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diff --git a/old/50687-0.txt b/old/50687-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 1160c49..0000000 --- a/old/50687-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,15666 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of the Twenty-ninth Regiment of -Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, by Willam H. Osborne - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: The History of the Twenty-ninth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry - in the Late War of the Rebellion - -Author: Willam H. Osborne - -Release Date: December 14, 2015 [EBook #50687] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT *** - - - - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - THE - - HISTORY - - OF THE - - TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT - - OF - - MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, - - IN - - THE LATE WAR OF THE REBELLION. - - BY - WILLIAM H. OSBORNE, - A MEMBER OF THE REGIMENT. - - BOSTON: - ALBERT J. WRIGHT, PRINTER, 79 MILK STREET. - (CORNER OF FEDERAL.) - - 1877. - - - - - Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by - - WILLIAM H. OSBORNE, - - In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -At the outset, I desire to thank all who have rendered me any -assistance in connection with this work. To His Excellency, Governor -Rice, I am indebted for a very liberal subscription and many words -of encouragement; to my friend and townsman, Honorable Benjamin W. -Harris, for copies of orders from the War Department; to General James -A. Cunningham, Adjutant-General of Massachusetts, for facilitating -my investigations of his records, and granting me unusual privileges -in his office; to Major S. B. Phinney of Barnstable and Honorable -William T. Davis of Plymouth, for loan of papers, and reports of their -towns; to Mr. Charles H. Edson and Millard E. Brown, Esq., of East -Bridgewater, for assistance in copying numerous papers; to my comrades, -General Joseph H. Barnes, Colonels Thomas William Clarke, Henry R. -Sibley, and Willard D. Tripp, Majors Charles T. Richardson and Samuel -H. Doten, Captains William D. Chamberlain, Jonas K. Tyler, and James H. -Osgood, Lieutenants Thomas Conant, J. O’Neil, and John Lucas, Sergeants -Samuel C. Wright, John H. Hancock, and Walter A. Kezar, and Samuel -Wells Hunt and Preston Hooper, for indispensable aid in preparing rolls -and imparting valuable information. - -In the course of my researches, I have freely consulted the diaries -and letters of several of my brother soldiers, the records of the -Adjutant-General of Massachusetts, the excellent reports of the -Committee of Congress “On the Conduct of the War,” several works of -Southern authors, the “History of the Civil War in America,” by the -Count of Paris, a large number of pamphlets, newspapers (Northern and -Southern), beside many other publications, collecting, in the course of -the seven years in which I have been engaged in this self-imposed task, -a very large and varied assortment of the literature of the war. - -Where radically different versions of the same event have been -given me, I have generally adopted that of the officer who had the -responsible command at the time, or of the soldier whose relations -to the event were such as to afford him the best means of accurate -knowledge. In other cases, I have used my own judgment in the premises, -adopting or discarding the version that seemed to me most in harmony or -at variance with the truth. - -Knowing the sensitive nature of most soldiers, and not wishing to -excite new or revive old jealousies, I at first resolved to avoid the -bestowal of praise upon any one connected with the regiment. But I -soon found that this plan was as difficult of execution as it would -be unjust in its operation. I therefore abandoned it, and I desire it -to be distinctly understood that I assume the entire responsibility -for all I have said in the following pages, commendatory or otherwise, -of any person, having had no motives of favoritism or feelings of -prejudice, that I am aware of. My position in the regiment being that -of a mere private soldier, rendered me naturally neutral, especially -toward the officers; what I have said in praise of them, therefore, I -have said from a sense of justice alone. - -One of the most difficult parts of my task has been that of preparing -the rolls of the regiment; and I am compelled to admit, much to my -sorrow, that here I have failed to overcome certain difficulties that -existed from the first, and which must increase in magnitude with every -passing year. After the most careful investigation, I have not, in most -instances, been able to give more than the name of and the highest rank -attained by each soldier. My failure to accomplish more than this, is -owing to the imperfect condition of our rolls at the War Department, -and the impossibility of holding personal conferences or having -communication with many of the living members. - -In attempting even what I have indicated, it is possible that I have -made errors; but if these be not more serious than mistakes about rank -or the right spelling of a name, I shall be grateful, for I have had -fears that, after all, the names of a few who served faithfully in the -regiment have been omitted altogether. On the other hand, it is more -than probable that the names of soldiers appear upon our rolls who -deserted, or who never joined the regiment for service. I concluded, -however, not to drop the name of any man from the rolls that had ever -been properly put there, and to give no lists of deserters, for the -reason that some so reported upon our official rolls were not deserving -of such a record, and that others who did desert had previously been -most excellent soldiers; and believing that they themselves must regret -having yielded to this temptation, often pressing, I have no desire to -add to their shame or their sorrow by anything which I might say. - -Of the general plan of this work, but little need be said. I have made -no attempts at word-painting or fine writing, have endeavored to give -as many pertinent anecdotes as space would permit, and tell the story -of the regiment in a simple, straightforward way. - -The liberal space given in the first part of the volume to the actions -of cities and towns and private individuals in connection with the -formation of the several companies, I regard as justifiable, on the -ground of the unquestionable historical value of such facts. If, -however, I have devoted more space to one city or town than another, -or to one company than another, it is because I had in the one case -more material to select from, and because some comrades have taken more -pains than others to furnish me facts in regard to the organization of -their companies. - -Several of my comrades to whom I appealed for aid seven years ago, -when I sent out a circular letter announcing my intention to write the -regimental history, comprehended better than myself the magnitude of -the undertaking, and consequently had but little faith in its final -success. That they were slow at first to respond to my request for -assistance, and were reluctant to confide to me their journals and -letters,--to them precious mementos of the war,--I do not now marvel. -Two years later, however, I convinced them of my well-settled purpose -to perform faithfully this work, and from that day to this they -have seconded all my efforts in a manner that causes me to feel very -grateful. - -If I have succeeded in writing a truthful history of the old -regiment,--one that will be treasured by my brothers in arms and -valuable to the future historian,--I shall feel rewarded for all the -many hours of labor that I have bestowed upon it. - - W. H. O. - - EAST BRIDGEWATER, MASS., } - August 4, 1877. } - - - - -HISTORY. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - PRELIMINARY REMARKS--EARLY WAR ACTION IN - MASSACHUSETTS--BIRTH OF THE REGIMENT, AND HOW IT CHANCED TO BE - DESIGNATED THE TWENTY-NINTH. - - -The Twenty-ninth Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteers had its -origin in some of the earliest war actions of the people of this -patriotic Commonwealth, though its numerical designation would seem to -suggest a state of facts quite the contrary. - -The citizen who finds the name of his ancestor on the “Lexington -Alarm List” of the 19th of April, 1775, considers himself richer than -before in all that constitutes a proud family record, and feels that -an honor has been conferred upon him by reason of this early and -honorable military service of his progenitor. In a war waged for the -defence of the Republic established by the toils and sufferings of our -revolutionary fathers, at Lexington and on later fields, it is an honor -not to be lightly esteemed to have one’s name recorded and borne upon -the roll of those who were the first to enlist in a cause so worthy. - -This honor belongs in a peculiar sense to those volunteer soldiers -who composed the seven companies that formed the nucleus of the -Twenty-ninth Regiment; for they were not only among the first to -enlist, but were the first in Massachusetts and all New England to be -mustered into the service of the United States for a term of three -years.[1] - -As the history of the regiment, therefore, begins with the beginning of -hostilities, we must preface our account of its organization with some -pertinent remarks concerning the earliest efforts to raise troops in -Massachusetts. - -The first official act relating to the war was the somewhat famous -General Order, No. 4, by direction of the Governor, dated January 16, -1861, requiring the Adjutant-General to ascertain with accuracy the -number of the officers and men of the volunteer militia who would -instantly respond to any call of the President of the United States -for troops. On the 23d of January, 1861, the Legislature passed a -Resolve, tendering the aid of the Commonwealth to the President of the -United States, in enforcing the laws and preserving the Union. On the -15th of February, an Act was approved, providing for the retention in -the service of all volunteer militia companies then existing, and for -the organization, “as the public exigency may require,” of additional -companies of cavalry, artillery, and infantry, the same to be formed, -on petition to the Commander-in-Chief, by the mayor and aldermen or -selectmen of cities and towns. The first appropriation which seems to -have been made for war purposes was by an Act, approved April 3, 1861, -the text of which we here give because of its importance:-- - - “_Resolved_, That the Adjutant and Acting Quartermaster-General - be, and he is hereby authorized, under the direction of - the Governor and Council, to provide, either by contract - or otherwise, a sufficient number of overcoats, blankets, - knapsacks, haversacks, and other articles of equipment, camp - utensils, and trenching tools, as may be required to equip two - thousand troops for active service; and a sum not exceeding - twenty-five thousand dollars is hereby appropriated for that - purpose.” - - [_Chap. 67, Acts of 1861._ - -Other Acts were passed subsequently to these already named, though -not so directly pertinent, but all having the same object; namely, -the preparing of the militia for active service, and providing the -means of carrying on the war, then so soon expected to burst upon the -country. Of these several Resolves, none are perhaps more noticeable -for the strong spirit of patriotism that pervades them, than those of -May 21 and May 23, 1861. The first was an Act entitled “An Act in -addition to an Act to provide for the maintenance of the Union and the -Constitution,” and is preceded by the following preamble:-- - - “_Whereas_, The people of Massachusetts regard with like - feelings of loyalty and affection the Government of the United - States and that of their own Commonwealth, and deem it fit that - the arms of each should be strengthened by all which the other - can give; - - “_And whereas_, Some emergency may arise, during the recess - of the Legislature, in which the aid of Massachusetts may - be of service to the General Government in its financial - arrangements; therefore, _Be it enacted_,” etc. - -By this remarkably patriotic Resolve, the Governor, with the advice of -the Council, was authorized to issue scrip, or certificates of debt, -in the name of the Commonwealth, for such sums, not exceeding seven -millions of dollars, as he, with the advice of the Council, might deem -needful. The scrip so issued was to be sold, and the proceeds loaned to -the United States Government, or expended in purchasing its treasury -notes, or “delivered to the Secretary of the Treasury of the United -States, in exchange for obligations of the United States Government, of -corresponding amount.” - -The second Resolve referred to was entitled “An Act in aid of the -families of volunteers, and for other purposes,” by which cities and -towns were permitted to raise money by taxation, and apply the same -in aid of the wife and children of any of their inhabitants who, as -a member of the volunteer militia, enlisted into the service of the -United States. By the same Act, it was provided that the State should -reimburse towns and cities for all aid furnished in pursuance of this -law, to an extent limited therein; and by section four of the Act, any -city or town was authorized “to organize an armed police or guard,” -whenever danger from an attack by sea was apprehended.[2] - -For nearly three months before the first act of hostilities, the -militia of the Commonwealth were busily engaged in drilling in their -several armories; almost nightly, throughout the long, memorable winter -of 1861, the patriotic soldiers of the State assembled and received -from their instructors, lessons in the manual of arms and other -military matters, and prepared themselves as best they could to answer -the first summons to the field. - -Finally, as the winter waned, and the signs of war began to thicken, -these citizen-soldiers became clamorous for active service, and on the -13th of April, the Adjutant-General addressed a letter to the Secretary -of War, asking permission to garrison forts Warren and Independence, -in Boston Harbor, with two regiments of the militia. “I believe,” said -the Adjutant-General, “that our troops would like to do garrison duty -until called upon by the President for active service. The regiments -might alternate every four or six weeks, and thus they would learn much -that would be of service to them, and hold the forts against attack -or surprise.”[3] In this letter, it was stated that we then had five -thousand infantry, properly officered, armed, and equipped, though -only three thousand of them were armed with rifled muskets, the others -having “the old smooth-bores,” that had “been changed from flint-lock -to the percussion.” - -The desire of the volunteers to enter upon active service was soon -gratified. On the 15th of April, only two days after the date of this -letter, a telegram was received from Senator Wilson at Washington, -requesting twenty companies to be sent to Washington to act in the -defence of that city. This was followed on the same day by a formal -demand by telegraph from the Secretary of War, calling for two full -regiments of militia. This demand was at once complied with, for, -on the same day, Special Order No. 14 was issued by the Governor, -“directing Colonel Jones of the Sixth Regiment, Colonel Packard of the -Fourth, Colonel Wardrop of the Third, and Colonel Munroe of the Eighth, -to muster their respective commands on the Boston Common forthwith.” -The order was transmitted by mail and special messengers to the various -colonels, who severally resided at Lowell, Quincy, New Bedford, and -Lynn. The companies composing these regiments were scattered throughout -the cities and towns of the counties of Essex, Plymouth, Bristol, -Norfolk, and Middlesex. But during the day and following night, nearly -every man was notified, and on the morning of the 16th the regiments -arrived in Boston. The Third and Fourth regiments were ordered to -proceed “forthwith” to Fortress Monroe, Va., while the Sixth and -Eighth were sent to Washington. The Fourth left Boston on the 17th of -April, and the Third on the following day, the two regiments arriving -at Fortress Monroe on the 20th of April, and becoming a part of the -garrison at that post. Neither of the last two commands contained the -maximum number of men; the Third Regiment having, both officers and -enlisted men, only 450, while the Fourth, somewhat stronger, numbered -636. - -It appears from the Report of the Adjutant-General of 1861, that from -the 13th of April to the 20th of May,--the former being the date of the -attack on Fort Sumter,--one hundred and fifty-nine applications for -leave to raise companies were granted. These applications were not in -every instance made in pursuance of the Act of February 15, 1861 (Chap. -49), but were often, and perhaps in the majority of instances, made -by private individuals and the persons who desired to enlist. We have -before us a copy of one of these rolls, the agreement of enlistment -being as follows:-- - - “We, whose names are hereunto affixed, do severally consent, - and, by our signatures hereunto made, do agree to be - enrolled into a company of volunteer militia, to be raised - in the town of ---- and vicinity, subject to orders of the - Commander-in-Chief; and we do hereby agree to serve for the - period of five years, unless sooner discharged agreeably - to law, and this enlistment we enter into with the full - understanding that we are liable at any moment to be ordered - into active service under the Government of the United States.” - -These enlistment papers were prepared by the Adjutant-General, issued -at his discretion, and accompanying each paper was a copy of General -Order No. 8, dated April 22, 1861, announcing the conditions upon which -enlistments would be received. These were substantially as follows: -That when the requisite number of men to form a full company had -enrolled their names, and the authorities of the cities or towns where -such companies were formed had attested the roll and certified their -approbation of the application, an inspection of the men by a competent -surgeon was to be ordered. - -By this order, it was also announced that the “companies organized in -the vicinity of existing regiments which at the present time have not -ten companies, will be annexed to said regiments until they are full.” - -The laws of the Commonwealth made no provision for the pay or -subsistence of these volunteers until they were ordered by the Governor -into active service, yet this proved no hindrance to the work of -enlistment, which went actively on. To such of these companies as were -likely to be called into active service, arms were issued by the State, -while the uniforms were provided by the local authorities, and in some -instances by private individuals. - -It was under the circumstances which we have just narrated, and at this -time, that the seven original companies of the Twenty-ninth Regiment -were formed. - -The company commanded by Captain Chamberlain, raised in Lynn, was -gathered as early as April 18; the companies commanded by Captains -Tyler (afterward Wilson) and Clarke, raised in Boston, were recruited -April 19; the companies commanded by Captains Leach, Chipman, Barnes, -and Doten, raised, respectively, in East Bridgewater, Sandwich, East -Boston, and Plymouth, were all formed about April 20. There was no -concerted action among the officers and persons who recruited these -companies, nor was it understood at the time of their formation that -they were to be united in the service, their subsequent union being one -of the many accidental occurrences of the war. - -The original term of enlistment of these commands was five years in the -State’s service; but before they could be put in preparation to take -the field, the President had concluded not to accept any more militia -troops. - -On the third day of May, the National Executive issued a call for a -force of volunteers, “to serve for a period of three years, unless -sooner discharged.” Nearly every man of these companies at once -enlisted under the new call. - -Governor Andrew concluded to make up the deficiency of men in the Third -and Fourth regiments, then at Fortress Monroe, with these three years’ -troops, and accordingly, on the 10th of May, the companies commanded -by Captains Tyler and Chamberlain were despatched to Fortress Monroe, -where they were assigned to duty with the Third Regiment. - -On the eighteenth day of May, the commands of Captains Leach, Doten, -Barnes, and Chipman were ordered to the same place, where they were -assigned as follows: Captains Doten’s and Chipman’s companies to the -Third, and Captains Leach’s and Barnes’s companies to the Fourth -Regiment. Four days later, the company commanded by Captain Clarke -was ordered to Fortress Monroe, and, upon arrival, was attached to -the Fourth Regiment. These companies served in the Third and Fourth -regiments from the dates of their respective assignments till the -expiration of the three months’ term of the latter commands, when, -on the sixteenth day of July, 1861, they were, by order of General -Butler, commanding the department, organized as the “_Massachusetts -Battalion_,” retaining the latter organization until December 13, 1861, -at which time, upon the addition of three new companies, commanded, -respectively, by Captains Sibley, Richardson, and Tripp, they became -the Twenty-ninth Regiment. - -This delay in forming the battalion into a regiment resulted in -depriving it of the honor of being the First Regiment of Massachusetts -Volunteers; for while it was toiling upon the ramparts of Fortress -Monroe, mounting guns under the withering rays of a July sun, throwing -up earthworks at Newport News, fighting and marching, and thereby -obtaining for the Government a foothold upon the soil of rebellious -Virginia, twenty-eight regiments of infantry had been organized in -Massachusetts and sent to the seat of war. - -By this explanation, it will appear to the general reader how the first -three years’ volunteers of Massachusetts chanced to be designated the -Twenty-ninth Regiment. - -There are many curious and interesting facts connected with the raising -and formation of these companies, which cannot be better given than by -devoting a brief chapter to each. The history of the organization of -these commands forms an important part of the history of Massachusetts -in the earliest days of the war; and while the tracing of that history -may expose to criticism the unmilitary ideas of our people, at the same -time it cannot fail to exhibit, in strong colors, their deep love for -the Union, and their willingness to make the greatest of sacrifices for -its salvation. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - CAPTAIN THOMAS W. CLARKE’S COMPANY, “WIGHTMAN RIFLES.” - [“M” IN THE FOURTH REGIMENT, “RIFLES” OF THE MASSACHUSETTS - BATTALION, AND “A” OF THE TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT.] - - -On the nineteenth day of April, 1861, a day memorable in the history -of the war, Thomas William Clarke, a member of the Suffolk County bar, -threw from an office-window on Washington Street, Boston, near the -corner of State Street, a recruiting flag, and opened a roll for a -company of militia. - -So strong was the war spirit of the people then, that in the course of -that and the succeeding day, Captain Clarke secured a full complement -of men. - -On the 21st of April, there was an election of officers, presided over -by Brig. Gen. W. W. Bullock of the First Brigade of Militia. - -Thomas William Clarke was chosen Captain; John Critcherson, Jr., of -San Francisco, Cal., First Lieutenant; and Joshua Norton, 3d, of -Bridgewater, Second Lieutenant. - -Subsequently, and before the muster of the company into the service -of the United States, Lieutenant Critcherson was discharged, Norton -promoted to First Lieutenant, and John E. White was chosen Second -Lieutenant. - -May the 9th, the company was ordered into the service of the State, and -was paid and rationed by the State from this time till May 21. - -During all this time, and as long as it remained in Massachusetts, the -company had its quarters in a hall in Bowdoin Square, Boston. Here -the men were lodged and fed, and here they held daily drill. It is an -interesting fact, as illustrating how meagre were the preparations for -war even in Massachusetts, that this company of soldiers, though raised -for the public service, was chiefly uniformed by the city of Boston. -This uniform consisted of a gray chasseur tunic trimmed with red, -gray trousers, and three-cornered gray felt hats trimmed with red. The -arms were furnished by the State. A part of these were Harper’s Ferry -rifles, and a part Winsor rifles (all calibre 54), better known as -Mississippi rifles, and were provided with the sabre bayonet. - -These arms were formerly used by and were taken from Major Ben. Perley -Poore’s Battalion, an independent body of militia. - -Beside these arms, the company received from the State, red blankets, -cartridge-boxes, and the somewhat historic gray overcoats. - -While the company was quartered in Boston, the Chauncey Hall School of -that city presented it with the quarterly prize-money of the school, -amounting to about one hundred and twenty-five dollars, which sum was -set apart as a company fund for the benefit of all its members. - -The determination of the Government not to accept any more militia -troops, announced in War Department orders on the 9th of May, produced -a change in the term of enlistment of this company from five years -in the State’s service to three years in the United States service; -and on the 21st of May it was mustered into the service of the United -States, at West Roxbury, by Lieut. T. J. C. Amory of the regular army -(afterwards Colonel of the 17th Mass. Vols.). - -It is a fact worthy of special notice, that after this company had been -enrolled for active service under the United States Government, it was -ordered into the service of the Commonwealth, and from the time it was -so enrolled till the date of its muster (21st), its members were paid -out of the State treasury. - -The day following the muster of the company into the United States -service, it received its long-expected order to leave for the seat of -war. Embarking on the steamer “Pembroke,” together with an independent -company of volunteers from Lowell, under Captain Davis, it sailed for -Fortress Monroe, Va. (May 22). - -Before leaving the State, Captain Clarke filed with the -Adjutant-General a muster and descriptive roll of the company, -and accounted for all the ordnance and clothing received from the -Commonwealth. - -The voyage to Fortress Monroe was by no means devoid of interest. The -steamer, which was armed with two nine-inch guns, cleared for action -several times during the trip, upon view of suspicious-looking crafts, -supposed at the time to be Confederate war-vessels, and on all these -occasions the men were beaten to quarters. - -The “Pembroke” arrived at Fortress Monroe May 26, and on the following -day the company was assigned to duty with the Fourth Regiment of -Massachusetts Militia, and ordered to accompany that regiment to -Newport News. - -Upon joining the Fourth Regiment, the company took the letter “M,” and -was assigned to the left of the regimental line. - -After the return of the Fourth Regiment to Massachusetts, this company -was reported and known as the “Rifles” of the Massachusetts Battalion -at Fortress Monroe. The letter “A” was given it upon the formation of -the Twenty-ninth Regiment, by order of Governor Andrew. - -The commission of Captain Clarke bears date of April 20, 1861; that of -Lieutenant Norton, May 7, 1861; Second Lieutenant White resigned, and -was succeeded by Second Lieutenant George H. Taylor, whose commission -bears date of July 31, 1861. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - CAPTAIN JONAS K. TYLER’S COMPANY, AFTERWARDS COMMANDED - BY CAPTAIN ISRAEL N. WILSON. [“M” IN THE THIRD REGIMENT, “M” - OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BATTALION, AND “B” OF THE TWENTY-NINTH - REGIMENT.] - - -As early as the first of March, 1861, Jonas K. Tyler, Esq., a member -of the Suffolk bar, and who had seen service in the war with Mexico, -offered his services to Governor Andrew in raising a body of troops -to serve either the State or National governments in the impending -war. But in a letter dated March 8, 1861, the Governor declined these -services, on the ground that no call had been made upon the State for -troops, and that he possessed no legal authority to raise troops except -upon an order issued by the President of the United States. - -A month later, when it became apparent that a call would be made for -troops, Captain Tyler readily obtained permission from His Excellency -to raise a company of militia, with the understanding that they were -not to be mustered unless such a call should issue. - -On the 17th of April, a roll was opened by Tyler at his office, and -by the night of the 18th it was filled with the names of young men, -principally residents of Boston. - -On the 19th of April, the company was organized by the choice of Jonas -K. Tyler of Boston, Captain; Samuel A. Bent, First Lieutenant; Albert -Blakeslee, Second Lieutenant; E. Dexter, Third Lieutenant; and Thomas -H. Adams, Fourth Lieutenant. - -As no quarters were provided by the State, the men were lodged in -hotels and boarding-houses, and were drilled daily by a competent -drill-master in the school of the soldier and company evolutions. The -expense attending the organization of the company and quartering the -men was borne by the officers and men, for which they have never been -reimbursed. - -On the 3d of May, the President having made an actual demand upon the -State for troops, the Governor consented to the issue of arms to the -men, and on the following day Captain Tyler obtained a requisition for -a partial supply of underclothing. - -On the 9th of May, Captain Tyler received orders to leave for the -seat of war on the 10th; but at this time not a member of the command -possessed a uniform, and, what was still more embarrassing, the State -had none to furnish. - -How was the outfit to be obtained in so short a time? Happily, Boston -possessed a mayor, the Hon. Joseph M. Wightman, whose whole heart was -enlisted in the cause of the country. In this emergency, Captain Tyler -turned to him for assistance, and the promptness with which that aid -was furnished reflects the greatest credit, not alone upon the Mayor -himself, but upon the city of Boston. - -It was well into the evening when the Captain called upon Mayor -Wightman and made known the wants of his men. The Mayor comprehended -the nature of the situation at once, and in company with Tyler, -immediately commenced the search for clothing. Going upon School -Street, a number of hacks were found in front of the Parker House, -and these were at once secured. The first person called upon was Mrs. -Harrison Gray Otis, who furnished them with a large number of useful -articles not included in the list of military equipments. From thence -the two gentlemen went to the various depots of clothing belonging to -the city, where were obtained a sufficient number of coats, trousers, -shoes, and stockings. These articles were quickly loaded into the hacks -and conveyed to the hall on Washington Street, where the company had -assembled upon its brief notice to march. - -At eight o’clock the next morning, May 10, the command reported at -the State House, ready for service, and were here joined by Capt. -William D. Chamberlain’s company from Lynn. The men of both companies -engaged to serve for three years without hesitation, were inspected -by the Adjutant-General, and ordered to embark at once on the steamer -“Pembroke.” The commissions of both captains bore date of April 19, -but Captain Chamberlain having at one time held the rank of major in -the militia, was given the command of the battalion, and, at the same -time, sealed orders, with instructions not to open the same till the -vessel had passed beyond Boston Light. On the march to Rowe’s Wharf, -where the “Pembroke” was lying, the battalion halted at a place on -Federal Street, and there received the gray overcoats. - -The short notice to march made it impossible for Captain Tyler to warn -all his men, some of whom lived out of the city, and consequently about -twenty were left behind; these, however, afterward joined the company -at Fortress Monroe. - -The “Pembroke” was at this time in the service of the Commonwealth, was -armed with two 42-pounder Dahlgren guns, had a guard of armed seamen, -and flew both the State and National colors. As she passed the forts -in Boston Harbor, she was saluted by them, and the men, being gathered -upon deck, returned the salutes by rounds of cheers. It was not until -the vessel had passed beyond Boston Light that either officers or -soldiers learned their destination. Then the sealed orders were opened, -revealing the fact that they were bound for Fortress Monroe, Va., and -were to be assigned to the Third Regiment. - -There were few events of the trip that were of much moment, though the -voyage under such circumstances was necessarily different from any -which the soldiers (some of whom had been sailors) had ever before -taken. They were going to war,--to the rescue of the nation’s most -important fortress, which was already being besieged by the traitorous -militia of Virginia. - -About midnight of the 12th of May, when, by the judgment of the -officers,--all lights on that part of the coast having been -extinguished,--it was calculated that the steamer was about forty miles -from her destination, suddenly from the south, and directly in her -course, “_shone out what seemed nothing less than the light of a heavy -bombardment. Within a narrower space, as it appeared to us, fierce -flashes broke forth, and from the opposite quarter were as fiercely -answered again_.”[4] That Fortress Monroe was being bombarded, was the -belief of all on board, and the soldiers kept the deck nearly all -night, watching and speculating upon these novel scenes. As the steamer -sped on her way and neared the scene of the apparent battle, hugging -the shore closely, the view increased in splendor, and occasionally -there came wafted over the water the low, hollow sound of a distant -gun. When morning broke, leaden-colored, though wasted, clouds in the -south showed that the soldiers had been watching from a distance a -terrific thunder-storm. A little after sunrise, the form of a frigate -was observed approaching the steamer from seaward, which in the course -of an hour came up and spoke the “Pembroke.” The frigate proved to be -the “Minnesota,” then engaged in cruising off the coast. - -On the 13th of May, the “Pembroke” reached Fortress Monroe, the -battalion entered the fort, and both companies were attached to the -Third Regiment, Captain Tyler’s company receiving the letter “M.” On -the following day, May 14, both commands were mustered into the service -for three years by Lieut. C. C. Churchill, U. S. A. - -Captain Tyler’s company served with the Third Regiment till the term -of the latter expired, and then became a part of the Massachusetts -Battalion, retaining its letter “M” till the formation of the -Twenty-ninth Regiment, when, by order of Governor Andrew, it became a -part of that regiment, and its letter was changed to “B.” - -The number of officers chosen at the time of the organization of the -company was greater by two than that authorized by the laws of the -United States, and the only officers who accompanied the command to -the seat of war were Captain Tyler, First Lieutenant Samuel A. Bent of -Boston, and Second Lieutenant Thomas H. Adams of Boston. Captain Tyler -resigned on account of ill-health, July 18, 1861, and Lieutenant Bent -the same day. Israel N. Wilson of Billerica, who was a First Lieutenant -in Capt. P. A. Davis’s company, was commissioned Captain July 24, 1861, -and succeeded Tyler. On the same day, Ezra Ripley of Cambridge, an -able lawyer, was commissioned First Lieutenant, and assigned to this -company, joining it soon after, and while it was doing duty at the -“Rip-Raps.” - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - CAPTAIN LEBBEUS LEACH’S COMPANY. [“L” IN THE FOURTH - REGIMENT, “L” OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BATTALION, AND “C” OF THE - TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT.] - - -This company, raised almost wholly in East Bridgewater, Plymouth -County, was the direct outgrowth of a series of war meetings, the first -of which was held April 20, 1861, the day after the Baltimore affair. -At this meeting there was a very large attendance of the citizens of -the town, who, after listening to several stirring speeches, adopted a -resolution for the formation of a company of volunteers; an informal -roll was prepared, and received the signatures of thirty-eight young -men. - -A second mass meeting was held on the evening of the 24th of April, -and, like the first, was largely attended and enthusiastic, resulting -in thirty-one additional enlistments. - -In the meantime, a legal meeting of the voters of the town had been -called for the afternoon of the 27th of April, to take formal action -concerning the impending war, for at that time every town and city in -the Commonwealth made the cause of the General Government its own, -imitating the practice of the colonists in the days of the Revolution, -by raising troops and providing for their equipment and payment. - -There was never a more thoughtful or solemn assemblage than this -meeting; party lines had been wiped away by the bloody events of the -19th of April; the political differences of the late campaign seemed by -common consent to have been buried and forgotten, and every voter felt -that a part of the responsibility of saving the then disrupted Union -rested upon him. In this meeting, it was unanimously resolved, “That -this town will raise what money is necessary to uniform a volunteer -company, and to properly provide for the family of each member.” The -sum of $4,000 was appropriated, and it was voted to pay each volunteer -of the proposed company $10 each month while in active service, it -being supposed at the time that the soldiers were to serve a term of -three months.[5] - -There were but few citizens of the town who possessed even the -slightest knowledge of military matters, and these were mostly old men -who had served in the war of 1812, or had trained at old-fashioned -musters. At a time like this, they were naturally looked to for advice; -but they had little to give, for their experience as soldiers had been -a bloodless one. Wisely estimating, however, the importance of their -new position, they furbished up all their well-worn yarns of camp-life -at the “Gurnet” and “South Boston Flats,” and told them over again with -scarcely enough of exaggeration to make them interesting. - -The majority of these old worthies had forgotten the most of their -drill, and had they remembered it, it would have been of little value -to the volunteers of 1861, for the tactics of Steuben had been replaced -by those of the gallant old Scott. - -The volunteers were compelled, therefore, to depend upon themselves, -and in order to prepare as much as possible for active service, held -nightly drill-meetings at the town-house, using muskets that had been -procured from the State Arsenal. - -The company had not been accepted by the State as a part of the -militia, and the selectmen of the town for a while were compelled -to act as quartermasters-general and commanders-in-chief. As -quartermasters, they provided the uniform under the vote of the town, -and fixed upon its style, which was very odd, being a sort of cross -between the dress of an artilleryman and a common sailor, but not -having the comforts or beauty of either. This uniform consisted of -gray hip trousers trimmed with red, a blue shirt with a rolling collar -ornamented with red braid, and a gray fatigue-cap; shoes, stockings, -and underclothing were also furnished, while the patriotic women of -the town provided each soldier with a neatly-arranged case of thread, -needles, yarn, pins, towels, and other articles of use. - -On the first day of May, a meeting of the company was held for the -election of commissioned officers (in the building now occupied by the -Catholics as a church), presided over by Captain William C. Lovering of -the State militia. - -At this meeting, Thomas Bates was elected Captain;[6] Nathan D. -Whitman, First Lieutenant; Josiah E. Richmond, Second Lieutenant; -Elisha S. Holbrook, Third Lieutenant; and Lucius D. Burbeck, Fourth -Lieutenant. - -Eight days after this, Captain Bates received an order from the -Adjutant-General of Massachusetts, directing him to proceed to Boston -with his company on the following morning. The news that the company -had been ordered away spread over the town in the course of a few -hours, so that when it took up its march for the depot on the morning -of the 9th, nearly the entire population gathered to witness this novel -sight, for the like had not been seen in the old town since the year -1814, a period of nearly fifty years. - -The ardor of the volunteers was destined to encounter a severe check. -Arriving in Boston, they were met by Colonel Horace Binney Sargent of -the Governor’s staff, who ordered them to repair to the hall in the -depot-building of the Old Colony Railroad Company, where was assembled -Captain Chipman’s company from Sandwich. Here the men of both commands -were addressed by Colonel Sargent, who told them that the Governor had -received instructions from the War Department that no more militia -troops would be accepted by the United States Government, and that -unless they were prepared to re-enlist for the term of _three years_, -they must give up their arms and go home. - -There was no doubt about the patriotic intentions of these men; but -many of them had families, and none had made, before leaving their -homes, suitable preparations for so long a period of absence, and -accordingly both companies voted not to enlist at that time for the -long term of three years. - -This action made it necessary for them to endure the humiliation of -returning home, from whence they had marched in pride only a few hours -before, where they had been wept over by the kind-hearted women, and -hundreds of their neighbors had bidden them affectionate adieus. - -But to return disarmed was to their minds a great disgrace, and not -being willing to endure it, the volunteers from East Bridgewater -appealed to their stanch friend, Hon. Benjamin W. Harris, who had -accompanied them to Boston, to interpose his influence to obtain a -reversal of the latter order. - -This was accomplished, and when the time arrived to take the returning -train, each man seized his musket, and one of them took two, as a -partial offset to what he considered unfair treatment toward him and -his comrades; and, to the great amusement of those who were present, -the indignant volunteer, who was of gigantic stature, stalked sullenly -through the hall, down several flights of stairs, along the platform -to the cars, grasping the muzzle of a gun in each hand and dragging -the pieces after him, his face plainly indicating extreme rage and a -feeling of bitter disappointment. - -In the course of a few days after the return of the company to East -Bridgewater, a reorganization of it was effected upon the basis of -three years’ service. - -On Sunday, May 12, the company attended, in uniform, divine service, at -the Unitarian Church, where a sermon was preached by the Rev. Timothy -O. Paine, from the text: “He loveth our nation, and he built us a -synagogue.” Luke vii. 5.[7] - -May 14, the company held a second meeting for the election of -officers, and chose Lebbeus Leach of Boston for Captain, reaffirmed -their choice of Nathan D. Whitman as First Lieutenant, and elected -Elisha S. Holbrook as Second Lieutenant. Captain Leach was born in -Bridgewater, and belonged to one of the oldest families of the ancient -township, being a lineal descendant of Giles Leach of Weymouth, who -settled in the West Precinct as early as 1665; and one of his paternal -ancestors lost his life in the French and Indian war. Captain Leach -was fifty-nine years old at the time of his election, and had seen some -service in the militia. - -Lieutenant Whitman was likewise of a very old and respectable Colonial -family, from whence have sprung a long line of able and distinguished -men. His first ancestor in this country was John Whitman of Weymouth, -the first military officer of that town, and his ancestor Thomas (son -of John) came to East Bridgewater in 1662. - -Lieutenant Holbrook was a native of Braintree, Mass., had resided -several years in East Bridgewater, and was very active in the formation -of the company. - -A large majority of the members of the company were also natives of -Plymouth County, whose ancestors were among the early or first settlers -of the Old Colony. We speak of these things, not from a feeling of -boastfulness, but to show to the reader how purely American was this -command, and how directly allied with the history and traditions of the -ancient colony were these volunteers. - -On the afternoon of the 17th of May, the company received orders -to proceed to Boston on the day following. Night messengers were -despatched to all parts of the town and adjoining towns where the -members resided, and at an early hour the next morning every man -reported for duty at the town-house. - -Though it was barely six o’clock in the morning when the company -reached the flagstaff (then standing in front of J. Folsom’s house), -from which the Stars and Stripes were flying, and where they were -addressed by Mr. Harris, yet a large majority of the inhabitants of -the town had assembled there; and so intense was the war spirit that -pervaded the community, that many of the male spectators freely offered -the volunteers considerable sums of money for their chance to serve as -soldiers. - -Upon reaching Boston, the company proceeded to Faneuil Hall, where the -members signed a formal enlistment-roll for a term of three years’ -service; from Faneuil Hall, they marched to the State House, receiving -here canteens, haversacks, and other equipments; and here, also, they -met Governor Andrew, who seemed to take a deep personal interest in -each one of them. - -Dinner had been prepared for the company at the Hancock House, Court -Square, at the expense of the town of East Bridgewater, under the -direction of Mr. George Bryant and Hon. B. W. Harris, both of whom were -present and dined with the soldiers at two o’clock in the afternoon. At -the conclusion of the dinner, the company marched to Federal Street, -where each man received a knapsack, one of the gray overcoats, a rubber -and woollen blanket, tin cup, plate, spoon, knife, and fork; and when -these articles had been distributed, marched to Commercial Wharf, where -it went on board the “Cambridge,” a screw steamer, then in the service -of the State. This was about four o’clock in the afternoon; and here -assembled Captain Barnes’s company of East Boston, Captain Doten’s -company from Plymouth, Captain Chipman’s company from Sandwich, and a -body of recruits for the Fourth Regiment,--all to take passage in the -same steamer for Fortress Monroe, Va. - -At about five o’clock, the steamer hauled out of the dock and passed -down the harbor, receiving and returning a salute from Fort Warren. -By the time Provincetown was reached, it was quite dark, and the air -becoming cold, the soldiers sought shelter below, where they passed the -night in much discomfort; for crowded between-decks were nearly five -hundred men, and with no adequate means of ventilation, the air soon -became overheated and foul. - -Sunday the 19th of May was very fine; but as the sun went down, -threatening clouds gathered in the east. Soon after dark, the storm -burst upon the vessel, then off the coast of Delaware, with great fury. -She was ill-adapted to ocean navigation, and being heavily loaded, -labored greatly with the sea. Before the storm began, the men had been -singing, telling funny stories, and bandying jokes; but a few rolling -motions of the steamer made the large majority of them less mirthful, -and gulps and groans were heard in every quarter of the dark apartment. - -The steamer was armed with two heavy guns, mounted between-decks. At -about midnight, one of these pieces broke away from its fastening -and began plunging against the side of the vessel. Every soldier not -utterly prostrated by sea-sickness sprang to his feet, manned the -gun-ropes, and by hard work brought the gun into position and secured -it;--not a moment too soon, for perhaps another blow against the side -would have made a ragged hole, through which the merciless sea would -have rushed unchecked, engulfing boat and passengers. - -The storm continued till the noon of the 21st, during which time the -steamer had passed south of the entrance to Chesapeake Bay and reached -a point in dangerous proximity to the sunken reefs off Hatteras Inlet, -on the coast of North Carolina. The “Quaker City,” a United States -steamer cruising in that vicinity, hailed the “Cambridge,” just in -season, it is confidently believed, to save her from being stranded -upon the then inhospitable coast of that region. - -Fortress Monroe was reached about noon of the 21st, and with but slight -delay the volunteers were landed, those not wholly disabled by the -voyage bounding ashore with the glee of escaped prisoners. When the -men left their homes, the grass there had scarcely put off its seared -and gray coating of winter; here nature had all the vernal appearance -of mid-summer, the trees were in full leaf, and the air laden with the -rich perfume of roses that bloomed about the officers’ quarters in the -fort and the many attractive residences outside the walls. Captain -Leach’s company and the East Boston men were assigned camping-ground in -the midst of a group of beautiful live-oaks, in the southerly part of -the fortress, and were furnished new and commodious tents and a liberal -supply of clean fresh straw. - -On the day after the arrival, May 22, the company was examined by the -Surgeon of the Post, and Privates Francis C. Bryant, Oliver H. Wade, -Henry B. Rogers, Edmund Reed, and R. H. Quinley were rejected; the -others being sworn into the service for three years, and the company -assigned to duty with the Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Militia. - -The arms of the men, which had been furnished by the State, were old -smooth-bores, altered from flint-lock to percussion; but no ammunition -was supplied by the State, nor was any issued to them by the United -States Government till late in the summer of 1861. - -This chapter being designed to trace the history of the company -from its organization to its entrance into the service, it is -only necessary to add, that it took the letter “L” in the Fourth -Regiment, served in it till July 16, 1861, then became a part of the -Massachusetts Battalion (still retaining the letter “L”), and on the -13th of December, 1861, of the Twenty-ninth Regiment, in which it was -designated as “C” company. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - CAPTAIN CHARLES CHIPMAN’S COMPANY, “SANDWICH GUARDS.” [“D” - IN THE THIRD REGIMENT, “D” OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BATTALION, AND - “D” OF THE TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT.] - - -With a notice of only a few hours, a very large meeting of the -inhabitants of Sandwich, Barnstable County, was held on the evening -of Saturday, April 20, 1861. The news of the assault upon the Sixth -Massachusetts Regiment, in Baltimore, had reached the town, and -produced extreme excitement. The meeting was called “to devise -ways and means for the raising a company of troops for the defence -of the country,” and was called to order by Theodore Kern, Esq. -Dr. Jonathan Leonard was chosen to preside, and E. S. Whittemore, -Secretary. After appropriate remarks upon the objects of the meeting, -Dr. Leonard introduced to the people, Major S. B. Phinney, editor of -the “Barnstable Patriot,” who made a stirring address, “... declared -his unwavering fidelity to the Union, and determination to sustain -the National Administration in its efforts to crush out treason and -rebellion.” - -Addresses were also made by Dr. I. N. Swazey, E. S. Whittemore, -Nathaniel F. Fessenden, and Otis Freeman. - - “On motion of Theodore Kern, Esq., it was voted, that the sum - of $20 be immediately raised by subscription, as a bounty - to each man who should enlist in the campaign, and by a - subscription-paper the sum of $626 was pledged in the course - of the evening, in sums varying from $5 to $70; Major Phinney - contributing $70, and promising a stand of colors to the - company when formed.”[8] - -An informal enlistment-roll was opened at this meeting, receiving the -signatures of a large number of young men, among whom was Charles -Chipman, who had served in the regular army as a sergeant. A committee -of nine gentlemen was chosen “to thoroughly canvass the town and raise -the balance of the bounty money,” while another committee of three was -appointed to wait on the Governor and offer the services of the company -to be raised; also to make arrangements for equipping it. - -Nothing that we could say would so well serve to show the good spirit -and patriotism of the people of Cape Cod, excited by the then recent -acts of treason on the part of the South, as the language and tone of -the local papers of that period. A copy of the “Barnstable Patriot” -(the chief paper of the Cape) of May 23, 1861, is before us as we -write, and by its loyal utterances, calls back freshly to our memory -those days when the great free North was preparing itself to strike a -blow for liberty and the Union. - -The paper of which we have spoken, as indeed were most of its issues -of that period, is principally devoted to war news, its principal -editorial column being headed by these familiar lines,-- - - “And this be our motto, ‘In God is our trust!’ - And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave - O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” - -Following these words was a picture of the American flag, and beneath, -this motto,-- - - “Our flag floats to-day, not for party, but for country.” - -The work of recruitment progressed so rapidly, that on the 6th of May -the company was ready to complete its organization by the choice of -commissioned officers. The election was presided over by the selectmen -of the town; namely, Mason White, Seth B. Wing, and Isaiah Fish. -Charles Chipman was chosen Captain; Charles Brady, First Lieutenant; -Henry A. Kern, Second Lieutenant; Alfred E. Smith, Third Lieutenant; -James H. Atherton, Fourth Lieutenant; and the company adopted the name -of the “Sandwich Guards.” - -Two days later, May 8, in obedience to orders from Governor Andrew, -Captain Chipman proceeded with his company to Boston, with the -assurance from headquarters that he was to be sent to Fortress Monroe, -Va., on the steamer “Pembroke,” then lying in Boston Harbor. The -departure of this body of soldiers was of course a great event in the -history of the town, as well as that of Cape Cod; for it was the first -volunteer company raised in that section of the State, and a great -multitude of people gathered at the railway station to bid the soldiers -farewell, and to strengthen by kind words their purposes of duty. The -kind feelings of the citizens prompted several of them to follow the -company to Boston, among them Major Phinney, and provide for the men a -bountiful supper at the United States Hotel. On the night of the 8th, -the soldiers were quartered in the hall of the Old Colony Railroad -Company’s depot, on Kneeland Street, and during the evening were -visited by Adjutant-General Schouler, who addressed them upon the state -of the country and the nature of their duties as soldiers, but gave -them no intimation of the disappointment that was in store for them on -the following day. - -The company had enlisted for the term of five years in the State’s -service, and with the understanding that it was to be attached to the -Third Regiment of Massachusetts Militia, then at Fortress Monroe. On -the morning of the 9th, each member of the company was provided with a -full Third Regiment uniform, and, later in the day, when they had been -joined by the company from East Bridgewater (Captain Bates), Colonel -Horace Binney Sargent, aide-de-camp to the Governor, visited them, and -without making any explanation, informed them that, in order to be -accepted as a part of the volunteer forces of the United States, they -must enlist for the term of three years. This was a great blow to the -enthusiasm of the men; for while they were willing to enlist for this -term, yet they had left their homes and their families without making -adequate preparations for so long a time, and they thereupon quite -unanimously determined to return. - -On their arrival in Sandwich, on the evening of the 9th, they proceeded -at once to the Town Hall, to which they were escorted by a large body -of citizens. Here, after an eloquent speech by Hon. J. M. Day, Judge -of Probate for Barnstable County, who explained to them the military -reasons for changing the term of enlistment, Captain Chipman called -the roll, and, with a single exception, the men engaged to serve for -three years. - -As an essential and deeply interesting part of the early history of -this command, we now come to the action concerning it of the town of -Sandwich, in its capacity of a corporation, such actions being always -more solemn than those of individuals, because more deliberate, and -taken after more mature consideration. - -The voters were summoned to meet at the Town Hall on Saturday, the 11th -of May, 1861, “then and there to act on the following articles:-- - - “1st. To choose a Moderator to preside at said meeting. - - “2d. To consider the duty of the town in the present condition - of the country, and to take any action that may be thought - expedient to assist in the defence of the national honor, and - to see if the town will vote to raise the sum of four thousand - dollars, or such other sum as may be agreed upon, to be applied - to the support and maintenance of the families of such persons - as may volunteer and act in the service of the United States, - to aid in the defence of our country and the preservation - of our Union, and to act upon all matters relating to the - above.”... - -The following is a transcript of the records of this meeting: - - “SANDWICH, May 11, 1861. - - “Pursuant to the warrant, the inhabitants of the town of - Sandwich assembled in the Town Hall, and proceeded to the - business named in said warrant. - - “1st. Chose Charles B. Hall, Esq., Moderator. - - “2d. The second article in the warrant coming up, viz., ‘To - consider the duty of the town in the present condition of the - country, and to take action thereon,’ it was voted that a - committee of five (5) be chosen to retire and make a report, - and present the report to the meeting. - - “The following persons were chosen said committee: Theodore - Kern, Dr. Jonathan Leonard, Charles Dillingham, Charles - Southack, and Benjamin F. Bourne; and the following is the - report of the committee:-- - - “‘_First_, That the treasurer of the town, with the consent - and at the discretion of the selectmen, be authorized to - borrow a sum not exceeding four thousand dollars ($4,000), in - sums as shall be needed, for the benefit of the families of - those persons from this town who may enlist in the service of - the Government in defence of our constitutional liberties. - _Second_, That the sum so borrowed shall be disbursed by the - selectmen in the following manner: A man that leaves a wife - shall receive two dollars per week; a wife and child, three - dollars per week; and fifty cents per week for each additional - child under fourteen years of age. _Third_, That the selectmen - be authorized and instructed to assist such families who are - dependent upon any volunteer for their support, to which in - their judgment the above rule does not apply. _Fourth_, That - the town furnish the company, when called for, a suitable - uniform, with this condition: when the company is officially - accepted. - - “‘THEODORE KERN. - “‘J. LEONARD. - “‘CHARLES SOUTHACK. - “‘B. F. BOURNE. - “‘CHARLES DILLINGHAM, _Sec’y_.’ - - “The foregoing report was read and accepted. - - “The several parts of the report were then taken up separately, - and, after discussion, were unanimously adopted. - - “_Voted_, That all citizens of Sandwich volunteering in - companies out of Sandwich, having families,--and also all - persons from other towns volunteering in this company, having - families,--be included in the above appropriation, provided - there should not be an appropriation for them by the towns from - which they come, or in which our citizens have volunteered. - - “_Voted_, To raise the sum of five hundred dollars ($500), to - defray the expense of purchasing uniforms for the company. - - “_Voted_, That a committee of four be chosen to purchase the - material for uniforms. The following were chosen as that - committee: Captain Charles Chipman, Joseph B. Hersey, Charles - Southack, J. Henry Peirce. - - “_Voted_, That the families of volunteers receive their money - once in two weeks.” - -Under this action of the town, uniforms were furnished the officers -of the company; but, as already appears, the State provided clothing -for the enlisted men. As in other communities, the ladies of Sandwich -contributed with loving hands to the patriotic work of equipping these -volunteer soldiers, fitted them out with cases of thread, needles, -towels, etc., and provided each man with comfortable underclothing and -other articles of necessity. - -On the 16th of May, Captain Chipman received an order from -Adjutant-General Schouler to report with his command, in Boston, on -Saturday, May 18, to leave for the seat of war. At nine o’clock on the -morning of the 18th, the company, with full ranks, assembled at the -town-house, and, in the presence of a large audience, Major Phinney -presented the company the flag he had promised them, accompanying the -presentation with a well-considered and eloquent speech. The flag was a -beautiful and costly gift, was of fine blue silk, bearing-- - - “... on one side, in the centre, ... the figure of an uplifted - right arm grasping the sword of Liberty. Above this figure - were the words, in golden letters, ‘The Right Arm of Old - Massachusetts,’ and below it the motto, ‘God Speed the Right,’ - the whole being enclosed in a circle of gold stars. On the - reverse side was an American eagle, grasping in one talon a - sheaf of arrows, and in the other the olive-branch of peace, - and holding in its beak a ribbon-scroll, bearing the words, ‘E - Pluribus Unum,’ and below it the motto, ‘Our Whole Country,’ - all surrounded by gold stars.”[9] - -Captain Chipman accepted the flag, and responded for himself and his -command, promising to protect both the flag and the Union to the extent -of their ability. Hon. George M. Marston of Barnstable was the last to -address the soldiers, speaking of the company as “the representative -of Cape Cod, the first and perhaps the only company from the old right -arm of the Commonwealth that will be mustered into the service of the -United States.” He fitly concluded his remarks by “a generous offer -of personal or professional service to each or all of themselves or -families who might need such service.” - -Upon the conclusion of these deeply-interesting exercises, the -company formed, and, escorted by a band of music and nearly the -entire population of the town, and large numbers of people from the -surrounding towns, marched to the railway station and proceeded to -Boston, where they were generously entertained by Sewall H. Fessenden, -Esq., agent of the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company. At about five -o’clock in the afternoon of the same day (May 18), the command, -together with those of Captains Leach, Barnes, and Doten, embarked on -the steamer “Cambridge” for Fortress Monroe, arriving at this post on -the 21st. They were mustered into the service for three years on the -22d, by Lieut. C. C. Churchill of the Third Artillery, U. S. A., and -at once assigned to duty with the Third Regiment, M. V. M., taking the -letter “D,” and retaining it throughout their whole term. In July, -1861, when the three months’ term of the Third Regiment expired, and -that regiment returned to Massachusetts, Company D became a part of the -Massachusetts Battalion (formed of this and the six other three years’ -companies spoken of in this work), and, in December, 1861, a part of -the Twenty-ninth Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteers. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - CAPTAIN SAMUEL H. DOTEN’S COMPANY, “PLYMOUTH ROCK GUARDS.” - [“E” IN THE FOURTH REGIMENT, “E” OF THE MASSACHUSETTS - BATTALION, AND “E” OF THE TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT.] - - -The honored old Pilgrim town of Plymouth was among the first in the -State to take an active part in the work of furnishing troops for -the Union army. Here was an organized body of militia known as the -“Standish Guards,” commanded by Captain Charles C. Doten. The company -was “B” of the Third Regiment of Militia, and left for the seat of war -on the 16th of April, 1861. On this occasion, the town was stirred -as it had not been since the days of the Revolution; hundreds of the -townspeople--among whom could have been found some of the most ardent -and intelligent patriots in the country--gathered at an early hour in -the morning to witness the departure of its first soldiers of the war. - -The company had received its orders to march during the night of the -15th, by a messenger from New Bedford, who had ridden horseback from -Wareham, through the dark, pine forests that lay between that town and -Plymouth, and in the midst of a storm of rain. The departure of the -soldiers was so sudden, that the majority of them went away without -having made any preparations for the care and maintenance of their -families. But the good people of Plymouth were not unmindful of this -fact, and, on the 20th of April, a large public meeting assembled, -under a call of the selectmen of the town, “to take such steps as may -be necessary to secure ample provision for the families of those who -have enlisted for the defence of their country.” - -The meeting was presided over by Hon. William T. Davis, and the -following resolutions, offered by John J. Russell, Esq., were adopted:-- - - “_Resolved_, That it is our pleasure, as well as our duty, - to see to it that our brave volunteers be encouraged by the - knowledge that the welfare of those near and dear to them is - made the care of their fellow-citizens who remain at home. - - “_Resolved_, That the selectmen be requested to apply and - distribute, at their discretion, a sum not exceeding two - thousand dollars, towards the assistance of those families who, - by the sudden departure of the troops, are left in need of - pecuniary aid,--such sum to be raised by borrowing, in the name - of the town, or in such other way as the selectmen shall deem - expedient.” - -On the very day of this meeting, Samuel H. Doten, a brother of -Captain Charles C., was busily engaged in forming a volunteer company -in this town, and had already secured nearly a full complement of -men. The public meeting referred to was not a regularly-warned town -meeting, and the resolutions that had been adopted by it could not be -carried out, except they received the sanction of the voters, legally -called together for that purpose. On the 11th of May, therefore, in -pursuance of a call dated May 4, the town assembled in meeting, chose -Moses Bates, Esq., as Moderator, and, upon motion of Hon. Charles G. -Davis, adopted the suggestions of the citizens’ meeting, and made the -following provision for the three years’ volunteers of Captain Samuel -H. Doten’s company:-- - - “_Voted_, That the sum not exceeding fifteen hundred dollars is - hereby appropriated for clothing and equipping such volunteers, - for three years’ or more service, as are citizens of this town. - - “_Voted_, That six dollars per month to each citizen of this - town having a family, and four dollars per month to each - citizen of this town who is single or unmarried, excepting - commissioned officers, who shall enlist in the service of the - United States for the war, shall be paid, and the same is - hereby appropriated by the town, as extra compensation for the - term of actual service during one year, from the first day of - May current, to be paid in money in such manner ... as the - selectmen shall deem expedient.” - -At the same meeting, the treasurer of the town was authorized to borrow -“such sums of money, under the direction of the selectmen, as shall -be necessary to carry the above votes into effect.” It was known that -the company now forming would soon be ordered away, and the work of -preparing them for the field at once began. The selectmen purchased the -materials for the uniforms, and the women met together and cut and made -them, and also, with the assistance of the people generally, provided -each volunteer with shoes and stockings. - -In order to give the record of this company correctly, we must go back -a little, and name the dates of the several acts and measures that -concern its formation. April 24, the first drill-meeting was held, -followed on the 6th of May by an election of officers, under Captain -Lovering of the militia. Samuel H. Doten, a gentleman considerably -advanced in years, was chosen Captain; John B. Collingwood, First -Lieutenant; and Thomas A. Mayo, Second Lieutenant. - -At a later date, and before the company was ordered away, the people -presented each of the officers with swords and other equipments. -The uniform furnished the enlisted men was similar to that worn by -the Third Regiment, and consisted of a full suit of reddish gray -clothes, the coat reaching to the hips, and the whole--coat, trousers, -and cap--trimmed with red braid. This uniform, and other articles -furnished, cost the town $1,025.49. - -On the 17th of May, Captain Doten received an Order from -Adjutant-General Schouler to report, with his company, in Boston, on -the morning of the 18th. The people of the town were soon apprised -of this fact, and early in the morning of the 18th, as soon as the -soldiers began to assemble at their headquarters, the citizens--men, -women, and children--flocked by hundreds from all parts of the town, -to witness a repetition of the scenes of April 16. The spirit of -patriotism and kind feeling never ran higher, or displayed itself in -a more beautiful and touching manner, than on this historic morning. -The men were going to the field, and the fact was not only realized by -those who gathered to watch their departure, but it touched a chord of -sympathy in their hearts, that at once overcame all selfishness, and -led to deeds of generosity that moved the soldiers to tears. As the -company stood in line, waiting for the final order to march, one after -another of the citizens approached them, and, seizing their hands, -left in them sums of money varying from five dollars to one hundred, -accompanying each gift with a hearty “God-speed” and an affectionate -“farewell.” - -A band of music and a company of militia, appropriately called the -“Home Guards,” performed escort duty on the march of the volunteers -from their quarters to the railway station, where there was a -repetition of hand-shaking and utterance of kind words. The swift -train that bore them toward the metropolis--not a few of them never to -return--was eagerly watched by the thronging multitude till it was lost -to sight, some of the soldiers standing upon the platforms of the cars -and exchanging greetings with their neighbors and friends by waving -their hats as they whirled away on their sad and eventful journey. - -At South Abington, they were met by Captain Leach’s company from -East Bridgewater, which took the same train to Boston, where the -two commands marched to Faneuil Hall, there signing a more formal -enlistment-roll than the one previously signed by them, and from thence -to the State House, receiving at the latter place arms and the gray -overcoats prudently provided by Governor Andrew, at a time when the -great mass of the people regarded the threats of war as idle bluster. -As stated in former chapters, this company left Boston for Fortress -Monroe on this day (May 18), with the three companies of Leach, -Barnes, and Chipman, arrived at its destination on the 21st, and was -mustered into the service for three years on the 22d. The company had -been designated as a part of the Third Regiment, by Governor Andrew, -before it left Massachusetts, and immediately upon its muster, took -quarters with that regiment, then forming a part of the garrison of -Fortress Monroe, and served with it as long as the latter remained -in the service, namely, July 16, 1861, when it became a part of the -Massachusetts Battalion. The company took the letter “E” upon joining -the Third Regiment, and retained it ever afterward, both in the -battalion and in the Twenty-ninth Regiment, of which it also became a -part on the 13th of December, 1861. - -The company left Plymouth with seventy-four enlisted men and three -commissioned officers, sixty-seven of whom were citizens of that town. -The commissions of the officers are dated May 6, 1861. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - CAPTAIN WILLIAM D. CHAMBERLAIN’S COMPANY, “UNION GUARD.” - [“I” OF THE FOURTH REGIMENT, “I” OF THE MASSACHUSETTS - BATTALION, AND “I” OF THE TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT.] - - -On the 17th of April, 1861, William D. Chamberlain of Lynn received -authority from the Governor to raise a company of militia, to form a -part of the Eighth Regiment of Militia, then under orders to proceed to -Washington. - -The day following (April 18), a room having been procured in Hill’s -Building, in that city, a roll was opened, and, in the space of a few -hours, was signed by one hundred men. - -On the 19th, a meeting of the company was held at the armory of the -Lynn Light Infantry, presided over by the mayor of the city, the -Hon. Hiram N. Breed, and the following officers chosen: William D. -Chamberlain, Captain; Abram A. Oliver, First Lieutenant; John E. Smith, -Second Lieutenant; Moses B. Tuffts, Third Lieutenant; and John Alley, -Fourth Lieutenant. (The last two officers were never mustered.) At this -meeting, the company adopted the name, “Union Guard.” - -The news of the firing upon the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment, on -its passage through Baltimore, hastened the departure of the Eighth -Regiment from Boston, on the morning of the 20th. - -Captain Chamberlain’s company was not in readiness to leave for the -field at this time, and hence lost its chance to accompany that -regiment. - -The company improved the additional time furnished by this accidental -relief from active service, by holding frequent meetings for purposes -of drill. These meetings were held nearly every evening, and were -continued till May 3, at which time the President issued his -proclamation calling for a force of three years’ volunteers. - -The uniform consisted of gray frock coats, the gift of the “Empire Fire -Company” of Lynn, Kossuth hats, looped at one side, and light blue -trousers. The hats and trousers were furnished by the State. - -May 5, Captain Chamberlain marched with his company to Boston, and -presenting his command to the Governor, offered its services. - -An interesting scene took place at the State House on this occasion. -Hannibal Hamlin, Vice-President of the United States, His Excellency -Governor Andrew, Adjutant-General Schouler, and several other -distinguished gentlemen, were present, and the Vice-President and -Governor addressed the men. The Governor thanked the commander and his -soldiers for the love of country which had led them to offer their -services to the Government in the darkest hour of its existence, and -assured them that as soon as an opportunity offered, they would be -accepted. - -The march of the company to Boston was one continued ovation. At -Chelsea it was entertained by the militia of that city, and in -Charlestown and Boston the citizens vied with each other in showering -upon the volunteers numberless favors and courtesies. The company -returned to Lynn on the same day, by the Eastern Railroad, and, upon -arrival, every man engaged to serve for three years. - -May 9, the company was ordered to report at the State House, on the -following morning, at nine o’clock. - -Promptly at the hour named, the command presented itself to the -Adjutant-General, at the State House, here received Springfield rifles -and other equipments, and were ordered to report on board the steamer -“Pembroke,” together with Captain Tyler’s company, sailing on this -day (May 10) for Fortress Monroe. Before embarking, a committee of -the citizens of Lynn presented the company with nearly three hundred -dollars in money. The same committee had previously given the officers -a complete outfit. - -The facts concerning the sealed orders and the voyage to Fortress -Monroe have already been given in Chapter IV. - -Upon arriving at Fortress Monroe, the company was assigned to the Third -Regiment, in which it was designated as Company I, served with that -regiment till July 16, and then composed a part of the Massachusetts -Battalion, and, in December, 1861, a part of the Twenty-ninth Regiment. -Captain Chamberlain’s commission, as also those of Lieutenants Oliver -and Smith, bear date of April 19, 1861; and the members of this -company, together with those of Captain Tyler’s command, were the first -volunteers in New England who enlisted for a period of three years. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - CAPTAIN JOSEPH H. BARNES’S COMPANY, “GREENOUGH GUARDS.” - [“K” IN THE FOURTH REGIMENT, “K” OF THE MASSACHUSETTS - BATTALION, AND “K” OF THE TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT.] - - -On the 20th of April, 1861, Joseph H. Barnes, a citizen of East Boston, -and a native of Hingham, Plymouth County, having been authorized by the -Governor, raised a company of infantry, chiefly composed of East Boston -men. - -On the 25th of April, there was an election of officers, conducted by -General Bullock of the militia, resulting in the election of Joseph -H. Barnes, Captain; James H. Osgood, Jr., First Lieutenant; William -T. Keen, Second Lieutenant; Albert H. Townsend, Third Lieutenant; and -Joseph D. Ellis, Fourth Lieutenant. The commission of Captain Barnes, -dated April 27, was as a “Captain of company of infantry in the First -Division of the Militia of the Commonwealth.” By an order accompanying -the commission, the company was assigned to the First Regiment of -Militia, then commanded by Col. Robert Cowdin of Boston, and the -following order was also received by Captain Barnes:-- - - “HEADQUARTERS FIRST REGIMENT INFANTRY, } - “FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION, M. V. M., } - “BOSTON, April 27, 1861. } - - “ORDERS, NO. 14. - - “By Special Orders, No. 100, of this date, from the - Commander-in-Chief, transmitted by Division Special Orders, - No. 48, of the same date, and Brigade Special Orders, No. 27, - of the same date, this regiment is detailed for active duty in - the service of the United States. Commandants of companies are - hereby ordered to report at the Hancock House, on Sunday, the - 28th instant, at 9 o’clock, A. M., for orders. They - will assemble their commands at their armories forthwith, ready - to march at a moment’s notice. - - “By command of - - COL. ROBERT COWDIN. - - “GEORGE W. BEACH, _Adjutant_.” - -The company assembled as directed, but, by reason of a change of -affairs, the regiment did not leave the State as soon as expected. -Subsequently, they were mustered into service as the First (three -years) Regiment, and left for the field, June 15, 1861. We give this -order, however, as a part of the record of Captain Barnes’s company, -and as showing at how early a date it was ordered into the service; -also, its connection with the First Regiment. In the course of a few -days after the company organized, it took quarters at the Maverick -House, East Boston, and continued to occupy them till the eighteenth -day of May. The citizens of the “Island Ward” paid, by voluntary -contributions, the chief part of the expense attending the quartering -of the volunteers, and, in common with the other citizens of Boston, -provided them with a uniform consisting of a full suit of gray clothes, -the jacket being trimmed with red braid. The arms were Springfield -rifle-muskets, furnished by the State. - -May 17, the company was detached from the First Regiment of Militia, -and the following order issued:-- - - “COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. - - “ADJUTANT-GENERAL’S OFFICE, } - “BOSTON, May 17, 1861. } - - “CAPT. JOSEPH H. BARNES. - - “SIR: You are directed by His Excellency the - Commander-in-Chief to report yourself and command at - headquarters, on Saturday, May 18, at 10 o’clock, A. - M., for actual service. You are required to sign, and have - your men sign, an enlisting paper, to serve for three years. - You will proceed from Boston in the steamer ‘Cambridge,’ for - Fort Monroe. - - “Respectfully yours, - - “WILLIAM SCHOULER, _Adj. Gen._” - -The words of this order, “You are required to sign, and have your men -sign, an enlisting paper, to serve for three years,” probably were not -intended to convey the idea that the Governor had the power to compel -the officers and men to sign such a paper, but that their acceptance as -soldiers was on the condition of their enlistment for the term named -therein. - -Captain Barnes reported at the State House with his company, numbering -seventy-three enlisted men, at the hour named, where all willingly -engaged to serve for three years. They then returned to East Boston, -and the men were dismissed for a hurried dinner. Early in the -afternoon, the company again assembled at its quarters, and were -escorted to the ferry by a body of militia and an immense throng of -people, the latter so crowding the streets, that it became difficult -for the command to reach the wharf; and so eager were the people to -follow the soldiers, that large numbers of them crossed over on the -ferry. - -Before Captain Barnes and his men left the Maverick House, William W. -Greenough, Esq., whose name the company had adopted, and who performed -a great variety of services for its members, both before and after they -entered the service, presented them with the sum of two hundred and -fifty dollars, in gold. - -This worthy gentlemen was not the only warm friend which the soldiers -of this company left at home. When the command assembled at its -quarters in the afternoon of this day, a large number of the ladies -of East Boston, together with several of the teachers of the public -schools, gathered at the Maverick House, and presented the volunteers -with a great many useful articles, including rubber blankets, -underclothing, knives, forks, spoons, and cases containing thread, -needles, yarn, and towels; a fine pocket-bible was also given to each -officer and man. - -The combining the gift of a Bible with that of clothing and other -articles of physical comfort, was a faithful and touching compliance -with one of the injunctions which the holy book itself contained. These -Christian women did not say to the soldiers, “Depart in peace; be ye -warmed and filled,” but gave them “... those things which are needful -for the body.” Nor did the kindness of these gentle ones end here; for -as long as the company remained in the service, they continued in this -work of love, sending to the field many well-filled boxes of clothing -and other needed supplies. - -Upon the arrival of the company at the steamer, later in the afternoon, -Captain Barnes received the following order:-- - - “COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. - - “ADJUTANT-GENERAL’S OFFICE, } - “BOSTON, May 18, 1861. } - - “CAPT. JOS. H. BARNES: - - “As senior officer of the Massachusetts troops embarked to-day - on board the ship ‘Cambridge’ for Fortress Monroe, you will - detail such guards and sentinels as may be necessary for proper - discipline and for the care and safety of the ship, under the - direction of the captain of said vessel. - - “Company from Plymouth, Capt. Doten; company from Sandwich, - Capt. Chipman, which are to be attached to the Third Regiment, - Col. Wardrop, now at Fortress Monroe; company from East - Bridgewater, Capt. Leach; company from East Boston, Capt. - Barnes; together with 32 men belonging to Co. H of Quincy; 37 - men belonging to Co. I of Hingham; 12 men belonging to Co. F, - Foxborough; 22 men belonging to Co. D, Randolph; and 45 men - belonging to Co. A, Canton, severally of the Fourth Regiment, - Col. Packard, now at Fort Monroe, will be attached to the - regiment upon their arrival at their place of destination. You - are to have command of the troops until you report yourself to - the officer in command of Fort Monroe. - - “You are to take good care of the men, and to use your best - efforts to cause discipline and harmony. - - “By order of His Excellency, Governor and Commander-in-Chief. - - “WILLIAM SCHOULER, _Adj. Gen._” - -May 21, the “Cambridge” reached Fortress Monroe. The company having -been assigned to the Fourth Regiment, received the letter “K,” and -was made the color-company of the regiment. It was mustered into the -service for three years, on the following day (May 22), and, five days -later, went with the Fourth Regiment to Newport News. It retained the -letter “K” throughout its service, became a part of the Massachusetts -Battalion, July 16, 1861, and, in December following, was incorporated -with the Twenty-ninth Regiment. - -The gentlemen who were elected to the offices of third and fourth -lieutenants upon the first organization of the company, could not, -under the laws of the United States, be mustered with that rank. -Lieutenant Ellis, however, accompanied the command to Fortress Monroe, -but soon afterwards returned to Massachusetts. Charles Hewett, one of -the original members, was rejected upon the surgical examination at -Fortress Monroe, being the only one of the command rejected, and was -furnished by General Butler with transportation to Boston. - -The commissions of the two lieutenants, Osgood and Keen, bear the same -date as that of the Captain; namely, April 27, 1861. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - - THE THIRD REGIMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS MILITIA--ITS SERVICE AT - FORTRESS MONROE AND HAMPTON, VA.--DESTRUCTION OF VESSELS AND - OTHER PROPERTY AT PORTSMOUTH--SPEECH OF COLONEL DIMICK--ITS - RETURN TO MASSACHUSETTS. - - -The author has given, in the preceding chapters, detailed accounts of -the formation of the seven companies of the Twenty-ninth Regiment which -earliest enlisted. Pursuing the narrative of this corps in the order of -time, he will, at the proper time and in the proper place, give like -accounts of the formation of the companies of Captains Sibley, Tripp, -and Richardson, which, in December, 1861, were made a part of that -regiment, and thus completed its organization. - -It will be observed by the reader who has perused the foregoing -chapters, that four of these seven companies were assigned to duty with -the Third Regiment of Massachusetts Militia. Apart, therefore, from the -history of their formation, these commands have a history in connection -with the Third Regiment which is alike interesting and important. The -Third Regiment left Boston on the steamer “S. R. Spaulding,” April -17, 1861, and arrived at Fortress Monroe April 20. It was composed of -seven companies; namely, “A” of Halifax, Capt. Joseph S. Harlow of -Middleborough; “B” of Plymouth (Standish Guards), Capt. Charles C. -Doten; “C” of Cambridge, Capt. James C. Richardson; “G” of Freetown, -Capt. John W. Marble; “H” of Plympton, Capt. Lucian L. Perkins; “K” -of Carver, Capt. William S. McFarlin; and “L” of New Bedford, Capt. -Timothy Ingraham. - -The regiment was one of the oldest militia corps of Massachusetts. -Company “A” of Halifax was organized as early as 1792. One of its -past commanders, Captain Asa Thompson of Halifax, who was living at -the breaking out of the war, and who joined it when it was first -formed, commanded the company in the War of 1812. As four of its -seven companies were from Plymouth County, the regiment has always -been considered as belonging chiefly to the Old Colony. Its aggregate -membership at the time of its leaving for the field was about four -hundred and fifty. - -The field and staff of the regiment were as follows: Colonel, David -W. Wardrop of New Bedford; Lieutenant-Colonel, Charles Raymond of -Plymouth; Major, John H. Jennings of New Bedford; Adjutant, Austin S. -Cushman of New Bedford; Quartermaster, Edward D. Allen, Fairhaven; -Surgeon, Alexander R. Holmes, New Bedford; Assistant Surgeon, Johnson -Clark, New Bedford; Sergeant-Major, Alberti C. Maggi, New Bedford; -Quartermaster-Sergeant, Frederick S. Gifford of New Bedford. - -It is not our purpose or province to write a complete history of the -Third Regiment; but the fact is eminently worthy of notice, that it -rendered some of the most important service performed by any body -of militia that went into the war from Massachusetts. It is also a -noticeable fact, that many of its officers and men, subsequently -to their three months’ service at Fortress Monroe, filled high -military positions. Thus its Colonel was commissioned Colonel of -the Ninety-ninth New York Regiment; Lieutenant-Colonel Raymond was -appointed to the same office in the Seventh Massachusetts Infantry; -Sergeant-Major Maggi became Colonel of the Thirty-third Massachusetts -Infantry, and distinguished himself as a soldier; Captain Doten was -made Captain in the Thirty-eighth; and Captain Ingraham, a superior -soldier, was promoted to the colonelcy of the last-named regiment. - -When the Third Regiment was despatched to Fortress Monroe, the tenure -of the Government there was decidedly precarious. There had been no -open hostilities on the part of the insurgents in that department, but -they were everywhere carrying forward the most active war measures. -A battery of seven guns had been erected at Sewall’s Point, at the -mouth of the Elizabeth, and obstructions had been placed in the -channel of the river. Forts Norfolk and Nelson, which commanded the -approaches to the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, were in the hands -of the Confederate Militia; but still lying in the river, near these -cities, were the United State vessels “Pennsylvania,” “Cumberland,” -“Merrimack,” “Germantown,” “Dolphin,” “Raritan,” “Columbia,” and -“Plymouth.” The Norfolk navy-yard was one of the most extensive and -valuable naval depots in the United States. The grounds, three-fourths -of a mile long and about a quarter of a mile wide, were filled with -machine-shops, foundries, storehouses, and dwellings for officers. -There were three large shiphouses, and a dry-dock built of granite. -The whole property of the yard was estimated at about nine millions of -dollars. - -On the 18th of April, the Confederate General Taliaferro arrived at -Norfolk, and took charge of the insurgent militia, whereupon a large -number of naval officers resigned their commissions and at once entered -the Confederate service. Commodore McCauly, who commanded the yard, -was wavering and uncertain in his convictions of duty, but Commodore -Pendegrast and Captain Marston of the “Cumberland” were fixed in their -determination to serve their Government. - -At about six o’clock in the afternoon of April 20, the Third Regiment, -which had arrived at Fortress Monroe a few hours before, was ordered -on board the United States gunboat “Pawnee,” commanded by Commodore -Paulding. After passing Sewall’s Point in safety, the steamer neared -Fort Norfolk, then in the hands of the enemy. The channel lay near the -shore, and it was expected the Confederates would fire upon the gunboat -the moment she came within range of their guns. The soldiers were -ordered to lie down upon the deck, the marines paraded the quarter, -and the sailors were at battery. The moon was shining brightly; it was -clear and calm; the fort was plainly visible; even the suppressed tones -of its garrison could be heard on board. When just abreast the fort, -some one called aloud from the parapet, “What ship is that?”--“what -ship is that?” No reply was made, and the soldiers who heard the hail -whispered to each other, “Now it will come!” and their hearts beat -quick and fast as they lay, faces downward, expecting every instant -to hear the crash of guns and the howling of cannon-balls. But it -did not come; the war had scarcely begun; there was still lingering -in the hearts of the enemy some respect for the old flag, and a -wholesome dread of firing upon it. Nearer the navy-yard lay the United -States ship “Pennsylvania,” broadside across the stream. The “Pawnee” -approached her, and was hailed as before. The hail was answered, but -apparently not heard, and in a moment the black and gloomy-looking -sides of the “Pennsylvania” were illumined. The ports had been opened. -At the same time a voice from her gun-deck, “Shall I fire, sir?” caught -the ears of those on the “Pawnee.” A watchful old gunner on the latter -vessel stepped up to the executive officer, and said, in slow and -measured words, as though it was the most commonplace affair in the -world, “They are going to fire on the ‘Pawnee,’ sir!” The officer at -once leaped into the rigging, and, with his trumpet, cried, “Pawnee! -Pawnee! Pawnee!” in a voice that was heard far and near, and echoed -over the waters and silent town. “Pawnee! Pawnee! Pawnee!” was shouted -back from gun-deck and quarter, and then loud cheers and hearty cries -of welcome came out of the open ports of the “Pennsylvania.” This was a -similar mistake to that which arose in the early morning of this day, -at the fortress, as to the identity of the steamer “State of Maine,” -that had on board the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment, and came even -nearer proving fatal, for the lanyards were already in the hands of the -gunners of both vessels, and but for the prompt action of the executive -officer of the approaching steamer, there would have been a bloody -encounter between these soldiers and sailors of the Union. - -Upon arriving at Norfolk, about nine o’clock, the whole regiment was -ordered ashore into the navy-yard, and, under the commands of the -officers, began immediately in the work of destruction, which was -already in full progress. Twenty men were detailed from Company B of -Plymouth to mine the dry-dock, while the balance of the force, aided -by the sailors and yardmen, went to work throwing into the river shot, -shell, revolvers, carbines, and stands of arms. - -There were nearly three thousand heavy guns in the yard, many of them -columbiads and fine Dahlgrens. These were spiked as best they could be, -but very imperfectly, as the Confederates afterwards managed to use -them. At midnight, the barracks in the yard were set on fire, and then -the shiphouses, in one of which was the partially-completed ship “New -York.” - -The “Pawnee,” taking the “Cumberland” in tow, and having on board -the Third Regiment and all the men from the yard, except those who -were left to fire the trains, started down the river, and sent up a -rocket, which went high into the air, and then “burst in shivers of -many-colored lights.” - -This was the signal to fire the trains. Simultaneously, flashes of -fire were seen running about on the decks of the deserted ships -“Pennsylvania,” “Merrimack,” “Dolphin,” “Germantown,” “Plymouth,” -“Raritan,” and “Columbia,” and in a few seconds they were wrapped in -flames. Says an eye-witness:-- - - “I need not try to picture the scene of the grand conflagration - that now burst like the day of judgment on the startled - citizens of Norfolk, Portsmouth, and the surrounding country. - Any one who has seen a ship burn, and knows how, like a fiery - serpent, the flame leaps from pitchy deck to smoking shrouds, - and writhes to their very top, around the masts that stand like - martyrs doomed, can form some idea of the wonderful display - that followed.” - -The old, dismantled ships “Delaware” and “Columbus” were sunk, and -several of the vessels that were fired had also been scuttled. The -“Merrimack,” having sunk before the flames did her much damage, was, as -is well known to our readers, afterwards raised by the Confederates, -and constructed into a shot-proof steam-battery. - -The total value of these vessels, as estimated by the Chief of the -Bureau of Construction, was $1,980,000, while the total value of -all the public property lost by this catastrophe is estimated at -$9,700,181.93; and the report of Commander Alden to the Secretary of -the Navy shows, that, by a wiser and more vigorous action on the part -of the commandant of the yard, a large portion of this dreadful loss -might have been prevented. - -The “Pawnee” reached Fortress Monroe at six o’clock Sunday morning -(April 21), having in tow the sloop-of-war “Cumberland,” now so famous -in the annals of naval warfare. - -The men of the Third Regiment had a severe experience on this -expedition, having toiled nearly all night, and been eighteen -hours without food. Their introduction to one of the most dreadful -experiences of war was indeed a very sudden one, and this was followed -by nearly three weeks of privation, caused by the scanty supply of food -at the fortress, and by three months of almost ceaseless toil. - -Included in the plot of the enemy to capture Norfolk, was also the -scheme to capture Fortress Monroe. - -At this time an irregular body of Confederate militia, variously -estimated as to number, occupied the village of Hampton, about two and -a half miles from the fortress, while their pickets held a drawbridge -over Mill Creek, not more than a mile distant. The flags of the -insurgents could be distinguished at the fortress, flying from the -roofs of private and public buildings in Hampton. On the 13th of May, -Colonel Dimick made an advance with a body of infantry and a piece of -artillery, and forced the enemy from his position at the bridge. The -bridge was thereupon occupied by the Federals; but no attempt was made -to pursue the enemy beyond this point. - -This condition of affairs continued till May 23, when, the garrison -having been materially strengthened by the arrival of the First Vermont -Militia, under Colonel J. W. Phelps, and several New York regiments, -General Butler, then being in command, ordered Colonel Phelps to make -a reconnoissance in Hampton and vicinity. Upon approaching the bridge -over Hampton Creek, Colonel Phelps discovered that the enemy had -fired it. The flames were partially extinguished, but the bridge was -so nearly destroyed, that the troops were obliged to cross the river -in scows and flat-boats. Upon the arrival of the Vermont troops, the -Confederate militia and all the inhabitants, save the negroes and one -white family, fled the town, leaving behind them, in many instances, -their household furniture and other personal effects. - -On the afternoon of the same day, General Butler, with Company B of the -Third Regiment and Captain Tyler’s company, proceeded some seven miles -into the enemy’s country, in the direction of Yorktown. This was the -first reconnoissance which the volunteers had made, and consequently -proved very interesting to them. - -There was no lack of work for these troops, and every day found them -engaged in some highly necessary, though not always pleasant, service. - -The summer was at its height, the days were hot and sultry, while the -nights were often cold and damp. The men were frequently obliged to -engage all day in the most laborious occupations, and at night go on -guard. - -The work was indeed severe. Through the treachery of arch traitors -while in government office, the fortress had been dismantled to a great -extent of its customary armament. These ravages had to be repaired, -guns mounted upon the high parapet, and others, whose carriages had -gone to decay, remounted. - -Of draught-horses or mules, there were few, if any, in the department; -but there were plenty of wagons, and into these the men were harnessed, -drawing heavy loads of ammunition and stores from the wharves into the -fortress. While one party was doing this labor, another was engaged -in unloading vessels and steamers at the piers, and still another -employed in the very severe work of mounting heavy guns, a work which -consisted in slinging the gun (oftentimes a large columbiad, weighing -several thousand pounds) between two heavy iron wheels, dragging the -whole from the ordnance-yard into the fort, up the steep embankment, -and then placing it in position. This labor was often performed while -the mercury was ranging in the vicinity of 100°, and was not seldom -followed by a drill. - -On the first day of July, the regiment was ordered to Hampton Village. -Here it occupied a number of deserted houses, and picketed the country -for several miles around the town. On the 4th, it marched from the -village to Camp Hamilton, where, in connection with other troops, it -was reviewed by Hon. Simon Cameron, Secretary of War. - -Returning to its quarters in the town, it remained there till July 16, -the latter date making the expiration of its term. - -On this day, the regiment was ordered to Fortress Monroe. Here it and -the Fourth Regiment, whose term expired the same day, were reviewed -by General Butler and Colonel Justin Dimick. Colonel Dimick was in -command of the fortress at the time of the arrival of these regiments. -He was an old soldier, having seen service in Mexico and in several -Indian wars. Like most professional soldiers, he rarely indulged in -speech-making; but the trying circumstances under which he had been -placed during the early days of the Rebellion; the timely and almost -Providential arrival of these troops, which enabled him to hold the -fortress against the machinations of several of his former associates -in arms, who had resigned their commissions in the regular army and -espoused the cause of the Confederacy; the intelligent appreciation -of the situation which the volunteers had manifested, and their -willingness to do any service required of them, no matter how menial -or severe, had touched very deeply the heart of this old officer, -and he could not suffer them to be dismissed without expressing to -them his sense of gratitude for what they had done. Mounted upon his -little dapple gray, with uncovered head, and voice as tremulous with -emotion as that of an aged father taking leave of a beloved son, he -recounted the exciting events in the early service of the regiments at -that place, the confusion and distrust that prevailed at the time of -their arrival, bore eloquent testimony to the manner in which they had -performed their duties, and concluded by thanking them in the name of -the Republic which they had helped to save. - -When the old hero turned away, his eyes were suffused with tears, and -the troops sent up cheer upon cheer as their only response. - -The reception tendered these regiments upon their arrival in Boston -proved that their services were as well appreciated by the people of -Massachusetts as by their veteran commander. