USA > New Hampshire > The Third New Hampshire and all about it, pt 2 > Part 62
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Sergt. Geo. II. Davis of Co. I was bearer after Fort Fisher (length of time uncertain).
992
THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.
The Viele flag is said to have been in action for the first time on 16 Aug. 1864, and had sixty bullet holes, beside two in the staff.
Sergt. Woodburn of Co. C bore the colors 10 and 18 July 1863 and 7 Sept. 1863, in the latter case planting them on Fort Gregg (evacuated).
It was considered an honor to belong to the color guard. In battle it was a position of especial danger ; but the honor was supposed to offset this danger. It was a rallying point. and the colors were looked for for that purpose, when more or less confusion reigned or the boom of cannon was so deafening as to make it entirely useless to shout any order. .. Rally round the flag, boys," etc., was applicable, with no stretch of the imagina- tion.
General Order 4, War Department, 18 Jan. 1862, provided that guidons and camp colors should all be made like the U.S. flag : with stars and stripes. General Order 9. War Department, 4 Jan. 1864. (See January, 1864, Supplement for hospital and ambulance flags.)
General Order 19, issued from Headquarters of the Army, Adjutant- General's Office, was as follows : -
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 1862.
The following order has been received from the War Department : -
It is ordered that there shall be inscribed upon the colors and guidons of all regiments and batteries in the service of the United States the names of the battles in which they have borne a meritorious part. These names will also be placed on the Army Register at the head of the list of officers of each regiment.
It is expected that troops so distinguished will regard their colors as representing the honor of their corps, to be lost only with their lives, and that those not yet entitled to such a distinction will not rest satisfied until they have won it by their discipline and courage.
The General commanding the Army will, under the instructions of this Department, take the necessary steps to carry out this order.
By command of Maj .- Gen. MCCLELLAN.
L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General.
REGIMENTAL BAND).
Gustavus W. Ingalls was authorized to recruit twenty-four for the band, but only enlisted twenty-two beside himself -twenty-three in all. Section 7 of the Act of Congress, promulgated by General Order 49, War Department, 3 Ang. 1861, provided " . and the leaders of the band shall receive the same pay and emoluments as second lieutenants of infantry." The language quoted - and the writer has the Act before him as he writes - certainly meant that a band should have more than one leader, and it was so interpreted at the time; and accordingly Mr. Ingalls was commissioned by Gov. Berry as Band Master, and (later) D. Arthur Brown was duly commissioned by His Excellency as Second Leader. Mr. Ingalls had at once put on the insignia, ete., of a second lieutenant, and later Mr. Brown: and both expected the pay thereunto belonging. This condition of things re- mained undisturbed till the tirst paying off of the regiment on the Steamer Atlantic, off Fort Monroe, October, 1861. The dream was over; the pay- master insisted that there was no law authorizing more than one leader, and Mr. Brown was obliged to surrender.
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, CONCORD, 31 July 1861.
To GUSTAVUS W. INGALLS, Esq.
Sir : You are hereby authorized to enlist twenty-four men as musicians into the service of the State of New Hampshire, to be afterward mustered into the service of the I'nited States, to serve for three years unless sooner discharged . By order of His Excellency, NATHANIEL S. BERRY, Governor. ANTHONY COLBY, Adjutant-General.
(NOTE .- Mr. Ingalls himself was actually included in the twenty-four.)
THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.
993
General Order 15, War Department, + May 1861, provided for regi- mental bands for infantry, but failed to give the number of men. (See Pay Table.) This little defeet of numbers was remedied by an Act of Congress, approved 22 July (just in time for Third New Hampshire), and promulgated by General Order 49, War Department, 3 Aug. 1861. This Act fixed the num- ber of the band at 24.
