USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : containing carefully prepared histories of every city and town in the county, Vol. II > Part 14
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August 9, 1856, three young men - Rogers, Cushing, and Tilden -tried the experiment of going over Pawtucket Falls in a boat. They are alive to tell their experience.
October 28, while Rufus Choate was addressing more than 3,000 citizens in Huntington Hall, the floor of the hall suddenly settled, causing great consternation. The seats had been removed, and the hall was packed with people. General B. F. Butler being present, quieted the people by a timely caution, and the meeting dissolved without injury to auy one.
December 8, the post-office was removed from Tyler's building on Middle Street to the Museum building on Merrimack Street.
Dr. Nathan Allen, who for many years has in- terested himself in sanitary and hygienic questions, expressed in 1857 the opinion "that Lowell, whether compared as a whole with other cities and towns in New England, or its American population with the same class in other places, presents a remark- ably favorable state of health for the past twenty- five years. The absence of aged people in the population, to increase the rate of mortality, is offset in a great degree by the number of deaths occasioned by casualties. From 1830 to 1846, two hundred and thirty-one deaths are reported as occasioned by drowning, accidents with ma- chinery," etc.
Messrs. Charles P. and Thomas Talbot, the firm- name being C. P. Talbot & Co., who commenced business in Lowell in 1839, in a store opposite the Washington House, as dealers in drugs and dye- stuffs, found the business of sufficient importance to warrant them in building a factory in North Billerica.
The bridge over the Concord River, on East Mer- rimack Street, was rebuilt at an expense of $2,700. The fall of the easterly arch of the Church Street bridge over the Concord River occurred this year.
This year (1857) will long be remembered as a period of financial distress. Some of the mills in Lowell completely stopped, and others ran on short time. Thousands were unemployed, and all kinds of business suffered.
In 1858 the Church Street Bridge over the Con- cord River was rebuilt at an expense of $11,295.11.
August 13, 1859, the first steam fire-engine pro- cured by the city was tried with satisfactory re- sults. The fire department had been encouraged and sustained from the organization of the town, the best men secured for engineers, and all the modern appliances and improvements adopted.
March 28, 1860, the city purchased Park Gar- den, in Belvidere, for a common, at an expense of $1,800.
May 10, the Lowell Felting Mills were estab- lished by Moses A. Johnson and Isaac Schofield, who commenced the manufacture of felting from Russian and American cattle hair, at the foot of Howe Street, Belvidere. Mr. Schofield retired, and in 1866 James S. Wiggin and George Brierton of Boston, with Mr. Johnson, purchased the steam saw-mill on Pawtucket Street, and erected a build- ing suitable for their purpose.
May 23, the old jail on Dutton Street was sold at auction for $5,360. The original cost was $15,000.
July 23, the proprietors of Pawtucket Bridge offered to sell the bridge for $12,000. The town of Dracut agreed to pay $2,000 and the city of Lowell $4,000, in case the county commissioners would lay the bridge out as a public highway. February 4, 1861, the matter was settled by the commissioners ; the county was charged with the balance of $6,000, and the bridge was free. Feb- ruary 20, 1861, the event was duly celebrated ; a rope was fastened to the toll-gate, horses were hitched to the rope, and the gate was drawn across the bridge, preceded by a band of music.
THE REBELLION OF 1861.
MARCH 1, 1861, Mechanics' Savings Bank was incorporated.
April 12, the guns of South Carolina fired upon Fort Sumter. The intelligence of this aronsed the patriotism of the North, and all political differences were forgotten in the one prevalent desire to pre-
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serve the Union. As early as January 21, a meet- ing of the officers of the 6th Massachusetts Regi- ment was held at the American House in Lowell to "arrange for future contingencies." At this meeting Major B. F. Watson of Lawrence pre- sented the following resolution, which received the approval of all present : --
" Resolved, That Colonel Jones be authorized and re- quested, forthwith, to tender the services of the 6th regi- ment to the commander-in-chief and legislature, when such service may become desirable, for the purposes contem- plated in Generat Order No. 4.
This resolution was read in the legislature by Gen. B. F. Butler, who was at that time a member of the senate.
April 15, Colonel Jones received the following order :
" Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
" ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, BOSTON, April 15, 1861. "COL. JONES : Sir, I am directed by His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief, to order you to muster your regi- ment on Boston Common, forthwith, in compliance with a requisition made by the President of the United States. The troops are to go to Washington.
