History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 3

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390

USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 3

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SUPERINTENDENT OF COUNTY FARM Albert J. Trottier, Brentwood. CHAPLAIN Rev. J. Dodd Matthews, Brentwood. PHYSICIAN Dr. Abram W. Mitchell, Epping.

CHAPTER III

MILITARY HISTORY

The First Regiment-The Second Regiment-The Third Regiment-The Fourth Regiment-The Fifth Regiment-The Sixth Regiment-The Seventh Regiment-The Eighth Regiment-The Ninth Regiment.

As histories of nearly all the New Hampshire regiments have been pub- lished, we shall give only an outline of the battles in which the regiments were engaged and a few details of the regiments in which men from Rock- ingham County were prominent.

The lightning had scarcely flashed the intelligence to the expectant North that Major Anderson and his gallant band had surrendered as prisoners of war to the Southern Confederacy, ere the patriotic sons of Rockingham were rallying to the support of their imperiled country. Men and money were promptly raised, and the record of Rockingham County during the whole struggle is one in which its citizens may justly feel a patriotic pride.

New Hampshire had no organized militia that could be called into active service. The enrollment required by law had been so imperfect that no fair and equal draft could be made upon her citizens liable to be called into active service, in case of insurrection at home or invasion from abroad, and it only remained for the governor to call for volunteers to fill the quota of the state-one regiment of 780 officers and men-under the call of the presi- dent for 75,000 troops for three months' service. Immediately upon the receipt by telegraph of President Lincoln's Proclamation, Ichabod Goodwin, of Portsmouth, then governor, issued the following order :

"STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Concord, April 16, 1861.

"To Joseph C. Abbott, Adjutant and Inspector-General of the New Hampshire Militia :

"Sir-The President of the United States having, in pursuance of the act of Congress approved February 28, 1795, called upon the State of New Hampshire for a regiment of militia, consisting of ten companies of infan- try, to be held in readiness to be mustered into the service of the United States for the purpose of quelling insurrection and supporting the govern- ment :

"I, Ichabod Goodwin, governor of New Hampshire, command you to

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

make proclamation, calling for volunteers from the enrolled militia of this state, to the number required, and to issue from time to time all necessary orders and instructions for enrolling and holding in readiness to be mus- tered into the service of said volunteer corps, agreeably to the aforesaid requisition.

"ICHABOD GOODWIN, "Governor and Commander-in-Chief.

"By the command of the governor,

"Thomas L. Tullock, Secretary of State."

The Legislature was not in session and would not convene, except under a special call, until the following June. There were no funds in the treas- ury which could be devoted to the expense of the organization and equip- ment of troops, as all the available funds were needed to meet the ordinary state expenditures. The great confidence of the people of New Hamp- shire in the wisdom and integrity of Mr. Goodwin found in this emergency full expression. Without requiring time to convene the Legislature so as to obtain the security of the state for the loan, the banking institutions and citizens of the state tendered him the sum of $680,000 for the purpose of enabling him to raise and equip for the field New Hampshire's quota of troops. This offer he gladly accepted; and averting delay in the proceed- ings by refraining from convening the Legislature, he, upon his own respon- sibility, proceeded to organize and equip troops for the field; and in less than two months he had dispatched to the army, near Washington, two well equipped and well officered regiments. Of this sum of $680,000 only about $100,000 was expended. On the assembling of the Legislature that body unanimously passed the "Enabling Act," under which all his proceed- ings as governor were ratified and the state made to assume the responsi- bility.

The First New Hampshire Regiment was a three-months' regiment and the men who began to arrive in camp at Concord on April 24th, were mus- tered into the United States service May 1, 1861, and left Concord May 25th under command of Col. Mason W. Tappan. Although the First Regi- ment did not have the privilege of inscribing any pitched battles upon their banner, they yet rendered arduous and important service. Many re-enlisted and served in other New Hampshire regiments with honor and distinction. Only a few men were from Rockingham County. The regiment was mus- tered out of service at Concord, August 12, 1861.

The Second Regiment was recruited under the first call for 75,000 troops. The men were enlisted for three months, but before the organization of the regiment was completed the call came for 300,000 three-years' troops, and a large majority of the men re-enlisted for the full term. The regiment went into camp at Portsmouth, with Thomas P. Pierce, Esq., of Manchester, as colonel. Upon the re-enlistment of the men as three-years' troops, Colonel Pierce resigned, and Hon. Gilman Marston, of Exeter, was appointed colonel, with Frank S. Fiske, of Keene, as lieutenant-colonel, and Josiah Stevens, Jr., of Concord, as major.

