Yale University Library

39002002924984

7906

BREVET MAJOR-GENERAL SIMON G. GRIFFIN.

THE
THIRTY-SECOND MAINE
REGIMENT

OF

INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS

An Historical Sketch
BY
HENRY C. HOUSTON
of Co. C.

PORTLAND, ME.
PRESS OF SOUTHWORTH BROTHERS.
1903.

PREFACE

The issuance of this volume from the press, marks the
final completion of a task originally undertaken more than
fifteen years ago.
And during all that period, most of the work involved in
tbe preparation of tbis history has necessarily been done at
night, after tbe regular labors of the day bad been finished.
Tbe demands upon the time and attention of tbe historian
made by tbe business in which he has been engaged, have
frequently conflicted seriously with bis prosecution of this
undertaking, and even, for considerable intervals, rendered
bim unable to proceed with it. For these reasons, there is
not such a degree of smoothness and polish in the literary
workmanship as might otherwise bave been attained. But it
is hoped the reader will look leniently upon all tbe faults
which may appear in tbe composition. And it is to be borne
in mind, that without pretension to literary merit, this book
is only designed to be a faithful and honest eflfort to present
the story of the service and suffering of one among tbe many
brave reffiments of Maine. That it does not tell the whole
story, no one can be rnore fully aware than is the historian.
And no one can more keenly regret that omissions and inac
curacies exist in its pages. It has been his aim to make the
history as complete as possible. Yet, though great care has
been taken, and a vast amount of labor performed, in order
to make it accurate and reliable, imperfections and errors are

IV PREFACE.
inevitable. It is beyond question in the mind of the his
torian, that the lists of casualties as given in the various chap
ters, do not show the total numljer of losses sustained in tbe
several engagements, and daring the siege. But it has not
been found possible to obtain more complete lists, as neither
Adjutant Hayes' diary, the several Monthly Returns, nor tbe
Adjutant-General's Reports give tbe necessary information.
And the circulars s'ent to individual comrades, making inquiry
on this point, failed to elicit reply in many cases.
To many ofiicers and comrades, the historian is under
great obligations for their kindly interest and valuable assis
tance. But be is compelled to express his deep regret that
others, in spite of repeated solicitation at the annual re
unions, and otherwise, have omitted to furnish information
within their own individual knowledge, which would have
added much to the completeness and value of tbe narrative.
His sincere thanks are due to all who have aided him in
his labors, by affording bim access to diaries, letters and
other memoranda, from which he has Ijeen able to obtain
much information. And especially he desires to express hi.^
sense of obligation to the Committee on Publication, consist
ing of comrades H. H. Burbank, H. R. Sargent, R. P. Eaton,
J. L. Small and Cyrus Gofi", for their constant courtesy and
aid. In all the years occupied in the prepai'ation of this work,
tbe historian has been animated by the purpose of making it
a worthy tribute to tbe memory of the raen who composed
the regiment of which he is proud to have been a member,
and if he has succeeded, in any degree, in placing upon
record upon tbe page of history, their heroism, their valor
and their sacrifice, in defence of the country and its flag, he
is content. Portland, Me., August, 1903.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I — Introductory.
Tbe Early Years of the Civil War. — Their Contrast
with tbe Campaign of 1864. — The Impossibil
ity of Writing a Complete History. — The
Especial Purpose of this Sketch.

CHAPTEE II — The Campaign of 1864.
Its Terrible Battles and Weary Marches. — From the
Wilderness to Petersburg. — Eecruits Made
Veterans by Severe and Unremitting Service. . 15

CHAPTEE III.
The Army of the Potomac at the Opening of the
Campaign. — Consolidation and Eeorganization.
— Eecruiting New Eegiments in Maine. — Organ
ization of the Thirty-Second at Augusta. . 28
Biographical Sketches. —
General Mark Fernald Wentworth. . . 48
General Jobn Marshall Brown. . . 52

VI table of contents.
CHAPTEE IV.
Going to the Front. — The First Battabon en route.
A Change of Destination. — Tbe " Soldier's
Eest" at Washington. — Our First Night "Un
der Canvas." . . . . .55
Biographical Sketch. —
Captain Amos F. Noyes.

68

CHAPTEE V.
Joining the Brigade. — A Glimpse of Our New
Comrades. — The March to Fairfax Court House
and Bristoe Station. — A Week in Camp of
Instruction. ..... 70
Biographical Sketch. —
Captain Herbert E. Sargent. . . .83
CHAPTEE VI.
In the Wilderness. — Opening of the Campaign.
— The March to the Eappahannock. — Guarding
the Eear. — The Conflict in the Tangled Thick
ets. — The Burning Woods at Night. . . 88
Biographical Sketch. —
Captain Thomas P. Beals. . . . 105
CHAPTEE VII.
To tlie Ny Eiver, and the Battle of tbe 10th of May.
— Movements Preceding tbe Battle of Spottsyl
vania. — Death of General Sedgwick. — Gen
eral Hancock Crosses the Po. — Upton's Charge
with Twelve Eegiments of the Sixth Corps. . 107
Biographical Sketch. —
Brevet Captain Charles W. Keyes. . .123

TABLE OF CONTENTS. Vll
CHAPTEE VIII.
At Spottsylvania. — The "Bloody Angle". — Han
cock's Assault .at Daybreak. — Capture of Gen
erals Jobnson and Steuart. — Tbe Thirty-Second
at Close Quarters. — Four Brigades Against
One. — The List of Casualties. . .125
Biographical Sketch. —
Captain Horace H. Burbank. . . . 141
CHAPTEE IX.
Tbe Eesults of tbe Battle. — Severe Losses with Only
Inadequate Gain. — Supplies and Eeinforcements
Eeceived. — In tbe Trenches. — The Battle of
tbe 18th of May. — Another Attack upon Strong
Fortifications. — Attempt to Dislodge the Enemy
Abandoned. — List of Casualties. . . 144
CHAPTEE X.
The Movement by the Left Flank. — Ewell's Unex
pected Attack upon Our Eight and Eear. — Its
Advantage to Lee. — To the North Anna. — A
Contest of Speed between Federals and Confed
erates. ...... 160

CHAPTEE XI.
Events Across the Eiver. — Tbe Ninth Corps Be
comes a Part of the Army of the Potomac.
— General Burnside Waives His Seniority of
Eank. — The Thirty-Second Maine Joined by Its
Second Battalion. — Tbe Action of May 26th.
— Eecrossing the Eiver at Midnight. . . 176

vill table of contents.
CHAPTEE XII.
The March to the Pamunkey. — Heat and Dust and
Weariness. — Sunday a Day of Eest. — Lee Not
Taken by Surprise. — Our Eeinforcements from
Bermuda Hundreds. — Totopotomoy Creek and
Bethesda Church. — List of Casualties. . 194
CHAPTEE XIII.
At Cold Harbor. — The Battle of the 3rd of June.
The Charge of the Second Corps. — Curtin's
Attack. — The Thirty-Second at the Sunken
Eoad. — List of Casualties. . . . 214
Biographical Sketch. —
Lieutenant-Colonel James L. Hunt. . . 229
CHAPTEE XIV.
In the Trenches at Cold Harbor. — The Second
Division's Contest for Disputed Territory. — An
noyance from the Enemy's Sharpshooters. — An
Unwholesome Position in the Swamps of the
Chickahominy. — Another Movement to the Left.
— List of Casualties. ' . . . . 232
Biographical Sketch. —
Brevet Major Ebenezer S. Kyes. . . 246
CHAPTEE XV.
To the James Eiver. — General Grant's Eeasons for
the Movement upon Petersburg. — Sheridan's
Trevilian Station Eaid. — A Memorable March.
— Tbe Pontoon Bridge at Wilcox's Landing.
— List of Casualties. .... 248
Biographical Sketch. —
Captain William B. Barker. . . . 261

table of contents. IX

CHAPTEE XVI.
Petersburg. — Its Situation and Strategic Importance.
— General Butler's Demonstrations Against It.
— Movements of Generals Gillmore and Kautz.
— General Smith's Assault. — Arrival of the
Ninth Corps. — Capture of the Eifle-pits by the
Second Brigade. — The Eavine at the Shand
House. — The Charge at Daybreak. . . 263
Biographical Sketch. —
Brevet Major-General Simon G. Griifin. . 281

CHAPTEE XVII.
Movements of the Second and Fifth Corps. — The
Norfolk Eailroad. — Arrival of tbe Colored
Troops. — The Beginning of the Siege. — The
Weldon Eailroad. — List of Casualties. — The
Monthly Eeturn for June. . . . 286
Biographical Sketch. —
Milton H. Stevens. . . . .303

CHAPTEE XVIII.
In Front of Petersburg in July. — Confederate
Attack upon tbe First Division. — Mortar Bat
teries and Siege Guns in Operation. — The Sec
ond Corps Nortb of the James. — Its Eeturti to
the Trenches. — List of Casualties. . . 305
Biographical Sketches. —
Lieutenant Stephen G. Dorman. . . 319
Lieutenant Fred S. Gurney. . . . 320

X TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTEE XIX.
Burnside's Mine. — The Inception of the Plan.
— Location of the Mine. — The Obstacles En
countered. — Its Completion, and the Plan of
Assault. — General Meade's Disapproval. — Tbe
Orders of Battle. — The Night Before the Ex
plosion.' ..... 322
Biographical Sketches. — '
Oberun O. Stetson. . . . . 339
Corporal Walter S. Hodges. . . . 341

CHAPTEE XX.
Burnside's Mine (continued). — In the Crater. — Bul
lets, Shell and Shrapnel on Front and Flank.
— Mahone's Charge. — Capture of Many Pris
oners. — Eesponsibility for the Disaster. — The
Committee on Conduct of tbe War. — List of
Casualties. ..... 343
Biographical Sketch. —
Sergeant Eay P. Eaton. . . . 367

CHAPTEE XXI.
After the Battle of the Crater. — The Thirty-Second
only a Skeleton. — The Progress of the Siege.
— Tbe Weldon Eailroad and Eeam's Station.
— The Monthly Eeturn for August. — An In
cident of the Picket Line. . . . 370
Biographical Sketch. —
Captain William E. Ham. . . . 384

table of contents. XI
CHAPTEE XXII.
Changes in tbe Organization of the Ninth Corps.
— New Eegiments Added to tbe Second Bri
gade. — The Disaster of the 30th of Septem
ber. — Battle of Poplar Spring Church, or
Pegram Farm. — List of Casualties. . . 386
Biographical Sketch. —
Captain Joseph B. Hammond. . . . 400

CHAPTEE XXIII.
Camp Life in October. — Hatcher's Eun and the
South Side Eailroad. — Eeturn to the Old Lines.
— The Presidential Election in November.
— Capture of General Eoger A. Pry or. — The
Monthly Eeturns for October and November. . 402
Biographical Sketches. —
Lieutenant James J. Chase. . . . 420
Lieutenant George L. Hall. . . . 422

CHAPTEE XXIV.
Changes in Organization of Ninth Corps. — The
Colored Troops Detached. — New Eegiments
from Pennsylvania Join the Corps. — Warren's
Eeconnaissance. — The Thirty-Second Maine in
December. — The Consolidation with the Thirty-
First Maine. — List of Officers and Men
Present at date of Transfer. . . . 424
Biographical Sketches. —
Adjutant Calvin L. Hayes. . . . 437
Quartermaster John Hall. . . . 439
Joseph L. Small, Jr. .... 441

Xll

table of contents.

CHAPTEE XXV.
After the Consolidation. — The Thirty-First Maine.
— Tbe Winter in Fort Davis. — Battle of
April 2nd, '65. — Tbe Surrender of Lee. — The
Grand Eeview. — Muster Out. . . 442

Biographical Sketches.
Cyrus Goff.
Henry C. Houston.

455
456

ROSTER.

Field and Staff
Company A.
Company B.
Company C.
Company D.
Company E.
Company F.
Company G.
Company H.
Company I.
Company K.
Biographical Sketch.
George E. Joy.

460
463 470
478 486 493
500 507514
521 528535

Errata and Additional Information.

537

LIST OF PORTRAITS.

Brevet Major-General Simon G. Griffin.

Brevet Brigadier-General Mark F.
Brevet Brigadier-General John M.
Captain Amos F. Noyes.
Captain Herbert E. Sargent.
Captain Thomas P. Beals.
Brevet Captain Charles W. Keyes.
Captain Horace H. Burbank.
Lieutenant-Colonel James L. Hunt
Brevet Major Ebenezer S. Kyes.
Captain William B. Barker.
Milton H. Stevens.
Lieutenant Stephen G. Dorman.
Oberun O. Stetson.
Sergeant Eay P. Eaton.
Captain William E. Ham.
Captain Joseph B. Hammond.
Lieutenant James J. Chase.
Lieutenant George L. Hall.
Adjutant Calvin L. Hayes.
Quartermaster Jobn Hall.
Joseph L. Small, Jr.
Cyrus Goff.
Henry C. Houston.
George E. Joy.

Wentworth Brown.

Frontispiece Facing Page 48 5268
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141229246 261
303319339
367384 400
420
422437439
441 455456535

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY.
The Early Years of the Civil War. ^ Their Con
trast with the Campaign of 1864. — The Im-
P(»ssiBiLiTY OF Writing a Complete
History. — The Especial Pur
pose OF this Sketch.

The beginning of tbe year 1864 found the United
States still involved in the prosecution_ of a great civil
war which had already continued for nearly three
years. Many great battles had been fought between
the armies of the contending • sections, with varying
success, victory and defeat alternating upon either
side, yet neither having as yet won such a decisive
advantage as to compel the permanent cessation of
hostilities. The Army of the Potomac, which had been so
roughly handled and so nearly demoralized in the
first serious collision with the troops of the Confed
eracy, upon that memorable Sunday in July, 1861, at
Bull Run, had long since bravely redeemed its credit
in subsequent encounters. Its reputation for courage
and endurance had been established beyond all possi
bility of doubt or question, by a series of engagements
of vast magnitude, in each one of which it had glori
ously manifested its possession of the highest soldier
ly qualifications. The successive campaigns through

1' an historical sketch of the
which it had passed, in 1862 and 186.3, under the
leadership, first, of McClellan, and then of Pope, of
Burnside, of Hooker, and more recently, of Meade,
had been to that magnificent army as the refining and
purifying fires of the furnace to the crude ore. And
purged and set free from its dross and slag, — its in-
comi)etent and unworthy members, — by the fierce
heat of battle, it had, at length, been tempered and
toughened into steel. Though the several command
ers of that brave and patient old army had hitherto
failed to lead it in triumph into the capital of the
Southern Confederacy, it had already won for itself
imperishable honor and renown in its splendid,
though unsuccessful, efforts to attain that anxiously-
desired goal. The Peninsular campaign ; the Seven
Days Battles before Richmond; the masterly retreat
through the swamps of the Chickahominy; the brief,
but sharp and bitter, fighting during Pope's ill-starred
and disastrous campaign; the fearful out-pouring of
blood at Antietam, and the yet more terrible slaugh
ter at Fredericksburg; the fruitless, but costly, strug
gle at Chancellorsville; all these had testified abun
dantly of the courage and the fighting qualities of the
heroic Army of the Potomac, despite its ill-success.
And the crowning achievement of all the splendid
work it had performed, had occurred so recently that
the thrill of pride and the glow of patriotic fervor it
had sent through the hearts of all loyal people had
not yet ceased to be felt when the new year of 1864
opened. The great victory of Gettysburg was not yet six
months old, when that year began, and the story of
those three days of stormy conflict upon the free soil
of Pennsylvania was still fresh in the minds of all.

thirty-second MAINE REGIMENT 3
The battle of Gettysburg has been aptly termed "the
high water mark of the Rebellion", and such indeed,
it was, in some respects. At no subsequent time did
any considerable force of the Confederates obtain a
foot-hold at any point north of Mason and Dixon's
line, or upon the soil of a free state. The fighting of
the remainder of the time before the final collapse of
the Rebellion, was wholly confined to Virginia, so far
as the Army of the Potomac was concerned, except in
the case of the comparatively insignificant and unim
portant demonstration of Early against the National
Capital, in July, 1864.
But though Gettysburg was "the beginning of
the end ", it was by no means the end itself. Before
the war should finally close, there was much severe
service yet in store for the soldiers of the Army of
the Potomac. Though the "high water mark" had,
indeed, been reached, the ebbing of that sea of blood
and flame was still slow and sullen. Its waves were
never again to dash so high against the sturdy bar
riers that withstood the shock of its tide of destruc
tion. And no more should it threaten to overleap the
living walls that restrained it, and to break across the
broad North in a resistless flood of desolation. But
more than one wild storm was yet to sweep over those
turbulent billows, and lash them into the flercest
fury, before they should be finally lulled to rest at
the coming of Peace.
Grand as had been the achievements of, the
Army of the Potomac, and lavish as had been
its expenditure of life, in previous years, it was yet
reserved for the year 1864 to witness that army many
times engaged in some of the most bloody battles of
the war. Severe and sanguinary as had been the

4 AN historical sketch of the
flghting of former years, it was destined to be far sur
passed by the stubborn persistency and the enormous
losses which were the distinguishing characteristics
of the great campaign of 1864, known as the "Over
land Campaign". Looking backward now, through
the dim vista of so many years, at the stirring events
of that wonderful period, beginning with the struggle
amid the tangled thickets of the Wilderness, and
closing in the lines of circumvallation around Peters
burg, the asseveration seems fully warranted that this
was by far the most severe and costly, as well as the
most extraordinary, of the several campaigns of the
war. It was essentially different, in some particulars,
from any of those which had preceded it. Up to the
beginning of the Overland Campaign, great battles
had been fought only at considerable intervals from
each other, as for instance, after Antietam, fought
September 17th, 1862, the army lay along the line of
the Potomac for six weeks, resting and getting ready
for another campaign. And it was not u.ntil the 13th
of December, 1862, nearly three months afterward,
that the armies again encountered each other, at
Fredericksburg. Many similar illustrations might be given, but it
is not necessary to specify others, as all old soldiers
will readily recall numerous instances of the same
character. Indeed, it is quite safe to assert, that up
to the time Lieutenant-General Grant assumed com
mand, it had been most usual to march and manoeu
vre for position for a considerable time before coming
to a general engagement. And when a battle was
fought, after the sharp work of the actual engagement
was over, it had nearly always been followed either by
a more or less ] lengthy period of comparative inac-

thirty-second MAINE REGIMENT 5
tivity, in order to rest and refresh .the army, or by a
renewal of the marching and manoeuvring for an
indefinite time. In the campaign of 1864, however,
all this was to be changed, and from the banks of the
Rapidan to the walls of Petersburg, the advance of
the Army of the Potomac was to be, practically, one
continuous and unintermittent battle. And when
that city had been reached, there were then to ensue
many weary weeks and months of siege, without
pause or relaxation, during which the army was con
stantly under fire, and exposed to loss, to say nothing
of the numerous stubborn encounters which occurred
in the progress of the investment. For nearly an
entire year, from May, 1864, to the final surrender in
April, 1865, the Army of the Potomac was to be con
stantly in the face of the enemy, and engaged in
active operations against him. There were to be no
more of the intervals of quiet rest in camp or winter
quarters, with little to break the monotony of exis
tence, save a round of daily drills and routine duties.
But, instead, the army was first to pass through a
long series of sanguinary encounters, not always,
perhaps, rising to the dignity and proportions of
pitched battles, but none the less destructive in the
extreme. And it was then to serve for a protracted
period in the trenches, under the fire of the enemy,
and performing labor of the most exhaustive char
acter in building vast and extensive lines of works.
The peculiar and distinguishing features of the
campaign of 1864 have been thus contrasted Avith
those of preceding years, in order to show more dis
tinctly the service which fell to the lot of the men
who composed the Army of the Potomac during that
year, as the regiment whose history is to be sketched

6 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
in these pages entered upon the performance of mili
tary duty at the beginning of that campaign. Under
the most favorable combination of circumstances, the
best endeavors to produce a complete history of any
regimental organization can meet with only partial
success. The full history of the service of any one
among the hundreds of separate commands, whether
regiments, battalions, troops or batteries, which par
ticipated in the great Civil War, can never be ade
quately written. Much may, indeed, be preserved
from oblivion by the exertions of the historian, if
he performs his duty with care and painstaking.
The marches made and the battles fought may be
recorded, the losses sustained may be tabulated, and
camps, bivouacs, reviews and parades may all be cata
logued with the most scrupulous accuracy. But all
these fail to present to the reader the real and true his
tory of the organization in its fullness and entirety.
All these data belong rather to the domain of the
statistician than to that of the historian, though they
are by no means to be omitted from the work of the
latter. But such details alone, would prove to the
the average reader somewhat too dry and devoid of
interest to enable them to hold his attention for any
length of time. And to the surviving veterans of
the old command such a history would seem to do
but scant justice to the service performed by the
organization of which they were proud to have been
members. He who seeks to put upon record even a small
part of the real history of the service of any one of
the gallant regiments that fought for the Union,
has a task of no little magnitude. He must con
sult official reports and delve aniong files of orders,

thirty-second MAINE REGIMENT 7
returns and muster-rolls; must search through old
diaries, letters and newspapers in the pursuit of items
of information; and must study with care every acces
sible account of the campaigns and battles in which
the command participated. He must strive to recon
cile conflicting statements and opinions, and decide
fairly upon the merits of rival claimants to particular
honors and distinction. And yet, though the result
of all this labor and research may enable him to piece
together a narrative of more or less excellence and
truthfulness, still, be his abilities what they may,
his work must inevitably fall far short of being a
completed history. Though the incidents of service
which his patient endeavor has gathered should be
presented in the eloquent periods of a master of
language, and glowing words should tell, in match
less phrases, the story of the peril, the pain, the suf
fering, the loss and death so nobly encountered and
endured, yet even this would not suffice to render
it a perfect work. Much would yet remain untold,
and even the genius of a Bancroft or a Prescott would
be unequal to the task of portrayin.g the true history
of each of those days and years of service, as vividly
as they exist in the memory of the survivors of the
war. The long, weary marches beneath a burning
southern sun, when, parched with thirst and, choked
with dust, men toiled on till exhaustion overcame
them, and they fell and died l^y the wayside, — what
words are there that can do even faint justice to such
experiences, as they are remembered to-day by those
whose lot it was to participate in them ^ And there
are many such recollections in the minds of the sur
viving soldiers, to which the pen of the historian

