USA > New Hampshire > The Third New Hampshire and all about it, pt 2 > Part 32
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By command of Maj .- Gen. HALLECK.
E. D. TOWNSEND, Asst. Adjt .- Gen.
(3.) S. 0. 509. HDQRS. OF THE ARMY, Extract No. 5. WASHINGTON, D. C., 16 Nov. 1863.
So much of S. O. 393 of 1 Sept. 1863 . . . . as released Col. J. H. Jackson, Third New Hampshire Volunteers, from arrest and ordered him to join his regiment without delay is hereby revoked, and the following is sub- stituted as of date 1 Sept. 1863: Col. J. II. Jackson, Third New Hampshire Volunteers, is released from arrest and will report in person to Brig .- Gen. Hinks, commanding department for drafted men at Concord. N. H.
By command of Maj .- Gen. HALLECK.
E. D. TOWNSEND, Asst. Adjt .- Gen.
Explanation : The order (memorandum) of release said, ". . . . re- turn to his duties." Col. Jackson was not aware at the time that he had heen ordered to the regiment, but understood that he was to proceed to Concord.
The New Hampshire Statesman of 11 Sept. 1863 says, in letter from its Washington correspondent, dated 8 Sept .: "Col. Jackson, ordered here under arrest for alleged communication of information of matters con- nected with the operations at Charleston, to the Boston Transcript, was promptly released - the charge proving to be entirely without foundation."
A detachment of recruits under his charge on Long Island, Boston Har- bor, en route to their regiment, presented Col. Jackson with an elegant and costly sword. It bears the following inscription upon the scabbard : "Presented to Col. John H. Jackson, Third New Hampshire Volunteers, by the third detachment of New Hampshire drafted men under his command. at Long Island, Boston Harbor, as a token of their esteem, Oct. 20, 1863." These men were all substitutes.
Col. Jackson was a "Forty-niner." He went to California with a party of about 25 from Portsmouth, N. H. They went by steamer from Portsmonth to Chagres, thenee through the C'hagres River by bungoes (boats) to Cruces; thence on foot (25 lbs. on back) to Panama; thence, after about six weeks' delay, to San Francisco on a whaler - the Gen. Fre- mont. Fremont's wife Jessie and other ladies were of the party. He re- turned home in 1855 or 1856.
Col. Jackson departed this life at Boston, Mass., 10 April 1890, at his residence, 795 Washington Street. The funeral occurred Sunday, 13 April 1890, at his residence. The following notice was hastily sent to all who were conveniently near : -
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DIED. COLONEL JOHN H. JACKSON.
Captain Co. C, 9th U. S. Inf. (Mexican War). Colonel 3d Regt. N. H. Vols.
Died, at Boston, Mass., Thursday, April 10, 1890. Born October 20, 1814.
Services at 795 Washington Street, Boston, Mass., Sunday, April 13, 1890, at 4 P.M. Comrades and friends will be received at other hours previous, if desired.
Masonic funeral at Portsmouth, N. H., about mid-day Monday.
Nineteen of the old Third were in attendance (contributing a floral pillow marked "Our Hero "), besides the Mexican War veterans, several officers and employees from the Custom House, and many personal friends.
The services at Portsmonth were attended by ten members of his old regiment, including Rev. (Maj.) W. H. Trickey, who spoke many kind and appropriate words over the remains of his former commander.
Apropos of the Testament which (probably) saved his life in the Mexi- can War, a poetic divine prepared an appropriate poem upon the incident, a single verse of which is as follows : -
" Within his breast the gift he placed - That guide of youth and age; A gentle sister's name was traced Upon its title page." Col. Jackson ieft a widow, a son (Thomas M.) and a daughter.
JOHN S. JAMES.
James was the original 3d Corporal of Co. D. Was made Sergeant 6 Nov. 1862. He re-enlisted (as Sergeant) and had the usual furlough. re- joining with the others at Gloucester Point, Va., April, 1864. On 6 June 1864 he was mustered as 2d Lieutenant, as of 30 May, commission dating 24 May, rice White, promoted. This took him from Co. D and placed him with Co. I. At the end of June and of July, the returns show him " sick in quarters." At the end of August. he was commanding Co. I. At the battle of 16 Ang., he was fortunate in being sent to the rear with prisoners during the earlier (and lighter ) part of the engagement.