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - THE FOURTH REGIMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS MILITIA AT FORTRESS - MONROE--THE SERVICE IT RENDERED THE COUNTRY--ORDERED TO NEWPORT - NEWS--BATTLE OF GREAT BETHEL--RETURN TO MASSACHUSETTS. - - -For the reasons already stated, it seems necessary to give a brief -account of the doings of the Fourth Regiment while in the field, -embracing as they do a part of the record of the companies of Captains -Barnes, Leach, and Clarke, of the Twenty-ninth Regiment. - -The Fourth Regiment was originally composed of nine companies. Of -these, Norfolk County contributed four: Company “A” of Canton, Captain -Ira Drake; “C” of Braintree, Captain Cephas C. Bumpus; “D” of Randolph, -Captain Horace Niles; and “H” of Quincy, Captain Franklin Curtis. -Bristol County, three: Company “B” of Easton, Captain Milo M. Williams; -“G” of Taunton, Captain Timothy Gordon; and “F” of Foxborough, Captain -David L. Shepard. And Plymouth County, two: Company “E” of South -Abington, Captain Charles F. Allen; and “I” of Hingham, Captain Luther -Stephenson, Jr. - -The regiment mustered for duty, at the time of its departure from -Massachusetts, 636 officers and enlisted men. - -Its field and staff were as follows: Colonel, Abner B. Packard, Quincy; -Lieutenant-Colonel, Hawkes Fearing, Jr., Hingham; Major, Horace O. -Whittemore, Boston; Adjutant, Henry Walker, Quincy; Quartermaster, -William H. Carruth, Boston; Surgeon, Henry M. Saville, Quincy; -Surgeon’s Mate, William L. Faxon, Quincy. - -As was the case with nearly all the militia regiments that entered the -service of the United States in 1861, the Fourth Regiment afterwards -furnished from among its officers and men, a large number of officers, -some of them of high rank, for the various three years’ regiments of -Massachusetts and other States. - -For instance, Captain Charles F. Allen of South Abington became -Major in the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts. Lieutenant-Colonel Fearing -subsequently became Colonel of the Eighth New Hampshire; Major -Whittemore, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Thirtieth Massachusetts; Captain -Luther Stephenson, Jr. (Co. I), Lieutenant-Colonel of the Thirty-second -Massachusetts; and Corporal W. D. Tripp (Co. G) became Captain of -Company F of the Twenty-ninth Regiment. - -While waiting at the State House, on the 17th of April, where the -regiment had reported itself for duty upon only twelve hours’ notice, -it was addressed by Governor Andrew in the following manner:-- - - “_Officers and Soldiers of the Fourth Regiment_: - - “It gives me unspeakable pleasure to witness this array from - the good Old Colony. You have come from the shores of the - sounding sea, where lie the ashes of Pilgrims, and you are - bound on a high and noble pilgrimage for liberty, for the Union - and Constitution of your country. Soldiers of the Old Bay - State, sons of sires who never disgraced their flag in civil - life or on the tented field, I thank you from the bottom of my - heart for this noble response to the call of your State and - country. You cannot wait for words. I bid you God-speed--an - affectionate farewell!” - -A special train conveyed the regiment to Fall River, where it arrived -on the afternoon of this day, and embarked upon the steamer “State -of Maine,” for New York. Quite late in the afternoon of the 18th, -it reached the latter city, and on the following morning sailed for -Fortress Monroe on the same steamer. - -At the time of the departure of the regiment from New York, great fears -were entertained for the safety of this fortress. It was known that -Colonel Dimick, its commander, had but a meagre garrison; that the fort -was in a poor state for defence, and was being closely besieged by the -hostile militia of Virginia, then under cunning and able officers, -formerly of our regular army, who knew every weak point about the -works. The fortress was momentarily expected, therefore, to fall into -the hands of the enemy, and when the steamer “State of Maine” hove -in sight, on the morning of the 20th of April, it was not considered -prudent by the officers of the regiment to attempt a landing, till -daylight should solve the troublesome mystery. - -The steamer lay off and on for an hour or more; the men were all on -deck, looking anxiously in the direction of the fortress, waiting with -throbbing hearts for the first gleam of approaching day; questioning, -doubting, the while, which flag--that of their country or the -insurgents--would reveal itself to their sight. - -Meanwhile the dark form of the steamer had been observed from the -fortress, and doubts as to the character of the vessel, not less -troublesome than those of the volunteers on board, had seized fast hold -upon the garrison. The guns of the “Water Battery” were shotted and -manned, and every preparation made to repel the attack of the possible -foe. - -At last the morning sun lighted up the low walls and green parapets -of the fort, and from its tall flagstaff the Stars and Stripes were -seen floating gracefully in the wind. The old flag flying from the -peak of the steamer caught the watching eyes of the garrison at the -same moment; the grim guns in the “Water Battery” were unshotted, and, -instead of angry defiance, sent out loud peals of welcome. The men on -board the steamer replied with hearty cheers; the boat hauled up to the -wharf; the men immediately disembarked and marched into the fortress, -where they were received with every manifestation of joy. The safety of -the fort was now assured, confidence took the place of dark doubts, and -the cause of the Government in that department wore a brighter hue. - -By this opportune arrival of the Fourth Regiment, and the Third also, -which came a little later in the day, Fortress Monroe was undoubtedly -saved to the Government, and for this almost priceless service to the -country, the people are largely indebted to the unsleeping vigilance of -John A. Andrew, and to the ardent patriotism of the volunteers of the -Third and Fourth regiments of Massachusetts Militia. From the time of -the arrival of the Fourth Regiment till the 27th of May, its men were -almost constantly on duty in and about the fortress, mounting cannon, -and having an experience similar to that of the Third Regiment. - -On the 21st of May, the steamer “Cambridge” arrived from Boston, -bringing, among other troops, the companies commanded by Captains -Doten, Leach, Chipman, and Barnes. Captains Leach’s and Barnes’s -companies, and, subsequently, that of Captain Clarke, were assigned to -the Fourth, and the others to the Third Regiment. - -The number of troops in and about the fortress was now sufficient to -justify the occupation of a greater extent of territory. On the 26th -of May, an order was issued, directing the establishment of a camp at -the mouth of the James River, at a place known as and properly written -“Newport’s News,” though more commonly written Newport News,[10] which -spelling we adopt, as it is better known to our soldiers by that name. -Newport News was a cultivated plateau of nearly two miles in length, -extending back from the river a distance of half a mile, where it -bordered upon an extensive forest of pine. The banks of the James here -rose to a height of thirty feet, from the sides of which bubbled out -numerous springs of pure water. - -Colonel John W. Phelps was given charge of this expedition. He was a -celebrated artillerist. Born in Vermont in 1813, he graduated at West -Point in 1836, and was brevetted to the Fourth Artillery. A First -Lieutenant in the Mexican war, he served with distinguished gallantry -on Scott’s line. At Contreras and Churubusco, in command of a company -in the storming brigade of Riley, his services were conspicuous and -exceptionally brilliant. For this he was brevetted a Captain, but -declined the distinction. He was the originator of the text-books for -heavy artillery in use before the war, and commanded a battery in the -Utah expedition of Albert Sidney Johnston, and at one time commanded -Fort Brown, Texas. He was an uncompromising enemy of human slavery, -and, becoming dissatisfied with what he regarded as the pro-slavery -sentiment of both the army and the administration, in 1859, resigned -his commission and at once settled in Brattleborough, Vt. In the spring -of 1861, he was made Colonel of the First Vermont Militia, and shortly -afterwards came to Fortress Monroe, as has already been stated. Colonel -Phelps was a superior soldier, and a most valuable acquisition to the -army in any department. - -The troops which composed the expedition to Newport News were the -Fourth Massachusetts Militia, First Vermont Militia, and Colonel -Bendix’s Seventh New York (German),--all infantry. Captains Barnes’s -and Clarke’s companies went with the Fourth Regiment, while Captain -Leach’s company was, by order of General Butler, retained in the fort -to perform garrison duty. The troops embarked at an early hour on the -morning of the 27th. As the steamboat which had on board the Fourth -Regiment was passing into the mouth of the James River, the Confederate -batteries on Sewall’s Point opened a brisk fire upon it. One of the -shots, a huge missile, passed over the decks, just above the heads of -the men, while the others fell short. - -The Fourth Regiment was sent from Fortress Monroe to this distant -post with a very small supply of ammunition. Captain Barnes’s company -had only twenty rounds of cartridges and ten percussion-caps to each -man; while Clarke’s company, which had a kind of arm different from -the rest of the command, had brought from Boston a large supply of -ammunition, about 14,000 rounds of ball-cartridges and 20,000 extra -percussion-caps. No tents were supplied the troops that went to Newport -News until about a week after they reached there. In the meantime, the -men lived in huts made of rails and covered with branches of trees and -bushes. - -As soon as Colonel Phelps arrived, he began the erection of earthworks. -These were of semi-circular form, terminating at either extremity -on the bank of the river, and were nearly half a mile long. In the -ditch in front of the works were placed obstructions of the nature of -_chevaux-de-frise_. On the main works commanding the plain and forest -were mounted a number of heavy guns, while on the bluff facing the -river was a battery of five large pieces, and among them a Sawyer and -James rifle. Upon these works the men of the Fourth Regiment and those -of Barnes’s and Clarke’s companies labored for many days, and at a time -when the weather was extremely hot. The men were wholly unaccustomed -to such work, being compelled, from the scarcity of draught animals in -the department, to draw from the adjacent forest the logs which were -used on the fortifications. - -On the 5th of June, the troops here had an opportunity to witness for -the first time a battle. The United States gunboat “Harriet Lane,” a -low side-wheel steamer, came up the river and attacked a Confederate -sand-battery on Pig Point, directly opposite Newport News. The fight -was a lively one, though of short duration, in the course of which the -vessel was several times struck, and a number of her men badly wounded. -During the affair, the steamer captured a supply-sloop of the enemy, -and towed it down to the fort. - -June 6, a body of mounted Confederates made a sudden dash upon a -working party near a place afterwards known as “Number Nine Picket,” -in the forest, in front of the centre of our main works. The long -roll was beaten, and the camp quickly put under arms. Captain Barnes -was ordered out with his company, but the enemy had fled before his -arrival at the place of attack. The company then went forward on the -main road to “Lee’s House.” On the way out, one of Barnes’s scouts saw -one of the enemy leading his horse along a road that ran near the edge -of the forest. The scout fired upon the enemy, who, unhurt, mounted -and fled. At Lee’s House, a large number of negroes were congregated, -old and young, and considerable information was obtained from them in -relation to the movements of the enemy in that vicinity, and especially -in regard to the mounted men that had made the assault upon our working -party. While here, and just as the company was returning, Captain -Luther Stephenson of the Fourth Regiment came up rapidly with his -company, having been ordered by General Phelps to go out to Barnes’s -support. After a brief pause, both companies returned to camp. The -information obtained was reported to the General, and Barnes and -Stephenson were ordered to return after dark that night to Lee’s House -with their commands, with directions to use their discretion as to how -far they should proceed into the country. The two commands spent the -night at this place, throwing out pickets into the fields and on the -edge of the woods. The next morning, the companies of Captains Barnes -and Stephenson reconnoitred in the direction of “Smith’s Farm,” about -six miles up the river. - -During the day, small bodies of Confederates were several times seen, -but no collision occurred. When the companies were near Smith’s place, -a negro was observed skulking in the bushes. He was brought before the -officers and questioned by them concerning the country and the location -of the enemy’s camp. From this negro the Captains obtained very -valuable information relating to the enemy’s works at a place called -Great Bethel. The colored man was taken to Newport News, where he was -examined by Colonel Phelps and one of the staff officers of General -Butler. In a few days after this reconnoissance, General Butler issued -his orders for the expedition against Great Bethel. - -The movement on Great Bethel occurred on the 10th of June, 1861. -Great Bethel was the name of a church located in the midst of a -sparsely-settled country, about nine miles on the road leading south -from Hampton, in the direction of, and some twelve miles from, -Yorktown, in York County. Here, and also at another place near by -called Little Bethel, were bodies of Confederate troops, being a part -of the command of Colonel J. Bankhead Magruder.[11] The latter place -was an outpost or picket-station of the camp at Great Bethel. The -Federal movement was made in two columns: one from Hampton, consisting -of Colonel Townsend’s Third New York Infantry, Colonel Duryea’s -Fifth New York (Zouaves) Infantry, with two mountain howitzers; and -the second column from Newport News, consisting of one field-piece -(6-pounder), under Lieutenant Greble of the United States army, three -companies of the Seventh New York[12] Infantry, under Colonel Bendix, -three companies of the Fourth Massachusetts Militia Infantry, namely, -Companies “G” of Taunton, “F” of Foxborough, and “H” of Quincy, the -companies commanded by Captains Clarke and Barnes, and five companies -of the First Vermont Militia Infantry. - -The last-named ten companies formed a battalion, and were commanded by -Lieutenant-Colonel Washburn of the First Vermont, assisted by Major -Whittemore and Adjutant Walker of the Fourth Massachusetts and Adjutant -Hiram Stephens of the First Vermont. The expedition was commanded by -Brigadier-General Ebenezer W. Pierce of the Massachusetts Militia. The -column from Newport News marched at about midnight of the 9th, and the -column from Hampton earlier in the evening, the distance being greater. -The two columns were to form a junction in the vicinity of Little -Bethel early on the following morning. - -The advance of the column from Hampton, consisting of Duryea’s Zouaves, -passed the junction of the road from Newport News with the main road -from Hampton, the point designated for the two columns to unite, -shortly before daybreak, moved rapidly forward, and surprised the -enemy’s outpost at Little Bethel. - -Immediately afterwards, at about daybreak, the column from Newport -News arrived at the point named for uniting, and in the absence of any -knowledge that the Zouaves had already passed the point, turned to the -left, and entering upon the main road, moved rapidly forward toward -Little Bethel, with the view of accomplishing what had already been -done without their knowledge. - -At this stage of affairs, the Vermont and Massachusetts troops being -all upon the main road, following the Zouaves and the rear of the -Newport News column, consisting of the three German companies (Seventh -New York) and a piece of artillery, dragged by hand, being just at the -junction, not having made the turn into the main road, the head of -Colonel Townsend’s regiment, the rear of the Hampton column, made its -appearance over the top of the hill, on the main road from Hampton, -rapidly approaching the junction. A small belt of woods, without -undergrowth, at the intersection of the two roads, lay between the -three German companies and the main road, on which Townsend’s men were -moving. At the head of Colonel Townsend’s column rode General Pierce -and many other mounted officers, giving it the appearance, “in the -magnifying dusk of the early morning,” of a body of cavalry. Colonel -Bendix, supposing from these circumstances that the approaching column -was a body of Confederate cavalry, and the column from Hampton being -under a similar delusion as to the character of the Germans, partially -hid as they were by the woods, the two columns immediately fired upon -each other, and a brisk interchange of musketry ensued, to which the -Germans added the fire of their 6-pounder, as soon as they could run it -into position on the main road. - -The column from Hampton then fell back behind the crest of the hill to -form, leaving several of their number killed and wounded on the field. -The heads of the two columns moving toward Little Bethel, as already -indicated, at once countermarched on the double-quick to the scene of -action. Upon arriving there, the firing had ceased. Colonel Townsend’s -regiment was not in sight, and the Germans were in line of battle in -an open field, having moved through the belt of woods toward their -supposed enemy. The Vermont and Massachusetts troops of the advanced -column, being nearest, reached the place first, and formed in line in -front of the German companies, with the exception of Captain Clarke’s -company of this command, which, as support to Lieutenant Greble’s gun, -moved with that officer up the road to the brow of the hill. Lieutenant -Greble, who was in advance, mounted, came upon the wounded of -Townsend’s regiment, and the fatal error was at once apparent. Meantime -Townsend’s regiment had formed behind the hill, and on the appearance -of the troops at the brow of the hill, discharged their howitzer, -happily without effect. Duryea’s Zouaves had also returned and taken -position. - -The mistake having been discovered, the several bodies united and -proceeded toward Bethel. A surprise was now out of the question, the -enemy having undoubtedly been alarmed by the firing. - -It was well into the forenoon when our troops arrived in front of the -enemy’s works at Great Bethel. As our column was moving slowly by the -flank, on the main road, an officer from the front came up and informed -each company commander that they were near the enemy, and directed -them to keep their men well closed up. Shortly after, while our force -was still on the main road and not yet in sight of the enemy’s works, -a heavy gun was fired from that quarter, and the shot passed over -the heads of our men, through the tops of the trees. The column at -once halted, and the several regiments quickly moved out of the road. -Duryea’s went to the right and halted, while the battalion of Colonel -Washburn moved to the left into an open field, and formed in line of -battle near a fence, a belt of woods in front shutting off a view of -the enemy. Soon after this, the Zouaves were ordered forward; they -went by the flank through the woods on the edge of the road, and came -suddenly upon the enemy’s works, which proved to be quite formidable, -being nearly a fourth of a mile in length, mounting several guns, and -defended by a body of infantry and a battery of field-pieces. There was -but one direct approach, and this was across a narrow wooden bridge -that spanned a brook in front of the works, about three feet deep and -from twelve to fifteen feet wide. The right of the enemy was protected -by an impassable morass or swamp, and their left by fallen timber and -other obstructions. The Zouaves attempted to charge directly across -the bridge, but encountering a terrible fire of both artillery and -musketry, fell back with a loss of four killed and eleven wounded, and, -among the latter, Captain Kilpatrick (afterwards General Kilpatrick -of cavalry fame).[13] Colonel Washburn’s battalion remained in the -position we have indicated for nearly thirty minutes, during all of -which time there was heavy firing at the front, and was then moved by -the right flank across the main road into the woods on the right of -the road, and halted just inside of the edge of the woods, an open -field being in their front; and although from this position the enemy’s -works were still invisible, yet their bullets were coming into the -woods literally in showers. To this point a considerable number of the -Zouaves had retired, and were seen lying flat upon the ground. In the -near vicinity was Lieutenant Greble, with his gun, actively engaged -with the enemy, Captain Clarke’s company being his main support. The -battalion was again put in motion, and after passing a short distance -to the right, came to “a sort of dry ditch, with a high embankment in -front,” opposite the left of the enemy’s position, with an open field -between them and the enemy. Only three Massachusetts companies were -now with the battalion; namely, Captain Barnes’s company, Company G of -Taunton, and Company H of Quincy (Fourth Regiment). Captain Shepard’s -company (“F”) had been left at Little Bethel as a guard. Soon the order -came from Colonel Washburn to charge. The Massachusetts men climbed -the embankment, and sprang forward toward the enemy’s works in their -immediate front, under a severe though wild and random fire of both -musketry and cannon. The ground was somewhat descending, and after a -rapid run of a few minutes, the men came to the brook before referred -to. Captain Barnes led his company, and jumped at once into the brook, -Lieutenants Osgood and Keen doing likewise; and the men following their -brave example, all were quickly on the enemy’s side, at the very foot -of the works. Here they were greeted with a severe volley of musketry, -mingled with grape; but our men were unharmed, and, rising from the -ground, ran up the embankment and discharged their pieces among the -enemy, who were now considerably confused, and in some parts of their -works apparently falling back. Our soldiers were also much excited, and -probably fired wildly, doing little execution, for this was the first -time they had faced a hostile gun; but they kept at it till ordered to -stop, running up the bank to fire, and then dropping back to load. This -was the golden moment in the battle, which, had it been improved by the -commanding officer of our forces, would have unquestionably resulted in -the capture of the works; but instead of seconding the brave efforts -of our assaulting party, all the rest of the Federal force (excepting -Greble and his gun) were allowed to remain inactive. This state of -things continued for several minutes,--perhaps fifteen,--when Horace -Colby of Barnes’s company was instantly killed, and Frank L. Souther -of Company H (Fourth Regiment) mortally wounded. There were less than -two hundred men across the brook, these being mainly Massachusetts -men of the companies of Barnes, Gordon, and Curtis. Colonel Washburn, -Major Whittemore, and Adjutants Walker and Stephens were also there. -The enemy observing the utter cessation of hostilities at all other -points, had recovered from their first surprise, and now held all parts -of their works. Finally, Colonel Washburn, perceiving that he was not -to be supported, and that his men on the breastworks were liable at any -moment to be flanked or driven into the ditch and captured (for the -enemy greatly outnumbered them), gave the order to withdraw. The East -Boston men seized the dead body of Colby and attempted to carry it off, -but found it impossible to do so. The men fell back more deliberately -than veterans, for veterans would have run; while these proud and -inexperienced soldiers of Massachusetts, thinking it unmilitary to run, -walked steadily backward to the woods, often pausing to load and fire. -One of them, Stewart (Barnes’s company), whose gun was so foul that it -could not be discharged, showed his pluck by snapping caps at the enemy -as he went away. - -About this time, Major Winthrop of General Butler’s staff was killed, -and, shortly after, Lieutenant Greble, at his gun. No further effort -was made to capture the works, and the order to retreat was given to -our whole force, which now retired in good order, no pursuit whatever -being attempted by the enemy. Lieutenant Greble’s gun was hauled from -its exposed position into the woods, and the body of that gallant -officer was lashed to it and conveyed to Fortress Monroe, where it was -received with many manifestations of grief. The body of Major Winthrop, -together with several others killed and wounded, were left upon the -field. - -The casualties among the Massachusetts troops were as follows: Horace -Colby of Captain Barnes’s company, and Matthew Fitzpatrick of Captain -Clarke’s company, were killed; Sergeant A. H. DeCosta of Captain -Clarke’s company, and Frank L. Souther of the Fourth Regiment, were -wounded, the latter mortally. - -The total Union loss in this battle has been variously estimated -at from twenty-five to forty, killed and wounded. The loss of the -Confederates was small, one authority giving it as one killed and -seven wounded. A few days after the battle, a flag of truce was sent -out from our lines, to discover the condition of our dead and wounded. -Major Cary of the Confederates met our flag, and informed the officer -in charge that our dead had been properly buried upon the field, and -our wounded suitably cared for. The personal effects of Major Winthrop, -including his gold watch, were given up to our officer in charge of the -flag. - -The contemporary estimate of the importance of this affair is very -ludicrous, when viewed in the light of the subsequent events of the -war. General Butler comforted himself by saying, “Our troops have -learned confidence in themselves under fire, the enemy have shown that -they will not meet us in the open field, and our officers have learned -wherein their organization and drill are inefficient.”[14] The Northern -press regarded it as “a severe engagement”; while in the South it was -spoken of as “a brilliant victory,” and was even made the subject of -a spirited lyric published in the New Orleans “Delta.” One Frank I. -Wilson of Raleigh N. C., in 1864, published a pamphlet of twenty-eight -pages, mostly devoted to a description of this skirmish, prefaced by -various heroic mottoes and quotations from Halleck and other authors. -The book contains many extravagant statements, and besides giving -the names of some of the officers and troops engaged, is of little -value as a contribution to the history of the war, which statement is -well illustrated by the assertion of its author, on page 19, that the -loss of the Federals “was about three hundred killed and as many more -wounded.” - -Some of the statements of Northern writers are nearly as much at -variance with the truth as those above quoted. Mr. Abbott, in his -“History of the Civil War” (Vol. I., p. 151), says of Major Winthrop, -that “he fell dead nearer the enemy’s works than any other man”; while -Mr. Parton says, quoting from the report of the Confederate Colonel, D. -H. Hill (“Butler in New Orleans,” page 146), that Major Winthrop “was -the only man in the Union force who displayed even an approximation -to courage.” While the author has no desire to detract from the fame -of Major Winthrop, who was unquestionably a brave man, yet these -statements are grossly false, and cruelly unjust to the other officers -and men who took part in the battle. Colonel Duryea’s men charged -the enemy’s works with great bravery, as did also the Massachusetts -troops under Lieutenant-Colonel Washburn; and had there been proper -concert of action, these assaults would have doubtless led to victory. -Horace Colby of Captain Barnes’s company fell on the slope of the -enemy’s works, and his comrades, in endeavoring to recover his body, -were obliged to drag it off by the legs; while, according to the best -authority, Major Winthrop fell thirty yards from the enemy’s works, -being shot while standing on a log viewing the Confederate position on -their right. - -Since the author has had the subject of this battle under -consideration, he has consulted _very high_ and _reliable_ Confederate -authority in regard to it, from which he has obtained the following -facts: On the 8th of June, 1861, the First North Carolina Regiment of -Infantry, under Colonel Daniel H. Hill (General D. H. Hill), moved down -from Yorktown, where it had been in camp, to the near neighborhood of -Great Bethel. On the 9th of June, Colonel Magruder (General Magruder) -came from Yorktown and ordered Colonel Hill to move before day of the -10th, to rebuild a bridge near Hampton, that had been destroyed by -the Federals. Colonel Hill did not like the movement, and requested -Colonel Magruder, his senior, to accompany him. Magruder consented, -and before daylight on the 10th, the Confederate troops, consisting of -Hill’s regiment, 700 strong, some Virginia companies of infantry under -Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart, about 200, a company of Virginia Howitzers -(Richmond Howitzers), numbering about 100 men, started on their march. -After having gone three or four miles, day broke upon them, when they -met a Mrs. Trumbell, who informed them that the Federals had been at -her house that morning, and but for an accident which had occurred, -whereby they had fired upon one another, they would have reached Bethel -by daylight. Upon receiving this information, Magruder ordered the -troops to halt, and then ordered them to fall back toward Great Bethel. -Upon reaching the ground on the south side of the intersection of the -two roads, between Little and Great Bethel, Colonel Magruder thought -he would divide his force and send a portion of his command, together -with the Howitzers, down the Back River road; but Colonel Hill, who was -an excellent soldier, suggested that they had better keep together, -occupy their works at Great Bethel, and wait for the approach of the -Federals. This was finally agreed upon, and the wisdom of such a course -is apparent from what followed. - -When the movement was made by the Federals on the enemy’s left flank, -“it created some alarm”; and when the movement on their right flank was -made by Townsend’s regiment, “Magruder ordered the Virginians, who were -holding the pits in advance of the creek, to abandon them”; but Colonel -Hill sent Captain Bridger, with his company, to reoccupy them, which he -did. About this time, Magruder, supposing his whole right flank to be -enveloped, ordered a retreat of all his forces on Yorktown. This order -was, however, recalled, when, soon after, Colonel M. discovered his -mistake. - -The Federal movement on the enemy’s left flank, “which created some -alarm,” referred to by our informant, and spoken of above, was -unquestionably that of the battalion of Lieutenant-Colonel Washburn, -one of our Massachusetts officers engaged in it having always insisted -that the enemy were retreating when our men reached their works. That -the works charged by the battalion were the enemy’s main works, is -beyond dispute; and the fact that the Confederates temporarily retired -from them, is distinctly stated by Mr. Pollard, in his book entitled -the “First Year of the War,” page 77. - -The author has not gone into the numerous details of this battle with -any erroneous idea of its importance, but simply because it was the -first pitched battle of the war, and the facts concerning it have been -much in dispute, and because it shows how the raw troops of both armies -fought at that very early period. - -General Butler thought the enemy cowardly because they fought behind -works; but the fact that they did so, proves that they were commanded -by good officers, who knew something about fighting; while the fact -that General Butler failed to place some experienced officer--like -General Phelps, for instance--in command of the expedition, shows that -he had quite as much to learn as his troops, and even more than some of -his lieutenants. The battle was, perhaps, well planned, but was fought -by the Federals with very little skill. There was something of the same -assurance of easy victory on our part which characterized the battle of -Bull Run, that so soon followed. - -On the 29th of June, a scouting party went out from Newport News and -captured four of the enemy, who were in full zouave uniform, and -belonged to a Louisiana regiment. On the same day, the Fourth Regiment -was ordered to embark, but for some reason its departure was delayed -until the second day of July, when, in pursuance of orders from General -Butler, it proceeded by steamer to Hampton, and occupied that town with -the Third Regiment.[15] In the forenoon of the 4th, both regiments -marched to Camp Hamilton, were reviewed by General Pierce, and in the -afternoon by General Butler and Secretary Cameron. On the 11th of July, -the regiment marched to Fortress Monroe, preparatory to embarking for -home, and there exchanged their Springfield muskets “for old, altered, -flint-lock guns.”[16] While stopping at Fortress Monroe, the men were -addressed by General Butler and Colonel Dimick. - -On the 15th, the regiment went on board the steamer “S. R. Spaulding,” -and after a passage of about fifty-six hours, reached Boston Harbor, -landed on Long Island, and there remained till the 22d; on the latter -day proceeding to the city, and being reviewed on Boston Common by -Governor Andrew. - -The disaster of Bull Run had so far depressed the feelings of the -people, that the reception in Boston was not attended with that degree -of enthusiasm which the soldiers had reason to expect; but every loyal -heart was sorrow-stricken then, and the appearance of the bronzed -faces of the men, and their well-worn uniforms, served only as a -reminder of the sad realities of war. The local receptions given the -various companies were, however, most cordial: bells were rung, flags -displayed, and speeches of welcome were made. - -These and other soldiers of our militia performed, in the early days of -the war, a part similar to that of the Minutemen of the Revolution, and -the gratitude of a liberty-loving people will ever be accorded to them. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - THE REVIEW IN FORTRESS MONROE--A FOURTH OF JULY - BATTLE--FORMATION OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BATTALION--CAPTAIN - LEACH’S COMPANY SENT TO THE RIP-RAPS--GUARDING - PRISONERS--BURNING OF HAMPTON BY THE CONFEDERATES--THE - BATTALION SENT TO NEWPORT NEWS. - - -We have already spoken of the presence in the department of the -Secretary of War, and his review of the Third and Fourth regiments at -Camp Hamilton. On the fourth day of July, the garrison of Fortress -Monroe was reviewed by that officer, General Butler, and Colonel -Dimick. At that time Captain Leach’s company was stationed at the fort, -and was reviewed with the rest of the troops. Probably no member of -that company will soon forget the chagrin which he and all his comrades -experienced that day on account of the shabbiness of their uniforms. -There was not one soldier in ten of the company whose trousers were -not in tatters, and whose shirt--for they had neither dress-coats nor -blouses--was not faded to a dingy yellow and out at the elbows. The -grotesque style of their uniforms, which are particularly described -in a previous chapter, and the poor quality of their arms, added to -their generally ragged condition, made them disagreeably conspicuous, -especially as they formed on the immediate left of the regulars, a -well-drilled and finely-uniformed and equipped body of soldiers. When -the inspecting party, in full dress, came riding down the line, and -their eyes fell upon the shabby-looking Massachusetts boys, Secretary -Cameron was so much surprised, that he turned to General Butler and -asked, “What terribly ragged troops are these?” The General was -greatly mortified to be compelled to state in reply, that they were -Massachusetts volunteers. When the equipments of the men were inspected -by one of the staff officers, he found that their cartridge-boxes were -empty, although they had been on duty there for more than a month.[17] -The public disgrace which the men were compelled to suffer on this -occasion was partially compensated on the following day, by an issue to -them of a full suit of United States infantry uniform, including the -dress-hat and coat. - -Beside this inspection, the Fourth was attended by two other incidents -of an entirely different nature. A little after noon, the United -States gunboat “Pawnee” weighed anchor, and, steaming across the -Roads, commenced a spirited attack upon the Confederate land-batteries -at Sewall’s Point. The fight took place in plain view of the whole -garrison, the troops off duty lining the parapets and watching every -movement and every shot with the most intense interest. The steamer was -very rapid in her movements, and managed to expose but little of her -hull to the enemy’s gunners. Her shell were often seen to explode in -the tree-tops and about the shore, while those of the hostile batteries -frequently passed through her rigging and plunged into the water near -her, throwing up beautiful jets of silvery spray and foam. - -Towards night a threatening black cloud arose in the south, while a -fresh wind was blowing from the opposite quarter. There were a number -of war-vessels in the Roads, and among them the brig “Perry,” a very -snugly-rigged and peculiarly trim-looking vessel. About six o’clock, -the latter was observed to be making sail, and in the course of a few -minutes was heading towards Cape Henry, speeding before the breeze like -a bird. It was but a short time before the hull of the vessel was lost -to view; but against the dark background of the clouds, from out of -which there frequently came flashes of lightning, the snowy sails of -the brig were for a long time plainly visible. - -At short distances apart, along the shore near which she was passing, -were Confederate sand-batteries. As the brig approached them, suddenly -a flash of flame was seen to dart out of the woods on the shore, -and quickly in response a flash from under the white sails of the -vessel,--for her hull was still invisible,--and then, after the lapse -of a few seconds, came reverberating across the dark water the sullen -boom of a gun, mingled with a peal of thunder. This fine display -continued till some time after it was quite dark, when the rain began -to descend in large drops, driving the spectators from the parapets. -There was a succession of heavy rainstorms, accompanied by severe -thunder and lightning, lasting nearly all night. - -When the Third and Fourth regiments retired from the service, the -seven three-years’ companies became so many unattached and independent -commands, the necessities of whose members, as well as the true -interests of the Government, demanded that they should speedily become -an organized body, having a responsible commander and such other -officers as the actual needs of field life always require. General -Butler, appreciating the situation of these soldiers, promptly issued -the following order:-- - - “HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, } - FORTRESS MONROE, VA., July 16, 1861. } - - “SPECIAL ORDERS, NO. 144. - - “Captain Barnes, Massachusetts Volunteers, is assigned to the - command of the companies of Massachusetts Volunteers now in the - department and not organized into a regiment. Captain Barnes - will appoint from the subalterns of his command an officer to - perform the duties of an Acting Assistant Quartermaster and - Acting Assistant Commissary of Subsistence. - - “(Official.) By command of Major-General Butler. - “(Signed) T. J. HAINES, A. A. A. G. - “(Signed) WM. D. WHIPPLE, A. A. G.” - -Captain Barnes, upon assuming command of these troops (which were -designated by Adjutant-General Schouler, in his reports, as the First -Battalion of Massachusetts Volunteers), appointed First Lieutenant John -B. Collingwood, Adjutant; First Lieutenant Joshua Norton, 3d, Acting -Assistant Quartermaster; and Sergeant Henry S. Braden, Sergeant-Major. - -By an order from General Butler, also dated July 16, Captain Leach was -directed to proceed with his company to the little island in Hampton -Roads known as the Rip-Raps, to relieve a detachment of the Third -Regiment there stationed. Here, some years before, the Government had -begun the erection of a fortification called Fort Calhoun, the name -of which was changed during the war to Fort Wool. Several guns had -been mounted about the partially-completed works, and on the wharf a -rifled cannon of heavy calibre, known as the Sawyer rifle. The island -was then being used as a place of confinement for Confederate prisoners -and Federal soldiers under sentence of court-martial, though at the -time Captain Leach took command, there were only four or five prisoners -at the place, and those civilians, who had been captured by the Union -gunboats in the act of transporting from the eastern shore of Virginia -to the enemy’s camp at Yorktown, arms and munitions of war; but, later -in the year, a part of the prisoners captured by General Burnside in -his Hatteras expedition were sent here, swelling the number to about -sixty. These prisoners were comfortably quartered in a part of one of -the barracks occupied by Captain Leach’s men, and were provided with -the same rations as the soldiers, which were ample and wholesome, -being treated in many respects by our men more like companions than -prisoners; they were usually allowed the liberties of the island, -subjected to little if any restraint, passing the long summer days in -fishing from the wharf, and watching the movements of our war-vessels. - -On the 26th of July, Captain Tyler’s company, then commanded by Captain -Wilson, was also ordered to Fort Wool. With the exception of mounting -cannon, a work never regarded by the soldiers with much favor, the -duties imposed upon the garrison here were very light, the limited size -of the grounds making it impossible to conduct any military evolutions, -beside a simple dress-parade, and hence the men were exempted from -drill duty, an immunity, however, that was not at all to their -advantage. - -A short time before the transfer of Captain Leach’s company to this -post, a number of the privates and non-commissioned officers of his -command had been detailed for guard duty on board the United States -gunboat “Anacosta,” then commanded by Commander Collins, U. S. N., the -same officer who afterwards, while in command of the “Wachusett,” so -distinguished himself by the capture of the Confederate war-steamer -“Florida,” in the Bay of San Salvador. - -The operations of the enemy in the vicinity of Sewall’s Point, at the -mouth of the Elizabeth River, about two and a half miles from the -Rip-Raps, rendered it essential to maintain a close watch of that -locality, as a successful night attack upon the little garrison at Fort -Wool was entirely feasible. The duty performed by the “Anacosta” was -that of watching at night the hostile shore, and warning our fleet in -Hampton Roads of the approach of fire-rafts and floating torpedoes. -Some time in August, the “Anacosta” was relieved, and the guard ordered -to return to their company. - -The country which lay between our lines and those of the enemy was to -a great extent heavily wooded, was from ten to twelve miles in length, -and extended from the shore of the Chesapeake Bay to the James River. -Here and there throughout this wild region, in little clearings in -the forest, often miles apart, were farm-houses and a few acres of -cultivated land, and threading the whole country were numerous roads -and horse-paths. This whole region was a common scouting-ground for -both armies, and a love of adventure often led our soldiers to advance, -in squads of ten or twenty, far into the country. - -On the night of the 18th of July, a party composed of Major Rawlins, an -officer of a Pennsylvania regiment, a Mr. Shurtleff, an artist, Major -Halliday, Captain Jenkins, and two others, started from the vicinity of -Fortress Monroe, and proceeded some eight miles toward Yorktown. This -foolish adventure had a very sad termination, for while the party were -picking their way along the dark forest road, they were fired upon by a -body of the enemy, who lay concealed. Major Rawlins was killed, Jenkins -and Shurtleff were captured, while Halliday and the rest of the party, -by a hasty flight, managed to escape. This sad affair tended to check -these ill-advised excursions, and to teach all who had a passion for -reckless adventure a timely lesson. - -The five companies under Barnes remained in Hampton, after the -departure of the Fourth Regiment, until about July 30, when they were -ordered back to the fort, and garrisoned a redoubt that during the -summer had been erected just outside the water battery of the fortress, -on the sand-beach. The Battalion remained here till August 5, when it -was ordered by General Butler to take post at Camp Hamilton, about one -mile distant from the fortress, and in the direction of Hampton. The -number of troops in the department had been materially decreased since -the battle of Bull Run, and it was doubtless considered imprudent for a -small force to occupy Hampton, and accordingly the troops had all been -drawn in from the town, and were now stationed at Camp Hamilton. - -For several days there had been indications of an advance by the enemy -in the direction of the town. Deserters and others who came into our -lines reported that such a movement was in progress; but it was not -till the 7th of August that these stories were confirmed. On that day, -it became evident to all that the enemy in force were actually moving -forward, and apparently directly towards Hampton. The purpose of this -movement at this time could not be understood by our officers. Our -troops were not occupying Hampton, and the small force at Camp Hamilton -could, if necessary, be easily retired into the fortress; besides, the -enemy could not expect to be able to occupy and hold either Hampton -or Camp Hamilton, under the guns of the fort and our fleet. It was -therefore thought that the movement towards the town was a ruse, and -that the real attack would be made on the camp at Newport News. At -sundown of the 7th, the position of affairs remained unchanged. One -thing was clear: the enemy was advancing, and rapidly approaching -Hampton. To guard against surprise, General Butler had directed that -a number of transports be held in readiness to convey troops up the -James, to Newport News, if necessary, and the reserve commands were -ordered to be prepared to move at a moment’s notice. - -Besides the five companies of our Massachusetts Battalion, there -were stationed at Camp Hamilton, Col. Max Weber’s Twentieth New York -Regiment and a portion of the Naval Brigade (Ninety-ninth New York -Regiment).[18] A strong picket-line was posted on the bank of Hampton -Creek; and at the bridge, which had been partially destroyed, was -stationed a guard from the Battalion under Lieutenant Mayo of Company -E. In the evening, General Butler visited the camp, for the purpose of -ascertaining any new developments. All was quiet, no sound came from -the pickets, and the town was silent. The General, after imparting -to the several battalion commanders such information and directions -as he deemed essential, returned to the fort. The night was black, -and the wind blew freshly from the south. At about nine o’clock, -our pickets were suddenly startled by the shouting of the negroes -(who still remained in the village), and presently the regular tramp -of marching soldiers was heard by our men. Then appeared two long -rows of torches, lighting up the dark, narrow ways and the windows -of the deserted houses. Suddenly the column halted, and the flaming -torches were seen dancing about wildly in all directions, like so many -will-o’-the-wisps. And now the quiet of the night was broken by loud -yells, the houses were entered and fired, and soon the whole town was -enveloped in flames, casting a bright light over the bay, and revealing -to our soldiers the forms of the enemy as they moved about the streets. -Our Massachusetts men at the bridge soon began to fire, and the sharp -crack of rifles was added to the roar of the flames. The fire of our -soldiers became very galling to the enemy, and he sought to dislodge -them, making a bold dash for the bridge, at the head of which stood our -men, behind a hastily-constructed barricade. The bridge was long and -narrow, and the enemy came on at a quick run. They had advanced but a -short distance, when a sharp fire from our lines drove them back with -some loss. Several other, though feeble, attempts were made to drive -our men from the bridge; but each attempt signally failed, and the -picket-firing was kept up at intervals throughout the night. - -That was indeed a memorable night in the history of the Battalion. The -loud roar of the flames, the cries of the terrified negroes as they -were being driven from their huts by the enemy and marched off under -guard into their lines, all combined to make up a wild scene the terror -of which was not a little heightened by the presence of our gunboats in -the Roads, which kept up a vigorous bombardment of the fields and woods -about the town, and occasionally threw a huge shell into the burning -village, scattering the fragments of the buildings, and carrying -consternation to the enemy. - -There were not lacking acts of brutality on the part of those who were -guilty of this wicked deed. Living in the village were an old white -gentleman and his aged wife, who had many times befriended the Union -troops, and whose son was a major in that portion of the Confederate -army that destroyed the town. This major led the burning party which -fired the place; but not satisfied with this work, he must needs visit -upon his parents, whom he suspected of harboring sentiments of loyalty -to the old flag, an act of vengeance as cowardly as it was revolting. -Going in the darkness to their house, which was on the outskirts of the -village, in harsh tones he ordered them to leave it in fifteen minutes, -or, to use his own language, “I’ll burn it over your heads.” These aged -persons, having on scarcely any clothing save their night-garments, -rushed out into the gloom of that awful night. The son, now filled with -frenzy, heedless of the cries and supplications of his parents, applied -the torch with his own hand to the home that had sheltered him in -youth. In the light of their burning dwelling, the horror-stricken pair -hastened to the river, and jumping into a small skiff, gained the Union -camp.[19] - -From sundown of the 7th till late into the forenoon of the following -day, the Battalion remained in position on the easterly side of the -creek, picketing its banks, closely watching the town, and successfully -resisting every attempt of the enemy to cross over. Quite early in the -morning of the 8th, the Confederates withdrew, driving before them -a horde of panic-stricken negroes, and carrying away a considerable -number of their own killed and wounded. - -The result of that night’s insane work was the burning of nearly five -hundred buildings, and the destruction of property to the value of many -thousands of dollars; and the only reason ever assigned for this piece -of vandalism, was, that the town might not furnish winter cantonments -for the Federal troops. But the burning of the village inflicted no -material injury upon the Federals; it rather relieved them of the grave -responsibility of guarding it, and protecting from plunder the many -articles of great value left there by its former occupants. Hampton, -which was settled in 1705, contained at the time of its evacuation in -May, 1861, a population of about 1,500 souls, and was one of the finest -towns in the Old Dominion. A creek, called Hampton Creek, spanned by -the long wooden bridge before mentioned, divided the town unequally, -the village proper being on the westerly bank, and containing about -five hundred buildings, among them several churches, one an ancient -brick structure, ivy-clad, in the burial-yard of which were the graves -of several distinguished Virginians. In the belfry of this church (one -of the oldest in the State) hung a bell cast in England, and connected -with it were many historic associations. In the war of the Revolution, -and again in 1812, it had been desecrated by British soldiers and -sailors. “It ought to have been spared,” says a writer, “as a venerable -and sacred relic”; but all its worth and antiquity were not proof -against the barbarity that consigned it to ruin. - -On the Fortress Monroe side of the creek were many fine buildings and -elegant private residences, all of which were spared, through the -efforts of our men. Near the fort was the Chesapeake Female Seminary, -and nearer the village was the residence of ex-President Tyler, the -once honored owner of which deserted it at the time of the general -exodus of the people; but as a token of his sympathy with the cause of -the insurgents, left the “Stars and Bars” flying from the roof. These, -however, were taken down soon after by the stalwart standard-bearer -of the Fifth New York Regiment, who put in their place the “Stars and -Stripes,” an emblem far more fit to float over the home of one who had -held the highest office in the gift of the people. - -The day previous to the burning of Hampton (Aug. 6), a party of -the Battalion, consisting of Lieutenant Oliver, Sergeant Atwood, a -corporal, and sixteen men, were detailed to embark on board of a small -steamer, for the purpose of cruising on the “Eastern Shore,” so called, -to board all crafts of a suspicious character. The men took with them -one week’s rations, but were absent ten days, and for the last few -days, subsisted mainly on sea-crabs. They met with several exciting -incidents, and returned to camp in a half-famished condition. On the -18th of August, Captain Barnes was ordered by General Butler to proceed -to Newport News with the five companies of the Battalion under his -immediate command, but Captains Leach’s and Wilson’s companies were -retained at the Rip-Raps till November. - -Two of the New York regiments stationed at Camp Butler (Newport News) -during the latter part of August, became involved in a sad difficulty, -which grew out of the discontent of their men. There had been some -misunderstanding, in the first place, about their term of service, and -for some cause they had, up to this time, received no pay, nor had the -local authorities at home, as was contended by them, paid to their -families the aid promised at the time of their enlistment. The feeling -of dissatisfaction which resulted from this state of things finally -culminated in open mutiny, and nearly five hundred of the enlisted -men of these regiments laid down their arms and refused to do duty. -By order of General Butler, they were placed under arrest, and sent, -under guard, to the Rip-Raps, where, for several days, they were kept -in close confinement. About this time, General Butler was succeeded in -the command of the department by General Wool, a veteran officer of -the regular army, and thereupon an order was issued, directing Captain -Leach to subsist these men upon nothing except bread and water as long -as they continued to harbor a spirit of mutiny. The sympathy of Leach’s -and Wilson’s men toward these prisoners was very strongly excited, and -the guard stationed over them systematically, but slyly, evaded the -orders from headquarters, and freely shared with them their rations of -meat and coffee. Finally, about the first of September, the prisoners -having become convinced of the folly of their conduct, asked permission -to return to duty; and that wish having been made known to General -Wool, they were ordered to Fortress Monroe, severely reprimanded by the -General, and, with the exception of three or four of their number,[20] -who were charged with being ringleaders in the revolt, were pardoned -of their grave offence, and ordered to their respective commands. It -is but just to these men to say, that they subsequently became most -excellent soldiers, and that their grievances were by no means fanciful. - -The four months spent at the Rip-Raps constituted one of the “soft -times,” to use a soldier’s phrase, in the service of these two -companies, and one to which their members have often alluded with -evident pleasure. The men were here required to perform but little -duty, were liberally supplied with good food and clothing, and their -many unoccupied hours pleasantly spent in fishing, catching “soft -crabs,” a very delicious shell-fish, shooting porpoises, watching the -movements of our rapidly-accumulating navy, discussing gravely the -situation of the country, planning campaigns, and fighting imaginary -battles. If all the military and political lore eliminated by these -camp-fire debates, the queer pranks and comic sayings of the witty -ones, could be reduced to print, the result would be a large and by -no means uninteresting volume. These idle days gave birth, also, to -much letter-writing; some specimens of which, still in the author’s -possession, exhibit traces of wonderful imaginative powers, and show -that their composers were not in all respects very devout converts to -truth. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - THE BATTALION AT NEWPORT NEWS ONCE MORE--THE GARRISON AND - OFFICERS--ANECDOTES OF GENERAL PHELPS--THE FAMOUS DRILLS--GUARD - DUTY--“PARISH” AND “BRICK” HOUSES--THE NEGROES--THE SOLDIERS - TEACH THE BOYS TO DRILL--COUNTING THE RAILS--SCOUTING. - - -The time which was spent by the Battalion at Newport News after it was -last ordered here (Aug. 18, 1861), covering as it did the remainder of -the term of service as such an organization, and embracing nearly five -months of its service as a part of the Twenty-ninth Regiment, seems -to demand a full account of the operations at this post during this -period; for although the place never possessed much significance after -the beginning of the Peninsular campaign, in May, 1862, yet it was here -that the members of the Battalion and regiment were thoroughly schooled -in their duties. - -During the summer of 1861, Phelps (who was still in command here) had -been deservedly advanced to the rank of brigadier-general. The brief -account heretofore given of the early military career of this officer -scarcely furnishes our readers with anything more than a general -knowledge of him; for, although a soldier of the strictest sect, he -employed certain peculiar methods of discipline which most professional -military men would regard with disfavor, but which were none the less -wholesome, and admirably adapted to the volunteers, whose character he -seemed thoroughly to understand. All his orders of prohibition were -directed against the enlisted men, though he expected the officers to -take the hint and always set a good example. - -A good illustration of this system of discipline is furnished by the -following incident: During the warm months, the soldiers were much in -the habit of bathing upon the beach, which was sandy and smooth, and -it was by no means infrequent that several hundreds of these bathers -were seen enjoying together the refreshing waters of the James. What -was chiefly objectionable about this was the practice of the men in -bathing at all hours of the day, and in large numbers; and the habit -was not wholly confined to the men, some of the officers of lesser -rank doing the same thing. Finally, an order was issued forbidding -bathing upon the beach between the hours of guard-mount in the morning -and retreat at night. Not long after the publication of the order, the -General, while sitting in front of his quarters, a little cottage that -overlooked the river and shore, observed two young officers preparing -to bathe in front of his house. Waiting till they had undressed, he -called to the Sergeant of the Guard, and ordered him to arrest the -two officers and bring them naked to his quarters. The Sergeant, with -good relish and alacrity, obeyed the order, and locking arms with the -nude officials, who begged loudly for their clothes, conducted them -(a highly-amused crowd of soldiers looking on from the camp) into the -presence of the Commander, who, though inwardly pleased, presented a -stern countenance. - -“Have you heard of the order about bathing?” asked the General. “Yes, -General,” replied one of the culprits; “but we are officers, and the -order applies only to enlisted men.” “Very true, gentlemen,” says -Phelps, in his peculiar tone and Yankee accent; “but how is a soldier -to know an officer except by his dress? If you choose to bathe naked, -and expect to be recognized as officers, pray have your shoulder-straps -buttoned on to you. Go to your quarters.” - -This ingenious and witty reprimand had all the effect of one of greater -severity, while it furnished the garrison with a good joke to laugh -over; and it showed, also, the democratic spirit in which the laws of -the post were to be administered. - -Phelps was a superior drill-master, and it was to the rigid system -of drill inaugurated by him, and continued by his worthy successor, -General Mansfield, that the troops constituting the garrison at -Newport News owe much of the proficiency which they displayed in the -battles and campaigns of a later date. Any narrative of the life of -the Battalion at this place would be imperfect unless it embraced some -mention of the drills to which allusion has been made. The ground was -very favorable for extensive movements; the long plain was covered -with a thick coat of velvety grass, and very little broken. General -Phelps almost invariably took personal charge of these drills, though -he sometimes intrusted them to his colonels, a number of whom were -very able officers. The spectacle presented by these manœuvres was -often grand. The troops, consisting of four full regiments, three large -battalions, and a light battery, were exercised in all the varied field -movements, creating an interest among the troops that was sometimes -intense, and giving rise to a most wholesome rivalry among the officers -and men of the different regiments. An amusing incident occurred in -connection with one of these drills, which shows, perhaps, even better -than the anecdote just related, the eccentricity of Phelps, and his -novel methods of reproving delinquency. - -A regiment belonging on the right of the line was late one day, and the -rest of the brigade was kept waiting several minutes for it to arrive. -At last the slow ones made their appearance, coming out of their camp -on the double-quick, in the hope of making up for their tardiness; but -when they were about two hundred yards off, the General gave an order -which swung the brigade by battalions, in mass, to the left and rear, -and then another that turned it end for end. The unfortunate regiment -was then in front of the line, double-quicking to its place. Phelps, -flinging the right wing of the brigade to the rear again, and the left -wing forward, kept the regiment trotting around the outside of the -field a full hour, with the massed battalions swinging on their centre, -away from them. At last he deployed in line again, by extension from -the left, and allowed the “double-quickers” to get to their place, -and when they had supported arms, the facetious old General promptly -raised his hat and dismissed the drill. The laggards had been suitably -punished for their lack of punctuality, and the General and the rest of -the soldiers had enjoyed a good joke. - -Having spoken of the Commander of the Post, it seems proper to make -some allusion to his troops, and his most able subalterns, as a part of -the description of the personnel of the camp. After the departure of -the Fourth Massachusetts and First Vermont militia, and later the Ninth -New York, all of which regiments were made up of a fine class of men, -the permanent garrison here consisted of the First, Second, and Seventh -New York regiments, the remnants of the Eleventh New York, Ellsworth’s -old regiment, a portion of the Twentieth New York, the Massachusetts -Battalion, and Captain Loder’s U. S. Light Battery. The First New -York was an orderly body of troops, commanded by Colonel Dyckman, and -occupied a portion of the works on the extreme left of the brigade -line. The Second was raised chiefly in Troy, and became a good fighting -regiment; its colonel, Carr, was a talented officer, who afterwards -won a brigadier’s stars. The Seventh was, for a part of the time, -commanded by Colonel Bendix, the Eleventh by Lieutenant-Colonel Losier, -a well-drilled officer, and the Twentieth, German, by Max Weber, later -in the war a brigadier-general. The Seventh New York, composed wholly -of Germans, was a superior regiment in every respect, and several of -its officers had held, and some of them then held, high rank in the -army of Prussia. Early in the autumn of 1861, Colonel Bendix resigned, -and was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Kappf, Major Caspar Keller -became Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain George Von Schack of the -Prussian Guards was made Major. Not long after, Kappf resigned, and Von -Schack was promoted to the colonelcy, Keller very generously waiving -his claims. Von Schack was a soldier of high breeding and of the best -blood of Prussia; his father, General Von Schack, was the chief of -staff to Prince Frederick Carl in one or more campaigns of the army of -Prussia. When Colonel George Von Schack came to us, he was a lieutenant -of the Prussian Guards, and had been chamberlain to the Prince. Of -all the colonels of foreign, and particularly of continental, lineage -or extraction, in the early part of the war, Von Schack was the most -earnest in his efforts to learn the American way. From the first, he -gave his commands in English, and tolerated no innovation upon the -prescribed tactics of movements. He seemed exceedingly desirous of -learning the habits and traits of character of the Americans, and soon -proved himself a very apt student; for, beside learning to appreciate -those with whom he was fighting, he soon learned to appreciate and love -the cause for which he was fighting, and the Union army contained no -more ardent patriot than he. He was an excellent drill-master, and the -“Steuben Seventh,” under his command, acquired a name and a fame for -discipline and efficiency in the volunteers equal to that of the “Fancy -Seventh” in the militia. He served throughout the war with distinction, -was several times severely wounded in battle, and at the close of the -Rebellion held the well-earned rank of brigadier-general. - -A camp so isolated as that at Newport News, being about twelve miles -from Fortress Monroe, and having no safe communication with it except -by water, required the establishment of an outpost and the maintenance -of a strong picket. To ensure immunity from an attack by sea, one or -more vessels of our navy were kept constantly anchored in the river. At -one time, early in the summer, the ship “Savannah” was on duty, but she -was soon after relieved by the frigate “Congress” and the sloop-of-war -“Cumberland,” the latter vessels remaining till the disastrous battle -of the 8th and 9th of March, 1862, when both were destroyed. The -picket line was very long, and for the most part located in the deep -forest which bordered the plain. Roads and foot-paths penetrated the -woods in every direction, furnishing so many avenues of approach to -our lines, rendering necessary not only the utmost vigilance, but a -strong guard. More than once, during the dark nights of the summer and -autumn, scouting parties of the enemy crept stealthily along these -covered ways, and attempted to surprise our sentinels. Several of -these picket stations were considerably remote from the camp; that of -“Brick House Station,” a large brick mansion standing in the midst -of an open field, and more properly an outpost, was the most distant -from the main camp; but the most isolated, and certainly the most -exposed of these stations, was the “Parish House,” occupied by an -infirm and aged Virginian, who claimed to be a Unionist, and who owned -some thirty slaves of all ages. His plantation was very large, and -skirted the shores of Hampton Roads. At this place, the small force -of three men and a corporal usually constituted the guard, which was -generally composed of members of the Battalion. The old planter was -very nervous, and always complaining of some real or fancied injury; -his swine and poultry, of which he had large numbers, frequently came -home at night with diminished ranks. But his chief and more serious -affliction was caused by the voluntary departure of his able-bodied -negroes; they would hover about the Union camp in spite of all the -old man could do or say. The few that remained with him consisted -chiefly of faithful old women and helpless children. Among the latter -was a bright-eyed, well-favored mulatto boy, about ten years old; he -soon became the favorite of our soldiers, who shortened an old musket -for him, and taught him the manual of arms. The youth became very -proficient in the exercise, and imparted his military knowledge to the -other young negro boys upon the plantation, who, providing themselves -with sticks and brooms, frequently drilled under their little chief in -the presence of the guard. - -When the cool nights of September and October came, service upon the -picket line was by no means agreeable; to keep themselves warm, the -men would build fires, and, although there was scarcely any part -of the line destitute of material for a fire, yet the rail fences, -composed of well-seasoned wood, were usually taken for this purpose. -When this practice became known at headquarters, General Wool issued a -very stringent order forbidding it. Each field-officer of the day was -instructed by General Phelps to use his utmost endeavors to cause this -order to be complied with, but it was far more easy to give such orders -than to enforce them. Some of the stations could not be reached at all -by this officer at night, and many of them not oftener than once in -twenty-four hours; the result was, that this order was practically a -nullity. - -On a certain occasion, during the time of which we have spoken, Captain -Clarke of the Battalion was field-officer of the day. As was always -the case, he received special instructions from General Phelps to -enforce the order relative to the burning of rails. Clarke was relieved -by Major Gaebel of the Seventh New York, and the two officers, as -is customary, proceeded to the headquarters of General Phelps just -after guard-mount, Captain C. having turned over to his successor -the orders received by him on the day previous. The General stated -to Major Gaebel that there were no new orders relative to the duties -of the officer of the day, and if he had received the orders from -Captain C., he was sufficiently informed concerning them, though he -considered it necessary to call his attention to the particular order -about burning rails,--that it “must be enforced.” Major G. replied that -Captain Clarke had already called his attention to that matter, and he -“would see that it was enforced.” Phelps, well aware of the practice -of the guards, replied, “O, yes, you will see that it is enforced; all -officers are willing to do that”; and then, turning to Clarke, said, -“Now, yesterday morning, Captain, I called your attention specially -to this subject; but it was very cold last night, and you may depend -upon it the men did not suffer for want of rails, order or no order.” -This seemed to Clarke like a reflection upon his official conduct, and, -without considering the effect of his words, he promptly answered, -“There were no rails burned last night, sir.” “O, indeed!” said Phelps; -“then it is true, is it, that no rails were burned last night?” “No, -sir; not a rail,” said Clarke, with an air of increased assurance and -injured dignity. “O, indeed! And pray, Captain, how do you know?” With -this question, the dialogue had reached an interesting point; sure -enough, how did he know? and what would he say to this? There were -miles of rail fences, and almost an infinite number of rails. “Why,” -said the quick-witted Captain, now fairly driven to the wall, “when I -received your orders yesterday morning, I proceeded to count the rails, -and just before coming off duty this morning, I again counted them; and -they were all there, General, every one.” This answer was evidently -unexpected by Phelps; it would have been unmilitary to question the -veracity of his subaltern; but he evidently didn’t believe the absurd -statement, though uttered with great apparent candor, and with every -show of good faith. The General’s countenance suddenly changed; it was -a terrible test of his courtesy not to say something disagreeable, -and, with a look of undisguised astonishment, he turned from Clarke to -Gaebel, and said, “Major, count the rails! Good morning, gentlemen!” - -Whether the Major ever counted the rails, we do not know, but it -is reported, that, upon leaving the office of General Phelps, he -expressed his regrets for having had imposed upon him, through Clarke’s -intemperate statement, a duty that would consume the remainder of his -term to perform. - -On the 21st of October, the Battalion had a little affair with the -enemy, on the Warwick Road, about five miles from Newport News, by -which it earned considerable praise and reputation for steadiness. A -bakery having been established at Camp Butler (Newport News), large -quantities of fuel was required. At various points throughout the vast -forest, which, with slight interruptions, stretched from Hampton Roads -to Richmond, were piles of seasoned wood; one of these, containing -several hundred cords, was located near the bank of the James River, -and on the road before mentioned. On the morning of the day named, -Captain Barnes received orders from General Phelps to take the teams -of the post (twenty-one wagons and eighty-two mules and horses) and go -into the forest for wood. Barnes took with him two hundred officers -and men. Lieutenant Mayo had the immediate supervision of the train, -Chamberlain had the advance, and Clarke the rear of the column; and a -small body of scouts, under a corporal of Company I, was thrown out -some distance in advance of the head of the column. The road for most -of the distance lay through a dense wilderness. When the little band -had reached a point about a mile from its destination, the scouts came -suddenly upon an ambuscade of the enemy, on the right of the road, -where the forest was deep and dark. The Confederates rose up quickly -from behind some logs and bushes, where up to that moment they had -lain concealed, discharged their pieces, and at the same moment made a -rush for our scouts, capturing one of the number, Augustus A. Blaney, -and then hurrying away with him into their lines. The companies were -ordered up immediately, filed to the left of the road, and formed in -line of battle. There seemed to be quite a number of the enemy in -the woods, and although our men could only here and there catch a -glimpse of them as they skulked behind the trees, yet they fired a -volley or two, whereupon the enemy fled. The train then proceeded to -the wood-pile, the wagons were filled and started homeward, meeting -on the way the Seventh New York Regiment and Loder’s Light Battery, -which had been sent out by General Phelps, after the firing began, to -render aid to the Battalion. This affair, though really very trifling, -caused considerable excitement at the time, and the officers and men -were highly complimented by both Generals Phelps and Wool; the conduct -of the Battalion on this occasion acquiring some additional importance -from the fact that every previous attempt of our troops to obtain wood -in that locality had been frustrated by the enemy, and had resulted in -the capture, in more than one instance, of several of our men and teams. - -One of the unsuccessful efforts to gather wood at this place was the -origin of a good story, which was often told in Camp Butler; and though -the author does not vouch for its entire accuracy, yet he gives it as -another specimen of Phelps’s wit, and as a camp story, whatever its -worth. - -The German officer who had charge of this expedition, as the story -goes, reported to the General an encounter with the enemy, and the loss -of four mules. “Did you lose any men killed?” asked Phelps. “No, sir.” -“Any wounded?” “No, sir; but, mein Gott, Scheneral, they carry off -four jackass.” “Very well, Captain, you will charge those four jackass -to yourself on the next pay-roll,” quietly answered the General. In -the course of a few days, the same officer came to headquarters and -reported another skirmish, the capture by his command of two or three -of the enemy and a pair of horses, and one or two slight casualties -in his company. The officer stood before Phelps with dilated eyes, -as he made his report, his face glowing with enthusiasm and pride at -the thought of his gallant performance, and the expectation of being -cordially commended for it by his superior; but his ardor was somewhat -abated by the following congratulation: “I am very glad, Captain, you -have got those horses, for now you needn’t pay for but two of the mules -you lost.” - -The Battalion having acquired a reputation for bravery, and won the -confidence of General Phelps, by its success on the Warwick Road, that -officer was very naturally led into again selecting it for the same -service; and in the course of a few weeks from that time, Captain -Barnes received orders to go for wood. The five companies, with a large -number of teams, marched up the river to the wood-pile which has just -been mentioned, and loaded all the wagons without being molested by the -enemy. When this was accomplished, the teams were headed toward camp, -accompanied by a strong guard, the balance of the Battalion following -slowly in the rear. - -The train had gone but a short distance, when the advance guard -reported that the enemy were visible in the woods in front, apparently -in large numbers. The teams were at once stopped, and it was soon found -that the report was correct, and that a considerable force of the -enemy’s cavalry were evidently moving into position, for the purpose -of intercepting our train. The situation of the Battalion was rather -serious in its nature. It was readily seen by the officers that it -would be a difficult undertaking to force a passage with the long line -of wagons loaded with wood, with their mules and horses. Prompt action -was required. A forest road was fortunately discovered that led toward -the James River, and gradually towards camp; and this road was found -to terminate near the river, at a stream which flowed into the James. -From the other side of this stream, the road continued toward camp; -but this rivulet, which was probably fordable at certain seasons of -the year, was at this time impassable for teams. Our skirmishers were -directed to occupy the attention of the enemy if necessary, while the -head of the train was turned into the forest road, and a strong detail -of men, under Captain Doten, made to throw a bridge across the stream. -With great celerity, rails and logs were gathered, and a rude bridge -constructed, over which our wagons all managed to cross with safety, -and were no sooner on the other side than they struck the open lands on -the banks of the James River, and moved rapidly toward camp. - -The enemy, who were some distance away, and between whom and the main -body of the Battalion there intervened a dense woods, were wholly -ignorant of these movements, evidently supposing that the wagons could -move to camp only on the main road, which they were guarding. They had -not even deemed it necessary to attack our skirmishers, until they saw -our wagons a long distance away, moving across the open country. They -then, for the first time, realized that they had been outwitted, and -immediately moved forward to attack the Battalion. The skirmishers -fell back, and the Battalion formed in line of battle. - -The whole situation had been changed. The wagons were now safe, -and were on their way toward camp; and this having been happily -accomplished, our men were unhampered, and in a condition to give the -enemy a warm reception. This the Confederates seemed to realize fully, -and after exchanging a few shots, withdrew, the Battalion marching -leisurely to camp. At the “Brick House Picket,” they were met by -General Phelps, who had been already informed of the affair by the -officer in immediate charge of the train. When the General learned how -the movement had been conducted, he was greatly pleased, and bestowed -warm commendations upon the officers and men of the Battalion. - -As, in the course of this narrative, we are soon to speak of a change -in the command of the post, and hence to take leave of General Phelps, -we feel that we cannot do so without giving a few more instances of his -sparkling wit. - -One day, a young artillery officer, fresh from civil life, was observed -to have the wrists of his new white gauntlets covered with tables -written with ink. He was asked by the General what these figures were, -and why he had them written upon his gauntlets. The young officer -explained that his memory of ranges and elevations was poor, and he -had hit upon that plan of having them always before him. “Now, that -is very ingenious,” said Phelps; “a West Point officer, I dare say, -would never have thought of that.” “Yes,” said the officer, delighted -by the General’s apparent approval of his plan, “I thought it was a -most excellent idea.” “I see but one drawback to it,” said the General; -“if you should happen to lose your gloves, you would have to let your -sergeant command the battery.” Those gauntlets were never seen on drill -afterwards. - -An acting adjutant of one of the regiments at Newport News made, while -on drill, several humiliating blunders. The General thought it an -opportunity for a moral lecture to all the officers. “Adjutant,” said -he, “if you spent more time over your books, and less time in drinking -and carousing, you would appear far more creditably on drill.” “Excuse -me, General, but I don’t drink,” replied the officer. “Well,” said -Phelps, “I am very sorry for it. There’s no excuse whatever, then, for -your blunders; ‘tis sheer stupidity.” - -The General understood all the peculiarities of volunteer soldiers, and -where they operated to the disadvantage of good discipline, he sought -to correct them, not as would most officers, by punishment, but by some -ingenious device, often mirth-provoking, but none the less salutary in -its effects. One of these traits of the volunteers, the outgrowth of -their free American life, and their habits of study and self-reliance, -was a keen desire to know the object and reason of every order given -them, and, if not told the object, to guess at it, and then execute -the order with sole reference to its supposed intent. This propensity -had annoyed General Phelps exceedingly. To effectually break up this -habit, and to substitute for it the obedience of the regular, was his -desire, and he watched for some good opportunity to teach the lesson to -all his officers. The opportunity soon presented itself. A Confederate -tug-boat, armed with a gun of long range, came down the James one day -and commenced firing at the United States ship “Savannah.” The General -ordered a gun to be fired at her with 14° of elevation. The officer -in charge of our battery, who was a member of the Battalion, thought -16° would be better, and giving the gun that range, made a superb -shot, sending a ball directly through the smoke-stack of the tug. “Now -you have the range, Lieutenant, fire away,” was the General’s sole -remark, as he turned and left the battery. The tug turned and steamed -away up the river, and was soon out of range. The Lieutenant thought -himself highly complimented by the General, exerted himself to the -utmost to fire rapidly, and at mess that night related the incident -to his brother officers with great gusto, not hesitating to assert -that his knowledge of artillery practice was even superior to that of -the commanding general. At midnight, General Phelps sent for Captain -Barnes, commanding the Battalion. On his reporting, the General began -afar off, “I was wakeful to-night, and thought you might be willing to -relieve me of my uneasiness by giving me a little of your company,” -and then he began talking in this wise. “The officers and men are -all good, but they are volunteers; they are better than regulars in -one respect,--they are zealous,--but they are very bad in another: -they think of the object of an order, and execute it zealously in -the direction of the object they imagine is intended. Now, there is -Lieutenant ---- of your command, a capital officer, very zealous and -intelligent; he has a first-rate notion about artillery; he makes -excellent shots. I told him to fire at the tug to-day, and to give the -gun 14° elevation, but he gave it 16°, and made as good a long shot as -I ever saw: he hit the boat; his zeal carried him away; he didn’t obey -his orders; he thought I wanted him to hit the boat; I wanted, instead, -to tole her down nearer, when I could have easily blown her out of the -water. Your Lieutenant thus spoiled my whole plan. Now, go back to your -quarters, call the Lieutenant up, and tell him this, that I have just -told you; make him understand it. That is all the punishment I think he -will need.” - -Lieutenant ---- was duly summoned, and received his reprimand. While he -never again boasted of his skill as an artillerist, and was compelled -to endure the jests of his brother officers, he nevertheless learned a -lesson of implicit obedience to orders, that proved very valuable to -him during the remainder of his honorable service in the army. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - CAPTAINS LEACH’S AND WILSON’S COMPANIES LEAVE THE - RIP-RAPS--ORDERED TO NEWPORT NEWS--GENERAL MANSFIELD RELIEVES - GENERAL PHELPS--THE DRILLS CONTINUED--TARGET PRACTICE--WINTER - QUARTERS AND BUILDING OF BARRACKS--THE ORGANIZATION OF THE - TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT--DISSATISFACTION ABOUT THE APPOINTMENT OF - NEW OFFICERS--COURT-MARTIAL OF COLONEL PIERCE--BURSTING OF THE - SAWYER GUN AND DEATH OF TWO OF THE MEN. - - -On the 3d of November, 1861, the companies commanded by Captains Leach -and Wilson were ordered to join the Battalion at Newport News, and were -relieved at the Rip-Raps by two companies of the Union Coast Guard -under Major Halliday. - -Upon arriving at Newport News, these commands were assigned -camping-grounds inside of the breastworks, and with the Battalion. -This was the first time that all the companies had been together; the -uniting of them made an increased membership of nearly two hundred, and -a total membership of between five and six hundred, which, at a later -period in the war, would have far exceeded the numerical strength of -even our largest regiments. - -Toward the last of November, General Phelps was ordered to the -department of the Gulf, and Brigadier-General Joseph K. F. Mansfield -was assigned to the command of Camp Butler. General Mansfield was -a native of Connecticut. He graduated at West Point, at the age of -eighteen, second in a class of forty members. In the Cadet Battalion, -he had served in every grade, and, on graduation, was appointed to the -Engineers. From that time till the Mexican war, he was on sea-coast -fortifications, and was principal constructing officer of Fort Pulaski, -an experience that enabled him to give very valuable advice to -General Gilmore, in his approaches to that place. In 1838, Mansfield -was a captain, and in 1846 was assigned to General Taylor as chief -engineer, when he directed the fortifications of Fort Brown, opposite -Matamoras, and afterward assisting in its defence, won his major’s -brevet for gallant conduct. In September, 1846, he was in charge of -the reconnoissance of Monterey, and the battles which ensued around -that place scarred him with seven severe wounds, and brevetted him a -lieutenant-colonel. In the battle of Buena Vista, he was conspicuously -engaged; so much so, that his services were rewarded by the brevet rank -of colonel. - -In 1853, he became Colonel and Inspector-General of the army. At -the time of the inauguration of President Lincoln, he was stationed -in Washington, and on the increase of the army in 1861, was made -Brigadier-General, and assigned to duty about the city, supervising -the construction of the fortifications there with his great skill as -an engineer, and after the disastrous battle of Bull Run, contributing -to the reorganization of the volunteers. Upon the appointment of -General Wool to the command of Fortress Monroe, General Mansfield -was sent thither, and after commanding for a short time the district -of Hatteras, and subsequently Camp Hamilton, was ordered, late in -November, to relieve General Phelps at Newport News. Here he remained -till May, 1862, participated in the expedition against Norfolk, -afterwards commanded at Suffolk, and, in September, was ordered to -Washington on the McDowell Court of Inquiry, and while there was -promoted to be Major-General of Volunteers, and assigned to the command -of the Twelfth Corps, reaching his command just before the battle of -Antietam. As we shall have occasion to speak of him in connection with -that battle, we will not at this time follow his history further in -that direction. - -The same stern sense of duty which the General manifested while in the -field was daily impressed by him upon the men under his command at -Newport News. He was not a preacher nor a martinet; he was a plain, -shrewd, well-educated gentleman, with a fine sense of humor, great -practical talent, inexhaustible tact, and had an intimate knowledge of -human nature. He was familiar with the men, always had a kind word for -the sentinel at headquarters, and when the sentinel had once properly -saluted him, he would say, “You will oblige me by not saluting me again -to-day, as I have to be constantly going out and coming in, and I -don’t care for it.” - -One of the first orders issued by him, after taking command of this -post, was to institute target practice, at ranges of 200, 400, 600, -and 1,000 yards. By this order, a record of shots was to be kept; each -company was to shoot three times a week, and the ten best marksmen -of the regiment, every week, were to be selected and allowed a day’s -liberty at Fortress Monroe; and as this included a sail on the -steamer of some twenty miles (both ways) and a visit to one of the -most interesting places in the department, being, as it were, a sort -of metropolis, the reward thus offered was highly prized and eagerly -sought for by all the men. By the same order, officers were encouraged -to compete with the men in this exercise. No man was to fire less -than ten shots each week; guards, on relief, were to discharge their -pieces at a target, and be marked for it; and the best marksman in the -guard got a day’s liberty. The targets used were pieces of old tents, -stretched on frames six feet high and two feet wide, with a black cross -four inches wide on them, the horizontal arm at a height of four and a -half feet. - -Volley firing was also practiced, by which means an excellent knowledge -of the capacity of the musket was acquired, a knowledge that served all -the regiments at Newport News in good stead, at a later period in the -war. The officers always afterward knew their marksmen, and could at -any time detail a few sharpshooters for special work when needed. - -One of General Mansfield’s drills was a march in campaign order, and he -was very particular to describe what things a soldier should carry in -campaign, permitting what was forbidden in the army of the Potomac at -one time,--photographs and letters,--and not encouraging a superfluity -of blacking brushes. Upon the first marching drill, the staff-officers -were sent round to say, that at route-step it was usual to allow the -men to smoke and talk in campaign; and he desired the officers to -encourage it then, as it would be necessary to allow it in the future. -The drills thus inaugurated were continued as long as the weather would -permit, and were all chosen with special reference to active service in -the field. - -The following anecdote shows the dry humor of General Mansfield, and -his efficient tact in the management of citizen-soldiery. One day a man -neglected to salute him. He stopped his horse, and said, “My man, did -you know it was my duty, by the army regulations, to touch my hat to -you every time I meet you?” “No, sir; I am sure I never thought of such -a thing.” “Yes; but it is yours to touch your hat to me first. I hope -you will never allow me again to fail in my duty to you.” Civility at -Newport News, after that, was not so often forgotten. - -When the cold weather approached, early in December, a general order -was issued, directing the erection of barracks for winter quarters. -Each regiment, and each company of a regiment, were required to build -their own houses. All who could be spared from duty were provided -with axes, and, under the charge of an officer, marched daily into -the neighboring pine forest, where they cut the tall trees, and -fashioned them into proper shapes for building purposes; the logs were -hauled into camp by the mules and horses; and as each company had its -complement of carpenters and other mechanics, a village of comfortable -log-houses soon covered the plain, promising the troops ample -protection from the biting blasts and drenching rains of the coming -winter storms. - -About this time, an effort was being made in Massachusetts to raise -three companies of infantry, which were to be united with the -Battalion, and thus form a full regiment. - -Sometime in October, 1861, Dr. Henry B. Wheelwright of Taunton received -permission from Governor Andrew to raise a company of infantry, and -succeeded in enlisting a number of men. On the 2d of November, 1861, -the Governor issued an order, that the men raised by Dr. Wheelwright, -which were then in charge of Willard D. Tripp of Taunton, a corporal -of the Fourth Regiment, be sent to camp at Assonet, a village of -Freetown, to report to Brigadier-General E. W. Pierce, and be there -merged, so as to form a company, with the men recruited by General -Pierce. By the same order, Dr. Wheelwright was authorized to raise -another company “immediately, ten days being allowed for that purpose,” -from the 4th of November, and directing that all men recruited by him -be sent to Assonet, and be under the command of General Pierce. The -Quartermaster-General and Commissary-General were ordered to “furnish -clothing, transportation, and rations” for the men, upon requisitions -made upon them by General Pierce. - -During the time the men were at Assonet, they were quartered in an -ancient building known as the “Old Post-office”; they were lodged in -that part of it called “Pierce’s Hall,” while their food was cooked in -the basement. This old house was erected about the year 1745, and at -the commencement of the Revolution, was owned and occupied by Colonel -Thomas Gilbert, a captain at the siege of Louisburg. Gilbert was a Tory -at the breaking out of the Revolution, and this house was confiscated -and sold, he having gone into the English army. In April, 1775, a large -body of Whigs assembled to tear down the house, but for some reason -refrained from doing so. - -The recruits remained in Assonet till the middle of November, and were -then ordered to Pawtucket, where was established a rendezvous for -recruits, under Captain Milo M. Williams of the Fourth Regiment. By the -middle of December, ninety-eight enlisted men had been secured for this -company, representing nearly every county in Eastern Massachusetts, -and on the 13th of December, Tripp was commissioned Captain, and the -following order issued:-- - - “COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. - - “HEADQUARTERS, BOSTON, December 13, 1861. - - “SPECIAL ORDER, No. 627. - - “Willard D. Tripp of Taunton, having been commissioned - as Captain in the Twenty-ninth Regiment of Massachusetts - Volunteers, will forthwith assume command of recruits stationed - at ‘Camp Pierce,’ in Pawtucket. - - “Captain Tripp will make daily reports to the Adjutant-General - of the number and condition of recruits under his command. - - “By order of His Excellency John A. Andrew, Governor and - Commander-in-Chief. - - “WILLIAM SCHOULER, _Adj. Gen._” - -The lieutenants of this company, whose commissions bear date of -December 13, 1861, were First Lieutenant Alfred O. Brooks and Second -Lieutenant Thomas H. Husband, both of Boston. - -Two other companies were raised about this time,--one by Charles -T. Richardson of Pawtucket, and the other by Henry R. Sibley of -Charlestown. Richardson’s company was recruited mostly in Pawtucket and -neighboring towns in Rhode Island. He secured a good class of men, who -afterward became excellent soldiers, and, what was better, none were -bounty men, nor secured by promise of additional pay. - -On the 16th of December, Richardson was commissioned Captain, and this -order issued:-- - - - “COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. - - “HEADQUARTERS, BOSTON, December 17, 1861. - - “Charles T. Richardson of Pawtucket, having been commissioned - as Captain in the Twenty-ninth Regiment of the Massachusetts - Volunteers, will report forthwith for orders to Colonel - Ebenezer W. Pierce, commander of said regiment, at Freetown, - Mass.[21] - - “By command of His Excellency John A. Andrew, Governor and - Commander-in-Chief. - - “WILLIAM SCHOULER, _Adj. Gen._” - -The lieutenants of Captain Richardson’s company were William Pray, a -sergeant of Captain Barnes’s company, promoted to be First Lieutenant, -and Charles D. Browne of Boston, commissioned Second Lieutenant January -1, 1862 (formerly a private in Co. B, Thirteenth Mass. Regt.). - -As early as October 31, 1861, Henry R. Sibley of Charlestown was -authorized by a special order from the Adjutant-General’s office, “to -raise a company of infantry, to be mustered into the United States -service for three years or during the war, and to form a part of the -Massachusetts Volunteers.” The order further provided, if the company -was recruited within ten days, it “would be accepted as a part of a -regiment to be formed of the Massachusetts companies now at Fortress -Monroe.” If not recruited within ten days, the enlisted men were to be -put into such other companies and regiments as the Commander-in-Chief -might direct. - -The mention of ten days in this order as the limit of time allowed -for the formation of this company seems to have been prompted by a -purpose to stimulate the energies of those to whom the recruitment was -confided; for while the time was materially exceeded, yet the company -was unhesitatingly accepted as a part of the regiment referred to; -namely, the Twenty-ninth. - -The men who formed this command represented nearly every section -of the Commonwealth, though, as no one nor half-dozen other towns -contributed so large a quota as Charlestown, and as its Captain -and First Lieutenant were citizens of that city, it has always, -and with propriety, been spoken of as the “Charlestown company of -the Twenty-ninth Regiment.” The men were all volunteers: some were -recruited by Sibley, others by D. W. Lee (First Lieutenant), and a -few by the State recruiting officers. No bounties beyond the United -States bounty of $100, promised after two years’ service, were held -out as an inducement to enlist; and though there was not that amount -of enthusiasm, exhibited in rapid enlistments, which characterized the -raising of troops in April and May, yet there was an utter absence of -any of the fallacious ideas about the cowardly character of the enemy, -and every man who placed his name upon the roll fully realized all the -grave consequences that might follow. The material thus secured was -most excellent, and the “Bay State Guards,” the proud name adopted by -this company, proved a worthy member of the regiment, and an honor to -the “Old Bay State.” Something of the touching and revered spirit of -the 19th of April was manifested by the people of Charlestown toward -this company of volunteers. The Bunker Hill Soldiers’ Relief Society of -that city, an organization composed entirely of ladies, early sought to -express their sympathy, by providing each soldier with many articles of -comfort; while the men contributed money, reimbursing Captain Sibley -for the expenses he had incurred, and presenting the officers with -uniforms and side-arms. - -The militia system of the election of officers by the enlisted men was -permitted in this case, and not abused. Henry R. Sibley was elected -Captain; Daniel W. Lee, First Lieutenant; and William R. Corlew (of -Somerville), Second Lieutenant. - -In view of the fact that the company was soon to leave for the seat of -war, appropriate services were held on the afternoon of Christmas Day, -at the First Baptist Church in Charlestown, where addresses were made -by several distinguished clergymen. The company attended in a body, -and the occasion was one of much solemnity, “and also of gratification -to the many friends of the company who thronged the house....In the -evening of this day, the Guards were the recipients of an ovation at -the City Hall, a collation being provided for them by the city, at -which the Hon. Richard Frothingham presided.”