USA > Massachusetts > Massachusetts in the war, 1861-1865 Pt. 1 > Part 48
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The day following the reorganization the regiment joined in an expedition to Hatcher's Run, where it was in line of battle and skir- mished slightly, but without serious engagement, and on the return next day it formed the rear guard of the corps, closely followed by the enemy's cavalry, but not seriously molested. After this the command went into permanent quarters on the Jerusalem plank road, where it was very comfortably located, though liable to be called to duty at any moment. Such a call came on the 6th of De- cember, when the regiment was relieved by one from the Second Corps and marched to the Jerusalem road, down which, after a night's bivouac, it proceeded, marching almost incessantly till after- noon of the 8th, when it reached the Weldon Railroad a few miles north of Jarratt's Station. Through most of the night and all the next day the destruction of the road was carried on, and on the morning of the 10th, in a disagreeable rain and through abundant mud, the command set out on the return. The old site on the Jerusalem road was reached two days later, and a new camp was built, in which, with abundant duty "at the front," the following months were passed.
On the afternoon of February 4, 1865, orders were received to march next morning, and at the appointed time the road was taken,
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THIE THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
Nottaway Court House being reached that evening, when the regi- inent was ordered on picket, but was recalled at midnight and marched till morning of the 6th, when it reached Hatcher's Run at the crossing of the Vaughan road. Soon after it was ordered aeross the stream into a line of pits built by the enemy to defend the cross- ing, from which they had been driven the previous afternoon. This point was the extreme right of the Fifth Corps, connecting it with the Second, which had not crossed the run. In the afternoon Craw- ford's Division advanced from the left across the front and en- countered the enemy, some of Crawford's men giving way, and the brigade was ordered forward into a thick pine forest to fill the gap. A sharp fight ensued till about dusk, when the charge of Mahone's Division of Confederates drove back Crawford's line, leaving the Thirty-second Massachusetts and the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Pennsylvania almost surrounded. In fighting its way back the regiment lost severely, the entire casualties of the day amounting to 74, and including Major Shepard, commanding the brigade skir- mish line, who was taken prisoner. This engagement, known as the battle of Dabney's Mills, was fought in a cold storm, and the men suffered much. The position was held till the 11th, when the regiment was withdrawn across the run and assigned to a position on the Vaughan road with the rest of the division in protection of the extended left flank of the Federal army. There the third " win- ter quarters" of the regiment for that season were built, and in picket duty and building fortifications and roads the time passed till the last days of March.
At the capture of Fort Stedman on the 25th the regiment, com- manded by Lieutenant Colonel Cunningham, marched several miles in that direction, but finding its services were not needed moved back to the left to support an attack by the Second Corps, and about midnight went back to camp, where it remained till the opening of the final contest, being constantly under marching orders. Camp was quitted on the 29th, the division marching to Dinwiddie Court House and thence by the Quaker road toward the Boydtown; but before reaching the latter General Anderson's Con- federates were encountered, the principal fighting being done by the First and Second Brigades of Griffin's Division. The Third Brigade was posted in a swampy field, and as a heavy rain set in that night the situation was not comfortable.
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About noon the next day the regiment was deployed as skirmishers with orders to feel for the enemy, and found him not far in front in log breastworks, from which the Bay State men by a determined advance drove ont a strong force. But the latter presently returned, and as the ammunition of the skirmishers had given out they were obliged to fall back. The foe followed till the fire of the line of battle was felt, when he once more retired, and the Thirty-second, having filled their cartridge boxes, reoccupied the works previously taken. After holding them for a thne, the skirmish line was again ordered forward, and presently came under the fire of a strong fort; as it was beyond their power to capture it; the brave fellows worked as near to it as possible and intrenehed under cover of the darkness.
The Fifth Corps was relieved by the Second on the 31st, and again moved toward the left, encountering the enemy a little west of the Boydtown road, where a short engagement resulted. At first the enemy seemed to have the advantage, but Griffin's Division stood firm and the others rallied on it, when the whole line advanced and won a decided advantage. Captain Lanriat, commanding half of the regiment as skirmishers, pushed a part of the ronted force for some miles. In the afternoon the brigade moved out to Gravelly Run to the assistance of Sheridan's cavalry, skirmishing all the way; but finding him in need of no assistance hastened back to its place in the corps.
Next morning the entire corps pushed through by the same route till connection with Sheridan's cavalry at Five Forks was made. The regiment was then deployed as skirmishers under command of Captain Baneroft-Lieutenant Colonel Cunningham being detailed for staff duty-and at once the advance was made which placed the Fifth Corps on the flank and rear of the enemy and completed his discomfiture. Several regiments were detailed to form a brigade of skirmishers under command of Lieutenant Colonel Cunningham, of which the Thirty-second was one, and on the morning of April 2 they were pushed through to the Southside Railroad, capturing a train, prisoners and supplies, penetrating some distance beyond the road, then changing direetien and marching several miles toward Peters- burg. Hard marching on the 3d and 4th brought the Fifth Corps to Jetersville, where it obtained possession of the Danville Railroad, and waited for the arrival of the Second and Sixth Corps, as the main body of the Confederates were at Amelia Court House, but a
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few miles away. The other corps were ready for business on the morning of the 6th, when it was found that Lee's army was again in rapid flight to the westward, and the pursuit was at once taken up and continued till the end.
The Thirty-second reached Ramplin's Station on the Southside Railroad about midnight of the 8th, and after a few hours' rest were called up and made a forced march to the assistance of Sheridan, whose cavalry was being hard pressed by the remains of the Con- federate army at bay near Appomattox Court House. The regi- ment led the column, and on reaching the scene deployed into line of battle in fine order, and had begim an enthusiastic advance when the enemy's fire ceased and a flag of trnce was sighted by Lieuten- ant Colonel Cunningham, who with his adjutant rode forward and received the first of the messages which resulted in the agreement to surrender that afternoon.
General J. L. Chamberlain, commanding the division-Griffin having succeeded Warren in the command of the corps,-received the formal surrender on the 11th, and detailed Bartlett's Brigade to receive and care for the arms deposited by the Confederates. Guard duty of the trophies thus secured occupied the regiment till the 13th, when it set out for Burkesville, which was reached in three days. After a rest of two days the Fifth Corps relieved the Ninth in guarding the Southside Railroad, the Thirty-second Regiment being stationed a few miles above Sutherland Station.
On the 1st of May the march toward Washington was begun, and on the 12th the final camp was pitched on Arlington Hights. The regiment took part in the grand review at Washington, and on the 17th of Jume received a transfer of 274 men from the Thirty-ninth, which had been mustered out. The Thirty-second were ministered out the 28th, started for Massachusetts the following day, and reached Boston at noon of July 1. Colonel Edmands at once fur- loughed his command till the 6th, when it reassembled at Gallop's Island in Boston Harbor, where the men were promptly paid off, and on the 11th the Thirty - second Regiment was disbanded. In its three years of service in the field it had taken part in 30 battles, the names of which it was instructed to inseribe on its banners.
THE THIRTY-THIRD REGIMENT.
T HE Thirty-third Regiment was organized at Camp Edwin M. Stanton, Lynnfield, under the order of Governor Andrew dated May 29, 1862, for 30 companies of infantry for three years and one light battery for six months. All of these troops save the ten companies which at Worcester formed the Thirty- fourth Regiment gathered at Camp Stanton, to the command of which Alberto C. Maggi, formerly lieutenant colonel of the Twenty- first Regiment, was assigned. Recruiting went forward slowly, however, till the call of the president for 300,000 additional volun- teers in July, when the camp was made a general rendezvous for the eastern portion of the state, and the ranks of the Thirty-third were rapidly filled. It was made a 12-company organization, and on the 14th of August left for the front with this list of officers and something over 1,200 men :-
Colonel, Alberto C. Maggi of New Bedford ; lieutenant colonel, Adin B. Underwood of Newton; major, James L. Bates of Weymouth; surgeon, Orin Warren of West Newbury; assistant surgeons, William S. Brown of Boston and Daniel P. Gage of Lowell; chaplain, Daniel Foster; adjutant, Albion W. Tebbetts ; quartermaster, William E. Richardson, all of Boston; sergeant major, Harry Meserve of Lowell; quartermaster sergeant, J. E. Houghton; commissary sergeant, Charles B. Walker, both of Boston; hospital steward, E. F. Kittridge of Low- ell; principal musician, L. K. Pickering of Sharon; leader of band, Israel Smith of New Bedford.
Company A, Lowell -- Captain, James Farson ; first lieutenant, Caleb Philbrick; second lieutenant, George W. Rose.
Company B-Captain, James Brown; first lieutenant, Edward J. Vose, both of Taunton; second lieutenant, George F. Adams of Bel- mont.
Company C-Captain, Thomas B. Rand; first lieutenant, Cyrus E. Graves; second lieutenant, Henry W. Gore, all of Boston.
Company D-Captain, Godfrey Ryder, Jr., of Provincetown; first lieutenant, James F'. Rowe of Stoneham; second lieutenant, Naaman II. Turner of Reading.
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Company E-Captain, William H. H. Hinds of Groton; first lieu- tenant, James W. George of Brighton; second lieutenant, George MI. Walker of Newton.
Company F -- Captain, William H. Lamson; first lieutenant, D. Moody Prescott, both of Lowell; second lieutenant, Caleb Blood of Boston.
Company G, Lowell-Captain, Charles E. Jones; first lieutenant, Baldwin T. Peabody; second lieutenant, Joseph P. Thompson.
Company H-Captain, Edward B. Blasland; first lieutenant, William P. Mudge, both of Boston; second lieutenant, J. Henry Williams of Lynn.
Company I-Captain, Elisha Doane; first lieutenant, James F. Chip- man; second lieutenant, Charles H. Nye, all of New Bedford,
Company K-Captain, B. Frank Rogers; first lieutenant, Charles F. Richards, both of Boston; second lieutenant, Lebbeus H. Mitchell of Cambridge.
The two companies not designated in the above roster formed part of the command till late in November, when they were transferred to the Forty-first Massachusetts Regiment, forming Companies I and K of that organization. The brass-band which accompanied the Thirty-third, and which attained to considerable renown in the army, was made up of enlisted members of the regiment, the gov- ernment no longer furnishing regimental bands. With the excep- tion of a steamer ride from Norwich, Ct., to Jersey City, the trip to Washington was made by rail. Philadelphia was reached at mid- night, but the hospitality of that remarkable city was equal to the occasion, and the Massachusetts boys found a warm welcome and a hearty repast awaiting them. Baltimore was reached during the forenoon of the 16th, and as his command debarked from the cars Colonel Maggi ordered the muskets loaded, and instructed the mem- bers as to their duties in case of hostile demonstrations; but no molestation was offered as the column marched across the city to take the cars for Washington. The capital was reached in the early evening, and after visiting the Soldiers' Rest and making the ac- quaintance of army rations, the soldier boys were quartered for the night in a shed with a quantity of well-worn straw for bedding.
The first encampment of the regiment was near Hunter's Chapel on the Virginia side of the Potomac, but this was quitted on the 24th and the command marched to Alexandria where some three weeks passed in patrol and guard duty. It was ordered on the 13th of September to join General Grover's Division in camp near Fair- fax Seminary, but two days later returned to Alexandria. On the
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