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The Civil War Story of the Second Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry.

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    HOSEA B. CARTER,18 SCHOOL ST.,

    CONCORD. N. H.3:

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  • Oilman Makston.

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  • A HISTORY

    OF THE

    Second Regiment,

    New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry,

    WAR OF THE REBELLION.

    BY

    Martin A. Haynes,

    Company I.

    Lakeport, New Hampshire.i896.

  • ''

    Y^%^^

    NOT COPYRIGHTED.

    No Rights Rcscnrd.

    '01

  • PREFACE.

    Thirty years aga and more, the present writer published aHistory of the Second Regimentan unpretending little volumewhich has received 'much greater commendation than its author hadeven a suspicion it was entitled to. Its chief, and perhaps only,excellence lay in the fact that it was a " free-hand " sketch of the

    regiment's adventures and misadventures, dashed off while theevents narrated were still as but the doings of yesterday in mindand memory. That little volume is now quoted as one of thescarcest of all the war histories, and the stray copy which occasion-ally finds its way into the market commands an almost fabulousprice.

    The present work is in no sense a re-writing or revision of theformer volume. The writer has had at his command a great dealof material not then conveniently available, from which he hasattempted to construct a reasonably complete and fairly satisfactoryhistory of the regiment. He hk^ ^carefully avoided all " padding."The aim has been, not to see ftow large a book he could make, butrather into how few pages he could condense the material he had,without omitting or slighting matters necessary to a proper under-standing and appreciation of the regiment's career. He has alsocarefully avoided the temptation to indulge in lurid descriptions,and has told the story he had to tell in the straightforward, concisenarrative form which has seemed the fittest setting for the Second'sgreat deeds.

    The writer fully appreciates that his most exacting critics willbe the grizzled old fellows who in their glorious young manhoodwrought the deeds of which this book is a record. If it but passesmuster with them, he has little care for what others may think orsay. To you, living or dead, comrades of the Old Second, thisvolume is affectionately inscribed and dedicated.

  • THE BOOK-MAKERS.

    In the making of this book, many hands have had a part, andmany acknowledgments are due.

    The author takes great pride in the fact that the typographicalcomposition, from cover to cover, is entirely his own handiwork.

    In the little toy printing office which is an adjunct of his library,he has spent his spare time in putting this book into type ; andwhen it is stated that an even year, almost to a day, covered thebeginning and the end of the work, his fellow craftsmen, at least,will understand that he either had a great deal of spare time, or wasvery industrious

    perhaps both.

    On the completion of a form, it was securely boxed and sent tothe Republican Press Association, at Concord, who are entitled toall the credit for the character of the press work. Also the binding.

    The Hne engravings were all produced by the Union PublishingCo., of Manchester. The sujierintendent of their art department,our old-time artist friend Prof. J. Warren Thyng, kindly undertook

    the drawing of the pictures, and to him the readers of this book aremainly indebted for the beauty of these illustrations.

    Of the half-tone portraits, over fifty were engraved by Mr. FredL. Nay, of Antrim. Purely from his own interest in the work, anda desire to have the men from his own section well represented, he

    scoured the country for portraits (often, we have reason to believe,

    at considerable expense to himself), thereby finding a number ofrare portraits which otherwise would not have been secured.

    The great bulk of the half-tone engravings, including all the full-page, were made by the Republican Press Association.

    The interesting and appropriate vignettes at the commencementof each chapter were generously contributed by our old friend, Cajit.

    John McElroy, manager of the National Tribune, at \\'ashington.

  • TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    CHAPTER I.

    April, mi, to July /,", /50/.-EARLY REQUISITIONS FOR TROOPS-SECONDREGIMENT ORGANIZED FOR THREE MONTHS" SERVICERE-ORGAN-IZED AS THREE YEARS REGIMENT -" CAMP CONSTITUTION," ATPORTSMOUTHOFF FOR THE WAR-OVATIONS IN BOSTON AND NEWYORK-ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF LIEUTENANT WALK.ER-THE MARCHTHROUGH BALTIMORE-" CAMP SULLIVAN," AT WASHINGTON-THETRAGEDY OF CORPORAL CALEF-THE SECOND ATTACHED TO BURN-SIDE'S BRIGADE. '

    CHAPTER H.

    Ju'y lb to 22, /567.-THE FIRST BULL RUN CAMPAIGN-ADVANCE INTOVIRGINIACAPTAIN EPHRAIM WESTONIN CAMP NEAR CENTRE-VILLE-\DVANCE TO BULL RUN-A FEMALE PROPHET-SECOND FIRESON A GEORGIA REGIMENT-CHARLES TABER'S EXPERIENCE-IMBO-DEN'S REBEL BATTERY -COLONEL MARSTON WOUNDED-UNIONREINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE-MCDOWELL ANNOUNCES A VICTORY-B\TTLE RENEWED-THE SECOND ON THE HENRY HILL-INCIDENTSOF THE RETRE.Vr-JOHN L. RICE-THE AFFAIR AT CUB RUN-AMPU-TATION OF ISAAC W. DERBY'S ARMREPORT OF LIEUT. COL. FISKE. 19

    CHAPTER ni.

    7/> ^? i&bi to A/-n 10, /A6-^-HOOKERS BRIGADE ORGANIZED .\T BLAD-ENSBURGM\RCH TO THE LOWER POTOMAC-SECOND IN CAMP ATHILLTOP-\ YOUNG MARYLANDER TAUGHT A LESSON-STAKING OFFTHE GUARD LINE-WINTER CAMP .-^T BUDD'S FERRY-INCIDENTS OFTHE REBEL BLOCKADE-GEN. NAGLEE IN COMMAND OF BRIGADEMARSTON'S FAMOUS DUNGEONMARSTON BEATS C;EN. MCCLELLAN'SORDNANCE OFFICER-THE REBELS EV.\CU.-\TE THEIR POSITIONS-MURDER OF LUTHER W. FASSETT BY REBEL SCOUTS-HOOKER'SDIVISION EMBARK FOR THE PENINSULA-THE SECOND REGIMENTSTORM-BOUND AT POINT LOOKOUT. 42

    CHAPTER IV.

    ^/r//// to May 4, /56.'.-THE SECOND ARRIVES AT FORT MONROE-A SIGHTAT THE "MONIT(^R" AND " MERRIMACK -DISEMBARKS .AT CHEESE-MAN'S CREEK-THE SEIGE OF YORKTOWN-PROF. LOWE'S BALLOONFATIGUE DUTY IN THE TRENCHESROAD BUILDING UNDER DIF-FICULTIES-GEN. GROVER RELIEVES NAGLEE-REBELS EVACUATEYORKTOWN-THE PURSUIT TOWARD WILLIAMSBURG. - - - - 56

  • \iii TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    CHAPTER V.May s, /S63.THE BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURGGROVER'S BRIGADE OPEN'S

    THE FIGHTTHE SECOND IN FRONT OF FORT MAGRUDERA CON-TEST OF SHARPSHOOTERSTHOMPSON'S DEAD SHOTFT. MAGRUDERSILENCEDTHE SECOND AND THIRD BRIGADES OVERWHELMEDTHE SECOND REGIMENT DEPLOYED AS SKIRMISHERSA SAVA(;EBUSH-FIGHTLITTLE DICKEY'S PRISONERDAVE. STEELE'S-CHARGE"YOUR OWN ADAMS"A DESPERATE CRISISHEINTZELMAN AT AWHITE HEATKEARNEY'S ARRIVALTHE FINAL RUSHCOLONELMARSTON'S REPORT.

    ._. . 65

    CHAPTER VI..Vaj' 6 /(' 7tu' 2b, /565.ADVANCE UP THE PENINSULAACROSS THE CHICK-

    AHOMINYIMPROVISED TORCHLIGHT PARADEGROVER'S BRIGADEAT POPLAR HILLTHE BATTLE OF FAIR OAKSHOOKER'S POSITIONAT FAIR OAKSA LIVELY PICKET FIGHTSIMMONS' REBEL FRIENDTHE BATTLE OF OAK GROVEDESPERATE VALOR OF COMPANY BHARRIET DAME'S GRIEFSHARPSHOOTING INCIDENTSA TERRIFIC"GOOD NIGHT"A CROWD OF SKULKERSCOL. MARSTOXS OFFICIALREPORT OF BATTLE OF OAK GROVE. 83

    CHAPTER Vn.June 37 to Aiis-ust 33, /St>3.TKE "CHANGE OF BASE"BATTLE OF PEACH

    ORCHARD, OR ALLEN'S FARMWITHDRAWAL ACROSS WHITE OAKSWAMPTHE SECOND LOSES THE ROADBATTLE OF GLENDALETHE ATTACK ON MCCALLSECOND REGIMENT DETACHED TO SUP-PORT DE RUSSY'S BATTERYIT REJOINS THE BRIGADEGROVERREPULSES AN ATTACK, AND ADVANCESEXPLOSIVE BULLETS FIREDBY THE REBELSA COLONEL WHO HAD HEARD OF THE SECONDA NIGHT OF HORRORSBATTLE OF MALVERN HILLCOL. MARS-TON'S CONFIDENCEAT HARRISON'S LANDING .MARSTON'S TILTWITH GROVERHOOKER'S RECONNOISSANCE Tt) MALVERN HILLTHE PENINSULA EVACUATEDCOL. MARSTON'S OFFICIAL REPORTOF BATTLE OF GLENDALE. 102

    chapti;r VIII.August 33 to S,-/>trm/',-r 3, /56^.HOOKER'S DIVISION ARRIVES AT WARREN-

    TON JUNCTIONSTONEWALL JACKSON IN THE REAR THE BATTLEOF KETTLE RUNA BATTERY THE SECOND DID NOT SUPPORTEWEI.L RETREATS TO MANASSAS JUNCTIONTHE SECOND B.VITLEOF BULL RUNCHARGE OF GROVER'S BRIGADEINCIDENTS OF AHAND-TO-HAND STRUGGLETHE LOSSES OF THE SECONDWHATTHE OFFICIAL REPORTS SAYANOTHER DAY OF FIGHTINGRE-TREAT TO CENTREVILLE BATTLE (^F CHANTILLYTHE RETRE.VPCONTINUED TO ALEXANDRIA. 123

    CHAl'Tl'.R IX.

