USA > Massachusetts > Massachusetts in the war, 1861-1865 Pt. 2 > Part 41
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Brevet Brigadier General William Raymond Lee
Of Roxbury was a student at the Military Academy at West Point, of the class of which Jefferson Davis was a member. He, however, left his military studies to become a civil engineer, and was later superintendent of the Boston and Providence Railroad. When the rebellion broke out his patriotism led him to tender his services to Governor Andrew in connection with the raising and sending forth of volunteers, though he was then 54 years of age. Assisted by an able corps of younger men, he raised the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment, of which he was commissioned colonel, dating from July 1, 1861. Taking his command to Washington as soon as it was organized, he was assigned to duty on the Potomac near Poolesville and with the larger part of his regiment shared in the disastrous battle of Ball's Bluff on the 21st of October, 1861, where he was made prisoner of war. While in captivity at Richmond he was selected with others to be held as a hostage for the lives of Con- federate privateers in the hands of the national government, and during this time he was quartered in the common county prison at Richmond with his unfortunate fellow-hostages. Being exchanged
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the following spring, he rejoined his command before Yorktown, leading it gallantly at the battle of Fair Oaks. At the battle of Nelson's Farm or Glendale he was in command of three regiments of his brigade, and while holding an advanced position he received severe injuries by a horse falling upon him. Returning to Massa- chusetts to recover from his accident, he was during the early part of August in command of Camp Briggs at Pittsfield where the Thirty-seventh Regiment was beginning to gather; but he was again in the field at the head of his regiment in time for the Antic- tam campaign, and commanded the Twentieth in its unfortunate experience during the battle of the 17th of September, 1862. It soon became evident that Colonel Lee was physically incapable of enduring the exposures of active campaigning, after the hardships through which he had already passed, and on the 17th of December, 1862, after another period of absence from his regiment, he reluct- antly resigned his commission and was not again actively engaged in military duties. With many others, he received the brevet of brigadier general of volunteers dating from the 13th of March, 1865.
Brevet Brigadier General William S. Lincoln
Of Worcester became lieutenant colonel of the Thirty-fourth Mas- sachusetts Regiment at its organization in the summer of 1862, being in command of Camp John E. Wool during the gathering of the recruits for the Thirty-fourth and other regiments. After reaching Washington he was much of the time in command of the regiment, owing to the assignment of Colonel Wells to other duties, and during the stay near Harper's Ferry was at times in command of a brigade. At the disastrous battle of New Market he was severely wounded and made a prisoner. Being taken to Harrison- burg, after passing some time in the hospital there Colonel Lincoln with a single companion managed to escape one night when he was about to be sent further south, and after great suffering and a variety of adventures finally reached the Union lines at Cumber- land. Returning to Massachusetts he gradually recovered and late in November returned to the army near Winchester, though with wounds still unhealed, having been promoted to colonel vice Wells, killed in action. Being unfitted for active duty in the field, Colonel Lincoln was assigned to detached duty at Cumberland, where he
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remained through the winter and early spring, rejoining his regi- ment near Richmond after the surrender of Lec. He was then as- signed to the command of the brigade-First Brigade, Independent
BREVET BRIG. GEN. WILLIAM S. LINCOLN.
Division, Twenty-fourth Corps-which he held till June 15, 1865, when he returned to the command of the regiment, and aecom- panied it to Massachusetts for muster out, his brevet as brigadier general dating from June 23 of that year. He died at Worcester, November 8, 1889, aged 78.
