ninth Army Corps</span>."</p> + +<p>After the sumptuous repast was ended, Colonel Browne stepped upon the +platform, and in a few appropriate and feeling remarks returned his +thanks to the citizens of Pittsburgh for their hospitality to the +soldiers of Rhode Island, and closed by proposing three cheers for our +benefactors, which were given with a roar that seemed almost to raise +the roof. We then marched out to make room for others that were waiting, +the remainder of our brigade being near by. One of the waiters, who, I +was informed, was the daughter of one of the first citizens of the city, +told me that this hall had not been closed night or day for more than a +week, and that every soldier who had passed through the city for a long +time had partaken of their bounty if he chose to do so. Nearly five +thousand had been fed during the past twelve hours, and still there was +an abundance.</p> + +<p>At ten <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> we took the cars for Cincinnati, which we reached +after a pleasant ride of about <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span>four hundred miles through the most +delightful section of country we had yet seen. We almost imagined +ourselves making one of "Perham's Grand Excursions to the West." +Everywhere along the route we met with tokens of welcome and +encouragement. White handkerchiefs fluttered from ten thousand fair +hands, while the stars and stripes were displayed "from cottage, hall +and tower," in great profusion. At Steubenville, Ohio, I should judge +the inhabitants were nearly all at the depot on our arrival, where they +greeted us with cheer upon cheer, besides innumerable expressions of +loyalty and good will. Five long trains of cars, containing the five +regiments of our brigade, kept within a short distance of each other +during this entire journey, and when the forward train stopped, the +others would come up within a few rods of each other, thus constituting +an almost unbroken train for about two miles. The impromptu foraging +parties that emerged from each of those trains whenever they came to a +brief halt, it is unnecessary to describe to veterans.</p> + +<p>The brigade received a perfect ovation at Cincinnati. The streets were +crowded with the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>enthusiastic populace, many buildings were brilliantly +illuminated, and the entire conduct of the people proved most +conclusively that the Union sentiment here was dominant. While passing +along one of the streets our regiment was treated to a perfect shower of +nice white handkerchiefs, which were thrown from the windows of a large +brick block by a company of ladies. Each of these souvenirs was +delicately perfumed and bore the name of the fair donor. We were also +treated to another supper here, which, had we not fared so very +sumptuously at Pittsburgh, would have been pronounced the <i>ne plus +ultra</i> of feasts. After eating till we could eat no more, a fresh supply +was brought on with which to fill our empty haversacks for the remainder +of the journey.</p> + +<p>I was busily occupied all night, in company with a squad of men, in +transferring the baggage across the river to Covington in ferry-boats, +and loading it on board the train which was to convey us to Lexington, +which city we reached the following day, having been six days on the +journey from Newport News. We encamped on the State Fair Grounds, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span>west +of the city, a spacious and charming location, adorned with elegant +shade trees, and surrounded with the stately suburban residences of some +of the chivalry of Kentucky. You may perhaps infer that we were somewhat +influenced by our aristocratic surroundings when I inform you that while +here, our fire-wood consisted mainly of black-walnut, the ordinary +fence-rails in that vicinity being composed of that material.</p> + +<p>The Sunday following our arrival here, the regiment was visited and +briefly addressed by the venerable General Leslie Coombs, of Kentucky, +that staunch and life-long enemy of secession, who was a friend and old +acquaintance of Colonel Browne. His tall and manly form, his long, +flowing white hair, and his stately bearing, together with his stirring +and patriotic remarks in favor of the preservation of the Union and the +vigorous prosecution of the war, made an impression upon my mind that I +shall never forget.</p> + +<p>After a week's sojourn here, our brigade turned its face southward and +commenced what subsequently proved to be a long series of marches back +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>and forth across the State, protecting exposed points and preparing for +a probable meeting with the rebels either under General Breckenridge or +General Morgan, who were constantly menacing the southern borders of the +State. And besides, the mountainous districts thereof were infested with +marauding bands, mainly under the general direction of Morgan, who were +carrying on a guerrilla warfare both against the Unionists of the State, +who constituted a majority of all the people, and also against the Union +forces stationed there, thus keeping the citizens in a constant state of +anxiety and trepidation. The pillaging and murdering of the peaceable +and inoffensive citizens of that would-be loyal State by these organized +bands of ruffians, constitute to my mind one of the darkest pictures of +our civil war.</p> + +<p>Twenty-two miles over a macadamized road, through the celebrated "Blue +Grass" region, brought us to Winchester, a pleasant inland village in +Clarke county, where we were allowed to remain for the full period of +eight days. Our next stopping place was at Richmond, a very inviting +post-village of about fifteen hundred inhabitants in Madison county, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>twenty miles south of Winchester. This march, which occupied two days, +took us through some of the most picturesque natural scenery to be found +in the State, including Boonesboro, the scene of Daniel Boone's famous +exploits with the Indians, at which place the entire brigade crossed the +Kentucky river in a common scow which would hold only fifty men at a +time. This delayed us for at least half a day, so that we had a good +view of the wild surroundings.</p> + +<p>I must here relate a personal incident. After arriving at Richmond, I +was sent back to Winchester to bring forward some stores and supplies +which had been necessarily left there. Our teams had not arrived from +Covington, and I was detained for three days awaiting their appearance. +I was stopping at the house of one Mr. Bush, a well-to-do planter, whose +acquaintance I had made while the regiment was encamped there. On the +third night of my stay with him I was suddenly aroused from a sound +sleep at one o'clock by two soldiers who had entered my room, and who +immediately confronted me, one with a drawn sword, and the other with a +revolver, which he held in one hand, and a lighted candle in the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span>other. +They said nothing, except to caution me that any attempt to move from my +present position would be at the peril of my life. One of them commenced +to search my clothes, while the other stood guard over me, holding his +glistering revolver uncomfortably near my head. I thought my hour had +probably come, taking it for granted that the men were rebel soldiers +and had taken advantage of my isolated situation to first rob and then +dispatch me. But I finally mustered courage enough to ask them their +business as politely as I knew how, and was promptly informed, greatly +to my surprise, that I was a rebel spy and their prisoner and that they +were Union soldiers sent there to arrest me. I at once felt relieved, +knowing that I could readily establish my identity, and furthermore that +I was tolerably safe anyway in the hands of Union soldiers. Mr. Bush, +who had followed them into the room in his night-clothes, immediately +assured them that I was not a rebel spy, or even a rebel, but a member +of the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, and manifested considerable +indignation that he should even be suspected of harboring rebel spies. +Some papers and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>letters in my pockets supported the testimony of my +host, and after considerable time spent in examining them, my brave (?) +captors concluded that I was not the man they were looking for, and left +me without so much as an apology for their mistake, to ponder upon my +deceitful appearance. I learned the next day that two rebel spies had in +fact been prowling about the neighborhood for several days, and that +these officers (for such they were) had been searching for them.</p> + +<p>A week at Richmond, three days at Paint Lick Creek, a tributary of the +Cumberland, a week at Lancaster, and on we go, still southward, till we +reach Crab Orchard, a Kentucky watering place of considerable note, +where we remained for ten days. It was not every brigade that was +allowed to spend this length of time at a fashionable southern watering +place during the sultry days of June, at the expense of the Government.</p> + +<p>Instead of proceeding still further southward, as had been expected, we +were here suddenly ordered to execute a "right about face," and retrace +our steps to Nicholasville, a point twelve miles south of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>Lexington, +where it was understood we were to take the cars en route for the +far-off city of Vicksburg, where we were to assist General Grant in the +siege against that rebel stronghold. This was not encouraging news to +soldiers whose term of enlistment would expire in a little more than +thirty days. Back we went, however, through the dust and heat, making +the distance in two long days, the boys frequently rallying each other +on the march with the remarks: "It's all in the nine months, boys;" and, +"Why did you come for a soldier?"</p> + +<p>Just as we got in sight of Nicholasville another surprise awaited us. +One of the General's aids came dashing up to Colonel Browne with orders +detaching his regiment from the brigade and directing him to report to +General Carter at Somerset, more than seventy miles away, without delay. +Half of this distance lay directly back over the route we had just +travelled. This was, indeed, provoking. But we were soldiers, and had +learned that our first and principal duty was prompt and unquestioning +obedience to orders. So we bade good-bye to the other regiments of our +brigade by giving three hearty <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span>cheers for each as they marched past us +on their long journey to the West, and immediately turned our faces +southward again and started for Somerset.