Mr. Ingalls wore during his entire service a second lieutenant's uniform and insignia, and was accepted by everybody as an officer. On the rolls he was borne as a musician. as the band was borne as twenty-four musicians. And right here let us see the pay arrangement, which was peculiar. First let it be stated that the arrangement of the band originally was on the basis of two leaders : first, Gustavus W. Ingalls; second. D. Arthur Brown. This was at first acquiesced in and the band arranged their own pay (i.e., the division of it). Having drawn their pay, by classes. as the law pro- vided, they pooled it and made another division; and there was no one to molest or make them afraid in this division.
Gustavus W. Ingalls, Leader . . Eb Cornet
D. Arthur Brown, Second Leader,
Eb Cornet
2d Lt. 34
34
Carl Krebs
Eb Clarinet
34
28
H. S. Hamilton
Bh Cornet
34
28
J. A. Dadmin
Eb Alto
34
28
S. F. Brown
Bb Tenor .
34
28
J. W. Plummer
Eb Bass
34
28
J. H. Caswell
Tenor Drum
20
22
C. H. White .
Bb Bass
20
22
P. F. Parkhurst
Bb Clarinet
20
22
N. W. Gove
Fife
20
22
J. A. Baker
Bb Cornet
20
22
Henry Stark
Eb Cornet
20
22
F. M. Hughes
Bb Cornet
17
20
H. F. Brown
Bh Tenor
17
20
C. E. Burnham
Eb Bass
17
20
J. R. Sanborn
Eb Alto
17
17
P. Welcome .
Bass Drum
17
17
G. L. Lovejoy
Cymbals
17
17
J. C. Linehan
Bb Bass
17
20
Geo. E. Flanders
Eb Bass
17
20)
J. C. Mitchell
Eb Alto
17
20)
N. M. Gove
Tenor Drum
17
17
6 Sergts. of Engineers, 34=204
1 at
4 == 34
6 Corporals of Engineers, 20 = 120
5 at
28 == 140
10 Prs. (Ist Class) of Engs. 17 = 170
6 at
22 = 132
6 at
20 = 120
4 at
17= 68
22
494
22
The first adverse order concerning regimental bands was by General Order 91, War Department. 26 Oct. 1861. forbidding the further enlistment of regimental bands, and directing that all members of bands then in the service, who were not actually musicians, should be at once discharged by regimental commanders and no vacancies filled.
The band was in demand for funerals and for serenades. Its misic drew tears or cheers. 'Twas an inspiration to all who stepped to its music, whether at dress-parade, review, or on the march. The weariness of a march was largely diminished by its cheering notes. A writer says of it : " The old Third New Hampshire never camped anywhere while the band existed, that it ( the band) did not attract unusual attention. by the superi- ority of its minsie; and I have no doubt that the pride thus created in the breasts of the boy- had not a little to do with making them the good soldiers they were on the field." When the regiment went foraging to Bluffton, " on
65
-
-
494
4
2d Lt.
994
THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.
de main," five of the band accompanied as volunteers : Hamilton as bugler for the expedition, and D. Arthur Brown, John C. Linehan, J. A. Dadmun and C. E. Burnham - the four latter with muskets and with Co. F. The only casualties on the expedition were among those inferior animals which divide the hoof and chew not the end. and some which did chew the end.
While at Hilton Head ( first time), Col. Fellows, being Commander of the Post, felt quite at liberty to get all the " play" he could at Headquarters. and did so, our band being shown on various state occasions as the greatest natural curiosity on Hilton Head.
On removal of the regiment to Edisto, in April, 1862, Col. Fellows again was awarded the position of Commander of the Post, and his good taste suggested (selected) one of the best plantations. convenient to the wharf and lines of communication ; and having made this wise selection, he opined that a band of about the size and quality of that possessed by the Third New Hampshire was the correct thing to have at Headquarters of the Post. and he ordered it to stay there with him, while the regiment trudged on into the interior. The regiment didn't like it. Col. Jackson didn't like it, and on more than one occasion sent down (from Headquarters of regiment at Mitchell's) for the band to " come up." It didn't come, though, umtil Col. Fellows went home the latter part of April on leave. The Colonel was always partial to music, particularly that of a super-excellent quality : and we forgave him. offsetting our disappointment with the fact of the compli- ment to the band.
