USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 3
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 3
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54; Joshaa Pierce, 1742-54; Daniel Warner, 1742-45; William Moore, 1742-48; John Newmarch, 1748-65; John Wentworth, 1754-73; Clement March, 1754-75; Peter Livins, 1765-72; John Phillipe, 1771-75; Christopher Toppao, 1774-75; Nathaniel Fol- som, 1776-90; John Laogdon, 1776-77; John Dudley, 1776-85; Josiah. Bartlett, 1776-82; Timothy Walker, 1777-1809; Samuel Ilale, 1778-85; John Culfe, 1783-1808; Abiel Foster, 1784-89; William Parker, 1790-1807; Thomas Bartlett, 1790-1505; Levi Bartlett, 1808-13; Richard Jenness, 1809-13; Daniel Gookin, 1809- 13; Timothy Farrar. 1813-16; Ohver Peabody, 1813-16; Samuel Ilale, 1813-16; D. M. Durell, 1816-20; Levi Bartlett, 1816-17; George W. Prescott, 1817-18; John Harvey, 1818-20 ; Hall Burgen, 1818-20; Arthur Livermore, 1824-33; Timothy Farrow, Jr., 1824- 33; Josiah Butler, 1824-33; Bradbury Bartlett, 1832; Dadley Freese, 1832-42; Charles F. Gove, 1843; Noah Tilbetts, 1843-44 ; James Pickering, 1843-53; James H. Butler, 1852-55 ; Joliu Scam- mon, 1853-55.
Jonathan Kittridge, Canaan, C. J., Aag. 18, 1855, to Aug. 1, 1859. J. Everett Sargeat, Wentworth, J., Ang. 18, 1855, to Aug. I, 1859. Heary F. French, Exeter, J., Aug. IS, 1855, to Ang. 1, 1859.
CIRCUIT COURT.
William L. Foster, Concord, C. J., Ang. 14, 1874, to July 22, 1876. Edward D. Rand, Lisbon, J, Ang. 14, 1874, to Jaly 22, 1876
Clinton W. Stanley, Manchester, J., Aug. 14, 1874, to July 22, 1876.
SHERIFFS.
The list of sheriff's prior to 1741 is necessarily in- complete. The following list is from 1683 to 1883, covering a period of two hundred years :
Richard Jose, 1683; Thomas P'hips; Theodore Atkinson, 1729 ; Richard Wibird, 1732 : Eleazer Russell, 1733; Thomas Packer, 1741-71 ; John Parker, 1771-91 ; George Reed, 1791-1x05; Oliver Peabody, 1805-10; Josiah Butler, 1810-13: Silas Betten, 1813-18; Clement Storer, INI8-23; John Bell, 1823-28; Clement Storer, 1828-30: Benjamin Jenness, 1830-35; Joseph Towle, 1835-40; Saomuel Marshall, 1840- 45; Stephen W. Dearbora, 1845; Nathan II. Leavitt, 1850; Rufus Dow, 1855; John S. Brown, 1855; Joseph B. Adams, 1860; Joseph P. Morse, 1865; Calch Moulton, 1870; Samuel Rowe, 1871 ; James W. Odlin, 1872; Samuel Rowe, 1874 ; J. Horace Kent, 1876-83.
JUDGES OF PROBATE.
For many years after the settlement of the province the county court was the court of probate; an appeal lying to the court of assessments. Subsequently the Governors of the province exercised the powers of judges of probate either personally or by substitute. In 1693, Lieutenant-Governor Usher acted as judge of probate, as did Lieutenant-Governor Partridge in 1699. Prior to 1703, Thomas Packer and Nathaniel Fryer had at different times appeared as judges of probate. After 1703 no Governor appears to have acted directly in that capacity.
The following is the list from 1693 to 1883:
Thomas Packer, 1693-97; Nathaniel Fryer, 1697-99; Joseph Smith, 1703- 8; Richard Waldron, 1708-30; Benjamin Gambling, 1737; Richard Waldron, 1737-42 ; Andrew Wiggin, 1742-56; Richard Wibird, 1756- 95; John Weatworth, 1765-73; John Sherburne, 1773-76; Phillips White, 1776-90; Oliver Peabody, 1790-93; Samuel Penney, 1793-80; Jeremiah Sosith, 1800-2 ; Nathaniel Rogers, 1802-15 ; Daniel Gookin, 1815-26; Johu Harvey, 1826-38; John Sullivan, 1838-48; Ira St. Clair, 1848-57; William W. Stickney, 1857-72; Joseph F. Wiggin, 1872-76; Thomas Leavitt, 1876-83.