Brevet Major General Charles G. Loring
Of Boston was nominated by Governor Andrew for a commission on the staff of General Burnside, then organizing the North Caro- lina Expedition. Reporting at Annapolis in December, 1861, he was assigned to duty as quartermaster, with the rank of captain; and when Burnside's fleet was shattered by the storm at Hatteras Inlet, he was dispatched to New York to charter a steamship and load it with naval supplies of all kinds. On the taking of Newbern he was placed in charge of transportation by sea and all naval re-
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pairs, and later in charge of the railroads of the department. On the organization of the Ninth Corps, in July, 1862, he was made assistant inspector general with the rank of lieutenant colonel, but owing to illness could not join the corps in the field till September. When General Burnside succeeded Mcclellan in command of the Army of the Potomac, Colonel Loring was assigned to duty at head-quarters, serving there during the Fredericksburg campaign and for some weeks under General Hooker. He was then at Gen- eral Burnside's request transferred to staff duty with the latter at head-quarters Department of the Ohio. In May, 1863, Loring was sent by Burnside to General Rosecrans at Murfreesboro with verbal instructions (communication being too hazardous to intrust any. thing of importance to paper) to arrange for a joint advance upon Knoxville and East Tennessee. Rosecrans conferred with General Thomas, indorsed a plan suggested by the latter, and the advance was planned ; but on the day after Burnside took the field to carry it out the Ninth Corps was ordered to the assistance of Grant at Vicksburg. Later in the season Burnside entered Knoxville, where he was besieged by the Confederate General Longstreet, and during the siege it was Loring's duty twice a day to make a tour of the lines to observe the movements and purpose of the enemy.' During the campaign of 1864 he continued on Burnside's staff, and at the Battle of the Crater, July 30, volunteered to accompany the leading division into the demolished Confederate works. After the retire- ment of Burnside, Colonel Loring served on the staff of General Park till the close of the war. He was brevetted colonel August 1, 1864, " for gallant and meritorious conduct at the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania and Bethesda Church and during the operations before Petersburg, Va.," brigadier general of the same date "for the campaign in East Tennessee and at the siege of Knox- ville," and major general July 17, 1865, for general service, though the recommendation of his commander was for the affair of the Mine.
Brigadier General Charles Russell Lowell, Jr.,
Of Boston, was engaged in the management of iron-works at Cum berland, Md., when the Sixth Massachusetts were assaulted at Balti- more. Hastening at once to that city and finding railroad com- munication cut off, Mr. Lowell made his way on foot to Washington
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where he applied for a commission of the lowest rank in the regular artillery, awaiting which he busied himself in the interests of Mas- sachusetts troops and in assisting the national government in other ways. Instead of the position for which he had applied, he was offered and accepted a captaincy in the Sixth United States Cavalry, devoting liimself enthusiastically to that arm of the service. In this capacity he served through the Peninsular campaign with distinc- tion, and after the battle of Malvern Hill became a member of Gen- eral Mcclellan's staff. At the battle of the Antietam he displayed great gallantry in checking the retreat of General Sedgwick's Divis- ion at a critical moment, in recognition of which he was detailed by Mcclellan to convey to President Lincoln at Washington the 39 battle flags captured from the Confederates during the battle. In November following he was returned to Massachusetts to recruit and organize the Second Regiment of Cavalry, with which he re- ported at Washington in May, 1863, and with head-quarters at Vienna was put in command of the cavalry of the department. For more than a year he held this responsible command, penetrating all the surrounding country and not only protecting the Union lines from the annoyance of guerrilla bands, but driving the latter from their chosen haunts. When in the summer of 1864 General Early abandoned his threatening movement against Washington and started in retreat, Colonel Lowell with the Second hung upon his rear till the Confederates undertook with a strong force to ernsh the persistent regiment. At Rockville a sharp engagement came off, the head of Lowell's column being thrown into confusion; but the command was halted and dismounted and repelled several de- termined charges of the enemy in vastly superior numbers. When Sheridan took command of the department Colonel Lowell was given a brigade composed of his own regiment and the dismounted cavalry of the department gathered in temporary organization, with which he took an active part in all the subsequent operations in and about the Shenandoah Valley. On the 26th of August Colonel Lowell so distinguished himself in an attack upon the Confederate infantry outposts that with his regiment he was transferred to the Reserve Brigade of cavalry and artillery, consisting mostly of United States Regulars, of which he took command. With this brigade he did noble service at the battle of the Opequan, Septem- ber 19, making near the close of the fight a magnificent charge with
