The history of the town of Amherst, Massachusetts, pt 2, Part 10

Author: Carpenter, Edward Wilton, 1856-; Morehouse, Charles Frederick
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Amherst, Mass., Press of Carpenter & Morehouse
Number of Pages: 1040


USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Amherst > The history of the town of Amherst, Massachusetts, pt 2 > Part 10


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56


£


------


487


RETURN OF THE TWENTY-SEVENTH.


Sept. 27, the members of the 27th regiment belonging in Amherst reached their homes. They were met at the depot by a large concourse of people. On the arrival of the train a salute was fired, then a procession was formed, headed by the Belchertown band ; following the band came the college students and then a long line of citizens bearing banners and mottoes. The procession marched from the depot to the West village, thence to the East Congregational church where services were held. Prayer was offered by President Stearns, followed by an address of wel- come by Col. W. S. Clark, and brief addresses by Prof. Vose, Capt. T. W. Sloan and others. The band played a dirge in honor of the dead, after which the soldiers and their friends repaired to the chapel, where a colla- tion was served. Many dwellings along the route were handsomely illum- inated. Twenty-one members of the regiment were present.


Announcement was made Sept. 30 that there could be no draft in the district, the quota of every town being filled. In October, a society was formed, numbering 130 members, for the relief of the soldiers suffering in the hospitals. Nov. 1, the "Unconditional Union " men held a public demonstration. Most of the dwellings, stores and public halls were illum- inated. The students formed a procession on the college grounds, and marshaled by Col. W. S. Clark marched to the square in front of the post- office, where they were joined by a procession from East Amherst, mar- shaled by S. W. Whitney and headed by a military band. The line of march was through the principal streets to the First Congregational church, where exercises were held. The meeting was called to order by Henry F. Hills, chairman of the town committee. Addresses were deliv- ered by Rev. C. L. Woodworth, Rev. Dr. Seelye of Easthampton and Prof. J. H. Seelye. At the election held Nov. 8, Amherst gave Abraham . Lincoln 512 votes for president and George B. McClellan 47. At a meeting of enrolled men, held Dec. 12, H. C. Howard and W. W. Smith were appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions of $10 each from men liable to draft and from other persons who might be disposed to contribute. Dec. 23, a call was issued for 300,000 troops to be furnished within 60 days ; Amherst's quota was filled without a draft. In the winter of IS64, the state was divided into military company districts, Amherst and Hadley forming one district. At a meeting held at Agricultural hall, Jan. 9, Sylvester L. Stockbridge of Hadley was chosen captain of the military company raised in the two towns.


During the year 1864 occurred the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsyl- vania, Cold Harbor, Olustee, Arrowfield Church, Drury's Bluff. Charles- town, Winchester, the assault on Petersburg, and many other bloody engage- ments in which Amherst troops did valiant service. The battle of the Wilderness, May 6, was the most disastrous to Amherst troops of any


488


HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.


