USA > Massachusetts > History of Massachusetts in the Civil War > Part 21
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He acknowledges the receipt of the letter of Powell T. Wy- man, from Europe, forwarded to him by the Adjutant-General, offering his services in any military capacity.
May 31. - The Governor telegraphs to Henry Ward Beecher, New York, "The Milford company will arrive by the Norwich boat, to-morrow morning ; the Newburyport company, by the Stonington boat ; the West-Cambridge company, by the land train, leaving here at eight o'clock, this evening. Prepare to receive them : they are consigned to you." These three com- panies were impatient to enter the service. They could not be placed in any regiment here, as the quota assigned to this State was full, and the Secretary of War would accept no more. They were induced, by representations made, to go to New York, and complete a regiment said to be forming in Brooklyn, and to be known as the " Beecher Regiment." Upon arriving at New York, they were sadly disappointed in their expecta- tions. No such regiment as had been represented was in readi- ness to receive them, and they were utterly neglected. Those by whom they were encouraged to come to New York gave them no support or assistance ; and they telegraphed to the Governor for transportation to return home again. They came back, and again went to New York, and entered the Mozart Regiment, so called.
June 3. - In regard to these companies, the Governor tele- graphed to Frank E. Howe, "Brooklyn must prepare to return our three companies. We have incurred expense, raised hopes ; and Brooklyn has cruelly misled, disappointed, and mortified us." Colonel Sargent, by direction of the Governor, writes to
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LETTER TO GENERAL SCOTT.
Henry Ward Beecher, asking if Brooklyn people will send the companies back. If not, Massachusetts will pay the expense. Also, writes a letter of introduction for William E. Parmenter, Esq., of West Cambridge, to Colonel Howe. Mr. Parmenter went on to see about the West-Cambridge company.
The Governor telegraphs to Colonel Dalton, at Washington, " Urge desperately for one more regiment from Massachusetts. It is next to impossible for us to get along without at least one more."
June 4. - Governor telegraphs to Colonel Dalton, at Wash- ington, "Can regiments be received without tents and wagons ? Hearing that the Government can't supply them, we contracted, and expect some in a few days, and can forward regiments soon as mustered, and wagons and tents received. Will forward the regiments, and send things afterwards, if permitted."
June 5. - Governor writes a long letter in answer to one received from Colonel Hinks, of the Eighth Regiment, then in Maryland, who had asked that the regiment might be detained in the service as one of the six regiments asked for the three years' service. The Governor declines to entertain the propo- sition. " As the men have a right to come home at the end of three months, and the officers cannot speak for them, they must speak for themselves."
June 10, 1861
To Lieutenant-General WINFIELD SCOTT.
GENERAL, - IIis Excellency the Governor of Massachusetts orders me to make a detailed statement to you in regard to Cobb's Flying Artillery. Major Cobb raised, drilled, and commanded Cook's Battery, now in service under General Butler; and understands himself.
He has one hundred and fifty picked men, most carefully selected ; six pieces rifled and throwing twelve-pound shot and nine-pound shell (concussion), intended to burst on striking a column of men. The principle is beautiful.
Captain Van Brunt, of the " Minnesota," saw a trial of these guns with shot, and expressed surprise and delight. The trials with shell are pronounced by competent judges to be even more satisfactory, with equal precision, at three and a half degrees elevation, one thousand three hundred and fifty yards' distance, one and a half pounds powder,
(
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE REBELLION.
time four and a half seconds. The shot, weighing with patch twelve pounds, were thrown from these rifled six-pounders with precision enough to strike a section nearly every time; and most of them were thrown within four feet lateral deviations, towards the latter part of the trial. The guns are bronze, of course.
At twelve degrees elevation, chronometer measurement over water indicated a flight of two and a half miles before ricochet. At twenty degrees, ricochet was lost.
The shells burst beautifully. There is no lead to strip off over the heads of men, and they are very safe to handle or drop. The charge fits so loosely, expanding after ignition of the powder, that a child can ram the shot home. Major Cobb can fire one hundred rounds from his battery in six minutes.
Every thing - horses, wagons, and all -is ready for your call.
I have the honor to be sir, your most respectful and obedient servant, HORACE BINNEY SARGENT, Aide-de-camp.
