USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Danbury > History of Danbury, Conn., 1684-1896 > Part 36
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The company went into camp in Hartford. On October 8th,
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
at a meeting of the company, they unanimously adopted the name of " Averill Rifles," in honor of Hon. Roger Averill, of Danbury. Mr. Averill highly appreciated the compliment, and on Thanksgiving Day, November 28th, he presented the com- pany with an elegant flag. There were from twenty-five to thirty of the company present, under command of Captain Southmayd. Concert Hall, where the affair was held, was packed with citi- zens. The company marched, headed by martial music, to the stage, where they were received by Mr. Averill. Mr. L. S. Bar- num stated the object of the meeting, and then Mr. Averill ad- dressed the Rifles. He welcomed them home on this day pecul- iarly interesting to New Englanders. It was gratifying to him to say, both from published statements and from personal obser- vation in camp, that the Rifles had earned the respect and con- fidence reposed in them, and a rank among the most efficient and best-drilled companies that had gone into camp in the State. The speaker acknowledged the honor conferred upon him by the company in selecting a name, and as a slight token of his appre- ciation of the compliment he had procured the colors. Turning to Captain Southmayd he handed them to him, and then again addressing the company he charged them to guard it with zealous care. "If, in the battle, the standard-bearer should be shot down, let another brave man take it up, and with its folds wav- ing over the heads of the company, lead them on to victory. And should it be torn to ribbons, preserve as many of the shreds as possible, bring them back, and when you come we will give you such a welcome as never greeted you before."
Captain Southmayd being unable to speak a loud word by reason of a cold, Mr. L. S. Barnum responded for the company. He spoke in a very complimentary strain of the Rifles, for he had been two weeks in camp and knew what he had seen. The colors were taken in charge by Color Sergeant Irving Stevens. They were made of heavy silk, of regulation size, six feet by six feet eight inches, embroidered with heavy bullion gold fringe, and surmounted with two heavy gold tassels. On the top of the staff was a gold eagle with outstretched wings. The flag went with the company through the war, and was brought home with them. Lieutenant Peter W. Ambler was appointed custodian of the flag.
Among the members of the company was Mr. Grandison D.
.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
Foote. Mr. Foote was in the first company of three months' men, and after returning he went back to his trade of hatter in the Pahquioque Factory. The departure of the Averill Rifles was too much for him, and throwing down the implements of his trade he enlisted in the same company. They had already gone to Hartford, and there Mr. Foote joined them. On the afternoon of his departure his fellow-workmen gathered together, and Mr. William Mansfield, in behalf of the men, presented Mr. Foote with a Bible with $20 in bills between the leaves. The Bible had embossed on the cover his name, company, and regi- ment. Mr. Foote responded, and then left for the cars. As the train passed the shop the whole force turned out, and he went by amid the cheers of the crowd.
The Eleventh Regiment, of which Captain Southmayd's company was a part, left Hartford on December 17th, and ar- rived in New York on the same day. They were received by the Sons of Connecticut, an organization composed of those residents of that city who were originally from this State, and were escorted to the barracks at City Hall Park, where the men were sumptuously fed. The officers were entertained at the Astor House.
On December 3d of this year, Andrew Knox, who had returned with the three months' men, was duly authorized to raise recruits for the service. He immediately began the work, and in a very short time had secured forty-five volunteers. With these he reported at Hartford for duty on January 14th. They were assigned to Company B, of the First Heavy Artillery, which had then emerged from the Fourth Infantry. Nelson L. White was the lieutenant-colonel of this admirable regiment. Knox was made second lieutenant of the company, and was promoted shortly after to be first lieutenant. The roll of these recruits, who were assigned to Company B, was as follows :
Second Lieutenant, Andrew Knox.
Sergeant, Frederick Hubbard.