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some 600 of his command upon an intrenched infantry line of the enemy, routing them in confusion and capturing two pieces of artil- lery. In the brilliant cavalry fight of the 9th of October, in which the enemy was defeated and driven 20 miles, from Woodstock to Mount Jackson, Lowell led the advance of General Merritt's Divis- ion against the Confederate force commanded by Lomax, winaing victory almost without loss, the engagement being familiarly known as "The Woodstock Races." At the opening of the battle of Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864, Lowell's Brigade was posted on the Union right, which position it held till relieved by infantry, when it was moved to the extreme left, a half-mile or so to the north of Middle- town. Here dismounting his men and gaining the cover of a stone- wall, Lowell checked the victorious advance of the enemy and re- pulsed several determined efforts to drive his little band from its position. In three determined charges he led his men against the Confederates, having his horse shot under him during the third,- the 13th horse thus lost during the campaign of three months. At the same time he received a severe contusion from a spent ball, causing dangerous internal hemorrhage and the loss of his voice; yet he refused to leave the field, saying he wished to lead in the final charge, and when it was ordered at 3 o'clock he was lifted to his horse and rode to the front. His determined troopers cheered their dying chief and obeyed his whispered commands as though his voice still rang over the field; but as the line swept forward he was again struck down with a bullet through the chest. He still desired to be and was carried forward till assured that victory was won, when he was taken to Middletown, where he died the following morning in his 30th year. It is no disparagement of others to say that Massachusetts sent to the front no more brilliant and worthy officer than Colonel Lowell. His commission as brigadier general was signed at Washington on the day that his mortal wound was received, and was on the way to camp when he died. His star was. bravely won, though never worn.
Brevet Brigadier General Luke Lyman
Of Northampton entered the Twenty-seventh Massachusetts Regi- ment as lieutenant colonel at the time of its f ... years of age. He had for many years been identified with the
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Northampton Artillery Company, a militia infantry organization of high rank, of which he had been commander. At the outbreak of the war he became by request military instructor at Amherst Col- lege, rendering valuable service and infusing the students with mili- tary zeal. During his service with the regiment he was much of the time its commanding officer, Colonel Lee being acting brigadier, and led it through the Tarboro, Goldsboro, Gum Swamp and Wise Forks experiences, and was with it at the siege of Little Washing-
BREVET BRIG. GEN. LUKE LYMAN.
ton, N. C. There he was for some months in command of the post ; a responsible position, as he had not only the military supervision but as well was charged with the promotion of legitimate trade and suppression of the illicit traffic with the rebel population which many on both sides of the lines attempted to conduct on account of the great profits accompanying success. He resigned on the 27th of May, 1863, and received the brevet of brigadier general of volunteers from the 13th of March, 1865. General Lyman was a worthy officer, popular with all classes, from the private soldier
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of his regiment to the governor of the state, who at his resignation expressed the belief that "it would be a great loss to the regiment to lose so able and faithful an officer." He died at Montreal, November 12, 1889.
Brevet Major General George N. Macy
Of Nantneket went to the front as first lieutenant of Company I, Twentieth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, his commission dating from the 10th of July, 1861, and after the battle of Ball's Bluff he was advanced to a captaincy, being commissioned Novem- ber 8. Serving continuously with his regiment, he was promoted to major December 18, 1862, and to lieutenant colonel May 1 fol- lowing. At the battle of Gettysburg he was severely wounded, necessitating the amputation of a hand, and on the death of Colonel Revere, July 5, he was commissioned colonel. Returning to the regiment about the middle of October ensuing, he commanded it, save when temporarily absent, till the battle of the Wilderness. In that engagement, on the 6th of May, he was wounded in the leg, and did not again return to the Twentieth. On recovering he was placed in command of the provost guard at head-quarters of the Army of the Potomae, where he served till the close of the war, being mustered out July 27, 1865, with the brevet of major general of volunteers from March 13 of that year. He died at his home in Boston, February 13, 1875, from an accidentally self-inflicted pistol- shot wound.
Brevet Major General Randolph B. Marcy,
Born in the town of Greenwich in 1812, graduated at the Military Academy at West Point in the class of 1832, and received the bre- vet of second lieutenant of the Fifth Infantry. He attained by regular promotion the rank of captain May 18, 1846, and served as such in the Mexican war. He also saw some service in the Seminole war in Florida. He was promoted to major and paymaster August 22, 1859, and on the 9th of August, 1861, to colenel and inspector general in chief of the United States Army, which position he held during the entire rebellion. He served in this capacity on the staff of General MeClellan till the latter was relieved from command in the autumn of 1862, and was in all the battles where MeClellan commanded. He was twice during the war commissioned brigadier
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general of volunteers-September 23, 1861, and September 13, 1862,-but in each case the commission expired with the adjourn- ment of the congressional session. At the close of the war he re- ceived the brevet rank of brigadier general and also of major gen- eral in the regular line, dating from March 13, 1865, and continuing in the inspection department of the army was on the 12th of De- cember, 1878, commissioned brigadier general. He was retired on the 2d of January, 1881, at his own request after more than 42 years' service, and died at his home in Orange, N. J., on the 22d of November, 1887.