    Sff

  • TABLE OF CONTENTS. ix

    SECOND ON CENTREVILLE HEIGHTSREJCMNS THE ARMY BEFOREFREDERICKSBURGBATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURGTHE SECOND ASGUARD FOR PONTOON BRIDGESA DAY OF SKIRMISHINGDAVE.STEELE ON SNAKESSERGEANT VICKERY PAYS FOR HIS FUN-INCI-DENTS OF A TRUCEARMY RETIRES ACROSS THE RAPPAHANNOCKTHE "MUD MARCH"RECONNOISSANCE TO UNITED STATES FORD. 141

    CHAPTER X.February 2b to July /, 7^6^.SECOND REGIMENT ORDERED TO NEW HAMP-

    SHIRE'-SPECIAL ORDERS, NO. 13" THE JOURNEY HOMEOVATIONSIN BOSTON AND MANCHESTERGALA DAY RECEPTION IN CONCORDTHE SEVENTEENTH INCORPORATED WITH THE SECONDRETURNTO WASHINGTONIN CAMP ON EAST CAPITOL HILLREJOINS ARMYOF THE POTOMACA NIGHT STAMPEDETHE TOW PATH MARCH-DIARY ACCOUNT OF MARCH TO GETTYSBURG. 152

    CHAPTER XI.July 2 to July 4, i8b3.'?,kT'XV.^ OF GETTYSBURG NIGHT MARCH FROM

    EMMITSBURG SECOND REGIMENT REPORTS TO GEN. GRAHAMIN SUPPORT OF AMES' BATTERYHORRIBLE DEATH OF CORPORALBIGNALLJOHN A. BARKER'S EXPERIENCETHE MURDEROUS FIGHTAT SHERFEY'S PEACH ORCHARDADVANCE OF MCLAW'S DIVISION-COUNTER CHARGE BY THE SECOND REGIMENTTHE REGIMENT'SSURPASSING DISCIPLINEIT CHANGES FRONT, FIGHTING AND RE-TREATINGITS LAST STAND, AS TOLD BY COLONEL BAILEY-RECAPITULATION OF REGIMENTAL LOSSRESCUE OF WOUNDEDCO. B'S FIGHT AT THE WENTZ HOUSE, AS TOLD BY PRIVATE HOLDENCOL. BAILEY'S OFFICIAL REPORT. 166

    CHAPTER XII.July 5 to July 30, /Sd^.-PURSUIT OF LEEA CAMP RIOTBATTLE OF WAP-

    PING HEIGHTSADVANCE TO FRONT ROYALSECOND REGIMENTARRIVES AT WARRENTONDETACHED FOR SERVICE UNDER GEN.MARSTONPROCEEDS TO WASHINGTONTHENCE TO PT. LOOKOUT,MD. - - - - 190

    CHAPTER XIII.July 31, iSb3,to April 7, iSb4.VO\i^'Y LOOKOUT:DEPOT FOR PRISONERS

    OF WAR ESTABLISHEDTHE PRISON CAMP AND DISCIPLINEPLANSAND EFFORTS TO ESCAPESECOND REGIMENT FILLED UP WITH"BOUNTY JUMPERS"A CITY OF REFUGE FOR CONTRABANDSRAIDINTO THE NORTHERN NECKTHE SECOND JOINS THE ARMY OVTHE JAMES. 199

    CHAPTER XIV.April 8 to il/rtj' 2S, /S6^.BUTLER'S CAMPAIGN ON^THE JAMESEXECUTION

    OF DESERTERSTHE ARMY OF THE JAMES LANDS AT BERMUDAHUNDRED AND CITY POINTDESTRUCTION OF REBEL RAILROADCOMMUNICATIONSBATTLE OF SWIFT CREEKADVANCE ON FORTDARLINGBATTLE OF DREWRYS BLUFFA WIRE MAN-TRAPTHE

  • X TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    "FOG FlGHT"-SORTIE BY LIEUTS. SAUNDERS AND LEES-DEATH OFCAPTAIN PLATTARMY RETIRES TO BERMUDA HUNDREDEIGHT-EENTH CORPS SENT TO REINFORCE GRANT - - 214

    CHAPTER XV.

    May 20 to June S, /56^.EIGHTEENTH CORPS JOINS ARMY OF THE POTO-MACBATTLE OFlCOLD HARBORLAST FIGHT OF THE "OLD SECOND" THE DISASTROUS CHARGE ON THE ENEMY'S WORKSTIN PLATESFOR INTRENCHING TOOLSDEATH OF CAPTAINS GORDON, SMITH,AND HAYWARD" OLD LAPSTONE" ESTABLISHES HIS REPUTATION-.THE OLD MEN RETURN TO NEW HAMPSHIREMUSTERED OUT ATCONCORD-STATISTICS OF ORIGINAL SURVIVORS. 231

    CHAPTER XVL

    yum- q, 1864, to March 2, /56j." THE NEW SECOND "-REORGANIZATION OFTHE REGIMENTRETURN TO BERMUDA HUNDREDRECONNOIS-SANCE TO PORT WALTHAL JUNCTIONASSIGNED TO MARSON'S"SEPARATE BRIGADE"PATTERSON'S EXPEDITION TO HOG NECK-REGIMENT REJOINS EIGHTEENTH CORPS IN THE BESEIGING LINESRECONNOISSANCE ON WILLIAMSBURG ROAD-IN WINTER QUARTERS. 245

    CHAPTER XVn.

    March 3 to December 25, 7*65.-THE;BRIGADF, ASSIGNED FOR SECRET SERV-ICE-EXPEDITION UP THE RAPPAHANNOCK-RAID THROUGH THENORTHERN NECKMEETS SHERIDAN'S CAVALRY AT WHITE HOUSEMARCHES WITH SHERIDAN TO REJOIN THE ARMYTHE CLOSINGSCENES-THE SECOND ENTERS RICHMOND -SUBSEQUENT ASSIGN-MENTS TO PROVOST DUTYTHE FINAL MUSTER OUT AND RETURNTO NEW HAMPSHIRE. - - 259

    CHAPTER XV in.

    GIL.MAN MARSTON. 270

    CHAFFER XIX. .BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: FRANCIS S. FISKE; EDWARD L.BAILEY: JOAB

    N. PATTERSON: SIMON G. GRIFFIN: HENRY E. PARKER: HARRIET P.DAME. 284

    CHAPTER XX.

    THE GETTYSBURG MONUMENT. 303

    CHAPTl'R XXI.

    REGIMENTAL REUNIONS: FIRST REUNION AT MANCHESTER: THE OLD"HOOKER BRIGADE" AT DEDICATION OF BOSTON SOLDIERS' ANDSAILORS' MONUMENT: HEADQUARTERS AT WEIRS. 313

  • TABLE OF CONTENTS. xi

    CHAFFER XXII.

    SOME RHYMES OF THE SECOND; " OUR FAMOUS QUARTETTE;" "THECHARGE OF THE SECOND;" "A SONG FOR THE SECOND;" "HAR-RIET DAME AND STONEWALL." 327

    APPENDIX.

    FAREWELL ORDER TO SEV'ENTEENTH N. H. V.; GENERAL ORDERS, NO.19, CAMP CONSTITUTION; TESTIMONIAL TO CHAPLAIN ADAMS;LEGISLATIVE THANKS TO GEN. MARSTON; "THE CHICKAHOMINY;"COMPLETE LIST OF OFFICERS; SUMMARY; KILLED AND MORTALLYWOUNDED; PLACE OF BIR'lH. 337

    PART II.

    COMPLETE ROSTER OF THE SECOND RFJJIMENT. i

  • ILLUSTRATIONS.

    Page.

    F(^RT CONSTirU'I'IOX,------- 2Thk Old Ropew.alk B.arr.acks, Portsmouth, - - 5HosriT.Ai, OF THE Second Regiment, Portsmouth, - 10Camp Sullivan, Washington, D. C, - - - - 16Hospital Steward's Shanty, Camp Sullivan, - - 17Hospital Steward's Quarters, Bladensburg, - - 43Quarters of Second Regiment Butcher, Budd's Ferry, 46Guard House of Second Regiment, Budd's Ferry, - 52Howe's Sawmill, near Yorktown, - - . - 58The F.\tal Bullet, ------- 77The Surgeon and his Asslst.ants (groups), - - 84, 85Gen. Hooker's Position at Fair Oaks, - - - goA Wounded " Coffee Cooler," - _ - . - t^yIn Comp.'XNv G Street, Budd's Ferry (group), - - 156Star Spangled Banner Masonic Lodge, Point Lookout, 208Field Hospital at Point of Rocks, -. - - - 240Marston's Monument, ------ 283Second Regiment Monument at Geitysburg, - - 304Second Regiment Headquarters at Weirs, - - 324The Flags of the Second, ----- ^^^Map OF Battlefield OF Bull Run, . . - . 27

    Williamsburg, .-_--- 69GlENDALE, ------- 108The Peach Orchard, Geitvsburg, - - 177

    PORTRAFIS.Page. Page.

    Adams, Enoch G., 75 Adams, Orren S., 51Adams, John W., 244, 262 Adley, Lorenzo P., 161Adams, Nathaniel W., 219 Aldrich, Lyman ^L, 203

  • ILLUSTRA TIONS.

    Bailey, Edward L.,Barker, John A.,Barker, Thomas E.,Barker, Tileston A.,

    Baxter, Albert F.,

    Bean, Darius K.,

    Bean, Edward D.,Blake, James W.,

    Bowman, Henry A.,Brackett, Clarence A.,

    Bresnehan, James,

    Brock, Orrin,

    Brooks, Daniel S.,

    Brown, Wilber F.,Burbank, Daniel E,,

    Burrell, John H.,Carr, James W.,

    Chandler, John,

    Chase, George F.,

    Chase, John,

    Cilley, George W.,

    Clifford, William,

    Clifton, Henry F.,Clements, George F.,

    Coburn, George C,Coffin, William D.,

    Colburn, David W,,Cole, John H.,Collister, Charles O.,

    Converse, Levi N.,

    Cook, James A.,

    Cooper, John D.,Dame, Harriet P.,

    Damon, George H.,

    Danforth, Charles H.,

    Danforth, Johnson N.,Dascomb, Edmund,

    Page.

  • ILL USTRA TIONS.

  • ILL USTRA TLONS.

    Pressler, Christian,

    Putnam, Charles E.,

    Rahn, WilHam J.,Ramsdell, William H.,

    Read, Joseph B.,Reagan, John,

    Rice, John L.,Richardson, Hugh R.,Robbins, Leonard E.,Robinson, Frank O.,Rogers. Sylvester,

    Rollins, Hiram,Rugg, Andrew J.,Saunders, James E.,

    Sawtelle, ^^'illiam ^^^,

    Sawyer, Adoniram J.,Shedd, Herman,

    Shute, Charles H.,

    Sides, George E.,

    Sides, John S.,Sides, William O.,Sleeper, Levi H.,

    Smiley, Charles H.,

    Smith, Alvin R.,

    Smith. Horace O.,

    Smith, Moses L. F.,

    Smith, William H.,

    Snow, Thomas,Soesman, Flavius A.,

    Spaulding, Milan D.,

  • SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.

    CHAPTER I.

    APRIL, 1861, TO JUIA' 15, 1 86 1. EARLY REQUISITIONS FOR TROOPSSECOND RE(;LMENT ORGANIZE!) FOR THREE MON'IHS' SERVICE RE-ORGANIZED AS THREE YEARS REGIMENT "CAMF COXSHI C IK )N," AlPORTSiNIOUTH OFF FOR THE WAR OVATIONS IN liOSTCJN ANI> NEWYORK ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF LIEUTENANT WALKER THE MARCHTHROUGH BALTIMORE "e'AMP SULLIVAN," AT WASHINGTON THETRA(;EI)Y OF CORPORAL CAl.EF THE SECOND A'lTACHED TO BURN-

    side's brigade.

