_"M" Battery._ (_Station, Fall River._)
CAPT. SIERRA L. BRALEY.
FIRST LIEUT. DAVID FULLER.
SECOND LIEUT. FREDERICK W. HARRISON.
_"F" Battery._ (_Station, Taunton._)
CAPT. NORRIS O. DANFORTH.
FIRST LIEUT. FERDINAND H. PHILLIPS.
SECOND LIEUT. WILLIAM J. MEEK.
_"E" Battery._ (_Station, New Bedford._)
CAPT. JOSEPH L. GIBBS.
FIRST LIEUT. HAROLD C. WING.
SECOND LIEUT. (Vacancy.)
_"I" Battery._ (_Station, Brockton._)
CAPT. CHARLES WILLIAMSON.
FIRST LIEUT. GEORGE E. HORTON.
SECOND LIEUT. WELLINGTON H. NILSSON.
The Non-Commissioned Staff and Headquarters' attachés
were the following: SERGEANT-MAJOR WILLIAM D. HUDDLESON;
QUARTERMASTER-SERGEANT EDWARD E. CHAPMAN; HOSPITAL STEWARD GEORGE Y.
SAWYER; PAYMASTER-SERGEANT GEORGE R. RUSSELL; DRUM MAJOR JAMES F.
CLARK; CHIEF BUGLER FREDERICK A. H. BENNETT; COLOR-SERGEANTS AXEL T.
TORNROSE AND HORACE N. CONN; ORDERLY SAMUEL WEISS; BANDMASTER FRANK
L. COLLINS.
Almost exactly at noontide, and while the cheers of the artillerymen in
response to those of their brethren of the Naval Brigade still were
echoing across the water, the _General Lincoln_ cast off her lines, and,
amid ear-piercing salutes from every vessel provided with steam enough
to start a whistle-valve, ran down the channel between Forts Winthrop
and Independence, on her course for Fort Warren. In passing out of the
upper harbor, the transport ran close to the great British cable-steamer
_Minia_, whose crew swarmed at her rail and yelled their enthusiastic
approval of the proceedings, while high on her bridge her officers
lifted their caps in acknowledgment of the answering roar from the men
in blue. And then, at a sharp order from the bridge, a petty officer ran
aft on the _Minia_, and the red ensign of England was thrice dipped by
way of wishing luck to the Yankee volunteers. It was a pleasant
incident, as well as one not without significance, and the men of the
regiment promptly appropriated it as a good omen.
Once more the Old First Regiment of Massachusetts was off for service.
Thirty-seven years earlier, on May 27th, 1861, it had completed its
muster into the volunteer army of the United States, leaving Boston on
June 15th, and proceeding at once to Washington, where it had the high
honor of being the first of the three-years' regiments to report, armed
and equipped, for duty. Since that time the changes had been many;
officers and men had come and gone; batteries had been transferred,
disbanded, or reorganized, until there remained but six out of the
twelve ("B," "D," "E," "G," "H," and "K") whose records showed service
in the previous war, while of these only three ("D," "G," and "H") had
campaigned with the old War First from '61 to '64. But through all the
vicissitudes of over a third of a century the traditions and spirit of
the early days had been reverently cherished and kept sacred, until now,
when the latest call had come, the young men whose pride it was that
they bore the veteran name and number were again first in ready response
to the summons.
Sheltering themselves as best they could from the biting wind, for the
cabins could accommodate but a portion of the regiment, the men prepared
to make the best of their hour's trip down the harbor. They were in the
highest of spirits, for the orders to move had come as a relief to the
previous strain of waiting for the expected to happen. The singing men
promptly got to work, while the rest either listened, or, true to the
immemorial trait of the newly enrolled volunteer, started cheers for
every passing craft. Meanwhile the colonel had assembled his battalion
and battery commanders to receive their final instructions looking
towards the comfort of the men when the fort should be reached.
The regiment had been hurriedly called out, and at an inclement season
of the year, but its officers felt that it was fairly ready, so far as
equipment went, for any service that might be expected in the immediate
future. In the matter of small-arms there was little to be desired,
since an issue of the latest model Springfield rifle—fresh from the
national armory, and in perfect condition—had been made during the
winter previous. Uniforms and great-coats, if lacking in smartness, were
at least serviceable. Many batteries owned their blankets, and in
addition to these there was on hand a full supply for the regiment, both
woolen and rubber, which only awaited issue. The medical department had
well-filled chests, with the necessary equipment and furniture for a
small field hospital. Each battery had started from its station with
full travel rations for forty-eight hours, which would tide over the
interval required to set in operation a consolidated regimental mess.
Several cases of heavy shoes had been ordered, to have at hand in case
delay should be experienced in filling requisitions for foot-gear. There
were on hand twelve thousand rounds of small-arm ammunition—not enough
to go far in an infantry fight, but sufficient for supplying the belts
of sentries and patrol-boat crews at a coast fort.
Considered as a whole, and more especially in contrast with the
wretchedly found commands sent into the field by most other States, the
regiment certainly was in efficient and serviceable condition; it had
the material necessary for taking care of itself, and, better still, its
officers and men were self-reliant and capable. The only cause for
uneasiness lay in the matter of quarters. On the New England coast, and
at this time of year, the use of canvas for sheltering volunteer troops,
just called from their homes and yet unseasoned, seemed unadvisable;
arrangements, therefore, had been made by General Dalton for the use of
the portable houses owned by the City of Boston, and employed as
polling-booths at the municipal elections, and it was understood that
something over fifty of these had been erected on the parade at Fort
Warren, in readiness for the coming of the regiment. In this
expectation, however, the commanding officer was destined to meet
disappointment.