ENLISTING.
O, did you see him in the street dressed up in army blue,
When drums and trumpets into town their storm of music threw—
A louder tune than all the winds could muster in the air,
The Rebel winds that tried so hard our flag in strips to tear?
LUCY LARCOM.
[Illustration]
Hardly had the “Three months men” reached the field before it was
discovered that a mistake had been made in not calling out a larger
number of troops, and for longer service:—it took a long time to realize
what a gigantic rebellion we had on our hands. So on the 3rd of May
President Lincoln issued a call for United States volunteers to serve
three years, unless sooner discharged. At once thousands of loyal men
sprang to arms—so large a number, in fact, that many regiments raised
were refused until later.
The methods by which these regiments were raised were various. In 1861
a common way was for some one who had been in the regular army, or
perhaps who had been prominent in the militia, to take the initiative
and circulate an enlistment paper for signatures. His chances were
pretty good for obtaining a commission as its captain, for his active
interest, and men who had been prominent in assisting him, if they were
popular, would secure the lieutenancies. On the return of the “Three
months” troops many of the companies immediately re-enlisted in a body
for three years, sometimes under their old officers. A large number
of these short-term veterans, through influence at the various State
capitals, secured commissions in new regiments that were organizing. In
country towns too small to furnish a company, the men would post off to a
neighboring town or city, and there enlist.
In 1862, men who had seen a year’s active service were selected to
receive a part of the commissions issued to new organizations, and should
in justice have received _all_ within the bestowal of governors. But the
recruiting of troops soon resolved itself into individual enlistments
or this programme;—twenty, thirty, fifty or more men would go in a
body to some recruiting station, and signify their readiness to enlist
in a certain regiment _provided_ a certain specified member of their
number should be commissioned captain. Sometimes they would compromise,
if the outlook was not promising, and take a lieutenancy, but equally
often it was necessary to accept their terms, or count them out. In the
rivalry for men to fill up regiments, the result often was officers who
were diamonds in the rough, but liberally intermingled with _veritable
clod-hoppers_ whom a brief experience in active service soon sent to the
rear.
This year the War Department was working on a more systematic basis, and
when a call was made for additional troops each State was immediately
assigned its quota, and with marked promptness each city and town was
informed by the State authorities how many men it was to furnish under
that call. The war fever was not at such a fervid heat in ’62 as in the
year before, and so recruiting offices were multiplied in cities and
large towns. These offices were of two kinds, _viz._: those which were
opened to secure recruits for regiments and batteries already in the
field, and those which solicited enlistments in _new_ organizations.
Unquestionably, at this time the latter were more popular.
The former office was presided over by a line officer directly from the
front, attended by one or two subordinates, all of whom had smelled
powder. The latter office might be in charge of an experienced soldier
recently commissioned, or of a man ambitious for such preferment.
The flaming advertisements with which the newspapers of the day teemed,
and the posters pasted on the bill-boards or the country fence, were the
decoys which brought patronage to these fishers of men. Here is a sample:—
_More Massachusetts Volunteers Accepted!!!_
Three Regiments to be Immediately Recruited!
GEN. WILSON’S REGIMENT, To which CAPT. FOLLETT’S BATTERY is
attached;
COL. JONES’ GALLANT SIXTH REGIMENT,
WHICH WENT “THROUGH BALTIMORE”;
THE N. E. GUARDS REGIMENT, commanded by that excellent officer,
MAJOR J. T. STEVENSON.
The undersigned has this day been authorized and directed
to fill up the ranks of these regiments forthwith. A grand
opportunity is afforded for patriotic persons to enlist in the
service of their country under the command of as able officers
as the country has yet furnished. Pay and rations will begin
immediately on enlistment.
UNIFORMS ALSO PROVIDED!
Citizens of Massachusetts should feel pride in attaching
themselves to regiments from their own State, in order to
maintain the proud supremacy which the Old Bay State now
enjoys in the contest for the Union and the Constitution. The
people of many of the towns and cities of the Commonwealth
have made ample provision for those joining the ranks of the
army. If any person enlists in a Company or Regiment out of
the Commonwealth, he cannot share in the bounty which has been
thus liberally voted. Wherever any town or city has assumed
the privilege of supporting the families of Volunteers, the
Commonwealth reimburses such place to the amount of $12 per
month for families of three persons.
Patriots desiring to serve the country will bear in mind that
THE GENERAL RECRUITING STATION
IS AT
No. 14 PITTS STREET, BOSTON!
WILLIAM W. BULLOCK,
_General Recruiting Officer, Massachusetts Volunteers_.
[_Boston Journal_ of Sept. 12, 1861.]
Here is a call to a war meeting held out-of-doors:—
TO ARMS! TO ARMS!!
GREAT WAR MEETING
IN ROXBURY.
Another meeting of the citizens of Roxbury, to re-enforce their
brothers in the field, will be held in
ELIOT SQUARE, ROXBURY,
THIS EVENING AT EIGHT O’CLOCK.
SPEECHES FROM
Paul Willard, Rev. J. O. Means, Judge Russell,
And other eloquent advocates.
=The Brigade Band= will be on hand early. =Come one, come all!=
=God and your Country Call!!=
Per Order.
[_Boston Journal_ of July 30, 1862.]
