USA > Rhode Island > Rhode Island's early defenders and their successors > 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
The Quartermaster Department was busy day and night issuing arms and ammunition, the arms used by most of the companies being the heavy smooth bore flint lock musket cal- ibre 69 and 70.
Governor King's Council of War, in which there were a number of men from without the State, was in session con- stantly.
On Saturday, June 25th three thousand troops were as- sembled in Providence and a review was held on the Common off Smith Street where many of the companies were now sta- tioned.
The Governor and his advisors decided to disregard the existing division and for several days had been perfecting the organization of an army, exclusive of the 2nd Brigade, espec- ially created for suppressing the rebellion.
After the review the composition of this army was an- nounced by General Orders. The officers being as follows:
William Gibbs McNeill, of Stonington, was made Major General Commanding, with the following Aides-de-camp: William C. Gibbs, Newport, Brigadier General; John H. Gil- bert, of Newport, Major; William Ennis, of Newport, Major; Mark Anthony DeWolf, of Bristol, Major; John Rivers, of Providence, Major; John H. Clarke, of Providence, Major;
-52-
Stephen S. Lee, of New York, Major.
Elisha Dyer, Jr., the Adjutant General of the State, was made Adjutant General of the New Division with Captains Samuel C. Blodgett and Francis E. Hoppin as assistants.
Samuel Ames was appointed Quartermaster General with Captains Rufus Waterman, Thomas W. Setson, Nathan Bishop, Charles H. Mason, Edwin H. Hazard, Henry C. Mathewson, John H. Ormsbee and William H. Potter, assistants.
Henry G. Mumford was Commissary General with Capt. Richard J. Arnold, Assistant. Nineteen deputies were appoint- ed to assist in the work of the Commissary Department.
The Medical Department was carefully organized with Richard Bronell as Surgeon General. Twenty-one physicians were appointed assistant surgeon generals and the Rev. Francis Vinton of Newport was assigned as Chaplain.
Headquarters were established at The Tockwotten House on Tockwotten Street, Providence.
The first order directing the disposition of the troops al- ready under arms, preparatory to a general advance against the enemy, was issued by the Adjutant General from temporary headquarters on Smith Hill at 4 P. M. By it Col. William Shaw, Jr. of the Newport Volunteers was ordered to proceed to Greenville on Sunday, June 26th with a force made up of the Bristol Artillery, Barrington Volunteers, Bristol Neck In- fantry, Middletown Volunteers and Newport Volunteers. Col. Shaw marched his command out Smith Street and taking the wrong road at Centerdale proceeded to Fruit Hill where he went into camp on Sunday afternoon.
Col. William W. Brown was appointed to command the force to be assembled at Greenville and began the march to that village on Monday morning with the Marine Corps of Artillery and The First Light Infantry Regiment. He effected a juncture with Col. Shaw's force en route and both commands proceeded to Greenville, arriving there Monday afternoon.
A muster of the troops showed the strength of this force to be 497 men divided among the following companies:
-53-
Bristol Artillery, Lieut. Col. Wm. R. Taylor 184 men Providence Corps Artillery, Lieut. Col. George C.
Nightingale 79 men
First Light Infantry Co., Lieut. F. Barber 63 men Newport Volunteers, Col. Swan 76 men Middletown Volunteers, Capt. N. Greene 48 men
Barrington Volunteers 32 men
Jamestown Volunteers, Capt. G. Knowles 15 men
Col. William B. Swan, of the Newport Artillery, was placed in command of a force made up of The Warren Artillery, Capt. S. Pearce, 85 men; The Warren Infantry, Capt. Fessenden, 123 men; and the Newport Artillery, Lieut. Col. R. J. Taylor, 137 men; and ordered to march to Scituate Mills at sunrise Monday morning and establish camp.
Brig. Gen. Gibbs of Gen. McNeill's staff accompanied this detachment and was virtually in charge of the movements in the western part of the State. A volunteer company of Cavalry known as "The Light Horsemen", commanded by Capt. Jos- eph W. Sweet, acted as escort to Gen. Gibbs and also rendered service as scouts.
With instructions to establish a strong line of picket posts along the Connecticut line to Massachusetts, preventing rein- forcements reaching the insurgents and intercepting any re- treat into Connecticut, Brig. Gen. John B. Steadman, Jr., was ordered to assemble the 3rd Brigade consisting of three reg- iments with a total of nineteen companies at Hopkin's Mills on Sunday afternoon June 26th.
Brig. Gen. Alphonso Greene, commanding the 4th Brig- ade, composed of two regiments with a total of 14 companies was directed to join Gen. Steadman with his command.
On the 26th The Rhode Island Carbineers was organized with Samuel T. Thurber as Captain, Edward Burr, First Lieut- enant, Louis D. Hutchins, Second Lieutenant and William M. Bailey, Third Lieutenant. This organization was unique in that it was composed largely of Rhode Islanders residing in other states who returned with commendable zeal to serve their native state in its distress. The Company was armed with the new
-54-
MANNO
Colt Repeating Carbine, Model 1836, purchased from a fund raised for this purpose by the loyal citizens of Providence. The headquarters of the Company was in the City Hotel on Weybos- set Street.
In order to prevent Massachusetts sympathizers from join- ing the Dorr forces, Col. George W. T. Allen of the Kentish Guards was directed to proceed with his command, numbering 52 men, to Pawtucket and establish a post at the bridge over the river at the falls. He was soon reinforced by The United Train of Artillery, Col. B. Hodges, 30 men; The Rhode Island Carbineers, Capt. Olney, 44 men; The Tiverton Volunteers, Capt. G. H. Durfee, 57 men, and the Pawtucket and Central Falls Vol- unteers, Capt. N. A. Potter, 51 men. The total strength of Col. Allen's command was 234 men.
At this point considerable hostility was man- ifested toward the troops. Some fighting occurred and three men on the Massachusetts side of the river were shot, one being killed.
Preparations were made to blow up the bridge if such action was deemed expedient, a force under Zachariah Allen being assigned for this work. However, the determined stand taken by the troops rendered the destruction of the bridge unnesces- sary.
On Monday, the 27th, orders were issued Col. Josiah H. Martin, commanding the National Cad- ets to proceed to Woonsocket and assume com- mand of a military post to be established there. Troops were rushed to the northern town and in two days the following organizations had arrived:
National Cadets, Lieut. G. O. Bourne, 92 men Sea Fencibles, Capt. Nathaniel S. Mauran, 65 men
Providence City Guards, Capt. S. T. Olney, 108 men
-55-
14th Regiment, Col. A. G. Tripp, 70 men Woonsocket Volunteers, 70 men, Captain Making a total of 405 men.
Lieut. Col. Almon D. Hodges of the Providence Horse Gaurds was in charge of the reserve troop stationed at Provi- dence, consisting of part of the City Guard and some of the First and Second Brigade Companies.
During the night of the 27th a severe storm swept over the northern sections of the State and the troops stationed along side the country roads without camp equipage, sleeping in barns and cowsheds and under the trees, spent a most uncomfortable night.
Gen. McNeill apparently satisfied with the disposition of his troops decided to force the issue without delay and dispatch- ed orders to Col. Brown to move forward from Greenville on Chepachet and attack at daybreak the insurgents reported to be entrenched on Acotes Hill. The orders were received by Col. Brown at midnight but the rain-soaked militiamen did not leave Greenville until late in the forenoon following.
The language of this order (No. 38) is interesting and placed considerable discretion in Col. Brown. It contains the following:
"The movements of this command will be made with precaution and an attack will not be made upon the insur- gents should they be in too great force to be subdued with- out reinforcements which will be immediately sent for if required."
While these movements were under way, Dorr on Mon- day, June 27, abandoned his works at Chepachet, dispersed his followers and with his more prominent associates retired into Connecticut.
Gen. Steadman experienced some delay in mobilizing his brigade and was unable to begin his march to the position as- signed him until Monday noon. Gen. Greene assembled the 4th Brigade at Apponaug and marched it across country to Hop- kin's Mills where a juncture was made with Steadman's brigade
-56-
Monday night. It would appear that had this force adhered strictly to its orders, Dorr's retreat would have been interferred with and many of the insurgent leaders captured.
The boundary north of Westerly along the Pawcatuck River was patrolled by the Westerly Infantry, a volunteer or- ganization commanded by Capt. William Potter.
In the late afternoon of June 28th, Col. Brown's regiment advanced into Chepachet. Meeting with no opposition the Law and Order forces took possession of the village. Col. Brown established headquarters at Sprague's Tavern and as- signed his troop to the following stations: The Marine Corps of Artillery were quartered on Hunt's Farm; The Newport Ar- tillery occupied the meeting house at the northern end of the village; The Warren Artillery together with the Warren In- fantry were at the Atwood House, while some of the 3rd Brig- ade Companies closed in from the west and established head- quarters at the Sheldon House.
A reserve composed of the Bristol Artillery, Newport Vol- unteers, Barrington Volunteers, Bristol Neck Infantry and the Middletown Volunteers remained encamped at Greenville.
The 4th Brigade remained at the camp at Hopkin's Mills and maintained a strong guard on all roads leading into Con- necticut.
On the 30th it was apparent that the insurrection was sup- pressed. All active opposition ceased except in Pawtuxet Vil- lage where the Pawtuxet Artillery was kept under arms for sev- eral days owing to the activities of the Dorr sympathizers.
The United Train of Artillery, Kentish Guards and the Carbineers remained in Pawtucket until July 1st when they returned to Providence. On the same day the Cadets of Sea Fencibles left Woonsocket.
The Chepachet and Greenville troops marched over Smith Street into Providence with a considerable number of prisoners rounded up in Chepachet and the surrounding country.
By July 2nd all of the troops had returned to their home stations and had taken up their civilian pursuits.
-57-
The Assembly passed an act amending the charter of the United Company of the Train of Artillery by which the name of the organization was changed to "The Providence Artillery Company."
Most of the volunteer companies soon ceased to exist al- though a few obtained charters and continued to render service to the State.
-58-
V
THE FIVE BRIGADE PERIOD-THE CIVIL WAR AND REORGANIZATION-1843-1878
In 1843 the militia consisted of five brigades, an additional one having been organized in Bristol County under the com- mand of Brig. Gen. Guy M. Fessenden. In addition there were twenty independent chartered organizations not assigned to any of the brigades. Maj. Gen. James G. Anthony commanded the combined forces.
During this year (1843) the Rhode Island Guards were chartered. Capt. John C. Harris was the first commanding officer of this organization which continued as part of the mili- tia until 1850 after which it became inactive.
The Rhode Island Horse Guards, organized in Ports- mouth, also received a charter, with Capt. Nathaniel Greene in command. After five years service the company disappeared from the rolls.
Major. Gen. John B. Steadman, former commander of the 3rd Brigade, was in command of the military establishment from 1844 to 1848. The only change in the composition of the mil- itia during this period occurred in 1845 when The Washington Grenadiers became The Washington Rifle Rangers. Col. Sam- uel P. Champlin commanded the organization which was dis- banded after one year's service.
Maj. Gen. Steadman resigned in 1848 and was succeeded by Thomas J. Stead, for years Quartermaster General of the State. Gen. Stead declined to qualify for the office and Amos D. Smith was elected in his place.
