USA > Massachusetts > Massachusetts in the war, 1861-1865 Pt. 2 > Part 7
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560
MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
General Burnside resigned the command of the corps on the 14th, and the same day the regiment was relieved from the trenches by troops from the Eighteenth Corps. During its less than two months' duty in front of the enemy the Thirty-sixth Regiment had lost from its small band seven killed and 18 wounded by the fire of sharpshooters. The Ninth Corps moved to the left that night and relieved the Fifth the following morning, the Thirty-sixth taking the place of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Pennsylvania, and finding the change very agreeable, as there was next to no picket firing and the quarters were well fitted up.
They were not long enjoyed, however. On the 19th a movement was made toward the left, in support of the operations of the Fifth Corps against the Weldon Railroad, and for two or three days the regiment was engaged in skirmishing and maneuvering, after which its energies were devoted to intrenching the position gained. For more than a month after this work was done the corps remained in peace between the Fifth and Second Corps, the lines extending from the Jerusalem Plank road on the right to the Weldon Railroad on the left; on this part of the lines there was little or no sharp-shoot- ing, and the weary men enjoyed a period of comparative rest. On the 13th of September the corps, owing to its sad decimation, was reorganized into three divisions, the old First being broken up and its regiments distributed among the other two white divisions. As reconstructed the First Brigade, Second Division, consisted of nine regiments,-the Twenty-first, Thirty-fifth, Thirty-sixth and Fifty- eighth Massachusetts, Fourth and Seventh Rhode Island, Fifty-first New York, Forty-fifth and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania. General Parke commanded the corps, and General Potter and Colonel Cur- tin the division and brigade respectively.
Movements began on the 25th of September looking to an exten- sion of the Federal lines still further to the left, and on that day the Thirty-sixth broke camp, moving about from point to point in the vicinity till the 30th, when they took part in the action at Pegram Farm, in which the brigade, after gaining some success was attacked in flank and obliged to retire in confusion, the regiment making a creditable fight under the circumstances and suffering a loss of four killed, 16 wounded and as many missing. Skirmishing continued for some days, during which the command lost several men in the frequent sallies made from both sides and by the sharp-shooting and
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THE THIRTY-SIXTII REGIMENT.
artillery fire; but cach army held on determinedly and on the Union side Forts Welch and Fisher which afterward became so famous were laid out, covering the angle at the left of Grant's line.
New colors were received by the regiment on the 7th of October, the tattered relics thus far borne being returned to Boston for preservation. Lieutenant Colonel Draper resigned on the 13th; Major Barker succeeded to the command and was soon after com- missioned lieutenant colonel. On the 27th the regiment took part in a resultless expedition to Hatelier's Run, but in a day or two was back again in camp. On the 1st of November it was reduced to seven companies by the consolidation of HI, I and K with C, G and B, when the Twenty - first Massachusetts Veteran Battalion took the place of the three companies and became thenceforth a part of the Thirty-sixth Regiment. On the same day Captain Burrage, in violation of an understanding then existing, was made a prisoner while exchanging papers near the picket line,-in consequence of which Confederate General Roger A. Pryor was captured in the same manner by the Union pickets and held till an exchange was arranged.
The Ninth Corps returned to the fortifications in front of Peters- burg, forming the right of the Union position, on the 20th of No- vember, the Thirty-sixth garrisoning Fort Rice, the brigade holding the works from Fort Meikle on the right to Fort Davis on the left, the line including Fort Sedgwick, better known as "Fort Hell." The regiment, forming the permanent garrison of the fort, passed an uneventful winter, and in the assault on the Confederate lines op- posite Fort Sedgwick on the 2d of April, 1865, it had no active part, though after the lodgment was made in the hostile works by their comrades of the Ninth Corps many of the men assisted in carrying ammunition across the interval to those engaged. Next day the regiment joined the corps in its advance to and through Petersburg, marching that night to Sutherland Station, next day to Beasley's, and on the 5th to Blacks and Whites Station, where it rested till noon of the following day. It was then detailed to guard a supply train, which it took charge of after marching to Nottaway Court House, ten miles distant, and at once set out to find the head-quar- ters of the army, in which undertaking it marched constantly for two days and nights with only an occasional halt for coffee. It was finally relieved at Rice's Station on the morning of the 8th, and next day was ordered to Farmville, where it was detailed as
562
MASSACHUSETTS IN THIE WAR.
provost guard and Lieutenant Colonel Barker as provost marshal, General Curtin being made post commandant.