S AN historical sketch OF THE
can never give complete and adequate expression in
written language. Who cannot recall the memory
of the groups of "dusty, toibworn and w^eary men gath
ering around the camp-flres that flickered through the
growing darkness, when the evening halt was made;
who has forgotten the anxious watch through the
long hours of night, upon the picket-line, in the dark
est depths of the forests, while the storm raged and
the wind shook the swaying trees, beneath which Ave
were crouching? And, too, those days of fierce and
bitter fighting; — who does not feel his pulses thrill
again with the wild excitement of the headlong rush
against the hill-tops crowned with fire, and the long
lines of entrenchments lit with' leaping tongues of
fiame; who cannot see again the ghastly gaps inthe
charging line, as the best and bravest go doAvn, before
the tattered colors are planted in triumph on the cap
tured works? No history can do justice to memories
such as these, and none is needed to keep them fresh
and vivid in the minds of those who have borne a part
in such scenes.
And, mingled with these memories of the march,
the bivouac and the battlefield, there are a thousand
recollections of lesser and unimportant incidents,
many of them too slight and trivial to be mentioned
in official reports, or to be regarded by the general
historian, which are yet part and parcel of the
unwritten history of the old command. There are,
too, numberless incidents of personal experience or of
personal observation, whicli have no record in any of
the material accessible to the historian, or which,
even if known to him, might not be deemed of suf
ficient general importance to be given a place in his
narrative. But to the mind of the comrade who Avit-

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 9
nessed or Avho participated in the comparatively trifl
ing affair, a regimental history AA^hich contains no
allusion to its occurrence, must fail essentially of
being deemed complete, since the incident, in his
view, belongs to and makes a part of the history of
the time he followed the old flag. Yet were it possible
to collect all these individual recollections, they could
scarcely be incorporated into any printed history,
since their number Avould swell the size of the volume
to unwieldy proportions, not to mention the labor
Avhich their collation Avould entail upon the historian.
Yet, in spite of all these objections to be urged
against the undertaking, it is believed that an honest
attempt to tell the story, so far as it is possible to tell
it within the compass of an ordinary volume, of any
organization which bore arms in the late war, is a
laudable undertaking.
There have already been many books Avritten
since the Avar ended, having for their purpose the
relation of the history and services of various regi
mental and other military organizations. But no one
nor all of these numerous historians has told nor can
tell the whole story of that great contest. So vast
was the scale upon Avhich the war Avas carried on; so
great the number of organizations engaged in its
prosecution, and so remote from each other the \-ari-
ous fields of operation, that every successive volume
has been written from a different standpoint from its
predecessors. And Avhile it may be the case that
some parts of the story previously told by others have
been repeated by subsequent writers, because of there
being main facts common to the experience of all, yet
it is believed that few, if any, have failed to contrib
ute something of interest and A'-alue to the general

10 an historical sketch of the
fund of knowledge, which had hitherto been untold.
Every contribution to the literature of the war, how
ever humble, which deals with facts as they occurred,
has a value in view of the aid it will render the
historian who, in some future generation, shall aspire
to Avrite the story of our great confiict. At present,
and so long as this generation shall live, it is scarcely
possible that a history can be written, which will
be wholly free from sectional bias and partisanship.
But when the passion and the prejudices of the pres
ent shall have been obliterated and removed by the
lapse of years, some genius will arise who will worth
ily and dispassionately relate the story of the Civil
War in America. And the more regimental histories
there are written now, while soldiers who participated
in the struggle yet survive to criticize and correct any
inadvertent errors of statement, or misrepresentation
of fact, the more copious and trustworthy will be the
mass of material which that future historian shall
find awaiting him. And were there no thought of
the historian of the future in this connection, still it
would seem a praiseworthy undertaking to preserve
in some more permanent form than that of mere oral
tradition, the record of the noble deeds performed by
the soldiers of the late war.
Loyalty and patriotism are lessons which should
be taught those who are to succeed us as citizens of
the American Republic, from their earliest youth
upward. And Avhat better methods of instruction
can there be than to make them familiar with the
services rendered and the sufferings endured for the
sake of Freeclom and the Union, by the men who
made up our splendid armies? Let the children of
those who fought under the old flag be afforded every

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 11
facility to learn in detail the history of those eventful
years in Avhich their fathers established by force of
arms the supremacy of the National government.
And especially let them be enabled to read of the
service rendered by the particular command in Avhich
their fathers were enrolled, that they may feel a
deeper personal interest in the narrative, because it is
the story of their father's regiment, and they know
that he was an actor in the stirring scenes therein
described. For the reasons above cited, it has seemed to be
expedient to add another to the number of regimental
histories already in existence, and imperfect as is this
Avork in a literary point of view, yet it is hoped that it
may add some slight contribution, at least, to the
general fund of military history, and that it may
teach some lesson of loyalty to those of the rising
generation into whose hands it may chance to fall. A
further motive for the preparation of this work lies
in the fact that the regiment whose history it seeks
to relate, it may be safely asserted, has never yet
received from the general public, its full share of
credit and honor for the services which it rendered
during its period of existence as a separate organi
zation. The reason for this, it is believed, is to be
found in the peculiar circumstances and conditions
under Avhich its service Avas performed. And to
explain those circumstances, and point out those
peculiarities, is the principal purpose for which this
historical sketch has been undertaken.
The Thirty-Second Maine Regiment of Infantry
was, in many respects, unique among the regiments
from Maine, and, indeed, few organizations, from any
State, had the same peculiarities of service which fell

12 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
to the lot of this command. In some respects, it may
be said to have been especially fated to misfortune
from the beginning of its organization, but however
numerous its misfortunes and disasters, its survivors
can assert, with just pride, that it never disgraced
itself, nor the State it represented. It was the last
fully organized regiment of infantry raised in Maine
duriiig;tlie war, being recruited early in 1864. There
were thirty (30) separate conipanies of infantry, equiv
alent to three full regiments, subsequently organized ,
at various times, before the war finally ended. But
these were not united in regimental organizations,
but were sent mainly to flll up old regiments in the
fleld, the only exception being in the case of four
companies which Avere formed into Avhat was knoAAai
as the First Maine Battalion, in the spring of 1865.
In addition to these thirty separate companies,
there AA^as also a battalion of seven (7) companies of
infantry raised and organized in Maine during 1864-
65, known as the Coast Guards Battalion, so that
there were organizations nearly equivalent to four
regiments of infantry in numbers, mustered into the
United States service from Maine after the Thirty-
Second Regiraent was raised. But that command was
the last which was given the form of a regimental
organization, placed in the field as an independent
body under its own field officers. Recruited in the
beginning of 1864, so great was the demand for every
available man at the opening of the campaign of that
year, that the Thirty-Second was hurried out of the
State, and sent to the front even before it had com
pleted its organization. Four of its companies had
not been recruited up to the number required for mus
ter into the United States serAdce, when the first bat-

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 13
talion, of six companies, was sent into the field, under
command of the Major. The second battalion, con
sisting of the four companies just mentioned, was per
mitted to remain behind only a few weeks, when it
was despatched to join the companies which had pre
ceded it.
Each battalion, upon its arrival in Virginia, was
at once placed upon active duty in the midst of the
stern work Avliich characterized Grant's great cam
paign. With scarcely a respectable knowledge of the
manual of arms, even, and generally unfamiliar Avith
military duties, the regiment was thrust at once into
the heat of the contest, and went under fire in less
than three weeks after breaking camp in Maine.
Denied the privilege of the usual introductory
period of drill and instruction, the raw, green boys,
ignorant of the first principles of the art of war, as
many of them were, found themselves brigaded with
veteran troops, of three years experience. Few civ
ilians can appreciate the real hardships of the situa
tion, but severe as they were, the regiment faced them
manfully. Within the space of five months from the
time of leaA'ing the State, the Thirty-Second Regiment
had borne an honorable part in such confiicts as the
battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna,
Cojd Harbor, Petersburg, the Mine Explosion, Web
don Railroad, Poplar Spring Church and Hatcher's
Run, not to mention minor engagements and skir
mishes of almost daily occurrence. And before the
first year of the three for which it was enlisted, had
been completed, so heavy had been its losses in ofiicers
and men, and so greatly was its effective strength re
duced by its severe service,- that in December, 1864,
the War Department ordered it to be consolidated
with the Thirty-First Maine. This order was carried

14 . AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
into effect on December 12th, by the transfer of fifteen
(15) officers and four hundred and seventy (470) enlist
ed men of the Thirty-Second, which ceased to exist as
a regimental organization after that date. Of the
number thus transferred upon the rolls, many, both
of officers and men, were absent on account of
wounds, or prisoners in the hands of the enemy, so
that the figures given above are largely in excess of
the actual number present for duty, who became
members of the Thirty-First Maine.
The brief term of separate service and existence
of the Thirty-Second being only from May to Decem
ber, 1864, or for about eight months, has no doubt
had a tendency to render it much less prominent than
many regiments which served two or three years, but
which actually were not so actiA^ely engaged, and
suffered less loss during their entire period of service.
And the fact that it was consolidated Avith another
command, which continued to exist until the close of
the war, has undoubtedly occasioned it to be less
clearly recognized and distinguished as having been a
separate organization. For these reasons, it has failed
hitherto to receive full justice and consideration for
what it really did accomplish during its short but
stirring existence. We, who served in its ranks, have
no wish to claim any credit or honor which does not
belong to us, nor do we desire to disparage the ser
vices of any other regiment, from our own or any
other State. But we firmly believe that, as a regi
ment, we are justly entitled to claim the honor due to
a performance of duty at all times, and in the face of
all dangers. And to afford some imperfect idea of the
basis upon which our claim rests, is the purpose of the
narrative submitted to consideration in the following
pages.

CHAPTER IL THE CAMPAIGN OF m\4.

Its Terrible Battles and Weary Marches. — From
THE Wilderness to Petersburg. — Recrttits
Made Veterans by Sea^ere and
Unremitting Service.

Allusion has already been made in the previous
chapter, to the peculiar features of the campaign of
LS64, but in order to point out more distinctly the
nature of the service of the Thirty-Second Maine, it
seeras proper to devote sorae space to the further con
sideration of that carapaign, before beginning to speak
of the part the regiment took therein. In its long-
continued flghting, of the most desperate and sangui
nary character, and its consequent terrible slaughter
and destructiveness, that campaign is unquestionably
Avithout a parallel, not only among the previous cam
paigns of the War of the Rebellion, but in the whole
history of the conflicts of civilized nations, from the
earliest recorded time down to the present age.
History is full of the wars waged by great military
chieftains in all ages, and on almost every page there
is the record of some great battle Avhich has become
famous throughout the world. But it is hardly too
much to say that in the first portion of the campaign
of 1864, embracing the operations from the Rapidan
to the James, which covered a period of about six

1() AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
weeks, the Array of the Potoraac fought one of the
most remarkable series of battles, and performed, in
addition, a succession of sorae of the most skillful
movements Avhich have ever been recorded in the
annals of military affairs.
In the remote ages of antiquity, the Macedonian
phalanx, Avitli Alexander the Great as its leader, pene
trated to the heart of the Persian Empire, and sub
jected the Eastern world to the rule of the brave son
of Philip. Again, almost three centuries later, the
veteran legions of Rome, with Julius Caesar at their
head, conquered Gaul, subdued Spain, overthreAv
Pompey the Great, and invested their general with the
power and dignity of Dictator. And, in still more
recent days, amid the convulsions and anarchy which
marked the close of the eighteenth century in France,
there arose the star of that great soldier. Napoleon
Bonaparte, under the guidance of whose transcendant
military genius the arraies that fought beneath his
victorious eagles won such triumphs as those of Lodi
and Areola, of Marengo and Austerlitz. But no one
nor all of these famous armies, in ancient or modern
times, ever exhibited more heroic valor or more per
sistent determination than were manifested by the
Army of the Potoraac throughout the whole of that
protracted struggle, which might well be considered
as one uninterrupted battle from the Wilderness to
Petersburg. The soldiers of the Macedonian, the Roman, and
the Corsican won their victories over opponents who
were not their equals in a military point of view. But
the troops under Grant and Meg,de were contending
against their own countrymen, equally brave, well-
disciplined, and confident of success. And it should

thirty-second MAINE REGIMENT 17
be remembered, further, that during the whole time
occupied in the advance from the Rapidan, the Army
of the Potomac was constantly fighting at a disadvan
tage. The Confederates were found strongly en
trenched in advantageous positions, and fought main
ly from the shelter of their works, while the Union
forces were compelled to expose themselves and act
upon the offensive. From day to day the northern
troops were engaged in fierce assaults upon earth
works, behind whose strong and formidable defences
were massed the flower of Lee's veteran battalions.
And when with the most unflinching courage, and
most reckless disregard of life, our men had flung
themselves, again and again, in wild and daring
charges against those works, how often did they see
the sun set, leaving the enemy still in possession of
his entrenchments and ready to meet our renewed
attacks upon the morrow.
Had such battles as that of Spottsylvania, for
instance, been fought in open ground, or where the
armies could have had space for manoeuvring, there
can be little doubt but that the result would have
been far different from what it actually was, since the
desperate fighting which enabled us to hold the
" Bloody Angle, " would under more favorable condi
tions, have made it possible for us to win a lasting
victory. But there is not one of the several great
battles which were fought so stubbornly in the few
weeks between the beginning of May and the middle
of June, 1864, that can be said to have resulted in any
thing like a decisive advantage to either of the
antagonists. To begin with that in the Wilderness,
which was, perhaps, the strangest and most singular
contest of equal magnitude which the world ever wit-

18 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
nessed, nothing of practical value had been gained on
either side when it was ended.
Hidden in the depths of a vast extent of tangled
forest, two great armies strove for three days, each
seeking to accomplish the destruction of its adversary.
And yet, deadly and persistent as was the struggle,
neither was able to win so great an advantage as to
materially affect the final issue of the conflict between
the sections. Lee had no doubt entertained the hope
that, wearied and broken by the fierce encounters of
the prolonged battle. Grant's army would fall back
across the Rapidan, as it had done more than once be
fore, when under other leaders. On the other hand.
Grant had hoped to accomplish much more than
merely to struggle blindly in an impenetrable forest,
but found the Confederate position far too strong to
be forced by an attack directly in front. But instead
of retreating across the river, and taking time to
refresh and recuperate his army, the Federal leader
sought by a sudden and unexpected manoeuvre to
throw himself between Lee and the rebel capital.
And the old Army of the Potomac, under his masterly
guidance, began the first of that series of great fiank
movements which has become world-famous. But the
Confederate chief was a wary and skillful soldier,
who soon penetrated the secret of Grant's strategy,
and set about defeating its purpose. A part of his
forces was hurried by interior roads to Spottsylvania,
and stood ready to confront us upon our arrival there,
and dispute our further advance.
Then came another great battle, in which the
Federal army was as prompt to attack, and their
opponents as ready to meet that attack, as if there had
been no collision in the forest paths of the Wilder-

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 19
ness. When the next lines of Confederate entrench
ments were developed, in the advance upon Spottsyl
vania, there was no faltering, — no lack of spirit and
resolution, — though the attack of the Union forces
was delivered against works planned by the ablest
engineers of the Confederacy, and intended to be, as
they proved, practically impregnable. Again and
again the Federals charged these strong defenses, but
with no result in any de.gree commensurate with the
terrible loss of life involved by these repeated attacks.
Almost the only fruit of their reckless bravery was to
cover the ground in the front of the hostile position
with dead and dying men, till thousands had fallen
in the attempt to carry works which still defied capt
ure. It is true that Hancock's magnificent charge
upon the salient won for us the possession of a portion
of the rebel line, but Lee's position was as invulner
able as ever.
The struggle for the possession of the angle was a
protracted and bloody one, and at this point, the Con
federate leader departed from his general policy of
receiving the Union attack from the shelter of his
entrenchments, and became himself the assailant.
Early in the morning Hancock had charged and
entered the entrenchments of the enemy, and after
a hand-to-hand struggle, in which bayonets and
clubbed muskets had been freely used, had captured
many guns and colors, and thousands of prisoners.
The remainder of the Confederate forces at that point
were thrown into great confusion, and driven to the
rear in disorder. Hancock's men were elated at the
success of their first assault, and pursued the fugitives
through the thickly wooded forests. For the distance
of half a mile or more, they found no difiiculty in

20 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
driving the fiying eneray before them, but their
advance was then abruptly checked, aud their trium
phant progress brought to an end. The rebels had
reached a second line of works, and taken shelter be
hind them, and reinforcements had come up to their
relief. The barrier was too strong to be broken, and
Hancock soon found that it was not only impossible
to advance further, but that he could not remain
where he was.
The Confederates, in heavy masses, now emerged
from their works, and in their turn, charged the
Union forces. Hancock's troops had become some
what broken and disordered in the course of their
rapid advance through the forest, and the weight of
the rebel onset drove them back to the line they had
at first captured. Here they rallied and offered a
stubborn resistance to the fierce attacks directed
against them. Lee was firmly resolved not to suffer
the angle of his works to remain in the possession of
the Federals, and to enable him to recover it, he
put forth the utmost endeavors, concentrating his
strength upon that single point. Reinforcements
came to the aid of the Union troops, but Lee was
not easily beaten off. Again and again his heavy
columns dealt terrific blows against the Federal lines,
but failed to dislodge them from the coveted position.
Five times the Confederates charged against the
salient, and five times they were repulsed, after a
severe struggle. And it was not until late at night
that the enemy finally relinquished the effort, and
withdrew his wearied and shattered masses to his
interior lines, leaving the ' ' Bloody Angle " still in
our possession as the prize of a battle that was one of
the bloodiest of the whole war. Yet we had not

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 21
gained any decisive advantage by all this terrible car
nage and sacrifice of human life.
The next day found the Confederates confronting
us as firmly as ever, strongly entrenched behind an
inner and less extended line. The troops on both
sides were wearied and worn out by the exertions of
the previous day, and neither army was disposed to
take the offensive. For a week the two armies con
tinued to be in nearly the same general position, and
though almost constant skirmishing went on, and
there were some minor affairs in the course of recon
naissances toward the enemy's line, and the like, no
battle was fought during that time. A sharp engage
ment was had upon the 18th of May, the Second,
Sixth and Ninth Corps attacking the Confederate
position, and carrying the first line of works, without
much difficulty. The second line, held by a strong
force, proved to be much more formidable, and after
a vigorous contest in which no advantage was gained
by the Federal forces, the three Corps were Avith-
drawn, and the attempt abandoned.
Then followed the fiank movement to the North
Anna river, the accomplishment of which found the
enemy inviting an attack, in a position even stronger
than those he had previously occupied. Lee had most
probably anticipated some such manoeuvre on the part
of the Federal leader, and prepared to render it un
availing. Having the shorter interior lines on which
to move his troops, he was able to outstrip his antago
nist in the race toward Richmond. And when the
Union army reached the north bank of the North
Anna, the Confederates were already in position on
the southern side, in works of great strength and
upon ground peculiarly favorable for purposes of

22 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
defence. General Grant was soon convinced that his
opponent was too well fortified to be dislodged by any
direct attack, and again put into execution his
favorite manoeuvre of a movement by the fiank.
As the result of these tactics, the armies again
confronted each other at Cold Harbor, the Confeder
ates quietly awaiting our assault, behind a new line
of works, of great extent and strongly fortified. An
attack upon this position followed the arrival of the
Federal army upon the scene, and in spite of their
previous frightful losses, OTir forces rushed upon the
enemy's lines as undauntedly as if they had met with
no reverses theretofore. But the assault failed to
produce the desired result, notwithstanding the
bravery and determination with which it was made.
The strong and well-defended works against which
the charging masses hurled theraselves so desperately,
sustained the shock, and their assailants were re
pulsed with great loss. The battle was a gallant one,
and contested with great vigor on the part of the
Union troops," but human bravery and endurance
have their limits, and the assault from which General
Grant had hoped so much, proved a costly failure.
Then there followed days of danger and constant
loss, tliough we fought no battle in the time. But for
more than a week, the army lay upon the sandy plains
about Cold Harbor, under the unceasing fire of rebel
sharpshooters, who were exceedingly annoying, and
occasioned large daily losses of oificers and men.
The conviction that there could be no hope of
winning a decisive victory from any direct as
sault delivered against the works which now barred
his progress, became settled in the mind of the
Lieutenant-General. And. an other great flank move-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 23
ment was soon undertaken, and the Federal army put
in motion toAvard the James river. The successful
execution of that manoeuvre brought the Union forces
something more than twenty miles south of Richmond,
and immediately around Petersburg, which was practi
cally the gate through which entrance was to be
obtained to the first named city. The arrival of the
army upon this ground raay be said to complete the
first portion of the campaign of 1864, and it is fre
quently the case that the events of this period be
tween the first of May and the middle of June are
spoken of as a separate campaign, under the name of
the Overland Campaign, as previously mentioned.
The second portion of the military undertakings
of the year 1864, so far as matters in Virginia are con
cerned, is comprised under the general name of the
Siege of Petersburg, but it may be questioned whether
that distinction is absolutely necessary, or if all the
events of the year might not as well be considered
incidents of a single grand campaign. The character
of the operations becarae changed after the army
arrived in front of Petersburg, it is true, but there
was no period of inaction intervening between the
terraination of one series of operations, and the begin
ning of another, as was usual between separate cam
paigns. General Grant first endeavored to carry the
defenses of Petersburg by direct assault, immediately
upon reaching a position before them, and for several
successive days, vigorous attacks Avere made upon the
Confederate lines. One of these attacks, made in the
early morning of the 17th of June, the Thirty-Second
Maine has especial reason to remember, since the
brigade to whicli it belonged had the honor of leading
the column of assault, and the regiment occupied a

