History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 45

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700

USA > Massachusetts > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I > Part 45

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* This island is famous as having been the site of an English settlement in 1585, twenty-two years before the settlement at Jamestown, Va. It was, how- ever, soon after abandoned.

Photo. by Hardie & Schadee.

LukeLyman

LUKE LYMAN, son of Horace and Eleeta Lyman, is a de- seendant of one of the oldest and most prominent families of the historic town of Northampton.

He was born in Northampton, Nov. 1, 1824. His edu- cation was obtained at the publie schools in his native town, which have ever been considered among the best in the State. He was reared as an agriculturist, and continued in that honorable vocation until 1856, when he was elected to the important office of register of insolvency, sinee which period his time has been occupied in the discharge of the duties of the various official positions to which he has been called by his fellow-citizens.

Gen. Lyman has ever been active in the political arena, and has been a Republican from the organization of that party. He has been chosen to various offices within the gift of his fellow-townsmen, and brought to the discharge of his duties a sound judgment and a ripe knowledge of men and events. As mentioned above, he was elected register of insolveney in 1856, and in 1858 register of probate and insolveney, and has held the office continuously sinee. In addition to this he has held the office of select- man, assessor, overseer of the poor, water commissioner, elerk of that board, director in the Massachusetts Central Railroad, director in Hampshire County National Bank, engineer of fire department, and various other offices.

In military matters Gen. Lyman has ever manifested a lively interest, and in the old militia held the various ranks from private to captain.

Upon the breaking out of the Rebellion he promptly and patriotically stepped to the front, and in the first outburst

of Northern patriotism, in April, 1861, he organized a company for the service, but, the call being filled, the com- pany was not accepted. On the 15th of September, 1861, he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 27th Regi- ment Massachusetts Volunteers, and remained in the service until June, 1863.

The gallant 27th saw severe service, and Col. Lyman was ever found sharing the fortunes of the regiment, whether on long, tedious marches, or iu front of rebel bullets. He accompanied the memorable Burnside expe- dition, and participated in the following engagements ; Roanoke Island, Newbern, Kingston, Goldsboro', Gum Swamp, Whitehall, and the siege of Washington, N. C. He was a brave and gallant officer, and was commissioned brevet-colonel for brave and meritorious conduct at the siege of Washington, N. C. His conduet attracted the attention of the commanding officers, and he was commissioned brevet brigadier-general for meritorious conduet during the war.

Upon leaving the field, in 1863, he returned to North- ampton, and was appointed by Gov. Andrew superintend- ent of recruiting for Hampshire County, and is now a member of the " Military Order of the Loyal League of Massachusetts."

In all matters concerning the welfare of his native town and county, Gen. Lyman has ever been found aiding in both time and money. He is also prominent in Masonic circles, and is the present eminent commander of the Northampton Commandery of Knights Templar. In relig- ous matters he is a Congregationalist, and is a member of the first parish.

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

wounded. On the 11th it went on board the transports, where it remained for about a month in very crowded and uncom- fortable quarters. Many were taken sick in consequence, and on the 12th of February Capt. Henry A. Hubbard, of Co. A, died.

On the 11th of March following the troops left Roanoke Island, and, landing on the coast on the 13th, marched toward Newbern, .N. C. On the morning of the 14th the enemy was encountered, well posted in a strong position near Newbern, and immediately attacked by the 27th Regiment, which pushed forward and maintained the fight until its ammunition became exhausted, when it was withdrawn and replaced by another regiment. In this affair it suffered a loss of 15 killed and 78 wounded. The result compelled the retreat of the enemy, who was rapidly followed up by the Union force to the vicinity of the city, which was found abandoned and on fire in several places. The 27th crossed the river Trent in boats, the great bridge having been fired by the retreating rebels, and went into camp in the abandoned camp of the 7th North Carolina Regi- ment, about a half-mile from the city, where it found good quarters and abundant supplies. Here it remained about six weeks.

The month of May was passed at Batchelder's Creek, about eight miles from Newbern. On the 1st of June the regiment returned to its first camp, near the city, where it remained until the latter part of July, under command of Lieut .- Col. Lyman, Col. Lee being in command of a brigade.

While lying at this place the regiment made a reeonnois- sance to Trenton to ascertain the foree and positions of the enemy. A body of cavalry was met and dispersed, and, find- ing no fortifications, the force returned to Newbern after an absence of three days.

