The Connecticut war record, 1863-1865, Part 3

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

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For the Connecticut War Record. The Constitution.

Read the Constitution of the United States. Read it! Read it! It is very short and very simple. You can read it through in ten minutes. There is no mystery about it. It was made by the people ; it was made for the people. Any man of ordinary sense can under- stand it, for all practical purposes, as well as the most learned lawyer in the land. Most of the disputes about it have been got up by demagogues. You and your neighbor, perhaps, have been engaged in such disputes for ten or twenty years, without having, either of you, read the Constitution ; while if you had both spent ten minutes in reading it together, yon would both agree that your dispute was absurd, and that you had been drawn into it by politicians who have presumed upon your ignorance.

We verily believe that one important cause of the troubles of our country is to be found in the fact that very few of our people have ever taken the trouble to read the Constitution. They spend hours and days and months in disputing, and in listening to the harangnes of stump orators, and reading newspaper talk about the Constitution, and about what is con- stitutional or unconstitutional, and, after all, they have very vagne, foggy, and un- sound, and perhaps dangerous notions about the whole subject. This is all wrong. We propose a remedy for it. Rend the Constitution for yourself. Do

Since the surrender, expeditions have sible. been sent in various directions, and the campaign which was spent through Al- Until the very last moment the news not trust any demagogue or politician or newspaper to tell you what it is or what bama and Georgia, will be vigorously from Charleston has been favorable and pursued. A column under General Sher- hopeful, but the prospect of the imme- it means. It is perfectly simple; perfect- man attacked the rebels at Jackson-the diate reduction of Sumter is suddenly ily clear; perfectly intelligible to every forces under Joe Johnston, estimated at overcast. After the successful attack man of ordinary understanding. You thirty thousand-and forced them to upon Morris Island, General Gifhore: will find it very interesting; and you evaenate the place. Its possession in-attempted to carry Fort Wagner by | will wonder at the absurd stuff -- the im- volves the control of the railways which assault, but was repulsed. He has since measurable nonsense, which the talkers centre there, and effectually ents of a been besieging it, and on the 19th re- have talked, and the hearers, who will not read, have believed, about that sim- ple, noble, immortal instrument, the Con- stitution of the United States. large portion of the seceded territory newed the assault. but was again driven from further communication with the back with very severe losses. The ar- Eastern states that are still in rebellion. counts by the last steamer are to the General Grant will probably direet his feet that ke will be unable to do more attack upon Mobile, or detaching a suffi- than maintain his position till the arrival

We intend hereafter to discuss one or two questions relating to the Constitu-

eient column to insure the eapture of that of reinforo ment. The attack failed tion ; but we do not wish anybody to ae- city, will advance his main body north- from the bad management of General cept our opinion upon our authority. eastwardly in the direction of Chatta -: I'manan Lyman, Chief of Staff to Gen- |Therefore, we beg every one of our read- nooga or Atlanta, meaning to cooperate jeral Gilmore, who delayed sending for- ers to read the Constitution for himself. with the army under General Rosecrans, ward the supporting column, for nearly ; It can be found in various forms; if you Their united forees will be strong enough two hours after the first assault had been ; have no copy, borrow one of your neigh- to sweep before them whatever vestige made. The capture of Charleston, there- Ibor, and read it carefully.

THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

1863.]

THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD

NEW HAVEN, AUGUST, 1863.

*.* All communications should be addressed to "THE Cox- SECTICCT WAR RECORD."

We present to-day the first number of the WAR RECORD. While we have not been able to realize our own idea in this number, yet we trust that it will meet with favor from the community. All of the original articles written for the Record are from authors of well-known ability, and we be- lieve that the facts stated in this Journal are en- tirely reliable.

Though in the desperate struggle of the Revolu- tion our little State was only second in the num- ber of troops sent to the army, and though Wash- ington always in his times of darkness and need, sent to " Brother Jonathan " for aid, with full confidence that his appeal would not be in vain, yet, in the progress of our astounding natioual prosperity, when a single city now contains more inhabitants than our whole State, and many States have ariseu from whose teeming populations ten brigades could be raised more easily than oue from ours, we have feared lest the meed of honor due to our regiments might be ohseured or for- gotten in the attention drawn to the achieve- ments of the armies which the great States have sent to the field.