24 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
position in the first line. Of this charge, and its
results, more extended mention will be made in
another portion of this narrative.
Finally becoming satisfied that he could not
hope to capture the city by assault. General Grant
began his preparations for a regular investment and
siege of the place. Movements were begun, having
for their object the envelopment of Petersburg, and
the cutting of its lines of communication, especially
that known as the Weldon Railroad. The work of
entrenching and strengthening our own position was
also commenced, and elaborate fortifications were
rapidly constructed. The labor was very hard, as the
troops were wearied by their previous severe service,
and the weather was extremely hot. Added to the
exhausting character of the work they Avere now
called upon to do, the men suffered much from the
almost constant fire of the eneray. The works were
in raany places closely up to the rebel lines, and
exposed to their artillery and sharpshooters. Men
were killed and wounded in the trenches, as they
labored in the fortifications, and day after day, for a
montli or more after the army first sat down before
the city, engagements of considerable magnitude were
constantly taking place in sorae part of our extended
lines. So the siege progressed until the last of July,
when an event took place which will ever be a memo
rable one to the survivors of the Ninth Corps espe
cially, and to none more so than to those of the
Thirty-Second Maine. This was the disastrous mine
explosion, upon the 80th of July, in which our regi
ment, in comraon with so many others, suffered such
terrible loss, while penned for hours in the dreadful

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 25
' ' Crater ". Of i the details of that day of carnage and
destruction this is not the place to speak, but due
consideration will be given the sad affair in a subse
quent chapter. Following this disastrous repulse,
there came a period of comparative inaction in the
immediate front of Petersburg, although active opera
tions were in progress north of the James river, and
in the vicinity of the Weldon Railroad. Yet there
was sufficient activity, even in the most quiet portions
of the lines, to render life in the trenches not only
fatiguing but dangerous. Heavy artillery and picket
firing went on from day to day, and the fatal bullets
of the enemy's sharpshooters found many victims.
Near the raiddle of August the successful attempt
to secure possession of the Weldon Railroad took place,
and the Thirty-Second Maine, with its comrades of
the Ninth Corps, made a toilsome march over muddy
roads, to support the Fifth Corps in its struggle for
the coveted prize. From this time until the last of
September, while there was constant activity in some
part of Grant's extensive lines, the story of the siege
in general is but little more than a repetition of what
has been heretofore said. The advanced lines, closely
in proximity to the Confederate works, were fre
quently subjected to severe shelling, and desultory
firing was of daily occurrence. The troops were in
hourly danger by day and night, from the rifies of the
lurking sharpshooters, and the huge shells thrown by
the mortar-batteries, and there was scarcely a moment
when the sound of near or distant firing was not
audible. Siege-guns and mortars thundered on each side,
musketry came in sharp rattling volleys from the
opposing picket-lines, the air was filled with the shrill

26 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
whistle of solid shot and the duller sound of the
exploding shell as they burst above our heads, — and
now and then some missile better aimed than the rest
would strike in our midst, and scatter death and
wounds around. Yet the casualties were compara
tively few, as the troops had learned to construct
bomb-proofs, or as they became better known among
the soldiers, "gopher-holes", in which they were
accustomed to shelter themselves when the shelling
became heavy. On the 30th of September, however,
a strong column of troops, consisting of two divisions
of the Ninth Corps, and two divisions and a brigade
of the Fifth Corps, was pushed out toward the South
Side Railroad. At Peeble's Farm, on the Squirrel
Level road, the column came in collision with the
enemy, and in the course of the action which ensued,
the Second division of the Ninth Corps, to which the
Thirty-Second Maine belonged, met with a severe
repulse, and was thrown into confusion, losing
heavily, and having many men captured. The
Federal forces, however, were able to establish them
selves flrmly about four miles from the South Side
Railroad, and entrenched the position, connecting
their new works with the old line at Petersburg.
The time passed in this labor, together with the
usual picket and similar duties, until the 8th of Octo
ber, when a general advance was made by the Fifth
and Ninth Corps, but after a hard day's march, and
some amount of skirmishing, both corps returned to
their old positions without having secured any advan
tage by the movement. Again there was comparative
inactivity for some two weeks after this reconnais
sance, but on the 26th of October the whole army
received orders to move early on the following morn
ing. Before the day -break of the 27th the troops were

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 27
in motion, moving upon various roads, the general
direction of all the colurans being toward the south
west.' The Ninth Corps, in conjunction with the
Fifth, soon struck the eneiny at Hatcher's Run. His
works were too strong to be penetrated, and they were
able only to maintain their position in his front,
which they did throughout the day, at a considerable
loss. The other columns of advance meeting with
but slightly better success, the movement was relin
quished, and the army returned to its former lines.
From this time until the close of the year, with
the exception of Warreii's movement' toward the
Meherrin river, in which the Ninth Corps did not
participate, there were no operations of general impor
tance. And as the separate service of the Thirty-
Second terminated, as has been said, upon the 12th of
December, it is not deemed necessary, for the purpose
of this narrative, to make further reference to the
occurrences of the campaign at this time. In subse
quent chapters they will be dealt with in detail, in
their relation to the experiences of the regiment dur
ing those brief months into which were crowded so
many stirring events. But enough, it is believed, has
already been said to prove the assertion made at the
beginning of this chapter, that the campaign of 1864
was without a parallel in the history of military
affairs. And a regiment which bore itself creditably
throughout such a remarkable campaign has no rea
son to blush for or regret its record, even though that
may have been its first and only participation in the
events of the war. That the Thirty-Second Maine
Regiment did so bear itself, and perform honorably
the duties devolving upon it, from the beginning to
the end of its military service, the following chapters
will clearly show, it is confidently believed.

CHAPTER III.

The Army of the Potomac at the Opening of the
Campaign. — Consolidation and Reorganiza
tion. — Receuiting New Regiments
in Maine. — Oeganization of
THE ThIETY-SeCOND
AT Augusta.

The last operation of the campaign of 1863, so far
as the Army of the Potomac is concerned, may be
briefly summed up as follows: A general advance of
that army took place late in November; a partial
engagement was had with the enemy after the crossing
of the Rapidan had been effected; the movement
developed the whole Confederate army strongly
posted at Mine Run, whereupon the advance was
abandoned, ahd the Union forces returned to their
winter quarters north of the Rapidan, without any
general action having been fought. No other actiA^e
operations were carried on during the winter, except
the cavalry raid of Kilpatrick toward Richmond, and
the movement made by Custer's cavalry command,
and the Sixth Corps, toward Charlottesville. But
great preparations were made to ensure a most
vigorous prosecution of hostilities when the return of
spring should permit the renewal of active campaign
ing.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 29
The army was reorganized and consolidated, and
recruiting was briskly carried on throughout the loyal
States during the winter in order to fill up the ranks
of old organizations, thinned by their previous ser
vice, and in many cases reduced to mere skeletons of
regiments. And in addition to recruits furnished to
these veteran regiments, new organizations were
raised in many of the States, to swell the numbers of
the grand army which was once raore to confront Lee
and his legions upon the old battle-ground of Virginia.
General Humphreys, in his work entitled "Vir
ginia Campaign. of 1864 and 1865", states that in the
spring of 1864 "the Army of the Potoraac lay between
the Rapidan and the Rappahannock. The infantry
was posted chiefiy in the vicinity of Culpepper Court
House, covering the roads leading from Lee's position,
the First and Third Corps about two railes in advance
of the Court House, the Second Corps near Stevens
burg, the Sixth Corps near Weif ords' Ford on Hazel
river, and the Fifth Corps guarding the railroad from
the Rappahannock river back to Bristoe Station, near
Manassas Junction. The Ninth Corps, under General
Burnside, began to relieve the Fifth Corps from this
duty on April 25th, and between the 1st and 3rd of
May encamped along the railroad from Manassas
Junction to Rappahannock Station. "
General Humphreys goes on to say that "on
March 4th General Meade recommended to the Secre
tary of ^War to consolidate the five Infantry corps of
the Army of the Potomac, and form three corps of
them. This consolidation was effected by orders
from the War Department dated March 23rd, the
Second, .Fifth and Sixth Corps being retained, and
the divisions of the First and Third Corps transferred

80 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
to the three retained corps, though preserving their
corps and division badges and distinctive marks.
This re-organization required brigades and divisions
in all the five corps to be consolidated."
It may be well to state here, although a little in
advance of the regular progress of events, the organi
zation of the Army of the Potomac as it existed at the
close of April, 1864. On the 30th of that month the
army was organized as follows:
Major-General George G. Meade, Commanding
the Army; Major-General A. A. Humphreys, Chief of
Staff; Brigadier-General Henry J. Hunt, Chief of
Artillery; Major James C. Duane, Chief Engineer.
Second Coeps, Major-General Winfield S. Han
cock commanding; First Division (old Second Corps),
composed of four brigades, Brigadier-General F. C.
Barlow commanding; Second Division (old Second
Corps), composed of three brigades, Brigadier-General
John Gibbon commanding; Third Division (old Third
Corps)', composed of two brigades, Major-General D.
B. Birney commanding; Fourth Division (old Third
Corps), composed of two brigades, Brigadier-General
G. Mott commanding.
Fifth Corps, Major-General G. K. Warren com
manding; First Division (old Fifth Corps), composed
of three brigades. Brigadier -General Charles Griffin
commanding; Second Division (old First Corps), com
posed of three brigades, Brigadier-General J. C. Rob
inson commanding; Third Division (old Fifth Corps),
composed of two brigades, Brigadier-General S. W.
Crawford commanding; Fourth Division (old First
Corps), Brigadier -General J. S. Wadsworth'command-
ing.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 81
Sixth Coeps, Major-General John Sedgwick com
manding; First Division, four brigades, Brigadier-
General H. G. Wright commanding; Second Division,
four brigades, Brigadier-General G. W. Getty com
manding; Third Division, two brigades, Brigadier-
General James B. Ricketts commanding.
Cav ALEY Coeps, Major-General P. H. Sheridan
commanding; First Division, three brigades, Brigadier-
General A. T. A. Torbett commanding; Second Divi
sion, two brigades, Brigadier-General D. McM. Gregg-
commanding; Third Division, two brigades, Brigadier-
General J. H. Wilson commanding.
To the above, constituting the Army of the Poto
mac proper, should be added the Ninth Corps, which,
as mentioned by General Humphreys, relieved the
Fifth about the last of April, operating with the
Army of the Potomac, though continuing as an
independent command until the 24th of May, when it
Avas incorporated into General Meade's command. Its
roster was as follows:
Ninth Coeps, Major-General Ambrose E. Burn
side commanding; First Division, two brigades,
Brigadier-General Thomas G. Stevenson commanding;
Second Division, two brigades, Brigadier-General
Robert B. Potter commanding; Third Division, two
brigades, Brigadier-General Orlando B. Willcox com
manding; Fourth Division (colored troops), two bri
gades, Brigadier-General Edward Ferrero command
ing; and a provisional brigade which, about May 21st,
was incorporated in the First Division, and became
its third brigade.
The consolidated Morning Report of the Army of
the Potomac, dated April 30, 1864, gives its numerical
strength on that day, "present for duty equipped":

Officers.

Enlisted Men.

Guns.

70

1,048

50

2,226

3,506

69,884

285

9,945.

274

585

11,839

32 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Provost Guard,
Engineers,The Three Infantry Corps,
Artillery (of the Infantry
and Cavalry Corps and
Eeserve Artillery with
its guard) ,
The Cavalry Corps,
Total, .... 4,496 94,942
Making an aggregate of ninety-nine thousand,
four hundred and thirty-eight (99,438) officers and
men, with two hundred seventy-four (274) guns.
The Ninth Corps at the same date had, according
to its Monthly Return for April, 1864, "present for
duty":
Officers. Enlisted Men. Guns.
Infantry and Artillery, . 850 17,209 42
Cavalry, ... 73 1,199
Total, 923 18,408
Making a total force of nineteen thousand, three
hundred and thirty-one (19,381) men, with forty-two
(42) guns. This added to the preceding, shows the
aggregate forces operating in Virginia at the opening
of the Overland Campaign to have been :
Officers. Enlisted Men. Guns.
5,419 113,350 316
For the above tables credit should be given to
General Humphreys, from whose work above referred
to, they have been taken. * Allusion was made above
to the fact that new organizations were raised in
several of the northern States during the winter of
1864, and araong the new regiments, for the raising of
which authority was given by the War Department at
* "Virginia Campaign", — foot note, p. 13, and p. 14.
THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 38
that time, there were two from the State of Maine,
known respectively as the Thirty-First and the Thirty-
Second Regiments of Maine Infantry Volunteers.
The military authorities of the State first received
official instructions relative to the recruiting of these
organizations by telegrams from the War Department
at Washington, under date of February 3rd, 1864, and
upon the following day, February 4th, the regiments
Avere assigned, in advance of their organization, to the
Ninth Corps, by letter from Col. T. M. Vincent,
Assistant Adjutant-General, U. S. Army. The Corps
to which these embryo regiments were thus assigned
for service, when they should have been recruited up
to the proper number, and become organized and
ready for duty, had been in Tennessee during the
campaign of 1863, but it was generally understood
that it was to return east in the spring, and would be
employed upon some coast-wise expedition, or similar
duty, co-operating with the Army of the Potomac.
In pursuance of the orders and instructions
received from Washington, as mentioned above, the
State authorities took immediate action to commence
recruiting for the two new regiments. General Order
No. 12, series of 1864, issued frora Headquarters,
Adjutant-General's Office, Augusta, Maine, under
date of February 8, 1864, and as this order was the
legal authority under which our regiment existed, it
appears to be proper to copy the material portions
thereof in this place. These are as follows :
Headquarters, Adjutant-General's Office, ^
Augusta, February 8, 1864. ^
General Order No. 12.
The Commander-in-Chief orders and directs as follows :
I. Two regiments * * « of infantry to be credited to
the quota apportioned to this State, under the call of the

34 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
President of the United States, of the first instant, are
authorized by the Secretary of War to be enlisted and organ
ized prior to the first day of March next. * * *
II. These regiments, the 31st and 32nd of Maine Vol
unteers, will be commanded by Col. George Varney, of Ban
gor, late of the Maine 2nd, and Col. Mark F. Wentworth of
Kittery, late of the 27th, and will, by special order of the
War Department, be rendezvoused and organized at Augusta.
XII. It is both desirable and practicable that two-thirds
of the commissioned officers of these regiments shall be those
who have heretofore held commissions in active service.
One lieutenant of each company may be a civilian. * * *
XIV. The 31st Eegiment will be raised by volunteer
enlistments from the counties, and in the proportions follow
ing, viz : Kennebec, 200 ; Aroostook, 75 ; Piscataquis, 75 ;
Hancock, 100 ; Knox, 75 ; Somerset, 100 ; Penobscot, 200 ;
Waldo, 100 ; Washington, 100. The 32nd Eegiment will be
composed of the number set against the following counties,
viz: York, 300; Oxford, 100; Franklin, 100; Lincoln,
100; Cumberland, 200; Androscoggin, 100; Sagadahoc,
100. ***** By order of the Commander-in-Chief .
John L. Hodsdon,
Adjutant- General.
While not explicitly stated in this order, it Was
understood that the authorities desired that as large
a proportion as possible of the enlisted men of these
new regiments should have seen some previous service.
It was thought that this would tend to secure a
greater degree of efficiency than was usual in new
organizations, and the liberal terms offered for the
re-enlistment of A'-eterans were believed to be likely to
induce many such to again enter the service. The
nine-month regiments having completed their terra

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 35
and returned home in the previous summer, it was
hoped that many of the men who had served therein
would again enlist in these new three-years' regiments.
This hope, however, was not fulfilled to the extent
contemplated by the State officers, although a con
siderable number of veterans were to be found in each
of the companies, Avlien the regimental organizations
Avere perfected. But by far the larger part of the
enlisted men had never seen any previous service, and
were wholly untried and inexperienced in the per
formance of the duties which pertain to a soldier's
life. In the case of the commissioned officers, however,
the conditions were more nearly in accordance Avith
the expectations of the authorities. The General
Order quoted above expressly required that two-thirds
of the commissioned officers should have previously
held commissions in other regiments. While this
requirement would appear not to have been strictly
complied with so far as regards the actual holding of
commissions in previous service, yet it is true that a
large proportion of the officers had been members of
other regiments, either as commissioned officers or
enlisted men. Of the field and staff, and line officers
of the Thirty-Second Maine, some twenty-five in all
had seen more or less service before receiving their
commissions in that regiment. And of the rank and
file, a careful examination of the reports of the
Adjutant-General of Maine, which should be good
authority, shows the whole number of veterans
among the enlisted men to be about one hundred
and forty (140) out of a total of one thousand and
ten (1,010) men in the organization.
As was natural, a large proportion of these hun-

36 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
dred and forty old soldiers were non-commissioned
officers of the several corapanies, their previous
experience rendering them more familiar with the
duties of such positions. But while this statement as
to the composition of the regiment as a whole has
been made at this early stage of its history, it is not to
be understood, of course, that its organization Avas
corapletely effected iraraediately upon the. issue of
authority for its recruitment. The process of filling
its ranks to the necessary number was a gradual one,
and extended over a period of several months, with
the best efforts that could be made by those interested
in its speedy completion. Recruiting was carried on
as rapidly as possible, but there were good reasons to
prevent the regiment from filling up with any greater
rapidity. Enlistments were being raade at the sarae time for
old organizations then in the field, and these seemed
to offer some advantages not possessed by a new regi
ment. Or, at all events, many of those who entered
service at this tirae, went into the ranks of old regi
ments, for some reason, whose enlistment otherwise
would have filled the two new organizations to the
maximum in much less time than really was requisite.
But in spite of all obstacles, the regiment began to
assume form by degrees, as all through the winter
and early spring, larger or smaller squads of men
were coming into the rendezvous, and beginning to
learn the preliminary lessons of military life.
Augusta was at that time a central point for the
encampment of Maine troops, and during the winter
quite a number of organizations were in process of
formation at various localities Avithin the limits of the
city. Among these organizations were the Second

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 37
Maine Cavalry, which left the State in January, 1864;
eight companies of the First District of Columbia
Cavalry, which Avent to Washington in March; the
Seventh Maine Battery, Avhich went out early in
February; and the Thirty-First and Thirty-Second
Infantry Regiments, the larger part of which left
Maine in April, as Avill be more fully explained here
after. The camp occupied by the Thirty-Second was
located upon one of the numerous hills which rise
back of the more thickly populated portions of
Augusta, upon the western side of the Kennebec
river, and at some distance from the business part of
the city. It Avas known as ' ' Camp E. D. Keyes ", that
name having been given in honor of General Erasmus
D. Keyes, well known as the old commander of the
Fourth Corps, in McClellan's campaign upon the
Peninsula and in front of Richmond in 1862. The
situation was unquestionably a fine one for a summer
camp, but its elevation rendered it bleak and cheer
less when occupied in the colder seasons of the year.
Rows of long wooden barracks, somewhat roughly
constructed, and with but slight claim to architec
tural beauty, stood at one side of the spacious, snow-
covered field, and the chilling wind of a northern
Avinter was blowing keenly across the wide, white
expanse, when the writer beheld it for the first time,
on the afternoon of a short February day. Turning
to look toward the city, the eye was caught first by
the dome of the State Capitol, a little to the right and
farther down the slope, and below this and to the
left, clustered the dwellings, covering the hillsides as
they fell off toward the river.
New and strange as Avas the scene, but little more

38 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
than a hasty glance was taken, before entering the
barracks which was to take the place of home until
Ave bade farewell to Maine. The interior view of the
barracks, with their triple tiers of rough "bunks"
running lengthwise on each side, the bare, unplas-
tered walls and rafters, and the broken and smoking
stoves at each end of the central floor-space, was an
equally novel sight. But the little groups gathered
about the stoves or lounging in the "bunks", con
tributed to give a somewhat more cheerful, yet
scarcely more home-like appearance in-doors than was
presented outside to unaccustomed eyes. We soon
became in a raeasure accustomed to our surroundings,
however, and the constraint of our flrst introduction
to camp-life rapidly passed away. Days and weeks
Aveiit by without the occurrence of important inci
dents in our experience.
By degrees the nuraber of recruits in camp
increased, and new faces appeared in the barracks,
day by day. Acquaintances began to be formed
among those previously strangers to each other, but
iiOAv by the chance of fortune, brought into the closest
association. Those who had never met before, now
entered upon an intimacy which has had as its result,
a friendship based upon common service, — a spirit of
comradeship raore deep and lasting than can be
realized or appreciated by civilians. It has been well
and truly said of the warm affection Avhicli soldiers
entertain toward old comrades that "the ties Avhicli
bind us to one another Avere welded in the fires of
battle". And, in that winter camp in Augusta there
Avere laid the foundations of many a friendship which
subsequent service in the field strengthened and
developed into a sentiment that has survived the

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 89
passage of years, and shall continue unchanged till
the last comrades who shared with us the experiences
of those days shall have answered to the final roU-
call. As time passed, that winter, some of the routine
duties of military life began to receive our attention,
and we soon began to fancy ourselves already trained
soldiers, as we learned to perforin such duties with
more or less precision and alacrity. Little did we
know or realize, then, how deficient we were in the
knowledge deemed so indispensable to the production
of good soldiers. As the spring graduallyadvanced,
and the deep snows became less of an insurmountable
obstacle, some slight opportunities of drilling were
afforded us, but it was extremely little. As late even
as April, there was a wild, tempestuous snow-storm of
two or three days' duration, which drifted in heaps
about the camp, until the details for guard were
obliged to wade almost knee-deep in it.
Of course, under these circumstances, there could
be no attention paid to drill in the open air, and the
limited space of the barracks rendered it impossible
to manoeuvre even a small squad under cover. There
fore, from these and other causes, we were almost
wholly ignorant of the proper execution of company
and battalion movements, and knew only imperfectly
even the manual of arms. When the months of time
devoted by most other regiments to perfecting them
selves in drill and in acquiring a thorough familiarity
with the school of the battalion, is taken into account,
it might be said of our regiment that we Avere per
mitted no opportunity whatever to become acquainted
with even the simplest movements when an inexorable
necessity compelled our being sent into the field.

