USA > Massachusetts > Massachusetts in the war, 1861-1865 Pt. 1 > Part 34
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Another movement to the left began on the 25th of September, and at the battle of Peebles Farm or Poplar Springs Church on the 30th the battalion took part in its last engagement as a distinct organization. Taking into that fight-in which General Potter's division was flanked and almost surrounded-some 75 muskets, it suffered a loss of four killed, ten wounded and 11 unwounded captured. Among the killed was Captain Orange S. Sampson of Huntington, its brave commander.
Late in October the three companies of the Twenty-first were at- tached to the Thirty-sixth Massachusetts Regiment, which had been consolidated to seven companies, and the subsequent fortunes of the heroic band form a part of the history of that organization.
THE TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
T HIE Twenty-second Regiment was raised and first commanded by Hon. Henry Wilson, then United States Senator from Massachusetts. In his anxiety that his state should maintain a high rank in every respect, and feeling that the matter of enlist- ments was lagging somewhat, he returned to Massachusetts after the close of the special session of Congress and gave his energies to the work of raising troops. The prestige of his name was mag- ical, and in a short time not less than twenty new companies were in process of formation. The wish of the national government to have all the troops possible sent forward decided the state authori- ties to form a regiment of the ten companies most complete, leav- ing the other detachments to be filled for the formation of the next regiment. On the 2d of September, 1861, Colonel Wilson received his commission and the first of the companies went into camp at Lynnfield, others following from day to day till the organization was complete. Company F was mustered on the 10th of August, and the others at various times during September ; the line officers followed on the 1st of October, the complete roster being :-
Colonel, Henry Wilson of Natick; lieutenant colonel, Charles E. Griswold ; major, William S. Tilton, both of Boston; surgeon, Edward L. Warren of Weymouth; assistant surgeon, James P. Prince of Lynn; chaplain, John Pierpont of Medford; adjutant, Thomas Sherwin, Jr., of Dedham; quartermaster, James G. Fuller of Charlestown; sergeant major, Frederick L. Benson of Newton ; quartermaster sergeant, Daniel F. Brown of Cambridge; commissary sergeant, Ephraim Hack- ett of Woburn; hospital steward, George T. Perkins of Boston; leader of band, Salem 'T. Weld of Westboro.
Company A, Washington Light Guard-Captain, Walter S. Samp- son; first lieutenant, Charles O. Conant, both of Boston; second lieu- tenant, Henry Clay Conner of Lynn.
Company B, Jackson Rifles-Captain, David K. Wardwell of Bos- ton; first lieutenant, Frederick K. Field of Northfield; second lieu- tenant, William D. Morris of Boston.
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THIE TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
Company C, Gordon Guards of Taunton-Captain, Mason W. Burt; first lieutenant, George A. Washburn; second lieutenant, Enos P. Hale.
Company D, Everett Guard of Boston-Captain, John F. Dunning; first lieutenant, William HI. White ; second lieutenant, John If. Symonds.
Company E, Brewer Guard of Roxbury-Captain, William L. Cogs- well; first lieutenant, Nelson A. Miles; second lieutenant, Henry L. Orrok.
Company F, Union Guards-Captain, Samuel I. Thompson; first lieutenant, John P. Crane, both of Woburn; second lieutenant, Walter S. Davis of Milton.
Company G, Wellington Guards-Captain, John B. Whorf; first lieutenant, Edwin F. Richardson, both of Cambridgeport: second lieu- tenant, Gordon McKay of Melrose.
Company H, Haverhill-Captain, John J. Thompson; first lieuten- ant, Thomas F. Salter; second lieutenant, Alonzo M. Shute.
Company I, Boston-Captain, Charles J. Paine; first lieutenant, George A. Batchelder; second lieutenant, Horace S. Dunn.
Company K-Captain, Horace P. Williams of Brookline: first lieu- tenant, Joseph Nason of Boston; second lieutenant, James P. Stearns of Brookline.
Especial pride was naturally taken in the equipment and arm- ing of this regiment, which was furnished with the Enfield rifle, and its progress from Massachusetts to Washington, which began on the 8th of October, was a series of ovations, largely on account of its distinguished commander. Washington was reached on the after- noon of the 11th, and after a day or two passed in the city the regi- ment crossed the Potomac to the vicinity of Hall's Hill, where it went into camp, being added to Martindale's Brigade of Fitz John Porter's Division, the older regiments of which were the Eighteenth Massachusetts, Second Maine, Thirteenth and Forty-first New York. Colonel Wilson resigned on the 28th of October and Captain Jesse A. Gove of the Tenth United States Infantry, a resident of Con- cord, N. H., and a very efficient officer, was made colonel. The winter was given to drill and discipline, in which the regiment won high commendation.
