Read Ebook: History of the Forty-second regiment infantry Massachusetts volunteers 1862 1863 1864 by Bosson Charles P Charles Palfray

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 1231 lines and 148944 words, and 25 pages

Among the members of a band occasionally engaged for duty on Sundays at Readville Camp was Mariani, the old drum-major of Gilmore's Band when at the zenith of its fame in Boston. Signior Mariani was a man of commanding presence, very tall and very heavy in build. He was a jolly companion, full of anecdote regarding his native land, Italy. His one time, two time, three time story has never been forgotten by those who had the pleasure of hearing it.

Cummings served in the Army of the Potomac, between Yorktown and Richmond; also did duty in the Yorktown and Portsmouth Grove general hospitals.

In the matter of police duty in the camp, he kept a careful watch to see whether the officer of the day had sinks properly attended to. Cook houses, cooking utensils and their care were often inspected by him; also the cooking and food for rations. The guard quarters frequently had his inspection, nor was he forgetful of the sentries on night duty, many times recommending that hot coffee be served to them when the nights were cold. With constant persevering efforts and rigid rules the camp was kept very free from filth and vermin, that curse of military camps in general.

Most of the sick cases were from slight ailments. All serious cases were furloughed home, and for a greater part of the time the average sick was quite small; the camp continued to remain in a healthy condition. Some cases of scarlet fever appeared in October and November. Prompt isolation of persons affected prevented any spread of this disease. One fatal case occurred in the regiment previous to leaving the State--Private Robert T. Morse, of Company B, died October 4th, 1862. While in regimental hospital his symptoms not being favorable he was taken home by relatives and died there. In October the surgeon discovered that Private Warren J. Partridge, Company B, twenty-three years old, had an aneurism of the right subclavian artery, liable to burst and destroy his life at any moment, and recommended a discharge from the service. Private Partridge was discharged October 22d. The surgeon also reported on October 22d that one of the cases in hospital he believed to be feigned, Private Abner Ward, of Company C. He had learned Ward was determined to get a discharge at all hazards, and was fifty-two years old. Ward enlisted as forty-four years of age, never went with the regiment, and did obtain a discharge for disability March 12th, 1863.

Assistant-Surgeon Hitchcock was appointed and assigned to the regiment by the surgeon-general of the State, reporting for duty in September. Before leaving the State there were no opportunities to judge of his capacity. He made a favorable impression on some and was not liked by others. His appearance and conversation was that of a young graduate from college. The reason he failed to satisfy men of the regiment while in the field may partially be traced to early impressions he made upon them at Readville.

The rations furnished while in camp were good, and could not cause complaint. So near home, with many friends, pocket money plenty, the regular rations were supplemented by extras to such an extent that it may be said most of the men fared sumptuously. Notwithstanding all this, the natural instinct of a soldier in camp or on active service, to forage, would make itself manifest in spite of extra precautions taken to prevent it. A supper, participated in by a favored few one evening, was one of the pleasant events of this camp. Those invited were pledged not to ask questions. As chicken after chicken was brought forth from a ground-hole inside of the tent, the reason was obvious. It would have been awkward for some persons present to have asked questions and been told the truth, for frequent complaints of despoiled henroosts had been made by residents in adjacent farm-houses, and all officers, commissioned and non-commissioned, were ordered to keep a sharp lookout for chickens served as rations, and to follow up the clue so obtained.

The non-commissioned staff made an attempt to form a mess, with an arrangement made with one of the company cooks to attend to the cooking. The plan worked well for a short time. The sharp appetites of all who composed that mess got the better of their willingness to allow fair play and a fair chance for all to sit down and have a proper share of what was on the mess table, so the unlucky member who was late would find nothing to eat. Dissatisfaction was expressed by the unlucky member at such times, which was to be expected, but precious little satisfaction could he get. One after another withdrew until there was not enough left to stand the expense, when the non-commissioned staff mess became a thing of the past. No attempt was ever made to revive it.