On 13 Sept., he was "off duty"; and at end of same month was in command of Co. D, having been sent to it 20 Sept. The end of October finds him still commanding Co. D. . He was again promoted in November to 1st Lieutenant, and was mustered 28 Nov. as of 17 Nov .. the commission being dated 28 Oct., rice Morrill, deceased. This placed him nominally in Co. H; but he continned with D to the end. The closing days of December found him again sick ; and in the early days of January, 1865, when the regi- ment was ordered to Fort Fisher, he was left in command of the detach- ment remaining in the camp at Laurel Hill. He continued in this command (the sole officer) till the return of Lient .- Col. Randlett from leave, about the middle of January. The whole detachment rejoined the regiment 17 Feb. near Fort Fisher.
He was again favored with promotion in May, receiving a Captain's commission, dated 6 April, rice Maxwell. mustered ont. He was mustered 2 May, as of 26 April. for the nnexpired term of the regiment. At the end of May (Captain of Co. D) he was in charge of the Military Prison at Wil- mington, under S. O. 62, Post Hdyrs. He was relieved from this duty two days after the regiment went to Goldsborongh, N. C. (S. O. 93, Dist. Idqrs., June). At the end of June, he was reported as absent on (20 days') leave.
For a brief period he was Assistant Provost Marshal at Goldsborongh, say two days, when he received his leave. Upon his return, say s or 10 July, he assumed command of his own company ( D), relieving Lient. Plaisted.
During the Fall of 1863, Sergt. James and another were sent to Hex- andria, Va., for Pr. Witham of Co. H. in confinement there. Witham was brought in irons to Hilton Head and turned over to the Provost Gnard. (He was one of the three deserters from Co. H, in August, 1862, to the rebels.)
James was born 29 July 1839, in Hampton, N. H., to which place he re- turned after the war and has since resided.
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THOMAS M. JACKSON.
He was the son of the Lieutenant-Colonel, though this did not, of itself or in fact, do him any appreciable good; for on his arrival in eamp as a brand-new soldier boy, at Concord, his paternal parent frowned on him and said in substance: "' What are you doing here? Don't you know that both my wife and I have serious objections to your being a soldier?" Thomas winced, for his stern father's will had always been law; but things are different now, argued he, and it's a time of war, and I'm of age.
Thomas was given to understand that he need expect nothing because of relationship, and he must use his own oar, and this, too, while sitting in his own dug-out. This is how he started his military career. He of course took the cue given him by his father, and by the use of his oar obtained the best position in the regiment outside of a commission, i.e., that of Sergeant- Major, the highest rank among the non-coms. and the head of the non-com- missioned statf. and entitled by rank and custom to the very first vacancy in the rank of 2d lieutenant.
He filled the position assigned him with credit, exhibiting not only order but a good degree of executive ability. He was the link between the Adjutant of the regiment and the commanding officer on the one side, and next to the regiment as a whole on the other.
Did the exigencies of the service require say fifty men for a certain duty, it was the business of the Sergeant-Major, having been directed to do so by the Adjutant, to call upon the orderly sergeants of the ten companies for their proportions of the fifty. In doing this he must exercise good judg- ment as to the quota to be required from each company, taking into account their number reported " present for duty" that morning and the require- ments of other details liable to be called for the same day. In this manner, if properly levied, all the companies were served alike, and the burden equally distributed. Should the Sergeant-Major mequally distribute such burdens, he was at onee made aware of it by the orderly sergeants them- selves, who were ever on the lookout for over-levies.
Jackson was a .. fluent " writer, and perforce of that and his son-ship, he, as a matter of course, wrote the major part of his father's correspon- dence and orders. It could hardly be otherwise, though the official wall and line of demarkation was there, and there to stay.
The Colonel and Gov. Berry were very friendly, and the Colonel made every effort to keep the Governor posted fully upon atlairs in general in the regiment; and much correspondence was the result. It has been the writer's pleasure to have access to this correspondence since the war; and 'twas interesting in the extreme, treating as it did with the internal affairs of the regiment. The band-writing of nearly every letter was that of our Sergeant-Major.
Promotion came to Jackson, and came sooner than was really expected; and, singularly enough, it was a Jacksonian matter all around. About the middle of our first December in Dixie, at Hilton Head, 2d Lieut. Geo. W. Jackson of Co. E resigned ; and our hero was awarded the vacancy, though the commission did not actually arrive till the latter part of January, 1862; and we do not find Jackson with Co. E till 10 Feb. This was probably owing to some official informality.
