AT CARROLLTON--BOUND FOR GALVESTON--ARRIVAL OF COMPANIES--CAMP
MANSFIELD--DETAILS.
Brigadier-General T. W. Sherman was in command of all United States
forces assembled at several camps in and about Carrollton, a suburb
of New Orleans, distant a few miles north of that city. The town did
not contain many houses or white inhabitants, and was situated on low,
wet, swampy ground. The vacant squares of building lots was ground on
which the troops pitched their tents. Camp Mansfield contained the One
Hundred and Tenth New York Infantry, One Hundred and Fifty-Sixth New
York Infantry, One Hundred and Sixty-First New York Infantry, Third
New Hampshire Infantry, Twenty-Fifth Connecticut Infantry, detachment
Forty-Second Massachusetts Infantry, Twenty-Fifth New York Light
Battery, Reed’s Massachusetts Rifle Rangers--in all about four thousand
men; Colonel Littlejohn, ----th New York, commanding the post.
The release from close confinement on board transports was, for a time,
enjoyed by everybody, regardless of weather changes. The days were warm
and pleasant, but the nights freezing cold, causing much suffering,
as no boards could be obtained for tent floors, or firewood to build
bonfires. Why diarrhœa and dysentery did not attack more men while at
this camp, than was the case, is surprising. Camp regulations in regard
to men being out of quarters after taps had to be set aside, for,
finding it impossible to sleep without getting chilled, many of them
would cluster around the cooking-stoves, that were kept heated, and
endeavor to keep warm until day, with its bright, southern sunshine and
warmth, should dawn, when they could be comfortable. The rattling of
drums beating reveille in the various camps caused many a man of that
four thousand to feel thankful.
According to orders received the evening of January 2d, 1863, the
detachment (Companies A, B and F) struck camp on the morning of January
3d, went to the river levee and embarked on board steamer _Che-Kiang_,
at nine o’clock, _en route_ for Galveston, Texas, to join Companies
D, G and I. While lying at the United States Barracks at night on
the third, where most of the day was passed in taking aboard stores,
ammunition, horses, and a detachment First Texas Cavalry, recruited
from Texas refugees, a furious thunder-storm occurred. Rain fell in
torrents; the lightning seemed to be everywhere and constant, with
deafening peals of thunder. It was a scene not to be forgotten, and
although showers of the same magnitude were afterwards experienced,
none made so vivid an impression on the memory as this first
thunder-storm witnessed in the sunny South.
During Sunday, the fourth, there seemed to be a strange foreboding in
the minds of a great many that some unfortunate occurrence had taken
place. The transport was not in a hurry to proceed on the voyage, and
there was an ominous silence among officers who were supposed to know
the cause of delay. At noon the truth became known. Galveston had been
captured by Confederates, with Companies D, G and I, and the regimental
colors. All the mad projects, which found vent in words, that started
in the brains of men on board the _Che-Kiang_ would not be believed if
they were given here. A dare-devil spirit to do something that would
recapture their comrades, restore their colors, and wipe out the stigma
which they felt would be against the regiment, animated every breast.
When Lieutenant M. Burrell, Jr. with First-Sergeant Henry White,
of Company A, came on board and recited their story of the affair,
although not very elaborate or satisfactory, it was listened to with
marked attention. They had started a few days before in the transport
_Honduras_ for Galveston, with the First Vermont Battery on board,
arriving off the harbor on the morning of the capture, and been ordered
back to New Orleans by a naval officer commanding a gunboat that was in
the action. The companies disembarked a second time at Carrollton in
the afternoon of January 4th, and went into camp at Camp Mansfield on
worse ground than before.
Next day Companies E and K, from the _Charles Osgood_, reported for
duty and pitched their tents. Quartermaster Burrell and Adjutant Davis
also came into camp, having just arrived from Galveston after escaping
capture. They were received with cheers and congratulations.
This camp was situated on very swampy ground with two ravines running
lengthwise through it, made to drain the water during rainy seasons.