" By order of His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief, " WILLIAM SCHOULER, Adjutant-General."
On the night of the 15th it became known that the 6th regiment was called to go to the front ; the soldiers assembled at the armories, and fifty or sixty names were added to the rolls. Colonel Jones was present, and made a speech to the companies. The men were busy all night making necessary preparations. The next morning the armories were crowded by citizens, who came forward with offers of money, clothing, etc. A drizzly rain-storm prevailed, but it did not damp the ardor of the men.
The out-of-town companies arrived about nine o'clock, A. M., and the regiment assembled in Huntington Hall.
The following companies were from Lowell : Company A, National Greys, Josiah A. Sawtell, captain ; C, Mechanic Phalanx, Albert S. Follans- bee, captain ; D, City Guards, James W. Hart, captain ; H, Watson Light Guard, John F. Noyes, lieutenant commanding.
At ten o'clock Huntington Hall was filled. Colonel Jones introduced the mayor, who presided. Rev. Amos Blanchard, D. D., read the Eighteenth Psalm. Addresses were made by the mayor (B. C. Sargent), A. R. Brown, Esq., T. H. Sweetser, Esq., Captain Peter Haggerty, Hon. Linus Child, Colonel George F. Sawtell, and Hon. Tappan Went- | B. F. Butler.
worth. Mayor Sargent assured the soldiers that they and their families should be cared for by the city. The city government promptly responded April 18, voting the sum of $8,000 to be used for that purpose. The benediction was pronounced by Rev. Dr. Blanchard.
The regiment, accompanied by the Brigade Band, took an extra train of cars for Boston at a quar- ter before twelve o'clock. On its arrival in Boston it marched to Faneuil Hall. During the march the men were enthusiastically cheered by the people who lined the streets and occupied the buildings along the route. At quarter-past four o'clock, P. M., it marched from Faneuil Hall, through State and Washington streets, to Boylston Hall, where quar- ters had been prepared.
April 17, the regiment was increased in Boston by the addition of the Stoneham Light Infantry, Captain J. H. Dike ; the Washington Light Guard, Boston, Captain Walter S. Sampson; and the Worcester Light Infantry, Captain Harrison W. Pratt. The other companies were filled up by men from other regiments, so that the 6th numbered six hundred and fifty men. At eleven A.M. the regiment marched to the State House, where those of the troops who had old muskets were furnished with the new rifled musket; each man received an overcoat,1 flannel shirt and drawers, and a pair of stockings. While in front of the State House the regimental colors were presented to Colonel Jones by Governor Andrew, who said : -
" Soldiers, summoned suddenly, with but a mo- ment for preparation, we have done all that lay in the power of men to do, -all that rested in the power of your state government to do, - to pre- pare the citizen soldiers of Massachusetts for this service. We shall follow you with our benedic- tions, our benefactions, and prayers. Those whom you leave behind you we shall cherish in our heart of hearts. You carry with you our utmost faith and confidence. We know that you never will return until you can bring the assurances that the utmost duty has been performed which brave and patriotic men can accomplish. This flag, sir, take and bear with you. It will be an emblem on which all eyes will rest, reminding you always of that which you are bound to hold most dear."
In reply, Colonel Jones said : -
" Your Excellency, you have given to me this flag, which is the emblem of all that stands before
1 Procured by the governor, at the suggestion of General
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you. It represents my whole command ; and, so help me God, I will never disgrace it !"
Before leaving the city, Lizzie Clawson Jones, the youthful daughter of the colonel, was adopted as the daughter of the regiment.
