USA > Massachusetts > Massachusetts in the war, 1861-1865 Pt. 1 > Part 38
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Next morning Lee's Brigade took the advance, and soon discovered the enemy, but in the battle which ensued it was not actively en- gaged till, the railroad and bridge having been destroyed, the column started on its return. The brigade formed the rear guard, and the Twenty-fifth were already leaving the field when the Confederates charged upon the artillery. The regiment at once hastened to the support of Belger's Battery, holding its position under a heavy fire till the enemy retreated, suffering a loss of one killed and three wounded. The march toward Newbern was then resumed, and the place was reached on the 21st, the men being very weary and hungry.
The regiment remained quietly in camp till March, 1863, when on the 6th it marched to the junction of the Trenton and Kinston roads, from which point some of its companies operated against the enemy's outposts under the command of Captain Denny, driving them from a fortified camp and engaging in some other skirmishing and reconnoitering, with a loss of but two or three wounded. On the 13th, late in the afternoon, the six companies in camp were ordered to the support of the four at Deep Gully where an attack was threatened. Skirmishing began next morning, the Twenty-fifth at the front, but presently the intelligence of an attack at Newbern resulted in the withdrawal of the supporting regiments and Colonel Pickett was left to hold the position at the Gully as best he could with his single regiment and three pieces of artillery. At night the Twenty-fifth were relieved by the Forty-third Massachusetts and re- turned to camp, having lost one wounded and one missing.
On the 18th of March, being ordered to strengthen the garrison at Plymouth, seven of the companies embarked on the steamer Escort, reaching their destination on the afternoon of the 20th, the remaining companies following a few days later. After fortifying the place the command remained on duty till the 3d of May, when orders were received for a return to Newbern, which was reached on the 4th. On the 21st the regiment formed part of an expedition
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to Gum Creek, going by rail soon after midnight to Batchelder's Creek, where it joined the Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania and waited through the day, going then with its brigade by rail to Core Creek, resting till about midnight and moving forward to surround and capture the outpost which was the object of attack. The program was successfully carried out, some companies of the Twenty-fifth skirmishing in front of the works and holding the attention of the enemy till the fire of a detachment sent to gain the rear was heard, when an advance was made and the foe completely routed. The victors rested on the scene till late in the afternoon, when the rein- forced enemy drew near, and some skirmishing took place as the troops made their way back to Core Creek, where they passed the night, taking the cars next morning toward Newbern, still harassed by the Confederates. Camp was reached that afternoon, the regi- ment having lost three wounded and one missing. On the 3d of July the right wing was sent by steamer to Washington, N. C., and assigned to picket duty on the river below the town, two companies at Rodman's Point and three at Hill's Point, where they remained for some months. The left wing was engaged in some scouting duty, but the year waned without notable service. Early in Decem- ber the Twenty-fifth were transferred to Newport News, Va., and during their stay there 432 of the men re-enlisted and were fur- loughed for a month.
While the re-enlisted men were preparing for and enjoying their brief respite from camp life, the 225 others were ordered to York- town, for which they left January 21 under command of Captain Parkhurst. Before reaching the town the next afternoon orders were received to continue the march to Williamsburg, 15 miles fur- ther. After resting there a few days the men were distributed among the different companies of the One Hundred and Thirty- ninth New York Regiment, a part of General Isaac Wistar's Brigade, and as such on the 6th of February, 1864, started on a futile ex- pedition against Richmond. After a hard march of 40 miles to the Chickahominy river the bridges were found to have been destroyed and the column retraced its steps. The regiment was soon after ordered to Newport News, leaving the members of the Twenty-fifth in camp at Williamsburg, where they remained on duty till the 2d of March, when they were relieved by the Eleventh Connectieut and ordered to the News. Reaching there on the 4th they rejoined a
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THIE TWENTY-FIFTHI REGIMENT.
portion of the regiment which had returned from Massachusetts, and on the 26th, going to Portsmouth, met the remainder with a number of recruits. The command was ordered to Getty's Station, four miles west of Portsmouth, and located in Camp Wellington.
It took part April 13 in an expedition to Smithfield, going by steamer, but had no share in the slight skirmishing with guerrillas which took place. On the 22d orders were received to embark at once for Plymouth, N. C., then besieged by the Confederates, but on reaching Albemarle Sound intelligence of the surrender of the place was received and the regiment returned to its camp. On the 26th it was assigned to General Heckman's "Star" Brigade ( First Brigade, Second Division, Eighteenth Corps), the other regiments of which were the Ninth New Jersey, Twenty-third and Twenty- seventh Massachusetts. Next day the command marched to York- town, where it remained till the beginning of active operations, May 4.