The band next appears, aside from its regular playing, on John's Island, at the Sugar Plantation, where we had a grand review of all the troops of the expedition. We were weary, nigh unto death, as we then thought - in fact had not more than got half rested from our terrible march of the 2d: but the music of the band as it struck upon our ears in that dismal, dreary, God-forsaken place, lifted us at once ont of our weariness and cheered us along in the aforesaid review, which we all thought was sheer nonsense and worse than useless.
We find the band next at its most trying period. at the battle of James Island, Secessionville, 16 June 1862 - the first battle of the regiment and the last battle of the band. The band laid its instruments aside, and taking stretchers they did noble service in removing the dead and wounded, and assisted the Surgeon ( Eaton) in every way they could. It is related of one (Linehan) that he repeated the Litany to a wounded and dying soldier of the Twenty-eighth Massachusetts (an Irish regiment), in the absence of the confessor, and at the dying man's request. The wounded from all regi- ments had been gathered substantially in one place, and the regiment of the dying man was at the moment a mile or two distant. The valuable services of our band at this particular battle will never be forgotten. . We now approach the end of our band and of its story.
General Order 91, War Department, 29 July 1862, announced an Act of Congress, approved 17 July, which repealed the Act of 1861. authorizing regimental bands. and directed all such to be mustered ont within thirty days after passage of the Act. But it also provided that where men had been transferred from the companies to the band, they should be re-trans- ferred to their companies The Act gave but one chance to survive, and that was that the musicians of regimental bands may be (with their consent) transferred to brigade bands, to be formed under same Act, at discretion of brigade commanders. None expressed such a desire. There were ser- eral men who had been transferred as indicated above, and for the moment they flattered themselves with the idea that they were going to America with the others. One was transferred about the time the Act was passed: and it may fairly be assumed that he hoped for a free pass North, it having been rumored during July that all band- were to be dispensed with.
It should not be omitted from their history that in July; 1862, on the return of the regiment to Hilton Head from JJames Island, and the regiment was divided around among the plantation's, our band went to Graham's Plantation, the Headquarters of the regiment (Co. B there, too). The band occupied one of the buildings.
995
THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.
The death-warrant of our beloved band was issued Angust 27, directing Capt. R. H. Jackson. Third U.S. Artillery. to muster them out on the 31st. But very few changes had taken place in the original band. It had no re- cruits save by transfer as indicated. The only increase from beyond the regiment was by the transfer of John W. Odlin from the Second New Hamp- . shire Volunteers, in October, 1861, who took the place of Nathan W. Gove (father of the two drummer boys- one with band, and one with E). appointed second principal musician (this office is distinct from the band). Samnel F. Brown had been discharged for disability in February and JJohn W. Plummer same in January, and John W. Odlin had been discharged (April) by a War Department order.
And now we come to the final ceremonies. At 11 A.M., at Post Head- quarters, Hilton Head, our noble and musical band was mustered out, and declared to be no more. It being regular muster-day it had. previous to this little bit of ceremony, played at guard mount at 8 A.M., and also played the Third New Hampshire into line for its own muster. The boys could have cried. With a little effort on the part of some " speechifier " in the right direction, just at that time, our tear reservoirs would have been disrupted, and the flow thereof would have moistened the sands of Hilton Head. We loved that band, and we parted from it reluctantly. We feel in duty bound to follow it closely until it actually left the Department.
They were not paid off till the 20 of September; and though mustered ont 31 August, the monthly returns did not actually drop them till 1 Sep- tember. The Steamer Stor of the South took these gentlemanly musicians on board on the 2d and started North at 5 P.M. They had previously turned over their instruments to Col. Jackson. There was some question at the time as to the actual ownership of the instruments; and after our players had got on board, Col. Jackson sent his orderly (Gilbert of K) to ask if they would like to take their instruments. An affirmative answer of course, and back he went after them. Meantime the steamer had sailed, and a tug was sent with the instruments, overhauling the Star of the South in the outer harbor.
