USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Concord > History of Concord, New Hampshire, from the original grant in seventeen hundred and twenty-five to the opening of the twentieth century, Volume II > Part 52
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The Third regiment camp was named after Governor Berry. It was located across the Free bridge, far to the south of the carriage road and near the river. The mustering-in was done a company at a time, in the state house yard. The officers had wall tents, but the A variety was that seen in the company streets. While blue blouses were provided for undress, the uniform was gray, trimmed with blue, with knapsacks of gray and a cap of grayish waterproof, having visors in front and behind, like the sun helmet. The arm carried was the Enfield rifle. This was the first regiment to receive the ten dollars gratuity from the state. The band was considered particularly fine, and had German silver, bell-back instruments. There were twenty four-horse teams and one two-horse team in the baggage and ambu- lance service. When the regiment left, on September 3, the field and staff were on foot. The escort was the Concord Zouaves, Cap- tain C. T. Summers, who became a member of the Sixteenth and also of the IIcavy Artillery. With this regiment's departure, " The Girl I Left Behind Me " became the standard marching air of exit from the city. When the train pulled out, "Auld Lang Syne " was the send-off tune, with "Sweet Home " sounding back as an answer.
As this band contained a large number of Concord men the names of its members may well be inserted : Bandmaster, Gustavus W. . Ingalls, together with D. Arthur Brown; Samuel F. Brown, Joseph A. Dadmun, John W. Plummer, Carl Krebs, Henry S. Hamilton, John W. Caswell, Charles H. White, Phineas Parkhurst, James A. Baker, L. Henry Stark, Francis M. Hughes, Henry F. Brown, Cyrus E. Burnham, John C. Linehan, John W. Odlin, Jacob R. Sanborn, George E. Flanders, John C. Mitchell, George L. Lovejoy, Philip
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Welcome, and Nathan W. Gove. The members of this band joined as actual fighters in the battle of James' Island, taking the rifles of those who were killed or wounded, and staying by as long as did any- body.
The Fifth regiment encamped on Glover's hill, across the lower bridge, and to the left of the highway. The Sibley tent was first seen among us at Camp Jackson. In spite of frequent rain, no reg- iment was put more quickly on a working basis or subjected to sharper discipline from the beginning. From the time Company A went into camp with Sturtevant, drills were constant. The men of this regiment were of exceptional size. Each company practically represented a county. The arms for actual service were not received till the front was reached. The date of departure was October 29, and the last night's quarters were our public buildings. The citizens furnished hot coffee and a hearty lunch in the morning.
The habit of attending guard mount and dress parade became gen- eral with the presence of the Fifth, owing partly to the popularity of Sturtevant and his company. This custom grew with the formation of other bodies on the more conveniently reached grounds once occu- pied by the First. When a full brigade was in camp, these ceremo- nials were of the keenest interest, pride, and enthusiasm, none of which feelings seemed to experience abatement to the very last of such events. At the time of the encampments of the Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth, the camp, with its stirring scenes, became the show place of our people, to whom great crowds of kindred and other visitors were added.
Among the drills in the rear of the city hall was that of a part of the First regiment's material, a band of those who had not responded as promptly to tuition as had some others. That squad was the de- light.of the youth of Concord, and its drill under a hard master-will is now vividly recalled, when so many larger things have been forgot- ten. In this little force was one conspicuous figure, who, under the name of " Lady Washington," attained celebrity. In all three dimen- sions he was a man of ample make-up. His patience gave sure promise of a genuine soldier. His good nature was unfailing. But his voice ! It was one which rent the lower clouds. When uplifted fully it could be heard above an alarm of fire, the roar of a gale, or the cheers of a procession. It made its possessor famous. This brave and faithful man served two full terms, attained the rank of sergeant and died, through an accident, in 1878. Mention the name of Samuel H. Runnels to any veteran of the First or Fourth and see if a tear does not follow.
The first military funeral was that of Arthur Cline, a native of
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Lyme, enlisted from Nashua, which took place May 18 from Camp Union. The body was placed in a receiving tomb for a short time, a battalion from the First doing escort duty. Great wonderment was caused by the contrast in the music coming to the city and the lively notes which made the return steps speedy.