On Edisto, we find him with Co. K on 11 April. and with Co. I. 12 April. 16 April, was Acting Adjutant ( Adjt. Hill had injured his knee, and had resigned. His resignation not yet accepted). Soon after our little sortie to Jehossee Island from Edisto (17 April), Lient. Jackson was taken siek at Mitchell's Plantation, the headquarters of the regiment, and was confined to his quarters in the Dr. Mitchell house. He was unable to go to James Island with us I June, and was left behind with the other sick ( Lient. Ayer, Sergt. Head and others). He was barely able to rejoin with several others two days after the James Island fight (16 June). by Steamer Burnside ( Dr. Moulton on board: arrived in early evening .. Had previously applied for sick leave, which came to hand about 22 June. by authority of S. 0. 121, D. S .. 21 June, for 60 days. He left Hilton Head 23 June, on the Ericsson (Dr. Moulton and others on board). From this leave he returned to regi-
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ment on the Star of the South, 17 Ang., while the regiment was scattered ou out-post duty. During October and November, we find him with Co. G, having received Ist Lieutenant's commission about the middle of October, dated 1 Aug.
About 9 Oct. he had the company property of Co. G turned over to him (this camp was at rear of General Hospital, Hilton Head) by Capt. Emmons, then going on leave of absence; and he continued in command of G until Capt. Emmons' return (30 Nov.)
In January, 1863, we tind him in the lumber expedition to Florida and attached to one of the two extemporized companies (not lettered), both under command of Capt. Maxwell as the ranking Captain. Lieut. Jackson was with the company commanded by Capt. Burnham.
On 30 March, we find him transferred to Co. G, on Pinckney Island (seven companies there), though his stay on Pinckney Island was short; for we were ordered away on 3 April. His next move of importance was at St. Helena Island, in June. The arrival of a " whole batch of commissions," long expected, created something of consternation when opened. The proper and only person to open those commissions, and give the first South Carolina gaze on them, was the Colonel (stern parent to T. M. J.) A more surprised, excited and indignant man the writer has seldom seen; for it was the writer's particular business at that date to be very near the Colonel, as he held the position of Colonel's clerk; and the writer, as well as the Colonel's orderly, Woodbury Berry of Co. B. were greatly non-plussed as to what was to be done by us, or either of us, if anything, in the emergency. Whether the Colonel had gone mad, or was about to collapse, we didn't know. While we were deliberating on the spot (i.e., just outside the tent), the Colonel rapidly strode to our immediate vicinity, and ejaculated as best he could between his trembles : "Daniel, er Woodbury, er Daniel : send for Thomas at once!" If the writer's memory serves him, only one went for Thomas, while the other stayed near the Colonel, half expecting he would collapse entirely. It would appear that almost the first new commission opened by the Colonel was one making his son Thomas (then a Ist Lieu- tenant) Captain of Co. B, "jumping" over Lient. Smith, who was en- titled. Thomas approached his father meekly, humbly, knowing what was the matter, and knowing, too, that the storm would not prove fatal. He knew he had, by other means than through his Colonel commanding, ob- tained this promotion. We need not dwell upon this picture. The irate father and penitent (? ) son had an interview ; and in summing up, we would say that the son laughed last, and probably wound up by quoting his father's injunction, given him at Concord in is61, to "paddle his own canoe." Result : T. M. Jackson was duly mustered as Captain of Co. B, and Lieut. Smith resigned.
Capt. Jackson's company (B) was that formerly presided over by Capt. Wilbur, recently dishonorably discharged. The company was not in the very best condition, so far as morale was concerned. They were a good lot of men, but they had been under a captain for whom they had no re- spect whatever for a long time, and this feeling had had its unhappy results. Capt. Jackson took hold of the company, and endeavored by all that in him lay to make Co. B second to none.
He commanded the company in the attack on and capture of Morris Island, 10 July, and was also in command of his company in the night assault on Fort Wagner, IS July, in both of which actions he acquitted himself well. In the latter assault, he was slightly wounded in his right arm. but not sufficiently to leave the field. On that morning ( 18 July) his company had " just come off picket. It had rained during the night (17th), and his company was not in the best of condition to go into a fight; but in it went, led by its Captain. All this time. he had never fully recovered from the sickness incurred on Edisto, in June of the previous year. About the first of August he tendered his resignation, on account of sickness. and was discharged for disability 8 Ang .. by S. O. 469, D. S. He at once went home. arriving at New York on 13 Aug., on the Arago. Ile soon joined his father there, on detached service at Concord, N. HI., and accompanied him to Washington, to see Gen. Halleck ( then commanding the Army ) about certain matters ex- plained elsewhere and to explain which the Colonel had been ordered to Washington.