Privates : Charles H. Anderson, Daniel N. Andrews, Gran- ville W. Benedict, Henry Brown, Robert Brown, Patrick Clancy, Joseph P. Dayton, Milo Dickens, James Fitzsimmons, Edward Foley, Walter Griffin, Thomas Hefren, William L. Hyatt, Jesse L. James, Ichabod E. Jenkins, George D. Keeler, James McDer- mott, Charles McDermott, John W. Miller, Alexander Miller,
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
James Muldoon, Charles P. Nettleton, Philip O' Rourke, Fred- erick A. Osborn, Edward A. Osborn, William R. Potter, Samuel M. Petit, Alfred Platt, George M. Roff, Thaddeus Rooney, Grandison Scott, Ely J. Sherwood, Thomas G. Sherman, Al- son J. Smith, Walter C. Sparks, John Sweeney, Charles Shep- ard, John C. Taylor, William Tillotson, Hiram Wood, George L. Wood.
Dr. Eli F. Hendrick was an assistant surgeon in the First Heavies, and was afterward transferred to the Fifteenth Regi- ment Infantry.
The second year of the war opened quietly in Danbury. There was little excitement. " All quiet on the Potomac" was the general answer to questions as to the state of affairs. Occasion- ally little ripples of excitement would be caused by the return of some crippled veteran discharged because of wounds, or the coming home of some sick soldier on a furlough to recuperate among his friends, and to go back with renewed health, energy and determination. There was a call for hospital sup- plies, and mittens for the soldiers. The writer remembers that in the Centre District School the scholars were allowed to pick lint as a reward for good behavior. The mittens were knit by the ladies, but as they had to have the forefinger sepa- rate from the rest of the hand, few knew how to do the work. Mrs. Eliza Botsford gratuitously taught all who came to her for instruction. Then there was a loud call for stockings and underclothing, and many a box filled with these articles went out from Danbury.
A ladies' sewing society, organized for the purpose of prepar- ing articles of clothing and hospital stores, did a big work for the cause. Rev. G. M. Stone, pastor of the Baptist church, went to Washington on a tour of inspection, and when he re- turned he gave a lecture on his trip for the benefit of this society, which netted them $24.
To relieve the monotony of the times the selectmen made a draft on Monday, January 27th. Ninety was the quota of Dan- bury, and the list drawn embraced the names of some of our leading business men. A large proportion of these either were excused, procured a substitute, or paid a fine of $10. These drafted men were not to go into the army, but were for an active State militia. The next week after the draft the selectmen
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received an order from the Governor suspending further action until the meeting of the General Assembly.
On Monday, February 17th, news of the capture of Fort Donelson was bulletined in front of the telegraph office, and crowds surrounded the board, reading with glad faces the news that the fort had been captured, together with fifteen thousand soldiers and several rebel generals. It was not long before the news was spread by the church-bells, and several pairs of en- thusiastic hands were blistered by the rope of the First Church bell. All the church-bells were rung, the factory whistles blew, and even the little bell of the Liberty Street school-house rang out the glad news. And as if these could not make noise enough, the cannon was brought out and during the afternoon was fired again and again.
In the evening an impromptu meeting was held in the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association. The President, Mr. William Mansfield, Rev. G. M. Stone, Rev. A. N. Gilbert, Rev. F. J. Jackson, Dr. Eli F. Hendrick, and others spoke eloquent words of congratulation and pleasure.
In view of the encouraging news, Washington's Birthday was celebrated with even more enthusiasm than ever before or since. There was a meeting in Concert Hall in the afternoon, at which addresses were made by the clergy and others, and in the even- ing another meeting was held in the Disciples church, at which Rev. I. L. Townsend read Washington's Farewell Address, and Rev. A. N. Gilbert made a short speech.
Again on Monday, May 2d, news of the fall of Norfolk and Portsmouth and the sinking of the rebel ram Merrimac made the enthusiasm of our Danbury people break forth anew. Bells were rung and cannon fired, and for days congratulations were extended to each other. On June 5th A. H. Hoddinot and I. N. Jennings, who had been in the hands of the rebels for sev- eral months, having been captured at Bull Run, arrived home. Their coming was the occasion of more excitement, and they were warmly greeted and made to tell their experiences again and again for the benefit of their friends.
