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HISTORY
OF THE
SIXTEENTH
CONNECTICUT VOLUNTEERS.
BY
B.F. BLAKESLEE,
LATE 2D LIEUT. CO. G. 16TH C.V.
HARTFORD:
THE CASE, LOCKWOOD & BRAINARD CO., PRINTERS.
1875.
INTRODUCTION.
It is to be regretted that a complete history of the 16th Regiment,
Connecticut Volunteers, has not been written. At this late day it
would require much time, labor, and expense, to prepare one, and
probably will never be done. Many volumes might be written which would
be of inestimable value hereafter. Their services in the War for the
Union cannot be placed upon a few pages. This volume is but a mere
outline history, mostly compiled from diaries written by me at a young
age, the importance of which was not then comprehended; with no
expectation of the future use they would be put to,--but little was
written, and that mostly concerned myself. It is the object of this
work to create a permanent record of some of the marches, battles, and
experiences generally of the organization above mentioned. This
undertaking is made in behalf of the surviving members of the
regiment, to whom it is hoped the work will prove of some value as a
book of reference. The hope is also expressed that this work may prove
a not unwelcome though sad memorial to the friends of those members of
the regiment who lost their lives in battle or prison. The author is
unaccustomed to historical composition, and makes no boast of literary
education.
CHAPTER I.
1862.
CAMP WILLIAMS TO ANTIETAM.
The regiment was recruited in Hartford county, and its services were
tendered to the National Government in response to the President's
call for three hundred thousand volunteers for three years. It was
almost entirely made up of men in the county, and of excellent
material,--some of the oldest and best families were represented in
its ranks; and comprised many of the finest young men whom the
commonwealth ever sent to uphold its honor in the field.
It was organized during the month of August, 1862, under the command
of Colonel Frank Beach, of the regular army. The month of August was a
severe shock to most of the men, even those of a strong constitution.
It was a complete revolution in their method of life. Many of the men
were accustomed to all the refinements of wealth, and all of them had
been reared in abundance. The outdoor life, though not hard as yet,
was too great for those that had led the quiet and easy life of a
citizen, and a few of our noble men who had offered themselves to the
government were unable to endure the hardships, and died before the
regiment left Hartford.
On Sunday, August 24th, 1862, the regiment, numbering ten hundred and
ten men, was duly mustered into the United States service by Lieut.
Watson Webb, of the regular army.
On the 28th, the regiment having been fully clothed and equipped,
(except muskets,) as army regulations required, they were carefully
reviewed and inspected in the company streets by the Colonel. It was a
very hot day, and many of the men fainted under their load. This
experience taught a lesson; we then saw that it was impossible to
carry such loads; many of the men having from thirty to fifty pounds
packed in their knapsacks. Immediately after inspection the men
unpacked and threw away a great many articles which at first seemed
impossible to get along without; but even then we were too heavily
loaded, as we found out the next day.
The forenoon of the following day was a busy time with the Sixteenth;
bed-ticks were emptied, knapsacks packed, blankets rolled, and three
days rations placed in the haversacks.
Early in the day the relatives and friends of the soldiers commenced
to arrive from the country, and before the regiment left, the city was
full of visitors. At noon tents were struck, and we were drawn up in
line, a thousand strong. The march of the regiment through the city
was a perfect ovation. The dock and river banks were thronged with
dear friends whom ties had bound together for years. The Governor and
a portion of his staff marched at the head of the regiment. Six
companies embarked on the "City of Hartford," and four companies on
the "Geo. C. Collins," leaving the dock at three o'clock, amid the
cheers of thousands of spectators. A pleasant sail down the river,
passing the night as best we could on crowded boats, we reached New
York in good season the next morning. We were here transferred to the
steamer "Kill von Kull," and a breakfast of vegetable soup and coffee
was dealt out. The steamer took us to Elizabeth, N.J., where we went
aboard cars and proceeded to Baltimore via Harrisburg, arriving at
Baltimore the next day at nine o'clock. There the "Union Relief
Association," gave us a most excellent breakfast. While we were
waiting there in the depot for a fresh train for Washington, the
report was received that Stonewall Jackson had been captured. We
cheered and shouted, laughed and danced, rejoiced and gave thanks in
the same breath, and did every thing except to keep still.
We have never forgiven ourselves for that day's folly, and never
shall. Stonewall Jackson had not been captured, as we had good reason
to understand two weeks afterward.
In the afternoon we went aboard a miserable, dirty train and proceeded
to Washington, arriving there late in the evening in a drizzling rain.
We went into barracks for the night. Early in the morning the men
visited the Capitol and other places of interest. At nine o'clock the
regiment fell into line and for the first time we were "on the march."
Passing through the city we made direct for Long Bridge, where we had
a long rest; while resting General McClellan came across from the
Virginia side. In crossing Long Bridge we received a startling
illustration of war,--meeting a line of ambulances a mile in length,
bringing dead and dying from the battlefield of second Bull Run. The
regiment marched to Fort Ward, a distance of five or six miles from
Washington. That night it rained terribly, and the tents not having
come up, we were compelled to sit in the rain all night; this we
thought soldiering with a vengeance. The next day was spent in drying
our blankets and clothing in the sun. During the week we had little or
no drill, and but few instructions in marching. On Saturday we
received orders to be ready to march in light marching order. The next
morning (Sunday, Sept. 7th,) we had the regular army Sunday Inspection
with arms. At noon we took up our line of march, and went directly
back to Washington, arriving there at sunset; this was a terrible
march for us, being very hot and so dusty that we could barely see the
second file ahead. Halting in Seventh street, we had a long rest where
we ate supper, filled canteens, and flirted with girls in the windows.
