HISTORY
OF THE
FORTY-SECOND REGIMENT
_INFANTRY_,
MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS,
1862, 1863, 1864.
BY
SERGEANT-MAJOR CHARLES P. BOSSON.
BOSTON:
MILLS, KNIGHT & CO., PRINTERS, 115 CONGRESS STREET.
1886.
COPYRIGHTED BY
CHARLES P. BOSSON.
1886.
PREFACE.
This history of the regiment was undertaken by me at the special
request of several officers who knew I had written, soon after the term
of service expired, considerable matter relating thereto, for my own
amusement and instruction. Without this foundation to work on, written
when memory was fresh, it is doubtful if a history of the regiment
could be written, for references to many soldiers’ diaries disclosed
the fact that nearly all did not contain detailed accounts of events
occurring at the time entries were made. Few soldiers thought any
memorandum of theirs would ever become useful for a purpose of this
kind. Access to the regimental books and files of papers has greatly
facilitated this history.
I have not been able to write a satisfactory account of Companies C and
H on detached service, or of Company K on detached service, in charge
of pontoons. I found it impossible to obtain information in a way to be
of service.
I proposed to publish _Descriptive Lists_ of each company of the
regiment. Upon investigation, and a comparison of lists in possession
of the War Department, the regimental descriptive books, and orders
of detail, I found such a marked difference in Christian names and
surnames the idea was abandoned; besides, such lists would prove
misleading, as many men enlisted under a false age; those who were too
young gave in their age several years older than they were, others,
too old, made their age to meet the requirements of law. The original
_Descriptive Lists_ were made up in a hurried, loose manner, few
officers realizing their importance in after years.
It is probable certain facts in these pages will appear to some
readers at this day far different than they would had the history been
published within a few years after the war closed. We have grown older
and wiser than we were in 1862 and 1863.
If any of my old comrades in arms shall have passed a pleasant hour in
reading this history, I shall feel amply repaid for time and trouble in
its preparation.
CHARLES P. BOSSON.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE.
ORGANIZATION OF REGIMENT--CAMP AT READVILLE--DEPARTURE
FOR NEW YORK 1
CHAPTER II.
EN ROUTE--CAMP AT EAST NEW YORK--ON TRANSPORTS 19
CHAPTER III.
ON BOARD TRANSPORTS--THE SAXON--QUINCY--CHARLES
OSGOOD--SHETUCKET--QUINNEBAUG 38
CHAPTER IV.
GALVESTON 61
CHAPTER V.
AT CARROLLTON--BOUND FOR GALVESTON--ARRIVAL OF COMPANIES--CAMP
MANSFIELD--DETAILS 140
CHAPTER VI.
FEBRUARY--AT BAYOU GENTILLY--MORE DETAILS 154
CHAPTER VII.
ENLISTED MEN PRISONERS AT HOUSTON--MARCH FOR THE FEDERAL
LINES--ARRIVAL AT NEW ORLEANS 173
CHAPTER VIII.
AT BAYOU GENTILLY--MARCH--APRIL 197
CHAPTER IX.
AT BAYOU GENTILLY--MAY 226
CHAPTER X.
BAYOU GENTILLY--JUNE--FAREWELL TO GENTILLY CAMP--IN NEW ORLEANS 239
CHAPTER XI.
BRASHEAR CITY 252
CHAPTER XII.
ACTION AT LA-FOURCHE CROSSING 286
CHAPTER XIII.
JULY--IN NEW ORLEANS--AT ALGIERS 310
CHAPTER XIV.
COMPANIES C AND H ON DETACHED SERVICE AT CAMP PARAPET 331
CHAPTER XV.
COMPANY K IN CHARGE OF PONTOONS--BATON ROUGE--TECHE
CAMPAIGN--SIEGE OF PORT HUDSON--DONALDSONVILLE--RETURN
TO REGIMENT 352
CHAPTER XVI.
AUGUST--AT ALGIERS--BOUND NORTH--ON BOARD
“CONTINENTAL”--ARRIVAL HOME 378
CHAPTER XVII.