</p> + +<p>It then being nearly sunset, we bivouacked for the night as soon as we +came to a convenient place, and resumed our backward march at daylight +the next morning. The First Tennessee Battery and a regiment of mounted +infantry soon joined us, and in company with them we reached Somerset, +having gone by the way of Camp Dick Robinson and Hall's Gap, after a +four days' march. In six successive days we had marched one hundred +miles. And what was somewhat remarkable, we went into camp at the end of +this time with not a man left behind.</p> + +<p>After a stay of ten days at Somerset, during which time our base of +supplies was at Stanford, thirty-three miles away, and could only be +reached by our mule teams, we moved down to the Cumberland river, where +we encamped on a high and precipitous bluff overlooking the river and +the rugged mountainous scenery for a long distance. A brief rest and on, +on we went again, bivouacking for a night on the battle-field of Mill +Springs, where General <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>Zollicoffer met his fate; climbing the mountains +with our heavily laden mule teams, building bridges, constructing roads, +and making but slow progress over the roughest country that I ever saw. +Several of my teams were capsized and rolled down a steep embankment, +mules, drivers and all; others got mired in swamps, and it was with the +greatest difficulty that they were ever extricated; but we pulled +ourselves along in one way and another over a distance of thirty miles +of this sort of country, and finally reached Jamestown (popularly known +as "Jimtown"), on the southern border of Kentucky, on the twenty-third +day of June, which place proved to be the end of our journey southward.</p> + +<p>The Thirty-second Kentucky infantry, called the "thirty two-sters," +Colonel Wolford's famous cavalry regiment, six hundred strong,—the most +dare-devil set of fellows, probably, in the Union service,—together +with two mounted regiments of infantry, here reported to Colonel Browne +and were temporarily placed under his command, and everything made ready +for a brush with the rebels, which was daily expected, General Morgan +being reported just <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span>in front of us with a large force. On the +twenty-ninth of June our pickets were suddenly attacked and driven in by +the enemy, causing the greatest excitement in camp. The long roll was +instantly sounded; the men rushed to their companies with all possible +speed; the regiment was formed in line of battle at a double-quick by +Lieutenant Colonel Shaw, and all was ready for the fray. Company A, +Captain Alexander, and Company C, Captain Allen, had been previously +stationed about half a mile in front, on a road leading south towards +the Cumberland river, where they had felled trees and erected a sort of +rude barricade called Fort Alexander, in honor of the captain in +command, which position they continued to hold.</p> + +<p>The battery took a position on the Columbus road, on which the enemy was +approaching; the other regiments were just in the rear, while Wolford's +cavalry went forward on a keen run, their famous commander being at +least a hundred yards in front of his men when he passed our regiment, +presenting, in connection with his headlong followers, a scene of the +wildest excitement. He speedily came in <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span>contact with the enemy,—whose +particular object at this time was the capture of our battery,—drove +them back without bringing on a general engagement, captured a score or +more of prisoners, and so thoroughly routed and scattered the enemy by +his bold and vigorous dash, that they made no further attempt to dispute +the possession of this antiquated town with our forces until the morning +of the fourth of July following.</p> + +<p>Our quartermaster's train, however, was attacked two days later, on its +way from Green river, whither it had been for supplies, by a guerrilla +band of about fifty men; but as the train was guarded by a company of +mounted infantry from the Seventh Ohio, the attack was repulsed after a +vigorous contest, with some loss on both sides, and our provisions and +quartermaster arrived in camp unharmed the next day, to the great joy of +the regiment, who were nearly out of supplies.</p> + +<p>On the third of July a battle was fought near Lebanon, which was a short +distance to the north of us, between a portion of General Carter's +forces and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span>those under General Morgan, in which quite a number were +killed and several wounded.</p> + +<p>We commenced the celebration of the glorious Fourth by forming in line +of battle with alacrity at half-past three <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, our pickets +having been again driven in, and the rebels seeming determined to have a +bout with us before we left Kentucky. And I think our men would as soon +have fought as not on this occasion, being tired of the constant +annoyance, and ready to prove to Kentucky bushwhackers what kind of +stuff they were made of. But, fortunately for both sides doubtless, the +rebels remained outside of "Jimtown," and our forces remained inside, +resting on their arms all day, and momentarily expecting an attack, +which, however, was not made. And on the fifth of July, General Carter, +deciding doubtless that this part of the State was not worth fighting +for any longer, abandoned it to the enemy and moved his forces +northward; first to Somerset, and then to Stanford, our base of +supplies, which he continued to hold. Somerset was again reached after +three days of the most difficult marching we had ever experienced, a +heavy rain storm being in progress <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>most of the time, rendering the +movement of the artillery and heavy-laden army wagons well nigh +impossible. With ten mules on one team, and two industrious swearers to +drive them, I was only able to make a distance of two rods through the +mire in the space of one whole hour, on one occasion during the first +day of this march, which, by the way, was on Sunday.</p> + +<p>Of course the army could move no faster than the wagon train on this +march, as the rebels were immediately in our rear, ready to pounce upon +us if a good opportunity was offered.</p> + +<p>Eight days of continuous marching, most of the time over the same route +we had travelled twice, and some of it three times before, and we were +again at Nicholasville, where our regiment took the cars for Cincinnati +by the way of Lexington. Our term of service had expired, but at the +request of our greatly beloved General Burnside, we remained at +Cincinnati for a week to assist in protecting that much frightened city +from the raids of the somewhat ubiquitous General Morgan, who had +preceded us from "Jimtown" to that more populous and inviting +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>community. Another journey of a thousand miles—not, however, on +foot—and the Twelfth Regiment was again at home.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<h2>MEMORIAL OF GEORGE H. BROWNE,</h2> + +<h4>[Late Colonel of the Twelfth Regiment.]</h4> + + +<p>Colonel George H. Browne departed this life at Providence on the +twenty-seventh day of September, <span class="smcap">A. D.</span> 1885, in the +sixty-eighth year of his age, sincerely lamented by all who knew him. He +was a Rhode Islander by birth and education; thoroughly imbued with the +history and traditions of the State, and always identified himself with +its best interests. Conservative, candid and outspoken, and an excellent +judge of human nature, he was not easily deceived or led to do an unwise +or even an injudicious act. To say that he was a wise, prudent and +thoroughly conscientious man, is but to voice the common sentiment of +all those who knew him.</p> + +<p>Since September of 1862, I have known Colonel <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>Browne well, and been +honored by his constant friendship. During the period of his service in +the army, my duties brought me in almost daily contact with him; I was +one of his mess during our Kentucky campaign, and had the opportunity to +study his character and habits with deliberation; while since the war I +have known him in the walks of private, professional and political life. +And for stalwart manliness, transparent honesty and true nobility of +character, I can unhesitatingly say that I have not known his superior.</p> + +<p>As the commanding officer of the Twelfth Regiment, he at once inspired +both the confidence and love of his men. His utmost energies were +continually put forth for the efficiency and usefulness of his command, +while his efforts for the personal welfare of each individual member +thereof were proverbial. Indeed, in the latter respect he seemed more +like a kind father watching over the welfare of his children, than a +cold military commander issuing the stern edicts of war. It was his +daily habit to go about the camp and personally inspect the same, +frequently making his appearance in the tents and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>huts of the privates +as well as in the quarters of the officers, for the purpose of +ascertaining their condition as to cleanliness and comfort; inquiring +after the wants of the men; visiting the hospital and speaking words of +hope and good cheer to those who were sick, and in many other ways +seeking to minister to the welfare of his command. A single instance of +his unselfish devotion to the good of his men illustrates this +characteristic.</p> + +<p>On Sunday, May 3, 1863, his regiment marched from Richmond, Kentucky, to +Paint Lick Creek, a distance of twelve miles, through a drenching rain. +Many of the men had become foot-sore or otherwise disabled by reason of +the great amount of marching they had recently done, and some of these +became unable to complete the journey; whereupon, Colonel Browne, +Lieutenant Colonel Shaw, and other field officers, gave up their horses +to the use of these disabled ones, and themselves tramped with the men +through the mud and rain for a good part of this distance.