USA > Massachusetts > Massachusetts in the war, 1861-1865 Pt. 2 > Part 14
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636
MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
of the railroad bridge across the Neuse at that point by the Union troops the return march was begun, the command reoccupying their former camps near Newbern on the 21st.
Some two weeks later Company I relieved Company C on duty at Morchead City and later went to Fort Macon. On the 17th of Jan- uary, 1863, the regiment, with two other nine-months' organiza- tions, took part in a reconnaissance as far as Trenton, returning to camp after an absence of five days without having encountered the enemy, but having suffered much from heavy storms and conse- quent difficulty of marching. On the 26th it was detailed for pro- vost guard at Newbern, were it remained till the 25th of April, when it returned to the brigade and went into camp on the Neuse near the mouth of the Trent.
Two days later Amory's Brigade took part in an expedition, marching on the 27th to Core Creek, 15 miles from Newbern on the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad. Next morning Colonel Cod- man, acting under orders, sent Companies C and HI under Major Sturgis up the railroad, while Company D was sent out on a cross road to communicate with another column under General Palmer. About noon Colonel Codman with the balance of his regiment and the Seventeenth Massachusetts followed up the railroad, and after joining the force under Major Sturgis pushed along toward the june- tion of the railroad and the Dover road, driving the enemy's pickets from point to point and finally encountering a considerable body near the junction behind an carthwork. After a sharp skirmish fire the regiment, supported by the Seventeenth, charged the works, driving out the enemy and planting the flag of the Forty-fifth in triumph on the intrenchments. The loss of the regiment was one killed and four wounded.
The object of the expedition being accomplished the column re- turned to camp, and the Forty-fifth took no further part in active cam- paigning. They remained encamped near Fort Spinola till June 24, when they proceeded to Morehead City, and embarking on the steam- ers Spalding and Tillie sailed by way of Fortress Monroe for Boston. That city was reached on the 30th, the regiment being formally welcomed and proceeding to camp at Readville, where it was mus- tered out of the United States service on the 8th of July.
THE FORTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
T HIE Forty-sixth Regiment was composed of Hampden County men and was recruited largely through the efforts of Rev. George Bowler of Westfield, who was made its first colonel. Camp N. P. Banks at Springfield was the place of rendezvous, and there the different companies gathered during September and Octo- ber, the camp being commanded by Colonel Walker of Springfield. As the companies filled they were mustered-Company I on the 24th of September, A, C, D and F on the following day, four more on the 15th of October and K on the 22d, completing the regiment. The field and staff were mustered on the 30th, the following being the original roster of officers :-
Colonel, George Bowler of Westfield; lieutenant colonel, William S. Shurtleff of Springfield; major, Lucius B. Walkley; surgeon, James H. Waterman, both of Westfield; assistant surgeon, Thomas Gilfillan of Cummington; chaplain, George W. Gorham of Holyoke; adjutant, James G. Smith of Chicopee; quartermaster, Henry M. Morehouse of Springfield ; sergeant major, Joseph F. Field of Westfield ; quarter- master sergeant, George B. Pierce of Holyoke; commissary sergeant, Alfred J. Newton of Monson; hospital steward, John R. Greenleaf of Ware.
Company 1, Springfield-Captain, Samuel B. Spooner; first lieu- tenant, Lewis A. Tifft; second lieutenant, Daniel J. Marsh.
Company B-Captain, Daniel E. Kingsbury; first lientenant, Henry Wheeler, second lieutenant, Amos O. Kenney, all of Holyoke.
Company C-Captain, Andrew Campbell 2d; first lieutenant, Joseph C. Noble, second lieutenant, Joseph 'T. Spear, all of Westfield.
Company D-Captain, David E. Grimes; first lientenant, George H. Knapp; second lieutenant, David Bronson, all of Chicopee.
Company E-Captain, James M. Justin of Granville; first lieuten- ant, Charles U. Ely of West Springfield; second lieutenant, Lathrop Lee of Southwick.
Company F-Captain, Russell H. Conwell of Worthington ; first lieutenant, Horace Heath of Russell; second lieutenant, Charles Fay. of Chester.
638
MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
Company G-Captain, Francis D. Lincoln of Brimfield; first lieu- tenant, George HI. Howe of Monson ; second lieutenant, Julius M. Lyon of Wales.
Company II -- Captain, Francis C. Cook of Palmer; first lieutenant, William Shaw of Belchertown; second lieutenant, George S. Dixon of Monson.
Company I-Captain, William G. Leonard of Wilbraham: first lieu- tenant, Reuben DeWitt of Agawam; second lieutenant, N. Saxton Cooley of Longmeadow.