ADVENTURES OF CORPORAL WENTWORTH AND PRIVATE HERSEY 389
CHAPTER XVIII.
OFFICERS IN CONFEDERATE PRISONS--HOUSTON--STATE PRISON--CAMP
GROCE--CAMP FORD--EN ROUTE HOME--AT HOME 415
CHAPTER XIX.
IN SERVICE FOR ONE HUNDRED DAYS--ORGANIZATION--READVILLE--OFF
FOR WASHINGTON--AT ALEXANDRIA--AT GREAT FALLS--RETURN HOME 442
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE.
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS 1
KUHN’S WHARF, GALVESTON 81
HEADQUARTERS AT BAYOU GENTILLY 161
[Illustration:
LIEUT-COL. STEDMAN. COL. BURRELL. CHAPLAIN SANGER.]
CHAPTER I.
ORGANIZATION OF REGIMENT--CAMP AT READVILLE--DEPARTURE FOR NEW
YORK.
At the time (August 4th, 1862) a draft was ordered by President
Lincoln for three hundred thousand militia to serve for a period of
nine months, Colonel Isaac S. Burrell was in command of the Second
Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia--an old militia organization
of the State. General Orders No. 25, issued July 1st, 1862, by the
Commander-in-Chief of the State troops, Governor John A. Andrew,
notified the militia to prepare for a call to service. General Orders
No. 34, issued August 13th, 1862, by the same authority, notified the
volunteer militia they would be accepted for nine months service.
In common with other organized and uniformed militia organizations
in the State, the colonel was instructed by officers and men of
his command to tender the regiment as volunteers for nine months
service, and to obtain permission to recruit up to the requisite
strength. Public opinion was opposed to a draft at that time, and
Governor Andrew, by accepting the services of such militia bodies as
volunteered, affording every facility in his power to enable them to
recruit up to the full maximum of strength, avoided the necessity for
a draft, made available the services of those officers who eventually
recruited their companies to a war strength, and the rank and file
already enlisted in the militia--a very fine nucleus to commence with.
The intermixing of raw recruits with men of some experience of the
duties of a soldier tended to greatly facilitate the mobilization of
the States’ quota, and hastened the departure of regiments to the field
in a tolerable good condition for immediate duty.
The Second Regiment, M. V. M., was one of the regiments accepted.
As there was already a Second Regiment (three years troops) in the
field, orders were issued designating the regiment as the Forty-Second
Regiment, M. V. M., and was ordered into a camp of instruction at
Readville, August 26th, 1862.
The old Second Regiment, M. V. M., a part of the First Brigade, First
Division, State Militia, had just completed the five days camp duty
with the brigade at Medford, required by law, from August 13th to
18th, and the regimental guard, Company C, Captain Leonard, left at
Medford in charge of the camp equipage, since that encampment ended, in
anticipation that the regiment would be immediately ordered back, was
ordered August 22d to strike camp, proceed to Readville early next day,
and pitch tents upon high ground very near to the Boston & Providence
Railroad track. The camp was laid out by Quartermaster Burrell and
Adjutant Davis, assisted by men of Company C. Colonel Burrell assumed
command of all troops rendezvousing there until Brigadier-General
Peirce was placed in command.
In addition to this guard, the first detachment of about one hundred
men, occupied this camp on the afternoon of August 26th, and from that
time until the regiment was complete (November 11th), recruiting,
equipping, and instruction occupied the time. The Ninth Battery,
Captain De Vecchi (enlisting for three years), Eleventh Battery,
Captain Jones, Forty-Third Regiment, Colonel Holbrook, Forty-Fourth
Regiment, Colonel Lee, and the Forty-Fifth Regiment, Colonel Codman
(all enlisting for nine months), were encamped in tents and barracks
at the same place and at the same time. The whole force formed a post,
commanded by Brigadier-General R. A. Peirce, of the State Militia.
The officers of the old Second Regiment, M. V. M., that went into camp
with the intention of entering the service, if successful in recruiting
men to complete their companies and the Forty-Second Regiment, were:--
Colonel--I. S. Burrell.
Lieutenant-Colonel--T. L. D. Perkins.
Major--George W. Beach.
Adjutant--Charles A. Davis.
Quartermaster--C. B. Burrell, _vice_ James W. Coverly, resigned.
Surgeon--John A. Lamson, resigned August 28th, 1862.
Company A--Captain, Wm. A. Brabine; Lieutenants, Wm. Kilner and John H.
Stevens.
Company B--Captain, Albert H. Townsend; Lieutenants, Artemas Webster
and Wm. B. Rand.
Company C--Captain, O. W. Leonard; Lieutenants, I. B. White and Geo. H.
Drew.
Company D--Captain, George Sherivé; Lieutenants, Wm. H. Cowdin and D.
F. Eddy.
Company E--Captain, Samuel C. Davis; Lieutenants, David Hale and Henry
Pierce.
Company F--Captain, Wm. H. Russ; Lieutenants, Wm. A. Clark and James C.
Singleton.
Company G--Captain, A. N. Proctor; Lieutenants, A. E. Proctor and
Charles Jarvis.
Considerable time elapsed before the regiment was full. The system
adopted by the Governor, of assigning quotas to cities and towns, was
found to work to the disadvantage of the seven original companies
comprising the regiment in gaining recruits, as such quotas preferred
to enlist in a regiment, as a body, under officers of their own choice,
whenever the quotas were sufficient to form a company, or companies.
It became evident, early in September, that the Forty-Second Regiment
could not be filled to ten full companies unless some of the original
companies gave way to such city or town companies as could be secured.
Colonel Burrell, with his officers and their friends, spent time and
money, visiting various cities and towns endeavoring to have them join
the Forty-Second.
There being a vacancy of three companies in the regiment, Colonel
Burrell, although having offers of five full companies to join at one
time, thought he could conscientiously accept of only three, viz., one
from Weymouth, one from Medway, and one from Dorchester, preferring
to let the other two join some other regiment, and to wait a short
time longer, in hope that officers recruiting for the original seven
companies would have full commands in a short time, although recruiting
was very, very dull at the time for four of those companies. When two
of the old companies, D and G, were full to the maximum, and the third,
Company C, was progressing favorably, it was evident Companies A, B,
E and F could not be recruited, and were delaying formation of the
regiment.
Company H, recruited by Captain Bailey, was about full. This company
was not in the old Second Regiment. Bailey had some sort of authority
to recruit a company, and expressed a desire to become a part of the
Forty-Second. He made his headquarters at Readville, and sent men into
camp often. There was a great deal of bounty jumping in this company
before it was mustered in. The keeping of a correct list of men sent to
camp by the captain was a tough job, as the adjutant and sergeant-major
well remember. What blunders were made, or obstacles met and overcome
by Captain Bailey, no one can tell, for the captain kept his own
counsel.
In Company B, Captain Townsend was very troublesome. In September he
carried his supposed grievances so far as to remain away from camp, and
order his men to keep away also. This culminated on the eighteenth,
when Colonel Burrell requested the adjutant-general to discharge him;
also recommended that Companies B and C be consolidated, and that
Company C be the nucleus and letter of the new company. Orders were
issued by the Governor disbanding A, B, E and F, transferring the men
to other companies. The Weymouth company was designated Company A;
Medway company, Company B; Dorchester company, Company I; and steps
were taken to try and secure town quotas to fill the three companies
required to complete the regiment.
During October the Governor decided to consolidate certain regiments,
in order to remedy an apparent evil, and get the troops into the field
as soon as possible. More regiments were being recruited in the State
than could be filled by the State quota of nine months volunteers. The
Forty-Second and Fifty-Fourth regiments had the smallest number of men
mustered into service; the Forty-Second having seven companies, the
Fifty-Fourth, six companies. Three companies from Worcester County,
viz., from Leicester, Captain Cogswell, Worcester, Captain Stiles,
Ware, Captain Davis, of the Fifty-Fourth, were transferred to the
Forty-Second regiment. One company of the Fifty-Fourth was transferred
to the Fiftieth Regiment, two companies of the Fifty-Fourth to the
Fifty-First Regiment, and the Fifty-Fourth Regiment was disbanded.