[22] On this occasion was -a presentation, with appropriate speeches, of two beautiful swords, -with sashes and belts, to Captain Sibley and Lieutenant Lee, together -with a revolver each to Sergeants Pippey and Kellam; and the Rev. Dr. -George E. Ellis, who was present, stated that he would give to the -enlisted man of the company, who at the end of the term of service -should be adjudged by the Captain to have been the best soldier, a -hundred-dollar United States bond.[23] - -Shortly after this, the company was ordered to Camp Cameron (Mass.), -where it was under the general command, for the most of the time, of -the Colonel of the Twenty-eighth Regiment, there recruiting for the -field; and after that regiment left, guarded the public property, of -which there was a large amount, and for the faithful care of which the -company was publicly thanked by the Governor. - -It is apparent, from what has already been written, that Governor -Andrew was endeavoring to carry out the long-neglected plan of erecting -the Battalion into a regiment; but the official order, which we here -give in full, was not issued till the 13th of December. - - “COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. - - “HEADQUARTERS, BOSTON, Dec. 13, 1861. - - “SPECIAL ORDER, No. 626. - - “The companies of Massachusetts Volunteers, commanded by - Captains William D. Chamberlain of Lynn, Thomas W. Clarke - of Boston, Joseph H. Barnes of Boston, Charles Chipman of - Sandwich, Samuel H. Doten of Plymouth, Lebbeus Leach of East - Bridgewater, Israel N. Wilson of Billerica, now in the service - at Fortress Monroe and vicinity, together with the company now - in camp at Pawtucket, commanded by Captain Willard D. Tripp - of Taunton, will constitute the Twenty-ninth Regiment of the - Massachusetts Volunteers. Two other companies will be added to - the regiment as soon as organized. - - “By command of His Excellency John A. Andrew, Governor and - Commander-in-Chief. - - “WILLIAM SCHOULER, _Adj. Gen._” - -We have not pursued this subject strictly in the order of dates, as -the above order really ante-dated the formation of Richardson’s and -Sibley’s companies; but they were in process of formation before this -order was issued, and, to prevent confusion in the narrative, we have -chosen to complete the story of each company before treating of the -organization of the regiment, of which there is much to be said. - -On the same day of the foregoing order, Brigadier-General[24] Ebenezer -W. Pierce of Freetown was appointed by Governor Andrew Colonel of -the Twenty-ninth Regiment; on the same day, also, Captain Joseph -H. Barnes was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain Charles -Chipman Major. The staff and non-commissioned staff were as follows: -Orlando Brown of Wrentham, Surgeon; George B. Cogswell of Easton, -Assistant Surgeon; Lieutenant Joshua Norton, 3d, of Captain Clarke’s -company, Quartermaster; Lieutenant John B. Collingwood of Captain -Doten’s company, Adjutant; Sergeant Henry S. Braden of Captain Barnes’s -company, Sergeant-Major; Sergeant William W. Davis of Clarke’s -company, Quartermaster-Sergeant; John B. Pizer, of Tripp’s company, -Commissary-Sergeant; John Hardy of Clarke’s company, Hospital Steward. -Rev. Henry E. Hempstead of Watertown was chosen Chaplain in January, -1862. - -On the 4th of January (1862), there were several promotions among the -officers and men of the Battalion. First Lieutenant James H. Osgood, -Jr., was made Captain of his company, in place of Barnes, promoted; -First Lieutenant Charles Brady, Captain, in place of Chipman, promoted; -Second Lieutenant William T. Keen of Captain Barnes’s company, First -Lieutenant, vice Osgood, promoted; Sergeant William Pray of Barnes’s -company, First Lieutenant, and assigned to duty in Captain Richardson’s -company; Second Lieutenant Henry A. Kern of Chipman’s company, First -Lieutenant, vice Brady, promoted; Sergeant John P. Burbeck of Barnes’s -company, Second Lieutenant, vice Kern, promoted. - -The lettering of the several companies, by no means an unimportant part -of the work of organizing a regiment, was determined by the following -order:-- - - “COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. - - “HEADQUARTERS, BOSTON, Jan. 2, 1862. - - “SPECIAL ORDER, No. 2. - - “The companies comprising the Twenty-ninth Regiment of the - Massachusetts Volunteers will be lettered as follows:-- - - “The company commanded by Captain Clarke, ‘A’; by Captain - Wilson, ‘B’; by Captain Leach, ‘C’; by Lieutenant Brady, - ‘D’; by Captain Doten, ‘E’; by Captain Tripp, ‘F’; by - Captain Richardson, ‘G’; by Captain Sibley, ‘H’; by Captain - Chamberlain, ‘I’; by Lieutenant Osgood (Barnes’s company), ‘K.’ - - “Colonel Pierce, commanding Twenty-ninth Regiment, will - promulgate this order. - - “By command of His Excellency John A. Andrew, - Commander-in-Chief. - - “WILLIAM BROWN, _Asst. Adj. Gen._” - -The companies of Captains Richardson, Sibley, and Tripp, together with -Colonel Pierce, Surgeon Brown, and Assistant-Surgeon Cogswell, taking -with them the colors of the regiment, left Boston for Newport News -on the 13th of January, 1862, by the Stonington line to New York. At -Philadelphia, they received the same bounty which the ladies of that -noble city were giving to all the volunteers who passed through it. -From Philadelphia, the command proceeded to Baltimore, and from thence -by steamer to Fortress Monroe, reaching Camp Butler on the 17th of the -month, and joining the Battalion there stationed. - -Beside the proper officers of the three new companies, there were -commissioned about this time, and assigned to the regiment, Second -Lieutenant Augustus D. Ayling, First Lieutenant Freeman A. Taber, and -First Lieutenant John A. Sayles. None of these officers had ever been -connected with the Battalion, nor, with the exception of Ayling, had -any of them seen service. The case of Company E of Plymouth gave rise -to the most complaint. The lieutenants of this company were (First) -John B. Collingwood and (Second) Thomas A. Mayo. Collingwood was -made Adjutant of the regiment; but instead of promoting Lieutenant -Mayo, who was a deserving and efficient officer of mature age, First -Lieutenant Freeman A. Taber, a beardless boy, possessing very slight -qualifications for his office, was placed over, and outranked, Mayo. -The fact that this company was composed of a superior class of men, -and contained not a few who were even capable of commanding a company, -causes the wrong and slight thus put upon it to be still more apparent. -Second Lieutenant Henry A. Kern of Company D was promoted to be First -Lieutenant to fill the vacancy caused by the promotion of First -Lieutenant Brady to the captaincy of that company, and Augustus D. -Ayling, a most excellent soldier, formerly of Captain P. A. Davis’s -company of Lowell, was assigned to the position of Second Lieutenant. -The claims of Second Lieutenant George H. Taylor of Clarke’s company -were overlooked, and Sayles, a gentleman of no military training or -experience, was allowed to outrank Taylor in his own company, with -which he had served since July, 1861. - -It would be useless to attempt to conceal the fact that the appointment -of the colonel of the regiment was exceedingly distasteful to the -officers and men of the Battalion. No fault was found with the -manner of organizing the three new companies, and the appointment -of officers of these companies, for the good reasons that these -officers had been active in the recruitment of their commands, and -were doubtless acceptable to their men. The chief cause of grievance -of the members of the Battalion, therefore, was, first, the colonelcy -of the regiment, and, secondly, the action of Governor Andrew in -filling the vacant offices in the seven old companies with new men, -and ignoring the just claims to promotion of the old officers and -enlisted men of those companies. The well-nigh unanimous sentiment of -the Battalion would have dictated a very different election of the -chief field-officer, and of several of the new officers of the line. -All the new appointments would have been made from among the officers -and men of the Battalion, of which there was abundant good material -to select from; and on the score of actual service of nearly a year’s -duration,--a service beginning at a very early period in the war, when -all was darkness and doubt,--it cannot be denied that this sentiment -was founded upon the plainest principles of equity. All the bickerings -and heart-burnings which subsequently arose in the regiment can be -directly traced to this action of our State officials; and to those who -are familiar with the facts concerning this matter, it is cause of no -little surprise, that the feeling of dissatisfaction thus produced did -not result in far graver consequences. - -During the winter of 1862, charges of improper conduct were preferred -against Colonel Pierce. A court-martial convened,[25] and, upon trial, -he was found guilty, and sentenced to dismissal from the service. -General Mansfield approved of the findings of the court-martial; but -General Wool, his superior, disapproved them, and Colonel Pierce was -reinstated in his command of the regiment. With the feeling of a -faithful historian, to record the facts as he finds them, the author, -in telling the story of the regiment, has found it necessary to present -this state of affairs, the responsibility for which would seem to rest -upon the appointing power. - -Some reference has been made to the Sawyer rifle at Camp Butler, in the -course of this narrative, and now we are called upon to record a very -serious accident in connection with this gun, which occurred on the -11th of February. The guns, of which there were two in the department, -were the invention of a man named Sawyer. “His system consisted of -cutting in the bore of the gun six radial twisted grooves half an inch -deep and rather more than an inch wide from muzzle to breech. The -twist was uniform, but the grooves were perhaps a trifle deeper near -the breech than at the muzzle.” The shot was a cast-iron projectile, -cylindro-conoidal in shape, and plated with lead. Both this gun and the -one at the Rip-Raps had been frequently fired during the summer and -autumn, and were found to possess great range and power. On the day -referred to, a very distinguished party were visiting Newport News, -consisting, among others, of the Secretary of War, Hon. Simon Cameron, -Senator Henry Wilson, and Secretary Seward. For the entertainment of -these visitors, the Sawyer gun, of which so much had been said, must -of course be fired. It was for the last time, however, and the shot -was to be a test one for extraordinary range. The gun was given its -extreme elevation, 30°. This almost nullified the recoil, and caused -the greatest possible strain on the walls of the gun. Officers, -soldiers, and civilians had clustered around the bastion where the gun -was mounted, with field-glasses in hand, to watch the opposite shore, -in the expectation of seeing the shell burst there. The explosion was -terrific. A portion of the breech, weighing several hundred pounds, was -sent high into the air, but so slowly as to be visible in its ascent; -and still another piece, weighing nearly three hundred and fifty -pounds, which, in falling, struck Private James W. Sheppard of Company -B, who but the day before had returned from his wedding furlough, and -crushed him to the earth, killing him instantly. Smaller fragments of -the gun struck and severely wounded Lieutenant Smith of Company I, and -Privates John F. Hall and Seth W. Paty of Company E. Private Charles -E. Jones of Company D, who was one of the gunners, was also instantly -killed. Others still were injured by the concussion caused by the -explosion, and made temporarily deaf. Captains Wilson and Clarke were -standing at the time upon the parapet, about ten yards off, and a piece -of the gun, weighing as much as a thousand pounds, flew over them, -knocking off the hat of one of them, and striking the earth some twenty -yards from the battery, partially buried itself in the ground. - -Two morals were drawn from this sad affair by two of the officers -of the regiment, the one mechanical and the other military. The -mechanical moral was, that rifled cast-iron guns, on the Sawyer plan, -were a failure, and that, everything considered, it was fortunate that -the gun burst at the time it did, for, had this accident occurred in -battle, the calamity would have been far more dreadful. The military -moral was, that it is a piece of extreme folly to shoot for the -amusement of visitors. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - THE SINKING OF THE “CUMBERLAND” AND DESTRUCTION OF THE - “CONGRESS”--FIGHT BETWEEN THE “MERRIMACK” AND “MONITOR”--THE - “MERRIMACK” AND OTHER CONFEDERATE VESSELS ENTER HAMPTON ROADS - AND CAPTURE THREE OF OUR VESSELS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT--OUR - FLEET SHELL THE CONFEDERATE BATTERIES--BOMBARDMENT OF THE - RIP-RAPS--ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN DRAKE DEKAY--THE ARMY - OF THE POTOMAC LANDS AT HAMPTON--EXCITING SCENES IN THE - DEPARTMENT. - - -The Federal naval force present in Hampton Roads and James River, on -the 8th of March, 1862, consisted of the “Minnesota,” a steam-frigate, -commanded by Captain Van Brunt, carrying fifty guns; the frigate -“Congress,” a sailing-vessel of fifty guns, commanded by Captain Smith; -the “Roanoke,” a steam-frigate of the same class of the “Minnesota,” -carrying fifty guns, commanded by Captain Marston; the “St. Lawrence,” -a sailing-frigate, twelve guns; the sloop-of-war “Cumberland,” -twenty-four guns. Beside these were two armed tugs, the “Whilden” and -“Zouave,” and a small gunboat called the “Dragon.” - -The “Minnesota,” “St. Lawrence,” “Roanoke,” and the tugs and gunboat -lay off Fortress Monroe, while the “Congress” and the “Cumberland” were -anchored in the James; the former nearest the mouth of the river, and -the latter about three-fourths of a mile from the shore, and directly -opposite the camp at Newport News. Sometime in November, 1861, the -“Roanoke” broke her shaft, and was in this disabled condition at this -time. The crew of the “Congress” had, early in March, 1862, been -discharged, and the vessel manned by three companies of the Naval -Brigade. - -The war-vessels of the Confederates in these waters were the -“Merrimack,” also known in history as the “Virginia,” carrying ten -guns, eight broadside and one at each end; the “Patrick Henry,” six -guns; the “Jamestown,” two guns; the “Raleigh,” “Beaufort,” and -“Teaser,” each one gun. - -The “Merrimack” had been raised by the enemy during the summer of -1861, and constructed into a shot-proof steam-battery, with inclined -iron-plated sides and submerged ends. “The eaves of the casemates, as -well as the ends of the vessel, were submerged, and a ram was added as -a weapon of offence.” This novel vessel of war was commanded by Captain -Franklin Buchanan, formerly of the United States Navy. - -At about two o’clock in the afternoon of the 8th of March, the long -roll startled the garrison at Newport News. The men were quickly -in line, and in a few minutes the cry of, “The ‘Merrimack’! The -‘Merrimack’!” resounded throughout the camp. A dense volume of black -smoke was now seen at the mouth of the Elizabeth River, and in the -course of fifteen minutes the dark form of the foe was distinctly -seen. The day was bright and warm; not a breeze rippled the surface -of the river. The “Congress” being nearest the enemy, began making -preparations for the battle. Her masts and spars soon whitened with her -sails, and the four thousand soldiers in Camp Butler stood mute, but -with intense anxiety, waiting the opening of the contest. The painful -silence that brooded over that strange scene was at last suddenly -broken by a sharp, angry “bang!” from one of the larboard ports of the -“Cumberland.” The shot struck within a few yards of the “Merrimack,” -sending the water in silvery spray high into the air. The signal for -the assault thus given was quickly followed by a whole broadside from -the “Congress.” For a short time both “Congress” and “Merrimack” were -veiled from sight by the clouds of curling smoke. To the surprise and -alarm of the garrison, the cloud rose, revealing the “Merrimack” still -afloat and apparently unharmed, still approaching. The “Congress” now -began a rapid and continuous fire upon the enemy. The “Merrimack,” -without replying to this fire, passed close alongside the frigate, and -when within a few hundred yards of her, across her bows, opened on her -with a rifled gun. The shot entered the frigate, raking her from stem -to stern, dismounting several of her guns, and killing and wounding -many of her crew, among them her brave commander. - -The “Congress” was fairly disabled by this shot; her commander was -killed, confusion reigned supreme, and now the Stars and Stripes were -hauled down, and the white flag of truce run up to masthead. The -frigate slipped her cables and floated helplessly away, the “Merrimack” -continuing on her course toward the “Cumberland.” - -It was reserved for the latter vessel to make the bravest fight of that -terrible and eventful day. As soon as the “Merrimack” was within easy -range, the sloop-of-war opened with a whole broadside; but the shot -glanced harmlessly from the mailed sides of the foe; and now, with full -head of steam, the enemy made a desperate and angry plunge toward his -plucky antagonist, sending his ugly prow crashing through her timbers. -The prow struck the “Cumberland” under her starboard fore-channels, -making an enormous hole. For a few minutes, both vessels seemed to -be sinking. The prow had wedged itself so firmly in the timbers as -to render it difficult for the enemy to withdraw and save himself -from the same fate he had designed for the ship. After a few trials, -he succeeded, however, and backing off, took up a position directly -across the bows of the “Cumberland,” and opened on her at very close -range, the two vessels almost touching each other. In this position -the “Cumberland” could only use her bow guns (some three or four); but -these were worked with great energy, sending their heavy shot directly -at the enemy’s ports. - -The shell and canister of the “Merrimack” were sweeping the gun-decks -of the “Cumberland” with fearful slaughter. At times, nearly every gun -was unmanned, but other brave sailors came upon the bloody deck and -renewed the unequal contest. The flag of the “Cumberland” was still -flying defiantly from her mizzen-mast; the shouts and cries of friend -and foe, the angry and excited commands of the officers, could be -distinctly heard on shore. - -The sick-bay of the “Cumberland” was filled to suffocation with -blackened and bleeding victims, and, what added greater terror to -the scene, she was now rapidly sinking. Despite the vigorous plying -of the pumps, the water rose to the main hatchway in less than ten -minutes after she was struck, flooding her forward powder-magazines, -and rendering them useless. The noble ship now canted to port. Many -sprang to save the wounded, while other brave tars still stood at -their guns, delivering their last fire as the inrushing waters closed -over them. Like a creature of flesh and blood in the agonies of death, -the sloop-of-war trembled and creaked, her bows plunged into the dark -water, her stern mounted high into the air, and down she went, with a -roaring, rushing sound of the waves. - -The water was now filled with struggling men striking for the shore. -The beach was lined with enraged and pitying soldiers. Logs and -planks were seized by them and thrown into the water, to aid the -swimmers, and others rushing into the water to their arm-pits, seized -the half-drowned sailors and brought them to the land. Others of the -sailors were rescued by the steam-propeller “Whilden,” Capt. William -Riggins, which put off to the scene of the disaster in the midst of the -fire of the “Merrimack,” and thus saved the lives of many who would -otherwise have found a watery grave. About one hundred of the dead and -wounded of the “Cumberland” went down with the ship, and among them the -Chaplain, the Rev. J. Lenhart. - -The land-battery in Camp Butler, which was chiefly manned by members -of the Twenty-ninth, and which mounted some five guns,--among them two -42-pounder James rifles,--was very active during the entire contest -between the “Merrimack” and “Cumberland.” When the “Cumberland” sunk, -the Confederate ram was a fair target for our men, but their shots were -wholly powerless to do her harm. The “Merrimack” replied to several of -our shots, one of her shells striking the parapet, and throwing the -earth in clouds of dust over the gunners. - -The river now presented a scene of great interest. The “Jamestown” and -“Patrick Henry,” two Confederate steamers, had arrived, and taking up -a position about two miles from our camp, began shelling it with great -vigor. One of these missiles passed through a barrack of the First -New York, while others cut off the tops of the pines about the camp. -These two steamers divided their attentions about equally between the -camp and the floating “Congress,” firing at the latter with murderous -effect, and in shameful and savage violation of the rules of civilized -warfare, the “Congress” displaying all the while her flag of truce. - -An attempt was now made to capture our frigate, and tow her off, a -prize of war. The steam-tug “Zouave” (Union) immediately ran down -to her and towed her to our shore, fairly beaching her, before the -Confederate steamers “Beaufort” and “Raleigh” arrived. Upon reaching -the “Congress,” these steamers immediately hauled alongside. General -Mansfield, observing this movement, ordered Captain Howard, with a -section of his light battery, and Colonel Brown, with two companies of -the Twentieth Indiana Regiment, to open fire upon these steamers. The -order was promptly obeyed, and in a few moments our shots were striking -the Confederate steamers, and whistling about the ears of their men, -as they were attempting to clamber up the sides and into the ports of -our ship, causing them to withdraw, and killing and wounding several -of their number. Among the wounded were Buchanan, the commander of -the “Merrimack,” who received a severe gunshot wound in the thigh, -and Lieutenant Minot of the “Beaufort.” The crew of the “Congress,” -her dead and wounded, and some of the valuable movable articles on -her, were landed under a fire from the Confederate fleet. Early in -the afternoon, the steam-frigate “Minnesota,” the “Roanoke,” and “St. -Lawrence” (anchored near Fortress Monroe) attempted to come to the -relief of our fleet in the James. The machinery of the “Roanoke” was -out of order, and she was towed by two tugs; the “St. Lawrence,” not -being a steam-vessel, was also towed. In order to enter the James, -these vessels were obliged to pass within easy range of a battery on -Sewall’s Point, which did them considerable damage. After passing -into the mouth of the James, the “Minnesota” and “St. Lawrence” both -grounded. The entire fleet of the enemy, headed by the “Merrimack,” -now quitted the disabled “Congress” and steamed down to attack the -“Minnesota” and “St. Lawrence.” The “Merrimack,” being of deep draught, -could not approach nearer than a mile to either of these ships; and -her firing being very inaccurate, she only succeeded in striking the -“Minnesota” once. For awhile, the small Confederate steamers, armed -with rifled cannon, and having the choice of both distance and -position, did considerable damage to the “Minnesota,” but eventually -the frigate drove them away. - -By this time the day was far spent, the sun having already set; and -when everybody on shore had begun to consider the sad day’s work ended, -the huge monster, the “Merrimack,” was again observed approaching Camp -Butler. This time she took the inner channel, and as she came along, -her immense chimney towering up among the branches of the trees that -overhung the river bank, belching forth volumes of smoke and sparks, -her appearance was simply appalling. Arriving at a point where the -channel winds in nearest to the shore, the camp was fairly within range -of her bow gun. A sudden burst of light, a dismal, deafening roar, and -the crashing of boards and timbers were heard almost simultaneously. -The large shot passed entirely through the post hospital and the -headquarters’ building of General Mansfield, tearing down the chimney -of the latter, and nearly burying that venerable officer in the ruins. -He was, fortunately, but little hurt, and soon emerged from the house -white with plaster. This ended the hostilities of the 8th of March. The -“Merrimack” now withdrew, and darkness soon settled down upon both land -and water. - -The night was one of great gloom and excitement in Camp Butler, as well -as in all the Federal camps in the department. Mounted orderlies were -riding in every direction, and rumors were rife of a land attack by the -enemy’s troops under Magruder. In anticipation of such a movement, the -garrison was re-enforced early in the evening by a body of infantry -from Camp Hamilton, and every preparation was made to repel the assault. - -While the day, which had just closed, had been rendered famous in -history by its unexampled occurrences, the night which followed was -destined to usher in scenes that will never fade from the memory of -those who witnessed them. The frigate “Congress,” which lay hard -aground on the sand-beach near the camp of the Twentieth Indiana -Regiment, had been set on fire late in the afternoon, and the lurid -flames now lit up the bay and strand with a brightness rivaling that -of the day itself. Many of her guns were still shotted, and as the fire -coiled about them, they began to discharge; a shot from one of them, -skimming the surface of the water, entered and sank a schooner lying at -our wharf. The flames had mounted each mast and spar, and were leaping -out at every port with angry tongues. Heaps of shells, which had been -brought from the magazines for the afternoon’s encounter, lay on the -gun-decks; these now began to explode, and ever and anon they would -dart up out of the roaring, crackling mass, high into the air, and -course in every direction through the heavens. - -At twelve o’clock, the magazines blew up with a terrific noise. This -event had been anticipated by the garrison, and the shores and adjacent -camps were crowded with awe-struck gazers. The whole upper works of -the frigate had, hours before, been reduced to ashes by the devouring -flames; the masts and spars, blackened and charred, had fallen into and -across the burning hull; these were sent high into the air with other -_debris_, and as blast succeeded blast, were suddenly arrested in their -descent and again sent heavenward. The spectacle thus presented was -awfully grand; a column of fire and sulphurous smoke, fifty feet in -diameter at its base and not less than two hundred feet high, dividing -in its centre into thousands of smaller jets, and falling in myriads -of bunches and grains of fire, like the sprays of a gigantic fountain, -lighted up the camp and bay for miles. - -The yards and rigging of the “Minnesota” and “St. Lawrence” were filled -with men armed with fire-buckets, lest the falling sparks should ignite -the tarred ropes of these vessels, and unite them in one general -conflagration. The sides of the hapless “Congress” were thrown open by -the last explosion, and the next morning, all that could be seen of the -once proud ship were a few blackened ribs, a short distance above the -surface of the water. - -When the soldiers of Camp Butler turned away from that scene to retire -to their quarters, it was with heavy hearts. The recollection of the -harrowing events of the afternoon was still fresh in their minds; -they had now witnessed the total destruction of another vessel of our -navy, the loss of which gave joy to the South, a new lease of life -to the Rebellion, and operated to postpone the day when they would be -permitted to doff the blue and return to their homes. - -Sunday the 9th of March dawned, finding the frigate “Minnesota” still -aground, her consort, the “St. Lawrence,” having more fortunately -drifted into deep water. The day broke fair, and so calm was everything -upon both water and land, that it seemed very like a preparation for -the funeral of the two hundred brave men who had tasted death on the -preceding day. The Confederate fleet could be distinctly seen lying at -anchor under their batteries at Sewall’s Point. A column of white steam -was issuing from the pipes of the “Merrimack”; it was evident that she -was preparing to set out on her second day’s exploits, and attempt -to deal the final blow to our navy in Hampton Roads. At about seven -o’clock, the “Merrimack” was discovered to be moving, and following -her were the other vessels of the Confederate fleet. Upon rounding -the Point, the iron-clad shaped her course directly towards Fortress -Monroe, but she had not proceeded far before she suddenly turned and -steered toward the mouth of the James. The drums of the “Minnesota” -were heard beating her anxious crew to quarters. When the “Merrimack” -had arrived within fair range, she fired a shot from her bow gun. The -shot struck the frigate under her counter, doing her not a little -damage. The fire was quickly replied to by the frigate, and now Captain -Van Brunt, her commander, signalled the “Monitor,” which up to that -moment had lain close alongside of the ship, and which had arrived from -New York the night before, to attack the enemy. - -This diminutive craft had not until this time been seen by our men on -shore, although rumors of its arrival had spread through camp; and as -it steamed out upon the bay, wonder as to what it was, and what it -would be likely to accomplish, seized fast hold upon all. With apparent -confidence in its ability to contend with the monster iron-clad of -the enemy, the “Monitor” steamed directly toward it, and when within -one hundred yards, opened fire. The report of that gun rang out so -loud upon the still air of the morning, as to immediately create a -feeling of confidence in the ability of the little boat to contend -successfully with the enemy. In less than five minutes from that time, -the two vessels were hotly engaged with each other, belching out fire -and iron in each others’ faces. - -The other vessels of the enemy were by this time fairly engaged with -the “St. Lawrence,” “Minnesota,” and the Federal gunboats, and were -soon put to flight, keeping well off toward the opposite shore. Shortly -after the “Merrimack” had fired her first broadside at the “Monitor,” -and had seen her shots glance harmlessly from the revolving turret, -she tried the experiment of sinking her, and after backing off slowly, -ran at her, head on. The prow of the “Merrimack” struck the “Monitor,” -but glanced, and the little vessel swung around, delivering in this -position several of her most effective shots in rapid succession. After -this the combatants parted, and a brief truce followed, at the close -of which the two vessels again neared each other, and a second duel, -fiercer and more desperate if possible than the first, ensued. - -At one time during the battle, the Confederate steamer “Jamestown” -ventured to interfere on the side of the “Merrimack,” but received from -the “Monitor” a shot that pierced her sides, and disabled her to such -a degree as to cause her to haul off. During much of the time that the -two iron-clads were actively engaged, they were scarcely visible from -the shore, being enveloped in clouds of smoke; but occasionally the -garrison were disagreeably reminded of what was going on by a huge shot -from one or the other of the vessels missing its mark and reaching the -land. Several of these huge missiles went bounding over the long plain, -casting the dust high into the air, and plowing up the earth in deep, -irregular furrows. - -At about twelve o’clock, while the “Monitor” was apparently resting, -being separated by the distance of a mile from her antagonist, the -“Merrimack” made a sudden movement towards the “Minnesota.” The tide -being at its height, it was doubtless supposed by the enemy that he -could reach the frigate, and give her a death-blow with his prow. -The “Minnesota” opened upon the enemy with all her broadside guns -and ten-inch pivot; “a broadside,” says Captain Van Brunt in his -report, “that would have blown out of the water any timber-built ship -in the world.” The “Merrimack” replied with her rifled bow gun “with -a shell which passed through the chief engineer’s stateroom, through -the engineer’s messroom amidships, and burst in the boatswain’s room, -tearing four rooms all into one; in its passage, exploding two charges -of powder, which set the ship on fire.”[26]... The fire was quickly -extinguished; but the alarm of fire having reached the ears of the men, -great consternation prevailed for several minutes. A second shot from -the ram went through the boiler of the gunboat “Dragon,” which lay near -the “Minnesota,” exploding it, and badly scalding and wounding a number -of our sailors. The position of the enemy was now such as to enable the -“Minnesota” to concentrate upon him a heavy fire from her gun-deck, -spar-deck, and forecastle pivot-guns; and it was stated by the marine -officer of the frigate, who was stationed on the poop, that at least -fifty solid shot struck the slanting side of the “Merrimack” during -this fire, but without producing any apparent effect. - -By the time the “Merrimack” had fired her third shot at the -“Minnesota,” the “Monitor” had reached the scene of action, and -immediately ran in between the two vessels, covering by her turret, -as far as possible, the already badly-injured frigate. This movement -of the “Monitor” caused the “Merrimack” to change her position, in -doing which she grounded. Again the frigate, aided by the “Monitor,” -poured into the ram every available gun; but the stanch iron-clad -withstood the combined fire of both our vessels, and in the course -of a few minutes floated, shaping her course down the bay, being -closely followed by the “Monitor.” In the course of this pursuit, the -“Merrimack” suddenly turned, and with full head of steam, struck the -“Monitor” for the second time with her prow; but the blow produced no -effect, while the “Monitor” fired a solid shot that plunged into the -enemy’s roof. Then followed a cannonade more desperate, if possible, -than any which had preceded it. The “Merrimack” brought four of her -guns to bear upon the “Monitor’s” turret and pilot-house. In the -latter was Lieutenant Worden, watching the progress of the battle. An -immense solid shot struck the house with such force as to loosen the -cement about the inside of the structure, and set in motion a fragment -of it, which struck the gallant lieutenant in one of his eyes. The -concussion and the blow completely stunned him, rendered him senseless, -and disabled him for further duty during the battle. Soon after this -accident, the “Monitor” stood down for Fortress Monroe, when the -“Merrimack” and two of her consorts again turned toward the stranded -frigate. Captain Van Brunt had nearly expended all his solid shot, his -ship was already badly crippled, and his officers and men worn out by -their excessive labor. It is no wonder, therefore, that when he saw the -near prospect of another terrible struggle with the invulnerable enemy, -that the thought of burning his vessel came into his mind, for, to use -his language, “I determined never to give up the ship to the rebels.” -Fortunately the “Merrimack” was satisfied that her efforts to further -cripple our fleet could not succeed, and being herself more or less -disabled, headed toward Norfolk, the “Monitor,” to the unspeakable joy -of the spectators, starting in pursuit. The chase, which was continued -for several miles, and then abandoned, was not attended with any tiring -on the part of either vessel. This was the closing scene of this -remarkable battle. - -The excitement in Camp Butler was not to end just here. The men had -hardly swallowed their dinner, before a number of horsemen came riding -into camp, their horses flecked with foam and themselves covered with -dust. They had come from the outposts to inform General Mansfield that -the enemy in large numbers were advancing, and that an attack was -imminent. The long roll was again beaten, and the excited men mustered -with no less alacrity than on the previous day. The Twenty-ninth -Regiment formed in line of battle just inside the breastworks, and -as it stood there anxiously gazing in the direction of the forest, -Lieutenant-Colonel Barnes, then in command, rode to the front, and -uttered these words: “Men, we may be called upon to meet the enemy in -battle this afternoon, the most of you for the first time. Remember -that you are the only Massachusetts troops in this camp!” The emotion -of pride and sense of responsibility which these simple words awoke in -the breasts of the men was manifested by a hearty cheer all along the -line. Things looked very much like a fight at that moment; the entire -garrison was under arms, and General Mansfield, mounted, was moving -briskly about the camp, speaking cheering words to the troops. This was -his speech to the Twenty-ninth: “My men, Magruder is up the river with -ten thousand troops. I have in camp six thousand men with muskets and -a million rounds of cartridges; and so long as there is left me a man, -a musket, or a cartridge, I’ll keep that flag flying!” pointing to the -post flag flying near his quarters. - -The Twentieth New York Regiment was despatched to the “Brick House,” -where it threw up entrenchments and remained during the night. The -enemy expected that our entire fleet would be destroyed in this fight, -and with the “Merrimack” on the river and a large force in front, they -hoped for an easy victory; but finding that our fleet still existed, -they concluded not to attack, and toward night retired. - -The repose and quiet which had reigned so constantly during the -long winter of 1861-62, in Camp Butler, were ended by the tragic -occurrences of these two days. As long as the regiment thereafter -continued to remain at Newport News, scarcely a day passed without -its exciting incident; and not infrequently the slumbers of the men -at night were rudely broken by the ominous sound of the long roll and -the sudden screech of a shell thrown from the “Teaser,” an insolent -little nondescript of the enemy’s fleet, which sailed down the river -occasionally, and amused herself by firing into our camp. - -Ever after the 9th of March, the mails were irregular, the “Merrimack” -at times blockading the mouth of the river, and rendering water -communication between Newport News and Fortress Monroe difficult and -hazardous. The passenger-boat “Express,” which had run regularly twice -a day between the fort and camp, was obliged to suspend her trips -during the time the “Merrimack” remained at the mouth of the Elizabeth, -as she could not enter the James without the risk of being blown out -of the water by the terrible guns of the iron-clad, and a small boat -of light draught was put on the route in her place. Even this little -steamer was obliged, in passing the Point, to hug the shore closely in -order to avoid the enemy, and to make her trips after nightfall or -before daylight in the morning. In the course of a few weeks our naval -force in the Roads began to increase considerably, and the Confederate -ram withdrew farther up the river, only occasionally showing herself, -and then rarely below Craney Island. - -An affair occurred on the 11th of April that was very humiliating, and -caused great indignation and alarm throughout the North. During the -forenoon of this day, the “Merrimack,” “Jamestown,” and “Patrick Henry” -steamed slowly down the Elizabeth into Hampton Roads, directly under -the guns of Fortress Monroe and some dozen large Federal vessels. Near -the mouth of Hampton Creek were anchored a brig and two schooners, -supply-vessels. The Confederate steamer “Jamestown” deliberately ran -up to these vessels, boarded them, and towed them off toward Norfolk -without the slightest opposition being made by the navy or the fort; -and while this disgrace was being visited, unrebuked, upon our flag, -several of the sailing-vessels of our navy were hoisting sails and -making all possible haste seaward, actually running before they were -hurt. - -A crowd of highly-exasperated soldiers were looking upon this scene -from Newport News, filled with amazement by the strange and unexplained -conduct of our navy, and of the Commander of Fortress Monroe. It -was impossible that men who had witnessed the brave fight which the -“Cumberland,” about a month before, had made with the iron monster of -the enemy,--who had seen our noble ship go down with the flag flying, -and who had exposed their own lives to save those of her crew,--who had -themselves manned the land-batteries, and done whatever lay in their -power to destroy the foe,--could look upon this scene without having -their soldierly pride stung to the quick, and their feelings of love -for the flag severely wounded. - -The enemy’s fleet lay in the Roads till near dark, inviting an -attack from our vessels, but not venturing to make one. Just as the -“Merrimack” was leaving, she bade our fleet good night by firing three -shots into it, which were replied to by the “Naugatuck” and “Octorora.” - -Not long after this, an attack was made by our fleet upon the enemy’s -shore-batteries, extending all the way from Ocean View to Sewall’s -Point, a distance often miles or more. The shore was heavily wooded, -and these works, in which were stationed small bodies of troops, -were erected in the edge of the timber, commanding all the available -landing-places. At Sewall’s Point, where there was a large Confederate -camp, were several very powerful works, containing one or more -bomb-proofs. The movement began about one o’clock in the afternoon, -and the line of battle, which was led by the “Monitor,” was made up of -about twelve vessels. Beginning near Ocean View, the fleet commenced -raining a shower of shot and shell upon the beach and woods. Presently -a puff of white smoke was seen rising among the trees, and at the -same moment a huge shell exploded just over the masts of one of the -gunboats. This was followed by another and another in rapid succession; -but the fire from the boats was too severe for the little sand-battery: -its guns were silenced and its garrison dispersed in less than fifteen -minutes. - -While this battle was in progress, some of the leading vessels had -stirred up several other works, and a fierce contest ensued, ending, -as did the first, in the course of a few minutes. In this manner, -the fleet continued along the shore, silencing every battery as it -was reached, until it came to the end of Sewall’s Point, where it -encountered the bomb-proofs, and met with a more determined resistance. -Here the chief part of the fighting was done by the “Monitor,” which, -being of lighter draught than the other vessels, lay in near the beach, -and shelled the forts at comparatively close range, while the other -boats shelled the woods and camp. - -The view of this battle from “Signal Station Point,” so called (Newport -News), was very grand. The large shot of the “Monitor” would strike the -sides of the earthworks, and throw up vast columns of dust and sand -high into the air, while the shells from the frigates and gunboats -were exploding rapidly among the branches of the forest-trees, tearing -away great pieces of their trunks, and scattering the fragments in all -directions. At short intervals, a long flash of flame and column of -smoke would dart out of the embrasures of the hostile works, showing -that the enemy was not disposed to yield his position. - -After this bombardment had been going on for an hour or more, the -“Merrimack” was seen coming down the Elizabeth, and when within a mile -of the Point, every vessel of the Federal fleet turned suddenly and -went toward the fortress. The ram attempted no pursuit, but sailed -down toward the Point and remained stationary for a few moments; -when, as suddenly as they had retreated, the Federal vessels began to -return, whereupon the “Merrimack” retired, and the bombardment of the -land-batteries was renewed, continuing till well into the evening, but -with no decisive results. - -A few days after this event (April 19), an affair of some interest -occurred, being an attempt on the part of the Confederates to shell out -the garrison at the Rip-Raps. By means of a gun of remarkable range, -stationed on Sewall’s Point, the enemy was able to throw shell entirely -over the little island, which he did more frequently than to hit it. -The shelling began late in the afternoon, in the midst of a severe -thunder-storm, and lasted until some time after dark, the batteries -at the Rip-Raps replying with vigor. It is not probable that either -party inflicted any injury upon the other; but the display afforded -by the passing shells, made visible by their burning fuses, making -graceful curves, sometimes almost meeting each other in the heavens, -and bursting in the darkness, was grand and startling. - -The department of Fortress Monroe had now assumed greater importance -than it had ever possessed before. The attention of the whole world had -been turned thither because of the great battles of the 8th and 9th -of March, which had revolutionized the system of marine architecture, -and furnished examples of human bravery unsurpassed in the annals of -naval warfare. But the department was to be the starting-point of one -of the greatest of our many military expeditions, and for a brief -season the rendezvous of one of the finest armies that ever took the -field; namely, the Army of the Potomac. “The council, composed of four -corps commanders, organized by the President of the United States, -at its meeting on the 13th of March, adopted Fort Monroe as the -base of operations for the movement of the Army of the Potomac upon -Richmond.”[27] - -The first arrival of troops was about the middle of March, and from -that time till the middle of April, transports were constantly arriving -in the Roads, loaded with soldiers, horses, and all the munitions of -war. - -Fortress Monroe and Hampton soon assumed the appearance of great -mercantile ports; the wharves were filled with vessels and steamers, -and long trains were constantly engaged in transporting the cargoes of -these vessels to the headquarters of the army, then established in the -vicinity of Hampton. The increased activity in the military affairs of -the department was manifest at Newport News, for occasionally troops -were landed at this camp, and among them the entire division of General -Casey, numbering five or six thousand men, and containing several -light batteries, which paraded upon the field near the works. On the -2d of April, the transport steamer “Hero” arrived, bringing a Maine -and Pennsylvania regiment. As the steamer was nearing the landing, she -was fired at from the enemy’s works at Pig Point, and narrowly escaped -being hit. About this time, there came several Western regiments, -all of which bivouacked on the plain, and later the camp was largely -increased by the arrival of other troops. A part of these were destined -to go to New Orleans, and during the latter part of April, took passage -on the transport steamer “Constitution,” at that time the largest in -the service. When the “Constitution” steamed out of the James, she -was exposed to a very severe fire from Sewall’s Point. It was broad -daylight, and as she approached the hostile shore, being compelled -to keep in the main channel because of her great draught, the enemy -opened on her with shell, several of which exploded among her rigging -and inflicted upon her some damage; but fortunately none of the troops -were hurt, though they were all on deck. Events of this nature, and the -daring exploits of Captain Drake DeKay, a very gallant young officer -of General Mansfield’s staff, furnished abundant material for camp -talk, and kept up a constant excitement. DeKay formed a crew from among -the members of companies A and B of the Twenty-ninth Regiment, manned -one of the large barges of the “Cumberland,” saved from the battle, -and made nightly excursions up the river, capturing on one occasion a -schooner, and setting her on fire; and at another time landed on the -opposite shore, and reconnoitred the enemy’s position. When the Army of -the Potomac began to move up the Peninsula, and rumors thick and fast -of great battles and severe skirmishes reached the rear, the excitement -was increased tenfold. Among these rumors, which no one, however -ingenious or industrious, could have traced to their source, especially -to any authentic source, were reports, frequently circulated, that the -regiment was to cross the river and attack Pig Point, to join the Army -of the Potomac, march on Norfolk, and to do a great variety of other -things; and, strangely enough, many of these predicted movements were -eventually made by the regiment. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - DEPARTURE OF THE REGIMENT FROM NEWPORT NEWS--CAPTURE - OF NORFOLK AND PORTSMOUTH--THE “MERRIMACK” BLOWN UP--THE - OCCUPATION OF THE CAPTURED CITIES--CAMP HARRISON--THE - REGIMENT CHARGED WITH KILLING PIGS--IT GOES TO THE MARINE - HOSPITAL--PATROL DUTY IN PORTSMOUTH--THE UNIONISTS OF - PORTSMOUTH--THE REGIMENT LEAVES THE CITY--CAMP ANDREW--CAMP - OF ADVANCED POST--AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE MEN SLAVE-CATCHERS - FAILS--THE LONG MARCH TO SUFFOLK--ORDERED TO JOIN THE ARMY OF - THE POTOMAC--SAIL UP THE YORK--THE REGIMENT LANDS AT “WHITE - HOUSE.” - - -Early in May, the following order was issued:-- - - “HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, } - “FORTRESS MONROE, May --, 1862. } - - “GENERAL ORDERS, No. 40. - - “The troops of this command being about to march into the - country occupied by the enemy, they are warned that plundering - and depredating upon private property will not be tolerated - for a moment. _The penalty of death will be executed upon any - soldier found violating this order._ - - “By command of Major-General Wool. - - “(Signed) WM. D. WHIPPLE, _Asst. Adj. Gen._” - -This order, and the movements which soon followed, clearly indicated -that a more active life was in store for the troops here, who had -performed little else than camp duty for nearly a year. - -On the 8th, the new iron-clad “Galena,” accompanied by the -“Aroostook” and “Port Royal,”--the latter vessel under the command -of the brave Lieutenant Morris, and manned by the survivors of the -“Cumberland,”--came up the James, and passing up toward City Point, -engaged several of the enemy’s works. - -On the 9th, Captain Howard’s Light Battery left the camp and went -to Fortress Monroe, and at midnight orders were received for the -Twenty-ninth Regiment to march to the same place. The men were aroused -from their slumbers, ordered to pack knapsacks, and be in readiness -to march at four o’clock the next morning. This was indeed a very -brief notice for the men to prepare to quit their old home, to which, -because of the numerous comforts they had enjoyed there, they had -become strongly attached. Every barrack was a little museum in itself, -and each soldier had collected a great variety of useful, and to him, -valuable articles. Knowing that he could carry but a few things with -him, it became a painful struggle to decide what to take and what to -abandon. The regiment was promptly in line at the hour named, but did -not march till eight o’clock in the morning. - -The distance by land to Fortress Monroe is about twelve miles. The -day was warm and cloudless, and the men, not having had at that time -much experience in marching, trudged along over the dusty roads, -panting from the heat, and reached Camp Hamilton at two o’clock in the -afternoon, somewhat jaded. Towards evening, when they had refreshed -themselves with a meal made of such rations as they took with them in -their haversacks and some hot coffee, they were ordered to “fall in”; -and after marching out of a large wheat-field, where they had rested -for a couple of hours, proceeded on the road to Fortress Monroe, -reaching there a little after sundown, halting on one of the wharves, -and in the course of an hour embarking on a small steamboat which was -waiting to receive them. A number of other transports were lying in the -Roads, filled with troops, all bound on the same expedition. When the -steamer cast off from the wharf, the troops on the various boats began -to cheer, and cries of “Norfolk!” and “Richmond!” sounded out on the -still air of the mild and pleasant evening. - -After a delightful moonlight voyage of an hour, the boat approached the -shore at Ocean View, where a pontoon wharf, formed of canal-boats and -planks, had been constructed. The boat was made fast to this floating -structure, and the regiment immediately landed by companies, marching -up upon the white sand-beach and forming in line. Just above the -beach, on a grassy lawn of several acres, stood the remains of a large -building, windowless and dark and deserted; close about this cleared -space was the edge of the forest, which stretched as far inland as the -eye could see in the dim moonlight. After the regiment had formed on -the beach, it marched up to this grass-plot and halted. The men were -already weary, and in a few moments they began to lie down on the -grass, and soon fell into a sound sleep. At last, after nearly an hour -spent here, the men were aroused, and the regiment took up its line of -march into the woods, a squad of cavalry going in advance. The road was -narrow, rough, and muddy, the branches of the towering trees meeting -overhead and forming an arch, shutting out even the light of the stars, -and rendering the way blinding dark. The discomforts of the march were -much increased by the numerous obstructions the enemy had placed in -the road, consisting chiefly of large pine-trees that had been felled -across it, through the branches of which the men were obliged to crawl, -tearing their clothing, and scratching their faces and hands. The -result was, the marching was very slow and exhausting, it being nearly -midnight before the halting-place was reached. The bivouac was made in -a deserted cavalry camp of the enemy, formed in a little clearing in -the forest; on two sides of the enclosure were rows of very comfortable -board huts, and on the third, a long line of horse-sheds. All about the -camp, fires were burning brightly, indicating recent occupation. - -By the time the halt was made, both officers and men were about worn -out, and every one shifted for himself, seeking some unoccupied house -or sheltered place. “Tattoo” was not sounded that night; the owlish -propensities of the mischievous ones were thoroughly overcome by -fatigue, and in a few moments the camp was as quiet as a bed-chamber. - -After a sound and refreshing sleep, the men awoke bright and early on -the morning of the 11th of May. The forest in which they had reposed -seemed primeval and boundless. Shaggy green moss hung in long, graceful -locks from the boughs of the gigantic pines; the woods were vocal with -the music of merry birds; it was one of the most genial days of all -the spring. But the boys had not long to tarry here; Norfolk was to be -taken, and as soon as breakfast was had, the regiment was to march. - -While waiting here, a tremendous explosion was heard; the noise -seemed to come from the direction of Sewall’s Point, and the rumor -immediately spread through the camp that the “Merrimack” had been blown -up. Though the person who started this report doubtless guessed at it, -yet such proved to be the fact, and the guess was founded upon the -general belief that the Confederates would be certain to destroy the -iron-clad as soon as a movement was made on Norfolk. - -The regiment “fell in” about seven o’clock, and the march to Norfolk -was at once commenced. The road for most of the distance lay through -the forest and a country that was almost destitute of habitations. The -men were in light marching order, having left their knapsacks at Camp -Hamilton on the day previous. Many of the soldiers who performed that -march will remember the unsatisfactory statements of the negroes met on -the road, as to the distance to Norfolk. “How for is it to Norfolk?” -was the oft-repeated inquiry made of these grinning contrabands. “I -s’pose dis eighteen mile, massa,” and “a heap of a way off,” were the -invariable answers made to these questions. And the same statements -were made by them when the regiment was actually within a mile of the -city. - -At noon, the regiment arrived at a line of breastworks, two miles -from the city, enclosing a deserted camp of the enemy, known as Camp -Harrison. Intelligence had been received while on the march that -Norfolk and Portsmouth had capitulated the night before; and when the -long line of works, bristling with guns, some sixty-five in number, -greeted the eyes of the soldiers, they inspired no emotions other than -surprise that the enemy should have abandoned a position of such great -strength, and wonder as to how the city could ever have been taken, if -the Confederates had made a determined stand here. - -After a brief halt at this place, the regiment was again ordered to -“fall in,” and in the course of a half-hour was in the heart of the -captured city. The march through Norfolk proved very interesting to -the men, though few, if any, demonstrations were made by the people. A -solitary house displayed the American flag, and this was greeted with -cheers. The regiment marched to the City Hall, from the dome of which -the Stars and Stripes were flying. From this point a view of the river -was obtained, and, lying at anchor, were seen a number of our gunboats, -together with the “Monitor,” all making a liberal display of bunting, -and reminding one of a Fourth of July celebration. - -At night, the regiment returned to Camp Harrison, where it remained -till the 14th of May. The enemy had burned the barracks at this place, -and our men, not being provided with tents, were obliged to resort to -a great variety of methods to shield themselves from the cold air and -dense fogs at night. Rails were taken, placed against the breastworks, -and covered with grass and green boughs, under which squads of five -and six would sleep; others found lodging in the magazines, which were -formed by deep excavations in the earth, covered with logs and sand; -others still made them little huts of brush and reeds, while not a few -had no other covering than a single blanket. The ground was low and -marshy, and the exhalations from the neighboring swamp (the Dismal -Swamp) and the accumulated offal of the camp, gave the whole air a foul -odor, that eventually would have resulted disastrously to the health of -the troops. On the morning of the 14th, however, the regiment received -orders to march; and although the men knew nothing of what was in store -for them, the order was joyfully received, because any change could -not be otherwise than for the better. The regiment marched again to -Norfolk, and crossing the ferry, entered the city of Portsmouth. After -arriving here, it proceeded to the United States Marine Hospital, and -went into camp, being supplied with Sibley tents, which were pitched -upon the beautiful green lawn bordering upon the water, the officers -taking up their quarters in the hospital. - -A report reached General Wool, at this time, that members of the -regiment had killed a number of swine while on their march from Ocean -View to Norfolk, and the result was the following order:-- - - “HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, } - “FORT MONROE, VA., May 12, 1862. } - - “BRIG. GEN. EGBERT L. VIELE, - “_Military Governor of Norfolk_. - - “SIR: It has been reported at these headquarters - that certain soldiers of Colonel E. W. Pierce’s Twenty-ninth - Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers yesterday killed a number of - hogs, private property of citizens living near Ocean View, - Va. You will use every endeavor to ascertain who are the - offenders, and, if you succeed, you will place them in close - confinement and report them to these headquarters. If it should - be ascertained that this report is true, you will cause the - owners to be paid for the hogs at the rate of five dollars for - each hog. If the money is not immediately paid, you will order - the regiment to return to Newport News forthwith, and send the - offender or offenders prisoners to Fort Monroe. - - “By command of Major-General Wool. - - “(Signed) WM. D. WHIPPLE, _Asst. Adj. Gen._” - -The Colonel of the regiment was called upon by General Viele to -explain the matter mentioned in the order. The affair was thoroughly -investigated; but no evidence could be obtained to show that any member -of the regiment killed the hogs, and the name of the person who gave -the information to General Wool was requested. Here the whole affair -ended; no one of the regiment was executed, nor was the regiment sent -back to Newport News in disgrace on account of two or three defunct -pigs, that probably belonged to the enemy’s camp, and not to private -individuals. - -This was a good season for orders. No sooner had the Major-General -recovered from his wrath about the hog affair, than he began to think -about his “skilful and gallant movement” on Norfolk, and the result -was General Order No. 47, as replete with egotism and self-praise as -it was long and gusty. The Major-General took great credit to himself -for having “captured” Norfolk and Portsmouth, the fact being that -these cities were _evacuated_ by the Confederates in consequence of -the movement of General McClellan on Richmond, and simply _occupied_ -by the troops under General Wool. Not a drop of blood was shed in the -movement, and not the slightest resistance made by the Confederate -commander. Indeed, the movement did not originate with General Wool, -but was commenced upon the suggestion of President Lincoln. - -The regiment remained at the Marine Hospital till the 20th, during -which time it was almost constantly on duty. The duties performed -were those of patrol, provost, and guard. The night-patrol service -was sometimes exciting and amusing. The city was filled with dogs, -mostly of the species known as “cur”; and as the patrol wended through -the dark streets and narrow alleys, the canines would set up their -howlings and yelps. Occasionally a large pack of these animals would -make a sudden sally from out of some yard upon the passing soldiers, -and then would follow a charge with fixed bayonets, from which the -insolent dogs generally came off “second best,” leaving some of their -pack stretched lifeless in the street. - -Some of the women of Norfolk and Portsmouth were quite as spiteful -towards the soldiers as were the dogs. The scene was not infrequent -of a bevy of finely-dressed ladies parading the streets with small -Confederate flags pinned to their breasts, and, on passing a soldier, -gathering their skirts closely about their bodies, lest they should -touch the hated “vandal.” And not seldom these fiery women would -indulge in insulting and taunting language. Another, and, if possible, -still more fiendish manifestation of hatred of the soldiers, consisted -in politely presenting them with beautiful bouquets, filled with -needles. The giver would station herself at some convenient point -of observation after doing this, and wait patiently for the soldier -to press the flowers to his face, when up would go a loud shout of -exultation. Few, if any, indignities were visited upon the perpetrators -of these petty, though annoying, insults, the good breeding of our men -usually preventing them from indulging in either harsh or insulting -language, though their ingenuity generally enabled them to do or say -something in return that made their fair assailants feel any way but -pleased with the result. There were, however, among the people of -Portsmouth, and especially,among the former employés at the navy-yard, -those who still loved the Union, and who remembered with gratitude -that for many years they and their children had enjoyed a comfortable -support from the labor which the Government had regularly furnished -them. One day, when Captain Leach’s company was on guard duty at -Newtown (a part of the city), in the vicinity of the navy-yard, the -loyal people there welcomed them by a display of American flags. The -whole settlement was radiant with bunting--streamers, ships’ flags, -jacks, and pennants--which had been saved from the yard in April, -1861, when the place was abandoned by the United States officers. How -these poor people had managed to keep these emblems of loyalty during -the year that had elapsed, was something of a mystery, considering -how strict was the surveillance under which all suspected Unionists -had been placed. But they had hidden them under carpets, in attics, -and cellars; and one old gentleman stated that his had been boxed up -tightly and buried in his garden, and the musty, soiled appearance of -the flags showed plainly these statements were true. - -On the 20th of May, the regiment broke camp at the Marine Hospital, -and marched through Portsmouth to the Gosport Navy-Yard, near which -it went into camp. The camping-ground was by no means pleasant, nor -the means of comfort there afforded great. On the following day, -the Quartermaster reduced the number of tents, at which there was -considerable fault found; but by this time the majority of the men -had arrived at that desirable point in a soldier’s life, where they -treated every discomfort and privation as a necessary part of their -military experience. Only four days were spent here, when the regiment -again moved, this time some five miles from the city, encamping in an -extensive clover-field, that was named by Colonel Pierce “Camp Andrew.” - -While here, the men were kept quite active in drilling, and in the -performance of guard and picket duty. The location of the camp was only -a little less unhealthy than that of Camp Harrison. On the 26th, the -regiment moved again, going just outside of a line of earthworks that -had been thrown up by the enemy during their occupation. At this place, -which was called “Camp of Advanced Post,” were also the Twentieth New -York and a Pennsylvania regiment. The latter manifested a strange -fancy for animals; a black bear, a score or more of dogs and cats, -and a troop of monkeys making up the list. On the night of the 30th, -occurred a severe thunder and rain storm; the camp was flooded, and the -lightning lit up the neighboring forest at every flash. - -It was at this place that an attempt was made by a slave-master to -pursue his runaway negroes into the camp of the regiment. Captain -Samuel H. Doten was officer of the day on the first occasion; the -master requested of the Captain, permission to search the camp for his -two negroes, whom he suspected were concealed there, having followed -the regiment from Portsmouth, but his request was flatly refused. -The planter being satisfied that he could not succeed without some -authority from headquarters, called on General Viele, and after telling -his story, had no difficulty in obtaining from that officer an order -directed to the Colonel of the Twenty-ninth Regiment to immediately -produce the negroes in question and turn them over to their owner. -Armed with this order, the citizen appeared the next day, and demanded -of Captain Thomas W. Clarke (who had succeeded Doten as officer of -the day), in the arrogant plantation style, permission to search the -camp for his missing servants, at the same time exhibiting the order -from General Viele. Like his predecessor, Clarke refused to grant the -request, but on the ground that it was improper to allow citizens -to search the camp, and especially in an enemy’s country, and that, -moreover, the order did not give the bearer any such authority. The -citizen was therefore retained on the guard line, and the order taken -by Clarke to headquarters, where a consultation with the Colonel was -had. The order demanded the giving up of the slaves, and thus rendered -a search imperative; but it was concluded that the search should be -made, not by the citizen, but by the non-commissioned officers of each -company. Curious as it may seem, notwithstanding a most thorough hunt -was made, and that there were a large number of negroes in camp, the -particular negroes inquired for were not found, and the citizen was -compelled to return without his slaves. - -The officers and men of the Twenty-ninth Regiment never felt a very -deep interest in returning refugee negroes to their masters, and had -never been educated up to the point of believing it to be any part -of their duties as soldiers, in fighting for the restoration of the -Union, to aid the slave-masters who were attempting to destroy it. To -have felt otherwise, would have been as unjust as unnatural, for the -poor negroes were the best, and in many instances the only, friends -which the soldiers found throughout the Southern land. Whenever they -came into our camps, they communicated to our officers whatever -information they possessed about the movements and plans of the -enemy; and although this information was seldom reliable, yet it was -conscientiously given, its imperfections being mainly attributable to -the utter incapacity of the negro to comprehend number or distance. - -They were faithful and devoted servants to the soldiers, never -demanding or expecting pay for their labor; were made supremely happy -by the gift of a pair of blue trousers or a blouse; would follow a -regiment on its longest and hardest marches; relieve the weary soldier -of his knapsack or gun, and if the soldier was sick or overcome by the -heat, save him from falling on the road and suffering the fate of a -straggler. Scarcely a soldier of Company C will fail to remember the -faithful “Toney,” who came to them from North Carolina through the -wilds of the Dismal Swamp, and followed their fortunes to the end of -the war. - -On the 1st of June, the Paymaster arrived in camp, and paid off the -men. At midnight of the 2d, orders came for the regiment to march early -the next morning; it was in line and moved out of camp at six o’clock -on the morning of the 3d. The place of destination was Suffolk, a -post-village, capital of Nansemond County, Va., distant from Portsmouth -about thirty-five miles, and the distance actually marched by the -regiment, from its encampment to the village, not less than twenty-five -miles. The day was extremely hot and sultry; the roads for much of the -distance half submerged in water, and everywhere muddy. The men were in -heavy marching order, each man’s burden consisting of his rifle, three -days’ rations, forty rounds of cartridges, a canteen, and a knapsack. -The men had not had much practice in marching, and it was easy enough -to foresee the result of such an undertaking. Long before noon they -began to straggle; instances of sunstroke were quite numerous; and all -during that boiling, blistering day, no halt exceeding fifteen minutes -was permitted. It was _a forced march of the most aggravated character, -and that, too, without the slightest demand or necessity_. - -At this time, the Sixteenth Massachusetts Regiment, under Colonel -Powell T. Wyman, was at Suffolk, and the post was in command of that -officer, who was a soldier of superior qualities. When the Twenty-ninth -Regiment straggled into Suffolk, on the night of the 3d of June, with -about half its numbers, and the circumstances became known to Colonel -Wyman, he expressed great indignation at the manner in which this -movement had been conducted, asserting that the order to Colonel Pierce -did not contemplate a forced march. - -The regiment had outmarched its baggage-wagons, and when it arrived in -the town it was consequently destitute of tents; and without any orders -or arrangement on the part of the commanding officer, the men were left -to shift for themselves. The majority slept in the open air, and among -them a veteran captain of sixty, who wrapped himself up in a blanket -and lay down upon the field. During the night, it rained heavily, and a -more sorry-appearing body of soldiers was never mustered for roll-call -than the Twenty-ninth on the following morning. Quite a number were -made seriously ill by sunstrokes. - -Captain Howard’s Light Battery, largely made up of detailed members -of the regiment, arrived here on the 4th. The entire Federal force -in and about Suffolk at this time was less than 2,500 men all told, -and consisted of the following troops: Sixteenth Massachusetts, -Twenty-ninth Massachusetts, Captain Howard’s Light Battery, a section -of Captain Follett’s Battery, and two companies of cavalry. The enemy -in large force were in the near neighborhood, the picket duty was not -a little hazardous, and the isolated situation of the troops, and -the constant danger of attack, rendered the responsibilities of this -command of the gravest character. It was fortunate for the cause of the -Government, therefore, that its interests here were confided to the -charge of so brave and skilful an officer as Colonel Powell T. Wyman. - -The Twenty-ninth Regiment, as also the Sixteenth, were destined to -remain here but a short time. At two o’clock in the afternoon of the -6th, the Twenty-ninth received orders to march, and striking tents, it -proceeded to the Suffolk Station of the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad, -where it took the cars for Portsmouth, arriving at the latter place at -five o’clock in the afternoon of the same day. The night of the 6th -was spent in the depot at Portsmouth, none of the enlisted men being -permitted to leave their quarters. - -On the morning of the 7th, the regiment embarked on the steamer -“Catskill,” for White House Landing, at the head of navigation on -the Pamunkey River. The pleasure of this trip, which occupied the -entire day, was in striking contrast with the numerous discomforts and -hardships which the soldiers had experienced during the four weeks -preceding, and which they were destined to encounter in the eventful -campaign upon which they were about to enter. The day was exceedingly -fine, and the course of the steamer lay along the banks of the -Elizabeth River, Craney Island, Hampton Roads, and the shores of the -Chesapeake Bay,--some of the finest water and land scenery to be found -in the Old Dominion. The mouth of York River was reached about noon. -There were few, if any, on board the “Catskill” who were ignorant of -the historic associations that clustered about the two points of high -land that form the mouth of the York. All eyes were busy obtaining -a view of these places,--Yorktown on the left and Gloucester on the -right. Here was encamped but recently the army of General Magruder; -here on the 19th of October, 1781, Lord Cornwallis surrendered to -General Washington his sword, an event that practically terminated -the war of the Revolution. Still standing in Yorktown was the house -of General Thomas Nelson, who commanded the Virginia militia at the -capture of Cornwallis. - -The sail up the York and its larger branch, the Pamunkey, occupied -the remainder of the day. The country was in its finest dress; broad -green meadows skirted the stream as far as the vision could extend; the -meadows landward were bounded by high banks, covered with flowering -trees and climbing vines; and beyond all were the dense pine forests, -so common to the Peninsula. Here and there along the banks were -comfortable, peaceful-looking farm-houses, about which clustered groups -of colored people, who waved their hands as the large white steamer -glided by. - -White House Landing was reached just as the sun was going down. The -river here was filled with transports, gunboats, and vessels of all -sizes and descriptions. White House was a busy place in those days. -There were to be seen large stacks of bread-boxes, immense numbers -of barrels of beef and pork, army wagons, and ordnance supplies; and -droves of horses and mules and large herds of fat cattle were grazing -among the green fields of General Fitz Hugh Lee, who owned the place. -Here, also, were arriving and departing long trains of wagons, engaged -in transporting these supplies to the front, some ten or fifteen miles -away, and close at hand was a locomotive attached to an extensive train -of cars, the engine bearing the familiar name of “Mayflower.”[28] - -Upon leaving the steamer, the regiment marched the distance of a mile -from the wharf, into a fine grass-field near the wagon-road. By this -time it was quite dark; the night was warm, and the men made few -complaints at being compelled to sleep without tents. Just as they were -going off into a sound sleep, some wag, whose love of fun was still -active, cried out to the guard, “Put up the bars there, by the road; -if you don’t, we shall all catch our death-colds before morning!” This -was the signal for a hearty laugh, the merriment of the occasion being -heightened by the actual putting up of the bars. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - MARCH TO THE FRONT--FAIR OAKS--ASSIGNED TO THE IRISH - BRIGADE--HARD SERVICE--SHARPSHOOTING--THE AFFAIR OF JUNE 15, - AND DEATH OF BROWN--THE WOODCHOPPING AFFAIR--BATTLE OF GAINES’ - MILL--THE RETREAT--BATTLES OF PEACH ORCHARD AND SAVAGE’S - STATION--DESTRUCTION OF STORES--BURNING OF THE TRAIN OF - CARS. - - -On the morning of the 8th of June, the regiment was for the first time -supplied with shelter-tents. These consisted of two pieces of cloth, -each about six feet long and three and one-half feet wide, so made as -to button together, the two parts overlapping and thus shedding water. -One tent was issued to every two men, each man carrying his half in his -knapsack. There were no ends to this slight covering, and hence the -name _shelter-tent_. At about four o’clock in the afternoon of this -day, the regiment started for the front, marching a distance of some -seven miles on the Richmond and York River Railroad, halting at night, -and going into camp on a slight elevation of ground near the track. -After breakfast on the following morning, the march towards the front -was resumed. The destination of the regiment was Fair Oaks, about seven -miles from Richmond. Fair Oaks Mas the centre of the Union line, and -was held by the corps of General Sumner. The march was performed on the -railroad, a distance of about thirteen miles, and was accomplished by -two o’clock in the afternoon. Upon reaching the lines, the regiment was -halted in a piece of plowed ground, some thirty yards or more in front -of the grove of graceful oaks that gave the place its name, and just on -the edge of the forest in which were stationed our pickets. - -This was the battle-ground of June 1, one of the severest battles of -the campaign, the effects of which were still apparent. The trunks of -the trees were literally filled with bullets, while the little white -cottage then occupied by General Sumner was perforated with shots of -various sizes. Many of the enemy’s dead in the adjacent forest were -still unburied, and the sickening odors that came from it were almost -unendurable. The regiment had some days before been ordered to join -General Sumner’s corps, and on this day it was, by the following order, -attached to Brigadier-General Thomas Francis Meagher’s brigade:-- - - “HEADQUARTERS RICHARDSON’S DIVISION, } - “CAMP AT FAIR OAKS, VA., June 9, 1862. } - - “SPECIAL ORDER No. --. - - “The Twenty-ninth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers is hereby - assigned to the brigade of General Meagher. - - “By command of Brigadier-General Richardson. - - “JOHN M. NOWELL, _A. A. G._” - -This brigade was better known as the “Irish Brigade,” and was -composed of the Sixty-third, Sixty-ninth, and Eighty-eighth New York -regiments,--all Irish. The Brigade had fought gallantly at Fair Oaks -on the first of June, where it had lost heavily; and the Sixty-ninth, -now commanded by Colonel Robert Nugent,[29] a fine soldier, had -distinguished itself at Bull Run. At the time of the assignment of -the Twenty-ninth Regiment to this brigade, the latter was in need of -recruitment, having lost a good many of its men by battle and disease; -but it had been desired by its officers to fill up its depleted ranks -by the addition of another Irish regiment. Although the Twenty-ninth -was essentially an American regiment, very largely composed of and -officered by men who were direct descendants of the early settlers of -the Plymouth and Bay colonies,--one of its members, indeed, being a -lineal descendant of Miles Standish,--yet it was cordially welcomed to -the Brigade by its old officers and members. - -The night of the 9th of June was cold and stormy; at sundown the men -pitched their tents; but an order soon came directing that they be -struck at once, as they had already been seen by the enemy, and had -attracted his fire. The storm lasted all night, and the men were -compelled to lie exposed to a pelting rain, upon a bed of mud. No -rations were issued to the regiment till the night of the 10th, its -members in the meantime being obliged to depend for food upon the -generosity of the other regiments of the Brigade. The levelling effect -of field life was curiously apparent here. It was an honor, but not a -material advantage, to be an officer under these circumstances. The -writer remembers seeing the lamented Major of the regiment sitting on -his horse some time during the second day, at the front, wet to his -skin, shivering from the cold, and asking and receiving from a more -fortunate private, a drink of hot coffee from a very black-looking tin -dipper. - -The two armies were very near each other at this place, only a -half-mile of woods intervening; and in these woods were the Union and -Confederate pickets, stationed behind trees and logs; in some places -the hostile lines being less than twenty yards apart. The nearness of -the pickets to each other resulted in almost constant firing, which -was very destructive, hardly an hour elapsing from sunrise to sunset -without some poor soldier being borne from the forest reeking in blood, -and not seldom pallid and lifeless. To add to the horrors of this life, -the sharpshooters of the enemy, stationed in tall pines and in their -rifle-pits, fired with almost unerring aim at every moving object; -and at irregular intervals, during both night and day, the enemy’s -batteries threw shot and shell into our lines. - -Neither was all the shelling and sharpshooting done by the enemy. -The Federals were by no means on the defensive, but were besieging -Richmond, and neglected no opportunity to worry the enemy, or wrest -from him even so much as a foot of ground. Directly in front of -Sumner’s headquarters, at the edge of a large field, were the remains -of an old house, and near it an apple-tree, behind which there was -usually stationed one of our sharpshooters, who amused himself in -exchanging shots with a Confederate rifleman who had a lodge in the -branches of a large pine on the farther side of the field. The elevated -nature of the ground in the rear of this tree afforded the troops -there encamped an opportunity of witnessing these practices, and when -a particularly good shot was made, they would usually manifest their -appreciation of it by a loud cheer. - -These days at Fair Oaks, as well as those that followed, embracing -the whole period from the 9th of June till the time when the Army of -the Potomac was finally settled down at Harrison’s Landing, were among -the most exciting in the history of the regiment. In the first place, -the men were not only exposed to some of the worst dangers of war, -but also suffered intensely from the hot weather, unhealthy location -of the camps, and severe labor. From some mistaken notion, they were -ordered to leave their overcoats and blouses at White House Landing, -the want of which was keenly felt, as the nights were cold, and the -fogs, especially after nightfall, so dense as closely to resemble rain, -while the days were broiling hot. The dress-coat worn by them, being -a close-fitting garment, was ill-adapted to fatigue duty, and not -sufficiently thick to protect them from the chilling night air. - -The standing order requiring all troops at the front to quit their -tents at three o’clock in the morning, and remain standing, nearly -motionless, in line of battle till sunrise, proved very exhaustive; and -all these hardships combined, to which should be added the impurity of -the water and the poisoned air of the battle-field, produced many cases -of fever and other equally fatal diseases. On the afternoon of the 14th -of June, companies C and E were ordered on picket in the swamp at the -left of the railroad, nearly in front of Hooker’s division. This place -was considered one of the worst on the whole picket line, for several -reasons; skirmishes there were more common than at any other point, and -the swamp was very wet, being in places little better than a morass, -and everywhere filled with a dense undergrowth of bushes and briers. -The pickets were stationed behind trees, which in many instances were -scarcely large enough to cover the body, and about them no footing save -a few hussocks or uncovered roots. - -The night of the 14th was unusually mild and beautiful; the moon -shone brightly, throwing here and there a beam of its soft light down -through the branches of the pines, and relieving the place of some -of its natural gloom. There seemed to be some sort of a festival or -celebration in the camp of the enemy, as several of their bands played -merrily all the evening. Not a shot was fired during the whole night, -and this peaceful order of things continued nearly all the succeeding -day (Sunday), which was warm and sultry. At about three o’clock in the -afternoon, a violent thunder-storm came up, accompanied by a strong -wind. When the storm was at its height, and our guards were crouching -under the trees and bushes to shield themselves from the pelting rain, -the crackling of the brush in their front was heard, and presently -the heads of the enemy were seen through the undergrowth. This was to -be a raid upon our pickets, and the time was chosen in the hope of -finding them unprepared, and confused by the tempest; but our men were -vigilant, and as soon as the enemy were seen, began to fire. The latter -replied by a loud screech and a deafening volley of musketry, showing -that they were present in large numbers, and immediately after charged. -Our pickets fell back from their posts to the edge of the woods, -firing as they retired, and upon reaching the reserves under Captains -Leach and Doten, formed in line. The Confederates, to the number, -apparently, of a full regiment, followed slowly on, till they came to -within a few yards of the edge of the wood, when they paused, and again -fired several volleys; but by this time the swamp was being shelled -by our batteries. The shells bursting among the trees, and throwing -down large fragments, caused a sudden termination of the assault, -and the retirement of the enemy. During this fight, which lasted -about fifteen minutes, some soldiers of Company E captured one of the -enemy in the swamp, while attempting to retreat with his comrades. In -this affray, also, George D. Brown of Company C, a very faithful and -intelligent soldier, was killed; and Charles Kleinhans of Company E, -fatally wounded. The body of Brown was found by his comrades, when -they returned to their posts, in a most shocking condition; he had -apparently been shot through the vitals and afterward bayoneted through -the lower jaw and neck; his clothing had been stripped from his body, -and every article of value he had upon his person carried away. - -On the 16th of June, the Brigade was relieved of its post at the -extreme front, and ordered into the grove of oaks, in the rear, where -the ground was much higher. The 18th of June was a day of great -excitement. In the afternoon, our pickets at the centre advanced, -bringing on a sharp engagement, which lasted for several hours; and -this was followed by a very determined advance of a large body of the -enemy’s infantry on the Nine Miles Road, which ran directly through our -camp. They came along in fine style, and in full view of our troops, -until they reached a point about eighty yards from one of our outworks, -on the edge of the forest, when its battery opened on them with shell -and grape. The column was at once thrown into confusion, a wild flight -soon following, the dead and wounded being left in the road. After -nightfall, the wounded were gathered up by our men and brought into -camp, and the dead buried in the field near by. - -On the 19th, the Sixteenth Massachusetts Infantry, forming a part of -General Hooker’s division, encamped at the left of the railroad, near -the famous twin houses, had a severe engagement with the enemy, in the -swamp before referred to, losing thirty-four of its number killed and -wounded. The regiment was ordered to advance through the thick woods, -and when well into them, encountered a superior force of the enemy -posted behind the trees. - -June 20, companies C, E, and D, together with several companies of the -Sixty-ninth and Eighty-eighth New York regiments, were detailed to -work in the trenches in front of General Hooker’s division. A little -after noon, the enemy commenced shelling the working party, keeping -it up for nearly two hours. There were no casualties. On the 23d, -several companies of the regiment were again detailed to go on picket -in the swamp, and, with a portion of the First Massachusetts Infantry, -advanced through the woods to the enemy’s rifle-pits on the farther -side. A sharp skirmish was the result, lasting till near nightfall, -dwindling into picket-firing, and in this form continuing all night. - -An unusual and strange proceeding was attempted by a certain -staff-officer of the corps, on the night of the 26th, in which -companies C, E, and G participated. Toward dusk, these commands marched -to the headquarters of the Brigade Quartermaster, where each man was -given a new axe and helve, and told to put them together. This was a -piece of work to which most of the soldiers were quite unaccustomed; -but they contrived to do it in a rude manner, and then, under the -aforenamed staff-officer, were marched down the railroad, in the -direction of Richmond. The men were sent into the forest on either -side of the track, and ordered to cut down the trees. It was an insane -performance. The woods were thick and inky dark; the soldier could -with difficulty discern the tree he was at work upon; the axes were -insecurely attached to the helves, constantly coming off; and, worse -than all else, the men were at work outside of our pickets, and within -a few yards of the enemy. This farce was kept up not longer than ten -minutes, when the Confederates suddenly closed it by firing several -volleys among the workmen. Mr. Staff-Officer thereupon concluded to -cease operations at this point, and take his command farther to the -right of the line. Here the same droll proceeding was repeated, and -with the same results, except that this time the men barely escaped -capture. Nearly the whole night was occupied by this movement, the -companies reaching camp at four o’clock the next morning. - -There had been, for several days prior to this, many indications of a -great movement on the part of the enemy. Firing on the picket lines -had greatly increased, and in many places quite formidable attacks had -been made. Some of the guards had reported having heard the rumbling -of artillery and baggage-wagons within the enemy’s lines, the noise -indicating a movement of the trains towards our right. All during the -26th there had been heavy firing in the direction of Porter’s corps, -and at night of this day the news of the battle of Mechanicsville -reached our camp at the centre. - -About noon of the 27th, loud and continuous firing, growing hourly -more severe, was heard from the same quarter, and at five o’clock in -the afternoon, the order came for the Brigade to march, each man being -supplied with three days’ rations, and told to take his blanket. At the -time the order was received, companies A and I of the regiment were -on picket, and could not be recalled. The brigade line was promptly -formed at the hour named, and the regiments at once moved out of camp, -in the direction of Gaines’ Mill. Proceeding a mile on the main road, -the troops were halted, where, after pausing a few moments, they were -joined by French’s brigade. - -The day was one of the hottest of the summer, the roads were dusty -and rough, and the march for most of the distance was performed at the -double-quick,--the gray-haired Leach, then sixty-four years old, going -with his company. He was advised by his brother officers to remain in -camp; but he indignantly refused to do so, declaring that he entered -the army to fight, and that he should go with his men into every place -of danger, so long as he had the strength to walk. Every moment, as -the troops neared the field, the noise and tumult of the battle grew -louder and louder, and at last, when a point had been reached within a -mile of the place, the men began to witness some of the effects of the -terrible struggle which was there going on. First a few stragglers were -met, who, panic-stricken, gave doleful accounts of what had happened -at the front; a little farther on, and a number of wounded men were -seen lying by the roadside, looking deathly pale, and presently the -road ahead seemed filled with ambulances, and mingling among them was -a crowd of crippled and maimed soldiers, hobbling along by aid of -their muskets; officers, wounded and dead, were being borne away in -the arms of their trusty men. The road was so much obstructed by these -means, that the onward movement of our brigades was greatly retarded, -and it was nearly seven o’clock before they reached a wooden bridge -that spanned the Chickahominy, about a half-mile from Gaines’ Mill. -Here the Fifth United States Cavalry were seen deploying on the edge -of the woods and river a short distance in advance, while about the -base of the hill, in front, were large masses of disorganized troops, -whose excited officers were using vain efforts to rally. This proved to -be the most critical moment in the battle, which had raged with fury -since noon. General Porter, with not more than thirty-five thousand -men, on an extended line reaching all the way from New Cold Harbor -to the Chickahominy, had been opposed from the first by a superior -force; and shortly before the arrival of our brigades, the enemy had -been re-enforced by the army of Jackson, making a combined force of -about sixty thousand. Nearly all the great military leaders of the -Rebellion were on the field,--Lee, Jackson, Longstreet, D. H. Hill, A. -P. Hill, Ewell, Hood, Whiting, Stuart, and even Jefferson Davis, who -had come down from Richmond to witness the destruction of McClellan’s -right wing. A crushing and fearful charge of the Confederate columns -had just been made all along Porter’s attenuated and sadly-thinned -line; and as our two brigades were rapidly moving toward the hill, the -remnants of the last Federal battle line on that part of the field -made its appearance upon the crest, shouting wildly,--some of the men -with and others without arms,--and then rushed in confusion through -the well-formed lines of the brigades, to the rear. As soon as the -fugitives passed, the ranks of these troops closed, and giving three -hearty cheers, they began to ascend the hill. Just then several pieces -of the enemy’s light artillery made their appearance upon the brow of -the hill, and unlimbering, began to prepare to fire. The advancing -troops of Meagher and French caught the enemy’s sight; he paused a -moment, looked astonished, and then with great celerity limbered up his -guns and disappeared without firing a shot. - -This act of the fresh troops, in driving the enemy from the hill -and deliberately facing their cannon, had the effect of reanimating -Porter’s jaded and dispirited men. They began to form at once in the -rear of Meagher’s and French’s lines; and on a neighboring elevation -was the glorious old Ninth Massachusetts, rallying around its colors -for the last time that day. - -When our men reached the summit of the hill, the enemy had crossed -over the field, and was seen forming on a long ridge nearly opposite -our position. The smoke had now risen to the tops of the trees, and -beneath this pall lay the ground, formerly a grass-field, but now a -dusty plain, where the principal part of the fighting had taken place; -the Confederate and Federal dead, wounded and dead horses, knapsacks, -muskets, clothing, wrecked caissons and cannon, were scattered in -wild confusion over this space, while here and there were the wounded -of both armies, crawling and staggering towards their respective -lines to escape capture. It was a scene that presented at a glance -all the ruin of a terrible battle; but, fortunately, the advancing -troops had but a moment to contemplate it. The brigades were at once -hurried down the hillside toward the enemy’s new line; several of the -field-officers of Porter’s corps going along with them, and uttering -words of encouragement. Among these officers was General Butterfield, -who was without a command. Catching sight of the State flag carried -by the Twenty-ninth Regiment,--it was the only Pine-tree flag then on -the field,--he went dashing up to the color-sergeant, and cried out, -“Give me the white flag of Massachusetts, and I’ll lead you against the -enemy.” The Sergeant (Horace A. Jenks of Company E) tightened his grasp -on the colors and gave a look of inquiry to the Lieutenant-Colonel of -the regiment, who was but a few feet distant. That officer quietly -replied, “Keep your colors!” which he did, carrying them bravely -forward in the face of a bitter fire. The brigades moved over the -field in matchless order, and reaching the rising ground upon which -the enemy was posted, began to ascend. The enemy’s infantry again fell -back, while his batteries remained on the ridge, continuing to fire an -occasional shot, until the darkness of night rendered all hostilities -impossible. When half-way up the ridge, the men were ordered to lie -down, remaining here for nearly two hours. Standing behind the colors -was Lieutenant Thomas A. Mayo, watching calmly the movements of the -enemy, when a cannon-shot, doubtless aimed at the flags, struck him -about the neck and sent him heavily to the ground, lifeless. His body -was left on the spot where he fell. The darkness that settled down -over the field was simply intense; an object ten feet distant could -scarcely be seen. Several times during the night small reconnoitring -parties were sent out, and in several instances almost stumbled upon -the enemy’s soldiers, who were very near us, resulting in an exchange -of shots. At one time the regiment, in moving to the left, approached -within a few yards of the edge of the timber in which apparently a -large number of the enemy were assembled; fires were burning brightly -through the woods, around which were gathered groups of Confederates, -and so near were our men to this bivouac of the enemy, that the -conversations of the latter could be distinctly heard. They seemed to -be summing up their losses, recounting the exciting incidents of the -battle just ended, and speculating upon the events of the coming day. - -The following incident will serve to show the close proximity of the -enemy: Major O’Neill of General Meagher’s staff was sent forward with -certain directions to the regiment; groping his way in the darkness to -the position that he felt sure the regiment occupied, he suddenly came -upon a body of men. “Is this the Twenty-ninth Massachusetts?” said the -gallant Major. “No,” was the reply, “this is the --th Virginia, and -you are our prisoner,” and the Major found himself in the hands of the -enemy. - -The regiment remained on the field till about two o’clock in the -morning, when the order was given to fall back. There were many -exciting incidents connected with that night’s stay at Gaines’ Mill, -the precarious situation rendering it necessary for our troops to be -active and constantly moving to different parts of the field. The men -were very weary, and whenever they were ordered to lie down upon the -ground,--as was the case whenever they halted,--they would fall into -a slumber. One of the field-officers stated that upon rising from the -ground, where he had reclined for a few minutes, he found a snake -clinging among his beard. - -Our dead had been left unburied upon the field, and our wounded -gathered together in small groups about an old building on the side -of the hill, near the river. The fate that loomed up before these -wounded men, was neglect, capture, and perhaps death. This they keenly -realized, and as the retiring columns filed past them, they all -joined in earnest supplications to be taken away. The words of one of -these unfortunate men are still fresh in the mind of the writer. “Is -this what a man gets in fighting for the Union?” said the bleeding, -abandoned soldier, as he turned in his pain to listen to the tramping -of the retreating troops. - -The army of General Porter had crossed the Chickahominy during the -night, and his exhausted soldiers were seen lying by the roadside; -long trains of wagons were moving away toward the James; the eventful -retreat had already begun; but the soldiers knew it not, and well was -it that they did not know, or realize the real nature of the situation. -When the regiment reached Fair