USA > Maine > The story of the Maine Fifteenth; being a brief narrative of the more important events in the history of the Fifteenth Maine regiment; together with a complete roster of the regiment , embracing the name of every officer and enlisted man serving > Part 1
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M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01757 0620
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012
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THE STORY
OF THE
MAINE FIFTEENTH;
BEING A
BRIEF NARRATIVE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE HISTORY
OF THE
FIFTEENTH MAINE REGIMENT ;
TOGETHER WITH
A COMPLETE ROSTER OF THE REGIMENT, EMBRACING THE NAME OF EVERY OFFICER AND ENLISTED MAN SERVING WITH IT AT ANY TIME DURING ITS TERM OF SERVICE; AND ILLUSTRATIONS AND BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF NEAR- LY ALL THE COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF THE REGIMENT.
BY HENRY A. SHOREY, Secretary and Historian Fifteenth Maine Regimental Association.
BRIDGTON, ME .: PRESS OF THE BRIDGTON NEWS. 1890.
1755325
8
Shorey, Henry Augustus.
349
3468
The story of the Maine Fifteenth; being a brief narra. tive of the more important events in the history of the Fifteenth Maine regiment; together with a complete roster of the regiment ... and illustrations and brief bio- graphical sketches of nearly all the commissioned officers By Henry A. Shorey ... Bridgton, Me., Press of the Bridgton news, 1890.
2 p. 1., 178, 26 p. ports. 26}em.
.WHELF CARD
1. Maine infantry. 15th regt., 1862-1866. 2. U. S .- Hist .- Civil war- Regimental histories-Me. inf .-- 15th.
2-12999 Additions
64267
Library of Congress
£511.5.15th
INDEX.
PAGE
Introductory,
The Situation at the Opening of our Story, 5
The Maine Fifteenth and its First Winter in Camp, 7
At Portland and on the Ocean Wave,
Six Weeks of Burrowing in Ship Island Sand,
The Fifteenth's First Trip up the Mississippi,
17
The Eventful Summer of 1862 at Camp Parapet, 21
The Fifteenth Re-cuperates in Western Florida, 27
The Military Situation in the Gulf Department, 36
At La Fourche Crossing, Company Canal, etc., 43
The Fifteenth on the Road to the Texas Coast, 5 56
Our Flag Proudly Waves Over Texas Soil,
Up the Coast to Mustang Island and Fort Semmes,
59
Up St. Joseph's and Matagorda, and the Investment and Capture of Fort Esperanza, 61
On Matagorda Island and Decrow's Point, 66
72
Up Rel River to Grand Ecore and Natchitoches, 76
The March from Grand Ecore, and the Battle of Sabine Cross Roads, 79
Emory's Division Meets the Enemy at Pleasant Grove and Checks the Stampede, 85
Another Desperate Battle at Pleasant Hill, in which we Win a Decisive Victory,. 91
The Army, with Undue Haste, Falls Back to the Line of the Red River, . 100
Fifteenth Boys as Prisoners of War, 104
From Grand Ecore to Alexandria, Post Haste, ICS
Three Weeks at Alexandria, " Damming" the Red River, 114
125
With the Army of the Potomac and Chasing Early un the Shenandoah,
130
Our Veterans Take In the Long-Promised Veteran Furlough in Maine,. 137
The Fall and Winter of 1864-65 With the Army of the Shenandoah,
140
The Fifteenth Completes its First Three Years Term, 147
154
Six Weeks at the National Capital Where the Fifteenth Takes in the Great and Final Review of the Armies. 157
The Fifteenth Puts in a Year in South Carolina, 161
The Final Muster-Out and THE END of " The Story of the Maine Fifteenth, ". 175
APPENDIX. - Regimental Roster, . 1 to 28
Koster Field and Staff,
2-3
Company A, 66
B,.
C,.
S-9
D,
IO-II
66
F,
12-13
66
F.
