USA > New York > History of the Ninth Regiment N.Y.S.M. -- N.G.S.N.Y. (Eighty-third N. Y. Volunteers.) 1845-1888 > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65
The following orders explain themselves.
:
31
PREPARING FOR WAR.
1861
HEADQUARTERS, 9TH REGT. N. Y. S. MILITIA,
New York, May 24th, 1861.
GENERAL ORDERS, } No. 9.
The members of this Command are hereby directed to assemble for muster (with- out arms) in full fatigue uniform, with knapsacks, and overcoats rolled thereon, at Washington Square, south side, right resting on Wooster Street, on Saturday, May 25th, at two o'clock, P. M. Every man is required to be prepared for instant departure, to which end he will have his entire kit in complete order, as the regiment will march immediately, if it can be got in readiness. Blankets will be supplied on the requisition of the commandants of companies, by Quartermaster Henriques, at Headquarters, No. 71 University Place. All the officers and non-commissioned officers of the regiment are directed to report themselves at Headquarters, Saturday morning, at nine o'clock, for special orders in regard to their companies. The Drum Sergeant and Corps are directed to report to Adjutant Coppinger, on the ground, at ten minutes before two P. M.
By order JOHN W. STILES, Colonel Commanding . J. B. COPPINGER, Adjutant.
HEADQUARTERS, 9th REGT. N. Y. S. MILITIA, New York, May 24th, 1861.
SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 16.
In order that the regiment may be prepared to march to the seat of war at twenty- four hours' notice, orders for which may be expected daily, special attention is called to the following :
Officers will report daily, at nine o'clock, A. M., at the regimental headquarters, for · orders.
Commandants of companies will report to the Colonel, for orders to fill vacancies, of commissioned or non-commissioned officers. Officers who have not received their commissions will report the same.
Quartermaster Henriques, or his assistant, will be at headquarters daily, from nine A. M. to eight P. M. to attend to requisitions from companies for clothing and equipments which may be necessary to complete the outfit of their respective com- mands.
The Quartermaster is directed to prepare the necessary requisitions for the regi- ment, upon the State Quartermaster and Commissary.
The requisition for clothing and equipments will be filled by the Union Defense Committee. The requisitions of the companies to complete their equipment, must be consolidated this day, and handed to the Union Defense Committee, Commandants of companies will see that their men are furnished with the following spare clothing, viz .: two flannel shirts, two pairs woolen socks, one pair woolen trousers, one pair boots or shoes. -
All clothing should be marked with the owner's name.
By order JOHN W. STILES, Commanding. J. B. COPPINGER, Adjutant.
1861
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
32
, The following is copied from the Herald (New York) of May 26th :
THE NINTH REGIMENT.
THEIR PARADE YESTERDAY. THEIR DEPARTURE TO-MORROW. ,
In obedience to a general order, issued from the headquarters of this regiment, the men assembled yesterday afternoon in Washington Square, for muster and inspection by the Union Defense Committee. The Commander, Colonel John W. Stiles, instructed all his men beforehand to have everything in complete order. 1
At the appointed time (two o'clock) the regiment formed, the right' resting on Wooster Street.
The radiant sunshine which sparkled athwart the vendure of the parade ground, and flashed against the brilliant uniforms of the gay NINTH, made the scene a very pleasing one to the hundreds of persons who had congregated to witness the parade. This regiment is composed of as fine a body of men as any that have yet left the Empire City, and every one of them fills his uniform to perfection. They are mostly above the medium height, and look both intelligent and respectable. The proficiency which they showed yesterday was gratifying in the extremne, and proved that the men had not been idle from the time they entered on a soldier's duty.
After the review in Washington Parade Ground, the regiment was inspected by the Union Defense Committee in Fourteenth Street. The Colonel has issued an order for the members of the regiment to assemble at two o'clock to-morrow, which is as follows : 1
.
HEADQUARTERS, NINTH REGIMENT. New York, May 26, 1861.
· GENERAL ORDERS,
No. 10.
This regiment will march for Washington on Monday afternoon the 27th inst. Members of the command are hereby directed to assemble at their respective armories (without arms) in full fatigue uniform, with knapsacks packed and overcoats rolled . thereon, haversack, canteens, etc., on Monday afternoon, the 27th inst., at two o'clock.
