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 18
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NOTE.
On preceding page, (145) in two last lines, by a typographical blunder, Co. IT is used where A was intende 1. Lieut. Capen retired from Co. K and was succeeded by Capt. Boyce, rather than H, as there appears.
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the entire trip proved a wretched experience. There were frequent de- lays all along the route, together with occasional outbreaks requiring the intervention of the officers in charge, and of Capt. Michael Boyce, who had joined the party at Harper's Ferry. The cars containing horses and forage were several times " side-tracked," occasioning delay and affording oppor- tunity for the characteristic diplomacy of the commander of the expedition ; though even this did not suffice to ensure the continued orderly moving of the train or preserve the connecting link between the several subdivisions of the " caravan." But finally Baltimore was passed ; New York, after a protracted tarry, was cleared ; and Boston was reached -- at least by all save the " rear-car ," in which were the officers, horses, and their attendants ! This had been " switched off" during the night. But the soldiers, eager to reach home, could not be persuaded to " wait for the wagon," so they pushed on and reached Maine at last one train ahead of those in the stranded car ! But Lieut. Mead, early discovering the situation, energetically pushed on through Boston and reached Augusta ouly a few hours later than the " advance " of the party, and in season to superintend the procurement of the rolls and all necessary arrangements for the final muster and payment of the detachment. The boys separated, as happy mortals as ever went out from Augusta, the day following the final settlement of scores with their " Uncle Samuel." Lieut. Mead. after a brief yet very pleasant visit with his family, rejoined his regiment at Stevenson's; but soon after resigned, and was mastered out in March, 1865.
The muster-out of the non-re-enlisted men and the ordinary casual- ties of the service left the " Old Fifteenth " a mere skeleton of its former self. Two months previous to this event its aggregate " present and absent "" was but four hundred and sixty-two, with three hundred and twelve present for duty. In fact when the lines were formed preliminary to the separation, it seemed very much as if those to be mustered out were in the majority. Very fortunately a considerable body of recruits had joined us some two weeks before --- Jan. 2d, 1865-else our depleted condition must have been so conspicnous as to have necessitated immediate consolidation with some other Maine regiment similarly situated. But as the recruits had but barely reached camp when the non-re-enlisted men left for home, it seems proper to leave them entirely out of the account in briefly reviewing the gradual melting away of the stalwart body of men organized as the Maine Fifteenth Regiment in the winter of 1861-2, and which had now completed its original three-years' term of enlistment.
By a careful analysis of the " Roster." in the Appendix, it will be found that the entire number of names on our original muster-rolls aggregate one thousand and forty-four. Of these, fifty-six are classed as " non-effect- ives," cutting down the effective regimental membership to nine hundred
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and eighty-eight. During the years 1862, 1863 and 1864, small squads of recruits joined us, to the total number, in the three years, of some sixty- eight, more than half of this number coming in the summer of 1864, and serving for less than one year. But as these men must be included in the aggregate, it swells the membership of the old organization to about one thousand and fifty-six.
The casualties for this period, as reported in the Appendix, are as follows :
Died of Disease, killed in action, or died of wounds, etc., 1861-2-3-4. .. 240 1056 Discharged for Disability, resignation of officers, etc., .. . 231
Transferred for promotion and to other branches of service, .42
Discharged by order for various reasons, .23
Dropped by reason of desertion, : 76
Mustered-Out by Reason of Expiration of Term, 127
Total Casualties.
739
Leaving (apparently) still on Rolls, 317
1056
But accuracy of statement in these matters is well-nigh impossible. The rolls and all accessible data are incomplete and misleading. Many of the men were held on the rolls long after they were discharged or had in some way ceased to be members of the regiment. As careful analysis as we are able to make reveals the fact that after the departure of the non-veterans -leaving the 1865 recruits entirely out of the account -- we had about three hundred and seventeen names on the regimental roll, and that of this number two hundred and sixty-seven were among the original members of the regiment, had served the full three years' term, and had re-enlisted for an additional three years' term, or " during the war, if sooner ended." Very many of these, however, were absent from the regiment, a goodly number of them never again serving with it. In the absence of reliable data it is fair to assume that not more than two hundred of the three hun- dred and seventeen on the rolls were present for duty. For quite a period there was hardly an average of one commissioned officer to a company, and. to increase the difficulties, the army regulations did not permit such officers as had been commissioned to be " mustered," the regiment not containing the requisite number of men to entitle it to enjoy all the privileges and immunities of a full-fledged regimental organization. This condition of affairs continued for nearly five months (from January to May. 1865) most of the companies being commanded by lieutenants and some of them by sergeants ; and the outlook for a continuance of the regimental name and organization seemed extremely dubious.