To vary the monotony of company and battalion drills, that had been pushed ever since camp was located, short practice marches were made from camp in different directions over the various roads in the vicinity. The day after a march made October 9th, Surgeon Cummings, in his morning report, commented as follows: "The march of yesterday had its usual effect upon those not in perfect health, of which class there are always more or less in every regiment. A larger proportion, however, than usual, will, I believe, be found in this regiment capable of enduring severe and exhausting hardships, which are unavoidable in the field." Throughout October the weather could not have been better. What with the bracing air, constant out-door exercise, plain food, strict regularity of meals and good hours for sleep, it was astonishing to see how tough and hardy those men became who had heretofore led a sedentary and confined life in counting-rooms. The greater number of this class of men afterwards stood fatigue of campaign service much better than those who appeared to be healthier and stronger. In fact, the men who were strong, from having out-door occupations, were among the first to break down when hot weather set in, while serving in the Nineteenth Corps.

On the departure of the Forty-Fourth Regiment for North Carolina, October 22d, the Forty-Second struck its camp, occupied the barracks vacated by that regiment, and rapidly improved in discipline and drill. On going into the barracks of the Forty-Fourth they were found to be in a dirty and filthy condition. It was hard work policing the grounds and cleaning up quarters before the surgeon would be satisfied with the sanitary condition of grounds and barracks. The regimental camp hospital was removed to the barrack hospital on the twenty-third, much against the judgment of Surgeon Cummings, who expressed a preference for his tent as long as the weather was not too cold. In his morning report of October 23d, Cummings says, "The removing of the camp from its present site to that lately occupied by the Forty-Fourth Regiment in this weather will, I fear, cause more or less sickness from exposure; but the men stand camp life remarkably well--much better than we had any reason to expect. The field, barracks, cook-houses, hospital, wells, and especially the sinks, lately occupied and used by the Forty-Fourth Regiment were left in the most dirty and filthy condition imaginable. I was astonished to find a camp which had been reported to the surgeon-general as a pattern of neatness and excellent sanitary regulation in such an exceedingly filthy condition, especially the sinks. They evidently have not been filled in for more than a week, to say the least. I shall report to the surgeon-general the exact state, as near as possible, in which the camp was left for us."

November was a cold month. On the seventh a severe north-east snow-storm was experienced, causing much inconvenience and suffering, as stoves had not been placed in the barracks. The next day this was remedied by obtaining stoves from the Forty-Fifth Regiment barracks.

Orders were originally prepared for the regiment to proceed to Newbern, N. C., but Colonel Sprague, Fifty-First, who had served under General Foster, wishing to do so again, an interview was held with Adjutant-General Schouler by the two colonels, and as Colonel Burrell expressed a preference to serve under General Banks, the original orders were destroyed; orders were then issued to report to Major-General N. P. Banks in New York, to form a part of his expedition, or "Banks' expedition" as it was publicly known.

The original mustered strength of the regiment was as follows:

Field and Staff, 9 officers, 9 total. Non-Commissioned Staff, 5 enlisted men, 5 " Company A, 3 officers, 94 " 97 " " B, 3 " 92 " 95 " " C, 3 " 88 " 91 " " D, 3 " 86 " 89 " " E, 3 " 79 " 82 " " F, 3 " 88 " 91 " " G, 3 " 96 " 99 " " H, 3 " 88 " 91 " " I, 3 " 92 " 95 " " K, 3 " 86 " 89 "

The following men had been discharged for disability before leaving the State:

Company A, Private Joseph Viger, November 18, 1862. " A, " Bernard Doherty, " 18, " " A, " James C. Wendall, " 18, " " B, " Warren J. Partridge, October 22, " " F, " James O. Boyd, November 19, " " F, " Henry W. Pratt, " 19, " " F, " Anthony Sherman, " 19, " " K, " William B. Gould, " 18, "