The regimental line will be formed at three o'clock precisely, on Fourteenth Street, right on Broadway. Officers will carry their overcoats siung. The non-commissioned staff and drum corps will report to Adjutant Coppinger on the ground, at ten minutes before three.
All company officers baggage must be delivered at regimental headquarters, No. 71 University Place, corner Thirteenth Street, before twelve M. on Monday.
First sergeants are directed to inspect the kit of every man in their respective com- mands, and report to the Adjutant on the ground, with their companies, at ten min- . utes before three P. M.
By order of COLONEL JOHN W. STILES. J. B. COPPINGER, Adjutant.
Mr. Charles K. Herrick, of 75 John Street, notified the regiment that he would supply the members, gratis, with one
.
33
1861
THE START FOR THE SEAT OF WAR.
thousand havelocks ; a most kind and generous act on his part, and, which was gratefully acknowledged by the regiment.
.. The afternoon. of, the 27th found the men assembled according to orders. .. Line was formed on- Fourteenth Street, the right resting near University Place. As the regiment was about to leave the State without the sanction of the Governor, the men were without arms, those . previously used belonging to the State .. Eight hundred and fifty men answered to roll call. The officers, on being called to the front and center, were briefly addressed by ex-Colonel Van Beuren, who feel- ingly expressed the honor and pleasure it gave him to see the regiment before its departure ; he wished all an early and safe return. . The ranks, meanwhile, had been broken by the rela- tives and friends of the. men. . Many mothers and sisters could hardly be induced to part with their dear ones. . As for wives, few. in the regiment were old enough to possess such connec- tions-for boys they were, the average age being less than twenty-three years. Sweethearts were plenty, however, and they, too, had-to say " good-bye, God bless and preserve you;" to their favorite soldier lads. Many a silent prayer was offered up for the safety of all. ..
,At last the command " Fall in," was given, and with elastic step and determined carriage, the uniformed citizens marched- at , about four o'clock-to the stirring strains of the band and drum corps. The column was formed by platoons, and marched through Fourteenth Street to Broadway, into which it- wheeled with much difficulty, owing;, to the crowd of people which thronged into the thoroughfare. The march was of a very different character from the parade of peaceful times; in many, places the street was so.densely packed that it was diffi- cult to make, any, headway, and the shouting and cheering which , greeted the .regiment at . every step was deafening. Loyal lasses actually, kissed the boys, while presenting them with more substantial tokens of their affection, in the shape of necessary articles for use in the field-pin-cushions, housewife, and the like.
..... The great, heart of the metropolis beat strongly in
34
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
May
sympatny and in encouragement for the gallant fellows who represented its loyal and vigorous manhood, and the people who lined the streets voiced the popular sentiment by every conceivable demonstration of admiration and affection. The march was continued down Broadway to Cortlandt Street, thence to the Jersey City ferry, which was reached at half-past six o'clock. Here the throng was so dense that great delay was occasioned, and it was not till seven o'clock that the lines. were cast off and the boat allowed to proceed to Jersey City. As the men marched on board the boat to the tune of " The Girl I left Behind Me," cheers rent the air, which drowned for a time the music of the band. It was with many sighs of regret that both the girls and the band were left behind.
A sad accident, causing the first loss of life in the regiment in its war history, occurred as the train came to a stop near Bordentown. The careless discharge of a pistol in the hands of a member, almost instantly killed Private Thomas C. Pollock of Company D. He was standing on the canal bank at the moment, and when shot fell into the water. Private Charles H. Gesner, of Company D, plunged in and recovered the body, from which life was already extinct. The corpse, in charge of the gallant Gesner, was returned to sorrowing friends in New York.
After many delays the train reached Camden at five o'clock on the following morning. the regiment crossing the Delaware river to Philadelphia, and, marching through the streets to the Baltimore Station, it was again on the cars at seven o'clock. The loyal city of Wilmington, Delaware, was soon passed ; and when the train stopped at Havre-de-Grace, some little excite- ment was occasioned by the discovery of a rebel flag floating over one of the houses. A few of the members visited the house and compelled the owner to haul down the rag and hoist the stars and stripes. The Susquehanna was crossed, by the ferry-boat Maryland. Baltimore was reached at one o'clock in the afternoon, and as the NINTH were without arms, it was expected that the Eighth, N. Y. S. M., would receive and escort them through the city to the Washington Station; but no
1861
ARRIVAL AT WASHINGTON.