    THK Seccunteer

    :ond Regiment New Hampshire \'ol-iteer Infantry was originally organized as

    a three months regiment, and many of itsmembers were among the first in the state toenlist in April, 1861, under President Lin-coln's retiuisition upon the (Governors of thestates for seventy-five thousand militia for

    three months' service. The cpiota of NewHampshire under this call was one regimentof seven hundred and eighty officers and men.

    The militia organization of the state had, in long years of peace,false economy, and careless security, been permitted to degenerateto such a degree that the Ciovernor (to use his own words,) could

    not, by a military order, fulfill the constitutional obligations of

    the state. He accordingly called for \oluntary enlistments to fillthe state's quota.

    But if New Hampshire had no organized militiaas fortunatelyhad some of her sister stateswith which to respond immediately

    to the President's call, she shared fully in the si)irit of the grand

    uprising with which the North rallied for the defence of the Union.

  • 2 SECOXD XE 1

    1

    ' HAMPSHIRE.

    \'olunteers were enrolled with such rapidity that but a few days

    after the issuance of enlistment papers more than the required

    number were in camp at Concord, with men still ])Ouring in, singly,

    in s(iuads, and by companies.

    The first requisition had been followed by an intimation from

    the War Department that another regiment might soon be required,

    and it was accordingly decided by the state authorities to raise and

    ecpup a second regiment from the material so freely offered. The

    surjjlus remaining in Concord after the organization of the P'irst

    Fort Constitution.

    Prnwii by y. Warren I'hyug, front Wartiiiic Sketch.

    Regiment was sent to Portsmtjuth as a nucleus for the Second.Brig.-(ien. deorge Stark, of Nashua, was ordered to Portsmouth totake charge of the men and the preliminary organization, and estab-lished his head(|uarters there April 30. P)y the loth of May therewere nine hundred and se\enty-nine men in camp. They werecpiartered in an old ro])ewalk near the "south mill-pond," which,

    after a little interior rearrangement, made excellent tem])orary bar-racks, i'he post was named "Camp Constitution." Thomas P.Pierce, of .Manchester, who had seen service in Mexico as a lieuten-ant in the New England regiment, was a])pointed colonel, FrancisS. Fiske, of Keene, lieutenant-colonel, and Josiah Stevens, Jr., of

  • ENLISTMENT.

    Concord, major, and entered upon their duties in organizing anddrilling the regiment.

    Before the organization of the regiment was completed, Gov.(joodvvin was informed by the War Department that only oneregiment of three monthstroops would be requiredfrom New Hampshire ; buthe was directed to enlist andmake ready for service oneregiment of ten hundred andforty-six officers and men toserve for a term of three

    yearsthat being the quotaof New Hampshire under thePresident's call of May 3 forforty-two thousand " volun-

    teers." A general order wasissued May 19, by directionof the (rovernor, in whichthe three months men thenassembled at Camp Consti-tution were gi\en the firstopportunity to enlist underthe new call. Enlistment

    papers were distributed on

    the 2 1 St, and four hundredand ninety-six men at oncere-enlisted for three years.

    There were twelve companiesin camp, from as man\' re-cruiting stations, each with

    a provisional organization, which were accredited with re-enlistmentsas followsthe letters in brackets, as also in succeeding table,indicating the companies they formed, or in which they wereincorporated substantially as a body, in the regimental organization.Those not thus designated were broken uj) and distributed amongthe other companies :

    Capt. Tileston A, Barker, Co. A,

    The senior Captain of the Second. Had beenprominent in public affairs for a quarter of a centu-ry prior to the war. Though 54 years of age, herecruited a company for the Second and led it inall its battles until September, 1862, when he re-signed to accept commission as Lieut. -Col. 14th N.H., with which he served until the close of the war.He died in Keene Dec. 7, 1879, and was buried withMasonic honors in Westmoreland, the town of hisbirth.

  • o4 SECOND AEir HAMPSHIRE.

    From Claremont company, 53[k] Lancaster com])any, 44

    Conway company, 20

    Milford company, 2

    1

    [a] Keene, two companies, 90

    [k] I.aconia company, 37[c] Littleton company, 34[k.] Portsmouth comi)any,[i] Manchester, two companies, 71

    [k] Concord company, 56

    496'J'he men who re-enhsted were given short furloughs to enable

    them to make arrangements for such absence as their new engage-

    ment involved. The remainder were sifted by the surgeons, some

    being discharged for disability ; while of the sound men, thirty-

    eight were returned to the military camp at Concord, and two

    hundred and se\enty-four sent to Fort Constitution, which had been

    ]nit in condition for the defence of Portsmouth harbor against

    anticipated inroads by rebel privateers. Orders were sent to differ-

    ent recruiting stations to enlist men to fill up the regiment, and

    between May 26 and 30 the following reported to Gen. Stark :

    [d] Dover Volunteers, Capt Rollins, 99[k] Fxeter \'olunteers, Capt. .Smith, 58

    Hampton Volunteers, Cai)t. Dunbar, 43[c] Rifle Rangers, Manchester, Capt. Carr, 100

    [I'.J (ioodwin Rifles, Concord, Capt. Griffin, 90[h] Contoocook Volunteers, Capt. Patterson, 72

    Canaan A'olunteers, Cai)t. Smith, 14

    [(;] Peterboro \'olunteers, Ca])t. \N"eston, 50

    5-5

    'I'here were now in camj) 1021 men. Put the Hami)ton ^'olun-teers, or AN'innacunnet Guards, were not mustered in the Second.

    Thev were assigned to Fort Constitution as a ])ermanent garrison,

    The picture of the Old Ropew.nlk. on opposite page, gives a rear view, the artist probablyselecting the most pictiiresi|ue ixiiiit. The tree in the background, on a hill, was in the fieldwhere the companies drillccl.

  • 6 SCOND NEW HAMPSHIRE.

    and in August became a part of the 'I'hinl New Hampshire Regt.When the First Regiment went to the front, May 25th, there wereleft in camp at Concord two companies : the Granite State (iuards,of Great Falls, Capt. Ichabod Pearl, and the company recruited byCapt. Leonard Drown. These were soon relieved by the detach-ment of three months men from Portsmouth, and joined the Second,their commanders being commissioned Captains of Companies Hand v., respectively.

    The work of organizing, officering, and making the regimentready for the field was actively pushed. Col. Pierce resigned on

    the 4th of June, and Gilman Marston, of Exeter, then a member ofCongress from the First District, was commissioned as colonel andat once assumed command.

    On the 31st of May Major Seth Eastman, U. S. A., began thework of mustering the men, commencing with Company A, andclosing with Company K on the 8th of June. The lothof Junewas held as the date of regimental muster, on which date, according

    to the tabulations of Adjt.-(ien.Ayling, 1022 men had been mus-tered. Subsequent individualenlistments filled the regiment toits maximum number, probablybefore it left the state, but all

    recei\ed after that date are classi-fied as "recruits."

    The state e(iuipi)ed the SecondRegiment (as it also had theFirst) in the most thorough andcomprehensi\e manner accordingto the military standard of the

    .,.,.,,, ,-, e (I'^iv, and the comijleteness of itsDover, N. H., March lo, 1895. Ktlwiii S. - ' 'Corpl. Edwin S. Tash, Co, D,

    Dover, rs. n., .Marcn 10, lOQj. r.tiwiii >. -T.^sh. a prominent Krocer of this city, com- outfit attracted the admiring atmitted suicide at his home this forenoon by ^shooting himself in the he.-id with a 38-caiiber tention of old amiv officers. E.revolver. Death was instantaneous. De- 'spondeiicv over business troubles was the J), Townseud, late Adit.-Gen. U.cause. Deceased was 58 years of age, was -'prominent in local politics, and a Grand .Army S. .AmiV, haS the following tO SaVman. He leaves a widow and one son. - '^

    in his interesting " Anecdotes of

    the Ci\il War:" "Some of the regiments came to Washington

  • EQUIPMENT.

    admirably e(iui])ped. There were, especially, two from NewHampshire. They had complete clothing, arms and accoutrements,and tents. Their wagons were arranged like store-rooms, with

    boxes for their various

    supplies. They h a dalso very good bandsof music."

    The baggage traincomprised sixteen four-horse wagons of the

    famous Concord make,and the horses were

    selected with the great-

    est care. The wagonerwho drew the rein oversuch a rig was, in

    those early days, quite

    as much of a fellow asthe company com-mander. It is needless,

    perhaps, to add thatthis part of the outfit

    was in due time turnedinto the common pool

    of the quartermaster's

    department, and theSecond ])ut as to trans-portation upon a level

    with the rest of the

    army.

    The uniforms were grav, the jaunty forage caps and "s])iketail"dress coats banded with red cord. A company at a time, the menwere marched over to the "old custom house," made their individualselections from the grand jumble of garments, and generally wentforth with misfits of a more or less exasperating nature.

    Nine companies were armed with smoothbore muskets, cal. 69,carrying "buck and ball"a most efficient weapon for close work.

    William Humphrey Ramsdell, Co. I.

    A son of William Ramsdell, long a leading citizen ofIMilford. Had led an adventurous life, including severalyears as a gold hunter in California. Went to Portsmouthas lieutenant of the Milford company, on three months'enlistment, and on the hreaking-up of the company, re-enlisted as a private in Co. 1. He died in Milford June 19,1879, aged 49 years.

  • 8 SECOND XRW HAMPSHIRE.

    The "(ioodwin Rifles" (Co. B) were armed with Sharp's rifles

    breechloaderswhich had been provided by the subscriptions ofcitizens of Concord. The expense was subsequently assumed by

    the state, and eventually by theUnited States. 'J"he musketswere exchanged, soon after thefirst Bull Run battle, for Spring-field rifled muskets.

    The selection of line officersfor the regiment was doubtlessa matter of perplexity for the

    (iovernor, as it certainly was ofdisappointment to some whoseambitions were not gratified.

    Almost every detachment ofany size had come in with anominal company organizationof its own so far as commis-sioned officers were concerned.

    These could not all be retained.Some received their discharges,while others dropped down anotch or two in the official

    scale. Some accepted warrants

    Joseph E, Janvrin, Co, K.

    Served nearly seventeen months on the hospitalstaff of the Second. Oct. 28, 1862, he was com-missioned Assistant Surgeon of the Fifteenth N.H. Dr. Janvrin now resides in New York city.

    as non-commissioned officers or stepped into the ranks as privates;

    the high axerage social scale and character of the men then com-posing the rank and file rendering the latter alternative by nomeans an entirely distasteful one. The roster of commissionedofficers was finally completed as follows :

    ColonelOilman Marston, of Ivxeter.I.icittriiaiit-ColonclFrancis S. Kiske, of Keene.

    Major

    Josiah Ste\ens, Jr., of Concord.

    Qua rlcnilaster

    John S. Ciodfrev, of Hampton l''alls.Si/n^eoii(ieorge H. Hubbard, of Manclicster.Assisfaiil-Smi^fon

    James iM. Merrow of Roilinsford.

    ChaplainHenry K. Parker, of Concord.

  • ORIGIXAL ROSTER. 9

    Company A.Captain, 'I'ileston A. IJarker, of Keene.First Lieut., Henry N. Metcalf, of Keene.Second Lieut., Herbert B. Titus, of Chesterfield.

