USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > History of the town of Middleboro, Massachusetts > Part 15
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During the entire war the New England states were dissat- isfied. At first the army commanders had not been wisely chosen and suffered defeat, the coast defences were neglected, and the government seemed unable to protect them. Late in
1814]
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MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF 1812
1814 they sent delegates to Hartford 1 to consider the difficul- ties. The meetings of this Hartford Convention - held in secret - alarmed the government, which feared it might be a plan of the federalists to break up the Union. They made a public report recommending that New England be allowed to protect her coast without waiting for the federal government. Peace was, however, soon declared, and no further steps were taken in this matter. The battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815, re- sulted in so complete a victory that in twenty-five minutes the whole British line was in retreat, having lost the commander and two thousand five hundred men, while of the Americans eight were killed and thirteen wounded. Peace negotiations had been going forward,2 and a treaty was ratified at Ghent in Belgium on December 24, 1814, but the word did not reach America in time to prevent the last disastrous battle. One result of the war was the growth of power of the United States. The accurate aim of the American gunners had done much to win the victory. While the gunboats built in such large numbers for the coast defence proved a failure, the naval successes won for the country the respect of other nations, and never again did Great Britain attempt to enforce her "orders in council" or the impressment of seamen, which had caused the war.
1 Bradford, History of Massachusetts, vol. ii, chap. 13.
2 Montgomery, History of United States, p. 219.
CHAPTER XI
MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION
IBERTY and Union, now and forever, one and in- separable," were the closing words of that "most remarkable speech ever made in the American Con- gress," when Daniel Webster replied to Hayne. Later, in his reply to Calhoun, "There can be no secession without revolution," his words found an echo in the senti- ment so widespread over the North. Middleboro was too close a neighbor to Marshfield, Webster's home, too close a neigh- bor to Plymouth, the home of liberty, too deeply imbued with the spirit of patriotism and loyalty to that Union for which her fathers had fought, not to be stirred to her depths as the murmurs of a great struggle began to be heard. Thirty years after Webster's famous speech, when the Civil War threatened to destroy the Union, thousands all over the land were willing to die to save it.
It is beyond our province to trace the history of those thrill- ing times, how with the new discoveries, new inventions, new territories, came new problems, or old ones under a new guise. The Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Law, the strug- gle between North and South for the possession of Kansas, the Dred Scott Decision, the John Brown raid, the election of Lincoln as President, all led the way to the secession of the southern states from the Union (1861). On March 4, 1861, at his inauguration, Lincoln said, " I have no purpose directly, or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so." At the same time he felt it his duty to "preserve, protect, and defend " the Union. On April 12, 1861, the first gun was fired at Fort Sumter. No longer was it possible to settle the slave question by a peace-
1
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ful arrangement ; war had begun, and the next day the Presi- dent called for seventy-five thousand volunteers.
Middleboro furnished readily her full quota of men, and contributed most liberally to supply the varied necessities occasioned by this great national struggle. Few of the north- ern statesmen were more active or energetic than John A. Andrew,1 the illustrious war governor, by whose foresight and alacrity Massachusetts was perhaps better prepared to meet the exigencies of the war than any of the northern states, and was the first to send her troops to the front.2 Middleboro's patriotism is shown by the promptness with which she re- sponded to the first call. The order from the governor reached the town at six o'clock at night, requiring the company to re- port for duty on Boston Common at nine o'clock the next morn- ing. Captain Harlow lived eight miles from the station, and the members of the company were scattered through Middle- boro and the adjoining towns, covering an area of about fifteen miles, and yet such was the readiness with which the men responded, that when the morning train at twenty minutes past seven left the station in Middleboro, more than three quarters. of the company were present.
Of the seventy-five thousand men called to serve three months, Massachusetts,3 on the 15th day of April, received an order for two regiments, and later for four, and so the Third, Fourth, Sixth, and Eighth were sent. The state system of organization of these regiments required but eight compa- nies, while the United States standard demanded ten, hence a reorganization was necessary where it was possible. The departure of these regiments for three months' service aroused the people to form recruiting companies, so that the call on May 3 for regiments to volunteer for three years met with a ready response. On August 4, 1862, the President called
1 Lossing, Field-Book of the Civil War, vol. i, p. 203.
2 " Before the lapse of forty-eight hours a Massachusetts regiment, armed and. equipped, was on its way to Washington." Nicolay and Hay, Abraham Lincoln, vol. iv, p. 85.
3 Bowen, Massachusetts in the War, 1861-1865.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65
for three hundred thousand additional men to serve for nine months. These were organized on the plan of the Massachu- setts militia. Other regiments were sent to the field later.
