USA > Massachusetts > Wearing the blue in the Twenty-fifth Mass. volunteer infantry, with Burnside's coast division, 18th army corps, and Army of the James > Part 32
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dangers, the regiment met no disaster, and maintained its repu- tation as a fighting battalion.
Upon assuming command, Foster promulgated the following General Orders : -
Headquarters Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. In the field, near Petersburg, Va., August 12th, 1864.
General Orders, { No. 16.
I. The undersigned being senior officer present for duty, hereby assumes command of the Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
II. Lieutenant Charles B. Kendall is hereby appointed Adjutant, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly.
A. H. FOSTER, Captain Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
Another order followed on the same day as follows :--
Headquarters Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, In the field near Petersburg, Va., August 12th, 1864. General Orders, Į No. 17.
I. The following disposition is made of the companies of this regiment : -- Companies " F," "G" and "I" to be under command of Captain V. P. Park- hurst, taking position on the right. Companies "A," "B" and "C" to be under command of Captain Wm. Emery, taking position on the left of the line. Companies "H" and " K" under command of Captain Samuel Harring- ton, will take the right centre and be designated as the color division. Com- panies " D" and "E" under command of Lieutenant Chas. F. Tew, will be designated as the left centre division.
II. Lientenant Geo. Burr is hereby relieved of his duties as Acting Adjutant of this regiment, and will report for duty to Captain V. P. Parkhurst.
III. Lieutenant Chas. II. Stratton is hereby relieved of the command of Companies "E" and "G," and will report for duty to Captain Wm. Emery. By order of Captain A. H. FOSTER, Commanding Twenty fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. CHAS. B. KENDALL, First Lieutenant and Adjutant.
On the 25th of August, the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts with the old Star Brigade, recrossed the Appomattox and took position on the left of the line at Bermuda Hundreds, at the old location known as Cobb's hill. The order that sent the
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brigade from the trenches at Petersburg to the comparatively pleasant duty on Cobb's hill, "relieved men as completely worn out as it was possible for men to be, and live." [Letter of Captain Parkhurst to the author.] During the siege, the regiment was reduced to a mere skeleton. Deducting the num- ber killed, wounded and captured in engagements since May 5th, also those sick in hospitals and detailed for duty outside the battalion, it will be seen that the men left for duty was very meagre, sometimes falling as low as ninety officers and men. As an illustration of this, we cite Company A, reduced at one time to an aggregate of four for duty, and to Company K, after the second engagement at Petersburg, June 18th, having only nine men for duty, and a corporal, the highest officer present. Two of the " nine " were mortally wounded in the action of June 30th.
The morning report of Company " H," for September 15th, (after the regiment had reached North Carolina,) was as follows : --
Present for duty-Captain, 1; Sergeants, 2; Corporals, 1; Musicians, 1; Privates, 17.
On daily duty -- Non-commissioned officer, 1; Privates, 3.
On special duty -- First-Lieutenant, 1.
Present sick-Second-Lieutenant, 1; Privates, 6.
Total present, commissioned officers, 3; enlisted men, 31.
Absent.
On detached service --- Enlisted men 13
Without leave - Enlisted man. 1
Sick - Enlisted men. 26
Total absent 40
Total, present and absent, 3 commissioned officers and 71 eulisted men.
This report may be taken as a fair illustration of the con- dition of the regiment at that time, which would show three hundred and ten enlisted men present for duty.
The Star Brigade was so much reduced in numbers, and the physical condition of those present for duty was such, that the
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authorities wisely determined to give the brigade a surcease from active duty in the trenches, and send it to its old camping grounds in North Carolina, drawing from there the full regi- ments to augment the strength of the Eighteenth Corps in Virginia.
Consequently the Twenty-third and Twenty-fifth Massachu- setts Regiments were withdrawn from the front at Cobb's hill, [September 6th] and, taking transports at Bermuda Hundreds landing, reached New Berne, N. C., on Sunday, September 11th. The Twenty-seventh Massachusetts and Ninth Now Jersey followed soon after. The writer, relieved from staff duty in Virginia, rejoined the regiment in North Carolina, and assumed command, finding Captain A. H. Foster who had been in command, dangerously ill of malarial fever at the camp near Fort Spinola, the headquarters of the regi- ment, and consequently Captain Parkhurst in temporary command .*
Headquarters Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, New Berne, N. C., September 22nd, 1864.
