USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > New Bedford > History of New Bedford and its vicinity, 1620-1892 > Part 33
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HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
miles to the north, it had a sharp engagement with Quantrell's soldiers. In May, after the conflicts at Semmesport and Calhoun Station, it re- tired with the army of General Banks to Morganza, on the Mississippi.
June 25 the Third Cavalry was again transformed into a regiment of infantry for temporary service, and on July 15 sailed for Fortress Mon- roe. On July 28 the regiment reported at Chain Bridge and went into camp at Monocacy. September 2, 1864, Maj. John F. Vinal was pro- moted to lieutenant-colonel. It was on continuous service in the movements of the army of the Shenandoah Valley, and took an impor- tant part in the battle of Opequan on September 19. It was part of the front line in the charge that at first pressed back the enemy's forces. Of the 600 men the regiment carried into this battle, it lost 104 officers and men, eighteen of whom were killed. It participated in the final. charge on the 22d, that drove General Early from his position at Fisher's Hill. With the rest of the Union army, it pursued the retreating force until Harrisonburg was reached on the 26th, where the regiment went into camp. It assisted in the destruction of Confederate supplies at Mount Crawford on September 29, and took part in the battle at Cedar Creek on October 19, where it lost seventy-seven men killed and wounded. De- cember 26 this regiment went by train to Harper's Ferry, and thence it escorted a quantity of artillery to Remount Camp in Pleasant Valley, Md. The march was made through deep snow that filled the roads, and in weather of intense cold. The regiment went into winter quarters till February 18, 1865, when it was again remounted, resuming its char- acter as a cavalry organization. It had continuous duty to perform dur- ing the spring campaign at Deerfield Station, Winchester, Jeffersonville, Harper's Ferry and Frederick City. In May the original members of the Forty- first Regiment were mustered out and left for home. The regiment took part in the general review at Washington May 23, and performed further service at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and Fort Kear- ney, Neb.
It was mustered out of service in Boston, October 8, 1865, after a con- tinuous service of thirty-five months. The official record says, that "the regiment marched 15,000 miles, and had been in more than thirty en- gagements". On its regimental flag were inscribed the battles of Irish Bend, Henderson Hill, Cane River, Port Hudson, Sabine Cross Roads,
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FORTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.
Muddy Bayou, Piny Woods, Snag Point, Bayou de Glaize, Yellow Bayou, Opequan Creek, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek. In the course of its long and arduous service it had received high commendation for good discipline and gallantry in action from many eminent commanders, under whom it had the honor to serve. Among these may be mentioned Major-General Banks, Sheridan, A. T. Lee, Grover, and Emory.
THE FORTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT,
Company D of which was largely composed of New Bedford men, was recruited for nine months' service through the efforts of Lucius B. Marsh, a well-known citizen of Boston, in the fall of 1862. In Novem- ber it went into camp at Readville, and on the 29th was ordered to join the Banks expedition, then being organized in New York. It went into camp on Long Island, and December 21 sailed in the steamer Missis- sippi for New Orleans. At this time Austin S. Cushman was major of the regiment, and the following were the officers of Company D : Captain, Joseph Burt, jr. ; first lieutenant, William H. Topham ; second lieutenant, Samuel G. Blaine.
On its arrival the regiment reported to General Banks, January I, 1865, at New Orleans; thence to Carrollton, where it reported to Gen. W. T. Sherman On January 11 it was ordered to proceed to the United States barracks at New Orleans. The companies of this regi- ment were occupied in special guard duty, being detailed to various points during the term of service. In March, 1863, the detached com- panies were united again, and were ordered to the Metaire Race-course. Colonel Marsh commanded the post. While at this point the New Bed- ford company, together with that belonging in South Boston, crossed Lake Ponchartrain and captured a steamer, a schooner, and other prop- erty, including a quantity of cotton. May 19 the regiment was sent to Camp Parapet, and was occupied in the long line of defenses. A com- pany of negroes was recruited, which was the nucleus of the Second Louisiana Regiment, and which was soon filled. Its.officers were drawn from the Forty-seventh, the enlisted men being furnished from the con - traband camp. The Forty-seventh Regiment was on duty at Camp Parapet during the famous siege of Port Hudson. Its term of service
44
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HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
having expired, it came home by way of Cairo, Ill., reaching Boston August 18, 1863. It was accorded a generous welcome, and went into camp at Readville. The men were furloughed till September 1, when they were mustered out of service.
