USA > New Hampshire > History of the Twelfth regiment, New Hampshire volunteers in the war of the rebellion > Part 3
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He was greeted with six hearty cheers, which, but for a deprecatory gesture from him would have been supplemented with at least three more and a "tiger," all wildly enthusiastic and the last terribly in earnest, as affording the men a chance to give audible vent to their feelings in imi- tation of that animal when baffled to madness in pursuit of his prey.
His eloquent and patriotic address, as reported at the time, was as follows :
Fellow Soldiers: I am deeply sensible of this cordial welcome. Past experience has made me too familiar with the fatigues and hardships of the service to detain you in your present position with any extended remarks. Your neighbors, friends, and kindred have come here to-day to offer you the parting hand. and to take their last leave before your departure to the field to participate in the great contest, to which you have consecrated your lives and your sacred honor.
While our hearts glow with admiration in view of the patriotic motives by which you are actuated, we are solemnly reminded that this parting with many of us may be the last. But in times like these. he who has a life to give to his country possesses the power to become a hero. He is indeed fortunate who, amid the roaring of guns, the thundering of cannons, the clash of sabres, and the trumpet blast of bugles, descends in glory to his grave upon the field of battle. Well may such a man be envied, when compared with him who wastes painfully away, and, unre- membered, surrenders his life in the ordinary course of mortality. Through all the perils and vicissitudes of the service our anxieties and sympathies will follow you, wherever you may go. We have an undoubted faith in your valor and your prowess, and confidently expect that your achievements on every field of battle will illustrate your name, and fill our hearts with joy and exaltation. If you fall. ours will be a proud sorrow, untarnished by shame. No regiment from this state has yet failed to do its whole duty in the day of trial. Look at the glorious
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History of the Twelfth Regiment
Second, with its decimated ranks, its few survivors. We venerate those who have perished as martyrs, sacrificed upon the altar of constitutional liberty ; remembering the gallant Fifth at Fair Oaks, the Sixth at New- burn, and now the Ninth, recently organized, like yourselves, and already treading the path of glory and of honor.
I had hoped at one time to share your dangers, to lead you in your coming conflicts, to witness with pride your daring courage, and to par- ticipate in the glory of your triumphs ; but this high privilege has been denied me by those whose motives I am not here to question. They are the repositories of the public trust, and it becomes me to acquiesce in their decisions. But, undiscouraged and undismaved, it is my fixed purpose, earnestly and faithfully, in such a manner as I may, to serve my country in this appalling crisis. In times like these, it becomes us to trample private grievances under our feet and lift up our hearts at the demands of patriotism.
Let me earnestly beseech you to pursue the same course and to cheer- fully accept, at the hands of the Executive, such officers as, in his wis- dom, he may see fit to appoint to your command. In behalf of all who have assembled here to bid you farewell, with a heart deeply sensible of the unspeakable emotions which crowd their bosoms. I bid you God speed in the noble mission to which you are now consecrated.
We envoke upon you the choicest blessings of Heaven ; with mingled pride and grief we bid yon adieu. I would gladly take each one of you by the hand, and speed you on your way with all good wishes.
With a proud sense of the courtesy of your present commander in my reception, and the manner in which you have received these remarks, I will detain you no longer.
With three more cheers for the speaker, the men gathered around the wagon in which he was standing, and took his hand with many expressions of disappointment and regret that they must go to the front without him. The noble, self-sacrificing spirit of his address had won the hearts of all who heard him ; and made, as it was, with a full knowledge of the fact that, even then, when the temper of their mettle had begun to shade away, it needed but a single word from his lips to restore it to the flinty blue, that would break before it would bend, it was, indeed, manfully heroic and worthy a record on the page of history. It was hard for the regiment to give up its favorite and first choice, and there were some who still believed that Gov. Berry would reconsider the question of appoint- ment, and finally yield to the urgent request and earnest desire of its members. But he proved immovable, and the regiment, following the advice and example of their chosen leader, readily, but not willingly, followed another to the field of duty.