It left Farmville on the 21st and took cars at Burkesville for City Point which was reached next morning. Sailing on the steamer Vidette on the morning of the 27th the command debarked at Alexandria at noon of the 28th, going into camp near Fort Lyon. The review in Washington occurred on the 23d of May and other reviews and parades followed, the last being on the 5th of June, as . a farewell to General Curtin who had so long commanded the bri- gade. The recruits and the men from the Twenty-first were trans- ferred to the Twenty-sixth Massachusetts on the 8th of June, when the regiment was mustered out of the national service by Lieuten- ant Rose and marched to Alexandria, escorted by the Forty-fifth Pennsylvania. Going by steamer to Washington and then taking cars for Massachusetts, the Thirty-sixth arrived at Readville on the evening of the 10th, visited Worcester on the 13th, receiving an enthusiastic reception, and on the 19th reassembling at Readville, the members were paid, discharged, and returned to their homes.
THE THIRTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.
T HE Thirty-seventh Regiment was organized at Camp Briggs, Pittsfield, where the recruits began to gather carly in August, 1862, some of them coming from Worcester, where various detachments had reported while the Thirty-fourth Regiment was being filled; but on the formation of the camp at Pittsfield the re- cruits from the four western counties of the state were directed to that rendezvous and in the regiment every town of these counties was represented. The camp was for a time in charge of Lieutenant Alonzo E. Goodrich of Pittsfield, assisted by Quartermaster Daniel J. Dodge of the same town. As the number in camp increased the post was placed in charge of Colonel William Raymond Lee of the Twentieth Regiment, the latter being relieved August 12 by Major Oliver Edwards, formerly adjutant of the Tenth Regiment, who as senior aide on the staff of General Darius N. Couch had served with distinction during the Peninsular campaign. Under his skillful con- trol the embryo regiment very rapidly developed into creditable pro- ficiency. Six of the companies were mustered into the United States service on the 30th of August, most of the others on the 2d of Sep- tember, and the last company-K-on the 4th. The officers' com- missions bore date August 27, this being the roster :-
Colonel, Oliver Edwards of Springfield; lieutenant colonel, Alonzo E. Goodrich of Pittsfield; major, George L. Montague of South Hadley; surgeon, Charles F. Crehore of Boston; assistant surgeons, Thomas C. Lawton of Sheffield and Joshua J. Ellis of Marshfield; adjutant, Thomas G. Colt; quartermaster, Daniel J. Dodge, both of Pittsfield; chaplain, Frank C. Morse of Blandford; sergeant major, Robert A. Gray of Springfield; quartermaster sergeant, Thomas Por- ter, Jr., of Chesterfield; commissary sergeant, James C. Chalmers of Pittsfield; hospital stewards, W. A. Champney of Hatfield and Richard . E. Morgan of Pittsfield; principal musician, John L. Gaffney of Chicopee.
Company A, Chicopee-Captain, Jarvis P. Kelley; first lieutenant, Eli T. Blackmer; second lieutenant, Carlos C. Wellman.
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
Company B-Captain, Franklin W. Pease of Lee; first lieutenant, Thomas F. Plunkett, Jr., of Pittsfield; second lieutenant, P. Wood- bridge Morgan of Lee.
Company C-Captain, Edwin Hurlburt of Great Barrington; first lieutenant, John C. Robinson of Adams; second lieutenant, Rufus P. Lincoln of Amherst.
Company D-Captain, Algernon S. Flagg of Wilbraham; first lieu- tenant, Charles L. Edwards of Southampton ; second lieutenant, George H. Hyde of Lee.
Company E-Captain, Archibald Hopkins of Williamstown; first lieutenant, Jonas A. Champney of Adams; second lieutenant, Walter B. Smith of Pittsfield.
Company F-Captain, Eugene A. Allen of Springfield; first lieu- tenant, Mason W. Tyler of Amherst; second lieutenant, Elihu R. Rockwood of Greenfield.
Company G, Northampton-Captain, Marcus T. Moody; first lieu- tenant, William Bliss; second lieutenant, Edward Bridgman.
Company H-Captain, Joseph L. Hayden of Williamsburg; first lieutenant, Joshua A. Loomis of Northampton; second lieutenant, Andrew L. Bush of Westfield.