FIFTY-FOURTH REGIMENT INF. M. V.
Of this regiment Robert G. Shaw was colonel, and one of its com- panies, C, was raised in New Bedford. This regiment was the first com- posed of colored soldiers which was raised in the State. ' It left for the seat of war May 28, 1863. It made a famous record ; and its regimental banner is emblazoned with the follwing named engagements : Fort Wag- ner, and the several engagements before Charleston, Olustee, James Island, Honey Hill, and Boykin's Mills. Company C was recruited in New Bedford with the following officers: Captain, James W. Grace ; sergeants, William H. W. Gray, Wesley Furlong, William H. Carney, Warton A. Williams, George H. Lee; corporals, James H. Buchanan, George Delevan, David S. Fletcher, James H. Gooding, William D. Kelly. The regiment continued in faithful service to the government till it was mustered out and disbanded on Boston Common, September 1, 1865. It was at the siege of Fort Wagner, July 17, that these col- ored troops made a noble reputation for bravery and sacrifice, forever silencing the prediction that the negro would not fight. It was at this assault that Color-Sergeant William H. Carney, of New Bedford, per- formed a brave deed in holding aloft the flag in the fiercest of the fight, and bringing it into camp, proudly saying, "The old flag never touched the ground, boys." This act, acknowledged to be one of the most heroic deeds of the civil war, is recorded in the State documents. In 1889, at the urgent request of the writer, Color-Sergeant Carney wrote a detailed account of the affair. It seems proper that it should appear in this chapter. He has added so much interesting material regarding the formations of Company C and of the regiment, that the entire article is herewith presented.
"Early in 1863 there was a strong movement on the part of the gov- ernor of Massachusetts, John A. Andrews, to raise a regiment of colored soldiers. The citizens of New Bedford, both white and colored, were
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FIFTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.
glad of the opportunity, and went earnestly to work in order to aid the governor in accomplishing his object. Before he had been officially authorized by the United States government to raise the regiment, New Bedford was actively at work to do her part by organizing a company. A meeting having been held by the citizens, and the subject thoroughly discussed, a soldier, Colonel Maggi, by his stirring speech, roused us to a sense of duty and patrotism. Only a few weeks passed, when a public meeting was called in Liberty Hall. This meeting was to see E. M. Hallowell, who came fresh from the field, with his arm in a sling from a wound received in battle. As he came with authority and information from the State Department in regard to recruiting, he was listened to with intense interest. From that meeting the spirit of enlisting was im- bibed, and in a few days recruiting was commenced. Down on William street, in the building that was for many years occupied by Tobey & Coggeshall, and which is now on Second street, was where the recruit- ing was begun, with James W. Grace as recruiting officer, and Dr. John H. Mackie as examining surgeon. Everything being ready the enlist- ment commenced, and forty-six men were enlisted in New Bedford. I will give the names of these as far as I can: William H. W. Gray, Joseph H. Campbell, George Delevan, Abram Terrants, Joseph Hall, Treadwell Turner, James H. Buchanan, James N. Gooding, Cornelius Heuson, Lewis Fleetwood, George H. Lee, Samuel Layton, Wesley Furlong, John L. Wright, Charles H. Harrison, John Harrison, Nathan Young, Richard Nelson, Abram Conkling, Wanton A. Williams, John Atkins, Alexander H. Johnson, Henry A. Monroe, Charles Guinn, Richard Foster, William H. Carney. March 4 we marched to the station and took the train for Readville, where, with Gen. R. A. Pierce as commander, we were received and quartered. Now we began to realize we were enlisted men, and about to become soldiers. You can imagine a roll of raw recruits, standing guard on a cold March night for the first time, those who were not on duty going to bed in a bunk filled with straw, shivering under one blanket in an unlined barrack. We were extremely susceptible to the change from March 3 to March 4, but March 5 came and found us no longer in citizen's clothes, but in the blue trousers and coats, with fatigue caps. For the reveille, roll call, breakfast, for all these things we had to fall in and out. In this
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HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