Those who have watched the progress of this rebellion, will readily acknowledge that the sons of Connecticut have reason to be proud of their good old State, when they remember with what alaerity our men flew to arms, the comparative num- ber of those who went to the field, their undauut- ed bravery, the victories won sometimes mainly through their valor, and the steadiness and dis- cipline they have shown in defeat. It will not be forgotten that in the panie at Bull Run, our regiments were the only ones which came off the field iu good order, thereby showing those great qualities which enable men to meet disaster without losing courage and self-possession. We have felt that it was due to our heroic fathers, to our children aud to ourselves that the brave deeds of our patriotic soldiers should be inscribed ou an imperishable Record, so that future generations may know that Connecticut, though small in area, has ever been great in men. We hope by corres- pondence from each regiment, to give every mouth a correct statement of all matters of general in- terest connected with all our soldiers; to make this Journal a medium of communication from the soldiers to our citizens, and from their homes 10 the soldiers ; to give biographical sketches of all who distinguish themselves in whatever capacity of those who fall; devoting our attention espe- cially to Connecticut sokliers, but not forgetting those brave men who have gone from other States to help the national cause. We intend to give a history of each of our twenty-eight regiments from the beginning to the end of their respective terms of service ; also the Legislative and Exec- utive support given to thein, and the cause; and able articles in defense of good government, of the Union and the laws, which will be furnished by our best writers.

We trust that all will readily encourage an en- terprise designed to vindicate the claims of our State to a lof y position, now as formerly, for pat- riotism, bravery and honor.

From the New York Tribune. The Month's Events.

The President of the United States has set apart to-day as a day for National thanksgiving. praise and prayer, b-cause God has hearkened to the supplications and prayers of an afflicted peo- ple, and has granted us signal and fruitful vieto- ries. We gratefully recognize the fitness of the moment. Not since the outbreak of the Rebellion has this struggling nation passed through a month illustrated and consecrated by such triumphs as came to us in July. Our thanksgiving will not be less devout or reverent if we recall to mind the separate occasions for gratitude which its history presents,

July 3. The victory at Gettysburg. Rebel loss in killed, wounded and prisoners. 33,000.

July 4. Capture of Vicksburg, with 31,000 pris- oners, 220 guns, and 70,000 small arms.

July 4. Victory at Helena, Arkansas, the rebels losing 2,700 killed, wounded, and prisoners.

July 4. Rebel evacuation of Tullahoma, as the result of a series of contests in which the rebel loss was over 4,000.

July 6. Defeat of Stuart by Buford at Hanover, with loss of 1,000 prisoners, and two guns.

July 8. Capture of Port Hudson, 7,000 prison- ers and numerous cannon and small arms.

July 8. Snecessful cavalry engagement near Funkstown, General Pleasanton capturing 600 prisoners.

July 9. Another victory by our cavalry, under Buford and Kilpatrick, at Boonsboro. We give below the Location of all the Connecti- ent regiments and batteries, as nearly as could be ascertained at the Adjutant General's office the July 10. The Rebel batteries on Morris I-Land last of July. Where the exact locality of regi- ments cannot be made known an address is given in Charleston harbor attacked and carried, and a | which will be most likely to insure the direct for- warding of letters.

secure foothold gained on the island for future op. erations against Fort Sumter.

July 13. Yazoo City, six guns, a gunboat, large quantities of stores, and 500 prisoners captured by our forces.

July 14. A brigade of rebels and two guns cap- tured at Falling Waters, and the Rebel General Pettigrew killed.

July 14. Admiral Lee captures Fort Powhatan on the James River.

July 16. Joe Johnson is driven out of Jackson, Mississippi, by our forces under General Sherman. | with the loss of stores destroyed and captured. aud large amounts of rolling stock on the rail- roads.

July 16. Victory of General Blunt at Elk Creek over 5,000 rebels under Cooper, with capture of two guns and 100 prisoners.

July 18. Morgan loses 1,000 of his guerrilla gang near Buffington, Ohi ..

July 19. About Soy more of the same expedi- tion captured.

July 19. Two companies of rebels and an am- munition train captured at Jackson, Tennessee.

July 20. Morgan's lieutenant, Basit Duke, and 1,500 of his men taken prisoners at George's Creek.

July 22. Railway bridge. 350 feet long, over the Tar River, at Rocky Mount, destroyed by cavalry expedition from Newbern, together with a great amount of public property, two steamers and one iron clad wear y finished.

July 22. Capture of Brashear City, Louisiana. July 24. Capture of Wytheville, and 125 pris- oners.

July 26. Jolm Morgan and all the remainder of his forces surrender to General Shackleford.