In 1854 charters were granted The Mechanics Rifles, Capt. John H. Slocum, and to the Westerly Rifles, Col. Henry
-59-
C. Card. During the year the Guards of Liberty were organ- ized with the following companies: Second Company, Capt. Welcome G. Comstock; Third Company, Capt. Theodore Winn; Fourth Company, Capt. Charles A. Howland; Fifth Company, Capt. Daniel Briggs; Sixth Company, Capt Charles H. Potter.
The Third Company, commanded by Capt. Winn, later on obtained a charter under the name "Providence City Guards."
The Guards of Liberty went out of exist- ence after one year's service while the City Guards were disbanded in 1858.
From 1854 to 1857 the militia was under the command of Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burn- side.
Edward C. Mauran was elected Adjutant General in 1855 and served twenty years.
In 1857 The Pawtucket Light Guard re- ceived its charter, Col. Stephen R. Bucklin being its first Commanding Officer.
Naturally the years leading up to the war between the States was productive of much in- terest in military affairs. Volunteer companies were being formed and there was much drilling and marching in all sections of the State. Most of the troops were armed at this time with heavy muzzle loading percussion cap muskets of large calibre.
During 1857 and part of 1858 Col. Wil- liam W. Brown of the First Light Infantry was in command of the militia as Major General. He was succeeded by John Gould who served until 1863.
In 1860 a new militia law was enacted. Al- though the strength of the regular militia was but 2339 officers and men, the five brigades were retained.
-60-
The West Conaug Guards of Clayville, organized in 1859, were chartered as The Scituate Rifles with Col. Henry S. Olney as the first commanding officer, and was disbanded in 1865.
In 1861 charters were issued to The Red Bank Infantry, Lieut. Col. Aram W. Colvin; The Pettiquamscutts Infantry, Lieut. Col. Elisha C. Clarke, and The Narragansett Guards, for- merly the Wakefield Cadets, Col. Leonard Arnold. The char- ter of the last named organization was "abrogated" in 1863.
By the militia law of this year, the volunteer companies not already enrolled in the different brigades were organized into battalions and regiments forming the basis of a separate mili- tary force. This organization grew rapidly and was known as the "National Guard", being the first body of troops in our State to be so designated.
In the aggregate the strength of this organization was 3100 men. Practically every town and village in the State was represented in the Guard.
In Providence each of the seven wards supplied a com- pany and in addition the City furnished The Washington Con- tinentals, The Ellsworth Phalanx, The Burnside Zouaves and a battery of Light Artillery.
Six companies, including The Sprague Zouaves, were lo- cated in Newport, while Middletown, Fall River and Portsmouth each had one.
North Providence had the Slater Drill Corps and Pawtuck- et Home Guard. Lonsdale, Slatersville, Scituate, Georgiaville, Greenville, Johnston, Cranston, Foster, Chepachet, Harmony and Cumberland supplied one company each.
Companies were also located in Riverpoint, Apponaug, Hopkinton, Old Warwick, Natick, East Greenwich, Fiskville, Coventry Center, Bristol, Warren and Barrington.
Although this organization was not completely equipped with arms and uniforms, it attained a fair degree of efficiency, spending considerable time in drilling and parading. It served as a great training school and furnished many officers and men to the volunteer regiments organized later on.
----- 61-
It is well to remember that the first regiment of troops sent from this State to Washington in response to the call of the President was a militia regiment made up of companies furn- ished by the Newport Artillery, Providence Artillery, First Light Infantry (2), Mechanics Rifles (2), National Cadets and the Marine Corps of Artillery.
In 1862 a charter was granted to the Sarsfield Guards of Providence, Col. Joseph Graves, and The Pawtucket Light Guard was expanded into a battalion with Olney Arnold as Colonel.
The Sarsfield Guards were disbanded in 1865 while the Pawtucket Light Guard continued on the roll until 1875.
The regular militia this year was made up of the chartered commands only and practically all of the companies were called upon to perform guard duty at various times at the military hospitals.