way we passed the time at Readville until May, interspersed with squad, company, and battalion drill; then we were ordered to Boston to em- bark for South Carolina. Having arrived at Hilton Head, we were ordered up the river to Beaufort, S. C. We were here only a few days, however, before we were ordered to St. Simon's Island Upon arriv- ing there we found it deserted by all but one man, and we took charge of him. From here we made a successful raid to Darien, capturing a lot of supplies-vessels loaded with cotton and cattle-and the city itself. Thence we proceeded to James Island, S. C., staying only four days, during which time we were engaged with the rebels and successfully re- pulsed them. Thence to the charge and attack on Fort Wagner. On the 18th of July, 1863, about noon, we commenced to draw near this great fort, under a tremendous cannonading from the fleet, directed upon the fort. When we were within probably a thousand yards of the fort, we halted and lay flat upon the ground, waiting for the order to charge. The brave Colonel Shaw and his adjutant, in company with General Strong, came forward and addressed the regiment with encouraging words. General Strong said to the regiment: 'Men ot Massachusetts, are you ready to take that fort to night?' And the regiment spon- taneously answered in the affirmative. Then followed three cheers, proposed by General Strong, for the regiment ; three cheers for Colonel Shaw; three cheers for Governor Andrew and Massachusetts, and three cheers for General Strong. We were all ready for the charge, and the regiment started to its feet, the charge being fairly commenced. We had got but a short distance when we were opened upon with musketry, shell, grape and canister, which mowed down our men right and left. As the color-bearer became disabled, I threw away my gun and seized the colors, making my way to the head of the column; but before I reached there the line had descended the embankment into the ditch, and was making its way upon Wagner itself. While going down the embankment our column was staunch and full. As we ascended the breastworks, the volleys of grapeshot which came from right and left and of musketry in front, mowed the men down as a scythe would do. In less than twenty minutes I found myself alone, struggling upon the ramparts, while all around me were the dead and wounded, lying one upon another. Here I said, 'I cannot go into the fort alone,' and so I
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FIFTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.
halted and knelt down, holding the flag in my hand. While there, the musket-balls and grapeshot were flying all around me, and as they struck, the sand would fly in my face. I knew my position was a criti- cal one, and I began to watch to see if I would be let alone. Discover- ing that the forces had renewed their attack farther to the right, and the enemy's attention being drawn thither, I turned and discovered a bat- talion of men coming towards me on the ramparts of Wagner. They proceeded until they were in front of me, and I raised my flag and started to join them, when, from the light of the cannon discharged on the fort, I saw that they were enemies. I wound the colors round the staff and made my way down the parapet into the ditch, which was without water when I crossed it before, but was now filled with water that came up to my waist. Out of the number that came up with me there was now no man moving erect, save myself, although they were not all dead, but wounded. In rising to see if I could determine my course to the rear, the bullet I now carry in my body came whizzing like a mosquito, and I was shot. Not being prostrated by the shot, I continued my course, yet had not gone far before I was struck by a second shot. Soon after I saw a man coming towards me, and when within halting distance I asked him who he was. He replied, 'I belong to the One Hundredth New York,' and then inquired if I were wounded. Upon my replying in the affirmative, he came to my assistance and helped me to the rear. 'Now then,' said he, 'let me take the colors and carry them for you.' My reply was that I would not give them to any man unless he belonged to the Fifty-fourth Regiment. So we pressed on, but did not go far be- fore I was wounded in the head. We came at length within hailing dis- tance of the rear guard, who caused us to halt, and upon asking who we were, and finding I was wounded, took us to the rear and through the guard. An officer came, and after taking my name and regiment, put us in charge of the hospital corps, telling them to find my regiment. When we finally reached the latter the men cheered me and the flag. My reply was, 'Boys, the old flag never touched the ground.' I de- livered it from my own hands to the officer in charge. The limits pre- scribed for this paper would be exceeded if any account of the remain- ing forty-eight days of the heroic strife on Morris Island were attempted. The truest courage and determination were manifested on both sides on
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HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
that day at Fort Wagner. There was no longer a question as to the valor of northern negroes. The assault on Fort Wagner completely removed all prejudices in the department. General Gillmore issued an order for- bidding all distinction to be made among the troops in his command, so that, while we lost hundreds of our numbers, we nevertheless were equal in all things save the pay. However, while the government refused to pay us equally, we continued to fight for the freedom of the enslaved, and for the restoration of our country. We did this, not only at Wag- ner, as has been seen, but also in the battles on James Island, Honey Hill, Olustee, and at Boykin's Mill."
February 26, 1863, New Bedford was honored with the presence of the war governor, John A. Andrew, and General Wool. A public re- ception was given the distinguished guests in the City Hall, and hun- dreds of citizens paid their respects.
