USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 30
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 30
USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 30
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The Eighteenth Regiment left Massachusetts August 26, as a bat- talion of eight companies, under orders to proceed to Washington. The regiment was drilled in the autumn and newly equipped with uniforms and camp equipage imported by the government from France, being the same worn by the Chasseur s à pied. General George B. McClellan complimented the regiment upon its commendable proficiency in mili- tary drill and general appearance. The regiment took part in the battles of the Peninsula, Second Bull Run, Shepherdstown, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Weldon Railroad, giving a good account of itself on all occasions. The killed and wounded num- bered nearly two hundred and fifty.
Twenty-ninth Regiment-Seven of the companies in the Twenty-ninth Regiment were formed from the first enlistments of three years' men in this vicinity. The companies were mustered into service and left Mas- sachusetts at different times to fill up the ranks of the Third and Fourth Militia regiments at Fortress Monroe. Among them was the Lincoln Light Infantry of Hingham, the home town of Governor John A. Andrew. When the seven companies returned home they were desig- nated as the First Battalion Massachusetts Volunteers.
With the three additional companies sent to join the original seven, the battalion was regularly organized as the Twenty-ninth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. It took part in the battles of Hamp- ton Roads, Gaines' Mills, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, Jackson,
1
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Blue Spring, Campbell Station, Siege of Knoxville, Cold Harbor, Peters- burg, Weldon Railroad and Fort Stedman.
Thirty-second Regiment-The basis of the Thirty-second Regiment was six companies of Massachusetts Volunteer Militia which organized for garrison duty at Fort Warren in Boston Harbor. Many of the enlistments were from those who had already been in the service and the regiment was regarded as one of the most efficient and dependable organizations in the State.
The survivors of the Twenty-second Massachusetts Volunteers were transferred to the Thirty-second Regiment, as were the survivors of the Eighteenth Regiment, to replenish the ranks of the Thirty-second. The Eighteenth and Twenty-second served separately as small bat- talions from July 20 to October 26, 1864, upon which date both were consolidated with the Thirty-second.
Captain Luther Stephenson, Jr., of Hingham, who had previously been connected with the Fourth Regiment, in November, 1861, started to recruit a company to be stationed at Fort Warren. He established his headquarters in the Town Hall at Hingham, which he designated as "Camp Dimmick," in honor of Colonel Dimmick, who was the com- manding officer at Fort Warren. He had the requisite number so that November 26, 1861, the company was mustered into the service of the United States. Included in the company was Lieutenant Charles A. Dearborn of Salem and thirty-one men from "Camp Cameron." The company spent the winter of 1861-62 at Fort Warren.
Captain Cephus C. Bumpus of Braintree, was another patriotic young man who had already seen service in connection with the Fourth Regi- ment. He started to raise a company and was joined in the undertaking by Lieutenant Lyman B. Whiton who opened a recruiting office at Oasis Hall. About forty of the men in the new company were from Hingham. The recruits left the latter town December 13, for Camp Cameron, where they were consolidated with Company E, under Captain Bumpus. They remained there nine days but were at Fort Warren the day before Christmas.
The Thirty-second Regiment was not recognized as a regiment until May 25, 1862, when the several commands were ordered by telegraphic despatch to report at the seat of war at the earliest possible moment. In twelve hours they were on their way to Washington. The battles in which the regiment participated were those of Malvern Hill, Gaines' Mill, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Shepherdstown Ford, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run, Wil- derness, Laurel Hill, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Tolopotomy Swamp, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Vaughan Road, Dabney's Mills, Boydton Road and White Oak Road. The total
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number of killed and wounded and of those who died of disease con- tracted in the service, was two hundred and seventy-seven.
In January, 1884, three hundred and thirty men of the regiment, having reënlisted, were permitted to have a furlough of thirty days at their homes. They received a most cordial welcome from Governor John A. Andrew upon their arrival in Boston, he being personally acquainted with many of them. The mayor of Boston and other officials and prominent citizens turned out and a collation was provided in Faneuil Hall, while cannon boomed on Boston Common as a salute upon their arrival.
The regiment was mustered out June 29, 1865.