during the war. Five men were mortally wounded, Charles V. Smith and Michael Doyle of the 28th regiment, Henry E. Boynton and David L. Dickinson of the Ist heavy artillery and James K. Sanderson of the 37th regiment. Others wounded were, Charles F. Kellogg of the 2d regiment, Henry Coy of the 9th, Charles H. Barton of the 27th, Rufus P. Lincoln, Frederick R. Bell, Charles F. Turner and William J. Smith, all of the 37th. Before the Army of the Potomac had recovered from the effects of the battle of the Wilderness it was called upon to engage in another bloody contest with armed rebellion at Spottsylvania. In this battle the 37th regiment was conspicuous for its gallantry and suffered severely. Of the Amherst members of the regiment, George. E. Cooke was mortally wounded : others wounded were Rufus P. Lincoln, William Fahay and John A. Glazier. Nelson O. Ball of the roth regiment was wounded, and Samuel White, an Amherst man but serving in the 5th Wisconsin, was killed. Less than three weeks after the battle of Spottsylvania came the assault on Cold Harbor, one of the bravest attacks and bloodiest repulses known in the history of modern warfare. Of the Amherst troops engaged in this action, those connected with the 27th regiment suffered most severely. Of their number, Levi Edson and Charles D. Mullett were killed, Ptolemy P. Cutter mortally wounded, and E. Baxter Dickinson, Simeon E. Preston. Chester Dickinson, Jr., Medad Vinton, Henry E. Hawley, Cornelius O'Con- nor, Jacob L. Rust and Henry B. Sears wounded. From Cold Harbor, the Army of the Potomac followed the rebel army to the intrenchments before Petersburg, where for ten months the hostile forces faced each other, engaging in countless skirmishes and more than one severe engagement. In the operations about Petersburg, the 27th regiment suffered severely; of the Amherst men in this regiment, Levi M. Bolio and William W. Latham were killed, George A. Draper mortally wounded and James A. Preston wounded. Richard B. Loomis of the 2 Ist regiment and Frederick R. Bell of the 37th were wounded. At the battle of Olustee, Jason Champ- lin was killed and Charles A. Finnemore wounded ; both were members of the 54th regiment. In the engagement at Arrowfield Church, Eugene P. Hervey of the 27th regiment was mortally wounded, and John Shoals and William J. Hopkins of the same regiment wounded. At the battle of Drury's Bluff, James W. Spear of the 27th regiment was mortally wounded and Charles B. Spaulding of the same regiment wounded. In the skirmish at Charlestown, Joseph K. Taylor of the 37th regiment was mortally wounded and Patrick Beston of the same regiment wounded. At the battle of Winchester, Mason W. Tyler, John A. Leggett and Timothy Spellman, all of the 37th regiment, were wounded. In the fight at City Point, Henry Bowman of the 20th regiment was mortally wounded. In the battle of Boynton Plank Road, James A. Pierce of the ist heavy


L


489


ENLISTMENTS IN 1864.


artillery was wounded. In the assault on Fort Stevens, John Sandling of the 37th regiment was wounded.


During the year 1864, there were 61 enlistments from Amherst, not counting re-enlistments. In January, 15 men enlisted, four in the 27th regiment, and 11 in the 5th cavalry. In February, one man enlisted in the 28th regiment. In May, there were three enlistments, two in the 19th regiment and one in the 3d heavy artillery. In June, one man enlisted in the 22d regiment. In July, there were 13 enlistments, two in the 37th regiment, one in the 13th battery of light artillery. two in the ed heavy artillery, three in the 4th cavalry, five in the 36th regiment and one in the Veteran Reserve Corps. In August, there were three enlistments, two in the 2d heavy artillery and one in the 6oth regiment. In September, 15 men enlisted, two in the 2d heavy artillery, one in the 29th unattached company of heavy artillery, one in the 2d cavalry, one in the 4th cavalry, three in the 5th cavalry, one in the 11th regiment, one in the Ist heavy artillery, five in the Veteran Reserve Corps. In December, there were 10 enlistments, one in the 13th battery of light artillery, four in the first cavalry, one in the 4th cavalry, two in the 19th regiment, one in the 20th regiment, one in the Veteran Reserve Corps. There was but one enlist- ment from Amherst in 1865, and that in the Ist battalion of frontier cavalry.


In the spring of 1865, Amherst troops were engaged in the assault on Petersburg, the battle of Fort Fisher and the battle of Sailors' Creek, the last great battle of the rebellion. In the battle of Sailors' Creek William F. Leggett of the 37th regiment was killed. In the assault on Fort Fisher, Mason W. Tyler of the 37th regiment was wounded.


When news was received in Amherst, April 3d, of the fall of Rich- mond, there was great public rejoicing ; when, less than two weeks later, came the tidings of Lee's surrender, preparations were made for a celebra- tion worthy the event. The church bells were rung and a four-horse team was sent to Northampton to procure a cannon. Early in the evening the team returned, drawing a piece of cast-iron, " as large around as a stove- pipe and as long as a string " all that could be procured. This was loaded up and fired until it burst, about midnight. All the dry-goods boxes that could be found were captured and furnished food for mammoth bon-fires. The celebration was continued through the night and was taken part in by citizens both young and old.


The following lists will serve to show the names of troops who served on Amherst's quota who were killed in battle, died from wounds, died of disease contracted in the service, suffered from wounds or imprisonment. It is, in the highest meaning of the words, a roll of honor :


490


HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.


Henry C. Ball, Levi M. Bolio, Jason Champlin, Francis H. Dickinson,


KILLED IN BATTLE.


Levi Edson, Charles D. Mullett.


Martin S. Johnson,


George L. Putnam.