During the interval between Whipple, expectant, and Potter, present, Gov. Berry had employed Col. Thos. P. Pierce of Manchester to organ- ize and drill the regiment : and the latter, to aid and assist him, secured the services of Capt. John F. Marsh of Nashua, who had been a soldier under him in the Mexican war, and was then fresh from active service in the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers. Through the influence of Col. Pierce,
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New Hampshire Volunteers.
and by his own promptness and efficiency, he was, as we have seen, soon afterward commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the regiment.
It was under Capt. Marsh's instruction that the Twelfth received its first lessons in battalion formation and drill, and these lessons were con- tinued, repeated, and reviewed by him, almost exclusively, when and wherever there was an opportunity, until he was disabled by a wound at Chancellorsville.
Capt. Joseph H. Potter of the Seventh United States Infantry, having. at the Governor's request, received from the War Department " leave of absence from his command to accept a commission in the volunteer ser- vice," had no sooner left his station on the frontier and reported to the adjutant-general of the state, than he was appointed colonel of the Twelfth : and at last the regiment had a commander, and one who knew his business, although an entire stranger to the men. It was a hard place to put him ; for nothing less than perfection itself, both as a man and an officer, could then have pleased or satisfied the men.
Whipple was their first choice, their ideal; and crosses and curses were good enough for any one who should take the place which they thought belonged to him.
On the other hand. Col. Potter had been so long used to the stern and gruff manner of regular army officers, that he could not, at once, realize the difference between a green, sensitive volunteer, who had but just stepped from the plain of civil equality into the ranks of war, with his individual independence still quick to assert itself, and an old, iron-clad veteran of the regular army who had been drilled, drudged and driven until he hardly knew whether he was a beast or a man.
All this, of course, was especially unfavorable, for a while, to a smooth and pleasant run of the regimental machine. But as the rough spots wore off there was less friction, and the colonel and his men, by the reciprocal action of positive and negative forces, the hard becoming softer and the soft becoming harder, soon worked in harmony ; although it was not until after Fredericksburg, as will be seen hereafter, that many of the regiment began to appreciate the sterling qualities of their commander.
On the 25th the regiment was inspected by Adjutant-General Colby, who, the day following, presented to Col. Potter the state and national colors, the giver and receiver, in behalf of the state and the regiment, making short but appropriate remarks; that of the latter being only long enough to embody a soldier's promise that they should never be disgraced nor surrendered, for the colonel was a man of deeds and not words.
Hardly was the regiment fully organized before death entered its ranks, and one of its youngest members, Albert L. Buziel of Co. I, was acci- dentally shot while purchasing a revolver in one of the shops in the city. He will long be remembered as the first victim of the "insatiable archer " in the Twelfth, after being mustered into service ; but Randall, who had
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History of the Twelfth Regiment
enlisted in Co. K, died of fever before going into camp, and was buried under arms at Wolfeborough.
On the same day, the 25th, Col. Potter received from the Governor the following order :
" You will proceed with the regiment under your command to Wash- ington, D. C., on Saturday, the 27th instant, at 7 o'clock A. M., and report there to the commanding general."
This was the first general order ever issued to Col. Potter as com- mander of the Twelfth, and the first time the regiment was under "marching orders." The day was, also, eventful as that of the first general inspection and the first death, as already noticed.
But one day now remained before the final departure ; and although nothing of general interest occurred, except the presentation of the colors, yet it was a busy day with officers and men, in picking and pack- ing up, sending letters and packages home, and getting ready for the important move of the morrow. How the valises of the sword-bearers and the knapsacks of the musket-carriers were crowded with much that was necessary. and more that was not, will be referred to in another place.
The night before leaving Concord for the front, "Camp Belknap " pre- sented a bright and lively appearance. Bon-fires were kindled and kept burning late into the night with the accumulated refuse of the camp, and the surrounding woods ( nearly the whole plains were then covered with a scattering growth of pitch-pine), echoed and re-echoed with songs and shouts, and most frequent among the latter was the name of Whipple.