Thirty-fifth Regiment-Few regiments from Massachusetts had a more severe experience or are remembered with more gratitude than the Thirty-fifth Massachusetts which was mustered into the service of the United States August 21, 1862, and the day following was on its way to the seat of war. Its efficient service included participation in the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Campbell Station, siege of Knoxville, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Weldon Railroad, South Mountain, Vicksburg, Poplar Spring Church, Hatcher's Run, Fort Sedgwick, Fort Mahine and Petersburg. It rendered efficient service in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi, and especially distinguished itself at the taking of the city of Jackson, the capital of Mississippi.
The regiment was mustered out June 9, 1865.
Thirty-eighth Regiment-The Thirty-eighth Regiment was one of those who assisted in the demonstration made to aid Admiral Farragut in passing the batteries in March, 1863, in the desperate encounters at Port Hudson. It was in the Western Louisiana Campaign under Gen- eral Nathaniel P. Banks, and took part in all the assaults upon Port Hudson and suffered heavy losses. It shared in the Red River expedi- tion under General Nathaniel P. Banks. Its service included participa- tion in the engagements of Bisland, Port Hudson, Cane River, Mansura, Opequan, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek.
It was mustered out at Savannah, June 30, 1865, by reason of the close of the war and the men reached Massachusetts July 13, 1865.
Thirty-ninth Regiment -- The Thirty-ninth Regiment was present at the surrender of General Robert E. Lee, and participated in the grand review of the victorious army at Washington at the close of the rebel- lion. It was recruited from the Plymouth County towns of Hingham, Scituate and South Scituate, now Norwell, South Shore towns; also from the neighboring counties of Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk and Suffolk. A short time before leaving Massachusetts it was located at
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Boxford, but was recruited at Lynnfield. It was mustered into the United States service September 4, 1862, and four days later reported at Washington. It served until June 2, 1865, when it was mustered out by reason of the close of the war.
The regiment participated in the battles of Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Tolopotomy, Bethesda Church, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Dabney's Mills, Gravelly Run and Five Forks. The battles in which it did its part occurred in rapid succession and in the last year of its service it lost heavily in killed and wounded. Among those killed was Colonel Davis, the commander of the regiment.
Until July 12, 1863, the regiment served upon picket guard duty in the Department of Defenses of Washington. Later it joined the Army of the Potomac. Its first engagement was May 5, 1864. On that date it was ordered out on the Brock Pike and advanced in line of battle through the woods to the support of a body of troops in front, which was being hard pressed by the enemy. It participated in the swift suc- cession of engagements between the Army of the Potomac and the Confederate forces in Virginia.
Company I, First Massachusetts Cavalry-In the days when the aboli- tionists were holding their meetings in Plymouth County and public opinion began to run high in support of freedom for the slaves, there was organized in North Bridgewater a military company, which became known as the North Bridgewater Light Dragoons. The company was chartered in 1853. At the time of the organization of Company F of the Twelfth Massachusetts Infantry, under Captain Alexander Hitch- born, and its leaving North Bridgewater April 29, 1861, escort duty was done by the Dragoons. Their commanding officer was Captain Lucius Richmond, who, a few months later recruited Company I, First Regiment, Massachusetts Cavalry, enlisting as many of the Dragoons as were willing to serve, and securing others outside that organization. The newly formed company was offered and accepted and on the morn- ing of September 11, 1861, was on its way to Camp Brigham at Read- ville, Engine Companies 2, 3, and 5, which, with the Dragoons, had turned out in April to give Company F of the Twelfth Regiment a fitting send-off, were again in line, with many citizens of North Bridge- water, to bid good-bye to the cavalry volunteers, the first company of that branch of the service to leave Plymouth County.
The North Bridgewater Company was assigned to the Third Bat- talion, consisting of Company I, Captain Lucius Richmond ; Company K, Captain James H. Case of Middleborough ; Company L, Captain William Gibbs of Waltham ; Company M, Captain Marcus A. Moore of Waltham. This battalion left Readville December 29, 1861, for New York, where
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the battalion was quartered for fourteen days at Park Barracks. The battalion arrived at Port Royal January 11, 1862, and camped at Hilton Head until early in August. Being ordered to Beaufort, North Caro- lina, the regiment engaged in the battle of Pocotaligo, South Carolina, during which three of the North Bridgewater Company were wounded.