William W. Latham,


George W. Scott,


William F. Leggett,


Frazar A. Stearns.


DIED FROM WOUNDS.


Charles K. Baker,


David L. Dickinson,


Charles V. Smith.


Austin Barton,


Michael Doyle,


James W. Spear,


Henry Bowman,


George A. Draper,


Joseph K. Taylor,


Henry E. Boynton,


Eugene P. Hervey,


Josiah Thayer,


George E. Cooke, Ptolemy P. Cutter,


James K. Sanderson.


DIED FROM DISEASE.


Charles B. Adams,


Ezra Kelsey.


Arthur Sears,


Sylester H. Adams,


Alonzo W. Latham,


Lyman W. Skinner,


Milo A. Bartlett,


Murray B. Lovett,


George W. Sloan, .


Morrison Barton,


Edward Lyons,


Edward H. Stanley,


Cephas B. Bolio, John W. Dickinson,


Marcus T. C. Miles,


Henry Thompson,


Reuben Miles,


John Thompson,


Lyman D. Phelps,


John P. W. Wheelock,


Henry C. Plumb.


Robert Wilson,


Norman Roberts.


WOUNDED.


Ezra Baker,


Nelson O. Ball,


Charles H. Barton,


John A. Glazier,


Jacob L. Rust,


Lewis R. Haskell,


Henry E. Hawley,


William J. Hopkins,


John Shoals,


Ebenezer M. Johnson,


William J. Smith,


Charles F. Kellogg.


Charles B. Spaulding,


John A. Leggett, Rufus P. Lincoln.


George P. Spear. Timothy Spellman,


Richard B. Loomis,


Charles F. Turner,


George W. Newell, Freeman E. Nutting,


Mason W. Tyler. Medad Vinton,


Cornelius O'Connor,


John White,


James A. Pierce.


William H. White,


Edwin H. Potwin.


Solomon H. Williams,


James A. Preston.


CAPTURED AND IMPRISONED.


Warren F. King, Cornelius O'Connor, John Shoals,


J. Leander Skinner. Linneus C. Skinner, Medad Vinton.


Ashley W. Barrows, Eli H. Johnson, Ezra Kelsey,


William Fahay, Charles A. Finnemore,


Simeon E. Preston,


Dwight Russell.


John Sandling, Henry B. Sears,


Frederick R. Bell, John Beston, Jr., Patrick Beston, Edmund Boltwood, James Bowman, Albert Cates, Spencer Church, Jr., George B. Cooley, Henry Coy, John E. Cushman, Chester Dickinson, Jr., E. Baxter Dickinson, Henry F. Douglass,


Edward W. Manley, .


Ethan A. Taft,


Joseph Grover, Jarvis Jackson, Sanford Jackson,


Edward W. Prouty,


Samuel White.


-


491


LOSSES IN BATTLE.


The losses in the various engagements with the enemy may be sum marized as follows : Wilderness, 12 wounded, five mortally ; Cold Harbor, two killed, eight wounded; one mortally; New Berne, one killed, eight wounded, two mortally; Petersburg, two killed, four wounded, one mor- tally ; Spottsylvania, six wounded, two mortally ; Gettysburg, one killed, four wounded, one mortally ; Fredericksburg, three wounded, one mortally ; Winchester, three wounded ; Arrowfield Church, three wounded. one mortally ; Fair Oaks, one killed, one wounded ; Ball's Bluff, one killed, one wounded ; Chantilly, one killed, one wounded ; Olustee, one killed, one wounded ; Port Hudson, one killed, one wounded ; Drury's Bluff, two wounded, one mortally ; Charlestown, two wounded, one mortally; Wise Forks, two wounded ; Sailor's Creek, one killed ; City Point, one mortally wounded ; Roanoke Island, one wounded ; Shenandoah Valley, one wounded ; Boynton Plank Road, one wounded ; Chickamaugua, one wounded ; Fort Fisher, one wounded; Fort Stevens, one wounded; Irish Bend, one wounded ; Kinston, one wounded. Benjamin P. Allen of the Ist heavy artillery, Charles Smith of the 4th cavalry, Spencer Church, Jr. of the 9th regiment and George Dickinson of the 52d regiment died from disease contracted in the service, after their discharge.