REGISTERS OF PROBATE.
The following is a list of registers of probate from 1693 to 1883:
William Redford, 1693-97; Francis Tucker, 1697-99 ; Charles Story, 1699- 1716; Richard Gerrish, 1716-17; Richard Gambling, 1718-30; Rich- ard Waldron, 1730-31; Joho Penhallow, 1731-35; William Parker, 1735-81; William Parker, 1781-1813; John J. Parker, 1813-31; John Kelly, 1831-32; David A. Gregg, 1842-47; J. Hamilton Shapley,
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MILITARY HISTORY.
1847-52; William B. Morrill, 1852-57; S. Dana Wingate, 1857-65 ; Thomas Leavitt, 1865-76 ; Woodbury M. Durgin, 1876-83.
REGISTERS OF DEEDS.
George Smyth, 1647-53; Renald Fernald, 1654-56; Henry Sher- bune, 1657-59; Elias Stileman, 1659-82; Richard Chamberlain, 1682-87; John Pickering, 1690-92; llenry Penny, 1692-93; Thomas Davis, 1693; William Redford, 1693-96; William Vanghan, 1697- 1702; Samuel Penhallow, 1702-6; William Vaughan, 1705-17; Samuel Penhallow, 1719-22; Mark Hunking, 1722-28; Joshua Pierce, 1729-42; Daniel Pierce, 1743-73; Sammuel Brovka, 1776- 1801; Josialı Adams, 1801-9; Seth Walker, 1809-34; Francis D. Randall, 1834-40; John Woodbury, 1840-45; Josiah B. Wig- gin, 1845; David Murray, 1846-50; Josiah B. Wiggin, 1850-51; Nathaniel G. Gilman, 1851-52; J. Hamilton Shapley, 1852-54; Thomas Smith, 1854-55; William II. Hills, 1855-57 ; Thomas Smith, 1857-58; Benjamin D. Leighton, 1858-60; Alonzo J. Fogg, 1860-63; HIiram Smart, Jr., 1863-65; William H1. Belknap, 1865-72 ; George W. Weston, 1872.
CLERKS OF THE SUPREME COURT FROM 1700.
Theodore Atkinson, 1700; Clement Hughes, 1717; John Penhallow, 1729-37; Benjamiin Gambling, 1737-44; George Jeffrey, 1744-66; George King, 1767-80; Samuel Sherburne, 1780-81; Nathaniel Adamıs, 1781-1829; Peter Chadwick, 1829-37; Ira B. Hoitt, 1837-53; Albert H. Hoyt, 1853-56; Charles G. Connor, 1856.
CLERKS OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS FROM 1700.
Henry Penny, 1700-8; Benjamin Gambling, 1709; Richard Gerrishı, 1718; Theodore Atkinson, 1720; Henry Sherburne, 1729; Hunking Weot- worth, 1742; Isaac Rindge, 1770; Noah Emery, 1776-1816; Josiah Butler, 1816-17 ; Peter Chadwick, 1817-34; Ira B. Hoitt,1 1834.
SOLICITORS.
Oliver Peabody, 1789-91; E. St. L. Livermore, 1791-93; John Hale, 1793-96; Arthur Livermore, 1796-98; William Plummer, 1798- 1802; George Sullivan, 1802-6; Charles Walker, 1806-8; Daniel French, 1808-12 ; Samuel Green, 1812-19; Ichabod Bartlett, 1819- 21; Jonathan Steele. 1821-23 ; Sammel D. Bell, 1823-28; John Sul- Jivao, 1828-38; Henry F. French, 1838-49; Albert R. Ilatch, 1849- 66; Charles H. Bell, 1856-66; William B. Small, 1866-72; John S. H. Frink, 1872-76; William B. Small, 1876-79; Walter C. Harriman, 1879.
CHAPTER III. MILITARY HISTORY.
The Second Regimeot-The Third Regimeot-The Fourth Regiment- The Fifth Regiment-The Sixth Regiment-The Seventh Regiment -The Eighth Regiment-The Ninth Regiment-The Tenth Regi- ment.