Twenty-five men from the North Bridgewater Company were de- tached for courier duty on Morris and Folly islands April 1, 1863, and the last of May the remainder of the company was ordered to James Island, under General Terry.
Captain Lucius Richmond was placed in command of fourteen in- fantry companies July 7, 1863, forming the picket line from Hilton Head to Cariboque Sound near Pulaski Fort. They went to head- quarters at Hilton Head January 4, 1864. Ordered to Jacksonville, Florida, they arrived February 8 and joined Captain Elder's First United States Battery of four guns, and the Fortieth Massachusetts Regiment Mounted Infantry, under command of Colonel Guy V. Henry. These companies were brigaded and placed under command of Colonel Henry, acting as brigadier-general.
On the day of the arrival of these forces they started on an expedi- tion of one hundred and fifty miles into the country. The first night they surprised and captured four picket posts of five men each, and cap- tured an artillery camp of eight guns, called Camp Finnegan. They remained at that camp just long enough to make "off again, gone again Finnegan," although this was half a century before that expression was heard. They proceeded to Baldwin Station on the Jacksonville and Tallahassee Railroad, arriving February 9 at dawn. They located four cars on the railroad, loaded with ammunition, cannon and forage, turpentine, rosin and cotton, all of which could very easily be used in the business in which they were engaged. They, therefore, captured the find, and pressed on to Barber's Ford on the South Fork of St. Mary's River, arriving there the following day.
About noon of the day of arrival there was a fight in which one member of Company I was killed and four were wounded. The man killed was Thomas F. C. Dean of Stoughton. The Union forces cap- tured forty-five prisoners and the next night bivouacked at Sanderson- ville, after driving General Finnegan's forces from his headquarters there, to Lake City. The Union forces remained long enough at San- dersonville to destroy some distilleries, a quantity of corn and other things, then overtook General Finnegan, in sight of Lake City, engaging in a hot battle for about two hours until ammunition became scarce, with no supply train to fall back upon. Consequently General Seymour gave the order to fall back to Barber's Ford.
Company I participated in an expedition which destroyed three ferries
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on St. Mary's River and in an engagement, under General Seymour at Olustee, when five thousand men were against thirteen thousand of the men in gray. After a severe fight both sides fell back, the Union forces destroying, in their retreat, Baldwin village. There was an en- gagement at Camp Finnegan February 23 and at Mile Run February 25.
March 30 the battalion was ordered to Pilatka, Florida, where it remained two weeks. Four men were lost during those fourteen days, being picked off the picket line. They were Matthew Lincoln of Abing- ton, H. F. Poole of Easton, John Sylvester of East Bridgewater, and Roscoe Tucker, one of the corporals of Company I. They were carried to Andersonville Prison.
The battalion evacuated Pilatka April 14, and Captain Richmond was ordered to St. Augustine, Florida, where he stopped three days and then continued on to Jacksonville, Florida. A part of the company had reënlisted and earned a furlough in the North from the time of the evacuation at Pilatka. After several changes of positions, Company I, with its battalion, arrived May 3, at Yorktown, Virginia, and May 8 joined General Gilmore at Bermuda Hundred. On the eighth and ninth of May the company was in fights at Swift Creek, from the eleventh to the sixteenth of May in engagements in front of Fort Darling, falling back to Bermuda Hundred May 16. It was engaged in front of Petersburg, Virginia, June 9, in front of Richmond, September 28 and in several other engagements up to the middle of November, when it was ordered to the Army of the James, under General Benjamin F. Butler, another Massachusetts general, and was employed on escort and courier duty.
Company I of North Bridgewater led the advance from Jacksonville to Lake City, engaging and capturing the enemy in front, usually suc- cessfully. The company was consolidated into the Fourth Massa- chusetts Cavalry.
Captain Lucius Richmond served thirty-nine months and was a brave and efficient officer. He was honorably discharged December 17, 1864.
Fourth Regiment of Cavalry-The Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry into which Company I was consolidated, was organized by special order from the War Department, the Independent Battalion, formerly Third Battalion, First Regiment of Cavalry, Massachusetts Volunteers ; and two new battalions recruited in Massachusetts. The regiment con- sisted of twelve squadrons, each one hundred strong, fully recruited March 1, 1864. A portion of the regiment took part in the engagements before Gainesville, Florida, Drury's Bluff, before Petersburg and Rich- mond. The regiment was mustered out November 14, 1865.
