USA > Massachusetts > Massachusetts in the war, 1861-1865 Pt. 1 > Part 39
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Early in Jannary, 1864, the regiment moved to Franklin, 12 or 15 miles nearer Brashear, and there another long encampment took place. During this time many of its members re-enlisted, the Twenty-sixth leading all the Massachusetts regiments in the number
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
of men who undertook a second term, the total reaching 546. This great number was doubtless partially due to the fact that while the organization had been in service over two years, it had thus far lost but three men killed and ten wounded in battle. The preparations for the furlough of these re-enlisted men began on the 24th of February, when the regiment was ordered to New Orleans, and going by steamer Star Light to Brashear and thence by rail, arrived at the Crescent City the following day and was quartered in the Cot- ton Press, where it remained till the 22d of March. The veterans then embarked on the steamer Cahawba for New York, going thence by the Empire State to Boston, where they made a stop of but a few hours, going on to Lowell and receiving a furlough till the 4th of May. On the 20th of that monthi they reached New Orleans on the return, and the day following went into camp at Carrollton.
The first call to active duty in the field was received on the 8th of June, when the command went aboard the steamer Grey Eagle and was transferred to Morganzia, some distance up the river. It remained there till the 3d of July, when it embarked on the steamer City of Memphis and returned to New Orleans, encamping there for a week, then took the Charles Thomas and sailed for Bermuda Hundred, where it debarked and went into bivouac on the 21st. From that time to the 30th it took part in various movements of a few miles each, indulging in some skirmishing with the enemy, but meeting no loss. It went aboard the steamer Sentinel on the 30th, and two days later landed at Washington, camping at Ten- nallytown, a few miles out, where it remained for two weeks. The Second Division, Nineteenth Corps, was on its way to join the First Division, which had been for some time operating against the Con- federate force under General Early, then in the Shenandoah Valley. A great change had taken place in the make-up of the division ; the Twenty-sixth were now in the First Brigade, which was commanded by General Henry W. Birge and composed in addition to the Twenty-sixth of the Ninth Connecticut, Twelfth and Fourteenth Maine, Fourteenth New Hampshire and Seventy-fifth New York. Three additional brigades completed the division, which was com- manded by General Cuvier Grover, while General Emory com- manded the two divisions which bore the corps name.
The movement of the division toward the Shenandoah Valley be- gan on the 14th of August, and on the 16th the column crossed the
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THE TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
Shenandoah river and camped at Berryville. From that time the history of the Twenty-sixth Regiment becomes a part of that of General Sheridan's army, which fell back toward Charlestown on the 18th, and intrenched on the 21st in anticipation of an attack, which, however, did not reach the front of Grover's Division. That night the lines were drawn back to the vicinity of Halltown, a few miles nearer Harper's Ferry, and there the regiment remained for a week, advancing again to the vicinity of Charlestown and stop- ping till the 3d of September, when the Union army swung forward by the left flank taking a position near Berryville, facing the Con- federates about Winchester. There the army remained till the 19th, when early in the morning the advance was made which brought on one of the most decisive engagements of the war. The brigade went into the battle of the Opequan in two lines, the Twenty- sixth in the first line with Company I as skirmishers. Soon after- ward the left of the Nineteenth Corps and the right of the Sixth lost connection and the gap being discovered and entered by the enemy that portion of the line was temporarily broken, and the regiment with others was obliged to fall back in some disorder. It promptly rallied, however, at the first opportunity, and again went forward into the battle, taking part in the successful operations, later in the day when the Confederate army was sent "whirling through Winchester." The loss of the regiment was heavy, though it cannot be given exactly, including 38 enlisted men killed and 11 officers wounded, of whom Major Clark died on the 17th of October and Captain Thayer on the 10th.
The regiment took part in the subsequent movements against General Early, resting that night on the road south of Winchester and following up the enemy to Fisher's Hill, where the two armies intrenched and confronted each other. A brilliant flank movement by the Eighth Corps dislodging the Confederates, the Nineteenth Corps followed up the retreat, the Twenty-sixth reaching Harrison- burg on the 25th and on the 29th advancing to Mount Crawford. This was merely a demonstration, and the following day the regi- ment returned to Harrisonburg, where it remained till the 6th of October, when it fell back by easy stages to Cedar Creek, where on the 10th the army took up and fortified a position. While resting here the original members of the Twenty-sixth who had not re- enlisted were sent home to Massachusetts for muster out, their
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term of service having expired. The veterans and reernits remain- ing were consolidated into a battalion of five companies, under command of Captain Chapman, who was soon after promoted to major and again to lieutenant colonel, Colonel Farr being mustered out with the original members.