June 10. - The Governor writes to Governor Buckingham, of Connecticut, "I have your letter of the 7th, inclosing duplicate letter of credit for £10,000 on George Peabody, which you state will be sent to Mr. Crowninshield. That gentleman has already received orders to execute your orders ; and I trust that he will be able to do so."
On the same day, the Governor gave written instructions to Colonel Ritchie, of his personal staff, to visit our regiments at the front, and confer with General Scott as regards future movements, and to report. The Governor writes to General Scott, asking the discharge of Captain Henry S. Briggs, of the Eighth Regi- ment, M.V.M., three months' regiment, that he may com- mission him colonel of the Tenth Regiment, three years' service. Captain Briggs was discharged, and commissioned colonel of the Tenth, June 21, 1861. He served gallantly through the war, and was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers by President Lincoln, for brave and meritorious services in the field. He was wounded in the seven days' fight before Richmond, in 1862, but remained in service to the end of the war. He is a son of the late Hon. George N. Briggs, formerly Governor of Massachusetts, and he is now Auditor of State, having been elected three times to that responsible position.
June 14. - Governor telegraphs to the Secretary of War,
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LETTER TO COLONEL WEBSTER.
" Lieutenant Amory, U.S.A., mustering officer in Boston, thinks we ought to furnish thirty wagons, instead of fifteen, for every thousand men. If so, we will send wagons additional to fifteen." The Executive Council passed an order to have the Twelfth Regiment (Colonel Webster) go to Fort Warren, preparatory to being mustered into the service.
On the same day, the Governor's military secretary addressed the following letter to Colonel Webster : -
To Colonel WEBSTER.
DEAR SIR, - His Excellency the Governor, having accepted an invitation to assist in raising an American flag on the summit of the monument at Bunker Hill, will take pleasure, if you will join his military staff on that occasion, - the 17th of June.
The staff will meet at the private room of the Governor, at the State House, on the morning of that day, in season to take carriages for Charlestown at eight o'clock.
It is desired that there may be no delay as to the time of starting for Charlestown; for, according to the programme of the managers of the celebration, it is expected that the Governor and staff shall be present at the house of Mr. Warren, President of the Monument Association, at half-past eight o'clock.
Very truly, your obedient servant, A. G. BROWNE, Military Secretary to Commander-in-chief.
June 15. - The Governor addressed the following letter to the President of the United States, which was given to Mr. William Everett, and taken by him to Washington, and delivered to Mr. Lincoln : -
His Excellency A. LINCOLN, President United States.
SIR, - I beg to present Mr. Everett, of Boston, a son of the Hon. Edward Everett, and through him to present to your notice a сору, -
1. Of a letter from Bishop Fitzpatrick to yourself.
2. Copy of your Excellency's endorsement thereon.
3. Copy of endorsement of the Secretary of War.
4. A letter from myself to Mr. H. A. Pierce, the agent of the regiment referred to.
5. A copy of my general order, under which our six regiments were designated, and encamped regiments provided for.
14
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE REBELLION.
I do this for the purpose of showing the system in which I have proceeded in regard to the three years' men, the effect of progress made and making, and what we are willing and desire to do; and also what is the truth as to the Fourteenth* (Irish regiment), which I am as willing to forward as any other, but not to the cost or injustice to others by deranging the scheme. If the United-States Government will designate any special regiment, without leaving any responsibility of selection on me, I will, however, proceed with the utmost zeal and alacrity to execute its order, whether it agrees with my scheme or not.
Again I wish to urge attention to our splendid new battery of light artillery, specially prepared for service ; and to add, that, if the want of a United-States army officer is in the way, I should be very glad to have one detailed, and allowed to take its command.
I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,
JOHN A. ANDREW.
The above letter requires explanation. The Fourteenth Regi- ment referred to was composed, in great part, of men of Irish birth. At the beginning of the war, Colonel Thomas Cass, of Boston, proposed to raise an Irish regiment for the three months' service. IIe had been long and favorably connected with the volunteer militia of Massachusetts. His request was granted, and the regiment was raised ; but, before its organization could be completed, information was received from Washington that no more three months' regiments would be accepted. Coinci- dent with the request made by Colonel Cass, an offer was made by Dr. Smith and others, of Boston, to raise a second Irish regiment, which they were pleased to designate "the Irish Bri- gade." This regiment was to be commanded by a person by the name of Rice, who was not a citizen of Massachusetts, although he was here at the time, and, so far as the writer knew, of no military experience whatever. This regiment was also raised, but was not accepted, for the same reasons that Colonel Cass's regiment was not. When the call was made for three years' troops, a very large proportion of the men composing the two regiments agreed to enlist for three years ; and both were sent to Long Island, Boston Harbor, until their organizations could be completed, and the regiments accepted by the Government. The
The disbanded old Fourteenth Regiment.
