USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > New Bedford > History of New Bedford and its vicinity, 1620-1892 > Part 34
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In the Battle of the Crater, July 30, the Fifty-eighth was assigned to assist in the charge on the exploded fort and the capture of a battery. The attempt proved disastrous ; many of the Union troops were made prisoners. The Fifty-eighth alone lost five killed, thirty wounded and eighty-four captured. In September it crossed the Weldon Railroad, and joined in the battle of Poplar Spring Church, in which nearly the entire regiment was captured by the enemy. It was recruited and ren- dered still further service at Forts Mahone and Sedgwick. It took part in the grand review, May 23, 1865, in Washington, and was mus- tered out of service at Readville, July 26.
Few regiments of the Union army did more loyal service, or lost more severely than did the Fifty- eighth. It bears on the regimental
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THE ASSASSINATION OF LINCOLN.
colors the names of Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Cold Har- bor, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Poplar Spring Church, Fort Sedg- wick, Fort Mahone.
The Fifteenth unattached company of infantry was raised in New Bedford and mustered in for 100 days' service July, 29, 1864. Its offi- cers were: Captain, Isaac C. Jennings ; first lieutenant, Henry H. Potter; second lieutenant, Thomas J. Gifford. It served in the forts along the coast of the State and at other points where needed in its defense. The company was mustered out of service November 15, 1864.
The news of the signing of the emancipation proclamation by Abra- ham Lincoln was received in New Bedford with manifestations of great joy. The church bells were rung and a hundred guns fired in honor of this event. A public meeting was held in Liberty Hall on the after- noon of February 22, 1865, James B. Congdon presiding, and congratu- latory speeches were made by Rev. Messrs. Goodwood, Quint and Thomas, Hon. Rodney French, of this city, and Rev. J. Stella Martin, of New York. The surrender of General Lee and the downfall of the Southern Confederacy was announced to this community by the clang- ing bells and the roar of artillery at 5 o'clock on the morning of April IO. The unusual hour led many of the citizens to suppose that a fire was in progress, and, like their ancestors in the War of 1812, they were anxious in their inquiries as to its location. Their fears were soon turned into joy, and the city was wild with excitement at the glad tidings. Business was suspended, schools closed, public and private dwellings and the shipping in the harbor were decorated with flags and bunting. All day long the bells were rung, and the artillery discharged its booming notes of thanksgiving. The New Bedford Band was stationed at an early hour on City Hall square and for hours enter- tained the citizens with national airs. Throughout the day and evening the city was alive with demonstrations of satisfaction and delight; because of the victory of our arms and the approach of peace.
A few short days and the city was turned from its condition of ecstatic joy to that of deepest sorrow. The tolling bells that awoke the people from their slumbers on the morning of April 15 heralded the mournful news of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
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HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
The City Council passed a series of resolutions in regard to this sad event, which, it is believed, were the first adopted by any municipal or- ganization. They were as follows :
APRIL 15, 1865.
WHEREAS, It has been permitted in the workings of a mysterious Providence, that Abraham Lincoln, the President of the United States, should fall by the hand of an assassin, and
WHEREAS, The murderer's dagger has struck down William H. Seward, the Secretary of State, next to the President the most exalted and important officer of the govern- ment, and we are prepared at any moment to hear that he is no more; therefore,
Resolved, That an agony of sorrow that finds no relief but in the deep conviction that the Lord God Almighty liveth and reigneth, and that He is still the refuge and support of His people, has taken possession of our souls and bows us down to the dust with its awful and overwhelming reality.
Resolved, That in view of the exalted virtues and eminent public services of Abra- ham Lincoln, his wisdom, his firmness, his unassuming piety, and unswerving adherence to the great principles of universal liberty ; the masterly statesmanship and inspiring confidence which he has exhibited during the fearful struggle in which our country has been engaged, and which, with the help of God and a devoted people, lie had brought so near to a triumphant termination; we deplore, with intensity of emotion which finds no language for its adequate expression, the loss of this great and good man, of this faithful and devoted public servant.
Resolved, That while we bow submissively before the Sovereign Disposer of events, and seek, with this great calamity upon us, for the consolation which flows from the conviction " that He doeth all things well;" while we weep manly tears at the loss of our greatest public benefactor, of our dearly beloved and venerated Chief Magis- trate, and are deeply apprehensive that soon the tidings will reach us that the gifted and faithful Seward has shared his fate, we will nerve our hearts and our hands to meet the crisis this awful event has brought upon our country, and the performance of the high and solemn duties which as men and as citizens of the United States now devolve upon us.
