History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 15

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The regiment saw active service and participated in the following engagements: Siege of Yorktown, Hanover Court-House, Gaines' Mills, Malvern Hill, siege of Fredericksburg, before Fredericksburg (De- cember, 1862), before Fredericksburg (April 28 to June 13, 1863), Kelley's Ford, Orange Court-House, siege of Petersburg, siege of Richmond, Fort Fisher. Casualties : Killed, 26; died of wounds, 23; died of disease, 161. It was mustered out in September, 1865.

CHAPTER V.

MILITARY HISTORY (Continued). THE SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT.#

THE Seventeenth Regiment of Counecticut Volun- teers was organized in an hour of national gloom and disaster : from the commission of its colonel to its departure for the front no bright sky rifted the war- cloud; yet the youth who filled its ranks, and the people of the county who backed them, neither quailed nor halted.

The Seventeenth was the first localized regiment of the State. It was from the start known as the Fair- field County Regiment. With few exceptions, its ranks were filled by her sons. The people of the county made it their pride and the outlet of their affection and patriotic effort.

Our War-Governor, Buckingham, at first doubted whether Fairfield County alone could put a regiment into the field as rapidly as the greed for troops at the front demanded. It was a most trying hour. The soul of the whole North, uuflinching before disheart- ening reverses, aroused to mightier effort.

The leading men of the county, who had asked the appointment of Col. Noble, and that the regiment might be made up of her sons, quieted tlie Governor's doubts ; they at once turned all their energies to fill its ranks at the earliest moment. Towns and indi- viduals devoted to this their time and resources. Their liberality and energy kept full abreast of their faith in the cause of the Union.

On July 23, 1862, William H. Noble, of Bridge- port, was commissioned as the colonel of the Seven- teenth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers. In less than thirty days therefrom, the regiment could have marched a thousand men to the front.

Their camp was on that lovely ground now forming the larger part of the Bridgeport Seaside Park. No more healthful or readily reached ground could have been found. Sea-bathing, fresh breezes, easy access from every poiut, vicinity, and town, and the railroad whose lines stretched through the county and State,- all made its choice a wise forethought. Its charming position, thus so widely made known, doubtless won its choice for a park.

NOTICES OF INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS.

In the formation of the Seventeenth all the towns of the county were represented, though some fur- nished only a few members. It was officered as fol- lows :

Colonel, William H. Noble, of Bridgeport, com- manding; brevetted brigadier-general on recommen- dation of Gen. Grant.

Lieutenant-colonel, Charles Walter, of Bridgeport. Born in Denmark; came to America when young ;

* Contributed by Gen. William H. Noble.

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private in Capt. Speidel's Company of the First Con- necticut ; promoted to be first lieutenant and made aide-de-camp on Gen. Tyler's staff at the battle of Bull Run, where he was captured and spent a year afterwards in the rebel prisons; on his return was made lieutenant-colonel of the Seventeenth, and was killed at Chancellorsville, May 2, 1863. He was a man of high education, eivil and military, and a speaker of several languages, a fine musician, and an accomplished artist.

Major, Allen G. Brady, who had seen service as lieutenant-colonel in the three months' regiments ; enlisted and brought Company B to the regiment, and was made its major; was wounded at Gettysburg and transferred to the Veteran Reserves.

Adjutant, A. H. Wilcoxson, of Norwalk, who was in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, where he distinguished himself by coolness and daring. He was promoted to be captain of Company I, and afterwards to be lieutenant-colonel of the regi- ment ; was mortally wounded at Dunn's Lake, Fla., and died afterwards at Tallahassee while a prisoner.

First surgeon, Dr. Robert Hubbard, then and still a distinguished physician and surgeon of Bridgeport, who was soon promoted to be acting medical director of the Eleventh Corps, which distinguished position he held till failing health compelled his resignation.

First assistant surgeon, Dr. Robert D. McEwen, of Stratford, who remained with the regiment until he resigned, on Folly Island, S. C., November, 1863.

Second assistant surgeon, Dr. Elijah Gregory, of Bridgeport, who remained with the regiment till its muster out; since deceased.

Quartermaster, First Lieut. Hanford N. Hayes, of Bridgeport, who resigned his position, July 18, 1863. Sergeant-major, Theodore Gray, of Bridgeport; afterwards promoted to be captain of Company K.

Quartermaster-sergeant, John S. Ward, of Bridge- port ; afterwards promoted to be quartermaster, and mustered out with the regiment.