This was followed, June 29, by the funeral of Lieutenant Charles W. Walker, of the Goodwin Rifles, who had fallen from the cars near Westfield, N. J. The body was received by the men who had enlisted for three months' service but did not go for a three years' term, Captain H. C. Tuttle, afterwards of the Fourth, commanding, together with the Zouaves. The body laid in state in Doric hall, at the state house, for two hours, and was viewed by a constant stream of people. The hall was elad in mourning, as were many buildings of the city. Flags were at half-mast and draped colors were displayed everywhere, especially on the line of journey. The body having been taken in charge by the ex-members of Company B, before alluded to, the long procession, under the marshalship of John M. Hill, took up the march for the North church, where services were conducted by Rev. Dr. Bouton. This procession included the mayor and city gov- ernment, the governor and council, the senate and house of represen- tatives, the Governor's Horse Guards, and every secret fraternal soci- ety in the city, without exception, all in full regalia.
As Lieutenant Walker had long been a very active Mason, the long cortege was greatly swelled by the craftsmen of the city. Mt. Horeb Commandery of Knights Templar, and Trinity of Manchester, with representatives from every commandery in the state, escorted De Molay commandery and Winslow Lewis lodge of Boston, of which the deceased was a member.
The stately procession, the tolling bells, and the moving strains of the Dead March in Saul, together with the salute of musketry. over the grave, made the burial of New Hampshire's first war victim more than memorable to the vast numbers who poured into the city. Although the day was one of sadness, it gave a mighty impulse to recruiting all over the state and augmented the war spirit generally beyond its limits, and should not be forgotten as largely influential in those directions.
Among memorable military funerals during the carly part of the · war, were those of two officers of the Second, both of whom were men whose memory should be held in honor. Captain Leonard Drown was killed at Williamsburg, May 5. He originally enlisted in the First, but was not mustered, going, with many in like case, into the three years' service. His funeral took place in the Baptist church at Penacook, May 20, and was attended by the governor,
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mayor, and city government, Captain George's company of the Horse Guards, the Masonic fraternity, and the firemen. A. Rolfe acted as chief marshal, assisted by Messrs. H. H. Brown, T. O. Wilson, I. K. Gage, B. F. Caldwell, John Batchelder, H. H. Amsden, John Whit- taker, and Nathaniel Rolfe. The attendance was very great, and deep feeling was shown by the people. Letters from members of the Second were read at the funeral, speaking in the most affectionate terms of this gallant soldier, who was killed outright at the head of his men.
Captain A. W. Colby died of fever May 13. His body was placed in the state house May 20, and was viewed by many. The burial office was read by Rev. Dr. J. H. Eames in St. Paul's church on the 21st, at which time a memorial address was made. Captain George's company once more did escort duty, followed by a long procession of citizens to the Bow line, by way of South street. Here the remains were delivered to the authorities of the captain's native town, after appropriate remarks by William L. Foster in behalf of Concord, Reverend F. Damon responding for the citizens of Bow.
Frequent as such reminders of strife soon became, each was rev- erently conducted. Together with the coming home of sick and crippled men, the graver side of war was brought most painfully to attention and set in contrast with the glitter and the pageant with which people had become familiar. The times now called for stay- ing power and demanded sacrifices. Terrors and pains were by no means the exclusive lot of those of the front. There were gentle ones at home whose trials were not one whit less bitter.
During the first year of activity, recruiting began for a company of sharpshooters, with Amos B. Jones as captain; to which were added two other companies under W. D. McPherson, and H. M. Caldwell. These qualified on the interval, south of the road, at two hundred and fifty yards. The ranges ended at the foot of a bluff. Jones and Caldwell were just from Dartmouth, where the war fever was on. A considerable number of Concord collegians, nearly all from Dartmouth, took service in a students' battalion of cavalry, playfully known as "The College Cavaliers," which was credited to Rhode Island.