Before we sketch the history of these regiments in which men from Middleboro served, let us take a brief glance at the events of these four years, that we may be better able to follow our men in their brave struggle to defend the Union.
The first great battle at Bull Run resulted in the defeat of the Union forces (July 21, 1861). In February, 1862, Fort Henry and Fort Donelson were captured by the Union forces ; in March occurred the famous battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac ; in April the victory at Pittsburg Landing and Island Number Ten. The greatest military achievement of that year was the capture of New Orleans (April 25), when Farragut passed the forts and destroyed the Confederate fleet ; the second battle of Bull Run, in August, was shortly followed by the battle of Antietam (September 17). From the Procla- mation of Emancipation on New Year's Day, 1863, the North strove to make the nation free - to restore the Union - with- out slavery. In the spring General Hooker met Lee and Jackson at Chancellorsville (May, 1863), where a fierce battle raged for two days, resulting in a dearly bought Confederate victory, and in the fall of their brilliant general, Stonewall Jackson. A month later Lee again attempted to pass to the North and was defeated at Gettysburg (July), while another great battle of almost equal importance was being fought at Vicksburg, followed by the surrender of Port Hudson. In the southwest the Union forces had been successful after severe battles at Chickamauga (September), Missionary Ridge, and Lookout Mountain (November). In May, 1864, occurred the battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania ; in June the Con- federate victory at Cold Harbor and the siege of Petersburg, followed in August by Sheridan's raid in the Shenandoah Valley. . At the same time Sherman was marching through Georgia, finally taking Atlanta (September 2), whence he marched to the sea. Meanwhile, Admiral Farragut's last great battle resulted in closing Mobile to Confederate supplies. Then Sheridan cut
I71
1861-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION
off Richmond on the west and south. Grant captured Peters- burg (April 2, 1865), and on the 9th of April Lee surren- dered to Grant at Appomattox Court House.
In order to give an adequate conception of the service which our men rendered in this great rebellion, we have found it necessary briefly to outline the history of the different regi- ments in which the companies from Middleboro served. In the various engagements, it often happened that some of the companies were detailed to perform other duties than those in which the regiment was engaged, and in many cases it has been impossible to trace their movements in detail.1
SECOND REGIMENT
The Second Regiment was the first volunteer organization in the state to begin to form after the order for Massachu- setts militia, in April, 1861.
Only one Middleboro man was in this regiment.
SECOND REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE) COMPANY I Alfred S. Thayer
THIRD REGIMENT
The Third, for the three months' service, like so many other Massachusetts regiments, was ready almost immediately after the call. It left Boston harbor on the 18th of April, 1861, and its first work was at the Gosport Navy Yard. The order had been given that the navy yard should be evacuated, and against the protest of Colonel Wardrop, the measure was car- ried out with the assistance of this regiment. It soon after arrived at Fortress Monroe, where it was made a part of the garrison, and engaged in some scouting duty in the vicinity of Yorktown, with a little skirmishing, but the regiment's main duty was to strengthen the fortress. It returned to Boston, and was mustered out on July 23.
1 For a complete sketch of all these regiments, see Bowen, Massachusetts in the War, 1861-1865.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65
In the summer of 1862 Middleboro's men were again called out, and the nine months' troops responded. Company B of this regiment was composed in part of Middleboro men. It was encamped for a while in Camp Joe Hooker, at Lakeville, and started on the 22d of October for Newbern. The regi- ment was not well equipped, the Austrian rifle musket being a poor weapon. The first expedition in which it took part was toward Goldsboro (December, 1862), where it assisted in tear- ing up the railroad track under fire of the enemy, and sup- ported the artillery during the repulse of the Confederate attack. It had before this taken a slight share in the engage- ments at Kinston and Whitehall. In January, 1863, it moved to Camp Jourdan, near Fort Totten. On the 6th of March it went on a five days' expedition into Jones and Onslow coun- ties, where it won the thanks of the commanding officers for the faithful discharge of duties. It then returned to camp near Newbern, and later joined General Prince's Division in the reconnoissance at Pollocksville; it took part in the skir- mish at Blount's Creek and later at Core Creek, and was en- gaged with other troops in raising the siege at Washington, but was not in any of the decisive battles of the war. After some picket duty, it was mustered out on June 26.
THIRD REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 MONTHS' SERVICE) 1
COMPANY A
Joseph S. Harlow, capt.
Oreb F. Mitchell, sergt.
James W. Bryant, corp.
Opher D. Mitchell William M. Tinkham
COMPANY H
S. Loring, 2d lieut. William C. Alden
Thomas Morton, Jr.
Robert Parris
Lorenzo L. Brown
Lucius S. Raymond
Seth E. Hartwell
Francis S. Thomas
1 For the names of men from Middleboro enlisted in all regiments in this war, I have used the lists published in the History of Plymouth County, pp. 1009-1012.
1861-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION
173
COMPANY K
Asa Shaw, Ist sergt.
George N. Gammons
Elbridge A. Maxim, corp.
Martin F. Jefferson
Henry L. McFarlin
Leven S. Morse
John S. Atwood
Thomas W. Sampson
THIRD REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (9 MONTHS' SERVICE) 1
COMPANY B
William S. Briggs, 2d lieut.
Adoniram B. Lucas
Asa Shaw, Ist sergt.
Cornelius Ramsdell
Gideon Shurtliff, corp.
Ezra Shaw
James Briggs
Benjamin Shurtliff, Jr.
Allen Cobb
Marcus M. Willis
George Darling
Henry Wrightinton
COMPANY K Samuel Jones
FOURTH REGIMENT
The Fourth Regiment was the first organization to leave Boston (on April 17, 1861) for three months' service. It was ordered for duty at Fortress Monroe, where it remained until its dismissal, July 22.
Company C of the nine months' troops of the Fourth Regi- ment was mustered into service on the 17th of September, 1862 (the day of the battle of Antietam), was ordered to Camp Joe Hooker, at Lakeville, and started for the front on the 30th of December of the same year. It joined General Banks's corps in New Orleans, and was for a short time in camp at Carrollton. It was attached to the First Brigade, Third Division, and on March 7 was sent to Baton Rouge, where it encamped for two or three weeks, taking part in skirmishes near Fort Bisland and in the assault at Port Hudson. The company was engaged in one or two skirmishes at Indian Bend, but no Middleboro men were killed or wounded. After-
1 The following men were killed : Company B: Asa Shaw, Ist sergeant. Company K : Samuel Jones, May 26, 1863.
Eben A. Shaw, corp. Eli Atwood, Jr.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65
wards it was ordered back, and with the army went up Red River, and returned to Port Hudson in May, 1863. During the siege at this place it was for the most part engaged in skirmishing, the plan being to make a demonstration to aid Admiral Farragut, in order that his fleet might come up the river. On the 14th of June a fierce battle took place, in which the company lost most of its men. A large number left in charge of supplies were taken prisoners and sent to Texas.
Among them were the following Middleboro men : 1-
William W. Abbott
Joshua M. Jenney Andrew Osborne
Andrew Alden
Isaac Alger
Morton Robbins
William Barney
Horatio N. Sampson
George W. Barrows
James M. Sampson Dennis Shaw
Grover Bennett
E. Howard Shaw
Augustus N. J. Buchel
Winslow B. Sherman
Edwin M. Cole
William H. Cole
Alfred O. Standish Henry Swift Sergeant S. Swett
William A. Coombs
Erastus E. Gay
Sylvester R. Swift
Jonathan L. Hall
Winslow Thomas
Daniel Handy
James H. Waterman
Reuben Harlow
George H. Hermann
Thomas E. Waterman Dura T. Weston
These men were paroled soon after ; some of them reën- listed, joining other companies. During service the regiment suffered severely, one hundred and eighteen of its number dying from disease. It was mustered out at Lakeville on the 28th of August, 1865.
FOURTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 MONTHS' SERVICE)
COMPANY E Thomas Taylor
COMPANY G
Daniel F. Wood Isaac S. Clark
1 These names were furnished by Mr. John Sullivan, Register of Probate.
Earle Bennett
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175
FOURTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (9 MONTHS' SERVICE) 1
COMPANY C
Seneca Thomas, capt.
Daniel Handy
Daniel F. Wood, Ist lieut.
Reuben Harlow
Sargeant S. Sweet, sergt.
Reuben A. Harlow
Frederick E. Wood, sergt.
Levi Hathaway
Orlando H. Shaw, sergt.
Conrad J. Herman
J. Horace Soule, sergt.
George H. Herman
Davis S. Weston, sergt.
Charles H. Holmes
Erastus E. Gay, corp.
William N. Keith
Sylvanus Mendall, corp.
William Mitchell
Dennis Shaw, corp.
Harvey C. Pratt
Isaac E. Macomber, corp ..
Cornelius Redding Morton Robbins
David A. Tucker, corp.
George W. Barrows, corp.
Andrew P. Rogers
Francis S. Thomas, corp.