Only one change occurred in the make-up of Martindale's Brigade during the winter-the Twenty-fifth New York Regiment taking the place of the Forty-first New York, and it started on its first campaign on the 10th of March, 1862, as the First Brigade of Por- ter's Division, Third Corps. The brigade advanced as far as Fair- fax Court House, halted there and bivouacked in the open field with- out tents until the 15th, much of the time in a driving rain storm,
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
which still continued when the command set out for Alexandria. A stop of five days was made in that place, when the division em- barked on transports, the Twenty-second on board the Daniel Webster, which anchored at Fortress Monroe two days later; the regiment disembarked the next day, and passing through Hamp- ton, went into camp on the Newmarket road, where it remained until the 4th of April.
The advance of the Army of the Potomac toward Yorktown be- gan that morning, and that night the Twenty-second Regiment halted near Howard's Creek, continuing the march next morning and about noon coming under fire from the Confederate fortifica- tions. During the remainder of the day the command moved to various points in the vicinity of Warwick Road, two companies being on the skirmish line and Colonel Gove with another company making a reconnaissance close up to the Confederate works. Dur- ing these movements the regiment was frequently exposed to severe fire but lost only nine wounded, one fatally. Next day it went into temporary camp where it remained during the heavy storm of three days which followed, afterward arranging more permanent quarters on Wormsley's Creek, the entire camp of the army being known as Camp Winfield Scott. The experience of the Twenty-second dur- ing the four weeks of siege was similar to that of other commands- picket and skirmish duty, the building of roads and fortifications.
The regiment was on its way to relieve the picket line early on the morning of May 4, when report was received of the evacuation of Yorktown. As soon as the pickets were posted Colonel Gove with two companies and a few officers advanced upon the hostile works to investigate. The report proved true, and Colonel Gove was the first Union soldier to scale the abandoned works. He at once sent back for his regimental flag, which was planted on the parapet, and the storm flag of the Twenty-second was quickly pro- cured and raised on the rebel flag-staff. As the command advanced toward the town one of the shells which had been buried by the Confederates was exploded, wounding seven men, three of them fatally. Colonel Gove pushed his skirmish line through the town, placing his regiment as guards wherever their services were needed. To the Twenty-second, therefore, belongs the credit of raising the first Union flag over the captured works and of occupying and garrisoning the town. The regiment embarked on the steamer Elm
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THE TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
City for West Point May 8, the men being debarked on the follow- ing day ; their camp equipage was landed two days later and Camp Sassafras, on a sandy plain near by, became the home of the com- mand for a few days. On the 13th it marched to Cumberland, stopped there for a brief rest and proceeded to White House Land- ing, where it again went into camp on the 17th. There the Fifth Corps was organized, of which Martindale's Brigade became First Brigade, First Division, General Porter commanding the corps and General Morell the division. The regiment marched to Tunstall Station on the 19th, and thence by easy stages past Cold Harbor to Barker's Mills where it encamped on the 22d and on the 26th moved a few miles to Gaines Mills where camp was established, a detail from the Twenty-second putting the grist-mill in operation and turn- ing out a large quantity of corn meal.
The regiment shared in the movement to Hanover Court House on the 27th, and in the action there, during which, although at one time in a critical position, it had but one man killed and seven missing. Returning on the 29th to its camp it remained there until the 20th of June, when the location was changed a mile or so to a position on the Mechanicsville road. Six companies took part in the battle of Mechanicsville on the 26th, but were in support of other troops and lost but one man killed and two mortally wounded. During the night these companies were quietly withdrawn and returned to their camp, the four companies which had been on picket rejoined the main body in the morning, when the camp was abandoned and destroyed and the regiment with its division moved out to the battle of Gaines Mills. Morell's Division formed the left of Porter's line of battle, Martindale's Brigade being the center of the division, with the Twenty-second Regiment in reserve in a piece of woods, where trees were felled and a strong breastwork constructed. Early in the afternoon the enemy made three attacks which were repulsed, but near 6 o'clock the firing was renewed with great energy and the Union lines crumbled away. Colonel Gove held his position after the regiments in his front had been driven back, but it was only for a short time, when his regiment was flanked and began to retreat. The thought of giving way before the enemy was unbear- able to the colonel ; his command had scarcely begun the rearward movement when he halted it, faced about and renewed the fight. That brave act was his last; he was killed almost immediately and
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THIE WAR.