THE lightning had scarcely flashed the intelligence to the expectant North that Maj. Anderson and his gallant band had surrendered as prisoners of war to the Southern Confederacy, cre the patriotic sons of Rock- ingham and Strafford were rallying to the support of their imperiled country. Men and money were promptly raised, and the record of these counties during the whole struggle is one in which their citi- zens may justły feel a patriotic pride:
The Second Regiment was recruited under the first call for seventy-five thousand troops. The men were enlisted for three months, but before the organization of the regiment was completed the call came for three
hundred thousand three-years' troops, and a large ma- jority 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, Col. Pierce resigned, and llon. Gilman Marston, of Exeter, was appointed colonel, with Frank S. Fiske, of Keene, as lieutenant-colonel, and Josiah Stevens, Jr., of Con- cord, as major.
The regiment left Portsmouth June 20, 1861, and arrived at Washington on the 23d, and went into camp on Seventh Street. While here the regiment 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.
July 16th the regiment started on its first campaign, and received its baptism of fire on the disastrous battle-field of Bull Run. Here Col. Marston was wounded in the shoulder by a rifle-ball. In this san- guinary 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.
Early in August the camp was removed to Bladens- burg, and the Second formed the first of a brigade to be commanded by Gen. Hooker.
We next find the regiment on the Peninsula, and in the battle of Williamsburg, where it lost eighteen killed, sixty-six wounded, and twenty-three missing. It soon after participated in the battles of Fair Oaks, Mechanicsville, and Gaines' Mill.
At the close of the Peninsula campaign, in which the Second had ever borne an active part, the regi- ment returned to Alexandria, and was immediately ordered to Warrenton Junction to reinforce Gen. Pope.
The second battle of Bull Ruu 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 three hundred and thirty-two. Of these sixteen were killed, eighty-seven wounded, and twenty-nine missing. Ten out of twen- ty-one commissioned officers were killed or wounded.
Passing over many details in the history of the regi- ment, our record comes to the 1st 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 the war, the Second New Hampshire played an important 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 mention 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
1 Same as clerk of Superior Court.
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HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
roll-call. Of this number nineteen had been shot dead, one hundred and thirty-six wounded, and thirty- eight missing. That battle clothed many a home in mourning in the old "Granite State." All the field- officers were wounded; Capts. Metcalf and Roberts were killed, and Lieuts. Ballard, Dascomb, Vickery, and Patch died of their wounds. Capt. Hubbard was mortally wounded, and was found within the enemy's lines, where he had been buried by brother Masons. Lieuts. Perkins and Converse each lost an arm, and eight other officers were wounded. Maj. Sayles was also wounded. The total loss of the regiment was one hundred and ninety-three out of three hundred and fifty-four.
We next find this battle-scarred regiment in the memorable battle of Cold Harbor, where it lost sev- enty 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.
Dec. 19, 1865, the regiment was mustered out of the service, and on the 23d reached Concord. On the 25th a reception was given the battle-scarred organi- zation, speeches being made by Governor Smyth, ex- Governor Gilmore, Adjt .- Gen. Nath. Head, Col. Herr- man, and Col. Peter Sanborn. On Tuesday, the 26th, the regiment was paid off, and the Second New Hampshire passed into history.
The Second furnished many officers for other com- mands, and as many of these as could be learned are here given :
Col. Gilman Marston was promoted to brig. gen., and served with dis- tinction in various commands during the war.
Adjt. S. G. Langley was afterwards commissioned lieut. col. of the Tenth N. Il.
Sergt. C. H. Lawrence, after ndjt. uf the regiment, was commissioned capt. and asst. adjt .- gen., and afterwards brevet maj.
Q.m. Godfrey was appointed capt, nud usst. q.m., pro. lient .- col., and served as chief q.n. of the Centre Grand Division.
Q.m .- Sergt. F. W. Perkins was made q.m. of the regiment, and pro. to capt., held various positions with rank of lieut,-col.
Com .- Sergt., afterwards Q m., James A. Couk, was pro. to capt. and com- missary of subsistence.
Corp. Thomas E. Burker, capt. in 12th, also lieut .- col. and col.
Capt T. A. Barker, pro. to lient .- col. 14th.
2d Lieut. H. B. Titus, maj., lieut .- col., and col. of 9th.
Capt. S. G. Griffin, lieut .- col. and col. of 6th ; pro. brig. and brevet maj .- gen.