William H. Rogers
W. W. Atwood, musician
Howard E. Shaw
J. M. Jenney, musician Asa B. Adams Andrew Alden
Joseph B. Shaw
Isaac Alger
Stillman S. Smith
Miron E. Alger
Rodney E. Southworth
Elisha Benson
Alfred O. Standish
Earle E. Bennett
John C. Sullivan Henry A. Swift
Sylvanus Bisbee
Andrew E. Thomas
William B. Bart
Joseph Thomas
Augustus N. J. Buchel
Stephen F. Thomas
David H. Burgess
Winslow Thomas
1 The following were killed in battle or died from wounds received : - Corporal Francis S. Thomas, d. at Carrollton Hospital, March 9, 1863. Miron E. Alger, d. at Brashear City, Louisiana, July 10, 1863. David H. Burgess, d. August 28, 1863.
Daniel Handy, d. at Centralia, Illinois, September 10, 1863.
Levi Hathaway, d. at Indianapolis, Indiana, August 20, 1863. Henry L. Shaw, d. (from wounds received at Port Hudson) October, 1863. Ephraim Simmons, d. at Brashear City, May 24, 1863. Andrew E. Thomas, d. at Brashear City, June 27, 1863.
Joseph Thomas, d. at Port Hudson, Louisiana, August 1, 1863.
Stephen F. Thomas, d. at hospital in New Orleans, May 1, 1863.
Williams S. Eaton, Jr., d. (from wounds received at Port Hudson) at New Orleans, June 21, 1863.
Alva C. Tinkham, d. at Brashear City, July 15, 1863.
-
Grover Bennett
Henry L. Shaw
Ephraim Simmons
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1861-65
Edwin M. Cole
Alva C. Tinkham
William A. Coombs
James H. Waterman
Richard Cox
Thomas E. Waterman
Williams S. Eaton, Jr.
Dura Weston, Jr.
Thomas W. Finney
Charles M. Wilbur
Asa M. Franklin
Edward W. Wood
Jonathan L. Hall
Jacob Wood
NINTH REGIMENT
The Ninth Regiment was mustered in on June II, 1861. In the Peninsular Campaign of 1862 it was part of the Second Brigade in the Army of the Potomac.
NINTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE) Thomas B. Burt
ELEVENTH REGIMENT
The Eleventh Regiment was the third in the state to be mustered in for three years' service. It was ordered to Fort Warren, and left for the front on the 29th of June, 1861, its destination being Washington. As it passed through Balti- more, the regiment was ordered to load with ball cartridges, remembering the reception which the Sixth1 had met the April before. However, its passage through the city was without molestation, and it reached Washington on July 3, where it remained ten days, marching on the 14th to Alex- andria, where, with the Massachusetts Fifth and others, it formed the First Brigade, Third Division, McDowell's army, under Colonel Franklin, and on the 21st took part in the battle at the first Bull Run engagement. It suffered severely in this disastrous battle, sustaining a loss of eighty-eight in killed, wounded, or missing.
Later, it joined General Hooker's Brigade, taking part in the siege before Yorktown (April 12), and was one of the first to engage in the battle at Williamsburg. In this engagement it sustained a loss of sixty-seven men, and for gallant conduct received a new standard from Governor Andrew. Although
1 Lossing, Field-Book of the Civil War, vol. i, p. 413; Comte de Paris, Civil War in America, vol. I, Book II, chap. 4.
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not taking part at Fair Oaks, it did skirmish duty at Oak Grove, with a loss of eighteen, and took part in the recon- noissance and skirmish at Malvern Hill. On August 27, as it was leaving Catlett's Station, it came under fire of the enemy ; and on the 29th it was engaged in the second battle of Bull Run. In this terrific fight the loss was very severe ; the regiment had been so depleted that there were but two hundred and eighty-three men taken into action, and within twenty minutes, one hundred and twelve were either killed, wounded, or missing.
On May 2, 1863, it reported to General Hancock and was directed to reconnoitre, and at once engaged in repulsing the enemy at Chancellorsville, receiving the thanks of the general for gallantry. Here it lost seventy-nine in killed, wounded, and missing. It arrived on the night of July I for the battle of Gettysburg. In the terrible struggle of July 2 this regiment again lost more than half of the number taken into action, a total of one hundred and twenty-nine. It was in the Mine Run campaign (November), and suffered a loss of twenty-nine men. In the battle of the Wilderness it lost seventy-five, and at Spottsylvania, forty-three. It took part in the various skir- mishes at Cold Harbor, and on the 12th of June, the term of enlistment having expired, the regiment returned to Massa- chusetts. Eight of the officers and three hundred and thirty- six of the men reënlisted, forming a battalion of five companies under the original name ; these were in active service until the close of the war.
ELEVENTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3. YEARS' SERVICE)
COMPANY B
Albert Dubois
COMPANY C Jackson Donahue
COMPANY E
Robert King
James Thompson
John Pilkerton
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65
COMPANY G
John Foley Robert J. Jennings
COMPANY K
John Cunningham John Flanery
TWELFTH REGIMENT
The Twelfth, or Webster Regiment, took its name from its colonel, Fletcher Webster. It left Fort Warren on July 23, 1861, and was attached to Abercrombie's Brigade under Gen- eral Banks; then became a part of General Pope's Army of Virginia, and later was under McClellan and Hooker. At the battle of Manassas it met with the heavy loss of one hundred and thirty-eight. At Antietam, for four hours, a terrible con- flict took place, in which, of the three hundred and forty taken into action, only thirty-four accompanied the colors to the rear. In the march south McClellan was succeeded by Burnside. In the battle of Fredericksburg the regiment suffered severely, as well as at Gettysburg, and later in the Wilderness.
TWELFTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE) COMPANY A
C. G. Tinkham, Ist sergt.1 Andrew B. Morton
SIXTEENTH REGIMENT
The Sixteenth Regiment left 'Boston August 17, 1861, and joined the Army of the Potomac, Grover's Brigade, Hooker's Division, Heintzelman's Corps, with the First and Eleventh.
The first test of valor was in a reconnoissance at Gosport Navy Yard. At Oak Grove, Malvern Hill, and Centreville it did valiant duty, engaging in various campaigns and marches during the rest of the year. At Gettysburg it lost one third of the men taken into action. It took part at Chancellorsville, Spottsylvania, and Petersburg, and after various movements in skirmishing and fortifying weak places, it was mustered out July 27, 1864.
1 Died October 1, 1862, from wounds received at Antietam.
1
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MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION
1861-65]
SIXTEENTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE)
COMPANY D Benjamin McLaughlin
COMPANY I Thomas Murphy
EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT
More Middleboro men served in this regiment than in any other. It joined the First Brigade, Porter's Division, and was a part of the Army of the Potomac. At the siege of York- town it was on picket duty, but was in no general engagement. After the evacuation it went to Hanover Court House, assisted in burying the dead, and on the 29th of May returned to the camp at Gaines's Mills. After this, it was in the reconnois- sance at the Chickahominy, and took an important part in the second battle of Bull Run, where Company D was detailed to support Burdan's sharpshooters. Captain Thomas was in com- mand of the regiment, and under him it won high praise for gallantry. It lost most severely, - forty killed, one hundred and one wounded, and twenty-eight missing. The morning this battle commenced, Company D was cut off from the Seven Days' Fight, and was obliged to fall back at White House Landing. During the battle of Antietam it supported the battery on the west side of the creek, and was afterwards sent to relieve Burnside. At this battle word came that Burn- side was out of ammunition, and everything had been taken to reënforce different parts of the army. Mr. Howes, a member of this company, was close by McClellan and General Porter when McClellan said, " What have you in reserve, Porter ?" Porter answered, " I have the Eighteenth Massachusetts Regi- ment, but that regiment is a brigade." "Would to God," said McClellan, "it was a division ; send it to relieve Burnside." It was in the fight from four o'clock in the afternoon until morning, and the next day was engaged in burying the dead slain in this battle. It was in the skirmish at Shepherdstown, which was a short but sharp fight, meeting with a loss of three
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65
killed, eleven wounded, and one missing. After various experi- ences it arrived opposite Fredericksburg. In this battle Com- pany D was in two charges which Burnside ordered, and was in the fight for three days. The loss to the regiment was thir- teen killed and one hundred and twenty-one wounded. So severe was this fight that every member of the color guard was wounded. These companies took an important part at the battle of Chancellorsville, were active through the whole of General Grant's campaign, and under fire in several battles. They were in the battle of Gettysburg, but did not suffer severely ; they occupied a position near Little Round Top; at another time they supported the heavy artillery ; on the first day's fight they were on the extreme left ; the first night they lay back in the woods, and the next morning started farther . on toward the left of the line down a ravine. Several men in this company were wounded. The regiment was regarded as one of the best in the service, and was held as a reserve force for emergencies. It was at Laurel Hill and near Spott- sylvania, in an engagement not far from Pamunkey River, and was in the fearful battles before Petersburg until the explosion of the mine. Major Weston, who had been promoted from captain to major, was in command of the regiment the latter part of the service.
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