General Orders, ? No. 20. 1
The undersigned being senior officer present for duty, hereby assumes command of the Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
J. W. DENNY, Captain Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
* Headquarters Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, New Berne, N. C., September 19th, 1564.
Special Orders, } No. 46. 1
I. James M. Drennan, Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, having been commissioned and mustered into the United States service as a Captain, is hereby assigned to duty in Company "E," Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
II. Captain J. M. Drennan, Company " E," Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, is hereby detailed for special duty, to command Companies "F" and "K," Twenty-fith Massachusetts Volunteer Infautry.
By command of V. P. PARKHURST, - Captain Commanding Regiment.
CHAS. B. KENDALL, Adjutant.
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For four long months, the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts had been in active service, and nearly all that time constantly under fire. During no time, day or night, were their ears relieved from the booming cannon, the crashing thug of the mortars and the cracking musketry. From morning until night, and from the going down of the sun to its rising, there was this constant din of warfare.
The constant noise of battle murdered sleep and made men nervous. Added to this, the terrible heats of that summer, the constant exposures and lack of regular food, is it to be wondered that the physical condition of those remaining for duty was seriously impaired ?
As we left the battle front and moved down the waters of the James, there was, for the first time for months, the absolute happiness of silence -- the exquisite delight of being quiet. Taking a retrospective view of the time that had intervened, between the first going up and the present going down the great water channel to and from Richmond, the regiment felt how much had been crowded into those four months. Com- rades went up in May under all the stimulation of hope-hope that springs eternal in the human breast ; alas, that they did not return with us as they went. Some were sleeping the death that ends all turmoil, others, prostrated by disease or suffering from wounds, were cared for in our hospitals, while many more were languishing, suffering worse than death, in the prison-pens of the South.
Returning again to New Berne, the regiment found itself in a new danger ; it reached a stricken city, for the yellow fever had just become epidemic, and then men felt indeed, that
"No man of woman born, Coward or brave, can shun his destiny."
They had come from one danger only to face another, and they felt that if the wind cleans the corn, so is the soul purified by chastening ; that the same God that had drawn the circle of
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preservation around them in the day of battle, would still shield from the pestilence. And then, while everything looked dark, it was only the darkness that gave them sight of the eternal stars shining out, and in that darkness, seeing the stars, they laid hold of the anchor of hope !
What a blessed thing is hope! hope of something good -- anticipation of joy to come, of success somehow to be achieved. Some writer has said, that the pilot who is always dreading a rock or a tempest, must not complain if he remains a poor fisherman. This remark will aptly apply to those who are compelled to face yellow fever, for it is said, and with much of truth withal, that one who fears the disease and dreads its approach, will be the most likely to become its victim.
Fortunately, the companies of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts were assigned to camps outside the city, upon the south side of the Trent river, two companies being stationed at Fort Spinola, two companies at Brices' creek, and the remainder, upon the railroad between New Berne and Morehead City.
The time was so near at hand when that portion of the regiment whose term of service was expiring, would leave for Massachusetts, and the new organization would be com- pleted, that very little interest in the necessary esprit du corps was manifested. Measures were taken in preparation for mus- ter out of those not reenlisted, and, to this end, General Orders No. 21 were issued, as follows : ---
Headquarters Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, New Berne, N. C., September 22nd, 1864.
General Orders, { No. 21. 1
In compliance with instructions from Headquarters District of North Carolina, all commissioned officers of this command will send to these headquarters immediately, their election in the matter of being mustered out of service with the regiment, or remaining.
By command of J. WALDO DENNY, Captain Conananding Regiment.
CHAS. B. KENDALL, Adjutant.
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Under this order, ten commissioned officers elected to remain for the additional term, viz. : Captains Tucker and Harrington ; Lieutenants Davis, Forbes, Pratt, Kendall, Hooker, Murdock, Ward and Schlenker. Two of these were of the original regi- mental officers, viz. : Captains Tucker and Harrington. The remaining officers, fifteen in number, elected to be mustered out with the regiment. With these, two hundred and forty-eight enlisted men, whose term of enlistment was ending, were to return to Massachusetts to be mustered out, while three hun- dred and sixty eulisted men remained, a considerable number of these being recruits from depot, added since December, 1863.
In the meantime, the pestilence continued in New Berne, and a panic seized upon its populace. Death numbered its victims by hundreds. Stores and places of business were closed, the streets were deserted, and, save some army wagons conveying commissary stores to the camps, no vehicle was seen but the dismal looking hearse, going about gathering in the dead. At night, large fires were kindled upon the street corners, for the purpose as was said, of killing the malaria in the atmosphere, producing probably, very little, if any effect in that direction.
Major Lawson, Chief Provost-Marshal, the writer's successor in that position, took the fever and died. We were with hira when he succumbed to the disease and gave up business. He was soon numbered with the dead. The writer was importuned by the Commanding General to become the successor of Major Lawson and continue in the service. But our own health seri- ously impaired, the near approach of the time when we could find a home where physical wastes could be repaired, and health restored before it was too late, scemed to put a veto upon the acceptance of such a proposition. With many others, we were like a ship that had been tossed upon the waves and so damaged that it was necessary to put into port for repairs, and the hope of reaching that port, nerved the sailors to work
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- vigorously at the pumps. Home was our port for repairs, and the hope of soon reaching it, kept soul and body together.
YELLOW FEVER SUNDAY.
Sunday, September 25th, was a dismal day in New Berne- none of the churches were open, and only the hearse went rumbling up and down the deserted streets. We met Chap- lain Rouse, a faithful, earnest chaplain among the soldiers : he looked worn out. We knew him where he officiated in the little village of Rochdale, in Leicester; and as we met him upon this Sabbath day, he was hurrying from one hospital to another, intent upon his work. He said he had buried thirteen soldiers that forenoon, and as many more waited his offices. We said to him, "Chaplain, you are not able to do this work -you look worn out and ought to leave immediately in order to save your own life." "No," replied the Chaplain, "I am sick and weary, some one may be called upon to bury me next, but I must not leave these soldiers ; if I must die, I will die at my post of duty," and as he moved off, we turned and looked at the man who would not leave his post of duty to save his own life, and we thought there, as he vanished toward the hospital, " good Chaplain Rouse, you were never half appreciated at home ; your own people never knew what a kind, self-saeri- ficing heart was yours-indeed circumstances do make the man." [Chaplain Rouse had the fever, recovered, but since the war, died at home.] Headquarters of the district were removed to the upper part of the city. The chief clerk of our late Chaplain James, was taken with the fever at Fort Spinola. and was removed by Chaplain James to his own residence. The Chaplain was afterwards scized with the fever, but sur- vived the attack. The fever invaded our camp, but there were very few deaths.
October 4th, the treasury and telegraph offices were closed, no clerks being in attendance for duty, and all officers and citizens who could do so, fled from the city.
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October 2nd orders were issued in preparation for departure for Massachusetts .*
THE TWENTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS MOVES HOMEWARD.
At one o'clock, P. M., of October 5th, the Twenty-fifth Massa- chusetts Volunteers left New Berne for Massachusetts. Those of the regiment not present to take the cars near Fort Spinola, were gathered up on the way to Morehead, where we embarked on the Dudley Buck, Captain Merriman, for New York, via Fortress Monroe. While at the wharf in Morehead, a thorough
* Headquarters Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, New Berne, N. C., October 2nd, 1864.
General Orders, Į No. 23.
In compliance with instructions from Headquarters District of North Carolina, commanders of companies will be in readiness to move to Massachusetts upon aut hour's notice, after Monday, October 3rd.
Tuesday morning, October 4th, four days's rations will be cooked for the men entitled to be mustered out, and all public property not necessary for the comfort of the men on the voyage, will be turned over as follows : Quartermaster's stores to Lieutenant H. H. Pratt, A. R. Q. M., and ordnance stores to Captain Samuel Harrington, and those officers will receipt for the same in such condition as received.
One copy of the muster-out roll and the (4) four copies of muster and descriptive rolls will be forwarded to these headquarters by four o'clock, P. M., Monday, October, 3rd, without fail.
By command of
J. WALLO DENNY, Captain Commanding Regiment. .
CHAS. B. KENDALL, Adjutant.
Healquarters Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, New Berne, N. C., October 4th, 1864.
Special Orders, Į No. 24.
[EXTRACT. ]
In accordance with instructions from Headquarters District of North Carolina, those ment who are entitled to be mustered out with the regiment, will be in readiness to depart at (1) one n'elock, P. M., to-morrow (October 5th, 1864).
A special train of cars will proceed from the point opposite this camp, at one o'clock, r. M., and commanders of companies will see that everything is in readiness and that there is no delay. Companies "A." " B, " " D, " " E," "G" and "I" will be at the track opposite this ramp promptly at oue o'clock, P. M. As transportation is limited, only such baggage will be taken as is absolutely necessary.
A personal inspection will be made previous to departing by cach company commander, and all sarplus baggage will be thrown out.
By order of J. WALDO DENNY,
Captain Commanding Regiment.
CHAS. B. KENDALL, Adjutant.
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examination was made of all on board, for the purpose of ex- cluding all who were infected with yellow fever. Many citizens were ordered off the steamer, and some soldiers were sent to the hospital. But, in spite of all precautions, it was found after we had got outside, that a number of persons had smug- gled themselves on board who were in the first stage of the dreaded disease. Going to the state-room which had been assigned to us, we found it occupied by a citizen who was quite sick. [He died just after we reached quarantine in New York.] We gave up all claim to that state-room, and Captain Merriman kindly prepared a sleeping place for us in the wheel-house, which we occupied during the voyage. Cap- tain Drennan was among our sick, and occupied one of the state-rooms. Sergeant Whitney, our hospital steward, was provided with medicine-quinine and calomel, which was given in large doses to those having the fever. There was no surgeon aboard, and the writer found himself compelled to act that role in unison with Sergeant Whitney. We all dreaded Fortress Monroe. Vessels arriving there were ordered into quarantine. Our salvation depended upon reaching a more northern latitude.
ESCAPE FROM FORTRESS MONROE.
We reached Fortress Monroe about ten o'clock, A. M., of October 7th. As we entered the straits between the capes, we saw a large number of steamers and vessels anchored in quarantine, the last steamer from New Berne among the number. Our faces became elongated and our "hearts came up into our mouths," every man feeling that his doom was sealed, for quarantine at Fortress Monroe, with twelve men already sick on board with yellow fever, meant death to many of the remainder. The men looked anxious-sighing for home, and yet with chances decidedly against ever reach- ing it.
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We approached the " guard-ship" and saw a portly and fierce looking officer pacing the quarter-deck, looking at us sharply, and there is no doubt we watched him with as much interest as he did us.
Pretty soon the dreaded voice came swelling over the wave -" Where from ?" " From Beaufort, North Carolina," was our reply, and then we hoped that he would remember Beau- fort was not New Berne, and we wished we could tell him that yellow Jack had not attacked Beaufort, but, before we had time to think much or wish much either, as to that, the portly and fierce looking officer pacing the quarter-deck, sent over- another voice, louder and more authoritative than the first --- " About ship and anchor !" Turning to Captain Merriman, who was as anxious to reach New York as any of us, we transmitted the order, and heard the Captain cry out -" hard aport !" "Stand by the anchor chains!" and very soon the steamer's anchor was fast in the mnd and the Dudley Buck swung round under the guns of the guard-ship. We had anchored to our doom, and blank despair sat upon every countenance. And was this our destiny -- to pass through battle after battle -- the heats of three summers, and all the malarial influences of Eastern North Carolina, to die of yellow fever on our way home ?
After waiting more than an hour filled with foreboding's of what might be, a tug-boat was seen approaching. Men, anxious for release, besieged us to do all that could be done to get them away from Fortress Monroe. The tug was soon by our side, and the port surgeon announced himself and was informed that we had twelve cases of yellow fever. As he did not incline to come aboard, the writer descended to the tug and seized the port surgeon by the button-hole. He said he could only order us into quarantine. Still clinging to his button-hole, we pro- tested on the ground of humanity, telling him that with many on board, it was a question of life or death. He finally agreed to report the facts to the Commanding General at Norfolk, and
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promised to use his best endeavors to get us ordered to New York.