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ORGANIZATION OF THE IRISH REGIMENTS.
long delay, by the Secretary of War, in fixing the quota of Massa- chusetts under the first call of the President for three years' men, and his persistent refusal, for a still longer time, to accept more than six regiments from this State, and the uncertainty which existed whether they would be accepted at all, had a demoral- izing and pernicious effect upon both commands. When, how- ever, orders were received on the twenty-second day of May, that Massachusetts was to furnish six regiments, the Governor determined that one of the six should be an Irish regiment. At this time, neither of the Irish regiments were full. They were designated the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Regiments. Until a regiment was full, -that is, with ten companies, and each com- pany with ninety-eight enlisted men and three commissioned officers, -it could not be mustered into the United-States service, and consequently could not receive United-States pay. Colonel Cass's regiment lacked about two hundred men to complete it to the maximum. These men were to be obtained at once; and the Governor decided that these men should be taken from the Fourteenth Regiment, which numbered only about six hundred men.
The Adjutant-General was ordered by the Governor to effect this consolidation. He proceeded the same day to Long Island with the Governor's orders, which he read to the officers of the Fourteenth, and requested their assistance to fill up the regi- ment of Colonel Cass. It appeared that the intention of the Governor had been known at the camp before the Adjutant- General arrived ; and a meeting of the officers had been held, at which resolutions had passed condemnatory of the orders of the Governor, which resolutions were to appear in the Boston papers the next morning. The resolutions which were passed were shown to the Adjutant-General upon his arrival at Long Island. Ile read them with surprise, and told Mr. Rice and the officers, that, if they were made public, he thought the Gov- ernor would order the organization to be disbanded at once. The resolutions were suppressed. After considerable difficulty, and a good deal of forbearance, a sufficient number of men agreed to join Colonel Cass's regiment to fill it up; and, in a few days afterwards, it was mustered into the service of the United States
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE REBELLION.
as the Ninth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers. The remain- ing men of the Fourteenth, through heeding advice given them by disappointed aspirants for commissions, became dissatisfied, and left the island. As they had not signed the enlistment paper, and had not been mustered into the United-States service, they could not be held to service. Nothing was further from the desire of the Governor or the Adjutant-General than to break up or dis- band this nucleus of a regiment. But bad counsels prevailed, and unjust complaints were made, which demoralized the men, and rendered it necessary in the end to disband the organization. Many of the men went to New York, and joined regiments there. Some returned to their homes, and others entered regiments which were being organized in other parts of the State. The letter of Bishop Fitzpatrick, mentioned in the Gov- ernor's letter to the President, we have no doubt was an earnest request that the President would allow more regiments to be furnished by Massachusetts, and that the so-called Fourteenth Regiment should be one of them.
One of the most interesting and imposing ceremonies of the year was the flag-raising from the summit of Bunker-Hill Monu- ment on the seventeenth day of June, the anniversary of the bat- tle. The day was warm and pleasant, and a large concourse of people were assembled. At the base of the monument a stage was erected, on which were the officers of the Association, the school children, the city authorities of Charlestown, Governor Andrew and his staff, Colonel Fletcher Webster, of the Twelfth Regiment, and many other prominent citizens of the State. A fine band of music played national airs. The services were opened by prayer by the Rev. James B. Miles ; and a short and eloquent address was made by Hon. G. Washington Warren, introdu- cing Governor Andrew, who was received with hearty cheers by those present. The Governor's address was brief, fervent, eloquent, and patriotic. After referring to the men of the Revo- lution who had sacrificed their lives for independence, and made moist the soil of Bunker Hill with their blood, he said, -
"It is one of the hallowed omens of the controversy of our time, that the men of Middlesex, the men of Charlestown, the men of Concord, of Lexington, of Acton, are all in the field in this contest.