The regiment left Portsmouth June 20, 1861, and arrived at Washing-

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ton on the 23d, and went into camp on Seventh street. While here the regi- ment was brigaded with the First and Second Rhode Island, the Seventy- first New York, and the Second Rhode Island Battery, the whole under command of Gen. A. E. Burnside. 1135622

July 16th the regiment started on its first campaign, and received its baptism of fire on the disastrous battlefield of Bull Run. Here Colonel Marston was wounded in the shoulder by a rifle ball. In this sanguinary struggle the Second fought nobly, and was acknowledged to be one of the best regiments on the field. Its loss was seven killed, fifty-six wounded, and forty-six prisoners. Of the latter, however, many doubtless died on the field.

We next find the regiment on the Peninsula, and in the battle of Wil- liamsburg, where it lost eighteen killed, sixty-six wounded, and twenty-three missing. It soon after participated in the battles of Fair Oaks, Mechanics- ville, and Gaines' Mill.

At the close of the Peninsula campaign, in which the Second had ever borne an active part, the regiment returned to Alexandria, and was immedi- ately ordered to Warrenton Junction to reinforce General Pope.

The second battle of Bull Run soon followed, and here the gallant Second added fresh laurels to those already won on many a hard-contested field. The regiment entered the battle with 332. Of these sixteen were killed, eighty-seven wounded, and twenty-nine missing. Ten out of twenty-one commissioned officers were killed or wounded.

Passing over many details in the history of the regiment, our record comes to the Ist of July, 1863, and the ever memorable battle of Gettysburg. In this terrible contest, which has gone down in history as one of the most sanguinary struggles of war, the Second New Hampshire played an impor- tant part and suffered greater loss than in any of the numerous fights in which it was engaged.

The carnage of those July days is too well known to need especial men- tion in this connection. The thin and decimated ranks of the Second at the close of the contest showed only too well the fierceness of the struggle. Before the battle twenty-four officers and three hundred and thirty men had responded to roll call. Of this number nineteen had been shot dead, 136 wounded, and thirty-eight missing. All the field officers were wounded; Captains Metcalf and Roberts were killed, and Lieutenants Ballard, Dascomb, Vickery, and Patch died of their wounds. Captain Hubbard was mortally wounded, and was found within the enemy's lines, where he had been buried by brother Masons. Lieutenants Perkins and Converse each lost an arm, and eight other officers were wounded. Major Sayles was also wounded. The total loss of the regiment was 193 out of 354.

We next find this battle-scarred regiment in the memorable battle of Cold Harbor, where it lost seventy either killed or wounded. This was the last battle of the original Second New Hampshire, and it was fierce and bloody enough to fitly crown three years of active service.

December 19, 1865, the regiment was mustered out of the service, and on the 23d reached Concord. The Second saw severe service, and its his- tory is a record of many of the hardest fought battles of the war.

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

The Third Regiment .- The Third Regiment was the second regiment raised in the state under the call for three-years' troops. It was organized in 1861, and mustered into the United States service between the 22d and 26th of August, by Maj. Seth Eastman, of the regular army. It rendez- voused at Camp Berry, Concord.

The regimental officers were as follows: Colonel, Hawkes Fearing, Jr. He, however, resigned, and Enoch Q. Fellows was appointed his successor.

Lieutenant-colonel, John H. Jackson.

Major, John Bedell.

The regiment consisted of 1,047 officers and men, raised throughout the state generally, Rockingham County furnishing a few, but no entire company. September 3d the regiment left the Granite Hills and proceeded to Long Island, where they went into camp.

From this time until the close of its term of service the history of this regiment is a history of many of the severest battles of the war. It par- ticipated in the following engagements: Port Royal, November 7, 1861 ; Elba Island, March 7, 1862; Bluffton, March 16, 1862; Jehosse, April 10, 14, and 17, 1862; James Island, June 8, 1862; Secessionville, June 16, 1862; Pocotaligo, October 22, 1862; May River, January 7, 1863; Stone Inlet, April 7, 1863; Morris Island, July 10, 1863; Fort Wagner, July 18, 1863; siege of Wagner, July 18 to September 7, 1863; siege of Sumter, September 7, 1863, to March 1, 1864; Pilatka, April 3, 1864; Chester Station, May 9, 1864; Drury's Bluff, May 13 to 16, 1864; Bermuda Hundred, May 18, 1864; Wier Bottom Church, June 2, 1864; Petersburg, June 9, 1864; Hatcher's Run, June 16, 1864; Flussell's Mills, August 16, 1864; siege of Petersburg, August 16, 1864: New Market Heights, September 29, 1864; demonstration towards Richmond, September 29 and October 1, 1864; New Market Road, October 7, 1864; Darbytown Road, October 13, 1864; Charles City Road. October 27, 1864; Fort Fisher, January 15, 1865; Sugar-Loaf Hill, February 11, 1865; Wilmington, Smith's Creek, and Northeast Ferry.