The troops were embarked that afternoon and sailed to near Fort- ress Monroe, where the night was passed, and next day the James river was ascended to near Bermuda Hundred, where the brigade debarked and took up a position to cover the landing. The other troops came ashore next morning and the "Star" Brigade led the advance, taking a strong position at Cobb's Hill, near the Appomat- tox river, from which the lines were extended across the country to the James on the right. In the afternoon the brigade made an ad- vance toward the railroad in the vicinity of Walthal Junction, or Port Walthal, the enemy being found at Dum's Farm in a strong position, and a sharp engagement ensued, in which the Twenty-fifth in support of the front line received a galling fire, losing four killed and 13 wounded. Retiring that night to Cobb's Hill, the brigade was ordered forward to the same point next day, with a larger force in co-operation, by which the purpose of destroying the railroad was accomplished, the regiment suffering severely from sun-stroke, some 30 men being prostrated.
Another engagement occurred on the 9th, when the brigade led the advance of a considerable force toward Petersburg, finding the enemy in position on Swift Creek near Arrowfield Church. Heavy fighting occurred, during which a sharp charge was made on the Twenty-fifth by the South Carolina regiment of the same number, which was repulsed by a terrible volley at close quarters, after which the Star Brigade held the ground unmolested during the night
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and on the morning of the 10th returned again to Cobb's ITill. The loss of the regiment in the battle was 12 killed, including First Lieutenant Charles E. Upton of Fitchburg, and 49 wounded.
Another movement began on the 11th, this time in the direction of Richmond, and by slow advances and skirmishing the enemy was forced back to his lines in front of Drewry's Bluff, from which on the morning of the 16th, in a heavy fog, he made a deadly sortie, Heck- man's Brigade, on the right of the Federal line, with its flank un- protected, suffering most. The Twenty-fifth, forming the left of the brigade, was not so completely surprised at the attack in the rear as the other regiments, and made a gallant and effectual resistance. Fighting bravely until almost surrounded, it faced to the rear and cut its way through the enveloping lines, throwing them into such confusion that Colonel Pickett, upon whom devolved the command of what was left of the brigade (General Heckman having been captured), was enabled to take and hold through the day a position covering the right of the Union line. The loss of the regiment was 11 killed, 53 wounded and 73 missing. Following this disaster, the Army of the James retired behind its intrenchments, which were strengthened till impregnable by the incessant exertions of the men, and in this duty and picket service the Twenty-fifth were engaged till the 27th, when they formed part of a force detached to join the Army of the Potomac.
Marching to City Point and taking transports, the force landed at White House on the 30th and the following day marched to Church Tavern, whence on the 1st of June the column was directed toward Cold Harbor, where the hostile armies were coming to close quarters. General Stannard now commanded the brigade. On reaching the position occupied by the Army of the. Potomac, the Eighteenth Corps (as it was called, though having some troops from the Tenth Corps ) formed between the Fifth and Sixth Corps, and skirmishing at once began. On the morning of the 3d the order was issued for a general attack, in which the Twenty-fifth had a deadly part. Charging in column of divisions, the regiment pene- trated almost to the enemy's lines, when it became so decimated that human valor could carry it no further ; yet the survivors clung to the position gained at such cost, intrenching with their cups or hands. The attack was not renewed, but the regiment remained in the pits till the field was vacated on the 12th, engaged in skirmish-
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THIE TWENTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.
ing and sharp-shooting, but with slight additional loss. The cas- ualties at Cold Harbor, out of but 302 taken into action, were 27 killed, 139 wounded and 49 missing. The dead included Captain Thomas O'Neill, First Lieutenant Henry Matthews of Worcester, and Second Lieutenants Charles H. Pelton of Worcester, and James Graham of Fitchburg. The officers mortally wounded were Ad- jutant (brevet major) Henry McConville and First Lieutenant William Daley. The colonel, major and many of the line officers were also severely wounded.
The corps marched back to White House on the 12th, taking trans- ports, from which it landed at Point of Rocks on the Appomattox river late in the evening of the 14th. That night the river was crossed and the advance on Petersburg began. The enemy's pickets were encountered next morning and skirmishing continued till the Union lines were well up to the rebel works, where they halted until sunset. Then a charge was made, carrying the first line of intreneh- ments, the Twenty-fifth capturing two Napoleon guns with their outfit, suffering a loss of one killed and 18 wounded. On the 18th, after two days of comparative inaction, the regiment was ordered to the right and joined in another assault, but this time the attack failed, the Twenty-fifth losing six killed and 13 wounded. Till the 25th of August they remained on duty in the trenches before Peters- burg, constantly under the fire of sharp-shooters, from which in that time the loss of the command reached six killed and 25 wounded. On the 25th what was left of the Star Brigade recrossed the Appomattox river and was assigned a position in the lines near the fermer camp at Cobb's Hill. There the regiment remained till the 4th of September, when orders were received to return to North Carolina, and the following day, with the Twenty-third it embarked on the steamer Winona from Bermuda Hundred, reaching Newbern on the 10th, and was assigned to light picket duty, as befitted its exhausted condition.
On the 5th of October the original members of the regiment who had not re-enlisted were ordered to Worcester for muster out, and after some delays reached that city on the afternoon of the 13th. On the 20th they were mustered out of the service, leaving the Veteran Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Regiment in the field, consoli- dated to four companies, in camp near Fort Spinola at Newbern, doing picket duty at Brice's Ferry and along the line of railroad to
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Morehead City. A demonstration against Kinston began on the 9th of December, in which the battalion took part, suffering from three or four days' marching through severe storms, but with no other result. Then picket duty was resumed and continued till the early spring of 1865.
At the close of February preparations began to be made for the speedy moving of the Twenty-third Corps from Newbern to Golds- boro, to connect with the advance of General Sherman's victorious army, and two provisional divisions were organized from the garri- sons, convalescents and some new troops about Newbern. In this arrangement the Twenty-fifth formed part of the division of Gen- eral S. P. Carter, and on the 3d of March started toward Kins- ton. The regiment, on the left of the division, was posted near Wise's Forks, where on the 10th Confederate General Bragg made an attack, scattering and capturing Palmer's Division, but being repeatedly beaten back by Carter's Division. This was the last battle of the Twenty-fifth Regiment, in which it well sustained its reputation, its loss being but five wounded.
Five days later it entered Kinston, stopping there for a week, and then marched rapidly to Goldsboro, which it reached next day, the brigade, under command of Colonel James Stewart, Jr., of the Ninth New Jersey, being the first to reach the place, joining Sher- man's army. Staying there till the 3d of April, the regiment re- turned as far as Mosely Hall, where it became a part of General Ruger's First Division, Twenty-third Corps. On the 9th it marched 27 miles to Goldsboro, moving thence to Raleigh and camping near the city till the 3d of May. Reaching Greensboro on the 7th and going thence by rail on the 12th, it made its final camp at Charlotte, where it remained for two months, till on the 13th of July ordered to Massachusetts for muster out. Arriving at Readville on the 21st, the command was dissolved on the 28th.
THE TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
T HE Twenty-sixth Regiment was recruited by Colonel Jones of the famous Sixth Regiment of Militia, and was largely offi- cered by members of the latter organization. It was at first called the Sixth, and under that name went into Camp Cameron at Cambridge on the 28th of August, 1861. The title was soon changed, however, and on the 23d of September it was moved to Camp Chase at Lowell, were it remained for nearly two months. The field officers were commissioned the 28th of August, the line officers, from the 16th to the 26th of September, while the enlisted men were mustered at various times during September and October. The roster of officers follows :-
Colonel, Edward F. Jones of Pepperell; lieutenant colonel, Alpha B. Farr; major, Josiah A. Sawtell, both of Lowell; surgeon, Anson P. Hooker of Cambridge; assistant surgeon, James G. Bradt of Low- ell; chaplain, Charles Babbidge of Pepperell; adjutant, George E. Davis of Lcwell; quartermaster, James Munroe of Cambridge; ser- geant major, Henry L. Estabrooks of Dorchester; quartermaster ser- geant, George HI. Stone of Natick; commissary sergeant, Archibald Starkweather of Boston; hospital steward, William H. Gray of Acton; leader of band, George Brooks of Lowell.
Company A, Lowell-Captain, George M. Dickerman; first lieuten- ant, Andrew J. Johnson; second lieutenant, William H. Willey.
Company B-Captain, Eusebius S. Clark ; first lieutenant, John S. Cooke, both of Groton; second lieutenant, Edward B. Hall of Boston.