At seven p. M. the line of march was taken for the Worcester depot, under the escort of the second battalion of infantry. The shouts of the people, mingled with the discharge of cannon and the ring- ing of the bells, were heard all through the route. At Worcester the military, fire department, and thousands of people lined the track as the train passed. Early on the morning of the 18th the regi- ment arrived in New York and marched to its quar- ters at the Astor, St. Nicholas, and Metropolitan hotels. The reception was cordial and enthusi- astic. The streets were literally packed with sol- diers and citizens to do it honor. At noon the 6th marched to the Jersey Ferry, and took the train for Washington. At Trenton and Newark, N. J., a salute was fired in honor of its appear- ance. The 6th arrived at Philadelphia about eight o'clock, P. M., where the crowds of people were so dense that the regiment could only move throngh the streets by the flank. The cheering was inces- sant. The officers were entertained at the Conti- nental Hotel, and the soldiers were quartered at the Girard House. While the soldiers were seeking repose, Colonel Jones had a conference with Brigadier-General P. S. Davis, of the First Brigade, Massachusetts Militia, who had been sent forward by Governor Andrew to arrange subsistence and transportation, and who, having heard the most exciting rumors and threats from Baltimore, declined to take the responsibility of ordering the regiment either to go on or wait for further infor- mation. Colonel Jones' reply was, " My orders are to reach Washington at the earliest possible moment, and I shall go on." General Davis, extending his hand, replied, "Colonel, if you go on, I shall go with you." The only fear Colonel Jones expressed, in continuing the conference, was, that the train might be destroyed by an obstruction on the track, or by the destruction of a bridge, causing a whole- sale slaughter, for which the friends of the regiment would hold him responsible ; but he added, " My orders are peremptory, and, whatever may be the consequences, I must proceed." They arranged for the despatch of a pilot engine, in advance of the train, to avoid a casualty. The soldiers had scarcely retired to rest in Philadelphia, when the long roll sounded, and they were obliged to turn
out. They left at one o'clock, A. M., April 19. All possible care was taken in embarking the men, so that, if called upon to disembark suddenly, they would be in regimental line. The car containing the field and staff officers was at the head of the tram. At Havre-de-Grace the cars were not run off the ferry-boat in the order in which they went on. This derangement may have conferred martyr- dom on men who would otherwise have escaped. On arriving at the Susquehanna, the train was augmented by the addition of cars containing an unarmed corps of young men apparently from sixteen to twenty-two years of age, numbering about one thousand, calling themselves Small's Brigade. In rearranging the train on the south side of the Susquehanna, it being night, some of the cars, in which were a portion of the 6th regi- ment, were misplaced, separating them from the other companies of the regiment. Company K, Captain Sampson, was to have had the left, and thus, with Major Watson, would have had the post of honor, but for the derangement at Havre-de- Grace, which misplaced the companies so that, on their arrival in Baltimore, Company D occupied the position of Company K, and Company L, which belonged on the right, was transferred to the left. Quartermaster Munroe had distributed twenty rounds of ball cartridge, and Colonel Jones had gone through the cars, issuing an order for the regiment to march across Baltimore in column of sections. The soldiers loaded and capped their rifles. The colonel ordered Major Watson, his second in command, to repair, upon the stopping of the train, to the left company, Captain Sampson, and remain in the car with that company, When the train arrived and stopped (about 10 o'clock, A. M.), the major proceeded from the forward car to the one containing Captain Sampson's command. No order came to file out. All the cars forward of Captain Sampson's company, or the larger por- tion of that company, disappeared, and horses were being attached to that car. Major Watson supposed he had the left of the regiment, and no intimation had been received of a change in the orders. The railroad authorities, without consulting the colonel, had ordered the cars drawn across the city by horses, before the mob collected, as the regiment was not expected until about noon. The car containing Captain Sampson's company, at the first turn in the street, owing to obstructions, was thrown from the track. Major Watson, with the aid of a pass- ing team, replaced it upon the track. The mob
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were much excited, and missiles were thrown at and into the car. On Pratt Street, nearly opposite the dock, the mob detached the horses, in prox- imity to a pile of paving-stones. Here a most furious and determined attack was made with stones and fire-arms, wounding several soldiers in the car. Major Watson ordered the men to shelter them- selves, as far as possible, by lying upon the floor of the car, while he went out among the crowd, and by threats, and the formidable appearance of his revolver, compelled the driver to reattach the horses. They had proceeded but a short distance, when the horses were again detached and the same scene was repeated ; the car was then drawn to the Wash- ington depot without further trouble.
There were eleven companies in the regiment. Above is a narration of the passage of seven com- panies, occupying eight cars ; the remaining four companies left in the cars were : Company C, Me- chanic Phalanx, Captain A. S. Follansbee; Com- pany I of Lawrence, Captain John Pickering ; Stoneham Light Infantry, Captain J. H. Dike; Company D, City Guards of Lowell, Captain James W. Hart. The balance of the thirty cars in the train were occupied by Small's Brigade.