35
escort appeared. The crowd, which soon gathered, was an orderly one, but it was easy to see that the advent of the NINTH was not pleasing to the majority. Some few patriotic and fearless people offered the men ice water and other refresh- ments, which were gladly accepted, the men being much fatigued by the excitement of the past two or three days. A train was in waiting when the regiment reached the station ; the men were soon on board, and the cars rolled out. The Relay House was passed without a halt. Union troops were noticed all along the line performing guard duty. At five o'clock in the afternoon-the 28th-the NINTH reached Wash- ington, the two hundred and twenty-eight miles being covered in twenty-one hours. The men were happy in the thought of having arrived safely at their destination, and were ready to do their part towards the defense of the Capital.
1932157
-
36
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
May
CHAPTER III.
WASHINGTON .- THE ROCKVILLE CAMPAIGN.
The NINTH in Washington .- Armed and Equipped .- Reviewed by the President .- Camp Cameron .- The Seventh N. Y. S. M .- " General Orders, No. 12."-Guard and Picket Duty .-- A Laughable Adventure .- Beauregard's " Beauty and Booty" Proclamation .- Mustered In .- Register of the Regiment .- Colonel Stone's Com- mand .- The Maiden March .- Rockville .- The First New Hampshire .- The : Camp .- On the March Again .- An Alarm .- Darnestown .- Camp Stone .- Camp Sanford .- Detail for Picket .- Poolesville .- The Potomac .- Camp Hall .- Picket i Firing .- Muster and Inspection .-- Election of a Major .- Point of Rocks .- Detachment sent to Sandy Hook .- Celebration of the Fourth of July :- " Baptism by Fire."-The Loss .- Sharpsburg .- Into Virginia .- Letters.
TT would be difficult to describe the condition of affairs at
this time. Loyal men knew not whom to trust. Regular army officers were resigning and casting their lot with the secessionists, and many in the civil service were held in dis- trust. Almost a majority of the inhabitants of Washington were disloyal ; a large number remaining so through the whole war, while a few acted as spies for the Confederates.
The Woodward building, on Pennsylvania Avenue, near Tenth Street, was designated as quarters for the regiment ; some of the members, however, found better accommodations at hotels and boarding-houses. Not having as yet been sworn into the service, the men were privileged to go where they pleased.
The following day was spent by most of the regiment in rambling about the city, scanning the bulletin boards for the latest news, and comparing notes with chance acquaintances.
On the 30th, the regiment marched to the Arsenal, at the foot of Four-and-a-half Street, where Harper's Ferry smooth- bore buck and ball muskets, caliber .69 were issued ; after which it marched in review at the White House, before Presi- dent Lincoln, his Cabinet, and General Scott.
37
CAMP CAMERON.
1861
On the morning of the 31st, it was announced that the regiment was to occupy Camp Cameron, on Meridian Hill, where the Seventh N. Y. S. M., were then quartered ; the thirty day's term of that regiment having expired, they had been ordered to New York. A detail for guard duty was at once made, consisting of Captain Allan Rutherford, Officer of the Day ; Lieutenant Erastus R. Miller, Officer of the Guard ; and Sergeant Angus Cameron, Sergeant of the Guard. They proceeded to Camp Cameron and relieved the Guard of the Seventh.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, line was formed, and the regiment marched to its first camp, two miles distant on the Harper's Ferry road. The Seventh was found drawn up in line, and as the NINTH marched by, it received the compli- ment of a salute.
The camp was taken possession of at half-past five, the Seventh leaving the NINTH as a legacy their wall-tents, all of which were floored, and many of them containing mattresses, chairs, wash-basins, etc., while some were even supplied with; .a generous quantity of canned meats and other substantial comforts, all of which were thankfully received, and the extreme generosity of their fellow soldiers fully appreciated.
The following order was issued for the government of the camp :
0 . HEADQUARTERS, NINTH REGIMENT,
Camp Cameron, Washington, D. C. May 31st, 1861.