The target rifle used by the candidates for Berdan's sharpshooters had a telescopic sight, with crossed hairs or spider lines, and varied from eighteen to thirty pounds weight, as each man brought his own pet weapon. One was produced which scaled full fifty, and won the name of " the baby cannon." In these trials, wind flags were dis- allowed. Each rifle was loaded with a most precisely-measured charge of loose, quick-burning black powder, Hazard's or Dupont's
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best. The caps were double-heavy copper and waterproof. The mis- sile was conical, slightly flattened at the business end, and wholly flat at the rear. It was made of the softest lead, that it might "mushroom " (spread) on contact. It weighed upwards of an ounce and a quarter, and was set in on a round, oiled patch of fine linen, by means of a guide, starter, and loading muzzle. This muzzle was about an inch and a half long, set in the barrel with dowel pins. Originally a part of the barrel, the rifling exactly correspondcd. The loading muzzle was slightly countersunk, to receive the patch, whose folds should be precise duplicates of each other, all around the slug, on reaching the barrel. The usual rifling was one turn for about thirty inches, the twist gaining towards the muzzle. The bore was somewhat larger at the breech than at the muzzle, with the idea of starting the bullet freely, filling the grooves and giving a steady, rotary motion. The ramrod had a detachable worm on the top, and was made of selected hickory, while the lower end was fitted to the bullet. A cleaning rod, holding the linen by means of notches, was also used. There was a set and pull trigger, for which latter a very slight touch sufficed. The firing was done from a rest, after most deliberate reflection. The number of shots was ten, on a twelve-inch target-circle. Measurements were always from the math- ematical center of the target to that of the bullet hole.
This weapon was used at the front effectively, under favorable conditions, as at Yorktown, but Sharp's rifle was preferred for gen- eral service. The stocks of these huge affairs were of the choicest woods, carved as finely as use admitted, and often elaborately inlaid with silver, one of the ornaments opening, most likely, to provide some convenience for the gunner. The oil used was the finest sperm. Watches or horses never were compared more critically than werc these arms, between gencrous and manly rival experts, whose string of ten shots, in some cases, would run as low as seven and a half inches off exact center. The barrel of one of these guns (a very light one) which survives disuse is thirty-two inches long, provided with various gauges and screw telescope-elevator, and was made with the most minute fidelity by that veritable fine-art workman, John I. Eastman, who superintended these tests, calling to his aid his kins- man, Lowell Eastman, another superb marksman. The only maker of this kind of rifle now living in Concord is James E. Gage. When firing was over, the weapon was most carefully wiped out at once, as always after every discharge, preliminary to further cleansing, and then cradled in a handsome wooden case, with all the carc be- stowed upon a pampered infant.
June 28, 1861, was a day on which there was a historic debate in
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the legislature. The subject was a bill entitled "an act to aid in the defence of the country." This bill contemplated the raising of one million dollars for the state, should so much be called for by the exigencies of the times. The first amendment was offered by Aaron P. Hughes of Nashua, and named five hundred thousand dollars as the gross sum. This was defeated, one hundred and twelve to one hundred and seventy-six. The second amendment, offered by Thomas J. Smith of Wentworth, was to insert the word " lawful " before the word "call" in the following phrase: " In order to answer any call for troops from this State." This was defeated, eighty-seven to one hundred and fifty-nine. The third amendment was offered by Harry Bingham of Littleton, thus: "Provided that such military force is not employed in the work of subjugating and holding as a conquered province any sovereign state now or lately one of the United States." This was defeated, ninety-two to one hundred and sixty-five.
Three roll calls, in addition to the main question, with full dis- cussion, occupied morning, afternoon, and evening. The flow of oratory corresponded with the fervor of the season. All space which the floor admitted was jammed with hearers. The galleries were packed, and all approaches half available for seeing or hearing were thronged as soon as the sessions began.
The line of argument pursued can be inferred readily from the nature of the amendments. The vigor and directness of the speeches cannot be doubted, with keen participants in the struggle. By rea- son of personalities, sharp replies, charges and eountercharges, the gavel of the speaker, Edward Ashton Rollins, was well occupied in keeping the debate within limits which might be called parliamen- tary, till the late hour when a vote of one hundred and sixty-nine to ninety-four, on the passage of the bill, made relief and fresh air possible.
On July 3, " an earnest and solemn protest " against the passage of the bill, bearing ninety-one names, was presented and spread upon the record. In its terms, the state's rights question was indubitably present.
