The Connecticut war record, 1863-1865, Part 137

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

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Captain of Co. E, in this regiment May 1st, 1861. Just previous to this he went with Kil- patrick in his last great raid, (April, 1864,) into the very fortifications of Richmond,

The opening of Grant's campaign of 1864, found our hero on the stall of Gen. Wilson, commanding the 3d Cavalry Division, under whom he fought the whole campaign at the

us experience in this very matter-wide acquaint- | home of Lyon, and here

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THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

[JULY.

Wilderness, May 5th to 7th, with Sheridan, in A record of services such as we have enu- his ride round Lee's Army to White House, {merated could not be passed by, hence, on rec- at Yellow Tavern (where Jeb. Stuart was kill- ed,) and in the hiot fight at Ashland, on the Ist of June.

June 29th, Wilson went on his hazardous raid from in front of Petersburg to our extreme left, to destroy the Southside Railroad, which, successfully accomplished, he found himself surrounded by rebel cavalry, and sent Captain Whittaker with 40 men to cut his way through to Gen. Meade and report "the situation." This almost impossible task Capt. W. accom- plished with a loss of all but 15 of his men, and received the warmest thanks of General Meade, who at once forwarded relief to Wilson.

Such services marked the man, and, July 10th, he was sent to Washington by General Grant, and was assigned by the Secretary of War, to command the Cavalry in the defences, - with whom he fought Early and Harry Gil- more, July 17th. Sept. 14th, 1864, he was commissioned Major of his regiment, "for dis- tinguished services."

October 1st, he was ordered west as chief of Gen. Wilson's staff, and as such served in Ala- bama, Georgia, and Tennessee, during Hood's campaign in Sherman's rear. In November he applied to return to his regiment, of which he assumed command at Martinsburg, Va., Nov. 19th, passing the remainder of the winter in the Shenandoah Valley. Jan. 17th, Lieut. Col. Brayton Ives having been mado Colonel, Whit- taker was promoted to the Lieut. Coloneley of the regiment. Feb. 5th he was detailed in command of 300 picked men, on the arduous duty of chasing that " will o' the wisp," Harry Gilmore and his gang. After the extraordinary ride of 142 miles in 48 hours, over mountains and swollen rivers, he surprised Gilmore's camp, and captured the dashing leader. On the 13th of the same month he was detailed as Assistant Inspector General of the division, on the staff of Gen Custar, commanding. With this Gen- eral ho remained till the close of active service. At Waynesboro,' Va., March 2d, he led three regiments in a charge on the enemy's flanks, resulting in the defeat of Early.

In Sheridan's grandest raid, Feb. 28th to Mar. 19th, from the Shenandoah Valley down to near Lynchburg, and then around Richmond to Grant's lines, with his entire command, Whittaker was constantly in the saddle, con- stantly fighting, and ever winning laurels. At Ashland, March 19th, he led his regiment against Pickett's division, and engaged them thirco miles from Richmond. With his com- mand ho was next engaged in a charge upon Gen. Early and escort of 240 men, routing and capturing nearly all of them, the bibulous old General escaping with a single orderly. In Sheridan's last advance, that compelled Lee's surrender, Col. W. was engaged at Dinwiddie C. II. March 29th, Five Forks, April 1st, Sail- or's Creek, April 6th, and Appomattox Station, April 8th.

omnendation of Gens. Custar and Sheridan, Lieut. Col. Whittaker was brevetted a Brigadier General, to date March 13th, 1865, "for gal- lantry at Five Forks and Appomattox Station." Since his last promotion he has been and is still serving as Chief of Staff and Inspector General to Maj .- Gen. II. E. Davies, (a former officer of the old Harris Light,) commanding the Cavalry Corps, and has been engaged in reorganizing the cavalry, mustering out, con- solidating, etc. The General's headquarters are at Washington, where, now that the sol- dier's hardest work is done, he was recently married to Miss Theodora Davis, a fair daughter of that city.

We recollect reading somewhere in Ruskin, that the most eloquent narrations aro often those that simply state facts without note or comment. On this theory we can safely rest the record of the life of Connecticut's greatest cavalryman .- only expressing the hope, that his native state, while she duly honors her martyred dead, will not forget her living heroes. 11. P. G.

Capt. U. N. Parmelee.

The 1st Conn. Cavalry lost one of its most valued officers, when CAPT. U. N. PARMELEE fell at Five Forks, Va., April 1st, 1865.

IIe was a native of Guilford, Conn., where he resided from his birth, Aug. 24, 1841, till he left home at the age of eighteen, to enter College at New Haven.