It was in the earnest effort to avert the much-dreaded consolidation and dismemberment of the "Okl Fifteenth," which seemed imminent. that persistent plans were inaugurated to secure an assignment to the
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regiment of a sufficient number of recruits from Maine recruiting stations to swell our membership to such extent as would warrant the continued preservation of the original reginiental organization. Urgent appeals were made to the War Department, to the Governor of Maine, etc., but appar- ently to no purpose. Col. Dyer visited Maine and personally pressed the matter upon the State authorities, but without substantial results. Upon Col. Dyer's return it was arranged that Lieut .- Col. Murray should make a determined effort to raise the needed reinforcements by a tour of recruit- ing service in Maine. Some understanding, or agreement, is said to have been entered into between the Colonel and Lieut .- Colonel, involving, in certain contingencies, the retirement of the former and the promotion of the latter to the full grade of Colonel and the command of the regiment. By Col. Dyer and those of his more intimate friends cognizant of the affair, it is claimed that the conditions of this arrangement required that the recruits be assigned to existing companies and that the official vacancies in the sey- eral companies be filled by the promotion of deserving non-commissioned officers of the regiment ; by Lieut .- Colonel Murray and his friends, that the Lieut .- Col. was to endeavor to secure recruits for assignment to existing companies if possible, but, failing in this, new companies were to be raised, officered upon his recommendation, and, by the consolidation of the old company organizations, to make place for the admission of four or five entirely new companies, if recruited. With this general understand- ing Licut .- Col. Murray obtained leave of absence, proceeded to Maine, and industriously entered upon the work. Gov. Cony and Provost Marshal Littler gave assurances of co-operation and assistance; but advised the raising of new companies as the more promising plan; which, after carefully looking the matter over, Lieut .- Col. Murray decided to adopt as the only practical solution of the difficulty. Visiting Portland, Lewiston, Bangor, Pembroke, Calais, Eastport, ote., he interested persons in the re- cruiting service, offering commissions to worthy persons who might engage heartily in the work, and pushing the recruiting service [with his charac- teristic shrewdness and untiring energy. He succeeded in raising four full companies-which were officered and duly mustered into the service as companies of Unassigned Infantry -- and the organization of the fifth was well under way when Col. Murray returned to his regiment. The travelling and other necessary expenses of this officer, incurred in this ser- vice, and for which he was never reimbursed, are said to have exceeded six hundred dollars.
While this work was in progress in Maine, however, a very decided aversion to consolidation no less than to the retirement of Col. Dver was be- ing developed among the officers and enlisted men of the Fifteenth, and con- siderable pressure was made upon the Colonel to reconsider his plans and
1
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to at least remain until the expiration of the three years' term of his com- mission as Colonel. This sentiment found fitting expression in the pres- entation of an elegant sword and belt, by the enlisted men, the exercises being especially flattering to " Old Battalion." This episode was supple- mented by an appeal to Gen. Emory by the officers of the regiment and brigade, for aid in the matter of obtaining recruits, and it was upon the urgent solicitation of that officer -- who had never forgotten the gallant services of the Old Fifteenth and its commander at Pleasant Hill-that the War Department speedily came to the rescue with something like four hundred newly enlisted recruits, drafted men, substitutes, etc., whereat there was very general rejoicing. This assignment filled the regiment to the maximum and entitled the companies to their full complement of officers and the regiment to the prescribed number of field and staff officers. Fur- thermore it rendered the proposed consolidation of companies unnecessary and impracticable, and ensured the retention of the cherished company and regimental designations which we had been able to preserve for more than three years, and which we were destined to hold until the final muster-out, a year and a half later.