A special session of the legislature met in August, 1864. On the 24th, a bill allowing soldiers to vote for presidential electors and congressmen, subject to the supreme court's opinion, was about to become a law, without the governor's signature, having been passed - by both houses on the previous week. About this bill there had bcen general rumors of a veto. On the afternoon of the 24th John G. Sinclair of Bethlehem arose and presented a document purporting to be from the governor. Speaker William E. Chandler declined to
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receive the paper at his hands. Mr. Sinclair said that it had been enveloped and sealed by himself, and opened and proceeded to read the paper, but the speaker ruled that such reading was not in order. After various proceedings and amid the wildest disorder, a motion to adjourn was made, upon which the yeas and nays were demanded. During the calling of the roll, Secretary of State Tenny appeared and laid upon the speaker's desk a document which he stated to be a message from the governor. The uproar was such that members were obliged to go to the clerk's desk to record their votes. The aim of one side was to get the paper before the house; that of the other, to adjourn. The adjournment was declared effected, one hun- dred and forty-two to eighty-eight, the communication not having been received. This was probably the most riotous occasion ever known in our legislative halls. During the interval between the lay- ing of the bill on the governor's desk in the council chamber and the appearance of the supposed vetoes, Governor Gilmore and Secretary of State Tenny had vanished. A curious chapter of political history, worthy of enlargement, is suggested by the Statesman's comment that " there has, all along, been a degree of intimacy, in and out of the legislature, between the governor and certain Democrats, which created a degree of suspicion in the minds of Republican members, and put them upon the watch for the fate of a bill which, if it become a law, will exert a material influence upon the approaching and subsequent elections." The supreme court decided that the bill was constitutional and had become a law by limitation of time.
In February and March, 1864, parts of the Second, Fifth, Twelfth, and Fourteenth came back to recruit, and, incidentally, to vote. The Sixth was already at home. The gubernatorial vote of this spring was Gilmore, thirty-seven thousand and six ; Harrington, thirty-one thousand three hundred and forty ; scattering, seventy-nine. In the fall, the highest Republican presidential elector had thirty-four thou- sand five hundred and twenty-nine; Democratic, thirty-two thousand three hundred and forty-four ; Soldiers' vote,-Republican, two thou- sand and sixty-six ; Democratic, six hundred and ninety.
The First regiment arrived home August 5, 1861, at 7 a. m., and was received by the Horse Guards and a goodly assemblage of citizens. As this early arrival was unexpected, the Zouaves and Home Guards did not appear. A substantial collation was provided in the state house yard, after a speech by Governor Berry, and two days off duty were given all. The men were brown, rugged, and ragged. For new troops, they had had some severe marches and a large amount of guard and picket duty in a comparatively unevent- ful term of service. The regiment had performed well the chicfest
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duty of every soldier-obedience to orders. There had been four deaths from various causes, and five had been captured. While but little can be said of the regiment as a whole, the later service of many of its members shows it to have been a most worthy school, whose effects were felt immensely in the membership of all other forces which went out from this state; indeed, it may be added, to no small extent, in every New England state, New York, and the regular service. It was most literally a lump of leaven, and many of the First attained high distinction in other bodies. They were equal to the opportunity and laid firm hold on it. When they came back to civil life it was with a new sense of personal power, duty, and responsibility which counted to the public benefit and enrichment.