During its term of service the regiment had on its rolls 1,818 men. One hundred and ninety were killed in battle or died of wounds, 137 died of disease. Mustered out July 20, 1865.

The Fourth Regiment .- This regiment was mustered into the service September 18, 1861, with Thomas J. Whipple, of Laconia, as colonel; Louis Bell, of Farmington, lieutenant-colonel; and Jeremiah D. Drew, of Salem, as major. Company H enlisted at Salem. Colonel Whipple resigned in 1862, and May 16, 1862, Lieutenant-Colonel Bell was commissioned colonel, and was killed at Fort Fisher, January 15, 1865. Jeremiah D. Drew, of Salem, was commissioned lieutenant-colonel December 1, 1863. George F. Towle of Portsmouth was commissioned major January 3, 1865.

The Fourth left Manchester for Washington on the 27th of September, under command of Colonel Whipple, and on Monday, the 30th, they arrived at the Federal capital, and encamped on the Bladensburg road about a mile and a half from the city, where they were armed with Belgian rifles, and at once put to drilling.

The regiment subsequently participated in the battles of Drury's Bluff,

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Cold Harbor, the battle of the Mine, and its last memorable battle, which has gone down in history as the attack of Fort Fisher.

The second expedition against Fort Fisher was commanded by General Terry, while General Ames, with forces selected from his old division, was to do the hard fighting. The regiments chosen were among the best in the army, of large experience and unchallenged bravery, prepared for the work by such battles and assaults as Wagner, Morris Island, Drury's Bluff, Cold Harbor, and the battle of the Mine. Every man of the Fourth capable of doing duty was brought into the ranks, and the regiment was commanded by Capt. John H. Roberts. It embarked on the good steamer Baltic, a sad remnant of the full regiment which had filled the spacious saloons and cabins of the same vessel on the expedition to Port Royal. Once more the transports floated before the long line of sandy mounds known as Fort Fisher. Gallantly leading his brigade, Colonel Bell had almost gained the bridge, when a shot struck him and he fell mortally wounded. A moment later and the colors of his own regiment, which he had loved so long and so well, were planted on the first mound of the fort. Thus fell the colonel of the Fourth New Hampshire, dearly beloved and deeply mourned by his brigade. Dignified yet genial, brave yet cautious, never sacrificing lives use- lessly, ever ready to share danger and hardship with his men, no influence or peril could deter him from doing his duty, or shake a resolution once formed. The regiment was mustered out, and arrived home August 27, 1865.

Fifth Regiment .- This regiment was organized in 1861. Edward E. Cross, of Lancaster, was colonel; Samuel G. Langley, lieutenant-colonel ; Wm. W. Cook, of Derry, major. The regiment rendezvoused at Concord, and October 29th left for the seat of war. The regiment saw severe service, and participated in the following engagements: Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, Antietam, Charleston, Va., Snicker's Gap, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, Deep Bottom, Hatcher's Run, Five Forks, and Farmville. The regiment was mustered out July 8, 1865. No regiment in the service from any state fought better, and few, if any, fought oftener.

The Sixth Regiment .- This regiment was organized at Keene, and mus- tered into the service on the 27th, 28th, and 30th of November, 1861. Com- pany C was from Rockingham County. December 25th the regiment left for the seat of war, and upon arrival at Washington was assigned to Burn- side's expedition. The history of the Sixth is the history of many of the severest battles of the war.

No regiment from the state and none in the army won a prouder name or made a more honorable record than the gallant old veteran Sixth.

The following is a list of battles in which it was actively engaged: Cam- den, N. C., April 19, 1862; Second Bull Run, Va., August 29, 1862; Chan- tilly, Va., September 1, 1862; South Mountain, Md., September 13. 1862; Antietam, Md., September 17, 1862; Fredericksburg, Va., December 13, 1862; siege of Vicksburg, Miss .; Jackson, Miss .; Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1864; Spottsylvania Court House, Va., May 12, 1864; Spottsylvania Court House, Va., May 18, 1864; North Anna River, Va., May 24, 1864; Tolo- potomy Creek, Va., May 31, 1864; Bethesda Church, Va., June 2, 1864;

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, 1864; Petersburg, Va., June 16, 1864; Petersburg, Va., June 17, 1864; Petersburg, Va., June 18, 1864; Weldon Railroad, Va., July 30, 1864; Poplar Spring Church, Va., September 30, 1864; Hatcher's Run, Va., October 27, 1864; Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1865.