While stationed at Stevenson's the Fifteenth was reinforced by the arrival of the two strong detachments of recruits already referred to above ; the first levy coming Jan. 2d, and the second, March 20th. The names of the new-comers will be found in the Roster, in the Appendix. The old regiment, with this formidable acquisition, was rendered unusually strong numerically for that period in the progress of the war, every com- pany being filled to the maximum requirement of the Army Regulations. The large number of vacancies in the list of commissioned officers were promptly filled by promotion in line and from the ranks, and scores of worthy enlisted men were honored with the chevrons of the non-commis- sioned officer which they had so richly earned. Indeed, so radical a change was made necessary in this respect that the " old guard " had almost en- tirely disappeared from the ranks of the company officers, giving place to those who had gradually, and by meritorious services, worked their way up from the ranks. These changes are so clearly set forth in the historic record of the several companies in the Appendix, that it seems unnecessary to reproduce the names in this connection. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the fact that more than two-thirds of its membership had but recently douned " the army blue," the Fifteenth was by no means lax in drill or discipline at the opening of the spring campaign.
The companies brought into the service through the industrious and patriotic efforts of Lieut .- Col. Murray were of course never admitted to the Fifteenth. They joined us at Stevenson's in the early spring, and. upon recommendation of Col. Murray, were organized as the " First Maine Bat-
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THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
talion," under the command of a Lieut .- Colonel. They remained in service until Apr., 1866, when they were mustered out agreeably to general orders. The fifth unassigned company was well under way at the time of the close of the war in March, but was disbanded by the order to stop all recruiting. It was to have been commanded by Capt. Otis Gilmore, the well-remem- bered orderly sergeant of Co. I ; his First Lieutenant being Sergeant Charles R. Rice. Both of these officers had served three full years as non-com missioned officers in the Fifteenth. Both are now deccased.
CHAPTER XXX .-
THE EVENTFUL CAMPAIGNS OF THE SPRING OF 1865.
THE FIFTEENTH, WITH THE ARMY OF THE SHENANDOAH, IN WINTER QUARTERS. - THE MILITARY SITUATION .- THE OPENING AND GLORIOUS TERMINATION OF THE SPRING CAMPAIGN OF 1865. - THE FIFTEENTH TAKES A HAND BY MOVING UPON LYNCHBURG. - THE SURRENDER OF LEE. --- ORDERED TO WASHINGTON. - THE SAD TIDINGS OF THE ASSASSINATION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN .- THE FIFTEENTH SADLY AND REVERENTIALLY SALUTES THE REMAINS AS THEY PASS ON THE ROAD.
HE Maine Fifteenth remained comfortably domicilled in log huts at Stevenson's during the winter. Like the entire army we were in " winter quarters," leisurely " resting upon our oars," and cagerly awaiting the opening of what all well understood to be an eventful spring campaign, to be inaugurated and aggressively pushed at the earliest moment possible after the condition of the roads warranted the movement of artillery, wagons and supplies, on an extended seale. And thus we lingered listlessly through the months of January, February, March, and a portion of April.
The Army of the James and the Potomac, like the Army of the Shenandoah, remained comparatively quiet during the winter, very few im- portant military movements being undertaken. Not so, however, along the lines of our armies farther South. Here the rebels were being severely punished in all directions. Sherman and his gallant soldiers had success- fully made that memorable " March to the Sea," cutting through the shell of the confederacy and revealing its hollowness by moving entirely through its centre and emerging on the outer side ; while, on land and sea, victory everywhere perched upon our banners, bringing gratifying assurances that
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"this cruel war" was very near its end. The spring campaign would surely " wind it up."