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FLAG RAISING ON BUNKER HILL.
This day, this hour, reconsecrated by their deeds, are adding additional leaves to the beautiful chaplet which adorns the fair honor of good old Massachusetts. Not unto me, not unto us, let any praise be given. Let no tongue dare speak a eulogy for us; but reserve all the love and gratitude that language can express for the patriotic sons of Massachusetts who are bearing our country's flag on the field of contest. . . .
"Obedient, therefore, to the request of this Association, and to the impulse of my own heart, I spread aloft the ensign of the republic, testifying for ever, to the last generation of men, of the rights of man- kind, and to constitutional liberty and law. Let it rise until it shall surmount the capital of the column, let it float on every wind, to every sea and every shore, from every hill-top let it wave, down every river let it run. Respected it shall be in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and in Charleston, South Carolina, on the Mississippi as on the Penobscot, in New Orleans as in Cincinnati, in the Gulf of Mexico as on Lake Superior, and by France and England, now and for ever. Catch it, ye breezes, as it swings aloft ; fan it, every wind that blows; clasp it in your arms, and let it float for ever, as the starry sign of Liberty and Union, now and for ever, one and inseparable."
The flag had been at the summit of the staff, rolled up as the signal-flags are on board of a man-of-war. As Governor Andrew concluded, he pulled the rope, the knot was loosened, and the flag floated out on the breeze, amid the shouts of the assembled thousands, and the playing of the Star-spangled Banner by Gilmore's band. The words of the Star-spangled Banner were then sung by F. A. Hall, Esq., of Charlestown ; and the whole assemblage joined in the chorus, the ladies taking part with peculiar zest.
The Governor then called for nine cheers to the glorious Star- spangled Banner, which were given with great heart, the ladies waving their handkerchiefs.
When the excitement had somewhat subsided, the Governor came forward, and, in a few complimentary remarks, introduced to the audience Colonel Webster. The speech of this gentle- man was brief and appropriate. His father had made the oration when the corner-stone of the monument was laid, and again when the monument was completed. Colonel Webster said he well remembered the preliminary meetings of the com-
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE REBELLION.
mittee selected to decide upon the size, character, design, and site of this monument. They met frequently at his father's house. He could remember the appearance of most of them, - Colonel Thomas H. Perkins, William Sullivan, and Gilbert Stuart, the great painter, whose enormous block-tin snuff-box attracted his youthful attention.
" As a boy, I was present at the laying of the corner-stone of this great obelisk under whose shadow we now are. La Fayette laid the stone with appropriate and imposing masonic ceremonies. The vast pro- cession, impatient of unavoidable delay, broke the line of march, and in a tumultuous crowd rushed towards the orator's platform; and I was saved from being trampled under foot, by the strong arm of Mr. George Sullivan, who lifted me on his shoulders, shouting, 'Don't kill the orator's son !' and bore me through the crowd, and placed me on the staging at my father's feet. I felt something embarrassed at that notice, as I now do at this unforeseen notice by His Excellency; but I had no occasion to make an acknowledgment of it." He had also noticed the ceremonies of the completion of the monument in the pres- ence of many distinguished persons from all parts of the country, " some of whom," said Colonel Webster, "I regret to say would hardly like to renew that visit, or recall that scene.
"Within a few days after this, I sailed for China; and I watched, while light and eyesight lasted, till its lofty summit faded at last from view. I now stand again at its base, and renew once more, on this national altar, vows, not for the first time made, of devotion to my country, its Constitution and Union."
He concluded as follows : -
" From this spot I take my departure, like the mariner commencing his voyage ; and, wherever my eyes close, they will be turned hither- ward toward this North; and, in whatever event, grateful will be the reflection that this monument still stands, - still, still is gilded by the earliest beams of the rising sun, and that still departing day lingers and plays on its summit for ever."
The services concluded by a benediction by the venerable Father Taylor. The flag thus raised, floated from its serene height during the entire war, until it was respected in Charleston, South Carolina, as in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Few men who knew Colonel Webster, can read the words uttered by him on this occasion, without recalling many pleasant memories con-
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SPEECH OF COLONEL WEBSTER.
nected with his name. It was his last utterance in public ; for, before the close of the next year, he fell in Virginia, at the head of his regiment, in a desperate battle. His body was brought home to Massachusetts, and lay in state at Faneuil Hall a day, when it was taken to Marshfield, and buried by the side of his illustrious father, "and there it will remain for ever."