Capt. Hiram Rollins, maj. and brevet lient .- col. Vet. Res. Corps.
2d Lient. A. B. Thompson, capt. 18th U. S. I.
2d Lient. W. H. Prescott, capt. 16th U. S. I.
Cspt. W. O. Sides waa trans. to Vet. Res. Corps with same rank.
2d Lient., afterwards Capt., S. O. Burnham, Vet. Res. Corps, rank 1st lieut.
2d Lieut. Charles Holmes, pro. capt. 17th U. S. I.
Asst, Surg. Bunton, asst. surg. and surg. of the 17th.
2d Lieut. E. ('. Adams, capt. Ist U. S. V.
2d Lient. John II. Lord, capt. in Hancock's corps.
1st Lient., afterwards Capt., E. W. Farr, maj. of the 11th.
Ist Lieut, Hiram K. Ladd, became 1st lient 18th.
C. A. Burnham, asst. surg. 3d.
O. M. Ilead, adjt. 8th.
John Sullivan, asst. surg. 13th.
Jos. E. Jamison, asst, surg 15th.
W. W. Wilkins, pro. to asst. surg.
John C. W. Moore, asst. surg. 11th.
Sergt. Charles S. Cooper, adjt. 75th U. S. C. T.
Sergt. W. A. Crafts, 2d lieut., capt., maj., lient .- col., and col. of 5th.
Sergt. F. M. Rhodes, capt. 14th.
Corp. Charles F. Goodwin, 2d lient. 5th.
Corp. and Sergt. J. W. Clark, Ist lient, and adjt. 18th Mnine.
Charles Wilkins, 2d lient. U. S. A.
Sergt. Edwin Vonng, 2d lieut. Ist U. S. V.
Corp. H F. Gerrish, Ist lient. 37th U. S. C. T., served as q.m. on division
and corps staff, capt. and asst. q.m. and brevet maj, and served as chief q.m. District of Northenstern Virginia.
Sergt. A B. Farmer, Ist lieut. and capt. Isth.
Sergt. Charles O. Howard, Ist lieut. 107th U. S. C. T.
Sergt. L. B. Adley, Ist lient. 22d U. S. C. T.
Corp. E. F. Jackman, Ist lieut. U. S. C. T.
Corp. J. B. Reed, capt. 25th U. S. C. T., and maj.
Charles M. Chaos, capt. 108th U. S. C. T.
W. Il. Mix, 1st lient, 36th U. S. C. T.
Corp. W. Il. Rourke, 2d lient. 36th U. S. C. T.
W. Il. Hurd, Ist lieut., capt., und maj. U. S. C. T.
Sergt. W. E. Bancroft, Ist lient. Ist U. S V.
Sergt. H. Hilliard, capt. 17th
John Haynes, asst. surg. 10th.
Sergt. Thomas E. Marshall, lat Hent. Ist U. S. V.
Capt. John F. Holman, Ist lieut. Vet. Res. Corps.
Besides the above the following served on various staff details :
Capts. Hubbard, Young, J. N. Patterson, G. E. Sides, Carter, Le Gro, Locke, Bean, Bohanon, Lients. Titus, Wilkinson, Durgin, Frazer Maj. Converse, Surg. Merron, and Adjt. Plaisted.
Besides these many served on statl' duty in depart- ments, to which they were afterwards promoted, who are not mentioned here.
The Second saw severe service, and its history is a record of many of the hardest fought battles of the war.
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 rendezvoused at Camp Berry, Concord.
The regimental officers were as follows : Colonel, Hawkes Fearing, Jr. Hle however resigned, and Enoch Q. Fellows was appointed his successor.
Lieutenant-Colonel, John H. Jackson.
Major, John Bedell.
Adjutant, Alfred J. Hill.
Quartermaster, Arthur S. Nesmeth.
Surgeon, Albert A. Moulton.
Assistant Surgeon, B. F. Eaton.
Chaplain, Henry Hill.