40 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
But we Avill not dwell longer upon this point at
present, though it will be again alluded to later on.
As rapidly as possible, when the several com
panies were filled up to the required number of men,
they were mustered into the service of the United
States for a term of three years, by Lieutenant L. M.
Hamilton, of the regular army. The first to be in
readiness for muster in was one from York County,
which was duly organized and mustered as Company
A, on the 3rd day of March, with the following as its
commissioned officers:
Captain, Seth E. Bryant, of Kennebunk;
First Lieutenant, Horace H. Burbank, of Limer
ick;
Second Lieutenant, Samuel A. James, of Kittery.
On the 10th of March, the Oxford County men
were mustered as Company B, with the following as
its officers: Captain, Amos-F. Noyes, of Norway;
First Lieutenant, Joseph E. Colby, of Ruraford ;
Second Lieutenant, Henry M. Bearce, of Hebron.
On the 28rd of March, two companies, one from
Cumberland County, and one from Androscoggin
County, Avere raustered, and officered as follows:
Company C, Captain Herbert R. Sargent, of
Portland;
First Lieutenant, Joseph B. Hammond, of New
Gloucester;
Second Lieutenant, Charles F. Burr, of Freeport.
Company D, Captain William R. Ham, of LeAv-
iston;
First Lieutenant, Charles B. Rounds, of Danville ;
Second Lieutenant, James J. Chase, of Turner.
Company E was mustered on the 2nd of April

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 41
and Avas composed of men frora Franklin County. Its
officers Avere as follows:
Captain, Ebenezer S. Kyes, of Jay;
First Lieutenant, Charles W. Keyes, of Wilton;
Second Lieutenant, Jaraes A. Stanley, of Far
mington.
The second company from York County was
mustered on the 5th of April, as Corapany F, with
the following officers :
Captain, Isaac P. Fall, of South Berwick;
First Lieutenant, Fred S. Gurney, of Saco ;
Second Lieutenant, John G. Whitten, of Alfred.
The six companies above named constituted the
First Battalion of the regiment, which, as has been
said, left the State some weeks before the remaining
four companies were in readiness. And the record of
these six companies is for a time distinct from that of
the others, as will appear more in detail in the course
of this narrative. A sufficient number of companies
having been mustered to comply Avith the require
ments of military law regarding field officers, Arthur
Deering, of Richmond, Avas on the 7th of April,
mustered as Major. Some changes occurred at a little
later period among the line officers. Lieutenant Bur
bank of Company A being promoted to the cap
taincy of Company K, which resulted in the pro
motion of Second Lieutenant James to fill the vacancy
as First Lieutenant of A and of sergeant William
B. Pierce to be Second Lieutenant of that company,
in the place of James, promoted.
At about the same time, just prior to the depar
ture of the First Battalion from the State, sergeant
Thomas P. Beals of Company C, Avas promoted to
be First Lieutenant of Company H. The organiza-

42 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
tion of the Second Battalion was proceeded with as
fast as possible, in the following order:
Corapany G, from the County of Sagadahoc,
was mustered into the service of the United States on
the 16th of April, Avith the folloAving commissioned
officers: Captain, James L. Hunt, of Bath;
First Lieutenant, Thomas Childs, of Bath ;
Second Lieutenant, James B. Currier, of Green
wood.
Company H was the second company from Cum
berland County, and was mustered on the 21st of
April, and officered as follows :
Captain, George H. Chad well, of Portland ;
First Lieutenant, Thomas P. Beals, of Portland;
Second Lieutenant, Henry G. Mitchell, of Port
land.
Company I Avas raised in Lincoln County, and
was mustered on the 5th of May, with the folloAving
officers :
Captain, Marcus L. M. Hussey, of Newcastle ;
First Lieutenant, Wilmot Whitehouse, of New
castle ;
Second Lieutenant, George L. Hall, of Nobleboro.
Company K, the third and last from York
County, was mustered May 6th, with officers as
follows :
Captain, Horace H. Burbank, of Limerick;
First Lieutenant, Stephen G. Dorman, of Wells;
Second Lieutenant, Silas M. Perkins, of Keiine-
bunkport.
The organization of the regiment being thus
completed by the muster of Corapany K, the
reraainder of the field and staff Avere at once mus-

THIETA'-SECOND MAINE EEGIAIENT 43
tered into their several grades, on the same day, —
May 6th, — and the regiraent thus provided with
its full and proper quota from that date.
The list of line officers having been given above,
it is only necessary here to give the following roster
of the original field and staff, to show the constitution
of the command on the 6th of May, 1864:
Colonel, Mark F. Wentworth, of Kittery, With
rank from May 6, 1864;
Lieutenant-Colonel, John Marshall Brown, of
Portland, Avith rank frora May 5 ;
Major, Arthur Deering, of Richraond, with rank
frora April 7;
Adjutant, Calvin L. Hayes, of Kittery, with rank
from February 19;
Quartermaster, John Hall, of No. Berwick, with
rank from February 24;
Surgeon, Clark L. Trafton, of Kennebunkport,
with rank from February 19;
Assistant-Surgeon, John H. Kimball, of Bridgton,
with rank from February 27;
Assistant-Surgeon, Henry S. B. Sraith, of Bruns
wick, with rank from May 6;
Chaplain, William A. Patten, of York, with rank
from May 6.
Sergeant-Major, William B. Barker, of Limerick,
Avith rank from May 6;
Quartermaster-Sergeant, Ferdinand W. Guptill,
of Saco,Avith rank from May 6;
Commissary-Sergeant, James B. Walker, of Turn
er, with rank from May 6;
Hospital-Steward, Henry Bond, of Kittery, with
rank from May 6.

44 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Of the field and staff. Colonel Wentworth, as
previously stated, had already been in service in the
Twenty-Seventh Maine, a nine-months regiment, in
Which he had been Lieutenant-Colonel, and subse
quently, Colonel; while Lieutenant-Colonel Brown
was Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General on the
the staff of General Ames, and had been previously
Adjutant of the Twentieth Maine; and Major Deering
had previously been Captain in the Twenty-Fourth
Maine. Adjutant Hayes had been sergeant-major of
the Twenty-Seventh and Quartermaster Hall had
been quartermaster-sergeant and afterward Lieu
tenant of the . same regiment. Assistant-Surgeon
Kimball had held the same rank in the Fifteenth
Maine which he now had in the Thirty-Second. And
of the non-commissioned staff, sergeant-major Barker
had served as corporal in the Twenty-Seventh, and
commissary-sergeant Walker as a private in" the
Ninth Maine.
Among the line officers. Captains Bryant, Sargent,
Fall, Hunt and Chadwell had all previously held com
missions of the same grade in other regiments, Bryant
and Fall having served in the Twenty-Seventh,
Sargent in the Tenth, Hunt in the Twenty-First and
Chadwell in the Twelfth Maine. Captain Noyes had
previously been Lieutenant in the Fourteenth, and
Captain Hussey a sergeant in the Sixteenth, while
Captain Burbank had been a meraber of the non
commissioned staff of the TAventy-Seventh, and Cap
tain Kyes had served as a sergeant in the Twenty-
Eighth. Of the Lieutenants, Pierce and Whitten had been
respectively sergeant and corporal in the Twenty-
Seventh, Colby had been a private in the First, and

THlETA^-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 45
Bearce a Lieutenant in the TAventy-Third. Hammond
had been formerly a sergeant in the Fifth, and
Gurney had held a Lieutenant's commission in the
same regiment, and afterwards had been a sergeant
in the Twenty-Seventh. Burr and Childs had been
privates in the Tenth and Nineteenth respectively,
and Beals had served as sergeant in the Seventh,
AA^hile Whitehouse and Perkins had been sergeant and
private respectively in the Fourth. More extended
biographical sketches in such cases as it has been
possible to obtain the necessary data, will be found at
the close of this and following chapters.
It should be observed here that while the dates
given on a preceding page are those upon which the
several companies were mustered, they do not shoAv
correctly in all cases the date of muster of some of the
officers named. For exaraple. Lieutenant Burr of
Company C, was not mustered in that grade until
April 19th, and Captain Burbank of K, was not
mustered as such till June 7th. Lieutenants Rounds
and Chase of D, Avere mustered April 19th and
April 5th respectively, and Lieutenant Hararaond of
C, was not mustered on his commission as such till
July 22. But it was deemed most advisable to insert
the name of each officer as if mustered in his grade at
the time of muster -in of the company to which he
belonged, in order to avoid confusion.
The circumstances attending upon the organiza
tion of the Thirty-Second Maine have now been briefiy
stated, but before closing this chapter, it seems proper
to add a few words as to the men thus brought
together from so wide a territory as that coA'^ered by
no less than seven counties of the State. One charac
teristic which presented itself to the attention at the

46 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
first glance was the great preponderance in the ranks,
of very young men, — boys in their teens, as many of
them were. The legal military age was between eigh
teen and forty-five, and as a matter of course, upon
enlistment-papers and muster-rolls, none were repre
sented as being less than the minimum age, except in
the case of one or two of the musicians, — drummers,
about whom there was not so particular enquiry as to
age and physical capacity. But it is at once curious
and suggestive to glance over the rolls, and observe
how many of the enlisted men had just reached,
according to their own statements, the exact age at
which the Government would accept their services.
At least one-third of the entire number of enlisted
men are recorded as being eighteen years of age, while
only a very small proportion are shown as being
above thirty. Some considerable number range from
twenty to twenty-five and another fraction are be
tween twenty-five and thirty, but about every third
man is exactly eighteen. This does not apply, how
ever, with so much force to non-commissioned officers
as to privates, the former being, as has been said, in
many instances men who had already seen some ser
vice in other regiments. But among the privates
there were unquestionably a considerable number
who in claiming to have arrived at the legal age for
enlistment, had anticipated the course of events, and
" borrowed time " to some extent.
The writer is willing to confess now that he was
himself guilty of having "borrowed" something near
a year and a half to add enough to his actual age to
enable him to "pass muster". And he is sure he was
by no means the youngest man, — or boy, — in the
regiment, but that there were many who had seen

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 47
fewer years than himself. Indeed, the honor of
having been the youngest soldier from the State of
Maine who carried a musket, and did duty in the
ranks, has for some time past been generally conceded
to Edwin C. Milliken of Corapany H, who was but
a few days more than fourteen when he and his
father, Benjamin F. Milliken, entered the service
together. And there were many others in our ranks,
Avho while somewhat older than Comrade Milliken,
would yet have never served their country as soldiers
if they had waited till they were actually eighteen
before enlisting. The collapse of the rebellion, and
the end of the necessity for soldiers in the field would
have come before they had arrived at that age.
And many of our number sleep in unknown
graves in far-off Virginia to-day whose brave young
lives were quenched in blood before they had seen
their eighteenth birthday. Yet, boys as they were, —
mere striplings, beardless and immature, they fought
side by side with the bronzed veterans of Burnside's
Corps who captured Roanoke, and charged the bridge
at Antietam. And though they left many of their
number on every battle-field, those who survive have
no cause to blush either for themselves or for those
who fell, because of any failure in the performance of
the full measure of a soldier's duty. Ignorant of
much that pertains tp military life, because of the
lack of opportunity for instruction, and sorely at a
loss as regards the knowledge of intricate and com
plicated manoeuvres, because they were permitted no
time in which to learn the details of drill, there was
yet one order that they never failed to understand
and never hesitated to obey, and that was the com
mand to advance against the enemy.

4(S AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
3iograp(?icaI Skctcl^cs.

GENEEAL MAEK FEENALD WENT WOETH.
Mark Fernald Wentworth was born in Kittery, York
Caunty, Maine, on March 14, 1820. He was the son of
William and Mary (Fernald) Wentworth, his ancestry upon
both sides being of the good old colonial stock. One of his
paternal ancestors was the first Governor of New Hampshire,
and on the maternal side, he was a descendent from William
and Marjory Pepperell. His great-grandfather was a captain
in the " old French war", and his grandfather and two great-
uncles served in the war of the Eevolution, the former as a
captain. In boyhood, and until he was about twelve years of age,
the subject of this sketch attended the schools in his native
town for four months in the year, and worked on his father's
farm the remainder of the time. His father having died in
1832, he worked on the farm half of the year, from that time
forward, and attended the high school and the academy the
other half. At the age of twenty-one, he began the study of
medicine with Dr. Trafton of South Berwick, and during the
years 1842 to 1844, attended medical lectures at Dartmouth
College. In 1845 he was appointed as chief clerk to the
naval store keeper at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, in which
position he continued to serve until 1849, when he accepted a
clerical appointment to the State Valuation Commission at
Augusta. Upon the completion of his work there, he went
to Philadelphia, where he finished his medical studies, and
received his diploma from the University of Pennsylvania.
He first began to practice his profession in South Boston, but
subsequently moved back to his native town. Here he soon
established a large practice, which he continued to enjoy for
many years.

BEEVET BETGADIER-GENEEAL MAEK F. WENTWORTH.

THLRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 49
He possessed a taste for military matters, to gratify
which he was instrumental in the organization, in 1854, of a
company of militia, known as the Kittery Artillery. Ofthis
company he was chosen as captain and retained that position
until 1862. During this time he was appointed Chief-of-staft'
to Governor Hamlin, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
But the holiday service of the militia was soon to be
exchanged for sterner and more serious duties. In the
turbulent days which preceded the outbreak of the Civil War,
Dr. Wentworth was an active and ardent member of the
Eepublican party. And he took much pleasure in his selec
tion as one of the delegates from Maine to the National Con
vention in 1860, at which he cast his vote for Lincoln and
Hamlin. When the war came, at the first call for troops, in
April of 1861, Captain Wentworth with the Kittery Artillery
was ordered to Fort McClary at Kittery Point. They were
stationed here until June, when he received the appointment
of store keeper at the Portsmouth Navy Yard.
Desiring active service, however, when President
Lincoln, in 1862, called for troops to enlist for nine mouths,
he assisted in raising the Twenty-Seventh Maine Eegiment,
of which, at its organization, he became Lieutenant-Colonel,
and later was promoted Colonel. After having served its full
period of enlistment, and when about to return home and be
mustered out, Lee's invasion of the North threatened serious
danger to the Union cause. And at the request of the
President and the Secretary of War, Colonel Wentworth and
a large portion of his command, volunteered to remain for the
defense of Washington, although their time was expired.
They continued in service until after the battle of Gettysburg,
and when finally permitted to return to Maine, their home
ward journey was a continuous ovation from Washington to
their native State. And subsequently the survivors of the
regiment received a medal of honor, by vote of Congress, in
recognition of their patriotism.

50 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Soon after his return home from this service, Colonel
Wentworth, at the urgent solicitation of Governor Cony,
accepted the colonelcy of the Thirty-Second Maine Eegiment,
then about to be raised. The regiment was recruited, organ
ized, equipped and officered under his personal supervision,
early in 1864. As is well known, the regiment was sent to
the front in two detachments, the first leaving the State under
command of Major Deering. Colonel Wentworth accom
panied the second battalion, which joined the detachment
which had preceded it, at the North Anna river, in May,
1864. From that time until the end of July, the history ofthe
regiment is told elsewhere. The story of its participation
in the Mine Explosion in front of Petersburg on July 30th,
shows that it bore an honorable part in that famous affair.
And it vvas in that gallant service that Colonel Wentworth
received wounds which almost terminated his earthly career.
When the mine was blown up, the regiment proceeded
directly into the crater, in the hope and expectation of
penetrating the rebel lines. It had passed through the first
line, and was reforming, to push further on, amid the net
work of traverses and covered ways. Colonel Wentworth
was struck by a bullet which passed entirely through the left
side of his body, inflicting a wound of the most serious
character. It was with the utmost difficulty that he was
rescued and carried back into the Union lines, but at great
risk, this was accomplished. He was sent north, but after
being at his home in Kittery for some time, his wound was
found to be of such a serious nature as to prevent his return
ing to active service, and in November, 1864, he resigned his
commission. In 1865, he was brevetted Brigadier-General of
Volunteers, "for gallant and meritorious services during the
war''. After returning to civil life. General Wentworth served
his State and country in various official positions. He was

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 51
re-appointed as store keeper at the Navy Yard, and held the
office for a considerable time. He was representative in the
State Legislature in 1873-4 and 1880-1. In 1887 he was
made a member of the Board of Inspectors of State Prison,
and in 1891 he was appointed by President Harrison as
Surveyor of Customs at Portland, in which capacity he served
for four years. He was always prominent in politics, and
served on State, County and Town committees of his party.
He was a delegate in 1868 to the National Convention which
nominated General Giant for President, and in 1873 made an
unsuccessful contest for Eepresentative from the First Dis
trict, coming within a few votes of winning the honor.
General Wentworth died at his home in Kittery on July
12, 1897, leaving surviving him, a widow and two daughters,
and one brother.

52 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE

GENEEAL JOHN MAESHALL BEOWN.
John Marshall Brown, son of John Bundy and Ann
Matilda (Greely) Brown, was born in Portland, Maine,
December 14, 1838. He attended the Portland Academy,
Gould's Academy, Bethel, and Phillips (Andover) Academy
where he was chosen class orator. He entered Bowdoin Col
lege, was winner of the declamation prizes in his sophomore
and junior years, and class orator at graduation, in the class
of 1860. Began the study of law, but was not admitted to
the bar, having been commissioned August 29, 1862, as First
Lieutenant and Adjutant of the Twentieth Eegiment, Maine
Volunteer Infantry. After participation in the battles of
Antietam and Fredericksburg he was detailed for staff duty,
and appointed Acting Assistant Adjutant-General on the staff
of General Ayers.
On June 23, 1863, he was appointed by President
Lincoln, as Assistant Adjutant-General of Volunteers with the
rank of Captain, and ordered to report to General Ames,
commanding First Brigade, Barlow's Division, Eleventh
Corps. He served in the battle of Beverly Ford, in which
General Ames commanded a temporary division, and then
rejoined the corps on the movement to Gettysburg. General
Barlow being severely wounded on July 1, General Ames
assumed command of the division. And in his report he says :
"Captain J. M. Brown, my Assistant Adjutant-General,
rendered most valuable services during the three days' fight
ing ; with great coolness and energy he ably seconded my
efforts in repelling the assault made by the enemy on the
evening of the 2nd. " Subsequently General Ames was
assigned with his brigade to Gordon's division, ordered to
South Carolina, and there participated in the siege of Fort
Wagner and the movement on John's Island. On February
22, 1864, the brigade was ordered to Florida, and General

BREVET BRIGADIER-GENERAL JOHN M. BROWN.
(AS Captain and Asst.-Adjt.-Genl. in 1863.)

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 53
Ames put in command of a provisional division of four
brigades, covering the left wing of the defenses of Jackson
ville. On March 26, 1864, Captain Brown was promoted to be
Lieutenant-Colonel of the Thirty-Second Eegiment, Maine
Volunteers, and reported at once at Augusta, Maine. A
portion of the regiment having been sent to the front, he
followed with the remaining companies, on May 11th.
Colonel Wentworth being temporarily disabled, Lieutenant-
Colonel Brown commanded the detachment on the march from
Belle Plain to the North Anna, between May 22nd and 25th.
And was also in command of the regiment at Totopotomy and
Cold Harbor, and during the preliminary movements at
Petersburg. On June 19th, 1864, he was severely, and at
the time it was thought mortally wounded, in the left arm
and side. After suffering for several months, the surgeons
having decided that he could not return to duty for a long
period, he was discharge*! "on account of physical disability
from wounds received in action". He was brevetted Colonel
"for distinguished gallantry in the battle of Gettysburg,
Pa.", and again "for gallant and meritorious services in the
battle before Petersburg, Va.", and also brevetted Brigadier-
General "for gallant and meritorious services during the
war." Shortly after leaving the service he entered the firm
of J. B. Brown & Sons, managers and owners of the Port
land Sugar Company, and is now president of the P. H. &
J. M. Brown Company.
In 1865 he was elected a member of the Common Council
of Portland, and a member of the School Committee. In
1866 he married Alida C. Carroll, of Washington, and in
1867, having been appointed Commissioner to the Paris
Exposition, visited Europe. He was much interested in the
reorganization of the volunteer militia of Maine during the
administration of GoA^ernor Chamberlain, and rendered effi
cient aid. He served on the staff as Aide-de-camp and

54 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH
Inspector-General, and later as Assistant Adjutant-General,
Division Inspector, Colonel of the First Eegiment, and
Brigadier-General, commanding First Brigade. His resigna
tion as Brigadier-General was accepted June 5, 1887, by
Governor Eobie in General Orders in which he speaks of " his
eminent services in the interest of the Maine Volunteer
Militia." In 1893 he was appointed by Governor Cleaves, as
one ofthe commission for revising the military code.
General Brown was a charter member ofthe Maine Com
mandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and is one
of the Council-in-Chief of the Order for the United States.
He was one of the founders and the first President of the Port
land Army and NaA'y Union. He was President of the
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument Association, and delivered
the address on the occasion of the completion and surrender
of the monument to the city. He was President of the Maine
Agricultural Society in 1878. For twenty-five years he was
an Overseer of Bowdoin College and for six years President
ofthe Board, and is now one of the Trustees. He is also a
member of the Board of Managers of the National Home for
Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, and Eesident Manager for the
Branch at Togus, Maine. He was one of the Governing
Committee of the Maine Historical Society, has contributed
several papers to its collections, and has probably one of the
most extensive libraries of books relating to Maine, in private
hands. He is a corresponding member of the Historical
Societies of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York,
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. He has long been prominently
connected with the affairs of the Protestant Episcopal Church,
and is a lay deputy from Maine to the General Convention of
that Church in the United States, and the lay member from
Maine of the Missionary Council.

CHAPTER IV.
Going to the Feont. — The Fiest Battalion en
EOUTE. — A Change of Destination. — The
" SoLDiEEs' Rest" at Washington.
— OuE Fiest Night ' ' Undee
Canvas".