All through the attempt to recruit the regiment to its maximum
strength, Lieutenant-Colonel Perkins and Major Beach, instead of
rendering any valuable service in that direction, were hampering the
efforts of others. A jealousy sprang up in the breasts of these two
officers against the colonel, born from what no one seems to know,
and it is doubtful if they knew themselves. This jealous feeling was
intensified when Companies A, B, E and F were disbanded, opening
the way for three new companies from city and town quotas to take
their places. With only three companies remaining of the old Second
Regiment, a triangular fight sprang up for the positions of colonel,
lieutenant-colonel and major; elective in all nine months troops from
Massachusetts, line officers casting the ballots. Officers of the
three Worcester County companies held the balance of power. They were
desirous of obtaining for field officers the best men they could find
in the regiment. A council was held one evening, seated in a circle
upon the grass some distance from quarters, where the matter was
fully discussed. It was finally decided to vote for Isaac S. Burrell
for colonel, as he was well known to most of them as an old militia
officer; for Captain Stedman, Company B, to be lieutenant-colonel, as
he had been highly recommended to them by officials connected with
the Norwich, Vermont, Military Academy (where Stedman formerly held a
position as instructor in military tactics), with whom a correspondence
was carried on without the knowledge of Captain Stedman; for Captain
Stiles, Company E, to be major, as they all knew him to be an excellent
officer. The question of proportioning the field positions so as to
recognize the new companies that had joined the regiment did not enter
into their discussions at all.
The election occurred on Thursday afternoon, November 6th,
at regimental headquarters. Every line officer was present.
Brigadier-General Peirce was presiding officer, with acting
Post-Adjutant Lieutenant Partridge, Company B, recording officer. The
vote for colonel stood twenty-eight for I. S. Burrell and two for T. L.
D. Perkins. The vote for lieutenant-colonel stood sixteen for Captain
Joseph Stedman, ten for Lieutenant-Colonel T. L. D. Perkins, two for
Major George W. Beach, and two for Captain A. N. Proctor. The vote for
major stood seventeen for Captain F. G. Stiles, three for Major George
W. Beach, and ten for Captain A. N. Proctor.
Friends of Captain Proctor based his claim for the positions of
lieutenant-colonel and major on the fact that he was the senior
captain, a valid claim, which would have had weight with officers
holding the balance of power if they had known more of his military
history at that time. His friends did not press his claim until it was
evident Perkins and Beach could not be elected.[1]
[1] The wounds of disappointment inflicted by this election were never
fully healed, but did not interfere with all of the officers doing
their duty as they understood it. In very small things did any feeling
show itself afterwards, and not then until the lieutenant-colonel was
in command, while the colonel was a prisoner.
The dates of muster into the United States service are as follows:
Company A--September 13, 1862.
“ B-- “ 13, “
“ C--October 11, “
“ D--September 19, “
“ E-- “ 30, “
“ F-- “ 30, “
“ G-- “ 16, “
“ H-- “ 24, “
“ I-- “ 16, “
“ K--October 14, “
The field and staff were commissioned November 6th, 1862, and mustered
in November 11th, 1862. The time of the regiment commenced from October
14th, 1862.
It would be a hard task to pick out a finer body of men than composed
the rank and file of the Forty-Second Regiment as it now stood,
containing men from all ranks of life and all grades of society. A few
bad men were enlisted, ’tis true, but less than the usual proportion
found in regiments formed and enlisted as this was. About one-tenth, or
say nearly one hundred men, were of that disposition and temperament,
in case of going into action the very best thing to be done with them,
for the safety of the regiment, would be to hurl them into a ditch
with orders to stay there until the fighting was over. That the record
of the regiment does not equal the best from Massachusetts was due
to events over which it had no control. The material was there, the
courage was there; it needed merely a baptism fire to fully acquaint
the rank and file with the smell of powder, and then opportunities to
prove their metal.