    Company B.Captain, Simon (i. (iritfin, of Concord.First Lieut., Charles AW Walker, of Concord.Second Lieut., Abiel W". Colby, of Concord.

    Company C.Captain, James A\'. Carr, of Manchester.First Lieut., James H. Piatt, of Manchester.

    Second Lieut., Samuel O. Burnham, of Pembroke.Company D.Captain, Hiram Rollins, of Dover.

    First Lieut., Samuel P. Sayles, of Dover.Second Lieut., Warren H. Parmenter, of Dover.

    Company E.Captain, Leonard Drown, of Fisherville.First Lieut., William H. Smith, of Exeter.

    Second Lieut., Ai B. Thompson, of Concord.Company F.Captain, Thomas Snow, of Somersworth.

    First Lieut., Joshua F. Littlefield, of Somersworth.

    Second Lieut., Harrison D. F. Young, of Lancaster.Company G.Captain, Ephraim Weston, of Hancock.

    First Lieut., Evarts W. Farr, of Littleton.Second Lieut., Sylvester Rogers, of Nashua.

    Company H.Captain, Ichabod Pearl, of Great Falls.First Lieut., Joab N. Patterson, of Hopkinton.Second Lieut., William H. Prescott, of Somersworth.

    Company LCaptain, Edward L. Bailey, of Manchester.First Lieut., (Adjt.) Sam'l (i. Langley, of Manchester.Second Lieut., Joseph A. Hubbard, of Manchester.

    Company K.Captain, A\'illiam O. Sides, of Portsmouth.First Lieut., Edwin R. (joodrich, of Portsmouth.Second Lieut., John S. Sides, of Portsmouth.

    As time passed there was a growing impatience to be sent to

    the front. Many of the men had enlisted in the middle of A])ril,on an emergency call, but were still in the state. To be sure, time

    passed very pleasantly at Camp Constitution, with an occasionalextra excitement like the ridiculous hogshead regatta on the mill-

    pond, or the rebellion of the "Abbott Guard" (Co. I) against thecharacter of its rations, which resulted in the company being put

  • I o SECOND NE 11 ' HAMPSHIRE.

    under guard in its quarters, but effected the desired change in the

    interest of the whole regiment.

    Occasionally, on Sunday, an entire company would march over

    to the city to attend divine service. June 2d the regiment formed

    on the parade ground and listened to the chaplain's first campsermon. He selected as a text, Psalms, 146 : 5 : "Hai)])y is he that

    Hospital of the Second Regiment, Portsmouth.

    DfaiiDi by J. li'drnii Thyiig, /rout Fikctch by [sratl T. Hunt.

    hath the (lod of Jacob for his helj), whose hope is in the Lord his

    (iod." '['he spirit of the discourse was that all men sought after

    ha])piness, that the South had taken the wrong path to secure it,

    and it was the mission of the loyal North to set her right. Nor did

    the spiritual head of the regiment fail of the admonition to " put

    your trust in Clod and keep your powder dry."On Saturday, June ist, the portion of the regiment then uni-

    formed marched o\ er to the railroad station to greet a Maineregiment on its wav \o ^\'ashington. Tiie sight of the Maine boys

  • OFF FOR THE WAR.

    actually headed for the front rather increased the fear that the

    rebellion would be put down before the Second New Hampshirecould put in a blow.

    But on the morning of June 20, the regiment left Portsmouth on

    its way to ^^'ashington. It was accompanied by the then famousManchester Band, under the leadership of Walter Dignam. 'Iheir

    services were paid for by subscription, and they remained with the

    regiment about a fortnight after its arrival in ^\'ashington.

    The regiment arri\edin Bostou at 1 2 o'clock.

    A tremendous o \' a t i o nawaited it. At the Eastern

    Railroad station, fourteen

    hundred "Sons of NewHampshire" received it,under escort of the Boston

    Cadets, and with ( iillmore'sBand, all under the mar-shalship of Colonel O. A.

    Brewster. The processionmarched through Black-stone, Commercial, State,Court, Tremont and \\interstreets, to Music Hall,where a sumptuous colla-

    tion was spread. Along

    the route the streets were

    crowded with spectators,who cheered the troops atevery step. HaymarketSquare was a literal sea of

    heads.

    Music Hall was appro-priately decorated. The galleries were occui)ied by the Sons ofNew Hampshire, and the floor by the troops, and every seat in thehall was filled. Vociferous cheers were given as the different

    parties arrived in the hall : for Gov. Berry and suite, for e.\-(iov.

    Lieut. Ai B. Thompson, Co. E.

    Ill August, 1861, was promoted to Captain i8th I'.S. Infantry, and distinguished himself at Perry svilleand Murfreesboro. Brevetted Major for gallantry,and was retired for disability from wounds. Depart-ment Commander of the Ci. A. R. in 1888. ElectedSecretar>' of State for New Hampshire in 1877, whichposition he held until his death, which occurred atConcord Sept. 12. 1890.

  • I ? SE COND NE IV HAMPSHIRE.

    Goodwin, (lov. Andrew of Massachusetts, the Cadets, and theSecond. The marshal called the company to order, and after theinvocation of a blessing by Rev. Dr. Quint, then of Jamaica Plains,

    the eating commenced, at the conclusion of which Hon. MarshallP. \\'ilder, a native of Rindge, was introduced as the representative

    of the Sons of New Hampshire. He bade the regiment a heartywelcome. He reminded them of the revolutionary renown of theirstate, and of the patriotic governor, John Langdon, who pledgedhis last cent for the cause of his country. He said that war was aterrible crime ; but that an attack upon the integrity of the Unionmore than justified it. The stars and stripes must be respectedsouth as well as north of Mason and Dixon's line. He closed byeloquently reminding Col. Marston of the importance of his trust.

    CoL Marston responded, and said in substance that he couldnot find words to express his emotions of gratitude at the cordiahtyof the reception tendered his regiment. The scenes of this daywill nerve our hearts to do all that man can do for the honor of

    New Hampshire, God bless her ! We have not left our hapi)y andpeaceful homes for a war of oppression or conquest of anybody.We have taken up arms to preserve the freest and best governmentagainst the most causeless rebellion ever conceived. And we willdo it ! When this war commenced, some doubt was expressedwhether the people of the free states, having always been engaged

    in the pursuits of peace, would be able to defend the Union : butthe uprising of the whole North had settled that point. Massachu-

    setts had been the first in the contest, as she was in the revolution.

    Many a tearful eye witnessed the march of the gallant Sixth of thisstate, in Washington, through Pennsylvania Avenue, hungry and

    fatigued, after the scenes in Baltimore, but as gallant and unsubdued

    a set of men as ever upheld the honor of any country. The SecondNew Hampshire is composed, not of military men, but civilians ; yetif they are given work to do, I will answer for them in the language

    of Colonel Miller, "We'll try, sir!" C'ol. Marston was frequently

    interrupted during his remarks by the most enthusiastic cheers.

    The regiment left Music Hall about half- past two, and marchedto the parade-grountl upon the Common, where they were reviewedbv Gov. Andrew and staff, Gov. Berrv, and ex-Gov. (ioodwin. 'I'he

  • RECEPTION IN NEW YORK. 13review concluded, the regimentmarched to the railroad stationand embarked on a train drawnby two locomotives and consistingof twenty-two jjassenger and twobaggage cars. At Fall River thevwere transferred to the steamboat"Bay State," and arrived in NewYork about ten o'clock on themorning of the 21st. They werewarmly welcomed by the Sons ofNew Hampshire in New York,each of whom wore an appropriatebadge. H. B. Perkins delivered

    an eloquent welcoming speech,concluding as follows :

    "Soldiers of New Hami)shire !A\'e, who were born and nurturedamid the same granite hills towhich you have just bidden adieuwe, whose kindred and friendsare j^llowed on her rocky bosomwe are proud of you today, andfeel that the spirit of Stark and Langdon still lives and animatesyour bosoms. Onward ! onward ! then, shall be our motto, as weknow it is yours ; onward, until the demon of treason and disunionis crushed from our land (cheers), and Yankee Doodle and TheStar Spangled Banner shall again thrill the hearts of a jjatriotic, aunited, an invincible people." (Cheers.)

    Charles Soule followed Mr. Perkins in a brief l)ut ekxiuent

    speech, and presented an elegant silk flagthe same under whichthe regiment fought many of its hardest battles. The following is aNew York newspaper's report of Col. Marston's reply :

    ''The colonel, Cilman IMarston, listened to the addresses onhorseback and with uncovered head. His horse had stood mean-time with Httle or no manifestation of uneasiness, but when hisrider's voice was raised in resi)onse, the animal curvetted about

    considerablv ; the colonel, ne\ertheless, s])oke easilv, and with as

    Israel Thorndike Hunt, Co. D.

    Served three months in the Hn,s)nial de-partment of the Second, when he was promotedHospital Stew^ard of the Fourth N. H. Tohis facile pencil we are indebted for severalfine drawings of early camp views which butfor him would not have been preserved. Dr.Hunt now resides in Boston.

  • 14 -s7-;('(>.\7' \/:ir //.iMJisjnRE.

    much iligiiity as his ]iecuhar position at the time permitted, pausingfor a moment anil reining uji his horse in front of the committee-

    men, as often as the impatient steeil carrieil him beyond the formaljHisition he hail at first taken. Ouring the ilehvery of his reply, he

    said that in behalf of the regiment and himself, he i^resenteil theirunited and grateful thanks for the kind welcome they had been

    given, and the gift of so beautiful a flag. The stars and stripes hadalwavs been a type of our I'nion. to uphold which they had left the

    comforts of home to undergo the deprivations and trials of war

    ;

    but he hoped that, by the blessing of Cioil, the I'nion would bemaintaineil for transmission to other generations. He accepted thetlag for the regiment, and pledged for them their devotion to it. andtheir determination to uphold it with all their strength."

    The tlag was then carried to the line, the Sons of New Hamp-shire formed into sections at the head ot the regiment, whose band

    struck up a national air. when "M^!

    ^

    '!9^!1*!4A^^1HIMI the regimental line broke intoplatoons, and the column movedup Broadway amid the a]>plauseand cheers of thousands of spec-tators. The officers dined with

    the committee of arrangementsat the F.verett House, and themen were entertained at the

    Kim street armory.At half-past four p. m. the

    regiment departed for \\'ashing-

    ton, being transferred on the

    ferry-boat "Kill von Kull" to

    Elizabethport. N. 1., where it

    took cars by the Reading Hne.These were box-cars, roughly

    fitted with seats of unplaned

    K^ardsthe first reminder to

    the men that they neet.1 no longer expect all their journeys to begamishetl with cushioned seats. And when the barrels of cookedrations were o|>eneil, and beef was distributetl which certainly had

    IGeorge W. Morgan. Co. F.

    Rcsklc* M l-anoaslcr.

  • ON TO WASHINGTOX.

    not improved with age, some of the men were ready to believe thatmodem civilization was indeed a failure.

    During the night, while passing through New Jersey, a lamenta-ble accident occurred,Lieut. Charles W. Walker,of Co. B, falling from theplatform of a car and re-ceiving fatal injuries. Hisremains were sent back toConcord, where his funeralwas attended by membersof the legislature and alarge concourse of citizens.