</p> + +<p>Colonel Browne was a brave man. He faced the guns of the enemy at +Fredericksburg where the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>battle waxed hottest, with as much apparent +coolness as though simply facing his regiment on dress parade. A ball +pierced his mantle; "the noise of battle hurtled in the air," and +death-dealing missiles were flying thick about him, but he neither +wavered nor blanched. Wherever his regiment was ordered to go, thither +he promptly went in front of it, inspiring his followers with courage +both by his genuine heroism and his manly words of cheer.</p> + +<p>His bravery, however, was not of the ostentatious or noisy sort. It was +more like the current of a still but deep-flowing river, which moves +calmly but steadily onward, irresistibly drawing to itself, and +unconsciously controlling all the lesser streams about it. He never +paraded his virtues before his fellow-men, or posed as a hero or +statesman for public applause. Indeed, he utterly scorned all attempts +made by others for the sake of notoriety and position as vulgar and +unworthy. He admired, however, and honestly won, the fame which follows +generous and noble deeds, and not that which is sought after by the +demagogue and the charlatan. He was notably considerate and courteous in +his treatment of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>his subordinates in office, never seeming to command, +while in fact exercising the most perfect control.</p> + +<p>Colonel Browne retained an abiding interest in the men of his regiment +to the day of his death. His greetings to them on the street, in the +marts of trade, and especially at their annual reunions, were always +warm and hearty. A single incident will serve to illustrate his interest +in their welfare. Meeting me one day last winter on Westminster street, +he said: "Judge, <i>I've got some good news to tell you</i>," and invited me +to step into a bookstore which he was then passing while he should +reveal it. "Do you remember Sergeant ——, of Company ——?" said he, his +face all aglow with that expression of happiness which was peculiar to +him. "Yes, Colonel, I do; what about him?" "Why, he's been out West, and +by diligence and skill in a profitable business which he there engaged +in, first as clerk and subsequently as one of the firm, and now as the +manager thereof, has actually made his fortune, and is to-day a rich and +highly respected man. And he came to see me the other day and told me +all about <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>it." And then with much enthusiasm and honest pride in his +manner, said: "<i>Isn't that good news from one of our boys?</i>" Had this +sergeant been his own son, he could hardly have manifested more joy in +his prosperity.</p> + +<p>His private benefactions to several of his men who had long been in +indigent circumstances, are known and remembered by Him who said: +"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, +ye have done it unto me."</p> + +<p>There was no circumlocution or ambiguity in Colonel Browne's methods. +Whatever he had to do, he went about in a direct and business-like way, +and prosecuted it to completion in the same straightforward manner. He +had none of the arts or tricks of the demagogue, and was utterly +incapable of double-dealing or hypocrisy. And no man whom I have ever +known, more thoroughly detested these base qualities in others. He had +no patience with shams or subterfuges of any sort whatsoever, and did +not hesitate to frown upon them with indignation whenever and wherever +they appeared. If diplomacy has been correctly defined as being the art +of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>concealing one's thoughts in his language, he never would have made +a successful diplomat; for he always said just what he meant, and always +meant just what he said.</p> + +<p>Colonel Browne's abilities, both natural and acquired, were of a high +order. He had a broad, vigorous and well-balanced mind, which had been +thoroughly trained and disciplined to habits of logical and exact +reasoning, and a power of analysis which led him to correct conclusions +with almost mathematical certainty. He was not a superficial thinker, +but always insisted on laying bare the very roots of the matter under +consideration, and then gradually working upwards to natural and +legitimate conclusions. His processes of reasoning were inductive rather +than dogmatic. With such a mind, so constituted and developed, he was +eminently fitted for positions of trust and responsibility, whether +private or public, which foot the citizens both of his native town and +State were not slow to learn and appreciate.</p> + +<p>As a legislator he was diligent, prudent and conservative, possessing +the courage of his convictions, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>always exerting a large and salutary +influence by his candor, integrity and good judgment, and readily won +the confidence and esteem of his associates. Public office was with him +a public trust, to be administered with strictest fidelity and care.</p> + +<p>In his chosen profession, in which the strength of his vigorous manhood +was spent, he attained eminence and preferment, being a recognized +leader of the bar of this State for many years before his death. A safe +and able counsellor, an ingenuous and convincing advocate and an +honorable opponent, he brought to the practice of his profession those +qualities which insure success. Quibbles and quirks and barren +technicalities were an abomination to him as a foundation upon which to +base an action or a defense. Like Solon, "who built his commonweal on +equity's wide base," so he built his legal structures on the broad +principles of justice, truth and right.</p> + +<p>In 1874 he was elected to the high and honorable office of Chief Justice +of the Supreme Court of this State by a legislature composed mainly of +his political opponents, a monumental tribute to his integrity, learning +and ability. He declined the office, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>however, and remained in the +profession which he had dignified and honored to the day of his death.</p> + +<p>As a private citizen he was a man of unimpeachable character, generous +impulses, and high and noble purposes. His life was pure and +unostentatious, and his manner frank and undisguised. Let us ever +cherish his memory, and strive to emulate his virtues.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<div class="tr"> +<p class="cen"><a name="TN" id="TN"></a>Transcriber's Note</p> +<br /> +Typographical errors corrected in the text:<br /> +<br /> +Page 33 Kentuckey changed to Kentucky<br /> +Page 34 guerilla changed to guerrilla<br /> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Reminiscences of service with the +Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, and a memorial of Col. George H. Browne, by Pardon E. 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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: Reminiscences of service with the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, and a memorial of Col. George H. Browne + +Author: Pardon E. Tillinghast + +Release Date: September 13, 2010 [EBook #33718] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REMINISCENCES OF SERVICE *** + + + + +Produced by Barbara Kosker 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.) + + + + + + + + + + PERSONAL NARRATIVES + + OF EVENTS IN THE + + WAR OF THE REBELLION, + + BEING PAPERS READ BEFORE THE + + RHODE ISLAND SOLDIERS AND SAILORS + HISTORICAL SOCIETY. + + + + THIRD SERIES - NO. 15. + + + + PROVIDENCE: + PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY. + 1885. + + + + +PROVIDENCE PRESS COMPANY, PRINTERS. + + + + + REMINISCENCES OF SERVICE + + WITH THE + + TWELFTH RHODE ISLAND VOLUNTEERS, + + AND A + + MEMORIAL OF COL. GEORGE H. BROWNE. + + + + BY + + PARDON E. TILLINGHAST, + [Late Quartermaster Sergeant of the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers.] + + + PROVIDENCE: + PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY. + 1885. + + + + +[Edition limited to two hundred and fifty copies.] + + + + +REMINISCENCES OF SERVICE + +WITH THE + +TWELFTH RHODE ISLAND VOLUNTEERS. + + +The months of July, August, September and October of 1862, were stirring +times in Rhode Island,--and in fact throughout the entire North. The +vigorous onward movement of our army towards Richmond, which had been +long and frequently promised, was still deferred. The decisive victory +won by the Union forces over Lee's army at Malvern Hills at great cost, +which, in the judgment of every officer in the Army of the Potomac save +one, and he the chief, should have been immediately followed by a +determined advance towards the rebel stronghold, which was only about a +day's march distant, was supplemented by the now somewhat stereotyped +order to "fall back," thus presenting the not altogether inspiring +military spectacle of a victorious army running away from its defeated +and thoroughly demoralized enemy. + +General Pope's campaign in Northern Virginia, inaugurated with a great +flourish of trumpets, had resulted disastrously; the rebel army was +greatly encouraged by the inactivity and the vacillating conduct of +their opponents, and had commenced a vigorous aggressive movement. The +National capital was again in imminent peril, causing a feverish +excitement throughout the country; Baltimore and Cincinnati were +seriously threatened, and a great crisis was evidently at hand. Vigorous +measures must be adopted at once, or our boasted Republic would soon be +a thing of the past. + +The President, in view of the great emergency, had ordered drafts, +amounting in the aggregate to six hundred thousand men, one-half thereof +for three years, and the other half for nine months, the latter to be +drawn from the enrolled militia; and the utmost activity everywhere +prevailed in connection with the raising, equipping and forwarding of +this vast army of recruits. + +Rhode Island was thoroughly alive to the occasion, determined not to be +outdone by any of her sister States in meeting this new and pressing +demand upon her loyalty and her resources; and meeting it too, if +possible, without resort to a draft, which, of course, was obnoxious to +the sentiments of the people. In order to promote