Company K-Captain, John Avery of Westfield; first lieutenant, Elisha C. Tower of Worthington; second lieutenant, George M. Stew- art of Wales.
The regiment being filled to its maximum left camp on the 5th of November for Boston where it embarked for Newbern, N. C. At first the command was divided between the steamers Merrimac and Mississippi, carrying the Forty-third and Forty-fifth Regiments re- speetively, five companies going aboard cach transport ; but this disposition crowded both steamers uncomfortably, and before sailing the steamer Saxon took on board seven of the companies, one being left on the Merrimac and two on the Mississippi. In this man- ner the trip to North Carolina was made, Newbern being reached on the 15th, when the regiment was assigned to Colonel Horace C. Lee's Brigade, consisting of the Third, Fifth, Twenty-fifth. Twenty- seventh and Forty-sixth Massachusetts Regiments. The regi- mental camp was established on the right bank of the Neuse, near the town. Soon after Companies A and K, under command of Captain Spooner, were detailed for duty at Newport Barracks, a station on the railroad between Newbem and Beaufort.
The first active service of the command was in connection with the Goldsboro expedition. Starting on the morning of the 11th of December, the regiment held its place in the brigade column till 9 o'clock of the 13th, when it was detached with one section of the Twenty-fourth New York Battery, to guard the direct road to Kins- ton and some connecting roads, while the main column made a de- tour to the left. This position was held during the day, and at dusk an order was received to advance four miles toward Kinston, which was promptly executed, other cross roads being guarded at that point. Rejoining the main column next morning, the regiment during the battle of Kinston supported a battery, but was not actively engaged. In the fight at Whitehall on the 16th it was at first directed to engage the enemy across the creek, but after 50 men
639
THIE FORTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
were detailed as sharp-shooters the regiment resumed its place in the column marching toward Goldsboro. The Wilmington Railroad at the point of its crossing the Neuse being reached next day, the battle of Goldsboro opened, the Forty-sixth supporting Belger's Battery without casualty. The bridge being burned and the track destroyed, the Union troops began to retire; but as the enemy threatened the rear guard the Forty-sixth retraeed their steps and took position near the Third Massachusetts, where they remained under artillery fire till the demonstration ceased, losing one killed and three wounded. One of the sharp-shooters at Whitehall was also wounded.
A march of three days took the regiment back to its former camp near Newbern. During the expedition it had been commanded by Lientenant Colonel Shurtleff. Colonel Bowler, though too ill to assume command, accompanied the regiment to Kinston, when he was obliged to return to camp, and on the 23d of January he re- signed his commission, Lieutenant Colonel Shurtleff, Major Walkley and Captain Spooner being promoted in regular order. At this time Company A returned from its detached duty, being relieved by Company F, and the camp of the regiment was changed to a point near the confluence of the Neuse and Trent rivers. There was the usual drill and much fatigue work on the fortifications, but the regiment was not again engaged in active campaigning till March, when the Confederates began to threaten Newbern.
Near night of the 13th of that month, the Forty-sixth, with the Fifth and Twenty-fifth and Belger's Battery, were sent out on the Trent road under Colonel Lee to hold in check a column of the enemy which had captured an outpost at Deep Gully, eight miles from Newbern. Next morning, after the skirmishers of the two forces were engaged, the Forty-sixth and Fifth were ordered back to Newbern, another rebel column having appeared and opened an attack near the city on the north bank of the Neuse. Reaching camp about noon, the regiment remained under arms till near night, when it was again sent out to Deep Gully, but found the foe re- tiring, and after following him for some distance returned to camp, three days after leaving it.
Leaving Companies A and I under Major Spooner, the remaining six companies of the Forty-sixth, with the Twenty-fifth and Lee's Battery, were sent to Plymouth, on the Roanoke river,-an import-
640
MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR:
ant post threatened by the enemy and defended only by four com- panies of infantry, a few cavalry and some gun-boats in the river. On reaching the place Colonel Pickett of the Twenty-fifth took command and at once set his entire force to strengthening the de- fenses, which they were allowed to do unmolested, the enemy meet- ing with no success in their siege operations at Little Washington, where their most earnest effort was put forth, and so finally aban- doning hostile demonstrations in that section. The region being dis- tricted, and General Wessells with his brigade taking charge of the "District of the Roanoke," including Plymouth, the Forty-sixth re- turned to Newbern May 8, going into barracks near the town.