All who knew him in early years and up to the beginning of his military career, speak of him as having developed steadily, the quali- ties of mind and heart which afterwards won for him such admiration and love. Every one thought him destined, by native talent and large acquirements, to fill an important place in life, wherever his sphere of work might be. Rev. George I. Wood, of Guilford, writes of him: "I have known him well for several years, Eas Pastor of the church with which he was connected, and have watched with no com- mon interest, the development of his growth into manhood. In the year 1859, he came out from the world, alone, and stood up for Jesus, with a deliberation and strength of purpose that gave promise of a faithful and fearless ser- vice in his cause. At the age of eighteen, with no reliance, except what he felt upon God and his own indomitable energy, he became a member of Yale College, and pursued his cause cheerfully and successsfully, until he recognized a higher call to more immediate service in his country's cause. With a breadth of vision, an intelligence and maturity of mind uncommon in one of his years, he saw how much was at stake, and willingly resigned his whole earthily interest to join in the struggle; for his Government and the rights of man. lofty aims, of singular purity of character, dis- interested, self reliant and fearless, he was one of the noblest of nature's noblemen."

I extract also, a few sentences from a letter written by Rev. II. II. Murray, who was a col- lege mate of tho deceased. He says of him : "I always regarded him as the most promising of all my friends of his age. Ifis scholarship was good; his reading had been varied and extensive ; his memory tenacious, his under- standing clear ; his mind was of a high order. His candor and love of truth were remarkable ; I do not think he could equivocate. Of all the men with whom I have met, whether young or old, I know of none who love their country more appreciatively or intelligently than did Parmelee. 'What is knowledge worth to me,' he would often say, 'without a country ?' 'Better die with it than survive its loss.' Ilis subsequent deeds attest the sincer- ity of his words."

At the beginning of the Junior year, he left College and volunteered as a private in the Harris Guards, a New York regiment, as he preferred cavalry, and Conn. had no organiza- tion then in that branch of the service. Hc threw himself with his usual ardor into his new life, and was not long in securing the respect of all with whom he became acquaint- cd.

In order to show how he stood with his superior officers at this time, I copy a few words written of him by Gen. John C. Cald- well, commanding 1st Division, 20 A. C., Jan. 18, 1864: "Corporal U. N. Parmelee, 6th N. Y. Cavalry, has been my orderly since the summer of 1862. He was with me at the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancel- lorsville, Gettysburg and Bristoe Station. ITis bravery and gallantry are worthy of the high- est praise ; I have never seen a braver soldier." The following is an extract from Gen. Cald- well's official report of the battle of Chancel- lorsville :

" I cannot close my report without at least a passing notice of my orderly, Corporal U. N. Parmelee, Co. D, 6th N. Y. Cavalry. When a new regiment, (148th N. Y.,) broke under the first deadly fire, he rendered efficient and timely service in rallying the men and urging them on. I think him worthy of promotion, both for his gallantry and other high qualities." These strong recommendations coming to the knowledge of Gov. Buckingham, Parmelee was commissioned in the spring of '65, as 2d Lieut. in the 1st Conn. Cavalry, and was as- signed for duty to Co. H. Ile was with the regiment from that time, almost constantly, in all its hard work, during the busiest cavalry year of the war, till his decease, fully sustain- ing all the while, the high character as a sol- dier and a man, which he brought with him when he joined us.

In the severe fight at Asliland, June 1, '64, when the regiment were attacked in rear and Offon both flanks, by a superior force of rebel cavalry, no officer did more by his influence over the men, and especially by his personal example to hold the enemy and save our whole