Commissary-sergeant, Josiah L. Day, of Danbury ; discharged for disability, March 6, 1863; succeeded by Edwin D. Hurd, of Fairfield.

Hospital steward, Jesse S. Nash, of Bridgeport; discharged for disability, Dec. 29, 1862.

Assistant adjutant, Henry W. Chatfield, of Bridge- port ; afterwards promoted to be sergeant-major, and for gallant conduct at Chancellorsville, in rallying and re-forming the regiment, promoted to be adju- tant, serving with distinguished gallantry at Gettys- burg, and killed in action at Dunn's Lake, Fla.

Captain of Company A, Douglas Fowler, of Nor- walk; a captain in the three months' service, after- wards captain in the Eighth Connecticut ; promoted to be lieutenant-colonel for gallantry at Chancellors- ville, and killed in first day's battle at Gettysburg.

Captain of Company B, Charles A. Hobbie, of Darien, who was wounded at Chancellorsville, cap- tured in Florida, and imprisoned at Andersonville.

Captain of Company C, James E. Moore ; a soldier of the Mexican war, and a captain in the three months' service. A faithful officer, serving with dis- tinguished gallantry at Chancellorsville, and killed in the first day's fight at Gettysburg.

Captain of Company D), William H. Lacy, of Bridgeport; wounded at Chancellorsville, and re- signed in May, 1863. He was succeeded by Lieut. William L. Hubbell, of Bridgeport, who was suc- cessively promoted to be adjutant, captain of Com- pany D, and major of the regiment.

Captain of Company E, Henry P. Burr, of West- port ; served with distinguished gallantry at Chancel- lorsville (where he was taken for a short time pris- oncr) and afterwards at Gettysburg, where, at the close of the battle, he was in command of the regi- ment.

Captain of Company F, Enoch Ward, of Norwalk, who raised his company in three days from nothing to one hundred and two men; resigned in March, 1863, on account of ill health. He was succeeded by Licut. Henry Allen, of Norwalk; afterwards pro- moted to be major and lieutenant-colonel of the regi- ment, which position he held at the close of the war, his three predecessors having been killed or mortally wounded in action.

Captain of Company G, James E. Dunham, of Bridgeport; in the winter of 1862 and 1863, pro- moted to be provost-marshal on the staff of Gen. Devens, First Division, Eleventh Corps; badly maimed at Chancellorsville by the fall of his horse, and unable to march as captain; resigned to accept the position of captain and provost-marshal of the Fourth District of Connecticut. He was succeeded by Lieut. Wilson French, of Stratford, who was on pieket at Chancellorsville with his company, and met the first onslaught of Stonewall Jackson's assault ; also wounded at Gettysburg, and for a short time a prisoner ; afterwards provost-marshal of the Eastern District of Florida, and then captured and taken prisoner to Andersonville.

Captain of Company H, Enos Kellogg, of New Canaan ; a gallant officer ; in the battles of Chancel- lorsville and Gettysburg, and in the trenches on Morris Island. At Volusia, Fla., with only fifty men, seventy-five miles from any other Union force, he so fortified his position, aided by Lieut. Ruggles of Com- pany K, that he frightened off the rebel captain Dick- enson with his artillery and two hundred mounted riflemen.

Captain of Company I, D. O. Benson, of Greeu- wich, who died early in his service at Baltimore, and was succeeded by Adjt. Wilcoxson, afterwards licu- tenant-colonel.

Captain of Company K, J. J. Mccarthy, of Fair- field ; a very gallant officer; marked for his behavior as such at the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettys- burg, and in the trenches on Morris Island ; was spe- cially selected to head any dangerous or difficult post

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

on picket- or skirmish-line ; a bold and fearless officer; resigned at Folly Island in the winter of 1864.

The regiment had no chaplain at its organizatiou, but the Rev. Alexander R. Thomson, D.D., of the Second Congregational Church of Bridgeport, while the regiment was in camp, filled the place of two or three chaplains, procured them a chapel tent and a library of five hundred volumes, and was most active in every work to promote the interests, spiritual and temporal, of the regiment. He would have gone out with the regiment as its chaplain could he have ob- tained leave of absence from his congregation; he afterwards visited them at Baltimore, and hield there their first divine service and a grand temperance- meeting. The regiment, from its colonel down, re- veres and loves him.