At muster-ont there were two of the band sick in the General Hospital at Hilton Head. At the earnest solicitation of Band Leader Ingalls, assisted by Col. Jackson, these two men, Frank IInghes and N. M. Gove (man and boy. really) were permitted to go home with the others. The boy Gove was really too sick to be moved with safety.
Good-bye, Band. (See Second Brigade Band. )
SECOND BRIGADE BAND.
This band was so closely allied to our own, being formed largely of its former members, it is considered not only polite but properto give them a place in the history of the Third New Hampshire Volunteers. It was or- ganized at Concord, N. H., 10 Feb. 1863, by Gustavus W. Ingalls, under in- structions from the Adjutant-General's Office, Washington, D. C., dated 12 Dec. 1862. The Band went to Department of the South. and though techni- cally it was the "Second Brigade Band, Tenth Army Corps," it soon became known as the Post Band. and was paid in part out of the post fund. A muster and pay roll shows its composition : -
Leader : Gustavus W. Ingalls.
First Class : Chas. N. Tottingham, Lorenzo M. Currier, Geo. C. Perkins, Phineas Parkhurst.
Second Class : Cyrus C. Currier. Samuel D. Trussell, James Allison, Freeman D). Batchelder.
Third Class : Andrew L. Lane, Nathan M. Gove, Francis HI. Pike, Jacob R. Foster, Samuel F. Brown, John O. Davis, Albert G. Furber.
Detailed ( from regiments ) : Geo. B. Lang. Co. I. Third New Hamp- shire Volunteers: Horace L. Davis. Co. E, Third New Hampshire Volun- teers; John Rhell, Co. D), Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania : Martin L. Nute, Co. K. Third New Hampshire Volunteers. These four appear tirst time on 31 Oct. 1863 roll.
4
996
THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.
Hired : L. P. Huse, D. A. Brown, Jabez Smith, Jean White, D. O'Brien, John C. Mitchell. John Murdock, Henry Murphy, Frank W. Davis, Henry F. Brown, B. C. Stevens.
Recruits : Albert Aspinwall. Jonathan C. Lane, Henry Stark. Geo. W. Boody, Warren S. Russell, David F. Thompson, Frederick Hoffman. These seven recruits were for third class, and for one year only, and all joined in September, 1864.
. The pay of these band men was peculiar. In several cases the post fund paid wholly, and in others the same fund paid partially. Uncle Sam had to pay the rest. A few of the third class were promoted to second class. The names of several of our old band will be readily recognized.
In the case of Nute of Co. K, he cateredl to the stomachic wants of the band wholly, and was a player of several instruments in his line. No attempt will here be made to give the individual history of these men.
The band did excellent service at Hilton Head, and assumed that that was its particular spot to remain upon. It played on the pier evenings, it played at the General Hospital to cheer the patients, it played at the Head- quarters of the Department to cheer the Commanding General, and it played whenever any officer of considerable rank entertained his friends. Indeed. it was sometimes wanted at two places at the same time; and such cases had to be gotten over in a diplomatie way. Ingalls was always equal to the emergency.
It should have been stated that Lieut. Dow of the Third New Hamp- shire reernited (in New Hampshire) a part of this band; and these first to arrive, with Lieut. Dow and Band Master Ingalls, were the nnelens of the larger band that was to be: The following is a part of the band's history : -
HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, HILTON HEAD, S. C., 10 March 1863.