In addition to the above list, Amherst soldiers took part in the fol- lowing engagements, in which no casualties were reported among their number : Battles of Gum Swamp, Swift Creek, Marye's Heights, Salem Church, Rappahannock Station. Mine Run, Cedar Creek, Hatcher's Run, North Anna, Brashear City, Franklin, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Second Manassas, South Moun- tain. In addition to these were many skirmishes and minor engagements.


Of those who enlisted on Amherst's quota in 1861, 29 were of Amherst birth; in 1862, 34; in 1863, 12 ; in 1864, 2. The following tables will show the number of men on Amherst's quota serving in different organiza- tions, and the date of their muster by months :


SERVICE BY REGIMENTS.


ed Reg't, I 3Ist Reg't, 4


Ist Heavy Artillery, 10


9th Reg't, 2 32d Reg't, I 2d Heavy Artillery, 6


roth Reg't, II 34th Reg't, I


3d Heavy Artillery, I


11th Reg't, I 36th Reg't, 4 29th Unat. Artillery, I


15th Reg't, 4 37th Reg't, 28'


13th Light Battery, 2


19th Reg't, 5 42d Reg't, I 46th Reg't, 4 52d Reg't, 44 4th Cavalry, 5


Ist Cavalry, S 2d Cavalry, I


ISth Reg't, I 20th Reg't, 5 21st Reg't, 15 53d Reg't, 2 5th Cavalry, 14


54th Reg't, 7 Ist Frontier Cavalry, I


22d Reg't, 2 27th Reg't, 71 2Sth Reg't, 2


6oth Reg't I Veteran Reserve Corps, 7


.....


492


HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.


MUSTER BY MONTHS.


1861


IS62


IS63


IS64 Jan., 15


IS65 Jan., I


· May,


I


Feb., ' S


Jan., 1


June,


II


March,


2


March,4


Feb., I


July, 2


June, 3


July, 6


May, 3


Aug.,


15


July, 6


Aug., 4


June, I


Sept., 37


Aug .. 63


Nov., 4


July, 13


Oct.,


16


Sept., 13


Dec., 5 Aug., 3


Dec., 3


Oct.,


7


Sept., 15


Dec., 10


The Town Meeting Records in Part Second of this volume contain the votes passed by the town in regard to military matters during the war. The following statistics are taken from the Military Record of the town, compiled by Samuel C. Carter, town clerk. The men who enlisted in 1861 received no bounties from the town, but after two years of service twenty of them re-enlisted and received $roo bounty extra, as veterans, from the United States government. In 1862, the town paid a bounty of $100 to each volunteer, which was legalized by an act of the Legislature passed Feb. 27, 1863. The act of March 17, 1863, prohibited towns paying any more bounties, as all bounties had been equalized. The act of March IS, 1864, authorized towns to raise money for paying or refunding money paid by towns or individuals, for filling the quota under the call of Oct. 17. IS63, and Feb. 1, 1864. Under this act, $2000 was assessed and refunded to individuals in 1864. The act of March 28, 1864, authorized towns to raise money for the purpose of procuring their proportion of the quota of volunteers, for one year from March 1, 1864, but not to exceed $125 per man. The act of March 27, 1865, authorized raising money to apply under any call to March, 1866. The act of April 25, 1865, allowed towns to raise money and repay towns or individuals, under any call in 1864, if assessed in three years.


MILITARY EXPENSES.


Expenses of the town in 1861, $535.17


Expenses of individuals in 1861, 566.50


Expenses of the town in 1862. 8,356.00


Expenses of William F. Stearns. Esq., 875.00 Expenses of the town in 1863. . 61.25


Expenses of drafted men for substitutes in 1863-4, 14,275.00


Expenses of the town in 1864, 11,738.S5


Expenses of individuals in 1864. 8,063.00


Expenses of the town in 1865, 406.00


Interest on state aid, 1.350.50


$46,237.27


.


TWENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.


493


Deducting $1,641.27 received from the state on equalization of boun- ties, the total military expenses of the town and individuals would appear to be $44,596, in reality but a fraction of the actual money cost to the town of the war for the preservation of the Union. During the contin- uance of the war state aid was furnished to 114 families.


CHAPTER LVI.


REGIMENTAL HISTORY .- TWENTY-SEVENTH .-- THIRTY-SEVENTH .-- FIFTY- SECOND .-- TENTH .- TWENTY-FIRST .- FIFTY-FOURTH.