On the 21st the regiment with the rest of the brigade took part in an expedition against a detachment of the enemy known to be posted at Gum Swamp, eight miles from Kinston. Before reaching the swamp the force divided, two regiments by a circuitous route seeking the rear of the Confederate position, while the Forty-sixth, Fifth and Twenty-fifth approached from the front, moving up about midnight and driving in the outposts, the Forty-sixth supporting a battery in the center of the Union line of battle. After some skir- mishing on the morning of the 22d the fire of the two regiments in the rear was heard, when a simultaneous charge was made, driv- ing out the Confederates in confusion. The column then started on its return, being harassed somewhat by the enemy but reaching Newbern the following day without serious encounter.
The two companies-A and I-left behind when the regiment went to Plymouth had taken an honorable part in the defense of Newbern at that time, and early in May were sent to Batchelder's Creek to serve on outpost duty under Colonel Jones of the Fifty- eighth Pennsylvania. This place was attacked on the 23d of May, Colonel Jones was killed and most of his command thrown into confusion; but Captain Tifft with his own company and part of Company I held an advanced redoubt long after the rest of the Union soldiers had fallen back some two miles, until finally dis- covered by a reconnoitering party and relieved. Sergeant A. S. Bryant of Company A was made sergeant major and received a medal from Congress for bravery on this occasion. Six days later a scouting party of nine sent out from these two companies was captured by guerrillas, but the men were fortunately soon paroled.
As the term of service of the Forty-sixth neared its close over
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641
THE FORTY-SIXTII REGIMENT.
100 of the members enlisted in the Second Heavy Artillery Regi- ment, then being formed largely from among the nine-months' regi- ments. During the night of the 23d of June orders were received for the regiment to embark at short notice for Fortress Monroe, which it did the following night ; but owing to storms and delays did not reach its destination till the 28th. It then prepared for a campaign under General Dix, but it being found that that officer did not wish for troops whose term had so nearly expired, General Naglee, who arrived next day suggested that the regiment volunteer for service during Lee's invasion of the North. This was agreed to, and the Forty-sixth, with the Eighth and Fifty-first were ordered by General Halleck to report to General Schenck at Baltimore.
Reaching that city on the 1st of July, the regiment was assigned to the brigade of General E. B. Tyler, commanding the defenses of Baltimore, and was stationed at Camp Bradford, near the outskirts of the city, where it remained doing provost and guard duty till the 6th when it was attached to a brigade commanded by General II. S. Briggs and took the cars to Monocacy Junetion, near Frederick. Marching to the city and reporting to General French, it was ordered back to its brigade and continued on to Sandy Hook, opposite Ilar- per's Ferry. During the night of the 7th it took position on Mary- land Highits, where it remained, picketing the Sharpsburg road, till the 11th, when General Briggs was ordered to join the First Corps, Army of the Potomac. The 25 miles were marched in 16 hours, almost without a halt for rest, the brigade taking its assigned posi- tion at the right of the Union lines beyond Funkstown. There it remained for 24 hours, momentarily expecting to take part in a great battle; but that expectation vanished when it became known on the morning of the 14th that Lee's army was again in Virginia.
Moving southward with the Army of the Potomac, the regiment reached Berlin on the 16th and rested till the 18th, when the First Corps began crossing the ponton bridge into Virginia. The Forty- sixth in the colunm were but a few rods from the river when orders were received to proceed immediately to Massachusetts to be mus- tered out of service. Obeying at once, the regiment went by rail via Baltimore and New York to Springfield, where it arrived on the morning of July 21. The men were furloughed for a week, when the command reassembled on Hampden Park and was mustered out of the service by Captain Gardner of the United States Army.
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THE FORTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.
T HIE Forty-Seventh Regiment, familiarly known as the " Mer- chants' Guard Regiment," was recruited through the efforts of Lucius B. Marsh, a prominent Boston merchant, gathering at Camp Edwin M. Stanton in Boxford, where the various companies were filled and mustered-A and B on the 19th of September, 1862, three more by the 23d, while the other five followed at various dates during October, from the 9th to the 31st. The field and staff were mustered on the 7th of November and on the 11th the regiment was transferred to Camp Meigs at Readville. From each camp numerous desertions occurred,-the regiment in that respect being quite unfortunate. On the 29th of November orders were received to report to New York, where the Banks expedition was gathering, which it did with the following roster of officers :-
Colonel, Incius B. Marsh of Boston; lieutenant colonel, Albert Stickney of Cambridge; major, Austin S. Cushman of New Bedford; surgeon, John Blackmer of Somerville; assistant surgeon, Frederic W. Mercer; chaplain, George. P. Hepworth, both of Boston; adjutant, Eli C. Kinsley of Cambridge; quartermaster, George N. Nichols of Roxbury; sergeant major, George P. How of Concord; quartermaster sergeant, Joseph II. Wellman of Boston; commissary sergeant, Henry L. Wheeler of Concord; hospital steward, Charles Lee Foster of North Andover; principal musician, William M. Wright of Pepperell.