July 28. Rebels defeated at Lexington. Teones- see, with loss of a colonel, and other officers, and two cannon.

July 29. The Rebel General Pegram defeated at Paris, Kentucky, with severe losses.

July 30. Rebels, 2,000 strong, defeated at Win- chester, Kentucky, by Colonel Sanders.

July 31. Successful attack on the enemy at Lan- caster, Kentucky.

Twenty-eight successful contests, with a loss to the enemy of more than 300 guns and 80,000 pris- oners. Lee driven back into Virginia, the Miesis- sippi open from its source to the Gulf, the rebels expelled from nearly all Tennessee and Mississippi. the territory subject to their military control re- duced to the States of Alabama, Georgia, South and North Carolina and a part of Virginia We may indeed with full hearts thank God for his mercies, and from his manifestation of loving kindness to the cause of humanity and justice, conceive new hopes of the destiny of this Re- public,

Location of Connecticut Regiments.

2nd Light Battery, Beaufort, South Carolina.

Ist Artillery near Fort Richardson, via Wash- ingtou.

5th Regiment, army of the Potomac.

6th, near Beaufort, South Carolina.

7th, St. Augustine, Florida, and Morris Island, near Charleston.

8th, via Fortress Monroe.

9th, Department of the Gulf, New Orleans.

10tb, Seabrook Island, South Carolina.

1Ith, via Fortress Monroe.

12th, Department of the Gulf, via New Orleans. 13th, Department of the Gulf, via New Orleans.

14th, Army of the Potomac.

15th, via Fortress Monroe,

loth, via Fortress Monroe.

17th, Army of the Potomae.

18th. Army of the Potomac. 19th, near Fort Lyon, via Washington. Outh. Second Brigade. First Division, Twelfth

Army Corps, Army of the Potomac.

21st, vin Fortress Monroe.

22nd, Returned.

250, Departineut Gulf, via New Orleans.

24th, Department Gulf, via New Orleans.

25th, Department Gulf, via New Orleans. 26th, Returned.

27th, Returned. 28th, Pensacola, Florida.

Ist Regimeut Connecticut Cavalry, Baltimore, Maryland.

July 17. Two expeditions, one up the Red River and one to Natchez, make large captures, of they may be serving, and brief obituary notices | steamer, 15.000 Enfield rifles, 5,000 head of catthe. some hundreds of thousand rounds of ammunition. and a number of canton.

THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

[Areesr,

OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.

For the Connecticut War Record. The First Connecticut Cavalry. Ist Conn. Cavalry, Sth Army Corps, BALTIMORE, June 25th, 1863. 1

On the 23d of October, 1861, the 1st Battalion Connecticut Cavalry, number- ing about three hundred men, went into eamp near the village of Meriden. In a few days each man was mounted on his steed, dressed in gay uniform, and hun- dreds of spectators were daily attracted to witness the rare sight of a Cavalry drill.

Days and weeks passed on, and we looked in vain for marching orders. The First Connecticut Battery which had been encamped on the same field, was ordered to the seat of war and the sol- diers of the Cavalry began to complain because they were detained so long from the field of active service -- reminding us of a very truthful sentiment-

"To act, to suffer may be nobly great, But Nature's mightiest effort is to wait."

The 20th of February, 1862, found us on the way to Wheeling, Va. Two steamers bore us from New Haven, and as the city of Elms receded from our view, we could not repress the thought that some of us would never gaze upon its spires again.

The Battalion reported to General Rose- erans and was received into his depart- ment. Here we were far removed from all the other Connecticut troops, as has generally been the case with us while in the field.

Having remained in Wheeling one month, the Battalion received marching orders again, and we pitched our tents in Moorefield, Hardy County, Va., on the south branch of the Potomae. Then commeneed the active service for which the enthusiastic cavaliers had been sigh- ing so long. Supported for a time by a single regiment of Infantry and a portion of a battery, our advent into Moorefield was a sudden introduction into a labori- ous and dangerous campaign ; and let the old State of Connsetient know how well the little Cavalry Battalion did it- duty then. The history of the dashing, -cont- ing, bnshwhacker-hunting Connecticut Cavalry has never been written. No one has a correct and vivid understanding of the part they performed in the campaign of the Mountain Department, except the boys themselves, or those who have heard them relate the story of their bold ev- ploits. One would hear the most glow .: ing descriptions of individual bravery,

were he to spend an evening with a few

Our brave boys dragged the cowards of the Cavalry who had been associated from their dens and caves, and effectually in several adventures, and hear them wax : defeated and dispersed the ruflian hordes. eloquent over the inspiring memories of those days. Risks were run, hardships endured and achievements performed

Captain Fish, of Company C, who led several bold and successful attacks upon the guerrillas, became known and feared which have never been widely heralded, throughout all that country, and we were because they did not occur in connection, told that a large sum was offered by the with any great popular movement, or rebels for his head.

under the eye of any professional report-

The Connecticut Cavalry was the first er. The time for work was then-the to enter the village of MeDowell, on the time for writing may yet come; and then, I doubt not, there are those among us who, like Herodotus or Xenophon, will write the history they helped to make.