Of the less than 300 men who served on Amherst's quota, whose names appear on the marble tablets in the town hall, 176 did service in the 10th, 21st, 27th, 37th, 52d and 54th regiments. A brief sketch of the service of these regiments is here given, compiled from the regimental histories. As the 27th, 37th and 52d regiments contained companies raised in Amherst and adjoining towns, precedence is here given them.


TWENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.


Sept. 3, 1861, Horace C. Lee, city clerk of Springfield, a man of expe- rience in affairs connected with the state militia, received written authority from Gov. Andrew to recruit a regiment in the four western counties of the state. Sept. 10, recruiting offices were opened in Northampton, Amherst, Greenfield, Athol, Ludlow, Chicopee, Springfield, Westfield, North Adams and Pittsfield. The companies raised at Northampton and Westfield had their ranks filled by the 15th. Sept. 17, the companies from Amherst, Adams, Chicopee and Ludlow were ordered into camp about one mile east of the armory at Springfield. The Amherst and Pittsfield companies arrived at Springfield Sept. 19, and owing to a lack of camp equipage made use of the armory of the City Guards for the first night. Tents arrived the following day, and Sept. 20 the Amherst, Westfield and Pitts- field companies took up their quarters at "Camp Reed."


Sept. 27, the men were mustered into the United States service, to serve for the term of three years. Sept. 29, Rev. C. L. Woodworth of Amherst conducted divine services at the camp, assisted by a choir organ- ized by J. L. Skinner of Amherst. Rifles and uniforms were issued to the troops Oct. 10. To the Amherst company was assigned the company letter D. The line officers were : Captain, Timothy W. Sloan of Amherst ;


---


494


HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.


Ist lieutenant, Ami R. Dennison of Amherst; 2d lieutenant, John S. Aitcheson of Chicopee. The regiment broke camp Nov. 2, and went by Boston & Albany railroad to Hudson, N. Y., thence by boat to Jersey City, and from the latter place by rail to Annapolis, Md. Here the regi- ment was attached to the Ist brigade, Gen. John G. Foster commanding, of the troops assembled for the Burnside expedition. The regiment sailed from Annapolis. Jan. 11, and took part in the capture of Roanoke Island. Although Amherst troops were engaged in the battle they suffered no cas- ualties. At the battle of New Berne, March 14, the 27th regiment suffered severely, having seven men killed and 78 wounded. Ten men were wounded in company D, including six from Amherst. It was in this battle that J. E. Cushman lost his arm. Rev. C. L. Woodworth joined the regi- ment as chaplain, May 1. Dec. 14. the regiment assisted in the capture of Kinston, and a little later took part in the battle of Goldsboro. In the latter part of March and the first part of April, 1863, the regiment was besieged for 18 days at Washington, N. C., by an overwhelming rebel force, but held the place until the siege was abandoned. April 28, com- panies D and E assaulted and carried an intrenchment at Dover X Roads. The Amherst company was first in the works. During the charge Sergeant Edmund Boltwood was severely wounded in the leg. May 22, the regi- ment aided in the capture of the rebel fortifications at Gum Swamp, N. .C. Two men, one of them Wheaton Lovett of Co. D, captured a lieuten- ant and 26 men. The remainder of the year the regiment did provost duty at New Berne, Norfolk and Portsmouth.


In January, 1864, 220 men who had re-enlisted were granted a thirty- days furlough. On their return the regiment was placed on provost duty at Norfolk. Here L. C. Skinner of Amherst organized a drum corps which attained great efficiency. Rev. C. L. Woodworth assumed charge of the First Presbyterian church, by appointment of Gen. Benjamin F. Butler. In March, the regiment moved to Julian's Creek. Here they were attached to Heckman's Red Star brigade, forming a part of the Army of the James. April 26, the regiment moved to Yorktown. From York- town they were sent up the peninsula to a point near Williamsburg, return- ing May 4 to Fortress Monroe. May 5, they sailed up the James river to Bermuda Hundreds. Disembarking, the regiment took possession of Cobb's Hill. At that time Petersburg might have been captured almost without a struggle, as it was weakly garrisoned and Butler's army of 35,000 veterans was in sight of its church-spires. Delay in action enabled the rebels to strengthen the garrison and the opportunity was lost. The regi- ment took part in the battle at Arrowfield Church, in which engagement five members of Co. D) were wounded, two of them, Eugene P. Hervey and W. J. Hopkins, from Amherst. Hopkins was wounded by a bullet in the


1


1


495


TWENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.


right eye. In the engagement at Walthall Junction, George A. Draper of Co. D was mortally wounded.