About the middle of February Gen. W. S. Hancock relieved Sher- idan in command of the troops in the Valley; who, with a cavalry force of ten thousand men, went whirling through the Shenandoah on a destruc- tive raid, towards Lynchburg. Pouncing upon Early at Staunton and Waynesboro, he captured sixteen hundred prisoners and an immense amount of property ; destroyed railroads, canals, etc. ; burned up every- thing valuable he could not bring away ; and, after working havoc for three weeks in the heart of the enemy's country, he reported "for duty," on the Pamunkey River, March 19th. Five days later he had formed a junction with the Army of the Potomac, near Petersburg, and, as was his habit, was " just in the nick of time " to take a hand in the contemplated " effective twist " upon the neck and tail of the Army of Northern Vir- ginia. Lee was not slow to see the trap being prepared for him, and made a desperate effort to escape, in the general assault upon Fort Steadman, March 25th. The rebels were repulsed, with double the loss they were able to inflict. And, just here, Grant concluded to "open the ball " and keep it " humming." The troops were at once moved upon Dinwiddie Court House, and later, upon historie " Five Forks," a strategic point strongly fortified and regarded by the rebels as of supreme importance. Five Forks, as every student of history well knows, was gallantly carried by Sheridan April Ist. The enemy was completely routed and driven six miles, with a loss of many in killed and wounded, and as many as six thousand prisoners. Immediately the combined and general assault upon the enemy's lines and works was opened and incessantly continued, night aud day, until the final end was reached. Soon it became apparent that Lee must abandon Richmond and Petersburg. Just where he would go was not so clear; but Lynchburg was thought to be one of the points he had in view; and this very general impression opened up the way for a very slight participation in the closing campaign by the Army of the Shen- andoah, and with it the Fifteenth Maine.
The Fifteenth, with Gen. Hancock's entire command, was put upon the road April 4th, and started upon a lively march through Winchester, in the direction of Lynchburg, some eighty miles away. But only a day's march was accomplished ; as, meeting us on the way, came the joyful tidings that Richmond and Petersburg were ours ; and a little later that Lee and Grant were in correspondence relative to the terms upon which the surren- der of Lee's army would be accepted.
As is now well known, the Union army occupied Richmond April 3d ; the very day upon which the Fifteenth received its orders to move upon Lynchburg. . Four days later Grant addressed that historic opistle to Lee,
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THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
which culminated in the formal surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia April 9th. That Lee had been apprised of the close proximity to his lines ' of the old Nineteenth Corps is not a matter of record; nevertheless, that. like Zaccheus of old, he " made haste to come down " very soon after we had taken up the line of march in his direction, is now conceded to have been vastly more discreet than stubborn resistance would have been ! Though the surrender of Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia was by no means the closing event of the war, it was clearly the " beginning of the end." The " king's row " had been broken at a vital point, and every subsequent movement upon the military checker-board was made with the full assur- ance that the " game was up " with the confederacy, and the final clearing of the boards was but a question of time. Lee's surrender, found Sherman vigorously pressing the rebel Gen. Joe Johnston, in North Carolina. When the news of the disaster to Lee reached Johnston, (Apr. 14th) Sherman had driven him through Raleigh, and some distance beyond. Correspondence . was at once opened which resulted in the immediate cessation of hostilities, though the formal surrender was not made until April 26th. The terms accepted by Sherman were not satisfactory in Washington, and, they being set aside, Sherman, under instructions, exacted and obtained the same terms given by Grant to Lee. At about the same time the movement from New Orleans and Pensacola against Mobile had culminated in the capture of the forts and the occupation of the harbor and city. Other minor expeditions had met with like success, and as early as May 4th our old foeman of the Red River country-Gen. Dick Taylor-was left as the senior officer com- manding confederate troops east of the Mississippi. He surrendered on that date. A week later Jefferson Davis was captured while attempting to escape from the country. Gen. Kirby Smith, on the Rio Grande and along the Texas coast alone remained with armed troops to defy the national anthority ; and it was not until May 26th that this haughty Southron was brought into subjection. Indeed, so tardy was Smith in accepting the inevitable, that it was found necessary to organize an expedition comprising fifty-three thousand men, under Sheridan, with Weitzel, Logan, etc., as subordinates, and dispatch them to Texas by the coast. and also to Shreve- port and Little Rock, Ark., the fear being that the rebels intended an alliance with Mexican desperadoes, to prolong the war indefinitely. The last actual armed conflict between Confederate and Union troops occurred near Brazos Santiago, on the Texas coast, May 13th, not far from the spot where the Fifteenth landed during the Texas expedition, in the fall of 1863. Texas, very appropriately, proved to be ". the last ditch," thus con- firming our early prejudices as to that " Godt-forsaken" section of our common country !
The Fifteenth. with its corps, was speedily halted at the reception
----
L
! 1.t. Owen, C.
6 Cop. Bennett, E.
Pv. Grass, G.
Cop. Hanson, D. Cop Window, D.
1 2 seg. Russell, H. Mel Til brits, H.
15 Seg. I .. V. Gilmore, I. Cop. Harrington, I. Seg. Sprague, K.
1
Chas, Cunningham, E.