Oaks, which was near daybreak in the -morning, it found its tents occupied by other troops. An hour before, -the enemy had made an attack in force upon General Sedgwick’s front, -and these troops had been called to aid in repelling the assault, which -was effectively done, for the number of Confederate dead found in the -woods in front of Sedgwick’s line furnished substantial proof of a -bloody repulse. - -The brigades had performed important service at Gaines’ Mill, and their -very slight loss furnishes no evidence of the amount of work actually -done by them. The last assault of the enemy would have proved extremely -disastrous but for the opportune arrival of these fresh troops. General -McClellan, in his “Report and Campaigns” (pages 248-9), speaking of the -last assault of the enemy, says: “French’s and Meagher’s brigades now -appeared, driving before them the stragglers, who were thronging toward -the bridge. These brigades advanced boldly to the front, and by their -example, as well as by the steadiness of their bearing, reanimated our -own troops, and warned the enemy that re-enforcements had arrived. It -was now dusk. The enemy, already repulsed several times with terrible -slaughter, and hearing the shouts of the fresh troops, failed to follow -up their advantage.” - -The Count of Paris, in his “History of the Civil War in America” -(Vol. II., pages 103-4), after speaking of this assault, says: “At -this instant, Richardson and Meagher arrive on the ground with the -two brigades sent by Sumner. The second is composed exclusively of -Irishmen,[30] the green flag, ornamented with a golden harp, floating -in their midst. They arrive shouting vociferously, and displaying all -that vivacity and dash for which the children of this ancient war-like -race are noted when marching to battle. Their comrades, on finding -themselves thus supported, respond with loud hurrahs, by which they -seek to gain fresh courage. In the meantime, the enemy has re-formed -his ranks and is again in motion; but instead of a routed crowd, he -beholds a body of resolute troops, who seem to be calmly waiting for -him.... At this sight he hesitates, and approaching night puts an end -to the sanguinary struggle.” - -June 28. The day passed by very quietly. It was the usual calm that -follows a terrible battle, and the silence that generally precedes -a great movement. As the day closed, however, the signs of retreat -began to thicken. The formidable earthworks, upon which the men had -toiled during so many blistering days, were being rapidly dismantled, -some of the large pieces spiked, and others buried in the ground. At -sundown the men were ordered to pack knapsacks and prepare to march. -The company cooks were directed to destroy all rations not required for -immediate distribution, while the sick and wounded in the hospitals -were packed off in ambulances and sent to the rear. - -At nine o’clock that evening, the men were ordered to “fall in,” and -the Brigade started across a stubble-field, in the rear of the camp, -and striking the railroad, marched down the track toward “White House,” -halting on a little hill near Savage’s Station. The night was very dark -and uncomfortable, a cold, drizzling rain continuing till near daybreak. - -On the afternoon of the 28th, companies F and G, Captains Tripp and -Richardson, beside one or two other companies of the Brigade, were -placed on picket at the right and left of the railroad, in front -of Fair Oaks, and were not recalled when the army fell back on the -evening of that day. At one o’clock in the morning of the 29th, the -field-officer of the day visited the pickets, and informed Captain -Tripp that they were to hold the line till daylight and then withdraw -down the railroad, if they could do so without the enemy following them -too closely. If they found this impossible, they were nevertheless to -fall back, but in doing so, make all the resistance in their power, -so that our army might be fully alarmed. At four o’clock, A. -M., Captain Tripp communicated his instructions to the other -officers on his part of the line, and soon after an attempt was made -to withdraw the pickets; but the enemy, who were unusually vigilant, -immediately advanced, whereupon our pickets were sent back to their -posts. When all was quiet again, another attempt was made to call in -the pickets; but no sooner had they left their posts, than the enemy -began to follow them up. Several other attempts were made to fall -back out of the woods, but each time attended with the same results. -Finally, one of our officers suggested the plan of going through -the ceremony of relieving guard, as a means of deceiving the enemy. -Between six and seven o’clock, A. M., the reserves were -marched into the woods, and visited every post; but instead of placing -a new sentinel on guard, the old picket rose and stealthily left the -forest. After passing along the whole line, the reserves also hastened -out of the woods, and the entire force at once began to fall back to -their old camp at Fair Oaks, where their tents were still standing, -barely reaching it before the enemy appeared in sight at the edge of -the timber, cautiously advancing in skirmish order. A body of Federal -cavalry was drawn up in line of battle just in front of the camp; and -when the guards halted there to strike their tents and gather up their -personal effects, the commanding officer of the cavalry ordered them -to desist, move on at once to the rear, and join their respective -regiments; but, to save this property from falling into the hands of -the enemy, the tents were immediately burned. - -Company G was wholly overlooked by the officer of the day, and received -no instructions whatever as to leaving the picket line. Sunday morning, -a little before seven o’clock, Captain Richardson and Lieutenant Browne -of his company, becoming convinced that there was something wrong in -their not having any orders, made a tour of the picket line, and to -their surprise found that it was everywhere deserted. Going out of the -woods, they met a mounted orderly, who informed Captain R. that all -the other pickets had been called in, and said to him, that if he had -any men in the woods, he had better get them out as soon as possible. -Captain Richardson and Lieutenant Browne hastened back to their lines, -and quickly called in their men; but the enemy’s skirmishers were soon -in their rear, and followed them till they had nearly reached our -cavalry. - -Sunday, June 29, broke exceedingly warm and sultry. Early in the -morning the Brigade started up the track towards Fair Oaks, and after -proceeding less than a mile, moved into a field and halted. Here -General Meagher called his regimental commanders together and attempted -to explain to them the orders under which he was acting; but neither he -nor his colonels seemed to comprehend what was expected, and the result -was the Brigade marched deliberately back to the little hill where it -had spent the night. General Meagher was, later in the day, placed in -arrest by General Richardson, and remained in arrest till the afternoon -of the next day. The Brigade remained at this point for a short time, -and was then ordered to the railroad bridge, a distance of about two -miles from Savage’s Station. This bridge (spanning the Chickahominy at -that point) had been burned the day before to prevent the enemy from -crossing. They had, however, already effected this purpose higher up -the stream, and their cavalry, with a few field-pieces, were now seen -moving cautiously down the road, a mile away. A pause of nearly an hour -here, and the Twenty-ninth and Sixty-third regiments were ordered to -proceed to Savage’s. The enemy had come through the woods at a place -called Peach Orchard, near the railroad, where they had attacked a -small body of our troops. When the two regiments arrived, the enemy, -perceiving the re-enforcements, fell back precipitately into the forest -and retired. The march to Peach Orchard was made on a rapid run, and -though the distance was not great, it was more fatal in its effects -than any of the long, hard marches of the succeeding days; for the sun -was now high, and poured its nearly vertical rays down into the deep -cut through which the railroad ran, and on which the men were compelled -to march. The trees and thick foliage that grew along the sides of -the ravine effectually shut out the breeze, rendering the place like -a heated furnace. One after another both officers and men, even the -stoutest and most hardy, fell fainting and senseless from sunstrokes, -and among them Captain Leach and Lieutenant Hathaway of Company C, -leaving that command without a single commissioned officer, Lieutenant -Whitman having been sick with malarial fever for several weeks, and -being then in the hospital. From Peach Orchard the regiments proceeded -to Savage’s Station, and shortly after were joined by the Sixty-ninth -and Eighty-eighth, and finally by all the other troops of the division -and corps. - -Savage’s Station was the name of a depot on the Richmond and York -River Railroad, deriving its name from the owner of the plantation, -near whose grounds it was located, and whose mansion stood on a slight -elevation on the northerly side of the track. On the opposite side -was a large field, skirted on three sides by a heavy growth of pine -timber, along the easterly edge of which ran a road. Mr. Savage’s -house, and the grounds about it, had been used as a hospital and -hospital camp, and at this time there were lying in the house and the -numerous tents about it, several hundred of our wounded and sick. Such -of these unfortunate ones as could not walk were later in the day -abandoned, and captured by the enemy. - -Near this place, as also at Fair Oaks Station, a mile farther towards -Richmond, were vast quantities of army supplies, which could not be -moved. The work of destroying these stores began about noon. Enormous -fires were kindled, and into them were thrown boxes of hard bread, -bales of clothing, cases of shoes, blankets, fragments of cars, tents, -hospital stores, barrels of whiskey, and turpentine. The whole combined -made a fire covering an area of nearly two acres. When the flames, -mounting above the tops of the trees, were roaring and crackling -with intense fury, the workmen, blackened with smoke and wild with -the excitement which a vast conflagration always creates, began to -pitch into the burning mass kegs of powder and boxes of ammunition. -The latter proved a dangerous experiment, and was not repeated. “This -destruction of stores,” says the Count of Paris, “was a sort of -holocaust offered to the god of war.” While this was taking place, -the troops were hurrying to and fro, taking up the various positions -assigned them on the hill and the long plain at its foot, preparing -to meet the enemy, who was momentarily expected. The grandeur and -awfulness of these scenes cannot be adequately portrayed by language. -An army of forty thousand men were mustering for battle; the rumbling -of the artillery, as it went from point to point over the field, the -excited commands of hundreds of officers, the neighing of horses, the -roar of the flames, and the shouts of the men, made up the wildest of -all the wild scenes of war. The noise and tumult were, however, of -short duration; it was not long before everything had changed. By two -o’clock, the lines were formed, the artillery had unlimbered and taken -position, and then could have been seen, under the cloudless sky of -that June day, the corps of Heintzleman, Franklin, and Sumner, with -their numerous starry flags, quietly and calmly waiting for the storm -of battle to burst upon them. - -Another, and if possible, a stranger and more unusual scene, was -to be witnessed before the serious work of fighting was to begin. -On the track near Fair Oaks Station stood a train of nearly fifty -baggage-cars, with a powerful locomotive attached to it. Into the cars -were put hundreds of kegs of powder, shells, cartridges, and other -materials of a highly combustible character. By two o’clock the cars -were well loaded with their dangerous freight, and when this was done, -each car was set on fire, and the engine, with full head of steam, set -in motion. In full view of the waiting army, the burning train swept -past Savage’s Station with the speed of lightning. The grade from -this point to the Chickahominy was descending, greatly increasing the -velocity of the train; every revolution of the wheels increased the -volume of fire, so that now the form of the cars was scarcely visible. -The Rev. Dr. James J. Marks, Chaplain of the Sixty-third Pennsylvania -Regiment, who witnessed this event from Savage’s house, where he was -piously engaged in caring for our sick, thus describes it: “I could -not think of anything as a suitable representation of a scene so grand -but that of a thousand thunderbolts chained together and wreathed with -lightning, rushing with scathing fury and the roar of the tornado over -the trembling earth. In a few seconds the engine, cars, and wheels -were nothing but one long chain of fire,--a frightful meteor flashing -past us.” The distance from Savage’s Station to the Chickahominy is -not far from two and a half miles. When the train had reached the -deep forest beyond the station, a deafening explosion burst upon the -ears of the troops. The fire had reached the ammunition, and now in -quick succession began to burst the shells. The noise thus produced -was simply terrific; first the loud, sullen sound of a huge shell rent -the air, echoing far and wide through the deep recesses of the forest; -now came the explosion of smaller ammunition, sounding like the rattle -of musketry. The scene of war seemed transferred for awhile to the -upper regions; the shrieking, hissing missiles were coursing in all -directions through the clear sky, far above the tops of the tallest -trees; columns of white smoke were shooting up in gracefully tapering -cones toward the zenith; beautiful circles, well defined, marked the -explosion of shells. The rattle and roar of the rushing train were -distinctly heard for some minutes, ending at last in a succession -of crashing sounds. The cars leaped off the end of the track at the -railroad bridge, the engine and tender jumping full twenty feet, and -lodging on the top of a tall pier, from which they were afterward taken -by the Confederates. - -Once more all was quiet. The men, momentarily relieved from excitement, -began to think of refreshing themselves with food and water. The -Twenty-ninth Regiment was fortunate in being near a well, in the yard -of an old farm-house, and though the water was muddy, they managed -to slake their thirst with it. True to their soldierly instincts, -they embraced this opportunity to make a little coffee; but they had -scarcely swallowed it before the booming of a cannon was heard, the -sound coming from the direction of Fair Oaks. During the afternoon, -several large fuse-shells, fired from this gun, fell about the yard of -the house, but none of the men were hurt. As the day waned, the firing -of artillery increased. The main body of the Confederates appeared to -be advancing from the direction of the Chickahominy, and as they neared -our lines, cautiously feeling their way, they opened fire with several -field-pieces. This fire was vigorously replied to by our batteries, -and continued till five o’clock, when, as if by general consent, it -suddenly ceased. A state of almost complete stillness existed for about -fifteen minutes, during which a thick cloud of dust was seen rising up -among the trees, about a mile in front of our lines, indicating the -approach of a large body of troops, for the dust-cloud came nearer and -nearer to us every moment. Suddenly the whole mass of the Confederate -infantry debouched from the woods on the easterly side of Savage’s -house, and sprang forward with wild yells and screams toward the open -ground in front of the station, filling the ravine at the foot of the -hill on which stood the troops of Sumner and Franklin; for Heintzleman -had, from some misunderstanding, retreated toward White Oak Swamp early -in the afternoon. - -General Sedgwick’s division, being nearest the railroad, was the first -to receive the fire of the enemy; but his men met it most valiantly, -showing a firm front. Not an inch of ground was yielded to the enemy; -and now the foe, ranging themselves along the track in an extended -but compact line, began firing over the bank into our equally compact -lines. The two armies were now face to face, and only a few yards -apart. The enemy must be dislodged at any cost of life, no matter how -great; and several brigades, among them the brigade of Vermont troops, -were ordered to charge them. The Green Mountain boys started from the -brow of the hill on a sharp run; the musketry of the enemy swept their -whole line from right to left; they staggered and huddled together, -as troops are apt to do when exposed to a dreadful fire, and for an -instant they nearly paused, dreading to go on. Looking back, they saw -the Sixty-ninth New York and other troops pressing on close behind; -their line immediately straightened, and again they dashed toward the -ravine from which was issuing a sheet of flame. Passing their left -flank, the Sixty-ninth New York, with fixed bayonets, ran straight -toward the gorge, and with an impetuosity so characteristic of them, -and such as few troops can withstand, rushed directly upon the enemy’s -soldiers. The Vermont troops, and others on their right, followed the -brave example of the dauntless Irishmen, and in less than three minutes -the railroad was ours; the thoroughly-routed enemy were running wildly -and in great confusion for the woods in their rear, their flight being -hastened by a shower of shells thrown from our batteries stationed -on the crest of the hill. While this remarkable charge substantially -checked the advance of the enemy, it did not end the battle; for we -were contending with the veteran troops of Magruder, themselves trained -in all the most daring feats of war, taught by their fearless commander -never to quit a fight as long as the slightest hope of victory -survived. At the time the fighting on the railroad was in progress, a -body of the enemy made their appearance on the track near Fair Oaks, -moving down on our left, and following a locomotive which propelled in -front of it a flat car on which was mounted a heavy cannon. As soon -as this movement was discovered, the left wing of the Twenty-ninth -was ordered through the woods to check it. This was done in a very -complete manner, a single volley from our men causing an immediate -retrograde movement of the enemy. Dislodged from the railroad, the -Confederates, who filled the woods on our right, now appeared in force -in that quarter, and began a sharp attack on a portion of Franklin’s -corps. This, like the first, was of short duration; but it dwindled -into an irregular fire of musketry, and lasted till nearly nine -o’clock. As it grew dark, the sky became black with storm-clouds. Vivid -flashes of lightning shot through the heavens, followed by deep and -sullen peals of thunder,--“nature’s artillery.” Presently rain-drops -began to patter down upon the dusty field, cooling the parched earth -and the smarting wounds of the victims of the battle. The storm that -followed was tropical in its character and very severe, ending at once -all hostilities. In the midst of the drenching rain, when it was near -midnight, the jaded troops of Sumner and Franklin quit their field of -victory and entered the dark forest on their route to the James. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - THE RETREAT CONTINUED--BATTLES OF WHITE OAK SWAMP, - CHARLES CITY CROSS ROADS, AND MALVERN HILL--THE ARMY FALLS - BACK TO HARRISON’S LANDING--GENERAL MEAGHER’S SPEECH TO THE - TWENTY-NINTH--PRESIDENT LINCOLN VISITS THE TROOPS--THEIR - DESTITUTION--THE ARMY LEAVES THE PENINSULA--THE REGIMENT GOES - TO NEWPORT NEWS. - - -The storm spoken of in the last chapter continued all night. The roads -were in a very bad condition; the entire army and trains had passed -over them, and this, together with the rain, had served to render them -almost impassable. The effects of the retreat were apparent all along -the route; lying beside the road were broken wagons and hundreds of -sleeping men. These men had straggled from their commands and lain -down to spend the night; but as the rear guard passed along, they were -aroused and forced to move toward White Oak Swamp. Through this swamp -runs a sluggish stream called White Oak Swamp Creek, bounded on both -sides by an extensive morass, which, in its natural condition, was -impassable for an army and its heavy trains. While the preparations -for the retreat were being made, General Barnard and his engineers -performed the remarkable feat of constructing a raised corduroy road -over the whole space of this swamp and morass, about two hundred yards, -throwing across the creek a number of bridges, and arranging for each -bridge an independent wagon-road through the forest. When the Brigade -reached here, on Monday morning, the 30th of June, a large number of -wagons were found waiting for their turn to cross over the stream, and -the greatest confusion prevailed. By daybreak, however, the trains had -all crossed over the creek, and, shortly after, followed the troops. -General Richardson’s division was the last to cross, and when over, -formed in line of battle, the Irish Brigade and Twenty-ninth Regiment -being nearest the creek, and thereby constituting the rear of the -entire army. - -The men were so weary from the great fatigues they had endured, -that many fell asleep as they stood leaning on their guns. Soon -after sunrise, the cavalry crossed, driving before them a horde of -stragglers; the bridges were blown up, and the necessary disposition -made of the troops to repel an attack of the enemy. The Irish Brigade -retired a few hundred feet from the stream, and took up a position in -a little valley, a short distance from a large farm-house (Nelson’s). -Here the entire forenoon was passed in quiet; the men made a little -coffee, the last of three days’ rations, and received a small supply of -raw salt pork and hard-tack. - -The regiment was here occupying an open country; the opposite side of -the creek was heavily wooded. There had been no indications of the -enemy during the forenoon, but, as it afterward appeared, the whole -of General Jackson’s army had approached without the knowledge of our -officers, through the woods, and noiselessly placed in position several -batteries, one authority giving the number of their guns as forty. - -About one o’clock in the afternoon, while our men were asleep upon the -ground, the enemy suddenly, without any warning, opened with all their -guns a furious fire. There had been gathered here a large number of -our wagons and several pontoon trains. Just as the fire opened, these -trains were preparing to move on, and the mules, several hundred in -number, had been detached from the wagons and driven to the creek for -water. The result was a stampede of all these animals; and the men, -suddenly aroused from sleep by the firing, found themselves in the -midst of a herd of crazed mules, braying and running in all directions. -The shot and shell from the enemy’s batteries were falling like hail -about the troops, and at one time a movement to the rear commenced. -This was quickly checked, however, and the Irish Brigade was ordered -forward to support our batteries, which were now being placed in -position on the crest of a little hill at the left of Nelson’s house, -to reply to the fire of the enemy. A desperate contest ensued, for the -crossing of the stream by Jackson at this time would have been attended -by the most disastrous consequences to our army. One of the most famous -batteries in Richardson’s division was that commanded by Captain -Pettit. The enemy’s fire was sweeping the brow of the hill, rendering -the placing our guns in position a task of great difficulty and danger. -The situation was serious; it was necessary to get the trains away; -and to do this, the enemy must be prevented from crossing the creek. -General Richardson rode up to Captain Pettit and said, “Captain, -can you place your battery in position and reply to them?” Pettit -answered promptly that he could, and asked the General to give him the -Twenty-ninth as a support. Captain Pettit at once started with his -guns, the regiment being ordered to follow him; but before the latter -had advanced a distance of twenty yards, Colonel Pierce was severely -wounded, losing his right arm. At the same time, Captain Pray and -Lieutenant Davis were also wounded, and Sergeant Kellam and privates -Austin, Smith, and Short were killed. - -Colonel Barnes at once took command of the regiment, and stepping -to the front, ordered it a little farther to the left; for in the -confusion caused by the first fire of the enemy, it got out of the -position indicated by General Richardson, who was on the ground -directing the movements of both the infantry and artillery. Once in -its true position, the regiment lay down upon the ground, a few yards -in the rear of Pettit’s battery. Pettit was a hero. In the midst of -one of the wildest storms of shot and shell, and the tumult of the -moment, which alone was almost enough to unnerve a man, he came up with -his battery, the horses on a keen run, unlimbered his pieces on the -very crest of the hill, and in an incredibly short time was engaged in -firing. When Pettit had got fairly in position, General Richardson, -who had been sitting on his horse close by, looking on in an admiring -manner, turned to the regiment, and said, “Now, men, I think you ought -to give Pettit and his boys three cheers.” The cheers were given; -as much, however, for the brave General, whose life was in constant -danger, as for the gallant Captain. Pettit’s guns did fine execution -that afternoon, at one time silencing several of the enemy’s pieces. - -With such pauses on both sides as were necessary to give the guns a -chance to cool, or to place new batteries in position, the fire was -kept up till sundown. Both artillery and infantry suffered greatly from -the fire and the extreme heat of the sun. The majority of the enemy’s -shell exploded near our batteries, but the fragments would scatter -many yards in all directions, throwing upon the prostrate soldiers -large pieces of turf and masses of earth, and frequently passed through -the ranks, causing great havoc. Hazard’s battery, which was a little to -the left of Pettit’s, was almost unmanned. Hazard and many of his men -were killed, while others were wounded; and at the close of the fight, -a detail was made from the Brigade to drag off his guns. - -During the afternoon, Jackson made several determined efforts to cross -the creek, but was each time driven back. The house of Mr. Nelson, -which was occupied by some members of his family, was several times -struck and considerably shattered by random cannon-balls. - -While this action was going on, a large force of the enemy, with -artillery, coming down the Charles City Road from Richmond, attacked a -portion of General Sumner’s corps, and other Union troops, about two -miles south of the creek, at Charles City Cross Roads. Earlier in the -day there had been some severe fighting at Glendale, near this point, -where the First and Sixteenth Massachusetts regiments had been engaged; -the former losing its Major, Charles P. Chandler, and the latter its -brave Colonel, Powell T. Wyman. - -The battle at the Cross Roads began about three o’clock in the -afternoon. As the day closed, the firing at this point increased -greatly. The Pennsylvania Reserves, under General McCall, had been -driven from the field with great loss; and many had been taken -prisoners, including the General himself and a number of his staff. -One of our batteries, known as the “Dutch Battery,” had created a -considerable panic by cutting their horses from the guns and posting -pell-mell through the lines of our infantry. When matters had reached -this pass, General Sumner sent for the Irish and French’s brigades at -the creek. The march to the Cross Roads was performed at a rapid run; -the men were already overheated and weary, and now they threw away even -their blankets, having already parted with their knapsacks. As they -neared the field, our retreating troops sent up a loud cheer, prolonged -by “Tigers!” and “Here comes the Irish Brigade! Now we’ll have ‘em!” -The brigades had come, indeed, just in season to enable General Sumner -to maintain his position.[31] The arrival of fresh troops put a sudden -termination to the battle. The enemy fell back to their side of the -field, and from thence to the woods, the two brigades following them, -exchanging a few shots and an occasional volley. It being nearly dark, -but little was seen of the field by our men. - -The Twenty-ninth was posted on the left, near a Virginia fence, where -were a number of field-pieces with their carriages broken; and strewn -about the ground, in great confusion, were knapsacks, clothing, and -guns. The burial parties and surgeons had not even begun their sad -labors, and it seemed doubtful whether they would that night, for the -battle was no sooner over, than the army began to retreat towards -Malvern Hill. That night’s march is memorable. The road ran through a -thick forest, and was crowded with stragglers, who, having skulked in -the woods all day, and aware of the fact that our army was retreating, -were now hastening away to escape capture. These unfaithful soldiers -were a sore trial to our more faithful officers and men. They were -panicky to the last degree, and, like so many timid children, ran along -beside our column, nearly crowding our men out of the ranks. - -The Brigade reached Malvern Hill just before daylight, and lay down -to rest. It halted on a long plain that runs parallel with the James -River, where was also resting a large body of our infantry. The men had -had little, if any, sleep since the 27th of June; they had been engaged -in battle a considerable part of Friday, Sunday, and Monday preceding; -had marched nearly the whole of the nights of each of those days, and -of the night of Saturday the 28th. During this time the weather had -been extremely hot, the mercury ranging all the way from 90° to 100°; -and it therefore reflects no discredit upon the Twenty-ninth, that on -this morning, after such unexampled hardships and sufferings, many of -its most trusty officers and men failed to respond to the roll-call, -and were reported “missing.” The ranks had been badly thinned by the -causes recited, one company being without a single commissioned -officer, and reporting only fifteen enlisted men present for duty. - -The rest here obtained was very brief. As soon as it was fairly day, -the men were aroused and started toward the front. The Brigade took -up a position in a field near a road, where it supported several of -our batteries. The enemy had already come up, and from a neighboring -hill, a mile away, was throwing shell in the direction of our lines; -and in the course of an hour the firing became quite brisk, several -of the shell falling within a few yards of the Brigade, and in one -instance striking a Virginia fence that intersected our line. The fence -was pulled down to lessen the danger of the situation, and shortly -afterward the Brigade was ordered to the rear, joining its division, -which was stationed behind a range of high hills on the extreme right -of the lines of our army. A meadow and wheat-field of several hundred -acres stretched from the foot of this ridge toward the James River, -bounded on the south by a pine forest, into which General Richardson -threw a line of skirmishers. - -There had been more or less firing at different points since sunrise, -but it did not become general till about one o’clock. The regiment, -within easy hearing distance of the battle, remained in this position -till about five o’clock in the afternoon. A large herd of cattle was -feeding upon the meadows; the soldiers being without rations, a detail -was made from each brigade, soon after noon, to slaughter a sufficient -number of these animals to supply the troops; and when this was done, -the meat--scarcely cold--was served out by regiments. When the turn of -the Twenty-ninth came to have a “bite,” it was late in the afternoon. -The slaughtered animals lay upon the grass, and the men by scores -swarmed around them, each soldier helping himself to a piece of such -size and quality as his fancy dictated. - -The meat having been cut, was placed upon the end of a sharp-pointed -stick and thrust into the fire to broil. In the process of cooking, -being very fresh, it swelled greatly, so that more than one soldier -was astonished to find his small ration of meat suddenly grown to a -ball of the size of his head. As the men stood about the fire gnawing -their beef like so many half-famished dogs, the bugle sounded “fall -in!” With his meat in one hand and his gun in the other, each soldier -took his place in the ranks. It was amusing to look down the line and -observe the disappointment marked upon the countenances of the men at -being torn away from their rude but much-relished repast. Fault-finding -and severe scolding--soldiers’ privileges--were freely indulged in; -while some of the witty ones and wags gave the incident a laughable -turn by sticking their half-cooked pieces of meat upon the points of -their bayonets, declaring their intention of carrying their rations -with them. At this moment, however, there was more serious work on hand -than fault-finding or joking. The left of the Union line was being -severely pressed by General D. H. Hill; and General Sumner--who was -that day in command of the field--had sent for the Irish Brigade to -re-enforce our troops. As at Charles City Cross Roads, the regiments -were started off on a brisk run, hardly slacking their pace till they -reached the front. Here was General Griffin’s artillery, of nearly one -hundred pieces, on the side of a long hill, at the base of which was a -cleared grass-field of several hundred acres, flanked on three sides by -woods. When the Brigade arrived at this point, the noise of the battle -was almost deafening. A thick cloud of smoke overhung the field. The -Confederates had just made the last of a series of brave but desperate -charges upon the artillery, and the remnant of the Ninth Massachusetts -Regiment, which had been in support during the most of the day, was -engaged in a severe struggle with the only partially-repulsed enemy. -The Twenty-ninth was detached from the Brigade and ordered to move up, -under this terrible fire, to the support of the brigade of regulars -under Lieutenant-Colonel Buchanan, then on the advanced line supporting -several batteries of artillery. The regiment moved briskly forward to -the immediate rear of the regulars, where they were ordered to lie down. - -Buchanan’s troops had suffered severely during the battle, and, with -their greatly-lessened numbers, were in imminent danger of being at any -moment swept away and captured. In less than an hour from this time -it was pitchy dark, and the firing on both sides, save that of our -gunboats, ceased. During the night the artillery hauled off, and all -the troops except the regulars and the Twenty-ninth left this part of -the field. After the regiment was detached from the Brigade and sent -forward to this position, Colonel Barnes received no further orders; -but later in the evening the indications were plain that his failure to -receive orders to retire was probably due to some mistake on the part -of his brigade commander; and these suspicions were more than confirmed -upon holding a consultation with Colonel Buchanan, who stated that the -brigade of regulars was not to leave the field till the next morning. - -The position of Colonel Barnes was not an enviable one; while he -received no order to withdraw, he was nevertheless in possession of -information that caused him hardly to doubt that it was intended the -regiment should join the Brigade; yet, should he retire, he might be -censured for moving without orders, and should he remain till morning -and hazard his whole command in attempting to retreat in the presence -of the entire Confederate army, he might also be blamed severely. In -reaching the conclusion he did, therefore, namely, to remain with the -regulars and share with them the perils of the service assigned to -them, he simply obeyed the instincts of a good soldier, and, as it will -hereafter appear, his conduct was duly appreciated. - -During the night, the enemy in large numbers, with lanterns and -torches, were engaged in succoring their wounded, sometimes approaching -almost to the muzzles of our guns, but not a shot was fired at them; -their labor was one of love, and in this light our men regarded it. -Toward midnight, Buchanan--who had expressed great gratification at -having the regiment remain with him--became uneasy because of the -wooded nature of the ground on his left, and after stating to Colonel -Barnes that he could not spare any men from his attenuated line, -intimated his desire that a reconnoissance should be made in that -quarter. Thereupon Captain Clarke, with companies A, G, and K, was -detailed to explore the aforesaid woods. It was a perilous service, as -can readily be conceived, for no one knew, as he entered the dark and -secluded spot, but that the next step would arouse thousands of the -sleeping enemy. The woods were thoroughly scoured, however, without -revealing the presence of the enemy, and, to the great relief of all, -Clarke returned in due time, bringing this report. - -A novel and yet a frightful feature of that night, was the shelling -of the enemy’s lines by our gunboats. These, some five in number, -lay about two miles in the rear of our army, in the James River. The -shells, mostly of great size, plowed through the air with a loud -roar, their pathway being marked by the burning fuse; “then, when -they entered the forest, great trees were shivered into a thousand -fragments, the branches were torn from others and tossed into the -heavens, or thrown far into the deep shades, and when they burst, -it was with an explosion that shook the earth for miles.”[32] A -Confederate officer, with whom the author conversed after the battle, -described the confusion in their army, produced by this fire, as being -very great. - -Near daybreak, Colonel Buchanan informed Colonel Barnes that he was -about to move to the rear; it was yet quite dark, and one of the -regiments of regulars, which lay just in front of the Twenty-ninth, in -moving rearward, passed through the lines of the latter, by which the -Twenty-ninth became divided, the two wings separating in the darkness. -When it became day, the two wings united near the field, and started -for Harrison’s Landing. The march to this point, where the regiment -arrived toward noon of this day (Wednesday, July 2), was hurried and -exceedingly toilsome. Not long after daylight a cold rain-storm set -in, which lasted for nearly forty-eight hours. The men were without -overcoats, and were consequently thoroughly drenched, many of them -taking severe colds, which in not a few instances resulted fatally. The -officers were equally as destitute as the men. Everything except what -they wore had been lost during the retreat; they were without tents, -and when the regiment halted at the Landing, in an old orchard, the -soldiers stretched themselves upon the ground thoroughly exhausted, -passing the night at this place under a pelting, merciless rain. Many -who had straggled during the retreat, joined the regiment here, and -kind greetings and personal explanations followed. - -When the regiment reached its destination, and joined the other -regiments of the Brigade, already in camp, the supposition as to the -error in leaving the regiment on the field at Malvern Hill was fully -confirmed; and they were highly complimented by General Meagher for -their action in remaining, who addressed them in the presence of the -whole Brigade. The General was an orator of rare ability, and in -this speech, which will be long remembered by those to whom it was -addressed, he pictured in impressive language, the varied scenes and -hardships of the retreat, and of the desperate battles that attended -it. In the course of his remarks, he took occasion to say some very -clever things of the regiment. He was an educated Irishman, possessing -a very strong national pride, and was especially proud of the high -reputation of his three Irish regiments. He told the soldiers of -the Twenty-ninth, that they had proved themselves the equals of any -others in the Brigade, and had no superiors in the army. As sons of -the Pilgrims and Puritans, and natives of the fair land he was glad to -call his adopted country, they had shown themselves worthy of their -honorable ancestry and high heritage; his heart had swelled with pride -as he had stood upon the various fields and witnessed their sturdy -valor. - -Although these glowing compliments were duly appreciated, yet they -did not cause the soldiers to forget their sufferings, nor to banish -from their minds, even during their utterance, the thought that they -would much prefer a good meal or a comfortable overcoat to all the -compliments in the world. Nor did the General’s eloquence overcome the -disposition of some of the men to be mischievous, for while he was -speaking, certain soldiers of the regiment abstracted from his tent -nearly all the whiskey he possessed. - -As the arrival of the army at this point was a practical termination -of the campaign, it seems altogether proper to pause here in our -narrative, and give a statement of the losses sustained by the regiment -during this time. - - - KILLED. - - _At Fair Oaks, June 15._--GEORGE D. BROWN, Co. C. - - _Battle of Gaines’ Mill, June 27._--Second Lieutenant - THOMAS A. MAYO, Co. E. - - _White Oak Swamp (Nelson’s Farm), June 30._--HENRY - AUSTIN, Co. F; Sergeant ANSEL B. KELLAM and - GEORGE W. SMITH, Co. H; and JOSEPH A. SHORT, - Co. I. - - - WOUNDED. - - _Nelson’s Farm, June 30._--Colonel EBENEZER W. PIERCE, - right arm shot off. - - _Fair Oaks, June 15._--CHARLES KLEINHANS, Co. E. - - _At Savage’s Station, June 29._--CORNELIUS L. WHITE, - Co. G; AUGUSTUS J. LEAVITT, Co. K. - - _At White Oak Swamp (Nelson’s Farm), June 30._--GEORGE - E. WADSWORTH, Co. E (died in hospital August 31, - 1863); ALFRED B. WARNER and Sergeant SAMUEL C. - WRIGHT, Co. E; Sergeant L. A. HOWARD, Co. A; - CHARLES ROSS, Co. A; MINOT S. CURTIS, Co. - C; Sergeant WALTER A. KEZAR, Corporal A. A. - BLANEY, and JOHN H. SHAW, Co. I. (Sergeant Kezar - was wounded in the head, and captured.) Captain WILLIAM - PRAY, Second Lieutenant WILLIAM W. DAVIS, and - Sergeant HENRY A. HUNTING, Co. K. - - _At Malvern Hill, July 1._--CHARLES E. MERRIAM, Co. E - (died November 12, 1862); IRVING BATES (in the hand), - and WILLIAM H. OSBORNE (severely in left leg), Co. C. - -A full statement of the losses of the regiment during this period -should include the names of those who were disabled by sickness and -overwork, but there are no data from which such a list can be compiled. - -Assistant Surgeon George B. Cogswell voluntarily remained behind at -White Oak Swamp (and subsequently fell into the hands of the enemy), -for the purpose of attending to the wounded of his regiment who -could not be removed, and while in the enemy’s lines, made himself -exceedingly useful. He rejoined the regiment about July 19, 1862. - -When it had once become understood that our army had retreated, a deep -feeling of gloom settled down upon the North, while the South became -highly elated and confident. The Richmond “Whig” of July 12, 1862, -in an article entitled, “The Tide in Our Affairs,” urged upon the -Confederate government the necessity of continuing aggressive movements -toward the Union army, saying: “The foe should never be allowed to -recover from their stunned and bewildered state. We should rain -blows upon them so fast and thick that they would have no chance to -collect their faculties. The watchword of Danton should now be ours, -‘_L’audace! l’audace! toujours l’audace!_‘” - -The same paper, in an article headed, “Effects of Rain,” said: “One of -the effects of rain in this city is the appearance of numerous Yankee -overcoats in the street. Nearly every Confederate soldier is provided -with one; and on rainy days, when they are worn, an imaginative person -would fancy that the city was garrisoned by Yankee troops.” This was -written in order to magnify their victory, and to convey the impression -that our soldiers had been virtually stripped of their clothing. - -The barbarous sentiment that prevailed among the Confederates is -shown by the following extract from a Richmond paper of this period: -“What has become of the buzzards? It is a singular fact, that very -few buzzards have been seen in this section for some time past. One -explanation of their absence is, that they have been driven away by -the stench from the carcasses of the slain wretches who came here to -desolate our State and murder our citizens.” - -With all this boasting and blasphemy, it was still apparent that the -people of the South had quite as much reason to mourn as had the people -of the North. All the Southern, and especially the Richmond papers, -were filled with long lists of the slain and wounded in the late -battles. One of the Richmond papers published about this time a list of -the killed and wounded of the Twenty-sixth Alabama Regiment at Gaines’ -Mill, June 27, which alone contained the names of over one hundred and -fifty. The same paper contained numerous obituary notices of brave -officers and men who had lost their lives in these battles; and under -the title, “Information Wanted,” many inquiries were made of the fate -and whereabouts of missing Confederate soldiers. - -It would, however, in effect, be falsifying history to speak of the -retreat as “a grand strategic movement,” as was done by some of the -Northern newspapers of those days. That the retreat was skilfully -conducted cannot be doubted, nor can it be questioned on the other hand -that it was a sore defeat to our army, resulting in the loss of many of -our gallant soldiers, in the capture of several thousand, many of whom -died, and in seriously depressing the spirits of our troops.[33] - -Harrison’s Landing is on the north bank of the James, about fifteen -miles from Richmond, and was formerly the property of President -Harrison. The river at this point is scarcely a mile in width. The -grounds in the vicinity of the Landing had been under a high state of -cultivation, and when the army arrived, were covered with golden grain -nearly ready for harvest. The grain was soon trampled out of sight, and -the earth being soft, was, under the influence of the rain, quickly -reduced to a deep bed of mud. - -The Fourth of July was a proud day for the regiment. In the afternoon, -the Brigade was visited by General McClellan, who addressed the men -in relation to the recent movement; thanked them for the valuable -services rendered by them during the campaign; and concluded by telling -them they would soon be supplied with all things requisite to their -comfort. At that moment not one in ten had a change of underclothing, -and all were destitute of tents. A soldier’s letter, written about this -time, speaks in undisguised terms of envy of the sleek and comfortable -appearance of Colonel Parker’s Thirty-second Massachusetts Regiment, -which arrived at the Landing on the 3d. “They looked as fat and well -dressed as we when at Newport News,” says the writer. - -On the 5th, the Brigade marched a distance of nearly two miles, and -encamped in the woods, a very comfortable place, but quite destitute of -water. Near this forest ran a road, on the river-side of which was an -extensive wheat-field. Considerably in advance of the regiment, across -this field, was a line of cavalry pickets. In one corner of the field, -just outside the line held by the cavalry, was a large stack of wheat, -from behind which shots were occasionally fired toward our camp. At -last this became so annoying, that an effort was made to capture the -daring fellows who had been guilty of the insolence. The next time -that shots were fired, a squad of our cavalry dashed toward the stack, -but no enemy were to be seen. Supposing they had fled into the forest, -our men returned; but no sooner had they got back to their lines, -than bang! went four guns from behind the same stack. The cavalry -again rushed for the wheat, and seeing no sign of an enemy, concluded -as before, that they had skulked into the woods; but this time they -determined to destroy the wheat, and accordingly set fire to it. In -a few minutes the grain was ablaze, and the troopers, standing near, -were looking on with feelings of satisfaction, when suddenly the head -of a man, and presently the heads of three more, were seen peeping out -at the bottom of the stack. These were the self-same fellows who had -done the firing, and finding themselves fairly caught, began begging -loudly for mercy. The cavalrymen, not wishing to kill them, but bent on -punishing them severely, refused to allow them to come out until they -were thoroughly smoked. After sundry jests about the quality of “smoked -Confederate hams,” and amidst roars of laughter, the cavalry boys -pulled the “Johnnies” out from the smoking mass of wheat, and marched -them into camp. The “Johnnies” themselves, much elated at their escape, -and appreciating the joke, joined in the fun, and laughed as loud as -the rest. Under this stack was found an excavation of sufficient size -to contain a dozen men. - -The promise of General McClellan, who was always keenly sensitive to -the wants and comfort of his soldiers, was partially fulfilled on the -6th. On this day each man received one shirt, one pair of drawers, and -one pair of stockings. They were so much pleased at this, that they -recorded it in their diaries, and mentioned it in their letters home. - -On the 8th, President Lincoln visited the army, and, with General -McClellan, reviewed the troops. The visit of the good-hearted -President, who was regarded as a loving father by the men, had the -effect of reviving their spirits greatly. - -July 19. The regiment was mustered for pay, the first time in several -months. Many were absent, not a few never to return, and as their names -were called, and one comrade after another responded for them, “Dead!” -“Sick!” “Missing!” a deep feeling of sadness crept over all present. - -The enemy had brought a few batteries down the river, and stationed -them on Coggin’s Point, opposite the Landing, from which place, on the -night of August 2, they shelled our camp, creating some confusion, -but doing no material damage. In a few days afterwards the Point was -occupied by Generals Smith and Sedgwick, and the houses there, which -had been used as a cover by the enemy, were burned. - -On the 4th of August, the regiment, together with one other regiment -of the Brigade, were ordered to the vicinity of Malvern Hill, there -to perform outpost duty, in connection with General Pleasanton’s -command of cavalry and horse artillery, remaining at this place about -two weeks, and performing very valuable service. After awhile the -Irish regiment was recalled, and the Twenty-ninth constituted the -only infantry force there. During this time, by direction of General -Pleasanton, the regiment made an important reconnoissance to Malvern -Hill, encountering the enemy’s pickets, and driving them in; Colonel -Barnes submitting to General Pleasanton, on his return, a full report -of the condition of the roads and the situation of the enemy’s camps. - -On the 15th of August, the Twenty-ninth, with the rest of General -Pleasanton’s troops, were recalled, and marched to Haxall’s Landing, -the regiment being here supplied with tents, having been without them -since the retreat. The Army of the Potomac was about to make another -move; the sick and disabled were gathered up among the various camps -and sent on board of the transports, as were also the knapsacks of the -men and the officers’ baggage. - -Towards evening of the 16th, Sumner’s corps left its camp and started -down the river, marching about five miles and halting for the night. -The next morning the march was resumed; but the army moved so slowly, -that only six miles were travelled during the day. This brought the -regiment to the mouth of the Chickahominy, where it empties into the -James; and here it crossed on the remarkable pontoon bridge, said to -have been over 2,000 feet long. In this manner, by short and easy -marches, the corps proceeded to Yorktown; on the 18th, passing Charles -City Court-house, and the following day, Williamsburg, the seat of -William and Mary College. At noon of the 20th, the regiment reached -the heights of Yorktown and went into camp, affording the men an -opportunity of inspecting the fortifications, of which they had heard -so much while at Newport News. Among these works were several that had -been erected in the war of the Revolution by the English and American -armies. - -At Yorktown, all the troops save Sumner’s took transports for the -Potomac, his corps having been ordered to Newport News, where it -arrived on the 22d. To the Twenty-ninth Regiment, which were among -the first troops to arrive, this seemed very much like going home. -They encamped near the “Brick House,” where, during the first year -of their service, they had often been on guard. Every tree and fence -was familiar to them; the long plain near by was the scene of their -drilling under Phelps and Mansfield, and the adjacent river-bank their -target ground. The arrival here would have been far more pleasant, had -it not been attended by very inclement weather and a hard march; but -all these discomforts were forgotten the next day, when there reached -camp a large mail, the first which had been received since the regiment -left Harrison’s Landing. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - - THE REGIMENT LEAVES NEWPORT NEWS--ORDERED TO - FREDERICKSBURG--BATTLE OF CENTREVILLE--A DRILL IN THE FACE OF - THE ENEMY--MARCH THROUGH MARYLAND--BATTLES OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN - AND ANTIETAM--THE SONG OF THE DYING SOLDIER--A LIST OF THE - KILLED AND WOUNDED. - - -During the latter part of August, 1862, Sumner’s corps began to leave -Newport News and proceed to Fredericksburg. On the 24th, the Irish -Brigade broke camp, went on board the steamer “Commodore,” and after -lying off Newport News about forty-eight hours, steamed down the James, -and from thence to Aquia Creek Landing, on the Potomac, where it -disembarked. On the 27th, it proceeded by rail to Fredericksburg, and -went into camp with its division on the north bank of the Rappahannock. -Fredericksburg was then a beautiful town, showing none of those -distressing signs of war which marked many other portions of Virginia. -The recent showers had imparted an emerald hue to the whole country; -the gardens about the town--which stands on a high bluff on the south -side of the stream--were filled with blooming plants and trees laden -with luscious fruits. Such a scene of peace and plenty as this the -sunburnt and destitute soldiers of the Peninsula had not feasted their -eyes upon for many months; the place seemed to them like a real Eden, -into which they had suddenly and unexpectedly been dropped. - -“It is rumored that we are to stay here during the remainder of the -season,” says a soldier of the Twenty-ninth, in a letter to his -friends, little dreaming how soon they were to leave this quiet spot -and endure the hardships of another campaign. “It is rumored” was the -familiar and stereotyped language with which all false camp stories -commenced; and as they generally promised some better or happier -experience than that of the present, none labored to dispel the -pleasing illusions which they created, though these were repeatedly -swept away by sad and bitter events. The soldier alluded to had barely -finished his letter before the order came to march. Tents were struck, -rations issued, and the men turned their backs on the green hills -of Fredericksburg, never again to look upon the town in beauty and -tranquillity. Going to the railway station, the Brigade took the cars -and returned to Aquia Creek Landing, there embarking on the steamer -“Louisiana” for Alexandria, arriving at the latter place on the evening -of the 28th. The troops did not land here until the morning of the -29th; and as soon as they touched the shore, marched out to Camp -California, about ten miles up the river toward Washington, pausing -for dinner. On this march occurred a humorous incident. The Irish -Brigade, in moving along the road with its tattered flags, the clothing -of its men being almost as ragged as its banners, had occasion to -pass the camp of a recently-mustered Pennsylvania regiment. The great -contrast between the bright, new uniforms of the Pennsylvania troops -and the shabby ones of the war-worn Brigade, led to much bantering, -and many severe things were said by both sides. Finally, a soldier of -the Pennsylvania regiment, with stentorian voice and in a triumphant -manner, bawled out, “What have you done with your knapsacks; thrown ’em -away, haint you?” The men of the Brigade were without knapsacks, and -this impudent inquiry seemed difficult to answer satisfactorily. Very -promptly, however, one of the soldiers of the Twenty-ninth replied, -“Thrown ’em away? Yes, ---- you, we’ve thrown away four sets.” This -left the victory with the Brigade, and stopped the jangle; for it was -an indirect way of saying what could not be denied, that the Brigade -was composed of veterans, while the Pennsylvanians had not been long -enough in the service to part with even one set of knapsacks, and were -therefore very green. The four regiments of the Brigade went into camp -that night at Arlington Heights. - -General Pope was calling loudly for re-enforcements during these gloomy -days, and the Army of the Potomac, the bulk of which was in and about -Alexandria, had been ordered forward by General Halleck. Generals -Sumner and Franklin were directed to make rapid marches to join Pope. -On the morning of the 30th, the Irish Brigade marched, halting for a -few hours at Fort Corcoran, only three miles distant from Arlington. As -again showing the utter ignorance of the men of the intended movements -of the army, and of the experiences in store for them, the brief halt -at this fort led to a _rumor_ that the regiment was to stay there for -a period of thirty days to recruit; and so thoroughly believed was -this report, that some of the men went leisurely at work “doing their -washing,” so that at about three o’clock in the afternoon, when the -order to march came, more than one soldier, half stripped, had nearly -all his clothes “in the wash,” and one unfortunate corporal, who had -taken a notion to wash both shirt and trousers, was called away so -suddenly, that he was obliged to march all night in his drawers and a -thin blouse, carrying his wet garments with him. Even the commanding -officer of the regiment, who for the first time in many months was -contemplating “a square meal,” was so much surprised by the order to -move, that he was obliged to quit, leaving his dinner boiling in the -pot and two live geese tied behind his tent, having made elaborate -preparations for a long stay. - -The regiment reached a point about two miles beyond Fairfax Court-house -that night, halting beside the road leading to Centreville. Long before -reaching here, the noise of the battle of the Second Bull Run was -distinctly heard. - -August 31, the march was resumed early in the morning, the Brigade -reaching Centreville about noon, joining the other troops of General -Sumner’s corps, and taking its place in the line. Soon after, the whole -corps moved up and took the front line of the army, notwithstanding the -fact that the men were nearly destitute of ammunition. - -The remains of General Pope’s army had fallen back to this place -in a disorganized condition, and on the following day commenced to -retreat toward Washington, Sumner and Franklin protecting their rear. -Here our comrades of the Twenty-ninth, who were stationed on a high -hill, that afforded them an extended view of the country, witnessed -another wholesale destruction of stores and supplies. It was not an -exact repetition of Savage’s Station, yet so closely resembled it, -as to make the sight a familiar one, and call up in their minds many -recollections of the retreat from Richmond. - -During the afternoon of September 1, General Sumner’s corps were the -only Union troops that remained on the field. The enemy were close at -hand, the Fifth New Hampshire, indeed, being at that moment skirmishing -with them only a few hundred yards from the main body of our troops. -The order for the corps to fall back had been given; but the brave old -commander was in no haste about it, and for the purpose of inspiring -his men with confidence, and teaching them habits of coolness, he -caused the various divisions to execute the order (to fall back) by -the regular tactic formations. The ground chanced to be favorable -for this plan. The veteran General sat upon his horse in the midst -of his troops, giving his commands in a cool and deliberate manner, -that excited the admiration of his soldiers. It was altogether a -novel scene,--an army on drill in the face of the enemy; the various -movements were skilfully performed, and were so planned as always to -keep one of the divisions in line of battle facing the enemy, and -covering the other troops in the rear. All the while these evolutions -were going on,--which occupied some hours,--the corps was slowly -retiring. - -It was late in the night before the Brigade commenced to fall back -toward Washington. Earlier in the evening, the enemy, under A. P. -Hill and Jackson, had attacked a portion of our retreating column; -and while the contest was raging fiercely, a violent tempest arose, -“the artillery of earth meeting with a response in the still heavier -thunder of the skies.” This was a repetition of another of the events -at Savage’s Station, as was also the gloomy, comfortless night and the -hardly less gloomy march that followed. While on the march that night, -a long ambulance train, filled with wounded, moved along over the road, -and in halting to give the train an opportunity to pass, the regiment -became divided, nearly an hour elapsing before the two portions managed -to unite. - -On Tuesday morning, September 2, the Brigade halted two miles west -of Fairfax Court-house. The regiment was here thrown out in the rear -as skirmishers, and were shortly after attacked by the Confederate -cavalry. Pettit’s battery, being in position near them, fired a few -shots at the enemy, and put him to flight. At three o’clock in the -afternoon the regiment was relieved, and at five o’clock marched with -the Brigade to Fall’s Church, and from there to Langley’s, reaching the -latter place during the night. The distance marched this day was not -far from eighteen miles, and proved to be so severe a strain upon the -already overtaxed men, that many were unable to keep up, and not a few -were made dangerously sick, Lieutenant Hathaway of Company C falling -senseless by the way and never afterward being able to rejoin his -command. - -On the afternoon of the 2d, the Brigade passed the Potomac on Chain -Bridge, marched through Georgetown, and from there to Tenallytown, -about six miles from Washington. This was a pleasant little village. -The men had a good, clean camping-ground, but no tents. The absence of -tents, however, had ceased to be counted as a discomfort. The soldiers -had long been in that state of mind which caused them to look upon -a green pasture or field with feelings of supreme contentment. The -Brigade remained in Tenallytown till Friday the 5th, and then went to -Rockville, nine miles distant. The men were compelled to march in the -fields, General Banks’s corps, the artillery, and trains taking the -road. On the 6th, Sumner’s corps passed through Rockville, and formed a -line of battle two miles north of the town, with Banks’s corps on the -left. There was some skirmishing during the day between the Union and -Confederate cavalry. No further movement of importance was made until -the 9th, and then the corps performed a distance of about ten miles, -stopping for the night near Seneca Mills. The whole army was moving in -the same direction, though by different roads. - -The marches were not at this time very long nor forced; the country -through which the army moved was very picturesque and fruitful; the -fields were filled with corn, and from these the soldiers had many -delicious meals,--roasting the milky corn, gathering peaches and apples -from the well-laden orchards, and not seldom supping upon fresh pork -(purchased of course of the country people). - -The towns of Middlebrook, Clarksburg, and Hyattsville were successively -passed on the journey between the 10th and 12th, at the latter place -being only a few hours behind the rear guard of the enemy. On the -13th, our army marched through Frederick City, and were joyfully -received by the people. Only three days before, the city had been -occupied by the armies of Lee and Jackson; and notwithstanding the -presence of the enemy, the loyal people avowed their sentiments with -great freedom. It is reported that the pious General Jackson, while -remaining in the city over Sunday of the 7th, attended divine services -at the church of the Rev. Dr. Zacharias, and that the undaunted -clergyman, in a firm voice, prayed for the President of the United -States in the presence of the Confederate General. The treasonable -proclamation of General Lee, issued about this time, met with a cold -response; and although some recruits were obtained for his army, the -majority of them shortly after deserted and returned to their homes. -The ragged and filthy appearance of the Confederate soldiers, many of -whom were barefooted, tended to disgust even the Secessionists (who -had not sufficient moral courage to follow the fortunes of the brave -soldiers of the South); and when the Southern army retired, and the -Patriot army followed, all classes were about equally jubilant. - -Upon leaving Frederick City, the Confederates retreated towards -Sharpsburg. Twelve miles from Frederick City, and three from -Middletown, is Turner’s Gap, through which runs the Middletown Road. -This Gap is one of several passes in the South Mountains, here nearly -one thousand feet high. At this place a large force of the enemy made -a determined stand, and on the 14th, a desperate battle was fought, -General Reno’s Ninth Army Corps being conspicuously engaged, and that -gallant General losing his life. The battle resulted in a complete -Union victory. - -General Richardson’s division arrived at the base of the mountain at -nine o’clock in the evening of this day, and the men slept on their -arms all night. On the morning of the 15th, the division passed up the -mountain, the Irish Brigade being in advance. The enemy had fled during -the night, leaving their dead unburied and their wounded uncared for. -The ground in many places was thickly strewn with the dead and wounded -of both armies; one poor fellow (a Confederate) was still alive, having -been shot through the head, the ball coming out at the eye. Thirty-four -of the enemy’s dead were counted in one spot only a few rods square. -The place where the Pennsylvania Reserves (“Bucktails”) charged up the -precipitous mountain-side, bore sad evidence of the bloody character -of the battle. The dead and mangled bodies of both friend and foe were -in some places mingled together; the wounded, lying among rocks and -deep thickets, were calling aloud to the passing soldiers for water -and aid. The summit and westerly side of the mountain, down which the -Confederates fled, gave proof of the extreme panic which seized them at -the close of the battle; guns, blankets, and equipments were scattered -about the ground in great profusion. It was very encouraging to our -soldiers to witness these indications of the retreat of their valiant -old enemy of the Peninsula, who, less than two months before, had put -them in the same awkward plight, and caused them untold hardships. - -On this day, the division of General Richardson, with the exception -of a few cavalry, was in advance of the entire Union army. The other -corps, except Franklin’s, followed towards the middle of the day. -General Richardson came up with the enemy about three miles from -Keedysville. The Confederates were posted on a number of wooded hills, -little less than a mile from and on the southwest side of Antietam -Creek; their lines extended across the Sharpsburg Road, their right -resting on a creek only a mile from the Potomac River. General -Richardson did not cross the creek, but took up a position on the -easterly side. About three o’clock in the afternoon, other portions -of the army came up; Pettit’s battery took ground on the hill where -the Twenty-ninth was stationed, and shortly after, the battery was -joined by two pieces of flying artillery, when matters became lively -at once. The enemy had been amusing himself for some hours before, by -shelling our unprotected lines. Our artillery at once answered his -fire, Pettit’s battery especially making some most excellent shots, in -one instance driving the Confederate gunners from their pieces. This -artillery duel continued nearly the whole day; and at one time, towards -the close, the division, in changing its position, became badly exposed -to the enemy’s fire, but fortunately few lives were lost. - -On the morning of the 16th, our army was well up towards the creek, -with well-formed lines. Pettit’s battery was relieved in the forenoon -by another of twelve 20-pounder Parrotts; and these our Brigade -supported all day. The enemy had almost exact range of our position, -but his shell not exploding, did little execution. There was, however, -some loss, and Corporal Tribou of Company C (Twenty-ninth), who carried -the State colors, was severely wounded, losing his left foot above the -ankle. - -While the exact nature of the situation was not known to any except the -officers of high rank, yet, when the day closed, there was probably not -a private soldier along the line who did not realize that the army was -on the eve of one of the greatest battles of the war. - -On the 17th of September, which was one of the many beautiful days of -the early Southern autumn, was fought the renowned battle of Antietam. -The preceding night had been devoted to watching, manœuvring, and -careful preparation by the commanders of both armies. Generals Hooker -and Mansfield had crossed the creek with their respective corps -during the night, bivouacking on the farm of J. Poffenberger, in the -vicinity of the enemy’s left;[34] and at daylight on the 17th, these -troops became hotly engaged. While the battle was in progress, General -Sumner’s corps was ordered to fill a gap on the left of the Union army, -where, up to that time, there had been no fighting. - -At nine o’clock, General Richardson’s division received its order to -march. Moving from the position it had occupied during the night of -the 16th, the Irish Brigade again in advance, the division made a wide -detour to the right, and forded the creek, the men entering the cold -water to their hips. General Richardson, with his staff about him, sat -on his horse near the creek; and as the various regiments filed past -him, addressed the Colonels in his usual stern manner: “No straggling -to-day, Colonel! Keep your men well up and in hand.” When the troops -reached the opposite shore of the stream, they were halted for a few -moments, the men seizing upon the chance to empty their shoes, wring -their stockings, and adjust their equipments. A flock of sheep quietly -grazing on the hillside gave the place an air of peace, and but for -the loud peal of artillery on the right, the men would have scarcely -imagined themselves amid scenes of war. - -Now came the second order to march. The ground was ascending, and the -Brigade moved by the flank, the Sixty-ninth in advance, and next to -them the Twenty-ninth. No sooner had the troops begun to move, than the -enemy opened upon them, from the vicinity of Dr. Piper’s and Roulette’s -houses, a galling artillery fire. - -The crest of the hill was soon reached. The order was here given for -the Brigade to form “a line of battle, and move forward till they met -the enemy.” Under a terrible fire, the Brigade formed its line with -great rapidity and in fine style, in the following order: Sixty-ninth -on the right; next the Twenty-ninth; on their left the Sixty-third; and -on the extreme left the Eighty-eighth. About this time, General Meagher -was disabled, “his horse having been shot under him.”[35] - -In front of the line was an open field, over which the enemy’s shot and -shell came bounding and crashing incessantly, making great gaps in our -line, and strewing the ground with the dead and wounded. “Forward!”--a -welcome order; and the Brigade moved rapidly over the field. The enemy -increased his fire, but the line moved on. A hundred yards in front -was a Virginia fence; on the other side was another field and slightly -rising ground; over the crest of the rising ground, a sunken road; and -on the farther side of the road, an extensive corn-field and orchard. -As the regiments neared the fence, a yell went up from the corn-field, -and instantly springing to their feet, a long line of the enemy ran out -towards our men, crossing the road and mounting the crest, where they -delivered a mighty volley with deliberate aim. In an instant the air -seemed filled with hissing bullets and large splinters from the fence. - -Our line wavered a little; the fire was frightfully destructive. The -field-officers perceiving this, ran through the ranks to the front. -Instantly the line stiffened. And now for the fence. “Tear it down!” -Immediately two thousand strong hands seize it, and it is flat upon -the ground. “Forward!” Everything moves like clock-work. Without firing -a shot, the Brigade moved in perfect line toward the sunken road, the -enemy all the while firing deadly volleys. “Look at the perfect line of -the Irish Brigade as it moves on the enemy!” said General McClellan to -his generals, as he sat on his horse, near the creek. “Yes,” says the -brave old General Mansfield, who was present and watching the movement -with intense interest. “I claim the credit of having drilled the -Twenty-ninth Massachusetts Regiment of that Brigade.” - -Two-thirds of the distance across this bloody field was performed -before came the order to “halt!” and at the same time the command -to “fire!” The volley that played out along the line towards that -terrible crest made the hills ring far and wide. It was spitefully -done, and very effective, for instantly the Confederates fell back from -the summit into the sunken road, receiving as they did several other -volleys. No sooner in the road, the enemy, nothing daunted, commenced -to fire over the bank. That part of our line held by the Sixty-ninth -and Sixty-third was much exposed, while the Twenty-ninth, its usual -“good luck” not forsaking it even here, was protected by a little -ridge in its front and a slight depression of the ground upon which it -stood. This did not in any way affect their range on the enemy,--the -corn-field opened wide before them, their shots cutting off the stalks -of green corn as would a scythe, and having their effect upon the enemy -who were hiding there. - -An hour had nearly elapsed since the front had been reached; several of -the captains had reported that the guns of their men were getting so -hot that the rammers were leaping out of the pipes at every discharge. -The men had already nearly expended their ammunition. Several times -during the battle the enemy had undertaken to come forward, but as -often as they attempted it, they were swept back by our fire. Since -General Meagher had been disabled, there had been no general officer -present, each colonel acting upon his own responsibility. The enemy -were well covered and determined. - -Up to this time neither regiment had known the fate of the others, nor -the extent of their respective losses. Colonel Barnes now hastened to -the right of the Twenty-ninth, for the purpose of taking a careful -survey of the field. To his dismay, he perceived that the Sixty-ninth, -though holding on bravely, had lost nearly half their number; the -Sixty-third had fared equally as hard, and the officers and men of -both regiments were striving to keep up their formation. The Colonel, -feeling a deep responsibility, saw at once that something must be done -to prevent disaster; he knew, though he had received no orders since -entering the fight, that from necessity the Brigade would soon be -relieved, and was every moment expecting to hear the welcome shouts of -fresh troops. Hastily giving his idea to Major Charles Chipman, his -brave and worthy subordinate, he called upon the regiment for three -cheers. The Major took the order to the left, and the boys gave the -cheers with a will. Colonel Barnes then gave the order, “forward!” -Instantly Sergeant Francis M. Kingman, the dauntless color-bearer, -sprang to the front, the whole regiment promptly following him. Above -the noise of the battle were heard the answering shouts of the brave -Irishmen of the Brigade, their warlike spirit gaining fresh impulse as -they started forward on the charge. - -The crisis was over now; the bold forward movement had saved the -Brigade from even one blot upon its bright record of fame. The shouts -of our men, and their sudden dash toward the sunken road, so startled -the enemy that their fire visibly slackened, their line wavered, and -squads of two and three began leaving the road and running into the -corn. Now the rush of troops was heard in the rear; now the air was -rent with wild yells. It was altogether too much of a shock for the -enemy; they broke, and fled for the corn-field. The next moment, -Caldwell’s brigade, led by General Richardson in person, with Cross, -Barlow, and all its other heroes, came sweeping up behind the shattered -lines of the Irish Brigade. “The lines were passed by the Irish Brigade -breaking company to the rear, and General Caldwell’s by company to the -front, as steadily as on drill.”[36] - -The night of the enemy was now complete. In a few moments Caldwell’s -men were in possession of the road, and driving the Confederates -through the corn-field and into the orchard beyond. The Irish Brigade, -upon being thus relieved, fell back a short distance to the rear, -retiring behind the first hill it had passed upon moving to the front. -It had been in battle one hour and fifteen minutes. It was a sad sight -to witness the broken and decimated ranks of the Sixty-third and -Sixty-ninth, as they halted under the brow of the hill. The Sixty-third -had lost very heavily of its officers and men, while the Sixty-ninth -suffered even worse. Of seventy-two recruits who had joined the -latter regiment a few days before, and who went into the battle with -new uniforms, but two of the number escaped unhurt. Even in retiring -from the front, the Brigade had suffered greatly from the fire of the -enemy’s artillery, the Twenty-ninth suffering with the rest, though -fortunately escaping the battle with a loss of only forty-four. - -Panting from heat and exhaustion, the men at once stretched themselves -upon the ground; but the Twenty-ninth had only rested a half-hour -before they were again summoned by General Richardson to come to the -front. Upon approaching the crest of the hill near the sunken road, -the regiment was observed by General Richardson, who was personally -directing the fire of a battery in a very exposed position. He beckoned -Colonel Barnes to his side, and said, “I pray you, give me a canteen of -water; I am dying of thirst.” The Colonel going back to the regiment, -brought one of the numerous canteens, freely offered; but the General -had barely raised it to his lips, when an exploding shell mortally -wounded him. - -The men, with sad hearts, watched the bleeding officer, as he was being -borne away, never to return to his command, and then moved on toward -the brow of the famous hill, now being swept by the artillery of the -Confederates. Here the Twenty-ninth formed on the left of Caldwell’s -brigade, and immediately threw out a line of skirmishers into the -corn-field, joining the Fifth New Hampshire and other troops of the -division engaged in a lively skirmish with the enemy, who was in the -orchard, posted behind the trees and a long line of board fence, that -ran along the edge of the orchard. The enemy’s troops here stationed -were the same encountered by the Brigade in the battle of the morning, -and were said to be a part of General Pryor’s division, the flower -of the Confederate army. They were most excellent soldiers, fighting -throughout the day with a determination that excited the wonder and -admiration of all who encountered them. - -The regiment retained the position just described during the remainder -of the day and the night which followed. The enemy, with guns stationed -in the orchard, and in advantageous positions on the right, enfiladed -a part of our line here with murderous effect. General Hancock -having assumed command of the division upon the wounding of General -Richardson, was everywhere present, and exposed himself frequently to -the fire. Hoping to silence the batteries of the Confederates, he sent -forward several of our batteries to the hill last mentioned, and among -them the “Dutch Battery,” so called. The latter came up well, but had -fired but four rounds, when the men were driven from their guns, the -regiment dragging off the abandoned pieces under the most perilous -circumstances. - -This part of the line was the scene of some of the most interesting -events of the day, and every inch of ground was purchased with blood. -The land over which Generals Richardson’s and French’s divisions fought -was irregular in the extreme; “was intersected by numerous ravines, -hills covered with growing corn enclosed by stone walls, behind which -the enemy could advance unobserved upon any exposed part of our -lines.” Once during the day the enemy attempted to gain the right of -Richardson’s position in the corn-field. This movement was happily -frustrated by the skilful manœuvres of General Brooks’s brigade. - -General Caldwell’s brigade, after relieving the Irish Brigade in the -forenoon, “with determined gallantry,” not only drove the enemy in -their front, but taking the Confederate line in flank, at the right -of the Brigade, captured three hundred prisoners and three stands of -colors. - -Shortly after the assault on the right, the enemy attempted to turn the -left of the division, but were gallantly met by the Fifth New Hampshire -(under the famous Colonel Cross) and the Eighty-first Pennsylvania. -After a sharp contest and a remarkable charge by these regiments, the -enemy fled in confusion, “leaving many killed, wounded and prisoners, -and the colors of the Fourth North Carolina, in our hands.” - -When night came, the Twenty-ninth regiment still lay at the front, in -the corn. They were on the skirmish line, and under such a constant -fire from the enemy, that it was impossible to relieve them. During -all the long hours of the darkness that followed, the men lay upon -the ground, listening to the piteous moans and cries for help of the -wounded soldiers of the enemy, who were lying about the field between -the two lines, and could not be removed nor reached with safety. These -sad sounds were occasionally drowned by the crash of musketry and the -dismal hissing of bullets. In this manner the night was passed by our -soldiers at the front; and the day which succeeded was scarcely less -distressing in its experiences. - -Although the battle was not renewed on the 18th, yet the two armies -lay facing each other during the whole day and a part of the following -night. Before light on the morning of the 18th, Company F, under -Captain Tripp, which had been on the advanced line in the corn-field -since noon of the 17th, where they had been terribly exposed, was -relieved by Company C, under First Lieutenant N. D. Whitman, and -Company K, under Captain Pray. Even in the darkness, the work of -relieving the men at the front was attended with great risk. The two -lines were less than one hundred yards apart; the enemy were intensely -savage, and kept up a random but almost incessant firing. When the -daylight came, matters were much worse; for, beside being more exposed -to the fire from the orchard, our men suffered greatly from the heat of -the sun, which poured down on their backs, being obliged to lie upon -their faces between the rows of corn. - -A large number of wounded Confederates were still scattered through the -corn-field, some of them only a few yards distant from our pickets. -The constant cries of these poor fellows, who were begging our men to -remove them and give them water, excited the sympathy of our soldiers, -and many brave, and even reckless, efforts were made during the day -to relieve their sufferings. One soldier of Company C[37] crawled on -his hands and knees a distance of several yards toward the Confederate -lines, in order to give a wounded enemy a drink of water from his -canteen, the bullets of the Confederate sharpshooters striking close -about him, and covering him with dust. - -Another of these humane undertakings gave birth to an occurrence much -talked of among our soldiers at the time, and which resulted in a -temporary suspension of hostilities. Of the several versions given -of this affair, the author chooses the following as being probably -the most correct: Near the lines of the Fifth New Hampshire (in the -corn-field), was lying a wounded Confederate officer. He was suffering -greatly, and had been beseeching Colonel Cross’s men to take him into -our lines. At last, Colonel Cross, moved deeply by these appeals, -procured a canvas stretcher, and with the assistance of some of his -men, went to the officer’s aid. Creeping stealthily along the ground, -they neared the spot where the man lay, and pushed the stretcher under -him. In doing so, a portion of the white canvas appeared above the tops -of the corn. The enemy in the orchard observing it, immediately--and, -doubtless, only too gladly--took it for a flag of truce, and at -once ceased firing. After a little delay, General Pryor(?) of the -Confederate army appeared, bearing a white flag, and General Meagher -was ordered to meet him and ascertain his wishes. When the two officers -met, each demanded of the other to know why the flag of truce had been -raised, and each insisting that the flag had not been raised by their -side, a somewhat heated conversation followed, when the two officers -parted, and the firing immediately recommenced, Colonel Cross taking -advantage of the lull to remove the wounded officer from the corn-field -and convey him safely into our lines, where he was kindly treated and -his wounds dressed. - -During the night of the 18th, the enemy withdrew, but, as is well -known, no movement took place during the following day. On the 19th, -the last sad duties in connection with the battle were performed by our -soldiers; namely, the burial of the dead. The Twenty-ninth was chiefly -employed in this work during a greater part of the day, the part of the -field assigned to them being the corn-field, sunken road, and orchard. -Here the dead of the enemy (our own having been removed during the -battle) were very numerous, and in the first stages of decomposition. -Many of them had been lying on the field under the scorching rays of -the sun for nearly forty-eight hours, and were swollen and black, and -emitted a disgusting odor, fairly sickening our burial-party, who -dug long trenches three feet deep, in which the dead were placed and -covered with earth, as decently as circumstances would allow. In some -places, as many as twenty-five bodies were found in a heap; in others, -as many as seventy-five mangled and blackened victims were found lying -only a few feet apart. - -The trees in the orchard showed plainly the fierceness of the strife, -which for two days and two nights had raged there with hardly a -moment’s cessation. The trunks of the trees were literally filled with -bullets, and the bark on the exposed sides wholly stripped off to a -height of from six to ten feet from the ground. - -The wounded of the Twenty-ninth had all been conveyed to a brick house -and barn a short distance to the rear, where their more fortunate -comrades paid them frequent visits during the 19th, cheering them with -kind words, exchanging accounts of the battle, and rendering numerous -little services. The dead of the regiment had been carefully buried on -the field, and, where practicable, their honored graves were marked. - -The numerous praises bestowed upon the regiment for its valuable -services in this battle were highly flattering to both officers and -men. General Meagher sent a request to Colonel Barnes to visit him at -his tent a few days after the battle, and in the most pleasing manner -expressed his high appreciation of the conduct of the Twenty-ninth. As -the praise bestowed upon the Brigade is justly shared by the regiment, -the author deems it but justice to his comrades to quote in this -connection the words of General McClellan. In his report of the battle, -that officer makes use of the following language:-- - - “Meagher’s brigade, advancing steadily, soon became engaged - with the enemy, posted to the left and in front of Roulette’s - house. It continued to advance, under heavy fire, nearly - to the crest of the hill overlooking Piper’s house, the - enemy being posted in a continuation of the sunken road and - corn-field before referred to. Here the brave Irish Brigade - opened upon the enemy a terrific musketry fire.... The Irish - Brigade sustained its well-earned reputation. After suffering - terribly, both in officers and men, and strewing the ground - with their enemies as they drove them back, their ammunition - nearly expended, and their commander, General Meagher, disabled - by the fall of his horse, shot under him, this brigade was - ordered to give place to General Caldwell’s brigade, which - advanced to a short distance in its rear. The lines were passed - by the Irish Brigade breaking company to the rear, and General - Caldwell’s by company to the front, as steadily as on drill!” - -Honorable mention of the Brigade is made in two other places in the -report of General McClellan. - -One of the members of the regiment, who was an inmate of the barn which -has been alluded to in this chapter, relates the following touching -incident: Among the wounded men here, was a poor soldier, both of -whose legs had been amputated. He had been told by the surgeons that -his case was a hopeless one, and if he had any message to send to his -friends in the North, they would gladly transmit the same. Conscious of -having done his duty, he spoke often of the battle, and then dictated -to the surgeons a brief, but touching, letter to his wife and family. -His thoughts now seemed to turn wholly upon his far-off home, and -forgetting his torturing pains, his face seemed all aglow with the -sweet memories which were floating before his mind. After talking a few -moments, he asked those about him to raise his head from the floor. -Suddenly summoning all his remaining energies, he began to sing in a -clear and very melodious voice, “Home, Sweet Home.” All voices save his -were quickly hushed in deep and attentive silence. The surgeons and -nurses who were on duty among the wounded paused in their labors, and -stood spell-bound and fascinated by the sweetness of his voice, and -his rich cadences. The appearance of the dying singer, his countenance -pallid and bloodless, gave the spectacle a strange, unearthly -character, and the effective rendering which he gave to the tender and -touching sentiment of the song fairly melted the hearts of all present; -and when he finished, breathing out in the utterance of the closing -words the last remnant of his strength, and sank almost senseless upon -his pallet, “there was not a dry eye in the room.” The poor soldier -died in the course of the day, but the incident was made a subject of -conversation among the inmates for several weeks afterwards. - -The following is a list of the killed, wounded, and missing of the -regiment in this battle:-- - - - KILLED. - - Co. A.--Corporal TIMOTHY D. DONOVAN; Private - EDWARD O’DONNELL. - - Co. B.--JOHN J. O’BRIEN. - - Co. C.--Corporal ELIJAH H. TOLEMAN; Private DAVID - H. LINCOLN (from injuries received during battle). - - Co. E.--Private LAWRENCE R. BLAKE. - - Co. F.--Private EDWARD RATAGAN. - - Co. H.--Corporal ROBERT F. GREENOUGH. - - Co. I.--Private JOHN C. DOW. - - - WOUNDED. - - Co. A.--Privates MARTIN C. MULLEN, EDWARD - KELLEY, ISAAC H. FERRY, JOSEPH S. - FARRELL. - - Co. B.--Private CHARLES MCNULTY. - - Co. C.--First Sergeant THOMAS CONANT; Corporals D. - W. TRIBOU,[38] GEORGE W. ALLEN;[38] Privates - HENRY A. OSBORNE, THOMAS ARNOLD, NEIL - MCMILLAN. - - Co. D.--Second Lieutenant JAMES H. ATHERTON;[38] - Corporal DAVID D. COLEMAN; Bugler BENJ. C. - DALTON; Privates FRANK G. BUMPUS, JOHN - FAGAN. - - Co. E.--Sergeant JOHN SHANNON; Corporal SAMUEL C. - WRIGHT.[38] - - Co. F.--Lieutenant THOMAS H. HUSBAND; Sergeant - BELA H. KING; Privates JOSEPH L. WESTGATE, - ELISHA WESTGATE; Musician DARIUS BONNEY. - - Co. G.--Private JOSEPH DUXBURY. - - Co. H.--Musician JAMES A. FORBES; Private WILLIAM - STORY. - - Co. I.--Privates THOMAS L. GLASS, CHARLES E. - HARRIS, BENJ. E. THOMPSON. - - Co. K.--Privates ELISHA C. RANKS, THOMAS F. - DOLAN. - - - MISSING.[39] - - Co. B.--Corporals H. A. DEAN, THOMAS ----, - CHARLES E. GETCHELL, PHILLIP SULLIVAN. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - THE REGIMENT LEAVES ANTIETAM--MARCH TO HARPER’S FERRY--THE - RECONNOISSANCE TO CHARLESTOWN, VA.