    'I he regiment reachedHarrisburg June 22, and atmidnight arrived at Golds-borough, Pa., where themen were marched fromthe cars, and the ordergiven to load muskets. Arest of an hour was herehad, and at eight o'clockon the morning of the 23dthe regiment was in Balti-more.

    It was really a disap-

    pointment to the men that they got through Baltimore without ariot. But the city was then well under control, and the Unionsentiment beginning to assert itself. Still, all preparations were

    made to force a passage if circumstances should require. \N'ithloaded muskets, and accompanied by the Seventeenth New Yorkand a Pennsylvania regiment, the march was taken upthe Seven-teenth in the middle of the street in column of platoons, the othertwo regiments marching by the flank upon the sidewalks on eitherside. The line of march was kept clear by cordons of policemenacross the head of each intersecting street, behind whom pressed asolid mass of humanitv, manifestlv not of a ver\- friendly character.

    Quartermaster James A. Cock.

    Was the original Commissary-Sergeant of theSecond. June 9, 1&62, promoted Quartermaster.July 2, 1863. pro. Captain and Com. Sub. He re-tired irom the service badly broken in health, andreturning to his home in Claremont, died there May13, 1866.

  • M-

    L^%%Uif^^.

    T

    '#VA

    ..^^

  • CAMP SULLIVAX. 17

    About noon the regiment arrived in AN'ashington, and in thee\ening marched to its designated camping ground, on Sexenthstreet, about a mile and a half from the capitol. It was not acomfortable location, being on the southern exposure of the long

    ridge known as Kalorama Heights, with but little shade in thecamp limits. The camp was named "Camj) Sullivan," in honor of

    Hospital Steward's Shanty, Camp Sullivan,

    Dra-a'ii by J. Warrtu Thyng. from Sketch l>y Israel T. Hunt.

    New Hampshire's great revolutionary general. Drill and disciplinebecame the order of the day, and the regiment rapidly improved inboth.

    It is amusing, now, to recall the wild camj) rumors and reportswhich were flying in the Second, as in all the green regiments. Amansion house, seen in picture above, was currently reported to bea rebel signal station, from the gable window of which lights wereoccasionally displayed at unseasonable hours of the night. It was

    In the view of Camp Sullivan, on the opposite page, the three wall tents and two A tents onthe knoll in the background, under the oak trees, are the quarters of the staff. The tents justbelow, with the small square flags, are the hospital. The tent at the left, with flag, is thesutler's. In the background, at the right, the gable and roof of a small house show above thetents. This is outside the camp, and has no connection with it. In foreground i.s a rude sheltermade from an old tent-fiy. On two of the tents are visible evidence that some of the boys havedone their washing and hung their shirts out to dry.

  • 18

    SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE,

    also generally believed that spies fairly swarmed about the camp,and that danger lurked behind every bush for the camp-guard

    marching his beat at night.This ridiculous fear was the direct cause of a tragedy, one night,

    when Jonathan Calef, a corporal of Company A, who had been])ermitted bv one sentry to pass a rod or two outside the canij) line,

    was shot through the neck by the guard on the next l)eat, from

    which he died August 14.A casualty of a less serious character was met by i)rivate Joseph

    B. Conner, of Company I. A stack of loaded muskets fell to theground, and one piece was discharged, the ball passing through one

    of Conner's arms, inflicting a wound which necessitated his dis-charge for disability.

    The regiment was brigaded with the First and Second RhodeIsland and Se\enty-first New York regiments, all under commandof Col. Ambrose E. Ijurnside, of the First Rhode Island. Attachedto the brigade was Reynolds' Rhode Island Batterysix 13-pounderriflesand the Seventv-first had two small boat howitzersbrass.

  • CHAPTER II.

    JULY l6 TO 22, 1861. I'HE FIRST lill.I, KLX CAM1\AI(;X AliVAN'CK INTOVIRGINIA CAPTAIN EPHRAIM WESTON IN CAMP NEAR CENTREVILLE

    ADVANCE TO BULL RUN A FEMALE PROPHET SECOND FIRES ONA GEORGIA REGIMENT CHARLES TABER's EXPERIENCE IMBODEN'SREBEL BA'ITERV COL. MARSTON WOUNDED UNION REINFORCEMENTSARRIVE JSICDOWELL ANNOUNCES A VICTORY BAITLE RENEWEDTHE SECOND ON THE HENRY HILL INCIDENTS OF THE RETREATJOHN L. RKF. I'HE AFFAIR AT CUB RUN AMPUTATION OF ISAAC W.derby's arm REPORT OF LIEUT.-COL. FISKE.

    f^[\ r two o'clock on the afternoon of July 16, the,_ regiment marched from its camp on that short

    campaign which ended so suddenly and disas-trouslv at lUiU Run. It had rarely shown asfull ranks as on that occasion. Men who hadbeen under the surgeon's care for weeks

    buckled on their armor and obstinately refusedto be left behind while the death blow was

    given the rebellion.

    One of the most striking examples of thetriumi^h of determination over bodily infirmities

    was exhibited by C'ai)tain Kphraim ^\eston, of Company d. He

    was suffering at the time from the disease which ended his life only

    a few months later : but he started with his company, and made thecampaign which was his first and his last. Many a lift he got from

    the mounted ofificers on the march out, and at night his devoted

    men saw to it that he had the best bed and shelter the materials at

    hand afforded. He conducted himself with conspicuous valor on

    the battletleld, and in some way got safely back to camj).

    The tents were left standing at Camp Sullivan, with most of theknapsacks and ])ersonal baggage, in care of the in\alids. The regi-

    ment marched with its brigade across Long Bridge, where it was

    cheered by the venerable James \\ilson of Keene and other New

    Hampshire men who had assembled there, and as it stepjied upon

  • SECOXD XKW HAMPSHIRE.

    the soil of "Old Virginny" the band struck up "Dixie" with mightand main, while the soldiers made the air resound with theirmarching songs and cheers. But the heat and suffocating dust

    soon began to tell upon the men, not yet hardened for such a march,

    and many were obliged to fall out of the ranks and seek shade andrest.

    The bivouac that night was at Bailey's Cross Roads, and themarch was resumed early the next morning. Evidences of therecent presence of the enemy were met, the roatl ha\ing been

    obstructed at places b yfelled trees, and the i)io-neers of the Second

    a

    select scjuad of twenty menunder charge of a sergeantfound plenty of exercisein clearing the way for thecolumn. About 1 1 o'clockword was passed down theline that rebel earthworks

    were ahead. Orders were

    at once given \o load.Then the ranks were closedup, the regiment broke intocolumn of sections, and inthis formation marchedrapidly forward. The longline of works were soon in

    sight. 'I'hey were of (piite

    formidable character, with

    a number of embrasures forartillery, revetted with sand-

    bags, eac-h bag bearing the

    initials of its late owner " C. S. A." lUit the rebels had departed,

    evidently in haste, as considerable property was ])icked up in the

    brush camps to the rear of the works, which would not have been

    overlooked in a leisurely evacuation.

    A mile bevond was the little village of Fairfax Court House,

    Capt, Ephraim Weston, Co. 6.

    Was from Hancock, and the original Captainof Co. G. Died of disease Dec. 9, 1861. TheGrand Army Post at -Antrim is named for him, andfurnishes the above portrait.

  • ADVANCE TO CENTREVILLE.

    which the brigade entered in bloodless triumph, but with a clearlydefined impression that a serious blow had been dealt the rebellion,Arms were stacked in the

    streets and upon the villagegreen, and a rebel flagwhich had been left floatingfrom the cupola of the court

    house was gathered in byone of the Second RhodeIsland, the regimental flag

    of the Second New Hamp-shire taking its place. Thesoldiers scattered through

    the village and the aban-doned camps, and of someof the looting done, the

    least said, the better. Therichest find was a rebel mail

    bag which missed connec-tions, and the contents ofwhich were as good as acirculating library.

    Early 'J'hursday morning,the 1 8th, the march wasresumed. The troops inadvance seemed to be feel-ing their way slowly andcautiously, as there were frequent and sometimes long halts. Oneof these was near Germantown, once a thri\ing hamlet of three or

    four houses and a blacksmith shop. These had all been burned but

    one house, in which the rebels had left two of their men sick with

    the measles. Many of the men ran over to get a view of this braceof real live rebels. It was agreed that if they were a fair sample of

    the Confederate soldiers the war would not last long. 'I'hey were

    not a fair sample. The woods in the \icinity were swarming withswine, and the men added a good sujjply of fresh pork to their

    rations. It was on the afternoon of this dav that the first serious

    John Sullivan, Jr., Co- E,

    A great-grandson and namesake of New Hamp-shire's revolutionary genera!. Sept. 30, 1861, he wasappointed Medioalv tadet, U. S. A., serving over ayear with the western armies. Was then commis-sioned Assistant Surgeon of the Thirteenth N. H.,with which he remained two years, more than half ofthe time as Acting Surgeon. Resigning his commis-sion, he was appointed Executive OfiRcer of the U. S.(leneral Hospital at Troy. N'. V., then in charge ofSurgeon Hubbard, formerly of the Second. Dr. Sul-livan now resides in Boston.

  • SECOXD XEW HAMPSJIIRE.

    encounter was had with the rebels, at Blackburn's Ford, and men alittle out of the noise and confusion of the marching column coulddistinctly hear the sound of the firing.

    Burnside's brigade went into camp before reaching Centrevilleabout a mile from the villageand there remained until themorning of the 21st. In this bivouac (writes Lieut. -Col. Fiske)" two of New Hampshire's most distinguished men paid us a visit,and of course we ga\e them our best parlor bedroom, which was theinside of a baggage wagon on the left of the regiment. In themiddle of the second night here there was an alarm on the extremeleft of the brigade, followed by rapid and continuous firing, whichraised some commotion. Soon after the firing began I saw, throughthe light of the campfires, our two guests coming at a pace whichshowed they were not out for a mere stroll about the camp. Thev

    did not return to their luxurious

    bedroom, but spent the remain-der of the night out of doors

    within our lines. At the begin-

    ning of the disturbance the

    Second New Hampshire wasordered to remain quiet and notto stir without orders. For this

    we scored our first complimentfrom the general, who com-mended our coolness in a nightalarm. I never learned the

    cause of the alarm, but it was

    supposed to be a rather closereconnoissance by the enemy."

    At one o'clock on Sundaymorningthat ill-fated 21st of

    Julythe brigade was roused

    from its slumbers. Blankets

    were hastily rolled, and at two

    o'clock the troops were on the

    Imarch. In and beyond Centre-

    ville many regiments were passed drawn up l)y the roadside, but

    George S. Chase, Co, F,

    Wounded at I'till Run, Julv 21,\Va-

    anddischarged fur disability. Mas a printer byoccupation, and cnnased in business at Laco-nia, where he died July 10, 1894.

  • MORNING MARCH TO BULL RUN.

    near the \illage the brigade was brought to a wearisome halt of two

    or three hours, by the tardy movement of the troops in front.