Resuming the march we started to join the Army of the Potomac, which
was several miles beyond, and heading towards Frederick City,
Maryland. At nine and a half P.M. we halted for the night, having made
nineteen miles since one P.M. This was good marching for new troops,
and showed what we would be equal to when necessity required. The
regiment encamped for the night in the woods, but when we came to lie
down on the ground with little or no covering it seemed rather tough.
Having been ordered to move in light marching order, we left our
knapsacks in Virginia, and therefore the men had only a blanket or an
overcoat, whichever in their judgment would be the most useful. The
next morning at an early hour we proceeded to Leesboro, a distance of
three miles, and a report being among the men that we were out of
rations, Colonel Beach refused to go further until we had some. The
men commenced to forage on a small scale.
September 9th the Baltimore papers gave us the startling news that the
rebels had occupied Frederick City, and were invading Pennsylvania.
During the day some shelter-tents were issued, which were gladly
welcomed, as we had lain on the ground without any shelter for eight
nights. On the evening of the 10th some rations came, and the cooks
went to work and cooked during the night three days rations. In the
meantime the men lived on the farmers near by.
The next day we started "on the march" at seven and a half A.M.,
marching steadily until three P.M., when we halted, being about a mile
and a half from Brookville, and having made fourteen miles.
September 12th we commenced marching at seven A.M. and marched to
Mount Lebanon, a distance of fourteen miles. It was an extremely hot
day.
Saturday, September 13th, we learned that General Burnside had driven
the rebels out of Frederick City; commenced marching at eight A.M. We
passed through Damascus, Monrovia, and New Market, and encamped just
outside of the town, and near New Market street. We heard the booming
of artillery ahead all day. The next morning (Sunday the 14th) we
broke up camp in a hurry, and marched rapidly towards Frederick City,
reaching there at noon. Just before entering the city we passed quite
a large squad of rebel prisoners. These were the first rebels that we
had seen, and they attracted considerable attention from us. We
encamped in a small vacant lot on the east side of the city, and
during the afternoon most of the regiment were around the city without
leave, hunting up something to eat, most of whom got good square meals
from the citizens at a cheap price, averaging twenty-five cents per
man. The rebels had been driven out of the city by General Burnside
only twelve hours before, and the union citizens were in high spirits;
nearly every house had the red, white, and blue in some shape thrown
to the breeze to testify to its loyalty to the United States.
Monday, September 15th. The regiment commenced to march quite early in
the morning, and passed through Fairfield and Middletown. We could
here begin to form some idea of that great army, the "Army of the
Potomac," and the fearful destruction that an army can make. The road
was completely blocked up with army wagons and ambulances. The road
was narrow over the mountain, and terribly dusty. The ambulances were
filled with the wounded, and rebel prisoners under guard were trying
to go to the rear. Infantry, baggage wagons, provision and ammunition
trains, were eagerly pushing to the front. The result was a
stand-still for over an hour. On both sides of the road, shot and
shell had pierced the trees and houses. The fences were riddled with
bullets, telegraph poles were down, and the earth was ploughed by
solid shot. The dead lay by the road-side, and the ambulances were
scouring the mountain sides with men detailed to pick up the wounded.
The churches, houses, and barns were filled with the wounded. Parties
were seen in every direction burying the dead. The scenes showed that
a fierce battle had been fought the day before, and we began to
realize what we must go through when we should join the main army. We
marched that day about twelve miles, and encamped for the night on the
battle-field of South Mountain. The next day we started on the march
at six A.M. and passed through Boonsboro, and Keedysville. At
Boonsboro, also, the churches, houses, and barns were filled with
wounded. At Keedysville, we had a long rest, and it was here that we
first saw a "line of battle." Colonel Beach, with his experienced eye,
first spied the distant jets of white smoke. All were watching the
peculiar puffs of smoke with great interest, when Adjutant Burnham,
who had been absent, returned with the order that we were _wanted at
the front_. This took us a little by surprise as we did not expect to
go into battle so soon. But on went the bundles, and after a tedious
march through ploughed fields and forests, passing brigades and
divisions, the booming of artillery and bursting of shells sounding
louder and louder, we finally joined a brigade consisting of the 4th
R.I., and the 8th and 11th C.V.
After resting awhile we loaded our muskets for the first time, and
marched over a hill, and into a meadow which lay between two hills.
While getting into this position we could plainly see the rebel
gunners load and fire, some of the shells coming quite near us. At
last we were in the great "line of battle" of the "Army of the
Potomac," 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 9th Corps, General Burnside, on its
extreme left. It was now eight o'clock in the evening, and quite dark;
we were within a few rods of the enemy, and orders were given in a
whisper; we were ordered to make no noise and to rest on our arms; for
thirty minutes the utmost quiet prevailed. A musket was accidentally
discharged; in a second the troops were on their feet, with arms at a
"ready," and as they stood peering into the darkness ahead you could
hear both lines of battle spring to arms for miles.
Occasionally the boom of artillery was heard, and during the night
there were repeated alarms, so that the soldiers on either side
obtained but little rest. The hostile pickets on one portion of the
line were so near each other, that during the night six of the enemy
were captured.