Company C-Captain, Enos W. Thayer of Pawtucket, R. I .; first lieutenant, John A. Lynch of South Easton; second lieutenant, Albert Tilden of North Easton.
Company D-Captain, Benjamin Warren; first lieutenant, William H. Lamson, both of Lowell ; second lieutenant, Seth Bonney of Sterling.
Company E-Captain, William H. Chapman ; first lieutenant, William F. Wood; second lieutenant, Silas P. Blodgett, all of Acton.
Company F-Captain, Thomas H. Annable of Cambridge ; first lieutenant, Edward Caufy; second lieutenant, George B. Yarrington, both of Lawrence.
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THIE WAR.
Company G, Fall River-Captain, Henry C. Wilcox; first lieutenant, James Brady, Jr. ; second lieutenant, John B. Campbell.
Company HI, Lowell-Captain, Andrew Blood ; first lieutenant, Benjamin W. Frost; second lieutenant, Ezekiel Eastman.
Company I -- Captain, John Pickering; first lieutenant, Charles E. Drew, both of Lawrence; second lieutenant, Algernon S. Badger of Milton.
Company K-Captain, Stephen R. Fletcher of Wrentham; first lieutenant, John 'T'. Robinson of Boston; second lieutenant, Henry Kemble Oliver of Malden.
The regiment left its camp at Lowell on the 19th of November, embarking at Boston on the steamer Constitution with the Ninth Connecticut and the Fifth Massachusetts Battery, whence on the 21st it sailed for Portland, Me., under orders from General Butler to take on also the Twelfth Maine Regiment; but the captain of the vessel protested against loading his craft so heavily, and on the 23d the steamer set out for Fortress Monroe. Arrived there on the 26th, Brigadier General J. W. Phelps came on board and took com- mand of the military forces, relieving Colonel Jones, who as senior officer had commanded thus far, and the expedition continued its way to Ship Island, off the Mississippi coast, which had been selected as the rendezvous of the Butler forces. That point was reached on the 3d of December and the regiment was soon landed, being the first armed troops on the island, with the exception of a small body of marines at the unfinished earthwork known as Fort Massa- chusetts, near the western end. General Butler's forces gathered slowly, and the Twenty-sixth remained there during the winter and until the middle of April, 1862, with no occurrence of note. The only event approaching a collision with the enemy occurred when a detail of 100 men visited the main land near Mississippi City and were fired upon by a small force of the enemy with artillery, one man being slightly wounded.
About the last of March the force on Ship Island was organized into three brigades, the Twenty-sixth forming part of the Second Brigade under command of General Thomas Williams. Its asso- ciate infantry regiments were the Thirty-first Massachusetts, Twenty- first Indiana, Sixth Michigan and Fourth Wisconsin. The Second and Sixth Massachusetts Batteries were also attached to the brigade and one company of the Second Battalion of Massachusetts Cavalry. The troops embarked for the combined naval and military expedi-
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THIE TWENTY-SIXTHI REGIMENT.
tion against New Orleans on the 15th of April, the Twenty-sixth going aboard the transport Mississippi, and sailed next morning. During the operations against Forts St. Philip and Jackson by the fleet, the transports waited on the river below ; but on the morning of the 25th the Mississippi sailed back down the river and around into Sable Bay, with the intention of landing her troops so as to cut off the rear approaches to the forts. By transferring the men to a light draft gunboat and afterward rowing and wading up a bayou, this object was accomplished with great difficulty, the regi- ment finally getting ashore on the morning of the 28th, occupying Quarantine Station and placing one of its companies across the only road furnishing communication with the forts. After the evacuation of the latter the Twenty-sixth were detailed to garrison them while the rest of the force pressed on to New Orleans. Two companies remained at Quarantine Station and the rest of the regi- ment occupied the forts for more than a month.
Being relieved by the Thirteenth Maine early in July, the Twenty- sixth were ordered to New Orleans, and went up the river in three detachments, owing to the meager transportation available, on the 9th, 11th and 13th of the month, the reunited command encamping on Lafayette Square, Odd Fellows' Hall being used as regimental head-quarters and hospital. On the 1st of October the location was changed to the Custom House on Canal Street, and there the Twenty-sixth remained, occupied in provost duty and on detail about the city till the following June. During this time the regi- ment as a whole was not called into the field for active service, and the only detachment of note was one of 100 men under Captain Pickering which formed part of an expedition under Major Strong of General Butler's staff, on the 13th of September, across Lake Pontchartrain. This expedition resulted in the occupation of Pon- chatoula after a sharp skirmish, and the capture of General Jeff Thompson's head-quarters with his spurs and sword. The landing had been made some 10 miles from the town, and Captain Picker- ing was at first left with his detachment in charge of the steamer ; but learning that the main body was sharply engaged he made a brilliant march up the railroad to meet the returning party, after which his command gallantly covered the retreat to the boat and assisted in bringing off the wounded. The loss of the detail from the Twenty-sixth was light, with none killed.