On the 9th of September three companies of the regiment were ordered to Washington, N. C., and five companies to Newport barracks, the two remaining companies having been left some time previously at Batchelder's Creek. On the 30th of November the regiment, with the exception of the two last- named companies, was ordered to join the expedition to Wil- liamston and Hamilton.

The 27th also formed a part of the expedition to Goldshoro', N. C. The brigade to which it was attached consisted, be- sides the 27th, of the 30, 4th, 5th, 25th, and 45th Massachu- setts Regiments, all under command of Col. Lee, of the 27th,

The brigade left Newbern on the 11th of December, occu- pying the position of rear-guard with the baggage-train. At nightfall the troops eneamped on the Trenton road. On the 12th the march was over terribly swampy roads, which were continually growing worse. On the 13th, about noon, the command arrived within a short distance of Kinston, where the enemy were driven in by the advance. Here they en- camped for the night. Two days' rations and twenty rounds of ammunition were served to each man. On the 14th the brigade moved up the road, leaving the 5th Regiment to guard the baggage, and soon encountered the enemy, who retreated. The 27th reached Kinston, where it encamped for the night. On the 15th it marched all day, and encamped about eight o'clock in the evening. On the 16th the enemy was encoun- tered at Whitehall, when sharp firing ensued, and the 27th was ordered toward Goldsboro', and the following night encamped eight miles below that town. On the 17th the movement was resumed, and at eleven o'clock the command came in sight of the Wilmington Railroad. Here ensued considerable fighting, in which the 27th behaved finely. The object of the expedition being accomplished, the regiment re- turned to Newbern.

The command remained in camp near Newbern from this time until the 4th of January, 1863, when it was ordered to Washington, N. C., which place it reached by water on the 5th.

On the 27th of January two companies, G and H, were

sent, under command of Maj. Bartholomew, to Plymouth, N. C., where they arrived on the 28th, and Maj. Bartholomew assumed command of the fort at that place. Here they re- mained, doing garrison duty until the 8th of May, when they were ordered to Newbern. During their stay at Plymouth they performed considerable scouting duty on and around Albemarle Sound. Upon the attack of the post at Winfiekl, on the Chowan River, Co. H and three companies of the 25th Massachusetts were sent to its aid. The enemy hastily re- treated and were pursued, and Co. HI, having the advance, soon came up with them, and had a sharp encounter with a portion of the 42d North Carolina Regiment, in which the company lost two men killed and one wounded.

Everything remained quiet at Washington until the 30th of March, when the enemy appeared before the place, his advance driving in the piekets, and, his whole force being brought up, the place was regularly invested. Gen. Foster, being on a visit to the place, took command of the garrison. The enemy's bat- teries were completed, and fire was opened on the 3d of April, and the siege was pressed with great vigor for the next ten or twelve days. The weather was eold and stormy, but the men behaved admirably, whether under fire or running the block- ade for supplies.

The rebels were in superior force and succeeded in cutting off all supplies, and rations began to be short, but, a short time after, the steamer " Escort" passed their batteries, with food and ammunition and the 5th Rhode Island Regiment on board, when the enemy, despairing of success, abandoned the siege, and retired to Kinston on the 16th.

On the 24th of the same month the 27th returned to New- bern. On the 27th, in the midst of a heavy rain, it started for Batchelder's Creek. On the 28th the enemy were unex- pectedly encountered behind strong works, but were driven from them with the loss of forty men. The regiment lost one man, wounded. The command reached Newbern on the 30th.

On the 20th of May, in company with the 58th Pennsylvania Regiment, the 27th went on an expedition against the enemy at Gum Swamp. The command endeavored to gain the en- emy's rear, and marched for fourteen hours, cutting their way through a dense, swampy undergrowth, and at length reached the rebel rear, where an immediate attack was made upon them, Cos. D and I following the opening-fire with a furious charge. The enemy were completely routed, with the loss of 170 men taken prisoners, one piece of artillery, and several ammunition- wagons. But they soon rallied, and in turn attacked the Union foree, which retreated on Newbern, where a skirmish ensued, in which Col. Jones, the leader of the expedition, was killed.

From June until December the regiment was doing duty as provost-guard, and supported the cavalry in the Warsaw and Rocky Mountain raids ; afterward joined Gen. Hickman's brigade at Newport News, Va., and was on duty at Norfolk and Portsmouth. During its stay at these points, up to the 22d of December, 1863, 200 of the men re-enlisted as veterans, and these went home on furlough; 194 recruits also joined the command .: During the year 1863 the regiment had been in command of Lieut .- Col. Lyman and Maj. Bartholomew, Col. Lee being in command of a brigade.