The arrangement of tents was made as symmetrical as possible, but
formation of the ground completely spoiled its beauty. To reach the
color-line a deep water gully had to be passed, marring the good
appearance of a dress parade. The hospital was located in a vacated
school-house, distant half a mile from camp, because it was impossible
to accommodate patients in the hospital tent. Assistant-Surgeon
Hitchcock was quite sick with typhoid fever soon after reaching
Carrollton, and Assistant-Surgeon George C. Smith, One Hundred and
Fifty-Sixth New York Infantry, was detailed to occupy his position
temporarily, serving the regiment from January 17th to 27th.[8]
[8] While at Carrollton the average daily sick in the regiment was:
taken sick, five; returned to duty, five; sick in hospital, twelve;
sick in quarters, eighteen; an average of thirty men each day under a
surgeon’s care.
On the twelfth, Major Stiles, with Companies C and H, reported for duty
at camp, receiving a warm reception. The men were as much pleased to
tread dry land once more as their comrades were to see them. The day
and night was occupied by the men in reciting each other’s adventures
since they parted in New York.
An aggravating case of desertion occurred January 2d, when Private
Lewis Buffum, Company B, deserted the service and his regiment under
circumstances proving him to be an arrant coward. Placed in a position
as acting-engineer on board the transport _Quincy_, while on her
trip from New York with the three companies, he received the best of
treatment, lived in the same manner as the officers, at no cost to
himself, and on arrival at New Orleans received extra pay from Captain
Clapp of the _Quincy_, for his services on the voyage; this Buffum,
regardless of all feelings of honor and duty, improved the opportunity
thus given him, detached and away from his company for a few days after
landing, to procure a change of clothing and bribe the first-engineer
on the _Quincy_ to conceal him on board upon her return trip to New
York.
Several orders sent him to report for duty with his company and not
obeyed caused a search to be made, when his desertion was discovered.
An overhauling of the _Quincy_ failed to find him. It was ascertained
some months afterward (April 24th), when he came into the hands
of provost-marshal Captain John Pickering of New Orleans, having
surrendered himself at Fort Columbus, New York harbor, March 31st,
under the promise of pardon made by President Lincoln in General Orders
No. 58, War Department, issued March 11th, 1863, to all deserters who
returned to duty, that Buffum was on board the _Quincy_ during the
search, stowed away on the top of her boiler. As the searching party
passed one side of it he would slide down the opposite side until they
had passed, and then return to the top.
There are no extenuating circumstances connected with Buffum’s
desertion. He was a married man, with wife and children living. As a
man he should have had some respect for their feelings, even though he
was without honor himself. He never was ill-treated by his officers.
His profession placed him in a position to be of great service to
the Government, by performing detached duty as engineer on some of
the railroads and steamers controlled by United States officers in
Louisiana. Private Buffum was so detailed by orders from Department
headquarters, to which detail answer had to be returned: “Deserted in
New Orleans, January 2d, 1863, and has not since been apprehended.”
In connection with this case of desertion may properly be stated the
three cases of enlisted men who were disciplined at this camp. Corporal
Denny, Company E, was, January 22d, ordered to be placed in arrest
by Lieutenant-Colonel Stedman. A captain objected to some statements
that had appeared in a communication sent home by the corporal for
publication, and preferred charges against him. Denny remained in
arrest until after his trial by a division court-martial held January
27th, in New Orleans, and the proceedings of the court could be passed
upon by General Sherman. The charge and specification was as follows:
CHARGE.
“Conduct to the prejudice of Good Order and Military Discipline.”
* * * * *
_Specification_--In this: that he, Corporal Denny, was author of, did
write and cause to be published in the _Worcester Daily Spy_, on the
morning of December 29th, 1862, an article containing sentiments false
and calculated to mislead the public with reference to the acts of
Captain George P. Davis, then commanding troops on board the _Charles
Osgood_, and reflecting censure on his (Corporal Denny’s) superior
officer, which article was, in form and substance, as follows:
* * * * *
“Considerable feeling was created by the refusal of the privilege, but
a quantity of _whiskey_ provided by the officers allayed the feeling
with some, while it only added intensity with others. It was looked
at by many as a kind of _bribe_, while others were conscientiously
opposed to the indiscriminate distribution of whiskey by even superior
officers. It is to the credit of a large number that they threw the
stuff overboard as soon as received. There is a general feeling
that whiskey drinking is already too prevalent to have it so openly
countenanced, and all well-wishers of the Union army hope the practice
may soon be abandoned.”