his soldiers was driven back across the field to a crest in the rear ; there a portion of the regiment was rallied under command of Cap- tain Thompson, a stand was made assisted by Captain Martin's Massachusetts Battery and the advance of the enemy was checked for a time. This gave opportunity to withdraw the battery and the renmant of the regiment and during the night it crossed the Chicka- hominy river and began the movement toward the James river. But its battalion line had been terribly shortened; 71 were left dead upon the field, 86 were wounded and 177, including 55 of the wounded, were made prisoners. Among the killed, in addition to Colonel Gove, whose body was never recovered, were Captain Dunning, First Lieutenant Thomas F. Salter, and Second Lieutenant George W. Gordon of Boston. Among the wounded were Major Tilton and Adjutant Sherwin ; Major Tilton and Assistant Surgeon Prince being captured. Lieutenant Colonel Griswold being absent sick, the command devolved upon Captain Sampson, but he also was taken ill soon after the battle and the regiment continued its march under Captain Wardwell.
The Twenty-second reached Turkey Bend on the James river about noon of the 30th, and halted there for a time, when they were ordered back to Glendale where a battle was in progress, and sup- ported Martin's Battery, which their presence probably saved from capture. The conflict ended, the regiment marched to Malvern Hill, where it took position, but was not in action until the follow- ing afternoon, July 1. At that time one of the batteries of Mor- ell's Division being in danger of capture the Twenty-second were ordered forward and assisted in repulsing the Confederates, secur- ing 32 prisoners. The loss of the regiment was nine killed and 41 wounded, while six of the wounded and eight others were made prisoners. Among the wounded captured was Captain Samuel I. Thompson, who died in the hands of the enemy on the 4th of August. During the night the army moved to Harrison's Landing where it encamped. While there, some changes in officers took place; General Martindale had left the brigade on account of sick- ness, and was succeeded by Colonel Barnes of the Eighteenth Mas- sachusetts. On the 3d of July, Captain Sampson resumed command of the Twenty-second but gave place on the 15th to Lieutenant Colonel Griswold, who was promoted colonel dating from the 28th of July, Major Tilton being made lieutenant colonel, and Adjutant
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THE TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
Sherwin being promoted major. The regimental band, in common with all others, was mustered out of service on the 11th of August, the government having decided to employ less musicians and more surgeons. Camp was broken on the night of August 14, the regi- ment marching by way of Charles City Court House toward New- port News, which was reached on the 19th ; next day it embarked on the steamer North America and landed at Acquia Creek on the 21st, being taken at once to Fredericksburg by rail. Bristoe's Sta- tion was reached on the 28th where Porter's Corps was reunited and on the following day marched toward Gainesville. The Twenty- second Regiment going on picket that night, became separated from its brigade during the following day, accompanying the Second Bri- gade of the same division, and took no part in the battle of Manas- sas, in which the rest of the First Brigade suffered severely.
The 1st of September was passed at Centerville, and preparations were made to march about the middle of the afternoon in a heavy rain storm, but the command did not leave the town until the next morning. It then moved by way of Fairfax Court House to Hall's Hill, where it reoccupied its old camp, but of the 1,100 men com- posing the regiment and its attached companies who had left the spot six months before, only about 200 returned. The camp was visited by Senator Wilson the following day, and the tender-hearted man was moved to tears at the sight of the few ragged and bronzed men remaining of his once magnificent command. A few recruits were received, however, and some detachments rejoined the regi- ment, so that the line was considerably lengthened when marching orders were again received on the evening of September 6. The destination was supposed to be Tennallytown, but the command did not go there ; it marched to the vicinity of Fairfax Seminary where a battle was expected, moved back and forth for the next two or three days, and finally brought up at Fort Corcoran, opposite George- town. The command remained there from the 9th till the 12th, during which time it was rejoined by Lieutenant Colonel T'ilton, who had been exchanged and returned to duty. Just as the brigade was starting out on its march toward Antietam, it was strengthened by the addition of a new regiment, the One Hundred and Eighteenth Pennsylvania, known as the "Corn Exchange Regiment." 'The line of march led through Rockville, Monocacy Junction, and Fred- erick to Keedysville, where the Fifth Corps formed the reserve of
352
MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
the Army of the Potomac during the battle of the Antietam. The Twenty-second had no part in that conflict, but with its brigade crossed the Potomac at Blackford's Ford on the 20th to reconnoiter the Confederate position. The enemy was found in force and the brigade returned in haste, the Twenty-second losing but one man killed and one mortally wounded, though the "Corn Exchange Regiment" suffered severely. After this the brigade remained in camp near the river until the 30th of October, when with the rest of the corps it began the southward march into Virginia. This brought it in due time to the vicinity of Falmouth, where it awaited the closing event of the year-the battle of Fredericksburg.