14-15
G,
16-15-22
66
H, 16-17
.. .
1,
18-19
. :
K,
20-21
of Regiment as Finally Mustered-Out, 23-25
Brevet Appointments, 23
Service of Officers in Other Organizations, 26
6-7
66
4-5
From Alexandria to the Mississippi --- a Review of the Expedition,
On the Mississippi and on the way to the Potomac and the James,
The Eventful Campaigns of the Spring of 1865,
Again in Louisiana-Through the Teche, to Alexandria and the Red River,
I
-
INDEX TO PORTRAITS.
PAGE
Officers of Field and Staff, (No. I), I
66
" (No. 2),
I
Companies A, B, C and D, 36
66 66 E, F and G,. 79
66 66 H, L and K, 1 04 Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates of Companies A, B and C, . 137
D, E, F, G, H, I and K, (with Lieuts. Owen and Orcutt of Co. C, and a group of fourteen officers taken at Nahant Beach, during the Lynn Re-union, August, IS90,) 156
2
4
5
I
3
4 Maj. F. M. Drew
3
1 Col. Isaac Dver I.t. - Col. B. B. Murray 2 Maj. J: H. Whitmore
5 Maj. J. R. Coates
3
Col. MeClusky. Surgeon Higgins. Surgeon Donnell.
4 Asst. Surg. Dodge.
7 Adjutant Nowland.
S Major Hawes. 9 Quartermaster Locke.
10
1I
12
Asst. Surgeon Holmes. Quartermaster Tilton. Chaplain Wetherbee.
5 Asst. Surg. Kimball. Asst. Surg. Holt.
Chaplain Brown.
INTRODUCTORY.
presenting this humble volume to the inspection of his old com- rades of the MAINE FIFTEENTH, the author takes carly occasion to disavow any purpose to produce anything like a complete historical sketch of the Regiment as an organization or of the individual mem- bers composing it. This, under the circumstances, seems impracticable.
The work, rather, is designed as a simple reminder of salient points in the career of the Old Regiment, which it must be pleasant to treasure in memory's store-house as the active participants therein shall approach the decline of life, when, if not at life's meridian, we shall delight to review the eventful years of the war-period, and especially to recall the familiar names and faces of comrades, living and dead, with whom we were so long associated amid the pleasures and the vicissitudes of army life-in "the mess," the camp, the field, the hospital, and, mayhap, prison- stockade.
The author has designedly avoided any special mention of merito- rious or heroic acts of either individual officers or enlisted men, or of any short-comings that might be alleged against either, preferring rather to treat of the career of the Regiment in its capacity as an organization, whose praiseworthy record is made up of the combined services of the in- dividuals composing it. In every emergency in which the " Old Fifteenth" was placed in its continuous service of more than four-and-a-half years, it never failed to creditably acquit itself; and this is due no more to the worth and capacity of its commanding and subordinate officers than to the stalwart manliness of those composing its rank and file.
The Roster of Officers and Enlisted Men appearing in the Appendix is as complete as it has been possible to render it with the materials at hand. The facts are mainly gathered from the Reports of the Adjutant General of Maine, and any material errors appearing must be ascribed to imperfect records on file in that office.
The author has made earnest and long-prolonged effort to procure the picture of every commissioned officer who at any time served with the regiment ; that he has not been entirely successful in this respect is by no means to be attributed to any oversight of his own. With but very few exceptions the pictures are accurate copies of photographs taken during the war-period ; and if any of the originals who may " have grown handsome in their old age" feel an inclination to criticise the pictures as imperfect
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
representations, they need only to re-examine the originals to be re-assured. The "whirligig of time " produces wonderful changes even in the human visage and expression.