We asked the surgeon to board the steamer, look at the sick and advise us what to do, but he was pleased to say that we " knew better how to treat yellow fever than he did," (which we knew better than to believe,) simply meaning that he did not intend to expose himself. We are glad to say from what we have seen of the profession, that surgeons do not usually decline to take all such risks in the line of duty: It is almost universally true, that surgeons are willing to expose their own lives to save others.
The little tug steamed away, while the portly and fierce looking officer paced the quarter-deck of the guard-ship, and we had four more hours of anxious waiting. Again the little tug- boat was seen approaching. The men crowded on deck down to the rails. Our doom was coming on that little tug-boat!
Soon the boat was alongside the steamer, and the port sur- geon handed up a large envelope. Not a word ! not a breath ! but every heart beat quick. We tore open the paper -it was an order to proceed to New York ! We announced it to the crowd on deck, and loud and hearty were the cheers that testi- fied to the general joy. The surgeon handed us a package of medicines, for Sergeant Whitney's supply was nearly ex- hausted. Then the anchor was weighed, and the Dudley Buck moved off --- off from that terrible guard-ship upon whose quarter- deck we left the portly and fierce looking officer, still pacing backward and forward, looking toward the blue sea between the capes, seeking another unfortunate to whom he might send the voice over the wave-"about ship and anchor ! "
DEATHS AT SEA.
October 8th, -- the wind blew a gale, the sea was very heavy and the steamer rolled fearfully. At carly morn, a young man, said to be from Vermont, who went to North Carolina with
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, government cattle, died of the fever. Fastening a bag of coal to his feet and wrapping him in a blanket, we passed him over the steamer's side, the sea opening to receive him. That after- noon his chum also died, and he too, found his grave in the ocean. These two young men had come aboard at Beaufort and hid themselves among the barrels and boxes. They had the symptoms of the fever strongly marked. In exposing others, they lost their own lives and found watery graves.
QUARANTINE IN NEW YORK HARBOR.
On Sunday, October 9th, we passed up through the narrows about ten o'clock, A. M., and stopped at the upper quarantine. A physician came aboard, examined our condition and ordered us to return to the lower quarantine at Staten Island, near the Highlands. We anchored there soon after noon, and Dr. Walser, the Deputy Health Officer, came aboard. He ordered the removal of several sick passengers and one soldier, Private Samuel G. Champney, of Company D, to the hospital ship. Champney was an excellent young man, and a favorite with his comrades. He had anticipated great happiness in seeing home after years of absence, and was very reluctant to leave us. He came up out of the cabin without assistance, and walked to the chair which was to transfer him over the steamer's side to the hospital tug. We bade him farewell, and felt some surprise that he should be ordered away. [Champney died the next morning. ]
That evening we visited the hospital ship by invitation of Dr. Walser, shook hands and conversed with those taken from the Dudley Buck, and then, by permission of Dr. Walser, went to New York to obtain leave to remove the regiment from quarantine. The port officers would not object to our leaving, provided the sanction of the Medical Director could be obtained. It was impossible to prevail upon the Director to interfere, and he was probably right in his refusal.
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OUT OF QUARANTINE.
We returned Monday night to the Dudley Buck, and finally obtained the consent of the port officers that the regiment might leave on Wednesday for Worcester, and at three o'clock, P. M., of October 12th, the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts was landed at the Norwich Steamer pier, and had the "liberty of the city for an hour .. " At five o'clock, P. M., every man was on board the steamer, and we reached New London at two o'clock, A. M., of October 13th, in a heavy rainstorm. Here we met several friends from Worcester who had come to greet the returning soldiers. At Norwich, we halted for the purpose of obtaining a special train to Worcester, in accordance with the request of the Honorable D. Waldo Lincoln, Mayor of the city, who desired our arrival to be delayed until nine o'clock, A. M., but the officers of the Norwich road very kindly . refused to make any arrangements for an extra train, insisting that we should go through on the regular express train. We felt like complying with the desires of our friends at home, for their sakes-but it was truc enough that the officers and men of the battalion desired most heartily to avoid a parade and public reception at Worcester. The soldiers' anxiety under such circumstances is, to get home. He has seen enough of parades and had enough of marching. Home to him, is the sweetest spot on earth, and he stands horrified at anything that interposes between himself and that.
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