There were left behind, in the State, the following officer and enlisted men, on detached service, sick, or in jail:

Lieutenant D. A. Partridge, Company B--Remained at Readville camp by orders of Colonel Day, issued October 27th, 1862, on detached duty, looking out for deserters; six men were returned to the regiment through him. There was some difficulty and correspondence relating to his rejoining the regiment. A feud existed between Lieutenant-Colonel Stedman and Partridge, occasioned by the election for captain in Company B, when Partridge was jumped over by Cook, through interference of Stedman, so Partridge claims. Stedman lost friends in the regiment by his action. Lieutenant Partridge was mustered out of service March 5th, 1863, to accept a commission in the Fifty-Fifth Regiment.

Private Newman B. Luce, Company E--Sick in hospital at Camp Wool, Worcester, since October 2d, 1862. Rejoined his company April 9th, 1863.

Private Frederick A. Mahan, Company E--Sick in hospital at Camp Wool, since October 10th, 1862. Rejoined his company April 9th, 1863.

Private Asa Breckenridge, Company K--Sick in hospital at Readville. Sent home to Worcester, November 12th, 1862. Did not rejoin the regiment.

Private John W. Sheppard, Company K--Sick in hospital at Readville. Sent home to Warren, Mass., November 12th, 1862. Discharged for disability April 8th, 1863.

Private Abner C. Ward, Company C--Shot himself to escape duty. Left at Hopkinton, Mass. Discharged for disability March 12th, 1863.

Private George A. Davis, Company D--Sick at home in Roxbury, Mass., since November 21st, 1862. Rejoined his company May 16th, 1863.

Private John O'Harran, Company D--Confined in Dedham jail on sentence for manslaughter; killing a citizen in a drunken brawl at Mill Village, Dedham, Mass. Never rejoined his company.

Private John Nolan, Company D--Confined in Dedham jail as a witness in O'Harran's case. Released and joined the regiment February 4th, 1863.

Private Thomas H. Rillian, Company D--At home sick. Discharged for disability March 7th, 1863.

Private John A. Pierce, Company H--At home sick. Discharged for disability March 5th, 1863.

Private Charles H. Hill, Company I--Sick in hospital at Readville, November 22d, 1862. Discharged for disability March 28th, 1863.

Others were also left, but they reported in camp at East New York before the regiment sailed for New Orleans.

The roster of the regiment was as follows:

Colonel--Isaac S. Burrell.

Lieutenant-Colonel--Joseph Stedman.

Major--Frederick G. Stiles.

Adjutant--Charles A. Davis.

Quartermaster--Charles B. Burrell.

Assistant-Surgeon--Thomas B. Hitchcock.

Assistant-Surgeon--Rush B. Heintzelman.

Chaplain--George J. Sanger.

Sergeant-Major--Charles P. Bosson, Jr.

Quartermaster-Sergeant--Henry C. Foster.

Commissary-Sergeant--William H. Hutchinson.

Hospital-Steward--Charles J. Wood.

Drum-Major--Richard A. Neuert.

Company A--Captain, Hiram S. Coburn; Lieutenants, Martin Burrell, Jr. and John P. Burrell.

Company B--Captain, Ira B. Cook; Lieutenants, David A. Partridge and Joseph C. Clifford.

Company C--Captain, Orville W. Leonard; Lieutenants, Isaac B. White and Joseph Sanderson, Jr.

Company D--Captain, George Sherive; Lieutenants, William H. Cowdin and Darius F. Eddy.

Company E--Captain, Charles A. Pratt; Lieutenants, John W. Emerson and Brown P. Stowell.

Company F--Captain, John D. Cogswell; Lieutenants, Timothy M. Duncan and Lyman A. Powers.

Company G--Captain, Alfred N. Proctor; Lieutenants, Albert E. Proctor and Thaddeus H. Newcomb.

Company H--Captain, Davis W. Bailey; Lieutenants, Charles C. Phillips and Augustus L. Gould.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet