USA > Rhode Island > History of the Ninth and Tenth Regiments Rhode Island Volunteers, and the Tenth Rhode Island Battery, in the Union Army in 1862 > Part 12
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"Ned Brown and Fred Armington received boxes from home last evening. Each of us had a cake from Brown's box, and Armington will have his 'spread' this morning. Later : I told you so. Armington has just passed the doughnuts, and it's jolly to be remembered by the friends at home. As I write, Price lies stretched out before me, and distracts me by asking me to draw his army shoes, but I tell him his 'whangs' are too large to be transferred to this sheet ' life-size !'
"The contrabands brought some nice, soft fresh strawberries into camp this morning, at twelve cents per quart. We sent out for six quarts, and they made a good relish, I assure you. Cost : berries, six quarts, seventy two cents ; milk, thirty cents ; sugar, ten cents ; total, one dollar and twelve cents, divided by sixteen of us, leaves just seven cents for each man to pay. Cheap enough isn't it ? Have some ?"
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The Tennallytown Gun.
Unexpected Capture by the Tenth Rhode Island Volunteers.
Camp Frieze, Tennallytown.
"June 18th. Yesterday afternoon," wrote the author, "Com- pany B was thrown into quite a flutter of excitement, by the announcement that it had been detailed for a secret expedition, and was under marching orders. We formed in line, as per regimental orders, with equipments and muskets, and left camp at two o'clock, P. M., accompanied by the officers of both regi- ments, with directions to observe the strictest silence on the march. What was going to happen? Had old Stonewall Jackson again ventured within our lines, and were we to have the glory of surprising and capturing him ? Unhappily it proved not, though Stonewall did make a visit to Maryland a few months later, and his progress, and that of the entire rebel army, was arrested only at the terrific pass of Antietam, but sixty miles from camp. After Company B had been marched perhaps two miles, it was halted, and faced, as the boys say, 'eyes right and left,' before a peaceful and unpretending wooden mansion, and awaited an answer to the summons of Colonel Bliss at the front door. It
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seems that intelligence had reached the colonel, through our own men out foraging, that a rebel cannon was concealed in the barn of a well-known southern sympathizer, and it was considered not improbable that he might turn it some dark night on our sleep- ing regiments at Camp Frieze. It looked like a very serious piece of business, the boys thought, after hearing the news, and visions of a thirty-two, if not a forty-two-pounder rose before us. The summons for its surrender, however, was met by an indignant refusal from the fair matron who answered the colonel's call, and from the proprietor himself, who now appeared from a neighboring field. He was making off, but was induced to return after a short chase by Adjutant Tobey. Soon a daughter appeared on the scene, fresh from school, and a true 'gray,' and no mistake. She loudly declared that they would never give it up. No, never ! The choice being now given them to surrender the gun, or take up a family march back to camp, to the tune of 'we won't go home till morning,' they concluded to produce it. And lo, what a disappointment ! Instead of a mighty forty-two pounder, or Stonewall Jackson, we beheld a small field howitzer, about two feet long, such as is used in the field by infantry. It was rifled, and carried a ball, weighing a pound, about a mile. But such as it was, it was mounted on its carriage and trailed back to camp by Company B, who thus earned the honor of capturing the only rebel cannon taken by the Tenth Regiment Rhode Island Vol- unteers. It was receipted for by Captain Dyer, and in due time safely arrived in Providence. After many years, through the courtesy of his son, Adjt .- Gen. Elisha Dyer, it has been placed in the museum of the Rhode Island Historical Society."
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Resuming the narrative from Company D, we read that : "A little dancing contra- band, one of the innocent causes of the war, is now in front of the 'Athenaeum' tent, blacking Elisha Mowry's boots. At seven this evening, we form in line for inspection, with equipments, which must be in shining order. Every boot, button, belt, bayonet, and musket, must be polished as bright as Contraband Goods. rubbing can make them. At inspection every man appears in line, with his musket and equipments, full knap- sack, canteen, haversack, cartridge-box, etc., all of which are duly inspected. The blankets being strapped upon the knapsacks, the tents are supposed to be empty, and, of course, their condi- tion, as to cleanliness can be ascertained at a glance."