Company A, Cambridge-Captain, Alphens Hyatt; first lieutenant, Charles B. Stevens; second lieutenant, Stephen S. Harris.
Company B, Cambridge-Captain, John W. McGregor; first lieuteu- tenant. Jared Shepard; second lientenant, Edward B. P. Kinsley.
Company C. Attleboro-Captain, Lemnel T. Starkey, first lieuten- ant, Frank S. Draper; second lientenant, Everett S. Horton.
Company D, New Bedford-Captain, Joseph Burt, Jr .; first lienten- ant. William II. Topham; second lieutenant, Samuel J. Blain.
Company E, Charlestown-Captain, Charles Callender; first lienten- ant, Charles G. Pease; second lieutenant, Benjamin F. Hatch.
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643
THE FORTY-SEVENTHI REGIMENT.
Company F, Boston-Captain, John P. Burbeck; first lientenant, George L. Shaw; second lieutenant, John J. Currier.
Company G, Concord-Captain, Richard Barrett; first lieutenant, Humphrey H. Buttrick; second lieutenant, George F. Hale.
Company HI-Captain, Samnel O. Laforest of South Boston; first lieutenant, Granville G. Redding; second lieutenant, Charles B. Spen- cer, both of Roxbury.
Company I-Captain, Edward L. Bird of Boston; first lieutenant, Albert H. Townsend; second lieutenant, William B. Rand, both of East Boston.
Company K-Captain, Josiah A. Osgood of Chelsea; first lieutenant, Lewis E. Munroe of Roxbury; second lieutenant, James . W. Converse of West Roxbury.
The regiment went into camp on Long Island and waited there some three weeks for transportation, when with other troops to the number of 2,000 it went aboard the steamer Mississippi on the 21st of December and the following day sailed for New Orleans, touch- ing at Ship Island, and reaching its destination on the evening of the 31st. Reporting to General Banks on the 1st of January, 1863, the regiment was ordered to Carrollton, where it reported to General T. W. Sherman, debarking next day and going into Camp Kearny, of which Colonel Marsh took command. On the 11th of January, 1863, the Forty-seventh were ordered to United States Barracks, in the lower part of New Orleans, and marched to that point, proceeding the following day to the Louisiana Lower Cotton Press, three or four miles further, but returning on the 14th to the Barracks and relieving the Thirtieth Massachusetts Regiment, Colonel Marsh taking command of the post. Four companies were detailed for special service, and Company B as guard for com- missary and ordnance stores, on which duty it continued till the term of service expired.
Company E was detailed for provost duty at Thibodeaux on the 4th of February, and the remaining companies were ordered to the Cotton Press. The regiment being thus scattered, Lieutenant Colonel Stickney was given an active command, serving at Brash- ear City, Thibodeaux, Lafourche Crossing and other points with credit, while the legal ability of Major Cushman was given scope on the Sequestration Committee. The detached companies, with the exception of B, were called in on the 12th of March, and the regiment was ordered to the Metaire Race-course, an especially un- healthy place, being surrounded by stagnant pools and marshes.
644
MASSACHUSETTS IN THIE WAR.
Colonel Marsh took command of the post, the force comprising several batteries of artillery, and much attention was given to im- proving the regiment in drill and discipline. Companies D and H went across Lake Ponchartrain twice, capturing a steamer, a schooner and other property, including a quantity of cotton.
On the 19th of May, Colonel Marsh with his command was ordered to Camp Parapet, where he relieved General Dorr and took command of the post, consisting of numerous detachments of artil- lery and other troops, the line of defenses being some 30 miles in length. Soon after taking command Colonel Marsh recruited a company of negroes for service in the swamps, to which additions were made till the Second Louisiana Engineer Regiment was nearly filled, and its officers came largely from the membership of the Forty-seventh, the contraband camp furnishing most of the enlisted men.
Camp Parapet was occupied by the regiment during the siege of ' Port Hudson, after which, the term of enlistment having expired, the command received orders to return home, sailing on the 5th of August from Carrollton in the steamer Continental. Cairo, Ill., was reached on the 13th, and thence the journey to Boston was made by rail, the regiment reaching the latter city on the morning of the 18th and receiving an enthusiastic reception. The experience of this regiment was peculiar. It was not in action during its ser- vice; its single fatal casualty was the killing of one man by guerril- las, while but 24, including the hospital steward, had died from dis- ease. The men being furloughed till the 1st of September gathered then at Readville and were mustered out of the service by Captain Brown, U. S. A.
