USA > Massachusetts > Thirteenth Massachusetts Regiment [circular no. 16] > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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[Circular No. 16.]
134
THIRTEENTH MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENT.
HE NEWBERRY
UBBABY
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Massachusetts infantry8 243th not. 1-01-14 ;.
CHELF CARO
1. U. S .- Hist .- Civil war-Regimental histories-Maso. inf .- 13th.
1-1590 Revised
Library of Congress - 2d set.
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THIRTEENTH MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENT.
BOSTON, Dec. 1, 1903. To the Members of the Thirteenth Massachusetts Association:
Our annual meeting and dinner will take place at Young's Hotel in this city, Wednesday, the sixteenth day of December, at six o'clock. Tickets for the dinner will be $1.50 each. Enclosed is a postal card, addressed to the secretary, upon which you are requested to state whether or not you will be present. It is almost impossible to make arrangements, without much annoyance, unless the postals are re- turned to the secretary. The annual embarrassment might be re- lieved by a little effort on the part of those who have heretofore neglected this simple duty. It is absolutely necessary that the hotel be informed in advance how many are to be present.
The last meeting of the association was held in Young's Hotel in Boston, the 16th of December last, President Enoch C. Pierce.
The following comrades were elected as the Executive Committee for the ensuing year :
SIDNEY A. BRIGHAM, President. ANSIL K. TISDALE, Vice-President. CHARLES E. DAVIS, JR., Secretary. FLORENTINE A. JONES. GEORGE E. JEPSON.
On this day and night we had about the worst possible weather that could be imagined. The streets were all but impassable, so that our usual number was somewhat reduced.
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10188
Following is a list of those present :
Thomas Appleton.
Harry W. Baker. M. M. Bancroft.
James H. Belser. A. H. Blake.
J. P. Blake. S. A. Brigham.
C. F. Bryant.
Walter C. Bryant.
David B. Coffin.
Elmer Parker.
Wm. M. Coombs.
Seth K. Cushing.
George E. Parker. L. P. Parker. P. L. Parker. William A. Peabody.
James Dammers. Edw. P. Davis. W. Wallace Davis.
Elliot C. Pierce.
F. H. Duren.
Henry F. Pope.
Henry Epple. Louis Epple. Frederic H. Fay.
Stephen A. Pope.
John S. Fay.
Eugene Foster.
Chas. H. Fox.
J. B. Fuller.
Wm. E. Shedd.
J. Henry Gleason.
Horace S. Shepard.
James M. Gleason.
Lindsley H. Shepard.
Joseph Halstrick.
Jos. P. Silsby, Jr.
Chas. E. Howe.
Geo. E. Stackpole, M.D.
J. A. Howe.
Fred. W. Stuart. Jeremiah Stuart. Walter E. Swan.
Samuel Hunt.
George A. Tainter.
Wm. P. Jackson.
Ansel K. Tisdale.
Edwin R. Jenness.
Frank E. Trask.
Geo. E. Jepson.
Thomas F. Trow.
F. A. Jones.
Wm. H. Trow.
W. DeHaven Jones.
Samuel Vaughn.
W'm. G. Johnson.
M. H. Walker. M. R. Walsh.
Albert V. Johnston.
Win. B. Kimball.
Wm. R. Warner.
Anton Krasinski.
S. A. Langley.
Stephen Warren. E. A. Wood.
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A. C. II. Laws. Stephen W. Lufkin. George A. Lyford. Geo. H. Maynard. John H. Moore.
C. F. Morse.
Frederick HI. Morse. George E. Orrok. Moses P. Palmer.
J. Frank Pope.
J. F. Ramsay. W. H. H. Rideout. Thomas Ryan. James A. Shedd.
Wm. H. H. Howe.
Harrison Hume.
Letters from the following comrades were read with pleasure to all : L. L. Dorr, San Francisco, Cal. ; John B. Noyes, New York ; John H. White, New Haven; Fred M. West, Stockton, Cal. ; A. D. Whitman, Auburn, Me .; T. M. Exley, Washington, D. C .; Geo. T. Raymond, New York ; Chas. W. Keating, New Orleans ; Samuel D. Webster, St. Louis, Mo .; George D. Armstrong, Lewiston, Me. ; Barton C. Waldron, Sampson, Wis .; Lyman H. Low, New York ; Wm. W. Sprague, St. Johnsbury, Vt. ; Charles Collis, New York ; and "Ike " Webster, St. Louis. The following from James H. Lowell, Holton, Kansas, is published in full :
HOLTON, KANSAS, Dec. 12, 1902.