GENERAL ORDERS, NO. 12. -
Reveille will be beat at sunrise, under the direction of the officer of the guard, when the men will rise, and sentinels leave off challenging. A commissioned officer will, fifteen minutes thereafter, superintend the roll call of each company, by the first .sergeants, upon the company parades, and the captain of each report the names of absentees to the Colonel or commanding officer. Immediately after the reveille roll call. the tents of each company, and the space around them, will be cleaned and put in neat order by the men of the companies, superintended by the chiefs of squads or messes, and the quarters of the guard by the guard or prisoners.
" Peas upon à trencher " will be beat at seven o'clock. "Troop" is to sound or beat at eight o'clock for the purpose of assembling the men for duty and inspection before guard mounting.
Company drills from half-past eight to half-past nine battalion drills from ten to eleven A. M., and dress parade at half-past five P. M.
1
i
38
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
May
The morning reports of the companies, signed by the captains and first sergeants, will be handed to the Adjutant before eight o'clock A. M. and be consolidated by the Adjutant within the next hour, for the information of the commanding officer of the regiment.
The guard for each day will be one captain, one lieutenant, one sergeant, three corporals, and ninety-six privates, furnished by detail from each company.
Guard mounting at half-past nine, at which time the officer of the day, the officer of the guard and the detail for the day, will assemble on the regimental parade and be formed by the adjutant and the sergeant-major.
The "Surgeon's Call " will be sounded immediately after guard mounting, when the sick, able to go out, will be conducted by the first sergeants to the hospital tents, for the examination of the surgeons. Patients unable to attend the dispensary will be visited by the surgeon.
The camp will be inspected every day at five P. M. by the officer of the day, assisted by the officer of the guard, when every man will be at his post-muskets stacked oppo- site respective tents-quarters clean and orderly.
Every man is required to give the strictest attention to the care and appearance of his uniform and equipments, and will be held accountable for any loss, damage, or injury thereto, other than reasonable wear.
"Roast Beef" at twelve M.
"Retreat " will be sounded at sun-set, for the purpose of warning officers and men for duty, and reading the orders of the day.
"Tattoo " will be sounded at half-past nine P. M., after which no soldier is to be out of his tent or quarters, unless by special leave; and at ten o'clock, the "Taps" will be given, when all noise must cease in camp, and lights be extinguished.
The body belts will be worn on all occasions when the men are out of camp ; and no article of dress, other than the regular uniform, will be permitted to be worn by offi- cer or soldier when on duty, or when out of camp.
Divine service will be held on Sunday at ten A. M. Every officer and soldier, not on duty or the sick list, is expected to be present, in uniform, without arms.
Al! absentees at roll-call, without leave, will be punished by being deprived of recreation for one week, or otherwise, in the discretion of the commanding officer of the regiment. No compliment by guards or sentinels will be paid between Retreat and Reveille. Strict order and regularity will be maintained by the commandants of companies, and they will be held accountable for a want of disipline in their respective commands, and will take proper measures to enforce it. The Articles of War will be read by the commandants of companies to their respective commands, immediately after Inspection ; and they will be governed by the rules and regulations of the United States.
Loaded arms shall not be placed in stack ; nor shall any piece, except those of the Guard, and for immediate target practice, or in apprehension of attack or necessity for defense, be kept loaded upon camp-ground.
The " Assembly" is the signal to form by company.
" To the color " is the signal to form by battalion.
"The Long Roll " is the signal for getting under arms in case of alarm, or the sudden appearance of the enemy.
" First Sergeant's Call ;" one roll and four taps.
" Sergeant's Call ;" one roll and three taps.
,
39
HALT ! WHO GOES THERE ?
1861
" Corporal's Call ;" one roll and two taps.
" For Drummers ;" the drummers' call.
By order of
Official.
J. W. STILES, Colonel Commanding. J. B. COPPINGER, Adjutant.
The parade ground at once became the scene of the active school of the soldier, and the men soon showed remarkable. proficiency in the manual of arms. Since crossing the borders of the State of New York, the regiment had been merely a body of armed and uniformed citizens, without any military status whatever, and it is greatly to their credit, that amid the many difficulties encountered, from April 19th-the day they volunteered-to June 8th, the date of their muster into the U. S. service, nothing occurred to mar their record. Nearly two months, during a period of actual war, is a very long time to hold a body of patriotic men together, who are anxious to. meet the foes of their county. The NINTH's experience before. it left New York cost it quite a number of members, who- hastened off to join organizations more fortunate, in that their- services were earlier accepted by the government. Night duty for the first week was very exciting, especially from about ten o'clock till dawn, the sentries imagination building an enemy out of anything animate or inanimate that their ever-watchful eye or car could detect, and causing general alarms almost without number. If the leaves of a tree or bush were agitated, an enemy was supposed to be lurking behind it, and then upon the stillness of the night would ring out the challenge : " Halt ! Who goes there?" If a reply was not received, that fact would add to the fear of the already half-frightened green. soldier boy.