enlistments, the +stores in some places were closed at 3 P. M. each day; war +meetings were held every evening, and the greatest enthusiasm was +manifested. The whole State seemed to be one vast recruiting camp, and +all the people, both male and female, to be engaged in the business. For +it should ever be remembered, to the praise of the women of Rhode +Island, that they were fully as loyal and as devoted to our country's +cause during the rebellion, as were the men; and that in very many cases +they suffered and sacrificed quite as much at home, though in different +ways, as did their husbands and sons and brothers in the field. + +In such a state of public feeling what could I, a young unmarried man, +do consistent with a fair amount of self-respect but enlist? Evidently +nothing; and so I left the teacher's desk and enlisted as a private in +Company C, Eleventh Rhode Island Volunteers, under Captain Charles W. +Thrasher. I was detailed for service in the quartermaster's department +under Lieutenant John L. Clark, and shortly after was transferred with +him (I never knew why) to the Twelfth, and was appointed by Colonel +Browne to the office of Quartermaster Sergeant. + +Camp Stevens, in Providence, was a lively place during the latter part +of September and the first part of October, 1862. The Eleventh and +Twelfth regiments were both encamped there together during a part of +this time, preparatory to their departure for the seat of war. The +former left on Monday, October sixth, and the latter on Tuesday, October +twenty-first. + +The Twelfth Regiment was composed mainly of good Rhode Island material, +and was officered by intelligent, patriotic and brave-hearted men. There +were representatives from nearly all of the ordinary walks and callings +of life, thus furnishing the command with facilities for almost any +emergency; and it was proverbial that whatever could be done by anybody +could be done by some one in this regiment. The officers and the +privates were well disposed towards each other; there was a prevalent +spirit of prompt obedience to orders; and in general a manifest +disposition on the part of all to make themselves useful and serviceable +both to the Government and to each other. + +A journey of seventy-seven hours from Providence, partly by rail, partly +by water, and partly on foot, brought this newly-formed regiment to Camp +Chase, which was situated across the Potomac from Washington, in the +neighborhood of Arlington Heights. The work of pitching our tents was at +once commenced and rapidly pushed forward. But before it was completed, +a violent storm of wind and rain broke upon us which continued for +nearly two days without intermission. And such a storm! I think I never +saw the like before or since. It did not simply rain, but it came down +in great broad sheets of water; it poured; it came in great gusts. And +then the wind--it whirled, it roared, it got upon its giant legs, and +fairly howled with rage as the weary hours of that first night in camp +wore away. + +And such a sorry sight as that camp presented the next morning was not +calculated to promote one's military enthusiasm, to say the least. Many +of the tents, all of which had been hastily erected, had been blown down +during the night, and the drenched and shivering inmates were wandering +about in search of shelter or assistance in again erecting their +uncertain habitations. Baggage and camp equipage were scattered in all +directions, and confusion held high carnival generally. As if this were +not enough for beginners, we were also treated to our first installment +of Virginia mud, which covered the entire surface of the ground to a +depth of two or three inches. No description of this unique article, +however, is necessary here. It is perhaps needless to say that our first +impressions of a soldier's life in the "Sunny South" were not altogether +favorable. + +But this storm, like all others, came to an end, and the bright, warm +sunshine, together with the diligence of many busy hands, soon repaired +most of the damage; so that the regiment was able to appear on brigade +review in gallant style, on Tuesday, the twenty-eighth of October, the +fourth day after our arrival, before the venerable General Casey, in +whose division it had been brigaded. + +One week was the length of our stay at Camp Chase, at the end of which +brief period we folded our tents and made a "Sabbath day's journey," +although somewhat longer than that permitted by the Jewish economy on +that sacred day, to Fairfax Seminary. (I may remark in passing that +perhaps not the most scrupulous regard was had by most of the commanders +who conducted the operations of our armies, either to the Jewish or +Christian economy concerning the Sabbath day). This proved to be a +charming location, indeed. The land was high, overlooking the broad +Potomac for a long distance; the city of Alexandria, situated two miles +to the south, was in full view, while in the distance on our left was +the magnificent dome of the capitol at Washington. The land sloped in a +broad, undulating sweep towards the Potomac in front of us; the large +and dignified brick buildings of Fairfax Seminary, then used as a +hospital, were situated just to the north, in the rear, surrounded by a +stately grove of trees (which, sad to say, speedily succumbed to the +soldier's axe); several fine country residences were scattered about in +the immediate vicinity, evidently the recent homes of affluence and +luxury, but now abandoned to the tender mercies of strangers in arms, +being used mainly by general and field officers, with their staffs, for +headquarters. And although their owners were rebels fighting against the +Government, I must, nevertheless, confess to a strong feeling of +sympathy which I then had for them, and thousands like them, in the +untold and untellable distress, privation and suffering which they and +their families must have experienced in being driven as exiles from +their homes and firesides, their property appropriated to the use of +their enemies, and what they, in the main, honestly considered their +inalienable rights, taken from them. But such is and will continue to be +the fate of war. + +Regiments of soldiers were on every side of us. A few rods in front was +the Fifteenth Connecticut, Colonel Wright; in the rear was the +Thirteenth New Hampshire, Colonel Stevens; on the right the +Twenty-seventh New Jersey, Colonel Mindil; and on the left a stalwart +regiment of "six footers" from Maine; while for a mile or more in all +directions little else was visible but camps of soldiers. Truly this was +a "tented field." Everything about our new camp, which was named Camp +Casey, was soon put in the best of order, cleanliness and good order +being prime virtues with Colonel Browne, and always being strenuously +insisted on. + +Our company was detailed each day at first for picket duty on the long +line at the front near Cloud's Mills, which was about five miles +distant; but subsequently the entire regiment performed this duty for +twenty-four hours at a time, alternating with the other regiments of the +brigade. The regiment was diligently perfecting itself in the manual of +arms, and a military air and bearing were everywhere apparent. We had +now commenced soldiering in good earnest. My principal duties, under the +direction of the quartermaster, were to see that the commissary +department was kept constantly supplied with everything in the way of +subsistence which the army regulations allowed. Washington and +Alexandria were the great reservoirs of these supplies, and to one or +the other of these places I went three or four times a week, accompanied +by two or more four mule teams, with which to haul the stores to camp. +The great army bakery was in the basement of the capitol building, +whither we went for our supply of bread. And I think I do not exaggerate +by saying that I have seen a line of army wagons half a mile or more in +length, each awaiting its turn to be filled with the nice brown loaves. +I need hardly say that after leaving the vicinity of Washington we bade +an enforced good-bye to soft bread. + +On one of my journeys to Alexandria, after getting my teams loaded with +rations, I took a stroll about the somewhat antiquated city, visiting +places of interest, amongst which was the Marshall House, where the +brave Colonel Ellsworth met his terrible fate, and from which house the +entire banisters of the stairs which he ascended in going to the roof to +haul down a rebel flag, had been carried away piecemeal by visitors, as +mementoes of the tragic event. Other parts of the building had also been +sadly mutilated for the same purpose. But the stars and stripes had +permanently supplanted the rebel flag hauled down by the lamented +Ellsworth, and were proudly floating from that now historic building. + +I also visited another place of interest, but with what different +feelings I will not attempt to relate. It was a large block which bore +the following prominent sign: "PRICE, BIRCH & CO., DEALERS IN +SLAVES." Connected with it was a huge pen to hold the slaves, and +an auction block from which thousands doubtless had been bought and +sold. But for this establishment and what it represented, neither the +tragic scene at the Marshall House nor the gigantic military operations +then going on from one end of the country to the other, would ever have +been witnessed. + +I was also mail-carrier for the regiment to and from the post office in +Alexandria, and was always cheerfully received on my return with a heavy +mail; for amongst the chief delights of a soldier was a letter from +home. As there was no salary attached to this branch of the mail service +I was not accused of offensive partisanship, but permitted to hold the +office to the end of my term of enlistment. + +November 27, 1862, was recognized by us as Thanksgiving day, although +the turkey, without which no Yankee can properly observe the day, was +conspicuous only by its absence. The usual amusements of the occasion, +however, including a sack race between two men, each enveloped in a +bed-sack drawn up and tied under his chin, were engaged in and greatly +enjoyed. The governor's proclamation was read by Chaplain Field, and +appropriate religious services were conducted by him in front of +headquarters. + +As it had been currently rumored for some time that Camp Casey was to be +our winter quarters, the boys had taken great pains to make their +habitations as snug and cosy as possible for the rapidly approaching +cold weather. The non-commissioned staff, of which I was a member, +appropriated to their use a roofless negro hut in the rear of the +stately old mansion house which was occupied by the colonel and staff +for headquarters, and by using the fly of a large tent for a roof, and +otherwise improving it, we converted it into very comfortable quarters, +anticipating quite a jolly time therein during the winter. The mess +consisted of Sergeant Major Daniel R. Ballou, subsequently promoted to +the office of lieutenant for bravery at the battle of Fredericksburg; +Commissary Sergeant Amasa F. Eddy; Quartermaster's Clerk Erastus +Richardson; the Quartermaster Sergeant, and William, the colored boy. + +But alas for all plans which have no firmer base than rumors in the +army. For the regiment had no more than fully settled down to +housekeeping for the winter, when, on Sunday, November thirtieth, orders +were received that Colonel Wright's brigade, of which the Twelfth Rhode +Island was a part, would move to the front the next day at twelve +o'clock. As to their destination, no one knew save Colonel Browne, if +indeed he did, and, as a matter of course, speculations and conjectures +of all sorts were freely indulged in. "Shelter tents" were issued at +once, the men were ordered to provide themselves with three days' cooked +rations and have everything in readiness to move promptly at the +appointed time. Truly, "there was hurrying to and fro, and gathering in +hot haste," each one busily making ready for his unknown journey. There +was but very little grumbling about leaving our nicely arranged camp and +beautiful situation, although we had but very recently received what +seemed to be almost a positive promise that these should be our winter +quarters. + +The baggage was reduced to the lowest marching standard, and the men +ordered to take nothing in their knapsacks except what they actually +needed. The consequence was that a large portion of their "traps" had to +be left behind, and judging from the number of officers' trunks which I +shipped to Rhode Island after the regiment left, I doubt not that more +dress uniforms adorned the wardrobes at home than their owners in the +field. Such things look exceedingly nice on dress parade or review, but +they are not altogether useful on a forced march or in a fight. + +The hour of departure having arrived, the companies marched from their +several streets, the regimental line was formed, and all was in +readiness for a move. I must confess to an almost overwhelming feeling +of loneliness as I saw the long soldierly column moving off, led by the +splendid band of the Thirteenth New Hampshire, for amongst other things +I thought it quite probable that before I should again see them, their +ranks might be thinned by the terrible shock of battle. And so, alas! +they were. But having received orders from the colonel to remain in +charge of the camp, which remained as before, except that its occupants +were gone, the tents being all left standing, I had no alternative but +to obey. About seventy men were left in the camp, all of whom, with the +exception of the quartermaster's clerk and myself, were on the sick +list. Truly this was "a sick house with no doctor," for the surgeon and +each of his assistants had gone forward with the regiment. We were +cheered, however, just at evening by the return of our kind-hearted +assistant surgeon, Doctor Prosper K. Hutchinson, now long since gone to +his reward, who was sent back to remain with the sick ones until they +should be able to join their comrades. The clerk and myself now +appropriated the colonel's somewhat luxurious quarters to our use, and +as we had plenty of provisions and a good cook, there was no occasion +for us to complain of our fate. + +The fourth day after the regiment left, winter set in in good earnest. +Snow fell to the depth of several inches, and the weather was bitterly +cold and severe. I contrasted my comfortable quarters, as I sat by a +blazing wood fire at night, with those of my comrades huddled in shelter +tents and shivering from cold, somewhere on their tedious march to the +front, and heartily pitied, while I could not alleviate, their +condition. With the aid of some of the convalescents I struck the tents, +turned over the camp stores and equipage, except a small part which was +to go forward to the quartermaster's department in Washington, settled +my accounts with the Government, and, through the kindness of the +quartermaster of the One Hundred and Eleventh New York, who loaned me +the use of his teams, hauled the balance of the baggage to Alexandria, +placed it on board a boat for Acquia Creek, and on the seventeenth of +December took leave of Camp Casey, and with thirteen men went forward to +join my regiment. It was found encamped near General Sumner's +headquarters on the heights opposite Fredericksburg, which place I +learned it reached after a week's march from Camp Casey, travelling +upwards of sixty miles--part of the time through the mud, and part +thereof through the snow and over the frozen ground. My friend, Captain +Lapham, who experienced the hardships of this never-to-be-forgotten +march, has already vividly described it to you in his admirable paper on +the Twelfth Rhode Island. + +The terrible battle of Fredericksburg had been fought three days before +my arrival at Falmouth, and I knew of it only from others and from the +fearful havoc which it had made in the ranks of my comrades, upwards of +one-fifth of the entire regiment having been either killed, wounded, or +found missing at the close of that sanguinary contest. The part taken by +the gallant Twelfth has also been graphically portrayed in the paper +just referred to, by one who took an honorable part therein, and it +would be presumption in me to attempt a word in addition. + +The great Army of the Potomac, now upwards of one hundred thousand +strong, was stretched along the eastern bank of the Rappahannock from +Falmouth southward to, and including, General Franklin's division, and +for miles there was but little space between the regimental camps of +this mighty host. Our picket line was on the left bank of the river, +while that of the enemy was on the right in plain sight, and for the +most part the two lines were within reach of each other's rifles. But +there was little firing done, it seeming to be tacitly understood that +their principal business was to mutually watch, instead of shoot, each +other. Anxious to see how rebels in arms looked, I rode the length of +our picket line and inspected them as best I could, from this tolerably +safe distance, and became satisfied that a nearer approach was +undesirable. + +Our base of supplies was Acquia Creek, about fifteen miles in our rear, +towards Washington, and thither I had to frequently go for our +subsistence. The trains to this place were daily laden with the sick and +wounded on their way to the great hospitals in and around Washington. +And some of the sights that I saw in connection with the removal of our +poor, maimed, sick and dying soldiers, shortly after the terrible +battle, would be too painful to relate. I do not mean that they were not +as well treated and as kindly cared for as was practicable under the +circumstances, but that from their great numbers, the inadequate means +for handling them, and the distance over which they had to be +transported in crowded box cars and filthy steamboats before much could +be done for them, it was impossible but that their sufferings in many +cases should be of the most aggravated character. + +Our situation while in front of Fredericksburg was anything but +comfortable. The men lived in all sorts of rudely constructed cabins, +bough-houses and even subterranean huts, having no tents save the +miserable misnamed shelter tents, which were used only as roofs for the +conglomerate of structures which their ingenuity had devised. The +fire-places were made of logs cemented and plastered with mud, and the +chimneys mainly with empty barrels set on top of each other, (the heads +being first knocked out,) and they also cemented together and plastered +with mud. This Virginia mud, when thoroughly dried by the fire, is +almost as hard as common brick. The water which we had to use and drink +here was simply execrable. I don't think it was so bad as that in the +Cove Basin, but it had a very similar appearance. Each little spring and +rivulet were eagerly sought and constantly used by continual streams of +soldiers, necessarily keeping them in a perturbed and more or less +filthy condition; and besides, it was impossible that some portion of +the vast amount of offal accumulating from this great army should not +find its way into these sources of our water supply. This was specially +so when, as frequently happened, several regiments were encamped on the +same little stream. Much sickness was caused during our uncomfortable +stay here by this detestable water. + +On the sixteenth of January, 1863, we received marching orders, but were +directed to remain in camp, simply holding ourselves in readiness to +move at short notice. The line of march of the right grand division +commenced on January nineteenth and was continued through the twentieth. +Regiment after regiment, followed by long strings of batteries, +continued to move directly past our camp all day long, going to the +right. Another great battle was supposed to be imminent. But alas for +human plans; whether made by great generals or by persons unknown to +fame, they are exceedingly liable to be thwarted. On the afternoon of +the twentieth a cold northeast storm of wind, snow, sleet and rain came +on and continued with increasing force for more than thirty-six hours, +which necessarily put an end to the strategic movement of General +Burnside, for the roads became utterly impassable for the artillery, and +practically so for all military purposes. After floundering about in the +clayey mire for three days, the brave fellows came tramping back, weary +and thoroughly disgusted, and again took up their abode in their +wretched old quarters. Our gallant General Burnside was now relieved of +the command of the great Army of the Potomac, and General Hooker +appointed to succeed him. + +On the afternoon of February ninth, we broke camp and took the cars for +Acquia Creek, en route for Fortress Monroe, as was supposed, but really +for Newport News. There was hilarious rejoicing on all hands at the +prospect of at last