    From Centreville the ^Varrenton road runs ahiiost due west,

    crossing Bull Run creek at the stone bridge, about five miles from

    Centreville. A rebel force was known to be at the bridgethe leftof Beauregard's defensive

    linehis army being posted

    along the west side of Bull

    Run to defend its variouscrossings. 'J'hree and a halfmiles beyond Centreville,Cub Run, a considerable,affluent of Bull Run, was

    crossed, and just beyond thebridge. Hunter's di\ision,

    followed by a part of Heint-zelman's, turned sharp to the

    right into a narrow country

    road or cart-path, while

    Tyler's di\ision continued

    along the \\'arrenton road to

    the stone bridge, d yler was

    to make a demonstration atthe bridge, while the other

    column, by a wide detour,should cross Bull Run fartherup, at Sudley's Ford, andcome down upon the enemy'sleft and rear. Burnside's brigade led the tlanking column. I^'romthe start, progress had been slowtoo slow for the earlv surprisewhich was an important consideration in McDowell's well laid plan.The sun was well wy when Burnside's brigade turned from theWarrenton road. Its route for five miles, to Sudley's P'ord, was

    now over a rarely used woods road, with only an occasional smallclearing. In one of these was a log hovel, the mistress of which

    a very dirty and frowzy personagetold the sweltering Yankeesthere were Confederates enough ahead to whip them all out, and

    CorpI, Thomas E, Barker, Co, B,

    Wounded at I'ull Run July 21, 1861. and takenprisiiner. Exchanged, and discharged on accountof wounds. Subsequently commissioned Captainin the Twelfth \. H., and promoted Lieut. -Col.and Colonel. Now resides at Maiden, Mass.!

  • 24 SECOXD NEW HAMPSHIRE.her old man was among them. Despite her chsreputable appearance,it must l)e conceded that she had a fine military judgment.

    The heat was by this time intense, and the dust suffocating.Skirmishers and flankers were thrown out, and two miles or more

    had been covered when,away to the left, the report

    of a cannon was heard.

    Tyler had reached thestone bridge and set abouthis task of amusing theenemy there.

    It was nine o'clock

    before Burnside reachedSudley's Ford. Some de-lay was made here to gi\ethe men an opportunity to

    fill their canteens, during

    which ( ien. McDowell, whohad become impatient atthe slow progress, rode up

    and passed to the front.Soon one of his staff came

    galloping back and askedfor Col. Marston. " Tell

    him to have his men ready,for we shall soon meet the

    enemy in large force," heshouted, and continued on his way to other regiments. Beyond theford the country grew more open, and the Second Rhode Island

    the leading regimentwas sent forward to stir up the enemy. It

    broke from the column into the fields to the left, and soon disap-l)eared beyond a point of woods. It was but a few minutes beforethere was heard the rattle of musketry and the rei)orts of cannon.Words cannot picture the excitement of the men in the column,most of whom now heard for the first time the sound of hostileguns. The sergeant of the Second's i)ioneer squad asked what theyshould do with their axes and shovels. He was told to throw them

    Henry Moore, Co. B.

    Taken prisoner at lUiU Run, July 21, i86i, andwas dischart;eci for disability a year later. Aboveportrait taken at the time of his enlistment. Nowresides in (loffstown.

  • OPENING SCENES OF BULL RUN. 25

    down by the roadside : andthe example of the pioneers

    was followed by a generaldumping of the rolls ofblankets with which the menwere encumbered. It was, ofcourse, intended to return for

    them when the little jobahead was ended ; but as themen happened to be pressedfor time later in the day, they

    were never recovered.

    llie Second was orderedforward as support for the

    Rhode Island battery, andwent off up the road at a

    double-quick. A cannon ballcame crashing through the

    tree tops as the regiment

    entered the woods. Every-

    body bowed to it. Thencame another directly in its

    Harvey Holt, Co, I,

    The first New Hampshire scildier killed in battlein the war. Was attached to the oorps of pioneers,which early in the action occupied a position inadvance of the Rhode Island batterj'. A shellfrom one of its guns exploded prematurely, and afragment struck Holt in the neck, killing him in-stantly. He was from Lyndeborough, and thePost of the Cirand Army in that town is named forhim.

    wake. In a few minutes the

    Second emerged from the woods, and the opening scene of thebattle was before it. 'Ihe i)oint toward which all eyes were turned

    was the long blue line of the Rhode Islanders some distance inadvance and to the left of the road. 'I'he field was dotted with

    wounded men going out of the fight. It was a lively and apparentlyeven contest. The rebel force at this time engaged was coveredby woods and fringes of bushes, and consisted of thirteen companies

    of infantry and two pieces of artillery, with which (ien. Evans had

    hurried up from the stone bridge as soon as he divined McDowell's

    plan to come in on his left and rear. But before starting he had

    sent to Bee and Bartow for assistance, and the brigades of these

    two generals, with Imboden's battery, were already on the Henry

    plateau, ready to cross o\er to Evans' support.

    The Second filed from the road, to the right, and under what is

  • 26 SECOXD XE ir JL-IMPSJIIRE.

    said to have been the erroneous order of some aide, advanced inline of battle toward the Dogan house. There were patches offorestscrub oak and pineupon the east side of the Sudley road,but on the west side, in front of the Second, there was open farm

    land clear to the edge of the opposite plateau, across the ^^"arrentonroad and the valley of Young's IJranch. Near the Dogan housewere stacks of hay or straw, behind which a few rebel sharpshootershad taken cover, but they did not stop long.

    From its most advanced position the regiment observed a bodyof rebel troops upon the opposite slope, and two or three volleyswere fired at them by the two rifle companiesA and B. Owingto the great distance, it is ])robable that but little damage was done,although the troops fired on moved to co\er at once. They musthave been either the Seventh or Eighth Oeorgia, of Bartow'sbrigade. One of the most interesting chronicles of the Secondhinges upon this little e])isode, which Lieut.-Col. Fiske has narratedas follows : "A year afterward, at the second battle of Bull Run, thesame regiment was halted near where lay one of our wounded men,Charles Taber, of Company C. As soon as the Ceorgians saw the' 2 X. H.' on his cap, they treated him with friendly solicitude, andremo\ed him from where he was lying, exjiosed to dropping shotand shells, to the shelter of an embankment. They knew all aboutthe career of our regiment, and what battles it had fought in, fromthe first to the second Bull Run. \\'e were the first troops withwhom they ever exchanged fire, and they manifested a verv heartygood will toward us."

    By this time the Rhode Island battery was getting into positionjust to the left of the Sudley road. The Second moved to the rearuntil in line with the battery, when the men were ordered to liedown. About this time Imboden's batterv introduced itself to theSecon

  • GOOD BATTERY WORK, 27

    about ready for business. The right gun was in jiosition, and oneof the lieutenants was sighting it. It was a magnificent shot. 'I'he

    shell burst, apparently, directly under one of Imboden's guns, andhis men were seen scattering across the field to the rear like ants

    from an ant-hill. They were soon rallied, howexer, and came back

    BaUUfieJd oj Bid} R^H.

    to their work. Imboden does not mention this little incident in

    his rather self-laudatory official report, and the ])resent writer takes

    great pleasure in suj^plying the omission.;Meantime the Second Rhode Island was bearing the brunt of

    the battle, fighting a somewhat su])erior force. Major Wheat, u])on

  • 2 8 SECOXD NFAV HAMPSHIRE.

    the rebel right, was emboldened to try a charge, but was checkedand dri\en back. The movement gave matters a decidedlv livelvappearance, however. The First Rhode Island, which had comeup, was sent to the left to the assistance of the Second, and at this

    critical moment Bee andBartow advanced to Evans'support, coming into posi-tion upon his right undercover of rail fences antl

    fringes of bushes. TheSeventy-first New York wasnext sent to the left, and afew minutes later the SecondNew Hampshire was orderedin the same direction.

    Mo^ing by the left fiank,it passed along the rear of

    the battery, upon which asevere fire was concentrated,

    both musketry and artillery.A cannon ball took a legfrom each of the two wheel

    horses attached to a caisson,

    and the agonized flounder-ings of the poor beasts were

    witnessed by every man in

    the regiment. On the wav.

    Corpl. Wells C. Haynes, Co. B,

    Wounded at Bull Run, and taken prisoner, July21, 1861. r)ied of wounds, in the hands of the ene-my, at Richmond, Va., October 8. 1861. Enlistedfrom Candia, and was a son of Carr B. Haynes,sometime Deputy Sheriff of Merrimack County.

    the two left companies, by the mistake of some aide not on thebrigade staff, were separated from the regiment, and it was onl\- bythe active exertions of the regimental officers that they were broughtback againan example of the blunders to which the inexperiencedofficers and men were subjected.

    A little distance to the left of the battery the Second was orderedto halt and lie down. It was a trying situation for green troops, therebel fire being \ery sharp, while the regiment could only lie andtake it, on account of the Rhode Islanders in front. But it was onlyfor a few minutes, when the order came for the regiment to mo\e

  • COLONEL MARS!ON WOUNDED.

    still farther to the right and atlvance. In the next ten minutes theregiment met a large part of its loss for that day. Men went downin every direction. Hardly had Col. Marston shouted "Attention !'"

    when he fell upon his face with a rifle ball in his shoulder. Whenthe adjutant attempted to lift him by the wounded arm, the air was.burdened with choice selec-tions from the old colonel's

    matchless vocabulary. Thecrippled commander washelped to the rear, while

    Lieut.-Col. Fiske led the

    regiment forward. Withthe Seventy-first upon itsleft, it rushed to the front,

    and opened its store ofbuck and ball on theenemy. In front of the

    Second the rebels were wellcovered from \iew by thedense brush along a Hne ofrail fence in the edge ofthe woods ; but the menaimed 1 o w and blazedaway. It was now a scpiare

    stand-up fight of Burnside's

    four regiments, in a single

    line of battle, against nearly

    six full regiments of theenemy. Col. Porter, commanding the First Brigade, says Burnside"was at this time attacking the enemy's right with, i)erhai)s, too

    hasty vigor"a ^ery pardonable military error.

    But reinforcements were now arriving. Porter's brigade came

    up and took position on Burnside's right, west of the Sudley road.He soon sent Sykes with his battalion of regularseight companiesacross to Burnside's assistance. They took position on theextreme left of the brigade line, which had been overlapped and

    threatened by the sui)erior rebel force, and soon the rebel fire

    Daniel S. Brooks, Co. A,

    '!'liken prisoner at Bull Run, July 21, 1861, anddied in the hands of the enemy, at Richmond, Va.,October 21, 1861. Was from Fitzwilliam.

  • 30 SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE.

    upon Burnside's front perceptibly weakened. Porter was pouring a

    heavy fire in upon the rebel left, and the head of Heintzelman'sdivision was ai)])earing on the Sudley road. The enemy wereevidently staggered by the ra])idly developing force of Union troops.