Company I, Springfield-Captain, Hugh Donnelly; first lieutenant, J. Milton Fuller; second lieutenant, Charles Phelps.
Company K-Captain, Peter Dooley of Cheshire; first lieutenant, John B. Mulloy; second lieutenant, George B. Chandley, both of Springfield.
The men were armed with the Springfield rifled muskets on the 3d of September and on the 7th took transportation for Washing- ton, which was reached late on the afternoon of the 9th. A com- bination of railroad accidents occurred just beyond Philadelphia, but fortunately resulted in no serious harm to the regiment beyond nearly a day's delay till another train could be provided.
The Thirty-seventh were assigned to General Henry S. Briggs's Brigade of Casey's Division of Reserves, forming a part of the de- fenders of Washington, and went into Camp Chase on Arlington Hights. The sojourn there was brief, for General McClellan, har- ing fought the sanguinary battle of Antietam, called for reinforce- ments, and General Briggs was sent forward with all the troops available. Camp was broken September 30 and two days later the Thirty-seventh reached Frederick, Md., whence most of the regi- ments were assigned to brigades already in the field. Colonel Edwards was directed to report to General Charles Devens, com- manding the First Brigade of General Couch's Division of the Fourth Corps, serving, but not then incorporated, with the Sixth Corps. The regiment marched by casy stages to the camp near
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THIE THIRTY-SEVENTII REGIMENT.
Downsville, where on the 5th of October it joined the Seventh and Tenth Massachusetts, Second Rhode Island and Thirty-sixth New York Regiments, composing the brigade. On the 16th it shared in the expedition to Hancock, Md., designed to intercept General Stuart on his return from a raid into the loyal states, halted at Cherry Run Ford for a week, and finally returned to the old camp just in time to pack up and join the southward movement of the Army of the Potomac. The river was crossed at Berlin on the 3d of November, and a cold snow-storm on the 7th found the regiment at White Plains without tents or rations other than were furnished by a raid on a neighboring sheep pasture.
Marching to New Baltimore on the 9th, intelligence was received of the removal of General McClellan and the promotion of General Burnside to the command-followed by a week of waiting for the development of the plans of the new commander. From the 16th to the 18th was occupied by the slow advance to Stafford Court House, and there in an unhealthful location the first Thanksgiving was passed, with appropriate exercises and the distribution of gifts from thoughtful friends in the Old Bay State. On the 4th of De- cember another slight advance was made, the Sixth Corps being moved to the left of the Federal line along the Rappahannock, the regiment finding very uncomfortable quarters on a hill where they . went into camp during a severe storm and remained till the prepa- rations for the battle of Fredericksburg were completed, the loca -. tion being known as "Camp Misery on Smoky Hill."
The Thirty-seventh experienced their first battle at Fredericks- burg from the 11th to the 15th of December. Devens's Brigade was the first of Franklin's Left Grand Division to cross the river and the only one on the southern side the night of the 11th. The regiment led the way across the lower of the two bridges, General Devens riding at its head, and all through the sharp chill of the night the men stood to arms. During the four days which followed, though frequently under artillery fire, the loss of the Thirty-seventh was but one killed and one or two wounded. The brigade covered the retreat of Franklin's troops on the night of the 15th, and a few days later went into winter quarters some three miles cast of Fal- mouth, the official designation being "Near White Oak Church." Lieutenant Colonel Goodrich resigned on the 16th of January, 1863, Major Montague and Captain Allen being promoted in order.
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MASSACIIUSETTS IN THIE WAR.
The regiment had its share in the terrible discomforts of " Burn- side's Mud March," and after the command of the Army of the Potomac passed to Hooker, Colonel Edwards, owing to the ravages of disease, devised a new camp named "Camp Edwards," which was made one of the most perfect in the army, and in which the general health of the men rapidly improved. Assistant Surgeon Ellis died of disease at Newport, R. I., on the 27th of March.
Breaking camp on the 28th of April, the Thirty-seventh shared in the maneuverings of General Sedgwick's command, and in the charge and capture of Marye's Hights on the morning of the 3d of May formed a part of the supporting line. Later in the day, in the sharp engagement at Salem Church, the regiment came upon the ground in a moment of extreme peril to the Union left flank. The right wing of the regiment supporting Williston's Battery, which had heroically planted itself in the path of the apparently triumph- ant Confederates, the left wing under Lieutenant Colonel Montague took position on an eminence somewhat to the left, where it flanked the assailants, and its sharp musketry fire in connection with the splendid service of the battery saved that portion of the field. Dur- ing the night and the following day the Thirty-seventh held the ex- posed angle of Sedgwick's line, two of its companies as skirmishers repelling several attempted advances of the enemy, and covering the retreat of the corps at dusk with marked ability. The loss of the . command was about 25 wounded-two mortally.