Here are two which look quite business-like:—
GENERAL POPE’S ARMY.
“_Lynch Law for Guerillas and No Rebel Property Guarded!_”
IS THE MOTTO OF THE
SECOND MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENT.
=$578.50 for 21 months’ service.=
=$252.00 State aid for families of four.=
=$830.50 and short service.=
=$125.00 cash in hand.=
This Regiment, although second in number, is second to none in
regard to discipline and efficiency, and is in the healthiest
and most delightful country.
=Office at Coolidge House, Bowdoin Square.=
CAPT. C. R. MUDGE.
LIEUT. A. D. SAWYER.
* * * * *
$100 BOUNTY!
CADET REGIMENT,
Company D,
=NINE MONTHS’ SERVICE.=
O. W. PEABODY Recruiting Officer.
Headquarters, 113 Washington Street, Boston.
[_Boston Journal_, Sept. 17, 1862.]
War meetings similar to the one called in Roxbury were designed to stir
lagging enthusiasm. Musicians and orators blew themselves red in the
face with their windy efforts. Choirs improvised for the occasion, sang
“Red, White, and Blue” and “Rallied ’Round the Flag” till too hoarse
for further endeavor. The old veteran soldier of 1812 was trotted out,
and worked for all he was worth, and an occasional Mexican War veteran
would air his nonchalance at grim-visaged war. At proper intervals the
enlistment roll would be presented for signatures. There was generally
one old fellow present who upon slight provocation would yell like a
hyena, and declare his readiness to shoulder his musket and go, if he
wasn’t so old, while his staid and half-fearful consort would pull
violently at his coat-tails to repress his unseasonable effervescence
ere it assumed more dangerous proportions. Then there was a patriotic
maiden lady who kept a flag or a handkerchief waving with only the rarest
and briefest of intervals, who “would go in a minute if she was a man.”
Besides these there was usually a man who would make one of fifty (or
some other safe number) to enlist, when he well understood that such a
number could not be obtained. And there was one more often found present
who when challenged to sign would agree to, _provided_ that A or B (men
of wealth) would put down _their_ names. I saw a man at a war meeting
promise, with a bombastic flourishment, to enlist if a certain number
(which I do not now remember) of the citizens would do the same. The
number was obtained; but the small-sized patriot, who was willing to
sacrifice his _wife’s_ relations on the altar of his country, crawled
away amid the sneers of his townsmen.
[Illustration: A WAR MEETING.]
Sometimes the patriotism of such a gathering would be wrought up so
intensely by waving banners, martial and vocal music, and burning
eloquence, that a town’s quota would be filled in less than an hour. It
needed only the first man to step forward, put down his name, be patted
on the back, placed upon the platform, and cheered to the echo as the
hero of the hour, when a second, a third, a fourth would follow, and
at last a perfect stampede set in to sign the enlistment roll, and a
frenzy of enthusiasm would take possession of the meeting. The complete
intoxication of such excitement, like intoxication from liquor, left
some of its victims on the following day, especially if the fathers of
families, with the sober second thought to wrestle with; but Pride, that
tyrannical master, rarely let them turn back.
The next step was a medical examination to determine physical fitness for
service. Each town had its physician for this work. The candidate for
admission into the army must first divest himself of all clothing, and
his soundness or unsoundness was then decided by causing him to jump,
bend over, kick, receive sundry thumps in the chest and back, and such
other laying-on of hands as was thought necessary. The teeth had also
to be examined, and the eyesight tested, after which, if the candidate
passed, he received a certificate to that effect.
His next move was toward a recruiting station. There he would enter,
signify his errand, sign the roll of the company or regiment into which
he was going, leave his description, including height, complexion, and
occupation, and then accompany a guard to the examining surgeon, where
he was again subjected to a critical examination as to soundness. Those
men who, on deciding to “go to war,” went directly to a recruiting office
and enlisted, had but this simple examination to pass, the other being
then unnecessary. It is interesting to note that in 1861 and ’62 men were
mainly examined to establish their _fitness_ for service; in 1863 and
’64 the tide had changed, and they were then only anxious to prove their
_un_fitness.
After the citizen in question had become a soldier, he was usually sent
at once to camp or the seat of war, but if he wanted a short furlough it
was generally granted. If he had enlisted in a new regiment, he might
remain weeks before being ordered to the front; if in an old regiment, he
might find himself in a fight at short notice. Hundreds of the men who
enlisted under the call issued by President Lincoln July 2, 1862, were
killed or wounded before they had been in the field a week.
Any man or woman who lived in those thrilling early war days will never
forget them. The spirit of patriotism was at fever-heat, and animated
both sexes of all ages. Such a display of the national colors had never
been seen before. Flag-raisings were the order of the day in public and
private grounds. The trinity of red, white, and blue colors was to be
seen in all directions. Shopkeepers decked their windows and counters
with them. Men wore them in neckties, or in a rosette pinned on the
breast, or tied in the button-hole. The women wore them conspicuously
also. The bands played only patriotic airs, and “Yankee Doodle,” “Red,
White, and Blue,” and the “Star-Spangled Banner” would have been worn
threadbare if possible. Then other patriotic songs and marches were
composed, many of which had only a short-lived existence; and the poetry
of this period, some of it excellent, would fill a large volume.
[Illustration]