During the day many friends and relatives from a distance had arrived and stopped in camp or in the city all night, so as to be sure of being present the next morning, when the train, which was expected to leave an hour or two sooner than it did, should start.
It is not unaccountable, therefore, since "like begets like," that some of the "boys " were in unusually good spirits on this last night of their stay in New Hampshire ; while many others, with nothing to excite them, were silent, sober, and reflective.
Could the dark curtain, that ever hangs between the present and the future, that night have been raised or pushed aside, there would have been much less of mirth, and much more of sadness. "All men think all men mortal but themselves :" so, while there were none foolish enough to believe, that however fortunate the regiment might be, all would again return. yet each one seemed to feel, that whoever else might fall. he, of course, would escape.
To this universal law of human existence, so forcibly expressed by Dr. Young, there are, at times, some strange and remarkable exceptions. And there was more than one, that might have been found, among the sad and silent ones in camp that night, who felt as surely that they would never return, as the others did that they would ; and, indeed, much more
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New Hampshire Volunteers.
so, for the former it was but the assurance of "auspicious hope," but to the latter it was the solemn certainty of a soul-shadowing premonition which hope had no power to penetrate or dispel.
But to the reflective ones among the hopeful as well as the despondent. though great the contrast in many cases, the silent hours of approaching morn brought serious thoughts instead of pleasant dreams.
They knew that the coming day was to be their last for a long time, if not forever, upon their native soil, beneath which their bodies even might not be permitted to rest by the side of their kindred dead, should it be their lot to fill a soldier's grave.
The full force and meaning of the obligation that they had voluntarily assumed in entering the service of their country under the oath of their enlistment, and from which for three long years or the war, there was no release but death (unless so far disabled by sickness or wounds as to be of no further use to the Government) weighed more heavily upon their minds than ever before : and, though few, if any, were yet sorry for what they had done, there were some that half feared that they had not sufficiently well considered their individual situation and circumstances. and especially in connection with possible, if not probable consequences.
They knew from reason, to which imagination was now liberally con- tributory, that there was a great difference between the hay-fields from which they had recently come, and the battle-fields for which they were about to start ; but it was well, perhaps, that experience, without which there cannot be adequate realization, was entirely wanting on the battle- field side of the question, for " Where ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise."
And, without detracting aught from the credit and honor that belong to the volunteers of the early years of the war for being prompted to enlist by patriotic motives, it can be safely assumed that had each one known, before enlisting, as much about marching and fighting as he learned afterward, many would have hesitated longer before allowing their names to be enrolled, and some would never have enlisted at all.
STATE AID, ALLOTMENT, ETC.
The State had made two very wise provisions for its soldiers and their families.
By an enactment of the Legislature, towns and cities were authorized to raise money "for the aid of the wife, and of the children under sixteen years of age, of any inhabitant of such city or town who, as a member of the volunteer or enrolled militia of this State, may have been mustered into, or enlisted, in the service of the United States; and for each parent or child of such inhabitant who, at the time of his enlistment, was dependent on him for support ; provided such persons are indigent and stand in need of such relief."
And for the sums thus paid out by the several towns and cities for the support of the family or dependents of any inhabitant who may have been actually
2
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History of the Twelfth Regiment
engaged in the service of the United States, the State agreed to annually reimburse "a sum not exceeding one dollar per week for each child or parent of such inhabitant, who at the time of his being called or enlisting into the service of the United States, was dependent upon him for support ; provided, however, that the whole sum so reimbursed shall not exceed twelve dollars per month for all the persons so dependent upon any such inhabitant."
The other provision referred to, was an arrangement that the State made with the Government, allowing volunteers to make an allotment of a part, or the whole of their pay, in favor of wives, children, or parents; or to be paid to whomever else he might designate ; the paymaster in the army to remit the amount of said allotments to the State for distribution, instead of paying the same to the soldiers in the field.
The money received under the first of these provisions was called " State aid," and proved of great assistance to many families.