CHAS. E. DAVIS, JR., Secretary Thirteenth Massachusetts Regiment Associ- ation, Boston, Mass. :
DEAR COMRADE DAVIS : Circular No. 15 duly came in value of full measure for entertainment and keeps. Both articles deeply interesting : yours on "An Entailed Shoulder Strap " and Jepson's on a battle-field where was established the precedent - the invention and patenting of a three-day fight. Since reading it I have reviewed Victor Hugo and Sloan's Waterloo. I presume the parallel drawn by Jepson refers to the "high-water-mark " character of both these battles. Hugo says in effect that forty thousand effectives became fugitive at the close of a six-hour fight, and the query arises, had either side engaged at Gettysburg been there would it have stayed till day after to-morrow? I am sure the sur- vivors all of our regiment will appreciate with intense interest Jepson's recital, which, besides being comprehensive, specializes the part taken by the regiment, and also the heroism allied to the fortunes of the regimental flag on that field. I am reminded of hearing that once James A. Garfield, when in the height of his fame, entered a Masonic Lodge, the brothers rising and cheering, extending his hand and commanding silence, he said : " On this floor all are equal." It may be because we privates are such nice fellows that our reunions are so democratic. I hope your forth- coming reunion will show up as big an attendance as the last, but for goodness sake let there be no such showing of parade rest - 23. I shall remember the hour of your meeting on December 16, with appropriate ceremony in this far-away place. A cordial greeting to all, and may it be good to be there.
Yours truly, JAMES H. LOWELL.
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The following letter was received too late to be read at the dinner :
NEW YORK, Dec. 29, 1902.
COMRADE DAVIS : Circular No. 15 received to-day, and I have read all of it.
You should be more charitable in your remarks about the D. F.'s who put on airs of superiority on account of having once worn a shoulder- strap. Don't you know they have to do it. We privates don't have to. After nearly two years I rose to the exalted rank of Corporal, but I hope you won't think I am calling you down on account of my rank.
One of the privates of Company I came to roll-call one morning looking very sleepy, but after roll-call was over he asked, "What is a brevet- private?" No one being able to answer, he proved that he was not so sleepy as he looked by giving the answer himself. " It is a man who has the honor of being private but don't get the pay ; " because he gets court- martialed too often. So you see there is a rank below private in the rear rank.
I fully intended to be at the dinner this year, but have so many men on the road who need my attention every day that I shall be unable to be present. Kind regards to all who are; from,
Yours truly, GEO. T. RAYMOND.
The following interesting letter is from Comrade Dorr, who has acquired an enviable reputation as a physician in San Francisco ; was a prominent member of the committee having in charge the entertainment of the G.A.R. at its recent visit to that city :
CROCKER BUILDING, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., Sept. 3, 1903.
MY DEAR COMRADE: Our occasion of the G. A.R. has come and gone, and they adjourned to meet in Boston next year. I wish I could anticipate being there with you, but at the present time that seems improbable. We had a very glorious and satisfactory encampment, besides the many entertainments of various Posts and other organizations here.
The Thirteenth Massachusetts turned up rather numerously. Shepard, of company A from New York ; W. H. II. Howe, company B from Boston ; E. R. Jenness, Post No. 26 in Boston ; Fisk, of company H from near Boston ; Morton Tower, of company B from Oregon ; II. J. A. Hebbard, of Alameda, Cal., and F. M. West, of Stockton, Cal. Then there was B. T. Norris. of Sonoma, Cal. All of these, but W. E. Shepard, who was not particularly well, joined me, and I gave them a lunch at the Olympic Club in this city.
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There are two others of our regiment in San Francisco : John A. Neill, of company G, living at 203} Leavenworth street, and S. D. Thurston, of company C, of 906 Geary street. I invited these two last comrades to join us, but I had no reponse from them, and I am not aware that they were seen by others visiting here.
There were some inquiries for Sam Hinkley, of company A, who formerly lived here, but I have not heard of him for years. George Kim- ball. of company B, lives in Los Angeles, but made no response to my invitation. We were all glad to meet and pass a couple of hours nicely, and all seemed to enjoy themselves in talking over old times and of old comrades.
The entertainments of our Post were held every afternoon and evening, and were considered a great success. The talent employed was of the best in San Francisco ; the stereoptican views were most excellent and interest- ing. For refreshments we had only fruit, white wine punch that " cheered, but did not inebriate." In fact, there was not a person in the slightest degree under the influence of liquor at our entertainments. This was a great source of satisfaction, especially to the ladies who received with and for us, some of whom were of the best society in San Francisco. We had other refreshments in the way of cakes, crackers, lemonade, and flowers. There was a feast of flowers, and a feast of music of the best kind. I send you these details, and with them our programme, the souvenir roster of the Post, and the only circular that was issued at my instance. I thought you would be glad to see this any way, and you will probably see how you can improve on it next year. We are somewhat unaccustomed here to these events, and don't know how they are done in other places, but we did our best, considering our inexperience.