--THE LOUDON VALLEY - CAMPAIGN--CHANGE OF COMMANDERS--THE GREEN FLAG AFFAIR--BATTLE - OF FREDERICKSBURG--WINTER CAMP--DEATH OF CHAPLAIN - HEMPSTEAD--CLOSE OF THE SECOND YEAR’S SERVICE--COMPLIMENTARY - CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THE REGIMENT. - - -After attending to the sad duties of burying the dead on the 19th of -September, the regiment, at three o’clock in the afternoon, was sent to -the rear, and remained in the near vicinity of the field till the 22d, -during a part of which time it performed picket duty. On the morning -of the last-named day, it started for Harper’s Ferry, passing through -the village of Sharpsburg, fording Antietam Creek at “The Iron Works.” -The village of Sharpsburg was in the thick of the fight. On the side of -the town fronting the Federal line of battle, nearly every house was -shattered or marked by balls. The “Dunker Church,” or “School-house,” -as it was called by our soldiers, on the outskirts of the town, and -much nearer the field, was a complete wreck. The description given -of its appearance by a negro, who lived near the field, is quite as -truthful as original: “It was well smashed to pieces; all made like a -riddle; you could jest look in and out where you pleased.” - -When the battle began, on the morning of the 17th, the inhabitants -of the village, about one thousand in number, fled from their houses -and took refuge at a place some two miles distant, in a forest near -the river, where they would have been in a sad plight if our army had -followed the retreating Confederates on the 19th. “When our troops -passed through the town, the most of the houses were still vacant, and -our soldiers, somewhat destitute of rations, helped themselves to such -articles of food, stray poultry, pigs, and so forth, as the enemy -had left untouched. A woman living in this village, being afterwards -questioned by a distinguished writer, who visited the place, as to -which army did the most pilfering, replied as follows: “The rebels -took, but the Yankees took right smart!” - -Toward sundown of the 22d, the regiment reached Harper’s Ferry, and -forded the Potomac River; the water at the point of crossing was in -many places nearly waist-deep; the current was strong, and rushed over -huge rocks, broken, jagged, and slippery. In crossing, many lost their -footing and fell, receiving bruises; while the horses stumbled and -floundered so badly that their riders were obliged to dismount. - -At Harper’s Ferry, the Potomac and Shenandoah unite their waters, and -flow through a deep gorge in the Blue Ridge. The land is mountainous -and broken for miles around. A little west of the village, on the -Virginia side of the river, are Bolivar Heights, while on the north, -just across the Potomac, and nearly opposite, on the Maryland side, -are Maryland Heights. “No doubt,” says Trowbridge, who visited this -spot, “there was once a stupendous cataract here, pouring its shining -sheet toward the morning sun from a vast inland sea; for the tourist -still finds, far up the steep face of the mountains, dimples which in -past ages ceaselessly whirling water-eddies made.” Upon gaining the -Virginia shore of the Potomac, the regiment with its Brigade passed -through the town of Harper’s Ferry, ascended Bolivar Heights, and -encamped near the spot where Colonel Miles, on the 15th of September, -disgracefully surrendered his army of over 11,000 men to General -Jackson. When the enemy evacuated Harper’s Ferry, they burned all the -bridges that crossed the river at this place, but on the 24th, our -troops constructed a pontoon bridge, and thus re-established easy -communication between the two shores. - -On the 25th, the Irish Brigade was augmented by the addition of the One -Hundred and Forty-fifth Pennsylvania Regiment, and on the 27th, moved -its camp down the side of Bolivar Heights to near the Potomac. About -this time, Captain Henry R. Sibley, who had a narrow escape from death -at Antietam, left for home on sick leave, and the command of Company -H devolved upon First Lieutenant Daniel W. Lee, an efficient and -conscientious soldier, who, on the 14th of the following January, was -commissioned Captain. Captain Sibley never again joined the regiment; a -severe and nearly fatal illness followed his return to Massachusetts. -Careful medical treatment so far restored him, however, that in June, -1863, he accepted an appointment as Commissary of Subsistence of -Volunteers, with the rank of Captain. Upon receiving this appointment, -he was ordered to report at New Orleans, where he served honorably -for several months, taking part, while in that department, in the -movement to Sabine Pass, and in the second Teche and the Red River -expeditions. He afterwards served on the staff of Major-General Emory, -in the Shenandoah Valley; and at a later period in the war, upon the -staffs of Generals Torbett and Hancock. Early in 1865, he was promoted -to be Lieutenant-Colonel, and left the service in December, 1865, -with the brevet rank of Colonel of Volunteers. He was a very faithful -and intelligent soldier, and since the war has been honored with many -positions of trust. - -On the first day of October, the Brigade was reviewed by President -Lincoln, Generals McClellan, Sumner, and Hancock. From this time till -the 16th, the Brigade remained in this position, performing picket -and drill duty. The new movement of the army into Virginia was close -at hand, and feints, strategic operations, and reconnoissances were -now frequently occurring. The march on Charlestown, about ten miles -from Harper’s Ferry, where the enemy had a small force, was one of the -movements preliminary to the grand movement of the whole army. - -On the night of the 16th, the entire division received orders to be -in readiness to march at daybreak the next morning. On the morning of -the 17th, the troops left their camp and started for Charlestown; the -day was chilly and the roads muddy. The enemy’s pickets were driven -out of the town after some sharp skirmishing, and our division marched -in and occupied it, the Twenty-ninth Regiment and the rest of the -Irish Brigade being thrown out in advance of the other troops into a -field on the outskirts of the town, and in the near vicinity of the -spot where John Brown was executed. Near at hand, also, was the jail -where the old hero had been confined, and the court-house where he -had been tried and received his sentence of death; facts which added -somewhat to the interest of the expedition, but did not detract from -the discomforts caused by the weather, for when the night set in it -began to rain. The enemy were close by, and the utmost watchfulness -was necessary, giving the men no opportunity to protect themselves -from exposure. The soldiers were thoroughly drenched by the storm, -and as soon as it was dark, though on the front line, they began to -build fires and make coffee; but quickly the order came for all fires -to be extinguished. Later in the night, the report was received that -General McClellan had dashed into town accompanied by his entire staff, -and with the report came an order to rekindle the fires, and for each -man to build two. The order was a welcome one, given probably, not -out of consideration for the sufferings of the men, but to create the -impression in the enemy’s lines that McClellan had occupied the town -in force; and to help on the ruse, the citizens were permitted to pass -out and convey to their friends the report, then current, that our army -was moving on Winchester. Suddenly, the next morning, when all were -expecting a forward movement, the division was ordered to fall back to -Halltown. Here it spent another night, quite as severe as the one which -had preceded it, and on the morning of the 19th, returned to Harper’s -Ferry. No further movement took place till the 29th of October, when -the whole army began its march to Falmouth, down the Loudon Valley. -On this day, quite late in the afternoon, the regiment left its camp, -crossed the Shenandoah on a pontoon bridge, and followed the Potomac -down, on the Virginia side, passing over a rough road at the base -of Bolivar Heights. The scenery was fine, but the march was mostly -performed after dark. Camped in “Pleasant Valley”; weather cool. - -October 30. Started at sunrise. The entire Army of the Potomac was -moving in the same direction. After a few hours the division divided, -the two parts marching in line of battle on opposite sides of the road. -Finally the cavalry, batteries, and teams came up, and the camp was -formed. Weather fine. - -October 31. Regiment ordered for picket, two miles from camp. The -several companies were posted on the different roads to watch the -enemy. Mustered for pay. - -November 1. Ordered back to camp, and upon reaching it, were ordered to -march. Went six miles and halted for the night. - -November 2 (Sunday). Called into line at daybreak. After going a short -distance, deployed into a field, and marched in line of battle over -fields and fences, till opposite the entrance to Snicker’s Gap, when -a halt was made, and the batteries came up and took position. Just -prior to this, as the skirmishers of the Irish Brigade came up with -the enemy’s cavalry at this gap, a lively fight ensued, in the course -of which Major O’Neil, of General Meagher’s staff, was captured. Our -cavalry, however, followed up the enemy and recaptured the gallant -Major, who seems to have been peculiarly unfortunate, having before -been captured at the battle of Gaines’ Mill. - -November 3. The regiment was detailed for ammunition guard. Marched -five miles and encamped on a beautiful farm. Weather cool, but fine. - -November 4. Drew one day’s rations. Pleasanton’s cavalry, numbering -about six thousand, and ten batteries, started with the regiment on the -march this morning, which began very early. - -November 5. Marched seven miles and encamped on the side of a rough, -broken hill. The wind was high and cold, and at midnight it rose to a -gale, accompanied by snow and rain. - -November 6. Started early, and marched through Piedmont, where the -railroad passes. Travelled ten miles and camped for the night. One -hundred men detailed for picket under Captain Doten. Very cold, and -toward night it began to snow. Colonel Barnes was officer of the day; -the guards were posted in a forest, about a mile from camp; the wind -blew a gale, and the night was so dark, that the officers in command of -the pickets found it impossible to establish the line. When daylight -came, the ground was covered with snow to the depth of several inches. -Upon reaching camp early in the morning, it was found that the other -regiments in the Brigade were preparing to march, while the men of -the Twenty-ninth, who had remained in camp, were still asleep in -their tents. General Meagher observing at this moment the lack of -preparation on the part of the regiment, rode down to the camp, and -accosting Colonel Barnes, inquired the reason why the regiment was not -under arms. The Colonel told the General they had received no orders -to that effect, whereupon the Adjutant-General of the Brigade was -taken to task, and a disturbance at headquarters seemed imminent. But -it afterwards transpired that such orders had been given to a certain -officer of the regiment, and that he had neglected to transmit them. -This piece of negligence resulted in giving the boys a severe march -that day; for while they were preparing to move, the rest of the -Brigade started, and was not overtaken till late in the afternoon. - -On this day, the news of the death of Major-General Richardson, -who formerly commanded the division, reached the regiment. General -Richardson died at the house of Mr. Pry, near the battle-field of -Antietam, from the effects of the wound received in that battle, -and his death cast a deep shadow of gloom over the entire army, and -particularly over the Second Corps, in which he had long served, and in -connection with which he had won a most enviable reputation as a brave -and skilful soldier. The loss of such an officer as General Richardson -was an event which might well have called forth a more universal -expression of sorrow. - -The 7th of November also witnessed a change in the command of the Army -of the Potomac, though this was not known to the troops till the 9th, -when the fact was promulgated by general order. At this time the army -was massed in and near Warrenton; and here the farewell address of -General McClellan, and the order of General Burnside, announcing his -assumption of the command of the army, were read to each regiment. - -The Twenty-ninth arrived at Warrenton on the 9th, where it remained for -several days inactive, as did the rest of the army here assembled. On -the 15th, it started from its camp, marched nearly nine miles, passed -through the village of Warrenton, and halted beside the road to spend -the night. The movement of the army was in the direction of Falmouth, -and on the following morning the regiment broke camp, being on the -skirmish line a part of the time, and marching through morasses and -tangled woods. The men had a severe day’s work. Water was scarce, and -they were hurried along, with but few halts, till near sundown, going -nearly twenty miles in the course of the day. When they stopped for -the night, they threw themselves upon the ground in a sort of hopeless -spirit, believing that the morrow would bring them another hard march. -Their prediction proved true, for on the next day they were at the -rear of the whole army, and had severe duty as guard of the wagon -train, reaching Falmouth toward nightfall, when they found that their -Brigade,--from which they had been separated during the day,--having -been ordered by General Sumner to cross the Rappahannock to capture -one of the enemy’s batteries, was rapidly moving towards the river. -The regiment, without making a halt to rest, hurried forward to join -their brave comrades in this perilous undertaking; but after proceeding -a short distance, they learned that the order had been countermanded, -meeting the other regiments of the Brigade returning to camp. General -Hancock, commanding the division, complimented the Brigade for the -quickness with which it moved after the order was given to cross the -river, saying to General Meagher, “This is quick work, sir!” - -While our army was at this point, Belle Plain Landing, on Potomac -Creek, was its base of supplies. This Landing was only ten miles -distant; but the railroads had been torn up by the enemy, and all the -provisions were hauled over the rough, muddy roads in wagons. The -enemy’s cavalry were constantly raiding over the country through which -the roads passed, and every train went strongly guarded. On the 21st, a -detail of fifty men was made from the Twenty-ninth, to guard a train of -thirty-five teams, which went to the Landing for provisions; the roads -were so heavy, that two days were occupied by the journey, several of -the horses and mules dying on the way. - -On the 22d, the regiment moved its camp in order to get out of the -range of the enemy’s guns, which were stationed on the westerly side -of the Rappahannock. Half of the term of enlistment of the seven old -companies expired this day, and the men did not fail to speak of it, -and make it a subject of conversation, recounting the experiences of -the past, and speculating as to the year and a half before them. - -November 27 was the day appointed for Thanksgiving in Massachusetts, -and in most of the loyal States. The men had for dinner, “hard-tack” -and salt beef. The Chaplain, Rev. Mr. Hempstead, read the proclamation -of Governor Andrew, in which occurred the usual expressions of -gratitude and thanks to God, for the bountiful harvests, and so forth. -Although the fare of the soldiers had been of the coarsest and simplest -quality, and their hardships and privations almost numberless, yet they -had indeed much to be thankful for; their lives had been spared through -great dangers, and their toils and hardships had been endured, to the -end that the Republic might survive the shock of civil war. - -About this time a little trouble arose concerning the proposed -presentation of a green banner to the regiment. General Meagher and his -brother officers of the Sixty-third, Sixty-ninth, and Eighty-eighth -New York regiments had very kindly caused a fine silk Irish flag to be -made in New York City for the Twenty-ninth Regiment, and had arranged -for its presentation by General Sumner. It was intended that the gift -should be of the nature of a surprise; but by some means, the project -came to the knowledge of Colonel Barnes, who also learned that it was -the desire of General Meagher that the flag should be carried by the -regiment. While the Colonel would have been proud to receive the flag -for the regiment as a token of the respect of their Irish comrades, yet -he objected to the flag being carried by the regiment, on the ground -that it was not an Irish regiment, feeling assured that this was the -sentiment of the officers and men of his command. He accordingly made -known to General Meagher these objections, whereupon the offer of the -flag was withdrawn; and by arrangement of the parties interested, it -was afterwards presented to another regiment. - -Closely following this incident,--namely, November 30,--the -Twenty-ninth was by order of General Sumner transferred from the Irish -Brigade to that of Colonel B. C. Christ, General William W. Burns’s -division of the Ninth Corps, the latter being then commanded by General -Orlando B. Willcox. - -On the 3d of December, the regiment was sent on picket opposite -Fredericksburg. The Confederate pickets, on the opposite shore of the -river, were poorly clad, only a small number having overcoats, though -the weather was cold. On the next day, at dark, the regiment was -relieved, and on the 5th, a detachment was again sent to Belle Plain as -a guard to a wagon train; the weather was very severe, a cold, driving -snow-storm lasting nearly all day. The movements of General Burnside, -which resulted in the battle of Fredericksburg, were now in progress; -inspections of the troops were frequent; and on the 9th, Colonel Barnes -made an inspection of the arms and equipments of the regiment. - -On the 10th, the men were ordered to have three days’ rations in their -haversacks, and to have on hand sixty rounds of cartridges each. - -On the morning of the 11th, the Brigade of Colonel Christ was ordered -under arms, but did not march till nearly four o’clock in the -afternoon. Upon reaching the river, the order was countermanded, and -the Brigade returned to its camp, the men being allowed to enjoy a good -night’s rest. - -At eight o’clock on the morning of the 12th, the Brigade was again -ordered under arms, marched to the river, and crossed on a pontoon -bridge. The enemy had previously been dislodged from the formidable -works on the water-side of the town, and hence no opposition was made -to the crossing of the Brigade. The regiment remained near the river -all day, and, except a portion of the afternoon, was not under fire. -The air was filled with a thick fog, and was intensely cold; without -tents or any adequate covering, the men spent that long, cheerless, -winter night on the banks of the river, half paralyzed with the cold, -waiting for the day to break, which, as they supposed, was to usher in -a terrible battle, and in which it then seemed probable they would take -a conspicuous part. - -When the day came, the fog-cloud lifted, and the sun shed upon the -waiting army its cheering beams of warm light. Soon after sunrise, the -order came for the Brigade to form in line of battle, but it did not -move till near nightfall. For the first time in its field life, the -regiment was on the reserve line all day, but within full view of the -battle, which raged and roared from sunrise till far into the night. -When it was quite dark, the line was advanced into the outskirts of -the town; the men not being permitted to enter the houses, remained in -the streets. The battle had gone against us, and during the night some -of the shattered regiments, which had been at the front all day, filed -sadly through the streets on their way to the river, telling their -story of disaster as they passed along. - -Early in the morning of Sunday the 14th, the Brigade fell back, but -still farther to the left, where they spent the day in quiet. The -temptation to visit the deserted houses in the town was too great for -many, and though the orders to the contrary were very imperative, yet -not a few of the men left the lines upon various pretexts, and went -sight-seeing. The effect of our shots upon the buildings was very -severe, and the ruin and desolation thereby occasioned, furnished one -of the saddest chapters in that campaign. Family portraits were torn -from the walls of the dwellings, costly pianos and elegant furniture -broken, marble mantles thrown down, and the cherished keepsakes of once -happy families strewn about the floors and streets. In some instances -huge shells had entered the buildings and exploded, tearing the walls -open, leaving nothing but a mass of ruins; while in others, solid -shots, speeding with the velocity of lightning, had passed entirely -through the buildings, leaving black-looking but smoothly-cut apertures -of the size of one’s head. “I had no temptation to take anything which -I found in my searches through these shattered homes, though filled -with many articles of great value. I was so impressed by these sad -scenes of war, that I hastened back to my regiment, sorry to have -witnessed such desolation and ruin,” says a soldier of the regiment, in -a letter to his wife. These are the true sentiments of a good soldier, -and if they had been more generally entertained by the soldiers of both -armies, there would have been far less wanton and needless destruction -of property during the war. - -It was by a mere accident that the regiment did not become actively -engaged in the battle. On the afternoon of the 13th, the division of -General Burns was ordered to support General Franklin’s corps; in -moving towards Franklin’s position, it became somewhat exposed to -the artillery fire of the enemy, and Lieutenant Carpenter of Company -H (Twenty-ninth), was slightly, and James L. Pettis of Company E -severely, wounded. The other regiments of the Brigade (Christ’s) -suffered some loss, the Twenty-seventh New Jersey, which was next the -Twenty-ninth in the line, losing seventeen killed and wounded.[40] - -After the Brigade retired from its advanced position, on Sunday the -14th, it formed near the gas-works, on the outskirts of the city. -The enemy, from the heights beyond the town, occasionally threw a -shot towards our lines, many of which struck the gasometer,--an iron -structure,--glanced off with great fury, tearing away pieces of the -iron, and throwing them about in various directions. - -All during the 15th, the regiment had direct orders to hold itself in -readiness to march at a moment’s warning. After dark, the men were -directed to roll up their blankets, and were cautioned against lighting -their pipes or kindling fires. All orders were passed along the line -in low tones. It was apparent that some movement of importance was on -foot, and it was soon discovered that our army was falling back across -the river, a movement that was attended with great danger, inasmuch -as the enemy was close at hand, and the river only passable by means -of pontoons. Late in the afternoon, after it was decided to recross -the river, the regiment was directed to remain until the other troops -of the corps had crossed, when it was to remove three small pontoon -bridges that had been thrown across a canal or creek which ran between -the Rappahannock and the enemy’s works, and then emptied its waters -into the river. The Brigade commander, Colonel Christ, intimated that -he considered the undertaking a hazardous one, and scarcely worth the -risk. The corps commenced crossing shortly after dark, the regiment -remaining in its position until all were fairly across, and then moved -forward and a considerable distance to the left, and commenced at once -the work assigned to them. A captain, with a sufficient number of -men, was detailed for each bridge, and the work went on rapidly and -noiselessly, the regiment mean-while remaining in line of battle, -ready for any emergency. It was remarkable that a work of this nature -could be done so quietly; but the men, as well as the officers, fully -realized the necessity of stillness. Only once in the course of the -labor was any noise made, and this was caused by the falling of a plank -against one of the boats. Even this noise was not great; but it seemed -to the anxious listeners like a peal of thunder, that was likely to be -followed by the crash of the enemy’s muskets. Fortunately it did not -arouse the enemy; but it called out a large bloodhound, with powerful -voice, which came running down to the opposite shore of the creek, and -commenced baying and howling, keeping up its savage cries till the work -was ended, annoying the men greatly, as they suspected that the next -yelp would be followed by the enemy’s charging yell. Finally, after -what seemed an age, but which in reality was only a short time, the -three bridges were all removed, without the loss of a single piece, and -the boats successfully floated across the Rappahannock. If the enemy -had moved forward,--and it is surprising that they did not,--the result -would have been disastrous to the regiment, perhaps cost it its very -existence; and had this result followed, the attempt would have been -deemed an act of folly. As it was, the plan was successfully carried -out, and the regiment was warmly congratulated. - -The first streaks of the morning light appeared in the eastern horizon -before the men, worn by the fatigues of the night, reached their old -camping-ground, on the northerly bank of the Rappahannock. The regiment -escaped this battle with but two casualties; but had it remained with -the Irish Brigade, which was at the front, and suffered terribly, -probably nearly half its members would have been killed or wounded. To -this circumstance chiefly,--one over which none of its officers had the -slightest control,--it owes this remarkable piece of good fortune. - -On the 21st of December, died Chaplain Hempstead, after a short -illness. The position of a chaplain in the army was a peculiar one, -and by many practical minds the office was regarded as one of doubtful -utility, there seeming to be very little natural connection between the -sacred and delicate duties of the saving of human souls and the stern -and bloody work of man-killing. Neither the Act of Congress which -provided for the appointment of chaplains, nor the Army Regulations, -prescribed their duties, any further than to provide that they should -render to the colonels of their regiments quarterly reports of “the -moral and religious condition of the regiment, and such suggestions -as may conduce to the social happiness and moral improvement of the -troops.” Though the duties of these officers were not particularly -specified, yet a conscientious chaplain had abundant chances to render -great service in both a moral and social way. Such a chaplain was -the Rev. Henry E. Hempstead. He was ever at the bedside of the sick -and wounded soldier, attended to the distribution and forwarding of -the mails (a service more keenly appreciated than most others by the -soldiers), and in a thousand other ways endeared himself to the members -of his regiment. He was the cherished companion for a long time of -the heroic Arthur B. Fuller, Chaplain of the Sixteenth Massachusetts -Regiment, and, strangely enough, the tragic death of the latter -preceded that of Mr. Hempstead by only a few days. - -On the 21st, the entire regiment was detailed for picket service on the -river below Fredericksburg. The enemy’s pickets were on the opposite -shore, and during the night threw up rifle-pits on the bluff. The -soldiers of the two armies had been so long together in the various -campaigns in which they had been engaged, and so often witnessed each -others’ bravery and devotion, that a feeling of mutual respect, not -to say regard, had grown up between them. Whenever the pickets of -the respective armies got within speaking distance of each other, -this feeling prompted them to talk and enter into an agreement for -a temporary truce. The usual preliminaries for a parley and a chat -began in this wise: “Say, Yank, want to talk?” “Yes, Johnny,” replies -the Union soldier; and then followed a mutual agreement not to fire, -and following this, oftentimes, a protracted conversation about their -experiences in battle, what they had to eat, the merits of their -respective officers, how they liked the service, in which frequently a -large number on each side would take part. Sometimes grave questions -of state were discussed, and not unfrequently the conversation was -enlivened by jokes, stories, and “twitting on facts.” These parleys -were carried on without the knowledge of the officers on either side, -and were finally forbidden. On the night in question, the Twenty-ninth -“boys” found the Confederate pickets as friendly as they had been -before the battle, and the result was, that they sat down on the shore -and had an old-time chat, which was kept up nearly all night. - -On the 23d, General Sumner reviewed his grand division, composed of the -Second and Ninth corps, the ceremony lasting nearly all day. - -The campaign having closed with the battle of Fredericksburg, the -work of preparing winter quarters for the army began soon after. Each -company was divided into squads, and each squad was charged with the -work of preparing its own hut. The prospect of having a comfortable -abode at that, the most inclement season of the year, furnished a -sufficient incentive for each man to do his “level best”; and the -amount of Yankee ingenuity displayed in the preparation of these winter -homes was as instructive as it was pleasing in its results; logs were -cut in the adjacent forests, and these, cut into suitable lengths, -formed the walls of the house, while the tent was used for a roof. -Inside of these, chimneys and fire-places were constructed, as well -as comfortable bunks, and long before the close of the year, Falmouth -was a city of log-houses, containing a population of over one hundred -thousand veteran soldiers. - -On the last day of the year, the regiment was mustered for pay, an -event always of deep interest to the men, but peculiarly so on this -occasion, as it witnessed the close of another year of their service in -the army, and brought them nearer to the welcome day when they would be -permitted to bid good-by forever to the hardships, toils, and dangers -of army life. The year that expired on that day had been singularly -eventful, as must needs be all years of war. The regiment had been -engaged in not less than ten pitched battles, besides many skirmishes; -it had marched on Norfolk, travelled up and down the Peninsula, -navigated the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac, marched to Centreville, -tramped nearly the entire length of the State of Maryland, and, passing -down the Loudon Valley, had penetrated almost to the Virginia seaboard. -Many of its most cherished and bravest soldiers had fallen by disease -and the bullet; but with all these losses and bitter fortunes, it had -not lost its flag or its honor. The Twenty-ninth was now in its truest -sense a veteran regiment. Its services during the year which then -closed had enabled it to spread upon the public military record of the -Commonwealth a most flattering testimonial of its bravery from one of -the generals under which it had served in the field. - -We conclude this chapter by giving the following letter to Governor -Andrew, relative to the regiment:-- - - “HEADQUARTERS IRISH BRIGADE, HANCOCK’S DIVISION, } - “SECOND CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, } - “CAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, VA., Nov. 19, 1862. } - - “To JOHN A. ANDREW, _Governor of Massachusetts_. - - “SIR: In accordance with the desire of the Governor - of Massachusetts, and circular received, I have the honor to - state that the Twenty-ninth Massachusetts Volunteers joined my - command at Fair Oaks, on the 9th of June, 1862; since which - time they have been under my command, and are still a regiment - of the Irish Brigade.... - - “In relation to the physique and morale of the men composing - the Twenty-ninth Massachusetts Volunteers, I have the honor, - and to me a pleasure, to state they are obedient, vigilant, - and reliable, ever ready for every duty; while in the field, - under my own eye, they have been unsurpassed as soldiers, - brave and heroic. Their loss is no indication of their valor, - for uncontrolled circumstances and location will favor, or - be more fatal, as these circumstances may happen. Of the - field-officers of the regiment, I have to state nothing but the - most cordial feelings have ever existed between them and me. - They severally have my entire confidence and good wishes. They - have ever been found at their post, and in readiness for the - most arduous duties. Colonel Ebenezer W. Peirce, who lost an - arm in the battle of White Oak Swamp, has my sympathy, and in - so soon rejoining his regiment for duty, proved his readiness - to be where a soldier should be,--at the head of his regiment. - Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph H. Barnes is a soldier of the true - type, in whom I have a perfect and implicit reliance. Brave - and honorable, he is a credit to his State. Major Charles - Chipman, likewise, is a soldier of first-rate order, and has - borne himself as a true man and a patriot on the field, and as - a pattern to the men of the regiment in all times of trial, - never flinching from any of the duties or responsibilities - of the severest campaigns of modern times. Of the line and - staff officers, I can only state they all perform their duty - becoming true men and brave. Massachusetts need never be - ashamed of such citizens or children. Their identity with the - Irish regiments of my command has been most pleasing, cordial, - and the fraternity of feeling is admirable in the extreme. - Massachusetts shakes hands with her adopted citizens in their - devotion to a common country and a common flag. They will stand - by them together until victory crowns their endeavors, and - harmony is restored to the Union. - - “As an incident of the cordial feeling existing in this - brigade towards their brother soldiers of the Massachusetts - Twenty-ninth Volunteers, I have to state that at a meeting of - the officers of the old New York regiments, held some time - since, they voted to their brother soldiers of the Twenty-ninth - Massachusetts Volunteers a green banner, emblematical of the - particular brigade in which they so honorably serve, and of - the cordiality of feeling which exists between them. This - banner is now on its way, and will shortly be presented to the - Twenty-ninth by General Edwin V. Sumner, a commander proud of - the Irish Brigade, and a son of old Massachusetts. - - “The only way that I know His Excellency can aid this fine - regiment, is by filling it up to the maximum standard by her - native and adopted sons. - - “I have the honor to be, most obediently and respectfully yours, - - “THOMAS O’NEILL, _Major and A. A. G._, - “For Brig. Gen. THOMAS FRANCIS MEAGHER, _Commanding Irish Brigade_.” - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - - THE WEATHER--ON PICKET NEAR THE RAPPAHANNOCK--THE “MUD - EXPEDITION”--THE NINTH COUPS AT NEWPORT NEWS--THE REGIMENT - GOES TO KENTUCKY--RECEPTION AT CINCINNATI--LIFE IN PARIS, - KY.--SCOUTING--MARCH TO SOMERSET, KY. - - -January came in with a series of pleasant days, but with heavy frosts -at night. On the 10th, however, there was a cold rain-storm, and the -weather which immediately followed this furnishes a good idea of the -character of a Virginia winter. Before the next morning, the wind -changed to the north, freezing hard the wet earth; before noon of the -11th, the sun came out bright and warm, and, in the course of a few -hours, the ground was like a quagmire, and the roads almost impassable. -The first day of the year was made a holiday for the army. - -January 5, a detail was made from the regiment for picket duty on the -river, consisting of two commissioned officers and sixty-five enlisted -men. Captain Tripp, who had charge of part of the pickets on this day, -gives an excellent account in his diary of what he saw of the enemy’s -lines. With the assistance of a powerful field-glass, the day being -fine and the atmosphere free from fog, he could discern the enemy’s -entire position. As far down the river as the aided eye could reach, -were seen their camps and camp-fires: this was the Confederate right -wing. Westward were numerous columns of smoke rising up out of the -woods, denoting the presence of a large army. As the glass was turned a -little farther in the latter direction, the eye fell upon a collection -of fresh-looking mounds, under which reposed the gallant dead of -Franklin’s corps; for this was the spot where his soldiers fought so -bravely, and where so many went down in the storm of the battle. Near -the place where Franklin crossed the river on the morning of the 13th -of December, were long lines of entrenchments, while still nearer -the bank were numerous rifle-pits, and, gathered about them, squads -of Confederate soldiers, clad in their butternut uniforms, closely -watching our lines. Yonder was a brick house, having the appearance of -the headquarters of a general, for about it stood a number of horses, -and arriving and departing were several mounted orderlies. Directly -in front of the building was a battery of brass field-pieces. In the -rear of the house, on rising ground, were two redoubts and a line of -entrenchments. Then, in another direction, were seen the ruins of the -railroad bridge, which once during the battle was gained and held by -our troops, but which they finally yielded after a desperate struggle. - -A little at the left of the town was a large house, riddled with shot -and shell, the red flag placed there by our surgeons still flying -from its roof. At some distance in the rear of this house rose a high -hill, crowned with a line of entrenchments having embrasures for ten -guns, and behind all these, still a higher hill with five redoubts, -at the right of which were three more redoubts, with embrasures for -four guns, the several redoubts being so arranged as to enfilade the -fire of each other. This whole region was, in short, a network of -powerful fortifications, intricate and impregnable,--a fact which shows -how difficult was the task of General Burnside, and makes still more -prominent the bravery of our soldiers of the Army of the Potomac, who, -on that cold December morning, moved forward to the hopeless assault -with cheers. - -During the day of the 5th, some of the pickets belonging to our -regiment endeavored to start a conversation with the Confederate -pickets, on the opposite bank, but without much success. Finally, one -of our soldiers asked the Confederates the name of their regiment; the -inquiry was answered by writing on a piece of white paper, in large -black characters, “17th Virginia,” and holding it up to view. This -encouraged another of our soldiers to make a boat of a piece of board, -rig it with a rude sail, freight it with coffee and newspapers, and -send it across to the enemy’s side. After a little delay, the boat was -returned, loaded with Virginia tobacco and late Richmond papers. - -It often happened, after the first year of the war, that the troops -were not regularly paid. This was occasioned chiefly by the unsettled -condition of the army, and its frequent movements. At the time of which -we are speaking, the regiment had not received any pay for a series of -months; and although it may not be readily understood by the general -reader how soldiers could make much use of money in the army, where -they were provided with food and clothing, yet they were always in need -of something which the Government did not furnish, and there were few -situations in which the opportunities to spend money were not equal to -the soldier’s means. The few provident ones who always contrived to -save their wages,--some with a view to speculate in a small way,--had -plenty of chances, during such times of financial embarrassment as -this, to loan money at high rates of interest. This loaning of money -was a very common practice among the soldiers, and the careful accounts -which they kept with each other, and the character of some of the -charges made, were extremely ludicrous. The writer remembers of having -seen one of these accounts, which had on a single page twenty charges, -none of which exceeded ten cents, and several were as small as one -cent. This was not, however, because the soldiers were penurious, but -because their pay was small, and each had plenty of uses for the little -money he received. - -On the night of the 16th, the regiment received orders to “pack up,” -and be ready, with three days’ cooked rations, to move at an early hour -on the following morning. Everybody was out bright and early the next -morning, completing arrangements for the expected march, for it was -no slight task to prepare a regiment to move, especially after it had -been long settled in camp. A day of excitement was passed; but yet the -order to march did not come. No one knew what was contemplated, though -everybody surmised that it was another forward movement, and as usual, -when there was a prospect of a fight, the men retired at night singing -patriotic songs with new life and vigor. - -Sunday the 18th went by in very much the same manner as the day before. -During the morning, however, Franklin’s grand division moved up the -river, all in high spirits. This heightened the excitement in camp, and -gave still greater force to the rumor of a forward movement, which was -fully confirmed at night by the reading, on dress-parade, of General -Burnside’s order, announcing to the army that it was once more going to -meet the enemy in battle. - -Monday morning came, and with it a storm of wind and rain, which -increased as the night approached. At three o’clock the next morning, -orders were received that in consequence of the storm, the tents would -not be struck till specially ordered. There was no improvement in the -weather during the three succeeding days; and on the 21st, it was -generally understood that the whole movement was abandoned. Such proved -to be the fact, and, on the 22d, the trains and troops began to return; -that is, that portion of them which managed to get out of the mud, for -much of the artillery, and some of the heavy wagons, could not be moved -for several days. The enemy in large force were encountered at Banks’s -Ford, and it was reported that one of their skirmishers hailed one of -our skirmishers with the facetious inquiry of why we didn’t come before -it rained, as they had been patiently waiting for us for several days. -This movement was generally known as the “Mud Expedition.” - -On the 26th, General Burnside was relieved of his command of the army -by General Hooker. On the 28th, Major Chipman rejoined the regiment, -after several months’ absence caused by sickness. On the last day of -January, Major M. S. Stone, the new paymaster, made his appearance, for -the purpose of paying off the regiment, causing great rejoicing, but -for some reason, did not pay the entire amount then due the members. - -February 5, the regiment received orders to be ready to embark for -Fortress Monroe without delay. Major-General William F. Smith relieved -General Sedgwick in command of the Ninth Corps, and was ordered to -report with that corps to General Dix. February 8, General Burns was -relieved of his command of the division, and was succeeded by General -Willcox; on the same day there was a temporary change in the command -of two of the companies of the regiment; Captain Brooks being relieved -of the command of Company D and ordered to Company G, and Captain -Richardson assuming command of Company D. - -The departure of the regiment did not take place till the 12th of -the month, though each day it had received orders to march, which -were as often countermanded as issued. The men were aroused at four -o’clock in the morning of the 12th, and at five o’clock marched to -Falmouth Station, where, after some delay, they took the cars for -Aquia Creek Landing, arriving there before noon. At this place the -regiment embarked on the transport steamer “Hero,” which also took on -board Company B of the Twenty-seventh New Jersey Regiment, a squad of -the One Hundred and Third New York Volunteers, several of the corps -officers, and for freight fifty horses and several tons of baggage; -the steamer also towed down into the bay a schooner laden with mules -and army wagons. At night it was rough weather, the wind blew hard, -and the transport came to anchor off “Piney Point,” starting again -the next morning. Before night of the 13th, the steamer had entered -Hampton Roads, and come to anchor under the walls of the old fortress. -Soon after arriving, Colonel Barnes, then in command of the regiment, -went ashore for orders, but received none, making it necessary for -the officers and men to spend another night on the crowded transport. -On the morning of the 14th, the Colonel again went ashore, and this -time received orders to report to General Willcox at Newport News. -After some delay, the transport steamed up the James River, and at -two o’clock in the afternoon the regiment landed and marched through -the fortifications, halting on the banks of the river and forming its -camp not far from the old “Brick House.” The barracks erected by the -Battalion in the autumn of 1861 had been torn down. With this exception -Newport News looked very familiar, and one of the officers remarked at -the time, “It seems as though the war is over, and we have all at last -returned home.” - -By a strange combination of circumstances, the regiment had now been -brought to this distant camp for the third time in its history. Its -first service here was in 1861, when it knew nothing of war or its -hardships; the second at the close of the exhaustive Peninsular -campaign; and this, the third, at the close of three other campaigns, -in each of which it had reaped its full share of glory and suffering. -Newport News had become a camp of no mean proportions; in the river -was lying a formidable fleet of war-vessels, among them the “Galena,” -and one double-turreted monitor. “Merrimack No. 2,” then at Richmond, -and occasionally showing itself far up the river, as if it was about -to make a raid upon our shipping in Hampton Roads, was doubtless the -principal cause of this assemblage of the navy, though a military camp -could not safely be maintained here, with the enemy in possession of -Richmond and the opposite shore, without the aid of one or more vessels -of war. A small burial-yard had been established some months before -the regiment left Newport News, in May, 1862; but now it had grown to -be a mammoth city of the dead; a large portion of the plain between -the old camp of the Twentieth New York Regiment and the signal station -was covered with soldiers’ graves. Soon after the arrival of the -Ninth Corps at Newport News, General Getty’s division was transferred -to Suffolk, where the enemy under Longstreet were making serious -demonstrations. This withdrawal of Getty’s division reduced the corps -to two divisions,--one under the command of General Orlando B. Willcox, -and the other under General Samuel D. Sturgis; and the corps was -commanded by Major-General John G. Parke. - -While the regiment was here, the following commissions were issued: -First Lieutenant Abram A. Oliver as Captain, from January 10, 1863; -Second Lieutenant J. O’Neil as First Lieutenant, from November 1, 1862; -Second Lieutenant John M. Deane as First Lieutenant; Sergeant-Major -Hunting as Second Lieutenant. The reception of a commission was made -the occasion of a pleasant social gathering among the officers, and -certain things were done in connection with the affair which in the -army were termed “pinching the commission.” Although our knowledge of -the nature of these proceedings is somewhat limited, yet we should -judge that some term of a liquid nature would express their character -better than “pinching.” There had been several changes among the -officers of the regiment prior to this, that should be mentioned at -this time. Surgeon Brown left the regiment early in 1862; Assistant -Surgeon Cogswell was made Surgeon, August 7, 1862, and Albert Wood -of Tewksbury, Assistant Surgeon, July 31, 1862; James C. Bassett, -Assistant Surgeon, August 20, 1862; First Lieutenant Alfred O. -Brooks, Captain, December 6, 1862; First Lieutenant Daniel W. Lee, -Captain, January 14, 1863; Second Lieutenant Charles A. Carpenter, -First Lieutenant, September 13, 1862; Second Lieutenant George W. -Taylor, First Lieutenant, September 13, 1862; Second Lieutenant -Augustus D. Ayling, First Lieutenant, December 6, 1862; Second -Lieutenant Henry S. Braden, First Lieutenant, January 27, 1863; -Second Lieutenant John B. Pizer, First Lieutenant, January 11, 1863; -Second Lieutenant William W. Pray, First Lieutenant, January 14, -1863; Second Lieutenant James H. Atherton, First Lieutenant, March -22, 1863; Sergeant Peter Winsor, Second Lieutenant, September 13, -1862; Sergeant George H. Long, Second Lieutenant, November 23, 1862; -Sergeant George W. Pope, Second Lieutenant, December 6, 1862; Sergeant -Thomas Conant, Second Lieutenant, December 6, 1862; Sergeant William -H. Phillips, Second Lieutenant, November 2, 1862; Sergeant George -D. Williams, Second Lieutenant, January 27, 1863; Sergeant Frank -Goodwin, Second Lieutenant, January 11, 1863; Sergeant William F. -Pippey, Second Lieutenant, January 14, 1863; Sergeant Thomas F. Darby, -Second Lieutenant, March 22, 1863; Sergeant Chas. G. Boswell, Second -Lieutenant, March 22, 1863. - -On the 25th of February, the corps was reviewed on the old -parade-ground--where the Twenty-ninth had often drilled in times -past--by General John A. Dix, then in command of the department of -Fortress Monroe, the review occupying from ten o’clock in the morning -till three o’clock in the afternoon. The corps was destined for active -service in the West, and the six weeks spent at this place were almost -wholly occupied by company and regimental drills. No duty in the army -was so odious to the veteran as that of drilling; he considered it the -worst form of the “red tape” regulations of military life, and always -went about it reluctantly. There was no little ground for this belief; -the majority of the soldiers were very proficient in these matters, and -when their pride was strongly appealed to, they never failed to acquit -themselves creditably. - -On the evening of March 17, there was great excitement in camp because -of an order from headquarters for each man to be supplied with forty -rounds of cartridges and twenty extra rounds, two days’ cooked rations -and two days’ uncooked, and the regiment to be ready to move at a -moment’s warning. This gave the rumor manufacturers plenty of business; -immediately the story spread through the camp that the troops were to -move up the Peninsula; that the Army of the Potomac was falling back -to Aquia Creek; and another, that the corps was going to Suffolk; and -while these wild stories were passing from mouth to mouth, an order -came countermanding that part of the former order in regard to the -cooking of rations. There was a slight abatement of the excitement for -two days, when (19th) the regiment struck its tents and marched down to -the Landing, expecting to go on board the steamer “City of Richmond,” -which was lying in the river. Only a part of the officers and men went -on board the boat that night, the rest taking up their quarters in -the old log barracks formerly occupied by the Second New York. Those -who remained on shore had a cold, wet time, for it snowed hard all -night and part of the next day. Every preparation having been made, on -Saturday the 21st, the balance of the regiment went on board, and in -the afternoon of the same day the boat started down the river. Colonel -Pierce, who had long been absent in Massachusetts, and Captain Leach, -who had but recently recovered from his sickness, contracted in June, -1862, joined the regiment this day; and Major Chipman, whose health -had again become seriously impaired, left for home on a short leave of -absence, Captain Doten assuming the duties of Major. - -On the 23d, the steamer reached Baltimore, and the regiment immediately -took the cars for the West, travelling all night, and the next morning -reaching Harper’s Ferry, where a pause of two hours was made for -breakfast. After leaving Harper’s Ferry everything was new to the -men, many seating themselves upon the tops of the cars in order to -get a better view of the country. Massachusetts soldiers could not -be satisfied with passing through any section of the country for the -first time without being close observers of every house and garden on -the route, and every striking feature of natural scenery; the letters -of the comrades written about this time are filled with interesting -accounts of their journey. They were passing through a region where -the people were loyal to the old flag, and as the train swept along, -the occupants of the houses and the lonely forest huts greeted them by -waving their hats and shouting words of welcome. Whenever a pause was -made at the villages, the people turned out in mass and treated the -troops with food and drink; at Grafton, West Virginia, some of the men -made the important discovery that whiskey was selling at the moderate -price of five cents a glass. - -On the 25th, the train reached Parkersburg, on the Ohio River, and -here the regiment left the cars and embarked on the river-boat -“Eclipse,” for Cincinnati. The sail on the river, which occupied about -twenty-four hours, was greatly enjoyed. Though there were other New -England and Eastern regiments in the Ninth Corps, yet it is stated -that the Twenty-ninth was the first from either of these sections -to enter the department of the West during the war. The fact that -Massachusetts ranked first among all the States of the Union in its -devotion to the cause of the Government, as well as its prominence in -the earliest days of the war, added greatly to the curiosity of the -people of Cincinnati to look upon a regiment bearing the time-honored -and historic Pine-tree flag; when the steamer, therefore, hauled up -to the levees in that city, and it became known that she had on board -a Massachusetts regiment, thousands of people left their homes and -thronged about the landing, eager to obtain a glance at the soldiers. -What is still more pleasant to record, is the fact that the thousands -of men and women who had gathered here were actuated by a better -motive than mere curiosity, as nearly every one seemed eager to confer -some favor upon the soldiers. The giving of food, which is always the -first prompting of human hospitality, was the principal thought of the -people; and as the men filed off the steamer and marched up the broad -avenue into the city, they were feasted at every step. The regiment -proceeded to a large hall, where a banquet of the most substantial -character was spread before them; and when the dinner was over, the -committee of citizens under whose direction it had been served, bid the -soldiers take with them to the steamer the remnants of the feast. The -appearance which they presented as they marched down to the boat, every -soldier bubbling with joy and satisfaction, and carrying in his hands -or slung over his shoulder a loaf of bread or a large ham, was indeed -very ludicrous, and furnished an occasion for much mirth. During their -brief stay in the city, several of the officers availed themselves of -the opportunity of doing a little trading at the stores, which were -well filled with a fine assortment of goods. One of these relates the -following incident: Knowing that the regiment was going again into -the field, he obtained a prescription from the Medical Director for -several varieties of medicines needed by soldiers in that climate. -Taking his prescription to one of the best druggists in the city, it -was faithfully filled; but when he presented the druggist with money, -was blandly told by the latter, that they “took no pay from Union -soldiers at that store.” The same officer made other purchases, such as -clothing, and in every instance received the articles either at cost or -gratuitously. At that time troops were constantly entering and leaving -the city, and every incoming and outgoing regiment was treated in this -liberal manner. - -On the evening of the day alluded to (March 26), the regiment crossed -the Ohio and landed at Covington, Ky., where, after a brief delay, -on the same night, it took the cars on the Kentucky Central Railroad -and started for Paris, eighty miles distant. A night’s ride brought -the regiment to the outskirts of the city, but it did not enter the -place till the third day of April following. On the way to Paris, two -companies were left at one of the railroad stations, where they served -as a guard for several days, finally joining the regiment in Paris. - -The entire corps had been ordered into Kentucky for the sole purpose -of repressing the operations of certain bodies of guerillas under -the notorious partisans, Morgan, Wheeler, Pegram, Clute, and others. -These bands had for more than a year previous to the arrival of the -Ninth Corps, been constantly engaged in raiding over this portion of -Kentucky, known as the “Blue Grass” region, the most fertile part of -the State, and consisted of bodies of irregular volunteer cavalry, -principally Kentuckians. These guerillas made it their object to -plunder every Union man within their reach, of cattle, horses, and -grain, and conveying the captured property into the lines of the -Confederate General Bragg; in other words, they were engaged in -foraging for the Confederate army. When pursued, they would retire -into the mountain fastnesses of East Tennessee and Southwestern -Virginia, where they became reasonably secure from molestation. - -Only a year before the arrival of General Burnside at Cincinnati, these -irregular Confederate troops were in occupation of Paris and other -places in central Kentucky, and lorded over the people in the most -despotic manner, persecuting the Unionists, laying contributions upon -them whenever their fancy or avarice dictated; and although some of the -larger places, such as Paris and Somerset, had been for some months -garrisoned by Federal troops, yet these guerilla bands were moving over -the country far and near, sometimes even dashing up to our picket lines -and firing upon them. - -Here and there throughout the region were wealthy planters, who, from -the selfish desire to save their property, or from fealty to the -Confederate cause, harbored and protected these roving bands, giving -them food and quarters. These persons who harbored armed enemies were -included in the terms of the famous General Order, No. 38, issued by -General Burnside, and by the terms of that order were reckoned as spies -and traitors. The particular clause which covered these planters was as -follows: “All persons within our lines, who harbor, protect, conceal, -feed, clothe, or in any way aid the enemies of our country.” - -The camp of the regiment was formed quite near the village, and in the -vicinity of two important railroad bridges. Its location also commanded -the Lexington Road, over which large amounts of stores were daily -transported. On Sunday the 29th, a large majority of the men marched -with their officers to church, in the village, an incident that at once -gave them a high reputation among the good people of the town, and -opened the way for the very friendly relations that afterwards existed -between them and the inhabitants. On the first of April, an order -came for the regiment to pack up and march to Lexington, capital of -Fayette County, twenty-five miles south of Paris, on the Covington and -Lexington Railroad, and General Ferrero’s brigade was to take the place -of the Twenty-ninth and the other troops at Paris. At this juncture, -the kind feelings of the citizens for the regiment served it in good -stead; for as soon as it became known that it had been ordered away, a -meeting of the people of the town was called, at which it was decided -to request General Burnside to countermand the order. A telegram to -this effect was sent to him, and this generous action was supplemented -by the circulation of a petition of the same import, which, after being -numerously signed by the citizens, was at their request forwarded to -the General at Cincinnati, by a committee headed by one Dr. Griffin. -The petition was favorably considered, and General Ferrero’s brigade -was sent to Lexington instead. On the 3d of April, the regiment moved -into the town, seven of the companies occupying the court-house, and -the others adjoining buildings. Colonel Pierce was given charge of the -post, and Colonel Barnes had command of the regiment, with his quarters -near the court-house. - -The people of Paris were intelligent and cultured, and the place was -the residence of some of the finest and the wealthiest old families in -the State. The Hon. Garrett Davis, United States Senator from Kentucky, -Cassius M. Clay, and Brutus Clay, had their homes here; and among many -others worthy of mention were Major Duncan, a most intense Unionist, -Drs. Griffin and Barnes, and the mayor of the town. All these gentlemen -became much devoted to the officers and men of the regiment, and showed -them numerous attentions. Mr. Davis repeatedly called in person upon -Colonel Barnes, and cordially invited both him and his officers to -dine; and Major Duncan and many other citizens did the same. It was but -natural that these educated people of Paris, who had been accustomed -to associate a uniform with a guerilla or a loafer, should, upon -acquaintance, have had their feelings of respect for the soldiers of -Massachusetts greatly increased, for they found, even in the ranks, -graduates of our high schools, academies, and normal schools; and among -the officers, several graduates of colleges, gentlemen of the learned -professions, of the trades, and of the arts. - -One of the duties imposed upon the regiments here was to break up and -capture the marauding bands of which we have spoken, and to arrest -every person who aided or abetted their lawless acts. Two or three -of the persons who had been conspicuous for their excesses had been -singled out by name, and their arrest expressly directed by the -commander of the department. It was in pursuance of these directions -that several expeditions were formed from time to time, one of which we -deem of sufficient importance to describe with considerable detail. - -On Saturday the 4th of April, Colonel Barnes received information that -a small party of guerilla chiefs, who had been engaged for some time -past in firing upon our videttes, killing and wounding several, were -quartered at the house of one Talbut, a wealthy farmer, who lived -several miles from Paris. Just after nightfall of the 4th, the Colonel -called for twenty volunteers to accompany him on a secret expedition. -The men readily volunteered, and, together with Lieutenants Ripley, -Taylor, and Long, and a guide, the party started upon their excursion. -The night was not altogether favorable for such an enterprise, as the -moon was shining brightly, and every object upon the white, shelly -roads could be seen at a long distance. After proceeding several -miles on the pike, they reached a covered bridge. The guide informed -the officers that the house of Talbut was on the opposite side of -the river, and close by. To facilitate the surprise, and create as -little bustle as possible in the neighborhood, which was known to be -the favorite haunt of a large body of the guerillas, the officers -dismounted and picketed their horses in the bushes near the stream, and -all silently passed over the bridge. The house of Talbut, a large farm -mansion, sat back from the highway an eighth of a mile, while between -the house and the road was an extensive corn-field. - -The guide pointed out the place, and a sergeant and squad of men were -directed to proceed carefully to the house and guard each door and -window; and when this was done, Colonel B. and Lieutenant Ripley, -and several of the men, went up to the front door and knocked. After -some delay, Mr. Talbut came to the door and demanded to know who was -there. Colonel B. replied, “Federal officers.” Talbut said he should -decline to admit them. The house was immediately entered, however, and -in the front room was found a bed, and lying in it a whiskered man, -apparently fast asleep. “Who is this?” Answer: “A Mr. Sullivan from -Ohio, the teacher of our village school; he is our boarder.” “Get -up, Mr. Sullivan, and dress yourself!” was the command; and a guard -was left in the room to see that the order was obeyed. Then followed -a search of the other rooms, which promised to be fruitless, the -party once giving it up and returning with the family to the lower -part of the house, Mrs. Talbut in the meantime engaging the officers -in conversation, endeavoring to encourage the belief in their minds -that her husband was a strong Unionist, while both herself and her -daughter sympathized with the Confederates, though she protested that -they had never in a single instance given them aid or shelter. Upon -consultation, the officers concluded to make another search, and -calling for a light, ascended the stairs. Going into one of the back -chambers, they discovered a small door in one corner of the room, that, -upon examination, proved to open into a clothes-closet. The place was -dark, and the small hand-lamp threw but a feeble ray of light into the -room. Colonel B. took a musket from one of the guard, and thrusting -the bayonet upwards to the ceiling, removed a scuttle door. Mr. Talbut -was then called up-stairs to explain matters. He became much excited, -and exhorted the officers not to enter the closet with the lamp, and -insisted that there was no room above the one they were in. A chair and -table were brought, and a soldier climbed up through the opening in the -ceiling; the lamp was handed to him, and after some delay he discovered -two men crouching under the eaves. He called to them, but they made no -answer, evidently thinking that the soldier called at random, as it was -difficult to distinguish objects in the dim light. “Order them down, -and if they refuse, shoot them!” shouted the Colonel. “I surrender! -don’t shoot!” cried some one in the attic, who began crawling on his -hands and knees towards the scuttle, and, with the assistance of the -soldier, came down. This man had been wounded in one of his legs, and -upon being questioned, confessed that he belonged to Colonel Clute’s -guerillas, and had been wounded only a few days before while attempting -to pick off the Federal pickets near Paris. The second command brought -from his hiding-place a tall, well-built, proud-looking man of about -thirty-five years, who came down the opening rather leisurely, saying, -“I am only an inoffensive citizen, and I ask why I am hunted in -this way.” “Why do you hide in this way, if you are inoffensive and -guiltless?” was the reply. This was a poser, and elicited no response. -The “inoffensive citizen” was evidently a character. His movements were -quick and nervous, and he seemed to be studying the character of his -pursuers, and measuring his chances of escape. Mr. Talbut was ordered -under arrest, and preparations were being made for immediate departure, -when one of the guard came hurriedly into the house, and, going to the -Colonel, whispered something, and darted back to his post. The soldier -had come in to inform the Colonel that a body of Confederate cavalry -had just that moment driven across a portion of the farm, and some of -them had been seen to go to the stables. Standing at the door were the -whole family, and three prisoners, all talking and protesting their -innocence. Silence was commanded, the wounded prisoner was paroled, -the two others and Talbut were ordered to “fall in,” and the whole -party at once started for camp, making the best time possible, and -arriving at our outer picket station just before the break of day on -Sunday the 5th. No pursuit on the part of the Confederate cavalry was -attempted, or if attempted, was too tardy to be observed, and the -adventurous little band came in safely with their prisoners, who proved -to be of more importance than was then supposed. They were sent to -Cincinnati, where they were tried and convicted by court-martial. The -man “Sullivan” turned out to be an officer in Clute’s guerilla band, -and the “inoffensive citizen” no less a person than a famous spy in the -Confederate service. - -General orders from the headquarters of the department authorized the -taking of private property for military purposes; but in every instance -where such property was taken, the owners were given receipts which -enabled them to recover pay from the Government, on proof of loyalty. -The guerillas, who learned of this practice of our officers, and who -seemed to have had a waggish turn, on one occasion seized a lot of fine -horses belonging to some of the farmers of Bourbon County, and gave the -owners receipts over the forged signature of Colonel J. H. Barnes. - -On the 12th of April, information was brought by one of the Government -spies, that a body of Confederate cavalry was contemplating a raid upon -the Union citizens of Middletown and vicinity. After dark, Colonel -Barnes set off with about one hundred men, and by a rapid march reached -Middletown by daylight the next morning. The Confederates had actually -started upon their raid, but learning of the approach of the Federal -troops, suddenly fled. This affair caused a wide-spread feeling of -alarm among the Unionists, and when our men reached the town, the -greatest excitement prevailed. The people were overjoyed at the arrival -of our troops, and came thronging into the streets to meet them, -each one reciting his or her complaint of abuse and robbery by the -guerillas, and telling their well-grounded fears of future molestation. -This was a new and strange experience for our comrades, and gave -rise to a greater feeling of responsibility than they had ever known -before. The terrible situation of these defenceless people, liable at -any moment to be plundered of all they possessed, and perhaps murdered -also, appealed strongly to the sympathies of the soldiers; and when -the time arrived for them to return to Paris, it was with difficulty -that they could resist the entreaties of the inhabitants of the town to -remain longer. This furnishes a fair illustration of the condition of -things in some of the border States during the late war; families were -divided among themselves, actually at war with each other, and no man -retired at night with a feeling of security. - -Not long after the Middletown affair, orders were received to arrest -three guerilla officers, one of whom was especially notorious. The -parents and wives of two of these men lived some ten miles from Paris, -and it was known that they frequently visited there; several night -expeditions had been planned for capturing them, but without success. -One of these excursions, participated in by twelve mounted officers of -the regiment, nearly resulted in the capture of the officers by the -guerillas, instead of the capture of the guerillas by the officers. On -this occasion, an attempt was made by our officers to search a house -occupied by the family of one of these guerilla chieftains; but as -they were entering one of the chambers, the wife of the hunted enemy -interfered by stating that there was a very sick woman in the room. To -avoid any impropriety whatever, Surgeon Cogswell, who was of the party, -was called to examine that chamber; but he had scarcely stepped over -the threshold, when another of the officers, who was stationed outside -as a guard, came rushing into the house, and gave the alarm that a -large body of horsemen were rapidly approaching. There was no time for -consultation; the same thought, namely, that of getting away from the -premises as soon as possible, came into the minds of all at once, and -away they dashed for the pike road, eighty rods away, and on which the -hostile party was moving. The night was dark, and our officers being -well mounted and good horsemen, managed to make their escape, though -they were several times nearly overtaken. The good-hearted Doctor -probably never left the house of a sick person in so much haste as he -did that night. - -On the 16th of April, the Paymaster arrived, and the regiment, to -the great joy of the men, received four months’ pay, ending March -1. At about this time there were some changes made in the roster -of the regiment: First Lieutenant Nathan D. Whitman was appointed -Quartermaster; First Lieutenant Henry S. Braden, Acting Adjutant; and -Sergeant George H. Morse of Company C, Sergeant-Major. - -Several public sales of negro slaves had been advertised since the -regiment had arrived in Paris, but only one actually occurred. This -was witnessed by a number of the men, and it made such an impression -upon them, that they moralized upon the subject in their letters and -diaries. This sale took place in connection with some mules and other -stock, which seemed to add to its offensiveness. - -On the 25th of April, the regiment received orders to join its brigade, -but did not march till noon of the following day. The departure of the -regiment again brought forth many expressions of kind feeling from -the people of Paris. “They could not have exhibited more feeling,” -says an officer, “if the regiment had been composed of their own sons, -husbands, and brothers; and the officers and men looked and acted as if -they were leaving home.” - -The regiment, commanded by Colonel Barnes,--Colonel Pierce remaining -in command of Paris,--took cars on the Kentucky Central Railroad to -Nicholasville, and proceeding two miles beyond the town, encamped -for the night. On the morning of the 27th, it broke camp and marched -till four o’clock in the afternoon, spending the night at Camp Dick -Robinson. By successive marches, it proceeded to Lancaster (28th) and -Stanford (29th). At the latter place, the Brigade was found, and after -shaking hands all around, the men, weary from constant marching, lay -down for the night. The following morning the Brigade broke camp, and -after a very fatiguing march of eighteen miles, during which the men -were forced to throw away their knapsacks, went into camp at Carpenters -Creek. The spot occupied by the regiment at this place was very -remarkable in its physical features; the ground where the tents were -pitched was a deep depression in the earth, formed like the bottom of -a bowl, covered with a rich carpet of grass, while surrounding this -vale were steep hills several hundred feet high, the sides of which -were covered with a heavy growth of trees. As a tarry of some five days -was made here, the officers and men occupied the most of their time in -endeavoring to ascertain where they were. One of the officers, in a -letter written here, stated that they were “seven miles this side of -Liberty,” which was probably incorrect, but as near the fact as any of -them reached. The Brigade at this spot was about three miles south of -Houston, nearly fifty miles from any railroad, and was under General -Carter, the major portion of whose command, together with the General -himself, were at this time absent “raiding.” - -Reveille was beaten at one o’clock on the morning of the 5th of May, -and the order given to strike tents and prepare for a long march; a -little coffee was made and some food prepared, and after snatching a -hasty breakfast, the regiment started off in the midst of a drizzling -rain. That day’s march was indeed a hard one; the roads all along the -route were muddy and uneven; at least twenty streams were forded, -and numerous rugged hills (knobs) climbed during the day; the whole -distance performed was not far from twenty miles; and although a march -of this length in Virginia would have proved very monotonous, yet -through this country, unscathed by war, covered with fine farms, and -bearing every evidence of peace and plenty, the journey, though long -and wearisome, was very interesting. The camp was formed at night at -a spot called Fishing Creek. On the following day, during a severe -rain-storm, the regiment marched to within four miles of Somerset, the -capital of Pulaski County, remaining here till Friday the 8th. - -The people living in the country through which the troops had marched -were almost wholly farmers, and favorably disposed towards the -Government, not having been much disturbed by the political excitement -that raged in the large towns and cities of the State. - -Some of the soldiers of the regiment, while resting at this camp, -visited the farm-houses near by, and in nearly every instance were -made welcome, and invited to partake of food. One of the soldiers who -supped with an old farmer named Lester gives the following as the bill -of fare: Warm wheat biscuit, “corn dodgers,” milk, coffee, molasses -(a native production), sugar made from the maple, and plenty of “hog” -(the natives never speak of pork; it is either “hog,” “shote,” or “pig -meat”). The house in which Lester lived was built of logs, and had -but two rooms. All the clothing worn by the family was manufactured -by Mrs. Lester, from wool, flax, and cotton of their own raising; and -after supper she commenced work on a piece of cloth in the loom, and -these Massachusetts soldiers witnessed, for the first time in their -lives, the good old custom which at one time prevailed in every home -throughout New England. The family of Lester was an old-fashioned one -in point of numbers; there were ten children. The average Kentucky -family, however, is about twelve; and on the march from Carpenter’s -Creek, one family was found which numbered nineteen children, -twenty-one heads, including the prolific parents, who were represented -as being very contented with their lot and proud of their family. - -On Friday the 8th, the regiment broke camp and marched to the suburbs -of Somerset, a town of two thousand inhabitants, containing some fine -private residences and several churches. The town had been twice -occupied by the enemy, and many of its citizens plundered of their -property; and although few, if any, of the houses had been burned, yet -an indescribable air of dreariness and loneliness seemed to pervade -the whole place. The citizens appeared to be living under a constant -apprehension of danger, kept themselves concealed in their houses much -of the time, and so nervous were they, that one day when our batteries -were engaged in target practice, the whole population was thrown into -a state of great excitement, under the belief that a battle was in -progress. - -The camping-ground selected for the regiment was on the side of a -hill, near the village, in the immediate neighborhood of which were -other troops, two light batteries, one of mountain howitzers, the -Twenty-seventh New Jersey Infantry, and a portion of Colonel Woodford’s -Kentucky Cavalry. The latter was a very singular body of troops, and -had a fame that extended throughout both Kentucky and Tennessee; it has -been said that every name on its roll was represented by three men, -two of whom were always at home, tending and watching their own and -their companions’ crops. Their service in the regiment was by turns, -relieving each other as do guards. This peculiar method of rendering -military service was practicable, because the regiment rarely left -the State, and was necessary on account of the constant liability of -devastating raids of guerilla bands among the farming districts. Every -man in this famous regiment was a rare character, and its commander -pre-eminently so. Some of the orders which this officer was accustomed -to give to his men could scarcely be found in any manual of tactics, -the following being a specimen: “Prepare to git onto yeer creeturs! -Git!” instead of, “Prepare to mount! Mount!” - -There were still other troops in this vicinity beside those already -mentioned, and it was generally supposed at the time that the -Government could, with a few hours’ warning, concentrate at least -20,000 troops here. - -A force of Confederates, variously estimated as to strength, was on -the south bank of the Cumberland River, four miles from Somerset. The -north bank of the stream was kept constantly and well picketed, and -occasionally the river was crossed by our troops, and a raid made into -the enemy’s lines. One of these expeditions, made by the Twenty-seventh -New Jersey, of Christ’s Brigade, was attended by a painful accident; -the stream was very rapid, and when the regiment was returning, one -of the flat-boats capsized, and thirty-three men, one captain, and one -lieutenant were drowned. - -The mails had been extremely irregular, and the soldiers felt quite -lonesome and unhappy in consequence; they were in truth more isolated -from the rest of the world than ever before in their service. There -being no railroad nearer than eighty miles, it was seldom that they saw -a newspaper, or obtained any reliable intelligence of passing events -at the various seats of war. All the rations for the entire army were -drawn in wagons from Stanford, a town in Lincoln County, thirty-five -miles away; and as no food could be bought in Somerset, the men were -obliged to subsist wholly upon army rations; a real blessing to them, -but it was nevertheless counted as a great hardship. - -On the 12th of May, the regiment received orders to march, and each -man was required to have two days’ rations in his haversack; but they -did not march. The order doubtless originated from one of the numerous -alarms which were constantly stirring up excitement, the Confederate -General Morgan being south of the Cumberland with a considerable force -of cavalry and mounted infantry. - -On the 25th, a more serious alarm arose; the enemy crossed the river -and captured about forty of Colonel Woodford’s cavalry while the latter -were on picket. One of the regiments of the Brigade was sent to the -river with the howitzers; but the enemy made their escape. - -While the regiment was in camp at this place, Captain Thomas W. Clarke -reported for duty, after several months’ absence from sickness; and -here, also, Assistant Surgeon Jameson joined us for the first time. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - - THE REGIMENT LEAVES SOMERSET AND IS ORDERED TO - VICKSBURG--MARCH OVER THE COUNTRY TO NICHOLASVILLE--RECEPTION - AT PARIS, KY.--GOES TO CINCINNATI--THE JOURNEY TO CAIRO - AND MEMPHIS--DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI--A BRUSH WITH THE - GUERILLAS--SIEGE OF VICKSBURG AND SURRENDER OF THE CITY--THE - “DAILY CITIZEN.” - - -It seems to have been understood, from the day the regiment reached -Somerset till it was finally ordered away, that its stay there was -to be brief; scarcely a day passed that was not attended with rumors -that the regiment was going to Paris, Cincinnati, Vicksburg, and many -other places. Towards the latter part of May, all the sick of the -Brigade were sent to Lexington, Ky., and an order promulgated reducing -each officer’s baggage to thirty pounds (they were formerly allowed -eighty), and restraining the enlisted men from carrying more than a -single change of underclothing. On the 3d of June, another order came -for the regiment to be ready to march at a moment’s notice, the men to -take eight days’ rations. The movement was begun on the 4th, at about -daylight in the morning, resulting in a long march (eighteen miles), -and terminating at Waynesborough, in Lincoln County,--a little hamlet -containing one tavern, three whiskey-shops, and five dwelling-houses. -The pause here was only for the night, and the distance accomplished -was but a small part of the long and weary journey yet to be performed. - -On the morning of the 5th of June, the regiment was again ordered -forward, making a brief halt at noon for dinner at a place known as -“Hall’s Gap,” a pass in the mountains. The entire line of march from -Somerset, north, lay through that portion of Kentucky so famous for -its beautiful landscapes; some of the finest of these views were had -from the summits of the hills. The plains were covered with extensive -fields of waving wheat of a bright emerald hue, and large areas of the -famous blue grass, the varied shades of green contrasting richly with -each other, and especially with the patches of red soil where the young -corn was growing. Here and there, in the midst of this vegetation, -were comfortable-looking farm-houses, surrounded by groups of towering -sugar-maples in full leaf, the whole forming a picture of peace and -beauty very tempting to the eyes of the foot-sore soldiers. - -A march of three hours in the afternoon brought the regiment to -Stanford, where it went into camp for the night, upon the same ground -which it had occupied on the 29th of April. Here the Paymaster met the -regiment and paid off the men, and here also a large mail was received. -There was considerable straggling during the following day, the men -not being contented to subsist upon the wholesome rations of the -army; and having plenty of money, strayed about the country, visiting -the farm-houses, buying milk and home-made bread. At night, when the -regiment halted at Camp Dick Robinson, it was met by its sutler, -one Mr. Sheepe, who had learned that the men were in funds, and had -provided himself with a large stock of pies, cakes, and other “’lection -truck.” He had been told only the day before that he must not sell -intoxicating liquors; but despite these orders, the audacious Sheepe -galloped off to a neighboring town and procured about eight dozens of -Kentucky whiskey, which he now offered for sale, actually disposing of -nearly a case at the enormous price of three dollars a bottle before -the fact of his transgression became known at headquarters. Military -law was often executed with as much swiftness as it was made; it was so -in this case, and the greedy sutler’s unscrupulous speculation came to -a speedy and profitless conclusion. The officer of the day (a member -of the regiment) was equal to the occasion; the sutler’s team was -instantly seized, and a guard set over it; Colonel Barnes was informed, -and the officer of the day was directed to destroy the whiskey. Every -remaining bottle was broken, and the contents spilled on the ground, -the entire regiment and the most of the Brigade being deeply-interested -spectators. The other goods were confiscated. - -During the march of Sunday the 7th, the regiment acted as rear guard, -and passed through a region which was more thickly settled than that -already traversed. As was often the case on a long march, the soldiers -were ignorant of the fact that this was the Lord’s Day, only being -reminded of it by passing a church just as the congregation was -dismissed. - -Early in the afternoon Nicholasville was reached, and here the column -halted for the rest of the day. A distance of seventy-one miles had -been performed in less than four days, making an average march of over -eighteen miles each day. Nicholasville was on the line of the railroad, -and at an early hour on the morning of the 8th the men were aroused and -ordered to take the cars for Cincinnati. - -The people of Paris had learned that the regiment was to pass through -their city, and they at once made preparations to receive them on a -generous scale. The houses were gayly trimmed with flags and bunting, -and a large concourse of people assembled at the depot. When the train -arrived, the soldiers were greeted with hearty cheers, and invited -to partake of a tempting collation prepared expressly for them. The -pause here was very brief,--only an hour,--and by five o’clock that -afternoon, the regiment was for the second time in Cincinnati, meeting -with a reception scarcely less cordial than their first, and partaking -of a good supper at the celebrated Market Building, the soldiers’ -restaurant. It was generally known in the city that the regiment and -its brigade had been ordered to join the besieging army of Vicksburg, -and the desire of the people to see those who were bound on such -an important mission, as also to render them some kindness, was so -great, that they thronged around the building where the soldiers were -supping in such numbers, that, when the time came for the regiment to -leave, it was impossible to form the line in the streets. As soon as -the men emerged from the building, hundreds of people rushed toward -them, offering them food, flowers, and flasks of whiskey. So great was -the confusion thus created, that it required all the efforts of the -officers to form the line, and finally it became necessary to sternly -order the citizens to clear the streets. This being done, the regiment -at once took up its line of march for the depot of the Ohio and -Mississippi Railroad, followed all the way by dense throngs of excited -people. - -Soon after dark, the men took the cars and started on their eventful -journey. The patriotic spirit of the people living along the route -was manifested in a manner that caused the soldiers great joy, and -strengthened their purposes to do their duty; wherever the train -paused, the citizens crowded about the cars and regaled the men with -food and drink; and at several stations, choirs composed of young -ladies stood upon the platforms of the depots, singing patriotic songs -as the train passed by. - -At Washington, in Indiana, the train was stopped at the request of the -people of the town, and a collation served; the committee of ladies -that waited on the soldiers at the tables presented each with a bouquet -and a nice lunch to take with them on their trip. - -On the 10th, the train arrived at Cairo, Ill., and at three o’clock -in the afternoon of the same day the various regiments embarked on -river-boats,--the Twenty-ninth and Roemer’s New York Light Battery on -the steamer “Mariner,”--and started down the Mississippi River. A stop -of nearly three days was made at Memphis, it being supposed that the -Brigade was waiting for orders. While here, the men made the most of -their chance to study the city, strolled about its streets, and talked -with its people. The statue of General Jackson, which stood in one of -the parks, had been mutilated by the mob while the city was occupied by -the Confederates; the historic words of General Jackson, “The Union--It -must and shall be preserved,” inscribed upon its base, having been -removed by a stone-hammer. Memphis was a busy place in those days; -steamers laden with army stores, cotton, and troops, were constantly -arriving and departing; and the city was filled with war rumors of -every description. - -The weather was pretty hot at this time, and the soldiers--whose -destination was Vicksburg, some four hundred miles still farther south, -in the midst of an unhealthy region--dreaded the experience in store -for them, and expressed many hopes that the order sending them there -might be countermanded; but no such good fortune was to be theirs; they -were destined to breathe the poisonous malaria of the swamps of the -Yazoo, infinitely worse than those of the Chickahominy, and share in -the hardships and glories of that wonderful campaign. - -On Sunday the 14th, the steamer “Mariner” and the other transports -cast off from the pier and headed down stream, and now the question -of destination became certain. Two river gunboats (tin-clads, -boats covered with boiler-plate iron, musket but not cannon proof) -accompanied the steamers as convoys, one going in advance, and the -other following, a mile astern. At night the boats tied up to a tree, -at White River Junction, where Sherman made his famous raid. - -The next morning, the steamers cast off and continued their voyage -down the river; Captain Leach was officer of the day, and two of the -companies assigned to guard duty about the decks. The other officers of -the regiment and the most of the men were below, the day being warm, -when suddenly, about ten o’clock in the forenoon, a great commotion -was heard on the upper deck. Colonel Barnes hastened to the deck, and -observed that the transport just ahead of his, having on board a New -York regiment, was sheering off towards the opposite bank, and at -the same time the firing of musketry was heard. The captain of the -boat began at once to get out his iron shutters, or casings, to place -about the wheel-house, as a protection from balls; the commander of -the battery, a fine officer, had taken the precaution to mount one of -his pieces at the bows. The gunboats had become separated from the -transports by quite a distance, and now the bullets were whistling -about the decks of the steamer “Mariner” in a lively manner. A party -of guerillas, concealed under the levee, were attempting, as they had -often done before, to pick off the soldiers. The captain was directed -to run the boat in-shore as close as the depth of water would permit. -The commander of the battery loaded his gun with shell, and as soon as -the boat got within fair range of the bank, fired, the shell exploding -right among the enemy. The shell had no sooner burst, than the -guerillas were seen scampering away, evidently much terrified, and not -a little surprised that what they had taken to be an unarmed transport -was supplied with a savage weapon in the shape of a cannon. This was -the only interruption which the boats encountered during the trip, but -greater watchfulness was afterwards observed. The night of the 16th -was passed near a place called Providence, a very desolate region. On -the afternoon of the arrival here, a strong wind, accompanied by rain, -prevailed, and the boat was blown upon a sand-bar, in which position -it remained the most of the night. - -At daylight on the 17th, the little fleet commenced on the fourth and -last day of the voyage. Towards noon, just as a sharp bend in the river -was passed, the gunboat in advance changed its course, and in a few -minutes the whole fleet had left the Mississippi and was plowing the -dark and sluggish waters of the Yazoo. The land on either side was low -and swampy, covered with a thick growth of cypress and other trees, -from the boughs of which were hanging long locks of greenish gray moss, -giving the place a sombre appearance. In about two hours from this -time, the boats reached a clearing on the right bank, when the white -tents of a vast army were suddenly revealed. This was Snyder’s Bluff, -or Milldale; the troops here encamped forming the extreme right flank -of General Grant’s besieging army before Vicksburg. As the boats neared -the landing, the soldiers on shore came flocking down to the bank to -inspect the new-comers, and observing that their uniforms appeared -to be new, immediately took them to be recently-mustered troops, and -accordingly indulged in some disparaging remarks, little knowing -that they were deriding the sunburnt veterans of the Peninsula, and -the heroes of Antietam,--soldiers whose subsequent services before -Vicksburg and at Jackson those rough but good-hearted men of the West -learned to appreciate. Upon landing, a camp was formed about a fourth -of a mile from the river, the Twenty-ninth occupying a position on the -extreme right of the Brigade. A large portion of the Ninth Corps had -been ordered here from Kentucky, and had arrived a few days in advance -of the Brigade of Colonel Christ. The camp of the corps extended all -the way from Haine’s Bluff to Snyder’s Bluff, and the service at first -required of it was that of observation, rather than direct contact -with the enemy. The army of General Johnston was hovering in the rear -of Vicksburg, ready to strike our besieging army at any exposed and -vulnerable point, and every precaution against such a misfortune became -necessary. - -No sooner had the corps arrived than the work of constructing -fortifications commenced, and two entrenched lines were formed. The -first extended along Oak Ridge, guarding the roads that crossed the -Big Black River; and the second in the rear of the first, extending -from Haine’s to Snyder’s Bluff, through Milldale and the high ground -east of Vicksburg, commanding all the approaches from the north and -east; of this work the regiment did its full share. The weather was -extremely hot, the sky for the most of the time cloudless; and it seems -miraculous that men, natives of a northern clime, should have proved -themselves able to toil under the rays of an almost torrid sun; yet -such was the fact, and, stranger still, the health of the troops was -unexceptionably good while here. - -This labor was not constant, the regiments of the Brigade relieving -each other at regular intervals, and working by details of one and two -hundred men at a time. There was little of any other work to perform -except the necessary camp guard and police service, and consequently -the men had a large amount of “spare time” on their hands; but the -life here was not monotonous, however, for although the corps was -nearly eight miles from Vicksburg, the booming of Grant’s cannon was -distinctly heard night and day, and the camp flooded with startling -rumors. - -The regiment was encamped in the midst of a fruitful region; peaches, -plums, and blackberries were very abundant, and of these the men had -plenty. As an offset to these advantages, there were many poisonous -insects and reptiles. One soldier relates, that, upon awakening one -morning, he found a rattlesnake snugly coiled up under his knapsack, -upon which he had rested his head during the night. It was by no means -seldom that these and other reptiles equally venomous were killed in -and about the camp. - -On Sunday the 28th, the regiment received orders to prepare and keep -constantly on hand five days’ rations and sixty rounds of cartridges, -and to be ready to move at short notice. On the morning of the -following day, it was ordered to pack knapsacks and start immediately; -a distance of five miles was marched, and a halt made beside the road. -Toward night the wind rose to a hurricane, and then came on a severe -storm of rain, with thunder and lightning, actually flooding the earth, -which a few minutes before had been parched and dusty. The storm -continued till morning, and the night was spent in the forest, without -tents. The next day was warm and sultry, and a halt, for the greater -part of it, was made near the place of the previous night’s encampment -for the purpose of proceeding with the formalities of mustering the -regiment for pay. The Twenty-ninth, together with other portions of the -corps, were heading towards Vicksburg, moving along by short and slow -marches till the morning of the 4th of July, when, at an early hour, -the men were hurried out of their tents, and a rapid movement began -in the direction of Grant’s front lines. The corps had approached to -within a short distance of the city, when couriers came riding from -the front bearing the cheering news that Vicksburg had fallen. Then -followed a scene of the wildest joy; the exultant soldiers threw up -their caps and cheered loud and long for Grant and the Union. - -There was now no need of the regiment at the front; indeed, the only -enemy left was at the rear, and a halt was immediately ordered, several -of the officers and men taking advantage of the pause to visit the -captured city. - -At three o’clock in the afternoon, the regiment had orders to march, -and proceeding some four miles towards the Big Black, halted on the -side of a hill. Here the tents were pitched, and during the afternoon -the whole of the division came up and went into camp about the hill. -When the night came on, the celebrations of the day were revived; -each company kindled a huge bonfire, and each man lighted a candle -throughout the whole division. The effect of this illumination was -extremely fine, and in keeping with the grand events of the day. The -members of the regiment who went to Vicksburg returned, giving very -full accounts of the things they had witnessed there, and some of -them brought to camp copies of the “Daily Citizen,” a paper printed -in Vicksburg (for the last time), July 2, 1863. The author has before -him one of these copies, and as it is a very interesting relic of the -war, and tells a part of the story of the siege, he will conclude this -chapter with a description of the paper, and a few quotations from it. - -The Vicksburg “Daily Citizen” was printed during the last part of the -siege (having exhausted its supply of paper) upon any kind of material -available, often appearing upon common brown wrapping-paper. The -specimen in the author’s possession is printed on the plain side of a -piece of common wall-paper, ten inches wide and sixteen inches long. -Among the articles which it contains is an exaggerated account of -General Lee’s campaign in Maryland, from which we quote:-- - - “We lay before our readers in this issue an account of Lee’s - brilliant and successful onslaught upon the abolition hordes, - and show, even from their own record, how our gallant boys of - the cavalry have fleshed their swords to the hilt with their - vaunting foes, and how each musket of our infantry has told - its fatal leaden tale. To-day Maryland is ours, to-morrow - Pennsylvania will be, and the next day Ohio--now midway, like - Mahomet’s coffin--will fall. Success and glory to our arms! God - and right are with us.” - - “ON DIT.--That the great Ulysses--the Yankee - generalissimo, surnamed Grant--has expressed his intention - of dining in Vicksburg on Saturday next, and celebrating the - Fourth of July by a grand dinner, and so forth. When asked if - he would invite General Joe Johnston to join, he said, ‘No, for - fear there will be a row at the table.’ Ulysses must get into - the city before he dines in it. The way to cook a rabbit is - ’first to catch the rabbit.’” - - “VICTIMIZED.--We learned of an instance wherein a - ‘knight of the quill’ and a ‘disciple of the black art,’ with - malice in their hearts and vengeance in their eyes, ruthlessly - put a period to the existence of a venerable feline that - has for a time, not within the recollection of ‘the oldest - inhabitant,’ faithfully performed the duties to be expected - of him, to the terror of sundry vermin in his neighborhood. - Poor defunct Thomas was then prepared, not for the grave, but - for the pot, and several friends invited to partake of a nice - rabbit. As a matter of course, no one would wound the feelings - of another, especially in these times, by refusing a cordial - invitation to dinner, and the guests assisted in consuming the - poor animal with a relish that did honor to their epicurean - tastes. The ‘sold’ assure us the meat was delicious, and that - pussy must look out for her safety.” - - “MULE MEAT.--We are indebted to Major Gillespie for - a steak of Confederate beef, alias mule. We have tried it, - and can assure our friends that, if it is rendered necessary, - they need have no scruples at eating the meat. It is sweet, - savory, and tender, and so long as we have a mule left, we are - satisfied our soldiers will be content to subsist upon it.” - -As stated, the city was surrendered on the morning of the 4th of July, -and the army of General Grant marched in and took possession. Some of -the Federal soldiers who went into the city entered the office of the -“Citizen,” and finding the type for the paper all set in the forms, -added the following note, and struck off a large number of copies, -which were extensively distributed among our troops:-- - - “NOTE (at foot of last column).--July 4, 1863. - - “Two days bring about great changes: the banner of the Union - floats over Vicksburg; General Grant has ‘_caught the rabbit_’; - he has dined in Vicksburg, and he brought his dinner with him. - The ‘Citizen’ lives to see it. For the last time, it appears - on wall-paper. No more will it eulogize the luxury of mule - meat and fricasseed kitten, or urge Southern warriors to such - diet nevermore. This is the last wall-paper edition, and is, - excepting this note, an exact copy of it. It will be valuable - hereafter as a curiosity.” - -The author, deeming this paper a curious chapter in the history of the -siege of Vicksburg, has thought it not improper to quote thus fully -from its columns. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - - THE REGIMENT MARCHES ON JACKSON--JEFFERSON DAVIS’S - HOUSE--SIEGE OF JACKSON--THE REGIMENT UNDER FIRE--EVACUATION OF - THE CITY--A PART OF THE CITY IS BURNT BY THE ENEMY--RETURN TO - VICKSBURG--A HARD MARCH--“FRENCH JOE’S” MULE--THE DEAD OF THE - REGIMENT--RETURN TO CINCINNATI--MARCH OVER CUMBERLAND MOUNTAINS - TO KNOXVILLE, TENN. - - -As soon as the siege was concluded, General Grant immediately turned -his attention to General Johnston, who up to this time had held the -line of the Big Black, watching for a chance to strike our besieging -army. The time had now arrived for the Ninth Corps to perform its part -of the work of that memorable campaign. As soon as General Johnston -learned of Pemberton’s surrender, he began to fall back to Jackson, the -capital of the State. The Ninth Corps under General Parke, together -with General Smith’s division of the Sixteenth Corps, and General W. -T. Sherman’s own corps, all under command of General Sherman, were -ordered by General Grant to pursue the retreating enemy. This movement -began as early as the evening of the 4th of July, but the Brigade of -Colonel Christ did not commence to move till the afternoon of the 7th, -the Twenty-ninth leaving camp at two o’clock in the afternoon. Toward -nightfall the Big Black was reached, the men crossing the river on -a floating bridge which had been constructed by the advance forces. -The march was continued for into the night, no halt being made till -twelve o’clock. The day had been severely hot, and a large number of -the men were left beside the road, where they had fallen, stunned and -bewildered, by the overpowering rays of the sun. When the night came -on, it began to rain, and for a space of two hours the overcharged -clouds poured torrents of water upon the soldiers, who were toiling -along over the muddy roads so faint from exhaustion that they could -scarcely drag one foot after the other. As soon as the halt was made, -fires were kindled, and the men contrived to dry their clothing and -steep a little coffee, the solace of the soldier. That was a wet and -intensely uncomfortable bivouac; there was no recourse left the men -but to spread their rubber blankets upon the flooded earth, and, lying -down upon them, cover themselves with the half of a shelter-tent. They -had barely fallen asleep when the storm broke out afresh, and the rain -came down upon them in great sheets. Sleep was wholly banished, and -huddling around the smouldering fires, the “poor boys” thus passed the -balance of that gloomy night. The day which followed this was also -very hot, and the officers having learned that the troops could not -endure the sun, wisely concluded to allow them to remain quiet till -near nightfall. At four o’clock, P. M., the order came to -break camp, and a long march was performed, the Brigade marching till -one o’clock on the morning of the 9th. On the 9th, the line was formed -as early as six o’clock in the morning; but the men were not hurried -through the day, being allowed to make frequent but brief halts. The -troops halted at nine o’clock in the evening near the plantation of -Jefferson Davis, where the regiment was ordered on guard for the -remainder of the night. - -A part of the regiment on this occasion was posted very near the -house of Davis, and though the men were led by curiosity to visit it, -yet they refrained from destroying the property of this prominent -traitor, or committing any acts unbecoming a regiment of Massachusetts -soldiers. As early as seven o’clock on the following morning, the men -having had no sleep during the preceding night, and scarcely any for -three consecutive nights, the regiment was ordered to start. At two -o’clock that afternoon the rear guard of the retreating enemy was -suddenly encountered, a line of battle was quickly formed, and slight -skirmishing ensued; but the Twenty-ninth, though very near the front, -did not become engaged. Toward evening the Confederates retreated, and -our troops started in pursuit, the Brigade proceeding only about two -miles, when it halted for the night on the plantation of Mr. Hardeman, -on the line of the Mississippi Central Railroad. - -Early the next morning, while the regiments were resting, the order was -given for the Brigade to go to the front, taking position on a ridge -of land upon which stood the State Lunatic Asylum, about five miles -from Jackson. On the previous day, the enemy had occupied this place, -but were driven from it by the First Division under General Welch. The -Confederates on the 11th held another line of works a little nearer the -city of Jackson, but within easy range of this ridge; the place was -thickly wooded, and the Brigade lay concealed among the trees during -the day, the Twenty-ninth supporting Captain Edward’s Rhode Island -Battery, which did but little firing, however. - -When it grew dark, shovels were called into requisition, and every man -in the Brigade was set to work throwing up entrenchments, laboring -till daylight the next morning; but our men were not to be allowed to -enjoy the fruits of their night’s labor, for in the early morning, they -were ordered out of the works, up to the extreme front, in support of -our skirmish line. Fortunately they were not obliged to endure the -scorching rays of the sun, but found shelter in a piece of woods; it -was only a shelter from the sun, however, for the enemy, knowing our -position, poured into the woods a continuous fire of shell, canister, -and spherical case during the whole of the two days that the regiment -was here. The other regiments in the Brigade suffered more or less -loss, but the Twenty-ninth escaped without a single casualty. In -addition to the storm of larger missiles, many of the musket-balls -fired from the enemy’s lines found their way into the woods, and so -severe was the fire, that nearly every tree along our line bore the -marks of the leaden tempest. Many of our comrades had narrow escapes -from death and wounds, one soldier in Company K especially, a ball -passing through his tin dipper, upon which he was resting his head. - -On the morning of the 11th, the Brigade was relieved and ordered to -the rear, resuming its former position near the lunatic asylum; but -in the afternoon of the same day it was again ordered forward, and -again supported Captain Edward’s battery. Here it remained till the -morning of the 16th, when an advance of the whole line was made, the -Twenty-ninth passing up under a heavy fire to within forty rods of the -enemy’s works, bristling with cannon, the right of the regiment going -into the rifle-pits. Once in the pits, there was no such thing as -leaving them while it was daylight, and here the “boys” spent the day, -constantly engaged with the enemy’s sharpshooters. Though considerably -exposed, there was but one casualty during the day, Private John Scully -of Company A being instantly killed, the ball penetrating his brain. -The regiment in this position held the extreme left of the picket line -of our army, its right resting in the rifle-pits, and its left in dense -woods, retired so as to form nearly a half-circle. - -The night of the 16th was dark, and hence favorable for secret -movements by both besiegers and besieged. About nine o’clock, unusual -noises were heard within the enemy’s lines, resembling the rattling -of wheels. Colonel Barnes became anxious to learn the cause of these -noises, and Captain Clarke was requested to use every effort to -ascertain what, if any, movement was going on in the enemy’s camp. -That officer had no difficulty in carrying out his instructions, for -one of his men, a fearless soldier, named David Scully, unhesitatingly -consented to undertake the perilous task of approaching the hostile -picket line. The ground descended quite rapidly from Clarke’s line -towards that of the Confederates. Scully was left to execute his -adventure in his own way. Prostrating himself upon the ground, he -rolled slowly down the hill, till he approached within a few yards of -the enemy’s pickets, and then pausing, overheard their conversation, -which was to the effect that their army was retreating, and that they -were soon to be relieved. Listening here, Scully heard more distinctly -than before, the noises in the enemy’s camp. They were evidently -removing their guns from the works; and, beside this, the regular -tread of marching men was plainly distinguishable. In due time Scully -returned, making this report. About this time, a similar report was -brought in by Charles Logue of Company F, who went forward into the -woods, very near the enemy, exhibiting great courage. In order to -verify the statements of Scully and Logue, Colonel Barnes, with one -or more of the captains, advanced some distance beyond our picket -line, when they soon became convinced that the whole body of the enemy -was moving. Thereupon one of the sergeants was despatched to General -Ferrero, who was in command of the trenches, with information that -the enemy was moving in large numbers, and shortly after a lieutenant -was sent, with the message that the enemy was abandoning his works and -retiring from the city. - -The night was intensely dark, and the ground over which these officers -were obliged to pass, in delivering their messages, beset with -difficulties, being broken, and in some places covered with fallen -timber and a thick growth of bushes. But, like faithful soldiers, they -persevered till they found General Ferrero, when they delivered their -messages. The substance of the reply that was sent back was, “The -movements of the enemy are well understood at headquarters. The enemy -are not retiring.” The rumbling of the enemy’s trains and the neighing -of their horses continued; and the Colonel and his comrades stood at -their posts all night, listening to these sounds, which grew fainter -and more distant every hour, as the Confederates were slipping out of -the grasp of General Sherman, and retiring beyond the Pearl River. When -the night was almost gone, a message was received from General Ferrero, -that the regiment might move forward in the gray of the morning, if -Colonel Barnes thought it advisable. - -When the morning came, a flag of truce was seen waving from the enemy’s -works, and at the same time the city appeared to be in flames. During -the night, General Johnston retired with his whole army, artillery, -and baggage, and even the large guns upon his works. As soon as it -was fairly day, the whole line was ordered forward, and the regiment -entered the city. The works were found to be deserted, and the railroad -depot and several public buildings in flames; but the fire was quickly -extinguished by our troops, and thus a large portion of the city was -doubtless saved from destruction. After the regiment had finished -its part of the generous work of subduing the flames, the men were -dismissed for a couple of hours, during which time they contrived to -“do” Jackson quite thoroughly. The gardens were filled with melons and -fruits, but of other and more desirable food there was a small supply. -Everything of much value had been removed, and many of the deluded -inhabitants had followed in the steps of the retreating army, taking -with them their personal effects, thus giving the place the appearance -of a deserted town. The negroes had the good sense to stay, and, as was -invariably the case, they were overjoyed at the appearance of the Union -soldiers, testifying to their happiness in the way peculiar to their -race. - -In the afternoon of the 17th, the regiment had orders to leave the -city, marching back to the ground occupied on the 14th. Here it -remained, enjoying much-needed rest, till Monday the 20th. Another -severe march was before them, a march needlessly hard; and at an -unreasonable hour in the morning of the 20th, the reveille aroused the -men from their slumbers. - -Before the movement began, an order was issued from headquarters, -detailing Colonel Barnes Provost Marshal of the corps, and the whole -of the regiment as provost guard, with orders to move in the rear -of the corps, and to keep everything--men, horses, and wagons--in -front. This was the hardest duty the regiment ever performed in the -same number of days. For some reason, the march was a forced one; the -weather was of the same tropical character that it had been during the -three weeks previous, and water not only scarce, but of poor quality. -The story among the men was, that the corps was racing with another, -the Sixteenth (?); but the more probable statement is, that the corps -reaching Vicksburg first would take the transports to go North, there -being only a sufficient number of steamers for the transportation of a -single corps. The imperative orders given to Colonel Barnes to prevent -straggling, required constant watchfulness and almost superhuman -efforts, not only on his part, but on the part of his brother officers -and the men. Many soldiers gave out, from the combined effects of -over-exertion and the enervating influence of the weather. On the -second day out, matters in this respect became so bad, that it became -necessary to impress into the service, ox-carts, horses, and vehicles -of all descriptions which could be found about the country, and use -them for the conveyance of the invalids, many of whom had received -fatal sunstrokes. The spectacle which the corps presented on the road -was wholly unbecoming a victorious army: nearly every regiment had lost -even the semblance of an organized body; everybody was straggling -along the roads, some riding in carts, and others mounted upon horses -and mules, while miles in the rear of this mob was the gallant old -Twenty-ninth Regiment, driving the crowd before them. Violent menaces, -and sometimes absolute force, were required to keep the stragglers in -motion. - -For want of ambulances, nearly all the wounded in the battles and -skirmishes before Jackson were carried the whole distance from the -latter city to Vicksburg on litters or stretchers by details of men. To -protect these unfortunate soldiers from the sun, hoods made of pieces -of tent cloth were placed about their heads, and green boughs arranged -at the sides of the litters. - -A large number of disabled horses and mules were left about the -country, in the track of Johnston’s retreat, and these were -systematically gathered up by General Sherman, when he returned from -Jackson, and driven along to the various landings in the vicinity of -Vicksburg and Milldale, where, together with the horses and other -animals captured by the soldiers on the march, they were delivered up -to the quartermasters. Nearly every company of the Twenty-ninth had a -large number of saddle and pack animals, which they had ridden and used -for the conveyance of their baggage during the march. Company A had -some twenty horses and mules, and Company G nearly as many, when they -returned to Milldale, having, as they swept along the stragglers of the -column, as the extreme rear guard, collected these animals, as well -as the jaded and tired-out men, and their work was much lightened by -these mounts. As the rear guard approached the Big Black, the soldiers -on foot were sent forward into camp, and then about thirty or forty -mounted men came in together, most of the latter being men who had -fallen out or got foot-sore, and had been picked up and mounted to keep -them along with the army. - -When one of these motley crowds came in, the commander of the regiment, -who was somewhat indignant at the appearance of the thing, hailed the -captain in command, “I should like to know, sir, what this means; what -sort of a command is this for an infantry officer?” “Irregular mounted -infantry, I should think,” replied the leader, as he looked at his crew. - -It was on this march that Captain Richardson’s man, nicknamed “French -Joe,” came to the conclusion that his captain’s mess kit might just as -well be carried by a mule as by Joseph, and, in fact, that the mule -might carry “Joe” too, and took one of the mules for this purpose. He -had only his belt and some old scraps of rope for a tackling; but this -he thought might serve well enough. He contrived a pad out of his own -and the Captain’s blankets, and, warned by the example of John Gilpin, -he attempted to balance his load and to tie it securely to the sides -of the mule, which were well festooned with pots, pans, gridirons, -camp kettles, and tin dippers, giving the animal the appearance of -the “hawker’s” donkey. After all this varied assortment of wares had -been piled upon the animal, Joe kindly allowed a knapsack or two to -be strapped on behind, and then mounted, guiding the mule with a rope -halter. He had not proceeded far before some of the knots began to -slip, for Joe was not a sailor, nor was he a very skilful disposer of -weights. Very soon one of the knapsack straps got loose and insinuated -itself on the inside of the mule’s hind leg. It tickled him--he kicked. -This displaced a camp kettle, which slipped under his belly--he -“buck-jumped,” and unseated Joe. Then all the load shifted, the most of -it getting under the beast’s belly. He curveted and pranced, he reared -and kicked, and cleared the road right and left for more than a mile. -The men scattered on every side, for the mule was in earnest, and was -no respecter of persons, kicking just as viciously at the officers as -at the men. Captain Richardson had no dinner that day, save what he -got through the kindness of others; for his coffee, hard bread, and -bacon, tin plates and cups, flour, butter, and roasting corn--all the -materials of many a savory feast--lay in the dust. - -On the 22d, the Ninth Corps reached the Big Black River. General Parke -and his division commanders now deemed it impossible, as it certainty -was disgraceful, for the corps to continue to march in this manner. -The different regiments were here, on the banks of the river, gathered -together, and forced to resume their organization. One whole day was -spent in this work, during which the men were permitted to rest. - -Toward evening of the 22d, the corps moved out of camp, and marching -slowly, crossed the Big Black on a pontoon bridge, in the midst of a -pouring rain; the troops camped near the river for the night, and the -next morning started for Milldale. The regiment was the last to arrive, -in consequence of its peculiar duty, and by being the last, lost the -first chance to go on board the transports, and was thus forced to -remain here till the 12th of August. - -During the campaign now closed, the roll of the regiment’s dead had -been somewhat increased; and this, with a few exceptions, had been -occasioned by disease contracted in the sickly regions of the Yazoo -and Vicksburg. Private John Scully of Company A, a faithful soldier, -was the first to fall in the campaign, having been killed by a bullet -while bravely doing his duty in the rifle-pits before Jackson, July -16. Second Lieutenant Horace A. Jenks of Company E came next, dying -of malarial fever, July 26. Lieutenant Jenks had at one time been a -sergeant in his company, and was promoted to be second lieutenant for -his good soldierly qualities. His death was mourned by all the members -of the regiment. First Lieutenant Ezra Ripley of Company B, who died -of fever at Helena, Ark., July 28, was a member of the Middlesex Bar -before entering the service. He was a gentleman of liberal culture -and rarest qualities of both heart and mind. No sacrifice for his -country was too great in his estimation, and though not of a robust -constitution, yet he never shrank from any exposure or hardship. He -performed the terrible march to Jackson, but the seeds of disease sown -during those days, already described, soon ripened into death. Private -Lyford Gilman of Company B also died of disease at Vicksburg, August 2. -He was also a victim of the exhaustive march. - -When the Ninth Corps was about to leave Vicksburg, General Grant, -desirous of recognizing its services in the late campaign, issued the -following order:-- - - “HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,} - “VICKSBURG, MISS., July 31, 1863. } - - [EXTRACT.] - - “SPECIAL ORDERS, NO. 207. - - “In returning the Ninth Corps to its former command, it is with - pleasure that the general commanding acknowledges its valuable - services in the campaign just closed. - - “Arriving at Vicksburg opportunely, taking position to hold at - bay Johnston’s army, then threatening the forces investing the - city, it was ready and eager to assume the aggressive at any - moment. - - “After the fall of Vicksburg, it formed a part of the army - which drove Johnston from his position near the Big Black - River, into his entrenchments at Jackson, and after a siege - of eight days, compelled him to fly in disorder from the - Mississippi Valley. - - “The endurance, valor, and general good conduct of the Ninth - Corps are admired by all; and its valuable co-operation in - achieving the final triumph of the campaign is gratefully - acknowledged by the Army of the Tennessee. - - “Major-General Parke will cause the different regiments and - batteries of his command to inscribe upon their banners and - guidons, ‘Vicksburg’ and ‘Jackson.’ - - “By order of - “MAJOR-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. - - “P. S. BOWEN, _A. A. A. G._” - -The time spent at Milldale, after the return from Jackson, was occupied -by the ordinary duties of camp life. The weather continued very warm, -and the destructive effects of the campaign now became manifest. Deaths -were very frequent among the troops here during this time, burial -parties were almost constantly engaged, and the funeral notes of the -fife and drum could be heard nearly every hour in the day. None save -the strongest came out of that campaign in sound health. - -On the 12th of August, the regiment embarked on the steamer -“Catahoula,” one of the slowest boats on the river, to go North; -the steamer left Milldale without a sufficient supply of fuel, and -accordingly frequent stoppages on the route, to gather wood, became -necessary. The trip to Cairo, including one day spent at Memphis, -occupied eight days, the boat reaching its destination on the 20th. - -At midnight on the 20th, the regiment took the cars for Cincinnati, -reaching that city on the afternoon of Sunday the 23d, and receiving -the same kind treatment as on its two former visits. - -At night, the regiment left the city, crossed the Ohio to Covington, -Ky., and went into camp on the outskirts of the town, and remained here -till the 27th. At this time, probably nearly half of all the members -of the regiment were on the sick-list, and unable to do duty. In the -course of a few days they had come from the tropical climate of the -South into the cool bracing air of the West, and now the chills and -fever broke out among them to an alarming extent. - -While here, Colonel Barnes left the regiment on a furlough to his home -in Massachusetts; he was very sick from the effects of a malarial -fever and overwork; from the eighteenth day of May, 1861, till he was -seized with this sickness, he had never been off duty, for any cause, -a day,--a fact that is not only remarkable, but, considering the great -hardships to which he had been subjected, one that shows him to have -been possessed of an iron constitution. - -The author, in the preparation of this work, has endeavored, as far as -possible, to avoid the diary form of narrative, because he is aware -that such does not interest the general reader; but the record of the -regiment would be incomplete if it did not give somewhat in detail -the events of long and memorable marches, and the various localities -visited by it. - -The march from Covington, Ky., into East Tennessee, which we are -about to describe, was one of the longest which the regiment ever -performed, and, for the reasons stated, we shall give a very particular -account of it. On the 27th, it broke camp, under the command of Major -Chipman, went to the railroad station in Covington, took the cars -for Nicholasville, arrived there at seven o’clock the next morning, -and camped near the depot. On the 29th, Colonel Pierce, who had for -several months been absent on special duty in Massachusetts, joined -the regiment and assumed command, and on the same day a march on the -Lancaster pike of about four miles was performed. - -August 31. The regiment was mustered for pay; Colonel Pierce ordered -to the command of the Brigade; the Second Michigan Infantry joined the -Brigade, and Major Chipman again took command of the regiment. - -September 1. Reveille at four o’clock, A. M. Started for Crab -Orchard, in Lincoln County; spent the night for the third time at Camp -Dick Robinson. - -September 2. Reveille at an early hour; marched all day; camped near -Lancaster. - -September 3. Another early start. Reached Crab Orchard, a place of five -hundred inhabitants, and abounding with mineral springs. Here and at -Nicholasville convalescent camps were established, and during the time -which the regiment remained at these places, a very large number of its -members went into the hospitals, where not a few of them subsequently -died. - -September 10. The Brigade left Crab Orchard, and had a hard march -of about fourteen miles, and went into camp at a place called Mount -Vernon. The road for a considerable portion of the way was very rough -and mountainous, being so steep in some places that the horsemen were -obliged to dismount and lead their animals. The men were in light -marching order, having left the most of their extra clothing at Crab -Orchard, and had eight days’ rations served out to them, being thus -prepared for a long march. - -September 11. The reveille sounded at half-past three o’clock in the -morning, and at half-past four the column was in motion. At night, -after a very fatiguing march, the camp was formed near Wild Cat -Mountain, Kentucky. - -September 12. The men were routed out early in the morning, and the -day’s march began at five o’clock, but the road was good all day. The -weather, which had been fine ever since the march began, became stormy -at the end of this day, and at night it rained hard. The camp was -formed at London, Laurel County, Ky. On this march the regiment passed -over the battle-field of Mill Spring, where the notorious Zollicoffer -was killed. - -September 13 was Sunday. The men were paid off and allowed to rest all -day. Since this famous march began, the Brigade had passed through and -into three counties; namely, Gerrard, Rock Castle, and Laurel. The -country through which they had travelled was thinly populated, and -with the exception of a few wild fruits and nuts which they found on -the journey, the men were obliged to subsist upon their rations. It -has been stated, that the wild fruits which the men ate on this march -proved very beneficial to their health, and resulted in curing them of -the complaints they had contracted in the sickly swamps of the Yazoo. - -September 14. The march was resumed at five o’clock in the morning, and -at night a halt was made at Laurel Spring. - -September 15. Only a part of the day was occupied by marching, a halt -being made at the town of Barboursville, in Knox County, Ky. - -September 16. Marched from Barboursville to Flat Lick; a long march, -pausing till the 19th. - -September 19. A distance of about ten miles was travelled this day; the -camp was formed at Log Mountain. The column was nearing the far-famed -Cumberland Gap, and the roads were growing rougher and more broken at -every advance in that direction. The night was very cold, water froze, -and the crops of tobacco, sugar-cane, and cotton in that region nearly -all destroyed. When the sun rose the next morning, it revealed the -earth white with frost. - -September 20. At ten o’clock in the morning, the Brigade reached -Cumberland Gap, and entered the State of Tennessee. After passing into -this gap, which was defended by a small force of infantry and cavalry, -the road became more and more elevated, till at last it reached the -summits of the mountains. The view from these heights well paid the men -for all their toil in climbing their rugged and broken sides. In the -far distance, ridge after ridge seemed to rise up toward the heavens, -the highest actually invading the clouds, which, with a beautiful -curtain of blue, hid from sight the lofty peaks. The night was spent in -the mountains near the gap. - -September 21. Sycamore, Tenn. Camped for the night. An inquiry having -been made at one of the mountain huts, regarding the distance between -this place and Tazewell, the answer was, “Two rises to go up and two -rises to go down and a right smart plain.” - -September 22. Morristown, Tenn. Here the Brigade remained till the 24th. - -September 24. Marched to New Market. - -September 25. Marched to Holston River and forded it. - -September 26. Entered the city of Knoxville. - -The distance marched between the first of September and 26th was -something over two hundred miles. The march over the mountains has -furnished the theme of many interesting conversations among the men -who performed it. The hardships of the road were manifold and serious. -It was enough to be compelled to climb day after day the rugged and -precipitous path along the side of these mountains; it was enough, -indeed, to bivouac on their cold and barren summits, with only a single -woollen blanket to protect the foot-sore soldier from the searching -and chilling night-air; but when we add to these discomforts, that -of intense and unsatisfied hunger, which was actually endured during -the entire march, the measure of the sufferings of our comrades seems -full to overflowing. They endured these sufferings and hardships, -however, for a good purpose. Together with the troops which had gone on -before them, they had wrought the long-prayed-for deliverance of East -Tennessee. On the 3d of this month, General Burnside, together with the -Twenty-third Corps and other troops, had entered the city of Knoxville, -the Confederate General Buckner retiring from the place with his army -and retreating toward Chattanooga. - -The people of this region had long suffered from rebel rule, and the -barbarities which had been practised upon them have never been fully -related to the world. Some had been imprisoned, others tortured, and -others murdered. Their property had been mercilessly confiscated, and -not a few had been forced to perform military duty in the service of a -cause that they loathed and hated. When the army of General Burnside -appeared bearing the old flag, and the colors of the cruel foe departed -in haste and confusion, the loyal people were overwhelmed with joy. -The flag of the Union, which had been carefully hid under carpets, -concealed in cellars and between mattresses, to save its owners from -persecution, was now brought forth from its hiding-places, and flaunted -on every hand; from windows and liberty-poles, it floated to the breeze. - -A considerable part of General Burnside’s army was composed of loyal -Tennesseeans, who had been forced to fly into Kentucky during the -continuance of the enemy’s rule. These native troops, among which -was the cavalry under Lieutenant-Colonel Brownlow, son of the famous -parson, “were kept constantly in advance, and were received with -expressions of the profoundest gratitude by the people. There were -many thrilling scenes of the meeting of our Tennessee soldiers with -their families, from whom they had so long been separated. The East -Tennesseeans were so glad to see our soldiers, that they cooked -everything they had and gave it to them freely, not asking pay, and -apparently not thinking of it. Women stood by the roadside with pails -of water, and displayed Union flags. The wonder was, where all the -stars and stripes came from. Knoxville was radiant with flags. At one -point on the road from Kingston to Knoxville seventy women and girls -stood by the roadside waving Union flags and shouting, ‘Hurrah for -the Union.’ Old ladies rushed out of their houses and wanted to see -General Burnside and shake hands with him, and cried, ‘Welcome, General -Burnside, to East Tennessee.’”[41] - -These constitute but a small part of all the demonstrations of loyalty -by this intensely loyal people, and this brief account of their -wrongs but a trifling part of the manifold abuses heaped upon them -by a merciless and savage soldiery,--abuses and wrongs of the same -barbarous nature as those perpetrated at Andersonville and Belle Isle, -forming as they do the saddest chapter in the history of the war. It -should be among the proudest boasts of the people of Massachusetts, -that in the persons of her soldiers of the Twenty-first, Twenty-ninth, -Thirty-fifth, and Thirty-sixth regiments, she helped deliver a people -loyal to the old flag from a thraldom such as has been imperfectly -depicted in this chapter,--a thraldom worse than death itself. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - - BATTLES OF BLUE SPRINGS, HOUGH’S FERRY, AND CAMPBELL’S - STATION--SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE--THE SUFFERINGS OF THE MEN--BATTLE - OF FORT SANDERS--GALLANT CONDUCT OF THE REGIMENT--IT CAPTURES - TWO BATTLE-FLAGS--THE SIEGE RAISED--GENERAL SHERMAN RE-ENFORCES - BURNSIDE. - - -During the early part of October, a portion of the Ninth Corps -under General Potter, and a large body of cavalry under General -Shakleford, were sent up the valley some fifty miles in the direction -of Morristown, Jefferson County. A force of the enemy had crossed -into Eastern Tennessee from Virginia, and were threatening our -communications with Cumberland Gap. This movement on the part of the -Federals was made for the purpose of clearing the enemy away from the -flank of our army. - -On the 8th of October, the regiment with its brigade was ordered -forward from Knoxville to join the rest of the corps, and on the night -of the 9th halted at Bull’s Gap, a pass in the mountains near the line -between Jefferson and Green counties. - -The movement of the enemy was a very important one; they had reached -and occupied Greenville, and moved out beyond as for as Blue Springs. -Foster’s brigade of cavalry and mounted infantry was sent out from -Knoxville, up the valley of the French Broad River, to turn the right -of the enemy and get upon his rear, which movement was accomplished on -the 9th. Foster got himself into position, and on the 10th, General -Custer with his mounted infantry came up with the enemy at Blue -Springs, and began to skirmish. Ferrero’s division of twelve small -regiments, of which the Twenty-ninth was one, arrived about noon, and -went into position a half-mile from the field, where they had a good -view of the skirmish for nearly half an hour. At the end of this time, -two brigades of the division--namely, Humphrey’s and Christ’s--were -sent forward. - -The enemy had a battery well supported on the left of the main road -leading to Greenville, on a high hill. They had thrown forward their -first line and skirmishers well advanced to a distance of perhaps -three-quarters of a mile from their battery, across the road and across -a rivulet, and had advanced another body of skirmishers through a -corn-field to the crest of a hill about three hundred yards from where -the Twenty-ninth was lying. Custer’s men had slowly retired before the -Confederates, and passed to our rear, when the order came for our two -brigades to charge. The men rose to their feet and went forward at a -rapid run, with arms aport and bayonets fixed, up the hill. The enemy, -closely followed by our men, fell back rapidly down the hill, across -the rivulet, into and through a belt of woods, where the pursuit ended -by the direct orders of our generals. Here Colonel Christ re-formed -his Brigade, to carry one of the Confederate batteries that had begun -to fire shell into our lines. The enemy, seeing the preparations for -a charge, wheeled their guns about and fled; and at this stage in -the affair, it became so dark that all further hostilities ceased. -Captain Leach, then sixty-three years of age, led his company on this -charge; and when the rivulet was reached, which was some eight feet -wide, sprang into it and scrambled up the opposite bank as actively as -the youngest of his men, refusing the proffered assistance of Major -Chipman, who was leading the regiment. - -Captains Leach and Clarke messed together; their negro servants, -Bob and Isaac, were left in the rear of the field, where this fight -had occurred, with their rations and baggage, and when the battle -was over, were sought to prepare supper; but the darkies could not -be found,--neither the rations nor baggage. Upon investigation, it -appeared that a rumor had spread to the rear that both these officers -had been killed in the fight. The negroes had of course heard of it, -and, considering themselves absolved from all further obligations as -servants, had gone back towards Bull’s Gap, taking the effects of -the officers with them, where at night they held a sort of barbecue, -feasted on the rations, and concluded their entertainment with an -auction sale of the baggage. These recreant negroes were found -the next morning and subjected to a severe questioning. “Where are -our rations?” “Where’s the coffee-pot?” “What has become of our -blankets?” Bob acted as spokesman: “De rations and blankets is done -gone; de coffee-pot is done gone, too,--dey’s stole.” This ended the -examination, and these two unfortunate captains had short rations and -hard fare for the rest of the march. The enemy retired during the -night, and soon after daylight our army started in pursuit. After -marching a mile or two, the infantry halted, and Shakleford’s brigade -of mounted men, with several horse batteries, swept by the head of -the column, and then the infantry marched again. The most annoying -information came from the farmers along the road. They scarcely knew -which were our enemy,--the troops that had passed the night before, or -the mounted column of Shakleford,--and these were some of the answers -they gave in reply to questions of the whereabouts of the Confederates: -“They are just ahead”; “Not far from an hour ago, they went by”; “A -good gallop off”; and so forth. - -When our troops reached Greenville, they learned to their surprise -that the enemy had passed through there six hours before, and that -they had a sharp engagement with General Foster’s men a few miles out -at Henderson’s. The tired troops pressed on; at Henderson’s, they -saw some signs of a fight, but the bridge was intact. General Foster -had refrained from destroying it, and the enemy had neglected to do -so. Toward night the regiment went into camp at Rheatown, twenty-one -miles from Blue Springs. Shakleford and Foster followed the enemy into -Virginia, inflicting upon them great injury, and, upon returning, took -up the line of the Watauga, to cover the passes from Virginia into East -Tennessee. - -One of the abandoned wagons of the Confederates, found near Rheatown, -furnished our regiment with a liberal supply of excellent bread and -some other food. At this place our troops had two full days’ rest, and -it was much needed, for the men had performed a forced march hither, -and in the course of it had an encounter with the enemy. - -At the close of the second day, the columns were turned towards Bull’s -Gap, making the distance by easy marches, and upon arriving there -the regiment took the cars, but had proceeded but a short distance -when an accident rendered it necessary for them to march six miles -to Morristown, at which place they again took the cars and went to -Knoxville, reaching there on the 10th of October. - -While the Confederates held East Tennessee, a merciless conscription -had been enforced by them, to avoid which many of the male population -had abandoned their homes and taken refuge in the deep forests, or -fled into Kentucky. After the country had been occupied by Burnside, -many of these loyal people returned to their homes, and signified -their willingness to enlist in the Federal army. Burnside issued an -order encouraging such enlistments, and especially into the veteran -regiments of the Ninth Corps, which had been greatly depleted by -their recent campaigns. Shortly after the Twenty-ninth returned to -Knoxville, Captain Clarke and Lieutenant Atherton were detailed for -this recruiting service, and ordered to station themselves at Rheatown, -where they spent several weeks, and secured a number of recruits. On -the 11th of November, a force of Confederates again invaded Tennessee -from Virginia, and evading the left of our army on the Watauga, -attacked with about 3,500 cavalry our post at Rogersville, and captured -its small garrison. This, and other hostile movements at various -points, rendered necessary the evacuation of Rheatown, and the drawing -in of all our forces in that part of the State, nearer Knoxville. Our -recruiting party, therefore, returned to the latter place, and went on -after their regiment, which, in the meantime, had gone out to Lenoir’s -Station. - -A serious invasion of East Tennessee, by General Longstreet, had -already begun. That officer, with a large force, had early in November -been detached from Bragg’s army, in the vicinity of Chattanooga, and -was now marching up the valley towards Knoxville. On the 20th of -October, the Ninth Corps left Knoxville and went to Campbell’s Station, -fifteen miles southwest of the city, on the East Tennessee and Virginia -Railroad; on the 21st, it moved down the railroad to Lenoir’s Station, -and remained there, with the exception of a few days, till the 14th of -November. On the night of the 10th of November, Longstreet made his -appearance on the south side of the Holston River, at Hough’s Ferry, -about six miles below Loudon, and where was stationed General White, -with one division of the Twenty-third Corps. November the 14th, early -in the morning. General Potter, in a hard rain-storm, started with the -whole of the Ninth Corps to re-enforce General White. The Twenty-ninth -with its brigade (Christ’s) was in advance, and toward noon arrived -at a point five miles from the ferry, when rapid and heavy firing was -distinctly heard. Now the clouds parted and the storm slackened, but -the roads were as heavy and broken as before, making it exceedingly -difficult to get the artillery along, and rendering the progress of -the troops very slow. It was nearly dark when the Brigade reached the -ferry; by this time the battle there had nearly ceased, nothing save -an occasional musket-shot indicating the near presence of the enemy. -Immediately upon its arrival, the regiment was ordered to the right of -the line, marched nearly two miles through a thick woods, and formed in -line of battle within one hundred yards of that of the enemy. The night -soon came on, and early in the evening the storm broke out again with -increased fury; the wind blew with the force of a tornado; the trees -swayed to and fro in the blast, threatening to fall upon the heads of -the men, who stood to arms all night without fires. - -Very early the next morning (15th), when the men were expecting to -march against the enemy, the order came to fall back, and taking the -same track by which it had entered the gloomy forest, the Brigade -picked its way back to the place where it had first halted the night -before. All along the way brightly-burning camp-fires were passed, but -no troops were seen; these had already left, and were well under way -towards Lenoir’s. At noon the regiment reached the latter place. The -men had tasted no food for several hours, and were nearly worn out -with fatigue; during the march here, they had managed to pluck a few -ears of corn from the fields by the roadside, and as soon as a pause -was made and the arms stacked, the place was ablaze with fires; every -man at once went to work making coffee and preparing little messes for -dinner. Happily the poor, hungry men had time to finish their meal, -but they had barely finished it when they were ordered under arms. The -enemy had just then appeared a half-mile away on the Kingston Road, -and thither the Brigade was hurried at the double-quick. This movement -of the Confederates was at once checked, and the rest of the day passed -without any further hostile demonstrations, except a night attack upon -our pickets. - -The morning of the 16th was sharp and cold; as early as two o’clock the -regiment was ordered to march. The roads that had been muddy the day -before were now frozen; the artillery horses were pinched with cold and -hunger, and quite unable to drag the heavy cannon. It was resolved to -sacrifice a portion of the baggage train, which, to the number of many -wagons, was parked at Lenoir’s. The horses and mules were detached and -harnessed into the guns; the spokes of the wagon-wheels were hacked, -and, with their contents, set on fire,--not, however, till the soldiers -had replenished their haversacks with a goodly quantity of smoked pork, -coffee, sugar, and hard bread. - -The whole corps was in full retreat soon after daylight, and the enemy -at once began the pursuit, harassing our rear guard continually. The -road from Lenoir’s Station to Knoxville intersects at Campbell’s with -the road from Kingston, and Longstreet had detached a column on his -left to seize the junction of these roads. The possession of Campbell’s -Station was, therefore, of great moment to Burnside, for should the -enemy arrive there before him, his retreat to Knoxville would surely -be cut off. A division of troops under Hartranft, by rapid marching, -succeeded, in the early part of the forenoon, in reaching Campbell’s, -and going out on the Kingston Road deployed across it, his left on the -Loudon Road, along which our army and trains were moving. Hartranft -was just fifteen minutes ahead of the enemy; he had only time to -form his line, when the Confederate column appeared hurrying up the -Kingston Road. A sharp engagement ensued; but the enemy was foiled in -his attempt, and driven back in confusion. Soon after, all our trains -passed this dangerous point in safety, and moved on to Knoxville. At -about noon, the rest of the army came up, and went into position on “a -low range of hills about a half-mile from the cross-roads.” The Ninth -Corps was posted on the right of the field, which was nearly a mile -broad, and extended a half-mile along the main road, and was bordered -by heavy woods, passable for infantry. Christ’s brigade was on the -right of the corps, and the Twenty-ninth on the right of the Brigade, -fifty yards from the woods in front, while its right flank actually -touched them. - -The lines had been formed but a short time, when the blue uniforms of -our rear guard were seen, and finally our skirmishers,--the latter -crossing the fields, creeping along the fences, and coming up the road, -guns in hand, occasionally pausing to load and fire. Now and then a -soldier in gray showed himself on the edge of the woods, but he would -soon dart back out of sight. Colonel Pierce, now in command of the -regiment, had orders to cover his front and flank with skirmishers, -and Companies A and I, under Captain Clarke and Lieutenant Williams, -were detailed for this purpose. The companies had proceeded but a -short distance into the woods, when they came upon the enemy, who were -approaching stealthily from tree to tree, evidently attempting what -Colonel Christ had feared; namely, to flank the Brigade. A brisk fire -began at once, but our men kept their line intact, and maintained -perfect coolness. After the lapse of about an hour, the officers on -the skirmish line discovered that the enemy were gradually overlapping -the right of the Brigade, and promptly informed Colonel Christ of the -fact. The skirmishers were ordered to come in at once, and the Brigade -changed front and began to fall back. This movement was not made a -moment too soon, for a dense mass of the enemy’s infantry immediately -poured out of the woods in the rear of the retreating Brigade; while -his flanking party, which had not yet lapped over our old position, -also at the same moment, emerged from the woods, and, with loud yells, -joined in the pursuit, firing an occasional shot, and with terrible -oaths, shouting to our men to surrender and lay down their arms. - -Our men, loading as they marched, halted by files, turned about and -fired, and again took their places in the ranks. At last, the regiment, -which was in the rear, reached a sunken road, and, leaping into it, -moved rapidly to the left of our lines; while over the heads of the -men, now fully protected by the high bank, played the cannon of our -reserve batteries, at last free to fire without endangering the lives -of our own troops. The slaughter wrought upon the pursuing enemy -is described as terrible; and as the Twenty-ninth came up the hill, -gaining the plateau of the Knoxville side, Generals Burnside and -Ferrero, standing on either side of the road, clapped their hands as it -filed proudly between them. - -It was now, perhaps, five o’clock in the afternoon, and the battle -degenerated into an artillery duel on our side, varied by the enemy -with occasional charges, by which they took nothing but disaster. One -by one, as it grew dark, the batteries retired, and after nightfall the -Brigade moved off and took up its weary march for Knoxville, where it -arrived at about three o’clock the next morning, and lay down for a few -brief hours to rest upon the bleak hillside near Fort Sanders. - -During this battle, Charles H. Dwinnell of Company A, a worthy comrade -and brave soldier, was killed, and William O’Conner of Company H -was captured. Dwinnell was shot through the brain by a sharpshooter -stationed in a tall pine. The ball was probably aimed at Captain -Clarke, who was quite conspicuous at the time; the sharpshooter was -instantly marked and shot by two of Dwinnell’s comrades, who fired -simultaneously, the enemy’s body being seen to fall out of the tree. - -The siege of the city commenced on the 17th, and progressed rather -gradually, beginning on the west and northwest, and finally extending -around the entire city, from river to river. As the work of investing -the place continued, our pickets were constantly pressed in close upon -the main works, so that by the 29th of November we scarcely held more -than the slope of the plateau crowned by our main fortifications, and -in some cases not even that. - -To the right of Fort Sanders, named after a brilliant cavalry general -who was killed early in the siege, and west of the city, Humphrey’s and -Christ’s brigades picketed one side of the railroad cut, and the enemy -the other. - -On one occasion, before the pickets were drawn in, a little squad of -the Twenty-ninth assaulted a house in front of them, and driving away -the enemy’s pickets there stationed, captured it, and brought in the -supplies, which consisted of a small sack of meal, a few pounds of -bacon, a box of tobacco, an eight-gallon keg of blackberry brandy, and -two boxes of cartridges. The enemy re-formed and recaptured the house, -but our men brought their booty safely into camp. There was meal enough -to give each man in the company to which these adventurers belonged, -a dish of hasty-pudding, and tobacco enough to furnish every man in -the regiment with a good-sized piece. The brandy and cartridges were -accounted for during the night by some of the wildest picket-firing -that occurred during the siege. There was by no means a large supply of -food in the city when the siege began, but long before it concluded, -all kinds of provisions became extremely scarce. - -On the 19th, the Confederates drove in our outer pickets and took -possession of the woods. On the evening of the 23d, they attacked our -picket line in front of the Brigade, and seemed to be on the point -of bringing on a general engagement. The order was given to set fire -to a long line of buildings between the two armies. This was done -to break the enemy’s lines and unmask their movements, and resulted -very successfully. The conflagration that followed was both grand and -awful. The dark wintry sky was lighted up by the flames, which roared -and crackled with an unearthly sound, casting a broad belt of dazzling -light over the fields and into the forests. In the round-house of the -railroad, there was stored a large amount of condemned ammunition, and -when the flames reached that, there was an explosion that shook the -earth, and startled the anxious residents of the city. - -The 26th of November was Thanksgiving Day. The men got a full ration of -bullets, but only a half-ration of bread. - -About midnight of the 28th, the picket line near the river on the -southwest was driven in, and could not be re-established by the brigade -which furnished it. The line in front of Fort Sanders had also been -assailed and taken by the enemy, and about nine o’clock in the evening -an order was sent to take the regiment out of the lines and place it -in the immediate rear of the fort for special duty; Major Chipman had -command. A little later in the evening, Companies A, C, D, and K were -detached, and ordered to our lines near the river, where the enemy had -a few hours before captured our rifle-pits. - -The night had nearly gone, and the first glimmer of day had appeared, -when the familiar charging yell of the enemy was heard directly in -front of the fort. Our pickets at this point were forced in, and in -a moment more a large body of the enemy’s infantry were swarming at -the very edge of the ditch. The battalion of the Twenty-ninth, under -Chipman, were hurried into the fort, and the four detached companies -at once sent for. The latter had a perilous experience in joining -their comrades, and though exposed to the fire of the enemy’s cannon, -reached the works without the loss of a man, and in ample time to -lend a hand in the severe contest which was now well under way. The -Confederates, led by fearless officers, crowded the ditch, and crossing -it on each other’s shoulders, began to ascend the bank; one of their -standard-bearers came running up and planted his colors upon the -parapet, in the very faces of Major Chipman’s men; but he had hardly -performed his deed of daring, when one of our soldiers shot him through -the heart, and he fell forward into the works. Inspired by the example -of their color-bearer, a large body of the Confederates, led by a -gray-haired old officer (Colonel Thomas of Georgia), with wild shouts -made a dash up the bank. All seemed lost; but at this moment Companies -A, C, D, and K of the regiment came running into the fort, and ranging -themselves along the parapet, opened a deadly fire upon the assaulting -party. The gray old leader of the enemy, while waving his sword and -shouting to his men to come on, was shot dead. Many of his brave -followers suffered the same fate, and the handful of survivors fell -hurriedly back into the ditch. At the same instant, like scenes were -transpiring all along the works. The Seventy-ninth New York was sharply -engaged, and the artillerymen, not being able to use their pieces, -busied themselves by tossing among the enemy lighted shell with their -fuses cut to a few seconds’ length. Finally a sergeant of one of the -batteries, observing a renewed preparation of the enemy to charge up -the bank, slewed one of the large guns about so as to make it bear upon -the edge of the ditch, and, with a single charge of canister, raked it -for a distance of several yards with deadly effect. About this time the -assault slackened; but in a few moments another column of the enemy -came rushing towards the fort, and with almost sublime courage faced -the withering fire of our troops, and large numbers of them gained the -bank. The first terrible scenes of the battle were re-enacted; three of -the enemy’s standards were planted simultaneously upon the parapet, but -they were quickly torn away by our men. The resistance was as desperate -as the assault: officers used freely their swords, the men clubbed -their muskets, others used their bayonets, and others still axes and -the rammers of the cannon. A struggle so severe as this could not be -otherwise than of short duration. In a few minutes the enemy’s soldiers -began to falter and fall back into the ditch. Seeing this, General -Ferrero, who was in command of the fort and closely watching the fight, -ordered one company of the Twenty-ninth on the left, and one company -of the Second Michigan on the right, to go through the embrasures and -charge the disorganized enemy. Sweeping down the ditch, these commands -captured about two hundred of the enemy, and drove them into the fort, -the little squad of the Twenty-ninth following their captives and -bearing triumphantly two battle-flags of the foe; the capturers of -which were Sergeant Jeremiah Mahoney of Company A, and Private Joseph -S. Manning of Company K, both of whom afterwards received the medals of -honor voted by the Congress of the United States. - -The fight immediately died away in front of Fort Sanders, and the -remnant of the enemy’s charging column shrank back within their lines -in dismay and confusion. But on the left, where the Federal rifle-pits -had been captured on the afternoon of the 28th, a fierce battle was -heard. Hartranft’s division was sharply engaged with the enemy in its -efforts to recapture the pits, and the effort was soon successful. The -Confederates were everywhere routed, our entire line re-established, -and by ten o’clock that Sunday morning quietness had settled down over -the whole field. The enemy seemed appalled by the dreadful calamity -that had overtaken him,--a calamity, as we shall presently see, that -practically ended the siege. Ninety-eight dead bodies were taken out -of the fatal ditch from a space of four hundred square feet around the -salient. General Humphrey, who commanded the Mississippi brigade, was -found dead on the glacis, within twenty feet of the face of the ditch. -Lying among the dead in the moat, in every conceivable condition, -were the wounded; and scattered all over the open space in front of -the fort, through which telegraph wires had been stretched from stump -to stump to impede the movements of the assailants, were scattered -hundreds of both dead and wounded, and among them not a few of the -enemy’s soldiers unhurt, who, dismayed at the awful storm of shell and -grape that poured upon them, had lain prone upon the earth until the -battle was over, only too willing to be captured. Nearly five hundred -stand of small arms were collected on the field within our picket -lines. Pollard states the enemy’s loss in this battle at seven hundred. - -The great bravery of this charge entitles those who participated in it -to honorable mention. The troops who engaged in this assault “consisted -of three brigades of McLaw’s division; that of General Wolford,--the -Sixteenth, Eighteenth, and Twenty-fourth Georgia regiments, and -Cobb’s and Phillips’s Georgia legions; that of General Humphrey,--the -Thirteenth, Seventeenth, Twenty-first, Twenty-second, and Twenty-third -Mississippi regiments; and a brigade composed of Generals Anderson’s -and Bryant’s brigades, embracing among others, the Palmetto State -Guard, the Fifteenth South Carolina Regiment, and the Fifty-first, -Fifty-third, and Fifty-ninth Georgia regiments.”[42] The troops that -garrisoned the fort were Benjamin’s United States Battery, Buckley’s -Rhode Island Battery, a part of Roemer’s New York Battery, the -Seventy-ninth New York Highlanders, and, at the very beginning of the -fight, a battalion of the Twenty-ninth under Major Chipman, and before -the repulse of the assault on the salient, Captain Clarke’s and the -other companies of the regiment already named. When the battle was well -advanced, and affairs had assumed a serious aspect, the One Hundredth -Pennsylvania was moved up in the rear of the fort, and a few minutes -before the close of the fight, the Second Michigan was ordered into -the works on the right, one of its companies being detailed to sweep -the ditch. Our loss in the fort was eight killed and five wounded, -and among the former were two members of the Twenty-ninth; namely, -Sergeant John F. Smith of Company H, and Corporal Gilbert T. Litchfield -of Company K, both most excellent soldiers. The loss of the enemy in -this encounter doubtless exceeded greatly that given by Mr. Pollard; -one of our officers engaged stating it to be fourteen hundred. - -When Longstreet had drawn off his troops from the scene of his defeat, -General Burnside kindly directed General Potter to send out a flag of -truce, granting the enemy permission to remove his dead and wounded -from the field. The flag was courteously received, and for the space -of several hours there was a complete cessation of all hostilities. As -a reward for its services in this action, the regiment was retained -in Fort Sanders as a part of its garrison, and consequently relieved -from much severe picket duty, only occasionally going on to the line -immediately in front of the fort. But the duties of the fort, while -not so arduous as those of the rifle-pits, were very important, and -called for the exercise of constant vigilance. By day, one-third of -the men were allowed to sleep in camp, one-third to rest in the fort -with their belts on, and one-third stood to arms at the parapet; while -at night all the men except a camp guard were required to be in the -fort, one-half under arms and one-half resting with their belts on. At -three o’clock each morning, the whole garrison was called up and stood -to arms till six o’clock. One-half of the officers could be in camp by -day, one-fourth must be at the parapet, and the remainder at rest in -the works; and at three o’clock in the morning, all the officers were -ordered to stand to arms with their men. - -The casual mention, in the course of this chapter, of the telegraph -wires which were stretched over the field in front of the fort, leads -the author to speak of another device employed by our engineers -who constructed these fortifications,--a defensive preparation, as -ingenious in its nature as it was destructive in its results. The -whole open space within our lines, directly in front of the fort, had -been carefully plowed, with furrows leading generally to the work, not -parallel, but converging towards a point opposite the main battery. -It is natural for men when passing over broken ground to avoid the -ridges and seek the smooth places and hollows. The furrows were quite -wide and well defined, and when the enemy’s column charged in the gray -of the morning, his men coming suddenly upon the plowed ground, were -thrown into great confusion. They took to the furrows, as was expected, -and by the time they had reached the point where the furrows converged, -the whole of the first battle line, consisting of a brigade, was -huddled together in a disorganized mass, and in this condition received -the concentrated fire of every gun on the works, which poured into them -several very destructive charges of canister and grape. - -At midnight on the 4th of December, as our men in Fort Sanders were -standing to arms, something of an unusual nature was observed to be -going on in the enemy’s camp. Lanterns were seen flitting about in -their batteries; night signals were at work, a fixed lantern low down -near the ground and a movable one above it bobbing about from right -to left. Our pickets all along the siege line were doubled, and the -troops in the fort ordered to the parapets. All sorts of speculations -were indulged in by our officers and men; some thought the enemy was -preparing for another and final assault upon our works, and others that -he was retreating. - -General Sherman had for some days been marching to the relief of -Burnside, and a rumor was prevalent that his cavalry had already -attacked the rear of the enemy’s army. The army of General Bragg, -of which Longstreet’s forces were a part, had fallen back from -Chattanooga, and was then moving South. These circumstances, together -with the hopeless nature of the siege, forced upon Longstreet the -abandonment of his undertaking. Daylight revealed the fact that the -enemy had gone. “Stack arms! All but the camp guard may rest!” was the -order given to the garrison of Fort Sanders, when this state of things -became officially known. The order was indeed a welcome one, for our -soldiers in Knoxville had not tasted the pleasure of absolute repose -for many long weeks. The termination of the siege was an important -and joyful event to the whole nation; it was also a great crisis in -the lives of the soldiers there, and what they said and did on this -important occasion, our readers may be curious to know. The answer -shows how utterly unromantic and prosaic were the Yankee soldiers who -made so much history during the four years of war. “Thank God! now I -can have a good snooze,” said one, in no irreverent spirit. “Captain, -can I go down to the run and wash my shirt?” said another. “Sergeant, -has the company got any soap?” asked a third. Probably the thought of -one-half of the men in Knoxville, at that moment, was sleep, and of -the others, a wash, either of clothes or person. A few officers of the -staff, a few orderlies, and surgeons rode out to visit the deserted -camp, while our pickets were thrown out to capture the stragglers. In -the course of an hour the loiterers and laggards of the late besiegers -began to come into our lines in crowds. Some of them had overslept, -others had strayed away, and others still had lost heart and skulked in -the woods. - -A report reached the ears of General Ferrero about noon, that a full -regiment of the enemy had been left behind their main army, at a -point about five miles distant. Colonel Christ’s brigade, with the -Twenty-ninth, was ordered out at once to capture these troops, and -a forced and fruitless march was the result. No enemy, save a few -worthless stragglers, were found, and the Brigade toward the close -of the day returned, tortured with the conviction that they had been -made the victims of a practical joke. The men had taken just so much -wear out of their last pair of shoes, so travel-worn already, and -had been brought just ten miles nearer to raw-hide moccasins. On the -same day (December 5), Major-General Sherman, with his own corps and -that of General Granger and a portion of General Howard’s, arrived at -Marysville (near Knoxville), and sent by his aid-de-camp to General -Burnside the following hearty message:-- - - “I am here, and can bring twenty-five thousand men into - Knoxville to-morrow; but Longstreet having retreated, I feel - disposed to stop, for a stern chase is a long one. But I will - do all that is possible.... Send my aid, Captain Audenried, - out with your letters to-night. We are all hearty, but tired. - Accept my congratulations at your successful defence and your - patient endurance.” - -The endurance of the men had indeed been patient, and their sufferings -and privations very great; but they had saved to the Government the -stronghold of East Tennessee, and consequently both East Tennessee and -Kentucky. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - - MOVEMENTS AFTER THE SIEGE--THE REGIMENT LEAVES - KNOXVILLE--THE CONDITION OF THE TROOPS--BLAINE’S - CROSS-ROADS--THE MEN RE-ENLIST--STRAWBERRY PLAIN--FIGHT WITH - THE CONFEDERATE CAVALRY--THE REGIMENT GOES TO KNOXVILLE--ERIN - STATION--THE CORN EXPEDITION--TRANSFER OF NON-RE-ENLISTING MEN - TO THE THIRTY-SIXTH MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENT--LONG MARCHES--THE - SNOW-STORM--ORDERED HOME--MARCH OVER THE CUMBERLAND - MOUNTAINS--THE REGIMENT REACHES BOSTON--THE RECEPTIONS. - - -Early in the morning of the 7th of December, the Brigade started with -other troops of the Ninth Corps in the direction of Morristown, in -pursuit of the retreating enemy. - -As showing the decimation which disease and suffering had wrought in -the ranks of the regiment, one of its companies was able to muster -that morning but one commissioned officer, one sergeant, one corporal, -and three privates. Nearly one-quarter of the Ninth Corps remained -in Knoxville for these and equally good reasons. There were over a -thousand men of the First Division in camp there, who had done duty -through the siege, but who could not march at this time because of -their sick and enfeebled condition and lack of suitable clothing. All -who were not absolutely sick and destitute were put in readiness for -active duty in the course of ten days, and sent to their regiments. In -order to fit out these men, the sutlers’ shops and stores of the town -were ransacked for clothing, blankets, etc. If boots and shoes could -not be found at the commissary department, or furnished by it, the men -purchased them with their own money, and set out for the front; and -when these articles could not be bought, the old shoes were tapped in -camp with leather or raw-hide; and when the latter resource failed, as -it often did, raw-hide moccasins were cobbled up. Coats and trousers -were patched with old blankets or the capes of overcoats; coverlids and -bed-quilts were bought of the inhabitants of Knoxville, and issued to -those who were destitute of blankets. This was the motley character of -the outfit of the large majority of the soldiers who took part in that -distressing winter campaign of which we are about to speak. On the 8th -of December, the regiment reached a place called Blaine’s Cross-Roads, -where it remained only one day. On the next day it marched to Rutledge, -pausing here till the 15th; on the latter day returning to Blaine’s -Cross-Roads. - -Before entering upon a description of the life passed in this memorable -camp, it seems proper to speak of some of the special duties performed -by the soldiers in this department, and especially by the members of -the regiment. Nearly every man in Company K of East Boston, and many -members of other companies, were handy with tools. The East Boston men -were acquainted with calking and graving and ship-carpentry; and the -engineer officers of the corps were not slow in finding it out. Since -our army had entered East Tennessee, a large portion of its pontoon -train had been destroyed. The army was now operating in a country -full of rivers, and at this, the rainy season, few could be forded: -railroad bridges had been destroyed by both armies, and to enable the -army to move, these must be rebuilt; no flour or meal could be found in -the country except what the army could grind in the mills from wheat -and corn foraged. Many of these mills had been broken down, and it -was necessary to repair them. Skilful mechanics were hence in great -demand, and as the wants of the army grew more pressing, the soldier -who could repair a mill or build a boat came to be more esteemed than a -major-general. As we have stated, the Twenty-ninth was very fortunate -in having a large number of mechanics in its ranks, and consequently -many details were made from it for these purposes. At one time nearly a -whole company was engaged in building pontoon boats. The men felled the -large trees, cut them into plank with two-handed saws and a saw-pit, -and with this green lumber, built large, clumsy “dories” and strong -ferry-boats, calking them with cotton, and graving them with gum -(obtained in the forests). - -At one time nearly a third of the regiment was set at engineering-work -of one sort or another; and in this and other like labors, were kept -employed through the rest of the month of December. This handiness of -the men was in part the result of their native Yankee ingenuity and -strong self-reliance. While few, if any, were professional engineers -or millwrights, yet their knowledge of carpentry and of the use of -mechanics’ tools enabled them to do a fair piece of work of almost any -description, and led them to attempt many things that they had never -seen done. - -The author does not wish to create the impression that this handiness -and mechanical skill was wholly confined to the Twenty-ninth Regiment. -It was quite general in the whole Ninth Corps, in which were several -other Massachusetts regiments. It was about this time that the -coffee-mill was introduced, with the outfit, to grind corn and wheat. -Who originated the idea, cannot now be known; but it was a happy one, -and saved the men from much destitution and labor, Christ’s brigade -having two or three of these machines in every company. “There must -have been a corner,” says an officer, “in this article of ironmongery, -at that time, in East Tennessee. But the Twenty-ninth was superior -even to a corner, for when these articles became scarce from having -been worn out, one of the men got a file, and gathering three or four -discarded coffee-mills, recut their scores, and fitted out his friends -and comrades with something almost as good as new.” - -The favorite theory of some, even professional military men, that -a good soldier should be, and is, a good machine, never using his -reasoning faculties, or exercising his own judgment, finds no -corroboration in the history of this campaign. But for the intelligence -and sterling common-sense of our soldiers here, giving them complete -adaptability to all the varied circumstances of their situation, they -would have perished from the cold and hunger of that mountainous and -terribly destitute country. - -A knowledge of the laws of health taught them that the practice of -getting a full meal as often as the rations would allow, though it be -but once a day, was a better way of sustaining life and health, than -that of taking three or four scanty meals, and being hungry all the -time; they learned for themselves the beneficial effect of sleeping -as much as possible by a blazing fire, and taking every precaution -to keep the body warm. But neither intelligence, good judgment, nor -the use of cunning devices, nor all combined, could wholly avail the -soldiers against the absolute want that prevailed in that dreary winter -camp. Blaine’s Cross-Roads was the Valley Forge of the Rebellion. It -was a bleak, mountainous plain, some twenty miles from Knoxville. The -ground was for much of the time well covered with snow and ice. Many -of the men were without shoes or stockings, and to supply this want, -raw-hides were issued, which the destitute soldiers fashioned into rude -moccasins. The garments of both officers and men were in tatters, and -all sorts of expedients were resorted to, to protect themselves from -the cold; some whose trousers were ragged, cut up their overcoats for -patches; others still were without blankets. The army was quartered -in shelter-tents; nothing except the abundance of wood saved the men -from freezing. The suffering from want of food was, if possible, even -greater than that which arose from a lack of clothing and shelter. “At -one issue of rations, each man received for his mite eight ounces of -flour for nine days. One tablespoonful of coffee was issued once in -from three to five days.”[43] It was not possible for men to exist upon -such a small quantity of food, and hence they resorted to foraging. The -food-hunting excursions that grew out of this state of pinching poverty -often extended far into the surrounding country, but they commonly -resulted in sore disappointment. - -The loyal farmers had been stripped of nearly all their supplies by the -army of the enemy; but they were touched by pity at seeing our hungry -men, and listening to their earnest requests for food, and occasionally -some large-hearted planter would share with them his meagre stock -of provisions, and send them away from his door with a small piece -of bacon or a few pounds of meal. The pangs of hunger are not easy -to be endured. After the teamsters had fed their animals at night, -the half-famished soldiers would creep stealthily to the pens, steal -the corn upon which the poor animals were feeding, and then betaking -themselves to their tents, spend a large part of the night in grinding -and cooking it. So general did this practice of stealing the food of -the animals become, that guards were regularly stationed over them -whenever they were fed; but the guards, as hungry as their fellows, -stole the corn themselves. - -The author is well aware of the distressing nature of these details, -but the story of Blaine’s Cross-Roads has never before been published -to the world, so far as his knowledge extends, and showing as it -does that the sufferings of our soldiers in this campaign were not -surpassed by those of our revolutionary soldiers even at Valley Forge, -he has deemed it important to give a somewhat minute account of these -privations. The story is well calculated to disprove the favorite -theory of many, that the habits of luxury of the Americans of to-day -have resulted in both physical and moral degeneracy. Washington’s -soldiers at Valley Forge were mutinous, and at times could not be -commanded,[44] but the Union soldiers at Blaine’s Cross-Roads were -obedient, and so far forgetful of their sufferings, that, without -murmuring, they performed every task assigned to them, and whenever -their brave old enemy made his appearance, they were ready to fight. -Pack and draught animals died by scores here and at other places in the -department, by reason of the scarcity of food. This state of things -made it necessary to lessen the number of mounts usually allowed in -the army. Only one pack mule was allowed to a regiment for officers’ -baggage and mess kit, and two to the brigade headquarters. Writing -concerning the experiences of this winter, an officer of the regiment -says: “It is well known that a mule will thrive on fence rails, but it -may be a benefit to future campaigners to know that sassafras twigs are -very nourishing and satisfactory to a hungry horse, and that he can be -kept fat on them.” - -The law of Congress which provided for the payment of large bounties to -re-enlisting veterans, was designed to retain in the service an army of -trained and skilful men. In pursuance of this law, the War Department -issued an order just before the close of the year 1863, promising, -in addition to the bounty, a furlough of thirty days, provided a -sufficient number of men enlisted in each regiment to constitute -an organization of that size, the furlough to be given before the -expiration of the original term. Strange as it may seem, a very large -majority of the members of the Twenty-ninth re-enlisted under this -order, while they were enduring the famine, toil, and nakedness of -Blaine’s Cross-Roads. On the first day of January, 1864, they were -mustered into the service of the United States for another term of -three years, as the Twenty-ninth Veteran Regiment of Massachusetts -Volunteer Infantry. But they were doomed to disappointment as to -receiving at once the promised furlough. - -On the 16th of January, the whole corps was ordered out of camp, and -moved to Strawberry Plain, a station on the East Tennessee and Virginia -Railroad, crossed the Holston River, and went into camp upon the banks. -General Sheridan, who was in command of the Fourth Corps (also engaged -in this movement), assumed command of all the troops. This march, -though only of seven miles, was one of the hardest of the campaign; the -roads, which were frozen at night, thawed during the day, producing -mud several inches in depth; and the men were so feeble from the -effects of their suffering, that it required nearly all the strength -they possessed to get along. The regiment was now under the command of -Colonel Barnes,--Pierce having the command of a brigade. During the -siege of Knoxville, Barnes reached our forces at Cumberland Gap, on his -way to his regiment, and here he remained till the siege was raised, -on duty as a member of the staff of the general in command there. He -reached his regiment on the 26th of December, at Blaine’s Cross-Roads. - -On the expedition above spoken of, the Twenty-ninth went no farther -than the first halting-place, on the Holston. Its camp was formed -near a famous trestle railroad bridge, that spanned the river at this -point. The bridge was famous because of its great value and skilful -construction, and from the fact that it had been repeatedly destroyed -and rebuilt by both armies. While the bulk of the army was operating -far beyond, in the direction of Virginia, the regiment, with a few -other troops of the Ninth Corps, seemed to be left here for the purpose -of protecting this bridge. In the course of several days afterwards, -the expeditionary army began to return, moving towards Knoxville; and -at midnight of the 20th, the regiment was ordered to recross the river. -Falling back about three miles from the bank, it halted, and remained -in camp till the 22d, other troops taking its place as a guard at the -bridge, where, on the 21st, a sharp skirmish was had with the enemy, -who attempted to cross. - -The First Division of the Ninth Corps was assigned to the duty of -covering the retreat of our army. At midnight of the 22d, the regiment -marched two miles to the rear, and halted for the troops that had -been in advance to pass. These troops had with them two brass pieces -of artillery, drawn by the men. The regiment followed on behind the -artillery till daybreak, when one of these guns, having been abandoned, -they took charge of it. “The men, without much complaint, formed -along, took up the cold, stiff rope attached to the cannon, and were -soon on the march again, dragging the heavy piece after them, over -the frozen road, that had been badly cut up by the passing trains. -Up and down hills, over streams, and through fields and forests, the -men dragged the gun, exerting all their strength.”[45] When within -twelve miles of Knoxville, the regiment was met by horses sent out to -take in the artillery, and were thus relieved of their charge. During -this movement, the Seventy-ninth New York Highlanders acted as rear -guard, with the Twenty-ninth as a support, Colonel Morrison of the -Seventy-ninth being in command of both regiments. - -At about noon (22d), when ten miles from Knoxville, word was sent to -the Twenty-ninth regiment, from the headquarters of the Ninth Corps, -then two or three miles away, that a halt was to be made for dinner, -and that the Twenty-ninth and Seventy-ninth might govern themselves -accordingly. All seemed comparatively quiet at the moment, and Colonel -Barnes ordered his regiment to halt. The staff-officers removed the -saddles from their horses, to give the weary animals a little rest, -while both men and officers stretched themselves upon the ground. They -had scarcely settled down to rest, when a number of sharp shots were -heard from the direction of the skirmish line, indicating that the -enemy had struck our rear. The horses were quickly saddled, and the -line formed. Shortly the Seventy-ninth was seen coming down the hill, -steadily but rapidly. “Here they come!” cried one of the officers, and -in a moment more the enemy made their appearance. The two regiments -now formed in the field. A large body of the enemy’s cavalry, with -drawn sabres, shouting and screaming, dashed down the road. Our men -brought their pieces up instantly and fired a well-aimed volley, and -the troopers fell back into the woods. But in a few moments they again -appeared, this time in the field. Our troops now took the road and -the edge of the woods that skirted the field, and as the cavalry came -across the open space at a rapid run, shouting to our men to surrender, -they received both a front and flank fire at the same moment. The line -was thoroughly broken, and the horsemen instantly scattered and fled -for the woods in their rear, under a heavy fire. As soon as the battle -began, word was forwarded to the corps, and orders were sent back for -the regiments to retire gradually, and hold the enemy in check. The -enemy almost wholly disappeared, and the officers began to suspect -an extensive flanking movement. Our men fell back rapidly for the -distance of a mile, halted, and sent out a line of skirmishers. The -Confederates appeared in front in small squads, firing a few shots to -attract our attention, but presently, as had been anticipated, their -main body appeared on our left flank. The two regiments now began to -retreat in line of battle,--through woods, over fences, across streams -and meadows,--keeping up a constant skirmish, till they arrived within -three miles of Knoxville, where they made a stand and drove their -pursuers back. - -On the 24th of January, the regiment passed through Knoxville, flying -its tattered flags, and marched about five miles southwest of the city, -to a beautiful place known as Erin Station, on the Virginia and East -Tennessee Railroad. The scarcity of food for both men and beasts was -now, notwithstanding the raising of the siege, nearly as great as it -had been during the preceding autumn and early winter, and all troops -not required for actual field service were being employed in gathering -such supplies as the already much-exhausted country afforded. - -On the 25th, Colonel Barnes was ordered to forage south of Clinch -River, and taking with him a large number of wagons and all his men -fit to march, set out in the direction named. A halt for the night was -made at Mr. Black’s plantation, Black’s Ford, on the Clinch. Black -was a farmer of means, and possessed a large store of corn, a portion -of which was taken the next morning, Mr. Black receiving therefor a -written receipt enabling him to obtain pay for it from the Government, -upon proof of his loyalty. The trains then forded the river and -divided, Major Chipman taking charge of one division and Colonel Barnes -of the other. Chipman, who had a less number of wagons to load, reached -the camp of the regiment at Erin Station in advance of the other -detachment, which had a long journey, but returned on the 28th with -well-filled wagons. - -After moving about the country considerably, Colonel Barnes came to -the plantation of one Sheriff Staples, whose corn-fields were very -extensive. Upon entering the fields, it appeared that the corn had been -gathered, and as the battalion was about leaving, some keen fellow -ventured upon a further examination, resulting in the discovery that -the corn on the outside rows had been plucked, while in the centre of -the field there was great abundance of it. This plan had been devised -to deceive foragers, but it failed to operate successfully this time. -Members of the regiment speak of a certain family named “Crow,” whose -place they visited on this march, and whose conduct and appearance were -so suspicious, that they deemed it unwise to lodge or eat in the house. -Much of the country travelled over on this march had never before been -visited by the regiment, and in searching for the large farms, the -officers were often obliged to inquire the way of the country people. -One familiar answer to such inquiries was, “Two looks and a screech”; -and another, “Six bends and a go-over”; the meaning of which latter -expression was, you will pass six bends or turns in the road, and cross -one bridge--“go-over”--before reaching the place inquired about. The -extreme ignorance of some of the people of this region is well shown by -a conversation which Lieutenant Whitman had with a farmer’s wife, to -whom he said that he came from Boston, Massachusetts. “I come from them -parts myself,” said the old lady. “Ah! whereabouts, Madam?” asked the -officer. “Tarry Haute, Indianny,” was the intelligent answer. - -January 29. A written order from division headquarters directed the -regiment to make immediate arrangements to proceed on their veteran -furlough, and that the non-re-enlisting members of the regiment, -about one hundred in number, should at once be transferred to the -Thirty-sixth Massachusetts Regiment. The order was an unjust one, and -contemplated a complete dissolution of the connection of these men -with the Twenty-ninth, and forcing them, wholly against their will, -to become members of the Thirty-sixth Regiment. It was in effect a -severe punishment for not being willing to serve the Government for a -longer term than that which they had originally agreed to. If it had -been simply an assignment to duty with the Thirty-sixth Regiment, there -would have been no cause for complaint, and no injurious consequences -would have resulted from it; but their names were to be dropped from -the rolls of the Twenty-ninth, and as some of the transferred men were -absent in hospitals and on detached duty, the names of the latter were -not taken up on the rolls of the Thirty-sixth, and much confusion and -difficulty as to their pay and discharge came from it. Colonel Barnes, -who commanded the regiment at the time of the order, clearly foreseeing -its baneful effects, attempted to have it modified; but he was unable -to do so, and all the evils predicted by him finally became apparent. -It was not till the midsummer of 1864, that the Government discovered -this blunder, and then orders were issued directing the re-transfer of -all non-re-enlisting men to their old regiments. At this time both the -Twenty-ninth and Thirty-sixth regiments were at the front, engaged in -the severe duties of an active campaign. Books and papers had been lost -in the terrible marches and battles from the Wilderness to the James; -officers and men had been killed; and not a few of the old officers of -the Twenty-ninth had been discharged. The execution of the last-named -order devolved on the Thirty-sixth Regiment; but they were, for the -reasons already given, utterly unable to comply with it; and though -every effort was made to set the matter right, and the commanding -officer of the Twenty-ninth rendered all the aid in his power, yet the -order could not be, and never was, fully executed. One of the most -serious results of the original order of transfer was the loss of the -final record of some of the transferred men, including several who were -actually killed in battle while serving in the Thirty-sixth Regiment. -The aged mother of one of these poor fellows, who was killed at the -Wilderness, applied for a pension, and was informed by the pension -officer that the rolls of the Twenty-ninth showed that the name of -her son had been dropped, and that as the rolls of the Thirty-sixth -Regiment did not bear it, the conclusion was he had deserted. - -The movements of the regiment during February and March were so -numerous, that we cannot describe them with much detail, but will speak -of them briefly under their dates. - -February 15. Moved camp to a place near Knoxville, in a drenching -rain-storm. A part of the march was performed during the night, which -was very black and wild. - -February 18. Again moved, keeping near the city, however. The night was -very cold. - -February 24. The regiment and corps, including the Thirty-sixth -Regiment, broke camp at daybreak, marched three miles beyond Strawberry -Plain, and camped in the woods. During this march the officers were -without horses, tents, or blankets. - -Under the date of February 26, the diary of a field-officer of the -regiment, from which we quote, has the following:-- - - “Same place. Sent the tents, etc., to the bridge to be taken to - Knoxville. Move to-morrow, at daybreak. The little the ‘mess’ - had to eat was destroyed by fire last night. I have no money, - no horse; clothes in rags; boots worn through on the soles, and - burnt; no tobacco; no chance to buy anything if I had money; - couldn’t get forage if horses were here. Slept on the ground in - front of a fire, with one ragged blanket. Very cold.” - -If a field-officer was thus destitute, how much greater must have been -the destitution of the men! The regiment had not been paid for more -than six months. - -February 27. Moved to Strawberry Plain. Crossed the Holston River in -boats, and moved forward two miles into the woods. Encamped for the -night. - -February 28. Sunday. The horses were returned to the officers. The -whole corps moved through New Market to Mossy Creek, a distance of -eleven miles, and formed a camp. - -February 29. Marched to Morristown. It rained in torrents all day and -night. An attack by the enemy was rumored, and the troops received -orders to be prepared for it. - -March 1. In camp all day. Severe, cold rain. Many of the soldiers agree -in saying, that this was one of the most uncomfortable days spent in -the army. - -March 2. Moved at half-past four, A. M., to Mossy Creek. At -midnight the order came for the whole corps to retire across the creek. -The blundering and confused manner in which the orders were given, -indicated “that somebody in authority was badly frightened, without -cause.” - -March 3. Moved forward across the creek again, and camped. - -March 5. The regiment had a skirmish with the enemy’s cavalry while on -picket. - -March 12. Colonel Barnes was placed in command of the Brigade, the -command of the regiment devolving upon Major Chipman. Moved to -Morristown. - -March 13. The enemy attacked our pickets, causing some excitement, but -nothing serious resulted. - -March 14. The regiment and brigade marched with the First Brigade to a -cross-roads, as a support to the latter, in their movement towards the -enemy’s lines. While here the First Brigade dashed upon the enemy, and -scattered and broke up one of his camps. - -March 17. The regiment and corps moved through the woods and fields to -New Market. The day was very cold, and the march extremely hard. - -March 18. Marched to within seven miles of Knoxville, crossing the -Holston on pontoons. The day was very cold. On the next day the -regiment went into camp near Fort Sanders. - -March 21. The corps and regiment marched to Clinton, nineteen miles, -and encamped upon the banks of the Clinch River. - -The regiment had already received orders to go to Massachusetts on its -veteran furlough. It had been arranged for a part of the men--those -who were the most destitute and unfit to march--to go by rail by way -of Chattanooga and Nashville; while the balance, by far the minority, -were to perform the march over the Cumberland Mountains. Captain -Richardson was placed in command of the railroad party, and started -on his trip about March 20. The mountain party under command of Major -Chipman--Colonel Barnes having been assigned to the command of the -Brigade--were provided with six pack mules and saddles, with which to -transport their baggage over the mountains. The allowance was indeed -scanty, for the march was to be a long one; no food could be obtained -on the road, and these animals were to carry all the necessary stores, -tents of officers, mess kits, and other baggage. - -On the 22d of March, the Brigade was ferried across the Clinch River -in scows. Here a furious snow-storm came on, which grew so severe as -to prevent the balance of the corps from crossing. Colonel Barnes was -ordered to move on without waiting for the rest of the troops; the -air was biting cold and raw, and the roads frozen and slippery. The -officers were compelled to dismount and lead their horses; while the -men, many of whom were poorly off for shoes, suffered intensely from -cold feet. Worn out, tired, and miserable as men could be, the camp -was formed early in the afternoon in a forest near the roadside. To -add to their misery, a heavy rain-storm set in soon after nightfall, -continuing till morning. “Even the climate of East Tennessee seems to -grudge us our departure, and to place all its impeding powers in the -way of our passage homeward,” says an officer of the regiment in his -diary, under this date. - -March 23. The balance of the corps came up, and the march over the -Cumberland Mountains was begun. From this time till the 27th, the -troops were passing along over the mountain roads. On the 24th, the -regiment camped at “Chitwoods.” It snowed all night, and the men slept -upon the ground. On the 25th, the regiment marched all day, from early -morning till late evening, in a hard rain-storm, and lay down upon the -cold wet earth at night. The roads were in a most shocking condition; -so bad that the officers were obliged to dismount. The rain gave birth -to innumerable torrents, which, rushing down the mountain-sides, plowed -open great furrows in the road-bed, in some instances so wide that they -could only be crossed by bridging. On the 27th, the troops reached -Point Isabel, in the mountains, where there was a camp called “Camp -Burnside.” The sutler stationed at this place, hoping to make a fortune -in a day, very imprudently trebled the price of his goods. A murmur -of disapproval arose among the men, which resulted in the whole of -Ferrero’s division turning out and sacking the greedy trader’s booth, -and making among them a distribution of his goods. There was a sort -of wild justice about this performance, that so far commended itself -to the officers of the corps, that the men were not interfered with -or punished. At noon of this day, the regiment crossed the Cumberland -River on pontoons, and at night went into camp at Somerset, Ky. - -March 28. The march was commenced early in the morning, a halt being -made for dinner on the same spot of ground where the regiment stopped -for the same purpose in June, 1863. At night, camped (the third time) -at Waynesborough. The men had a wet bivouac; it rained hard all night. - -On the night of the 29th, the camp was formed at Hall’s Gap. A severe -snow-storm set in as the sun went down, and continued all night, -rendering the condition of the “boys” intensely miserable. - -March 30. Marched through Stanford, and halted for dinner at Lancaster. -The roads were covered with snow, and the weather was very cold. Went -into camp about three miles from Camp Dick Robinson. The camp was made -on the farm of an eccentric character, named Robert L. Route. He was -the owner of a large plantation, and was in that region a sort of “land -king,”--a man to whom the neighboring people always went for advice, -and whose word was law; there were many such throughout the South. -Route kindly invited the brigade commander and staff to spend the night -at his house, a genuine country palace, where they were hospitably -treated. During the night, some of the men very thoughtlessly cut down -one of his fine black locust-trees. “When the old planter discovered -the mischief, the next morning, he became exceedingly angry; but -instead of going to the officers and making known his grievance, he -knelt down under the windows of their bedroom, and in their hearing, -invoked, in a long prayer, upon the heads of the soldiers who destroyed -his locust-tree, the Divine wrath,--prayed that they might be suddenly -removed from the earth, and consigned to the torments of the damned. - -The officers feared an unpleasant reception at the breakfast table that -morning; but Mr. Route’s hospitality was superior to his passions, and -as though nothing of an unpleasant nature had happened, greeted them -courteously. - -After supper (the night before), Route brought in his little son, a -youth of some nine or ten summers, whom he introduced to the officers -as Robert L. Route, Jr., and standing him upon the table, made the -following exhibition of his precocity: “Robert, my son, who was the -greatest man that ever lived?” “Jesus Christ,” said the youth. “Right, -my son; who is the next greatest man that ever lived?” “Abraham -Lincoln,” was the answer. “Right, my son; and who is the next?” “Robert -L. Route, my father,” answered the boy, with increased assurance. -“Right, my son; and, gentlemen, isn’t this a boy to be proud of?” said -the delighted parent. The officers increased the father’s happiness by -saying that they thought the boy a very remarkable one indeed, and that -his high estimation of his father’s worth was well grounded. - -March 31. The regiment arrived at Camp Nelson at noon. Here four days’ -rations were distributed among the men of the Brigade, after which it -moved to Nicholasville, and took the cars for Cincinnati. - -April 1. The Brigade arrived at Covington (opposite Cincinnati), and -Major Chipman had orders to proceed with the regiment to Cincinnati. -Crossed the Ohio to the city, and took up quarters in the Sixth Street -barracks. Colonel Barnes gave up his command of the Brigade and joined -his regiment. Colonel Pierce, who had been in Massachusetts for several -weeks prior to this, upon learning of the arrival of the regiment at -Cincinnati, came to that city on the 3d of April, assumed command, and -on the 7th started with the regiment for Boston, arriving there about -five o’clock on Saturday afternoon, April 9. - -The regiment came home so unexpectedly, that no preparations were made -to receive it, and the men, except those who belonged in the city, went -into the barracks on Beach Street, while the officers took up their -quarters at the United States Hotel. The Boston papers of Monday the -11th of April duly noticed the arrival of the regiment, the “Journal” -devoting nearly a half-column to a description of it, the names of its -officers, an account of the battles and campaigns in which it had been -engaged, and said of it, among other pleasant things, “The Twenty-ninth -has as good a record as any in the service, and deserves a hearty -welcome.” - -According to the report above alluded to, the regiment at that time -numbered one hundred and sixty-six enlisted men. On this day the -regiment was formally received by the State and city authorities. -Escorted by the Cadets, it marched through the principal streets of -the city. Dinner was served at the American House, to which all, both -men and officers, were made welcome. Governor Andrew was present at -the dinner, and made a most pleasing address. Speeches were also made -by Colonels Pierce and Barnes, and by Captains Clarke and Leach. The -command was dismissed at the close of the day, and the men, weary with -the formalities of a public reception, went to their several homes, -there to be received in a manner that more keenly touched their hearts; -for there they were to be greeted by those who loved them, had a deep -personal interest in their welfare, and who had waited and watched for -them for nearly three long, weary years. - -On the evening of the 19th of April, a reception levee was given to -the members of the Bay State Guards, in the City Hall of Charlestown. -The hall was elaborately decorated for the occasion, and fine music -enlivened the guests. His Excellency Governor Andrew, and His Honor -Mayor Stone, were present, and both made speeches to the veterans, -welcoming them to their homes and the festivities of the evening. The -levee ended with dancing and a collation. - -Company C of East Bridgewater was also accorded a public reception -soon after its return. The good people of Plymouth and Sandwich paid -similar honors to their returning soldiers; but there was mingled with -all these receptions and kind greetings, much that tended to repress -joy and gladness. The war-cloud still hovered over the land, darkening -every hearth and every home. Even while the furloughed soldiers were -listening to the strains of welcoming music, the booming of Grant’s -cannon in the Wilderness was heard, and the knowledge that their own -comrades, so unjustly separated from them, were fighting there, tinged -all their enjoyment with sorrow, and filled them with troublesome -apprehensions. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - - THE TRANSFERRED MEN IN THE THIRTY-SIXTH REGIMENT--THEY - MARCH OVER THE CUMBERLAND MOUNTAINS--GO WITH THE NINTH CORPS TO - ANNAPOLIS, MD.