He was succeeded by the Rev. - Hall, who joined at Antioch Church, November, 1862, and con- tinued with the regiment through the battles of Chan- cellorsville and Gettysburg aud until November, 1863.

THE REGIMENT IN THE SERVICE.

Aug. 28, 1862, the regiment was mustered into the United States service. On September 3d following it took rail for the front. A short time previous, Maj .- Gen. Franz Sigel, through Capt. Lyon, one of his staff, had asked consent of the regiment to join his Eleventh Corps. He was eager to swell his force, which then was without a Connecticut regiment. The officers of the Seventeenth gave their unanimous consent to be so assigned. When it broke camp at Seaside Park the members of the whole regiment felt, in the words of the refrain, that they should soon " fight mit Sigel."

The date of departure had been made known to the homes of the county ; the friends and kindred of the regiment turned out a vast throng of anxious hearts and patriotic sympathy to say farewell. Outside of Bridgeport, whose citizens crowded en masse, there came thousands by rail and country road to bid adieu to brothers, fathers, and friends; there were many sad and many cheerful partings. As a whole, the soldiers were elated and hopeful. Youth, pride in such a service, aud the uovel duties and scenes in which they were soon to act gave the " enchantment of distance" to a life filled with hardship, danger, and death.

The regiment moved (except from New York to Amboy) from Bridgeport to Baltimore by rail, with orders to report to Gen. Wool, there commanding. It arrived in Baltimore on the next day, September 4th, about dark, and marched to the extensive rail- road depot and store-shed of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, of which the colonel took possessiou for shelter, and refused to move until ordered by Geu. Wool.

On reporting to Gen. Wool late the night of arrival, the colonel was ordered to hold his eommand in readi- ness for orders from Washington. In the mean time

the Union men of Baltimore, anxious for their city in the face of the disasters beyond, were fearful of some sudden raids of the euemy in force. They had looked over this regiment, so conspicuously quartered in the centre of their city, and expressed flattering admira- tion for its make-up and bearing. They soon hinted and "guessed" that we should not be allowed to go farther, and that they wanted such a regiment there as much as anywhere. They had evidently inter- viewed Gen. Wool in force or visited Washington. A few days afterwards he sent down orders to the regiment to shift quarters to Fort Marshall, a tempo- rary earthwork ou high ground east of the city, com- manding the city, harbor, and surrounding country. It was to act as a reserve and supporting force to a New York artillery regiment, which formed its gar- rison.

Our positiou there was iu every respect irksome and distasteful. The garrison was made up of very differ- ent material from the regiment. It had been re- cruited in New York and Brooklyn, and was held with a very lax rein of discipline. The association was bad. Besides, Col. Belger, the post quarter- master, refused the regiment the shelter which at a post and as a reserve to garrison they had a right to demand. He paid no heed to the remoustrances of the regimental quartermaster, Lieut. Hayes, or to those of the colonel. Every military man kuows that regi- meuts in the field and in active service can stand hardships and exposures which will sicken and thin out a force in the position of ours at Fort Marshall. Men make light of all sorts of things on forced marches or in action which tell heavily upou them in the quiet camp.

Under this state of things the colonel of the regi- ment, out of the regular channels of communication, wrote what he intended as a private letter to Gen. Sigel, stating the annoyances suffered and the iusult- ing rebuffs of Col. Belger, reminding him of our orig- inal purpose to join his command, and asking his aid to effect that end. It was supposed that in some way, without following the lines of red tape and those reg- ular channels, he would find means to cut the tape aud get us into the field. Nothing was heard from him or about the matter for a month.

In this state of things, about Oct. 15, 1862, Col. Noble called upon Gen. Wool to lay before him the grievances of the regiment in regard to its camp equipage aud Col. Belger's neglect of our military rights. He found that venerable officer very irate. He confronted the colonel with the letter to Gen. Sigel, which had just arrived iu its travels through the regular channels, with due and ample "respectful reference." Nothing that Col. Noble could say at all cooled the general's wrath. He did not exhibit to the colonel his letter or its indorsements, one of which doubtless was for the regiment to report at Washing- ton. At any rate, he immediately ordered the colonel to take his regiment by rail to Washingtou, and to

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leave Baltimore before the next day at noon. This was late at night, and in those days of ample apparel, equipage, and transportation it was not an easy task to land a thousand men and all their belongings early in the morning. The order was filled, however. By eleven o'clock next day everything was on board ready to move to Washington, and before twelve the regiment had moved from the city of Baltimore. But so crowded were the rails by army travel and trans- portation that the regiment only reached its destina- tion about dusk. On application next morning at headquarters it was ordered to march through the city to Tenallytown and encamp at Fort Kearney, in the defenses of Washington.