I was very glad for your steering Sam Webster, whom I forgot to mention. Sam came, and was in my office many times.
I am under the impression that I owe the Thirteenth Association some dues. Kindly let me know, and I will pay them in advance, for I calculate living some years yet, and I don't like to omit what to my mind is an important thing.
Yours very truly, L. L. DORR.
The following correspondence is published to show that the de- mand for a free distribution of our history continues unabated. We still live in the hope that Mr. Carnegie may be prompted to extend his philanthropic efforts, in the distribution of books, to the purchase of several million copies of the History of the Thirteenth Massachusetts at $3.00 per copy. A liberal commission (50 per cent. )
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will be paid to any member of the regiment who may induce Mr. Carnegie to carry out this very practical suggestion.
ROCKLAND, MAINE, Feb. 27, 1903.
CHARLES E. DAVIS :
DEAR SIR AND COMRADE: I have a large library of the literature of the war of the Rebellion, and as many histories of individual regiments as possible.
I send some commendations of my own regiment and wish to add as many histories of individual regiments as possible. and desire earnestly to effect an exchange with yours, value for value.
Very truly yours, (Signed) J. P. CILLEY.
BOSTON, March 2, 1903.
GEN. J. P. CILLEY,
Rockland, Maine,
MY DEAR SIR : Yours of the 27th is at hand. I am unable to respond to your request for an exchange of histories, as the edition of the Thirteenth history is exhausted, likewise the people who have read it. We were rather unfortunate in our historian, inasmuch as his rank in the regiment was an obstacle to his writing an intelligent account of the battles in which it was engaged. Our history contained no illustrations, nor was the name of any man who served in the regiment mentioned in the body of the book. Therefore much of the attraction common to regimental histories was omitted.
Very truly yours, C. E. DAVIS, JR.
Following is a statement of the receipts and expenditures for the year to Dec. 1, 1902 :
Receipts :
On hand Dec. 1, 1902
$67 S4
Annual dues .
57 50
$125 34
Expended :
Printing circulars and postals
$65 93
Postages
4 80
Envelopes
3 00 73 73
On hand Dec. 1, 1903 .
$51 61
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Among the honors bestowed by Yale College, in June last, we noticed the name of our comrade, George F. Hutchings, of Company E, who received the degree of M. A. Long may he live to enjoy it in addition to his other degree of private in the Thirteenth Massachu- setts.
The secretary has been notified of the deaths of the following comrades :
Hezekiah Prince, Co. D, Chelsea, Mass. Dec. 24, 1902
Samuel H. Leonard, West Newton, Mass. Dec. 27, 1902
George H. Smith, Co. C, Philadelphia Jan. 5, 1903
Ira G. Gates, Co. C, Newton, Mass. Feb. 10, 1903
Samuel Hunt, .Co. E, Onset, Mass. . Feb. 10, 1903
Edward H. Whitney, Co. D, Boston March 3, 1903
George O'Grady, Co. S, Marlboro, Mass.
March 10, 1903
Stephen L. Nutter, Co. B, Lynn, Mass.
March 19, 1903
George F. Washburn, Co. I, Los Angeles, Cal.
April 24, 1903
Albert V. Johnston, Co. B, Sandwich, Mass. .
June 1, 1903
William J. Hobbs, Co. H, Natick, Mass.
June 22, 1903
Minot M. Kittridge, Co. H, Boston
June 25, 1903
Edward W. Codey, Co. C, Chelsea, Mass.
July 8, 1903
John F. Elms, Co. B, Boston Aug. 11, 1903
Alonzo P. Bacon, Co. D, New York
Aug. 19, 1903
Henry H. Jones, Co. A, Melrose, Mass. Aug. 24, 1903
Edward W. Schutter, Co. C. New York April 20, 1903
James Macey, Co. E, Cliftondale, Mass. . April ( ?) 1903
Edwin C. Dockham, Co. K, Worcester, Mass. Oct. 9, 1903
On reading the above list it will be noticed that the death of Colonel Leonard occurred shortly after our last gathering. The funeral ser- vices took place from his home in West Newton where he had re- sided for many years. His remains were then taken to Worcester for burial.
The following comrades acted as pall-bearers :
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Elliot C. Pierce from the Field and Staff.
J. A. Howe, Co. A.
Chas. F. Morse, Co. F.
