The Connecticut war record, 1863-1865, Part 121

Author: Morris, John M., ed
Publication date: 1863
Publisher: New Haven : Peck, White & Peck
Number of Pages: 886

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WHITEHEAD.

1865.]

THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

375

OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.

The Second Artillery. [CONCLUDED. ]

We go up the Valley (though we go south,) as far as Iharrisonburg, one hundred miles from our base of supplies; after a few days halt, advance to Mt. Crawford, then return, halt a few days, and fall back, (the Sixth Corps,) near to Front Royal, stop for a few days and then start, as re- port has it, for Petersburg, by way of Ashby's Gap and Alexandria. At all events, the train comes from Winchester, meets the infantry and artillery at Millwood, where we early halt for the night. At two in the morning, we are called up to be ready to marehi at three. Various rumors are eireulated as to the occasion of this move, which instead of being forward, is backward to Cedar Creek. Ilere we take onr position on the right of the line formed by the Eighth and Nine. teenth Corps, where we are found without breast- work or like defence of any description, on the 19th of Oet. when the rebs. so adroitly and for a time successfully surprise Sheridan's sleeping forees.

In this attack, which has been sufficiently de- scribed in the papers and publications of the day, this regiment and the corps marches hastily to the rear, takes position on open ground, and give the advancing enemy, flushed with vietory, a stormy morning salutation, the first it has receiv- ed since commeneing the attack. It is only tem- porary, however, as on they soon come again, but would not if the corps had stood as this regiment stood, maintaining its ground with unwavering ranks, though left entirely alone before the foe. Nor did it move till ordered to fall back by its bold and daring Col., and not then till this is en- joined upon him by his superior officer, as he is being flanked right and left. This is the first and only time this regiment has turned its back to the enemy. As the defeat of the morning is in the afternoon turned into a vietory, at night we encamp on the same ground and in the same streets left so suddenly.

In this battle we lose of officers, one killed, Capt. B. F. Hosford, seven wounded, and two the city there are some obstacles which even our Lieutenant-General has not yet overcome. taken prisoners, Lients. Skinner and Kirkham; of enlisted men, twenty-one killed, one hundred It is tantalizing to be so near and yet unable and five wounded, and forty-nine missing ; total | to step on the rebellious spot. The view of ono hundred and eighty-five.

After this battle we remain on Cedar Creek about two weeks, then, with the army of the Shenandoah, fall back a few miles, near to Win- chester, form Camp Russell, named after the late heroie commander of our Division.

Nov. 30th, we pack up by night to start in the morning for somewhere, which proves to be Petersburg, (by rail to Washington and boat to City Point.) There we are at once put into the front line, on the south of that eity, where we now are and have been, save a day's trip south- ward in the snow, in support of Warren, in his Weldon Railroad raid.

A recent visit to the spot, on the north of Pe- | James rifles for light 12-pounders.

tersburg, where our regiment went on picket the first night it was before this place, last summer, and where it could go only under cover of night,

sweep of the place, di-close the fact that the breast work they dug with their bayonets and threw up with their cups and plates, for the first half of the night, is now the strong front line there.

By a recent order the enlisted man in this Di- vision, passing the best inspection weekly, receives a furlough of twenty days as reward; and the regiment passing the best in the brigade is published by order through the Division. Thus far this regiment has weekly received this dis- tinetion in both partienlars.

Withont vanity and yet with pride, and without any disposition to blow our trumpet unduly loud, yet with a desire to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, I may state for the information of the friends of this regiment, that in every battle in which it has engaged, it has received the unqualified approbation and commendation of its regimental brigade, division, and corps commanders.

The total of our casualties thus far, since leav- ing the fortifications, is officers killed five, wound- ed twenty-five, missing three ; enlisted men killed, one hundred and thirty-three, wounded, four hun- dred and eighty-six, missing, seventy-nine-total, seven hundred and thirty-one. To this are to be added, a long list of siek, and, in army language, "played ou: men."