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Brigade from utter rout. At one stage of the fight he charged forward with a handful of men beyond our extreme advance, to capture a flag of the enemy, and the prize was just within his grasp when his horse was killed and he was obliged reluctantly to retire. For gallan- try in this battle he was promoted from 2d Lieut. of Co. II, to Captain of Co. I. With this larger sphere for the exercise of his tal- cnts and virtues, he grew in the esteem not alone of liis company, who loved him for the faithful care he took of them always, but of that a large peach orchard, with its trees in the regiment. a page from a letter received form Col. Bray- ton Ives, commanding the Ist Conn. Cavalry, giving particulars of his death. He writes : "Capt. Parmelee was killed about noon, on the first of April, at the battle of Five Forks. The 1st Conn. held the extreme right of Cus- tar's Division. We were advancing dismounted and in single line, slowly driving the enemy before us. We halted for a few moments at a ravine, in a narrow belt of woods, just in front of which lay a broad open field, and beyond full bloom. Every thing was quiet, not a shot In Oet., 1864, his squadron, while on pieket, were surrounded by a brigade of rebels and compelled to surrender. The Captain was treated shamefully, robbed of money, clothing, and even of personal effects of no use to his captors-forced to march bare-foot over a stony by his adroitness and pluck, in effecting an escape, and rejoined the regiment, to enter more heartily into the work than ever. had been fired for some time. The silence seemed to me suspicious, for I knew the enemy could not be far from us. We had not lain still more than five minutes when one of Cus- tar's staff rode up in front of the 3d N. J., which was on the left of the 1st Conn. and road for many miles, but succeeded in two days | called out, 'there's a rebel battery over in that orchard, entirely unsupported.'. The Jer- sey men gave a shout and dashed ahead pell- mell. My lads wished to follow, but I ordered The zeal with which he performed all his duties did not arise from any relish for them. IIc used often to express his strong aversion to the routine of military life, while admitting its necessity and submitting to it with cheerful- ness. Most who witnessed the impetuous ar- dor of his courage in time of engagement, thought him in his favorite element; and few even of the comrades who admired his daring, | yell, the 1st Conn. charged 'on the run.' But knew what it cost him to be so brave. He had an instinctive dread of battle-as perhaps the bravest of men generally have-but when tlic bugle said "forward," he was at his post, doing his duty, with his whole soul. The motto of his life seemed to be in the army as everywhere, "whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord." He remained in the service as he entered originally, from a conviction of duty. In one of his very last letters from Whitehouse, before the cavalry started on the final campaign, he writes, "I long for home, and shall resign the very moment when I can do so honorably, which I conceive to be when the hard fighting is over." them to halt, for I knew there was mischief brewing. But officers and men entreated me by looks and words to allow them to go for- ward, and I think I was decided by Captain Parmelee. I sat on my horse near him, and I never shall forget his eagerness to advance, nor the appealing look he gave me. Unable to resist longer, I cried "forward," and with a no sooner had we reached the outer edge of the woods than that peaceful looking peach orchard assumed a different character. The bright pink blossoms were blown into the air by bullets, sltells, canister and grape-shot. Every man who had gone into the open field was shot down. Fortunately another staff officer rode up with an order for the line to retire. Just at this moment, a shell struck Capt. Parmelee in the breast, killing him instantly. His body was carried to the rear and laid under a tree, till after the battle, when the inen buried it, pla- cing a wreath of flowers upon the grave, and marking the spot with a head-board, upon which was written the name and rank of the leceased. Without injustice to any of the faitliful officers who followed me through that severe closing campaign, and without undue Inudation of the dead, I can say that I regarded Capt. Parmelee as the most valuable line offi- cer in my regiment. You know he came to us

He was not a man who left his religion be- hind, when he started for the army. Few ofli- cers had so intelligent, earnest a sympathy with their Chaplain as he liad. In the con- stant hurry of cavalry work, there was little opportunity for any considerable demonstra- tiveness in the way of religious work, but he | last year almost a total stranger, bringing sim- proved himself to those who knew him best, an honest, manly Christian ; and his friends have tho sweet assurance that he passed quick- ly from the bloody battle to his heavenly reward.

ply a commission won by gallant conduct in action. Bat months ago, he proved his right to further promotion, and if at the close of a figlit a man could say he had been with Capt. Parmelee, all knew he had seen the thickest of I will not trespass further on your room, to speak more particularly of his general charac- ter as we knew him-of his cheerful, buoyant spirit, never ruffled by peril or hardship, his quiet, genial, never-failing humor, his unselfish the engagement. But I valued him not simply for his daring. I recognized in him a degreo of principle, and a high-toned, honorable ambi- tion such as I attributed to no other officer in the regiment. In short, it was only another generosity, his bearing as a gentleman, his instance of the preference of death for a shi- warm sympathies as a friend. But I munst add | ning mark. We all loved him, and our hearts

were sad that pleasant Sunday morning, as we marched past his grave in pursuit of the flying enemy. I wish his friends to know that my words of esteem represent the feelings of all the officers of the regiment."

Such is the testimony of our Commanding Offiecr. We feel that since the war began, no costlier offering has been laid upon the nation's altar, than the precious life of our comrade, Capt. U. N. Parmelee. II.

H. Whitney Chatfield.

HEADQUARTERS 17TH REGT. CONN. VOLS. } St. Augustine, Fla., Feb. 13th, 1865.

Again we are called upon to lament a comrade's death. Our brother, Lient. II. WHITNEY CHAT- FIELD, is no more. It has pleased the Almighty to remove from our midst, and take unto himself a beloved companion, thereby overwhelming us with grief and sorrow. While we bow in sub- mission to the all wise ruler of the universe, whose consoling influence is ever ontstretched, we have still another consolation in knowing that our brave comrade fell with his face to the foc, with sword unsheathed, bravely contending with our common enemy, for the right, and his eoun- try's honor.