Life in camp at Readville was by no means monotonous. During August,
September, and part of October, the men were under canvas. Regular
routine duties of camp were performed, and the hours after duty were
passed in social pleasures, which only those who have a natural taste
for the life of a soldier, or young novices in camp life, know how to
enjoy. The weather, for a large portion of the time, was glorious. The
surrounding scenery at Readville is very fine, as any person who has
visited the ground can testify. As the facilities for visiting from
Boston were very good, _via_ the Boston and Providence Railroad, also
by splendid drives over excellent roads, all of the troops concentrated
there, over three thousand men, had many visitors to while away the
time when off duty, causing the various camps to have a gala appearance
at all parades of ceremony, such as guard mounting, dress parades and
reviews. Bands of music were specially engaged at various times to
assist in these parades, much to the gratification of the men. All day
long the rat-a-tap of the drums was to be heard, as the newly-organized
drum corps attached to the regiments went on with their practice. It
was a continual scene of excitement, without danger, until orders
came for the various bodies to move. Between other regiments and the
Forty-Second there was not much social intercourse, except in a few
instances. There appeared to exist a feeling that the Forty-Second did
not amount to much.[2]
[2] Among the members of a band occasionally engaged for duty on
Sundays at Readville Camp was Mariani, the old drum-major of Gilmore’s
Band when at the zenith of its fame in Boston. Signior (as he was
called) Mariani was a man of commanding presence, very tall and very
heavy in build. He was a jolly companion, full of anecdote regarding
his native land, Italy. His one time, two time, three time story has
never been forgotten by those who had the pleasure of hearing it.
Surgeon Cummings, appointed _vice_ Lamson resigned, commenced his
duties and reports September 6th, at once taking hold of matters with
a will and devotion to the interests of men in camp characteristic
of him.[3] With a sharp eye kept on the rations, cooking, sanitary
condition of grounds and quarters, hardly a day passed without his
embodying some suggestion of importance in his daily reports to the
colonel. At first he had great difficulty in getting first-sergeants
of companies to answer properly the surgeon’s call at his quarters in
the morning, whereby some men were neglected who were sick in quarters
and were not reported. He maintained his right, by virtue of the army
regulations then in force, demanding that the first-sergeants, or those
acting in their stead, attend the call punctually, report in writing
all on sick furlough, all sick in quarters and unable to attend, and
cause all who were sick so as to incapacitate them from duty, or
claimed to be so, to appear at his quarters, where each company would
be called in turn, prescribed for, and the men sent to quarters, to
hospital, on furlough, to easy duty or full duty; and if after the
morning call any were taken sick, a sergeant or corporal in all cases
be sent with them to his quarters, or to summon him to see them at
their own quarters when too sick to go to his tent. By hammering away
he finally got this system at work to his satisfaction. He calculated
to keep the run of all sick men in the regiment, as was his duty, and
did not want any one to say he had been neglected. Companies C and H
gave the surgeon much trouble, and ruffled his temper, because not able
to obtain any report from them, day after day, even after they were
mustered into service.
[3] Cummings served in the Army of the Potomac, between Yorktown and
Richmond; also did duty in the Yorktown and Portsmouth Grove general
hospitals.
The regimental hospital tent was one of the first things to occupy his
attention. By constant efforts on his part and of Colonel Burrell, he
was able to report on the twentieth of September that he was supplied
with all the medicines needed; on the eighteenth of October that the
hospital tent was ready for such patients as needed treatment there,
with accommodations for ten patients--in his opinion the best at the
post. On the second of October, and up to that date, accommodations in
regimental hospital had been such, and those unfit in the estimation of
the surgeon, that only two men could be received. Until the hospital
was ready, the practice was to allow sick men to go home on furlough if
unfit for duty. A few of the men attempted to play “old soldier,” but
very soon exposed themselves in some way, and had to do double duty as
the penalty. Surgeon Cummings could not be fooled very long.