Colonel MeKenzie having been promoted to a Brigadier Gen. in command of this Brigade, Lieut. Col. James Hubbard, to the gratification of all, is now our Col.

11.

From the 1st Conn. Light Battery. IST CONN. LIGHT BATTERY, Light Artillery Brigade, 25th A. C .. . Feb. 20th, 1865.

The army of the James is still inactive. The peculiar nature of a Virginia winter does not al- low of any great diversity of pursuits. The sol- diers having built their log honses, and made themselves comfortable for the winter, are now pleasantly engaged in watching and welcoming the deserting Johnnies as they, day after day, come hurrying into our lines.

but owing to the difficulty of getting suitable ammunition at all times, we were compelled to inake the exchange.

Our new light 12s have not yet had a trial on the field of battle, but we trust that they will not fall behind their illustrions predecessors in the laudable business of chastising rebels.

Since my previous communication Lieuts. Bliss and Smith have been lsomnorably discharged, they having served the full term of three years.

The Battery now has its full complement of officers and men. Torty-nine of the original members enlisted as veterans, and the places of those mustered out have been filled with recruits from the State.

The majority of these new men will make fine solliers, although I regret to say that some of the substitutes sent by the brave and patriotie (?) sons of Conneetient, are utterly unfit to be classed with the noble veterans of four years service.

This, as well as other Connecticut organiza- tions, has suffered from the present abominable system of substitution.

It is a shame for Christian patriots to allow such companions to be sent to live and associate with their sons and brothers.

I intend in another letter, to give a list of the engagements in which the Battery has participa- ted during the first three years of its serviec.

The following is a list of the present officers, all of whom it may be proper to state, were pri- vates at the organization of the Battery.

Capt. James B. Clinton, New Haven. 1st Ident. Sylvanus C. Dickinson, Milford. 1st Lieut. Theron Upson, New Haven. 2.1 Lieut. Arthur E. Clark, Milford. 2d Lieut. Samuel W. Scranton, New Haven.

The Battery has also furnished for other organ- izations, two Colonels and Captains; not a bad record for a company of one hundred and fifty men. T.

From the 2d Conn. Light Battery.

GREENVILLE, La., Feb. 17, 1865.

The past month has been one of rough experi-

From our intrenchments the church spires off ence in camp life. We left the mouth of White Richmond are in full view; but between us and | River on the 19th ult., on board the steamer Sir William Wallace, under orders to report to the Chief of Artillery of the Military Division of West Mississippi, at New Orleans. The trip down the river was very agreeable, and was only Richmond brings to mind the time when I used | interrupted by occasional heavy fogs for which to gaze on the shining spires of Charleston, due- ing Gilmore's famous siege, and wish that it might | be my good fortune to enter that city as one of a victorious army. we had to lay to until they lifted. On reaching Morganza, between which point and New Or- leans there is telegraphic communication, onr orders were so modified a- to require ns to land I trust, however, the time is near, when Rich- inend will follow Charleston, in its surrender to the soldiers of the Union. at Kennerville, ten miles above New Orleans, on the line of the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad. We disembarked on the 24th, and went into park in the immediate vicinity of the camps of several brigades and batteries, un- der command of Maj.Gen. Steele, recently in com- mand of the Department of Arkansas.

When the 10th and 18th Army Corps were re. organized into the 24th and 25th Corps, the Bat- tery was assigned to the 25th. Since that time, Dee. 1st, 1864, the Battery has been in no en- gagements.