The former camp was re-occupied till the beginning of Lee's north- ward movement a few weeks later, when part was taken in the dem- onstrations across the Rappahannock, from the 4th to the 14th of June. During that time there was constant skirmishing and detail duty, and at its close a rapid march to Fairfax Court House. In that vicinity a halt was made till the morning of the 26th, when the northward march was begun which ended on the battle-field of Gettysburg on the afternoon of July 2.
Forming part of the first supporting line at the left of the field, after the re-establishment of the Third and Fifth Corps near Little Round Top, the regiment laid on its arms that night, and next day was moved back and forth from point to point as the exigencies of the battle required, often at a double-quick, regardless of the terrible heat, taking position in the front line after the repulse of Lee's last attack. At the opening of the cannonade which preceded the final
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THIE THIRTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.
assault the brigade was moving toward the Round Tops, and had just entered the Taneytown road in rear of the Union left center. The Thirty-seventh led, and was in full range of the hostile bat- teries, which sent through its ranks a terrible fire. In a moment six men were killed or mortally hurt and 25 wounded, but sudden and severe as was the trial, not a man shrank, the conduct of the regiment being such as to win a warm compliment from the brigade commander-Colonel Eustis-as soon as shelter was reached.
The roundabout pursuit of Lee's army toward the Potomac was shared by the Thirty-seventh, and something of their discomforts may be inferred from the fact that in toiling over the rough mountain roads in the storms which prevailed at that time no less than 180 of them were entirely without shoes! At Funkstown, when the two armies again confronted each other, the rifles of the Thirty- seventh were heard on the skirmish line, and when an advance showed that the foe had retired into Virginia the Union columns countermarched and descended the river to Berlin, where they crossed on the 19th and advanced by easy stages to the vicinity of Warrenton, which was reached on the 25th.
At midnight of July 30 an order was received for the command to proceed at once to New York for duty on account of the draft troubles there. Cars were taken next morning at Warrenton Junc- tion and at noon of August 2 the regiment debarked in the vicinity of Castle Garden, proceeding at once to Fort Hamilton, where it en- camped. Colonel Edwards took command of the post, and the regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Montague won much praise for its excellence in drill, discipline and deportment-the qualities which had led to its detail for the duty.
August 19 was the date fixed for the renewal of the draft, and the evening previous the regiment was ordered to the city and early next morning marched up to the Washington Parade Ground, whence Companies G and C were detailed for duty at the drafting rooms on Sixth Avenue. No disturbance occurred, and on the afternoon of the 21st the regiment was relieved and returned to its camp. It went again to the city on the 12th of September and en- camped on Columbia College grounds, remaining there and per- forming various duties till October 14, when it returned to the Army of the Potomac, rejoining the brigade on the battle-field of Chantilly three days later, where a fight was momentarily expected.
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568
MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
Again Lee retired and Meade pursued as far as Warrenton, the Thirty-seventh going into camp till they were called forth of the 7th of November to join in the successful movement against Rap- pahannock Station, where they were in support but not actively en- gaged. On the 11th the river was crossed and at Brandy Station, six miles beyond, an encampment followed till the 26th-Thanks- giving day in Massachusetts-when the Mine Run campaign began. In that dismal undertaking the Thirty-seventh had a full share. The morning of the 30th, when it was the purpose of General Meade to deliver his attack, found them in the front at the extreme left of the Union lines, and all day in the severe cold they remained under fire, losing a few wounded but suffering most from the biting weather. Withdrawing from this uncomfortable position, the regi- ment returned to its former camp at Brandy Station, where winter quarters were built. Major Allen having resigned on the 25th of November, Captain Moody was promoted to the vacancy. A march to Madison Court House, in support of a cavalry demonstration, began on the 26th of February, 1864, and ended by the return to camp on the 2d of March, a cold, sleety storm having made the experience very tedious.