First and Third Heavy Artillery-The First and Fourth regiments of Heavy Artillery contained a large number of soldiers from the Old
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Colony District. The First was mustered into the service of the United States July 5, 1861, and left the State two days later. The basis of this regiment was Fourteenth Regiment of Infantry. It was changed to a regiment of heavy artillery, by order of the War Department January 1, 1862. Its complete term of service exceeded four years as the regi- ment reënlisted in 1863, for a term of three years, terminating at the date of its discharge, August 16, 1865. The engagements in which the regiment participated were those of Spottsylvania, North Anna, Tolo- potomy, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, Poplar Spring Church, Boydton Road, Hatcher's Run, Duncan's Run and Vaughan Road.
The Third Regiment of Heavy Artillery furnished service for eight companies originally raised for Massachusetts coast defense. They were employed in that capacity for a time but eventually the Third Regiment was raised from the Third, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth and Six- teenthi Unattached companies of Heavy Artillery. The new organiza- tion was directed by the War Department, and was forwarded to Wash- ington in the fall of 1864, being stationed at various locations for the defense of the National Capital until the close of the war.
It was a great day in the various towns "When Johnny Came March- ing Home Again," at the close of the war, a duplicate of what took place in all the towns in the United States and-may we add,-in the South as well as the North. The once more united country was ready to endorse the words of General Grant, "Let us have peace."
First Band to Play "John Brown's Body"-Martland's Band, which was attached to the Twelfth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers, Colonel Fletcher Webster, of Marshfield, was the first band to play "John Brown's Body Lies a Mouldering in the Grave." In fact Samuel C. Perkins of North Bridgewater, a member of that band, wrote the criginal band music, arranging it for every instrument and printing it by means of a crow's quill, so that it looked almost as if it were copper plate engraving. The song was familiar in early war times, before the Fletcher Webster Regiment left Fort Warren, and there was an air to which it was sung, taken from a song written by a Philadelphia musician for the Sumpter Hose Company of Charlestown, South Caro- lina, as a march before the firemen went on an excursion, before the secession. It had never been arranged in regular form for playing by a band until the North Bridgewater musician assumed the task, recog- nizing its popularity at Fort Warren.
This important fort in Boston Harbor was partially completed when Jefferson Davis became secretary of war in ante-bellum days, and. while he was in office, the work was held up. Consequently after
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Davis became the president of the Southern Confederacy and work was rushed to complete Fort Warren, he was considerably in the unpopular thought of the soldiers quartered there, engaged in building the fort. In leisure moments the men at the fort engaged in singing, led by a quartet composed of Charles E. I. Edgerly, James Jenkins, Newton J. Purnette and John Brown. The latter was a Scotchman and, on account of his name being the same as the man hanged for the raid at Harper's Ferry, he was frequently the butt of many jokes from his comrades. One day Brown and others were taking their leisure near the sally-port of the fort when some of the soldiers returned from Boston and, as they marched to the sally-port, someone called out "What is the news?" In order to be facetious, one of the returning men sang out, "Why, John Brown is dead." This sally brought back the response from someone, who changed the reference to the Harper's Ferry episode to the Scotchman within hearing, "But he still goes marching round." A laugh was raised which relieved the hard work and the home-sickness at the fort. Among others quartered at the fort was the men of the Second Battalion of Massachusetts Infantry, locally known as "The Tigers."
By the time dress parade was over, "The Tigers" were chanting
"John Brown's body lies a mouldering in the grave, But his soul goes marching on,"
much as a college yell originates and is heard on all occasions at the present day. Some of the soldiers knew the old "chantey" written for the North Carolina Hose Company in the form it had been adopted by Methodist camp meeting followers. The original words:
"Say, bummers, will you meet us?"
had been changed by the Methodists to a hymn carrying the line
"Say, brothers, will you meet us?"
but the tune was identical, and the same to which the words of "John Brown's Body" were being chanted day by day at the fort.