Brevet Brigadier General Napoleon B. McLaughlen
Was a native of Vermont, entering the United States Army from New York May 27, 1850, as private in Company F, Second Dra- goons, and rising by regular promotion through the various non- commissioned grades was on the 27th of March, 1861, commissioned second lieutenant in the First United States Cavalry; first lieuten- ant of the Fourth Cavalry on the 3d of May following, and captain on the 17th of July, 1862. At the request of Governor Andrew he was made colonel of the First Massachusetts Volunteers from the 1st of October following, and ably commanded that regiment during the remainder of its service, till the muster out, May 28, 1864. He received brevets in the regular line "for gallant and meritorious services" at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, where his regiment did noble work. After a brief respite from the volunteer service he was again commissioned colonel of a Massachusetts regi- ment-this time the Fifty seventh-with rank dating from Decem- ber, 1862. This made him senior colonel of the brigade to which the Fifty-seventh was attached-First Brigade, First Division, Ninth Army Corps-and on reporting for duty, September 14, 1864, he took command of the brigade, succeeding General W. F. Bartlett who had been taken prisoner at the ill-starred battle of the Crater, some weeks before. He was brevetted brigadier general of volun- teers from September 30, 1864, the date of the battle of Poplar Grove Church, in which his command took a prominent part, and colonel and brigadier general of the regular army from the 13th of March, 1865; the former rank for gallant services during the attack on Fort Stedman, March 25 of that year, and the second for like services in the field during the war. In the Fort Stedman affair,
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after repulsing the Confederates to the right of the fort with his brigade, he entered the fort, not knowing that it had been tempora- rily captured by the enemy's bold dash, and was himself made prisoner; but his term of confinement was short owing to the speedy termination of the war. Returning to his captaincy in the regular line, he was made major of the Tenth Cavalry May 17, 1876, and was retired as such on the 26th of June, 1882, at his own request, having faithfully served his government for more than 32 years. He died of apoplexy at his home in New York City on the 28th of January, 1887, in the 65th year of his age, and his remains were buried at Worcester, N. Y.
Major General Nelson A. Miles
Of Roxbury began his brilliant military career as first lieutenant of Company E, Twenty-second Massachusetts Regiment, with commis- sion dated October 1, 1861. Soon after reaching Washington with the regiment, he secured an appointment on the staff of General Casey, which he retained from the 7th of November till the close of March, 1862. He was then commissioned lieutenant colonel of the Sixty-first New York Regiment, being promoted on the 30th of September following to colonel. At the battle of Chancellors- ville, in command of his regiment, he rendered valuable service in preventing a flank movement of the enemy by way of Mott Run, and while gallantly fighting his command was shot through the body. Recovering, he entered the campaign of 1864 in command of the First Brigade, First Division, Second Corps, of which his regiment formed a part, fighting valiantly at Spottsylvania and re- ceiving in recognition the brevet of brigadier general of volunteers from that date-May 12, 1864. In the subsequent operations of the Army of the Potomac his brigade was ever at the front, and soon after the investment of Petersburg he was promoted to the command of the division. This he held to the close of the war, handling it everywhere in the most gallant manner. He received the brevet of major general of volunteers August 25, 1864, and was commissioned full major general of volunteers on the 21st of October, 1865, remaining in the volunteer service until the 1st of September, 1866; he was then mustered out, and a few days later was commissioned colonel of the Fortieth United States Regulars.
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He was subsequently transferred to the Fifth Regiment, and on the 14th of December, 1880, was promoted to brigadier general, with the brevet of major general in the regular line, his present rank.