At noonday, April 15, a religious service was held in the North Con- gregational Chapel. Appropriate addresses were made by Rev. Messrs. A. H. Quint, William J. Potter, Thomas Skinner, and other speakers. The service was one of deep interest and solemnity, and was a fitting expression of grief at this national calamity.
Among the New Bedford men who served in an official capacity in the military service during the civil war were :
Brig .- Gen. Richard A. Pierce, Governor Andrew's staff.
Eighteenth Regiment-Lieut .- Col. Timothy Ingraham, First Lieut.
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THE SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MONUMENT.
Sanford Almy, Com .- Sergt. William M. Ingraham, Principal Musician Cyrus A. Vaughan.
Twenty-first Regiment-Lieut .- Col. Albert C. Maggi.
Thirty-third Regiment-Col. Albert C. Maggi, Capt. Peleg C. Sears. ·
Twenty-ninth Regiment, Co. G-First Lieut. Freeman A. Taber. Forty-fourth Regiment -- Q .- M .- Sergt. Frederick S. Gifford.
Fifty-fifth Regiment-Chaplain William Jackson.
Fifty-eighth Regiment-Q .- M. Theodore A. Barton, First Lieut. Free- man C. Luce, First Lieut. William H. Caldwell ; Co. E-William E. Mason.
Sixtieth Regiment-Sergt .- Maj. W. H. Caldwell.
Second Heavy Artillery, Co. F-Lieut. Roland L. Hillman.
Fourth Heavy Artillery-Lieut .- Col. Samuel C. Hart, Chaplain Isaac H. Coe.
Thirteenth Battery-First Lieut. Timothy W. Terry.
Fourteenth Battery-Capt. E. P. Nye.
Sixteenth Battery-Capt. Henry D. Scott.
U. S. Cavalry-Capt Isaac C. Hart.
The city of New Bedford furnished 3,200 men for the war, a surplus of 1,100 over and above all demands. It expended during the four years $125,495.85 for the families of volunteers. It expended on ac- count of the war $177,000 beside the above.
The Soldiers' and Sailors' monument, erected. by the city in memory of the citizens who died in the service of their country during the Southern Rebellion was dedicated July 4, 1866. It is located on a commanding site within the city common. The monument was designed by George F. Meacham, of Boston, and is an artistic and beautiful structure. The stone is of Concord granite of superior quality. The inscriptions upon it are as follows :
[North side. ] Navy. [ East side. ]
Erected by the City of New Bedford as a Tribute of Gratitude to Her Sons Who Fell De- fending Their Country in Its Struggle with Slavery and Treason.
[South side.] Army. [West side | Dedicated July 4th, 1866.
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HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
In the corner-stone were deposited a roll containing, as far as could be gathered, the names of the patriot dead, photographs of distinguished generals, city documents, newspapers, etc. The cost of the monument, fencing and grading the grounds, was $13,300.
The corner-stone was laid with imposing ceremonies on July 4, 1866. A grand procession was formed on City Hall square, Brig .- Gen. Tim- othy Ingraham, marshal, assisted by Col. Samuel C. Hart, Majs. W. E. Mason and Edwin Dews, Capts. George R. Hurlburt and Frank L. Gilman, assistant marshals. The procession included soldiers, children of the public schools, temperance societies, city officials and a cavalcade of citizens. At the Common the exercises included singing by children, music by New Bedford Brass Band, prayer by Rev. T. C. Moulton, reading of the Declaration of Independence by Master I. C. Cornish, laying of the corner-stone by His Honor, John H. Perry, reading of a poem by James B. Congdon, and an oration by Rev. A. H. Quint, D. D. The eloquent speaker closed his oration with the following words :
" Here, on this sunrise slope, and looking to the free waters, let this column rise. Here, where old men come to rest, let them dwell on the memories of the dead sons. Here, where young men and maidens lin- ger in the evening air, let them remember the heroic men who did their duty and did it well. Here, where the children play on the grassy sod, let them reverently drink in the inspiration of this silent stone, and know that they owe to their. country their hearts and their hands. Here, where the children and the widow come to weep, let them feel that their heroes did not die in vain. Here, where the orphan stays to look at the memorial of his father, let him learn to be as heroic, as noble, and as true."