The two weeks before July 1st were weeks of agonizing sus- pense. McClellan was about to force the fight before Richmond, and the people expected that he would be successful in captur- ing the stronghold of the Confederacy. The result is well known.
DAVID FOOTE, 2D PRES'T
SAMUEL TWEEDY, 1ST PRES'T.
BUILDING BUILT IN 1826 FOR BRANCH OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY BANK, NOW THE DANBURY NATIONAL BANK.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
The failure disheartened the weak, but made stronger the strong. President Lincoln on July 1st called for 300,000 more troops. His call was supplemented by one from Governor Buckingham calling for the enlistment of six regiments in the State. The call was received in Danbury with enthusiasm. A meeting was held in the law office of Lieutenant-Governor Averill on the evening of Wednesday, July 16th, and an address issued as follows :
" CITIZENS OF DANBURY, TO THE RESCUE !
"The people of our country have been called upon to add 300,000 soldiers to the Army of the Union. The enemies of our Government are vigilant and active, and duty requires that they should be met with vigilance and activity on our part. Already the people of the State have arisen in response to the call, and men and money are being bestowed with no illiberal hand. You are asked to contribute your fathers, brothers, sons, yourselves to this glorious work. With the proud record which Danbury pre- sents, let it not be said that our patriotic old town is behind in furnishing her share to push forward the column. To do this our country needs FIGHTING MEN, and for the purpose of assist- ing to obtain them, our citizens will meet in Concert Hall on Friday evening next at 7.30 o'clock. We know we need not urge a full attendance.
" Gentlemen of distinction, among whom may be mentioned Governor Buckingham, are expected to be present and address the meeting."
This address was signed by fifty-six representative men of the town, among whom all parties were represented. It was no time for an exhibition of party spirit. The darkest hour of the Re- bellion was then at hand, and something more than the stagnancy of the past six months must ensue.
The call was heeded. July 18th was a gala day almost. The town was alive with people in the afternoon, and numerous resi- dences were decorated with bunting, while every flag-staff car- ried its flag. At nine o'clock a special train carrying some of the prominent men of the town went down to Norwalk. There, after a short waiting, Governor Buckingham was received and introduced to the committee. They took the special train back
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
to Danbury. When they passed the Pahquioque Hat Factory a cannon roared out its welcome, supplemented by the sten- torian cheers of the small army of employés. In the afternoon the Governor, with Lieutenant-Governor Averill and others, visited Bethel, where a recruiting station had been for some time opened.
In the evening Concert Hall was not large enough by half to accommodate the crowd which had gathered in response to the call.
When Governor Buckingham entered the hall leaning on the arm of Lieutenant-Governor Averill, the thousand people packed in that house, to a man, cheered and cheered again until from very hoarseness they were obliged to desist. Mr. Averill was called to the chair, and made a strong, patriotic speech in thanking them for the honor. He was followed by the singing of "My Country, 'tis of Thee," by the combined musical talent of Danbury and Bethel. Rev. A. N. Gilbert, then pastor of the Disciples church, made a speech, which for fervid eloquence and masterful power, equalled anything ever heard in the old hall. He was again and again interrupted with cheers. Another song, and then Dr. Hill, of Norwalk, addressed the meeting. His speech awoke many responsive throbs in the hearts of the au- dience. The address of Rev. Mr. Hoyt, of Rochester, N. Y., who was at the time supplying the pulpit of the Baptist church, was a mingling of pathos and humor, and closed with the recommendation that the people praise God with leaden bullets shot out of a gun as the old Covenanters' cannon praised Him with its booming discharge.
The enthusiasm broke out anew when Governor Buckingham arose. There was a deafening storm of cheers and cries, which showed how warm a place the " War Governor" had in the hearts of the people. He spoke of the crisis upon them. He said he had come to Danbury for men, and the country must have them. As the Governor closed it was evident that the audience realized the importance of the occasion, and that his words had sunk deeply into their hearts. He was followed by Rev. John Craw- ford, whose remarks were to the effect that despondency was out of place. A speaker had used the word defeated. He did not like the word. We were not defeated, but would be conquerors. He called on the men to come and the women to give them up.