It was now more than a quarter of a century since the public peace had been marred by a riotous outbreak and the good name of Con- cord sullied by lawlessness. But 1861, under heated conditions of war times, saw its repetition. The cause of offence was The Demo- cratic Standard, a weekly, whose office was in the third story of Low's block, almost opposite the foot of School street, on a passage- way leading to the rear of the buildings on the east side of Main street and towards the railroad. John B. Palmer was the publisher, and the practical work was wholly performed by Brackett Palmer and his sons. The editor was Edmund Burke of Newport, formerly con- gressman from this state and also commissioner of patents,-a man of ability and intense convictions. Mr. Burke's writings were of the most aggressive, acrimonious, and excoriating nature, and were so intemperate as to be the moving cause of the most remarkable breach of law and order which has ever happened in Concord. The Standard had supported Breckinridge as a presidential candidate, and was in the keenest opposition to The Patriot, which latter had championed the cause of Douglas, and was in moderate opposition to the war. The Standard sharply criticised the conservative stand of ex-President Pierce and his friends, and even printed a half double- column caricature of William Butterfield, editor of The Patriot, whose height and leanness made him a subject peculiarly suited for pictorial exaggeration. The Standard was so rank in its handling of all war themes that the Republicans pointed to it as an honest sample of how the entire Democratic press felt, at heart, on burning public issues ; while the Democrats spoke of it as a subsidized shect, main- tained by the enemy to scandalize the party and furnish the opposi- tion with texts for editorial preaching. George Hutchins, owner of the building, had more than once warned the Palmers out and told them of their danger, but they had availed themselves of their legal rights to remain. As Concord was the very heart of New Hamp-
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shire's relations to the Civil War, it is hardly to be wondered that The Standard establishment and the persons connected with it were denounced and threatened publicly and frequently, to their faces, and were not without admonitions from friendly people. Indeed, the attack on the paper had been freely advised, directly and indi- rectly, and long before the riot it was an open secret that the paper was to be " cleaned out." As a matter of fact, this event was inevi- table from the manner in which the publication exceeded the limits of discussion, both in tone and language. One cannot find, in a com- plete file, many words and phrases attributed to The Standard. But of most objectionable matter there is no lack, from caustic leaders down to verses of semi-satisfaction at the Bull Run defeat, under the sting of which so great a share of the populace was smarting, even many of those who did not support the administration. A number of the Second regiment, including citizens of Concord, had met the fate of soldiers in that opening fight, and to do anything but lament over that defeat was to incense the people.
It was August 8 when the event not dimly foreshadowed came to pass. The First regiment had returned, had two days off duty and was in camp on the Plains, to be paid off and mustered out on the following day. Soon after business opened the office was visited by a soldier delegation, who made inquiries and remonstrances and said much, the exact terms of which are not essential to this record. The outside of the paper had been printed and a large part of the inside was in type, August 3 being the last issue circulated. This commit- tee reported on the street; doubtless at the camp likewise. The knots of people increased until a crowd of a thousand or more had gathered and then became a mob, partly owing to the appearance of two of the Palmers, armed with a gun and axe, at the windows.
At this time John M. Hill, treasurer of the Gas Light company, with an office on the present site of Durgin's factory on School street, had noticed the ferment and informed City Marshal John Kimball of what was in the air, and was immediately called on by the marshal to assist him. About this time High Sheriff Nehemiah G. Ordway was engaged in reading the riot act to such as would give atten- tion, from the vantage point of an awning on the west of the street. Messrs. Kimball and Hill at once went to the office, the latter gain- ing entrance to the composing-room, and found John Palmer armed with a revolver, Charles with an axe, and Frank with a gun of ancient date. In behalf of the city marshal protection was offered, conditioned on surrender of the weapons. This was accepted after quite a parley, and some of the weapons were given up. Meanwhile, Mr. Kimball was at the head of the stairs, trying to control the
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crowd, which had packed the dark and narrow entry, though warned to keep out before the two mediators had ascended. This was com- posed of many more civilians than of soldiers. When Mr. Hill came out, the door was locked, and during his report a rush was made, carrying Mr. Kimball to the door, where he stood with his helper.
Among those at the head of the mob was Charles P. Clark, an officer's servant. Though but fifteen years old Clark was a most venturesome youth. He had been seen to ascend the state house dome and sit astride its surmounting eagle; climb, by the lightning rod, the spire of the Unitarian church (second building) and stand upright upon its acorn, the loftiest point of the city's structures.
A vigorous kick at the door, and in went the panel, Clark imme- diately stooping down and shaking his fist at those inside. Attempt- ing to enter, he was more than once dragged back by the two deter- mined men, who still would stand off the assailants. Trying again, with head inside, John Palmer fired twice, putting a hole in Clark's hat and wounding in the hand a man on the stairs. These were the only shots fired, but they were enough, for the crowd jammed madly forward, broke down the door, and began to wreck everything which could be wrecked, and throw out everything which could be thrown out, till the room was chaos, the sidewalk and passageway thick with type and material, and all wooden furniture and paper food for fires in the street. Meanwhile, Messrs. Kimball and Hill had hurried the Palmers by an overhead passage into Rumford hall, whence they were later carried to a place of safety.
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