In 1863 the militia was again reorganized. The entire enrolled militia, practically every able-bodied citizen of military age, was assigned to regiments and brigades. Over 20,000 men thus became members of the State's force. Many of these regiments were fully equipped and some uniformed. Drills and reviews were well attended and great interest shown. The entire State was a vast military establishment. Maj. Gen. Chas. T. Robbins, former commander of the 2nd Brigade, was in charge of all the troops, succeeding Gen. Gould.
Charters were granted to the Pawtucket Cavalry, Capt. Charles N. Manchester; Woonsocket Cavalry, Capt. Oscar J. Rathbun, and to the Pawtucket Light Battery, Capt. Pardon Mason. The Woonsocket Cavalry remained on the rolls until 1870.
Among the companies organized were the New Shore- ham Heavy Artillery, Capt. John W. Hooper; The Newport Infantry, Capt. George T. Downing; The Warren Infantry, Capt. John P. Abbott, and The Bristol Colored Infantry, 1st Lieut. Daniel Hazard.
In December the anti-militarists prevailed upon the Gen- eral Assembly to repeal the militia law and to revive the im-
-62-
practical and obsolete law of 1856. The result was the dis- bandment of the splendid force which was preparing itself for future demands upon the State by the Federal Government.
Olney Arnold who had commanded the 4th Brigade was commissioned Major General in 1864 and a law was passed authorizing the recognition of volunteer companies as part of the militia and correcting to some extent the defects in the law of 1856.
Many volunteer companies were formed, among them be- ing the Woonsocket Light Artillery, George M. Grant, Cap- tain; Tower Light Artillery, Samuel S. Colyer, Captain; The Union Guards, Lysander Flagg, Captain and the Woonsocket Rifles, Captain The Woonsocket Light Ar- tillery was disbanded in 1875.
Charters were issued to the Seminary Guards of East Greenwich, Samuel W. K. Allen, Colonel, and to the West Greenwich Cadets, Amos R. Sweet, Colonel. The Guards were disbanded in 1869 while the Cadets remained on the rolls until 1874.
The Red Bank Infantry surrendered its charter and ceased to be part of the militia this year (1864).
In 1865 the Rhode Island Guards were reorganized as a regiment, with Jeremiah Costine as Colonel. The companies composing the regiment were: The Meagher Guards, (Co. A) Capt. Peter McHugh; The Sheridan Guards (Co. B), Capt. John Cullen; The Kearney Light Infantry (Co. C), Capt. Pat- rick Cosgrove; The Emmet Guards (Co. D), Capt. John E. Curran, and The Mitchell Guards (Co. E), Capt. Philip Wha- land.
The Spragueville Light Infantry, Charles O. Bennett, Captain; The Smithfield Rifle Company, P. H. Hall, Capt- ain; and the Newport Light Infantry Company, George W. Tew, Captain, were also organized during the year.
The Spragueville Company was disbanded in 1868, the Rifles in 1874 and the Newport Infantry as Company B, 2nd Regiment, in 1898.
-- 63-
The Pawtucket Cavalry Company was re- named The North Providence and Pawtucket Cavalry and was carried on the rolls under this name until 1871 when it became The Pawtucket Horse Guards, Capt. Frank M. Bates being the commanding officer.
The militia of 1866 consisted of twenty chartered organizations and fifteen companies created under the militia law of 1864. These thirty-five companies were apportioned among five brigades, each of which was commanded by a Brigadier General. The troops were armed with smooth bore muskets, calibre 50 and 58, altered from percussion cap to breech loaders.
The formation of the Rhode Island Guards was changed from a regiment to a seven com- pany battalion. Two new companies, F and G, being organized. Company F remained on the rolls until 1868, while Company G in 1868 be- came the Bristol Light Infantry. Major Mat- thew Curran commanded the battalion.
The Aquidneck Rifles, Capt. William K. Delaney, and the Slatersville Rifles, Capt. Fen- ner Colwell, were organized, and charters were issued to the Newport Light Infantry, Col. George W. Tew, and to The Smithfield Union Guards, organized as the Union Guards at Cen- tral Falls in 1864, Col Lysander Flagg.