On the 5th of March, 1864, the regiment took part in an expedition to Magnolia Springs. On the 22d it was relieved of provost duty by the 4th Rhode Island Regiment, and went into eamp near Julien's Creek, Va., with the exception of Co. F, which was left at Norfolk until April 15, and a detail of 50 men who were on duty as prison-guard during the summer.

April 12th the regiment was engaged in an expedition beyond Suffolk, being gone three days and returning in a furious snow- storm. While stationed at Getty's, Lieut .- Col. Bartholomew had command of the regiment, Col. Lee commanding a brigade. On the 26th of April, under marching orders, the 27th went on board the steamer " Escort," which had relieved them a year before when besieged at Little Washington, N. C. The

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

steamer proceeded to Yorktown, Va., where the troops landed and oneamped until the 4th of May. From this point the knapsacks and surplus baggage were sent to Portsmouth, Va., for safe-keeping.

At Yorktown the regiment was assigned to Gen. Hickman's brigade, composed of the 23d, 25th, and 27th Massachusetts Regiments and the 9th New Jersey Regiment, and constituting the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, 18th Army Corps, Army of the James. Here Col. Ece again resumed command of the regi- ment. On the Ist of May it embarked on board the steamer " Wenonah," and, in company with a large fleet, sailed down the York and up the James River to Bermuda Hundred, where the troops landed on the 5th and encamped. On the morning of the 6th, Hickman's brigade took the advance and marched to Cobb's Plantation, six miles, driving in the enemy's pickets on the way. At four P. M. of the same day Hickman's brigade, with a section of the 4th United States Battery, was sent out by Maj .- Gen. W. F. Smith, commanding 18th Corps, on a reconnoissance to Port Walthall, three miles away. The 27th had the advance, Co. Il, under Capt. Sanford, being deployed as skirmishers. The column rapidly advanced, the skirmishers on both sides keeping up a brisk fire. At a place called Mary Dunn's Farm the enemy were formed in line of battle behind a fence near the railroad. The troops were immediately deployed in line, and moved on the enemy. The 27th was soon briskly engaged, the other regiments forming a supporting line, and the firing was kept up until nearly nightfall, when the command was withdrawn in good order, the orders being not to bring on a general engagement. The enemy's loss was stated by themselves at 200 killed and wounded, among whom were three field-officers. The loss in the 27th amounted to ] man-Sergt. G. S. Mantor-killed and 15 wounded, including ] mortally. The enemy did not pursue.

On the 7th the brigade was sent, accompanied by the same guns, to make a feint on Port Walthall, while Brooke's Di- vision of the 18th Corps advanced to the railroad at another point, flanking the enemy and tearing up the track. The enemy were driven toward Petersburg, and several miles of the rail- road and telegraph were destroyed. Five men were slightly wounded in the 27th. The heat was excessive, and there were about 150 cases of sunstroke reported in the brigade.

On the 9th of May the advance on Petersburg was resumed by the whole force, and the enemy were encountered in strong force near Arrowfield Church. Their skirmishers and batteries opened briskly, and the Union line of battle was quickly forined, with the 27th on the right and the 25th on the left, supported by the 9th New Jersey and 25th Massachusetts. A section of the 4th U. S. Battery was in position on the road, but was soon after disabled by the heavy fire of the enemy and forced to retire. This clated the enemy, and they immediately formed for a charge, their commander telling them that our forces were a lot of Massachusetts militia whom they could easily disperse. The rebel regiments which made the charge were the 11th, 23d, 25th, and 27th South Carolina, and, curiously enough, they were opposed by three Massachusetts regiments bearing the same numbers as the three last named,-Massa- chusetts against South Carolina. They came rushing forward with that peculiar yell so well known by the " boys in blue," four lines deep, and with such impetuosity that they reached within fifteen or twenty yards of the Union line before they were checked by the terrible fire poured upon them. Very few of them ever got back to their lines. When they were within fifty yards the 25th and 27th Massachusetts Regiments, on the flanks of the line, opened at right and left oblique a most deadly fire, literally piling up the dead and wounded. At the same time a portion of the 27th Massachusetts and 9th New Jersey Regiments made a counter-charge, and the enemy were soon driven behind their works beyond Swift Creek. The casualties in the 27th were Lieut. Pliny Wood, of Co. F, mortally wounded, 4 enlisted men killed and 31 wounded.

The battle closed at dark, and the brigade remained on the ground through the night, which was cold and disagreeahle. At ten o'clock on the following morning, when expecting or- ders to move on Petersburg, the troops were ordered to with- draw to their intrenchments.

Orders were received to move on Richmond at daylight on the 12th of May, and the brigade advanced slowly in line of battle, " en échelon." Skirmishing continued through the day, and the 27th had four men wounded. The two succeeding nights were cold and rainy, and the men were exceedingly un- comfortable, being without blankets or overcoats, but there was very little complaining. During the 13th the brigade moved slowly in line of battle and without casualties. On the 14th the advance continued, and the line came in sight of the fortifications at Drury's Bluff at nine A.M. The outer line of works was quickly taken and the enemy driven within his inner defenses. The rebel batteries were silenced by sharp- shooters. The casualties in the 27th on this day were 14 men wounded.

On the 15th there was sharp skirmishing all day, and the regiment lost 9 men wounded. During the 13th, 14th, and 15th the regiment expended 80,000 cartridges in skirmishing. On the last-mentioned day the troops commenced to throw up a defensive line, using shovels, bayonets, plates, tin eups, and anything they could possibly make use of, in the absence of sufficient intrenehing tools. During the night of the 15th the 27th constructed a temporary breastwork of logs, rails, and dirt along their front, which was on an old road, and in the edge of a belt of timber about one hundred and fifty yards in width, beyond and in front of which was an open field run- ning up to the main works of the enemy on the James River, at Drury's Bluff. In rear of the line was another open field of smaller dimensions. Co. D, which was on picket, was at- taeked several times during the night, and the enemy could be heard inassing troops in front. Gen. Beauregard had arrived with heavy reinforcements, and was preparing for an overwhelming attack upon the exposed portions of the Union line.

At daylight, under cover of a dense fog, the enemy made a sudden and furious attack on the line with both musketry and artillery. The pickets had not time to rally, but the line of battle was ready, and opened on them with a rapid discharge of musketry. There was no artillery on the portion of the line occupied by the 27th. At three different times the enemy made desperate attempts to carry the line by an attack in front, but the troops held the ground for an hour, and repulsed the rebels with severe loss. At length they drew back, and there was a temporary lull in the firing. At this time the ammu- nition of the 27th was nearly exhausted, and a supply was ordered. Suddenly a volley of musketry was poured in from the rear. At first it was supposed that reinforcements coming up had mistaken friends for foes, but a glance at the long line of gray uniforms soon undeceived them. They were the enemy, closed en masse in rear of the line. A portion of the regiment faced about and fired into them, but another force, pressing in front, rendered resistance useless, and the colonel gave the order, " Left face, run !" A portion of the three left companies escaped, but nearly all of the remainder were cap- tured.

This surprise was caused by the giving way of two regi- ments on the right of the 27th, in spite of all Gen. Hickman's efforts to hold his line until reinforcements arrived. The gen- eral sent Lieut. Wheeler, an aid, to notify Col. Lee that the right was withdrawn and to order a change of front in the 27th, but the lieutenant was mortally wounded while endeav- oring to execute the order, and the message did not reach Col. Lee. Gen. Hickman, getting impatient at the continued ab- sence of Lieut. Wheeler, started to attend to the matter him- self, and was captured.

The casualties in the 27th were: killed, Capt. Charles D.

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IIISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

Sanford, a brave and accomplished officer und a promising young man, and 5 enlisted men ; wounded, 1 lieutenant and 29 men ; prisoners, 9 officers, including the colonel and lieutenant- colonel, and 243 enlisted men. The remaining portions of the regiment, after disengaging themselves from the swamps through which they were compelled to pass, were finally rallied under Capt. Moore, senior officer present, and were under fire during the greater part of the day. The disasters of the morn- ing were partially redeemed, and the enemy were compelled to retire. The troops fell back to their eamps at eleven P.M.

The following extract from a letter of Gen. G. Wietzell to Gen. W. F. Smith will throw considerable additional light on this affair. It is dated May 29, 1864:

" MY DEAR GENERAL,-Have just received full files of Richmond papers from 16th to 28th by flag of truce boat. Full details of our fight, with list of killed and wounded, and list of officers captured from us. The force that attacked my division was six brigades of infantry and one unattached regiment of infantry, and three batteries of artillery, all under Maj .- Gen. Ransom, His entire loss was 3000, by official list. Two Inigadiers (Ransom and Cove) wounded. Several high officers killed. They have about 500 of my men prisoners. Gen. Hick- man sends word that Gilmore could easily have gone in. They speak of the wire as a devilish contrivance which none but a Yankee could devise. Infor- mation pretty authentic that the bulk of Beauregard's force left ns day before yesterday to join Lee. In haste, yours,

" To MAJ .- GEN. W. F. SMITH,

"G. WIETZELL.

"J. W. HOLMES,

(Official copy.) " Adjt, 27th Muss, Volunteer Infantry."

The surrender of the regiment occurred at about 6.30 A.M., and the prisoners were taken immediately to Richmond, where the officers were incarcerated in Libby prison and the enlisted men in a building on the opposite side of the street. Here they remained about two weeks, when the prisons were ordered cleared, and the officers were sent to Macon, Ga., and the men to Andersonville stockade. From the time the officers left Richmond until they reached Macon was about ten days. The enlisted men were subsequently shifted about and considerably scattered between Florence, Charleston, Mellen, ete. Over one hundred died while prisoners.

Col. Lee and Lieut .- Col. Bartholomew remained only about a week at Macon, when they were ordered to Charleston, to be placed under the fire of the Union batteries, These two were exchanged on the 2d day of August, 1864, and returned to the regiment, where the lieutenant-colonel remained until his sub- sequent capture. Col. Lee was mustered out, as elsewhere stated, in October following.

The seven remaining officers were removed from Macon to Charleston, and subsequently to Columbia, S. C., where two of them, Capts. J. II. Nutting and P. McManus, escaped and rejoined the Union army. The remaining five were held pris- oners until the close of the war. None of the captured officers died while prisoners.

Following the Drury's Bluff affair the brigade was reorgan- ized, the 55th Pennsylvania Regiment being added to it, and Brig-Gen. Stannard was assigned the command. The command of the 27th devolved on Maj. William A. Walker. The troops were engaged in picket duty until the 28th of May, when (on the next day, 29th) they were embarked on a steamer, and proceeded with the 18th Army Corps to White House, on the Pamunkey River, which was reached on the 30th.

On the 31st the troops moved with five days' rations toward Cold Harbor, and the next day joined the Army of the Poto- mae. Cos. F and H of the 27th were sent on the skirmish-line, where they remained until ten P.M. of the 2d of June, and had two men wounded. The other companies were sent to Devens' brigade, of the 6th Corps, and were on picket during the night. On the morning of the 2d these companies were moved by the right flank, and, passing under a heavy fire, had 4 men killed and 12 wounded.

On the 3d of June occurred the disastrous assault upon the rebel works at Cold Harbor. The 27th was deployed as skir- mishers for the brigade, and in the charge which followed suf-

fered severely. The casualties were : officers killed, 3,-Major William A. Walker (commanding regiment), Capt. E. R. Wilcox (of Gen. Stannard's staff), and Lieut. Morse ; officers wounded, 4,-Capt. Caswell (slight), Lients. McKay, Newall, and Harrington ; enlisted men killed, 10; wounded, 54.

Capt. Caswell, being the senior officer, now took the con- mand, and the regiment remained in the trenches until the evening of the 12th of June. During this period it was con- stantly under fire, and Lieut. Coombs (commissioned, but not mustered) was killed, and Lieut. F. C. Wright, of North- ampton, mortally wounded. Five enlisted men were also wounded, and seven taken prisoners.

On the night of the 12th the regiment marched to White lIouse Landing, arriving at five A.M. on the 13th. The dis- tance was twenty-one miles, and the dust and steneb from dead horses, killed in Sheridan's cavalry fight two weeks be- fore, were almost intolerable.

On the 13th, Capt. Caswell was relieved, and Capt. Moore took command of the regiment. Ilere it embarked on the transport " Claymont," and landed at Point of Rocks, on the Appomattox River, on the evening of the 14th. On the 15th the command erossed the Appomattox and advanced slowly toward Petersburg, driving the enemy's pickets before it toward their main force, about one and a half miles from the city. At four P.M. the enemy's outer line of works was car- ried with slight loss. The work of the day had been exhaust- ing, the line having to push through thiekets and swampy ground under a heavy fire of shot and shell. The 27th lost Il enlisted men, severely wounded. During the 16th and 17th the regiment was in reserve, though under fire most of the time.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 45

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 700

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700