At this post the regiment was immediately put to work in intrenchments. It expected to have been sent along to Sigel, and did not like the delay. It very likely worked with less will at its task of dig- ging than it would have done except in face of its disappointment. At any rate, after several reports of its not being good diggers had been made, orders came for the regiment to embark at Georgetown on Nov. 5, 1862, and to proceed by the way of Alex- andria and the- Manassas Railroad, aud to report to Gen. Sigel at Gainesville.

It reached this place on the third evening after its departure from Fort Kearney after dark. It first struck upon Gen. MeLean's brigade. That gallant officer at once desired to take it into his com- mand, and seemed very happy over the chance. It was made up of Ohio men, all but one regiment of whom were Americans, the One Hundred and Sey- enth Ohio of the brigade being mostly German. The Seventeenth now seemed well pleased with its fortune and at home; no more grumbling at any lot in its military life was ever afterwards heard from the command. But of its hardships in exteut and variety the regiment had as large a share as falls to the lot of any command. Soon after we joined his corps Gen. Sigel rode into our camp with his staff, and accompanied by the beautiful wife of Prince Salm- Salm, to thank us for our persistence in joining his command.

The Eleventh Corps was at this time the reserve of the Army of the Potomac. The brigade and division in which the Seventeenth was were guarding Thor- oughfare Gap, in the Bull Run Mountains. After a stay at Gainesville of about two weeks, an order came at midnight-as such things usually came-to be ready to move at daylight in the morning. Our march was northward to Hopewell Gap and Antioch Church on same range. After some days here, like midnight orders were sent in to move in the morning. Our march that day was from Antioch Church to- wards Chantilly. Our first night was spent in the splendid winter quarters of the rebel force, and our destination was Chantilly. There, in the midst of wide plains and a very rich and fruitful country, the regiment held its eamp with its brigade and corps, 5

till orders again came to send to hospital all disabled, to be ready in the morning for march. This was the beginning of our seven days' march as reserve of Burnside's movement on Fredericksburg.

The regiment had by this time become pretty well seasoned to military duty in the field. The knap- sacks, stuffed at first with photographs, writing ma- terial, and all sorts of home-traps, had wonderfully shrunken. On the previous marches the Ohio boys had shown them some pretty long legs, but on this seven days' march the Seventeenth made them stretch theirs, with interest added. As is known to most, the regiments alternate front and rear every day, the regiment at the front always having the brightest outlook and, somehow or another, marching the easiest; that in the rear seems to drag along with tiresome step, and often lags when at the front they make good time.

At Bacon's Race-Course Church, about two days' march from Falmouth, the terrible cannonate of the conflict of Fredericksburg was distinctly heard, and on the next day, at noon, the news of Burnside's re- pulse was announced to the regiments. The corps, however, kept on to Falmouth, after a night's rest at which place they were ordered back to camp at Staf- ford Court-House. This was the place where the Seventeenth, which had saved its rations in going down, gave a supper to an Ohio regiment, which had eaten up all its own. This brotherly act was never forgotten by the Ohio boys.

At Stafford Court-House, passed on our march to Falmouth, the regiment arrived back about December 16th and made camp in the woods. It was one of the most picturesque winter-camps that could be imag- ined. On each side of a street, running up a gentle slope of pine-forest, the regiment built huts, with camp-fires in front. The sight of their cheerful blaze step by step up that ascent was at night cheering and lovely.

About the 20th of February an order eame to break camp and march to Belle Plain. This was again in reserve to Burnside's army, on what is known as the mud-march. Our movement was ordered to follow up a contemplated second attack on Fredericksburg, but which purpose the storm and the miry state of the roads thwarted.

At Belle Plain the regiment and division were ordered to occupy the huts of the force which had moved towards Fredericksburg. These were con- structed, with great neatness and much ingenious architecture, along brinks and deelivities of ravines. But such good quarters were only our lot for a very few days. The return of their former occupants from their unsuccessful move required our evacuation of their quarters." The regiment soon returned to Brooks' Station, near its old camp at Stafford Court-House, and hutted for the winter.