Thus has he fallen! in the very blossom and spring-tide of life, far away from kindness and home, gone from his old associates in arms, saeri- fieing his young life upon the altar of his eoun- try's greatness. Well may we say-

Oh gallant soldier ! brave companion of our love; Who, dying here, survivest in bliss above ! A happy life thon gain'st no more to know The toils and changes of our world below.

It cannot but serve to alleviate the intense grief of his relatives and friends, in their house of mourning, when they feel they are not alone in their lamentations-that those with whom he has been connected for the past three years in the many hardships and vicissitudes of war, gaining our loves and esteem by his affability of manner and integrity of character-maintaining that great essential virtue of a soldier, "courage." Well do we deeply sympathize with the afflicted ones at home, in this, their great and irreparable loss.

To give such utterance to our loss in words, (though inadequate to express our sorrow,) we would adopt the following resolutions:

Resolved, That while we bow with humility to the blow, and exclaim, " Thy will be donc," we deeply mourn the loss of our comrade, whose bravery and talents are so much required in this hour of our country's need, and whose generous, cheerful and affable disposition endeared him to all.

Resolved, That we condole with the afflicted family of the deceased, committing them to the care of Him " who doeth all things well," and who alone can comfort in so deep a sorrow.

Resolved, That copies of the above be furuished to his friends, and be forwarded to the Bridgeport Standard. Norwalk Gazette, and the CoxN. WAR RECORD, for publication.

Henry Allen, Maior. Sabin Stocking, Surgeon. Capt. Enos Kellogg, : Chas. Smith, Jr., Ist Lt. Elijah Gregory, Assistant Surgeon, Jolm S. Ward, Quart'mr. Geo. W. Sparr, Ud Lieut. Chas E. Doty. Thomas B. Weed, 16

W'm. L. Hubbell, Jaines HI. Avres. .. James E. Hubbell, John Harvey, 1st Lieut. Albert W. Peek, Jos. E. Morehouse, Henry MeDonough, Thomas I. Cave, Henry North, Win. L. Daniels, Morris Jones,

Henry E. Williams, Garrett D. Bowne, George C. Lees, Horace Whitney, Edgar S. Wilcoxson,

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THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

[JULY,

From the 22d Regiment.

The Twenty-Second Regiment Volunteer Mili- tia, the first furnished by the State under the call of the President for nine months' troops, was re- crnited exclusively in Hartford County ; and four companies, namely, Captain Jolin G. Root's Con- pany, (B), Captain Luther G. Riggs's Company, (C), Captain Charles C. Shultes's Company, II), Captain Clinrles Whittlesey's Company, (I), were severally reernited in the city of Hartford.

Company H .- Captain. Charles C. Shultes; First | own hook. The trigade comprised three regi- Lieutenant, William II. Root; Second Lienten- ant, Louis Springer.

Company 1 .- Captain, Charles Whittlescy ; First Lieutenant, A. Clifford Griswold; Second Lien- tenant, Lemuel 1I. Boondmnn.

Company K .- Captain, Benjamin T. Loomis; First Lientenant, Eugene E. Sheldon; Second Lieutenant, Surnndus Johnson.

Comparatively few of the officers knew the first . Reerniting for this Reginent commenced on the | order in the manual of arms, to say nothing of twentieth of August; and just one month from that date, namely, on the twentieth day of Sep- temiber, the Regiment was mustered into the ser- vice of the United States, at Camp Halleck, Hart- ford, by Lieutenant Walter Well, 3d Artillery, U. S. A., to serve for the period of Nine Months, ualess sooner discharged. The regiment was full a long time prior to the muster, and two compa. nies, (Capt. John G. Root's and Capt. Luther G. Riggs's), reported at Camp on the second day of September.

The reverse our arms met with about this time, and the great excitement fomented by means of War Meetings, together with enormous Govern- ment, State, and private bouutics offered, furnish- iag a solution to the problem of so universal and prompt a response to the call for "Three Hund- red Thousand More." One instance of liberality, on the part of individuals, to help along eulist- ments, we may refer to, in the case of Charles F. Hillyer, Esq., President of the Charter Oak Bank, who gave nearly one thousand dollars in boun- ties to the enlisted men of a company being re- erDited by Lieutenants Glofcke and Riggs-which company subsequently took the name of the Hill- yer Guards.

The organization of the regiment was as fol- lows:

FIELD AND STAFF:

! Colonel-George S. Burnbam.