About the last of November we exchanged our

At the tine we landed it was ind everywhere, and thereafter until the 10th inst. we saw hardly a elear day. Teams mired so readily that we had to bring our wood and rations from the depot by hand. Our park soon became knee deep in mud, and a basty inspection by the Medical Inspector,

When the order came to turn in to the ord- nance offieer, the splendid guns that had been the pride of the battery for three years, there was he enemy's sharp-shooters having euch deadly universal regret expressed by officers and men; ' resulted in our being sent to this place, where

376

THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

[MARCH,

we emne on the loth inst. It being impractica- ble to hanl the battery here, the remaining part of it was loaded ou the cars, and taken to the shell road, leading to Carrollton, where the horses joined ns, going down the level. We have here a pleasant camp, (bat the ground is low,) and superior stables for our horses,

Notwithstanding the wet weather, the men have stood it well and there are no additions to our sick list. We brought our sick with ns from White River, and sent them to hospital in New Orleans, the day after our arrival in Kennersville. On the 28th ult. one of the number, James O'Don-

joined the Battery about a year since, but had seen service before, and hind received an honora. ble discharge. Ouly four of our men are now in hospital, and the battery has a full complement of men, and is in good effective condition for the spring campaign, which has already commenced. After receiving ordnance supplies, we shall ex- and generally causeless,

peet and be ready at any hour for marching or- ders.

The following changes in the battery have re- cently taken place: Quartermaster Sergt. Henry R. Chaffce to be Ist Sergt. ; Sergt. Edward B. Jones, to be Quartermaster Sergt., and Corporal Martin Mason to be Sergeant.

Lieut. Whiting, whom we left in hospital on our departure for White River, has recovered his health and rejoined the battery. He has been promoted to be 1st Lieut.

We are daily expecting marching orders, and I suppose you with us, are anxiously watching the general impression is that the column will | the signs of the times, but while we are waiting head for Mobile. Perhaps a triumphal march throngh Alabama, taking Selma and Montgomery in the route, is the programme for the spring and do us a favor, let them urge on by all the means summer. We hope, however, to receive a visit from the Paymaster, whom we have not seen for | ranks of Connecticut regiments, that when the upwards of five months, before we receive march- ing orders. UNIos.

From Third Conn. Heavy Battery.

HEADQUARTERS ARTILLERY, Defences of City Point. Feb. 8. 1863.

MR. EDITOR :- Having seen nothing as yet in the columns of the Raconb, from our Battery, 1 take the liberty to give you a short sketch of our experience, which although not an eventual histo- ry, is nevertheless part of the record of our little State during this eventful period of our nation's history.

We bade farewell to old Connecticut on the evening of Nov. 16th, and arrived at City Point the following Sunday. It had been raining for several days and old Virginia greeted ns with her muddiest smile, but we nothing daunted, pitched our tents and proceedled to make our couch upon the sacred soil. Few of us will ever forget the week we spent in Camp Trumbull, for here we ate our Sanitary turkey, and here we were called upon to perform the last sad offices for the first of our number who yieldled to the grim monster. Corporal Beecher died on the night of Nov. 2Ist, so suddenly that his com- rades on either side of him were not awakened. He was a resident of the town of Seymour, Conn., and leaves a young wife to mourn his loss. His body was embalmed and sent home, at the ex- pense of his comrades.

---

After a week spent in shelter tents, we entered for. Pictures adorn the walls, and the men now npon the duties to which we had been assigned. ; only ask, like Jeff Davis at the commencement of We were to garrison Forts Morris, Craig, Gould and | the rebellion, "to be let alone"-to be allowed to Porter, and on Nov. 26th we struck our tents and moved into the comfortable quarters vacated for our benefit, by a detachment from a New York Artillery regiment.

Fort Lewis O. Morris, is a substantial earth- work, mounting three eight-inch siege howitzers, and is commanded by Capt. Thos. S. Gilbert. Fort. Craig, on the right, commanded by Lient. Middlebrook, mounts two similar pieces, and Forts Gould and Porter on the left, commanded nell, died. He was from Bridgeport, Coan,, and : by Licuts. Beccher and Hayden, are works of considerable importance, the whole forming the outer line of the defences of City Point, General Grant's base of supplies.