The Newport City Guard was also organ- ized this year and was disbanded after a year's service.
The Pettiquamscutt's Infantry withdrew from the militia by surrendering its charter.
In 1867 The Burnside National Guard, a colored battalion of four companies, one of which was located in Newport, was organiz- ed under Col. Lewis Kenegee.
-64-
17
-
The Second Light Infantry of Providence, Capt. Nathan- iel D. Bates, and the Lonsdale Light Infantry, Capt. Charles E. Gueld, also came into existence this year. The Providence Company was dropped from the rolls in 1869 while the Lons- dale Infantry in 1871 became one of the companies of the Rhode Island Guard Battalion, being disbanded in 1875.
The Slatersville Rifles were disbanded in 1867 and the Spragueville Light Infantry in 1868.
In 1869 Maj. Gen. Olney Arnold retired and Horace Daniels was chosen to succeed him, serving until 1874.
By act of the General Assembly the Providence Artillery was renamed the Burnside Zouaves. In 1870 by an amend- ment to the charter of the organization its original name of "The United Company of the Train of Artillery" was restored to it and as such the organization has since been part of the militia of the State.
The Kearney Cadets were chartered in 1870 with Capt. Michael Munnegle as the first commanding officer.
This year the name of the organization known as The Mechanics Rifles was changed to The Slocum Light Guard in honor of Col. John Slocum, the Company's first captain, and in 1872 the Smithfield Union Guards became the Lincoln Un- ion Guards.
Many of the militia companies were reorganized in 1873. Among them were the Tower Light Battery and the Woon- socket Artillery. These two organizations with the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery formed the 1st Battalion of Light Artillery, commanded by Lieut. Col. Lyman B. Goff.
In 1874 Maj. Gen. William R. Walker assumed command of the Militia Division, made up at this time of three skeleton brigades. The absurdity of the organization was demonstrated at the muster of the troops this year when the First Brigade paraded with five organizations and the Third with but three. The Second Brigade turned out with twenty companies in line.
Many of the organizations paraded with full regimental staffs. Attached to the division were three light batteries and
-65-
three cavalry companies.
In 1875 Heber LeFavre of Pawtucket was elected Adjutant General and served three years.
The West Greenwich Cadets and The Smithfield Rifles were disbanded and the general disorganized condition of the militia resulted in a drastic reorganization this year.
By this reorganization the three brigades were merged into two of three battalions each. Several companies including the Woonsocket Light Artillery, Acquidneck Rifles, Kearney Cad- ets and Companies F and H, Rhode Island Guards, were dis- banded.
The Westerly Brass Band was selected as the band of the Division and Joseph A. Sheffield was appointed Band Master with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.
The Rhode Island Guards under the reorganization was designated as The Fifth Battalion and continued as such until 1887 when it became the Second Regiment.
The Cavalry was formed into a battalion made up of com- panies A and B (Providence Horse Guards) and Company C (Pawtucket Horse Guards) under the command of Col. C. Lippitt Snow.
The First Battalion of Light Artillery, consisting of Battery A (Providence Marine Corps Artillery) and Battery B (Tower Light Battery) was commanded by Lieut. Col. Elisha Dyer, Jr.
The law providing that all commands not expressly ex- empted by their charters be assigned to either of the brigades was not favorably received by some of the chartered organiza- tions. Three companies refused to comply with the law. The Lincoln Union Guards and the Pawtucket Light Guard by vote disbanded rather than become part of a brigade.
The Kentish Guards were assigned to the 3rd Battalion as Company C. The organization ignored all orders issued under the law, claiming charter exemption. The Adjutant General, Heber LeFavre, reported that the Guards had forfeited all rights under their charter by reason of being inactive from 1832 to 1853 and by failing to file the required election returns in his
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.