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He was cheered on closing. Rev. Mr. Clark, of New Fairfield, and Hon. D. B. Booth also spoke. Mr. Booth offered a reso- lution calling upon the selectmen to call a special town meeting to provide for the families of volunteers and to authorize the payment of bounties.
When the speaking was over there was a call for volunteers. A tall man went forward. He had the typical military figure- tall, slim, straight. He wrote his name on the paper presented. It was the first name, and was read to the audience. It was that of James E. Moore. The announcement of this name was re- ceived with a storm of applause. Little did he who wrote it, or those who cheered it, anticipate the tragedy that a year later was to end his life. Other names rapidly followed, and the first step for the formation of the Wildman Guards was taken. The name was adopted in honor of our fellow-citizen, Frederick S. Wildman.
During the enlistment of men at the meeting a gentleman in the audience offered $25 for the next name. This was immedi- ately taken up by others, and several made similar offers, show- ing the liberality of our citizens. The meeting soon after closed with three cheers for General Mcclellan, and it was by far the largest and most enthusiastic meeting held during the war.
The company which began its formation at that time was com- manded by Captain James E. Moore, and took the designation of " C"' in the Seventeenth Regiment of Connecticut Volunteers, then being raised by this county, and the only distinctively Fairfield County regiment recruited. Its headquarters were at Bridgeport. August 28th it was mustered into the United States service, and on September 3d it left the State for the front.
On the morning of July 28th Captain Moore left Danbury for Bridgeport with fifty men, for this was only the first detach- ment. Many were from Bethel, New Fairfield, Brookfield, Ridgefield, and Newtown. Squads of men were sent each week to the camp almost up to the date of their mustering into ser- vice. We give the roll of the company as it left the State :
Captain, James E. Moore.
First Lieutenant, Milton H. Daniels.
Second Lieutenant, Henry Quien.
Sergeants : William O. Dauchy, Robert S. Dauchy, August E. Bronson, William L. Daniels, Bethel S. Barnum.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
Corporals : George Scott, Benjamin S. White, Edward S. War- ren, Eli Lobdell, George Dickens, William E. Baldwin, Henry E. Williams, Lewis A. Ward.
Musicians : Justin S. Keeler, Horatio G. Jenkins.
Wagoner, Thomas McCorkell.
Privates : James M. Bailey, Charles Brotherton, Orrin L. Bronson, Frederick H. Bussing, Charles H. Benedict, Charles S. Benedict, John H. Benedict, William E. Benedict, George F. Bradley, David Bradley, Lewis Bradley, John W. Bouton, George W. Barber, Jarvis F. Beers, Alfred Bennett, Frank J. Benson, Theodore Blackman, Henry Booth, William H. Curtis, William Curtis, Charles G. Curtis, William A. Clark, William B. Clark, Samuel G. Clark, Amos C. Day, Samuel M. Downs, Smith Delevan, Charles T. Delevan, Thaddeus S. Edwards, Charles Z. Ferren, Leverett B. Fairchild, Alpheus B. Fairchild, Thaddeus Feeks, Joseph I. Foote, Francis H. Ferry, Robert W. Fry, Rob- ert Farvour, Frederick W. Goodale, John H. Grannis, John Ganung, Louis B. Griffin, John W. Holmes, William Humphries, James A. Harmon, Ezra S. Hall, Oscar S. Jennings, Edgar L. Knapp, James Kyle, Norman Kellogg, Phineas C. Lounsbury, Theodore S. Morris, Joseph Maddock, John McCorkell, John McHugh, Edward H. Northrop, William F. Otis, Lewis P. Osborn, George S. Purdy, Daniel H. Purdy, Amos Raymond, Rufus S. Rice, Patrick Ryan, Charles S. Small, George Sears, Samuel G. Shepard, Ira Sherman, William H. Smith, Frederick S. Smith, David F. Stillson, Horace E. Tomlinson, Richard D. Taylor, Adam C. Williams, William H. Warren, Rufus Warren, Charles H. Wilcox, John M. Walters, Joseph S. Whitlock, Nephi Whitlock, Irenæus P. Woodman, George L. Wood, George W. Wood, Charles Wooster, Moses A. Wheeler.