While awaiting the movement of the cars two men came in and announced that the track had been torn up and removed, and advised the officers to march their men through the city. They were sharply questioned by Captain Follansbee and the other officers, and the determination taken to march through. The four companies filed out of the cars in regular order. Captain Dike of Stoneham was entitled to the right, and when requested to take that position he declined, with the remark that he did not wish to take the responsibility. After con- sultation, the officers decided that the command devolved upon Captain A. S. Follansbee, Company C. He immediately took his position upon the right, wheeled into column of sections, and ordered the march in close column. But a difficulty arose ; no one knew the way to the destination of the troops. Inquiry was made of the by-standers,. when a policeman stepped up and volunteered to guide them. The policeman had not proceeded far before he was knocked down by a stone. Very soon the mob was upon them, with a secession flag attached to a pole, which was taken and trampled in the dirt; the whole column marched over it. The street through which the troops marched was parallel with the canal, and when they came to the bridge over the canal they found it barricaded.
The planks of the bridge had been taken to form the barricade. The men made short work of this obstruction, replaced the planks on the bridge, and continued their march. Stones were hurled at the troops, and some of the men were hit ; pistols were discharged ; terms of obloquy were used to irritate the men ; they were informed that they could not march through the city; every "white nigger" would be killed before they could reach the depot. Not a gun had been discharged by the troops. The band being without arms refused to leave the station ; there was no music, but the flag was there. In the march through Pratt Street the right of the column had passed a three-story brick building, in the third story of which three of the windows had been taken out, and men were stationed there with muskets in their hands. The City Guards, Captain Hart, had the rear of the column. When they were in front of the building, the men in the win- dows of that building fired, and the balls took effect in Captain Hart's company, killing two men. In front and on the flanks of the column was a dense mass of excited and furious people. Into this crowd the troops were ordered to fire, and the result was, according to Captain Follansbee, that it "laid a great many of them away." In the judgment of Captain Follansbee and others on whose information he relies, the firing continued about thirty-eight minutes. While this was taking place, two blocks from where the men were killed, a well-dressed man, with a police force, came up to Captain Follansbee, announced himself as Mayor Brown, requested him to cease firing, and told him he should be protected. While he was speaking one of the men was knocked down by a stone. The mayor seized a rifle and shot the man that threw the stone. The crowd renewed the attack, and stones and balls continued to fly about the mayor's head. He remarked to Captain Follansbee, "This is get- ting too hot for me," and hastily took his leave.
Beyond this they came to a place where the street branched into two streets. Having no guide, the gallant leader was in doubt. A circumstance now occurred that decided him. At the opening of one of the streets a man had posted himself, shouting he would shoot the first man that at- tempted to pass him. "That's the road for us," remarked Captain Follansbee, and the order was promptly given to " Forward, march !" That man was Marshal Kane, chief of police of Baltimore. A short march brought the column to the depot, where they joined their companions. After they
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were in the cars, a crowd surrounded them, but the significant appearance of guns protruding from the windows prevented any further material injury.1
Efforts were made by the mob to delay the train, and the conductor reported to the colonel that it was impossible to proceed, that the regiment must march to Washington. Colonel Jones re- plied, " We are ticketed through, and are going in these cars. If you or the engineer cannot run the train, we have plenty of men who can. If you need protection or assistance, you shall have it; but we go through." They reached the Relay House, where the double track ended ; the train from Washington had the right of way, and a delay of two hours occurred. Late in the afternoon the regiment reached Washington, where Major McDow- ell, of General Scott's staff, was in waiting to receive it ; its quarters were established in the Capitol.
May 5, the regiment left Washington for the Relay House, at the junction of the Baltimore and Ohio and the Baltimore and Washington railroads. The Boston Light Artillery, one hundred and twenty-one men, and the 8th New York Regiment, eight hundred and forty-eight men, were stationed at the Relay House. Here they remained till May 13, when they were ordered to Baltimore. They reached there in the evening, and during a furious thunder-shower raised the national flag on Federal Hill. May 16, the regiment was ordered back to the Relay House, where it remained, guarding the railway. June 13, it was again ordered to Baltimore to remain and protect the polls during the election; on the defeat of the Union candidate it returned to the Relay House. June 26, the regiment was again sent to Baltimore, where it encamped on Mount Clare and in a neigh-
1 A list of the killed and wounded : Killed, Addison O. Whit- ney, Co. D; Sumner H. Needham, Co. I; Lnther C. Ladd, Co. D; Charles A. Taylor, Co. D. Wounded, Captain John Dike, Co. L; Lieutenant Leander F. Lynde, Co. L; Lieutenant James F. Rowe, Co. L; Charles B. Stinson, Co. C; Sergeant W. H. Lamson, Co. D; Sergeant John E. Ames, Co. D; Alexander George, Co. D; Charles H. Chandler, Co. D; Edward Coburn, Co. D; George W. Loverin, Co. D; Ira W. Moore, Co. D; Daniel C. Stevens, Co. D; William R. Pateh, Co. D; Daniel B. Tyler, Co. D; William G. Withington, Co. D; Sergeant George G. Durrell, Co. I; Victor G. Gingass, Co. I; Michael Green, Co. I; Harry G. Jewell, Co. I; George Colgan, Co. K ; Henry Gardner, Co. K ; William D. Gurley, Co. K; George T. Whitney, Co. K; Charles L. Gill, Co. L; Daniel Brown, Co. L : Henry Dike, Co. L; H. W. Danforth, Co. L; Stephen Flanders, Co. L; John B. Fortier, Co. L; John W. Kimpton, Co. L; James Keenan, Co. L; James S. Moody, Co. I,; Julian Putnam, Co. L; Ephraim A. Perry, Co. L; Andrew Rohbins, Co. L; William H. Young, Co. L.