In the matter of police duty in the camp, he kept a careful watch to
see whether the officer of the day had sinks properly attended to. Cook
houses, cooking utensils and their care were often inspected by him;
also the cooking and food for rations. The guard quarters frequently
had his inspection, nor was he forgetful of the sentries on night duty,
many times recommending that hot coffee be served to them when the
nights were cold. With constant persevering efforts and rigid rules the
camp was kept very free from filth and vermin, that curse of military
camps in general.
Most of the sick cases were from slight ailments. All serious cases
were furloughed home, and for a greater part of the time the average
sick was quite small; the camp continued to remain in a healthy
condition. Some cases of scarlet fever appeared in October and
November. Prompt isolation of persons affected prevented any spread
of this disease. One fatal case occurred in the regiment previous
to leaving the State--Private Robert T. Morse, of Company B, died
October 4th, 1862. While in regimental hospital his symptoms not being
favorable he was taken home by relatives and died there. In October
the surgeon discovered that Private Warren J. Partridge, Company B,
twenty-three years old, had an aneurism of the right subclavian artery,
liable to burst and destroy his life at any moment, and recommended a
discharge from the service. Private Partridge was discharged October
22d. The surgeon also reported on October 22d that one of the cases in
hospital he believed to be feigned, Private Abner Ward, of Company C.
He had learned Ward was determined to get a discharge at all hazards,
and was fifty-two years old. Ward enlisted as forty-four years of age,
never went with the regiment, and did obtain a discharge for disability
March 12th, 1863.
Assistant-Surgeon Hitchcock was appointed and assigned to the regiment
by the surgeon-general of the State, reporting for duty in September.
Before leaving the State there were no opportunities to judge of his
capacity. He made a favorable impression on some and was not liked by
others. His appearance and conversation was that of a young graduate
from college. The reason he failed to satisfy men of the regiment while
in the field may partially be traced to early impressions he made upon
them at Readville.
The rations furnished while in camp were good, and could not cause
complaint. So near home, with many friends, pocket money plenty, the
regular rations were supplemented by extras to such an extent that it
may be said most of the men fared sumptuously. Notwithstanding all
this, the natural instinct of a soldier in camp or on active service,
to forage, would make itself manifest in spite of extra precautions
taken to prevent it. A supper, participated in by a favored few one
evening, was one of the pleasant events of this camp. Those invited
were pledged not to ask questions. As chicken after chicken was brought
forth from a ground-hole inside of the tent, the reason was obvious.
It would have been awkward for some persons present to have asked
questions and been told the truth, for frequent complaints of despoiled
henroosts had been made by residents in adjacent farm-houses, and all
officers, commissioned and non-commissioned, were ordered to keep a
sharp lookout for chickens served as rations, and to follow up the clue
so obtained.
The non-commissioned staff made an attempt to form a mess, with an
arrangement made with one of the company cooks to attend to the
cooking. The plan worked well for a short time. The sharp appetites
of all who composed that mess got the better of their willingness to
allow fair play and a fair chance for all to sit down and have a proper
share of what was on the mess table, so the unlucky member who was late
would find nothing to eat. Dissatisfaction was expressed by the unlucky
member at such times, which was to be expected, but precious little
satisfaction could he get. One after another withdrew until there was
not enough left to stand the expense, when the non-commissioned staff
mess became a thing of the past. No attempt was ever made to revive it.
To vary the monotony of company and battalion drills, that had been
pushed ever since camp was located, short practice marches were made
from camp in different directions over the various roads in the
vicinity. The day after a march made October 9th, Surgeon Cummings,
in his morning report, commented as follows: “The march of yesterday
had its usual effect upon those not in perfect health, of which class
there are always more or less in every regiment. A larger proportion,
however, than usual, will, I believe, be found in this regiment capable
of enduring severe and exhausting hardships, which are unavoidable in
the field.” Throughout October the weather could not have been better.
