The Connecticut war record, 1863-1865, Part 52

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

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Yours, 5.

CZY" Back numbers will be furnished promptly to all who desiro them. Price ten cents per number.

save to the uttermost all who come to God by Je. . dence to remove by sudden death, Lientenant.

It seems as if in this fact, the large number of friends in the counties of Windham and New Lon- exhibitions of as sincere grief as ever the widow- eil mother manifested when she reached camp, to fisad the funeral escort prepared to march.

The officers of the Twenty-ninth. in regular meeting. have adopted the following :

HEADQUARTERS 29TH REG'T INF'Y, C. V., U. S. RENDEZVOUS, NEW HAVEN, CONN., Feb. 21st, 1864.

It having pleased God in his omniscient provi. Malez A. Tracy. U. S. A., attached to the Twenty- ninth Regiment Infantry, C. V., his mourning brocher officers do resolve :

That we patiently subinit to the will of Godl in this painful event, which has taken from us a friend, remarkable for amiability and excellence ; onr commanding officer. Hle seems to have the of character, and which has deprived the service . of one of its most promising young officers.

That we offer our sincere condolence in the be- reaved mother, her family, and other relatives of our late friend, and ask for them tho sweet con- solation which enmes only from our father in heaven.

That we will manifest our respect for the mem- ors of the deceased by wearing the usual symbols

DAVID TORRENCE, Captain Presiding. J. LEWIS SPAULDING, Lieut. and Adjt. Yours truly, B. W. E.

Lieutenant Traey was remarkable for geniality

161

OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENCE, ly this finesse of the General roused nosmall. wards night; set our brass bands blowing; From the Sixteenth Regiment. quantity of ire in the regiment, which ire ! astonished the country ; air balmy and warm as in Spring.

This letter, too late for the February number, will be heartily welcomed by all as a part of the March number.

PLYMOUTH, N. C., Feb. 1, 1001. Editor Connecticut War Record:

The " trop tard " of the French Assembly, which, in 1848, when King Louis Philippe abdicated in favor of his grandson, neutralized the hopes of the Orleans dynasty to save themselves by that measure, may now, ut- tered by your lips, neutralize my hopes of finding this letter in the February number. But if I am too late, impute it not to indo- lence, though generally you would bo cor- rect. This time, my tardiness is the effect of a removal from our old location, near Portsmouth, Va. You must look for our penates at present near Plymouth, N. C.

And shall I tell you, then, dear Chaplain, how we felt, when the dread order reached bore them off bodily in the morning. A

high wind threw down every chimney, and spread devastation over the land. Thus much trouble and expense to erect ? What when the golden sun of January 21st beamed down on the world, the camp of the

us? Ilow sorrowfully we contemplated the fine slat and log houses we had been at so a row there was, in that long line of pretty cottages, christened "Matrimony Row," where those, indulging in such home lux- uries as wives, resided ? And what odious names the fair sufferers gave to the General issuing the order ? 'Twere vain to tell. Imagine i:, if you can.

For four days the regiment was kept in suspense. Each hour gave birth to a new rumor. Each rumor was founded on cir- cumstances equally telling. At no time was the proverb "straws tell which way the wind blows," brought more in requisition, and nev- er havo wishes fathered more thoughits. Now, an aid of the General had said, "you needn't pull those houses down yet," with a they didn't fall into the water; fortunate peculiar smile -- ergo, we were not to go. ones in possession of state-rooms; can have it all to themselves; dinner time arrives; rattling of knives awful ; smell of fresh pork excruciating ; no guests. Then the Adjutant had told his cook to boil a ham, and pack it-ergo, we were to go. Again somebody had been at the Fortress, and heard that the order calling other regi- Officers of the Sixteenth gave up their state-rooms to the ladies; officers of the Fif- ments to Portsmouth had been counter- manded-ergo, we were not to go. Then an teenth wouldn't; take no interest in Lulies, I attache of the Quartermaster's Department suppose ; take more interest in themselves, had heard that two vessels were expected perhaps. daily to take us -- ergo, we were to go. But Gen. Getty now intimated to his staff that