    At this time, also, a column of troops was seen emerging fromwoods away to the left, in the direction of IkiU Run. This wasSherman's brigade of Tyler's di\ision, headed by the Sixty-ninth

    New York, which, marching up stream from the stone bridge, hadfound a ford and crossed over to Hunter's assistance. Thisajjparition seemed to be the straw that broke P2vans' back. At anyrate, Burnside's men about this time became aware that there wasbut little on their front to shoot at. Sherman's regiments passed

    along the rear of Burnside's line to the Sudley road, down whichthey turned with troops of Heintzelman's division. Burnside's men

    heard a few scattering volleys in and beyond the woods. The rebelforces were dri\en in confusion across Young's Branch and theWarrenton road and up the slopes of the Henry hill. The firstclash of arms was over, and if the battle had ended right there, itwould have been a most decisive Union \ictory. In fact, McDowellseems to have considered the battle already won, as he rode downBurnside's front, telling the enthusiastic, cheering men they had

    won a great \ictory.

    While the rest of Burnside's brigade was now withdrawn into

    the woods to the rear for the inirpose of supplying those regimentswith ammunition, the Second remained in position. It was not long

    before the men began to think that, considering the battle was over,

    there was a great deal of trouble on the opposite hill. As a matter

    of fact, the most desperate struggle of the day was taking place

    there, and some of the fighting, including the charge of the Black

    Horse Cavalry, was in plain \iew from the Second's position.

    Kben (lordon, of the Second Rhode Island, relates the followingexi)erience in his diary, recently published : " I then went back to

    the field, and found that the enemy had been driven entirely from

    the woods, and saw the Second New Hampshire formed in line ofbattle bv the fence just outside the cornfield. I came across Lieut.

    Samuel P. Sayles, of Dover, N. H., with whom 1 shook hands, andthen asked him where mv regiment was. He said thev were

  • TO THE HENRY JIILL.

    PortsiiioittJi, Jntic, iSOl. Ne^oport, yiiMC, /Sgj.

    Albert L Hall, Co. I.

    Entered the service from Cornish. Was one of the men who carried John I,. Rice to therear, and as a result became a prisoner himself. Resides in Newport, and is Register of Probatefor Sullivan County.

    ordered off to rest, so I remained by his side for half an hour anddid what I could. While I was with the New Hampshire boys, theNew York Fire Zoua\es were charged by the Black Horse Cavalry,and Lieutenant Sayles looked at me and very coolly said, " Kb., vouhad better find your regiment, for our whole brigade will now haveto charge and support the Zouaves."

    About three o'clock the Second was ordered forward to theHenry hill, Burnside says, in his report, " to assist one of ColonelHeintzelman's brigades, at that time three-cpiarters of a mile distantand driving the enemy before them." Col. Marston, having had hiswovmded arm bound up, came at this moment to the regiment, anorderly leading his horse. The i)ain he endured was jjlain to e\ervman, and the regiment greeted him with tumultuous cheers." Now," he said, "the New Hampshire Second will have a chanceto show what it is made of." He accom])anied the regiment untilrelocated entreaties not to take the risk of aggra\ating his woundinduced him to return ; but he left the inspiration of his presencewith the men.

  • 32 SECOND NEW NAMES//IRE.

    ^^^^^J^

    The regiment filed into the Sudley road and marched down intothe \alley, meeting many stragglers headed for the rear. It crossedthe Warrenton road, splashed through \'oung's Branch, and was atthe foot of the Henry hill. Here it came under a verv sharp firefrom rebel artillery, which struck down a number of men. HereHenry Morse, of Company I, was killed. A grai)e-shot struck him

    square in the neck. " MyGod I " he gasped, and felldead in the road. Here^^'illiam H. (^uimby, Lewis

    _,

    N. Relation and Franklin F.

    mK^B^^^ A\'etherbee, all of CompanyVs8| ilSw' C, were mowed down by

    ^ i'I

    one cannon ball, (^uimbywas killed outright, and the

    others dieil of their wounds,

    \\'etherbee as a prisoner in

    the hands of the enemy.

    'i'he regiment was halted

    for a considerable time,

    getting such shelter as it

    could under the slope, while

    an effort was made to findout where it was wanted

    and what was wanted of it.

    Col. Heintzelman could not

    be found, and no Uniontroops could be seen in

    action. The fight for theHenry hill was, in fact, already over, and there was nothing for the

    Second to do but to amuse the enemv while the beaten troojjs wereretreating. P>ut, after a while. Col. lUirnside ai)peared. He rodefearlessly uj) the hill a little distance to the east of the road, took a

    good observation of the front, then dashed back to the Second andgave it its direction. The Henry hillj falls not only toward thenorth, but on the west is gouged bv the \ alley of a little ri\uletknown as Chinn's llranch, which runs north, parallel with the

    Daniel E. Biirbank, Co, A,

    Burbank writes from his home in Worcester,Mass.: " The picture is a copy of one I had takena few clays after 1 enlisted in '61. It looks verylittle like the gray-haired man of 53 that I now am,but my heart is young, and there is a tender spotin it for the old boys of the Second. Hut be surenot to show this picture to a costimier until afteryou have made a sale."

  • FRANCIS S. FISKK.

    Lt. Colonel 2nd N. II. Vols., 1861.Brevet Brk;.\i)ier Genkr.\l, 1865,

  • LAST STAND ON THE HENRY HILL.^^

    ,

    Sudley road, into Young's IJranch. The regiment filed to the right,and advanced up this Httle run, but far enough down to be coveredfrom the rebel artillery. Arriving at a point in front of the Henryhouse, the regiment fronted and marched up the slope, toward theSudley road, in line of battle, \\hen the rebel fire began to tell,the men were ordered to lie down and fire at anything they couldsee to shoot at.

    While the Second lay in this position, the battalion of regularswas observed upon the Chinn hill, directly to the rear of theSecond, across the little run or valley ; its front being at nearly aright angle with that of the Second. Their presence is thus

    explained by McDowell in his rei)ort : " The battalion of regularinfantry alone moved up the hill opposite to the one with the house,and there maintained itself until our men could get down to andacross the Warrenton turnpike on the way back to the position weoccupied in the morning." While the Second was keeping up itsfusilade, the regulars fired four or five solid, methodical, regulation

    volleys into the woods on their front, and then withdrew towardsthe Warrenton road. But the Second (which was meeting but fewcasualties) hung on several minutes longer, when it also receivedorders to retire. It was the last regiment to i)resent a fighting

    front to the enemy on that blood-soaked hill, and it retired inperfect order and without haste over nearly the same route l)ywhich it had advanced.

    Its withdrawal, however, was marked by a little episode whichmade fun for the boys and added spice to the occasion. It is notcertain that the movement was made under competent orders ; butthe two left companies (B and I) went forward when the othereight companies started for the rear, taking cover in a depressionof the Sudley road which served admirably as a ritle-pit. Almost

    in front was the riddled Henry house, around and beyond which

    the enemy were swarming, and excellent work was done on them

    during the little time the two companies could hold the position.

    But they were soon smoked out of their hole. Bullets began towhistle down the road from the right, and a rebel line was seencrossing in that direction, delivering a rapid file fire as they passed.

    "Boys," said Lieut. Joe. Hubbard, "it's time for us to go !" and

    3

  • 34 SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE.go they (lid, every man for himself. The air was ali\e with bulletsas they uncovered and struck a tremendous gait for the rear.

    When the Second, retiring from the Henry hill, reached theplateau from which it had gone forward, it found a scene of

    disorder, confusion and disinte-gration. The Carter and Doganfarms were covered with squadsof men separated from theircommands and evidently goneto ijieces so far as organization

    was concerned. 'I'he regimenthalted near the spot where the

    Second Rhode Island openeddie fight, and where the men of1) and 1, coming up from the\alley, saw their colors andrejoined them.

    By this time a rebel brigade(Early's) was slowly advancingdown the Henry hill, in se\erallines, their flags wa\ing andbayonets glistening in the

    J ,. , , ,, ,, ,,sunlight. One of the Union

    severely woiindea in the siKiuldcr, at lUillRun, July 21, i86i. and transferred to Veteran battCrieS did gCt intO pOsitioHReserve Corps with rank as in the Second. He "-waspromoted to Major and Brevet I.ieut. -Col. long enOUgh tO IMtch a fewDied at Washnigton, I). C, August 2o, i868. ^ '

    well-directed shells into the

    advancing ranks ; then limbered up and went to the rear. A shortdistance to the left and rear of the Second a battalion of regularcavalry sat their horses, and these two l)odies were the only Uniontroops in the whole range of view that still held their organization.The cavalry at length faced to the right and mo\ed off towardSudley's I-'ord, and directlv afterwards the Second followed theire.\am])le. Not until the regiment entered the road did the menreally catch the s])irit of the hour or fully realize that the Unionarmy was beaten. K\ervthing was con\erging into and crowdingthat narrow highwavwagons, artillery, and panic-stricken men.In such a torrent it was impossible to hold any organization

    Capt, Hiram Rollins, Co. D,

  • STORY OF JOHN L. RICE. 35together ; and crowded, broken, overrun, the Second was soonscattered and mixed in the general confusion.

    The most pitiful feature was the wounded men lying by theroadside, who begged not to be left to the tender mercies of therebels. There was con\eyance, howe\er, for but \ery few of theseverely wounded, and most of them were left behind and l)ecameprisoners. Some of the men, on their return to the regiment,months later, had interesting experiences to relate. Some, at firstreported killed, turned u]) later as exchanged prisoners of war.Among these was John L. Rice, of Company A, whose funeralsermon was preached at his New Hampshire home, and whosefriends mourned h i m asdead. His story has beentold by himself, as follows :" In the final struggle for

    the Henry hill, just beforethe stampede of the Unionarmy, I went down with amusket ball through mylungs. My comrades boreme off in the wake of ourretreating forces towardSudley Church, where oursurgeons had established ahospital. In a short time,

    being closely i)ursued bythe enemy, and finding that

    I was apjmrently dead, theylaid me under a fence andmade their escape. Sometwo days after the battle

    I recovered consciousness,

    but was unable to move.

    The blood from my woundsoon putrified and attractedswarms of flies, whose larvrein a short time were wrig-

    John L. Rice, Co, A,

    Wounded and captured at Bull Run, July 21,1861. Confined in Libbey until Jan. '2, 1862, whenexchanged and returned to duty. Nov. 18, 1862,discharged to accept capt:vncy in Sixteenth N. H.In Oct., 1863, appointed I.ieut.-Col. Third Louis-iana Native Guards (colored) afterwards knownas 75th I'. S. Colored Infantry. Commanded theregiment in Red River campaign, and assisted(ien. Hailey in construction of Red River dam atAlexandria. Returned north in 1S67, and settledin Springfield, Mass. Is in the practice of lawand prominent in public affairs. Has been Rep-resentative in the .Mass. H. R.: four years Chiefof Police in Sprijigfield: Postmaster four years:appointed Commissioner I*. S. Circuit Court in1890; al.so held important positions in G. A. R.