"One of our first efforts," wrote Captain Dyer, "as quickly as opportunity and 'leave of absence ' from camp would allow, was a general reconnoissance of our surroundings, to provide against the liability of being surprised, outflanked, or attacked in the many vulnerable points to which our camp was exposed, by some raiding Jackson or Early. This duty was most faithfully performed."
Resuming, H. T. Chace, of Company D, wrote : "On coming into camp this morning, I noticed some very pretty evergreen boughs, or arbors, in one company's quarters, with arched doors. and windows, all displaying excellent taste. The Westerly com- pany have things about right. The boys have dug a well which yields the best water in camp. They have their tables hand- somely protected by evergreen boughs."
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"The orderly has just appeared at the tent- door, saying, 'Two men of this mess are wanted to bring water for the cook.' Sergeant Brown and the writer responded to the call, and brought several buckets of water from the spring. We WATER SQUAD. then helped peel the po- tatoes, and split some wood for the fire. Herman and Burdon are also assisting Mr. Burroughs in the cooking department. I am on police duty again to-day, with George Briggs, to wash the dishes. Returning I saw Robert Paine in the cook's tent, picking over beans. Think of it! and we all have to take our turn ! My box arrived this P. M., and has been opened to my satisfaction and that of the mess. We propose dividing the cakes on Sunday evening. We shall have Fred Hedge, Ned Brown, John Cady, William A. Harris, and Fred Armington, participate in demolish- ing it. They are all regular boarders at the 'Athenaeum.' They say 'you can't have too much cake for supper,' and if the cake gives out, we shall all relish the gingerbread.
"June 14th. To-day a small party has gone to the Potomac to bathe, three miles away.
"June 15th. Was up before sunrise this morning, and bathed at the spring and went over and admired the battery's new twelve- pounders before reveillé."
أملفى الحد طالب
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" Reveille sounds at half past four. We tumble out for early roll-call, just as we please, as re- gards our costumes. In the ex- citement many of the men come half dressed, dragging their mus- kets after them, completing their hasty toilet after getting into line. The helter skelter that follows the hasty endeavor to get into the Reveille, 4.30 A. M. ranks is extremely comical to be- hold. It gives no time for the adjustment of collars, or tying of neckties or 'whangs.' This morning all our men but one had overcoats on. That one was late, and not having time to dress at all, before his name would be called, he hastily wrapped the drapery of his couch, that is an army blanket, about him, and took his position in line, to our great amusement, Later this morning, we marched over to the quartermaster's tent, and ac- tually received our blue army pants. Such a motley assembly ! Some with no pants (only drawers), some with only three-quarter pants, multitudes with dilapidated pants, full of patches and holes, and the balance with blankets to cover them, for respectability's sake. Each man received the pair first handed him, with the instruction to 'try them on,' and if 'no fit,' to change round with some other member of the regiment. If any one could not, after all, succeed in finding a pair which would answer the purpose, he could return them to the quartermaster for exchange. We had a good deal of fun during the operation of 'trying on' and getting fitted.
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Thus our 'infant,' a tall six-footer, received a short pair, while Halsey DeWolf, had a pair which came up to his neck. Fred Armington is now hard at work shortening the legs of his trousers, so as not to show the white linings.
"2 P. M. We had a good dinner of beef-soup and potatoes, with strawberries for dessert. Potatoes, thanks to our foragers, are quite plenty now. Seeing Fred Hedge (the Athenaeum libra- rian) staining his hands picking over strawberries, reminds me of a laugh we had at William A. Harris while on the march from Washington. He had a new red silk handkerchief in his cap, and the perspiration soon began to make the color run, so that as he wiped his face with it the color was transferred, which gave him a peculiarly heated and exhausted appearance. When we first noticed it we thought that the march was giving him 'jessy !' We soon discovered, however, that he was only being artificially colored, 'à la Indian !'
"Tuesday, June 17th. Yesterday, we had plenty of drill, and only six roll-calls. I wish you could hear us, 'break ranks, march !' We just do it altogether, with a will! This morning we had battalion drill, as usual, carrying our muskets and equipments. Our dress, over the uniform, consists of a belt which fastens round the body, and which holds a cartridge-box and bayonet, with a cross-belt. Our muskets after an hour's drill in the hot sun seem a good deal heavier than they did as we proudly handled them at first." "To relieve this difficulty," says the author, "a belt- hook was devised, which attached to the body-belt in such a way that when the musket was at the position of 'carry,' its weight could be easily transferred from the arm to the belt-hook.