We arrive at Morehead City; one hotel which is not kept, and five houses not inhab- we were to stay. Finally the paymaster ited; go by rail to Newbern ; sweet place; came to pay us, ere we left ; and lastly we' clins enough to furnish a second New Ila- did leave. The iden prevailed that the new ven ; everybody in a fever of friendliness man in command, Gen. Heckman, had towards us; suppose they are so friendly be- thrown sheep's eyes at our fair camp, and cause they've got nothing else to do; re-em- designed to quarter his own (former) regiment bark for Plymouth ; down the Nense, across in the buildings erected by the Sixteenth. The Pamlico Sound to Roanoke; along Albemarle boys had spent very near fifteen hundred Sound into the Roanoke river ; weather glo- dollars on their huts, and the officers about, rious ; water quiet ; high enjoyment on the as much more on their houses. Consequent- voyage; lots of fun ; reach Plymouth to-

was satisfied by a number of unaccountable accidents. On the night before we left, some rubbish about the camp caught fire, which

Plymouth is a quiet little town; been burut down to some extent by the rebs ; quickly communicating itself to the dry pine rebs driven back ; excellent fortifications ; »lat buildings, wrapped the streets in a man -; well guarded ; General Wessels in command ; tle of flame, and threw its brilliant scintilla- is a Connecticut man ; belongs to the regu- tions far up into the cold moonlighted sky. lar aniny, in which he is a Lieut .- Colonel ; It was very amusing. Gorgeous tongues of good, kind old gentleman, with high mili- flame leapt up with a peculiar roar, while the tary knowledge ; makes semi-weekly irrup- unfortunate possessors of the property, with pious resignation in the Lord's will, stood by and chatted and smiled, and laughed and danced. By a like unaccountable accident, the officers were out of wood in the evening, tions in the enemy's country, burning and carrying off the stores of ham, cotton and beef which they accumulate for the Rebel Gov- ernment in this vicinity. Our men have been on two of these expeditions ; carried off and, no other being at hand, the lofty flag- some bales of cotton and destroyed many ; staff was hewed down to supply them. A destroyed also several hundred thousand dol- queer coincidence it was that many had sold lars worth of hams-all for Uncle Sam ; their houses just about this time to meu of carried off sundry lots of poultry and eggs the adjoining regiments. They came and |-all for themselves ; like to go exceed- ingly.

Col. Beach is in command of the brigade ; looks better than ever, and is heartily be- loved by all; Capt. Burke is in command of the regiment, and has been so since we left Sixteenth Conn. Vols, was a desert, as flat as | Portsmouth ; manly character and thorough my grandfather's bald pate. Fiat Voluntas tua !

soldier ; makes things go smooth ; Major Paseo and Capt. Mix detained in Ports- month to explain the unaccountablo acci- dents that happened to our camp before we left. Wenther keeps fine; great thing for Adjatant Clapp; main employment to drivo the ladies about in a buggy ; very pink of courtesy.

On the broad sea! with fair weather, and a fresh breeze ! "rocked in the cradle of the deep," as the poet says ; rocked to some pur- pose too ; all the ladies sea-sick ; majority of men also; no end of delivering up your in- sides; dismsal moans too; upper deck nar- rower than lower deck; people on upper The troops hereabout are going home on deck sick first ; those on lower deck receive furlough; have re-enlisted; when they do, on their heads offerings designed for the goddess Sea-Sickness; now and then a set of teeth comes rattling down; happy chance

we shall slip into their good quarters in town ; high old times in store for the Six- teenth ; will soon be in trim to receive the visits of our friends.

Affectionately yours, HORSE JOIIN.

From the Second Connecticut Light Battery. CAMP BARRY, WASHINGTON, D. C.

After a three months tarry in this camp orders have again como to take up our line of march. A soldier enjoys marching or fighting far better than the dull routine and Weary monotony of the camp. The follow- ing was the order :

HEADQUARTERS DEP'T OF ART'Y, U. S. A. Washington, Jan. 21st, 1864. $ [ Special Orders No. 9.]

In compliance with special orders No 32, Headquarters of the army, current series, the following named batteries will hold them- selves in readiness to proceed to Baltimoro by rail on the 23d inst., to embark there for the Department of the Gulf :

1864.]

THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

162

THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

[MARCH,

Seventh Massachusetts, Captain Storer; We leave but two men behind us, except the about the slowest thing that can well be Second Connecticut, First Lieutenant lloteb- recruiting party at Bridgeport, and a few imagined. The ladies are coming in con- kiss ; First Delaware, Capt. Nields.

absent on furlough, of those who came to

Each battery will take a six-gun battery, Camp Barry with us this last time-Sergeant completely equipped, except the horses, which | John Lewis, wounded by a kick from a latter will be turned over to the quarter- horse, and Frederick J. Blackman, in the master at Camp Barry ; each officer will | small pox hospital. We have a number of new recruits. UNION.

however be permitted to take one private horse. Further special instructions have been communieated by letter to the com- manding officer of Camp Barry.

From the Second Conn. Light Battery.

DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, NEW ORLEANS, La., Feb. 20, 1864. 5

In detaching for distant service these bat. teries which have been so many months un- The Battery left Washington on the 24th ult. for Baltimore, and there embarked on the 27th on board the sieamship Arago, for this department. We were accompanied by der his command, General Barry embraces the opportunity to compliment the officers and enlisted men for their habitual good conduet, soldierly deportment, and intelli- | the Seventh Massachusetts and First Dela- gent attention to duty and instruction. He ware batteries, each battery being fully equipped, except as to horses. We were

also congratulates them upon the glorious opportunity now offered to acquire fresh favored on our passage with most excellent laurels for themselves and for the States they ; weather, seeing not even a symptom of the represent, and what is of greater importance, tempest tossed ocean from Cape Henry to upon the opportunity to devote anew their Sand Key Lighthouse. After passing Key hearts and arms to the sacred cause that has ! West, however, a breeze sprang up and grad- called them away from their peaceful homes. ually increased to a respectable gale. We

By command Brig. Gen. Barry,

J. E. MARSHALL, Capt. and Asst. Adft General. HEADQUARTERS CAMP BARBY, ¿ Jan. 21, 1864. [ Oficial Copy.] JAS. A. HALL, Lt. Col. Me. Lt. Art., Com. Post. To Com. Officer Second Connecticut Battery.

had been so long on board that we had got our "sea legs " on, and but a few were com- pelled to pay the penalty which Neptune is wont to exact from those who for the first time trespass upon his domains.

On the night of the 4th inst. we dropped anchor at the mouth of the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi river. The next morning

The Seventh Massachusetts and First Del- we ero-sed the bar, and, after a most charm- aware batteries are old campaigners with ns, ing sail-passing orange groves, and riee, they being the identical batteries which ac- sugar, and cotton plantations-we arrived companied us to New Jersey last Summer. on the night of the 5th inst. opposite the to test whether shot and shell were necessary Crescent City.

to quell the riotous conduct of northern' We are at present eneamped in one of ising were the ones almost uniformly sympathizers with southern treason. the cotton presses abandoned by those who selected to be taken from us.

Lieut. Philo B. Shermaa has recently re- thought cotton was king, and we have very signed his commission and has returned to comfortable quarters, as compared with last ful one, one of our best and most faithful private life. It is seldom that an officer is winter "among the pines" on the bleak bills found who can give such general satisfaction ' of old Virginia. We have just drawn new as he did, and not often that one possessing horses, and have been fortunate in getting a such easy manners ean yet command the re- goud lot.

speet and obedience of those under him.

The election for State officers, to take

It must be chronicled that we have not place on the 22nd inst , is the all-absorbing been forgotten by the Soldiers' Aid and Re- topic of private conversation and public lief Societies of Bridgeport. Their disinter- demonstration. Louisiana is to be the first ested benevolence and practical generosity free State of the South, the pioneer in the found expression in the shape of numerous restoration of the Union. After the political | I would almost gladly submit to a simi- boxes and barrels filled with articles suggest- campaign is closed, the military campaign ing to us the idea of home, and only serving may be expected to be opened in good ear- to nerve us anew to bring this war to a nest in this department. UNION.

speedy close, that we may the sooner return to our homes and have something to live upon besides an "army ration."

For the Connecticut War Record. From the Fourteenth Regiment.

The men are in good health and exultant CAMP ON THE RAPIDIAN, Feb. 1, 1864. at the prospect of spending the next season among the orange groves of the South, in- word to tell you that I have nothing to stead of " among the pines" of old Virginia. [ write. A camp in winter quarters is

siderable numbers to break up the dreary monotony of our life, and I received an invitation the other night to a grand ball, which, if I may judge by the splendid style of the invitation billet, (and that is all the data I have to judge from,) must have been gotten up utterly regardless of expense. It is quite common now to see cavalcades of officers with ladies gal- loping past our camps. Side saddles and riding habits are in great demand. And our eamps are wonderfully improved by the rival edifices that are being prepared for the reception of the fair ones.