The regiment crossed the river on the 13th of December, and with its division at once went forward for the relief of a division of the Ninth Corps to the left of the town. It was impossible, how- ever, to make any impression upon the Confederate position, and after a fierce conflict at close range, the Twenty-second were re- lieved near night by the Twentieth Maine, and retired to a less ex- posed position. They were not again in action during the battle, and at its close forming the rear guard of the corps crossed the pon- ton bridges as they were about to be taken up, and returned to the old camp. The loss at Fredericksburg, was four killed and 44 wounded,- seven of the latter fatally. In addition to the loss of officers previously noted, two second lieutenants had died during the year from disease, Horace S. Dunn on the 22d of May, and Daniel J. Haynes on the 20th of October. Colonel Griswold resigned on account of ill-health October 26, 1862, and Lieutenant Colonel Tilton, who commanded the regiment at the battle of Fredericks- burg, was soon after commissioned colonel, Major Sherwin and Captain Mason W. Burt being promoted to lieutenant colonel and major respectively.
After a few days in their old camp the Twenty-second moved to the vicinity of Stoneman's Switch, where a new camp of log huts was constructed for winter quarters, being named Camp Gove, in honor of the regiment's dead colonel. There the command re- mained for nearly six months, although several times called from it temporarily on expeditions, and once to join in an important campaign. The first call came the 26th of December, when a march of an afternoon and night took Griffin's Division to Richards Ford on the Rappahannock, where the Twenty-second with other troops
353
THE TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
forded the ice-cold waters, captured a few pickets, and after a few days of maneuvering, everything connected with which was pecu- liarly disagreeable, returned to camp. On the 20th of January, 1863, the regiment started out on the " Mud March," was absent for five days, and returned to Camp Gove. The Chancellorsville cam- paign began on the 27th of April, the men carrying eight days' rations ; the Rappahannock was crossed at Kelly's Ford, Griffin's Division in advance, and Barnes's Brigade leading the division. The experiences of this day were peculiarly severe, for after fording the Rappahannock, the division was ordered to press forward with all speed to seize the fords of the Rapidan, which was successfully done, some prisoners being captured. This was perhaps the most important service rendered by the regiment during the campaign, since the Fifth Corps was very slightly engaged, although it did considerable marching and maneuvering, and the only loss of the Twenty-second was one man killed by a shell while cutting down a tree at night in front of the Union lines. On the morning of May 6, the ponton bridges were recrossed ; the regiment assisted in taking them up, marched by night through a heavy rain to the vicinity of its old camp, was ordered back to assist the ponton train to camp, and finally reoccupied Camp Gove on the 8th. Late in May, the Fifth Corps was moved up the Rappahannock to the vicin- ity of Grove Church, where it was made a corps of observation, to watch the fords in the vicinity. While it was located there, General Barnes was placed in command of the division, Colonel Tilton of the brigade, and Lieutenant Colonel Sherwin of the regiment.