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It immediately became very popular, and worked to perfection, until one unlucky day as we stood in line with our muskets quietly resting on our belt-hooks, the order was suddenly given to 'order, arms!' Down went every other fellow's gun promptly ! But mine wouldn't let go of that plaguy belt-hook, and was left suspended high in air! The captain reprimanded me sharply, the boys in the ranks smiled audibly, and all belt-hooks were ordered off promptly. Belt and Belt-Hook. They might afterwards be seen adorning the belts of officers, supporting their long swords, but they no longer supported the firelocks of privates. I was so mortified that I began to feel sorry that I'd come out with the rest of the boys to help save the capital. I felt almost as bad as I did once in a spelling-class at school. I suppose I wasn't paying then the best of attention, when suddenly the teacher called upon me to spell the word. I hadn't any more idea what the word was than if it had been 'belt-hook,' but supposing that the next boy kindly in- tended to prompt me by whispering, 'lignum-vitæ,' I boldly pronounced, and spelled it, until interrupted by shouts of laughter from the school, in which the teacher himself joined. I looked at the other boy, and realized that he'd given me away, for his sides were shaking. He is an old boy now, and I forgive him, as I hope to be forgiven, for perpetrating some of the same sort of practical jokes. Certainly, I can never forget my experiences with 'belt-hooks' and 'lignum-vitæ.'
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" The 'grand rounds?' Yes, well do I remember my first experience. I was guard at the west of the camp, at the foot of the hill, when the 'grand rounds' came along. Captain Smith was officer of the day, Grand Roman and, of course, led the guard. It had been raining hard, and the water was rushing down the hill, so that my tramp was through mud and water. About midnight I heard stumbling footsteps : 'Halt ! who goes there ?' 'Grand rounds !' 'Advance, sergeant of the grand rounds and give the countersign !' The sergeant spattered the mud, gave the countersign, and inquired the way to the next rounds, for it was so dark that you could hardly see him. The captain stopped, and said 'Chace, how do you stand it ?' I said ' first rate,' and he went on his way rejoicing. He has been on duty every day, although often very tired, and troubled with a cold.
" By the way, we have a man here named Adam. A few min- utes ago some one went by our tent calling out, 'John, where's Adam ?' and John Cady immediately called out, ' Where's Adam ? Gone after Eve!' You would think we needed an Eve if you could see the sleeves of my blouse. I cut them off, and then stitched, basted and sewed the edges ; it would puzzle a seam- stress to tell which. At this moment we are emptying Corporal Foster's box of ginger cookies.
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A few days later, Mr. Chace wrote : "Have just returned from ' dress parade.' All the companies march to the parade-ground, form in two ranks, and face to the front, sergeants in the rear. The order is then given, 'order, arms ; parade, rest.' At this rest the right foot is thrown to the rear of the left, the hands crossed in front of the body, left uppermost, thumbs crossed, eyes to the front, every man to remain as still as a statue, even if a fly or a spider walks over his face. The drum-band, five fifes lead- ing, followed by eight snare-drums, then marches in front of the regiment, from right to left, playing in common time, then halts, about face, and marches back quick time. 'First sergeants to the front and centre.' At this command the first sergeants pass to the front of their respective companies, face inward, and marching to the centre of the regiment, take the position, ' front-face.' The sergeant on the right, his piece being at a light infantry 'shoulder,' then salutes, by carrying his left arm across the breast, and reports to the adjutant, 'Company D present, or accounted for.' Each sergeant follows, reporting his company in the same manner. The adjutant who is standing opposite the centre of the regiment, facing it, and in front of the colonel, then orders, 'outward face, to your posts, march.' The sergeants return to their posts. The order, 'parade is dismissed,' then fol- lows. At this the commissioned officers advance to the front, face, march to the centre and report, the band meanwhile, playing. Having reported, the officers return by the shortest route to their companies and take them out of line. Each company is then drilled by its commandant, presenting a lively spectacle. At the same time another company was going through the movement of
السموات
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'charge bayonets ' about a quar- ter of a mile distant. The yells of the men were exciting to hear. After drilling some time we were again formed in line, and drilled by Lieutenant-Col- onel Shaw for about twenty minutes very lively .:
"Ned Brown has been cook- ing a nice custard in his mess- - pan. A pint of milk, two eggs, a little nutmeg, and watching the fire for ten minutes, made Cooking Custard. a cheap and luxurious dish for a soldier. I am now sitting on a box in front of our tent, and can see down Benefit street beyond the cook's tent. It is amusing to see some of the boys steering for their tents, with bread in one hand and meat in the other, re- membering at the same time, how they lived at home.