C. E. Davis, Jr., Co. B. Stephen W. Lufkin, Co. G.
Thos. Appleton, Co. C.
Ansil K. Tisdale, Co. H.
David B. Coffin, Co. D.
I.ysander P. Parker, Co. I.
Edwin R. Jenness, Co. E. Wm. R. Warner, Co. K.
Among the interesting documents issued during the Civil War is the following proclamation, issued and posted by General Kelley about the country opposite to Hancock, Md., where we had the honor of doing some service. The original, from which this is taken, is in the possession of Comrade Wm. M. Coombs.
To the people of HAMPSHIRE COUNTY and the UPPER POTOMAC !
MY OBJECT IN ADDRESSING YOU, IS TO give you assurance that I come among you not for the purpose of de- stroying you, but for your protection in all your rights, civil, social and political. I am here, backed by the forces of the United States, to protect you in the rights of property as well as person, so long as you are peaceful citizens and loyal to the government of the United States, the flag of which has so long and so well protected you, and under the folds of which you have lived long, happily and prosperously. But if you attempt to carry on a guerilla warfare against my troops, by attacking my wayon trains or messengers, or shooting my guards or tickets, you will be considered as enemies of your country, and treated accordingly. I shall but as few restrictions upon the ordinary busi- ness of the people as possible, and will give as free ingress and egress to and from Romney as the safety of my troops will admit. Citizens who have fled, under an erroneous belief that they would be impris- oned or killed, are invited to return to their homes and families, as-
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sured that they shall be protected whenever they can give evidence that they will be loyal, peaceful and quiet citizens. Every reasonable facility will be given the people to seek a market on the Railroad for their surplus produce, and to obtain supplies of merchandise, grocer- ies, etc.
All persons who have taken up arms against the government are hereby required to lay them down, return to their homes, and take an oath of allegiance to support the government of the United States ; by so doing they will receive all the protection due to an American citizen.
B. F. KELLEY, Brigadier General.
BENJ. F. HAWKES, Asst. Adjt. General, Romney, Va., Oct. 28th, 1861.
Included in this circular is an article on Gen. Joseph Hooker by our comrade, George E. Jepson. He received much commen- dation for his paper on Gettysburg, published in our last circular, and you will find the present one equally deserving and valuable as a contribution to the literature of the war. These articles give an additional value and interest to our circular.
C. E. DAVIS, JR., Secretary.
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GEN. SAMUEL HAVEN LEONARD.
BY C. E. DAVIS, JR.
Samuel H. Leonard, who was colonel of the Thirteenth Massa- chusetts regiment from July 16, 1861, to the expiration of its service, Aug. 1, 1864, was born in Polton, Mass., July 10, 1825, and died Dec. 27, 1902. His early life was spent in Milbury and Worcester, Mass., in both of which places he attended school. He was the son of Samuel S. and Adeline E. (Newton) Leonard. Aug. 1, 1840, he engaged in business with his father, who was pro- prietor of Leonard's Worcester express, and continued in the same business until incapacitated by blindness. He was married, Jan. 4, 1847, to Miss Susan E. Putnam, by whom he had three children.
His military career began with his enlistment, May, 1846, in the Worcester Guards as a private soldier. In April, 1847, he was elected fourth lieutenant, first lieutenant in June, 1849, major of the Eighth Regiment in July, 1852, lieutenant-colonel in May, 1853, and appointed brigadier-general, commanding the fifth brigade, in March, 1856.
Having moved his family to Boston, he was obliged, in 1860, to resign his command of the fifth brigade, as officers were required to live in the same district with their command.
In December, 1860, he was elected captain of Company A, Boston City Guard, then a part of the Second Regiment, M. V. M. It had long been an object of his ambition to organize a rifle battalion, and he succeeded in changing the City Guards to a rifle company, and proceeded, in April, 1861, to organize three addi- tional companies. When completed it was called the Fourth Bat- talion of Rifles, of which he was elected major.
In May, 1861, he was ordered with his command to Fort Inde- pendence to serve without pay, the State furnishing rations. This battalion was the nucleus of the Thirteenth Massachusetts Regiment, of which he was made the colonel, and was mustered into the United States service on the toth of July for three years, leaving Boston for the seat of war on the 24th of July. During nearly two years of his service he had command of a brigade, and from
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May, 1864, to the expiration of his service he was the senior colonel of the Army of the Potomac.
He joined the Ancient and Honorable Artillery May 11, 1868, serving in various capacities until elected first lieutenant in 1880. He was a member of this organization at the time of his death.