7 J. W. Pickies, E. 8 .1. H. W. Long, L .. 9 Segt. R. Corbett, F. 10 Cup. J. S. Marsh, Di.
1.4 Seg. J. W. Skillin, H.
Hos. Stew. Holmes.
GROUP :-- Bryant, Walker, Mead, Nichols, Coan, Capen, Cobb. Shorey, Whitmore, Murray, Dyer, Washburn, Pattee, Rolfe.
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THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
of the glorious news, and, as the reports were confirmed, we returned to Winchester. The wildest enthusiasm everywhere prevailed ; and, amidst demonstrations of joy of every description imaginable, we retraced our steps to Winchester, followed hourly by messages and rumors detailing the eve.itful drama being enacted at Appomattox, only a few miles away.
The Fifteenth, with its corps, tarried about Winchester until April 19th ; when, with nearly all the troops in the Valley, we were ordered to Washington. It was while moving in that direction-at Harper's Ferry- that the shocking tidings reached us of the tragic and dastardly murder of our idolized chief magistrate-ABRAHAM LINCOLN-and the atrocious attempt, by the blood-red hand of the assassin, at the overthrow of the government at Washington. We cannot describe-but no surviving com- rade will fail to recall-the poignant grief which enshrouded the entire army at the appalling tidings, following so closely upon the jubilations at the joyful tidings which had reached us but a few days before. It is to the infinite credit of the American soldiery that those angry mutterings, between clenched teeth, on the part of the more thoughtless, was not per- mitted to assume form in some demonstration calculated to summarily avenge so atrocious a crime. When nearing the Relay House, at Annapo- lis, it was the inournful privilege of the members of the Fifteenth to alight from the train, and, forming in line, to stand with uncovered head and in reverential awe, while the funeral train bearing the remains of the martyred President slowly rolled by, on the way to the final resting place, at Spring- field, Illinois.
CHAPTER XXXI.
SIX WEEKS AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL, WHERE THE FIFTEENTH TAKES IN THE GREAT REVIEW.
THE MILITARY HOSTS GATHER ABOUT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL. -- WASHINGTON LITER- ALLY SWARMING WITH VETERAN SOLDIERS. - THE GRAND REVIEW OF THE UNION ARMIES ON THE EVE OF MUSTER-OUT. - BUT FIFTEENTH "JOHNNIES" DON'T GO "MARCHING HOME" JUST NOW. - DWIGHT'S DIVISION AGAIN ORDERED SOUTH. --- MUSTER-OUT OF THE FIFTEENTH'S ONE-YEAR RECRUITS, OF IS64.
HILE the closing seenes of the Great War Drama were being enacted upon remote fields, the military hosts in Virginia and at adjacent stations were concentrated about the national capital ; not, happily, for its defence, but to join in celebrating the dawn of Peace. Immediately following the surrender of Lee orders to that effect had been issued to the Army of the Potomac ; and to Sherman's Army, in North Carolina, when the terms of surrender of Johnston's Army had
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THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
finally been agreed upon. The Army of the Shenandoah, with the Fifteenth and the Division of the Nineteenth Corps with which it was serving, . reached Washington April 21st ; encamping at Tennallytown, some three miles from the Capitol Building. The troops made several changes of camp-ground while about Washington, by way of variety. Gen. Dwight was the commander, and managed to change our designation to that of " Dwight's Division." Brave old Emory, so long our Division commander, parted company with us in the Valley, much to our regret. By the latter part of April, or the first week in May, Washington was literally swarming with troops, the great armies of Meade, Hancock, Sherman, and other smaller commands, all being encamped about the city.
It was truly a magnificent spectacle-such as has rarely been wit- nessed in the life-time of the average citizen. Happy the veteran soldier, who, having patiently endured the hardships and privations of three-and- a-half years of war, was now, at its close, spared'to be an actor in these exhilarating events, and a partaker of the cordial greetings of the assembled multitudes ; who, with cheery words, mottoes, bunting, and floral offerings of exquisite device and expressiveness, had come out to welcome the soldier- boys as they returned from the wars, and to enthrone them, as they justly deserved to be, as "the saviours of the republic." Verily, as was said anciently as to Pisgah's Mount, "it was good to be there."
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