The interesting exercises were closed by the singing of " America" by the audience, and a salute of thirty-six guns by the artillery com- pany. The committee of arrangements for erecting the monument was composed of Aldermen Joseph Knowles and George G. Gifford, Coun- cilmen Austin S. Cushman, William C. Taber, jr. and William T. Smith.
NEW BEDFORD IN THE NAVY.
Glorious were the achievements of the Northern armies in the four years' struggle that resulted in the perpetuation of the unity of the
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NEW BEDFORD IN THE NAVY.
American States. They have been recorded upon the pages of history that will preserve for future generations their deeds of valor and of suf- fering in camp and field. The means afforded for the preservation of a record of these events have been so many and so complete that every incident of any importance has been chronicled. The telegraph, sup- plemented by the accounts daily given by the newspaper correspondents, furnished the latest news of army movements and operations. The newspaper, finding its way into every city, town and hamlet, became the medium that supplied information to the people regarding the boys in blue who represented those communities in the grand armies of the nation.
The very nature of the naval operations during the great struggle rendered it impossible that such frequent and full information concern- ing them could be obtained. Guarding a coast line of three thousand miles, operating in the gulf and in rivers, the vessels of the United States navy rendered a service that can never, perhaps, be justly appreciated, for the reason that the daily occurrences did not come under the regular surveillance of the telegraph. Because of these conditions the navy has not yet had full credit for its noble part in crushing out the southern re- bellion. Time is developing a more just appreciation of, and history may yet record, the fact that the navy deserves to share equally in the glory and success of the nation's preservation.
Let the reader contemplate for a moment the important service ren- dered by the blockading squadron. At the very beginning of the war blockade-running was for a time a holiday affair; but when the navy department had completed the line of armed vessels that threaded the southern and gulf coasts, this enterprise soon became hazardous and costly to those engaged in it. The operations of the blockade. runners were soon crippled and towards the end of the war were confined to one or two ports. The efficiency of the blockading squadron is seen in the fact, that during the war there were 1, 119 prizes captured, including 350 steamers, their estimated value being $30,000,000. A large number of these captured steam vessels were very fast and had been built for the special purpose of running the blockade. They were utilized, when captured, by the government and when armed and equipped were added to the blockading fleet.
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HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
Of vastly greater importance to the Union than the captures made by the blockading squadron, was the fact that, by its prompt and efficient formation and operations, it compelled the respect of European powers and thereby defeated the recognition of the Southern Confederacy. Its vigilance deprived the rebels of munitions of war, provisions, clothing, and other necessities from abroad. General Porter says : " It may be well said that without the close blockade which was kept up by the navy, the war might have been carried on indefinitely, while the battles would have been far more bitter and bloody than they were.
As long as the Confederacy could be furnished with provisions, cloth- ing, arms, and munitions of war, they could fight on even in a desperate cause, but when the sinews of war were taken from them, they col- lasped." Who can comprehend the disasters to the cause of the Union that would surely have followed the appearance of the ironclad Merri- mac in Chesapeake Bay in March, 1862, had it not been providentially met by Ericsson's nondescript Monitor ? Did not the death throes of the rebellion begin when Farragut, with his fleet, passed the forts in Mo- bile Bay, thus closing the last and most important base of supplies for the Confederate cause ? Pages might be filled with accounts of what the navy did in the civil war, but enough has already been mentioned to indicate the importance of this arm of the service. It remains to show that while New Bedford made a noble and praiseworthy record in the army, she has an equally creditable one in her relations with the navy.
In earlier pages of this work allusion has been made to New Bedford's contributions to the naval service in the American Revolution, and in the War of 1812. True to her loyalty in those national contests, she continued her noble history in the civil war.
New Bedford furnished about 2,000 men for the Union armies, and 1,336 for navy. A large portion of the former went forth from the city in organized companies, and it has been a comparatively easy task to arrange their departures in chronological order. Such is not the case with the sailors who entered the naval service. The records show that enlistments began here with the very commencement of the war. They show that New Bedford men found positions either as offi- cers, engineers, or seamen, in almost every vessel attached to the naval squadron. The names are here given of a few of the many war vessels
36៛
MERRIMAC AND MONITOR.
on which New Bedford men did service in the civil war : Cumberland, Mississippi, Genesee, Sabine, Conemaugh, Shenandoah, Portsmouth, St. Lawrence, Black Hawk, Minnesota, Mohawk, Bainbridge, North Car- olina, Marion, Vincennes, Dale, Montgomery, Cambridge, Preble, Colo- rado, Congress, King Fisher, Mohican, Sagamore, Kensington, Kearsarge, Vermont, Aroostook, R. R. Cuyler, Tioga, Sonora, Albatross, Santce, Niphon, Ethan Allen, Pequoit, Susquehanna, Curfew, Hartford, Huron, Nantucket, Kennebec, Canandaigua, and San Jacinto .. Scores of New Bedford seamen are mentioned as serving in the Atlantic, Gulf, Du- pont's, Farragut's, Lardner's and other squadrons. Many names ap- pear of officers and seamen who rendered service in the flotillas that operated on the western and southern rivers.