--THE CORPS ORDERED TO THE FRONT--MARCH THROUGH - WASHINGTON--BATTLES OF THE WILDERNESS AND SPOTTSYLVANIA--A - LIST OF THE KILLED--THE TRANSFERRED MEN SENT HOME--THEY - MEET THEIR BROTHERS OF THE TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT IN - WASHINGTON--THE REGIMENT AGAIN IN THE FIELD--ASSIGNED TO - THE FIFTH CORPS--BATTLE OF BETHESDA CHURCH--A SURPRISE AND - NARROW ESCAPE--RE-ASSIGNED TO THE NINTH CORPS--BATTLE OF SHADY - GROVE CHURCH--TO THE JAMES--A LONG MARCH--BATTLE OF JUNE - SEVENTEENTH--TRAGIC DEATH OF THE THREE COLOR-BEARERS--THE FLAG - RESCUED--THE DEAD AND WOUNDED. - - -The Thirty-sixth Massachusetts Regiment had been in the service since -September 2, 1862, and had earned for itself a proud record. It was -at the battle of Fredericksburg, in December, 1862, but lost only two -men, wounded. It was attached to the Ninth Corps, and in February, -1863, accompanied the Twenty-ninth Regiment and the other troops of -the corps to Newport News, and after spending about six weeks here -in drill, went into the department of Ohio; did duty in Kentucky and -Tennessee, and in June went to Vicksburg, taking part in the siege of -that city, and later, in July, in the siege and battles about Jackson, -losing several men killed and wounded. The regiment returned with the -corps to Tennessee, in August, where it was engaged in the battles of -Blue Springs and Campbell’s Station, and the siege of Knoxville. It was -likewise at Blaine’s Cross-Roads, in December, 1863, and January, 1864, -and suffered all the privations there endured by our army. - -On the 21st of March, 1864, it commenced the march over the Cumberland -Mountains to Nicholasville, Ky., a distance of about two hundred miles, -where it arrived on the first day of April. - -The regiment, containing the transferred men of the Twenty-ninth, -reached Annapolis, Md., April 6, and went into camp. The corps had been -ordered to this place to recruit, and during the seventeen days that -it remained here, its numbers were considerably increased. The old -regiments were filled up, to some extent, by re-enlistments and new -levies; five cavalry and twelve infantry regiments, and five batteries -of artillery, beside an entire division (Fourth) of colored troops, -were added to the corps, making its strength about twenty-five thousand -men. General Burnside was again assigned to the command of the corps, -while General Ferrero was placed in command of the division of colored -troops. - -At an early hour in the morning of the 23d of April, the removal of the -corps from Annapolis began. The Thirty-sixth broke camp before sunrise, -and taking the track of the Elk Ridge and Annapolis Railroad, marched -some thirteen miles, halting in some fields near the track for the -night. Another very early start was made on the morning of the 24th, -and in the course of six hours the regiment struck the Washington and -Baltimore Turnpike. A brief halt was made for dinner, after which the -march was resumed, the camp being formed at sunset about ten miles -from Washington. Reveille sounded at four o’clock the next morning, -but in consequence of the severe rain, the regiment did not break camp -till four hours later, passing through Bladensburg on the march, and -arriving in Washington at about mid-day, in advance of the other troops -of the corps. - -The report had reached Washington that the Ninth Corps was to pass -through the city, and that among the troops was a division composed -wholly of colored soldiers, and a large body of people gathered in the -streets to witness this grand, and at that time novel, military parade. -President Lincoln and his party, including General Burnside, had taken -a position in the balcony of Willard’s Hotel. The streets were free -from dust, and “a cool wind breathed through the soft air of the early -spring”; the sky was cloudless, the bright rays of the sun lending -beauty to the scene. A loud shout went up from the assembly when the -head of the long column made its appearance. The veteran soldiers had -exchanged the ragged garments that they wore home from Tennessee for -bright new uniforms; but they carried the same old tattered flags, -which told a story of toil and suffering, that brought flowing tears -to the eyes of many spectators. The appearance in the column of -the colored division of General Ferrero produced the most intense -excitement, and gave birth to rounds of cheers; for although these -black men had been but a few weeks in the service, they manifested -considerable excellence in marching. When this division reached -Willard’s Hotel, and the eyes of the men fell upon “Massa Lincoln,” -“a spirit of wild enthusiasm ran through their ranks; they shouted, -they cheered, they swung their caps, in the exuberance of their joy.” -Towards sundown, the Thirty-sixth crossed Long Bridge, and went into -camp near Alexandria with the rest of the corps. - -April 27. After a day’s rest, the movement into Virginia was again -commenced. The regiment started on the road at ten o’clock in the -morning, and marched all day, passing through Fairfax, and halting at -night three miles beyond the village. - -April 28. Broke camp at five o’clock in the morning, waded Bull Run -about noon, and camped at night near Manassas Junction. - -April 29. Turned out early in the morning, and after getting breakfast, -packed up, marched about thirty rods, halted, stacked arms, marched and -countermarched all day, and finally went into camp at night within a -quarter of a mile from the place of the previous night’s encampment. - -April 30. Started out of camp early in the morning, marched up the -Alexandria and Orange Railroad about four miles, to a point about -three miles from Catlett’s Station, and relieved a battalion of the -Seventeenth Regulars, there stationed. The whole of the corps was -stationed at various points along this railroad. - -May 1. The regiment was mustered for pay. The camp was termed about -twenty rods from the railroad, half-way between Catlett’s and Bristoe’s -stations. - -May 4. Orders were issued for the men to strike tents early in the -morning, and soon after the regiment started up the track, marched all -day, and camped at night near Bealton Station. - -May 5. Started at six in the morning, crossed the Rapidan on a pontoon -bridge, and went into camp a mile beyond the river, in the woods. - -May 6. The regiment was ordered out at an early hour, and started -toward the Wilderness battle-field, joining the corps which was -stationed near the Wilderness Tavern, and becoming hotly engaged in -that terrible battle. Three times during the day the regiment with its -division charged the enemy’s lines, manifesting the greatest bravery, -but suffering serious loss. Major Draper and Captain Marshall were -wounded; eleven of the men were killed, and fifty-one wounded. The -regiment was also engaged May 7, but escaped without loss. - -On the 8th and 9th, it marched a distance of about ten miles, -to Chancellorsville, and on the following day marched from -Chancellorsville to near Spottsylvania Court-house, where it went into -the rifle-pits. Early in the morning of the 12th, General Hancock’s -corps made a gallant assault upon a salient of the enemy’s works, -carrying them, capturing General Johnston and his entire division and -twenty pieces of artillery. The Thirty-sixth regiment, with the rest of -the Ninth Corps, early engaged in the battle, which lasted for nearly -three hours. The assault on the enemy’s works was followed by a counter -assault upon our lines, which was many times repeated, but without -success. The Thirty-sixth was stationed in thick pine woods, and the -share which it took in the battle is well shown by its dreadful loss. -Captain Bailey and Lieutenant Daniels were killed, and Captain Morse -severely wounded; twenty of the men were killed, and fifty-six wounded, -and among the killed, the following members of the Twenty-ninth -Regiment: Sergeant William H. Mosher, Company B, who had but two -more days to serve in which to complete his three years’ term; First -Sergeant William T. Hamer, Company A; Edward P. Mansfield, Company C; -James Ward, Company D; John K. Alexander and Lemuel B. Morton, Company -E; and John E. Fisher, Company K. The term of service of the six -last-named soldiers would have expired on the 22d, and in the cases of -all, it seems to have been a most cruel fate, that spared them through -so many months of hardship and danger, and just as the end of their -faithful service was near at hand, and the bright prospect of a happy -return to their homes was rising up before them, cut them down upon the -battle-field, and sent them to unknown graves. Probably there is no -official record of their deaths, owing to the unfortunate circumstances -attending their transfer; and but for the fact, that some of their -comrades who fought with them escaped the battle and brought back to -their friends these sad tidings, the author would not have been able to -present this account of them, however meagre, nor to pay this deserved -tribute, however poor, to their memory. - -The diary of a soldier of the Twenty-ninth Regiment,[46] who was -engaged in these battles, states that twenty-eight members of the -latter regiment were wounded in this campaign; but it does not give -their names, and the author has been unable to learn the names of only -those of his own company, as the records of neither the Twenty-ninth -nor Thirty-sixth regiments contain any information upon this point. -For several days after the battle of May 12, the Thirty-sixth Regiment -remained at the front, in the rifle-pits, almost constantly under fire. -The term of service of the members of companies I and B (Twenty-ninth -Regiment) expired on the 14th, and that of the others on the 22d. -On the afternoon of the 17th, Sergeant-Major George H. Morse of the -Twenty-ninth Regiment, who was serving with the transferred men, -proceeded to the headquarters of General Burnside, upon a pass signed -by the commanding officer of the Thirty-sixth Regiment, for the purpose -of laying before the General the facts in regard to the transferred -men, and obtaining from him an order for their discharge. Morse, who -was somewhat noted for his persistency as well as his personal bravery, -encountered great difficulty in obtaining an audience with General -Burnside. The Adjutant-General informed the Sergeant-Major that he -could not be permitted to see the General, and that his extraordinary -request could not then be granted; but Morse was not to be put off even -by a positive denial: he insisted upon seeing the General, painted -in strong colors and with eloquent words the wrongs of his comrades, -and finally so far excited the interest of the Adjutant-General in his -case, that he was admitted into the presence of the Commander. This -point gained, Morse was certain of success; the good-hearted General -listened with his customary patience to all the Sergeant-Major had to -say, and then taking his pen, wrote an order directing that these men -be immediately relieved from duty, and coupled the order with a pass to -Washington. Proud of his triumph, Morse proceeded to the lines, took -charge of the men, and immediately started with them for Belle Plain -Landing. - -The thirty days of furlough were gone before the re-enlisted men fully -realized it. On the 16th of May, the Twenty-ninth Regiment was summoned -to the front. The tattered old flags, having on their folds the battle -record of the regiment, written by shot and shell, were turned over to -the State authorities, and replaced by new ones, bearing in bright, -golden letters the same proud inscriptions. - -On the 18th, the regiment reached Washington, and went into barracks; -on the following day, the transferred members of the regiment arrived -in the city from the front, meeting their old comrades, from whom -they had been separated for several months. This happy meeting was -wholly accidental, and the greetings which followed were therefore all -the more cordial. Since their sad parting in East Tennessee, their -experiences had been widely different; for while some were fresh from -their homes, others had just escaped from the tumult and carnage of the -battle-field. The recounting of the hardships of the campaign then in -progress, the recital of the thrilling incidents of these battles, the -sorrowful tidings brought back by the returning veterans of the loss -of this and that old brother, together with the painful certainty that -some of those now going to the field would in the course of a few days -be sleeping in soldiers’ graves, all operated to invest this meeting -with an air of strange sadness, and to inspire in those who engaged -in it the deepest feelings of fraternal love. On the morning of the -20th, the boys were compelled to separate, the regiment having received -orders to march. - -According to a roll prepared by Sergeant-Major Morse, the transferred -men under his charge numbered eighty-three; namely, seven members of -Company A, four of Company B, sixteen of Company C, eighteen of Company -D, nine of Company E, one of Company G, three of Company H, one of -Company I, and twenty-four of Company K. If this roll is correct, and -the author has no reason to doubt it, then including: Morse and the -seven who were killed at the Wilderness and Spottsylvania, it appears -that ninety-one members of the Twenty-ninth actually served with the -Thirty-sixth Regiment in this campaign. But this does not include all -of the men who were actually transferred, as some of them were absent -in hospitals and on special duty at the time of the transfer, and -never joined the Thirty-sixth Regiment. The order of General Burnside -directed that these men should proceed to Washington, there to be -mustered out and paid; but not having been furnished with descriptive -lists by the commanders of companies in the Thirty-sixth Regiment, it -became impossible to properly execute this order. Encountering this -difficulty, Sergeant-Major Morse applied to the Secretary of War, -who, upon a representation of the facts, issued an order directing -Morse to proceed to Boston with his men, and directing Major Clark, U. -S. A., there stationed, to muster out and pay Morse and the members -of his command. The squad arrived in Boston, May 23, but, upon the -presentation of the order, Major Clark declined to comply with it, for -the reason that the men were without descriptive lists, and it was -therefore impossible to determine what amount was due them. The men -were, however, dismissed, and allowed to return to their homes, when, -after the expiration of several weeks, descriptive lists having been -patched up, with the assistance of the officers of the Twenty-ninth -Regiment, these worthy soldiers, who had had so little difficulty -in entering the service, but so great trouble in leaving it, were -finally mustered out and paid. They were among the best soldiers of the -Twenty-ninth, and are deserving of a full share of its honors. - -On the 20th of May, the Twenty-ninth Regiment took a government -transport at Washington, and went down the Potomac, arriving at Belle -Plain on the afternoon of the same day. - -The regiment had recruited but little during its stay in -Massachusetts, and having been greatly reduced in strength by a variety -of causes, some of which have already been named, the number of -commissioned officers was now greatly out of proportion to the number -of its enlisted men, and in excess of that allowed by law. Accordingly, -on the 22d of May, several of the old officers whose terms expired that -day, were relieved of command, and left for Washington, there to be -honorably mustered out of the service. - -Among these faithful soldiers was Captain Lebbeus Leach, then about -sixty-three years of age, whose hair was white as “the driven snow.” -The loss of his companionship was deeply felt by those who remained -to share still longer the fortunes of the regiment. In every place of -peril, he had stood like a rock, chiding, by his manner, rather than -words, all faintheartedness, and setting an example of bravery that -never failed to animate all about him. The sort of stoical indifference -which this old man manifested, not only towards danger, but extreme -physical suffering, was remarkable, and has been often spoken of by his -comrades. - -Captain Samuel H. Doten, who left the regiment a little later, May -30, with the deserved brevet of Major, was another soldier of the -Puritan type, and was fifty-one years old at the time of leaving the -service. He was a man of strong religious convictions, and impressed -all his comrades with a sense of his candor; his natural dignity and -self-respect won for him that treatment which these qualities always -secure, and he left the army deeply beloved by all who had enjoyed his -acquaintance and friendship. - -The departure of these and other officers furnished another occasion -for sorrowful farewells, and was another breaking-up of old army -associations,--relations that were sacredly cherished, as they had been -formed amidst scenes of danger and suffering. - -A provisional brigade of five regiments, among which was the -Forty-sixth New York, the old friends of the Twenty-ninth, was formed -from among the fresh arrivals at Belle Plain, and placed under the -command of Brigadier-General Lockwood. On the 23d of May, these troops -broke camp and marched to Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, and went -into camp. - -May 24. Crossed the Rappahannock on pontoons; took the “Bowling Green” -road, and went into camp at one o’clock in the afternoon. - -May 25. Moved at four in the morning, and halted for dinner at Bowling -Green. Crossed the Mattapony River; marched through General Ferrero’s -division of colored troops, into camp. - -May 26. In camp all day. Rained during the night. In the midst of the -night, the camp was alarmed, and the Twenty-ninth was sent out to -reconnoitre, the men realizing that they were again soldiers in the -field; the alarm proved to be unfounded. - -May 27. The Brigade moved through a beautiful section of the country, -and camped near Penola Station. - -May 28. Passed through Aylettstown and camped near a place rejoicing in -the euphonious name of “Cat-tail Church.” - -May 29. Came up with the Army of the Potomac after crossing the -Pamunkey River, and bivouacked in a field with other troops. The army -of General Grant was then moving away from the North Anna River, and -the enemy being in his immediate front, skirmishing was of daily and -almost hourly occurrence. - -May 30. The regiment was assigned to the Fifth Corps, First Division, -Third Brigade, and the fact, that, upon being assigned to this corps, -it should retain the same numbers, having been in the First Division -and Third Brigade of the Ninth Corps, seemed a little strange. Both -officers and men were, however, alike disappointed at this assignment, -it having been their expectation to return to the old Ninth, with whose -history their own was singularly identified. - -On the first day of June, the whole line moved forward. The -Twenty-ninth Regiment was ordered to send out one hundred men on the -skirmish line, and Captain Thomas W. Clarke was placed in command -of this force, which formed the extreme right of the corps line of -skirmishers. On the immediate right of the line was a dense growth of -woods and a morass, which the staff-officer who directed the movement -said were “impassable”; but Clarke, who, during his three years’ -service, had acquired a familiarity with the enemy’s ways of fighting, -was not satisfied with the staff-officer’s statement; there was a -certain ominous silence about the dark woods especially, that greatly -excited the Captain’s suspicions. His right was wholly unconnected -with other troops, and his men too few to justify him in extending -his line into the forest; if the enemy were lurking there, as he had -reason to believe, his men were in imminent danger of being flanked, -and he accordingly despatched an officer and squad of men to examine -the place. The squad had scarcely entered the woods when the enemy -commenced a violent attack all along the corps front, and at the same -moment a large body of them came pouring out of the “impassable” woods, -in the very faces of our men who had invaded their hiding-place. But -for the starting into the woods of the squad, who could at best only -give the alarm, the one hundred skirmishers would have been lost, -and this result might have been attended with serious consequences -to the whole line. As it was, an immediate and rapid retrograde -movement became necessary, with a change of front, to prevent the -enemy from moving directly to the rear of our line. The position of -our men was both awkward and perilous, but they proved themselves -equal to the emergency; changing front with great rapidity, they then -fell back to the main line, firing deliberately as they did so, but -suffering considerable loss. This movement resulted in a severe general -engagement. The regiment formed in line at the breastworks, next the -Eighteenth Massachusetts, and became hotly engaged, expending nearly -all its ammunition. Toward night, the enemy were driven back, when the -skirmish line was re-established and properly protected on the right. -Considering the exposed situation of our hundred men, it is remarkable -that their loss was not greater. - -The death of private John C. Lambert of Company C was a shocking -affair; he was wounded in the legs while in the edge of the woods, -and left in that position by his comrades, who had no opportunity to -remove him. Later in the day, the woods were set on fire, probably by -exploding shell, and the poor fellow actually burned to death, his -crisped and lifeless body being found by his comrades after the battle. -Captain George H. Taylor and First Lieutenant George H. Long,[47] -both of whom behaved themselves with great gallantry, were severely -wounded. Martin Jefferson of Company F, and Charles Drake and Henry A. -Osborne of Company C, were captured; and the following enlisted men -were wounded: Sergeants Richard Harney of Company A, and Francis J. -Cole of Company K; Privates Thomas Hawes and Charles Bassett of Company -A; Thomas Manning and John Connolly of Company B; John A. Holmes of -Company C; Perez Eldridge of Company D; and Abram Hascall of Company F. - -Captain Taylor, though unfit for duty for some time, returned to the -regiment, and served till it was mustered out, in 1865. The battle of -this day has been called the battle of Bethesda Church. - -June 2. About four in the afternoon, the regiment moved to the rear, -the corps being engaged in a flank movement to the left. The enemy made -a desperate attack upon our division during a severe rain-storm late in -the day, and while the division was in a very disadvantageous position. -Nothing save “the magnificent fighting” of the Regulars prevented -serious disaster; they checked the enemy in his headlong charge, until -the First Division could get into position in the rear. The Regulars -then fell back in good order upon the division line, followed hotly by -the enemy, who were met by a destructive fire, and after a long, hard -fight, were repulsed with loss. The one hundred skirmishers of the -Twenty-ninth were relieved at the front by a good Pennsylvania regiment -of about two hundred men, which lost in this battle nearly half its -number; showing how severe was the engagement, and how exposed the -situation in which our comrades had been placed only the day before. - -June 3. A welcome order from the headquarters of the Army of the -Potomac transferred the Twenty-ninth Regiment from the Fifth to the -Ninth Corps, and the regiment reported to General Burnside in the -afternoon. On this day was fought the terrible battle of Cold Harbor, -in which the Ninth Corps bore the brunt of the battle on the right, -losing in the engagement over one thousand killed and wounded. Owing -to the lateness of the hour on which the order of transfer reached the -regiment, it did not arrive at Burnside’s lines in season to take a -very active part in the battle; but it moved promptly, however, and lay -in support behind some old breastworks. One of our batteries, which -was posted in the rear of these works, engaged in shelling the enemy, -wounded Lawrence T. Chickey and Conrad Homan of Company A. Sergeant -Samuel C. Wright of Company E was also wounded here by a rifle-shot -from the enemy’s lines. - -June 4. The enemy moved from our corps front, and the corps moved to -the left along the rear of the army. - -June 5. The corps moved in the afternoon and threw up breastworks. -There was some hard fighting on the left, but the regiment did not -become engaged. - -June 6. The enemy opened a sharp fire on the corps front, but the men -being well covered, no harm resulted. - -June 7. Flag of truce to bury our dead in front of the Eighteenth Corps. - -June 8. The Brigade relieved a brigade of the Second Division on -outpost. - -June 10. The regiment went out on the picket line. - -June 11. On picket. All quiet. - -June 12. The corps left its lines and marched rapidly all day and all -night. - -June 13. Moved along the south side of the Chickahominy, making a rapid -march, and went into camp at eleven o’clock in the night, at Jones’s -Bridge. - -June 14. Passed Providence Forge, crossed the Chickahominy River in the -forenoon, and bivouacked at Charles City Court-house. - -June 15. At about half-past ten o’clock in the night, the regiment -crossed the James River on a pontoon bridge, and marched the remainder -of the night. - -June 16. Marched till six o’clock in the afternoon, when the regiment -reached the lines in front of Petersburg, and formed the third line of -battle in the woods, under a fire of both musketry and artillery. The -march since the night of the 15th had been terribly severe; the roads -were dusty, and during the day the mercury had stood at nearly 100°. -Many men of the regiment--and of all the regiments--had been left on -the road in an exhausted condition, so that when our lines were formed -on the night of this day, the corps was but a skeleton compared with -its former strength. An attack having been determined upon, orders were -given to assault the enemy’s works early the following morning. General -Potter’s division was selected to lead the assault. - -June 17. At the first blush of day, the charge was made; the enemy’s -lines were rapidly swept for nearly two miles, and four pieces of -artillery, with their caissons and horses, a stand of colors, fifteen -hundred stands of small arms, a quantity of ammunition, and six hundred -prisoners, were captured.[48] - -At daylight, the regiment and its brigade moved up, under a severe -fire, and occupied one of the works that had just been captured by -Potter’s men. Affairs remained in this condition till afternoon, -when General Willcox made an attack, but he was repulsed with heavy -loss. Shortly after this repulse on the right, and quite late in the -afternoon, the division (General Ledlie’s) was moved forward into a -ravine, where it was protected from the fire of the enemy. Colonel -Barnes was placed in command of the Second Brigade, in which was the -Twenty-ninth, with Captain Clarke as his Assistant Adjutant-General, -while the regiment was commanded by Major Chipman. Colonel Barnes was -told by General Ledlie, that the division was to assault the enemy’s -works directly in its front, the First and Second brigades to charge -in line of battle, and the Third Brigade to act as a support. The -officers and men of the two brigades then crept up out of the ravine -towards the enemy,--who were well entrenched and lay behind their -works,--and formed one long line of battle, all lying flat upon the -ground, waiting for the order to spring to their feet and dash forward. -At this moment, an aid of General Ledlie’s crept out of the ravine, and -approaching Colonel Gould of the Fifty-ninth Massachusetts, commanding -the First Brigade, beckoned Colonel Barnes to him, and then stated -to the two colonels, “in plain language,” that the proposed assault -had been abandoned; that the men were to remain in their present -positions till dark, when they would be retired into the ravine from -whence they started. The two brigade commanders, Gould and Barnes, -upon the reception of the above order, at once called to them their -respective regimental commanders and communicated these instructions, -and the latter crept back to their regiments and gave them to their -men. The order not to advance was received with much satisfaction, -for all realized fully the desperate nature of the undertaking. But -the order had hardly been imparted to the troops, when suddenly there -came an imperative order from General Ledlie to advance instantly. No -time could be given for explanation; the order, “Forward!” was shouted -along the line, and the men with cheers started on a rapid run. They -had scarcely emerged upon the open plain, when the whole crest of the -Confederate works was fringed with fire and smoke; grape, canister, -and musket-balls filled the air. The first fire staggered the whole -line, but for a short distance it struggled on, when without absolutely -breaking, suddenly both brigades, as by one impulse, fell rapidly -back. As the line was retiring, the Third Brigade, not having changed -its position, rose up with cheers and moved forward. This checked the -backward movement, and the three brigades, in one confused mass, with -terrific shouts and yells, dashed over the field and into the enemy’s -first line of works and captured them. The division had lost heavily -in this action, and darkness soon coming on, all further offensive -movements here ended. - -Instances of great courage and individual daring are rarely wanting in -a battle; but an exhibition of almost sublime courage, which occurred -in this engagement, cannot with justice to the living and the dead be -passed by in silence. Color-Sergeant John A. Tighe of Company K had -permission from his officers to remain at his home in East Boston for -a few days after the departure of the regiment. During the absence of -Tighe, Sergeant Silas N. Grosvenor, Company C of East Bridgewater, had -carried the national colors. As the regiment was preparing to move out -of the ravine to charge the bristling works of the enemy, Tighe, who -had just that moment reached the front, fresh from home, came up, and -being color-bearer of the regiment, demanded of Grosvenor the flag. -Grosvenor had carried the colors during all the long marches from Belle -Plain to Petersburg, and being a high-spirited soldier, declined to -give them up right on the eve of a battle, and thereupon a contention -arose between the two brave men as to which should perform that most -perilous service. Major Chipman, who was only holding temporary command -of the regiment, as an act of courtesy, referred the matter to Colonel -Barnes, who was near at hand. The decision was, that Grosvenor should -carry the colors during the battle. - -The regiment moved out upon the field; at the first fire, a musket-ball -pierced the brain of the valorous Grosvenor, and he fell a bleeding -corpse upon the ground. The colors had scarcely touched the earth -before the hands of Tighe, who was in the color-guard, grasped the -staff, and, proud of his soldier-trust, shook them defiantly towards -the foe. His exultation was short-lived, for in a moment more another -well-aimed ball laid low in death the heroic bearer. Again the flag -went down, but only for an instant, for immediately it was seized by -Sergeant-Major William F. Willis of Charlestown. A short advance in -the hurry and tumult, and a third shot brought both flag and bearer -to the ground. Now the line faltered and went backward, and the -gallant old regiment for the first and only time in its history left -the battle-field without its flag, but in the terrible confusion of -the moment the loss was not discovered. When the fact became known, -a minute later, a loud cry arose through the ranks, “We’ve lost our -flag!” “We’ve lost our flag!” It was at this critical juncture that -Major Chipman called for volunteers to rescue the colors; Corporal -Nathaniel Burgess, Company E of Plymouth, and Private Patrick Muldoon, -Company A of Boston,[49] quickly responded, and the second brave trio -dashed out of the line and over the field, under the fire of a thousand -muskets. The prostrate flag was seen just before them. But can they -ever reach it? It is said that the enemy, filled with admiration for -the daring of our men, perceptibly slackened their fire, and when the -little squad bore off the flag in triumph, mingled their generous -cheers with those of our own men. - -The hands of poor Willis were found clutching the staff so firmly, that -his comrades, who saved the flag he died to honor, were obliged to pry -open his fingers in order to loosen his death-grasp, while the folds of -the silken banner completely enveloped his body. - -The conduct of Major Chipman and his comrades, which was witnessed -by a large number of troops, caused them to be very conspicuous for -their bravery; while Corporal Burgess, who actually bore off the flag -from the field, for the part he took in the affair, was made a first -lieutenant as soon as a vacancy occurred. The colors were found to be -badly shot, and the staff broken in two places. - -Captain Clarke, of whose good conduct the author has several times -before had occasion to speak, was in the thickest of this fight, and -was untiring in his efforts not only to urge, but to lead on the men. -As the line fell back and melted away under the terrible fire from -the batteries, Colonel Barnes, as commander of the Second Brigade, -suddenly found himself at the front, without troops. It was at this -critical moment that Clarke’s bravery shone out so brightly. Observing -the perilous situation of his commander, he hastened to his side, to -share with him the dangers and responsibilities of his position. “The -supports will move forward, and we shall be all right yet,” was his -confident remark. True enough, the supports did move, but not too soon -to save the day. - -A little more than three years before this day, these two officers, as -Captains of companies A and K, both of Boston, were prominently engaged -at Great Bethel, the first pitched battle of the Rebellion; and here, -after all the vicissitudes of war, and a service peculiarly eventful, -as Brigade Commander and Adjutant-General, they stood together on -one of the bloodiest battle-fields of Virginia,--a field made famous -alike by the valor of our soldiers and the revolutionary memories that -clustered around the historic day. - -The regiment went into this action with less than one hundred men, -and suffered a loss of twenty-nine officers and men killed and -wounded,--about one-third of its number. The following is a list of the -casualties:-- - - -KILLED. - - First Sergeant SILAS N. GROSVENOR, Company C. - - Color Sergeant JOHN A. TIGHE, Company K. - - Sergeant and Acting Sergeant-Major WILLIAM F. WILLIS - and Corporal RICHARD GURNEY, Company H. - - Privates JOHN C. STEWART and MARTIN MINTON, - Company B. - - -WOUNDED. - - First Lieutenant GEORGE W. POPE, Company G, mortally. - - First Lieutenant CHARLES A. CARPENTER, Company H. - - First Sergeant JOHN LUCAS, Company B, badly in wrist. - - Sergeant H. B. TITUS, Company G. - - Sergeant JOHN H. HANCOCK, Company H, arm shot off. - - Corporal JOHN M. THOMPSON, Company B, both legs - broken, and afterwards died. - - Corporal WILLIAM H. TINDAL and Musician JAMES - LIFFIN,[50] Company F. - - Privates THOMAS W. CASHMAN, Company A; EMERY - HODGKINS, Company B; WILLIAM H. BURNS, JOSEPH - W. GLASS, NAPOLEON MASON, JOHN HARVEY, - TIMOTHY HAYES, and GEORGE F. BROWNE, Company - F; DANIEL WHITMORE, RICHARD OWEN, PHILIP - A. LAWALL, WARREN CROWELL, and EDWARD - CARNEY, Company G; WILLIAM JONES, Company H; and - WILLIAM H. HOWE, Company K. - -It is said on good authority, that every third man in the attacking -column was either killed or wounded, a fact that shows how sanguinary -was the battle. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - - MOVEMENTS AFTER THE BATTLE OF JUNE 17--BATTLE OF THE - MINE--A LIST OF KILLED AND WOUNDED--VARIOUS MOVEMENTS OF - THE REGIMENT--DEATH OF MAJOR CHIPMAN--BATTLE OF BLICK’S - HOUSE--POPLAR GROVE CHURCH--A RECONNOISSANCE--COLONEL BARNES - LEAVES THE ARMY. - - -On the day following the 17th of June, the regiment, with the other -troops of the First Division, retired a short distance to the rear -to rest, and overcome as much as possible the bewildering and -disorganizing influences of the battle. It was usual to grant this poor -privilege to troops that had been severely engaged, the amount of rest -given them depending upon the severity of their losses and the strength -of the reserve forces, or, in other words, the means of the commanding -general to supply their places at the front with fresh troops. The -extended nature of our lines in front of Petersburg, and the activity -of the enemy, required the presence of a vast army there, and the -strength of our army at that time did not afford a large reserve, hence -the regiment enjoyed but a brief respite from duty. - -During the night of the 20th, the division moved forward to the front -line, relieving a division of the Second Corps. - -June 21. Same place, skirmishing. - -June 22. The enemy made a sortie on the division skirmish line, but -were repulsed. - -June 23. Severe skirmishing in the night; the weather very warm and -oppressive. - -June 24. Same place; the Brigade moved to the extreme front line. - -June 25. Severe skirmishing all night; the regiment was in line of -battle till near daylight. - -June 26 and 27. Same place. - -June 28. This day the regiment was ordered to deploy near General -Ledlie’s headquarters, and advance through the woods to drive up -stragglers. About three hundred of these faithless soldiers were found -hiding in the forest, fifty of whom were arrested by our men, the -rest making their escape. The Tenth Corps advanced their picket line -at night, which caused considerable skirmishing, but after awhile -everything became quiet; the regiment moved to the rear during the -night. - -July 1. The enemy threw several mortar-shell directly into the -regimental camp, but no one was injured. - -July 2. The regiment had orders to move to the vicinity of brigade -headquarters, to act as provost guard of the division. Major Charles -Chipman was detached from the regiment and assigned to the command of -the Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery. This was a large regiment, -then acting as infantry; its Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel, and three -Majors were absent, the first two officers by reason of wounds. It -was regarded as a great compliment to Major Chipman, that he should -have been selected from among the many able officers of the corps and -division to take the command of this excellent regiment; but it was a -well-deserved mark of respect. The men were kept busy nearly all day -throwing up a line of works to protect them from the enemy’s bullets; -the weather was extremely warm, and the earth hard and difficult to -work with the shovel. - -July 3. The men were kept at work on the entrenchments nearly all day, -which was equally as warm as the preceding one. During the day a patrol -was sent out from the regiment, and arrested seventy Federal soldiers, -who were found without proper passes; toward night the enemy opened -a severe artillery and musketry fire upon our whole line, making it -dangerous for a man to show his head above the breastworks. - -July 4. A part of the regiment were at work shovelling, while a detail -was made for patrol duty; eighty-nine more stragglers were apprehended -and sent back to their respective regiments. The enemy seemed to be -engaged in observing the anniversary of American Independence, and -allowed our army to do the same. The officers of the Twenty-ninth had a -modest little celebration of the day on their own account. - -We have given enough of the daily experiences of the soldiers on the -front line to enable the general reader to understand the nature of -the life which troops thus situated, led. But we have another purpose -in occasionally adopting the diary form of narrative. These dates form -so many initial points in the history of the regiment, and lead its -members on to the recollection of a great variety of incidents, not of -sufficient importance to chronicle, but of peculiar importance to them -personally. - -On the 21st, there were some indications of a battle; the Second -Brigade, of which the Twenty-ninth was a member, was ordered up -during the night to the support of General Willcox’s division. On the -following day, the Brigade, Colonel Barnes in temporary command, was -reviewed, and highly complimented. General William F. Bartlett arrived -and assumed command of the First Brigade, and Colonel Marshall of -the Fourteenth New York (H. A. Vols.) having also reported for duty, -was assigned to the command of the Second Brigade. The regiment was -transferred to the First Brigade. - -July 24. The regiment again went to the front line. - -July 26. Ordered to the rear. - -July 27. Orders were received to be in readiness to move at any moment. - -July 28. The entire First Brigade moved to the front line. - -It seems necessary to pause here and state certain facts closely -associated with the thrilling events of which we must directly speak. -In the various assaults made upon the enemy’s lines on the 16th, 17th, -and 18th of June, the Ninth Corps obtained an advanced position, -“beyond a deep cut in the railroad, within about one hundred and -twenty-five yards of the enemy’s lines. Just in rear of that advanced -position was a deep hollow,” ... where any work could be carried on -without the knowledge of the enemy. In the course of a few days after -this ground had been taken by the corps, Lieutenant-Colonel Henry -Pleasants of the Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers waited on General -Potter, who commanded one of the divisions of the Ninth Corps, and -suggested to him, that in his opinion a mine could be run under one -of the enemy’s batteries, by which means it could be blown up, and a -breach thus made in the enemy’s lines. General Potter seems to have -thought favorably of the plan, and in turn suggested it to General -Burnside, by whom it was fully approved. - -On the 25th of June, Colonel Pleasants commenced the work of -excavation, employing none but members of his own command, which then -numbered about four hundred. This project was not looked upon with -any favor by General Meade, and nearly every application made to -headquarters for the tools and materials necessary for the carrying -on of the work was wholly disregarded. Colonel Pleasants says in his -testimony before the Committee of Congress on the Conduct of the War, -“Whenever I made application, I could not get anything, although -General Burnside was very favorable to it. The most important thing -was to ascertain how far I had to mine, because if I went short of or -went beyond the proper place, the explosion would have no practical -effect. Therefore, I wanted an accurate instrument with which to make -the necessary triangulations. I had to make them on the farthest -front line, where the enemy’s sharpshooters could reach me. I could -not get the instrument I wanted, although there was one at army -headquarters; and General Burnside had to send to Washington and get -an old-fashioned theodolite, which was given to me.” Not having been -supplied with wheelbarrows with which to remove the earth, he was -compelled to use common cracker-boxes, with pieces of hickory nailed -on them for handles. Notwithstanding all these obstacles, the worthy -and energetic Colonel and his no less worthy officers and men kept at -their work night and day. To remove all chance of discovery by the -enemy of what was going on in his camp, Colonel Pleasants had the -fresh earth brought from the mine covered with bushes and the boughs -of trees. The mine was completed July 23, and consisted of one main -gallery 510-9/10 feet in length, with two lateral galleries, the left -being thirty-seven feet long, and the right thirty-eight feet. The -two galleries ran directly under the enemy’s works, a part of which -consisted of a six-gun battery, with a garrison of about two hundred -men. As this work had been carried on within the lines of the Ninth -Corps, General Burnside had naturally enough assumed not only the -responsibility of it, but had matured plans for the explosion of the -mine and the assault upon the enemy’s works, that was immediately to -follow. The plan that had been adopted by Burnside, was to explode the -mine just before daylight in the morning, “or at about five o’clock in -the afternoon; mass the two brigades of the colored division in rear of -my first line in columns of division, ‘double columns closed in mass,’ -the head of each brigade resting on the front line; and as soon as the -explosion has taken place, move them forward, with instructions for the -division to take half distance as soon as the leading regiment of the -two brigades passes through the gap in the enemy’s line by the right -companies ‘on the right into line wheel,’ the left companies ‘on the -right into line,’ and proceed at once down the enemy’s works as rapidly -as possible; and the leading regiment of the left brigade to execute -the reverse movement to the left, running up the enemy’s line; the -remainder of the columns to move directly towards the crest in front -as rapidly as possible, diverging in such a way as to enable them to -deploy into column of regiments, the right column making as nearly as -possible for Cemetery Hill; these columns to be followed by the other -divisions of the corps as soon as they can be thrown in.”[51] - -The reasons given for the selection of the colored division to lead the -assault, were, that they had been less exposed to the hardships of the -campaign than any of the white divisions, the latter having been kept -on the front line ever since the commencement of the campaign. Beside -this, the colored division had for several weeks been drilled with -great care for this special duty. - -When the time came to put into execution this novel plan of dislodging -the enemy from his works, General Meade, as he had a right to do, by -reason of his rank, assumed the entire direction of the movement, -wholly changing several of Burnside’s plans, and directed, among other -things, that one of the white divisions, instead of the colored, -should lead the assault; “and the order of assault was also changed, -in respect to sweeping down the enemy’s lines to the right and left -of the crater by the leading regiments of the assaulting column.” -These instructions were not communicated to General Burnside till the -afternoon of the 29th of July, at which time General Meade issued -his battle order. There were reasons equally strong for assigning -each one of the three white divisions of the Ninth Corps to the -important service of leading the assault; and to leave no ground of -complaint, and avoid the appearance of being needlessly arbitrary, -General Burnside determined to decide this question by the drawing of -lots. Accordingly, on the afternoon of the 29th of July, the several -division commanders were summoned to headquarters for the purpose above -indicated. The lot fell upon General Ledlie’s division, of which the -Twenty-ninth Regiment was a member. - -The mine was charged, and by the order of Meade, it was to be sprung -at half-past three in the morning of the 30th; and as soon as this was -done, the assaulting column was “to move rapidly upon the breach, seize -the crest in the rear, and effect a lodgment there.” Major-General Ord -was to support the right of this column, and Major-General Warren the -left. - -During the night of the 29th, the division moved into position at the -extreme front, so as to be ready to make a rapid and sudden movement -towards the enemy’s lines. At a little before five o’clock in the -morning of the 30th, the mine exploded; and the regiment was in a -position to witness the whole of this memorable scene. First, there -was heard a deep, prolonged rumble, like the sound of distant thunder, -then the whole surface of the ground for many yards in the immediate -vicinity of the galleries of the mine began suddenly to heave and -swell, like the troubled waters of the sea. The Confederate line, -which up to this moment had been silent, was now thoroughly aroused; -and their men lining the breastworks, were seen peering over the -parapets, filled with wonder and alarm at the terrible sounds that were -issuing from the earth. In front of Ledlie’s division, directly under -a Confederate work, the ground seemed to swell into a little hill, and -presently there burst from its summit a huge volume of smoke and flame. -Eight tons of powder had exploded directly under a six-gun battery of -the enemy and its garrison of two hundred men. Large masses of earth, -guns, caissons, tents, and human bodies filled the air. The first -explosion was quickly followed by others of lesser magnitude, but it -was all over in a few minutes. As soon as the explosion occurred, a -heavy cannonading began on our side, which has been said by some to -exceed in intensity that at Malvern Hill or Gettysburg. It will be -observed from the foregoing statement, that the mine was not fired -at the time designated in the order of General Meade. The match was -applied promptly at the hour named, but owing to a defective fuse, the -process of firing was not then accomplished; the fuse was in short -pieces, spliced together, and “ceased to burn at one of the points of -junction. The additional precaution had been taken to lay the fuse in -a train of powder, but the powder had become damp by being so long -laid, some thirty or more hours, and that also failed to ignite.” For -awhile it was supposed by our officers that the experiment was destined -to be a failure; but after waiting nearly an hour, Lieutenant Jacob -Doubty of Company K, and Sergeant Henry Rees of Company F, Forty-eighth -Pennsylvania Regiment, volunteered to enter the mine and determine by -actual inspection the cause of the failure; and while in the mine, -relighted the fuse, producing its final explosion at 4.42, A. -M. The great bravery of this deed secured for Sergeant Rees a -promotion to second lieutenant, and both were prominently mentioned in -the report of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Conduct of the War. - -In the course of ten minutes after the final explosion, the division -of General Ledlie charged. The explosion produced a crater from one -hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in length, about sixty feet in -width, and thirty feet deep; the bottom and sides of which were covered -with a loose, light sand, furnishing scarcely a foothold, and for this -reason, as well as that of the narrowness of the place, it was with -great difficulty that the troops could pass through it. From these -causes, as might well be supposed, the division lost its organization -as soon as it entered the narrow gorge, and the confusion which ensued -was soon heightened by the enemy opening fire upon them from a battery -upon the right, and another upon the left, and before long from a -battery directly in their front, upon Cemetery Hill. Another division -was thrown forward with the same results as the first; the men taking -“shelter in the crater of the mine and the lines of the enemy adjacent -thereto.” The Third Division followed in the same hopeless task, -and finally the Fourth (colored) Division, under a very heavy fire, -passing in confusion the white troops already in the crater, and then -re-forming, charging the hill in front, but without success, breaking -in great disorder to the rear. - -This was the state of things about four hours after the explosion; -namely, 8.45, A. M. At half-past nine o’clock in the forenoon, -General Burnside received orders from General Meade to immediately -withdraw his troops, and informing him that he had likewise ordered -the cessation of all offensive movements on the right and left. As the -order could not be executed at once without exposing the troops to -even greater losses than those which they had already suffered, the -order to withdraw was so far modified as to allow General Burnside to -exercise his judgment as to the time when it should be attempted. Here -the troops remained till nearly three o’clock in the afternoon, under -a galling fire, shielding themselves as best they could, but suffering -intensely in the meantime from the heat of the sun and choking thirst. -At about this time, Generals Hartranft and Griffin directed their -men to withdraw; and almost simultaneously with this movement, the -enemy again charged, capturing nearly all the wounded lying in the -crater, and some who were not. Those who escaped were obliged to run -a race with balls and bayonets, and many who attempted it, fell dead -or wounded before reaching our entrenchments. The loss sustained by -our army during that day’s operations amounted to between four and -five thousand in killed, wounded, and missing. This loss included -twenty-three commanders of regiments,--four killed, fifteen wounded, -and four missing; and two commanders of brigades,--General William F. -Bartlett, who was disabled by the destruction of his artificial leg, -and Colonel E. G. Marshall, were taken prisoners. - -The losses sustained by the regiment were as follows:-- - - -KILLED. - - Sergeant EBENEZER FISK, Company G. - - Corporal PRESTON O. SMITH, Company F. - - Private WILLIAM S. COLLINS, Company B. - - -WOUNDED. - - Captain CHARLES D. BROWNE, Company C. - - Sergeants GEORGE TOWNSEND, Company F, and HENRY - CAMPBELL, Company G. - - Corporal SAMUEL C. WRIGHT, Company E (very badly in - the head, and reported as dead). - - Privates CHARLES F. BOSWORTH, Company F; LEMUEL - CHAPIN, Company G; and JACOB H. DOW, Company H. - - -CAPTURED. - - First Sergeant JOHN SHANNON, Company E. - - Corporal THOMAS W. D. DEANE, Company G. - - Privates GEORGE THOMAS, Company A; BENJAMIN B. - BROWN, Company B; DANIEL WHITMORE, Company G; and - JOHN MOORE, Jr., Company K. - -Corporal Wright was promoted to Sergeant after this battle for his -brave and meritorious conduct manifested during the engagement. -Probably no event of the war excited so much discussion, and called -forth so much bitterness of feeling among the officers of our army, -as did this. The conduct of the First Division and its commander has -been made the subject of the severest criticism. Henry Coppee, A. M., -who wrote a book entitled “General Grant and his Campaigns,” in giving -an account of this affair, uses this language: “But the attack must -be instantaneous. What delays it? Ten minutes pass before Ledlie’s -division, which had been selected by lot to lead the charge, has moved; -when it does, led by the gallant General Bartlett, instead of complying -with the order, it halts in the crater.” In another part of his book, -he says: “The storming party was then thus organized. Ledlie’s division -of white troops was to lead the assault, charge through the crater, -and then seize the enemy’s works on Cemetery Hill.” As these and other -statements, to which reference will be made, reflect great discredit -upon the division, the author has deemed it important to quote from -a carefully-written paper in his possession, prepared by one of the -field-officers of the division, who took an active part in the battle. - - “It will be seen that Coppee states that Ledlie’s division was - ‘to charge through the crater and seize the rebel works on - Cemetery Hill,’ but that, instead of complying with the order, - the division ‘halts in the crater.’ Ledlie’s division had no - such order. It was not a part of the plan of the battle for - that division to advance after reaching the crater. The orders - issued to the division were distinctly, ‘_not to advance_.’ - General Bartlett’s First Brigade consisted of seven regiments. - On the afternoon of the 29th of July, the seven regimental - commanders assembled at brigade headquarters by direction of - the General, and were then informed by him that the mine was - to be fired the next morning; that Ledlie’s division had been - selected by lot to lead the assault; that the division was - to move forward immediately after the explosion and occupy - the enemy’s front line of works; that the division would be - promptly followed by another division of the corps, which - would move beyond, ‘over the heads of Ledlie’s division, to be - followed by the remaining divisions of the corps.’” - -This statement comes, not only from a reliable source, but is very -reasonable upon its face. In the nature of things, the leading division -would necessarily be badly cut up in carrying out its part of the -work; and after having secured the front line, it was reasonable to -suppose--and, under the circumstances, its regimental officers were -justified in supposing--that the other divisions in the corps would -follow and finish the work. The other divisions, with the exception of -the Fourth, followed, but they did not advance beyond the lines of the -First Division. Remaining in the crater, they added to the confusion, -and finally rendered any movement impossible. - -Another historian, if such he may be called, has said that the assault -upon the enemy’s lines “_failed because it was led by the worst -division in the army_.” This writer could not have been familiar with -the record of the brave men whose courage he thus flippantly assails. -Among the troops of this division were the Twenty-first, Twenty-ninth, -Thirty-fifth, Fifty-sixth, Fifty-seventh, and Fifty-ninth Massachusetts -regiments, Third Maryland, an old and excellent regiment, and the One -Hundredth Pennsylvania. The Twenty-first regiment entered the service -as early as August, 1861. It fought with Burnside in North Carolina, -was engaged in the second battle of Bull Run, Chantilly, Antietam, -and Fredericksburg, and afterwards in East Tennessee. Its record is -a very bright one. The Twenty-ninth regiment had served in nearly -every department, and contained the oldest three years’ troops from -New England. The Thirty-fifth regiment had been in the service since -August, 1862, and was engaged at South Mountain and Antietam before -it had been a month in the service, in both of which actions it had -behaved with signal bravery. The Fifty-sixth, Fifty-seventh, and -Fifty-ninth regiments, though they had not been long in the service, -were composed chiefly of veteran soldiers. The many silent mounds -scattered all the way from the Wilderness to the James, beneath which -repose their dead, tell more eloquently the story of their bravery and -devotion, than can any words of praise. The One Hundredth Pennsylvania -was a most superior regiment, and was the equal of any in the army. -Many of the field-officers of the division were most gallant soldiers, -while General Bartlett was without his superior in our army for courage -and daring. To speak of such regiments and such officers as these -as being _the worst in our army_, is wholly unjustifiable, and not -susceptible of palliation or excuse. - -The Committee of Congress, which made a patient examination into this -unfortunate affair, closed their report with these words:-- - - “... Your Committee must say, that, in their opinion, the cause - of the disastrous result of the assault of the 30th of July - last, is mainly attributable to the fact, that the plans and - suggestions of the general who had devoted his attention for so - long a time to the subject, who had carried out to a successful - completion the project of mining the enemy’s works, and who - had carefully selected and drilled his troops for the purpose - of securing whatever advantages might be attainable from the - explosion of the mine, should have been so entirely disregarded - by a general who had evinced no faith in the successful - prosecution of the work, had aided it by no countenance or open - approval, and had assumed the entire direction and control only - when it was completed, and the time had come for reaping any - advantages that might be derived from it.”[52] - -The Committee, in the same report, pay a most deserved tribute to the -white troops of the Ninth Corps, and speak as follows:-- - - “They are not behind any troops in the service in those - qualities which have placed our volunteer troops before the - world as equal, if not superior, to any known to modern - warfare. The services performed by the Ninth Corps on many a - well-fought battle-field, not only in this campaign, but in - others, have been such as to prove that they are second to none - in the service. Your Committee believe that any other troops - exposed to the same influences, under the same circumstances, - and for the same length of time, would have been similarly - affected. No one, upon a careful consideration of all the - circumstances, can be surprised that those influences should - have produced the effects they did upon them.”[53] - -If loss of life is any evidence of the bravery of a corps in battle, -that of the Ninth on this occasion would seem to speak most eloquently -in this regard. Its entire loss in killed was 52 officers and 376 men; -wounded, 105 officers, 1,556 men; missing, many of whom were killed, 87 -officers, 1,652 men. - -On the evening after the mine affair, Colonel Barnes took command of -the First Brigade, General Bartlett having been captured; and on the -following day, the regiment moved to the rear, taking up its former -position, Captain Willard D. Tripp being assigned to the command, and -retaining it till the 14th of September. - -The regiment was greatly reduced in numbers at this time, having -scarcely men enough to form a full company; yet, during a large part -of the time that followed, it was required to perform the same kind -and amount of duty as other and larger regiments, being one day at the -front in the rifle-pits, exposed to the deadly fire of the enemy’s -sharpshooters, and the next in the rear, doing fatigue duty, and both -night and day, whether at the rear or the front, under almost constant -fire from the enemy’s lines. - -Late in the afternoon of the 7th of August, the enemy opened a furious -fire upon our entrenchments. The fire was particularly heavy on that -part of our lines occupied by the Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery, -which was still commanded by Major Chipman. Great confusion ensued, and -the troops were ordered to form in line of battle. The faithful Major, -who was never missing in time of peril, hastened from his quarters to -attend personally to the formation of his regiment; but while engaged -in the performance of this duty, he was mortally wounded by the -fragment of a large mortar-shell which exploded near him. From this -time till eleven o’clock the next forenoon, he lingered, apparently -unconscious, when life became extinct. His body was carefully embalmed -and sent to his home in Sandwich, Mass., for burial, where it was -received by a heart-broken wife and children, and many sorrowing -neighbors and friends. - -Major Charles Chipman was a true man and most gallant soldier. He -possessed some advantage over the most of his fellow-officers in the -Twenty-ninth Regiment, at the outset, by having had, during his earlier -life, the benefits of the strict discipline and thorough training of -the regular army, in which he had served as a Sergeant; at one time -under Colonel Gardner, who, during the war, commanded the Confederate -forces at Port Hudson. The esteem in which Major Chipman was held by -his comrades found a fitting expression at a reunion of the survivors -of the regiment, held at Plymouth, Mass., on the 14th of May, 1873, -when the fine oil-portrait of this officer, which had constituted -a part of the collection in the “Gallery of Fallen Heroes,” having -been purchased by Sergeant Samuel C. Wright, was re-purchased by the -Association, and by it presented to his widow and children, together -with a kind and highly-appropriate letter from the President of the -Association, as a token of the love and regard of his comrades. - -During the night of the 14th of August, 1864, the Ninth Corps was -relieved by the Eighteenth, and on the 15th, the Ninth moved to the -left and relieved the Fifth Corps, the latter having moved out towards -the Weldon Railroad. While remaining here (some five days), the -regiment with its brigade was placed on the front line as skirmishers. -There were no trenches or works of any kind, and the men were -considerably exposed. - -On the 19th, the whole division moved to the left to connect with -the Fifth Corps, which was in position on the Weldon road. While the -division was on the march, in the midst of a blinding rain-storm, the -enemy dashed out of the woods at a place called Blick’s House, and -began a fierce assault upon the right flank. For a short time it looked -as though all would be lost. The fierceness of the assault, and the -unfavorable situation of our troops, threatened a serious disaster. But -our men had been too long accustomed to such scenes to be disconcerted -or alarmed. The line was quickly formed, though under a terrible fire, -and the enemy routed at every point. It was a great victory, apart -from the good fighting of the men. The enemy were engaged in a secret, -well-planned movement to cut off the Fifth Corps from the main body of -our army; but the division, by its gallantry, wholly frustrated their -plans. - -Great praise was awarded the division for its conduct on this occasion. -General Julius White, a fine officer, was in command, and manifested -great skill in handling his troops. Colonel Joseph H. Barnes, who -commanded the First Brigade in this battle, by his good conduct, earned -promotion to Brevet Brigadier-General.[54] - -An incident of the battle worthy of mention, is, the regiment captured -one of the enemy’s captains, who fought the battalion at Great Bethel, -June 10, 1861. - -The regiment did not escape this battle without some loss. Sergeant -Curtis S. Rand, Company A; Privates John B. Smithers, Company B; David -A. Hoxie, Company D; William McGill and Edwin C. Bemis, Company H; and -First Lieutenant George D. Williams, Company F, were wounded. Sergeant -Rand had been a wagon-master during the most of his term; just before -this battle, he requested permission to go into the ranks, saying that -he was desirous of performing active service. Poor fellow! his wounds -proved mortal, and he died a few days after the battle. - -From this time till the 21st, everything remained in the same condition -as at the close of the battle, except that our troops had entrenched -themselves, the Ninth Corps “occupying the line extending from the -Fifth Corps on the Weldon Railroad to the left of the Second Corps, -near the Jerusalem plank road.” - -The enemy had manifested great uneasiness ever since this ground -had been occupied by our troops, and had more than once threatened -an attack. On the 21st, he made a spirited assault upon our works, -charging up to the breastworks several times in quick succession, but -was repulsed with great slaughter. The regiment, though exposed to a -severe enfilading fire, was not actively engaged in this battle. - -The great losses sustained by the First Division, in the various -battles in which it had engaged, rendered a reorganization of the -corps necessary. The troops of this division were accordingly, on the -first of September, merged with those of the Second and Third. The -Twenty-ninth, Fifty-seventh, and Fifty-ninth Massachusetts Regiments, -Third Maryland, One Hundredth Pennsylvania, and Fourteenth New York -composed the Third Brigade of the First Division. - -On the 10th of September, eighty-three recruits from Massachusetts -reached our regiment. - -On the 14th, Colonel Barnes was relieved from the command of the -Brigade by the arrival of Colonel McLaughlin of the Fifty-seventh -Regiment, and again assumed command of the Twenty-ninth Regiment, -relieving Captain Willard D. Tripp, who had been in command since the -battle of July 30. - -On the 24th of September, an order was issued from the headquarters -of the Ninth Corps, directing Brigadier-General Hartranft, commanding -First Division, to garrison Fort Howard with one hundred and fifty -men. On the same day, General Hartranft designated the “Twenty-ninth -Regiment Massachusetts Veteran Volunteer Infantry ... as a permanent -garrison to be placed in Fort Howard,” and Colonel N. B. McLaughlin, -commanding the Third Brigade, was directed to “see that the camp of the -regiment is placed in the immediate vicinity of the fort.” - -For a period of nearly two weeks, the regiment was happily exempt from -the hardships of the field; but the necessities of the service finally -required its presence at the front, and on the 5th of October, it was -ordered out of the fort, and on the same day rejoined its brigade on -the front line at Poplar Grove Church. - -On the 8th of October, there was a reconnoissance in force on the left -of the army by the First Division, but the regiment, though engaged in -the movement, was not under fire. - -On the 9th, Colonel Barnes was mustered out of the service, very -much against the wishes of his superior officers, who had learned to -appreciate his many excellent soldierly qualities. But his motives for -leaving the army were of the most honorable character. His commission -as Captain bore date of the 27th of April, 1861. He had been in the -service of the United States since the 18th of May, 1861. During a -large part of this time, he had had the actual and responsible command -of the regiment, and for much of the time that of a brigade. - -In taking leave of this excellent officer, who was so long and so -honorably connected with the regiment, we deem it but an act of simple -justice to him and his comrades as well, to quote some of the kind -words spoken of him by several officers of the Ninth Corps. In 1864, -General N. B. McLaughlin said of him: “During his term of service, -Lieutenant-Colonel Barnes commanded his regiment nearby two-thirds -of the time, and commanded a brigade for nearly two months in the -present campaign. I consider him a cool, reliable officer, courageous, -and of good judgment and conduct, both in action and in camp, a fine -disciplinarian, and capable of commanding either a regiment or brigade.” - -Major-General Orlando B. Willcox said: “I consider Colonel Barnes -a man of great coolness and gallantry, of considerable experience -as a regimental and brigade commander, and every way qualified.” -Major-General Parke, commanding the corps, also expressed his high -appreciation of this officer in the following language: “I consider -Colonel Barnes a most excellent soldier, and a very efficient -commander. He is eminently qualified for command.” - -The soldiers of the Twenty-ninth, though they sometimes fretted over -the stern discipline of this officer, both loved and respected him. -The same qualities that made him a good soldier have made him a good -and useful citizen, and in the important civil office which he now -holds, he displays the same good judgment and strong sense of duty -which marked his career in the army. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - - MOVEMENT TO WELLS’S FARM--THE CAMP AT PEGRAM’S - FARM--BUILDING OF WINTER QUARTERS--ORDERED BACK TO - PETERSBURG--DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE MEN--THE REGIMENT OCCUPIES - BATTERY NO. 11--FRIENDLY RELATIONS BETWEEN THE PICKETS--BATTLE - OF FORT STEDMAN--THE REGIMENT MAKES A GALLANT FIGHT--THE - PRISONERS SENT TO LIBBY--CLOSING SCENES BEFORE PETERSBURG--THE - REGIMENT ENTERS THE CITY--DUTIES PERFORMED AFTER THE - BATTLE--DEATH OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN--ORDERED TO ALEXANDRIA, - AND FROM THENCE TO GEORGETOWN--PROVOST GUARD--THE GRAND - REVIEW--REGIMENT GOES TO TENALLYTOWN, MD.--SOLDIERS OF THE - THIRTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS ASSIGNED TO THE TWENTY-NINTH - REGIMENT--ORDERED TO MASSACHUSETTS--PARADE IN NEW YORK--IN - CAMP AT READVILLE, MASS.--THE LAST ORDER--DISCHARGED THE - SERVICE--CLOSING REMARKS. - - -The last chapter left the regiment at Poplar Grove Church. Here it -remained till the 27th of October, when, very early in the morning, the -Brigade advanced in line of battle to and a little beyond Wells’s Farm, -halted for the night, and the next morning fell back to Pegram’s Farm, -between the Squirrel Level and Vaughan roads, the regiment covering the -latter movement as skirmishers. - -It was supposed that the corps was to pass the winter at this place, -and the regimental commanders were ordered to prepare winter quarters -for their men. No duty which the soldier is required to perform is so -pleasant as that of erecting a house to live in. Such orders after a -fatiguing campaign, promising both comfort and rest, are peculiarly -welcome, and always cheerfully obeyed. In this, as in every other -similar instance, the soldiers worked with great zeal, manifesting much -ingenuity in the construction and arrangement of their houses. The rude -idea of the negroes of building a chimney with sticks and clay, was -adopted by the men, with some improvements of their own, while each -hut was provided with comfortable bunks, spacious fire-places, and -shelves for their guns and clothing. - -This was the first time in nearly two years that the regiment had even -seen the prospect of winter quarters, and was the first time in many -months that it had been out of the range of the enemy’s sharpshooters -and picket-firing. The camp was very unlike the ones it had occupied -in front of Richmond, or in Tennessee, but was upon a dry, sandy -knoll, well supplied with good water, and in full sight of Fort -Sampson, a strong redoubt, named after the brave Captain Sampson of -the Twenty-first Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers, who fell there -in the battle of September 20, with the colors of his regiment in his -own hands, gallantly leading his men in a charge. Though the camp was -very pleasantly located, yet winter was near at hand, the trees had -already lost their foliage, and the cool autumn winds found their way -through the cracks and crevices of the humble huts of the soldiers, -often reminding them of the necessity of applying a little more of the -“sacred soil” of Virginia, if they would be wholly comfortable. Thus -quartered, it was natural that they should compare their present lot -with that which fell to them the winter before in East Tennessee, where -cold, hunger, nakedness, and danger were daily experienced for a dreary -succession of weeks and months. But the soldier’s fondest dreams of -comfort are often rudely dispelled, and so these anticipations of ease -and quiet were never fully realized; the men were scarcely ensconced -in their winter homes, before they were ordered to leave them. Any one -who has heard a soldier grumble, and has noted some of his expressions, -can understand what was said by the men about this change of location. -Captain Taylor, who was of a positive temperament, rose to the -sublimity of the occasion by swearing that “he would never lift another -handful of dirt as long as he remained in the army”; while some of the -soldiers declared that the officers were “a mean set,” and were bent -on ruining the health and destroying the comfort of the men as a mere -pastime. - -As usual, all this rage was utterly impotent, and indulged in as a -sacred privilege. It operated something like a cushion, however, -lessening the severity of impact with a hard surface; to use less -elegant language, it “let them down easily.” The lesson of implicit -obedience to orders--not unquestioning, for volunteer soldiers were -never without their mental reservations as to the propriety of every -military movement--had already, and long since, been thoroughly -learned. On the 29th of November, when the weather was quite cold and -cheerless, the Ninth Corps was ordered to march. The men little dreamed -that they were going back to the old blood-stained trenches in front -of Petersburg, where they had borne the heat of the summer, and faced -the shells of a hundred mortars and as many cannon. Here, however, they -soon found themselves, and as they moved along over the battle-field -of the 17th of June, and among the graves of their brothers who died -for their country there, more than one eye was wet with the tears of -manly sorrow. The regiment was ordered to do duty as the garrison of -Battery No. 11, a small _ravelin_ covering about three-fourths of an -acre, having embrasures for two guns, but no guns being mounted. About -two hundred yards from this work was Battery No. 12, a large redoubt -mounting four cohorns, garrisoned by a portion of the First Connecticut -Heavy Artillery. On the right of Battery No. 11, one hundred and -twenty-five yards distant, was Fort Stedman, held by the Fourteenth -New York Heavy Artillery; and a little to the rear and left of Battery -No. 11 was the Fifty-ninth Massachusetts Volunteers: while to the -left of Battery No. 12, and between it and Fort Haskell, was the One -Hundredth Pennsylvania Volunteers; and at the right of Fort Stedman, -the Fifty-seventh Massachusetts Regiment. - -The pickets of both armies were stationed in rifle-pits large enough to -hold several men, midway between the respective lines, and these were -approached by covered ways. - -Though under fire much of the time, the men found opportunity to build -quarters, and so far as protection from the cold was concerned, were -quite comfortable during the winter. As in the winter of 1863, while -the regiment was before Fredericksburg, the pickets of the two armies -became friendly; but as these familiarities were strictly forbidden, -they were never indulged in except at night. - -The members of our regiment performed their full share of picket -service, and, like all the rest of our troops, had frequent parleys -with the Confederates. A member of the regiment has furnished the -writer with a detailed statement of several of the interviews which -took place on the picket line, from which it appears that this service -was a source of more amusement than danger. - -When everything was quiet, one of our men would call out, “Johnnies, -have you got any tobacco?” “Yes Yanks; have you got any hard-tack?” -was the common answer. “Meet you half-way,” says the Confederate. “All -right; come on!” say our men. Then three or four men from each side -would leave the pits, crawl out over the space between the two lines, -shake hands, have an exchange of tobacco, hard-tack, and talk, crack -jokes, and separate with the understanding, that, as soon as each party -got back to the pits, they should commence firing, for the purpose of -misleading their respective officers. - -This state of things was finally discovered by the Confederate and -Federal officers, and was terminated by strict orders forbidding the -practice under severe penalties. But the practice, though not worthy to -be encouraged, resulted in bringing about numerous desertions from the -enemy’s camp. - -The proclamation of General Grant, encouraging desertions among the -Confederates, was, by means of these forbidden interviews, extensively -circulated, and scarcely a night passed, during the months of January -and February, which did not witness more or less of these desertions. - -The Twenty-ninth had been very much reduced in numbers, having less -than two hundred muskets; and yet, because of its long and conspicuous -service, General Parke, commanding the corps, refused to consolidate -it with some other larger Massachusetts regiment, and allowed it to -retain a full list of field-officers, only one of whom, under the -then existing rules of the War Department, could be mustered. Captain -Willard D. Tripp, who had been commissioned as Lieutenant-Colonel, -October 12, 1864, had been mustered out on the 13th of December, -1864, his term of service having expired. Captain Charles D. Browne -was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, October 14, 1864; Captain Charles -T. Richardson commissioned as Major, August 9, 1864, and mustered as -such; and Captain Thomas William Clarke commissioned as Colonel, -November 8, 1864. During the winter, Colonel Clarke was assigned to -duty upon the staff of General Hartranft, commanding the division; -Lieutenant-Colonel Browne made Inspector of the division; and Major -Richardson had command of the regiment. - -No event of particular significance occurred till the 25th of March, -1865. Long before daylight in the morning of this day, a large force -of the enemy--afterwards learned to be the corps of General Gordon, -supported by the division of General Bushrod Johnson--crossed the -level plain between Fort Stedman and the Appomattox River, fully a -quarter of a mile to the right of Battery No. 11, and the entire -storming party effected a wide breach in the works, and moved directly -upon Fort Stedman, entering the rear sally-port almost undiscovered. -So complete was the surprise, that the fort was captured at once. -Slight firing was heard from this direction by the garrison in Battery -Eleven; whereupon Major Richardson caused the men to be aroused, but -the firing was so slight, that when the regiment was ordered to “fall -in,” the sentinel stationed on the top of the parapet called out that -there was “no attack.” The men were not dismissed, however, and stood -silently in line for some time, peering into the gray, frosty air of -the morning, the Major taking a position on the top of the works, -listening intently, and looking down into the ravine below, where he -saw his trusty pickets standing quietly by their fires, apparently -unaware of any disturbance on the main line. But the commanding officer -soon became satisfied that there was an attack in the direction of Fort -Stedman; the right curtain of Battery Eleven was re-enforced, and the -bugler Pond having sounded the alarm, the garrison was wholly prepared -to repel any attack. Up to this time, no general alarm had been sounded -along the line, and no word from any source, indicating an attack, -had been received by Major Richardson; much less that the line had -been broken, or that any danger lurked in his rear. The regiment had -remained in line of battle nearly thirty minutes, when suddenly the -men in the right curtain commenced firing; they were ordered to cease, -lest they should shoot our own pickets, who had begun to come in. The -latter order had hardly been given, when some of our soldiers cried -out, “The Johnnies are coming in at the rear sally-port!” This was the -first positive information that the garrison had received of an attack; -but the worst was revealed now,--the enemy had actually captured Fort -Stedman, and though our pickets under Lieutenant Josselyn had not -been disturbed, yet at least five hundred of Gordon’s and Johnson’s -troops had suddenly appeared in our rear. These veteran soldiers of the -Confederacy were destined, however, to meet with a stubborn resistance; -a hand-to-hand encounter at once began; a Massachusetts battery -stationed at the left joined in the desperate conflict, which, in the -course of fifteen minutes, ended in the capture by our regiment of -three hundred and fifty of the storming party, at least one hundred and -fifty more than the whole number of the Twenty-ninth, and the temporary -closing of the gap in this part of our lines. - -During this encounter, the officers and men behaved with signal -bravery. Captain Taylor was especially conspicuous, using a musket, -and dealing powerful blows with its breech. Major Richardson, mingling -with his men, was in the thickest of the fight, and received a terrible -blow on the head from an enemy’s musket, sufficient to overcome an -ordinary man; but he was not an ordinary man, and so far from quitting -the fight, he kept on in the desperate struggle, cheering his men, and -assuring them that the day was theirs. - -The enemy now disappeared, the fort was cleared of the prisoners, and -word sent to brigade headquarters of the state of affairs at the camp -of the Twenty-ninth Regiment. General McLaughlin, commander of the -Brigade, soon came up, with the Fifty-ninth Massachusetts Regiment as -a re-enforcement, and was greatly surprised at the sight of so large a -number of prisoners as he found standing in the rear of the fort. The -General gave Major Gould, commanding the Fifty-ninth, imperative orders -to assist the Twenty-ninth in holding the fort, and then, with his -staff, rode over towards Fort Stedman; he had, probably, not been gone -five minutes, before he and all his staff fell into the hands of the -enemy. The best possible disposition was now made of what remained of -the garrison (for it is true that some had been captured in the first -assault and others had been killed and wounded) to resist the attack -of the enemy, which he was now preparing to make, having collected his -main assaulting column in a ravine in the rear of the battery. Major -Gould was offered the command of the forces here, being the ranking -officer, but declined; Major Richardson concluded to establish a strong -picket line in the rear of the battery, and, with Captain Taylor, -went personally to superintend the work. The enemy were already in -sight, and firing soon began; on returning to the fort, to their great -surprise these officers found the work nearly deserted, and saw in -the dim light of the morning the command of Major Gould, and some of -their own regiment, moving away down the ditch towards Fort Haskell, -which was still held by our troops. During the brief absence of Major -Richardson, Major Gould, who had discovered the approach of the enemy -in his rear, gave orders to his men to “Leap the breastworks, and -retreat between the rebel works and our own to Fort Haskell.”[55] No -resistance was now possible; in a few moments the enemy swarmed into -the battery, and Major Richardson, Captain Taylor, and a number of -their faithful men were captured. This was a cruel fate for these brave -soldiers, who had striven so zealously to beat back the enemy; and had -their example been followed by others who held equally responsible -positions, the little fort would probably have not been lost. - -By this time the alarm had spread far and near, and though it was -scarcely light, yet the entire corps was under arms and in motion. - -The left column of the enemy, passing down the line to Battery No. -9, drove the Fifty-seventh Massachusetts from the works. It next -encountered the Second Michigan, and though the regiment was surprised, -and some confusion followed, yet it soon rallied, and held its ground -against the most determined efforts of the enemy. Re-enforcements -arriving at this point, the enemy were repulsed, and fell back towards -Fort Stedman, in which their right column was now huddled, having been -checked in its further movements by our troops on that part of the -line. - -The Twenty-ninth rallied about this time, near brigade headquarters, -where a regiment of General Hartranft’s command arrived; and the two -regiments at once charged and occupied a line of works about one -hundred yards in the rear of Battery Eleven, thus completely stopping -the opening in that part of the line. - -At about seven o’clock, an advance was ordered upon the enemy, in all -directions. Battery Eleven was soon retaken by our men, Conrad Homan, -the color-bearer of the Twenty-ninth, being the first man who entered -the works; and for his distinguished gallantry on this occasion, was -promoted to be First Lieutenant, and received one of the medals of -honor voted by Congress. The only works now held by the enemy were -Fort Stedman and Battery No. 10, which, shortly after eight o’clock, -General Hartranft’s division was ordered to attack. The Two Hundred -and Eleventh Pennsylvania, though composed wholly of raw troops, was -chosen to lead the assault. A finer display of bravery was never -witnessed in the army, than that of these untrained soldiers. With -great impetuosity, they rushed upon the fort in the face of a blaze of -musketry, and in a few minutes were masters of the situation. At the -same instant other troops of the division stormed Battery No. 10, and -captured it. - -The retreat of the enemy was now cut off by the fire from our other -works, and one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine of their number, -of whom seventy-one were officers, nine stands of colors, and a -large number of small arms, fell into our hands. And thus ended this -brilliant and well-conceived movement of the enemy. It was, to a great -extent, a fair offset to the mine affair, but the disadvantages under -which our troops labored could never have been overcome, except by hard -fighting and good generalship, which characterized our movements from -the beginning. - -The events of this terrible battle were mostly sad and distressing; -but the affair was not without its ludicrous features. A soldier -of Company C,[56] who was captured in the early morning, made an -involuntary exchange of hats with a Confederate officer. The soldier’s -hat was nearly new, while that which he received from the officer was -exceedingly shabby. The soldier broke away from the guard and ran into -our lines, taking a gallant part in the charge just mentioned. While -circulating among the captured enemy after the battle, he discovered -the identical officer who had taken his hat from him. The soldier, in -a very droll manner, approached the officer and said: “Well, Mister, -if you please, I’ll take my hat now, and here’s yours back again, just -as good, and no better, than when I took it about three hours ago.” -The two again exchanged hats, and shaking hands “on it,” indulged in a -hearty laugh. - -The following-named soldiers of the regiment were killed in this -action, which is known as the “Battle of Fort Stedman”: Company B, -Edward J. O’Brien (he was terribly bayoneted in the breast and killed -by one of the enemy, after he had been badly wounded, and was found -in this mutilated condition after the battle); Company C, Sergeant -C. Francis Harlow; Company E, First Lieutenant Nathaniel Burgess, -Sergeant Orrin D. Holmes, William Klinker, and Ruter Moritz; Company F, -Preserved Westgate; Company G, Nelson Cook, George E. Snow, and John -Cronin. - -Lieutenant Burgess of Plymouth had been promoted for his great bravery -on the 17th of June. Orderly Sergeant Harlow was overpowered, and -ordered to surrender; he replied with spirit that he would not, fired, -and shot his antagonist; but another Confederate, standing near, seized -his gun, and shot the courageous Harlow through the head. After the -battle, the dead body of Harlow was found in the fort, lying upon that -of a dead Confederate officer, from which fact it was inferred that -Harlow shot the officer, and upon being himself killed, fell in the -position in which he was found. One of the comrades, who witnessed this -sad affair, states that the officer was one Captain Gordon, who led the -assaulting party. The death of Burgess causes us to remark, inasmuch -as he was the last officer in the regiment killed during its term of -service, that the first and last officer in the regiment who fell in -battle, were citizens of the historic old town of Plymouth. - - NOTE.--The chief facts concerning this battle are - somewhat in dispute; two or three distinct and conflicting - accounts of it having been published. The version here given, - so far as it relates to Battery Eleven, was furnished the - writer by Major Chas. T. Richardson of Pawtucket, R. I.; - the comments upon that officer, and Captain Taylor, being - those of the author, based upon the statements of reliable - persons.--AUTHOR.] - -The real mettle of the officers and men of the regiment was fairly -tested in this battle, and the result shows that they were among the -bravest soldiers in the army. In the depressing adversities of the -early morning, as well as in the success which followed later in the -day, their courage was equally conspicuous. Stubborn and unflinching -when the enemy burst upon them in greatly superior numbers, they were -impetuous and daring while on the charge. - -Captain Clarke, as Adjutant-General of the Brigade, led a large body -of re-enforcements on the charge at six o’clock. Lieutenant-Colonel -Browne, while carrying an order from the commander of the division, -dashed on horseback directly through the lines of a Confederate -regiment. Captain Pizer, Lieutenant Josselyn, Lieutenant McQuillan, -and Lieutenant Scully, who were captured, all escaped, and fought with -great gallantry in the latter part of the battle, and for their bravery -were afterwards brevetted. - -The captured of the regiment, who did not manage to escape, were -carried to Petersburg, and confined in a small room till nine o’clock -in the morning. They were then transferred to a large hall in the -village, where they were all searched, and their overcoats taken from -them. Towards noon they were marched from the hall, together with a -number of other prisoners, to an open field on the outskirts of the -town, and were kept there under guard till night, when they took the -cars for Richmond. During the day it rained and snowed by turns, and -the wind was cold and piercing, the poor soldiers, stripped of their -overcoats, suffering intensely. No food was given them till about noon -of the following day; and then nothing but a small quantity of bean -soup, without any seasoning, brought to them in dirty iron kettles. The -men were confined together in one room at the notorious Libby Prison; -and, as further illustrating the barbarous nature of their treatment, -it should be stated, that crowded into the same apartment, which was -filthy in the extreme, alive with vermin, and poorly ventilated, -were nearly two hundred other prisoners. The quantity and quality of -the food dealt out to them was such as hardly to sustain life: the -breakfast consisted of a small ration of smoked pork; for dinner they -had bean soup; and at night a small loaf of bread, with water. All -the food was of the most inferior quality; the meat especially, which -frequently emitted a nauseating odor. - -Happily, these men were not compelled to endure such privations for -many days; but they were days of anxiety and suffering, as the author -well knows from his own experience. The life of the wicked Rebellion -was fast ebbing away; a few days before Lee’s surrender the men -were released, and sent to the prison depot at Annapolis, Maryland, -afterwards joining the regiment at Georgetown, District of Columbia. - -After the repulse of the enemy on the 25th of March, and the recapture -of our works, the regiment again occupied Battery No. 11, supported by -the Fifty-seventh and Fifty-ninth Massachusetts regiments. The final -movements of our army, which resulted in the surrender of General Lee, -were close at hand. A state of feverish excitement prevailed among -both armies in front of Petersburg. The enemy were disposed to be -belligerent, and for nearly a week kept up a constant fire upon our -lines. - -On the 27th of March, General Sheridan began his grand movement on the -left, and the whole army had orders to be ready to march at a moment’s -notice. - -On the 30th, General Parke, commanding the corps, was ordered to -assault the enemy’s works in his front at four o’clock the next -morning, but the order was subsequently countermanded by General Meade. - -On the 1st of April, the order for an assault was renewed. At ten -o’clock that night our artillery opened all along our line, and at -the same time a heavy force of skirmishers was sent forward. General -Griffin’s brigade captured the enemy’s picket line, opposite Forts -Howard and Hayes, and a number of prisoners. During these movements our -whole line was forming for the assault, which was made at about four -o’clock in the morning of the 2d. The contest was a bloody one, but was -very successful. - -At the close of the day, during which the enemy made repeated attacks, -General Parke was in possession of several hundred yards of the enemy’s -lines, on each side of the Jerusalem Plank Road, including several -formidable works. In the meantime a determined attack on the left had -been made by the Sixth, Second, and parts of the Twenty-fifth corps, -capturing a considerable number of prisoners. - -During the battle on this part of the line, General A. P. Hill of the -Confederate army was killed. He was one of the most distinguished -officers of the long list of able and brilliant Southern Generals. -The tragic account of his death, given by E. A. Pollard in his “Lost -Cause,”[57] is probably incorrect, and is of the same sensational -character as much else that this pseudo historian has written. - -The night of the 2d of April was passed by the Ninth Corps on its -advanced line with heavy skirmishing, continuing till near midnight. -The regiment did not become seriously engaged during the 1st and 2d of -April, though it took part in the demonstrations which were made in -front of Port Stedman. - -At four o’clock in the morning of the 3d of April, all our troops were -put in motion, no opposition was encountered, the enemy having deserted -their lines. The Brigade was among the first to pass the Confederate -works; the Third Maryland Regiment having the honor of being the -first to enter the city of Petersburg. The Twenty-ninth, with other -troops, soon followed, but at once passed out on the Richmond Stage and -Chesterfield roads, where it was placed on picket. - -From this time till the 5th, the regiment had its headquarters at a -place called Violet Bank, a fine old Virginia plantation, the house of -which had been long occupied by General Lee. “There were two pianos in -the house, and for two days one would have thought that some impresario -had his troupe there, in rehearsal of all the known, and some unknown, -operas.” The regiment recrossed the Appomattox on the 5th, and, with -its brigade, “was deployed across the country, from the river to the -Boydton Road,” with headquarters at Roger A. Pryor’s, “preparing to -advance and cover the reconstruction of the railroad, and to guard -that and the Cox Road, as the army advanced.” - -In the afternoon of the 6th, the regiment marched to Sutherlands, -remaining there till midnight, and then moving out on the Cox Road -to Beazeley’s. By short marches, made at different times, it finally -proceeded to Wilson’s Station, “about twenty miles from Sutherlands, -and at the junction of the Grubby and Cox roads.” - -While remaining here, the men received the sad news of the death of -Abraham Lincoln. Every soldier felt that he had lost a dear friend in -the lamented chief magistrate, whose heart always beat with joy at -their successes in the field, and sorrowed with the truest sorrow over -their reverses and misfortunes. Of all the many true men who stood -at the helm of the nation during the stormy days of the war, Abraham -Lincoln was pre-eminently the soldier’s friend; he always frowned upon -the harsh punishments inflicted by military law, and by his sympathy -for the erring, saved from death many who had been thus doomed by the -inexorable decrees of courts-martial. - -On the 21st of April, the Ninth Corps was ordered to Washington, and -the men bid good-by forever to these scenes of their strifes and -sufferings. The regiment reached Alexandria on the 28th, and on the -next day was ordered to Georgetown, where it was detached from the -division and made provost guard at this place, and furnished all the -details for General Willcox’s district headquarters. - -On the 23d of May occurred the grand review in Washington. The -Twenty-ninth was not permitted to participate in this triumphal march -of our noble army, but as provost guard, was assigned to the duty, -on this memorable day, of keeping the streets of Georgetown clear of -obstructions, and of guarding the various “approaches to the route of -the procession.” Several of the officers of the regiment, however, -who were on staff duty, were in the column, and Colonel Clarke was -intrusted with the formation of the First Division line, a duty that he -performed with great ability and credit to himself and the State. - -On the 7th of June, Colonel Clarke was relieved from duty as Assistant -Adjutant-General of the division, and assumed the command of the -regiment. - -On the 9th, a large portion of the Thirty-fifth Massachusetts Regiment -was transferred to the Twenty-ninth. These men were mostly Germans -and Belgians, whose term of service did not expire before October 1, -1865. They were asked by their commanding general to which regiment -they desired to be transferred. Much attached to their officers, they -replied, that “they preferred to go where their officers could go with -them.” By an arrangement made with the War Department, eleven officers -were transferred with these men, and it speaks well for the regiment -that these officers chose to be transferred to the Twenty-ninth. Both -officers and men were superior soldiers, and the commanding officer -of the Twenty-ninth, in his last report to the Adjutant-General of -Massachusetts, speaks of them in terms of high praise. - -On this day, the regiment marched to Tenallytown, Md., remaining here -till the 29th of July. The formalities of mustering the regiment out of -the service were completed on the 29th of July, and on the same day it -started for Massachusetts. - -Upon its arrival in New York, it became the guest of the New England -Association, as also did the Fifty-seventh Massachusetts Regiment, -which left Washington at the same time. The Association asked the -regiments to parade in the city. The request was granted, and Brevet -Brigadier-General McLaughlin (Colonel of the Fifty-seventh) assuming -command, marched the troops through Broadway, from the Battery to Union -Square, and from the Square again to the Battery. The veterans were -greeted with cheers everywhere on the line of their march, and at the -close were met by General Burnside, who addressed them in a cordial -manner. - -At the conclusion of the parade, the Association invited the soldiers -to partake of a dinner, at which were present, Major-General Joseph -Hooker, the patriotic Colonel Howe, President of the Association, and -the Rev. M. H. Smith (Burleigh). It has been said that this was the -last parade of Union troops in New York City. - -Taking the cars on the Connecticut Shore road, the regiment reached -Massachusetts the next morning; but not having been paid or discharged -the service, still further delay became necessary, and it was for this -purpose ordered into camp at Readville. - -It was wholly natural for soldiers who had been so long in the service -as had the members of the Twenty-ninth, and were now, at the close of -their protracted term, almost within sight and sound of their homes, -to feel a disagreeable sense of restraint at being thus detained. They -found some fault with this state of things, which they characterized -as “the last crop of red tape”; but their soldierly instincts and -self-respect kept them from the commission of any act which they or -their friends will ever have occasion to regret. Their conduct was so -exemplary under these perplexing circumstances, and this event in their -career in every sense so historical, that their commanding officer -was moved to address them upon the subject. This address was termed, -“General Orders. No. 12,” and was the last order issued to the regiment -from any source, or by any officer. As it is a well-written paper, -alike touching and soldierly in its tone, and altogether a pleasing -feature of the record of the regiment, we here give space for it:-- - - “GENERAL ORDERS, NO. 12. - - “HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-NINTH MASSACHUSETTS VETERAN VOLUNTEERS,} - “READVILLE, MASS., August 3, 1865. } - - “You hold the musket for the last time. From May, 1861, to - August, 1865, we are a part of the history of the Republic. - The very number of the regiment was prophetic; for twenty-nine - battles will be inscribed on the flag which we carry. - - “To be soldiers who have never lost a color, have never left - the field without orders, have always cheerfully performed the - requirements of the service, is indeed a cause for pride. But - of one thing we should be prouder yet! Few regiments have had - so few desertions, so few dishonorable discharges, so little - punishment, of all who have served the Republic in the last - four years. - - “During the past three days, your conduct has been deserving of - all praise. In receiving their welcome home, no men could have - proved themselves more worthy of the honors paid them. Trying - as the delay has been, anxious as you all were to return to - the Commonwealth, no single thing was done unbecoming the good - soldier. - - “Around you cluster the memories of the two great armies of - the Republic: that which fought four long years for Richmond, - and that which opened the Mississippi to the commerce of the - Northwest. - - “You hold in your hands the last muskets of the army of the - Potomac,--the last muskets of the army of Sherman. Remember, - then, the brilliant record which is yours; and remember - hereafter not to tarnish it.”