To us he was always " Colonel," and the superior rank to which he was entitled, by courtesy, never found currency in the Thirteenth. It never seemed natural for us to call himn by any other title. It was the rank we best knew him by and one associated with our entire service, and carried with it a paternal feeling that we were loath to give up. His temperament was phlegmatic, and early in our career we saw the advantage we had in being commanded by a man not hastily moved to anger nor easily disturbed by adverse criticism. His fondness for his regiment was sincere and deep, exceeding all love except that of his family, and it increased in depth as his years were added to.
Few officers, even of the highest rank, equalled him in a knowl- edge of tactics or the manœuvring of a regiment or brigade. He was endowed with a genius for drilling and inspiring men to do their best work. The smallest detail was as familiar to him as the alphabet, and his ability to impart what he knew surprising. Speech- making was never his forte, yet, sitting on a horse before his regi- ment, he could direct the most complicated movement as easily as the simplest, and with a coolness and self-possession that excited admiration in his superior officers, who often came to observe him while drilling his regiment. The men were justly proud to be led by a man who had such a marvellous command over the intricacies of battalion drill, such as he was accustomed daily to exhibit.
He was a man of tender heart, extremely sensitive, easily affected by the sufferings of others, and capable of deep and lasting affec- tion. Modest in manner, simple in his habits of living, he acquired the friendship of many men, not alone for the generosity he so often displayed and the genial qualities of his nature, but a certain something about him that, however much you might differ with him in opinion of public men or questions, you ceased not to respect the loyalty with which he stood by his opinions, as he also did by
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his friends, and even persons who had treated him with unkind- ness.
The last days of General Leonard were passed in West Newton where he had resided for many years. He had long been aware of his approaching blindness, his father having suffered with the same affliction. The best oculists were employed to prevent, if possible, such a result. It requires fortitude and courage to contemplate so terrible a disaster to one's physical condition as the loss of sight, without complaint and with resignation, and in this respect he was remarkable. His friends often wondered if, in his cheerfulness, he realized the long night before him. The disease was so gradual that not until about three years before his death did he become totally blind. Many persons when so afflicted are possessed with ability to move about their own house and frequently to walk about the streets. General Leonard was nearly helpless in ability to move about without a guide. He had other troubles, mental and physical, to try him, but he continued patient and cheerful to the time of his death. He loved to talk about the old times, particularly those connected with his military career, which had absorbed so much of his life. When his friends called upon him the time passed rapidly and interestingly, and such occasions possessed for him unalloyed pleasure.
His attachments were sincere and deeply-rooted, and as his ac- quaintance was wide-spread, there were many in whom he was interested to inquire about. He was fortunately gifted with a sense of humor which made it possible for those who visited him to draw his mind from a contemplation of his own misfortunes to other and more cheerful subjects. His fondness for music was acute, particu- larly martial music and the old war songs, which he never tired of listening to when sung or played.
During the last year of his life his physical condition would not allow him to leave his house, but those about him made his life com- fortable by cheerful service in his behalf.
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GENERAL JOSEPH HOOKER.
BY GEORGE EDWIN JEPSON.
Napoleon expressed the wish that his life should not be written until fifty years after he had passed away. There was wisdom in this desire. Contemporaries, as a rule and for obvious reasons, cannot be discriminative and impartial judges of great or exceptional char- acters, of their real aims or permanent influence, whether for good or ill, on the events or tendencies of their period. The solvent of time only can disperse the mists of error or dispel the glamor of a factitious fame, as the case may be, and furnish a just estimate for posterity's praise or blame.
Military reputation, when not founded on the bed rock of genuine capacity, it may be trite to say, is an evanescent quality ; but it is apt to be particularly so with the American soldier for a judge. No class is more able to discern and to prick the bubble, if it is nothing more substantial than a tissue-gilded sphere encom- passing only wind, than he. Iago-like, he is nothing if not critical ; and there was no observation that was struck out by the friction of thought acting upon thought during the strenuous war epoch, that in a word summed up and so distinguished above every other soldier in the world the essential quality of the citizen volunteer of 1861 and 1864, than that of an acute foreign looker-on who said of him in a fine burst of astonished enthusiasm, " Why, even the bayonets think ! "
Thinking bayonets, a term that was quickly appropriated, not only by the American public, but, however unwillingly, by the world of intelligence everywhere, and that still sticks to him and his suc- cessors, and was justified, as many of his generals were destined to appreciate to their gratification or their cost.
Comparisons are odious, but the old Union soldier, whenever his thoughts turn that way - and that is pretty often, for he lives very much in the past - is apt to compare and contrast his impressions of his old commanders, in and perhaps out of season as well.
Grant stands apart in his estimation, occupying a separate niche, isolated as it were from the rest ; a magnificent soldier, a fighter and
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