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HISTORY
OF
COMPANY F, 1st REGIMENT,
R. I. VOLUNTEERS,
During the Spring and Summer of 1861.
BY CHARLES H. CLARKE,
A MEMBER OF THE COMPANY.
NEWPORT, R. I.: B. W. PEARCE, PRINTER.
1891.
INTRODUCTION.
In the following pages I have endeavored to present a correct
description of the service performed by Company F, 1st Regiment R. I.
Volunteers, during the spring and summer of 1861. While many of my
comrades who served in that company may differ with me in some of the
statements I have made, still I think that all will agree that what I
have presented is as correct an account as can be had at this late
period of that service. Thirty years is a long time for men to
remember the particulars of any event, unless some memoranda of the
same is at hand. During that service I endeavored to keep as correct
as possible a daily journal of events, and from that journal I have
prepared this brief history of the company, and I trust that my
comrades who may read this will excuse any inaccuracies that in their
opinion may appear; for it is my desire to place before you a correct
history of Company F, the first company of volunteers that left
Newport on the 17th of April, 1861, for the defence of the Stars and
Stripes in the great war of the rebellion.
CHARLES H. CLARKE.
HISTORY OF COMPANY F.
CHAPTER I.
CALL TO ARMS.
Early in the month of April, 1861, several of the Southern States
having withdrawn from the Union, forts, arsenals and navy yards
within the limits of those States were taken possession of by the
Confederate forces. On the 12th of April, Fort Sumter, at Charleston,
S. C., was fired upon, and after two days' bombardment by the rebels,
commanded by General Beauregard, the garrison, comprising seventy
United States Regulars, commanded by Major Robert Anderson,
surrendered the fort. Meanwhile the National Capital at Washington
was in danger, and on the 15th of April Abraham Lincoln issued his
proclamation, calling for seventy-five thousand troops for the
defence of the city of Washington.
Governor Sprague, of Rhode Island, tendered the services of one
regiment of Infantry, and one battery of Light Artillery, which being
accepted by the Secretary of War, the Governor at once sent a
telegram to Colonel George W. Tew, commanding the Newport Artillery
company, asking how many men of his command would go to Washington
for the defence of the Capital. Colonel Tew replied that he would go,
with fifty men. April 16th, Colonel Tew received another telegram
from the Governor, directing him to recruit his company to one
hundred, and to report at Providence, armed and equipped, upon
receipt of orders. At that time the Newport Artillery were as well
equipped as any company in the State. They were armed with the latest
improved Springfield rifles. They had just purchased, at their own
expense, fifty artillery sabres of the latest French pattern. They
had likewise, the year preceding, had made to their order new
military overcoats, which no other company in the State was at that
time provided with. These overcoats and sabres were afterwards
purchased of them by the State of Rhode Island, and were used for
equipping the 1st Battery.
On April 16th Colonel Tew called a meeting of the company, and after
reading the telegrams received from the Governor that day, made a
patriotic speech, and was followed by Mayor Cranston, who was
present. Colonel Tew then requested those of the company that would
volunteer to go to Washington, to step to the front, when
thirty-three of the thirty-nine active members of the company
responded. A call was then made for volunteers to fill up the company
to the required number of one hundred men, and in a very short time
there were more men applied than could be taken.
That evening the company paraded through the streets of the city, to
the inspiriting music of a fife and drum, and were dismissed at 10 P.
M., to meet again on the receipt of orders from Providence, to be
announced by the discharge of three guns on the Mall, and by the
ringing of the church bells.
At 7 A. M., Wednesday, April 17th, a mounted courier arrived from
Providence with orders for Colonel Tew to report that day in
Providence with his company. Colonel Tew, upon the receipt of the
order, sent word by return courier that he would be in Providence
with his company at 2 P. M.
At 8 A. M., one of the company's brass guns was dragged by hand to
the Mall and fired three times by the gun squad that had remained in
the armory all night so as to be on hand when orders came.
Never before in the known history of the city was there so much
excitement as was caused by the firing of those guns. Business of all
kinds was suspended for the time being, and the people began to
realize that the time had come for action.
When the orders came that morning, Colonel George W. Tew was at work
at his trade, a mason, on Wellington Avenue. On receiving the order
he laid down his trowel and other tools, adopted the trade of a
soldier, and for four long years he served his country with credit to
himself and to the State of Rhode Island.
First Sergeant A. P. Sherman was driving on his market wagon
attending to his morning trade when he heard the signal guns. Leaving
his team on the street, he started at once for the armory on Clarke
street, and commenced to form the company.
In less than one hour the company were in line and ready to start.
Like the minute men of Revolutionary times, they left their bench,
their desks, and farm, at the call to arms. Thames street, Washington
square and Clarke street were thronged with people. The artillery
was at that time as at present the pride of Newport and it is not
strange that so much interest was manifested, and, besides, they were
about to leave home and friends, not knowing whether they would ever
return. They went from pure patriotism and love of the Old Flag; and
it is an undisputed fact to-day that had it not been for the
promptitude with which the first troops responded to the call of the
President, the city of Washington would have been taken by the rebel
forces. At the armory there were there assembled many prominent
citizens, Mayor W. H. Cranston and several of the clergy. Speech
making and hand shaking were indulged in for some time, and at 11.30
A. M. the company marched to Sayer's Wharf by way of Clarke, Touro
and Thames streets, escorted by about fifty past members of the
company. On the wharf, Rev. Samuel Adlam, of the First Baptist
Church, offered prayer, and was followed by Mayor Cranston and Hon.