Brevet Brigadier General Albert Ordway
Of Cambridge, a graduate of Harvard, was a private soldier in the ranks of the New England Guards at the opening of the war. On the organization of the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts Regiment he
BREVET BRIG. GEN. ALBERT ORDWAY.
was commissioned first lieutenant September 2, 1861, in Company G. He succeeded Lieutenant Anderson as adjutant of the regiment, acting as such during the campaigns of 1862, and in December of that year became aide-de-camp on the staff of General Henry Prince, commanding the Fifth Division, Eighteenth Corps. He served there till July, 1863, when he was ordered to the Army of the Potomac and took a place on the staff of the Second Division, Third Corps, rejoining his regiment at St. Augustine, Fla., in November of that year. The regiment being ordered to Virginia
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the following spring, he was detailed as ordnance officer of the First Division, Tenth Corps, and served till July, when he was granted sick leave. He returned to the command of his regiment in No- vember, having been promoted captain June 1, 1864, major Septem- ber 14, and lieutenant colonel November 15. After the fall of Richmond his regiment was ordered on duty in that city, and June 9, 1865, he was made provost marshal of the Department of Vir- ginia-a responsible position which he ably filled. He was mus- tered out February 10, 1866, the brevet of brigadier general of volunteers from March 13, 1865.
Brevet Brigadier General Francis A. Osborn
Of Boston was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the Twenty- fourth Massachusetts Regiment at its organization, August 31, 1861,
TOPELECTRO
BREVET BRIG. GEN FRANCIS A OSBORN.
and succeeded to the coloneley on the promotion of Colonel Steven- son, December 28, 1862. He was in command of the regiment from April, 1862, except when on detached service, and led the
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charging party which captured an important rifle-pit in front of Fort Wagner, on Morris Island, August 26, 1863. Shortly after he was selected, in command of his own regiment and another, to at- tempt the capture by assault of Fort Sumter, but owing to the diffi- culties of the ground was unable to embark his troops till after a futile attempt had been made by the navy, demonstrating that the fort could not be carried in that manner. Early in October he was placed in command of the post of St. Augustine, Fla., and remained there till the middle of February, when he was transferred to com- mand the post of Jacksonville. Fla. In May he resumed command of his regiment, which became a part of the Army of the James. During August and September, 1864, he commanded a brigade of the Second Division, Tenth Corps. Receiving leave of absence on the 16th of October, he did not again join the regiment in the field, being mustered out by expiration of service on the 13th of Novem- ber, 1864. He was given the brevet of brigadier general of volun- teers from the 13th of March, 1865.
Brevet Major General Charles J. Paine
Of Boston began his service as captain of Company 1, Twenty- second Massachusetts Volunteers, being commissioned October 1, 1861, and serving as such till the 16th of January, 1862, when he resigned his commission and joined the Eastern Bay State Regiment (afterward the Thirtieth Massachusetts) of General Butler's ex- pedition as it touched at Fortress Monroe on its way south. He was selected by General Butler as major of the Thirtieth, and acted as such until the regimental officers were commissioned by Governor Andrew. He was not confirmed in the expected office, and con- sequently took a place on Butler's staff for a time, when he was commissioned colonel of the Second Louisiana (Loyal) Regiment, September, 1862. During the siege of Port Hudson Colonel Paine was in command of a brigade, but served generally with his regi- ment till the spring of 1864 when he joined General Butler, then in command of the Army of the James, as volunteer aide-de-camp, and in that capacity took part in the battle of Drewry's Bluff. He was commissioned brigadier general of volunteers on the 4th of July, 1864, and took command of the Third Division (colored), Eighteenth Corps. With this division he took part in the battle
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of Newmarket Hights, on the north side of the James river, Sep tember 28, and with his division-then a part of the Twenty-fifth Corps-assisted in the capture of Fort Fisher in January following. His division became a part of General Terry's command, known as the Tenth Corps, from that time, and joined in the operations against Wilmington and in the advance to Goldsboro to meet Gen- eral Sherman's victorious army. After the close of the war Gen- eral Paine was for some time in command of the military district of Beaufort, being mustered out on the 15th of January, 1866. His brevet of major general of volunteers dated from January 15, 1865, being conferred in recognition of his services at Fort Fisher.
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