What with the bracing air, constant out-door exercise, plain food,
strict regularity of meals and good hours for sleep, it was astonishing
to see how tough and hardy those men became who had heretofore led a
sedentary and confined life in counting-rooms. The greater number of
this class of men afterwards stood fatigue of campaign service much
better than those who appeared to be healthier and stronger. In fact,
the men who were strong, from having out-door occupations, were among
the first to break down when hot weather set in, while serving in the
Nineteenth Corps.
On the departure of the Forty-Fourth Regiment for North Carolina,
October 22d, the Forty-Second struck its camp, occupied the barracks
vacated by that regiment, and rapidly improved in discipline and drill.
On going into the barracks of the Forty-Fourth they were found to be in
a dirty and filthy condition. It was hard work policing the grounds
and cleaning up quarters before the surgeon would be satisfied with
the sanitary condition of grounds and barracks. The regimental camp
hospital was removed to the barrack hospital on the twenty-third, much
against the judgment of Surgeon Cummings, who expressed a preference
for his tent as long as the weather was not too cold. In his morning
report of October 23d, Cummings says, “The removing of the camp from
its present site to that lately occupied by the Forty-Fourth Regiment
in this weather will, I fear, cause more or less sickness from
exposure; but the men stand camp life remarkably well--much better
than we had any reason to expect. The field, barracks, cook-houses,
hospital, wells, and especially the sinks, lately occupied and used
by the Forty-Fourth Regiment were left in the most dirty and filthy
condition imaginable. I was astonished to find a camp which had been
reported to the surgeon-general as a pattern of neatness and excellent
sanitary regulation in such an exceedingly filthy condition, especially
the sinks. They evidently have not been filled in for more than a week,
to say the least. I shall report to the surgeon-general the exact
state, as near as possible, in which the camp was left for us.”
November was a cold month. On the seventh a severe north-east
snow-storm was experienced, causing much inconvenience and suffering,
as stoves had not been placed in the barracks. The next day this was
remedied by obtaining stoves from the Forty-Fifth Regiment barracks.
Orders were originally prepared for the regiment to proceed to
Newbern, N. C., but Colonel Sprague, Fifty-First, who had served
under General Foster, wishing to do so again, an interview was held
with Adjutant-General Schouler by the two colonels, and as Colonel
Burrell expressed a preference to serve under General Banks, the
original orders were destroyed; orders were then issued to report
to Major-General N. P. Banks in New York, to form a part of his
expedition, or “Banks’ expedition” as it was publicly known.
The regiment left Readville at one o’clock in the afternoon, Friday,
November 21st, in a heavy rain-storm, _via_ Boston and Providence
Railroad, by cars to Groton, Conn., thence by steamer _Commodore_ to
New York.
The original mustered strength of the regiment was as follows:
Field and Staff, 9 officers, 9 total.
Non-Commissioned Staff, 5 enlisted men, 5 “
Company A, 3 officers, 94 “ 97 “
“ B, 3 “ 92 “ 95 “
“ C, 3 “ 88 “ 91 “
“ D, 3 “ 86 “ 89 “
“ E, 3 “ 79 “ 82 “
“ F, 3 “ 88 “ 91 “
“ G, 3 “ 96 “ 99 “
“ H, 3 “ 88 “ 91 “
“ I, 3 “ 92 “ 95 “
“ K, 3 “ 86 “ 89 “
The following men had been discharged for disability before leaving the
State:
Company A, Private Joseph Viger, November 18, 1862.
“ A, “ Bernard Doherty, “ 18, “
“ A, “ James C. Wendall, “ 18, “
“ B, “ Warren J. Partridge, October 22, “
“ F, “ James O. Boyd, November 19, “
“ F, “ Henry W. Pratt, “ 19, “
“ F, “ Anthony Sherman, “ 19, “
“ K, “ William B. Gould, “ 18, “
There were left behind, in the State, the following officer and
enlisted men, on detached service, sick, or in jail:
Lieutenant D. A. Partridge, Company B--Remained at Readville camp by
orders of Colonel Day, issued October 27th, 1862, on detached duty,
looking out for deserters; six men were returned to the regiment
through him. There was some difficulty and correspondence relating to
his rejoining the regiment. A feud existed between Lieutenant-Colonel
Stedman and Partridge, occasioned by the election for captain in
Company B, when Partridge was jumped over by Cook, through interference
of Stedman, so Partridge claims. Stedman lost friends in the regiment
by his action. Lieutenant Partridge was mustered out of service March
5th, 1863, to accept a commission in the Fifty-Fifth Regiment.