  • 36 SECOND XEir HAMPS/ilRE.

    gling under my clothing and into my wound in constantlyincreasing numbers. In this condition 1 was found by AmosBenson and his wife, who lived on the opposite side of Bull Run.They were returning to their home at evening, after spending theday at Sudley Church assisting in the care of our wounded. TheConfederate medical staff at that time was very poorly jirej^ared for

    the emergency of a battle, especially for the care of the wounded ofboth armies. Had it not been for the efforts of the Bensons andthe few other people living in the \icinity of the battlefield, our

    wounded would have had little food or attention during the firstdays following the battle. IJenson, discovering life in me, brought

    an overworked surgeon from the church, who, however, turned

    away with the remark that he had no time to spend on so hopeless

    a case. Mrs. Benson meanwhile brought me food from her house,

    while her husband removed my clothing and scraped away thevermin that were jireying upon me. They continued to feed andcare for me till, at the end of ten days, 1 was so far revived that

    the surgeons were persuaded to remo\e me from under the fenceto more comfortable quarters in a freight car at Manassas Junction,

    whence in a few days 1 was carried to Richmond and consigned toLibbey prison."

    Twenty-five years later, in iS86, being in \\'ashington. Rice

    carried out a long cherished purpose to \isit his kind benefactors.

    He found both still li\ing, and it would be hard to tell whether hewas more pleased to see them or they to see him. To Rice's

    assurance that he hoped to be able in some way to re])ay theirkindness, they refused any recompense for themselves : but Mrs.

    Benson rei)lied : "If you want to do that, you can helj) us i)(.)orpeople here pay for our little church yonder. It was destroyed

    during the war, and it cost us a se\ere struggle to rebuild it. \\t

    owe two hundred dollars on it yet, which in this poor country is a

    heavy burden." Rice jiromised to send her a contribution. Whenhe reached home he related thi to the editor of the S/>n'//i^h-/(/Republiciiii, who ])ul)lished the story with a request for contribu-tions. Within two or three days S235 had been subscribed. .\

    few evenings later the country people were assembled in that little

    church, and it would not be easy to picture the scene when Mr.

  • CUB RUN BRIDGE. 37

    Benson, coming from the ijost ofifice at Manassas junction, enteredwith Rice's letter and ]:>ostal money orders for an amount morethan sufficient to free their church from debt.

    The general belief in that retreating mob was that there wouldbe a sharp pursuit bv the rebels, and almost every man doubtless

    had mapped out a line of action when the Black Horse Cavalryshould swoop down. It was already nearly dark when that partic-ular division of the procession

    with which the writer was training '

    approached the junction of theroads at Cub Run. He was l)ut a .^few rods from the Warrenton road,

    and w a s congratulating himselfthat he now had a clear course toCentreville, when a shell cameroaring down the turnpike. Therewas at once a wild stampede outof the line of fire. " Halt, boys,

    halt!" shouted Lieut. Piatt; "a

    hundred men can take that bat-tery ! " He was just the man tohave undertaken it if he couldhave gathered a squad ; but thepanic-stricken fugitives could not

    be rallied. The rebels had sentthis battery down the ^^'arrenton road, from the stone bridge, toharass the retreating troops, whose utter demoralization they had,

    fortunately, not then fathomed. But they had builded better than

    they knew, as one of their shots wrecked a wagon on Cub Runbridge, which stopped everything on wheels that had not already

    passed. The Rhode Island battery and other guns were abandonedhere, and the rebels had only to gather up their plunder.

    The writer reached the creek a short distance up stream fromthe blockaded bridge. The water looked black and deep. Scoresof men were running along the bank above, looking for a place to

    ford. Burnside came riding down the slope. He halted a moment,then spurred his horse down the steep bank and across the creek

    Charles A, Lang, Co. B.

    Present residence, Harrison, M.iinc

  • 38 SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE.the water coining to his saddle. As the rebel guns were iiuiet justthen, the writer was emboldened to try the bridge. When half wavover he had the usual experiencewished he had taken the otherroad. The rebel battery opened fire again, and in the few minutesit took to untangle himself from the wreckage it seemed to hisdisordered imagination that a hundred shells as big as flour barrelspassed within six inches of his head. In later moments of calm

    consideration he has considerably

    modified this estimate, but hasne\er brought himself to believethat he did not there receive one

    of the worst scares of his life.

    Near Centreville, troops of

    Miles' division were found drawnup in line of battle across the

    road, and the men, as they cameup, were directed to return to the

    , to^^^^^^^^^^^^^KH camps they had left in the morn-\ ^^^^^^P^^^^HRk.^ Among came

    straggling into the camp of theSecond was Corporal Isaac W.Derby, of Company A. His armhad been smashed in the affair atCul) Run, and amj^utation wasnecessary. Derby consenting,t h e operation w a s ]Derformedwithout the use of anaesthetics,

    and with no light excei)t such aswas afforded by a tallow candle

    and a flickering brush fire.Derbv was a ner\y man. He never entered a hosjjital at all, andafter a few days was attending to such duties as a one-armed man

    could do about camp.About midnight the sleeping men were routed out and told to

    make their way back to Washington. It was a long, weary tramp,and dustv until near morning, when it commenced to rain. A fewmiles from Washington some of the men who had been left in camp

    Corpl. Isaac W. Derby, Co, A,

    Lost an arm at Hull Run, July 21, i86i.Was the first New Hampshire soldier tdsuffer a capital operation in the war. Wentto Boston in 1867, engai^ied in real estatebusiness, and was a member of the Massachu-setts House of Reps, in 1873-4. Has beenfor 21 years a Deputy Tax Collector lor theCity of Bosion.

  • BACK IN CAMP SULLIVAN. 39

    were met coming out to join the regiment. One by one, squad by

    squad, the men straggled into camp. Cooked rations were ready

    for them as they arrived ; but sleep and rest were the immediate

    demand, and it was noted that the men went straight to their tents,

    shed their equipments, and

    were not anxious for their

    meals unless they could

    have them served in their

    rooms.

    It was several daysbefore the last straggler

    reported in camp and acorrect estimate o f the

    regiment's loss could be

    made. It was not heavy,

    as losses went later in the

    war. Nine m e n werereported killed, thirty-five

    wounded, and sixty-threemissingthe latter being

    all prisoners, and many ofthem wounded. Four niendied of their wounds, mak-ing the regiment's death

    roll thirteen. T h e onlycommissioned officerwounded, beside ColonelMarston, was Capt. Hiram Rollins, of Company D, who received amusket ball in the arm.

    Of the regiment's conduct in its maiden battle, Col. Burnside

    had this to say in his oiificial report : " Col. Marston, of the Second

    New Hampshire, was badly wounded in the shoulder, but, notwith-standing, he remained in the saddle under fire after his wound wasdressed, his horse being led by his orderly. The regiment, undercharge of Lieutenant-Colonel Fiske, conducted itself most gallantly.

    Both ofificers and men deserve great praise."

    The following, from the Washington Xafioiia/ Republican,

    John Haynes, Co, K.

    Was for a short lime alUichcd to the hospitalstaff of the Second, and subseciuently commis-sioned Assistant-Surgeon of the Tenth N. H. Onleaving the service, Vie settled in the practice ofhis profession in Londonderry', in which town) hedied May 4, 1874, aged 43 years.

  • 40 SECOND NR J I ' HAMPSHIRE.

    although inaccurate in one or two minor details, shows the generalestimation of the regiment's conduct

    :

    "The Skcond N. H. REciniENT. During the late engagementthe Second New Hampshire regiment heha\ed with the utmostgallantry. Arri\ing on the field the second regiment, they were

    instantly called upon to support the right of the Rhode IslandBattery ; and with the coolness of veterans, although swejit In- thefire of the rebels, formed line of battle and remained in this tryingposition for more than an hour. When ordered to charge, theyrushed forward with great impetuosity, driving the enemy fromtheir position to the woods, and sweeping everything before them.At one time, when a retreat was sounded, Companies B and Iremained in their position half an hour after every other companyhad retreated, and i)oured in a destructive fire on the rebels whowere advancing to outflank them, only retiring when cai:)ture orannihilation became inevitable."

    Official Refokt of Lieut.-Col. Fiske.

    Hdqrs Second Regiment N. H. Volvnteers,Camp Sit//i7'an, near Washington, jfiiiy 2y, iSbi.

    Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the movements of the SecondRegiment New Hampshire Volunteers during the march and battle on the 21st instant. I givethe time of our different movements as nearly as possible:

    The regiment left its camp near Centreville at z o'clock a. m., and immediately took itsjilace in the column of the Second Brigade, under Colonel Burnside. We continued in theccilumn of the brigade until near the field of battle. On arriving at the battle-field (10.30) wewere ordered up to support the Rhode Island Battery. Before arriving at the place indicatedwe were ordered on to the crest of a hill, in a field considerably to the right, exposed to the fireof the enemy's batteries. W'e here fired upon some battalions said to be (ieorgia troops, whoretired to the shelter of the woods opposite. After they retired the regiment was withdrawnunder the shelter of the brow of the hill. W'e were then ordered to the left to support the RhodeIsland Battery. 'I'he men took their position and fired several volleys. Colonel Marston waswounded here and carried to the rear (11.30 a. m.)

    We were moved from here to a position on the left and in advance of the Rhode IslandBattery, where we fired a few shots at the retreating enemy. After remaining here an hour,more or less, we were ordered to report our.selves to Colonel Heintzelman (i o'clock p. m.) Theregiment moved to a position near his column, and I sent the sergeant-major three several timesto report the regiment ready to render any succor or support they were able to afford. The.sergeant-major was unable to meet with Colonel Heintzelman or his staff. After remaining inthis position some time I received an order (2.30 p. m.) to advance to a position indicated,which w.is to the left and !a quarter of n mile in advance of the troops engaged in that part ofthe field. The enemy were screened fnini our sight. As the men were exposed to fire from abatterj' and from nuiskctry, 1 ordered ;them to lie down, and fire whenever any of the enemywere exposed.

    After a short time we were ordered tn withdraw. The men retired leisurely and in perfectly

  • REPORT OF LIEUT.-COL. FISKE. 41good order, halting once under the shelter of some woods. On our way to rejoin our brigade wcwere ordered by an officer of dragoons, whose regiment was in advance in the retreat, to makehaste, or we should be cut off by the enemy's cavalry. Our column was formed again in thebrigade, but before the formation was complete the retreat began, and continued, with a shortrest at our former camp, near Centreville, to Washington.

    The men obeyed orders with coolness and precision during the whole day. They took everj'position they were ordered to, and never wavered or retired until ordered to do so, and wereamong the last, if not the last, to leave the field. Their retreat on the whole route to their campwas unattended by tumult or any disorder further than leaving their ranks. Their conductthroughout the day inspires me with entire confidence in their courage and steadiness, and 1hope will meet your commendation.

    FR.'\NK S. FISKE,Lictitciiaiit-Coloucl, Coiiidg. Second X . //. I'lHiiiitcrrs.

  • CHAPTER III.

    jri.Y 23, 1861, TO APRIL 10, 1862. hooker's BRIGADE ORGANIZEDA'l KLADENSBURt; MARCH TO THE LOWER POTOMAC SECOND INCAMP AT HILLTOP A YOUNG MARVLANDER TAUGHT A LESSONSTAKING OFF THE GUARD LINE WINTER CAMP AT BUDD'S FERRYINCIDENTS OF THE REBEL BLOCKADE GEN. NAGLEE IN COMMANDOF BRIGADE MARSTON's FAMOUS DUNGEON MARSTON BEATS