Our camp was ordered into a forest of oak and beeeli and all the woods of Virginia. The ground

HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

was covered with snow, but axes were plenty, and the regiment soon sheltered itself in fine style. Here the time passed quietly in drill and camp-duties till, on the 26th of April, 1863, orders were issued to take in haversack seven days' rations, put everything in light marching order, and be in readiness for move- ment the next morning at daybreak. On that day the regiment marched westward to near Hartwood Church, and encamped for the night. This route was that of the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps. Early the next morning movement was made towards Bar- rett's Ford, on the Rappahannock. This river was then crossed on a pontoon-bridge by night, and the regiment bivouacked for a few hours' rest some mile or so beyond, in the adjacent woods. Here the Twelfth Corps passed it early in the morning, and all moved on towards Germania Ford of the Rapidan.

Some of the forces ahead of us had not so good luck as the Eleventh Corps, and many were forced to ford the river in a high state of the flood, which was strong and up to their necks. The Seventeenth, however, and most of the Eleventh Corps, passed on a temporary bridge, and bivouacked for the rest of the night some mile or two beyond. Early the next day the movement was resumed, and about five o'clock in the afternoon the battle-ground of Chancellorsville was reached, near the Hatch house, which was made the headquarters of our brigade and division. This was the home of a man formerly from Milford, Conn., but as arrant a rebel as if a native Virginian. Our camp for the night was at the west of this Hatch house.

The next morning the regiment was put in line along the Culpeper road to receive Gen. Hooker. The whole corps were placed in similar positions. About .eleven o'clock the general, with a brilliant staff, rode down the lines in review.

In the afternoon of that day the commander of our brigade, Gen. McLean, ordered the right wing of the regiment to be posted around the west and south bor- ders of the Hatch house garden, which was in rear of the Hatch house and south of the Culpeper road. This was to be under the immediate command of Lieut .- Col. Walter. The left wing of the regiment, under the immediate command of Maj. Brady, was ordered into position along the Culpeper road in sup- port of Dykeman's Battery, which was stationed south of the road, and facing south. Col. Noble was ordered to take liis position between the two wings, which were some rods apart, and to have oversight of the action and conduct of each.

The whole theory of the expected battle seemed to look for an attack from the south, and all the troops of the brigade and corps in sight of our position were aligned under that idea. Col. Noble was the next day, May 2d, appointed officer of the day for the division, and as such had inspection of the picket- lines thrown forward to the south of our position and to the west of the Hatch house, in the wilderness.

When on his rounds, a cavalry vidette rode up from the front, with information of heavy forces of the enemy passing along our front towards the rear. He was told to ride in to headquarters and give the in- formation at the Hatch house, which was pointed out to him. Afterwards, during the day, another horseman rode up to our position with like informa- tion, and was again directed to report at the adjacent headquarters to Gen. Devens and Gen. McLean. He rode up to the front of the house, where they were seated.

At this time two companies of the regiment-Com- pany G and Company I-were on picket in dense woods at our right, on the border of the wilderness. About five o'clock in the afternoon of May 2d sharp firing of some light cannon was heard on our right. It seemed to be light field-pieces, and was supposed to be what is called a jackass-battery. All was quiet for a while, and then came sharp, nervous firing on our right announcing an attack of the enemy driving in our pickets; this was the skirmish-line of Jack- son's force. Large masses of the enemy soon poured down upon our flank, and the air seemed full of mis- siles. The shell fell among the horses of Dykcman's Battery and killed one; others screamed and burst fast over the battle-ground.

As, at this time, Col. Noble rode past Lieut .- Col. Walter to the front of the garden, where the right wing lay on their arms, as ordered, to inspect the coming in of his two companies on picket, Col. Walter, who, like the left wing, lay down at his proper posi- tion in the rear of his wing, rose as if to watch the progress of the action or perhaps out of respect to his commanding officer. As Col. Noble, having hailed those companies and directed them to our position, turned to take his position between the two wings as ordered, Col. Walter again, as was supposed, resumed his recumbent posture. But he was undoubtedly at this time shot, as the ball which killed him struck him in the forehcad. When the colonel returned to his position, he found that Dykeman's Battery had limbered up and fled down the Culpeper road, and on looking farther to the front supposed he saw Maj. Brady with the left wing holding a corn-house at the north of the Hatch house and off the Culpeper road, firing at the enemy, but he was mistaken. Maj. Brady had retreated with the left wing soon after the battery which he supported had fled.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1572

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572