* * * * *
Said article, of which the above is only an extract, was written after
the departure of the steamer _Charles Osgood_ from New York and before
her arrival at New Orleans.
To which charge and specification the accused pleaded as follows:
To the specification--Not guilty.
To the charge--Not guilty.
FINDING OF THE COURT.
The Court, after mature deliberation on the evidence adduced, finds the
accused, Corporal Everett A. Denny of Company E, Forty-Second Regiment
Massachusetts Volunteers, as follows:
Of the specification--Guilty.
Of the charge--Guilty.
SENTENCE.
And the Court does therefore sentence him, Corporal Everett A. Denny,
Company E, Forty-Second Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, to be
reduced to the ranks, to forfeit ten dollars of his pay, and to be
publicly reprimanded by the commanding officer of his regiment.
* * * * *
The sentence was approved in General Orders No. 16, Defences New
Orleans, March 7th, 1863, and Corporal Denny released from arrest and
returned to duty with his company March 17th.
Whether the offence was worth the trouble and expense of a trial is a
debatable question. Corporal Denny was young and inexperienced at the
time; with more years upon his shoulders he would probably have been
more discreet. There were many young correspondents with the army who
did not always confine their letters to matters of public interest,
but dabbled with surmises of probable movements by the troops, their
strength, positions occupied, and _morale_ of officers and men. This
is against army rules, and not to be tolerated. It is indirectly
furnishing information of value to the enemy.
Private James White, of Company A, while at Carrollton, disobeyed
orders, using disrespectful language towards his superior officer. A
regimental court-martial convicted and sentenced him to forfeit one
month’s pay and to walk six hours a day for fourteen days--three in the
morning and three in the afternoon--with a log of wood tied across his
back, weighing not more than fifty pounds and not less than twenty-five
pounds, and to do fatigue duty every morning. As provided in orders for
regimental courts-martial, the sentence was approved by the brigade
commander.
Private Jotham E. Bigelow, of Company K, was placed in arrest for
sleeping on his sentry post. By regimental General Orders No. 11,
issued January 30th, he was released from arrest and ordered to duty,
because, “from his previous good conduct as a soldier in all matters,
and being the first case of the kind in the regiment.” A warning was
issued in the orders that future cases would not be dealt with so
leniently.
All proceedings in cases proper for a regimental court-martial had to
be before a field-officer of the regiment, by General Orders No. 91,
issued July 29th, 1862, from the War Department. Major Stiles was in
every case detailed to hear the evidence.
At Carrollton several heavy details were made of working parties to
unload vessels at the levee, besides attending to a regular routine of
camp duty. Short marches were taken out on the shell road to accustom
the troops to that exercise. When Brigadier-General Emory assumed the
command he watched sharply these marching drills, also the company
and battalion drills of each organization. As some field-officers
were inclined to consume time in executing fancy tactical movements
when they had their regiments on drill, a general order was issued
indicating a more rapid mode of instruction for the field. The
following points were enjoined as of the first importance:
1st. The firings--to be executed with facility, promptness, and good
order.
2d. Rapid ployments and deployments while marching as well as from a
halt.
3d. Sudden and rapid formations of squares against cavalry.
With these instructions carefully and faithfully carried out, any
troops could soon be made fairly efficient for field service, with
discipline also enforced.
Lieutenant-Colonel Stedman, on several occasions, as field-officer
of the day, had to make the grand rounds. The start was usually made
between eleven and twelve o’clock at night. Considerable ground had to
be covered to reach various bodies of troops occupying scattered camps,
while the outpost stations would consume much time. Acting under verbal
orders to thoroughly do this duty, numerous attempts were made to catch
sentries off their guard; in some cases quite successfully, but it
resulted in creating bad feeling between the organization so caught,
and the regiment from which the field-officer of the day belonged. One
of the most notable cases was a surprise of the Fifteenth New Hampshire
camp. Upon approaching a sentry he failed to challenge, and seemed glad
to take part in a casual conversation, which was commenced, when it
was seen the man was not reliable in his duty. Finally, he was seized
without resistance and his musket taken away, frightening the poor
fellow to such an extent it was with difficulty the grand rounds’ party
could remain by him while proceeding towards the guard quarters, where
everything was found to be all right, with the men alert.