The regiment consisted of one thousand and forty- seven 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. Here they remained until September 14th, when they were ordered to Washington, and went into camp near the Congres- sional burying-ground. On the 4th of October the regiment moved to Annapolis, Md., and on the 18th of the same month embarked on board Gen. Sherman's flag-ship " Atlantic" for Fortress Monroe, where they arrived on the 20th, and the 4th of the following
5
MILITARY HISTORY.
month found them at Port Royal. On the 9th the was discharged on account of ill health. On the 2ist of the same month the Fourth with other regi- ments sailed from Hilton Head on an expedition down the coast. The Fourth embarked on the steamer "Delaware," and on the 26th came to an anchorage in Warsaw Sound, Ga. The troops were and remained on shore and on board awaiting the arrival of the navy until the 28th of February, when the expedition started again, and the next day ar- rived within twelve miles of Fernandina, Fla. Sun- day, the 2d of March, it was learned that the rebels had evacuated the place, and Fernandina and Bruns- wick were occupied by our troops, and the Fourth was encamped in the town. regiment landed and went into camp in a cotton-field. 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 participated in the following engagements: Port Royal, Nov. 7, 1861; Elba Island, March 7, 1862; Bluffton, March 16, 1862; | landed on Warsaw Island, a marshy, unhealthy spot, Jehosse, April 10, 14, and 17, 1862; James Island, June 8, 1862; Secessionville, June 16, 1862; Poco- taligo, Oct. 22, 1862; May River, Jan. 7, 1863; Stone Inlet, April 7, 1863; Morris Island, July 10, 1863; Fort Wagner, July 18, 1863; siege of Wagner, July 18 to Sept. 7, 1863; siege of Sumter, Sept. 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 Bot- Companies E and F, under Capt. Towle, were left as provost-guard at Fernandina. tom Church, June 2, 1864; Petersburg, June 9, 1864; Hatcher's Run, June 16, 1864; Flussell's Mills, Aug. We next find the regiment in the battle of Poco- taligo, where it lost three killed and twenty-five wounded. The expedition, of which this battle seemed to be the culminating point, having failed, the regiment went into winter-quarters at Beaufort, S. C. April 4th the regiment embarked for Hilton Head, and on the 29th encamped on Morris Island, within two miles of the enemy's works. 16, 1864; siege of Petersburg, Aug. 16, 1864; New Market Heights, Sept. 29, 1864; demonstration towards Richmond, Sept. 29 and Oct. 1, 1864; New Market Road, Oct. 7, 1864; Darbytown Road, Oct. 13, 1864; Charles City Road, Oct. 27, 1864; Fort Fisher, Jan. 15, 1865; Sugar-Loaf Hill, Feb. 11, 1865; Wilming- ton, Smith's Creek, and Northeast Ferry.
During its term of service the regiment had on its rolls eighteen hundred and eighteen men. One hun- dred and ninety were killed in battle or died of wounds, one hundred and thirty-seven died of disease. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
The Fourth Regiment .- This regiment was mus- tered into the service Sept. 18, 1861, with Thomas J. Whipple, of Laconia, as colonel ; Louis Bell, of Farm- ington, lieutenant-colonel ; and Jeremiah D. Drew, of Salem, as major. Company A was enlisted at Dover, Company F at Great Falls, and Company Hat Salem. Col. Whipple resigned in 1862, and May 16, 1862, Lieut .- Col. Bell was commissioned colonel, and was killed at Fort Fisher, Jan. 15, 1865. Jeremiah D. Drew, of Salem, was commissioned lieutenant-colonel Dee. 1, 1863. Charles W. Sawyer, of Dover, was made major in 1863, and died of wounds June 22, 1864. George F. Towle, of Portsmouth, was com- missioned major Jan. 3, 1865. Henry F. Wiggin, of Dover, was commissioned adjutant Sept. 12, 1864.
The Fourth left Manchester for Washington on the 27th of September, under command of Col. 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.
Here the regiment remained until October 9th, when it proceeded to Annapolis, and after ten days' so- journ at that place they embarked on board the steamer " Baltic," and on the morning of the 7th of Novem- ber landed at Hilton Head. Here the regiment re- mained about three months.