In the preceding chapters, mention has been made
of the fact that the First Battalion of the Thirty-
Second Maine, consisting of six companies, was sent
into the field some time previous to the completion of
the organization of the remaining four companies.
To the consideration of the fortunes of this detach
ment of the regiment, our attention is to be for a time.
more especially directed. But a few words of explana
tion' seem requisite here, before beginning to speak of
the journey of the battalion toward the front. As
has already been said, both the Thirty-First and the
Thirty-Second Maine had been assigned in advance of
their formation, to service with the Ninth Corps,
when they should be ready to take the field.
The Secretary of War had, some time before the
two regiments were ready to leave the State, desig
nated Annapolis, Maryland, as the depot and reiidez-

56 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
VOUS of the Ninth Corps, and had directed that all
new regiments Avhich were to join that command,
should proceed to that city as soon as they had been
recruited to the proper number, and had completed
the details of their organization. Accordingly the
Thirty-First Maine, or rather nine companies of that
regiment under command of Lieutenant-Colonel
Thomas Hight, left Augusta upon the 18th day of.
April, to proceed to that destination. Company K
of the Thirty -First, not being in complete readiness to
go forward, was left in camp at Augusta. And, two
days later, upon April 20th, owing to the urgent
demand for troops in the field, the first six companies,
A, B, C, D, E and F, of the Thirty-Second, broke camp
at Augusta and started for the front, under the com
mand of Major Deering. The division of the regiment
in this manner into two'battalions, and the dispatching
of one to the field while the other remained in camp
at home, was an unusual proceeding, to be accounted
for only upon the ground of the most pressing and
urgent necessity which existed for every possible man
to participate in the great campaign which was then
about to open. And because of this necessity, we
were hurried away from Maine before the details of
organization had been perfected, and when we were
scarcely more than a mass of crude material, as yet
without form or substance as a regiment. Many of
our number, unaccustomed to the exposures of camp-
life in the winter season, had contracted disease, and
were sick in hospital. All of these men we were
obliged to leave behind us in Augusta, to rejoin us
later if they should recover from their illness. So
that while the battalion was but little more than half
of the regiment, nominally, it was really even less in

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 57
number, since there were many vacancies in the ranks
of the six companies, occasioned by the absence of men
in hospital. At the moment of leaving the State, we enter
tained no other idea than that we were to proceed
directly to Annapolis, in accordance with what were
generally understood to be orders from the highest
military authorities. It was supposed and believed by
all, ofiicers and men alike, that on arriving, we should
pass some considerable time in camp of instruction,
acquiring knowledge in those matters of drill and
discipline in regard to which we had so far had no
opportunity of learning anything. We were fully
conscious of our ignorance of much that pertained to
the duties we had assumed, but trusted that we should
be given sufficient opportunity to gain knowledge
before we should be called upon to enter on active
service. We looked f orAvard eagerly and hopefully to
a period of preparation, and would have welcomed an
opportunity to drill steadily and perfect ourselves in
all the minutias of military forms. It was a matter of
general public knowledge that the old regiments of
the corps to which we had been assigned, had been
ordered east from Tennessee, in which State they had,
in the previous year, made an arduous campaign, and
participated in the defense of Knoxville. These
veteran regiments were understood to have arrived at
Annapolis in the early part of the raonth of April,
and to be lying there, awaiting the assembling of the
new regiments which were under orders to join the
corps. It was the belief on all sides, that after a due
season of preparation and instruction, to render the
new troops serviceable and iraprove their knowledge
of drill, the corps would be put into the field. And it

58 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
had been hinted that it was to be employed when the
time came for it to enter again upon active service, in
a grand coast-wise expedition, somewhat sirailar in its
character to that conducted by General Burnside with
sorae of these same regiments in the early part of the
war. It is now well known that all these rumors and
surmises were in a great measure justified by the facts
which existed at that time. As early as the latter part
of the January previous. General Burnside had sub
mitted to the War Department a plan of operations
which contemplated the employment of the Ninth
Corps in an expedition against the coast of North
Carolina. It was designed to effect the reduction of
Wilmington, to be followed by the occupation of the
State in general, with especial reference to obtaining
possession of the system of railroads operated by the
Confederates in the interior of the State.
The idea of such a campaign was received with
considerable favor at the War Departraent, and from
the tenor of his instructions, General Burnside was
for some time led to suppose that he would be per
mitted to carry his plan into effect. But an important
change in the leadership of the armies of the United
States occurred in the course of the winter, as is well
known. Congress, in recognition of the great military
ability exhibited by General Grant in his western
campaigns, had revived the grade of Lieutenant-Gen
eral, and elevated him to that rank, thus conferring
upon hira the supreme coramand, under the President,
of all the Federal forces. General Grant at once
began the elaboration of a plan to secure the harmon
ious co-operation of all the armies of the Union in a
combined movement against the strongholds of the

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 59
Confederacy. He himself came east in March, and
while still continuing General Meade in the immediate
command of the Army of the Potomac, established
his own headquarters with that army. It was his
settled purpose to prosecute such a campaign in Vir
ginia as should test to the utmost the relative strength
and endurance of the opposing forces. And in the
pursuit of this policy, not long before the opening of
the campaign in the Wilderness, General Burnside
was definitely apprized that the Lieutenant-General
had overruled his plan for a coast-wise expedition, and
that the Ninth Corps would be required to co-operate
with the Army of the Potomac upon the soil of
Virginia, instead of raaking a demonstration against
North Carolina. The exigencies of the service were
such that every available man and gun were needed to
swell the strength of the vast army which Grant
meant should strike, at last, a crushing blow, and
utterly defeat those veteran Confederate forces which
under the skilful leadership of Lee, had so long
wrested the fruits of victory from its hands. And the
old Ninth Corps was by far too valuable an auxiliary
to be permitted to be absent at such a juncture,
however great the service it might have been able to
render upon more distant fields. Had Burnside's plan
of a coast-wise expedition been adopted and put in
execution, the Ninth Corps would have been engaged
in a practically independent campaign, while the Army
of the Potomac was being hurled against the entrench
ments at Spottsylvania and Cold Harbor. But Grant
was concentrating forces and accumulating numbers,
with the design of fighting the war to a close upon
Virginian soil. His impending campaign was to be
made so persistent, so vigorous and aggressive, that

60 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
there should need to be no other to bring the long
conflict to a triumphant and glorious termination.
And to accomplish this he felt that he must hurl
against the enemy such vast masses of men that there
would be no power to withstand the shock of their
impact. Upon this decision of the Lieutenant-General
turned the future fate of the Thirty-Second Maine,
since the employraent of the Ninth Corps in Virginia
meant for it a sudden plunge into the turbulent strife
that raged across the ' ' Old Dominion ", instead of a
quiet season of drill and instruction in the peaceful
environs of Annapolis. But of this change of fate we
had no knowledge, when on the morning of Wednes
day, the 20th of April, we marched from the old camp
to the railroad station in Augusta, and took the cars
for Portland, as the flrst stage of our journey toward
the seat of war. Frora Portland we proceeded by rail
to Boston and thence to Fall River, where we took
stearaer and crossed Long Island Sound to New York.
We did not go up to the city of New York, but our
stearaer passed immediately over to the New Jersey
shore, to Amboy, where we disembarked, and at once
took the cars upon the faraous Camden and Amboy
road. Hitherto, in Maine and Massachusetts, we had
been conveyed in passenger cars, and our indignation
was raised to a high pitch when we found the train
now awaiting us was comprised of cattle-cars, and by
no raeans clean ones at that. But there Avas nothing
to be gained by being indignant, and we were obliged
to swallow our wrath, and enter the cars provided for
our transportation across New Jersey. In due season
we arrived at Camden, opposite Philadelphia, to which
city we were soon transhipped.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 61
In the course of our journey to this point it had
been noticed that the enthusiasm that had marked the
passage of troops to the front in the earlier days of the
war, and which had rendered their progress through
the loyal States one continuous ovation, was not mani
fested in any special degree in our own case. The
reason for this was obviously not because of there
being any lack of patriotic feeling in the communities
we had been passing through, nor because of any
fault or short-coming upon our own part. It was for
the reason that the spectacle of bodies of armed men
had become so frequent along the route which we were
following as to have lost all its novelty. Three years
of constant experience had rendered the sound of the
drum, and the sight of marching troops too familiar to
excite the same degree of interest as when they were
but rarely heard and seen. And while the sentiment
of loyalty was no less cherished, there had grown to
be far less outward expression of it, in the direction of
enthusiasm lavished upon soldiers proceeding to the
field. But upon our arrival at Philadelphia, we were
met with such a reception as cheered and gladdened
us in no small degree. There were no shouting crowds,
no waving banners, and no boisterous expressions of
welcome. But, hungry and tired as we were, the
bountiful feast which we found awaiting us was worth
far more than any of these empty demonstrations
could have been. From first to last, not a single bat
talion passed through Philadelphia, either going to
the front, or returning from service, but that it was
met upon its arrival, no matter at what hour of the
day or night it might be, and plenteously supplied
with food and with fragrant steaming coffee, and so
sent on its way strengthened and refreshed. In such

62 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
a way did the loyal citizens of the ' ' City of Brotherly
Love" minister to us upon our arrival, and the
thoughtfulness and cordial good will with which all
our wants were anticipated, and the generous hos
pitality with which we met, left an impression upon
our minds that tirae has failed to render less distinct.
From Philadelphia we journeyed toward Balti
more, crossing the Susquehanna river at Havre de
Grace, sh<jrtly after having entered the State of Mary
land, in a manner which seemed decidedly novel to
our Northern eyes. The river is broad and deep, and
on reaching the hither bank, we found no bridge
extending across the wide stream, which seemed to bar
our further progress. But the train was soon divided
into several sections, which were then run on board of
a huge ferry-boat, upon whose deck were several short
lines of track. When the whole train had been thus
placed on board the boat, she swung off and quickly
crossed to the opposite shore, where the train was soon
again transferred to the rails upon the southern bank,
and steamed away toward Baltimore. Since the war
there has been built at this place one of the finest and
most costly bridges in America, and the ferry-boat is
no longer needed. But at that time it was considered
impossible to bridge over such a stream so as to permit
the passage of a railway train. Not long after leaving
Havre de Grace we found ourselves drawing near
Baltimore, in which city we arrived without particular
incident, and there halted for a few hours. Here the
men learned for the first time that their destination
had been changed, orders having been received en
route to proceed directly to Washington instead of
going to Annapolis. In our ignorance, then, of how
much this change meant to us, there was little if any

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 63
feeling of disappointment or regret manifested, and it
may be questioned if many among us, who did not
sufiiciently appreciate our unprepared condition, were
not pleased at the idea of getting into active service
without delay.
While awaiting transportation from Baltimore to
Washington, we remained in the street, our muskets
being in stacks along the pavement under the vigilant
eyes of an armed guard, while the men lounged in the
shadow of the buildings. We were but just from
home, it will be remembered, and as the citizens passed
and repassed, we saw, or fancied that we saw, on many
faces a silent expression of hatred toward us, and
toward the cause for which we were in arms. We
remembered that just three years before that very
month, the frenzied mob had howled and raged about
the path of the Sixth Massachusetts as it marched
through these same streets. Nor did we forget that
the blood of three of our corarades from the Old Bay
State had been spilled by that mob upon, these pave
ments before that terrible march was ended. And it
is scarcely strange that we glanced more than once at
our shining muskets, stacked in orderly fashion at the
edge of the broad walk, and half wished, in our
youthful inexperience, that we might be perraitted to
take arms and avenge those three young soldiers' cruel
death. And it may be we hoped for some taunting
word or some aggressive act from the citizens to serve
us as an excuse-for a collision. But, however little
the people of Baltimore may have loved us, or the
Union for whose sake we were present in their streets,
they treated us with all outward civility and respect.
The strong hand of military power had held the rebel
element in Baltimore in check too long to permit any

64 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
outward exhibition of the old spirit then. Undoubt
edly there was always a numerous and virulent dis
loyal element in the city throughout the war, but
there was also a large and powerful party whose
devotion to the Union was intense and unflinching.
And after the first surprise, the loyal men of Bal
timore, with the immense armies about the National
Capital to lend them aid, were always able to sup
press any attempt at an outbreak of the sympathizers
with secession. However, our stay in the Monu
mental City was soon at an end, and was unmarked
by any disturbance of the usual quiet and peace-
fulness of the place. As we were steaming out of
the city, on our way toward Washington, many of
those who rode on the tops of the cars caught a glimpse
of a grim fortification over which the Stars and Stripes
were waving in the sunlight. This we learned was the
famqus Fort McHenry, whose bombardment in the
war of 1812, gave occasion for the composition of what
has since become one of our raost familiar national
songs, "The Star Spangled Banner" of Francis Key.
The train passed rapidly onward, and we were
soon in the city of Washington, our arrival being on
the afternoon of Friday, the 22nd of April. Upon
reaching the city, the battalion left the cars and
marched to the "Soldiers' Rest", a Government estab
lishment designed for the temporary accommodation
of troops passing through the city. Shortly after
reaching the "Rest", the men were served with a din
ner, of which the recollection is, no doubt, still distinct
and vivid in the minds of most of the survivors of the
battalion. It was on that occasion that we were first
introduced to that savory and delicious viand so well
known to all old soldiers under the pleasing appella-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 65
tion of "sow-belly", — otherwise raw salt pork. A
thick slice of this appetizing article of food, fianked
by a couple of fiinty-hearted "hard-tacks", and a some
what grimy and battered tin dipper filled with a
dubious-looking fiuid called coffee, by courtesy, com
posed the sumptuous meal spread upon the bare rough
boards of the rude tables around which the men
gathered, standing, to eat that first dinner in the
National Capital. Hard living we thought it then, in
our ignorance of many of the minor discomforts of
army life, and many turned away in disgust from the
unpalatable food, fresh from the comforts and con
veniences of home, as we were. But in after days of
hunger and privation, many a man among us may well
have looked back with genuine regret and longing, to
that despised dinner at the Soldiers' Rest. For, if the
food there provided for us was not over-dainty in its
quality, there was, at least, no such lack in its quan
tity, as we sometimes experienced subsequently.
The battalion remained through Friday night at
the "Rest", and the next day, — being Saturday,
April 23rd, — it proceeded down the Potomac to Alex
andria, a distance of some seven or eight miles from
Washington, the purpose of this movement being to
enable us to procure the needed supplies for the
approaching campaign. Upon entering Alexandria,
much interest was felt by many of the men, and a. good
deal of curiosity evinced to see sorae of the localities
the war had brought into prorainence, more particu
larly the famous Marshall House. It was remembered
that from the roof of that house the gallant Ellsworth
had torn down a rebel flag in the early days of the war,
and that in consequence of this daring act he was
immediately shot by the proprietor of the house, who

66 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
in turn had been killed on the spot by Sergeant
Brownell of Colonel Ellsworth's party. The fact that
Ellsworth had lost his life because, instead of de
taching a squad to effect the capture of the flag he
had chanced to observe, as would have been done by
most regimental commanders, he had with his usual
intrepidity dashed into the house himself, with only a
small party of his men, had given the event a peculiar
and melancholy interest. And there was a strong
desire on the part of many of our battalion to view the
place where one of the earliest martyrs in the cause of
the Union had laid down his young life so needlessly.
The night of the 23rd was spent by the battalion at
the "Soldiers' Rest" in Alexandria, a place similar in
its general character to that at Washington, already
spoken of, and by no means more inviting than that
in any particular. One striking feature of its arrange
ments was the absence of bunks or other sleeping
accommodations, and many comrades will no doubt
still remember the extreme unwillingness with Avhich
they finally reconciled themselves to a bivouac upon
the decidedly dingy fioor, the^danger of soiling new
and clean uniforms almost outweighing the desire for
sleep. However, we slept at last, and in a few hours,
the morning of Sunday, April 24th, dawned brightly,
and the men Avere soon astir again.
After partaking of breakfast at the "Rest", the
battalion fell in and marched some three miles out
from the city of Alexandria, in a south Avesterly direc
tion, and went into camp. The afternoon of this first
Sabbath on the soil of Virginia was occupied in
erecting tents and otherwise establishing ourselves in
camp, and we were too busy to give much thought to
the far different way in which we had been accustomed

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 67
to spend the hours of Sunday at home. This was our
first experience "under canvas", as we had occupied
wooden barracks while in camp in Maine, and had but
just received our shelter -tents, at Alexandria. But
Ave worked with a will, and by the latter part of the
afternoon, began to congratulate ourselves upon being
quite comfortably settled in our orderly rows of low
white tents. During Sunday night, however, a violent
storm of wind and drenching rain suddenly broke over
us, and as our camping ground had been unwisely
selected in a valley or depression of the surface, we
were soon completely drowned out. The precaution
had not been taken to ditch around the tents, and as
the rain fell in torrents, the water was soon coursing
in rivulets among and into the little shelters, and the
ground on which we were sleeping rapidly became a
shallow lake. We were obliged to vacate hastily, but
fortunately the storm was not of long continuance,
and the morning of Monday, the 25th, was bright and
sunny. We made the best of our somewhat forlorn
condition, and after eating breakfast found our spirits
rising considerably, in spite of our damp and muddy
surroundings. Early in the day we broke camp,
moving a mile or more from our first location, and
going into camp again, this time upon a slight eleva
tion, much to the increase of our comfort. We did not
remain here long to enjoy our new location, however,
as upon the following day we moved toward Arlington
Heights, where we finally joined our corps during the
night of Tuesday, April 26th.

68 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE

Btograpl^ical Sketc):}.

CAPTAIN AMOS F. NOYES.
Amos F. Noyes was born in Norway, Maine, December
14, 1812, and was the son of Ward Noyes, who came from
Andover, Mass., to Norway in 1800. He appears to have
inherited a tendency toward military matters, his father hav
ing been Captain ofthe Norway militia in 1808, and the sub
ject of this sketch having held the same rank in 1836, when
only twenty-four years of age. Three years later, in 1839,
he was appointed as Captain and served in the "Aroostook
War " of that year. Until the opening of the Civil War he
was occupied as a carpenter and farmer in his native town.
At the outbreak of the Eebellion, however, he cast aside the
pursuits of peace, and almost on his forty-ninth birthday, —
December 12, 1861, — he entered the military service as First
Lieutenant of Co. G, Fourteenth Eegiment Maine Infantry
Volunteers. He was discharged June 14, 1862, after serving
six months and two days, on account of disability. At Ship
Island, he had fallen through a hatchway on board a transport,
fracturing three ribs, and seriously disabling him. In the fol
lowing October, however, having recovered, he again entered
the service, being commissioned by the Governor as Captain
of Co. H, Twenty-Third Eegiment Maine Infantry Volun
teers, on October 14, 1862. He continued with his regiment
until discharged by reason of expiration of term of enlistment,
serving nine months and one day.
On March 10, 1864, he was commissioned as Captain of
Co. B, Thirty-Second Eegiment Maine Infantry Volunteers,
and served until December 12, 1864, when he was mustered
out by reason of the consolidation of the Thirty-First and
Thirty-Second Eegiments. While serving with his command,
Captain Noyes participated in the battles of the Wilderness,

CAPTAIN AMOS F. NOYES.

/
THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 69
Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, North Anna Eiver and in front
of Petersburg. During the second engagement at Spottsyl
vania, on Maj^ 18, 1864, he received a seA'ere shell wound in
right shoulder, fracturing the bone, and affecting the spine
and head. From this wound and its results he has always
since suffered materially. His life, since his return from the
army has been spent in his native town, in whose welfare he
has always taken an active interest. He has been a member
of the Board of Selectmen six years, having served three
years before the war, and three years since. For five years
of his service he was Chairman of the Board. He has also
been Commander of Harry Eust Post, No. 54, G. A. E. , and
his extreme age has not abated his patriotic interest in his
country's welfare and that of his comrades. His declining
years are passing in the quiet retirement of his home in Nor
way village, where he is tenderly and lovingly cared for by a
daughter. The picture accompanying this sketch is from a photo
graph taken when he was in his 80th year, and will bring to
the minds of his comrades of the Thirty-Second, the familiar
and beloved features of the "Father of the Eegiment", as
they have so often looked upon them at reunions in recent
years.

CHAPTER V.

Joining the Beigade. — A Glimpse of oue new Com-
EADES. — The Maech to Faiefax Couet House
and Beistoe Station. — A Week in
Camp of Insteuction.