THE FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
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T HE Forty-eighth Regiment was intended for an Essex county nine-months' organization, and eight companies had been gathered at Camp Landers in Wenham, when the necessity for sending forward the troops intended for the " Banks Expedi- tion " led to a modification of the original plan. Two of the com- panies were detached and assigned to the Fourth Regiment to bring it to the required standard, while the six companies remaining were transferred to Camp Meigs at Readville. There they were joined by four Irish companies from Camp Joe Hooker at Lakeville, which had been recruited by James O'Brien with the intention of forming a regiment of that nationality, and after considerable difficulty, dur- ing which many of the O'Brien recruits deserted, the regiment was organized and officered, Mr. O'Brien being made lieutenant colonel. Company A was mustered the 16th of September, 1862, and six other companies by the 1st of October, but it was not till the 9th of Decem- ber that Company K, barely filled to the minimum, was ready for the ยท mustering officer, and additions were made at later dates. The field and staff were mustered December 8, and the roster was as follows :-
Colonel, Eben F. Stone of Newburyport; lieutenant colonel, James O'Brien of Charlestown; major, George Wheatland of Salem; surgeon, Yorick G. Hurd of Amesbury; assistant surgeon, Francis F. Brown of Sudbury; chaplain, Samuel J. Spaulding of Newburyport ; adju- tant, F. Gilbert Ogden of Boston; quartermaster, Horace W. Durgin of Salem; sergeant major, John W. Ricker of Newburyport; quarter- master sergeant, John G. Robinson of Salem; commissary sergeant, James W. Currier of Newburyport; hospital steward, Elisha M. White of Charlestown.
Company A, Newburyport-Captain, Calvin M. Woodward; first lieutenant, Ira F. Lawry; second lieutenant, Charles P. Morrison.
Company B-Captain, Eben P. Stanwood of West Newbury; first lieutenant, Henry G. Rollins of Groveland; second lieutenant, Moses B. Merrill of West Newbury.
646
MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
Company C-Captain, William S. Pettingill of East Salisbury; first lieutenant, John O. Currier of Amesbury Mills; second lieutenant, Samuel Coffin of East Salisbury.
Company D-Captain, Benjamin F. Noyes of Newbury; first lieu- tenant, William Lord 4th, of Ipswich ; second lieutenant, James Wilson of Topsfield.
Company E-Captain, Charles Howes of Essex; first lieutenant, Charles Saunders; second lieutenant, Charles J. Lee, both of Salem.
Company F-Captain, Edgar J. Sherman of Lawrence; first lien- tenant, Francis M. Smith of Lynn; second lieutenant, Nicholas N. Noyes of Amesbury.
Company G-Captain, Robinson N. Schoff of East Salisbury; first lieutenant, William E. Rudderham of Quincy; second lieutenant, John S. O'Brien of Boston.
Company H-Captain, James C. Rogers of Chelsea; first lieutenant, Peter O. C. Frawley of Lowell; second lieutenant, James Maginnis of Belmont.
Company I, -Captain, Frank M. Smith of Lynn; first lieutenant, John Reade of Milford; second lieutenant, William J. Hartnett of Dedham.
Company K-Captain, J. Scott Todd of Rowley; first lieutenant, Leach Clark; second lieutenant, Henry J. Bellen, both of Boston.
The regiment went to New York on the 27th of December, and on the 29th went aboard the steamer Constellation under orders to join General Banks's forces in Louisiana. Sailing on the 4th of January, 1863, for Fortress Monroe, the vessel was detained there for seven days, when it resumed the voyage and reached New Orleans February 1. The regiment was transferred to the steamer New Brunswick on the 3d and sailed for Baton Rouge, where it was quartered at Camp Banks, being brigaded with the Twenty-first Maine and One Hundred and Sixteenth New York. The brigade -to which the Forty-ninth Massachusetts Regiment was presently added-was the First of the First Division, Nineteenth Corps. Gen- eral Augur commanded the division and Colonel E. P. Chapin of the One Hundred and Sixteenth the brigade.
The first service of the regiment, apart from routine duties, came on the 13th of March, when long before daybreak it started out with a colored regiment and some cavalry on a reconnaissance. Going by transports to Springfield Landing, the force debarked under cover of the guns of Farragut's fleet, floundered for half a mile through the tidewater which covered the road from the landing to the bluff, some of the way up to the men's waists, then formed the line of march and penetrated as far as the junction of the
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