Mr. Ingalls. Band Master of the Second Brigade Band, is authorized to enlist five additional members for his band, and to pay to them all, if necessary, first class pay ; the surplus above second or third class pay to be made up from the post fund. He is also authorized to hire not to exceed five good musicians, at not exceeding 850 a month, to add to his band. He also will buy at W'm. Hall & Sons, in New Hampshire, instruments to the amount of $400. (Signed) ALFRED H. TERRY, Brig. Gen., Commanding Post.
HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, HILTON HEAD, S. C., 25 May 1863. Lieut. F. A. WILCOXSON, Post Quartermaster.
Lieutenant : The Colonel Commanding directs that you receive from the Quartermaster of the Third New Hampshire Volunteers, the instruments now used by the Post Band, bearing them on your returns as public property, and that you will hold Mr. Ingalls, the Leader of the band, responsible for their safe keeping.
Very respectfully, etc., (Signed)
S. S. STEVENS, 2d Lieut. Sixth Conn., A. A. A .- G.
HEADQUARTERS THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEERS, BOTANY BAY ISLAND, S. C., 27 May 1863.
Mr. INGALLS.
Dear Sir : I have the honor to inform you that if you will call on the Post Commander at Ililton Head ( Col. Chatfield), he will issue an order for the Post Quartermaster to receive the instruments from you, and give you re- ceipts for the same. Be sure and get triplicate receipts, and send two (2) of them to C. II. Roberts, Agent for the State of New Hampshire, at Avenue House, Washington, D. C., and retain the other.
It is highly necessary that the matter should be attended to immedi- ately, so as to enable the Agent at Washington to settle up the affairs of the State. Very respectfully, JOHN H. JACKSON,
D. ELDREDGE, Clerk. Colonel Third New Hampshire Vols.
NOTE .- Ingalls' diary shows the instruments turned over 13 June 1863. at Hilton llead; but apparently did not get receipt till 21 Ang. 1863, at Morris Island, from Capt. Burns, Post Quartermaster.
997
THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.
HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
HILTON HEAD, S. C., 8 Sept. 1863.
At a Post Council of Administration, . . . . Lient .- Col. J. C. Camp- bell, Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania, Lieut .- Col. John Frieze, Third Rhode Island Artillery, Lieut .- Col. 1. G. Bennett, Third South Carolina Volum- teers. . It was Resolved :
WHEREAS, It appears that the Second Brigade Band, now adopted as a Post Band, is not composed of a sufficient number of musicians for a field band, and that many of the instruments are in need of repairs. There- fore,
Resolved, That this council recommends that the Band Master be per- mitted to hire, at reasonable wages, teu additional musicians. and to have the instruments, such as need it, repaired; also, that he be authorized to purchase instruments for the ten additional musicians, the amount to be expended for instruments not to exceed Three Hundred Dollars: and we further recommend that all reasonable expenses be paid for sending a man North, to procure musicians, instruments, and for the repair of such in- struments as need it.
[Approved by Commander of Post. ]
Ingalls started at once for the North. On 16 Sept. 1863, Gen. Terry wrote to him at Concord. N. H .. inclosing a letter to the Quartermaster at New York, requesting transportation from New York to Hilton Head. on a Government steamer. for such men as Ingalls shall engage. In the letter to Ingalls he said, " ten men are to be hired, at reasonable prices," ete.
It has been briefly suggested that this band thought Hilton Head its home; but this idea was rudely set at naught by Gen. Gillmore when he ordered it to Morris Island. This was a few days after the assault on Wag- ner, and the General evidently thought a little music would rest him. The band and its leader were " np in arms." They assumed that they could n't be ordered hither and thither. For the moment they gained the day ; but a few days later a peremptory order sent them to Morris Island, where they arrived 31 July 1863, and were soon able to play for the General Command- ing and others as well.
The Third New Hampshire boys were overjoyed: for we yet called it "our band." These music dispensers filled a place none others could.