Our time here is spent ia drills, inspections and reviews, varied occasionally- by an alarm of the pickets in our front, which, however, are seldom,

At the time of the descent of the rebel rams on the 24th ult., we were ordered to Grant's Headquarters, and there mounted a battery of 4} inch rifled guns, expecting to have a little target practice, but in this we were disappointed, for the Johnnies met too much opposition above us.

Thus, nearly three months have passed away, and we are beginning to think that soldiering is not so bad after all, or that our venerable uncle is more indulgent with us than with our fellow | Adjt. Gen. soldiers.

and watching for peace, we are preparing for active service, and if our friends at home would in their power, the recruiting for the thinned spring campaign opens, it may be carried through with that vigor that will ensure success to our arms,

And now a word in regard to the relative mer- its of our branch of the service, and especially as regards onr battery. To those wishing to en- list, our battery offers inducements superior to any other organization from Connectient, not only for the reason that our duty is lighter than that of any other branch of the service, but also from the fact that we are a new organization, and each and every man has the path open before him to promotion. Our officers have seen service before with one exception, in the First Conn. Art., under Cols. Tyler and Abbott. Capt. Thos. S. Gilbert held the rank of Capt. in that Regt. as early as November, 1861. Lieut. W. B. Gilbert, formerly held a commission in Co. HI, and Lieuts. Beccher and Hayden were non-commissioned officers in Co. B, First Conn. Art. Lient. H. Middlebrook, our senior First Lieutenant, held the same rank in the 23d C. V.

And now fearing to weary you, I close, by wishing success to the REconn. Yours, truly, F. SnELnoN.

The 16th Regiment.

stop in the honses they have constructed at their own expense, long enough to pay for the money and labor invested. Capt. Dickerson who escaped from the rebels a short time ago, has command of Cos. A, B, and C: Lieut. Case, the command of Co. II, and Lient, Worsley the command of Co. I; the whole Brigade, (I believe they call it battal- lion, but Brigade sounds better,) being under the immediate supervision of Captain Barnum, a mil- itary gentleman of much style, who delights in dress parades, inspections, &e.

We have lately been re-enforced by the arrival of a Sergt., Corporal and three men, who were captured by the rebels at Plymouth, ten months ago, and have been recently exchanged. This is a pretty large addition to our regiment, and I am expecting to hear any day that they are about to form one or two new companies from the five aforesaid gentlemen.

Thomas Allshaw and Franklin Taylor, bave just been appointed Corporals in Co. II. They are both subscribers for the WAR REconD, and will, no doubt, on that account, if for no other reason, fill their positions with credit and becom- ing dignity. Col. Lchinan, of the 103d Penn. regiment, is now in command of the forces on the Island. Capt. Luther, of the 5th R. I., is Acting

ROANOKE.

From the 11th Regiment.

11TH Coxx. Vous. Feb. 28th, 1865.

EDITOR OF WAR RECORD :- The facts concern- ing the Eleventh Conn. Veteran Volunteers, stated briefly, without embellishment or comment, are about as follows:

The Regiment is in temporary camp on the North side of the James, to the right of Fort Burnham, (rebel Fort Harrison,) near the New- Market Road, and abont seven miles, as the crow flies, from Richmond. It is a part of the First Brigade, 3d Division, 24th Corps. Its camp- ground, though lately woods, is uow smooth, reg- ularly laid out, and dry for Virginia mud. It is in full view as well as in range of the rebel forts Gillom and Ripley. Our wayward brothers over there, are for the most part, well manned. They seldom throw us hardware, and for hard names, eall ns Yanks, which is often highly inappropri- ate. They are willing to barter tobacco for coffee, and when they visit us with the intent of staying, they take readily to cating hard-tack, which is one of our own customs.