With these explanatory observations " The Story of the Maine Fifteenth " is respectfully and confidently commended to the favor of the survivors of the Old Regiment, and to the families and relatives of deceas- ed comrades, in the earnest home that it may prove in some measure an instrumentality of re-calling the sacred memories clustering about the past and of more closely cementing in the bonds of au enduring-comradeship, the little band of veterans whom God in his infinite mercy has so long spared " to enjoy the fellowship of old soldiers and receive the overflowings of a universal gratitude," on account of patriotic and self-sacrificing services most worthily performed !
Che Story of the Maine Fifteenth.
CHAPTER I.
"THE SITUATION" AT THE OPENING OF OUR "STORY."
THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR. -- THE CALL FOR TROOPS AND THE GENEROUS RE- SPONSE. - INCIDENTS OF THE OPENING MONTHS OF THE GREAT STRUGGLE. -- A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE SITUATION IN THE FALL OF IS61. -- THE VERY GENERAL DESPONDENCY PREVAILING. - MAINE'S NOBLE RESPONSE TO THE COUNTRY'S CALL.
UR brief " STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH" opens with that critical period in our country's history --- the closing months of the first year of the War of the Rebellion. Abraham Lincoln, the law- fully-elected chief magistrate, had been peacefully inaugurated and had registered in heaven his official oath " to preserve, protect and defend" the goverment entrusted to his care, followed by those portentous mutter- ings of dissatisfaction from the South, and the " secession," one after anoth- er, of the Southern States. With the arms and munitions of war supplied through the treachery of government officials, the South had been rapidly placed upon a war-footing, and rebel batteries in Charleston harbor had in- solently belched forth " their challenge to the fray," which, promptly ac- cepted by a loyal North. had transferred nearly every village and hamlet of the North, East and West, into a military camp .- The flag of the rebellion had taken the place of the stars and stripes upon Sumpter's flag-staff, and in every section of the South the national authority was being openly de- fied. "To repossess the forts, places and property" of the Union seized by the rebels, " Father Abraham " bad early called for seventy thousand men for a period of three months, followed later by requisitions framed upon a much broader scale. New England soldiers had already heroically fought their way through a howling mob in the streets of Baltimore : Washington was surrounded with national troops; and the banks of the Potomac stud- ded with frowning canon. Federal troops had invaded Virginia's " sacred will." and the intrepid Ellsworth had paid the penalty of his patriotic ardor with his life-blood. The disastrous " Big Bethel," with the brilliant young
6 - OK
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
Maj. Winthrop as only one of many victims, had come and gone; while the numerous little better than "drawn-battles" and skirmishes of the year, in West Virginia, Missouri,and elsewhere in the border States, with the loss to the Union service of the chivalrous Gen. Lyon and others of the early heroes of the war, all conspired to dispirit the people and enshroud in gloom the patriotic heart. Furthermore, the bottom of the national money-till had carly been reached, and the first war-loan of two hundred and fifty millions ordered. Mid-summer had brought its disastrous no less than disgraceful " Bull-Ran," -- though with it some valuable instruction in the science of war. The venerable Gen. Scott had retired from the com- mand of the army and the youthful yet brilliant Mcclellan was collect- ing and organizing that magnificent army on the banks of the Potomac, ia full view of the pickets of the rebel hordes. In the carly fall came the disastrous " Ball's Bluff," with the tragic death of Col. Baker; the threat- ened foreign complications incident to the Mason-Slidell episode; the dep- redations upon our commerce by rebel privateers ; the " masterly inactivity" of the great and splendidly equipped Army of the Potomac; the deprecia- tion of the national currency and the inevitable suspension of specie pay- ments, --- these, combined, rendered the outlook anything but encouraging, and served to very effectually dissipate the theory at first so generally en- tertained-that the war was likely to prove but a mere holiday recreation !