It was while lying here that the. battalion shared in the battle of Cedar Creek, on the 19th of October, when after being surprised in the morning and driven from its camp in broken fragments, it had the satisfaction of returning in triumph at night, at the close of an obstinate and bloody contest. The loss to the battalion on that day was three killed, 11 wounded and 16 captured. First Lieutenant Albert Tilden died of his wounds on the 21st. The Twenty-sixth were detailed for provost guard at General Sheridan's head-quarters a few days later, and while thus engaged met with a serions loss on the 26th, Second Lieutenant Joseph MeQuestion of Central Falls, R. I., with 45 men being surprised and captured by the Confederate cavalry while on duty with a forage train. On the 10th of Novem- ber the battalion retired to Kernstown, a few miles south of Win- chester, where it encamped till the 14th of December, when it was ordered to Winchester, which had been held by a brigade of the Sixth Corps up to that time. The routine duties there continued till the 1st of May, 1865, when the regiment was ordered to Wash- ington, and on reaching there next day encamped in the vicinity of Fort Stevens, being attached to the Second Brigade, First Divis- ion, Army of the Shenandoah.
After a month in camp there the division was sent to Georgia, the Twenty-sixth embarking on the steamer Louisburg at Washing- ton on the 4th of June and landing at Savannah four days later. General Davis, the brigade commander, was made post commander at Savannah, and his brigade was assigned to duty there. The Twenty-sixth, after having encamped just outside the city for a few weeks, were brought in for guard and provost duty, which continued till the 2d of August. The battalion was then ordered to prepare for muster out, but that did not take place till the 26th, and not till the 12th of September did the command set out for Boston. Its passage was by the steamer Emily to Hilton Head, thence to New York by the Empire State, and after a stop of two days in the metropolis by rail to Boston, the battalion repairing to Gallop's Island on the evening of the 18th for final payment and discharge.
THE TWENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.
T HE Twenty-seventh Regiment was made up from the four western counties of the state, under the call of September 1, 1861, for five new regiments. The duty of recruiting and organizing the command was assigned to Horace C. Lee of Spring- field, who caused recruiting offices to be opened in ten of the prin- cipal towns of the district on the 10th, and in a few days several of the companies were well filled and Camp Reed at Springfield-so named in honor of Quartermaster General Reed of Massachusetts- situated a mile cast of the National Armory, was designated as the place of rendezvous. Two companies arrived on the 19th, others followed in a day or two and the regiment rapidly took form, the last company reporting on the 24th. By the 27th some 770 men had been mustered in by Major Wemple, U. S. A., and on that day the field and staff officers were announced. The command was in- tended to form part of the " Sherman Expedition," and on the 7th of October received orders to leave on the 14th for the general ren- dezvous ; but this was impossible, as the regiment was not armed, equipped or fully recruited. The uniforms and Enfield rifles were furnished on the 10th of October, the state and national colors were presented by Major Andrews, assistant commissary general of Mas- sachusetts, on the 18th, and on the 25th the line officers received their commissions, bearing date of the 16th, and were mustered in. The roster was as follows :-
Colonel, Horace C. Lee of Springfield ; lieutenant colonel, Luke Lyman of Northampton; major, William M. Brown of Adams; sur- geon, George A. Otis of Springfield; assistant surgeon, Samuel Camp of Great Barrington ; chaplain, Miles Sanford of Adams ; adjutant, George W. Bartlett of Greenfield; quartermaster, William H. Tyler of Adams; sergeant major, Henry C. Dwight of Northampton; quarter- master sergeant, George M. Bowker of Adams; commissary sergeant, Johnson J. Ellis of Lynn; hospital steward, George E. Fuller of Pal-
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
mer; principal musician, Lineus C. Skinner of Amherst; leader' of band, Amos Bond of Springfield.
Company A-Captain, Sanmel C. Vance of Indianapolis, Ind .; first lieutenant, Mark H. Spaulding; second lieutenant, Edwin C. Clark, both of Northampton.
Company B-Captain, Adin W. Caswell of Gardner; first lieuten- ant, Parker W. McManus of Davenport, Ia .; second lieutenant, Lovell H. Horton of Athol.
Company C, Greenfield-Captain, William A. Walker; first lieu- tenant, Joseph H. Nutting; second lieutenant, William F. Barrett.