Our houses are lits, made of pine logs, chiinked in with mud, and covered with shelter tents. The most popular size, is a tight squeeze for eight, which requires at each end of the tent, a double tier of double bunks. These are as long as the tent is wide; hence the clothes or feet never work off the end of the bed. These banks are as hard as poles of soft pine; but this hardness fa- cilitates getting up at early reveille. The wealthy nse little sheet iron stoves, the tops of which are flat and about as large as a platter, adapted to carving a Thanksgiving turkey, if I distinctly remember how large that is, and with pipes as

ROANORE ISLAND, N. C., Feb. 20th, 1865. At last, when spring is fast approaching, our winter quarters are completed, and better or more comfortable little houses could not be asked | large as a coat-sleeve. The poorer class use mud

877

THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

1865.]

and stick chinmeys, sometimes of a fabulous size, but nothing to boast of in height. As might be inferred, I nse a chimney. There is but one length of barrel on it.

We have lately received additions of 260 men, which makes our Regiment comparatively large. Drilling, pieketing, polishing and the usual rou- tine of camp duty, would give us enough to do. But recently our hardship have been inercased by the frequent exeention of deserters, which we are invariably invited to attend, but as yet we have never invited others to attend one of our own. We have observed that all the executions which we have attended, have been of inen in Conneetient regiments, except a few from New Hampshire.

Our line at evening parade is long and well formed. The men look strong, neat and are well. equipped. I subjoin a list of officers in the line:

COMPANY A. Captain Morris Kraszynski. 1st Lieut. George Cassedy. 2d Lient. Charles Winter. COMPANY B.

1st Lieut. William Cummings. 2d Lieut. David Mansfield. COMPANY C.

Captain Ernest Koeppen. 2d Lient. John Dupris. COMPANY D.

1st Lient. Frank Metzger. 2d Lient. Joseph Stanton. COMPANY E. Capt. Samuel W. Pray. 2d Lieut. John B. Miller. COMPANY F. Captain Charles H. Simmons. Ist Lieut. Frank Day. 2d Lieut. Erwin Eastman. COMPANY G. Captain David A. Hoag.

1st Lieut. Alvin Burley. COMPANY II. 2d Lieut. Royal O. Payne. COMPANY I. Ist Lient. Henry A. Eastman. 2d Lieut. Robert Thompson. COMPANY K. 2d Lieut. Charles Douglas.

Capt. Blackman and Lieut. Walker, are home on leave of absence. Lieut. Foote is on the staff of Col. Cullen, commanding Ist Brigade.

Of the Field and Staff, Lieut. Col. Rice is un- well, from his old wound, and now at the hospi- tal. Major Warren, in command, and Chaplain DeForest tent at one end of the line; Adjutant Randall holds the other, while Surgeon Satterlee. | sentatives of a higher law and order, than they with Lieut. and Acting Quartermaster Keables ever did before. complete it.

Our veteran Surgeon, Dr. Whiteomb, is at of the command can hardly be better than it is. Point of Rocks Hospital, and Lieut. G. W. Davis acting Quartermaster of the 2d Division, 18th Corps, during the summer's enmpaign, is still absent.

Sergeant Major, Marshall Kenyon, Quartermas- | tallion, I give you here a roster of officers as ap- pears at this writing:

ter Sergeant Charles Parker, Commissary Sergt. Edward Babbitt, Hospital Steward, George Bron- son, Ordnance Sergeant, Waldo Raynsford and Sergeant Chas, Rogers, of the Drum Corps, are all present and on duty.

To morrow, a new and magnificent National Flag is to be presented to the Regiment. Our new State Flag is of rare beauty, and as they stand side by side, each setting out the other, fluttering in changing yet ever parallel curves, and so blending their folds. I think of the time when State Rights will as easily lose themselves in National Supremacy, and a little remnant of the old. battered Eleventh, may follow these col- ors home, less torn and riddled by ball and shell, I would fain hope, than the original colors which we now send before us. God speed that day.