In March State aid was directed to be paid to the families of colored citizens who should be mustered into the service of the United States. This act of justice brought assistance to many families in the city which were represented in a number of companies of colored soldiers in the army.
In May $1,000 was authorized to be expended in raising a company of heavy artillery.
Among the local events that are recorded during 1863 was the dis- charge of a watchman, July 15, " for using seditious language." State aid was ordered to be paid to the families of all drafted men. Bells were rung and artillery salutes fired on the day of public thanksgiving, August 6.
New Bedford suffered great losses in her maritime pursuits in the American Revolution and in the war with England in 1812, as has been shown in previous pages. She again, and for the third time, had her whaling fleet swept from the seas and the pursuit of this industry seri- ously checked by the rebel, cruisers. The Alabama in particular made sad havoc in our fleet, and many of our best ships were destroyed. Just how serious this was may be judged from the fact that, of the forty-six vessels destroyed, twenty-five of them belonged in this port, and two in Fairhaven ; that the estimated value of the whale ships destroyed by rebel cruisers was $1, 150,000, and of the oil $500,000, making a total
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LOSSES OF THE WHALING FLEET.
of $1,650,000. The following is the list ,of ships destroyed, belonging in New Bedford, and the amounts of the cargoes :
1862 .- Ship Benjamin Tucker, 350 barrels of sperm oil ; bark Eben Dodge, bark Elisha Dunbar, ship Levi Starbuck, bark Virginia.
1863 .- Bark Lafayette, 750 barrels of sperm oil; bark Nye, 350 bar- rels of sperm and 150 barrels of whale oil.
1864 .- Bark Edward, 100 barrels of whale oil; bark Golconda, 103 barrels of sperm and 659 barrels of whale oil.
1865 .- Bark Abigail, 30 barrels of sperm oil; bark Brunswick, 200 barrels of whale oil; bark Congress, 360 barrels of whale oil; ship Eu- phrates, 200 barrels of whale oil; bark Gypsy, 320 barrels of sperm and 50 barrels of whale oil; ship Hector, 275 barrels of sperm oil ; ship Hillman, 200 barrels of whale oil ; ship Isaac Howland, 160 barrels of sperm and 480 barrels of whale oil ; bark Isabella, 300 barrels of whale oil; bark Jirch Swift, 400 barrels of whale oil ; bark Martha 2d, 200 barrels of whale oil; ship Nassau, 100 barrels of whale oil; bark Nim- rod, 110 barrels of whale oil; ship Sophia Thornton ; bark Waverly, 50 barrels of sperm and 400 barrels of whale oil; ship William Thomp- son, 250 barrels of whale oil, making a total of twenty-five vessels be- longing to New Bedford, and 2,742 barrels of sperm and 4,150 barrels of whale oil.
An indication of the damage inflicted on New Bedford by the civil war may be seen in the statistics given : . Valuation in 1860, $24, 196, - 138; in 1865, $20,525,790. This diminution was largely due to the effect of the war upon the whaling industry.
Company B of the Third Regiment of Heavy Artillery was raised in New Bedford in the spring of 1863, and with eight other companies was mustered into service for garrisoning the forts on the coast of Mas- sachusetts. This company (Sixth unattached) was officered as follows : Captain, John A. P. Allen ; first lieutenants, T. Washburn Cook, Will- iam Cook; second lieutenants, Edwin Dews, Frederick S. Gifford. With other unattached companies in Massachusetts, it was given a reg- imental organization under the name of the Third Regiment of Heavy Artillery, and in the fall of 1864 was ordered to report at Washington for duty in that city's defenses. Captain Allen was promoted to major, and later to lieutenant-colonel, October 13, 1864. The command of
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HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
Company B was then given to Edwin Dews, who had been promoted to captain. It did faithful service in garrison duty in the various forts surrounding the capital city, and as the record reads, "executed well the duties which came to it." Captain Dews commanded the company until it left the service. T. Washburn Cook was commissioned captain and assigned to another company.
New Bedford was well represented in the Fourth Cavalry, organized February 12, 1864. Company B was largely composed of New Bed- ford men. Its officers, when the regiment left the State, were : Cap- tain, George R. Hurlburt ; first lieutenant, Joseph C. Brotherson ; second lieutenant, James E. Mulligan. Several members of Company K were from New Bedford. Company M was in command of Capt. Lucius H. Morrill, of New Bedford, and William T. Soule was second lieutenant. The regiment sailed in March on the steamer Western Metropolis for Hilton Head, S. C., and in May returned to Fortress Monroe and re- ported to General Butler. It entered upon service in the Army of the James, participating in the unfortunate battle of Drury's Bluff, May 9 to 16. In June it took part in the operations of the cavalry against Petersburg and Richmond.