Besides these the regiment was present at many skirmishes and recon- noissances, which are not mentioned as it suffered no loss. In addition to these there were many days during the campaign in the Wilderness and for nine weeks before Petersburg when the regiment was constantly under fire, and suffered heavy losses in the aggregate. The regiment was mustered out in July, 1865.

The Seventh Regiment .- This regiment was raised by Joseph C. Abbot in the fall of 1861, and December 14th same year was mustered into the service with the following officers :

Colonel, H. S. Putnam, regular army.

Lieutenant-Colonel, Joseph C. Abbot, of Manchester.

Major, Daniel Smith, of Dover.

The first engagement in which the Seventh participated was the unsuc- cessful assault on Fort Wagner. This was one of the memorable assaults of the war, and during the hour and a half the engagement lasted the gal- lant Seventh lost 218 killed, wounded, and missing, with Colonel Putnam and four line-officers among the killed. The regiment subsequently partici- pated in the battles of Olustee, Lempster Hill, Drury's Bluff, Petersburg, Deep Bottom (where Lieutenant-Colonel Henderson was killed), New Market Heights, Laurel Hill, Darbytown Road, Fort Fisher.

The Eighth Regiment .- There were a few men from Rockingham County in the regiment, but no organization. The regiment was mustered into the service December 23, 1861, in Manchester. The regiment participated in various engagements, the most memorable of which was the attack on Port Hudson, where it suffered more than any other regiment in the army. In December, 1863, the Eighth was changed to "Second New Hampshire Cav- alry." It was mustered out in December, 1864.

Ninth Regiment .- There were a few men from Rockingham County in this regiment, which was recruited in 1862, with E. Q. Fellows, of Sandwich, as colonel. The regiment participated in the battles of South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Spottsylvania, the "Mine," Poplar Grove Church. The Ninth saw hard service, and suffered severely.

CHAPTER IV

MILITARY HISTORY-(Concluded)

The Tenth Regiment-The Eleventh Regiment-The Thirteenth Regiment- The Fourteenth Regiment-The Fifteenth Regiment-The Sixteenth Regiment-The Eighteenth Regiment-The First Heavy Artillery-The Sharpshooters.

Tenth Regiment .- This regiment was raised during the dark hours of 1862, when the glamour of military life had passed away, and grim-visaged war stood out before the people in all its horrors. It was commanded by Col. Michael P. Donohoe, who was subsequently breveted brigadier-gen- eral. Rockingham County had one company, "G," in this regiment, which was raised in Portsmouth and Greenland. George W. Towle was captain.

The history of the Tenth Regiment contains nothing which need cause any of its members to be ashamed of the organization in which they served, while it is a record of brave deeds and heroic sacrifices of which any soldier might well feel proud. Other regiments from the state may have been through more battles and lost more men, but none ever fought more gallantly or discharged whatever duty devolved upon them more faithfully. With the Army of the Potomac at Fredericksburg and Cold Harbor, and the Army of the James at Drury's Bluff, Fort Harrison, and all the bloody campaign of 1864, its history is inseparably connected, and as long as the war for the Union and its heroes shall be gratefully remembered by the people in whose behalf so much was risked, the story of the Tenth New Hampshire will never cease to be of interest.

The regiment was mustered out June 21, 1865.

The Eleventh Regiment .- The Eleventh Regiment was recruited and mus- tered into the service in August, 1862, with the following officers: Colonel, Walter Harriman, of Warner; major, Moses A. Collins, of Exeter; and chaplain, Frank K. Stratton, of Hampton.

There were three companies recruited from Rockingham County for the regiment, A, B, and I. The Eleventh 'Regiment left Concord on the IIth of September, 1862, and arrived at Washington on the 14th.

The Eleventh Regiment joined in the grand review of the Second, Fifth, and Ninth Corps, Sherman's entire army, and some other troops at Wash- ington on the 23d and 24th of May. It was the grandest spectacle of the kind ever witnessed in this country. Two hundred thousand armed veterans passed the whole length of Pennsylvania avenue, the reviewing officers being stationed in front of the president's house.