Early in January, 1862, the chaplain, M. W. Willis,
On the night of the 17th of June, Company B of the Fourth commenced the first works in the last long siege of Charleston. One man was killed by a piece of shell. For twenty-one nights and nearly as many days the regiment constructed masked batteries, working in silence, no one being allowed to speak above a whisper. On the morning of the 8th of July the work was completed. Forty-four guns and mor- tars were in position, the magazines filled, and the embrasures cleared. Severe labor and want of sleep had so exhausted the men that they were obliged to relinquish the completion of the works they had so faithfully commenced to fresh troops drilled for the purpose. The Fourth joined Gen. Terry's com- mand, and participated in a diversion upon James. Island. On the morning of the 10th the batteries opened simultaneously upon the enemy, who were taken completely by surprise. A rebel officer, while surveying our piekets through a glass, suddenly ex- claimed, " By -, the Yanks have mounted a gun over there!" At that moment forty-four "peace- makers" rained iron around him. The chivalrous Southerner doubtless left for safer quarters, as he lived to tell the story. The advance was halted by the guns of Fort Wagner, and after two desperate and bloody charges it was determined to take that formidable work by regular approaches. On the same day the Fourth Regiment returned from James Island, and a lodgment having been etfected by our forces on Morris Island, the Fourth was selected for its coolness in working under fire to report to Maj. Brooks, of Gen. Gillmore's staff, and in charge of siege-works, for engineer duty.
The regiment subsequently participated in the bat-
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HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
tles of Drury's Bluff, 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 com- manded by Gen. Terry, while Gen. 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 The one weak point in the Malakoff was the gate. The foremost men now gained this, and were speedily reinforced by the remainder of the division, who crept hastily through the stockade while the engineers were at work hewing it down. The great strength of the fort was in its long succession of huge sand mounds or traverses, thirty feet high, each forming a redoubt in itself, with magazines and bomb-proofs, accessible only over the top or through a narrow entrance. The bravery, prepared for the work by such hattles and as- saults 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 ves- sel on the expedition to Port Royal. Once more the ' gate and captured mound formed the base of opera- transports floated before the long line of sandy tions against the rest of the fort, though to any but iron-nerved men it would have proved but a slender foothold, for the rebels still had the advantage of su- perior numbers, twelve mounds to one, and Fort Bu- chanan below to rake the inside of the work. Ad- miral Porter kept up a continued and harassing fire. Now came the tng of war. The dash and first ex- citement of the assault were over ; dogged obstinacy and persistent effort to advance in the face of death were the soldierly qualities now called into play. In the narrow limits where the whole division was now compelled to operate, identity of company, regi- ment, or brigade was impossible. Each man must and did act as though success depended on his own right arm. The fire of the enemy was well directed and incessant. A hundred dashes to the next tra- verse would fail, and the next succeed. This desper- ate contest continued till after ten o'clock in the evening, and nine of the traverses were taken. The men were by this time almost exhausted, and the ranks were fearfully decimated. The enemy's fire had almost ceased, when Gen. Abbott's brigade en- tered the fort, and the remainder of the rebels soon after surrendered. The fierce, prolonged struggle was over, and victory was proclaimed by a blaze of rockets from the fleet and the triumphant cheers of the men on shore. The joy of the Fourth was min- gled with sadness at the loss of their beloved com- mander and a number of tried comrades. The regi- ment was mustered out, and arrived home Aug. 27, 1865. mounds known as Fort Fisher. On Friday, the 13th of January, 1865, the fleet moved into line and opened fire. The troops were landed through a heavy surf on a hard beach, about five miles north of the fort. Gen. Paine's division and Gen. Abbott's brigade were sent to prevent an advance from the enemy above. Gen. Ames formed his division across the narrow tongue of land which separates Cape Fear River from the ocean, and moved forward about two miles toward the fort, where he threw up a hasty line of works and made a careful reconnoissance. The bombardment, scarcely paralleled in history, which paved Fort Fisher with iron, continued without cessation till three o'clock on the afternoon of the 15th. The time had now come when it was to be decided whether this, perhaps the strongest of the rebel works, on which the wealth of England and the best engineering skill of West Point had been expended, could be taken ; and this little veteran division, consisting of men from New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, led by Gen. Ames, had this momentous question intrusted to their hands. Well may the cheeks of that little band blanch and their teeth set firmly together as slowly they move over the sand- hills, with their eyes fixed upon the deadly work be- fore them. A force of marines at first charged the sea-face of the fort, and were repulsed after a gallant fight. Just at the instant when the rebel garrison were crowding to the sea-face exultant with their victory, and pouring their fire into the retreating marines, Gen. Curtis' brigade dashed forward upon the angle near Cape Fear River, closely followed by Pennypacker's and Bell's brigades. The movement was successful. The gate and one mound were gained, though the road to the former lay over a broken bridge, enfiladed and crossed by a murderous fire. Gallantly leading his brigade, Col. Bell had almost gained the bridge, wheu 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
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