II. S. D. F.

From the 12th Regiment. SUMMIT POINT, VA., ¿

12TH Coxx., Feb. 27mm, 1865. 1

Sinee the crodus of the non-veterans of the old 12th, and with them your correspondent "J. II. B." you are, I believe, without tidings of our or- ganization. This is not at all as it should be, for mueh the greater part of the Twelfth Conn. Vols. remains, and is reorganized under the title of "Twelfth Conn. Veteran Battalion," and is eom- posed of the very best of the good material that formed the original organization. The graphic pen of one of its ex officers, has succinctly placed the record of its deeds and triumph, in the pages of Harper's Monthly for Jan. and Feb., and has doubtless made a majority of the readers of the WAR RECORD familiar with them.

As several Conn. regiments participated in the late campaign of the Shenandoah, let me here, by way of parenthesis say, that a transfer to your columns of the two articles would not be inap- propriate, but owing to their high merit, a proper preservation.

Since the 25th of last December, we have eon- tinued to occupy our present position, engaged mainly in guarding a section of the military Rail- road, connecting the Headquarters of the Army at Winchester with its base of supply-Harper's Ferry. Our quarters are good. built substan- tially of logs, with tent coverings, and warmed by substantial brick ; fire-places. Some of the chimneys are built with bricks that made a part of "Old John Brown's" prison, at Charlestown, where that martyr to freedom was confined. prior to his execution.

The prison and Court-house wherein he was tried, have both experienced their full measure of retributive justice-if such can be meted ont to inanimate things-by being levelled to the ground by our soldiers, as "they went marching on." The materials of which both builings were com- posed are now, certainly, serving a better par- pose, in being the agents of comfort to the repre.

Surgeon Cumming says, the sanitary condition There are no cases of sickness, and but few casu- alties-the result of slight accidents from axes, cte.

Owing to the many changes made in the Bat-

FIELD AND STAFF.

Lieut. Col. Geo. W. Lewis-in Conn. on sick lenve.

Major Siduey E. Clark-in command.

Assistant Surgeon James R. Cumming. Jairus F. Lines.

Adjutant John Mullen.

Quartermaster Henry Tuttle.

Co. A-Captain James E. Smith.

" A-Ist Lieut. Chas. W. Coe.

" B-Capt. James D. Roche.

" B-Ist Lieut. Henry Gibbons. " C-1st Lieut. John W. Phelps. " C-2d Lieut. Edwin G. Sawn.

" D-Capt. Hiram F. Chappell.

" E-2d Lieut. Augustus Gray.

" F-Captain Francis Smith.

" F-2d Lieut. Howard L. Hinc.

By this it will be seen that no single company has its eomplement of officers, but recommenda- tion will doubtless be made to the Gov. by Major Clark, commanding, before we enter upon the spring campaign, to supply the vacancies in the eomniand. At least, such is the very natural in- ference. The recent glorious successes of our arms, have greatly inspirited "our boys," and we shall enter active operations, when we do enter, in body and mind, all that eonld be desired.

The logic of events is rapidly settling a peace for us without the aid of "political assistance"- the only peace that ean endure. The peace we mean to have.

The days of equivocal relations are ended. Peace means submission-abolition-higher law -free niggers, and a Free Country ; and the fact is known, and appreciated too, quite as well in " Dixie" as among ourselves.

"Great revolutions never go baekwards." The wheel of progress onee in motion, the genins of America will not arrest it, until the perfect freedom of its people-white and black-is consummated. "The boys that wear the army blue," so uuder. stand it-and already are credulous enough to be- lieve they can discern the beginning of the end. Fill up the ranks; let every Union man that can -come, and he that cannot, let him send a man. And we may all celebrate on our next national birth-day, the down-fall and complete discomfit- ure of this l'andora's box of rebellion. It now needs but one more effort; "A long pull-a strong pull, and a pull altogether," to do it. No prouder record can be made than this on the page of history-"I was a soldier in the army that made Ameriea free." W. H. R.

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The Connecticut war record, 1863-1865, Part 121

Author: Morris, John M., ed Publication date: 1863 Publisher: New Haven : Peck, White & Peck Number of Pages: 886

Author: Morris, John M., ed
Publication date: 1863
Publisher: New Haven : Peck, White & Peck
Number of Pages: 886