"Yesterday, the Zouaves, Captain Duckworth, received a big pile of good things, not the least acceptable of which, was a foot- ball. Sergeants Brown and Cady went on pass to Washington yesterday. They returned in time for 'retreat' which beats at seven P. M. They brought along a two-gallon coffee pot, and ' K. D.' had a blacking box and brush. Ned also brought coffee and sugar, and we had some coffee in the evening that beat any that we have had since leaving home. We have not as yet been served with either mess-pans, knives or forks. What we have in that line has been 'foraged.' My silver spoon, for which I paid
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THE TENTH REGIMENT
four cents, the other day in Washington, disappeared yesterday. 'I have made two trips from camp, recently, one to the Potomac, the 19th, and one to Washington, the 20th. In the former tramp, after crossing Chain Bridge, we proceeded along a steep, rocky road, about half a mile, when we came to Fort Marcy, gar- risoned by two companies of a New York artillery regiment. The fort mounts thirteen guns (twenty-four-pound Parrott, six-pound field pieces, and twelve-pound brass howitzers). The fort over- looks the Potomac. From Fort Marcy we could see encamp- ments in the distance, and further on in Virginia, Fort Ethan Allen, mounting twenty-five guns. Returning to camp, we reported in good season, tired out. The next day being my chance to go to Washington, I snapped up the offer, and, borrowing a fresh collar, and brushing my hair and boots, was soon ready.
" Brock Mathewson, 2d, was the corporal, and William A. Harris was the other private. We started about 8. 15 and walked to Georgetown. On reaching Georgetown heights a beautiful pano- rama opened before ns. Arlington heights, the old residence of General Lee, Fort Corcoran, the Potomac, Long Bridge, the Capitol and Washington Monument. We took the stage for Washington, and pulled the strap in front of the White House." Then follows an interesting description of the places visited : the White House, Willard's Hotel, Patent Office and the Capitol. "The bakery in the basement bakes 35,000 loaves daily for the soldiers. Returning to camp via Georgetown, a carriage passed, and we exchanged salutes with Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. Following was a gentleman on horseback, who immediately lifted his hat to us, and we recognized President Lincoln." He was
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greatly beloved by the soldiers, and more than once interfered with the military powers to par- don some youthful deserter, or sentry who had fallen asleep at his post.
" My business in Washington," says a well known official, " was to 止-1-1 secure a pardon for a young sol- dier who had deserted under rather peculiar circumstances. When he enlisted he was under engagement to a young girl, and went to the front very certain of her faithful- The Girls We Left Behind Us. ness, as a young man should be, and he made a most excellent soldier, and felt that 'she' would be proud of him. It is needless to say that the young girl being exceptionally attractive, and the war unexpectedly protracted, had another lover, whom she had discarded for the young volunteer, for which the stay-at-home hated the accepted soldier with the utmost cordiality. Taking advantage of his long absence he began to renew his suit with such vehemence, that a rumor reached the young man at the front that his love had gone over to the enemy. He immediately applied for a furlough, which was refused, and, half mad and reck- less of consequences, he deserted his post and started for home. He found the information he had received partially true, but he had arrived in time. He married the girl, but was immediately arrested as a deserter, tried, found guilty, and sentenced to be
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shot. After patiently listening to the recital, and inquiring as to his previous good character, the President at once signed the pardon, saying : 'I want to punish the young man ; probably in less than a year he will wish I had withheld the pardon. We can't tell though, I suppose when I was a young man I should have done the same fool thing myself !'"
If ever a man was fairly tested, Lincoln was. General Long- street, of the South, calls him "the greatest man of rebellious times ; the one matchless among forty millions for the peculiar difficulties of the period." There was no lack of resistance, nor of ridicule both at home and abroad, and one of the most touching tributes at his death was the manly recantation of the London Punch, which for four long years had pursued him with its slanders :
" Beside this corpse that bears for winding sheet The Stars and Stripes he lived to rear anew,
Between the mourners at the head and feet, Say, scurrile jester, is there room for you ?