getting away from our abominable quarters. The huts +were set on fire; bonfires were made from the great piles of combustible +debris which had accumulated during the winter; the rude barns which had +sheltered our horses and mules added to the conflagration, and for an +hour or so before embarking we held high carnival amidst the smoking +ruins of "Camp Misery." At Acquia Creek we went on board the transport +steamers Metamora and Juniata, and the next morning steamed down the +broad Potomac. + +The agreeable change of situation, together with the pleasant sail, were +very invigorating, and the men seemed almost to forget that they were +soldiers, and to imagine themselves on some holiday excursion. Arriving +off Fortress Monroe at four A. M. of the second day out, we +awaited orders from General Dix, which being received we proceeded to +Newport News and disembarked. We had at last got beyond Virginia mud, +though still in Virginia, the soil at this place being light and sandy, +and the ground for miles almost as level as Dexter Training Ground. + +The schooner Elizabeth and Helen from Providence, which we had long been +expecting, arrived about the same time. She brought a little more than +three hundred boxes from friends at home for our regiment, and our +portion of the cargo of vegetables was about ninety barrels. So that, +altogether, we had a "right smart heap" of the good things from home. +The contents of the boxes being largely of a very perishable nature, +were considerably damaged on account of having been so long on the +journey. But we made the best of it, and enjoyed the unpacking of those +boxes quite as much, without doubt, as our friends at home did the +packing. Nothing could have been more beneficial to us than the generous +supply of vegetables which we received, having subsisted mainly on salt +meats and hard-tack while at Fredericksburg. + +"A" tents were here issued to the companies; everything was cheerful and +tidy about the camp, and we seemed to be living in a new world. My +duties called me to Fortress Monroe nearly every day, which gave me a +delightful little sail, together with charming scenery and plenty of +work. The scene of the exciting and unequal contest between the Merrimac +and the Cumberland, in Hampton Roads in March, 1862, was immediately in +front of us; and about a mile from the shore, in the direction of +Norfolk, could be seen a portion of the masts of the latter, emerging +from the water. + +After a stay of precisely six weeks at Newport News, during which time +nothing of very great importance transpired in the Ninth Army Corps, +all of which were encamped at this delightful place, the Second +Brigade, of which the Twelfth was a part, was ordered to the far-off +city of Lexington, Kentucky. Our regiment at once embarked on the +steamer Long Island for Baltimore, whence we were to go by rail to the +West. Some of the scenes on board that steamer at night were ludicrous +in the extreme. I have heard of one's "hair standing seven ways for +Sunday," of things being "at sixes and sevens," and "all heads and +points," but I must aver that the packing of the men on that boat +exceeded anything I had ever seen in the way of mixing up human beings. +They bestowed themselves in every conceivable position. It was almost an +impossibility to go three steps without causing some one to cry out, +"Keep off from me!" or, "O, my fingers!" an oath generally preceding the +expression, just for the sake of making it emphatic. The head of a +soldier might frequently be seen mixed in with the feet of two or three +of his immediate neighbors. And in one case I discovered two men lying +directly under one of the horses, fast asleep. I soon ascertained, +however, that they had been imbibing too freely of poor whiskey, and +that therefore there was probably little immediate danger from their +situation. + +A sail of sixteen hours brought us to Baltimore, and a ride of three +hundred and forty miles over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad took us to +Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where we arrived at twelve o'clock on Saturday +night, March twenty-eighth, tired and hungry. To our great joy we were +immediately invited into the large and beautifully decorated hall +occupied by the Soldiers' Relief Society, where we found a splendid +supper awaiting us. There were twelve tables, each running the entire +length of the hall, each arranged to accommodate one hundred men, and +all richly laden with an abundance of delicious food and fruit. +Compliments were few and exceedingly brief, but the rattle of crockery +and knives and forks was long and continuous. The Seventh Rhode Island +was in the hall at the same time, and you may be assured that Little +Rhody showed an unbroken front here, as she had already done under more +trying circumstances elsewhere. Suspended from the front of the platform +was the following in large letters: "PITTSBURGH WELCOMES HER COUNTRY'S +DEFENDERS;" while underneath this was "ROANOKE, NEWBERN, FREDERICKSBURG, +BURNSIDE, and the NINTH ARMY CORPS." + +After the sumptuous repast was ended, Colonel Browne stepped upon the +platform, and in a few appropriate and feeling remarks returned his +thanks to the citizens of Pittsburgh for their hospitality to the +soldiers of Rhode Island, and closed by proposing three cheers for our +benefactors, which were given with a roar that seemed almost to raise +the roof. We then marched out to make room for others that were waiting, +the remainder of our brigade being near by. One of the waiters, who, I +was informed, was the daughter of one of the first citizens of the city, +told me that this hall had not been closed night or day for more than a +week, and that every soldier who had passed through the city for a long +time had partaken of their bounty if he chose to do so. Nearly five +thousand had been fed during the past twelve hours, and still there was +an abundance. + +At ten A. M. we took the cars for Cincinnati, which we reached +after a pleasant ride of about four hundred miles through the most +delightful section of country we had yet seen. We almost imagined +ourselves making one of "Perham's Grand Excursions to the West." +Everywhere along the route we met with tokens of welcome and +encouragement. White handkerchiefs fluttered from ten thousand fair +hands, while the stars and stripes were displayed "from cottage, hall +and tower," in great profusion. At Steubenville, Ohio, I should judge +the inhabitants were nearly all at the depot on our arrival, where they +greeted us with cheer upon cheer, besides innumerable expressions of +loyalty and good will. Five long trains of cars, containing the five +regiments of our brigade, kept within a short distance of each other +during this entire journey, and when the forward train stopped, the +others would come up within a few rods of each other, thus constituting +an almost unbroken train for about two miles. The impromptu foraging +parties that emerged from each of those trains whenever they came to a +brief halt, it is unnecessary to describe to veterans. + +The brigade received a perfect ovation at Cincinnati. The streets were +crowded with the enthusiastic populace, many buildings were brilliantly +illuminated, and the entire conduct of the people proved most +conclusively that the Union sentiment here was dominant. While passing +along one of the streets our regiment was treated to a perfect shower of +nice white handkerchiefs, which were thrown from the windows of a large +brick block by a company of ladies. Each of these souvenirs was +delicately perfumed and bore the name of the fair donor. We were also +treated to another supper here, which, had we not fared so very +sumptuously at Pittsburgh, would have been pronounced the _ne plus +ultra_ of feasts. After eating till we could eat no more, a fresh supply +was brought on with which to fill our empty haversacks for the remainder +of the journey. + +I was busily occupied all night, in company with a squad of men, in +transferring the baggage across the river to Covington in ferry-boats, +and loading it on board the train which was to convey us to Lexington, +which city we reached the following day, having been six days on the +journey from Newport News. We encamped on the State Fair Grounds, west +of the city, a spacious and charming location, adorned with elegant +shade trees, and surrounded with the stately suburban residences of some +of the chivalry of Kentucky. You may perhaps infer that we were somewhat +influenced by our aristocratic surroundings when I inform you that while +here, our fire-wood consisted mainly of black-walnut, the ordinary +fence-rails in that vicinity being composed of that material. + +The Sunday following our arrival here, the regiment was visited and +briefly addressed by the venerable General Leslie Coombs, of Kentucky, +that staunch and life-long enemy of secession, who was a friend and old +acquaintance of Colonel Browne. His tall and manly form, his long, +flowing white hair, and his stately bearing, together with his stirring +and patriotic remarks in favor of the preservation of the Union and the +vigorous prosecution of the war, made an impression upon my mind that I +shall never forget. + +After a week's sojourn here, our brigade turned its face southward and +commenced what subsequently proved to be a long series of marches back +and forth across the State, protecting exposed points and preparing for +a probable meeting with the rebels either under General Breckenridge or +General Morgan, who were constantly menacing the southern borders of the +State. And besides, the mountainous districts thereof were infested with +marauding bands, mainly under the general direction of Morgan, who were +carrying on a guerrilla warfare both against the Unionists of the State, +who constituted a majority of all the people, and also against the Union +forces stationed there, thus keeping the citizens in a constant state of +anxiety and trepidation. The pillaging and murdering of the peaceable +and inoffensive citizens of that would-be loyal State by these organized +bands of ruffians, constitute to my mind one of the darkest pictures of +our civil war. + +Twenty-two miles over a macadamized road, through the celebrated "Blue +Grass" region, brought us to Winchester, a pleasant inland village in +Clarke county, where we were allowed to remain for the full period of +eight days. Our next stopping place was at Richmond, a very inviting +post-village