boring grove. On the 31st, at two o'clock in the morning, it marched through the city to the resi- dence of Charles Howard, president of the board of police commissioners, and conveyed him a pris- oner to Fort MeHeury. 'The next day it returned to the Relay House. July 4, the loyal citizens of Baltimore presented the regiment with a magnifi- cent silk banner, bearing this inscription : " Loyal Citizens of Baltimore, to the Sixth Mass. U. S. V., Pratt Street, April 19, 1861." July 22, Congress passed a vote of thanks to the regiment. General Dix published a congratulatory order on relieving the regiment from duty, dated July 29, 1861. Passing through Baltimore on their way home, they received a cordial reception. August 1, they arrived in Boston, and were mustered out of the United States service the next morning.
August 2, the regiment, accompanied by the Brigade Band and a drum corps, was received in Lowell at half past one o'clock. A salute of nineteen guns greeted its arrival. The soldiers were met and escorted by the fire department and other bodies to the South Common, amid the en- thusiastic cheers of the people and the peals of the bells. After speeches by the mayor and Colonel Jones, they were escorted to Huntington Hall, where a collation had been provided at the expense of the city. Having given a connected history of the 6th regiment, I now return to the date of its departure from Lowell.
April 20, flags were displayed from St. Paul's and the First Congregational Churelies, the Hamil- ton Mills, Samuel Lawrence's house, the Lowell Machine-Shop, on Warren Street, and the Lowell Bleachery. April 22, the Brigade Band arrived home from Baltimore. The several banks ten- dered loans of money to the state. April 27, the Soldiers' Aid Association was organized; Nathan Crosby president, S. W. Stickney treasurer, and M. C. Bryant secretary. The ladies entered heart- ily into the work of supplying the soldiers with articles needed for their comfort and convenience. The record of this Association is honorable to all connected with it.
May 6, the bodies of Addison O. Whitney and Luther C. Ladd were brought to Lowell. The city government and a detachment of the Richardson Light Infantry escorted the bodies to Huntington Hall, which was dressed in mourning, and where the following solemn services took place : --
Dirge by the Brigade Band; reading of the Scriptures, Rev. C. W. Homer ; prayer, Rev. Dr.
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Cleveland ; anthem, St. Anne's Choir ; discourse, Rev. W. R. Clark ; original hymn by Rev. C. W. Homer, read by Rev. J. J. Twiss, sung by St. Anne's Choir; prayer, Rev. D. Mott; benediction, Rev. Frederick Hinckley.
The pall-bearers were Lieutenant W. E. Farrar, G. E. Dana, Edward S. Hunt, Surgeon W. H. Bradley, James Francis, H. H. Fuller, David Hyde, and Captain Temple Tebbetts.
May 11, the Abbott Light Guard, Captain E. G. Abbott, left the city for Camp Andrew, Brook Farm, Roxbury. This company was attached to Colonel Gordon's regiment.
May 15, Sergeant John. E. Ames, Company D, Corporal Daniel B. Tyler, Company D, privates Edward Coburn, Company D, and Michael Green, Company I, - the soldiers wounded at Balti- more, - arrived in Lowell. They were received by the Richardson and the Lowell Light Infantry.
May 21, the Richardson Light Infantry, Captain Phineas A. Davis, left Lowell via Boston for Fort- ress Monroe.
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