Private Newman B. Luce, Company E--Sick in hospital at Camp Wool,
Worcester, since October 2d, 1862. Rejoined his company April 9th, 1863.
Private Frederick A. Mahan, Company E--Sick in hospital at Camp Wool,
since October 10th, 1862. Rejoined his company April 9th, 1863.
Private Asa Breckenridge, Company K--Sick in hospital at Readville.
Sent home to Worcester, November 12th, 1862. Did not rejoin the
regiment.
Private John W. Sheppard, Company K--Sick in hospital at Readville.
Sent home to Warren, Mass., November 12th, 1862. Discharged for
disability April 8th, 1863.
Private Abner C. Ward, Company C--Shot himself to escape duty. Left at
Hopkinton, Mass. Discharged for disability March 12th, 1863.
Private George A. Davis, Company D--Sick at home in Roxbury, Mass.,
since November 21st, 1862. Rejoined his company May 16th, 1863.
Private John O’Harran, Company D--Confined in Dedham jail on sentence
for manslaughter; killing a citizen in a drunken brawl at Mill Village,
Dedham, Mass. Never rejoined his company.
Private John Nolan, Company D--Confined in Dedham jail as a witness in
O’Harran’s case. Released and joined the regiment February 4th, 1863.
Private Thomas H. Rillian, Company D--At home sick. Discharged for
disability March 7th, 1863.
Private John A. Pierce, Company H--At home sick. Discharged for
disability March 5th, 1863.
Private Charles H. Hill, Company I--Sick in hospital at Readville,
November 22d, 1862. Discharged for disability March 28th, 1863.
Others were also left, but they reported in camp at East New York
before the regiment sailed for New Orleans.
The roster of the regiment was as follows:
Colonel--Isaac S. Burrell.
Lieutenant-Colonel--Joseph Stedman.
Major--Frederick G. Stiles.
Adjutant--Charles A. Davis.
Quartermaster--Charles B. Burrell.
Surgeon--Arial I. Cummings.
Assistant-Surgeon--Thomas B. Hitchcock.
Assistant-Surgeon--Rush B. Heintzelman.
Chaplain--George J. Sanger.
Sergeant-Major--Charles P. Bosson, Jr.
Quartermaster-Sergeant--Henry C. Foster.
Commissary-Sergeant--William H. Hutchinson.
Hospital-Steward--Charles J. Wood.
Drum-Major--Richard A. Neuert.
Company A--Captain, Hiram S. Coburn; Lieutenants, Martin Burrell, Jr.
and John P. Burrell.
Company B--Captain, Ira B. Cook; Lieutenants, David A. Partridge and
Joseph C. Clifford.
Company C--Captain, Orville W. Leonard; Lieutenants, Isaac B. White and
Joseph Sanderson, Jr.
Company D--Captain, George Sherive; Lieutenants, William H. Cowdin and
Darius F. Eddy.
Company E--Captain, Charles A. Pratt; Lieutenants, John W. Emerson and
Brown P. Stowell.
Company F--Captain, John D. Cogswell; Lieutenants, Timothy M. Duncan
and Lyman A. Powers.
Company G--Captain, Alfred N. Proctor; Lieutenants, Albert E. Proctor
and Thaddeus H. Newcomb.
Company H--Captain, Davis W. Bailey; Lieutenants, Charles C. Phillips
and Augustus L. Gould.
Company I--Captain, Cyrus Savage; Lieutenants, Samuel F. White and
Benjamin F. Bartlett.
Company K--Captain, George P. Davis; Lieutenants, Henry A. Harding and
J. Martin Gorham.