The pages of history are full of stories of brave action and fearless fighting in the navy. The capture of Roanoke Island ; the fight be- tween the Monitor and the Merrimae ; the sinking of the Congress and the Cumberland ; the capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson ; the capture of New Orleans ; the battles of Mobile Bay and Fort Fisher -- these and many other events during the civil war, were characterized by bravery and heroism worthy of any age.
It seems proper to mention one or two prominent events in which the New Bedford men bore a creditable part. In the famous fight between the Merrimac and the Monitor, on March 8, 1862, it will be remembered that when the first named vessel made her appearance in Hampton Roads, off Fortress Monroe, there lay at anchor a fleet of wooden ves- sels of war. Among these were the Congress and the Cumberland. An authentic account says : " It was a beautiful day, following a storm. The water was smooth and the vessels in the roads swung lazily at their anchors. Boats hung to the swinging booms, washed clothes on the lines ; nothing indicated that an enemy was expected, and no one had, apparently, the least idea that the Merrimac was ready for service. The utmost ignorance seems to have prevailed in our squadron with regard to her capacity to do harm. . . As the squadron lay quiet, little dreaming of the danger that was so near, 'three small steamers' were reported to the senior officer at 12.45 P. M, coming around Sewell's Point. It was soon ascertained by her large smoke stack, that one of these vessels was the Merimac, and great excitement
46
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HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
prevailed. The Merrimac stood straight for the Congress and Cumberland, and when she was within three-quarters of a mile, the lat- ter vessel opened on her with heavy port guns, closely followed by the Congress. Paymaster McKean Buchanan, a brother of the Confederate commander of the Merrimac, was an officer of the Congress ; passing that vessel the Merrimac steered direct for the Cumberland, the Confederate flag officer hoping that the Congress would surrender on seeing the fate of her consort and that his brother would escape. In passing the Con- gress, the Merrimac delivered her starboard broadside, which was quickly returned, and a rapid fire from both vessels was maintained on the ironclad. The Merrimac, continuing her course, struck the Cum- berland at right angles under the fore channels on the starboard side, and the blow, though hardly perceptible on the ironclad, seemed to those on board the Cumberland as if the whole ship's side had been smashed in. Backing out, the Merrimac put her helm hard-a- starboard and turned slowly while the two Union ships poured in a continuous fire, which apparently fell harmless on the iron plating of the enemy. On the other hand, as the ironclad swung round from the Cumberland, the Congress lay with her stern to the enemy, which raked her three times fore and aft. In fact, the Congress was a mere target for the ene- my's shot and shell, with little danger of the latter being injured in re- turn. In the mean time the Cumberland was settling in the water from the effects of the great opening in her side, and although it was evident to all on board that the day was lost, and that the ship must inevitably go to the bottom, these brave fellows kept up a rapid fire until driven by the water from the lower deck, when they retreated to the upper deck and continued to fight the pivot guns till the Cumberland went down with her colors still flying."1 "During the whole war," says Ad- miral Porter, " there was no finer incident than this, and the bravery of the officers and men of the Cumberland even won the applause of the enemy." Among the casualties in this contest was the drowning of the following seamen from New Bedford : Michal Milan, James Fuller, John A. Pierce.
One of the officers in charge of those pivot guns was Lieut. William P. Randall, of New Bedford. The account says of the closing moments
1 Admiral Porter's Naval History.
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DEATH OF ALMY.
of this sanguinary conflict : "Of course as long as the Cumberland kept up her fire, the enemy returned it, their shells inflicting death on all sides. Those who had escaped from below were decimated by the merciless shot and shell poured into them by the enemy as they stood crowded together on the spar deck. There is little generosity or. sen- timentality in war; the object is to kill or wound, and this was too fav- orable an opportunity to be neglected. In the absence of Commodore Radford, Lieut. George N. Morris was in command of the Cumberland, and his heroism inspired his crew to the deeds which they performed on that eventful day. Of the Cumberland crew 121 were either killed outright, or drowned, while of those saved, a large portion were wounded."