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After the war Jackson was for several years a salesman for the well- known furniture firm of Haley, Morse & Co., Boston, Mass .; and then for several years of the Boston Chair Co., manufacturers of chairs. He after- ward went to Indianapolis, where he was in the walnut lumber business and manufacturing chairs. Later, he was a clerk in the Treasury at Washington, having charge of an important department. In 1890 he was confidential book-keeper of the firm of Pottier & Steymus, one of the largest firms of interior decorators in the country, located near the Grand Central Depot, New York City. In 1888 the writer and Capt. Jackson went together to Mineola, and walked over our old camp-ground, going thereafter to Hemp- stead, where we met several who well remembered the regiment.
Capt. Jackson was born at Portsmouth, N. H., 27 Jan. 1840. His address in 1890 was No. 2 E. 42d Street, New York City.
GEORGE W. JACKSON.
Jackson went out as 2d Lieutenant in Co. E, with Capt. Plimpton and Ist Lient. Richard Ela. The writer is not furnished with the circumstances leading to it; but his resignation was the first in the regiment. This may have been from ill health; but certain it is that he did not resign on the eve of battle or in the immediate presence of the enemy. Gen. Sherman accepted the resignation and discharged him by his S. O. 81, Hilton Head, 16 Dec. 1861. Jackson reached New York on the Marion, 25 Dec. 1861.
Prior and subsequent to the war he resided in Concord, N. H., where he died 26 July 1890.
LEMUEL N. JACKMAN.
Jackman began his military career as private in Co. F (original). He was diverted at once from the strict military line and detailed (20 Aug. 1861) for duty with Adjt. Hill. He was on the Belvidere with the horses during the terrible November storm; and it is chiefly from his diary that the writer was able to prepare a chapter on that subject.
On 15 Jan. 1862, he was ordered to duty in the regimental hospital. where he remained till 21 July, when he rejoined his company, which was then at Stoney's Plantation, Hilton Head. On 30 Aug. he was promoted to Cor- poral. After the assault on Wagner ( Is July 1863), he was one of the fortu- nate ones to go home after conscripts. This was 22 July. From this duty he rejoined 17 Nov. (Capt. Clark, Sergts. Hazen and Hitchcock, too), with a large detachment of recruits (the first to arrive). When certain com- panies of the regiment were placed on provost duty at Morris Island, Jack- man was for a part of the time Acting Sergeant-Major.
He re-enlisted and went home on furlough. Was promoted to Ser- geant 1 March Is64.
During the Virginia campaign he was in the actions of the regiment up to his being detached as Ordnance Sergeant of First Division, Tenth Army Corps, by S. O. 17 (Terry ), to report to Lieut. Albert Ordway, Twenty- fourth Massachusetts, Ordnance Officer. This was in May, 1864. after the Drewry's Bluff tights. He was actually in the same actions as the regiment. He continued on this duty till after the Fort Fisher campaign. Meantime he had been commissioned as Adjutant, cire Copp, and was mustered into the new grade at Chapin's Farm, Va., on 26 Jan. 1865, for the unexpired term of the regiment. His muster was of 19 Jan., and the commission bore date 4 Jan.
Hle rejoined the detachment several days prior to muster (then at Laurel Hill), and went with it to regiment in February. reaching it 17th. He temporarily commanded C'o. G (as well as being Adjutant) in April, and was relieved by Atherton about I May, though the latter had joined prior (11 April), but had been at once placed on general court-martial duty.
When the regiment went to Goldsborough, N. C .. Jackman was made (about 4 June, Post Adjutant, and Holt acted as Adjutant of the regiment. When the nien were discharged in June, whose terins would expire prior to 1 Sept. (this was a special group for discharge), Jackman was selected to
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conduct them (also those of Seventh New Hampshire) to Concord. This order was S. O. 100, Dept. of N. C., Raleigh, 23 June 1865, by Maj .- Gen. J. D. Cox. The next day he was directed to confer with Capt. B. P. Keiler, Commissary Musters, at Raleigh, as to the arrangements for inuster-ont and forwarding of these men. llis successor as Post Adjutant at Goldsborough was Lieut. John Green (regiment unknown).
He had 59 men in all (29 of Third and 30 of Seventh) ; and after dis- posing of them at Concord, he returned at once to the regiment, which had in the meantime started for home. Hle met the regiment at New York (27 July), and with it returned to Concord, N. H. When at Concord with the detachment (Third and Seventh New Hampshire) he was presented by them with a money testimonial in appreciation of their kindly regard (7 July).
While at Wilmington, N. C., Jackman served (with Capts. Edgerly and Donley) on the special flag of truce which resulted in the wholesale ex- change of prisoners. He was never wounded, except a scratch by a splin- ter at Drewry's Bluff' (May, 1864). He was at the serious skirmish at Wil- mington, 22 Feb. 1865.