When Colonel Fletcher Webster organized the Twelfth Regiment at Fort Warren, many of "The Tigers" enlisted in it, among them the members of the quartet which took the lead in the vocal music at the fort. Jenkins and Brown became sergeants in Company A and Prunette and Edgerly sergeants in Company E. The regimental dress paraders were in "heavy marching order" with knapsacks and all accoutrements, and the dress paraders were accustomed to marching around the parade ground, inside the fort enclosure, singing the second verse :
"John Brown's knapsack's strapped upon his back And his soul goes marching on."
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One stanza after another was added and the unpopularity of the president of the Confederacy caused a reference to him to be included in the fifth verse :
"We'll hang Jeff Davis to the limb of a tree"
This was later changed to "a sour apple tree."
William J. Martland, bandmaster of the North Bridgewater Band, conferred with Samuel C. Perkins, one of his post horn players, and waited expectantly till Perkins had written the musical score for all the instruments. One evening at dress parade the band led 1,100 voices in singing the song which went like wildfire through the Union Army.
The Twelfth Massachusetts Regiment sang it in Boston July 18, 1861, when the regimental colors were presented by Hon. Edward Everett. It was sung at Fort Warren July 23, as a rehearsal for its rendition in New York, as the North Bridgewater Band and the Fletcher Webster Regiment paraded through Broadway, to deafening applause. It stirred the echoes in Baltimore July 26. Bandmaster Martland led the band at Charlestown, Virginia, March 1, 1862, on the spot where Ossawatomie Brown was hanged; and the boys of the Twelfth Massa- chusetts joined in singing
"John Brown's body lies a mouldering in the grave But his soul is marching on,"
as they had never sung it before. Colonel Webster was fond of the song and much pleased with the way in which the regimental volun- teers put it over.
Patrick S. Gilmore, bandmaster of the Germania Band, heard of the new musical success and it was played to him by Sergeant Hallgreen of the Forty-third Massachusetts Regiment, who caught the air as it was sung by two Maine lads. Samuel C. Perkins made additional copies for Bandmaster Gilmore and other regiments adopted the stirring air. It was published by Oliver Ditson to meet the demand from regiments everywhere. When Julia Ward Howe wrote her inspiring "Battle Hymn of the Republic" the same air was used and it was thus given a more dignified standing and became known all over the world.
In July, 1864, the Twelfth Massachusetts Regiment-what was left of it-returned to Massachusetts. There were eighty-five men in all. Company A was represented by only three. As the regiment marched through Boston an effort was made by the colonel to revive the old chorus but the men were not in the mood to respond. Colonel Fletcher Webster, who was in command of the regiment when it left Boston, had been killed at Bull Run, August 30, 1862. Sergeant John Brown had been drowned at Port Royal, June 6, 1862. The North Bridgewater
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Band was taken away from the Twelfth Regiment and Bandmaster William J. Martland had been discharged May 18, 1862, when the num- ber of bands in the army was reduced by general orders. The regiment believed it had been treated unfairly and discourteously by Lieutenant- colonel Timothy M. Bryne. The remnant of the Twelfth Regiment, with its losses and memories, could not pick up the old song with the spirit in which they had rendered it when the original comrades touched elbows.
Bandmaster William J. Martland was discharged when the number of bands was reduced by general orders in May, 1862, but reënlisted as bandmaster in the Fifty-sixth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers, November 30, 1863, and served until his discharge July 13, 1865, at Alexandria, at the close of the war. He participated with the Fifty-sixth Regiment in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad and before Petersburg.
William J. Martland was leader of a band in North Bridgewater as early as 1854. In 1861 eleven of the eighteen members of the band were volunteers. About 1874 the name was changed to Martland's Band. Mr. Martland first became its leader in 1860 and continued to be its leader until 1880, when he was succeeded by Mace Gay, its present leader.
Samuel C. Perkins, who wrote the musical score for the band to play "John Brown's Body" was an original member of the North Bridgewater Band, when it was organized in 1843, in a building which stood at the corner of Crescent and Summer streets in North Bridgewater, when that locality was called "Factory Village." Previously, Mr. Perkins had been a member of a band which played at May trainings, organized in 1837, which practiced in Edward Snow's Tavern in North Bridge- water, on Main Street, at the junction of Main and Belmont streets. This band existed about three years and its leader was Sion Packard. Samuel C. Perkins played post horn, as he did in the so-called Boys' Band organized in 1843, with Jerome Smith as leader, and in the Mart- land Band, organized that same year.
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