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
Important changes had taken place in the roster of officers mean- while. Colonel Jones resigned on the 27th of July, 1862; the vacancy caused the promotion of Lieutenant Colonel Farr and Major Sawtell to be colonel and lieutenant colonel respectively, while Captain E. S. Clark was made major. Surgeon Hooker had re- signed on the 18th of June, the assistant surgeon being promoted. While the members of the regiment had not fallen in battle, disease had not been idle, and Quartermaster Munroe was the first officer to die, November 18, 1862. First Lieutenant William II. Benham of Stow died of disease May 18, 1863, and First Lieutenant John H. P. White of Acton on the 10th of July following. Many changes had occurred from other causes, officers as well as men being trans- ferred to the loyal regiments which were being formed in Louisiana, so that from this cause, deaths and discharges, the regiment had before the close of the year 1862 lost 220, one-half of which had been made good by the arrival of recruits.
During the early part of winter the Twenty-sixth with the Thir- tieth Massachusetts, Ninth Connecticut and three batteries of light artillery formed the garrison of New Orleans, Colonel T. W. Cahill commanding ; but after the arrival of the nine-months' regiments which were assigned to the Department of the Gulf, General Banks having succeeded General Butler in the command, the Nineteenth Corps was organized, the Twenty-sixth forming part of the Second Brigade, Second Division. The other regiments of the brigade were the Forty-second and Forty-seventh Massachusetts, Ninth Con- necticut and Twenty-eighth Maine. Colonel Farr commanded the brigade, placing the regiment in the hands of Lieutenant Colonel Sawtell, and Brigadier General Thomas W. Sherman, who had taken command of the defenses of New Orleans during January, was division commander.
The regiment was first called to field operations on the 20th of June, when seven companies under Lieutenant Colonel Sawtell took cars to La Fourche Crossing, 60 miles west of New Orleans, near Thibodeaux, where a movement was being made by the Confederate General Taylor against the railroad, Brashear City and threatening New Orleans itself. On the evening of the 21st an attack was made on the position defended by the Twenty-sixth : but the assailants were driven off with severe loss, that on the Union side being slight, the regiment having three killed and ten wounded. Abandoning
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THE TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
the attempt to gain possession of that point, the Confederates di- rected their energies against Brashear, which was captured the fol- lowing day. Four days later the force of which the Twenty-sixth formed part fell back 40 miles to Boutce and on the 30th to Jeffer- son Station, where it was in position to oppose as much as possible the expected movement against New Orleans from the direction of Donaldsonville. It was a critical season ; General Emory, who was then in command at New Orleans, finding communication with General Banks before Port Hudson ent off so far as the Mississippi was concerned by hostile batteries a few miles below Donaldson- ville, while a force of the enemy hovered within a few miles of the city, sent urgent appeals to his chief for assistance. But the latter, while not insensible to the danger below, held valiantly on till the surrender of Port Hudson, when a force was immediately moved down the river to drive away the foc.
The Twenty-sixth were therefore relieved from their outpost duty at Jefferson on the 15th of July and returned to the city, being ordered on the 28th of August to Baton Rouge, where all available troops of the department were being concentrated for an expedition against the Texas coast. The command embarked on the 2d of September and moving down the river proceeded as far as Sabine Pass, when owing to the loss of two important gunboats and other considerations the enterprise was abandoned and on the 12th the regiment was back again at New Orleans, landing at Algiers, on the opposite side of the river. It encamped there but three or four days when it began the movement " up the Teche." by which it was proposed to clear the enemy well away from the "back door of New Orleans." On the 23d it had reached Camp Bisland; it rested there till the 3d of October, when it began the advance up the bayou, reaching Opelousas on the 21st. Halting there till the 1st of November it started on the return march ; but the column moved from point to point with long halts at every place of importance, and it was not till the 17th that the regiment arrived at New Iberia, half way from Opelousas to Brashear, where it went into camp, re- maining there till the elose of the year.
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