As has been said, we joined the corps to which we
had been assigned, on the 26th of April, and found
ourselves placed in the Second Brigade of the Second
Division of the Ninth Corps. Before going on with the
relation of the occurrences immediately following this
date, it seems desirable that some extended mention
should be made of the companions among whom we now
found ourselves. The Second Division of the Ninth
Corps consisted at that time, of two brigades, the first
of which comprised the Forty -Fifth and Forty-Eighth
Pennsylvania, the Thirty-Sixth and Fifty-Eighth Mas
sachusetts, the Seventh "Rhode Island, and the Second
New York Mounted Rifies (serving as infantry). The
Second Brigade was composed of the Sixth, the Ninth
and the Eleventh New Hampshire, the Second Mary
land, the Seventeenth Vermont, the Thirty-First
Maine, and our own battalion of the Thirty-Second.
The division was under the command of Brigadier
General Robert B. Potter, who had been identified
with the Ninth Corps from its organization, and had

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 71
won Avell-merited commendation for his military skill
and gallantry. General Potter entered the service in
October, 1861, as Major of the Fifty-First New York,
and had been promoted by successive steps to the rank
he then held, always filling each position with honor,
and gaining the esteem and approval of his superior
ofiicers by his ability, his bravery, and his unwavering
faithfulness in the discharge of duty. He had been
promoted to Brigadier-General early in 1863, his com
mission dating from March 13th of that year, but the
exigencies of the service soon placed him at the head
of a division, in which position of responsibility he
had already manifested much ability and established
a high reputation, at the time our battalion became a
part of his command. He was subsequently commis
sioned as Brevet Major-General in August, 1864, and
served as such till the close of the war, being appointed
as full Major-General September 29, 1865.
The Second Brigade of his division, when our
battalion joined it, was commanded by Colonel Simon
G. Griffin, who was no unworthy subordinate to such
a leader as General Potter, and who had himself
been long and favorably known among the gallant
soldiers of the old Ninth Corps. Entering the service
of the United States at the outbreak of hostilities, as
a Captain in the Second New Hampshire, he had been
promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of the Sixth New
Hampshire in October, 1861, and subsequently, in
April, 1862, to Colonel of the last named regiment.
In July, 1863, he was placed in command of a brigade
for a time, while the corps was serving in Mississippi,
and^ again later in the same year, he held the same
position while in East Tennessee. In all his service
he had proved himself able and gallant, and had

72 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
earned the confidence of his superiors. During the
campaign of 1864 he received the commission of Brig
adier-General, a rank which his services had long
merited, and the duties of which he had performed
with marked capacity before his promotion. In April,
1865, he was brevetted Major-General for brave and
faithful conduct in the action of April 2nd, 1865.
The several regiments of the brigade of which we
had become a part, were largely veteran organizations
which had shared the services and the honors of the
old corps from the early days of the war. Four of
the seven regiments which composed the brigade as it
existed in April, 1864, had already seen long and hard
service, and participated in much that had made the
name of the Ninth Corps famous in the annals of the
war. Of these veteran regiments, the Sixth New
Hampshire, which was Colonel Griffin's own old regi
ment, and subsequently under command of Lieut.-
Colonel Pearson, had been with the 'Corps since 1861
and had borne its full share of all the service which
the corps had rendered in that period. It had formed
a part of the famous Burnside expedition to North
Carolina, and had landed at Hatteras Inlet; had gar
risoned Roanoke, and participated in the gallant dash
upon Elizabeth City, and the spirited affair at Camden.
Then, having returned to Virginia, it had rendered
conspicuously gallant service in August, 1862, at the
second battle of Bull Run, and in September had
shared the dangers of the field in the engagement at
South Mountain. Later in the same month, it had
borne a distinguished part in the battle of Antietam,
and had twice, vainly, but with the utmost bravery,
attempted the passage of the Stone Bridge, to carry
which Burnside strove so long upon that day of fierce

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 73
encounter beside the sluggish stream. In the subse
quent service of the corps in the malarious marshes of
Mississippi, and amid the rugged mountains of Ten
nessee, the regiment had gallantly borne its part, and
discharged its full duty at all times.
The Ninth New Hampshire had joined the Corps
in August, 1862, and entering at once upon active
service, had taken part in the engagement at South
Mountain in September, and gained much credit for
its behavior under fire. The same month it was again in
action at Antietam, and in December it participated
in the battle of Fredericksburg, rendering good service
in both, and winning much credit for its gallantry.
Subsequently it went west with the Corps, and took
part in the campaign in Mississippi, after which it did
garrison and other duty in Kentucky and Tennessee,
everywhere maintaining its reputation for efiiciency
and good discipline, and adding to its honorable
record. The first commander of the regiment was
Colonel Fellows, who was succeeded by Colonel Titus,
and subsequently by Major Chandler, the latter being
in command at the time of our becoming members of
the brigade. The Eleventh New Hampshire, under the com
mand of the widely-known Colonel Walter Harriman,
had joined the corps in October, 1862, and fought its
first battle, and received its "baptism of fire" at Fred
ericksburg in December of that year. Although a new
and untried regiment, it had stood at its post in that
fierce battle with all the steadiness of a veteran organ
ization, and the men in its ranks had fought with the
persistence and endurance of seasoned campaigners.
Its behavior in this first engagement was of such a char
acter as to win the admiration and praise of all who

74 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
were Avitnesses of its conspicuous courage and deter
mination. The regiment went west with the corps,
and participated in the campaigns of Mississippi and
Tennessee during the year 1863. In this subsequent
service it did no discredit to the fame it had achieved
at Fredericksburg, but performed all the arduous and
oftentimes perilous duties which devolved upon it, in
such brave and soldierly fashion as to reflect new
honor upon itself and the State from whose sturdy
sons its ranks had been recruited.
The Second Maryland, commanded by Colonel
Allard, had joined the corps as early as April, 1862,
while Burnside's expedition was still occupying North
Carolina, and it remained in that State until July of
the same year. Then returning to Virginia, it had
borne its part in the second Bull Run battle on the
29th of August, and obtained much credit for its
gallant conduct on that field. At South Mountain,
on the 14th of September, 1862, it was in reserve
during the engagement, and did not actively partici
pate therein. But at Antietam, three days later, it
Avas not only closely engaged, but had the honor of
being selected, together with the Sixth New Hamp
shire, to compose the charging column in the second
attempt to carry the Stone Bridge, after Crooks'
brigade had failed to force its passage. Though twice
repulsed with heavy loss, and ultimately obliged to
abandon the attempt to carry the bridge, the two
regiments gained much honor for the gallantry dis
played in their vigorous attack. In December, the
Second Maryland was in the engagement at Fred
ericksburg, and subsequently the regiment was in
Mississippi and Tennessee with the remainder of the
corps. In all the history of these loyal sons of Mary-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 75
land, there is nothing to detract in any particular
from the high reputation for soldierly qualities which
their earliest services had Avon for them.
The Seventeenth Vermont, like the Thirty-First
Maine and our own little battalion, was a new regi
ment, having joined the brigade only in April, 1864,
at about the same time that we became members of it.
It was commanded by Colonel Randall, a good and
brave soldier, and contained in its ranks many gallant
sons of the old Green Mountain State, but had at that
time no proud record of past achievements to emblazon
upon its banners. During the campaign, however, it
made for itself a splendid reputation for heroism and
bravery, and rendered brilliant and effective service
to the Union cause.
The Thirty-First Maine, commanded by Lieu
tenant Colonel Hight, had left the State only two days
in advance of ourselves, and joined the brigade about
the same time, so that it was equally as unaccustomed
to service as were we. Perhaps it would be improper
to express, in this place, any opinion as to the extent
of the service rendered by this command, further than
to say that it bore an honorable part in all the events
of the campaign, and made for itself a record of which
its survivors have good reason to be justly proud. So
intimately connected and closely interwoven are the
stories of the participation of this regiraent and our
own in the operations of the year 1864, that any more
detailed statement as to the part sustained by the
Thirty-First Maine separately is scarcely necessary in
a narrative of this nature.
Such, then, was the material of which the old
Second Brigade was composed at the beginning of the
campaign of 1864, and it may be added here that the

76 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
numerical strength of the brigade in April of that year
was about twenty-seven hundred men (2,700), as the
old regiments were somewhat reduced in number by
the previous service they had seen. The three new
organizations were naturally by far the larger part of
the brigade in point of numbers, but they were undis
ciplined and lacked the knowledge of military tactics
possessed by the veterans. It can be readily imagined
that under all the circumstances there was no little
curiosity, mingled, it may be, with some uncertainty
and even doubt, as to whether the new regiments were
worthy to be placed upon the same footing as the
several old organizations. The veterans questioned
somewhat indignantly whether these new troops, who
had never been under fire, deserved to stand side by
side with [them, who had fought bravely in so many
famous fields. That when the time of trial came, as
come it did in so short a time, we who were new-comers
proved ourselves not undeserving of the honor of
membership, even in the hard-fighting Second Brigade,
can be asserted without fear of contradiction, in the
case of each of the new regiments. And we were
cheerfully accorded by our veteran comrades the po
sition to which we had shown our right, when the trial
had been had. Like the true and generous soldiers
that they were, our comrades in the old regiments,
when our behavior under fire had shown them that Ave
deserved their respect and confidence, unhesitatingly
and fully accepted us as worthy of membei;ship with
them. And no corarade of the old brigade to-day will
refuse us the acknowledgement that we did our duty
at all times to the extent of our utmost ability, and
proved no disgrace to the command in which it was
our fortune to serve together.

THIEITT-SEGOND MAINE EEGIMENT 77
Having thus sketched the personnel of the com
panions with which we found ourselves most closely
connected, let us return to the narrative of events
occurring immediately after our junction with the
brigade. On the morning of Wednesday, April 27th,
our battalion, together with the entire Ninth Corps,
took up the line of march to the southward, moving
from Arlington Heights to Fairfax Court House, a
distance of some sixteen miles, during the day. We
halted for the night at the Court House, and on
Thursday, the 28th, resumed our march, continuing
from Fairfax to Bristoe Station, about eighteen miles,
thus covering in the two days time a total distance of
some thirty-four miles. This was by no means any
extraordinary distance for the length of time occupied,
and not so great as was subsequently accoraplished by
the battalion within less than the same space of time,
when it had become more accustomed to marching.
But we were then fresh from civil life, and all unused
to such continued exertion, and unaccustomed to the
weight of muskets and equipments, and the experience
of those tAVO days was of such a novel character as to
make a deep impression upon our minds. These were
our first marches, — our first realization of what it
meant to plod for hours along dusty roads, under a
scorching sun, and we had not yet become inured to
fatigue and been hardened and toughened by constant
practice. We started out cheerfully and even joyfully, in
the morning of the first day, and found much to
interest us in the unfamiliar scenes about us, for a
while. But as hours passed, and the sun grew hotter
and the dust-clouds more dense, we began to expe
rience fatigue and discomfort. The straps of our

78 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
knapsacks seemed to be cutting deep into the fiesh,
and our tired shoulders ached grievously under the
weight they bore, and the heavy muskets seemed
almost ready to drop from the wearied hands that held
them. Our feet were blistered and aching, and our
exhausted limbs almost refused to support us, long
before that first day's march was ended, so it is little
wonder that we look back upon it as one of the prom
inent incidents of our early experience. And, perhaps,
it is true that the march to Fairfax was rendered a
little more severe than it need have been by reason of
the desire of some of the veterans among our new
comrades to ascertain of what sort of material the boys
from Vermont and Maine were made. While it might
be impossible to prove that such was the fact, it was
the general belief that there was some preconcerted
plan to give us a pretty sharp trial as to our ability to
keep up. The story goes that one of the veteran regi
ments, having the right of the column at the beginning
of that first day's inarch, was seized with a strong desire
to try the endurance of the "raw recruits", as they
jokingly termed us. So those stalwart, tough and
well-seasoned fellows struck into a swinging gait, and
kept it up for mile after mile, all through those long
and weary hours. They hoped to tire us out, unused
to marching as we were, by the terrific pace at which
they went. And they fondly expected to see our boys
straggle and drop out, and be left so far in the rear
that we should be fit subjects for their derision and
laughter when we should come dropping into camp in
scattered squads that night. But we were plucky, if
we were green, and cruelly as the inarch taxed our
energies, and weary as we becarae before it ended, we
yet hung closely on the heels of our leaders all that

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 79
long day. And they had but small reason to laugh at
us, when after hours of painful plodding through the
dust and heat, the brigade at last halted for the night
in a grassy field, just as the sun was beginning to set.
How tired we were, when we finally broke ranks, and
began to prepare to pass the night in the field in which
we lay, but we had the satisfaction of knowing that
our battalion was nearly all there, comparatively few
having straggled, in spite of the unusual fatigue and
suffering which the day had occasioned.
How soundly we slept that night, and how brief
seemed the interval of rest permitted us before Ave
were roused to begin the duties of the new day. But
our Maine blood was up, and we vowed to show those
veteran campaigners that the "raw recruits" could
march, if we died in proving it. So all that long, hot
day, for, though only the last week in April, the
weather was very warm, and seeraed especially so to
us, fresh from the cooler cliraate of Maine, we strug
gled on, even faster than we had done the day previous.
It was rather an eager, breathless race than an ordinary
march, but we felt as if the honor of the Pine Tree
State depended upon our exertions. And if we suf
fered, we had the keen satisfaction of knowing that
our persecutors of the day before were being punished
quite as much as ourselves. So we kept up a killing
pace throughout the second day, and went into Bris
toe Station wearied and worn out, but with few
vacancies, comparatively speaking, in our ranks, and
feeling no little pride at having been able to do as well
as we had. The hint that we thus gave was good-
naturedly accepted by the veterans of the brigade, and
a proper appreciation of our abilities in the direction
of marching was always subsequently manifested by

80 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
them. Considerable space has been given to the nar
ration of this incident, not because it is especially
important, but from the fact that being our introduc
tion to the severe duties of active military life, it
made a deep impression upon us at the time. And in
reviewing the events of those early days, it stands out
so prominently that it seemed improper to pass it over
without detailed relation. Yet, in itself, a march of
sixteen miles on one day, and of eighteen the next, was
not a matter worthy of many words, except for the
fact that we were so utterly unaccustomed to march
ing and carrying the burden of arms and equipments.
Upon arrival at Bristoe Station we proceeded at
once to erect our little shelter-tents, and otherwise
prepared for a stay of a few days at this point. The
ground on which we now found ourselves was ex
tremely interesting to us from the fact that we were
surrounded on all sides by localities whose naines had
become familiar in the course of the three years of
war which had preceded our entry into service. The
Plains of Manassas, the scene of the first Bull Run
battle, lay in our rear, and we had crossed, in the
course of our march, the famous stream which had
given a name to that contest. Centerville, too, so well
known by name to all Northern people, and so inti
mately connected with the history of the Army of the
Potomac in 1861 and 1862, had been passed, with its
long lines of trenches and breastworks, its powerful
forts and redoubts, and its few untenanted and ruinous
houses. Bristoe Station itself was historic ground, for here
on the 14th of October, 1863, the Second Corps had
had a sharp encounter with a force of the enemy, dur
ing the manoeuvring which followed the battle of Get-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 81
tysburg. Lee and Meade were each pushing toward
Centerville, each striving to be first to occupy the
works around that village, and a grand race between
the two armies was the result. The Second Corps was
performing the duty of guarding the rear of Meade's
army, and soon after noon of the 14th was crossing
Broad Run, a wide and muddy stream which fiows
past Bristoe Station, when the Confederates under A.
P. Hill made a sudden and spirited attack. The
passage of the run was a raatter of considerable diffi
culty, and the Federal column was in some degree of
disorder in consequence, so that the rebels hoped their
unexpected attack would result in a rout of the troops
at the crossing. They were disappointed in their
effort to throw the column into confusion, however,
and after a severe fight the Confederates retreated,
leaving the Second Corps masters of the situation.
The loss of the enemy was quite large, five guns, two
stands of colors, and between four and five hundred
prisoners being taken by the Federals, while the Con
federate killed and wounded was estimated at nearly
two thousand men. To us, fresh from our peaceful
homes, there was a great degree of fascination in
being upon a spot where such a conflict had taken
place only a few months previous, and we examined
with much interest all the traces which remained to
tell of the sharp fight which had been had. The
Station was dismantled and destroyed, and only a pile
of ruins marked the location of what had once been a
hotel, while all the other buildings which had at one
time clustered around these had disappeared entirely.
A few scattered graves, with rude wooden headboards,
here and there, shoAved where lay some of those who
had fallen in the fight, but the last resting places of

82 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
many, both of Federals and Confederates, were un
marked and scarcely distinguishable.
We remained at Bristoe Station about a week, and
were glad to be permitted to enjoy a few days of com
parative rest, though the time was by no means spent
in idleness. On April 29th, the day after our arrival,
we broke camp and moved a mile and a half, and then
went into camp again in our new position. On the
following day, April 30th, the muster and pay-rolls for
the several companies of the battalion were made up,
involving a considerable amount of labor and anxiety
for the company clerks, who were as yet unaccustomed
to this duty. The first day of May we again moved
<5amp a short distance, not more than the length of the
battalion line, without any apparent reason for the
<ihange. On the 4th the battalion was called upon to
furnish a detail for picket, and about one hundred
<100) men, under command of Captain Sargent of Co.
C. , were furnished for that duty.
During our stay here the battalion was also busily
engaged in drilling, company and other movements
being practised daily, and some instruction given us,
for the first time, in firing. That we were sadly in
need of such knowledge may be judged from an inci
dent which occurred here. One of the companies was
practicing file-firing, and a stalwart young sailor in its
ranks, who was more familiar with reef-points and
halliards than with a musket, failed to observe that
his piece had missed fire, and continued loading till
three or four cartridges were superimposed upon each
other. The next time his file was to fire, a better cap
than the others ignited the whole charge, fortunately
with no more serious results than a bursted musket,
one or two men slightly burned with powder, and an

CAPTAIN HERBERT R. SARGENT.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 83
astonished and badly-scared platoon. The barrel of
his piece was ruptured and a seam opened from the
nipple to the middle band, but luckily no fragments
were thrown off, and. except that one or two of his
neighbors were somewhat burned about the face and
neck, no one was injured. For a moment, however,
the excitement was greater in that company than it
would have been a few weeks later had the rebels
suddenly poured a volley into its ranks. But much
as we needed time to become more proficient in drill,
it was, as has been said, only a very brief period that
wre were permitted to remain at Bristoe and apply
ourselves to this.

Btograpt^ical Skcicl\.

CAPTAIN HEEBEET E. SAEGENT.
Herbert Eedding Sargent was born in Parkman, Piscata
quis County, Maine, on June 20, 1836, being the eldest son
of Increase Sumner and Judith Haskell (Loring) Sargent.
His family have been identified with the principal wars in
which the country has been engaged from the war of the
Eevolution ; his great-grandfather. Dr. Thomas Sargent, hav
ing served in that struggle ; his grandfather, Montgomery
Sargent, in the war of 1812 ; his father in the Aroostook War ;
himself in the Civil War, and his son, Herbert K. Sargent, in
the war with Spain. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he
was working at his trade as mason, in Portland, Maine, and
was among the first to volunteer when the call to arms was
made. Fort Sumpter was fired upon on April 12, 1861, and ten
days later, April 22, 1861, the subject of this sketch enlisted

84 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
in Co. E, First Eegiment Maine Infantry Volunteers, for a
term of three months. In this organization he served succes
sively as private, first corporal, and fourth sergeant, until the
expiration of the term of enlistment, on August 8, 1861.
Immediately upon his discharge and return home, he at once
re-enlisted, in common with many of his comrades, in the
Tenth Eegiment Maine Infantry Volunteers, for a period of
two years. And on October 4, 1861, he Avas mustered into
the United States service as second sergeant of Co. E, Tenth
Maine. He was soon promoted, being commissioned Second
Lieutenant of his company on Januarj' 16, 1862. On March
29, 1862, he was commissioned as First Lieutenant, and on
August 9, 1862, was promoted to Captain. While serving as
First Lieutenant, on July 3, 1862, he was in charge of a
detachment of eighteen men, on the Luray Pike, near Front
Eoyal, and was attacked by a body of rebel cavalry, number
ing one hundred and fifty. He repulsed the enemy without
loss to his command, although emptying three of the Confed
erates' saddles, and capturing one or two of their horses.
At one time in 1862, near Front Eoyal, he was detailed
to construct a pontoon bridge across the Shenandoah river,
having charge of one hundred and fifty men. Although
entirely unacquainted with work of that nature, never having
seen a pontoon laid previously, the duty was speedily and
successfully accomplished, in spite of its being done in the
darkness of night. While serving in the Tenth Maine, he
participated with the regiment in the battles of Winchester,
Falling Waters, Luray Pike and Cedar Mountain. In the
last named engagement, on August 9, 1862, he was twice
wounded, receiving a ball in the left shoulder, and one in the
bridge of the nose. A part of the missile which infiicted this
latter wound, lodged under the left eye, and remained
embedded in the bones of the face, and was carried by him
for nearly ten years, before it was finally removed by a surgi
cal operation.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

85

While on the march towards Cedar Mountain, on the day
before the battle, (August 8, 1862,) he had received a sun
stroke, which rendered him insensible at the time, and from
the effect of which he has never entirely recovered. But
when the firing began on the next day, by a supreme effort,
he left the ambulance in which he was lying, and went into
the action with his company. He had previously, in the fall
of 1861, been wounded in the right hand, while guarding the
Baltimore & Ohio Eailroad, near Annapolis Junction. But
the wounds received at Cedar Mountain were of much greater
severity, and he was compelled, by reason of the disability
they occasioned, to leave the regiment, and go into the hospi
tal for some length of time. After his return, he remained
with his company until it was mustered out and discharged,
on May 8, 1863, by reason of expiration of term of service.
Eeturning to Maine after his muster out, he remained at home
but a short tim* before beginning to recruit a company for
one of the new regiments which were to be organized. And,
on March 17, 1864, he was commissioned as Captain of Co.
C Thirty-Second Eegiment Maine Infantry Volunteers, and
was mustered into the United States service as such, on March
23, 1864. After a brief time in camp at Augusta, he left
Maine with the first battalion of the Thirty-Second, on April
20th, and entered at once upon the active service which was
experienced by those who participated in the Overland Cam
paign under Grant.
From the beginning of May to the end of July, he was
almost constantly under fire, being engaged in the battles of
the Wilderness, Ny Eiver and Spottsylvania, and at the siege
of Petersburg, besides minor actions. At Spottsylvania, on
May 18th, he received a severe contusion from a grape-shot
in the region of the kidneys, by which he Avas for some time,
seriously disabled. And by reason of which he was absent
from the regiment, under treatment in hospitals at Alexandria,
Va., and Annapolis, Md., for -nearly a month. At the Mine

86 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Explosion before Petersburg, on July 30, 1864, he was taken
prisoner, together with many other officers and men of his
regiment, being captured by Mahone's division of Confed
erates, in the " Crater" after a prolonged and bloody contest.
While a prisoner in the hands of the enemy, he was confined
successively at Petersburg, Danville, Eichland County jail,
the Insane Asylum yard at Columbia, S. C, and at Charlotte,
N. C. At the last named place, he was paroled, about Feb
ruary 25, 1865, and passed through the lines on Cape Fear
river, about ten miles above Wilmington, on March 1.
Thence he went to Camp Parole, at Annapolis, Md., and
remained there until May 3, when having been exchanged, he
joined the regiment, then in camp near Alexandria, Va.,
remaining with the command until its muster out in July,
1865. During the time he had been a prisoner, however, the
Thirty-Second regiment had ceased to exist as a separate
organization. It had seen such severe service, and become
so depleted by its heavy losses, that the War Department had
deemed it advisable to consolidate its fragments with the
Thirty-First Maine. And on December 12, 1864, while Cap
tain Sargent was still in rebel prison, this consolidation had
been effected. He was transferred to Co. C, of the Thirty-
First, as its Captain, and after his release, served as such
until after the close of the war, being mustered out with that
regiment near Alexandria, Va., July 17, 1865. Both prior
to his capture, and subsequent to his return, he was at various
times in command of his regiment, having commanded the
Thirty-Second Maine from June 24, to July 30, 1864, and
having relieved Capt. Kyes as commanding officer of the
Thirty-First, on his return in May, 1865. After Col. Went
worth was wounded at the Mine Explosion on the 30th of
July, the command had devolved upon Captain Sargent, who
led it in its advance beyond the crater, prior to his being
taken prisoner. He also served at various times as Brigade

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

87

and Division Officer of the Day, and as Provost Marshal of
the Second Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Army Corps,
and was for some two months on the staff of Col. Steven M.
Weld, commanding the Second Brigade.
After his final discharge from the military service, and
return home. Captain Sargent entered the customs service,
and was Inspector of Customs at Portland, Me., from 1865
to 1880. He was subsequently Deputy Sheriff and Messen
ger of the Court of Insolvency for Cumberland County for
eight years, from 1882 to 1890, and for fourteen years a
Constable for the City of Portland. He has also twice held
commissions as United States Deputy Marshal, so that it may
be said that much of his life has been devoted to the enforce
ment of lavv and order.
Since the war, he has been prominent in the Grand Army
ofthe Eepublic, being a Past Commander of Bosworth Post,
No. 2, Department of Maine, of which he is a charter mem
ber, having been mustered in, September 17, 1867. He has
also served as Aide-de-Camp on the staffs of the Department
Commander of Maine and of the National Commander-in-
Chief, and as Delegate to National Encampments at Mil
waukee and St. Paul. And for two terms he represented the
Department of Maine in the National Council of Adminis
tration, so that he may claim to have served his comrades as
faithfully in time of peace as he served his country in war.