Logs are piled up in all manner of fan- ciful shapes, bits of boards command fab- ulous priees. More queer inventions for hinges and door latehes are gotten up than would be registered in the Patent Office in a year.

The streets are better policed, more care is taken in setting out trees and or- namenting onr camps, and all our army cities and villages are neater and brighter in appearance, more free from nuisances, Jess noisy, and more civilized in all re- spects, for the presence of women in our midst. God bless them.

I was going to write you a brief notice of Lieut. Hart, one of our noblest young officers whom we lost on the 2d of Jan- nary by that fatal disease, diphtheria, but I see a comrade of mine has anticipated me in that sad office of affection, in your January number.

It seems as if our best and most prom-

We have lost in another way, a pain- officers. The record of the dismissal from the service of Capt. James L. Townsend, as copied from the official order of the War Department, in your last number, may bring dishonor, to some extent, upon that meritorious officer, but in the eyes of his friends and comrades of the regi- ment, who know his history and services for two years past, never a stain of shame. lar sentence, to get a paper like that which went up to the War Department, signed by every officer in his regiment, and approved by his regimental, brigade, and division commanders, as soon as his sentence was known to us, and which I can scarcely doubt, will yet operate to

Mr. EDITOR :- I merely write you a change the verdict of the Secretary of War in this case. The facts in the case fare not fairly stated, as we all fully be-

1864.]

THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

163

lieve, in the wording of the sentenec, and although we find no fault with the Mili- Just before night, the rebels made a furious tary Commission at Washington, where; attack upon our lines, thinking to break us the trial took place, which, of course, did and throw us back in confusion to the river. the officer no intentional injustice, yet we But the Division deployed coolly, repulsed know that there has been some false tes- timony in the case, and that the decision is an injustice to our friend and comrade, and an injury to the service.

I think no other changes of importance 'in our regiment are left unrecorded.

Yours truly, S. F.

For the Connecticut War Record. From the Fourteenth Regiment. CAMP ON THE RAPIDAN. Va., Feb. 12, 1864.

DEAR RECORD :- I have seen so many and such contradictory accounts of the recent re- connoisance across the Rapidan, that I feel bound to give you a brief sketch of it, that shall have truth enough to leaven the narra- tion at least. At first we saw (in print) that it was the Third Corps which crossed at Mor- ton's Ford and had a severe fight with the enemy, and the Second which came up at night and supported the Third. Whereas, not a man of the Third Corps passed over or was ordered across the Rapi- dan at all, and only one division of the See- ond Corps that had any fighting to do. And then the papers were filled with every other kind of erroneous and conflicting statement, the last which I have seen being Davidson's Finally having cleared the rebels out of the cluster of houses and driven them into report in the Herald, which summed up the loss of the Fourteenth Conn. Vols. as fol- their entrenchiments, our boys not being able lows : " 113 killed, 6 certainly dead or cap- tured, 19 wounded, and SS in the hospital ; " not stating the particular reason for being in

misspelling the names and mistaking the wounds of all the officers reported. These are somewhere nearly the facts in the case : The whole of the Second Corps moved up to the vicinity of the Rapidau at Morton's Ford, and at morning one division, at least, of the | Second Division that were thrown over for Third Corps, came up in the rear and en- eamped within supporting distance. The

that purpose. The loss of the Division was about 225, that of our regiment, just one pontoon train stuck fast in the mud and was half of the whole loss, 115 -- 6 killed on the not used at all. The Third Division, Sec- field and bodies brought off, 19 missing. ond Corps, under command of General A. Hayes, waded the ice-cold stream a little be- fore noon, captured about thirty of the enc- my's piekets-the Third Brigade being in the advance as skirmishers, and suffering

to fight to much purpose in a strange place in utter darkness, a strong picket line was thrown out to hold the ground as long as the hospital which these last men had, and might be necessary, our dead and wounded were collected together, and the division about midnight recrossed the river, umnolest- ed by the enemy, on a temporary bridge of logs and rails that had been built, their crossing being protected by a part of the [pleasantly situated at Newport News, Va., busily engaged in the usual duties of camp and daily perfecting ourselves in company and battalion drills. Since that time our history has been somewhat varied, both by changes of position and multiplicity of du- not be uninteresting to many of our readers. On Sunday morning, the 25th of Janu- ary, an expedition, consisting of the gun- boats Flora Temple, Smith Briggs, the Gen. Jessup, and the large Government transport steamer George Washington, under the com-