Company D-Captain, Timothy W. Sloan; first lieutenant, Ami R. Dennison, both of Amherst; second lieutenant, John S. Aitcheson of Chicopee.
Company E-Captain, Gustavus A. Fuller ; first lieutenant, John W. Trafton, both of Springfield; second lieutenant, Luther J. Brad- ley of Lee.
Company F-Captain, Lucius F. Thayer of Westfield; first lieuten- ant, John W. Moore of Tolland; second lieutenant, James H. Fowler of Westfield.
Company G-Captain, R. Ripley Swift of Chicopee; first lieuten- ant, Peter S. Bailey of Springfield; second lieutenant, Frederick C. Wright of Northampton.
Company H-Captain, Walter G. Bartholomew of Springfield; first lieutenant, Charles D. Sanford; second lieutenant, William H. HI. Briggs, both of Adams.
Company I-Captain, Henry A. Hubbard of Ludlow ; first lieuten- ant, Edward K. Wilcox of Springfield; second lieutenant, Cyrus W. Goodale of Wilbraham.
Company K, Springfield-Captain, Horace K. Cooley; first lieu- tenant, George Warner; second lieutenant, W. Chapman Hunt.
The regiment was reviewed on the 1st of November by Governor Andrew, and the next day camp was broken, a train of 21 cars taking the command westward over the Boston and Albany railroad that afternoon. At Hudson, N. Y., the steamer Connecticut was boarded, by which Jersey City was reached at 1 p. m. the next day. Going thence by cars the Twenty-seventh reached Philadelphia at midnight, only to find the patriotic women of that city waiting with a bounteous entertainment at the Cooper Shop refreshment saloon where so many Union soldiers were fed and welcomed at all hours of the day and night during the entire period of the war. At Perryville next morning the regiment took precedence of several which were waiting for transportation and was hurried forward to Baltimore, where a part of the night was passed, when the journey was continued by freight train to Annapolis, which was reached at 3 o'clock on the morning of the 5th.
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THE TWENTY-SEVENTHI REGIMENT.
After a few hours' rest at the Naval School the regiment estab- lished Camp Springfield, a mile west of the town, near which two regiments were already encamped. Others rapidly arrived until the 16 intended for the Burnside expedition had gathered and were formed into three brigades, of which the First, commanded by Gen- eral John G. Foster, consisted of the Tenth Connecticut, Twenty- third, Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth and Twenty-seventh Massachu- setts, with Belger's Battery F of Rhode Island in connection. Be- fore the regiment entered upon active service Major Brown resigned, Captain Bartholomew being promoted to the vacaney.
For a few weeks the sick list of the Twenth-seventh was large, 13 members dying of disease before the regiment was ordered into service or being left behind at that time fatally ill. The orders to prepare for departure came on the 4th of January, 1862, the weather being severely cold, with considerable snow already upon the ground while more fell during the 5th. Camp was broken on the morning of the 6th, but after waiting all through the day and till 10 o'clock at night only the right wing succeeded in getting aboard the steamer Ranger at the Navy Yard, while the left passed the night in a neigh- boring building. At 3 o'clock the latter were aronsed and taken by tugs to the bark Guerrilla.
It was not till the morning of the 9th that the fleet of 66 vessels bearing 15 regiments of infantry and 56 pieces of field artillery set sail under sealed instructions, which when opened directed that the vessels " when off Cape Hatteras, throw overboard ballast and run into the inlet." On the morning of the 13th, just as the fleet was off this entrance to Pamlico Sound, a severe storm arose, scatter- ing the fleet, wrecking some of the vessels and causing much loss and suffering. The Ranger succeeded in entering the inlet, where it was comparatively safe, but a barge in tow containing the camp and hospital supplies of the regiment was sunk and everything lost. The Guerrilla with 14 other vessels cast double anchors out- side in the attempt to ride out the storm there, while many craft were driven out to sea and did not return for a week. The storm continued for two days, and it was not till late on the 15th that the Guerrilla could be towed into the inlet. The men had already suffered much from their crowded condition, the want of water and from sea-sickness, and owing to the demoralized condition of the fleet it was long before they could be made comfortable.
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MASSACHUSETTS IN TIIE WAR.
The fleet sailed for Roanoke Island on the 5th of February, but it was not till the morning of the 7th that the weather favored an attempt to land. Shortly before noon the gunboats engaged the forts, and at 3 o'clock the signal was given for the infantry to land. Major Bartholomew with a portion of the color company (K) seems to have been first ashore, but other commands were scarcely behind, and in a very few minutes some thousands had scrambled through the mud and swale to firm earth. No resistance to the landing was offered, and by midnight, with the exception of one regiment whose vessel had grounded and the detachments left in charge of the fleet, the entire force was ashore. Suffering from wet and cold, without blankets, the men stood in the deep mud all night, and hailed with joy the order to advance soon after sunrise next morning.
Emerging from a pine thicket into an open field, the column re- ceived fire from Fort Defiance, a masked three-gun battery with a swamp in its front through which ran a corduroy road. The Twenty- seventh was the third regiment in the column and followed the Twenty-third toward the right of the field, the area of which was so limited that the regiment could only fire by companies ; but this it did so effectively as to draw to itself the special attention of the enemy's artillery. Finally the Twenty-seventh and Twenty-third were ordered to flank the hostile position on the right, while Reno's Brigade executed a similar maneuver at the left. For an hour Colonel Lec and his command struggled through swampy thickets which it was supposed a rabbit could hardly penetrate, finally ford- ing a stream, waist deep, beyond which lay the Confederate intrench- ments. Reno's Brigade was already doing its appointed work, and on seeing this new force the enemy fled, followed by Reno, while Foster's Brigade rested after their arduous toil. Very soon intelli- gence was received that the Confederates were trying to escape from the island, and the Twenty-seventh led the way to the assistance of Reno, the enemy being forced to the north of the island and to a complete surrender.
The Twenty-seventh had lost in the action four men killed and 11 wounded, three fatally. The regiment remained on the island till the 11th, when, being without camp equipage it was ordered to re-embark on the Ranger and the Recruit. On the latter, on the following day, Captain Hubbard died of disease. General Burnside re-embarked his entire command with the exception of three regi-
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THE TWENTY-SEVENTII REGIMENT.
ments on the 11th of March, and that night ran up the Neuse river to the mouth of Slocum creek, where the fleet anchored for the night, and next morning the forces debarked, taking up the march toward Newbern in a rain-storm. That night was passed by the Union troops within four miles of Newbern, and next morning the advance was resumed, but the hostile fortifications were soon en- countered, when the Twenty-seventh were thrown into line to the left of the turnpike, having the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth on their right and the Twenty-third at the left.
On emerging from the woods in view of the intrenchments the regiment fired the first volley of the battle, fighting in advance of the main line for some time, when it fell back to correct the align- ment, firing till its ammunition was exhausted and holding the posi- tion for some time with empty guns till relieved by the Eleventh Connecticut. Its loss had been seven killed and 78 wounded, among the former being Second Lieutenant Joseph W. Lawton of Ware, who had but recently received his commission. Before the men were supplied with ammunition the Confederates were driven from their works by a charge, in which the Twenty-seventh with empty guns joined. After the battle was ended by the complete discomfiture of the enemy the regiment was transported to the suburbs of the town, and two days later-Sunday, the 16th-the command, armed and equipped, occupied one of the churches, where Chaplain Sanford, who had resigned his commission, preached his farewell sermon. He was succeeded by Rev. C. L. Woodworth of Amherst.
The Twenty-seventh occupied the former camp of the Seventh North Carolina Regiment,-a very excellent one,-which was re- named Camp Warner, in compliment to Lieutenant Warner, who had been wounded in the recent battle. On the 20th four compa- nies under Major Bartholomew advanced up the railroad to Batch- elder's Creek, pressing back the hostile cavalry and burning the bridge there. For some weeks the camp was occupied with no more exciting event than a reconnaissance or a tour of picket duty, and during this time several commissions were resigned, among then that of Assistant Surgeon Camp, who was succeeded by Peter E. Hubon of Worcester.
The regiment was ordered to Batchelder's Creek on the 3d of May, relieving the Twenty-third Massachusetts on outpost duty, and
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
remaining there till the 29th, when ordered back to camp. A re- view was held June 20, and a reorganization of General Burnside's command into three divisions was effected, each of the former bri- gade commanders taking charge of a division. The Twenty-seventh thus became with the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts, Tenth Connect- icut and Ninth New Jersey the Second Brigade, First Division. Colonel Thomas G. Stevenson of the Twenty-fourth commanded the brigade and General Foster the division. But this arrangement was transient, as on the 5th of July General Burnside with the Second and Third Divisions was ordered to co-operate with the Army of the Potomac, driven back from before Richmond, leaving the North Carolina department under the command of General Foster. On the 6th the two brigades were reorganized, the First, commanded by Colonel Lee of the Twenty-seventh, consisting of his own regi- ment, the Twenty-third and Twenty-fifth Massachusetts and Tenth Connecticut ; while Colonel Stevenson had the Second Brigade. Lieutenant Colonel Lyman was again placed in command of the Twenty-seventh by this arrangement.
A reconnaissance was made to Trenton by Colonel. Lee on the 25th and 26th, but after some skirmishing with the enemy's out- posts it was found that the place had been evacuated the day before the Federal column reached it. Other expeditions of less moment were made during the intense heat of the summer, a few being killed and wounded but more serious loss resulting from the exer- tion and exposure. At the close of August the regimental band was mustered out in accordance with orders from the War De- partment. Two hundred recruits joined the regiment September 8. and the day after the companies were scattered on outpost duty- A, C and I under Lieutenant Colonel Lyman going to Washington, N. C., II and K remaining at Batchelder's Creek under Captain Cooley, while the other five companies under Major Bartholomew went to Newport Barracks, half-way to Beaufort. The latter place was in the midst of swamps and extremely unhealthy, so that in a short time a large part of the men were unable to do duty, Company D at one time returning a sick list of 68 out of a total of 98. First Lieutenant C. W. Goodale died of disease October 30.
Major Bartholomew's command left Newport on the 30th of Octo- ber, taking steamer at Newbern and reaching Washington, N. C., the following day. On the 2d of November an expedition was under-
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THE TWENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.
taken against Williamston, which was found practically deserted, and the column passed on to Rainbow Bluff, where strong hostile works were also found to be unmanned, going thence through Hamilton and turning toward Tarboro, within a few miles of which the expedition was given up and the force returned to Plymouth, which was reached at noon of the 10th. Here the main part of the regiment remained in charge of the artillery and baggage till the 2d of December. Learning of the location of a small detachment of hostile cavalry, Lieutenant Wood with 23 picked men set out on the 20th and at daybreak the following morning surprised and captured the entire force of 20 without loss. Assistant Surgeon Franklin L. Hunt of West Boylston, the highly esteemed post surgeon at Washington, who had been commissioned but three months before, was shot and mortally wounded by a bushwhacker on the Jamesville road, two miles from Washington, November 22. While the troops were so largely absent from Newbern, an attempt was made to capture the two companies posted at Batchelder's Creek ; but the assailants were driven baek by the fire of Captain Cooley's command.
The six companies of the Twenty-seventh under Major Barthol- omew reached Newbern on the 3d of December, and Colonel Lee's brigade was then composed of his own and the Twenty-fifth Regi- ments of three-years' troops with three regiments of the new nine- months' men-the Third, Fifth and Forty-sixth Massachusetts. On the 11th the regiment joined in the " Goldsboro expedition," form- ing the rear guard at the beginning of the march, and it was not till the 17th, in the fight at Goldsboro, that it was actively engaged. While the railroad bridge was burning the regiment assisted in tear- ing up the track, receiving a severe but inaccurate artillery fire. The brigade formed the rear guard when the Federal column, its purpose accomplished, began to retire, and it thus received the sharp attack made by Clingman's and Evans's Confederate Brigades. The Twenty-seventh took position on the left of the field, and after the slackening of the Confederate fire advanced and drove the enemy from the woods, sustaining during the entire day a loss of but one man killed and two wounded. The expedition made the best of its way back to Newbern, being followed at a distance and occasionally shelled by the foe, but without damage.
The various detachments of the Twenty-seventh were united under
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THIE WAR.
Lieutenant Colonel Lyman at Washington, but three weeks later Companies G and H were detailed for garrison duty at Plymouth. On the 30th of March General D. II. Hill opened the siege of Wash- ington with a force of some 15,000 men and 40 pieces of artillery. General Foster being in the place took command of the garrison, which consisted of eight companies each of the Twenty-seventh and Forty-fourth Massachusetts, two companies of the First Loyal North Carolina, one company of cavalry and the Third New York Battery. With the gun-boats in the river the defenders had 28 can- non. The siege was prosecuted with great energy for 17 days, the Twenty-seventh defending the right of the line, being continually on duty and under fire, yet fortunately escaping with a loss of ont killed and eight wounded. On the 13th of April the steamer Escort ran the blockade under a terrible fire, bringing the Fifth Rhode Island as reinforcements, and on the morning of the 15th she ran out carrying General Foster, who went to organize a relief expedi- tion, leaving General Potter in command. Next morning the enemy began to retreat and on the 23d Spinola's Brigade arrived. The Twenty-seventh being thus relieved returned to Newbern on the 25th, encamping on the Fair Grounds.
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