He was apparently in every action of the regiment except Fort Fisher, Sugar Loaf Battery and the lumber expedition to Florida, January, 1863. Born 21 Feb. 1843. Residence (1890), Elgin, Ill.
GEORGE R. JAMES.
He was the original Wagoner of Co. D. In May, 1864, he was pro- moted to Quartermaster-Sergeant, rice Varnum II. Hill, promoted to Captain and A. Q. M. Previons to this latter event he re-enlisted, and went home with the others on furlough. He continued as Quartermaster-Sergeant till 1865, when he was commissioned as 2d Lientenant, Co. I, rice John S. James, promoted, his muster being 24 April, as of 1 March. The commis- sion bore date 24 Jan. He was mustered for the unexpired term of the regi- ment, and served with Co. I to the end. During a part of June and July he was Acting Quartermaster at Goldsborough, N. C., Quartermaster Bingham being absent on leave. He received a Ist lieutenant's commission at the very end of the war, but was never mustered into the new grade.
He was never wounded. never detached, and never acted as lientenant prior to receiving commission. While the regiment was at Botany Bay Island, he remained at Hilton Head. in charge of the horses.
He was born at Hampton, N. H., 1837, and was at New Market, N. H., in 1891.
PERRY KITTREDGE.
Perry Kittredge was. strictly speaking, a recruit for Co. B. He en- listed at Concord next day after the regiment was mustered in. His expe- rience as an apothecary qualified him for the position he ever maintained. It was understood at the outset that he was to go with Dr. Moulton as a nurse in the regimental hospital and his being attached to Co. B was a mere accident of the service. He never was armed and equipped as a sol- dier, but went on duty at onee in the place predetermined. . He did good and efficient service and a deal of it.
Soon after the arrival of the regiment at Hilton Head, he was detached (in his line) at the Medical Purveyor's office ( Dr. Cooper) at Hilton Head, and there remained till after the regiment had reached James Island (June, 1862). Being relieved. he rejoined the regiment there, prior to the fight of 16 June, and rendered valuable assistance in caring for the wounded of that, our first engagement. When the Hospital Steward. Moody 1. Sawyer, was discharged in September, the position was bestowed upon Kittredge, and worthily so. Ile was appointed 15 Sept., as of the 14th, although Sawyer's discharge dates 9th.
In the latter part of May, 1863, while the regiment (i.e., eight com- panies) were on Botany Bay Island, Kittredge was favored with a furlough, but got no farther than Hilton Head. (All furloughs revoked.) IIe re- joined 7 June.
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He continued to the end of his enlistment, three years, and was mus- tered out at Bermuda Hundred. Va., 23 Ang. 18 4, with the others.
He did good and faithful service in almost every action of the regiment, being close at hand, with the Surgeon and the Assistant Surgeon, to render temporary aid. The writer well remembers how very near he was to the scene of carnage on 16 Ang., Kittredge's last exposure of that kind. Only a little way back in the woods on that day stood Surgeon Kimball and Hospital Steward Kittredge, with the requisite material for temporary aid, such as bandages, lint, whiskey, etc. The first and last always predomi- nated wherever there was a fight. Whack, whack went the bullets among the trees, and many a shell screeched over their heads, breaking limbs from the forest trees; but these two heroes stood their ground, and ministered to each according to his need and passed him along, rearward, toward the improvised field hospital, a mile or more distant.
Since the war, Kittredge has been a successful apothecary at Concord. N. H., where he now is (1890). He regularly attends the reunions, and the boys are all glad to see him.
FRANKLIN B. KIMBALL.
Dr. Kimball was appointed 2d Assistant Surgeon under date of 3 June 1863, rice Farrar, resigned. He arrived at the regiment when it was on St. Helena Island, 25 June (several of the regiment returning from furlough on same steamer), and was mustered 29 June, as of 24th. When he arrived, the regiment was, with other troops. engaged in active preparations for a proposed move on Charleston. Everybody was ordered out at inspection. etc. (fewer exempted than ever. before or after) ; and when Dr. Kimball appeared, all eyes were instinctively turned to him. He exceeded in size any officer or man in the brigade. By " size," it is intended to convey the idea that height and diameter were both considered. Again, his uniform was new, and he was a new doctor. Yet again, he stood by the side of his co-assistant surgeon. a man as much below the average size as he was above, and the contrast was remarkably noticeable. It was thus he was introduced ; and no Third New Hampshire man will be at a loss to know who is meant if the " big doctor " is spoken of: and it follows that this would be true also if the " little doctor " was mentioned.
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