Lieutenant- Colonel-Ellsworth N. Phelps. Major-Herman Glofeke. Chaplain-Chiarles C. Adams. Adjutant-Charles A. Jewell.

Quartermaster-Julius S. Gilman.

Surgeon-Jonntliau S. Curtis.

Assistant Surgeon-Calvin Pease, Jr.

SLINE OFFICERS:

Company A .- Captain, Albert P. Armbonster ; First Lieutenant, Allen D. Freneh ; Second Lieu- tennnt, Thomas Il. Thirkle.

Company B .- Captain, John G. Root: First Lieutenant, John K. Williams; Second Lieuten- ant, De Wille C. Skilton.

Company C .- Captain, Luther G. Riggs; First Lientenant, Israel C. Boggs; Second Lieutenant, Horatio H. Pollnrd.

Company D .- Captain, E. Buell Root; First Lieutenant, Lester Whiton; Sceond Lieutenant. Frank Me Anlitie.

Company E .- Captain, Frank Swnn; First Lieu- tennut, Everett. B. P'resten; Second Lieutenant, Benjamin F. Reynolds.

Company F .- Captain, George Cleb; First Lien- tenant, Jolin W. Anderson; Second Lieutenant, Walter Ince.

Company G .- Captain, George W. Johnson ; First Lientennnt, David P. Corbin ; Second Lien- tenant, Thomas F. MeMaine.

how they were to give instructions to the men they were to command. The raising of the reg- iment wns an emergency-and the necessity for the men compelled the Government to allow them the choice of officers. Colonel Burnham, Captain E. B. Root, and Lieutenant Boggs, had previously served in the 1st Connecticut Regiment; Major Glofeke had been a Lieutenant in the Ist Artil- lery, and Captain Riggs, originally a private in the Ist Light Battery, held an appointment asad- ditional A. D. C. to Major-General Hunter, and Acting Adjutant of the somewhat celebrated bat- talion of sable warriors, the First Regiment South Carolina Volunteers. With these exceptions, I believe, the officers were all fresh in the service, and as green as may be imagined.

The regiment left llartford for the scat of war on one of the stormiest dnys of the season, Octo- ber 2d. It embarked on the commodious steamer Granite State, and arrived at Pier No. 2, North River, about six o'clock the following morning. The regiment was received with an excellent breakfast at the then new barracks on the Bat- tery, and nfterwards took the ferry-boat Kill. Ver- Kull for Elizabeth City. At the latter place, it took the ears of the New Jersey Central Railroad, reaching llarrisburg at six o'clock Sunday morn- ing-Bnltimore nt four o'clock the same nfternoon -where supper and breakfast was served at the Union Relief Committee Rooms. We arrived in Washington about ten o'clock Sundny evening,- bivouacked on the fiats near the station house, and the next morning inarehed to East Capitol Hill. where we found part of the Second Provisional Brigade, under Brig. Gen. Silas Casey, who re- viewed us on the day of our arrival.

The regiment remained on Capital llill but two days, when the first "marehing orders" were re- ceived, and we were ordered to ndvance into the enemy's country. Accordingly, about three o. clock in the afternoon, we for the first time broke camp, and got into line of battle, colors flying, drums beating, and accompanied with all the pa- geants and martial display imaginnble. In this way we marched down Capitol Hill -- through the long and monotonous Pennsylvania Avenue. past the White Ilouse, over to Georgetown, and up the narrow nnd mud-beridden canal-way to the fa- mous Chain Bridge. Here we rested for orders, nud at Major Doubleday's plensure, were bidden to cross the " chain " connecting-link, nnd pillow our weary leads, nud rest our tired legs a few brief hours on a side-hill under the imposing bar- bette guus of Fort Ethan Allen,

Next morning we advanced half n mile beyond Fort Ethan Allen, und encamped in a benutiful peach orchinrd. We were now part of the l'ro- visioual Brigade, (where we had no " provision" at all), and were bidden to establish one on one

ments, all nine months' meu -- and Colonel Burn- hamn being senior officer, assumed the temporary rank and title, with the brief authority nnd nll the dignity supposed to appertain to an Aeting Brigadier-General.

It wns at this time our regiment performed its first picket duty, at Langley, on the Leesburg pike, a main road leading to Winchester and the famous " Geese Creek." Though full fifty miles from the most advanced of the enemy's pickets, and with our cavalry seouts nnd an advanced picket of our own in front, our first week of ont- post or grand guard duty was fraught with more hair-breadth escapes-of miraenlous prevention from death or eaptivity-a thousand times worse than death-in short, with more thrilling events than pervaded the entire calendar of the remain- ing period of our service.

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The Connecticut war record, 1863-1865, Part 137

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