The One Hundred and Tenth New York camp was entered one night without
a challenge, or being seen by any sentinels; on stealthily approaching
the guard quarters, where a log fire was burning, no sign of life was
seen excepting a solitary sentinel pacing to and fro before a line
of stacked muskets. Watching a favorable opportunity he was made a
quasi-prisoner, much to his chagrin, and on inspecting the guard
tents a few men were found sound asleep, with no officer of the guard
present. Routing out the regimental officer of the day to investigate
the matter, it appeared that the reliefs, together with officers of the
guard, had gone to their quarters for sleep.
After a few incidents like these were reported to post headquarters, it
was not long before sentries were wide awake for surprises. It became
dangerous business to attempt any fooling with sentries, and such
attempts were abandoned. Whenever a field-officer of the Fifteenth New
Hampshire or One Hundred and Tenth New York had the grand rounds, in
retaliation, they tried various ways to catch the Forty-Second guard
napping, but never succeeded.
On one of these grand rounds’ tour of duty, while proceeding along
the levee road towards outpost stations, the road was found to be in
an impassable condition, owing to a small break in the levee, not
known to exist, as during the early afternoon one of the officers
had found the road in good condition. An occupant of a house near at
hand was awakened to obtain directions how to proceed: the man either
intentionally or by mistake directed the party to take the levee
embankment, his reasons for the bad condition of the road not creating
any suspicion that a crevasse existed in the levee. Proceeding along
the embankment with Sergeant-Major Bosson leading the mounted party,
his horse suddenly stopped, and no amount of urging could induce the
animal to move forward. In the pitchy darkness it was impossible to see
what was the matter, so the party with difficulty (the embankment top
was very narrow) turned about, going back, finally reaching another
road leading to the outposts. The next morning, upon examining the road
at this point, there was found a small break in the levee. Had the
horse kept on for a few feet, both horse and rider would have been in
the Mississippi River.
A sharp report from several muskets, fired by sentinels, followed with
a cry of fire, roused the camp at two o’clock on the morning of January
26th. Not far from the camp lines was a small frame house, used by
officers of the Forty-Second for messing. This had caught fire, burning
to the ground. The primitive fire department of Carrollton rallied,
consisting of several white men, a gang of negroes with an old worn out
double-deck hand fire-engine, requiring not over ten men to man the
brakes, without suction hose, water being furnished the engine by hand
buckets, and a small hose carriage. A detail of men from the regiment
soon took possession of this fire apparatus, relieving the local
firemen of any responsibility, and earnestly endeavored to stop the
flames. What was in rain water cisterns attached to the nearest houses
was all the water that could be used. There was great sport in fighting
this fire, as well as some sharp and brave work in saving what was in
the house. For the purpose of obtaining indemnity from the Government,
the owner implicated officers of the regiment with this fire. A council
of investigation was ordered by Brigadier-General Emory into the
circumstances; the detail consisted of Captains Cogswell and Cook and
Lieutenant Gorham, who found that the fire was accidental.
Lieutenant Proctor was without a command, as his company were prisoners
of war. Upon landing, with men of Company G who were with him, he met
Colonel N. A. M. Dudley, an old friend, in the city, who requested
him to join his brigade, then at Baton Rouge, as he wanted a brigade
quartermaster, and wished to appoint the lieutenant to that position.
Although attached to another brigade and division, Colonel Dudley
thought he could arrange the matter with his division general, Grover,
and the Department headquarters. Lieutenant Proctor proceeded to Baton
Rouge, but Dudley could not carry out his plan, as Adjutant-General
Irwin stated it was against the rules of the service. This was true.
Lieutenant Proctor and his men reported back to the regiment February
3d.
First Sergeant Nichols, Company G, was detailed acting lieutenant of
Company E, _vice_ Stowell, a prisoner of war.