But in this, as in all other cases where publie beneficence necessarily depends more upon the self-considered right of the applicant than the actual need of the recipient which the law contemplates, some received their regular state aid in full, for years, that were not half so much entitled to it as were others who, not being able to quiet their conscience with a "custom-house oath," never applied for or received a single eent.
Nevertheless, there were many who badly needed and gladly received, and for them it was, as the law designed, a very wise and necessary provision.
The object of the allotment was twofold :
First, to assist families and relatives who, notwithstanding their small pittance of state aid, might want for the necessaries and comforts of life; and second, to assist the soldier himself to save what he otherwise might foolishly spend, by having his father, mother, guardian, or friend put into the savings bank at home, the money, which if not thus secured, would largely, perhaps, go into the suttler's drawer in the army.
Some of those who were mere boys when they enlisted, and never had but a few dollars of their own, were agreeably surprised when they returned home at the expiration of their enlistment, or at the end of the war, to find a bank account to their eredit to the amount of several hundred dollars, made up of these monthly savings and the bounty that was paid them when they were mus- tered into the service.
But it is feared that they did not always fully appreciate, as indeed they could not half realize, the amount of toil, economy, and sacrifice that had been required, perhaps, on the part of a kind and loving father and mother, to say nothing about brothers and sisters, in order to save untouched every dollar for their darling boy when he should return, as they hoped and prayed he might, to receive and enjoy it.
But oh, how worse than worthless is money, with all its purchase power, when compared with true filial affection or paternal love.
From how many happy homes the patriotic son went forth at his country's call, but never returned; and the light and life of that home went out forever. To how many more homes the son at last returned, but the father or mother, perhaps both, were no longer there to greet him. Many such homes has the author visited in gathering facts for this history ; and often has he seen the tears
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New Hampshire Volunteers.
streaming down over the deeply wrinkled cheeks, as conversation brought back in memory the face and form of him who was once their hope and pride.
" It was almost more than I could bear," said one heart-broken mother, "and my life since has been little better than an anxious and sorrowful waiting, for it has seemed all the time that he must come back, or I must go to him."
Her son was killed at Chancellorsville, and since the above words were spoken, she has gone to him.
BOUNTIES.
The only bounties received by those who enlisted for three years in New Hampshire regiments under the call of July, '62, was twenty-five dollars from the Government to all who enlisted before August 22, with a promise of seventy- five dollars more in three annual installments (those enlisting after that date were paid nothing at the start, but received one hundred dollars at their final discharge at the end of the war) ; fifty dollars from the State; and the local bounties, varying from fifty to three hundred dollars, as then paid by the different towns and cities.
The same towns and cities paid from ten to fifteen hundred dollars "to encourage enlistments" before the end of the war.
These large bounties were readily voted by the towns, because their respective quotas had to be filled, either by volunteers or a draft; and the average citizen, whatever his political proclivities and no matter how bitterly opposed to the war, was willing to bear his share of increased taxation for every one who would enlist from the town, when every such enlistment made his chances one less of having to go himself, or pay from three to five hundred dollars for a sub- stitute.
It should be mentioned here, that the seventy-five dollars instead of being paid one third each year, as promised. was not paid until the end of the war, and never paid at all to those who were discharged or mustered out, even to receive a com- mission as an officer, before the expiration of two years from date of enlistment. Officers, who were promoted from the ranks before serving two years, had the twenty-five dollars paid them at Concord deducted from their pay. This was not only meanly economical, but in direct violation of the letter and spirit of the con- tract. Yet the same has never been refunded to those from whom it was so unjustly taken, nor any recompense made therefor .*
Those who enlisted in 1861 got but ten dollars bounty from the Government, nothing from the state or town ; while those who enlisted in 1864 received, from all three of these sources, an average aggregate of not less than twelve hundred dollars.
VERDANT VOLUNTEERS.
Quite a long chapter might be written about the novel experiences, amusing blunders, and almost total ignorance, concerning military matters, of the citizen volunteers from the northern states in the late war.