It was the general belief, which to a certain extent was true, that enemies were hovering about the camp night and day. Quite near the camp was situated the buildings of Columbia College, and when it was reported that lights were frequently seen displayed at the windows at night, and that the lights appeared to the observers to be of various colors, it: was believed that they were signals to the enemy. The pupils.
-
40
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
June
had all left, most of them for southern homes, and only the janitor and a few officials remained. All the more reason for believing the rumors. In the excited and uncertain condition of affairs at this time, the mere report of such an occurrence was proof positive that treason lurked in the institution. . A detachment under the command of proper officers was detailed to, visit „the college and arrest all guilty or suspicious char- acters, and to seize all treasonable; apparatus. A rollicking Irishman, belonging to a cavalry company stationed near by, hearing of the "secret " expedition, asked permission to join it and, being a general favorite, his request was granted. At low twelve the force started. On approaching the objective point the commanding officer sent a portion of his men around to the rear door, and also placed sentries at the four corners of the building to prevent the escape of any fleeing parties, while with the main, body he boldy advanced to the front entrance.
A series of thundering raps upon the door with the hilt of his sword, and which re-echoed through the empty building in an unearthly manner, finally, brought some one to an upper window with : " What's wanted there ?" uttered in no very gentle tone. " This is a detail of the guard ; we wish to enter the building; come down and open the door." With an imprecation which sounded like " Damn you and the guard ?" the head disappeared and the window was closed with a bang. After waiting a few moments and hearing nothing further from the inmates, the officer again raised his voice, and said that if the door was not opened in three minutes he would enter by force. After three minutes by the watch had expired, an order to break open the door was given, and several men, with the butts of their muskets, soon punched off the fastenings, when the party entered the main hall. Leaving a guard at the door the others made their way upstairs, encountering no one until they entered a room on the top floor. Noise enough to awaken the "Seven Sleepers" had been made, and yet, there, upon a bed, and apparently sound asleep, lay two men. The night was a hot one ; the occupants of the room evidently
:
4.I
1861
OH ! OH !. MURDER ! HELP !
had not expected company before being awakened, and as they lay upon the bed, clothed with little else than a deep sleep, their photographs, if exposed for sale, would doubtless have been suppressed by a Comstock. One of the occupants lay on his side with his back to the door, and as soon as the Irish cavalryman grasped the situation, he, with a " whisht boys !" approached the sleeper. On coming up through the halls the rollicking O'Mally had picked up'an old rusty broad-bladed saber, this lie now raised, poised it a moment to be sure of his aim, and then brought the flat of it down with a whack upon the unprotected buttocks of the sleeper. With a yell like a Comanche Indian, the victim sprang from the bed.
"Oh ! Oh! Murder ! Help !" he shouted, trying at the same time to cover the sore spot with his hand and arm. The boys were convulsed with' laughter, some of whom -- the executioner among them -- fairly rolling on the floor in their efforts to do justice to the ludicrous scene.
The poor victim finally found words to demand what was meant by the outrage. It was some time though before he could be pacified, and assured that the assault upon his person was merely a practical joke, and that it had nothing whatever to do with the " official" visit of the guard. Finally the man himself joined in the laugh -- which was still kept up -- but with a somewhat gruesome countenance. He wasn't able to sit down comfortably for a good while after his misadventure.
But what of the treasonable signal lights ? A couple of lanterns, such as are used in the higher educational institutions for the purpose of illustrating studies in natural philosophy, were found, but there was nothing treasonable or unusual - in that.
But there was also discovered quite a number of hazel sticks, six inches long and about three eighths of an inch in diameter, which, it was said, had been used to form letters or characters, and by being held up in front of the strong light of the lanterns, could be read by the initiated at a great dis- tance. These little sticks, then, were the only substantial trophies of the midnight visit; they were distributed among
42
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
June
the men, and one of the party had his still preserved as late as 1880.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.