Our experience in those days was un- Franklin the Connecticut Cavalry cover-

like the more recent campaigns in other portions of the Old Dominion. It was a glory to an adventuron- spirit to be a sol- dier under General Milroy or General Schenck in Western Virginia. Fremont's campaign in the Mountain Department would be a capital theme for the pen of an Irving or Abbott. The indescribable grandeur of the scenery, the roughness of the monntain road-, and the terrific depth of the swoolen streams through which we often plunged. lent the charm of romantic adventure to all our seonting expeditions, forced marches and bloody battles in Western Virginia. The bush- whackers' bullets sang through the pines in wild harmony with the mountain breeze, and the big guns roared like the voice of a mountain tempest as they echoed from hill-top to hill-top at the battle of MeDowell.

It is not designed in the present sketch to give a minute detail of past events. A hasty glance must suffice.

While the Battalion was at Moorefield, Company 1. commanded by Captain Blakeslee, was chosen as the body-guard of General Schenck. The General has often complimented the faithfulness of the Company and their readiness to follow him into any place of danger.

About this time. Captain Farnsworth of Company B. while on an expedition to Romney, with a detachment of his Com- Jemy, was met by a skulking band of: guerrillas and pierced through the arm, redneed in numbers as it was, performed and side with a rifle ball. At the same moment one of his men fell wounded by his side. From that time "justice and Vengeance" became the watchword in our camp. stel every In-hw hacker in that region began to live an nneasy life. for the Yankee Cavalry "

" Followed his path

Like a hound on a tiger's track."

morning of the 8th of May, when Gener- al Schenek made his forced march to that place for the relief of General Milroy ; and when the Union forces fell back to ed the retreat and assisted in holding Jackson's army in check until General Fremont arrived with reinforcements.

The pursuit after Jackson in the She- nandoah Valley, during the early part of the following month, furnished occasion for the greatest display of energy and courage on the part of our officers and men. They were unceasingly active, sometimes charging through the towns in advance of the whole army, sometimes employed in reconnoitering the enemy's position and carrying dispatches, and sometimes meeting the enemy in direct conflict, as at the battles of Strasburgh, Mt. Jackson, Cross Keys and Port Re- public.

During a part of this campaign the Battalion was under the command of Captain L. N. Middlebrook, of Company D), who has since resigned on account of ill health. Some of the most brilliant dashes were led by Captain William S. Fish, who is now Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the Regiment and Provost Marshal of the city of Baltimore.

Our little body of men felt the loss of those who were wounded or taken prison- .ers, and the many whose health gave way beneath the weight of hardship and toil. Major J. M. Lyon and other officers were so thoroughly broken down in health as to be compelled at last to resign.

While we were in the army of Virgin- in, under General Pope, the Battalion, lan immense amount of service, as aids, provost marshals, body-guard, scouts, forderlies, clerks, besides the greater part of the regular Cavalry duty of Sigel's Army Corps. Some of the most efficient sconts in that part of the army were men from this Battalion -- John A. Peters in the disguise of an old woman, and Charles Marsh as one of Jackson's men, passed

تر الط المعاد بشكلتف

THESEN JIHIO

THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

1863.]