The selectmen, in compliance with the resolution passed at the war meeting on July 18th, called a town meeting for the 24th of that month. It was voted there to pay a bounty of $25 to any resident of the town who had then enlisted, or who should enlist before August 20th, into the military service of the State, under the recent call of the Governor.
On Saturday, August 30th, a large delegation from Captain Moore's company came up from Bridgeport, and were met by Captain Jenkins and his company, then forming, at the railway station. They were escorted to Concert Hall, where a little cere-
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
mony was in store for them. This company being Danbury's favorite-if Danburians can be said to have had any particular favorites in the army during the war-the hall was crowded. Marching to the platform, Captain Moore arranged his men in line, and with Lieutenants Daniels and Quien stood in front, ready for anything that might come. Lieutenant-Governor Averill then stepped forward to the men, and in a few brief and appropriate remarks presented to each of the officers a handsome sword, in behalf of the citizens of Danbury. The recipients responded feelingly, calling out the warmest expressions of regard from the donors. The meeting then adjourned, and the members of the company returned to their families until Mon- day, when they went back to camp at Bridgeport, and left for the front on the Wednesday following, September 3d.
Captain James A. Betts, of Company A, Fifth Regiment, was home during the latter part of August recruiting his health from the effects of his imprisonment, having been captured at the battle of Winchester, May 25th, together with Isaac Rogers and George Scott, of his company. Being a member of Union Lodge No. 40, F. and A. M., the fraternity purchased a handsome sword, which was presented to him at a lodge meeting Mon- day evening, September 1st. He returned to the front soon after.
Our citizens also about this time sent to Second Lieutenant Theodore C. Wildman an outfit suitable to his office, he having been promoted from Orderly Sergeant in place of Lieutenant Thomas Hooten, killed.
Danbury filled her quota under the call for 300,000 more men dated July 2d. Then came, on August 4th, the call for a draft of 300,000 more. It was decided by the State authorities that volunteering could go on, however, and under this decision Cap- tain James H. Jenkins began the enlistment of a company, which was known as Company B, Twenty-third Regiment. This com- pany was enlisted for nine months, unless sooner discharged. The company left on a special train on Wednesday, September 3d, for camp at New Haven, and on November 16th it left the State. The muster roll is as follows :
Captain, James H. Jenkins.
First Lieutenant, Frederick Starr.
Second Lieutenant, William B. Betts.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
Sergeants : Henry I. Smith, Oliver R. Jenkins, Henry L. Read, Charles B. Pickering, Azariel C. Fuller.
Corporals : John S. Thompson, John W. Hodges, Abel B. Gray, Elias N. Osborne, Horace Bourell, David B. Hoyt, Edwin Barnum, Robert S. Stratton.
Musicians : Joseph D. Bishop, George L. Smith.
Wagoner, John R. Smith.