CHAPTER VI.

In the Wildeeness. — Opening of the Campaign. -
The Maeoh to the Rappahannock. — Guaeding
THE Reae. — The Conflict in the Tangled
Thickets. — The Buening Woods at Night

The necessities of the service Avere such that all
inexperienced as we were, we Avere not permitted to
remain in the pleasant camp of which mention has
been made in the last chapter, only a very few days
before we were hurried forward to join in the terrible
confiict which signalized the opening of the marvelous
campaign of 1864. The battalion lay at Bristoe Station
only from the night of Thursday, April 28th, until the
morning of Thursday, May 5th, or but six days in all.
And even while we were lying in camp, the great army
had begun its movement, the advance of the Army of
the Potomac from its winter camps on the northern
side of the Rapidan having actually commenced as
early as Tuesday, the 3rd of May. The Second Corps,
under command of General Hancock, had moved out
of its camp just before midnight on Tuesday, and
marching through the night, had crossed the Rapidan
at Ely's Ford soon after daybreak on the morning of
May 4th. The Fifth Corps, under General War
ren, had moved toward Germanna Ford at nearly

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 89
the same hour as the Second, and Avas followed,
early in the morning of the 4th, by the Sixth Corps
under General Sedgwick. Their march to the river
was unimpeded, and both the Corps were safely across
before sunset on Wednesday, while their immense
trains of wagons followed during the night, the greater
part of these last named crossing at Ely's Ford and
Culpepper Mine Ford. It was late in. the afternoon of
the following day. May 5th, however, before the last
of the enormous train of wagons had crossed at Cul
pepper Mine Ford.
Thus during the 4th of May, the entire Army of
the Potomac, and a considerable portion of its trains,
had effected a crossing without opposition on the part
of the enemy, there being no fighting on that day
esxcept some slight and feeble skirmishing in front of
the Second Corps. Having thus crossed the river
successfully, the three corps took up positions as
follows: the Second, in advance, on the old battle
ground in the vicinity of Chancellorsville, the Fifth
in the neighborhood of the Old Wilderness Tavern,
and the Sixth immediately about the Old Wilderness
Tavern and backward to Germanna Ford. Meanwhile
the Ninth Corps still remained upon the north side of
the Rapidan, the greater part of the corps being, on
the 3rd of May, at or about tlie point Avhere the North
fork of the Rappahannock river is crossed by the
Orange & Alexandria railroad at Rappahannock
Station, and its lines extending along the course of
that road, back northwardly to the vicinity of Bull
Run. On the afternoon of May 4th, the corps received
orders to follow as rapidly as possible the advance of
the Army of the Potomac, and to reinforce the troops

90 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
which were already across the Rapidan. In accordance
with these orders, it was at once put in motion, and
after marching until after midnight of the 4th, went
into bivouac and rested for a few hours, to permit the
trains belonging to the other corps to clear the road
in its front. Its march was resumed early on the
morning of Thursday, May 5th, and continued through
out that day, the advance crossing the river at Ger
manna Ford in the evening of the 5th. The fact that
while the main body of the corps began its movement
on the afternoon of Wednesday, our battalion did not-
break camp until the morning of Thursday, is to be
explained by saying that to us, and to the Ninth New
Hampshire regiment, had been assigned the duty of
covering and guarding the rear of the whole army.
Therefore we could not move until the troops in ad
vance were well out upon the roads, and we lay quietly
while the long columns of infantry, each led by a
division of cavalry, pushed onward to the fords, and
established themselves across the river. However,
when we were once out of camp we atoned for our
enforced delay by the utmost celerity of movement.
Our battalion, together with our comrades of the
Ninth New Hampshire, marched over a distance of
twenty-five miles on the 5th of May, to the Rappa
hannock river, where we halted a few hours for the
rest of which we were sadly in need. Only a week
before we had felt ourselves completely exhausted and
worn out by the marches of which mention was made
in the last chapter, but we were now called _upon to
exert ourselves still more, and accomplish in a single
day a far greater distance than we had covered in
either of the two days occupied in our former move
ment. Under the circumstances, it is not surprising

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 91
that there was some little straggling, though to our
credit be it said that comparatively few men fell out
during this toilsome and trying march. During the
entire day the column was almost continually annoyed
by bushwhackers, who hung upon our fianks and rear,
and who succeeded in capturing a number of our men.
We were too strong a force for these small guerilla
parties to raake any show of fighting:, but they hovered
closely about us, and watched their opportunity to
make prisoners of those whose fatigue rendered them
incapable of keeping up with the column. The re
mainder of our brigade was far in the advance, having
moved with the corps on the 4th of May, and while
our comrades of the Ninth New Hampshire may, from
their longer service, have been more accustomed to
their position as the rear -guard of a great army, we in
the Thirty-Second Maine, at least, were fully conscious
of the novelty of our situation. And while we knew
that there could be no large force of the Confederates
between us and the river, since the troops in our front
had encountered no opposition, we were aware that
lurking parties of bushwhackers were in our imme
diate vicinity, and in our inexperience we doubtless
magnified their numbers and importance. And added
to the physical fatigue of the hurried march was the
anxiety with which the knowledge of their proximity
inspired us, so that the day was in all respects a trying
one to us. •
Meanwhile a stubborn and bloody contest had
been begun between Grant and Lee in the Wilderness,
on the southern side of the Rapidan river. The Army
of the Potomac had successfully accoraplished the
passage of that stream, and three corps, aggregating
nearly one hundred thousand men, with more than

92 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
two hundred pieces of artillery and some ten thousand
cavalrymen, had been put in position upon the other
side. Before them lay a dense and tangled forest,
covering many square miles, and well named the
Wilderness, into which they plunged boldly only to
find the Confederates in strong force hidden in its
depths. The Federal advance came into collision with
the rebels early on the morning of Thursday, the 5th,
and all through that long day, while we were straining
every nerve in our toilsome march, a fierce struggle
was going on, far in advance of us, amid the pines and
wooded swamps. All day long, as we hurried onward,
the sound of the flring in our front swelled hour by
hour into louder cadences. At first we heard a deep
and sullen reverberation; like distant thunder, but as
we advanced it grew more and more distinct, and
while yet at a distance of many miles we could plainly
hear the heavily-rolling volleys of musketry steadily
increasing in volume. To most of us in the battalion,
war was an entirely unknown experience, and the
firing which fell so plainly on our ears was a sound
until then unknown. We knew what it must mean,
and we said to one another as the column pressed
forward, Avith that strange thunder growing ever
louder, that the troops in our front had found the
enemy and were fiercely engaged. We scarcely
realized, perhaps, the carnage and death which were
raging where that sound arose, but we knew that it
was the thunder of battle, and it served as an incen
tive to renewed exertions on our part. Whenever our
weary footsteps grew slow and lagging from fatigue,
the echoes of that strife urged us forward, and severe
as was the strain of such a march to newly enlisted
men, we forgot our weariness and pain in the intensity

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 93
of our desire to come to the aid of our comrades at
the front. The three corps which had crossed the
river on the 4th of May, — the Second, Fifth and
Sixth, — were the participants in the battle on the
following day. General Burnside and the Ninth Corps
not being ordered forward in season to take any part
in the fighting of Thursday.
Speaking of this first day's battle, a brilliant
writer has said, ' ' The rattle of musketry would swell
into a full, continuous roar as the simultaneous dis
charge of ten thousand guns mingled in one grand
concert, and then after a few minutes, become more
interrupted. ***** Then would be heard the wild
yells which always told of a rebel charge, and again the
volleys would become more terrible, and the broken,
crashing tones would swell into one continuous roll
of sound, which would presently be interrupted by
the vigorous manly cheers of the Northern soldiers,
so different from the shrill yell of the rebels, and
which indicated a repulse of their enemies. * * * In
the evening the contest was renewed, especially along
the line of the Sixth Corps, and the dark woods were
lighted with the flame from the mouth of tens of
thousands of muskets. Charges and counter-charges
followed each other in quick succession, and the rebel
yell and northern cheer were heard alternately, but
no decided advantage was gained by either party. At
two o'clock at night the battle died away, but there
was no rest for the weary soldiers after the fatiguing
duties of the day. Each man sat with musket in
hand during the wearisome hours of the night, pre
pared for an onset of the enemy. Skirmishing was
kept up during the entire night, and at times the
musketry would break out in full volleys which rolled

94 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
along the opposing lines until they seemed vast sheets
of flame." *
Early on the morning of Friday, May 6th, the
advance of the Ninth Corps began moving into the
line, and taking position between the Second and
Fifth Corps. The Army of the Potomac lay in sub
stantially the same position as during the day before,
the Sixth Corps being on the right, with its rear on
Wilderness Run, near the Old Wilderness Tavern, the
Fifth Corps in the center, and the Second Corps on
the left, the length of the line being nearly five miles.
As the troops of the Ninth Corps came up, although
much wearied by the long march which they had
made, they were at once placed in line. The command
had marched with great rapidity an average distance
of more than thirty miles, and crossed two rivers, the
Rappahannock and the Rapidan, since the afternoon
of the fourth of May. General Grant, in his report of
the campaign, says of this rapid movement that ' ' con
sidering that a large proportion, probably two-thirds,
of General Burnside's command was composed of new
troops, unaccustomed to marches and carrying the
-accoutrements of a soldier, this was a remarkable
march. "
Remarkable, indeed, it was, but great as was the
speed with which the corps moved, it arrived none too
soon upon the field of action. The battle had re-com
menced early on Friday morning by an attack of the
Confederates, at a quarter before flve o'clock, upon the
position held by the Sixth Corps. Within the ensuing
fifteen minutes the Second and Fifth Corps also
became engaged, and soon after five o'clock the battle
was raging furiously along the entire line. Fierce
* Stevens — "Three Years in the Sixth Corps." p. 306.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 95
volleys of musketry crashed and thundered through
the thick forests, and cheers and yells were inter
mingled as charges were made, now by Federals, and
now by rebels, the space between the two lines being
fought over, in some instances, as many as five separate
times. In among the thick-set pines, through the
tangle of undergrowth, down in the dark ravines, and
across the open glades, the tide of battle surged, till
the ground was covered with dead and dying men.
After the first sudden onset, the weight of the confiict
fell most heavily upon Hancock and the brave men of
the Second Corps. At first Hancock was successful
in pushing back the divisions of the Confederate Gen
eral Hill, whose corps was opposed to the Second, but
the advance of the Federals was soon checked and
brought to an end. In the early hours of the morning,
the Second Corps had driven Hill back through the
woods for more than a mile, shattering the divisions
of Heth and Wilcox to disordered fragments, and
capturing many prisoners, and several battle-fiags.
But by seven o'clock its brief advantage was over, and
it found itself not only unable to force the enemy to
retire further, but with its lines thrown into some
degree of confusion, in consequence of the rough,
broken and wooded ground over which it had. so
rapidly advanced. Hancock found it necessary to
pause and reform his lines, and rearrange them in order
of battle, some two hours being occupied in perfecting
his formation. By this time, about nine o'clock, A. M. ,
the leading division of the Ninth Corps, which was
the First, under General Stevenson, had arrived at the
.scene of action. Upon coming up to the lines, it had
been ordered at once to reinforce Hancock, and it
.shared with the Second Corps the subsequent fortunes

96 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
of the day in that portion of the field. General
Walker in his ' ' History of the Second Army Corps "
says of the services rendered, "Stevenson's small
division of the Ninth Corps had reported at the junc
tion of the Brock and Plank Roads. Of this, Leasure's
brigade had been sent down the Brock Road, in
reserve against Longstreet's possible attack. Carruth's
brigade had been sent forward to support Birney.
* * * Meanwhile, Hancock, determined to know what
the enemy was doing in his immediate front, placed
Leasure's small brigade, about one thousand strong,
in line of battle at right angles to the entrench
ments, their right resting about one hundred yards
therefrom, and sent it forward to sweep his front.
This order was executed by Colonel Leasure with
intelligence and spirit, the brigade crossing the entire
front of Mott and Birney, encountering only a small
force of the enemy which it drove away, and then
resumed its position in support of the main line near
the Plank Road".*
As the remainder of the Ninth Corps came up, it
advanced through the opening between Warren and
Hancock, but owing to its originally being so far to
the rear, and the fact of not being ordered to break
camp as early as the corps composing the Army of the
Potomac, considerable time elapsed before the com
mand, as a whole, reached the battle-ground. And it
was not until the afternoon of Friday that any large
force from this corps became closely engaged with the
enemy. As soon as they had arrived, the Second
division of the corps, with the Third division in sup
port, moved out at once upon the Parkers' Store road,
our Second brigade leading the advance of the column.
* Walker — " History of the Second Army Corps ", p. 424 and p. 431.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 97
Neither our own battalion nor the Ninth New Hamp
shire were with the brigade at this time, but we
subsequently learned of its raoveraents from our com
rades who were present. The demonstration upon the
Parkers' Store road was an unimportant one, and the
movement was soon suspended. All available forces
were ordered to the left of the line to reinforce
Hancock, and relieve the Second Corps from the
severe pressure which it was sustaining. The direc
tion of the column was at once changed, and after
some time spent in struggling through the dense
woods, the division encountered the enemy strongly
entrenched. An attack was made upon his fortified
position, and quite a lively engagement followed.
But the Confederate works proved to be too strong to
be carried, and after sustaining considerable loss, the
attacking column was withdrawn. And the division
proceeded to build a line of works and entrench itself
in close proximity to the Confederate line.
The loss in those regiments of our brigade which
participated in this affair was quite large, the Thirty-
First Maine having one officer and three enlisted men
killed, and some fifteen or twenty men wounded,
while the others suffered, at least, equally. Our own
battalion, in consequence of the duty which had fallen
to our lot, of forming the rear-guard of the whole
army, was far removed from the scene of this action
at the time of its occurrence. We were so far in the
rear that the most rapid march would not have
enabled us to come up in time to take an active part in
the engagement. But although prevented by circum
stances from sharing the dangers of the action, we
were none the less discharging a responsible duty in
the service we were performing. Together with the

98 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Ninth Noav Hampshire, we joined our brigade late in
the day, and participated with them in the labor of
erecting breastworks. In the immediate front of our
position there was no serious fighting going on, when
we came up to the brigade, but all about us the roar
of battle still filled the air and fierce contests were
taking place upon all sides. Far to our right, just
before sun-set, there suddenly burst out the furious
fire of musketry which marked EweU's attack upon
the Sixth Corps, in which the Confederates gained a
temporary advantage, but were soon repulsed.
Though the contest at this point was not of long
continuance, it was very sharp while it lasted, and
darkness came on before it was over. To those who
listened, with abated breath, to the crashing volleys,
the wild, shrill yells of the charging rebels, and the
answering cheering of Sedgwick's brave men, as these
mingled sounds were borne upon the evening breeze,
it seemed hours before the conflict ceased. But at
length the firing slackened, the Sixth Corps having
recovered the ground from which it had been tempo
rarily driven in the first fierce onset upon its fiank,
and recaptured from the enemy its line of breastworks.
As the darkness grew deeper the sounds of battle
gradually died away, and at length the wearied Fed
eral soldiers, exhausted by tAvo days of persistent
fighting, sank to sleep upon their arms, behind their
hastily constructed works. About ten o'clock their
rest was broken by another fierce onslaught upon the
position of the Sixth Corps, the rebels evidently being
desperately bent upon turning the right fiank of our
army. A withering fire met their charge, however,
and their ranks were rent and torn beneath the
terrible volleys that fell upon them. Another fruit-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 99
less effort, half an hour later, was met by an equally
determined resistance, and after sustaining severe
losses, the Confederates finally relinquished the at
tempt to dislodge Sedgwick, and fell back to their own
lines. No other serious demonstration was made
against our position during the night, but the enemy
was evidently in very strong force in our immediate
vicinity, and bent on driving us back across the river,
if possible. So that we of the battalion, who were but
just beginning our initiation into the experiences of
a soldier's life, may well be pardoned if, in the midst
of such scenes, our rest was somewhat broken and
feverish, and our dreams disturbed by visions of
charging columns sweeping down upon us with irre
sistible force. The night passed without such visions
being realized, hoAvever, and we were early astir and
engaged in strengthening our lines, lopping trees in
front, constructing abattis, and otherwise adding to
the security of our position.
It was a strange, wild scene in the midst of which
-we found ourselves that pleasant May morning. The
region known as the Wilderness has been described
by one of the historians of the war as "a broken,
sterile tract of country in Spottsylvania County, com
mencing a little south of the Rapidan and extending
ten or fifteen miles in a southerly direction, and about
the same distance westward from Chancellorsville.
It is intersected in every direction by gullies £.nd
ravines, with swamps interspersed, and covered with a
thick growth of stunted pines, dwarf oaks and under
brush, so dense as to be in many places almost impene
trable, the roads traversing it being a labyrinth of
mere straggling paths, impracticable for wagons, and
converted into quagmires by a few hours' rain. The

100 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
whole tract is almost without inhabitants; here and
there may be seen, at the intersection of the roads, a
tavern or a store, with half a dozen rude dwellings
grouped around it. It will readily be seen that neither
cavalry nor artillery could be brought into play on this
ground ". To this may be added the graphic descrip
tion of a member of the Sixth Corps, of the topography
in that part of the line. He says, ' ' The wood through
which our line was now moving was a thick growth of
oak and walnut, densely filled with a smaller growth
of pines and other brushwood; and in many places
so thickly was this undergrowth interwoven among
the large trees that one could not see five yards in
front of the line. Yet, as we pushed on, with as good
a line as possible, the thick tangle in a measure disap
peared, and the woods were more open. Still, in the
most favorable places, the thicket was so close as to
make it impossible to manage artillery or cavalry, and
indeed, infantry found great difficulty in advancing;
and at length we were again in the midst of the thick
undergrowth".* Such was the ground over which this great battle
had been raging for the two days past, and hundreds
and thousands of dead and dying men were lying in
the forest-glades and amid the thickets. Trees had
been felled, and the trunks built into long lines of
breastworks, while the matted earth, never before
disturbed by human hands, had been cut into deep
trenches and thrown up into solid embankments,
behind whose shelter the men might lie in safety.
For several rods in front of the works the trees had
been slashed or lopped, and lay with their limbs
tangled in inextricable confusion, forming an almost
* Stevens — "Three Years in the Sixth Corps", p. 304.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 101
impenetrable abattis. It was now Saturday, the 7th
of May, and after the severe contest prolonged
throughout two previous days, the antagonists were
still defiantly facing each other upon the morning of
the third day. Both armies had suffered severely, and
neither manifested much disposition to renew the
struggle, though neither was ready to acknowledge
itself vanquished. There was no such general engage
ment on Saturday as upon the previous days, and
the main portion of the Federal army remained quietly
behind its entrenchments throughout the day. Yet
there were frequent indecisive skirmishes along the
line, and the sound of musketry was seldom wholly
silent. Now on our right and then upon our left, a
sudden volley would burst out, and after a few min
utes the firing would die away, only to be renewed
from another direction. So the day passed, and as
the night came on, a new feature of the scene attracted
our attention. Fires had caught in the underbrush
in many places during the fighting of Thursday and
Friday, and had smoldered, gradually gaining
strength, until now large tracts of the dense forest
were wrapped in fiame. The blaze ran sparkling and
crackling up the trunks of the pines, till they stood
a pillar of fire from base to topmost spray; then they
wavered and fell, throwing up showers of gleaming
sparks, while over all hung the thick clouds of dark
smoke, reddened beneath by the glare of the fiames.
It was a sight long to be remembered, even had
there been no saddening associations of human suf
fering with the memory of the burning forest. But
we knew that in the midst of that fiery furnace there
lay brave men, Federal and Confederate, who had
been left, wounded and helpless, between the opposing

102 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
lines. And as we watched the progress of the flames,
till vast areas of thick woods were one roaring, blazing-
sea of fire, we thought of the horrible death which
had overtaken those poor fellows who had been struck
down amid that tangled undergrowth. But we were
powerless to aid them in their hour of need, and could
only hope that our fate might not be like theirs, but
that if we were to die, it might be, at least, that ours
should be a soldier's death. *
That last night in the Wilderness was a trying
one in many respects. Save for the lurid light of the
burning woods it was very dark, and in the shadows
of the trees the gloom seemed doubly dense and im
penetrable. And a vague anxiety pervaded the minds
of all, and in some unexplained way a rumor was
abroad that important movements were about to be
undertaken. In the course of the day, it had become
evident that Lee had abandoned his entrenchments in
the neighborhood of Mine Run, and was falling back
upon his second defensive line. General Grant had
at once determined upon a fiank movement to the left,
— that is, around the Confederate right, hoping thus
to interpose his army between Lee and the capital of
the Confederacy. Accordingly the Fifth Corps led
the advance of this movement toward Lee's fiank and
rear, leaving its works shortly after nightfall on the
7th, and the other corps following in the course of
the night. To the Ninth Corps was assigned the
duty of covering the rear of the army, so we still lay
in our works while the others were getting out upon
the roads. Warren with the Fifth and Hancock with
the Second Corps, moved upon the Brock road, while
* "The woods took fire in many places, and it is estimated that two
hundred of our wounded perished in the flames and smoke."— Hum
phreys — "Virginia Campaign," p. 54.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 103
Sedgwick with the Sixth Corps and Burnside with our
own, marched by way of the old Chancellorsville road.
Our Second division of the Ninth Corps was to follow
immediately upon the rear of the Sixth Corps, but the
narroAV roads and forest-paths of the Wilderness Avere
so choked and obstructed by the masses of troops
which croAvded them, that progress was exceedingly
slow. And it was not until the morning of Sunday,
the 8th of May, that the columns and trains of the
Sixth Corps were sufficiently far ahead to leave the
way open, and enable us to move out of the works in
Avhich we had been lying.
Such was the share which our battalion had in
the first great battle of the campaign, and by virtue
of which we may fairly claim to have participated in
the battle of the Wilderness. While not at any time
so much exposed as to sustain any casualties from the
fire of the enemy, we were entrusted with an impor
tant duty at the beginning of the movement, in the
discharge of which we suffered some loss. And when
that duty was performed, by a rapid march we rejoined
our comrades, and took up a position of danger, ex
posed to attack at any moment, and labored steadily
in constructing and strengthening fortifications until
the contest was over. So that though we cannot
claim the credit of having made a dashing charge or
of having performed any brilliant achievement during
those bloody days, we can justly say that we did
discharge our duty as soldiers during that time.
Among those lost by the battalion during the
march of the 6th was Private Abraham Wyman of
Co. C, who was captured by bushwhackers, and re
mained a prisoner until his death, which occurred at
Andersonville prison, on the 21st of August, 1864.