Sergeant Attwell, Company G, remained unattached.
Private H. C. Green, Company G, was attached to Company K for duty.
Private John Luzardo, Company G, was attached to Company K for duty.
Sergeant Vialle, Company G, remained unattached.
War Department General Orders No. 5, issued January 5th, 1863, had
made the troops in the Gulf Department to constitute the Nineteenth
Army Corps, to date from December 14th, 1862. Orders were issued from
Department headquarters on the thirteenth of January attaching the
Forty-Second to the Second Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Army
Corps. In the brigade were the Twenty-Sixth Massachusetts Infantry,
three years men; Forty-Second Massachusetts Infantry, nine months
men; Forty-Seventh Massachusetts Infantry, nine months men; Ninth
Connecticut Infantry, three years men; Twenty-Eighth Maine Infantry,
nine months men. The brigade was then under command of Colonel Farr,
Twenty-Sixth Massachusetts Volunteers, and constituted part of the
garrison in the Defences of New Orleans.
The regiment remained in camp at Carrollton until January 28th,
receiving marching orders for five companies to take post at Bayou
Gentilly, on the Ponchartrain Railroad crossing, on the twenty-seventh.
Up to this date the following changes by detail and sickness had
occurred:
January 17th--Companies C and H left for duty in engineer service.
January 25th--Quartermaster Burrell was detailed by brigade orders as
acting brigade quartermaster. Lieutenant Albert E. Proctor, Company G,
by regimental orders, was detailed as acting regimental quartermaster,
on the twenty-sixth.
Assistant Surgeon Isaac Smith, Jr., Twenty-Sixth Massachusetts
Volunteers, was detailed to act as surgeon during Surgeon Hitchcock’s
sickness, relieving Surgeon Smith, One Hundred and Fifty-Sixth New York
Volunteers, and joined the regiment for duty on the twenty-ninth, at
Bayou Gentilly.
Captain George P. Davis, Company K, and Lieutenant T. M. Duncan,
Company F, by department orders, were detailed for duty in the
provost-marshal general’s office, on the twenty-first.
Captain Charles A. Pratt, Company E, had been absent from camp on sick
leave, and not on duty since his company landed from the _Charles
Osgood_. Captain Pratt did not see any service with his company. He
resigned, and was discharged for ill health by Special Orders No. --,
Gulf Department, March 28th, 1863.
January 3d--Corporal Alonzo I. Hodsdon, Company D, was appointed
acting quartermaster-sergeant, in place of Foster, taken prisoner
at Galveston. Hodsdon, with the pay of his rank as corporal to July
12th, performed the arduous duty of the position in a most admirable
manner during the term of the regiment. Special mention is made in
his case over that of other non-commissioned staff-officers, because
of his devoted attention to the duties with no prospect before him
of any promotion to the position. While Foster lived, Corporal
Hodsdon remained a corporal. Foster’s parole, when released by the
Confederates, did not allow him to take his position until exchanged,
which did not occur during the term of service.
January 1st--Private Eldridge G. Harwood, Company B, was appointed
regimental carpenter.
January 15th--Private Clark K. Denny, Company F, was detailed as
orderly and clerk at regimental headquarters.
January 15th--Private Leavitt Bates, Company A, was detailed as clerk
to headquarters of General Emory, at Carrollton. Relieved February 3d.
January 15th--Private John A. Loud, Company A, was made regimental
armorer.
January 30th--Private Winfield B. Tirrell, Company A, was detailed as
orderly at brigade headquarters, by brigade orders.
The Quartermaster Department was advanced a stage in its appointments,
by organizing the wagon train, as follows: Private John Willy, Company
B, chief wagoner; Private Porter Carter, Company K, Corporal Alfred
Thayer, Company I, Privates Chauncey K. Bullock, Company D, G. G.
Belcher, Company F, Joseph B. Ford, Company A, as wagoners.
On moving to Bayou Gentilly the following sick men were left in general
hospital at Carrollton: Privates Adin P. Blake, Company B, George E.
Pond, Company B, Lucius M. Turner, Company B, and Surgeon Hitchcock.