But while they would revive pleasing memories in the veteran's mind, by whom they could be best understood and appreciated, yet, like our school-boy reminis- cences, would be of no special interest to others.
* Since the above was written a bill has been introduced into Congress to pay the full bounty.
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History of the Twelfth Regiment
Instead of being prepared for war, and able to put two or three hundred thousand well trained soldiers into the field, as soon as the power of steam could convey them there, (as many of the less populous nations of the old world could have done,) our Government, when first brought to a realizing sense of its danger by the startling sound of rebel cannon fired upon Fort Sumter, found itself destitute of almost everything in the shape or semblance of an army or navy with which to defend its property or maintain its unity.
Arms and munitions of war could be soon procured from foreign markets, but men prepared to use them were not so easily obtained.
Our enlisting officers supplied the raw material faster than it could be properly shaped and seasoned, and of a kind and quality better than ever before composed the personnel of any other army in ancient or modern times.
But while, with a little West Point assistance, it could soon be brought into proper military shape, the seasoning process required much greater time and attention. For this reason rendezvous quarters for volunteers, in the different States, were at once turned into drilling camps, in many of which, for want of experienced officers, the instructor knew little more than the instructed; and every one, whatever his stripe or strap of command, from corporal to colonel, was as green as the men who were supposed to obey their orders.
It was of such green, unseasoned material that McDowell's army was composed, but its proud onward march toward Richmond, and its disgraceful backward run to Washington, proved that to " make haste slowly" is a good maxim in war as well as in peace; and especially so when the fighting material of the one is taken, almost exclusively, from the civil elements of the other.
The tyros of our war assembled at " Camp Belknap " were no exception to the general rule, only a very few among them had seen the ranks of war, or ever been in the military service.
Of the only two officers of the line who knew anything of war, one had been a corporal for a few months in the Second New Hampshire, and the other a lieutenant for a short time in the Third ; while the field and staff, until Colonel Potter and Lieutenant-Colonel Marsh were commissioned, knew less of their duties, if possible, than the company officers.
Though five or six of the officers, and perhaps a score or two of the men, had a dim recollection of having once "trained" in the state militia, before that holi- day organization was disbanded for being more expensively ornamental than practically useful, yet there was not a single officer or man in the regiment, excepting those above referred to, and two or three sergeants who had served in other regiments, that knew enough to form a company line; while not less than two thirds of its members could not tell the difference between a platoon and a pontoon, unless they happened to remember what the dictionary said about them. They knew much more about a catamount than guard-mount, for with the former they were, some of them, more or less familiar, having, perhaps, hunted and killed it on old Mount Belknap or its surrounding hills, but of the latter they had never heard, and were not quite sure whether it was an animal or a thing.
The reader may think the foregoing statements border too closely on the hyper- bolic, but they are no more intimately connected with that much abused figure of speech than the simple truth will tolerate in giving a full and fair idea of
"' How little of war we warriors knew."
CHAPTER II.
FROM CONCORD TO FALMOUTH.
Bright and beautiful, as was the morning of the 27th of September. A. D., 1862- welcome harbinger, as then hoped, of the good luck in store - it was a sad, sorrowful day to most of the members of the Twelfth, and their many relatives and friends who had come with heavy hearts to bid them good-bye. as they left the capital of their native State for the seat of war. To many it seemed what, alas ! it proved, a last farewell.
" God bless and protect you," was the parting benediction from the trembling lips of gray-haired fathers and mothers, as they took by the hand, perhaps for the last time, him who, as their youngest or only son, had been their pride in the past, and the hope of their declining years : while wives, sisters, and others no less loving and beloved, with that heroic fortitude so characteristic of their sex. when the exigency of the hour demands, vied with each other to force a smile and repress the tears until the ringing bell called for the parting kiss, and then, while the long train of twenty cars moved slowly out, as if reluctant to bear its precious freight away, their flooded eyes were left to freely flow, while they waved their handkerchiefs until
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