[58] - -In concluding this narrative, which the writer fears has already -been extended beyond the point which, in the estimation of a purely -disinterested person, might be regarded as its proper limit, it seems -essential to allude briefly, in review, to certain prominent and -remarkable features of the record given in the foregoing pages. The -seven companies of Captains Clarke, Wilson, Leach, Chipman, Doten, -Chamberlain, and Barnes, were among the first in the country to enter -the service for three years; while the regiment was among the last -of all the volunteer forces to disband: serving, including the term -of these original companies, a period of four years, two months, -and twenty days, which is rather more than the whole period of the -active hostilities of the war. During this time it served under -thirty-one general officers, of more or less distinction, in three -army corps, namely, the Second, Fifth, and Ninth; did duty in the -States of Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi, -and Tennessee, and in the District of Columbia: while it carried its -flags into fifteen States of the Union, travelling, in the course -of fourteen months, a distance of four thousand two hundred and -seventy-seven miles. Two of the companies participated in the first -pitched battle of the Rebellion; and the regiment was engaged in one of -the last battles of the war, which took place just seven days before -the surrender of General Lee and his army. The regiment was, therefore, -practically, present at the birth--it was also present at the death and -funeral--of the Rebellion. It took part in the four great sieges of -the war, namely, Richmond, 1862; Vicksburg, 1863; Knoxville, 1863; and -Petersburg, 1864-5; was engaged in twenty-nine pitched battles, beside -a large number of skirmishes, picket fights, and artillery duels. It -is chiefly in connection with the battle record of the Twenty-ninth, -that its surviving members have the greatest cause for feelings of -profound gratitude; the comparatively small losses sustained by it in -all these numerous encounters with the enemy forming, perhaps, the -most remarkable feature of its entire career as a regiment. And what -seems most singular, is the fact that this good fortune attended the -regiment, with two or three exceptions, from the beginning to the close -of its term. The time of its arrival at Gaines’ Mill, though it did -not operate to prevent it from performing valuable service,--a service -that aided in rescuing from destruction Porter’s troops,--alone saved -it from the slaughter that covered that sanguinary field with several -thousand wounded and dead. - -At Antietam it chanced to be placed in a favorable position, while two -other regiments of the same brigade, on its right and left, were nearly -annihilated; at Fredericksburg it secured exemption from dreadful loss -by a timely transfer to another corps of the army, made in the ordinary -course of military changes, without the efforts of its officers, or the -knowledge on the part of any one as to what results would follow. - -Even a cursory glance at the records of some of our Massachusetts -regiments which lost heavily in the war, will show that their losses -were mainly the fruits of unfortunate positions, and, in some -instances, that the major part of all their losses were sustained in a -single battle, as was the case of several at Ball’s Bluffs, Antietam, -and Gettysburg. While we have shown that this exemption of the regiment -from heavy battle casualties was in the main the result of accident, -yet, from the nature of things, it cannot be wholly so. - -The death-lists of many new regiments were often largely increased by -the mere inexperience of the troops, and the insane idea sometimes -possessed by their officers, that recklessness and wanton exposure were -evidence of valor. - -The Twenty-ninth was long in the field; its soldiers, for the last -three years of their term, were in every sense veterans, having -learned, by actual experience, the many little arts and devices always -employed by old soldiers to protect themselves while in perilous -positions,--a knowledge that the Confederate officers imparted to -their soldiers early in the war, and resulted in the saving of life, -and the winning of more than one important victory over our armies. -The romantic notion which for awhile possessed the soldiers, that it -was unmilitary and unsoldierly to make any effort to be comfortable, -or to shield themselves from the death-dealing minie, or the howling -cannon-ball, soon gave place to more sensible ideas; and long before -the close of the war, a rock, a fence, a log, a tree, or even a stump -or bush, were often used with great effect for defensive purposes, and -saved more than one soldier his life; while his cover, slight as it -was, enabled him to fire with greater precision and coolness. - -Notwithstanding the remarkable escape of the regiment in many battles, -yet its list of the dead, as the reader will perceive, is by no means -insignificant; and though but a small part, it yet constitutes a -precious part, of the terrible price of human life which the Republic -paid for its final victory over treason and rebellion. - -A regiment of soldiers is in some respects like a family, having its -own quarrels and jealousies, which family pride usually keeps hidden -from the knowledge of the world, and which family sufferings and common -interests finally cause, in a large measure, to be buried and forgotten. - -To his comrades, the author, in closing, would say, let us all, as -members of the same regiment, forever forget the petty bickerings and -jealousies of the war, if they are not already forgotten; forgive with -a generous spirit all who wronged us,--even those who fought against -us in the field,--and turn our eyes upon the pleasant spectacle of a -Republic and a nation rescued from anarchy and ruin, in part by our -own efforts; and, finally, let us hope, that the record of our deeds -as volunteer soldiers, saved, it may be, from forgetfulness by this -printed volume,--humble as the deeds which it chronicles,--may in the -years to come serve, as has that of our fathers of the Revolution, -to keep bright and warm the fires of patriotism, and nourish a love -for the nation’s flag, and the principles it symbolizes, that neither -suffering nor danger can quench. - - - - -THE ROSTER OF THE REGIMENT. - - -NOTE. - -There are some facts about the rolls of the regiment that demand -explanation. The published rolls of the Adjutant-General of -Massachusetts give the Twenty-ninth a total membership of eighteen -hundred and twenty commissioned officers and enlisted men. Of this -number, fourteen commissioned officers[59] and three hundred and -thirty-four enlisted men were transferred to it from the Thirty-fifth -Massachusetts, June 9, 1865. A large proportion of these enlisted men -are placed upon the rolls of the Twenty-ninth, without remark or note -indicating that they were transferred, and appear upon our rolls as -recruits for 1864. As they joined our regiment after the close of the -war, and have their record with the Thirty-fifth for all except about a -month of their entire service in the army, there seems to be no reason -for publishing their names in this volume. The Twenty-ninth is charged -with the desertion of some of these men, while in point of fact it -derived no benefit from their service. - -Besides these men, and those who are placed upon the following company -rolls, there are found, as recruits for 1864, the names of about -ninety men on the published rolls of the Twenty-ninth. After a careful -consideration of all the facts, I have concluded to print the names -of seventy of these soldiers, though it is very doubtful whether all -of them actually served with the regiment. I print them in a roll by -themselves, for the reason that it does not appear with certainty with -what companies of the regiment they were connected. Five of these men -are reported to have died in the service, and I have placed their names -at the end of the roll of our dead. - -The names of the following soldiers of the regiment do not appear at -all upon the Adjutant-General’s rolls: Thomas Burt, Edwin H. Hosmer, -Charles Kleinhans, Edward L. Pettis, of Company E; Leander Clapp, -Henry W. Pettee, of Company F; John Usherwood, Charles Young, George -S. Welsch, of Company H; Ira A. Clark of Company I; and Martin Bird, -Joseph A. Brown, David Dockerty, and William H. Moore, of Company K. -The name of Moore does not appear upon any of the rolls of the regiment -which I have been able to find. - -The reader will observe that I have noted upon the following rolls the -death and wounding of certain soldiers. This has been done because -their names were omitted from the list of casualties given in the -narrative portion of the work. - -The published rolls of the regiment give a list of forty-nine -“Unassigned Recruits.” There could not have been any unassigned men -who actually joined the regiment for duty, and the publication of this -list only shows the unsatisfactory condition of the records of both the -War Department and of our own State. With the help of kind comrades -in each company, I have closely examined this list, and taken from -it all identified names, and placed them with the companies to which -they belonged; and it may interest the comrades to know that, but for -this examination, some of the best soldiers in the regiment would have -suffered the mortification of seeing their names printed in a list of -“unassigned recruits.” After all the labor bestowed upon this matter, -there are still several soldiers in the list referred to whom we have -not been able to identify, and the conclusion is they were never -members of the regiment.--AUTHOR. - - - - -THE ROSTER OF THE REGIMENT. - - -FIELD AND STAFF - -AT DATE OF ORGANIZATION OF REGIMENT, DECEMBER 13, 1861. - - EBENEZER W. PIERCE, Colonel. - JOSEPH H. BARNES, Lieutenant-Colonel. - CHARLES CHIPMAN, Major. - ORLANDO BROWN,[60] Surgeon. - GEORGE B. COGSWELL,[61] Assistant Surgeon. - HENRY E. HEMPSTEAD,[62] Chaplain. - First Lieut. JOHN B. COLLINGWOOD, Adjutant. - First Lieut. JOSHUA NORTON, 3d, Quartermaster. - - -NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF. - - HENRY S. BRADEN, Sergeant-Major. - WILLIAM W. DAVIS, Quartermaster Sergeant. - JOHN B. PIZER, Commissary Sergeant. - JOHN HARDY, Hospital Steward. - - -MEMBERS OF STAFF - - APPOINTED SUBSEQUENT TO DATE OF ORGANIZATION OF THE - REGIMENT TO FILL VACANCIES, WHOSE NAMES DO NOT ELSEWHERE APPEAR - UPON THE ROLLS. - - GEORGE KING,[63] Surgeon. - ROBERT E. JAMESON,[64] Assistant Surgeon. - ALBERT WOOD,[65] Assistant Surgeon. - JAMES C. BASSETT,[66] Assistant Surgeon. - GUSTAVUS P. PRATT,[67] Assistant Surgeon. - EDGAR L. CARR,[68] Assistant Surgeon. - - NOTE.--Promotions from Companies to the Field and - Staff will be found on the Company rolls.--AUTHOR. - - -ROLL OF COMPANY A. - -The following soldiers originally composed this Company, enlisted April -20, 1861, and were mustered into the United States service, May 21, -1861:-- - - Thomas Wm. Clarke,[69] Captain. - Joshua Norton, 3d,[70] 1st Lieut. - John E. White,[71] 2d Lieut. - William W. Pray,[72] 1st Sergt. - William W. Davis,[73] Sergeant. - Albert H. De Costa, “ - Albert N. Morin, “ - Lysander A. Howard, “ - Solomon B. Smith,[74] Corporal. - William T. Hamer,[75] “ - Thomas Bacon,[74] “ - William Coots, “ - Henry Alexander, “ - Charles T. Lovell, “ - Charles H. Thayer, “ - Horace Damrell, “ - Hiram B. Butler, Musician. - James McGovern, “ - Charles N. Drake, Wagoner. - Myron E. Alger, Private. - Cornelius Ahern, “ - Alexander Bassett, “ - Henry Blackstone, “ - Alexander T. Barri, “ - Edward C. Blossom, “ - Sylvester F. Blake, “ - Tom Brooks,[74] “ - Oscar H. Bassett,[74] “ - Charles Bassett,[76] “ - Albert Butler, “ - Michael A. Brady,[76] “ - David Bly, “ - James Brent, “ - Malachi Coullahan, “ - Joseph J. Crosby, “ - Lawrence T. Chickey, “ - Henry Carson, “ - John Cunningham,[76] “ - Hiram Cole, “ - Thomas W. Cashman,[74] “ - Henry G. Chase, “ - Jeremiah J. Crowley, “ - Barton De Costa, “ - Charles Dwinell, “ - Daniel A. Dailey, “ - Timothy D. Donovan,[76] “ - Michael Edmands, “ - Matthew T. Fitzpatrick, “ - Albert E. Frost, “ - Thomas Foley, “ - Levi B. Gaylord,[73] “ - Edward L. Gunnison, “ - James Golden, “ - Charles D. Hodge, “ - John Hollihan, “ - Conrad Homan,[72] “ - John Hardy,[77] “ - Frank M. Hobart, “ - William M. Hobart, “ - Thomas Hawes,[76] “ - Joseph E. Holbrook, “ - William Henry,[76] “ - Richard Harney,[75] “ - Alanson K. Joslyn, “ - Henry C. Joslyn,[78] “ - Holden Johnson,[79] “ - Edward Kelley, “ - Joseph Leeds,[84] “ - James Lyman,[80] “ - Charles P. Locke, “ - Joseph McAlery, “ - James McGlinchy, “ - John McCarthy, “ - John W. McCarthy,[81] “ - Patrick Muldoon,[81] “ - Jeremiah Mahoney,[80] “ - Martin C. Mullen, “ - John W. Morse, “ - Edward O’Donnell, “ - Edward B. O’Donnell, “ - Daniel Owens, “ - Dennis O’Connor, “ - Chandler H. Pond,[82] “ - Edward L. Pickard, “ - Isaac H. Perry, “ - Henry P. Pitcher, “ - Byron Rice, “ - Sandford M. Richardson, “ - Charles Ross, “ - George F. Simpson, “ - John Sullivan, “ - Charles H. Shaw, “ - John M. Sweeny, “ - John Scully, “ - David P. Scully,[83] “ - Frederick C. Shaw,[81] “ - George G. Towne, “ - George Thomas,[80] “ - Charles Vaughan, “ - Levi S. York,[80] “ - George H. Wise, “ - - -JOINED IN 1861 (July 31). - - George H. Taylor,[78] 2d Lieut. - - -JOINED IN 1862. - - Joseph J. Farrell,[79] Private. - Philip Sullivan, “ - T. D. Sullivan, “ - - -JOINED IN 1863. - - James L. West, Private. - - -JOINED IN 1864. - - Morris Connor, Private. - Robert Grace, “ - - -ROLL OF COMPANY B. - -The following soldiers originally composed this Company, enlisted April -18, 1861, and were mustered into the United States service, May 14, -1861:-- - - Jonas K. Tyler,[85] Captain. - Samuel A. Bent,[85] 1st Lieut. - Thomas H. Adams, 2d,[86] 2d Lieut. - Walter Frost,[87] 1st Sergt. - Emery Hodgkins, Sergeant. - James Freel, “ - Benjamin B. Brown,[88] “ - Joseph L. Mitchell,[89] Corporal. - Warren Goodwin,[90] “ - Charles F. Bowen, “ - William Gray, “ - William H. Baker, Musician. - John D. Atkinson, Private. - Ira D. Bryant, “ - George Barnes, “ - Stephen H. Caverly, “ - John Clark, “ - Harrison C. Campbell, “ - Thomas Cruse, “ - Michael Dorgan, “ - John Donnelly,[91] “ - Stephen H. Egan, “ - Patrick F. Feeney, “ - Richard R. Furbush, “ - Thomas Finnerty, “ - Lyford J. Gilman, “ - William Graham, “ - William H. Goss, “ - John Gordon,[91] “ - Samuel Grant, “ - John Gallagher, “ - John Hancock, “ - Lawrence Hayes, “ - Frank Hall, “ - Thomas Hayes, “ - Dennis Hanley, “ - James B. Johnson, “ - Thomas Kelley, “ - Delevan Kimball, “ - John J. Lynch, “ - John Lucas,[90] “ - Mathias Leonard,[92] “ - Henry Lynch, “ - George Mahann, “ - William H. Mosher,[89] “ - Martin Minton, “ - Patrick Moran, “ - Charles McNulty, “ - William H. Murphy, “ - Theobald M. O’Brien,[89] “ - Thomas S. O’Brien, “ - Thomas O’Dell, “ - John Riley, “ - John D. Ratchford, “ - John G. St. Clair, “ - John H. Hodder, “ - Charles F. Hearns, “ - Patrick Thompson, “ - John M. Thompson, “ - Otis S. Whiting, “ - George S. Whiting, “ - - -JOINED IN JULY, 1861. - - Israel N. Wilson, Captain. - Ezra Ripley, 1st Lieut. - John B. Anderson, Private. - George B. Andrews,[91] “ - Thomas Brady,[93] Private. - William C. Babcock,[94] “ - James Brogan, “ - William Baker, “ - Henry W. Brigham, “ - W. F. Britten, “ - Oscar F. Carleton,[93] “ - James Cable,[95] “ - William Carlin, “ - Edward T. Collier, “ - Thomas Conway, “ - Horace A. Dean, “ - William D. Emerson, “ - Timothy Fenton, “ - George H. Gammons, “ - C. E. Getchell, “ - Allen Hingston,[96] “ - Thomas Harris, “ - James Hill, “ - George Hale, “ - Dan E. Higgins,[93] “ - William Havilin, “ - Albert N. Johnson, “ - Robert Little, “ - Anthony La Rochelle, “ - Timothy J. Mahony, “ - Bernard Molino, “ - James S. Messer, “ - Henry E. Magee, “ - Edward J. O’Brien,[93] “ - Francis D. O’Riley, “ - Aaron L. Pearsons,[94] “ - Philip Sullivan, “ - John B. Smithers,[94] “ - Henry H. Savage, “ - Henry Tufts,[96] “ - William Williams, “ - - -JOINED LATER IN 1861. - - George O. Bent,[94] Private. - John Bellam, “ - William S. Collins,[93] “ - James Campbell, “ - Ezra A. Chase,[96] “ - August Dickman,[93] “ - Stephen E. Flood, “ - John B. Gravlin,[93] “ - George F. Gorham, “ - John Gorham, “ - Foster Ham, “ - John Holton, “ - Joseph Kelly, “ - Ward Locke, “ - Thomas Manning, “ - Herman Marshall, “ - John J. O’Brien, “ - James Read, “ - James W. Shepard, “ - William E. Short, “ - John C. Stewart, “ - - -JOINED IN 1862. - - George W. Fairbanks, Private. - John J. Ryan, “ - - -ROLL OF COMPANY C. - -The following soldiers originally composed this Company, enlisted April -20, 1861, and were mustered into the United States service, May 22, -1861:-- - - Lebbeus Leach, Captain. - Nathan D. Whitman, 1st Lieut. - Elisha S. Holbrook,[97] 2d Lieut. - Silas N. Grosvenor, 1st Sergt. - Thomas Conant, Jr.,[98] Sergeant. - George H. Morse,[99] “ - Joshua E. Hayward, “ - Francis M. Kingman,[100] Corporal. - Alfred B. Cummings,[101] “ - Levi Wright, “ - Lawrence V. Poole, “ - Abner H. Holmes, Muician. - Walter M. Holmes, “ - George W. Allen,[102] Private. - Thomas Arnold, “ - James A. Bates, “ - Isaac N. Bourne, “ - Asa W. Bates, “ - George D. Brown, “ - Irving Bates,[102] “ - Minot S. Curtis,[101] “ - John Conant,[102] “ - Edward F. Drohan, “ - Charles Drake, “ - Benjamin F. Edson, “ - Curtis Eddy, “ - George W. Fisher, “ - Henry M. Folsom, “ - Robert C. Fellows,[102] “ - Henry K. Gould,[102] “ - Caleb L. Hudson, Jr., “ - Preston Hooper,[102] “ - James W. Harding, “ - Charles H. Hayden,[103] “ - Damon Hoyt, “ - John A. Holmes, “ - C. Francis Harlow,[104] “ - John S. Howard, “ - Emery Jaquith, “ - James G. Johnson, “ - Charles E. Jordan,[102] “ - William H. Johnson, “ - William F. Keith, “ - David H. Lincoln, “ - Eugene A. Lincoln, “ - James H. Leonard, “ - Neil McMillan,[101] “ - William H. Morse, “ - Henry A. Osborne, “ - Edward S. Osborne, “ - William H. Osborne, “ - Ebenezer H. Pratt, “ - Edward P. Packard,[105] “ - Horace A. Ripley,[101] “ - Wallace R. Ripley, “ - Joshua S. Ramsdell, “ - William F. Rounds, “ - William W. Smith, “ - William B. Smith, “ - John T. Sturtevant, “ - Ira C. Shaw,[105] “ - James W. Siddall, “ - Benjamin Siddall, “ - Elijah H. Tolman,[106] “ - Charles H. Turner,[106] “ - Daniel W. Tribou,[106] “ - Freedom Whitman,[106] “ - Asa W. Whitman, “ - Charles C. Whitman, “ - Nehemiah White, “ - Thatcher P. Wright, “ - Edward Williams, “ - James E. White, “ - - -JOINED IN SEPTEMBER AND DECEMBER, 1861. - - William B. Hathaway, 2d Lieut. - Algernon S. Brett,[107] Private. - David Blakeman, “ - Marshall M. Chandler, “ - Thomas G. Clark, “ - James W. Cooper,[106] “ - Elbridge R. Curtis, “ - George R. Dyer,[108] “ - Isaac W. Drinkwater, “ - Timothy W. Fisher, “ - Charles W. Flagg, “ - Granville H. Gould,[109] “ - Daniel W. Harding, “ - John C. Lambert, “ - Harvey Lucas, “ - Edward P. Mansfield, “ - John M. Nason, “ - Alpheus Packard, “ - Edmund T. Packard,[107] “ - John G. Sampson, “ - Alonzo Sharp, “ - Hugh Stran, “ - Sylvanus Thomas, “ - Vernon M. Thompson, “ - James L. Washburn, “ - Herbert O. White, “ - Cyrus L. Williams, “ - - -JOINED IN 1862. - - Henry T. Manchester,[107] Private. - Isaac H. Bates, “ - Rodney Churchill, “ - Amos L. Dorr, “ - Theodore C. Rodman, “ - Patrick Frawley, 2d, “ - William J. Stanley, “ - - -ROLL OF COMPANY D. - -The following soldiers originally composed this Company, enlisted April -20, 1861, and were mustered into the United States service, May 22, -1861:-- - - Charles Chipman,[110] Captain. - Charles Brady,[111] 1st Lieut. - Henry A. Kern,[112] 2d Lieut. - William Stuart, 1st Sergt. - James H. Atherton,[113] Sergeant. - William H. Woodward, “ - Edward Brady, “ - David B. Coleman, Corporal. - George F. Bruce,[114] “ - Benjamin H. Hamlin,[115] “ - William Breese, “ - George E. Crocker,[116] Musician. - Christopher B. Dalton, “ - George W. Badger, Private. - Gustavus A. Badger, “ - James Ball, “ - John T. Collins,[117] “ - James Cox,[118] “ - James Cook, “ - Patrick Clancy, “ - Thomas W. Chapman, “ - Alfred Cheval, “ - John Campbell, “ - Thomas F. Darby,[119] “ - Timothy G. Dean, “ - Warren P. Dean, “ - Edward Donnelly,[118] “ - Joseph W. Eaton, “ - Perez Eldridge, “ - John Fagan, “ - Benjamin Fuller, “ - John H. Gray, “ - James M. Getchell, “ - James Guiney, “ - John Gordon, “ - Samuel W. Hunt, “ - Alden P. Hathaway, “ - Charles Harkins, “ - Michael Heslin, “ - James H. Heald, “ - David A. Hoxie,[115] “ - Charles H. Hoxie, “ - Zenas H. Hoxie, “ - Samuel N. Haskins, “ - Charles E. Jones, “ - William D. James, “ - David S. Keen, “ - Martin L. Kern, Jr.,[118] “ - Patrick Long, “ - Peter McNulty, “ - John McAlaney, “ - William McDermont, “ - Michael McKenna,[118] “ - Patrick McElroy, “ - Isaac H. Phinney, “ - Peter Russell, “ - Caleb T. Robbins, “ - Philip Russell, “ - William J. Smith,[120] “ - Francis C. Swift, “ - Martin S. Tinkham, “ - Joseph Turner, “ - Charles G. Wright, “ - Anderson Wright, “ - John Weeks, “ - John Woods, “ - Francis Woods, “ - William H. Woods, “ - James H. Woods, “ - James Ward, “ - - -JOINED IN JANUARY, 1862. - - Augustus D. Ayling,[121] 2d Lieut. - Frank G. Bumpus, Private. - Nathaniel F. Ford, “ - Andrew Gaffney, “ - James G. B. Haines, “ - Joseph J. C. Madigan,[121] “ - Edmund L. Pray, “ - - -ROLL OF COMPANY E. - -The following soldiers originally composed this Company, enlisted May -6, 1861, and were mustered into the United States service, May 22, -1861:-- - - Samuel H. Doten,[122] Captain. - John B. Collingwood,[123] 1st Lieut. - Thomas A. Mayo,[124] 2d Lieut. - Edward L. Robbins, 1st Sergt. - Horace A. Jenks,[125] Sergeant. - John M. Atwood, “ - George S. Morey, “ - Peter Winsor,[125] Corporal. - Benjamin F. Bumpus, “ - Ichabod C. Fuller,[126] “ - Samuel D. Thrasher, “ - Charles Atwood, Private. - Columbus Adams, “ - John K. Alexander,[127] “ - Winslow C. Barnes, “ - Antonio Beytes, “ - Nathaniel Burgess,[128] “ - Moses S. Barnes,[127] “ - Simeon H. Barrows, “ - Ellis D. Barnes, “ - George E. Burbank, “ - George F. Bradford, “ - Andrew Blanchard, “ - Charles C. Barnes, “ - Lawrence R. Blake, “ - Cornelius Bradford, “ - Sylvanus L. Churchill, “ - Thomas Collingwood,[127] “ - Barnabas Dunham, “ - Henry F. Eddy, “ - Philander Freeman, “ - William P. Goodwin,[127] “ - Timothy E. Gay, “ - Thomas W. Hayden,[127] “ - James S. Holbrook,[126] “ - Orrin D. Holmes,[126] “ - Seth L. Holmes, “ - Samuel H. Harlow,[127] “ - William H. Howland, “ - John F. Hall,[127] “ - Alexander Haskins, “ - Henry W. Kimball,[126] “ - Thomas P. Mullen, “ - Charles E. Merriam, “ - William R. Middleton, “ - Lemuel B. Morton,[127] “ - William Morey, “ - Isaac Morton, Jr., “ - John E. Morrison, “ - John A. Morse, “ - William T. Nickerson, “ - George F. Pierce, “ - Seth W. Paty,[127] “ - William H. Pittee, “ - John H. Pember, “ - Otis W. Phinney, “ - Henry H. Robbins, “ - Albert R. Robbins, “ - Winslow B. Standish,[127] “ - Albert Simmons, “ - Frank H. Simmons, “ - Miles Standish, “ - William Swift, “ - John Shannon,[125] “ - Patrick Smith, “ - James E. Stillman, “ - Walter Thompson, “ - Frank A. Thomas, “ - Francis H. Vaughan, “ - Leander M. Vaughan, “ - George E. Wadsworth,[129] “ - Alfred B. Warner,[130] “ - John Washburn, “ - David Williams, “ - Joseph B. Whiting, “ - Samuel C. Wright,[129] “ - William Williams, “ - - -JOINED IN 1862. - - Benjamin F. Bates, Private. - Thomas Burt, “ - Patrick Cain, “ - Elisha S. Doten, “ - Edwin R. Eaton, “ - Charles A. Faunce, “ - Edwin H. Hosmer, “ - Justus W. Harlow, “ - Charles Kleinhans, “ - George H. Partridge, “ - George S. Peckham,[130] “ - James L. Pettis, “ - Charles E. Tillson, “ - Albert C. Wilson, “ - - -ROLL OF COMPANY F. - -The following soldiers originally composed this Company, enlisted in -the autumn of 1861, and were mustered into the United States service, -December 30, 1861:-- - - Willard D. Tripp,[131] Captain. - John A. Sayles, 1st Lieut. - Thomas H. Husband,[132] 2d Lieut. - Joseph O’Neil,[132] 1st Sergt. - Robert Clifford, Sergeant. - Charles S. Packard, “ - Bela H. King,[132] “ - George D. Williams,[133] “ - George W. Child, Corporal. - George E. Westgate, “ - Lyman N. Caswell,[134] “ - Arthur Clifford, “ - John N. Perry, “ - Stephen Hodgkins, “ - Baylies R. Chase, “ - William H. Phillips,[135] “ - Ira Bryant, Musician. - James Booth, “ - George A. Alexander, Private. - James Black, “ - Edward Belcher, “ - Darius Bonny,[136] “ - Philip H. Borden, “ - Charles G. Bosworth,[132] “ - Alexander Brickell, “ - David P. Brooks, “ - Kendall Brooks, “ - George W. Brown,[137] “ - George W. Burns, “ - Joseph Boyden,[138] “ - Leander W. Caswell, “ - Linus E. Caswell,[134] “ - Leander Clapp, “ - Hugh D. Conaty, “ - Joseph Davis, “ - Benjamin F. Dean, “ - Charles Dolan, “ - James Dugan, “ - Philip Dennehy,[139] “ - Charles Dunn, “ - Thomas Dixon, “ - Alonzo Garvin, “ - Michael Geary, “ - Benjamin T. Godfrey, “ - John Goodwin,[137] “ - Peter Harrington, “ - John Harvey,[140] “ - Ephraim Haskell, “ - Martin V. Haskell,[137] “ - William Haskell, “ - Timothy Hayes,[141] “ - Albert D. Hunt, “ - Otis S. Hewatt, “ - Martin F. Jefferson, “ - John Kelly, “ - John Kearvin, “ - Martin Lackore, “ - William Lang, “ - Charles Logue, “ - John McCarty, “ - Owen McMannus, “ - James McQuillan,[142] “ - Thomas Murphy,[143] “ - Timothy O’Sullivan, “ - George Pierce, “ - Lewis R. Pierce, “ - James Pittsley, “ - William Pittsley, “ - Edward Ratigan, “ - Granville T. Records, “ - Culbert Reynolds, “ - Charles E. Robertson,[144] “ - Mason Rogers, “ - Thomas Rooney, “ - Joseph Short, “ - James S. Sherman, “ - Francis H. Simmons, “ - James Simmons, “ - James W. Smith, “ - Preston O. Smith, “ - Solomon H. Smith, “ - Charles Stone, “ - Benjamin F. Stowell, “ - John Sullivan, “ - Edward W. Tarbox, “ - Leander Tripp, “ - Silas Townsend, “ - George Townsend,[145] “ - William H. Tyndal,[146] “ - George W. Welch,[144] “ - Cornelius Westgate, “ - Elisha Westgate, “ - Elisha B. Westgate, “ - John Westgate, “ - Joseph L. Westgate, “ - Preserved Westgate, “ - Oliver A. White, “ - Edward Wilbur, “ - John Wragg, “ - - -JOINED IN 1862. - - John Booth, Private. - William H. Burns,[147] “ - Joseph Hamer, “ - Abraham Haskell, “ - Henry L. Hill, “ - Michael Mahoney, “ - Albert R. Pittsley, “ - Henry W. Pettee, “ - Edward H. Pierce, “ - John B. Pizer,[142] “ - Joseph Westgate, “ - - -JOINED IN 1863. - - David Cohn, Private. - - -JOINED IN 1864. - - James Liffin, Private. - - -ROLL OF COMPANY G. - -The following soldiers originally composed this Company, enlisted in -the autumn of 1861, and were mustered into the United States service, -December 31, 1861:-- - - Charles T. Richardson,[148] Captain. - Freeman A. Taber, 1st Lieut. - Charles D. Browne,[149] 2d Lieut. - George W. Pope,[150] 1st Sergt. - Charles A. Carpenter,[151] Sergeant. - A. Baylies Richmond, “ - Robert L. Watts, “ - James C. Allen, “ - Lemuel Capen, Corporal. - George D. Hodges, “ - Joseph Bunker, “ - Ephraim E. Follett,[152] “ - Charles D. Hodge, “ - Ebenezer Fisk,[153] “ - Edward W. Greene, “ - Robert E. Harris, “ - Samuel A. Wilkinson, Musician. - John F. W. Clark, “ - James H. Ladd, Wagoner. - Henry Austin, Private. - Daniel B. Blaisdell, “ - Joseph Baker, “ - Robert Burns, “ - George W. Burnham, “ - William Brophy, “ - John Bartlett, “ - William A. Burrill, “ - Joseph Bosell, “ - Nelson Cook, “ - Charles N. Cotton, “ - Hiram F. Chace, “ - Edward Carney, “ - Henry Campbell,[153] “ - James F. Clark, “ - Lafayette W. Carpenter, “ - Patrick Cullen, “ - Charles W. Clifford, “ - Francis Clark,[154] “ - Albert Cobbett, “ - William E. Cobbett, “ - George C. Cobbett, “ - James H. Cram, “ - Charles Debelino, “ - Joseph Duxbury, “ - George E. Darling,[155] “ - Patrick Duffy, “ - Willard Drake, “ - Thomas W. Dean,[153] “ - Edmund Davis, “ - Elijah H. Esty, “ - John Field, “ - Albert E. Follett, “ - Henry H. Fairbanks, “ - Solomon R. Foster, “ - Barney Galligar, “ - Charles B. Griffin, “ - William H. Hudson, “ - Henry Ide,[156] “ - Talbot Jenks, Jr., “ - Daniel A. Jillson,[150] “ - Roger Kennedy, “ - Patrick McManimay, “ - Daniel H. Morey, “ - George E. Miller, “ - Patrick McLoughlin,[157] “ - Lorenzo Macomber, “ - Richard Owen, “ - John O’Neil,[158] “ - Henry J. Paine, “ - Hiram Porter, “ - Minot E. Phillips, “ - James P. Parker, “ - William H. Perry, “ - Nelson N. Randall, “ - Franklin L. Ramsell,[159] “ - William B. Richards, “ - Albert W. Smith,[160] “ - George W. Sprague, “ - Orange S. Stearns,[161] “ - George E. Snow, “ - Charles H. Smith, “ - John Thayer, “ - Nathaniel I. Thurber, “ - Levi Trumbull, “ - Henry B. Titus,[162] “ - Thomas Ward, “ - Daniel Whitmore,[163] “ - Roland T. J. White, “ - Cornelius L. White, “ - Henry Walker, “ - James Wood, “ - - -JOINED IN 1862. - - Charles M. Dunn,[162] Private. - Albert Lincoln,[164] “ - Charles F. Roberts,[164] “ - - -JOINED IN 1864. - - Wesley L. Beals, Private. - George Burns, “ - John Cronin,[165] “ - Philip P. Lawall, “ - - -ROLL OF COMPANY H. - -The following soldiers originally composed this Company, enlisted in -the autumn of 1861, and were mustered into the United States service, -January 13, 1862:-- - - Henry R. Sibley,[166] Captain. - Daniel W. Lee,[167] 1st Lieut. - William R. Corlew, 2d Lieut. - T. W. Wrightington, 1st Sergt. - Ansel B. Kellam, Sergeant. - George H. Long,[167] “ - William F. Pippey,[168] “ - Charles F. Colburn,[169] “ - George Merritt, Corporal. - William F. Willis,[170] “ - Edward M. Hastings, “ - Lorenzo L. Billings,[171] “ - Joseph Dominick, “ - George Curtis, “ - Waldo F. Corbett,[171] “ - Robert F. Greenough, “ - Alonzo F. Howe, Musician. - James A. Forbes, “ - George C. Wheeler, Wagoner. - Charles H. Almeder, Private. - John H. Aldrich, “ - Lyman H. Bigelow, “ - Edwin F. Bassett, “ - George G. Brigham, “ - David Barnes, “ - Ezra C. Bemis, “ - Charles W. Bates, “ - Nathaniel L. Battles, “ - Jeremiah Barnett, “ - Charles E. Brown, “ - Edwin C. Bemis,[170] “ - Eben B. Clifford, “ - Edward A. Clark, “ - James Culter, “ - John H. Clark, “ - William Coakley, “ - Edward E. Dearing, “ - Theodore W. Dearing,[172] “ - Edward L. Daniels, “ - Jacob H. Dow, Jr., “ - Chris. C. Eldridge, Jr., “ - Obed H. Ellis, “ - Daniel C. Easton,[173] “ - William P. Farnsworth,[168] “ - Henry W. Fuller, “ - William H. Gould, Jr., “ - John H. Galloway, “ - Rufus H. Gurney, “ - Joseph P. Gardner, “ - Malvin Gear, “ - Albert E. Gear, “ - Richard Gurney,[170] “ - John H. Hancock,[170] “ - Albert A. Hill, “ - Alanson S. Howe,[170] “ - William E. Hadlock, “ - John F. Hoit, “ - Benjamin F. Hall, “ - William Keith, “ - Ira W. Keyes,[174] “ - George H. Leman, “ - Edward L. Loveland, “ - Henry O. Lawrence, “ - William Henry Lee, “ - Ephraim Lucas, “ - William McGill, “ - John E. McDonald, “ - John C. Martin, “ - Daniel McDonald, Jr., “ - Nathaniel S. Mellon, “ - James Neville, “ - Charles L. Nightingale,[175] “ - Daniel B. Perkins, Jr., “ - Frederick Peabody, “ - John S. Pulsifer, “ - Henry Proctor, “ - Horace H. Packard, “ - Darius Perry, “ - Albert H. Prouty, “ - Lewis Prescott, “ - George S. Preble, “ - John S. Robinson,[176] “ - Alonzo C. Richardson,[177] “ - Thomas H. Sylvester,[178] “ - John H. Spear, “ - Artemus Sylvester, “ - Silas S. Smith, “ - George W. Smith, “ - Joseph Staples, “ - John F. Smith,[179] “ - Timothy Sullivan, “ - George W. Swain, “ - Henry A. Stephens, “ - John Schow, “ - Isaac H. Taylor,[176] “ - John B. Thomas, “ - George L. Woodbury, “ - Chris. H. Westphal, “ - Jacob W. Wasch, “ - Ebenezer Whiting, “ - Charles Young, “ - - -JOINED IN 1862. - - Etheridge Bryant, Private. - Abel W. Burroughs, “ - Patrick Boland, “ - George A. Bryant, “ - Edward Carroll, “ - Caleb Clark, “ - Ira W. Clark, “ - Nathaniel Cobb, “ - Joshua G. Fuller, “ - Charles J. Hale, “ - Michael Harrington, “ - William Jones, “ - Mathew Kerwin, “ - Ira F. Martin, “ - William McGaughlin, “ - Franklin J. Noyes, “ - William O’Conner, “ - George B. Perkins, “ - Bernard Rooney, “ - William Story, “ - James E. Sanborn, “ - John Usherwood, “ - Francis Wyman, “ - George S. Welsh, “ - - -JOINED IN 1864. - - Henry A. Glines, Private. - - -ROLL OF COMPANY I. - -The following soldiers originally composed this Company, enlisted April -17, 1861, and were mustered into the United States service, May 14, -1861:-- - - Wm. D. Chamberlain, Captain. - Abram A. Oliver,[180] 1st Lieut. - John E. Smith,[181] 2d Lieut. - William H Burns, 1st Sergt. - Elbridge G. Kemp, Sergeant. - John W. Barnicoat, “ - Aaron O. Atwill, “ - Frank Goodwin,[182] Corporal. - Gardner Parker, “ - Henry E. Hay, “ - Nathaniel J. Downing, “ - Alvin Moulton,[183] Musician. - Samuel L. Eaton, “ - William H. Adams, Private. - Thomas Ashcroft, “ - George W. Armstead, “ - Joseph M. Badger, “ - Charles I. Betton, “ - William W. Bowman, “ - Augustus A. Blaney, “ - Charles C. Bonner, “ - George L. Brown, “ - James L. Brown, “ - Charles A. Carroll, “ - Joseph P. Caldwell, “ - Isaac H. Childs, “ - William Chesley, “ - Charles Chamberlain, “ - Edward F. Chase, “ - John H. Cummings, “ - Willard P. Dailey, “ - James G. Dearmid, “ - Charles Dodge, “ - Charles S. Dow, “ - John C. Dow, “ - Joseph A. Dow, “ - John A. Durgin, “ - George W. Forsyth, “ - George P. Fowler, Jr., “ - Thomas S. Glass, “ - Lucius B. Grover, “ - William P. Green, “ - Daniel Gould, “ - John H. Hall, “ - George H. Hammond, “ - Charles E. Harris, “ - Alonzo Hollis, “ - George Horton, “ - George W. Jewett, “ - Joseph W. Knights, “ - David Lee, “ - George A. Lindsey, “ - Joseph A. Millett, “ - John B. Moulton,[184] “ - Solomon Moulton, “ - John S. Miller, “ - James W. Noyes, “ - Jacob Phillips, “ - William Phillips, “ - Thomas Pickett, “ - Edmond C. Poland, “ - Elbridge M. Rawson, “ - George H. Rich, “ - Curtis S. Rand,[184] “ - Clifford I. Rogers, “ - George Seeley, “ - John H. Shaw, “ - David A. Swan, “ - William R. Swan, “ - James M. Swan, “ - George Sullivan, “ - Andrew H. Tarr,[185] “ - George Townsend,[186] “ - Benjamin E. Thompson, “ - William K. Williams, “ - Isaac O. Willey, “ - Addison B. Young, “ - - -JOINED IN 1862. - - Walter A. Kezar,[186] Private. - Edward G. Bachelder, “ - John Q. Bachelder, “ - Thomas R. Bartol, “ - Ira A. Clark, “ - Frederick A. Clark, “ - Melvin F. Clough, “ - Tennison P. Collins, “ - Andrew Dinsmore, “ - Oliver H. P. Doak, “ - Orrin Fields, “ - Benjamin S. Gardner, “ - James F. Goodwin, “ - Charles F. Gove, “ - Eben T. Heath, “ - Joseph A. Short, “ - Lyman B. Williams, “ - - -JOINED IN 1863. - - Harvey G. Smith, Private. - - -ROLL OF COMPANY K. - -The following soldiers originally composed this Company, enlisted April -20, 1861, and were mustered into the United States service, May 22, -1861:-- - - Joseph. H. Barnes,[187] Captain. - James H. Osgood, Jr.,[188] 1st Lieut. - William T. Keen,[189] 2d Lieut. - William Pray,[188] 1st Sergt. - Henry S. Braden,[190] Sergeant. - Francis J. Cole, “ - James N. Greenwood, “ - Henry A. Hunting,[191] Corporal. - David Warren, Jr.,[192] “ - John B. Keen,[192] “ - George R. Rumney,[193] “ - Jason L. Blodgett, Private. - Edward Boston, Jr., “ - Robert M. Blackball,[194] “ - Loring Baker,[195] “ - Thomas M. Bride, “ - John P. Burbeck,[191] “ - John F. M. Burk, “ - James Brownlow, “ - William R. Barker, “ - Horace Colby, “ - John H. Crafts, “ - John L. Chapman, “ - Benjamin L. Clark, “ - William G. Chambers, “ - Henry F. Creighton,[196] “ - Edgar Curry, “ - David Dockerty, “ - Charles A. Daggett,[193] “ - Joseph Drugan, “ - Andrew P. Fisher, “ - Alonzo B. Fisk,[195] “ - John E. Fisher, “ - Frederick A. Godbold, “ - Isaac S. Hill, “ - James T. Holmes, “ - Abiel R. Henry, “ - William H. Howe,[194] “ - Richard Howes, “ - Joseph F. Hooper, “ - Nathaniel J. Huntress, “ - John R. Hume, “ - Freeman Hall, “ - Thomas W. Kenny, “ - Benjamin Loveland,[192] “ - Abijah Lane, “ - Gilbert T. Litchfield,[195] “ - Augustus Leavitt, “ - Charles H. Leavitt, “ - John A. Linnell,[192] “ - William P. Lander,[195] “ - Charles Laslie, “ - John A. McKie, “ - William McAllister, “ - Jesse Morris, “ - William McFarland, “ - Hiram A. Mosher,[195] “ - Samuel F. G. Newton, “ - Frederick G. Parsons, “ - Meltiah T. Remick, “ - Elisha Ranks, “ - Charles Ramsell, “ - Henry E. Stewart, “ - William W. Sanborn, “ - Joseph K. Stafford, “ - John Tierney, “ - John A. Tighe,[197] “ - Ezra Vinal, Jr.,[198] “ - Benjamin F. Valpey, “ - Charles Walker, “ - George Wright, “ - Charles H. Winslow, “ - George Wood, “ - George P. Woodis, “ - - -JOINED IN 1861. - - John Ewart,[199] Private. - John B. Hibbert, “ - Alexander McKinnan, “ - Joseph S. Manning, “ - - -JOINED IN 1862. - - Joseph A. Brown, Private. - Martin Bird, “ - Thomas F. Dolan, “ - James A. Fisher, “ - Joshua Grimes, “ - Joseph H. Locke, “ - John Moore, Jr.,[200] “ - James H. Powers, “ - Theodore S. Robinson, “ - Nelson H. Snow, “ - J. Sturgis Wright, “ - - -JOINED IN 1863. - - Sydenham Dumington, Private. - - -JOINED IN 1864. - - William H. Moore, Private. - -A list of soldiers whose names are not borne upon the foregoing rolls, -some of whom are known to have served, and others are reported as -having served in the Twenty-ninth Regiment for short periods during the -last few months of the war:-- - - Jeremiah Austin. - Otto Beyer. - John Brown. - Patrick Boyle. - Gerhard Briggerman.[201] - John P. Brennan. - William Barrett. - Larin R. Curtis. - Maurice Cronin. - John Conly. - William Cunningham. - Morris Collin. - William Claman.[202] - Francis Cassidy. - William Chapman. - Maurice Christian. - William Coulter. - Peter Doherty. - Parker Dwight. - Otto Duger.[203] - William Doody. - Jeremiah Dwyer. - Thomas Dyer. - James Doherty. - George Eaton. - Martin Esk. - John Easy.[202] - Francis Flora. - Louis Fruger. - Frederick Graven. - Frederick Gradholf. - Joseph F. Glass. - Edward Hazen. - Christian Holdt. - David Hannaford. - John H. Harbourne. - Michael Hilly.[202] - William Klinker.[204] - David Labonne. - John G. Moore. - Michael McFarland. - Louis Monplaiser. - James McLaughlin. - Herman Meier. - Thomas Mooney. - Ruter Moritz.[204] - Napoleon Mason. - Henry Moonshine. - Daniel Murphy. - Patrick Murphy. - Joseph Miller. - Robert Nelson.[202] - Alexander O’Brien. - James O’Bierne. - Leopold Obreiter. - Manuel Portello. - William H. Phillips. - Isaac Patton. - Henry Rose. - Frank A. Roberts. - Charles E. Robertson.[201] - Andrew J. Rider. - John Raftes. - Henry J. Sweet, Jr. - Hezekiah S. Sargent.[205] - John Smith. - Emile Taubert.[206] - George Townsend. - Eli Wigglesworth. - - - - -THE DEAD. - - “True to their Country and God, - To meet at the last reveille.” - - -NOTE. - -In deciding what names should appear upon the rolls of the dead, I -adopted this rule, which is that of the Pension Department in the -matter of granting pensions: First, those who died in the service from -disease, wounds, or injuries contracted while in the service and in the -line of their duties as soldiers; second, those who died after their -discharge from the service, of disease, wounds, or injuries contracted -while in the service and in the line of their duties as soldiers. - -I feel confident that the following rolls, under the rule mentioned, -give the names of all the regiment’s dead, and that the name of no -soldier appears upon them which ought not to be stated, though I regret -that in several instances I have not been able to give the place and -date of death. - -Having had access to the rolls of the dead prepared by the -Quartermaster-General of the United States Army, I have made a careful -search for the names of all members of the regiment borne on these -lists, and where I have been able to find their place of burial have -stated it opposite their names, hoping that the information may not -only prove comforting but useful to their friends and relatives. - -The several company rolls of the dead show a total of one hundred and -seventy-three, including the Chaplain. Of these, twenty-two only found -a Christian burial at their homes; thirty-five are shown to have been -identified and buried in National Cemeteries; leaving one hundred and -sixteen who rest, and probably must forever rest, in unknown graves. -All of the comrades, five in number, who died at Andersonville, -Ga., were identified, and their graves suitably marked by a marble -block; but the name of comrade Theodore W. Dearing of Company H, who -fell a victim to the filth and exposure at Salisbury, is not found -in the long list of 3,538 Union soldiers buried at that place. Such -is also the case of Minot E. Phillips and Levi Trumbull of Company -H, who suffered martyrdom at Belle Isle, Va., and Isaac S. Hill of -Company K, at Florence, S. C. The facts in regard to the management -of the three last-named prison-pens relieves one of all wonder at -not finding the name of the soldier for which he may be searching. -Over 5,000 Union soldiers were originally buried at Salisbury, in -thirteen long trenches, “without coffins or boxes, and without any -means of identifying them (except sixteen belonging to the Masonic -Fraternity), ... who died while confined in the Salisbury prison and -in the hospitals near the ‘stockade,’ during the Rebellion. The burial -of these soldiers in so inhuman a manner was done by one Sergeant -Harris, under the orders of Major Gee, both of the rebel army. Out of -nine or ten thousand soldiers confined there, over five thousand fell -victims to the cruelty of the Rebels then in charge, by starvation and -disease.”[207] - -As further showing how the rules of civilized warfare were disregarded -by the enemy, Major Dana, who makes the above report, says, that in -the Lutheran Cemetery, near the principal prison-pen, were buried -fourteen Union soldiers, “who, upon taking the oath of allegiance to -the Rebel Government, were admitted into the Rebel hospital, where -they afterwards died.” It seems by this, that the only way by which a -Union prisoner at this loathsome and accursed place could secure the -medical treatment which common humanity would extend even to a savage, -was by forswearing allegiance to his Government. Among the unfortunate -fourteen, however, not one belonged to the Twenty-ninth regiment. - -The grave of William H. Murphy of Company B, and that of Sergeant Wm. -T. Hamer of Company A, who were killed in the battle of Spottsylvania, -May 12, 1864, and buried on the field under the names of “William -Murphy” and “William H. Hamer,” were found, and their bodies afterwards -removed to the National Cemetery at Fredericksburg, Va. None of the -other members of the regiment killed in that battle were found and -recognized by those who gathered up the dead for burial. This is not -in the least surprising, for the sad words, “Unknown United States -Soldier,” were placed upon the headboards of many hundreds who fell on -that bloody field. Large numbers who were killed in this battle were -not buried at all until General Sherman marched through the country in -May, 1865, when an agreement to that effect was made by that officer -with one Mr. Sandford, who resided near Spottsylvania Court-house. “It -was no unusual occurrence” says Assistant-Quartermaster Moore of the -United States Army, who had charge of the work of removing the dead -from this place, “to observe the bones of our men close to the abatis -of the enemy; and in one case several skeletons of our soldiers were -found in their trenches. The bones of these men were gathered from the -ground where they fell, having never been interred, and by exposure to -the weather for more than a year, all traces of their identity were -entirely obliterated.” - -In the National Cemetery at Knoxville, which is one of great beauty, -ornamented with trees and shrubs, and situated about three-fourths -of a mile north of the city, were found the graves of four members -of the regiment; namely, Orrin Fields and Sergeant Henry G. Smith of -Company I; Sergeant John F. Smith of Company H; and Corporal Gilbert T. -Litchfield of Company K. In the cemetery are two graves, marked “Sergt. -John F. Smith, Co. H, 29th Mass.,” the date of death of one being given -November 29, 1863, and of the other, March 11, 1864. How this mistake -arose, or what the explanation of it is, I am unable to say, but -mistakes of a similar character appear throughout all the rolls of the -Quartermaster-General. For instance, Frank Hall of Company B, buried -in the Richmond National Cemetery, is buried under the name of “T. -Hall, Co. D, 29th Mass.,” but the date of his death is given correctly, -and this was one of the means by which I recognized him. In the Mount -Olivet National Cemetery at Frederick City, Md., was at one time -buried a soldier whose grave was marked, “Charles F. Adams, Private, -29th Mass., Co. D, date of death Oct. 2, 1862.” No such soldier ever -belonged to Company D, or any other company of the regiment. In the -same cemetery is buried a soldier whose grave is marked, “Walter W. -Horner, 29th Mass., Co. D,” and another called “Benj. Godfrey, Co. H, -29th Mass.” There were no such soldiers in the regiment. Again, in the -Knoxville Cemetery is a grave marked, “George Gault, Co. I, 29th Mass., -died Mar. 4, 1864.” This is also an error. - -In the Hampton, Va., National Cemetery, were found the graves of -seven members of the regiment, and in the same yard the graves marked -respectively, “Patrick Cain, Co. K, 29th Mass.; P. Finnigan, Co. A, -29th Mass.; C. C. Hadden, Co. C, 29th Mass., and J. C. Williams, Co. H, -29th Mass. Vols.” The names of neither of the three last-named soldiers -are found upon the rolls of the regiment, though it is probable that -“C. C. Hadden” is Charles H. Hayden of Company C, who died in that -department. Mistakes of this nature frequently occur throughout -the rolls of the Quartermaster-General, not only in regard to the -Twenty-ninth, but other regiments also, leaving in the minds of those -familiar with the subject, very grave doubts as to even the general -correctness of these lists. - - AUTHOR. - - -THE DEAD. - - ============================================================================================================== - Rank. | NAME. | Place. | Cause. | Date. - -------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+---------------- - Chaplain, | Henry E. Hempstead, | Falmouth, Va., | Disease, | Dec. 21, 1862. - -------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+---------------- - - - COMPANY A. - - -------------+--------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+---------------- - Private, | Henry G. Chase, | Harper’s Ferry, Va., | Disease, | Nov. 18, 1862. - “ | John McCarthy, | Newport News, Va., | Accidentally killed, | June 3, 1861. - “ | Timothy D, Donovan,[208] | Smoketown, Md., | Wounds, | Oct. 26, 1862. - “ | Edward O’Donnell, | Antietam, Md., | Killed in battle, | Sept. 17, 1862. - “ | Charles H. Dwinell, | Campbell’s Station, Tenn., | “ “ | Nov. 16, 1863. - “ | Matthew T. Fitzpatrick, | Great Bethel, Va., | “ “ | June 10, 1861. - “ | William M. Hobart,[209] | Newport News, Va., | Disease, | Sept. 19, 1862. - 1st Sergt., | William T. Hamer,[210] | Spottsylvania, Va., | Killed in battle, | May 12, 1864. - “ | Richard Harney, | Near Petersburg, Va., | Wounds, | June 27, 1864. - Com. Sergt., | Joseph Leeds, | Knoxville, Tenn., | Disease, | Jan. 20, 1864. - Private, | T. D. Sullivan, | Antietam, Md., | Killed in battle, | Sept. 17, 1862. - “ | John Scully, | Jackson, Miss., | “ “ | July 15, 1863. - -------------+--------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+---------------- - - - COMPANY B. - - -------------+--------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+---------------- - Private, | William S. Collins, | Near Petersburg, Va., | Killed in battle, | July 30, 1864. - “ | Edward T. Collier, | Washington, D. C., | Disease, | 1863. - Musician, | James Cable,[211] | Point Lookout, Md., | “ | July 31, 1862. - Private, | Lyford J. Gilman, | Vicksburg, Miss., | “ | Aug. 2, 1863. - “ | Frank Hall,[212] | Richmond, Va., | Disease, | Apr. 14, 1864. - “ | Ward Locke, | Billerica, Mass., | “ | 9, 1864. - “ | Martin Minton,[213] | Near Petersburg, Va., | Killed in battle, | June 17, 1864. - Sergeant, | William H. Mosher, | Spottsylvania, Va., | “ “ | May 12, 1864. - Private, | William H. Murphy,[214] | Spottsylvania, Va., | “ “ | 12, 1864. - “ | John J. O’Brien, | Antietam, Md., | “ “ | Sept. 17, 1862. - “ | Edward J. O’Brien, | Near Petersburg, Va., | “ “ | Mar. 25, 1865. - 1st Lieut., | Ezra Ripley, | Helena, Ark., | Disease, | July 28, 1863. - Private, | James W. Shepard, | Newport News, Va., | Killed by burst’g of | - | | | a cannon, | Feb. 11, 1862. - “ | John C. Stewart, | Near Petersburg, Va., | Killed in battle, | June 17, 1864. - “ | John M. Thompson, | Annapolis, Md., | Wounds, | June 27, 1864. - -------------+--------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+---------------- - - - COMPANY C. - - -------------+--------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+---------------- - Private, | George D. Brown, | Fair Oaks, Va., | Killed in skirmish, | June 15, 1862. - Sergeant, | Alfred B. Cummings,[215] | Andersonville, Ga., | Starvation & neglect, | May 22, 1864. - Private, | Marshall M. Chandler, | On transport, James River, | | - | | Va., | Disease, | July 31, 1862. - “ | Edward F. Drohan, | Washington, D. C., | “ | Jan. 13, 1863. - 1st Sergt., | Silas N. Grosvenor,[216] | Near Petersburg, Va., | Killed in battle, | June 17, 1864. - Private, | Caleb L. Hudson,Jr.,[217]| Camp Dennison, Ohio, | Disease, | Sept. 11, 1863. - -------------+--------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+---------------- - - THE DEAD.--COMPANY C--Continued - - -------------+--------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+---------------- - 2d Lieut., |Elisha S. Holbrook, |Fortress Monroe, Va., |Disease, |Aug. 20, 1861. - 1st Sergt., |C. Francis Harlow,[218] |Near Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |Mar. 25, 1865. - Private, |Daniel W. Harden, |Annapolis Junction, Md., |Disease, |Sept. 22,1862. - “ |Charles H. Hayden, |Suffolk, Va., | “ |July 31, 1862. - “ |John C. Lambert, |Bethesda Church, Va., |Killed in battle, |June 1, 1864. - “ |David H. Lincoln, |Antietam, Md., |Disease, |Sept. 17,1862. - “ |Edward P. Mansfield, |Wilderness battle-field, Va.,|Killed in battle, |May 6, 1864. - “ |John M. Nason, |Camp Nelson, Ky., |Disease, | 1863. - Sergeant, |Edmund T. Packard, |Annapolis, Md., | “ |Apr. 24, 1864. - Private, |Wallace R. Ripley,[219] |Newport News, Va., | “ |July 9, 1862. - “ |Joshua S. Ramsdell,[220] |Mill Creek Hospital, Va., | “ |Oct. 6, 1862. - “ |Charles H. Turner, |Fort Wood, New York Harbor, | “ |Dec. 19, 1862. - Corporal, |Elijah H. Tolman, |Antietam, Md., |Killed in battle, |Sept. 17,1862. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - - - COMPANY D. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+-------------- - Major, |Charles Chipman,[221] |Before Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |Aug. 8, 1864. - Private, |Thomas W. D. Chapman, | -- -- -- |Disease, |Sept. 22,1862. - “ |Edward Donnelly, |Sandwich, Mass., | “ | 1865. - “ |Joseph W. Eaton, | “ “ |Wounds received | - | | | in the battle of | - | | | the Wilderness, |July 15, 1869. - “ |Benjamin Fuller, | -- -- -- |Disease, |Aug. 20, 1864. - “ |James G. B. Haines, | -- -- -- | “ |July 18, 1862. - “ |James H. Heald, |Annapolis, Md., | “ |Oct. 11, 1862. - “ | Charles E. Jones, | Newport News, Va., |Killed by the | - | | | bursting of |Feb. 11, 1862. - | | | Sawyer gun, | - “ | David S. Keene, | Camp Dennison, Ohio, |Disease, |Oct. 18, 1863. - “ | Patrick Long,[222] | Newport News, Va., | “ |Aug. 15, 1862. - “ | Martin S. Tinkham, | “ “ | “ |Sept. 28,1861. - “ | John Weeks, | “ “ | “ | 1862. - “ | William H. Woods, | “ “ | “ |Jan. 16, 1862. - “ | James Ward, |Wilderness battle-field, Va.,|Killed in battle, |May 12, 1864. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - - COMPANY E. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - Corporal, |John K. Alexander, |Battle of Spottsylvania, Va.,|Killed in battle, |May 12, 1864. - 1st Lieut., |Nathaniel Burgess, |Near Petersburg, Va., | “ “ |Mar. 25, 1865. - Private, |Lawrence R. Blake, |Antietam, Md., | “ “ |Sept. 17,1862. - “ |Thomas Burt, |Washington, D. C., |Disease, |Oct. 31, 1862. - 1st Lieut., |John B. Collingwood, |St John’s Hospital, | “ |Aug. 21, 1863. - | | Cincinnati, Ohio, | | - Corporal, |Thomas Collingwood, |Camp Parke, Ky., | “ | 31, 1863. - Private, |Patrick Cain,[223] |Craney Island, Va., | “ |Feb. 3, 1864. - Corporal, |Thomas W. Hayden, |Camp Parke, Ky., | “ |Sept. 4, 1863. - Sergeant, |Orrin D. Holmes,[224] |Near Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |Mar. 25, 1865. - Private, |Justus W. Harlow,[225] |Mill Creek Hospital, Va., |Disease, |Sept. 15,1862. - 2d Lieut., |Horace A. Jenks, |Milldale, Miss., |Disease, |July 26, 1863. - “ |Thomas A. Mayo, |Gaines’ Mill, Va., |Killed in battle, |June 27, 1862. - Corporal, |Lemuel B. Morton, |Spottsylvania, Va., | “ “ |May 12, 1864. - Private, |William Morey, |Plymouth, Mass., |Disease, | 1862. - “ |Thomas P. Mullen, |Washington, D. C., | “ |Jan. 9, 1863. - “ |Charles E. Merriam, |Harper’s Ferry, Va., | “ |Nov. 12, 1862. - “ |George S. Peckham,[226] |Lenoir’s Station, Tenn., | “ | 1, 1863. - “ |Henry H. Robbins, |Washington, D. C., | “ |Dec. 4, 1863. - “ |Albert R. Robbins, |Plymouth, Mass., | “ |Mar. 5, 1864. - “ |Frank A. Thomas,[227] |Mill Creek Hospital, Va., | “ |Sept. 15,1862. - “ |Charles E. Tillson,[228] |Andersonville, Ga., |Starvation and neglect,|July 24, 1864. - Sergeant, |George E Wadsworth,[229] |Camp Parke, Ky., |Wounds, |Aug. 31, 1863. - Private, |David Williams, |Camp Dennison, Ohio, |Disease, |Sept. 14,1863. - “ |William Williams, |Plymouth, Mass., | “ | -- - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - - - COMPANY F. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - Private, |James Black,[230] |Andersonville, Ga., |Starvation and neglect,|July 5, 1864. - “ |Hugh D. Conaty, |Harrison’s Landing, Va., |Disease, | 28, 1862. - Corporal, |Arthur Clifford, |On transport from Fortress | | - | | Monroe North, | “ |Aug. -, 1862. - Private, |Benjamin T. Godfrey, |Philadelphia, Penn., | “ |Sept. 7, 1862. - “ |Joseph Hamer, |Mill Creek Hospital, Va., | “ | 9, 1862. - “ |Abraham Haskell, |Long Island, N. Y., | “ |Oct. 4, 1864. - “ |James Liffin,[231] |Near Petersburg, Va., |Wounds, |July 29, 1864. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - Private, |Edward Ratigan, |Antietam, Md., |Killed in battle, |Sept. 17, 1862. - “ |Granville T. Records, |Mill Creek Hospital, Va., |Disease, | 12, 1862. - | [232] | | | - “ |Culbert Reynolds, |Harrison’s Landing, Va., | “ |July 18, 1862. - “ |Solomon H. Smith, |Bolivar Heights, Va., | “ |Oct. 24, 1862. - “ |Francis H. Simmons, |Hospital at Georgetown, | “ |Sept, -, 1862. - | | D. C., | - “ |James Simmons, | “ “ | “ | -, 1862. - “ |Preston O. Smith,[233] |Near Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |July 30, 1864. - Corporal, |George E. Westgate, |Somet House Hosp., | |Dec. 19, 1862. - | | Alexandria, Va., |Disease, | - Private, |Cornelius Westgate, |Regimental Hospital, | “ | 26, 1862. - | | Falmouth, Va., | | - “ |Joseph Westgate,[234] |Frederick City, Md., |Wounds, |Oct. 9, 1862. - “ |Joseph L. Westgate, |Alexandria, Va., |Disease, | 21, 1862. - “ |Preserved Westgate,[235] |Near Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |Mar. 25, 1865. - “ |Edward Wilbur,[236] |Camp Nelson, Ky., |Disease, |Nov. 16, 1863. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - - - COMPANY G. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - Private, |Henry Austin, |White Oak Swamp, Va., |Killed in battle, |June 30, 1862. - “ |William A. Burrell,[237] |Covington, Ky., |Disease, |Aug. 16, 1863. - “ |Charles W. Clifford, |Bridgewater, Mass., | “ |July 20, 1862. - “ |George C. Cobbett, |Craney Island, Va., | “ |Aug. -, 1862. - Private, |John Cronin, |Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |Mar. 25, 1865. - “ |Nelson Cook, |Near Petersburg, Va., | “ “ | 25, 1865. - “ |Joseph Duxbury, |Fort McHenry, Md., |Wounds, |Nov. 20, 1862. - Sergeant, |Ebenezer Fisk, |Near Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |July 30, 1864. - Private, |Charles B. Griffin, |Attleborough, Mass., |Disease, |Nov. 26, 1862. - Corporal, |Charles D. Hodge, |General Hospital, | “ |Feb. 27, 1863. - Private, |Philip P. Lawall, |Arlington, Va., | “ |July 1, 1864. - “ |Minot E. Phillips, |Belle Isle, Va., |Starvation and neglect,| -, 1862. - “ |George E. Snow, |Near Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |Mar. 25, 1865. - Private, |George W. Sprague, |Mississippi, |Drowned, |Aug. 16, 1863. - “ |Levi Trumbull, |Belle Isle, Va., |Starvation and neglect,| 1862. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - - - COMPANY H. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - Private, |John H. Aldrich, |Long Island, N. Y., |Disease, |Oct. 22, 1862. - “ |David Barnes, |Harrison’s Landing, Va., | “ |July 28, 1862. - “ |George Curtis, |Charlestown, Mass., | “ | 1866. - “ |Edward Carroll, |Washington, D. C., | “ |Feb. 22, 1863. - “ |Edward E. Dearing, |Charlestown, Mass., | “ |Jan. 22, 1863. - “ |Theodore W. Dearing, |Salisbury, N. C. , |Exposure and | - | | (prison-pen) | neglect, | 1865. - “ |Joshua G. Fuller, |Crab Orchard, Ky., |Disease, |Sept. 22,1863. - Corporal, |Richard Gurney, |Near Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |June 17, 1864. - Private, |William H. Gould, |Jr., Harrison’s Landing, | |Aug. 13, 1862. - | | Va., |Disease, | - Corporal, |Robert F. Greenough, |Antietam, Md., |Killed in battle, |Sept. 17,1862. - Private, |Henry A. Glines, |Petersburg, Va., |Killed, | 21,1864. - Sergeant, |Edward M. Hastings, |Harrison’s Landing, Va., |Disease, |Aug. 12, 1862. - Musician, |Alonzo F. Howe, |Camp Dennison, Ohio, | “ |Sept. 20,1863. - Sergeant, |Ansel B. Kellam, |White Oak Swamp, Va., |Killed in battle, |June 30, 1862. - Private, |William O. Connor,[238] |Andersonville Prison-pen, |Starvation and neglect,|Oct. 17, 1864. - | | Ga., | | - “ |George S. Preble, |Charlestown, Mass., |Disease, |Dec. 16, 1864. - “ |Henry Proctor, |Danvers, Mass., | “ |Nov. 5, 1862. - Sergeant, |John F. Smith,[239] |Fort Sanders, Knoxville, | | - | | Tenn., |Killed in battle, | 29, 1863. | - Private, |George W. Smith, |White Oak Swamp, Va., | “ “ |June 30, 1862. - “ |John Schow, |On transport, Mississippi | | - | | River, |Disease, |Aug. 20, 1863. - Sergeant, |William F. Willis,[240] |Near Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |June 17, 1864. - Private, |Francis Wyman, |Charlestown, Mass., |Disease, | 2, 1866. - “ |Charles Young, |Craney Island, Va., | “ | 1862. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - - - COMPANY I. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - Private, |John Q. Bachelder, |-- -- -- |Disease, |Oct. 17, 1862. - “ |Joseph M. Badger, |Portsmouth, Va., |Disease, |June 3, 1862. - “ |James L. Brown, |Newport News, Va., |Disease, |Aug. -, 1861. - “ |John C. Dow, |Near Antietam, Md., |Wounds, |Sept. 20,1862. - “ |Orrin Fields,[241] |Knoxville, Tenn., |Disease, |Mar. 4, 1864. - “ |George W. Jewett, | “ “ | “ |Jan. 7, 1864. - “ |Thomas Pickett,[242] |Frederick City, Md., | “ |Mar. 22, 1863. - Sergeant, |Curtis S. Rand, |Near Petersburg, Va., |Wounds, |Sept. 19,1864. - Private, |Joseph A. Short, |White Oak Swamp, Va., |Killed in battle, |June 30, 1862. - “ |Harvey G. Smith,[243] |Knoxville, Tenn., |Disease, |Mar. 10, 1864. - “ |Andrew H. Tarr, |Malvern Hills, Va., |Killed in battle, |July 1, 1862. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - - - COMPANY K. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - Private, |Horace Colby, |Great Bethel, Va., |Killed in battle, |June 10, 1861. - “ |Edgar Curry, |Boston, Mass., |Disease, | -- - “ |Thomas F. Dolan, |Spottsylvania, Va., |Killed in battle, |May 12, 1864. - “ |John E. Fisher, | “ “ | “ “ | 12, 1864. - “ |Frederick A. Godbold,[244] |Andersonville, Ga., |Disease and privation, |June 24, 1864. - “ |John B. Hibbert,[245] |Fayette, Ky., |Disease, |May 2, 1864. - “ |Isaac S. Hill, |Florence Prison, S.C., |Disease and privation, |Jan. 30, 1865. - “ |Charles Laslie, |Chelsea, Mass., |Wounds, | -- - Corporal, |Gilbert T. Litchfield,[246]|Fort Sanders, Knoxville, |Killed in battle, |Nov. 29, 1863. - | | Tenn., | | - “ |Hiram A. Mosher, |Boston, Mass., |Disease, | 8, 1862. - Private, |Meltiah T. Remick, |Washington, D.C., | “ |Feb. 17, 1863. - “ |Nelson H. Snow,[247] |Camp Nelson, Ky., | “ |Nov. 1, 1863. - “ |William W. Sanborn, | -- -- -- | “ | -- - Sergeant, |John A. Tighe,[248] |Near Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |June 17, 1864. - Private, |Charles W. Winslow, |Newport News, Va., |Disease, |Oct. 30, 1861. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - - - RECRUITS OF 1864. - - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - Private, |William Klinker, |Near Petersburg, Va., |Killed in battle, |Mar. 25, 1865. - “ |Ruter Moritz, | “ “ |Killed in battle, |Mar. 25, 1865. - “ |Hezekiah S. Sargent, | “ “ |Wounds, |Jan. 2, 1865. - “ |Emile Taubert, |Arlington, Va., |Disease, |Feb. 13, 1865. - ------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+-----------------------+--------------- - - - - -APPENDIX. - - -REUNIONS OF THE REGIMENT. - - -The feelings of fraternity which grew out of participation in common -dangers and hardships naturally gave rise to a desire on the part of -the surviving members of the regiment to occasionally meet each other -in a purely social way, exchange greetings, and renew the old and -strongly-cemented friendships of army life. - - -THE FIRST REUNION. - -The first of these reunions took place in Boston in June, 1870. A -small number of comrades assembled at Evans’s Hall, Boston, May 30, -1870; the meeting was called to order by Sergeant John B. Smithers of -Company B, and it was voted to form a temporary organization. Captain -Charles Brady was elected President, and Hospital Steward John Hardy, -Treasurer, _pro tempore_, whereupon the meeting adjourned till June 17, -following, at the same place. - -On the 17th of June, 1870, the meeting again assembled, Captain Brady -in the chair, and a permanent organization was effected as follows:-- - - _President._--General Joseph H. Barnes. - - _Vice-Presidents._--William H. Osborne, Company C; Sergeants B. - B. Brown, Company B; Samuel C. Wright, Company E; William H. - Burns, Company I. - - _Secretary._--Lieutenant John Lucas, Company B. - - _Corresponding Secretary._--John J. Ryan, Company B. - - _Treasurer._--Hospital Steward John Hardy. - - _Executive Committee._--Colonel Thomas W. Clarke; Captain - William D. Chamberlain; John J. Ryan, Company B; Sergeant John - B. Smithers, Company B; Corporal Martin L. Kern, Jr., Company D. - -Some discussion was had concerning the rolls of the regiment, -and Colonel Clarke and Lieutenant-Colonel Willard D. Tripp were -appointed a committee to revise the regimental roll prepared by the -Adjutant-General. At this meeting it was announced that comrade William -H. Osborne was engaged in collecting material for the history of -the regiment, and Sergeant Hodgkins, Company B; Lieutenant Henry A. -Hunting, Company K; and Daniel B. Perkins, Jr., of Company H, were -chosen a committee to assist in the matter.[249] - -This meeting was not largely attended, but nearly every company was -represented by one or more members. - - -SECOND REUNION. - -In pursuance of a call published in several of the Boston papers, the -Association met at the Sherman House, Boston, May 13, 1871. Officers -were chosen for the ensuing year, as follows:-- - - _President._--General Joseph H. Barnes. - - _Vice-Presidents._--Lieutenant-Colonel Willard D. Tripp; Major - Samuel H. Doten; William H. Osborne, Company C; Sergeant B. B. - Brown, Company B; Colonel Henry R. Sibley. - - _Recording Secretary._--Lieutenant John Lucas. - - _Corresponding Secretary._--John J. Ryan, Company B. - - _Treasurer._--Captain George H. Long. - - _Executive Committee._--Colonel Thomas W. Clarke; Lieutenant - J. O’Neil; Samuel W. Hunt, Company D; Sergeant-Major George H. - Morse; Sergeant Samuel C. Wright, Company E. - -At this meeting, which was largely attended and of unusual interest, a -very valuable paper was read by the President, reviewing an account, -written by one Henry Coppee, LL. D., of the battle of the Mine, July -30, 1864, and embracing a particular statement of the facts concerning -the transfer of the non-re-enlisting members of the regiment to the -Thirty-sixth Massachusetts Regiment. - -A vote of thanks was passed to comrades Ryan, Smithers, Captain George -H. Taylor, and Lieutenant Lucas, for the interest they had taken in -bringing about the reunion of the regiment. - -It having come to the knowledge of the meeting that Major-General -Ambrose E. Burnside was then in the city, a committee composed of -Colonel Clarke, Lieutenant-Colonel Tripp, Captain Long, Adjutant -Braden, and comrade Ryan, was chosen to wait on the General, and extend -to him the kind greetings and regards of the members of the regiment -Action was taken concerning a regimental badge, and Colonel Clarke was -appointed a committee to prepare a design for it. This was the first -time that the Association dined together, a fine dinner being served at -the Sherman House. - - -THIRD REUNION. - -This was Company H’s day; the Association assembled at Monument Hall, -Charlestown, May 14, 1872. Colonel Clarke reported a design for a -regimental badge, which was adopted. It was a rough bronze medal, -stamped with the figures of an upraised right forearm, grasping in the -hand an uplifted sword; beneath this a row of cannon-balls, and under -all the figures “29.” - - -OFFICERS FOR 1872-73. - - _President._--General J. H. Barnes. - - _Vice-Presidents._--Major S. H. Doten, Colonel H. R. Sibley, - Major Charles T. Richardson, Captain W. D. Chamberlain, - Lieutenant J. Lucas. - - _Recording Secretary._--J. J. Ryan. - - _Corresponding Secretary._--Lieutenant-Colonel W. D. Tripp. - - _Treasurer._--Captain George H. Long. - - _Executive Committee._--Major S. H. Doten; Sergeant S. C. - Wright, Company E; Colonel T. W. Clarke; Captain Charles A. - Carpenter; Emery Jaquith, Company C. - -Lieutenant-Colonel Tripp presented the Association with the two large -printed volumes entitled, “The Record of Massachusetts Volunteers,” for -which a vote of thanks was tendered him. - -It was voted to hold the next reunion at Plymouth. A committee of ten, -consisting of one member of each company, was chosen to prepare a -perfect roster of the regiment.[250] - - -FOURTH REUNION. - - PLYMOUTH, May 14, 1873. - -The meeting assembled in Grand Army Hall, and after listening to the -reports of its Secretary and several committees, proceeded to choose -officers for the year 1873-74. - -The officers elected were as follows:-- - - _President._--General J. H. Barnes. - - _Vice-Presidents._--Major Samuel H. Doten; Surgeon George B. - Cogswell; Adjutant H. A. Braden; Sergeant John H. Hancock, - Company H; Sergeant G. Townsend, Company I. - - _Recording Secretary._--J. J. Ryan, Company B. - - _Corresponding Secretary._--J. S. Manning, Company K. - - _Treasurer._--Colonel T. W. Clarke. - - _Executive Committee._--Captain W. D. Chamberlain; Corporal - H. E. Hay, Company I; Captain A. A. Oliver; Sergeant George - Townsend, Company I; Sergeant J. F. Smith, Company H. - -An act of soldierly love for a dead comrade distinguished this meeting -from all that had preceded it; indeed, from all that have since been -held. - -During the latter part of the war, a certain well-known foreigner, -with the aid of the friends and relatives of our dead soldiers of -this and other States, established in the city of Boston a portrait -gallery, which was known as the “Gallery of Departed Heroes.” The -friends of Major Charles Chipman had contributed liberally towards an -elegant oil-portrait of this worthy soldier of the regiment, which, -with a costly frame, had been placed in the aforenamed gallery. -Through improper management, leading to the pecuniary embarrassment of -the originator, all the portraits in the gallery had become heavily -mortgaged, and shortly prior to this meeting, the several mortgages had -been foreclosed, and the property not being of a generally saleable -character, much of it had fallen into the hands of the mortgagees, -including the portrait of Major Chipman. - -Previous to this reunion, Sergeant Samuel C. Wright, whose love for his -comrades, living and dead, is as pure as refined gold, redeemed at his -own expense Major Chipman’s portrait, and brought it to Plymouth with -the purpose of eventually presenting it to the widow and family of the -deceased. The comrades would not suffer him to bear the whole of this -burden, but, at this meeting, generously contributed each one his share -of the expense incurred, and then, by an unanimous vote, granted the -fine portrait, as a token of their love and esteem, to Mrs. Chipman and -her children. - -The portrait was soon afterwards sent to the donees, accompanied by a -touching letter from the President of the Association. - -This reunion was the first that was attended by the wives and lady -friends of the comrades, and was one of great enjoyment, the citizens -of Plymouth doing all in their power to contribute to its success, -and by their many acts of kindness, reviving the memory of the -unselfishness and flowing bounty of 1861. - -Dinner was served at the Samoset House, at which the Plymouth Band, and -many of the first citizens of the town, were in attendance. - - -FIFTH REUNION.--LYNN, MAY 14, 1874. - -OFFICERS. - - _President._--General J. H. Barnes. - - _Vice-Presidents._--Major S. H. Doten; Colonel Henry R. Sibley; - Surgeon George B. Cogswell; Wm. H. Osborne, Company C; Sergeant - G. Townsend, Company I. - - _Secretary._--J. J. Ryan, Company B. - - _Corresponding Secretary._--Sergeant Samuel C. Wright, Company - E. - - _Treasurer._--Colonel T. W. Clarke. - -The business meeting was held in the hall of General Lander Post, -G. A. R., at the close of which the comrades and their ladies took -carriages and drove to the Relay House, Nahant Beach, where a fine -dinner was served. Captain D. W. Lee acted as toast-master for the -occasion, and sentiments were responded to as follows: “The President -of the United States,” by letter from General Banks; “The Day we -Celebrate,” by Surgeon Cogswell; “The Army of the Union,” by General -Barnes, who closed by offering this touching sentiment: “Our Heroic -Dead: God keep their memory green.” This was responded to by all the -comrades, who rose in token of respect to their memory. The other -sentiments were, “The State of Massachusetts,” responded to by the -band; “The Twenty-ninth Massachusetts Regiment,” by Colonel Clarke and -W. H. Osborne. Corporal A. B. Fiske of Company K closed the literary -exercises by an eloquent speech. - -“The company then spent some time strolling on the shore, enjoying -the fine water views and pleasant weather. The day had been warm, and -closed like a superb mid-summer day, calm and still, giving the water -the appearance of a sheet of silver.” At half-past six o’clock the -members took the carriages and drove to the Lynn depot, taking the -evening train to Boston. - - -SIXTH REUNION. - -The sixth reunion was held at Downer’s Landing, Hingham Harbor, -September 17, 1875. The comrades and their families, to the number -of about one hundred, assembled at the Boston wharf of the Hingham -Steamboat Company quite early in the morning, took the boat for the -Landing, where, upon arrival, a business meeting was held, and officers -for the year 1875-76 chosen, as follows:-- - - _President._--General J. H. Barnes. - - _Vice-Presidents._--Wm. H. Osborne, Company C; Corporal Alonzo - B. Fiske, Company K; Sergeant W. B. Standish, Company E; - Sergeant Geo. Townsend, Company I; Sergeant J. B. Smithers, - Company B. - - _Recording Secretary._--Sergeant Sam’l C. Wright, Company E. - - _Corresponding Secretary._--H. E. Stewart, Company K. - - _Treasurer._--Colonel Thos. W. Clarke. - - _Executive Committee._--Colonel H. R. Sibley; Lieutenant John - Shannon; Captain D. W. Lee; Lieutenant J. O’Neil; Lieutenant J. - Lucas. - -Comrade W. H. Osborne was called upon to report what progress he had -made in writing the history of the regiment, and when he had reported, -Colonel Sibley offered a resolution, which was passed, pledging the -assistance of the comrades in publishing the work. - -The cold and windy character of the day tended to render this meeting -of the regiment less successful and interesting than those of former -years. - - -SEVENTH REUNION.--AMERICAN HOUSE, BOSTON, May 15, 1876. - -The Association met at one o’clock, P. M., and chose officers and -transacted business. - - -OFFICERS ELECTED. - - _President._--General J. H. Barnes. - - _Vice-Presidents._--Major Chas. T. Richardson; W. H. Osborne, - Company C; Sergeant Geo. Townsend, Company I: Colonel H. R. - Sibley; Captain Lebbeus Leach. - - _Recording Secretary._--Sergeant Sam’l C. Wright, Company E. - - _Corresponding Secretary._--H. E. Stewart, Company K. - - _Treasurer._--Colonel T. W. Clarke. - - _Executive Committee._--Colonel H. R. Sibley; Lieutenant J. - O’Neil; General J. H. Barnes; Captain D. W. Lee; Colonel Thos. - W. Clarke; Sergeant Sam’l C. Wright; Wm. H. Osborne; Corporal - Geo. W. Allen, Company C. - -A vote of thanks was extended to comrade Wm. H. Osborne for his -services in writing the regimental history, and also for his invitation -to the Association to hold its next meeting at East Bridgewater. - -At 3 o’clock, P. M., the Association, with its invited -guests,--among whom was Governor Rice,--sat down to dinner. Colonel -Clarke acted as toast-master, and the first toast, “The President -of the United States,” was proposed, and a letter read from -Collector Simmons in response to the sentiment. “The Commonwealth of -Massachusetts” called out Governor Rice, who was received with cheers, -and who said, in the course of his remarks, that he considered it -a greater honor to have been a faithful soldier of the Union than -Governor of Massachusetts; and also, that if the Association found any -pecuniary difficulty in publishing the history of the regiment, to call -upon him, in which case he would gladly aid the worthy undertaking. -Letters were read from Governor Hartranft of Pennsylvania, Mayor Cobb, -and others. Speeches were made by the President, Colonel Clarke, Major -Doten and Corporal Fiske. - -About eighty comrades were present. - - -EIGHTH REUNION. - -The eighth reunion was held at East Bridgewater, June 18, 1877, two -hundred, including members and their families, being present. - -The day was one of the most lovely in June, and was keenly enjoyed by -the visiting comrades, their wives and children, who strolled about -the quiet, shady streets of the town, visited the soldiers’ monument -upon the common, which bears the names of a number of the dead of the -regiment, and walked through the adjacent groves. The citizens of the -town met them everywhere with smiles and words of welcome, and at one -o’clock provided them with a bountiful dinner in the lower hall of the -Town-house, where a large committee of the ladies of East Bridgewater -were in attendance to wait on the tables and testify by their presence -and numerous attentions their respect for these veterans of the war. - -At the close of the enjoyments at the table the company assembled in -the main hall to listen to some fine singing by members of the East -Bridgewater Musical Society. After this came speaking, in which several -of the townspeople and comrades took part. - -The whole meeting was conducted in a pleasantly informal manner, and -was, for that reason, all the more productive of enjoyment and profit. -Nineteen new members were added to the roll of the Association, and -in view of the deep interest taken by the wives of the members in the -meeting, they were, by vote, made honorary members of the Association. - -While the business meeting was in session in the morning, Captain -Leach, whose absence all had been regretting, suddenly came into the -hall. The members all rose in their seats and gave him three hearty -cheers, to which warm welcome the brave old Captain, now slightly bowed -by the weight of seventy-seven years, responded by choking words of -gratitude and thanks. - -One of the saddest and bravest chapters in the history of the old -regiment was brought freshly to remembrance by a fine photograph, -suspended in front of the speaker’s desk, of Major Charles Chipman, -Lieutenant Burgess, and the three standard-bearers, Grosvenor, Tighe, -and Willis, who lost their young lives on the 17th of June, 1864. - -The officers elected for the year 1877-78 were:-- - - _President._--General J. H. Barnes. - - _Vice-Presidents._--Major C. T. Richardson; W. H. Osborne, - Company C; Sergeant George Townsend, Company I; Colonel H. R. - Sibley; Captain Lebbeus Leach. - - _Treasurer._--Colonel T. W. Clarke. - - _Recording Secretary._--Sergeant S. C. Wright, Company E. - - _Corresponding Secretary._--H. E. Stewart, Company K. - - _Executive Committee._--Colonel H. R. Sibley; Lieutenant J. - O’Neil; General J. H. Barnes; Captain D. W. Lee; Sergeant S. C. - Wright, Company E; Colonel T. W. Clarke; William H. Osborne; - Corporal George W. Allen, Company C. - -The author sincerely hopes that the Secretary of the Association will -have the pleasure to record the proceedings of many future meetings of -his comrades, and that none will prove to be seasons of less joy and -gladness than this, the eighth annual reunion. - - - - -PARADE OF THE REGIMENT, - -SEPTEMBER 17, 1877. - - -The beautiful and costly monument erected by the city of Boston in -memory of its heroic dead of the late war was dedicated with imposing -ceremonies on the 17th of September, 1877, which was the fifteenth -anniversary of the battle of Antietam. The monument, one of the finest -in the country, is erected on a little hill on the Boston Common, at -the foot of which stood the famous Old Elm, destroyed by wind, February -15, 1876. There was once a powder magazine on the hill occupied by the -monument, which, during the siege of Boston, was the site of a British -fortification bombarded by Washington. In the war of 1812, a body of -troops designed to protect the town was encamped about this very spot. - -On the side of the monument, facing the south, cut in bold, square -letters, is the following inscription:-- - - TO THE MEN OF BOSTON - WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY - ON LAND AND SEA IN THE WAR - WHICH KEPT THE UNION WHOLE - DESTROYED SLAVERY - AND MAINTAINED THE CONSTITUTION - THE GRATEFUL CITY - HAS BUILT THIS MONUMENT - THAT THEIR EXAMPLE - MAY SPEAK - TO COMING GENERATIONS. - -Honorable Charles Devens, Attorney-General of the United States, -delivered the oration; and General Augustus P. Martin of Boston acted -as Chief Marshal. Colonel Henry R. Sibley of the Twenty-ninth Regiment -was honored with the command of the Suffolk County Division of the -Grand Army of the Republic. - -At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Twenty-ninth Regiment -Association, held September 1, 1877, it was voted to parade as a -regiment on the occasion of the dedication of the monument, and -General Joseph H. Barnes was chosen to act as Colonel and Commander, -Colonel Thomas William Clarke as Lieutenant-Colonel, Major Charles -T. Richardson as Major, Lieutenant Henry S. Braden as Adjutant, and -Captain D. W. Lee as Quartermaster. On the 7th of September, General -Barnes issued a circular letter addressed to the comrades of the -regiment, inviting them to parade on the 17th, and requesting them to -assemble at 29 Pemberton Square, Boston, at 9 o’clock in the morning of -that day. - -One hundred and fifty comrades responded promptly to the invitation of -their old commander, dressed in dark clothes and wearing their corps -and regimental badges. Sergeant Samuel C. Wright, who was wounded in -four different battles, was assigned to the proud position of National -color-bearer. General Barnes, Colonel Clarke, Major Richardson, -Lieutenant Braden, and Captain Lee, were handsomely mounted; elegant -wreaths of choice cut-flowers adorning the necks of their fine horses. - -The procession moved at a little past 12 o’clock, and the regiment -took the position assigned it, in the Second Division, commanded -by Colonel Edward O. Shepard; in which also marched the First, -Second, Sixth, Ninth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Twenty-first, -Twenty-fourth, Twenty-eighth, Fortieth, Forty-third, Forty-fourth, -Forty-fifth Massachusetts Veteran Infantry regiments; also, the -Massachusetts Veteran Batteries under Colonel O. F. Nims, the hero of -many a battle-field; several Army and Navy Associations; the Third -Massachusetts Cavalry; Massachusetts members of General Hooker’s “Old -Brigade,” under General Gilman Marston; also the Second New Hampshire -Infantry; “Maine Veterans in Massachusetts”; Ninety-ninth New York -Infantry, under Colonel David W. Wardrop, and the “Survivors of Rebel -Prisons.” - -The route of the procession was very extended, and the parade was not -concluded till nearly dusk. The day was warm and fine, and it seemed -as if every town and city in Massachusetts had emptied their entire -population into the streets of Boston. Business in the city was wholly -suspended, and the buildings along the route of the procession were -tastefully decorated with flowers and bunting. The gay plumes and gaudy -uniforms of the militia attracted their usual share of attention; but -when the veterans went by, with war-like tramp, carrying the shreds of -old war flags, many eyes were wet with tears, and many of the adult -spectators gazed with half-quivering lips upon these remnants of the -Nation’s Grand Army of Freedom. The presence in the column of Generals -McClellan, Hooker, Burnside, and many other old heroes of the war, -tended greatly to increase the enthusiasm of the vast throngs of people -along the sidewalks, and when a pause was made, hundreds gathered about -the carriages in which these soldiers were riding, and greeted them -with cheers and gifts of bouquets of fragrant flowers. - -The Twenty-ninth made a fine appearance; its mounted officers riding -at the head of its column, and the orderly arrangement of its ranks, -reminded one forcibly of the bygone days, when it marched in review -before its commanding generals; while the earnest, bright faces of the -boys showed plainly enough that they had caught again the old spirit -that so often, from 1861 to 1865, led them to triumph over the dangers -and toils of the war. Captains Leach and Chamberlain, and Surgeon -Cogswell, all of whom are somewhat infirm, and were unable to march, -and several of the disabled members of the regiment, rode in a carriage -in the immediate rear of the regimental column. - -The Boston “Home Journal” of September 22 published a very extended and -complimentary article concerning the Twenty-ninth Regiment, entitled -“Who Are They Now, and Where Are the Rest of Them?” The first part -of this question was answered in a manner that must cause its living -members and their many friends the keenest satisfaction, while the -inquiry, “Where Are the Rest of Them?” which we only have space to -quote, touches most tenderly the sweetest and the saddest chords of a -soldier’s memory:-- - - “Where are the rest of them? Half of the living men of 1861 - were in the line. The other half are scattered. All parts of - the State sent up their contribution. Every New England State - sent up its quota. From Maine to Oregon, from the great lakes - to the Gulf of Mexico, the residue of the living three hundred - are scattered. About seven hundred are dead. The killed in - action; the men who died of wounds; the men who died of disease - while in the service; the men who died, after their discharge, - of disease contracted in the service; the men starved to death - in rebel prisons; the men incurably weakened by famine and - malaria at Knoxville and Vicksburg and Jackson,--they have all - gone. It was the strongest of them that we saw on Monday, the - best constitutions, the hardest muscles, the toughest fibres, - and all of them were prematurely aged, and the boys’ faces - which most of them wore at the time of enlistment, have now no - trace of youth in them. To an old comrade, this age, this worn - look, was inexpressibly sad, but sadder yet it was to think of - the long roll of dead comrades, and how they died. - - “And yet, on every man’s face, at some time in the day, in - the presence of some old and loved friend, there momentarily - returned the transfiguration of youth, and the faces of - 1861,--a flash and play of the “battle light” of an earnest, - honest, human heart, full of enthusiasm, love, and duty. This - was recognizable, and invariably was recognized, no matter how - worn and gray the older face and hair might be. - - “To have returned to the Commonwealth at least two hundred - good citizens, with characters educated by hardships and - trials, and by the friendships of the valley of the shadow of - death, into a willing and intelligent acquiescence in the rule - of law, and the importance of preferring the common weal to - mere individual pleasure and profit, is not the least credit - of that old regiment; and if the military service has merely - succeeded in teaching the necessity of orderly and systematic - organization, and the ability to govern one’s self, as it has - in most instances everywhere, the work of the war can never be - undone, and never should be.” - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] There is but one other military body that can claim a share of this -honor, to this extent; viz., Capt. P. A. Davis’s company of Lowell, an -independent company of infantry called the “Richardson Light Guards,” -afterwards organized as the Seventh Massachusetts Light Battery. This -company was mustered originally May 21, 1861. - -[2] Chap. 222, Acts of 1861. - -[3] Adjutant-General’s Report, 1861, page 7. - -[4] Letter of Captain Tyler. - -[5] This vote was faithfully carried out, each original member -of the company receiving three months’ extra pay, amounting to -$30.--AUTHOR. - -[6] The commission of Captain Bates described him as a “Captain of -Company C, Third Regiment of Infantry, Second Brigade, First Division -of the Militia of this Commonwealth,” and was dated May 4, 1861. - -[7] This sermon was afterward printed in pamphlet form, with the motto, -“Stand by the Flag!” and circulated among the volunteers at Fortress -Monroe, Va. - -[8] “Sandwich Advocate,” April 22, 1861. - -[9] Letter in “Barnstable Patriot,” May 21, 1861. This flag was for a -time carried by the company, and is now in the possession of Mr. Samuel -Wells Hunt of Sandwich, an honored member of that company, who has -taken great pains in preserving from forgetfulness the record of the -deeds of his comrades.--AUTHOR. - -[10] So called (as the author has learned, from an ancient tradition -among the inhabitants of that region) from the fact, that, about -the year 1609, the starving colonists of that place were succored -by the timely arrival of a fleet of vessels, laden with provisions, -under the command of Admiral Newport of the English navy. The worthy -admiral brought the pinched colonists _good news_, and in honor of the -event, and as an expression of their gratitude, they called the place -_Newport’s News_. - -[11] “First Year of the War,” by Pollard, page 77. - -[12] General Butler’s report to Lieutenant-General Scott, published in -New York “Tribune” of June 14, 1861. - -[13] Letter to the New York “Tribune,” June 14, 1861. - -[14] General Butler’s report to Lieutenant-General Scott, printed in -New York “Tribune” of June 14, 1861. - -[15] Statement of Adjutant Walker, “Mass. Military Record,” page 158. - -[16] Statement of same officer, ibid., page 169. - -[17] Some fellow, in a spirit of fun-making, had filled the -cartridge-box of an unsuspecting comrade with white beans; an incident -that greatly amused the inspecting officer, and led him to inquire of -the soldier if he had mistaken his cartridge-box for his haversack. - -[18] Also called Union Coast Guard. - -[19] These facts were related by the father and mother to members -of the Battalion, and were afterwards substantially admitted by the -officer referred to, to whose credit be it said, that he “very deeply -regretted it.”--AUTHOR. - -[20] As an example of the discipline at this time enforced in the -department, we will state in brief the sentence of one of these -unfortunate soldiers. By the sentence, he was to forfeit all pay and -allowances during the remainder of his term; to be confined, at hard -labor, during that time on one of the Tortugas islands; to wear a -twelve-pound ball attached to his right ankle by a chain three feet -long; and for a certain number of days in each year be kept in solitary -confinement on bread and water.--AUTHOR. - -[21] Colonel Pierce was commissioned December 13, 1861. - -[22] “Charlestown Advertiser,” December 28, 1861. - -[23] At the proper time the bond was awarded to Sergeant John H. -Hancock, who gave one of his arms to the country, and who was a brave -and deserving soldier. - -[24] Brigadier-General of the militia. - -[25] This court-martial was composed of the following officers: -Colonel Brown, Twentieth Indiana; Colonel Schley, Fifth Maryland; -Colonel Dyckman, First New York; Colonel Von Schack, Seventh New -York; Lieutenant-Colonel Holland, Fifth Maryland; Lieutenant-Colonel -----, Twentieth Indiana; Lieutenant-Colonel Keller, Seventh New York; -Lieutenant Dale, Judge-Advocate. - -[26] Report of Captain Van Brunt - -[27] General McClellan’s “Report and Campaigns,” page 150. - -[28] Formerly, this engine was the property of the Old Colony Railroad -Company of Massachusetts, but had been purchased by the Government. - -[29] Now Major Twenty-fourth United States Infantry. - -[30] The Count makes a mistake as to the composition of this brigade, -though the Twenty-ninth Regiment, which was a part of the brigade, can -still claim a share of this high compliment.--AUTHOR. - -[31] General Sumner’s testimony before the Joint Committee of Congress -on the conduct of the war. See Report on the “Conduct of the War,” Part -I., page 364. - -[32] “Peninsular Campaign in Virginia,” page 293. - -[33] The net losses of the Army of the Potomac, from June 20 to this -time, amounted to 15,249 men, of whom 1,582 were killed, 7,700 wounded, -and 5,958 missing. The loss of the Confederates during the seven days -amounted to 20,000 men, to which should be added 5,000 rendered unfit -for service from various causes.--_History Civil War in America, by the -Compte de Paris, Vol. II., pages 147, 148._ - -[34] General McClellan’s Report. - -[35] General McClellan’s Report, page 382. - -[36] General McClellan’s Report, page 382. - -[37] Charles C. Whitman, a very brave soldier.--AUTHOR. - -[38] Corporal Tribou lost his left foot by a cannon-ball while carrying -the State colors; he was a good soldier. Corporal Allen, who was -likewise a well-drilled and gallant soldier, received a very dangerous -wound in the head, from which he has never fully recovered. Lieutenant -Atherton, a brave man and true, who was afterward commissioned a First -Lieutenant, received a severe wound in one of his arms. Corporal Samuel -C. Wright was one of the brave volunteers to pull down the fence on the -morning of September 17.--AUTHOR. - -[39] The Author does not know what finally became of the four missing -ones, though he believes they all afterwards joined their company, and -were all wounded while entering the fight. The full name of one of the -latter soldiers is not known to me. The names of these men, as they -appear in the above list, were taken from the “New York Herald” of -September 19, 1862. - -[40] Soldier’s diary. - -[41] “Rebellion Record,” Vol. VII., pp. 407, 408. - -[42] Pollard’s “Third Year of the War,” pages 161, 162. - -[43] Adjutant-General’s Report, Massachusetts, 1863. - -[44] Irving’s “Life of Washington,” Vol. III., p. 354. - -[45] Soldier’s letter. - -[46] Diary of Preston Hooper, Company C. - -[47] Lieutenant Long was severely wounded, losing a portion of the -ulna bone of his right arm. He was promoted to Captain, June 8, 1864, -and discharged for this wound, October 8, 1864. He was subsequently -commissioned in the Veteran Reserve Corps, and served to the end of the -war. - -[48] “Burnside and Ninth Army Corps,” pages 409, 410. - -[49] The author has been unable to learn that any others actually -engaged in this brave exploit, and, though several slightly different -versions have been given him, he has chosen this as being in his -opinion the correct one. This statement is based upon that of three -very reliable soldiers of the regiment, who were present and witnessed -the affair.--AUTHOR. - -[50] James Liffin was mortally wounded, and died July 29, following. - -[51] Letter of General Burnside to General Meade, dated July 26, 1864. - -[52] Report of Committee on “Conduct of the War,” Vol. I., pp. 11, 12, -1865. - -[53] Report of Committee on “Conduct of the War,” Vol. I., pp. 11, 12, -1865. - -[54] The following recommendation was sent forward for Colonel Barnes’s -promotion:-- - - “HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS,} - September 13, 1864. } - - “Captain JOHN C. YOUNGMAN, A. A. Gen., Ninth Army Corps. - - “CAPTAIN: I have the honor to forward Brigade - Commanders’ lists of recommendations for brevet. - - “I beg permission to add my own recommendation in favor - of ... Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph H. Barnes, Twenty-ninth - Massachusetts, lately commanding brigade, First Division, Ninth - Army Corps, for distinguished gallantry and success in action, - at Blick’s House, Weldon Railroad, resisting enemy’s attack on - Ninth Corps’ right. - - “Very respectfully, your ob’d’t serv’t, - “(Signed) O. B. WILLCOX, Brig. Gen. Com’d’g Div. - - “Official: W. V. RICHARDS, Capt. and A. A. A. G.” - - -[55] Report of Fifty-ninth Regiment in Report of Adjutant-General, -1865, page 595. - -[56] Horace Ripley, an excellent soldier. - -[57] The “Lost Cause,” page 692. - -[58] The author does not vouch for the statement, that the regiment -held the last muskets of the armies of the Potomac and Sherman, as -he believes there were regiments of both of these armies, that were -mustered out even later than the Twenty-ninth.--AUTHOR. - -[59] On page 337, the number of officers transferred from the -Thirty-fifth Massachusetts to the Twenty-ninth Regiment, is erroneously -stated as eleven.--AUTHOR. - -[60] Resigned. - -[61] Promoted Surgeon, August 7, 1862. Discharged for disability, March -15, 1864. - -[62] Appointed January 4, 1862. - -[63] Mustered March 18, 1864. Discharged May 15, 1865. - -[64] Mustered May 27, 1863. Discharged as Assistant Surgeon, July 29, -1864. - -[65] Mustered July 31, 1862. Promoted to Surgeon First Mass. Regt. -Cavalry, July 6, 1863. - -[66] Mustered August 20, 1862. Resigned February 27, 1863. - -[67] Mustered July 20, 1863. Transferred to Nineteenth Mass. Regt., -Dec. 7, 1863. - -[68] Mustered September 26, 1864. Expiration of term, July 29, 1865. - -[69] Promoted to Colonel. - -[70] Appointed Assistant Quartermaster Volunteers. - -[71] Resigned July 31, 1861. Captain Ninety-ninth New York Volunteers. - -[72] Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[73] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[74] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[75] Promoted to First Sergeant. - -[76] Promoted to Corporal. - -[77] Promoted to Hospital Steward. - -[78] Promoted to Captain. - -[79] Promoted to First Sergeant. - -[80] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[81] Promoted to Corporal. - -[82] Promoted to Principal Musician. - -[83] Promoted to First Lieutenant and Adjutant. - -[84] Promoted to Commissary Sergeant. - -[85] Resigned July 18, 1861. - -[86] Mustered as Ensign. Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[87] Unjustly reported as a deserter. - -[88] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[89] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[90] Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[91] Promoted to Corporal. - -[92] Promoted to First Sergeant. - -[93] Promoted to Corporal. - -[94] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[95] Appointed Musician. - -[96] Transferred to U. S. Battery. - -[97] Mustered as Ensign. - -[98] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[99] Promoted to Sergeant-Major. - -[100] Promoted to Sergeant and Color-Sergeant. - -[101] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[102] Promoted to Corporal. - -[103] Transferred to U. S. Battery. - -[104] Promoted to First Sergeant. - -[105] Appointed Musician. - -[106] Promoted to Corporal. - -[107] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[108] Promoted to First Sergeant and Brevet Second Lieutenant. - -[109] Appointed Bugler. - -[110] Promoted to Major. - -[111] Promoted to Captain. - -[112] Mustered as Ensign. Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[113] Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[114] Promoted to Hospital Steward U. S. A. - -[115] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[116] Promoted to Principal Musician. - -[117] Commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel U. S. Colored Troops. - -[118] Promoted to Corporal. - -[119] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[120] Wrongly reported as a deserter. Entered United States navy, and -received an honorable discharge. - -[121] Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[122] Promoted to Brevet Major. - -[123] Appointed Adjutant. - -[124] Mustered as Ensign. - -[125] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[126] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[127] Promoted to Corporal. - -[128] Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[129] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[130] Promoted to Corporal. - -[131] Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. - -[132] Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[133] Promoted to Captain. - -[134] Transferred to U. S. Battery. - -[135] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[136] Appointed Musician. - -[137] Promoted to Corporal. - -[138] Promoted to First Sergeant. - -[139] Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corp. - -[140] Wounded June 17, 1864. Lost an arm. - -[141] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[142] Promoted to Captain. - -[143] Wounded at White Oak Swamp, June 30, 1862. - -[144] Promoted to Corporal. - -[145] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[146] Promoted to Corporal, and made Color-Corporal. - -[147] Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[148] Promoted to Major. - -[149] Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. - -[150] Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[151] Promoted to Captain. - -[152] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[153] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[154] Reported “Absent without leave,” but he afterwards returned to -duty. - -[155] Wrongly reported as a deserter; received an honorable discharge. - -[156] Wrongly reported as a deserter. - -[157] Did not desert as reported. - -[158] Received an honorable discharge; wrongly reported as a deserter. - -[159] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[160] Improperly reported as a deserter. - -[161] Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[162] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[163] Promoted to Corporal. - -[164] These two soldiers enlisted in the autumn of 1861; but were -rejected, as being too young, by Captain Ames, U. S. A. Mustering -Officer. They were taken as orderlies by Colonel Pierce to Newport -News, and afterwards, by his order, placed on the rolls of Company G. - -[165] Killed March 25, 1865; Fort Stedman. - -[166] Promoted to Colonel U. S. Volunteers. - -[167] Promoted to Captain. - -[168] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[169] Promoted to First Sergeant. - -[170] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[171] Commissioned in U. S. Colored Troops. - -[172] Transferred to U. S. Cavalry. - -[173] Erroneously reported as a deserter; was wounded at White Oak -Swamp, and received an honorable discharge. - -[174] Promoted to Corporal. - -[175] Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[176] Promoted to Corporal. - -[177] Promoted to Quartermaster Sergeant. - -[178] Erroneously reported as a deserter. - -[179] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[180] Promoted to Captain. - -[181] Mustered as Ensign. - -[182] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[183] Promoted to Corporal. - -[184] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[185] Killed at Malvern Hill, Va., July 1, 1862. - -[186] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[187] Promoted to Brevet Brigadier-General. - -[188] Promoted to Captain. - -[189] Mustered as Ensign. Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[190] Promoted to First Lieutenant and Adjutant. - -[191] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[192] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[193] Promoted to First Sergeant. - -[194] Promoted to First Lieutenant. - -[195] Promoted to Corporal. - -[196] Sergeant in Howard’s U. S. Battery. - -[197] Promoted to Sergeant and Color-Sergt. - -[198] Promoted to Corporal. - -[199] Promoted to Second Lieutenant. - -[200] Promoted to Sergeant. - -[201] Corporal. - -[202] Discharged by order of War Department. - -[203] Sergeant; discharged by order of War Department. - -[204] Killed March 25, 1865. - -[205] Died of wounds, January 2, 1865. - -[206] Died February 13, 1865, of disease. - -[207] Report of J. J. Dana, Major and Quartermaster U. S. A., Brevet -Brig. Genl. Roll of Honor No. XIV., page 134. - -[208] Wounded September 17, 1862. - -[209] Buried in National Cemetery at Hampton, Va. Row 12. Section C. -Number of grave, 25. - -[210] Buried under name of “Sergeant William H. Hamer,” in -Fredericksburg National Cemetery, Va. Terrace Section No. 8. Number of -grave, 167. Body removed from Beverly’s Farm, Spottsylvania County. - -[211] Buried in National Cemetery at Point Lookout, Md. Number of -grave, 63. - -[212] Buried in Richmond National Cemetery, Va., under the name of “T. -Hall.” Number of grave, 1,272. - -[213] Buried in Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Va. Division D. Section -D. Number of grave, 218. - -[214] Buried under name of “William Murphy,” in National Cemetery -at Fredericksburg, Va. Terrace Section No. 4. Number of grave, 290. -Originally buried on farm of Harris, Spottsylvania County, Va. - -[215] Buried in National Cemetery at Andersonville, Ga. Section C. -Number of grave, 1,290. - -[216] Buried in Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Va. Division D. Section -D. Number of grave, 215. - -[217] Buried in National Cemetery at Camp Dennison, Ohio, under name of -“C. D. Hudson.” Number of grave, 240. - -[218] Buried in Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Va. Division A. Section -C. Number of grave, 103. - -[219] Buried in National Cemetery at Hampton, Va. Row 9. Section B. -Number of grave, 39. - -[220] Buried in National Cemetery at Hampton, Va. Row 3. Section D. -Number of grave, 4. - -[221] While in command of the Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery -Volunteers. - -[222] Buried in National Cemetery at Hampton, Va. Row 9. Section B. -Number of grave, 23. - -[223] Buried in National Cemetery at Hampton, Va. Row 20. Section B. -Number of grave, 17. - -[224] Buried in Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Va. Division A. Section -C. Number of grave, 102. - -[225] Buried in National Cemetery at Hampton, Va. Row 1. Section E. -Number of grave, 27. - -[226] Buried in National Cemetery at Chattanooga, Tenn., under the name -of “G. T. Peckham.” Section H. Number of grave, 159. Originally buried -at Loudon, Tenn. - -[227] Buried in National Cemetery at Hampton, Va. Row 1. Section E. -Number of grave, 1. - -[228] Buried in National Cemetery at Andersonville, Ga. Section T. -Number of grave, 3,898. - -[229] Wounds received at White Oak Swamp, Va. - -[230] Buried in National Cemetery at Andersonville, Ga. Section B. -Number of grave, 2,908. - -[231] Wounded June 17, 1864. - -[232] Buried under name of “G. Record,” in National Cemetery at -Hampton, Va. Row 14. Section D. Number of grave, 48. - -[233] Battle of the Mine. - -[234] Buried in National Cemetery, Mount Olivet, Frederick City, Md., -under the name of “Joseph Tresgate.” Number of grave, 250. Wounded in -battle of Antietam. - -[235] Battle of Fort Stedman. - -[236] Buried in Camp Nelson National Cemetery, Ky., under the name of -“Edward Wilber.” Section D. Number of grave, 50. - -[237] Buried in Linden Grove National Cemetery, Covington, Ky. Section -C. Number of grave, 104. - -[238] Buried in National Cemetery at Andersonville, Ga. Section O. -Number of grave, 11,080. - -[239] Buried in Knoxville National Cemetery, Tenn. Section 6. Number of -grave, 98. - -[240] While carrying the flag. Buried in Poplar Grove National -Cemetery, Va. Division D. Section D. Number of grave, 220. - -[241] Buried in Knoxville National Cemetery, Tenn. Section 7. Number of -grave, 54. - -[242] Buried in Mount Olivet National Cemetery, Frederick City, Md. -Number of grave, 834. - -[243] Buried in Knoxville National Cemetery, Tenn. Section 4. Number of -grave, 161. - -[244] Buried in National Cemetery at Andersonville, Ga. Section G. -Number of grave, 2,414. - -[245] Buried in Lexington National Cemetery, Ky. Circle 12. Number of -grave, 531. Originally buried at Lexington, Ky. - -[246] Buried in National Cemetery at Knoxville, Tenn. Section 4. Number -of grave, 143. - -[247] Buried in Camp Nelson National Cemetery, Ky. Section D. Number of -grave, 51. - -[248] While carrying the colors. Buried in Poplar Grove National -Cemetery, Va. Division A. Section C. Number of grave, 216. - -[249] This committee never discharged its duties.--AUTHOR. - -[250] This committee never did its duty.--AUTHOR. - - -[Transcriber's Note: - -Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.] - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of the Twenty-ninth -Regiment of Massachusetts Volun, by Willam H. 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