of about fifteen hundred inhabitants in Madison county, +twenty miles south of Winchester. This march, which occupied two days, +took us through some of the most picturesque natural scenery to be found +in the State, including Boonesboro, the scene of Daniel Boone's famous +exploits with the Indians, at which place the entire brigade crossed the +Kentucky river in a common scow which would hold only fifty men at a +time. This delayed us for at least half a day, so that we had a good +view of the wild surroundings. + +I must here relate a personal incident. After arriving at Richmond, I +was sent back to Winchester to bring forward some stores and supplies +which had been necessarily left there. Our teams had not arrived from +Covington, and I was detained for three days awaiting their appearance. +I was stopping at the house of one Mr. Bush, a well-to-do planter, whose +acquaintance I had made while the regiment was encamped there. On the +third night of my stay with him I was suddenly aroused from a sound +sleep at one o'clock by two soldiers who had entered my room, and who +immediately confronted me, one with a drawn sword, and the other with a +revolver, which he held in one hand, and a lighted candle in the other. +They said nothing, except to caution me that any attempt to move from my +present position would be at the peril of my life. One of them commenced +to search my clothes, while the other stood guard over me, holding his +glistering revolver uncomfortably near my head. I thought my hour had +probably come, taking it for granted that the men were rebel soldiers +and had taken advantage of my isolated situation to first rob and then +dispatch me. But I finally mustered courage enough to ask them their +business as politely as I knew how, and was promptly informed, greatly +to my surprise, that I was a rebel spy and their prisoner and that they +were Union soldiers sent there to arrest me. I at once felt relieved, +knowing that I could readily establish my identity, and furthermore that +I was tolerably safe anyway in the hands of Union soldiers. Mr. Bush, +who had followed them into the room in his night-clothes, immediately +assured them that I was not a rebel spy, or even a rebel, but a member +of the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, and manifested considerable +indignation that he should even be suspected of harboring rebel spies. +Some papers and letters in my pockets supported the testimony of my +host, and after considerable time spent in examining them, my brave (?) +captors concluded that I was not the man they were looking for, and left +me without so much as an apology for their mistake, to ponder upon my +deceitful appearance. I learned the next day that two rebel spies had in +fact been prowling about the neighborhood for several days, and that +these officers (for such they were) had been searching for them. + +A week at Richmond, three days at Paint Lick Creek, a tributary of the +Cumberland, a week at Lancaster, and on we go, still southward, till we +reach Crab Orchard, a Kentucky watering place of considerable note, +where we remained for ten days. It was not every brigade that was +allowed to spend this length of time at a fashionable southern watering +place during the sultry days of June, at the expense of the Government. + +Instead of proceeding still further southward, as had been expected, we +were here suddenly ordered to execute a "right about face," and retrace +our steps to Nicholasville, a point twelve miles south of Lexington, +where it was understood we were to take the cars en route for the +far-off city of Vicksburg, where we were to assist General Grant in the +siege against that rebel stronghold. This was not encouraging news to +soldiers whose term of enlistment would expire in a little more than +thirty days. Back we went, however, through the dust and heat, making +the distance in two long days, the boys frequently rallying each other +on the march with the remarks: "It's all in the nine months, boys;" and, +"Why did you come for a soldier?" + +Just as we got in sight of Nicholasville another surprise awaited us. +One of the General's aids came dashing up to Colonel Browne with orders +detaching his regiment from the brigade and directing him to report to +General Carter at Somerset, more than seventy miles away, without delay. +Half of this distance lay directly back over the route we had just +travelled. This was, indeed, provoking. But we were soldiers, and had +learned that our first and principal duty was prompt and unquestioning +obedience to orders. So we bade good-bye to the other regiments of our +brigade by giving three hearty cheers for each as they marched past us +on their long journey to the West, and immediately turned our faces +southward again and started for Somerset. + +It then being nearly sunset, we bivouacked for the night as soon as we +came to a convenient place, and resumed our backward march at daylight +the next morning. The First Tennessee Battery and a regiment of mounted +infantry soon joined us, and in company with them we reached Somerset, +having gone by the way of Camp Dick Robinson and Hall's Gap, after a +four days' march. In six successive days we had marched one hundred +miles. And what was somewhat remarkable, we went into camp at the end of +this time with not a man left behind. + +After a stay of ten days at Somerset, during which time our base of +supplies was at Stanford, thirty-three miles away, and could only be +reached by our mule teams, we moved down to the Cumberland river, where +we encamped on a high and precipitous bluff overlooking the river and +the rugged mountainous scenery for a long distance. A brief rest and on, +on we went again, bivouacking for a night on the battle-field of Mill +Springs, where General Zollicoffer met his fate; climbing the mountains +with our heavily laden mule teams, building bridges, constructing roads, +and making but slow progress over the roughest country that I ever saw. +Several of my teams were capsized and rolled down a steep embankment, +mules, drivers and all; others got mired in swamps, and it was with the +greatest difficulty that they were ever extricated; but we pulled +ourselves along in one way and another over a distance of thirty miles +of this sort of country, and finally reached Jamestown (popularly known +as "Jimtown"), on the southern border of Kentucky, on the twenty-third +day of June, which place proved to be the end of our journey southward. + +The Thirty-second Kentucky infantry, called the "thirty two-sters," +Colonel Wolford's famous cavalry regiment, six hundred strong,--the most +dare-devil set of fellows, probably, in the Union service,--together +with two mounted regiments of infantry, here reported to Colonel Browne +and were temporarily placed under his command, and everything made ready +for a brush with the rebels, which was daily expected, General Morgan +being reported just in front of us with a large force. On the +twenty-ninth of June our pickets were suddenly attacked and driven in by +the enemy, causing the greatest excitement in camp. The long roll was +instantly sounded; the men rushed to their companies with all possible +speed; the regiment was formed in line of battle at a double-quick by +Lieutenant Colonel Shaw, and all was ready for the fray. Company A, +Captain Alexander, and Company C, Captain Allen, had been previously +stationed about half a mile in front, on a road leading south towards +the Cumberland river, where they had felled trees and erected a sort of +rude barricade called Fort Alexander, in honor of the captain in +command, which position they continued to hold. + +The battery took a position on the Columbus road, on which the enemy was +approaching; the other regiments were just in the rear, while Wolford's +cavalry went forward on a keen run, their famous commander being at +least a hundred yards in front of his men when he passed our regiment, +presenting, in connection with his headlong followers, a scene of the +wildest excitement. He speedily came in contact with the enemy,--whose +particular object at this time was the capture of our battery,--drove +them back without bringing on a general engagement, captured a score or +more of prisoners, and so thoroughly routed and scattered the enemy by +his bold and vigorous dash, that they made no further attempt to dispute +the possession of this antiquated town with our forces until the morning +of the fourth of July following. + +Our quartermaster's train, however, was attacked two days later, on its +way from Green river, whither it had been for supplies, by a guerrilla +band of about fifty men; but as the train was guarded by a company of +mounted infantry from the Seventh Ohio, the attack was repulsed after a +vigorous contest, with some loss on both sides, and our provisions and +quartermaster arrived in camp unharmed the next day, to the great joy of +the regiment, who were nearly out of supplies. + +On the third of July a battle was fought near Lebanon, which was a short +distance to the north of us, between a portion of General Carter's +forces and those under General Morgan, in which quite a number were +killed and several wounded. + +We commenced the celebration of the glorious Fourth by forming in line +of battle with alacrity at half-past three A. M., our pickets +having been again driven in, and the rebels seeming determined to have a +bout with us before we left Kentucky. And I think our men would as soon +have fought as not on this occasion, being tired of the constant +annoyance, and ready to prove to Kentucky bushwhackers what kind of +stuff they were made of. But, fortunately for both sides doubtless, the +rebels remained outside of "Jimtown," and our forces remained inside, +resting on their arms all day, and momentarily expecting an attack, +which, however, was not made. And on the fifth of July, General Carter, +deciding doubtless that this part of the State was not worth fighting +for any longer, abandoned it to the enemy and moved his forces +northward; first to Somerset, and then to Stanford, our base of +supplies, which he continued to hold. Somerset was again reached after +three days of the most difficult marching we had ever experienced, a +heavy rain storm being in progress most of the time, rendering the +movement of the artillery and heavy-laden army wagons well nigh +impossible. With ten mules on one team, and two industrious swearers to +drive them, I was only able to make a distance of two rods