In the nearly nine months which had elapsed since the firing upon Sumpter -- to the close of the year 1861 -- there had been no less than seventy-two skirmishes and battles between the contending forces, resulting in a loss to the Union forces of something like sixteen hundred and fifty- nine in killed and thirty-three hundred and sixty-three in wounded -- the loss of the enemy, as near as can be ascertained, being thirty-four hundred and five in killed and fifty-three hundred and eighty-eight in wounded. Much gallant and desperate fighting had occurred on both sides, and many prisoners and much public property captured by each ; but, on the whole, it must be confessed, the aggregate results were far from satisfactory.
At the very inception of the great struggle, Maine-in common with all of the loyal States --- promptly stepped forward with tenders of men and means, for the national defense. Her record is one of which every son of Maine has reason to be proud. She generously offered at the onset ten full regiments of ten thousand men, fully armed and equipped; and these had hardly left the State when she manifested a willingness to as promptly respond to other calls in the same direction.
7
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
CHAPTER II.
THE MAINE FIFTEENTH AND ITS FIRST WINTER IN CAMP.
THE "MAINE FIFTEENTH" IS BORN-THE RECRUITS GATHER IN CAMP AND ARE ORGANIZED, DRILLED AND DISCIPLINED-THE FOUR MONTHS' SOJOURN AT AU- GUSTA -- THE DEPARTURE FOR THE SEAT OF WAR VIA PORTLAND.
F Maine's first ten regiments, the First was dispatched to the front as early as May; three others followed in June; another in July ; another in August ; two more in September ; and the Tenth in Oc- tober. Immediately came the call, under date of Sept. 11, 1861, authorizing Maine "to raise, arm and organize, at the expense of the Uni- ted States, a regiment of cavalry, five regiments of infantry, and six bat- teries of light artillery." It was in pursuance of this authority that the Maine Fifteenth was organized and called into the service.
Unlike the first ten regiments raised by Maine, the Fifteenth and other regiments recruited under this authorization, were from the start the " children of the general government," and only such expenses were in- curred as were warranted by the army regulations. Neither municipal or state bounties were offered as an incentive to enlistments, though an assur- ance was given that if the recruit serve the full period of his enlistment, or during the war, if sooner ended, a bounty of one hundred dollars would be paid each recruit by the United States. The rigid regulations of the United States Army being observed in all the preliminaries of the organi- zation and equipment of the regiment. the recruits were necessarily denied many of the little luxuries which the more liberal policy of the state gov- ernment had bestowed upon the troops which had preceded us, and which in some measure served to relieve the severity of so sudden a transfer from the comforts of home-life to the hardships inevitably surrounding the experiences of the soldier, in the camp no less than in the field.
The fall and winter of 1861-2 found the region of the State Capitol at Augusta a veritable military camp. and Maine's " War Department," -- presided over by that able and industrious officer, Adjutant General John 1. Hodsdon,-a scene of ceaseless activity. The First Cavalry, the Thir- teenth. Fourteenth and Fifteenth Infantry, and several batteries of light ar- tillery, were all in process of organization at one and the sone time ; while
8
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
the Eleventh Infantry had but just left .Augusta (Nov. 12th) and only two weeks later Col. Shepley's Twelfth Infantry left its Portland camp for the Lowell (Mass.) rendezvous of the New Orleans Expedition.
Though the recruiting papers for the Fifteenth were not issued un- til October, as early as the first week in November a number of large de- tachments had already arrived upon the camp-ground, and very soon there- after the Fifteenth was able to gather quite a formidable battalion and to take up the ordinary routine of duty pertaining to the soldiers' camp-life. The early arrival of a number of the larger detachments was due to the fact that they had been originally intended for one of the other regiments, and had in reality gone into camp with the Thirteenth upon the Arsenal Grounds ; but, owing to some misunderstanding among the officers as to the assignments, a transfer to the Fifteenth was amicably arranged.