" We reached the deck. There Randall stood : " Another turn, men-so," Calmly he aimed his pivot gun : " Now, Tenny, let her go."
Brave Randall leaped upon the gun, And waved his cap in sport ; " Well done. Well aimed. I saw that shell Go through the open port."
It was our last, our deadliest shot ; The deck was overflown, The poor ship staggered, lurched to port, And gave a living groan." '
The Norfolk Daybook, a rebel paper, in speaking of the fight, said : "The last shot came from her after pivot gun. She sank with her colors flying, a monument to the gallant men who fought her. Would to God they had died in a better cause !"
Thomas Almy, of New Bedford, was acting master's mate on steamer Wachusett, and met his death under the following circumstances : The steamer laid off City Point, James River, May 20, 1862. At the time there were no Confederate soldiers in the city. A lady came on board and solicited the services of the ship's surgeon for her mother, who was critically ill. The surgeon responded to the call of humanity, and went ashore accompanied by the paymaster. The boat was in charge of young Almy and awaited the arrival of the surgeon at the wharf, A
1 By George H. Boker.
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HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
company of Confederate soldiers came into the city at this moment, and probably not knowing the circumstances that called them ashore, killed Almy, made the surgeon and paymaster prisoners and sent them to Richmond. They were promptly released by the authorities when made acquainted with the facts.
A thrilling incident connected with the battle of Mobile Bay, April 5, 1864, was the sinking of the monitor Tecumseh. She was struck by a torpedo and went down almost instantly, carrying with her the larger portion of her officers and crew. In the account given by Acting- Masters Langley and Cottrell, they report that the Tecumseh was nearly abreast of Fort Morgan and about 150 yards from the beach, when it was reported to Commander Craven that there was a row of buoys, stretching from the shore a distance of from one to two hundred yards. He immediately ordered full speed and attempted to pass between two of the buoys. When in their range a torpedo was exploded directly under their turret, blowing a large hole in the bottom of the vessel, through which the water rushed with great rapidity. Finding that the vessel was sinking, the order was given to leave quarters and from that moment every one used the utmost exertions to clear himself from the wreck. After being carried down a number of times, they were picked up in a drowning condition. Only ten men were saved, 120 being killed or drowned, and among the latter was the brave Commander Craven. Among the survivors was Acting-Ensign John P. Zettick, of New Bedford. He gives the following account of his experience in this disaster : " All hands were called at 3 o'clock on the morning of the 5th to clear the ship for action. We were informed by Commander Craven that his orders from Commodore Farragut were to engage the rebel ram Tennessee, single-handed, and that he hoped to have the hearty co- operation of all hands in the work. At 5 o'clock the Tecum- sch got under way and procceded toward Fort Morgan. We fired the first shell that opened the general attack on the forts. The guns were then loaded with solid shot and forty-five pounds of powder, prepara- tory to our anticipated engagment with the Tennessee." Mr. Zettick says that he was in charge of the powder division under the turret. The Tecumseh had proceeded but a short distance when Mr. Zettick saw a great rush of water approaching. He gave the alarm, for he knew the
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ZETTICK'S NARRATIVE.
significance of the advancing monster. The executive officer ordered all hands to remain at their stations, and the chief engineer, who sat be- side Mr. Zettick, arose and stood as motionless as a statue. Making his way to the guns and finding that their crews had gone through the port holes when the torpedo exploded and that the fate of the vessel was sealed, Mr. Zettick went up to the turret and took shelter under the lee of the pilot house. A shell from Fort Morgan struck it and he leaped into the sea, as the vessel sank beneath the waves. Mr. Zettick says he was drawn down into the vortex, and but for his being an expert swim- mer he would have been drowned. When he came to the surface the Tecumseh's boat was five rods away. His shouts were not heard and the crew pulled away, leaving him in the water. He was finally picked up by a boat from the U. S. S. Metacomet, under command of Acting- Ensign Henry C. Neilds, whose bravery exhibited under a raking fire from Fort Morgan, while engaged in rescuing ten seamen, received honorable mention from Admiral Farragut. Mr. Zettick was placed on board the monitor Winnebago, and had the satisfaction of participat- ing in the capture of the ram Tennessee. One hundred and twenty offi- cers and men were killed or drowned in this tragic occurrence.
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