Privates : Edward Armstrong, Oscar W. Ambler, John D. Bell, Andrew Bell, Henry Barry, William E. Bailey, Joseph T. Bates, George C. Bradley, George Ball, William E. Barlow, Charles W. Crofut, Eugene Conklin, William E. Comstock, Theo- dore Clark, Francis F. Clark, William A. Carlson, Edward Cowan, William W. Downs, Frederick M. Dunham, George W. Deforest, Egbert W. Gilbert, Edwin M. Griffith, Charles Green, Reuben C. Hodge, Hiram H. Hodge, Charles H. Hoyt, Daniel E. Hoyt, William P. Hoyt, Graham E. Hull, Edward A. Hine, Henry Hawley, Clark Hawley, Hiram H. Hadden, George W. Hoyt, James G. Hagan, Augustus Kinner, Michael F. Knapp, John Knapp, Jr., Ira S. Knapp, Jacob Lehwald, Hiram Lock- wood, William P. Mallory, Richard M. Murray, James L. May- nard, Ira B. Manley, Lewis H. Northrop, John F. Noble, Benja- min H. Peck, Burton L. Roseboom, John M. Raymond, Henry B. Sturgis, William Smith, Theodore Sanford, Sylvester J. Scott, Oliver E. Trowbridge, Reuben Tompkins, Henry B. Veats, Oliver Wood, Frederick F. Wood, Abel M. Wheeler, Theodore M. Wheeler, Edgar Wygant, Ezra G. Wildman, Charles B. Waterman.
Soon after the departure of Company B, Company K was organized, and left for the same headquarters on September 12th. Its muster roll is as follows :
Captain, Samuel G. Bailey.
First Lieutenant, Edwin H. Nearing.
Second Lieutenant, George Quien.
Sergeants : Charles H. Hart, Henry N. Fanton, Thomas Mac- kay, Edwin Hodge, John Allen.
Corporals : Monroe Throop, Gilbert H. Campbell, Charles H. Frank, Fred S. Olmstead, Ira W. Beers, Frederick C. Barnum, Andrew Osborn, John H. Fanton.
Musicians : Charles D. Nicholson, Henry A. Buckingham.
Wagoner, James W. Hamilton.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
Privates : Henry Bayer, Elbert Barsley, Peter Bush, David Barnum, Frederick A. Bennett, William H. Bunnell, William E. Barker, George Bartram, James C. Croal, John A. Croal, John W. Crane, Michael Carmody, Martin Davis, David Disbrow, Charles E. Disbrow, George Daines, Patrick Dunlavy, Henry Daniels, Joseph E. Evarts, John C. Evans, Charles J. Fish, John Gaffney, Selah Gage, Michael Haviland, Frank A. Hulslander, Henry A. Hoyt, John Haberman, Russell Hatch, Philip Halpin, Jacob H. Husk, George A. Jackson, Nathan S. Miller, Stephen Monroe, Francis Mackay, Elnathan N. Mabie, Philo F. Mans- field, Richard Morrison, Francis MacAuley, Robert McNabb, Philander L. Perry, Henry Payne, George N. Peck, Sylvester C. Platt, Thomas G. Robinson, George W. Rogers, Samuel Steven- son, Charles Sproal, George R. Selleck, Francis B. Smith, Fred- erick W. Stevens, Hanson C. Smith, Orrin Serine, James H. Tay- lor, George W. Truesdell, Henry B. Thomas, Lyman Taylor, Abel C. Tracy, Cyrus Wood, Selah T. Wheeler, Joseph Willi- mann, Ephraim G. Whitlock, George C. Whitlock, Lyman Whitehead, Moses Wheeler.
Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Gregory, of the State militia, was the adjutant of the regiment.
Interest in the operations of the Army of the Potomac was intensified at this time by the return of Lieutenant-Colonel Nel- son L. White, who delivered a lecture in Concert Hall on the evening of September 26th, on the subject of his personal experi- ences. His remarks were earnest, impressive, and eloquent. He alluded to General Mcclellan, then in command of that army, in terms of highest praise, and his references were received with unbounded enthusiasm. He closed by appealing to the young men to enlist at this critical juncture of the war, and rec- ommended the " First Heavies" in particular.
The evening following this lecture Concert Hall was again crowded, Company B having come from New Haven for the purpose of receiving a present of swords for their commis- sioned officers. Lieutenant-Governor Averill was chairman. Rev. S. G. Coe, of the First Church, opened the meeting with a prayer, and then Rev. A. N. Gilbert made a lengthy speech, after which he presented the swords to Captain Jenkins, Lieu- tenants Starr and Betts, and to Adjutant Gregory.
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