On the very day of the occupation of Fort Wagner, 7 Sept. 1863. Ingalls left Morris Island to go North again to recruit his band, returning IS Oet. 1863. The band remained in service till 4 July 1865. when it was discharged at Hilton Head, and disbanded on its arrival in New York. Meantime it had played a great deal, not only on Morris Island, during and after the siege, at Folly Island, while Gen. Gillmore had his Headquarters there, and at Hilton Head again; but it took a conspicuous part in the celebration at Fort Sumter. 14 April 1865, at the restoration of the old flag. It was a gala day for the band, and a good round-up of their service. At that time the Third New Hampshire was in Wilmington, N. C., and had suffered much by extremely active service.
On the final departure of the band from Hilton Head, Mr. Ingalls re- ceived a very complimentary letter from Maj. Wm. T. M. Burger, A. A .- G. of the Department. saying, among other things, " We never expect to see such another as Ingalls' Post Band here again."
The compliments showered upon this band were practically numberless.
SIGNAL CORPS.
The technical name of this important branch of the service was the " U. S. Signal Corps"; but the " U. S." was prefixed only when it was ofli- cially required. This system was the means of rapid communication be- tween distant points, or quite near, as the case might be. The officers and men attached to the Corps, whether actually belonging to it or detailed for service in it, were as a rule selected. The duty required intelligence, quick perception, activity, good eyesight, bravery. Signal stations were gener-
998
THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.
ally established upon high points or places, such as tops of houses, in high trees, upon hilltops, on specially constructed towers, in the rigging of ves- sels, ete. By day the messages were sent by the waving of a flag, at night by the waving of a torch.
The alphabet of the code in general use during the war (there were others of course for special occasions, and gotten up for specific purposes) was as follows : -
A, 22 I,
1 1122
Q, 1211 R, 211
Y, 111 Z, 2222
B, 2112 J,
C, 121 K, 2121 S, 212
&, 1111 D, 222 L, 221 T, 2 ing, 2212
E, 12 M, 1221 U, 112 tion, 1112
F, 2221 N, 11 V, 1222 End of word, 3
G, 2211
0, 21 W, 1121 End of sentence, 33
H, 122 P, 1212
X, 2122 End of message. 333
As a key to the way these numbers read, one example will suffice : B is two, one, one, two, and not twenty-one hundred and twelve. A wave of the flag to the right, from perpendicular to horizontal, meant one ; same to left meant tiro; while the three was made by a front movement.
To illustrate further, the signal agreed upon at Fort Fisher to " change direction " (this was specially agreed upon between Terry and Porter ) was 2211 (two, two, one, one). In the code this is simply the letter G. Terry's signal officer at the proper moment waved his torch twice to the left, and then twice to the right. That was all there was of it; and those who saw the immediate change in direction of fire from the fleet say it was a most magnificent spectacle, and like the sweep of the tail of an immense comet.
A regular sentence required time to flag it. From the very nature of their duties, the Signal Corps was in constant danger; for the rebels had eyes, and it is positively asserted that they read many of our messages. In a retreat or an advance the Signal Corps was very near the front, and it per- formed service there and elsewhere of almost inestimable valne.
The men of the Third New Hampshire who were transferred to the Signal Corps will be found under the " Transfers."
The companies thus losing men were 1, 4: B, 2; I, 4.
The officers who were detailed from the Third New Hampshire were Lieuts. M. P. Hawkins, John M. Head and Frank L. Morrill, the latter los- ing his life while so detailed.
TENTH ARMY CORPS.
This Corps at first consisted wholly of the troops in the Department of the South; and these troops were first declared to be the Tenth Army Corps by General Order 123, of the War Department. dated 3 Sept. 1862, and promulgated in the Department on 17 Sept. 1862, by Gen. Mitchell's first General Order 40, assuming command. The first attempt at change was in February, 1863, when Foster's troops of the Eighteenth Corps were lying in the harbor. Gen. Hunter ordered their amalgamation with the Tenth Armny Corps, but was obliged later to modify the order, and the Eighteenth Army Corps did not lose its designation.
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