at all) and some skirmishing, till nearly dark. leave of absence only the night before, and showed not only the most perfect coolness and contempt of danger, which was only what we expected of him, but also great judgment and skill in the handling of his the attack and drove the enemy nearly a troops, as to which qualities he had not be- mile further back from and up the river to a fore been so thoroughly tested. I may cluster of houses, where a very stubborn, speak these words of praise properly enough, although of my own regiment, because a temporary duty elsewhere kept me out of this movement. Capt. Doten, of Co. F, is, without much doubt, captured, and finding the road to the Libby Prison a "hard road to travel." confused, and, in many cases, hand to hand conflict took place, and where our regiment, being at that time in the advance and most gallantly pushed on by Lieut. Col. Moore, who was constantly riding up and down the line in the hottest of the fire, directing and cheering on his men, suffered a very heavy loss. Pitchy darkness came on. The only light to direct the firing was that which poured out of the mazzles of the muskets and of the cannon in the distance. Scarcely a semblance of a line could be preserved on either side. Men called out to each other in the darkness and recognized cach other as friend or foe by the State or regiment answered. Men were captured and re-cap- tured and captured over again. Friends were killed by friends' fire. Men fired at each other in rooms of houses not a musket- barrel's length apart, and in a few instances were wounded with thrusts of a bayonet, (and this is the only ease to my own knowl- edge where bayonets have been used in this war for any other advantage than to stack arms.)

Such is a brief account of another of the bloody experiences of the old Fourteenth, which seems always to have the luck to be in the advance in every time of danger. We think the record still remains a most honorable and proud record. We have lost a few of our best and noblest men. Orderly Sergeant Norton, of Guilford, was a noble and faithful soldier, and would doubtless have immediately been promoted for his gal- lant services, but for the rebel bullet which, fired at not more than ten feet distant, has ent short his career and left his comrades, and a large home eirele, and a wife and five little children, to mourn his loss. Sergeant Allen, of Co. I, was shot through the breast while bravely hokling up the colors. Corpo- rals Orcutt and Chadwick and several other of our bravest and worthiest non-commis- sioned officers and privates are dead or mor- tally wounded. But you doubtless have seen ere this correet nominal lists of our loss.

Yours truly, S. F.

For the Connecticut War Record.

From the Twenty-first Regiment. CAMP TWENTY .FIRST CONN. VOLS., } NEWBERN, NORTH CAROLINA, Feb. 20, 1864. - When I closed my last letter we were

(either killed or prisoners.) the rest wounded ties, a brief record of which may, perhaps, and brought off, a few fatally, a good many severely, and a great many escaping with slight hurts. I think only about seventy are now in hospital undergoing treatment. some loss, as well as the other brigades, in Seven of our commissioned officers were passing up from the banks of the river and wounded, not one of them so as to be be- yond hope of ultimately recovering and re- |mand of Brig. Gen. Graham, accompanied turning to duty. The conduct of all the officers, and of the men generally, is spoken by a force of about thirty of the harbor police of Norfolk, under command of Capt. Lee of the harbor police, and one hundred and fifty to the high ground back from it-and finally took up a somewhat protected position near- ly a mile from the river, where it remained, with some shelling on the part of the enemy, of as being beyond all praise; especially (our own artillery had not erossed the river | that of Col. Moore, who had returned from | of the Twenty-first Connectieut, under com-

164-

THE CONNECTICUT WAR RECORD.

[MARCH,

mand of Capt. James F. Brown of the They proceeded down the river about - the laughable and ludicrous expressions upon the countenances of those thus called forth to duty by an event which cast no shadow in its coming.

Twenty-first, left Old Point to make a recon- noisance np the James River. Proceeding up the river until within a short distance of

eight miles, where they found an old boat in which they undertook to cross the river, but the boat sunk with them and they were

. Fort Powhattan, the troops were landed at obliged to abandon it. They then construct- what is called the " Brandon Farm." Two ed a raft, but this also sunk and was aban- doned. sinall howitzers were also landed and placed in position upon the banks of the river. A small cavalry force, numbering some twenty,

They again proceeded farther down the river, and luckily found an old boat conceal- were not landed. As soon as the force wasjed in the bushes, with which, by constant bailing, they succeeded in crossing.

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The Connecticut war record, 1863-1865, Part 52

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