During the year 1865 the companies of this regiment were widely scattered. Captain Hurlburt's company was in the Department of the South, with headquarters at Vienna, Va. It was in several engagements in Picolata Road, Fla., in February, and at Manning, Quigley's Mills, Swift Creek, Camden, Waterbury and Deep Creek in the month of April.
In the spring, Company M, Captain Morrill, with Companies I and L, under the command of Colonel Washburn, was stationed with General Ord at the headquarters of the Army of the James, and it fell to their honor to participate in one of the most important achievements of the war. April 6th this force, numbering thirteen officers and sixty-seven men, was sent to the support of two regiments in holding High Bridge, eighteen miles from headquarters at Burkesville. It was of the greatest importance that this point should be held, for it was feared that the enemy would cross the Appomattox. The following account is given of this affair : "The expedition was commanded by Brevet -Brigadier General Theodore Read, of General Ord's staff. Leaving the infantry
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FIFTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
at the bridge, which was reached about noon, the cavalry pushed on some two miles further, till they met a superior force of Confederate cavalry with artillery. Falling back to the bridge, Colonel Washburn found the infantry there already attacked by the cavalry advance of Lee's army, under Generals Rosser and Fitz Hugh Lee, and, with a bravery worthy of all renown, the gallant band delivered battle against the overwhelming odds. Twice did the cavalry cut its way through the surrounding hosts, but the infantry could not escape, and the third time did Colonel Washburn hurl his handful against the enveloping lines. During the struggle that ensued that noble officer was mortally wounded. General Read had been killed, and eight of the twelve officers of the Fourth engaged, were killed or wounded."
But the importance of the delay which the heroic sacrifice had se- cured can scarcely be over-estimated ; it had enabled General Sheridan and the Sixth Corps to fall on the Confederates' rear guard and to prac- tically destroy it at Sailor's Creek ; and General Ord to have his bat- talions within striking distance of the escaping army. The little band of the Fourth Cavalry had been almost annihilated. Captains Hodges and Goddard and Lieutenant Davis were killed outright, but the sur- vivors knew that their daring had much to do with the final surrender of Lee's entire army, less than three days after.
The various detachments of the regiment were gathered at Richmond at the close of hostilities, where they remained during the summer and autumn. They were mustered out of service November 14, 1865.
FIFTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY, M. V.
The organization of this regiment was completed in April, 1864, and it was the last infantry regiment mustered into the national service for three years. It was largely composed of men who had already seen service during the civil war." Company E was raised in New Bedford, and the following were its officers when it left the State for the front. Captain, William E. Mason ; first lieutenant, Charles A. Tobey ; second lieutenant, Allen Almy. The regiment was under the command of Lieut .- Col. John C. Whitton. The major was Barnabas Ewer, jr., and the quartermaster, Theodore A. Barton. It left Readville April 28, and
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HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
reached Alexandria, Va., two days later. On May 2, having dispensed with surplus baggage, the regiment took the cars for Bristow Station, whereit was assigned to the First Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Corps, under Gen. A. E. Burnside. On May 4 the forward movement was begun ; the troops marched twenty miles and were much exhausted. The next day Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers were crossed, and a much longer distance was covered, though many of the men fell out by the way.
On May 6 the command reached Wilderness Tavern, joined with the Third Division under General Wilcox, and moved forward to fill the gap between the right and left wings of the Union army. An engage- ment ensued with the enemy, entrenched on the opposite side of a swampy ravine. The Fifty-eighth lost seven killed and twenty- three wounded.
This regiment took part in many severe engagements in the battles of Spottsylvania and North Anna, and lost many men. On June 3 the Fifty-eighth moved forward and joined the assault on the Confederate lines at Cold Harbor. The account says : "Through a deadly fire it advanced to within fifty yards of the hostile works, where the men with bayonets and tin cups threw up slight defenses of earth, being ordered to maintain the position at all hazards. They did this during the day, though at a heavy loss, eighteen being killed and sixty-seven wounded." Among those killed was Maj. Barnabas Ewer, of Fairhaven. The regi- ment was continually on duty and in action till the close of operations before Cold Harbor, June 12.
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