The battle of Drury's Bluff, May 16, proved most disastrous to the 27th, and that through no fault of the men or their regimental commander. Ordered to an exposed position at the extreme right of the army, the regiment was not properly supported and was assaulted in front and flank by an overwhelming force of rebels. The regiment defended its position with great gallantry, but was completely surrounded by the enemy and 249 officers and enlisted men were captured. Co. D was fortunate in losing but five men as prisoners. The Amherst men captured were Lieut. J. Leander Skinner and Ezra Kelsey; the latter died of starvation in Ander- sonville prison. In the battle Co. D had one man killed and six wounded. James W. Spear and Charles B. Spaulding of Amherst were wounded, the former mortally.


The regiment, sadly depleted in numbers, was transferred to the Army of the Potomac, May 29, and attached to the ISth army corps under command of W. F. (better known as "Baldy ") Smith. It accompanied the army to Cold Harbor, where it took part in the opening battle June 2, and in the general assault June 3. In the first day's battle the regiment lost four men killed and 14 wounded. Charles D. Mullett of Amherst was killed, Serg't Ptolemy P. Cutter mortally wounded, Sergeants E. Baxter Dickinson and Simeon E. Preston and Privates Henry E. Hawley and Henry B. Sears wounded. In the general assault on the rebel works June 3, the Star Brigade led the advance and the 27th regiment was in the first line of battle. The brigade lost more than one-half its effective strength, while the 27th lost 15 killed, 65 wounded and four prisoners. The Amherst men wounded were Sergeant E. Baxter Dickinson, Corporal Chester Dick- inson, Jr., Corp'l Medad Vinton, Cornelius O'Connor and Jacob L. Rust. June 12, the regiment marched to White House landing and thence to a position near Petersburg. June 18, the 27th made a desperate assault on the enemy's lines. All the officers were killed or wounded and the men sought shelter in a grain field. Three men were killed and five wounded in Co. D. Of the Amherst men in the regiment, Levi M. Bolio was killed and James A. Preston wounded. At the close of the engagement the regiment could muster but one officer and So men. The surviving members of the regiment spent the summer in the trenches in front of Petersburg. During the months of June and July, William W. Latham of Amherst was killed and Cornelius O'Connor, Albert Cates and Edwin H. Potwin wounded. In " Bearing Arms," the regimental history, the author, William P. Derby of Springfield, says :


" The demands of the campaign were so exacting and incessant that none but men of iron constitution could meet them without sooner or later requiring hospital


-


496


HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.


care. Asa fact, the only officers who did meet this strain were Surgeon D. B. N. Fish and Lieut. Edwin L. Peck, both of whom were always present for duty."


Aug. 25, the regiment was transferred to Point of Rocks. The terms of enlistment of many of the men expired in September, and 259 were reported for discharge, but only 179 were able to attend the column on its homeward journey. The officers and men remaining, whose terms had not expired, numbered 304. The veterans reached Springfield Sept. 28, and were accorded a grand public welcome. An address was made by the mayor of the city and there was an imposing street parade. The members of the 27th regiment captured at Drury's Bluff remained in Richmond until May 23, when they left for Andersonville, Ga., arriving there the 30th. Of the 235 members of the regiment committed to this prison, 128 died within one year, including three members of Co. D.


Sept. 19, 1864, the members of the regiment whose terms had not expired started for North Carolina. They took part in the movement against Fort Fisher. March S, 1865, occured the battle at Southwest Creek, in which the regiment as a fighting force was practically annihilated. Cut off from all support, fighting desperately for hours against overwhelm- ing odds, the regiment was surrounded and captured, but seven men escaping, including Surgeon Fish. During the engagement seven men of Co. D were wounded, none from Amherst. The Amherst men among the captured were Corp'l Warren F. King, Corp'l Medad Vinton, Eli H. John- son and Cornelius O'Connor. The prisoners were taken to Richmond, but were released on parole March 26 and arrived in Springfield April 3. The regiment was mustered out of service June 26, at New Berne.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.