Charles C. Van Zandt, in brief addresses. Rev. Thatcher Thayer, who
had for many years been chaplain of the Artillery company, and still
holds that position, (1891) offered a touching prayer in behalf of
the company and the cause for the support and defence of which they
were now about to leave home, kindred and friends, after which the
benediction was pronounced by Rev. Henry Jackson, D. D. A brief
season was then allowed for individual leave-takings, and at 1 P. M.
the company marched on board steamer Perry for Providence to form a
part of Rhode Island's first regiment in the war of the rebellion.
Following is a correct roll of the company, as copied from the
muster-out roll of the regiment:
COMPANY ROSTER.
Captain,--George W. Tew.
1st Lieutenant,--William A. Steadman.
2d " Benjamin L. Slocum.
Ensign,--James H. Chappell.
1st Sergeant,--Augustus P. Sherman.
2d " Thomas S. Burdick.
3d " John S. Coggeshall.
4th " Edward S. Hammond.
1st Corporal,--John D. Washburne.
2d " Benedict F. Smith.
3d " Ray B. Tayer.
4th " Henry L. Nicolai.
PRIVATES.
John A. Abbott.
Charles B. Barlow.
Albert N. Burdick.
George C. Almy.
John H. Bacheller.
Christopher E. Barker.
Charles Barker, Jr.
Andrew P. Bashford.
William Booth.
Daniel Boss.
Jeremiah Brown.
Adelbert P. Bryant.
Thomas Brownell.
Henry Bull, Jr.
Benjamin D. Carlisle.
Robert Carlisle.
Allen Caswell.
Charles H. Clarke.
Edward F. Clarke.
Frederic A. Clarke.
Gustavus A. Clarke.
Joshua P. Clarke.
David M. Coggeshall, Jr.
Lawton Coggeshall.
Robert D. Coggeshall.
Robert Crane.
Perry B. Dawley.
Benjamin F. Davis.
William P. Denman.
Lance DeJongh.
Silas D. DeBlois.
Stephen DeBlois.
William H. Durfee.
Henry T. Easton.
Benjamin Easton, Jr.
John F. Easton.
William J. Eldridge.
Edmund W. Fales.
John Fludder.
Augustus French.
Thomas J. Harrington.
Joseph J. Gould.
Rowland R. Hazard.
William Hamilton.
Samuel Hilton.
Benjamin C. Hubbard.
George A. Hudson.
Harris Keables.
William Keating.
Edwin A. Kelley.
Theodore W. King.
William H. King.
Israel F. Lake, Jr.
Thomas O. Lake.
Henry B. Landers.
John B. Landers.
Overton G. Langley.
Charles E. Lawton.
George P. Lawton.
Thomas H. Lawton.
David Little.
Charles L. Littlefield.
John B. Mason.
James Markham.
Daniel A. McCann.
William M. Minkler.
Walden H. Mason.
Michael A. Nolan.
George H. Palmer.
Frederic J. Peabody.
Edwin H. Peabody.
John P. Peckham.
Peyton H. Randolph.
John Rogers.
Benjamin H. Rogers.
John H. Robinson.
John F. Scott.
Thomas Scott.
Thomas Sharpe.
Bartlett L. Simmons.
John B. F. Smith.
George B. Smith.
Charles Southwick.
John Stark.
George W. Taber.
Edward Terrell.
William H. Thayer.
William Towle.
Arthur R. Tuell.
James P. Vose.
William H. Waldron.
George S. Ward.
Charles S. Weaver.
George R. White.
Edward Wilson.
William H. Young.
To be added to this roll, should be the names of James H. Taylor,
John S. Engs, and James W. Lyon, members of the regimental
non-commissioned staff, who were members of the company from Newport,
but their names do not appear on the muster-out roll of the company.
On arriving at Providence, the company marched to Railroad Hall, on
Exchange Place, where they were to be quartered until such time as
the regiment could be uniformed and equipped. The organization of the
regiment commenced at once. Ambrose E. Burnside was appointed
colonel; Joseph S. Pitman, lieutenant colonel; John S. Slocum, 1st
major; Joseph P. Balch, 2d major; Charles H. Merriman, adjutant; Rev.
Augustus Woodbury, chaplain. All company officers were elected by the
company, approved and commissioned by the Governor. The position in
line of the companies and the letter by which they were to be known,
was drawn by lot by the captains. The Newport company was designated
by the letter F, and drew third position in line, which constituted
them the color company of the regiment. In the making up of the
non-commissioned staff, there were appointed James H. Taylor as
hospital steward, James W. Lyon as ordnance sergeant, and John S.
Engs as sergeant major; Edward S. Hammond was appointed as left
general guide of the regiment.
As fast as the uniforms could be made, they were issued to the
companies. These consisted of a light blue blouse, of the Garibaldi
pattern, dark grey pants, and Kossuth hat, with the brim turned up on
the right side, and fastened to the crown with a brass plate, eagle
shaped. Instead of overcoats, we were provided with red woollen
blankets, with a slit in the centre, to wear over our shoulders in
bad weather; also one grey blanket, knapsack, to contain our extra
clothing, haversack, canteen, tin plate, knife and fork, spoon, and
tin cup.