The Fifteenth Maine's Encampment was located upon the beautiful grounds of the State fronting the State Capitol, upon the east side of the highway. Though late in the fall-and our occupancy continued through the winter-our first introduction to the soldiers' experience was in the or- dinary army tent, rendered inhabitable only by the various ingenious de- vices which the Maine Yankee is never slow to bring to his relief in an emergency. . While an extra woolen blanket in those bleak winter nights might have been very acceptable, yet when the Maine Solons in their leg- islative capacity declined to make appropriation for such " luxuries," the boys found it by no means difficult to worry through the winter without them.
By the latter portion of November a sufficient number of recruits to answer the requirements of the law as to the "muster " of certain of the field and staff officers, had arrived in camp ; and the Adjutant and Quar- termaster were commissioned in November, the Surgeon a few days later, followed by the Lieutenant-Colonel, Assistant Surgeon, etc., about the mid- dle of December. Col. Mccluskey, however, was not mustered-in until late in January.
Under these circumstances the command of the regiment devolved upon Lieut. Col. Dyer during its first three months' of camp-life ; and for its early instruction in discipline, drill, and other of the rudimentary details of military science,-as well as for very much that was valuable in its subse- quent career,-the regiment is largely indebted to that estimable gentleman and sterling officer. The Adjutant, too, was very efficient and serviceable in those early days. A thoroughly trained soldier and conversant with every detail of military duty and requirement, his counsel and instruction were as eagerly sought as he was free to impart of his ripe experience.
The first company for the Fifteenth was mustered early in Decem- ber, and during that month nearly all of the ten companies had completed
-
9
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
their organization and their officers received their commissions. Company A was mustered Dec. 6; B, Dec. 7; C, Dec. 9; D, Dec. 10-23 ; E, Dec. 24-Jan. 3; F, Dec. 12-17; G, Dec. 20 ; H, Dec. 21; I, Dec. 31-Jan. 16 ; and K, Dec. 16-Jan. 7.
In the Appendix at the close of this work, a detailed Roster of the Officers and Enlisted Men, as originally mustered-in, is given, and it seems quite unnecessary here to repeat the list. It may be of interest to state, however, that the Fifteenth, as originally organized, drew its members from near': all sections of the State. Of the field and staff officers, the Colonel, Major, Surgeon, Adjutant, Quartermaster, and Sergeant-major, were all from Aroostook County; the Lieutenant-Colonel, from Somerset ; the As- sistant Surgeon and Hospital Steward, from Cumberland; the Chaplain, from Lincoln ; and the Quartermaster-sergeant and Commissary-sergeant, from Washington County. Of the company officers and enlisted men, A were from Washington; B, Sagadahoc ; C, Aroostook; D, Cumberland ; E, Aroostook; F, about equally divided between Cumberland and Aroos- took -the Captain, with his detachment, being from the former and the Lieatenants from the latter county ; G, Aroostook; II and I, Penobscot ; and K. Washington. Other counties were of course represented by an occasional recruit in the several companies, and later, when the depleted ranks of the regiment were filled from the recruiting rendezvous, by de- tachments, thus materially changing the locality classification as here stated.
The winter's sojourn at Augusta was in many respects quite un- eventful though not wholly devoid of interest. The innumerable duties incident to camp-life-the daily routine of guard-mounting, company and regimental drill, the parades and reviews, and the never-failing " recreation " of guard-duty -- served to occupy a goodly proportion of the time; while the liberal policy of the commanding officers as to leaves of absence, the privileges afforded both officers and enlisted mon of attending the various social festivals and the religious and other gatherings in the city and its vicinity, the close proximity of the camp to the seat of government, with its attractions during the legislative sessions and its constant throng of vis- itors from every section of the State, all contributed towards rendering the winter's tarry at Augusta rather an agrocable experience.
Much vexations delay attended the perfecting of arrangements for the water-transportation of the troops designed for the Butler Expedition ; and as the weeks and months made their successive rounds and found us stil! "awaiting orders," and evidently accomplishing very little towards "the suppression of the rebellion," the soldiers became quite "eager for the fray,"-and on that bitterly cold morning towards the latter part of February, when the order to " strike tents!" was passed along the line, it was received with very general rejoicings.