The movement northward began on the 13th of June, and five days later the regiment was located at Aldie's Gap. In a day or two it moved through the Gap in support of a cavalry force, and operated in that vicinity for a few days, without being actively en- gaged. On the 25th the column moved by way of Fairfax Station, Edwards Ferry, Frederick, Liberty and Uniontown to Hanover, which was reached on the 1st of July. After a few hours' rest the march was resumed, and early in the forenoon of the 2d the battle- field of Gettysburg was reached. It was not till late in the after- noon of that day, however, that the Fifth Corps was called into action. As the First Brigade, under Colonel Tilton, pushed forward to the fierce contest that raged in front of the Round Tops, it took position in support and to the left of DeTrobriand's Brigade of the
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
Third Corps. The Twenty-second Regiment carried but 67 muskets into action, yet the handful of men fought with an energy and cool- ness worthy of all praise. They were not able to retain the posi- tion, however, the flanks of the brigade being turned, and it became necessary to change front to meet the new danger. This move- ment, always difficult in action, was rendered especially so on this occasion by the coming upon the scene of another division, already in disorder. The regiment maintained its organization, however, and when obliged to fall back still further toward the Round Top slope, did so in good order, bringing off all its wounded and even their weapons. It was not closely engaged the following day, being moved to a position between the two Round Tops, facing the Devil's Den, where it remained during the day, exposed to the enemy's sharp-shooters and skirmish firing. The command had suffered severely, for of the 67 men and a few officers taken into action, 15 had been killed and 25 wounded ; among the latter Second Lieuten- ant Charles K. Knowles of Haverhill, who died on the 11th.
After the battle the regiment took part in all of the various marchings and countermarchings of the Army of the Potomac which followed during the summer and autumn months, being at one time encamped for several weeks near Beverly Ford on the Rap- pahannock. While there it received a reinforcement of some 200 recruits and conscripts which with those returned from hospitals and detached service gave it again respectable numbers. It was in action at Rappahannock Station on the 7th of November, where its loss was seven wounded ; afterward it encamped in the vicinity of Kelly's Ford until the Mine Run campaign. It shared in that very disagreeable experience, but was not engaged, and at its close re- turned to Beverly Ford and went into winter quarters.
The winter camp was located about half a mile from Rappahan- nock Station, and was called Camp Barnes, in honor of the brave division commander who had been wounded at Gettysburg. Colonel Tilton remained in command of the brigade through the winter, General J. J. Bartlett having command of the division, with which he protected the railroad from Licking Run Station to the Rappa- hannock. The First Brigade had a picket line three and a half miles in length, which in addition to the fatigue duty naturally re- quired gave plenty of employment, especially in disagreeable weather. Like so many other organizations, the Twenty-second Regiment
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THE TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
made a notable improvement of its winter leisure. A chapel was built for religious services, Chaplain Charles M. Tyler of Natick, who joined the regiment on the 11th of December, 1863, succeed- ing Chaplains John Pierpont and Joseph C. Cromack who had suc- cessively resigned. This structure was also in use every evening, either for prayer-meetings, lyceums, lectures, debates or a meeting of the Masonic lodge which had been organized in the army. The total re-enlistments in the regiment during the winter numbered . 83-not enough to constitute the Twenty-second a veteran regiment, but the re-enlisted members received the usual furlough of 30 days. As the spring campaign approached, the Army of the Potomac was reorganized, causing many changes in the make up of the Fifth Corps. The old First Brigade, First Division, was broken up, its place being taken by a brigade of United States Regulars, and the Twenty-second Regiment was assigned to the Second Brigade, same division, where it was associated with the Ninth and Thirty-second Massachusetts, Sixty-second Pennsylvania and Fourth Michigan Regiments. Colonel Jacob B. Sweitzer commanded the brigade, and General Griffin resumed command of the division, General Warren being the corps commander. Colonel Tilton was conse- quently returned to lead his regiment.
Marching orders came on the 30th of April, 1864, the Rappahan- nock was crossed next day, and the Rapidan at Germania Ford early on the morning of the 4th of May. The Twenty-second as it moved toward the field of battle numbered 280 muskets and a pro- portionate number of officers, -altogether less than 300 men. Reaching the vicinity of Wilderness Tavern carly on the morning of the 5th, the regiment with its brigade took position in line of battle and intrenched ; but much to the disgust of the tired soldiers the works were scarcely completed when other troops marched in to occupy them, and Sweitzer's Brigade was advanced through the tangled forest in search of the enemy. The foe was found, the regiment took position in the edge of the woods facing a small open- ing and a conflict ensued. The fighting was indecisive during the day and was renewed in the morning, the Twenty-second having during the night taken a new position and intrenched so that the assaults of the Confederates were easily repulsed at that part of the line. The total loss of the regiment in the battle of the Wilderness was 36, 15 of whom were killed or mortally wounded.
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