Yes, he had lived to shame me from my sneer, To lame my pencil, and confute my pen, To make me own this kind of princes peer, This rail-splitter, a true-born king of men ! "
Resuming, H. T. Chace wrote : "June 21st. Arriving in camp on our return from Washington, we found rumors current that we are under marching orders. If we move it will be to Virginia. There is another report that we are to be sent to the front. While drilling, to-day, I saw a string of army mules and wagons for the Fourteenth Infantry, passing down the road."
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Captain Greene wrote : "Paymaster Jabez C. Knight made us a very ac- ceptable visit during the week just past, and paid over the long talked of bounty money."
H. T. Chace, wrote the same day : "A battalion of regulars is now passing by. I have no idea General McClellan will be defeated on the Peninsula, and rather hope that we may have a chance to assist in crushing the rebellion.
Chaplain A. H. Clapp.
" The chaplain has just looked in and given us a pleasant word. We like him." "We are greatly attached to our chaplain," wrote Capt. A. Crawford Greene. "He is in every way fitted for the duties of his office. He is daily among the sick, and among the soldiers generally, speaking an encouraging word to all. He holds services every night, and on the Sabbath services at eleven A. M.
and seven p. M." In his report to the governor of Rhode Island, Colonel Shaw said : "The regiment was particularly fortunate in its chaplain, Rev. A. Huntington Clapp, the honored pastor of the Beneficent Congregational Church in Providence. He was sin- gularly qualified for the duties of his office, and devoted himself with unremitting fidelity to the temporal and spiritual welfare of the men." Indeed, Sir Walter Scott's description of Father Clement might well be applied to our beloved chaplain, " You will think of him as the best and kindest man in the world, with a comfort for every man's grief, a counsel for every man's difficulty, the rich man's surest guide, and the poor man's best friend."
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THE TENTH REGIMENT
Capt. A. Crawford Greene, wrote June 21st : " Maj. Jacob Babbitt has ar- rived, and commenced his duties. Our pickets brought in a man this morning who seems wonderfully frightened. He gives no satisfactory excuse for being in the road. He cocked his rifle when about to be taken, but one of our pickets ar- rested him in time to prevent the dis- Major Babbitt. charge. We have every indication judg- ing from preparatory orders that we are to leave Camp Frieze, and pitch our tents, the God of battles only knows where. We hear it rumored that we are to go to Cloud's Mills, Va., near Alexandria. It is also reported that we of the Tenth are soon to receive rifled muskets similar to those of the Ninth. We have just received orders to cook two days' rations, which is another evidence that we are to march. The Tenth Battery has already started for Cloud's Mills, via Washington. Our hospital exhibits this morning about the same number (say seventy-eight) of in- mates who are comfortably sick. None are thought to be in a dangerous state. Our advantages for company and battalion drill have been extremely limited at Camp Frieze, and our hope is that we may find our new camp better adapted for general instruction. There seems to be an unusual movement of troops about here, and the supposition is that an important engagement is about to take place. We notice that most of the regiments about us are packed up, with knapsacks on, ready to march at a moment's notice. Our men appear ready for whatever awaits them."
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SCENE IN HOS- PITAL.
Regimental surgeon to pa- tient :
"You've got a bad cold, and a fever, sir. Have you been in a draught ? " Patient : " Drafted, no, sir ! They didn't draft me. I was Scene in Hospital. darned fool enough to enlist of my own free will! I thought the war was about over, and if I didn't hurry up I should get left !"
"A few days ago," wrote Chace, " a soldier went to the surgeon's tent with a sore hand. Seeing that the trouble arose chiefly from a neglect of cleanliness, Dr. Wilcox wrote a prescription, and sent the man with it to the tent where they are prepared. The direc- tions were: 'Four drops in a basin of water, and wash the hands in the mixture, the operation to be repeated four times a day.' The joke was that the vial from which he took the drops contained nothing but pure water. It is needless to add the sores disappeared. Another man went to the doctor, who he saw was simply and purely homesick. He received for his complaint a dose of sugar of milk, and when it leaked out, he also recovered. The general health of the regiment is very good."
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Brig. Gen. Wadsworth.
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