CHAPTER V.
Death of Governor Andrew - The Great Loss - Mission of Mr. Crowninshield to Europe - The Purchase of Arms - Colonel Lucius B. Marsh - Vole of Thanks by the Council - The Policy of the Governor in making Military Appointments - Letter to General Butler in regard to our Soldiers -Neglect of Officers - Letter to Colonel Couch, of the Seventh - Sends Two Thousand Muskets to Wheeling, Va. - General Lander - Governor Stevens, of Oregon - General Sherman comes to Boston to confer with the Governor - The War Department and Appointments - Governor makes an Address to the People - Mission to Washington - Writes to Governor Curtin, of Pennsylvania - Blockade-runners at Halifax - Governor saves the Life of a Private Soldier - His Letter to Patrick Donahoe - Religious Toleration - To the Editor of the Boston Post - Massachusetts Companies in New-York Regiments - Gene- ral Sherman's Command - Liberality of the People - Battle of Ball's Bluff - The Massachusetts Dead - A Noble Letter - Exchange of Prisoners - Governor's Letter to President Lincoln - Scheme to invade Texas - Sug- gests that Congress offer Bounties - Controversy about making Massachusetts Soldiers catch Fugitive Slaves - Letter to General MeClellan - Another Let- ter to the President, about Exchange of Prisoners - Our Men in Richmond Jail - San Francisco sends Two Thousand Dollars for Soldiers' Families - The Maryland Legislature - Liberal Action - The Republican State Con- vention - Interesting Debate - Democratic Convention - Thanksgiving Proclamation - Thanksgiving in the Massachusetts Camps - Major Wilder Dwight - The Second Regiment at Harper's Ferry -Full Account of the Controversy between Governor Andrew and Major-General Butler about re- cruiting and raising Regiments in Massachusetts.
THE last chapter was finished on the thirtieth day of October, when an event occurred which brought sorrow to every true heart in the nation : John A. Andrew died on that day. The preceding pages of this work have exhibited, in an imperfect and fceble manner, a portion of the services which he rendered to his State and country in the hour of its greatest peril, - we say imperfect and feeble, because much which he did was never put in writing, and many of his best thoughts and wisest sug- gestions were the inspiration of the moment, and conveyed to his friends and subordinates in colloquial conversation. We had
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DEATH OF GOVERNOR ANDREW.
known him long and well ; and, during the five years of his administration as Governor of this Commonwealth, our connec- tion was official and confidential. We saw him every day, and had occasion to consult him upon nearly every matter in relation to the part which Massachusetts took in the war. He was one of the few men whom we have known, upon whom public life worked no detriment to the simplicity, honesty, and kind- ness of their character. No man ever appeared in his presence to make a dishonest proposition. If any one approached him for such a purpose, he would not have had the hardihood to make it. His mind was active, and labor appeared to give him strength, rather than weakness. It was the wonder of us all, how he could stand so much bodily and mental labor. When not absent from the city upon business connected with the war, at Washington, he was in his room at the State House, like a skilful and steady pilot at the helm, guiding the Ship of State.
We all felt his loss when he was absent, and felt relieved when he returned. In the darkest hours of the war, - after the first Bull Run battle, the disastrous affair at Ball's Bluff in 1861, after the retreat of Mcclellan from before Richmond, and many of the stoutest hearts were despondent, and the peril of the na- tion oppressed the minds of men, - Governor Andrew never lost faith or hope in the ultimate success of our arms, and the favorable termination of the conflict. It was in these days of depression, these hours of sadness, that he shone forth with the brightness of the sun.
Never despair of the republic, was his motto, and guide of life. He infused hope into minds bordering almost on despair, and his acts corresponded with the promptings of his heart. We well remember one night, when the news of MeClellan's retreat reached Boston ; the papers were filled with accounts of the ter- rible disaster ; the names of the dead and wounded of Massa- chusetts' bravest and best were arrayed in the ghastly bulletins transmitted from the front. That very night, the Governor said, "We must issue a new order, call for more men, incite recruiting, inspire hope, dispel gloom ; this is the time which requires bold- ness, firmness, and every personal sacrifice." The order was
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