The Thirty-seventh began the " Wilderness campaign " soon after midnight of the 3d of May, when tents were struck and the march commenced. Eustis's was one of the three brigades under General Getty detached from the Sixth Corps to operate on the Brock and Orange Plank roads, and the enemy was first encountered toward night of the 5th, when the regiment, though not closely engaged, lost a dozen killed and wounded. Its severest experience came on the following day, when the arrival of Longstreet with reinforce- ments for the Confederates resulted in the driving back of Wads- worth's Division. That officer, looking for some assistance in stem- ming the adverse tide, came upon Eustis's Brigade, which was advancing in column of regiments, the Thirty-seventh in front. Colonel Edwards received from Wadsworth the order to charge the enemy, and at once put his command in motion, making a mag- nificent advance for some 900 yards, during which the regiment cleared everything before it until, being almost surrounded, it was obliged to halt and fight its way back. General Wadsworth, who had accompanied it on the charge, complimented its effective work and rode away, purposing to rejoin his division, but instead received
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TIIE THIRTY-SEVENTII REGIMENT.
his death-wound. The retreat of the regiment was even more re- markable than its advance had been. Loading as they fell back, one-half the men would halt and deliver their fire while their com- rades passed to the rear, and thus alternating they maintained a firm front till the line of the brigade was regained. The loss dur- ing the charge was 34 killed and more than a hundred wounded.
Sharing the fortunes of the brigade through the remainder of the fight, but without being seriously engaged, the Thirty-seventh joined in the movement by the flank to Spottsylvania and in the support of Crawford's Division of the Fifth Corps in the fighting on the afternoon of the 8th. The regiment was in the front line that night, and next morning its skirmishers made a fine advance, push- ing back the enemy till his main intrenched line was reached, when, not being supported, they were finally obliged to fall back.
On the same day Colonel Edwards took command of the brigade, General Eustis being transferred, and permanent command of the regiment was vested in Lieutenant Colonel Montague. The next and one of the sharpest trials of the organization was at the battle of "the Angle" on the morning of May 12, when it took position against the outer face of the works captured by Hancock's Corps and held them for nearly 24 hours despite the desperate efforts made for their recapture. During this time the men fired an average of 400 rounds, though there was a severe storm prevailing. At one time in the evening, when they had been relieved and fallen back a few paces because entirely out of ammunition, the relieving regi- ment broke and huddled to the rear with the ery that the Confeder- ates were in the works. The Thirty-seventh were instantly awakened from the sleep of exhaustion into which they had fallen, advanced to the works and held them with the bayonet till a fresh supply of cartridges came up ; the firing was then resumed and continued till near morning, when the enemy were found to have fallen back. The loss to the regiment had been about 15 killed and 50 wounded, among the latter being Lieutenant Colonel Montague, Major Moody, Captain Pease and Second Lieutenants George E. Cooke of Amherst and Joseph Follansbee of Springfield-the three last named mortally.
Then followed the operations by the left flank, the Union com- manders spending several days in the attempt to find an unguarded point on the Confederate right; but when these efforts were seen to be futile another attempt was made to break through in the vicinity
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
of the Angle, and in the attack there on the morning of the 18th the Thirty-seventh had the satisfaction of penetrating the hostile works almost to the muzzles of the batteries, holding on desperately for a time exposed in front and flank to a murderous fire, but obliged eventually to retire owing to the general failure of the attack,-a very trying movement, which was executed in a most creditable manner under the lead of Lieutenant Colonel Harlow of the Seventh Massachusetts, who had been appointed to the temporary command of the Thirty-seventh owing to the many casualties among its own officers. The loss was 20 in killed and wounded.
Then followed a return to the left and renewed hostilities in that quarter, the movement to the North Anna on the 21st, the skirmish- ing there and the continuation of the movement to Cold Harbor, Edwards's command taking part in a reconnaissance to Peake's Sta- tion on the 30th, where a skirmish resulted, showing the Confederates in force, and on retiring the brigade covered the retreat, exchanging more or less compliments with the southern horsemen. In all these minor experiences the Thirty-seventh had a full share, and ever with credit. On the 1st of June they marched to Cold Harbor in season to protect the endangered federal left flank, losing a few men and more heavily on the 3d, though not closely engaged. While this ended the battle, properly speaking, the two armies confronted each other at close quarters till the 12th, the Thirty-seventh being much of the time in the advance line where the sharp-shooting was very deadly, and continually losing men, their entire list of casualties during the time being some 35.
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