through the +mire in the space of one whole hour, on one occasion during the first +day of this march, which, by the way, was on Sunday. + +Of course the army could move no faster than the wagon train on this +march, as the rebels were immediately in our rear, ready to pounce upon +us if a good opportunity was offered. + +Eight days of continuous marching, most of the time over the same route +we had travelled twice, and some of it three times before, and we were +again at Nicholasville, where our regiment took the cars for Cincinnati +by the way of Lexington. Our term of service had expired, but at the +request of our greatly beloved General Burnside, we remained at +Cincinnati for a week to assist in protecting that much frightened city +from the raids of the somewhat ubiquitous General Morgan, who had +preceded us from "Jimtown" to that more populous and inviting +community. Another journey of a thousand miles--not, however, on +foot--and the Twelfth Regiment was again at home. + + + + +MEMORIAL OF GEORGE H. BROWNE, + +[Late Colonel of the Twelfth Regiment.] + + +Colonel George H. Browne departed this life at Providence on the +twenty-seventh day of September, A. D. 1885, in the sixty-eighth year of +his age, sincerely lamented by all who knew him. He was a Rhode Islander +by birth and education; thoroughly imbued with the history and +traditions of the State, and always identified himself with its best +interests. Conservative, candid and outspoken, and an excellent judge of +human nature, he was not easily deceived or led to do an unwise or even +an injudicious act. To say that he was a wise, prudent and thoroughly +conscientious man, is but to voice the common sentiment of all those who +knew him. + +Since September of 1862, I have known Colonel Browne well, and been +honored by his constant friendship. During the period of his service in +the army, my duties brought me in almost daily contact with him; I was +one of his mess during our Kentucky campaign, and had the opportunity to +study his character and habits with deliberation; while since the war I +have known him in the walks of private, professional and political life. +And for stalwart manliness, transparent honesty and true nobility of +character, I can unhesitatingly say that I have not known his superior. + +As the commanding officer of the Twelfth Regiment, he at once inspired +both the confidence and love of his men. His utmost energies were +continually put forth for the efficiency and usefulness of his command, +while his efforts for the personal welfare of each individual member +thereof were proverbial. Indeed, in the latter respect he seemed more +like a kind father watching over the welfare of his children, than a +cold military commander issuing the stern edicts of war. It was his +daily habit to go about the camp and personally inspect the same, +frequently making his appearance in the tents and huts of the privates +as well as in the quarters of the officers, for the purpose of +ascertaining their condition as to cleanliness and comfort; inquiring +after the wants of the men; visiting the hospital and speaking words of +hope and good cheer to those who were sick, and in many other ways +seeking to minister to the welfare of his command. A single instance of +his unselfish devotion to the good of his men illustrates this +characteristic. + +On Sunday, May 3, 1863, his regiment marched from Richmond, Kentucky, to +Paint Lick Creek, a distance of twelve miles, through a drenching rain. +Many of the men had become foot-sore or otherwise disabled by reason of +the great amount of marching they had recently done, and some of these +became unable to complete the journey; whereupon, Colonel Browne, +Lieutenant Colonel Shaw, and other field officers, gave up their horses +to the use of these disabled ones, and themselves tramped with the men +through the mud and rain for a good part of this distance. + +Colonel Browne was a brave man. He faced the guns of the enemy at +Fredericksburg where the battle waxed hottest, with as much apparent +coolness as though simply facing his regiment on dress parade. A ball +pierced his mantle; "the noise of battle hurtled in the air," and +death-dealing missiles were flying thick about him, but he neither +wavered nor blanched. Wherever his regiment was ordered to go, thither +he promptly went in front of it, inspiring his followers with courage +both by his genuine heroism and his manly words of cheer. + +His bravery, however, was not of the ostentatious or noisy sort. It was +more like the current of a still but deep-flowing river, which moves +calmly but steadily onward, irresistibly drawing to itself, and +unconsciously controlling all the lesser streams about it. He never +paraded his virtues before his fellow-men, or posed as a hero or +statesman for public applause. Indeed, he utterly scorned all attempts +made by others for the sake of notoriety and position as vulgar and +unworthy. He admired, however, and honestly won, the fame which follows +generous and noble deeds, and not that which is sought after by the +demagogue and the charlatan. He was notably considerate and courteous in +his treatment of his subordinates in office, never seeming to command, +while in fact exercising the most perfect control. + +Colonel Browne retained an abiding interest in the men of his regiment +to the day of his death. His greetings to them on the street, in the +marts of trade, and especially at their annual reunions, were always +warm and hearty. A single incident will serve to illustrate his interest +in their welfare. Meeting me one day last winter on Westminster street, +he said: "Judge, _I've got some good news to tell you_," and invited me +to step into a bookstore which he was then passing while he should +reveal it. "Do you remember Sergeant ----, of Company ----?" said he, his +face all aglow with that expression of happiness which was peculiar to +him. "Yes, Colonel, I do; what about him?" "Why, he's been out West, and +by diligence and skill in a profitable business which he there engaged +in, first as clerk and subsequently as one of the firm, and now as the +manager thereof, has actually made his fortune, and is to-day a rich and +highly respected man. And he came to see me the other day and told me +all about it." And then with much enthusiasm and honest pride in his +manner, said: "_Isn't that good news from one of our boys?_" Had this +sergeant been his own son, he could hardly have manifested more joy in +his prosperity. + +His private benefactions to several of his men who had long been in +indigent circumstances, are known and remembered by Him who said: +"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, +ye have done it unto me." + +There was no circumlocution or ambiguity in Colonel Browne's methods. +Whatever he had to do, he went about in a direct and business-like way, +and prosecuted it to completion in the same straightforward manner. He +had none of the arts or tricks of the demagogue, and was utterly +incapable of double-dealing or hypocrisy. And no man whom I have ever +known, more thoroughly detested these base qualities in others. He had +no patience with shams or subterfuges of any sort whatsoever, and did +not hesitate to frown upon them with indignation whenever and wherever +they appeared. If diplomacy has been correctly defined as being the art +of concealing one's thoughts in his language, he never would have made +a successful diplomat; for he always said just what he meant, and always +meant just what he said. + +Colonel Browne's abilities, both natural and acquired, were of a high +order. He had a broad, vigorous and well-balanced mind, which had been +thoroughly trained and disciplined to habits of logical and exact +reasoning, and a power of analysis which led him to correct conclusions +with almost mathematical certainty. He was not a superficial thinker, +but always insisted on laying bare the very roots of the matter under +consideration, and then gradually working upwards to natural and +legitimate conclusions. His processes of reasoning were inductive rather +than dogmatic. With such a mind, so constituted and developed, he was +eminently fitted for positions of trust and responsibility, whether +private or public, which foot the citizens both of his native town and +State were not slow to learn and appreciate. + +As a legislator he was diligent, prudent and conservative, possessing +the courage of his convictions, always exerting a large and salutary +influence by his candor, integrity and good judgment, and readily won +the confidence and esteem of his associates. Public office was with him +a public trust, to be administered with strictest fidelity and care. + +In his chosen profession, in which the strength of his vigorous manhood +was spent, he attained eminence and preferment, being a recognized +leader of the bar of this State for many years before his death. A safe +and able counsellor, an ingenuous and convincing advocate and an +honorable opponent, he brought to the practice of his profession those +qualities which insure success. Quibbles and quirks and barren +technicalities were an abomination to him as a foundation upon which to +base an action or a defense. Like Solon, "who built his commonweal on +equity's wide base," so he built his legal structures on the broad +principles of justice, truth and right. + +In 1874 he was elected to the high and honorable office of Chief Justice +of the Supreme Court of this State by a legislature composed mainly of +his political opponents, a monumental tribute to his integrity, learning +and ability. He declined the office, however, and remained in the +profession which he had dignified and honored to the day of his death. + +As a private citizen he was a man of unimpeachable character, generous +impulses, and high and noble purposes. His life was pure and +unostentatious, and his manner frank and undisguised. Let us ever +cherish his memory, and strive to emulate his virtues. + + + +-----------------------------------------------+ + | Transcriber's Note: | + | | + | Typographical errors corrected in the text: | + | | + | Page 33 Kentuckey changed to Kentucky | + | Page 34 guerilla changed to guerrilla | + +-----------------------------------------------+ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Reminiscences of service with the +Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, and a memorial of Col. George H. Browne, by Pardon E. 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