The Eleventh was mustered out of the United States service on the 4th

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

of June, and immediately started for home, arriving at Concord on the after- noon of the 7th, meeting with a hearty reception in the state house yard. On the roth the regiment was paid off and formally discharged. By order of the commanding general of the army, for meritorious conduct in. battle, the Eleventh Regiment inscribed upon its banner "Fredericksburg, Vicks- burg, Jackson, East Tennessee, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Weldon Railroad, Poplar Grove Church, Hatcher's Run, Petersburg."

Thirteenth Infantry .- This was the fifth regiment raised by the state, in the fall of 1862, under the call of the president for 600,000 troops.

In its organization of ten companies seven counties were represented, Rockingham furnishing two. The first company went into camp at Con- cord on the IIth of September. The whole were mustered into the United States service on the 18th, 19th, and 20th of the same month, and on the 23d the field officers were also mustered.

Aaron F. Stevens, Esq., of Nashua, who had served as major of the First New Hampshire, was commissioned colonel; George Bowers, of the same city, who had served in Mexico, was lieutenant-colonel; and Jacob I. Storer, of Portsmouth, was major.

On the 5th of October, in the presence of a great assembly, the Thirteenth received its colors, at the state house, and on the following day left the capitol for Washington, fully armed and equipped.

The Thirteenth Regiment participated in the final movement upon Rich- mond, on the 3d of April, 1865. General Devens, commanding the division, in a complimentary letter to Governor Smyth, of this state, dated at Rich- mond, June 22, 1865, speaking of the Tenth, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Regi- ments, says, "On the formation of the Twenty-fourth Corps, all these regi- ments formed a part of the Third Division, to which they have until now belonged, and were of the first column that entered Richmond on the morn- ing of April 3, 1865, the Thirteenth New Hampshire being the first regiment of the army whose colors were brought into the city." The Thirteenth was mustered out of the United States service on the 22d of June, and came home with the Tenth and Twelfth, under command of Brevet Brigadier-General Donohoe. Arrived at Nashua, the officers of the brigade assembled at the Indian Head House, and Capt. George A. Bruce, of the Thirteenth, upon the staff of General Donohoe, in their behalf, presented General Aaron F. Stevens, their old and esteemed commander, a sabre, sash, and belt, suitable to his rank. The general accepted the gift in a handsome and feeling speech, after which he reviewed the brigade, and it appeared so well as to receive the warmest encomiums of thousands of spectators who witnessed it.

Authority was received from the general commanding the army for the Thirteenth Regiment to inscribe upon its colors the names and dates of the following engagements: Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862; siege of Suf- folk, April and May, 1863: Walthal Road, May 7, 1864; Swift Creek, May 9 and 10, 1864; Kingsland Creek, May 12 and 13, 1864; Drury's Bluff, May 14 and. 16, 1864: Cold Harbor, June I and 3. 1864; Battery 5, Petersburg, June 15, 1864: Battery Harrison, September 29 and 30, 1864.

The regiment was paid off and finally discharged at Concord on the Ist

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

of July, 1865. Its record while in the service is a better commendation than words.

The Fourteenth Regiment .- This was recruited principally from the west- ern part of the state, although a few were furnished by Rockingham County. It was mustered into the service in September, 1862, with Robert Wilson, of Keene, as colonel. It participated in the battles of Winchester, Cedar Creek, etc. It lost by death over two hundred men and officers, seventy of whom fell in battle or died of their wounds.

The Fifteenth Regiment .- This was the first regiment raised in New Hampshire under the president's call for 300,000 nine-months' troops. There were a few men from Rockingham County, and John W. Kingman, of Durham, was colonel, George W. Frost, of New Market, lieutenant- colonel.

The regiment was mustered into the service November 12, 1862, and upon arriving at the front was assigned to the division commanded by General Sherman. Their first engagement was the assault on Port Hudson.

On the 26th of July the regiment turned over its camp and ordnance stores and started on its way home. It reached Concord on the 8th of August, and was mustered out, paid, and discharged on the 13th. When the regiment was mustered out of service, though there were thirty-nine officers and 702 enlisted men whose names were borne upon the rolls, less than thirty officers and not four hundred and fifty enlisted men were fit for duty. The siege of Port Hudson and the climate of Louisiana had thus sadly thinned the ranks.

The Sixteenth Regiment .- This regiment was mustered into the service in November, 1862, with James Pike, of Sanbornton, as colonel. One com- pany (K) was recruited in Rockingham County. Though this regiment saw but little hard fighting, it suffered as much from disease, induced by exposure and the malaria of southern swamps, as any from New Hampshire had done from all causes combined in the same length of time. It was mustered out in August, 1863.

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History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 3

Author: Hazlett, Charles A Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold Number of Pages: 1390

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390