through the thrilling adventures of Union | ever before. A few weeks were spent to like the appearance of the picket force, spies. For months Marsh was unheard off in the neighborhood of Stafford Court , and after skimishing a little, retired. We among ns, and at length reported hung [ House in the varied and exciting manner; lay there nearly all night, ou infantry out- at Aldie as a spy. Yet other months peculiar to the Cavalry service, and one post, an arrangement at least, very unusual. man killed was the only loss sustained. passed away and he surprised us by We were, however, but little disturbed. The incident very well illustrates the char- appearing in Baltimore as a paroled On the 20th of January, 1863, having; prisoner from Richmond. He saved his been transferred to the Department of acter of the regiment. Its creed is very General Schenck, we took up the line of simple,-obey orders. We had been sta- march for Baltimore. Here we remain | tioned to picket the road ; we calculated to as Provost Guard of the city, and during this time of special excitement our men life by the most consummate stratagem. Ile was lying in a Confederate Hospital, expecting daily to receive his sentence. Beside him lay a fellow prisoner who was remain until ordered or foreed back. We lost but Que man, Seigt. Tucker, of are employed as scouts and pickets in dif- Co. II; he was wounded in the ueck, but is ferent directions throughout the country. about to dic. The Surgeon who attend- ed upon both these men was himself a Union prisoner, and by his assistance the two sick prisoners exchanged beds and names so secretly as to make it ap- pear that Marsh died and was buried, and the other soldier lived and was pa- roled.

Leaving Sperryville on the 8th of Au- gust, we reached Culpepper just as the battle of Cedar Mountain was raging fiercely, and the ambulances were con- veying the wounded by scores and hun- dreds to the public buildings of the town. General Stahl's Brigade, to which we then belonged, was permitted to follow the retiring rebels as far as the crooked rim church near the Rapidan, and our pickets went still further on.

On the 18th day of August the Con- neeticut Cavalry was transferred to Gen- eral Steinway's Cavalry Brigade, and was chiefly engaged doing provost duty while our army was falling back towards Washington.

Some of our men were standing by the side of General Schenck when he was wounded at the battle of Bull Run, bore the hero from the field, and conducted him to Washington.

Lieutant Upson has just returned from an important and successful expedition in the direction of Frederick and Har- per's Ferry. Three of his men, how- ever, were taken prisoners, namely, Ser- geant Morehonse, Company D, Sergeant Tomlinson, Company E, and Private Egan, Company B. Another detachment of his men fell into better hands, being taken for rebel spies by some of General Couch's troops. The suspicion is prob. ably removed before this time, and they are doubtless on their way to the camp of the First Connectient Cavalry.

En. RINER.

For the Connecticut War Record.

The Eighth Connecticut Volunteers.

The Adjutant-General, in his report, bring-

now again on duty among us. The reason that we lost no more, reveals another char- acteristic of the regiment. We sheltered ourselves in every convenient way. We in- tended to hold the position, and hold it as cheaply as possible; we can see no merit in useless exposure. To accomplish an object with a slight loss is as much an object of congratulation with ns as the achievement itself. That we should be daunted by no loss, is proved by the fight at Amietam, where we faced the foe until half the regi- ment were shot down, and retired only when we were ordered.

A feeling of deep, honest pride, and self- confidence pervades the regiment. Though never eager for the fray, the men feel that whatever deed of valor is assigned to the Eighth, ean and must be done.

The men are sometimes boastful, but ever up the record of our regiment to March, ready to make good their words. Our repu- 1863-we were then at Newport News, Va. 'tation which we expect to maintain, is that We there remained in pleasant barracks, of a hardy, uncomplaining, faithful, unflinch- drilling daily, and otherwise preparing for ing body of men.

service in the coming campaign, until March 13th.

From the 11th of April until the 3d of May, we endured, in common with the troops We were thence ordered to Suffolk, to! at this post, the alarms, watchings, and the reenforee the troops there against the rumor- exhausting fatigue work of an annoying ed attack of the rebels.

-jege in unfinished works of defense.

But few of our men or horses could be A single brilliant episode relieved the dull- reported fit for duty after those long days and nights of successive marching We went into camp on the West side ofi the town, near the South Quay road. We ness of the siege. It occured at 6 P. M. of were kept constantly busy at picket doty April 19th, an anniversary of which the re- and fighting. While Company C, under | and fatigue work on the incomplete fortifi- collection might stimulate any American to Captain Niles, was continued on duty at cations, with occasional reconnoisances. sturdy valor, but I doubt if any of the Sth the head-quarters of General Sigel in The actual advance of the rebels from the 'recalled the inspiring events which have Black water, took place on the 11th of April. made the day historic. It was our fortune to be on picket that day I enclose a description of the affair, writ- along the South Quay road, by which the ten for the New Haven Palladium :- rebels advanced. About 4 P. M. the caval- Fairfax, and the other three Companies were in camp near Georgetown, we wel- comed a number of recruits from Con- nectient, and learned that arrangements had been consummated for increasing the Battalion if possible to the full number of a Regiment. Major Lyon had resign- ed, and Captain William S. Fish was pro-

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The Connecticut war record, 1863-1865, Part 3

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