10
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
As a more painful incident of the winter's stay at Augusta must be mentioned the fact that the exposure to which the soldiers were subjected in camp during the winter, quite seriously affected the general health of the command, and rendered " the sick-list," both in camp and in quarters, quite formidable. Many contracted violent colds, resulting in lung difficulties and other ailments, from which they never recovered. Not a few died at Augusta during the winter or early spring months, while many others, completely broken down in health, and unable to accompany the regiment, were left behind, in hospital or at their homes, and were finally discharged from the service for disability, or, unaccounted for, were dropped from the rolls in pursuance of general order. In this manner the services of some of our worthiest men were lost to the regiment and to the country; and, though " dropping from the ranks" carlier in the race than some of their more fortunate comrades, they are nevertheless entitled to be classified as among that noble band of patriots who sacrificed health and life upon the country's altar in the hour of her direst need.
The Fifteenth " broke camp" on the morning of Feb. 25th, 1862. The work of preparation was no mere holiday pastime, since " raw recruits" never more with the celerity of veterans. The packing of the goods and chattels constituting the entire outfit of the soldier into an ordinary knap- sack, " strapped upon the back," was an entirely new experience and one attended with innumerable perplexities ;- yet this and all other important lessons in " the school of the, soldier " were mastered eventually. In due time the regiment was in line and proudly marched-but only as far as the depot ! Here it was discovered that .. some one had blundered." No cars had been provided for the transportation of the regiment ! . For awhile we patiently awaited developements ; then we marched "back up the hill," --- to the State House, where we unsuccessfully sought temporary quarters ; later, and with like results, we " moved in force " upon the U. S. Arsenal Buildings; and finally, as a last resort, we occupied the public halls of the city ; where, with comfortable fires and munificent contributions of hot coffee and other appetizing luxuries from various sources, we managed to extract some little comfort from the situation-if not to obtain the restful and refreshing slumber so much desired.
On the morning of the 26th of February we again endeavored to "catch the train " -- this time, happily, with success. The work of " pack- ing" and " sandwiching " was completed in due time; a season for the ex- change of parting words and caresses with the loved ones gathered at the train to witness our departure was afforded and well-improved; the shrill whistle of the engine and the " all aboard !"signal were sounded ; and with the inevitable accompaniments of music, cheers, weeping eyes and waving handkerchiefs, the Fifteenth Maine was moving Southward !
11
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
CHAPTER III.
EN ROUTE -- AT PORTLAND-AND "ON THE OCEAN WAVE."
AT PORTLAND. - AN UNCOMFORTABLE NIGHT ON SHIP-BOARD. - THE GREAT REPUBLIC NOT IN READINESS. - THE REGIMENT TRANSFERRED TO MORE COMFORTABLE QUAR- TERS IN PORTLAND'S NEW CITY BUILDING. - A WEEK'S SOJOURN IN THE FOREST CITY. - THE REGIMENT AGAIN EMBARKS AND INDULGES IN A SEA-VOYAGE OF TWENTY-EIGHT DAYS' DURATION.
PON leaving Augusta the plans contemplated immediate embarkation on board ship "Great Republic," with the expectation that the vessel would at once proceed to sea; and, reaching Portland late in the af- ternoon, the regiment was at once marched to the vessel, the soldiers spending the night on board. It was very soon discovered, however, that the ship was not in readiness for "first-class passengers"-hardly for the horses, which were assigned " the steerage." The ship was cold, damp, and exceedingly untidy. The commissary stores were not on board, and the fa- cilities for cooking were insufficient to the supply of cooked rations for any- thing like the number of men we had brought on board, In some other respects the ship had failed to make the necessary arrangements for the voyage ; and, in consequence of this culpable negligence in some quarter, the men experienced very great discomfort.
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