104 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
In closing this chapter, it seems proper to add
briefiy the reports of leading officers as to the charac
ter of the ground over which this fierce contest was
fought. General Hancock, as quoted by General
Humphreys, says, "It was covered by a dense forest
almost impenetrable by troops in line of battle. * * *
The undergrowth was so heavy that it was scarcely
possible to see more than one hundred paces in any
direction. The movements of the enemy could not be
observed until the lines were almost in collision.
Only the roar of the musketry disclosed the position
of the combatants to those who were at any distance,
and my knowledge of what was transpiring on the
field, except in my immediate presence, was limited,
and was necessarily derived from reports of subor
dinate commanders ". Humphreys himself says, ' ' So
far as I know, no great battle ever took place before
on such ground. But little of the combatants could
be seen, and its progress was known to the senses
chiefiy by the rising and falling sounds of a vast
musketry fire that continually swept along the lines of
battle, many miles in length".*
General Walker writes "And so, amid those
dense woods, where foemen could not see each other,
— where colonels could not see the whole of their
regiments, — where, often, captains could not seethe
left of their companies, — these two armies, thus sud
denly brought into collision, wrestled in desperate
battle until night came to make the gloom com
plete".! And he quotes General Badeau as saying
"One tangled mass of stunted evergreens, dwarf
chestnut, oak and hazel, Avith an undergrowth of
low-limbed, bristling shrubs, making the forest
almost impenetrable".:!:
" Humphreys — "Virginia Campaign ". Foot note, p. 44 and p. 5.5.
t Walker — "History of the Second Army Corps", p. 415.
t Walker — " History of the Second Army Corps", p. 417.

CAPTAIN THOMAS P. BEALS.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 105
3iograpI?icaI SkHcl\.

CAPTAIN THOMAS POETEE BEALS.
Thomas Porter Beals was born on March 24, 1833, in
Wiscasset, Maine, and was the son of William and Hannah
(Porter) Beals. His father was proprietor of the Wiscasset
House, one of the largest hotels in the place, and for several
terms represented his town in the Legislature. Having com
pleted his school education at the academy in Wiscasset, in
1848, the subject of this sketch came to Portland, at the age
of fifteen. Here he entered the employ of Walter Corey &
Company, in the furniture business, arid with this firm he
remained for thirteen years, until the outbreak of the Civil
War. Filled with the same feeling of patriotism which
inspired so many of the young men of that period, he enlisted
May 7, 1861, as a private in Company G, Seventh Maine
Infantry Volunteers, and was promoted to sergeant August
22, 1861. He served in this capacity at Baltimore, Md., and
Washington, D. C, and Georgetown Heights and in Virginia
until March 4, 1862, when he was honorably discharged for
disability contracted in the line of duty. Eeturning to Port
land upon being discharged, he was appointed a member of
the Portland police force some six months later, and con
tinued as such until the spring of 1864. On March 16, 1864,
he again entered the military service as first sergeant of Com
pany C, Thirty-Second Maine Infantry Volunteers, and was
promoted and commissioned as First Lieutenant of Company
H, April 21st, 1864. Leaving the State with the last detach
ment of the regiment, on May 11th, and joining the first bat
talion at the North Anna river May 26th, his subsequent ser
vice was identical with that ofthe regiment. He participated
in the battles at North Anna river, Cold Harbor, Totopotomy
Creek, Petersburg, Poplar Grove Church, Hatcher's Eun, and

106 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH
the capture of Petersburg, April 2, 1865. In the last named
action he led the charge on Fort Mahone, with the pioneers-
of the Second Brigade as a storming party, and was severely
wounded after the capture of the fort. In September of
1864, he had been promoted to Captain of Company H, and
at the consolidation ofthe regiments, in December, 1864, was
transferred to the Thirty-First Maine, as Captain of Company
H of that regiment. He participated in the Grand Eeview at
Washington in May, 1865, and was subsequently on duty at
Alexandria, Va., until July 27, when he was mustered out,
and honorably discharged from the service. Eeturning to-
Maine, he was, in August, 1865, re-appointed on the police
force of Portland, and later became Deputy Sherifi" and Crier
ofthe Courts of Cumberland County. In 1867 he resigned
this position and began the manufacture of furniture, employ
ing only a small number of workmen at first. Year by year,
however, to meet the demands of his rapidly increasing busi
ness, facilities were enlarged until the corporation, which was
formed in 1892 under the name of the Thomas P. Beals Com
pany, stands among the leading furniture manufacturers.
Captain Beals was a member of Maine Lodge and East
ern Star Encampment of Odd Fellows, and also of the Loyal
Legion, of Bosworth Post, G. A. E., the Maine Charitable
Mechanics Association, and the Veteran Fireman's Associa
tion, and among his extensive acquaintance in business and
social life, was watmly esteemed for his geniality and enter
prise, as well as his integrity and public spirit. His death
was tragic and untimely, he having been knocked down and
killed by a runaway horse, on Middle Street, Portland, June
7, 1900, within one block of his office. His memory will
survive among his comrades, as well as a large circle of rela
tives and friends. He left to mourn his loss a widow, Ade
laide M. Beals, and one son, Frederick H., the latter having
been associated with his father in business since 1890.

CHAPTER VII.

To THE Ny Rivee, and the Battle of the 10th of
May. — Movements Peeceding the Battle of
Spottsylvania. — Death of Geneeal Sedg
wick. — Geneeal Hancock Ceosses the
Po. — Upton's Chaege with Twelve
Regiments of the Sixth Coeps.

During Sunday, May 8th, the roads leading from
the Wilderness in the direction of Spottsylvania Court
House, some thirteen miles to the southeastward, were
crowded with marching troops and moving trains.
The Federal army was seeking to penetrate between
the Confederate forces and Richmond, but their ad
vance was not long unobstructed. As has been said,
Warren with the Fifth Corps led the way, marching
along the Brock road. As early as eight o'clock on
Sunday morning, he encountered a Confederate force
at what was known as Alsop's Farm, a considerable
extent of open ground some two or three miles north
of the Court House. At this point there is a fork in
the road, one of the branches leading to Laurel Hill,
and the other directly to the Court House. Through
the open space here there runs one of the small
streams which unite to form the Mattapony river, this
branch being known as the Ny.

108 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
The enemy was in position here behind a line of
strong works, against which Warren's men at once
advanced, but were unable to drive out the Confed
erates. The enemy's guns were well posted on a
succession of ridges, the country being sufficiently
open here to admit of the manoeuvring of artillery.
And the storm of shells with which they received the
Federal attack checked the advance, and occasioned
some slight confusion. The Confederates attempted
to profit by this, and charged upon Warren, hoping to
compel him to retire, but the boys of the Fifth Corps
held their ground in spite of every effort to dislodge
them. The action continued through the day, and
the Fifth Corps was reinforced by other troops, but
they were not able to compel the Confederates to
retire. Lee had anticipated Grant's movement, and
as soon as our troops began the march from the Wil
derness, he had dispatched Ewell and Longstreet to
Spottsylvania. Moving upon an interior line, they
had reached that place before us, and now disputed
our further advance.
While this action was in progress, that portion of
the army with which our battalion moved, was ad
vancing upon another road, meeting with no serious
obstacle to impede its march. The day passed in
quietness, some trifiing skirmishing occurring at
times whenever the enemy chanced to approach the
column too closely. But no force of the Confederates
which could not be easily brushed aside, was encoun
tered during the day, and the march was continued
without interruption. In its course, we passed over
the old battle-ground of Chancellorsville, where
Hooker had made such a gallant fight just one year
previous. Relics of that sanguinary struggle still lay

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 109
scattered about the field,' such as fragments of ex
ploded shell, mouldy and half -decayed leathern belts,
cartridge boxes and knapsacks, rusty and battered
canteens, and the similar debris of a great battle.
But a year had already done much toward hiding
many of the traces of the confiict, though the black
ened and half-fallen ruins of the Chancellor House
were still plainly visible and served to mark the spot
around which the fight had raged most hotly. To us
of the Thirty-Second battalion, the scene was full of
interest, and though we had not the same personal
recollections of the battle as had many of our com
rades of the Second and Fifth Corps, we were
sufficiently familiar with the newspaper accounts of it
to render us eager to learn all we could of the location.
The march of the 8th of May was a fatiguing one,
as the day was unusually close and sultry for the
season, even in the southern climate of Virginia, and
we, who were fresh from the cooler air and salty
breezes of Maine, were especially distressed by the
heat. But even the veterans who had trod the ' ' sacred
soil ", and marched under the fierce sun of Virginia in
former campaigns, were not exempt from the suffering
occasioned by the terrible temperature of that day.
Many men in our own corps and in the Sixth, were
overcome by the intense heat, which affected them all
the more readily since they were already more or less
fatigued by their previous marching and fighting.
Scores and hundreds were obliged to "fall out" upon
the march, and the dusty wayside, for miles in the
rear, was thickly dotted by groups and parties of these
wearied and exhausted stragglers. To the most of
these who had thus fallen behind the column, how
ever, the term "straggler" can hardly be applied with

110 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
the usual meaning, for it was not tay their own choice
that they Avere thus in the rear. The majority had
.striven hard to keep their places in the ranks, but the
pace was rapid, and the air almost stifiing. The rays
of a fierce and blazing sun poured down upon them,
untempered by any clouds save those of dust, which
hung thickly above the marching column. Then,
too, the men were burdened by the weight of weapons
•and equipments, the musket, knapsack, haversack
with such rations as it might contain, the canteen
filled with water, and last, but by no means least,
forty rounds in the cartridge-boxes, altogether making
up a heavy load. So that it was but little to be won
dered at if men gave out, utterly fatigued, and sank
down to rest by the roadside.
But even the greater number of these, after
pausing long enough to regain some little strength,
struggled painfully to their feet again, and slowly
toiled on after the distant column. The main body,
after a long day of painful exertion, at last made a
welcome halt, and went into bivouac to snatch a few
hours of sorely-needed rest, and gain a degree of
strength to meet the emergencies of the coming day.
To those of us who had realized that this was Sunday,
as we had struggled on through the heat and dust, it
had seemed a strange contrast to the quiet and peace
ful Sabbaths to which we had been accustomed in our
Northern homes. But in the whirl of excitement in
which we had been plunged since the preceding
Thursday, many among us had already ceased to take
careful note of the passage of time, and, amid scenes
so unusual and absorbing, had forgotten what day it
was. By the morning of Monday, May 9th, the army
was formed in order of battle, confronting the enemy

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 111
as he lay in his entrenchments upon the ridge before
Spottsylvania Court House. General Warren, with the
Fifth Corps, still occupied the same position which he
had held during the day before, while General Sedg
wick, who had come up with the Sixth Corps during
the afternoon of Sunday, had taken position on the
left of Warren. General Burnside, with our own
corps, lay upon the left of the Sixth Corps, while
General Hancock and the Second Corps was upon the
extreme right, beyond the Fifth Corps. Such was
the general arrangeraent of the FederaL lines, and in
about'the same positions the army lay throughout the
whole day. No general engagement took place on
Monday, and there was but little severe fighting
during the day, though there was sharp skirmishing
along the whole extent of the lines, which continued
without abatement throughout the Whole day. Our
time was mainly occupied in throwing up entrench
ments and strengthening the line, breastworks of rails
and logs being constructed along the whole front of
the army, and earth being then thrown over these, so
as to afford considerable protection froin_the fire of the
enemy. This was especially desirable, so far as the
Ninth Corps was concerned, from the fact'that while
the troops upon our right were more or less protected
by the woods in which they lay, the Fifth Corps, par
ticularly, being posted in a dense forest, we occupied
a much more open country, and were, therefore, less
sheltered. The sharpshooters of the enemy Avere especially
active and annoying throughout the day, and occa
sioned the Union army a considerable loss. Every
clump of trees, every wooded ravine concealed a squad
of these deadly riflemen, and their fire swept all ex-

112 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
posed positions along our front. Many gallant officers
and men were shot down, but the most distinguished,
and, perhaps, the most widely lamented among the vic
tims of their unerring aim, was the beloved and re
vered commander of the Sixth Corps, Major General
John Sedgwick. He was shot through the head by a
rebel sharpshooter, while personally directing the
posting of a battery of artillery at an important angle
in his outer line of works, and his death was almost
instantaneous. As the knowledge spread through the
army that General Sedgwick had been killed, a feel
ing of deep grief pervaded all hearts, not only in his
own corps, but in all the others, for no soldier was
more generally known or universally honored and
beloved than "Uncle John", as he had long been
affectionately styled tay the troops. The men of the
Ninth Corps, in particular, could well share with their
comrades in the Sixth, in their sense of personal loss,
as for a short time in 1863 General Sedgwick had taeen
in command of the former corps, though his long con
nection with the latter had rendered him much more
fully identified with the history and achievements of
that corps. But though his connection with the
Ninth Corps was only tarief and temporary, and taut
little of his distinguished military record can tae
claimed as a part of our own history as a corps, his
reputation and atailities were too well known to per
mit the regret felt at his sudden death to be confined
to any single portion of the army. Brave and mod
est, kind and manly, of distinguished military capac
ity and sound judgment, he was unquestionably one
of the finest soldiers produced tay our great war.
Late in the afternoon of Monday, the Second
Corps, which it will tae rememtaered, formed the ex-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 113
treme right of General Grant's line, was ordered to
make an advance. It accordingly crossed to the
southern side of the Po river, and there found the
enemy present in considerahle force. It taecame
smartly engaged, taoth infantry and artillery taeing
tarought into action, taut although Hancock lost quite
heavily in this affair, it terminated without particular
advantage taeing otatained. The Confederates con
tinued to hold their lines ataout Spottsylvania Court
House, as taefore, taut the Second Corps had made
good their foot-hold upon the south taank of the Po.
At ataout the same time as this affair of General
Hancock's, the Third division of our own corps was
sharply engaged at the Ny river, repulsing repeated
attacks of the enemy with great spirit, and finally
compelling him to retire, leaving some number of his
wounded, and ataout fifty prisoners in the hands of
our comrades of that division. While this was going
on, we of the Second division were ordered to the sup
port of the Third, and were tarought up to the scene of
action in the course of the afternoon. But tay the
time we arrived upon the ground, the affair was so
nearly over that our participation therein was only
very slight. The Third division had seized the taridge
at the crossing of the Ny river, and succeeded in
retaining possession of it, the Confederates retreating
after our division came up, though we could claim
taut little of the honor of the repulse, our share
amounting to nothing more serious than some skir
mishing, from which we sustained no material loss.
The night passed without any especial disturta-
ance, and while there was more or less firing taetween
the picket lines, no assault was made tay our adver
saries, and most of the time we slept quietly enough.

114 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
With some of us in the Thirty-Second, who were not
yet so accustomed to the sights and sounds of war
as our veteran comrades, it may have taeen the case
that our rest was more disturtaed than it would have
taeen under different circumstances. As the spiteful
cracking of the picket-firing would now and then
swell into a full volley, some of us would rouse our
selves apprehensively, expecting to tae at once ordered
into line to repel a retael onslaught. But as no such
order was given, and no column of assault came
yelling through the darkness, we would sink again
upon the ground, as the firing slackened, and seek to
compose ourselves to sleep once more. So the night
passed, and soon after daylight on the morning of
Tuesday, May 10th, the men were once more astir,
and preparing for what proved to tae a day of severe
exertion and fierce struggling on the part of most of
the'Union army.
The fighting on the 10th was of a very stubborn
and sanguinary character in many parts of the line,
taut failed to tae productive of decisive results upon
either side. The position of the Federal lines upon the
morning of Tuesday was sutastantially unchanged
from that of the previous day. The formation ap
proached the shape of a crescent, the wings taeing
thrown forward somewhat in advance of the center.
Hancock with the Second Corps was across the Po,
npon the extreme right, and was holding a line
running nearly parallel with the road from Shady
Grove church to Spottsylvania Court House. The
Fifth Corps forraed the center, and the Sixth, now
under the command of General Wright, upon AA^hom
the position had devolved at the death of General
Sedgwick, lay facing the Court House, upon the left

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 115
center. Upon the extreme left lay General Burnside
with our own corps, the entire line being some six
miles in length.
In front of the Federal position, throughout the
greater part of its extent, there was a dense forest
growth, intermingled with matted and tangled under
brush. Amid this forest, and in its rear, was the
Confederate line, strongly posted. As has been said.
General Lee had early divined the purpose of General
Grant's movement, and having the shorter lines of
communication, had hurried from the field of the
Wilderness to the defensive points ataout Spottsyl
vania Court House, and there concentrated his forces
in the fortifications surrounding that place. Here
his lines were well sheltered tay strong works, and
protected tay the forests and marshy land of the
region, and he was otastinately taent upon offering us
taattle at this point, and resolute to dispute every inch
of ground. The left of Lee's lines rested upon Gladys
Run, curving northwardly, and his center was posted
upon higher ground and thrown somewhat forward,
while his right curved to the northward also, from the
vicinity of the Ny river. The works they occupied
were not hastily thrown up, taut had taeen constructed
long before in anticipation of just such an emergency,
and had therefore taeen elataorately strengthened and
rendered almost impregnable. The dense woods cov
ered and masked these entrenchments frora the
observation of the Federals, so that their location
could be determined only by reconnoissance. Such
were the positions of the opposing lines when the sun
rose upon the 10th of May, which was fated to be a
day of terrible bloodshed and destruction.
At an early hour the skirmishers began their Avork
in different portions of the long line, and more and

116 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
more general became the firing along our front, until
the sharp intermittent rattle of the skirmishing had
grown tay degrees into the heavy, sullen roll and roar
of pitched taattle. As the hours passed, the sound of
the musketry constantly increased in depth and vol
ume, as the taattle spread along the length of the line,
until it thundered in one continuous and untaroken
peal, like the reverberations of a mountain storm.
Joined Avith the crashing roll of the volleys of mus
ketry, there was also a deeper, throtataing taass, to
which our ears were as yet hardly accustomed.
During the fighting in the Wilderness, it had taeen
almost impossitale to taring the artillery into action, as
the horses could not struggle through the dense
woods, and drag the pieces into position. But now,
for the first time in this campaign, the guns were in
full play, and the cannonading was terrific, the solid
earth almost seeming to tae shaken to its center under
the incessant discharges. At first Lee seemed dis
posed to take the initiative, and made repeated
assaults upon the Federal position, in the attempt to
crush their lines and drive them from the ground
which they were occupying. The principal weight of
the encounter, in the earlier part of the day, fell upon
Hancock and Warren, attack after attack taeing made
upon the portion of the line held tay the Second and
Fifth Corps. Charge after charge, in rapid succession,
was directed upon their lines, the . Confederates in
huge masses hurling themselves desperately against
the Federal works, as if trusting to the weight of their
heavy columns, and the impetus of their headlong
onset, to carry them triumphantly through and over
the Union forces. But gallant and desperate as were
the retaels in their successive erideavors, the steady,

THIETY-SECONT) MAINE EEGIMENT 117
close and withering fire, with which the veterans
of these two corps met the charging masses in their
advance, never failed to foil their efforts. Under
that territale storm of musketry and artillery fire, that
mingled hail of lead and iron, the Confederate heads
of column would melt away, the advance tae checked,
the masses taegin to waver and to hesitate, and then the
gray-clad legions would fall hack to the cover of their
works even more rapidly than they came. Then the
Federals would charge in their turn, following up
their retreating adversaries, only to tae themselves
forced back, and compelled to seek the shelter of their
rifle-pits, when the rebels turned fiercely upon them.
Thus undecisively the taattle raged along the right of
the line, Avhile the roar and din of the sanguinary and
protracted struggle swelled still louder as the hours
went tay, and the musketry and artillery grew fiercer.
But meanwhile, though the fighting upon the left
was not of such a desperate and taloody nature, we in
the Ninth Corps were not permitted to pass the day
in undisturtaed quietude, tay any means. The greater
part of the forenoon was occupied in desultory and
cautious skirmishing along our front, which kept us
tansy, at all events, even if unproductive of any ma
terial results. This was followed, in the afternoon,
tay an attack participated in by the whole corps, which
drove in the enemy's skirmishers, and placed our lines
immediately in contact with those of the enemy. Our
Second division advanced under a heavy and destruc
tive fire, to within a short distance of the Court
House, taut after holding this position for some time.
General Potter received orders to relinquish it, and
the division retired for nearly a mile.
It has taeen stated since the war, upon what ap
pears to tae excellent authority, that this withdrawal

118 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
of our division from what might have been an ex
tremely important position, was made against the
earnest remonstrances, not only of General Potter, but
as well, of General Burnside himself. And it is said
that it was tay the authority and upon the express
orders of General Grant, to whom General Burnside
reported directly at that time, that the division was so
withdrawn. It is asserted, upon the same authority,
that this movement to the rear was sutasequently seen
to have taeen a mistake, taut not until it was too late to
rectify the error except at the cost of hard fighting
and a great expenditure of life. * However true this
may tae, it is scarcely the province of one who carried
a musket in the ranks to criticize too harshly the
arrangements and dispositions decided upon by those
who sustained the weighty responsibilities of high
command. The private soldier could know taut little
of the state of affairs on the field, except in his
immediate front, if even so much, while his com
manding generals were supposed, at least, to tae
informed of all that was transpiring throughout the
whole extent of the lines. But it may be permitted to
us to say that it was a profound mystery to the men in
the ranks, at the time, why such a movement should
have been made. We failed to comprehend why,
after having struggled so near to the Court House
that we could plainly discern the Stars and Bars
fiying above the principal building of the little
hamlet, we should then be faced to the rear and with
drawn, without having accomplished, or even at
tempted to accomplish, anything whatever. And it
may safely be asserted that we would far rather have
advanced, even if it had taeen certain that we should
* Woodbury — "Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps", p 379.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 119
encounter the enemy in so doing, than to retreat,
after the danger we had met in our movement to this
point, without some success by Avay of recompense.
This retrograde moveraent completed our own
active operations for the day, but there was much
severe fighting in other parts of the line afterward.
As late as six o'clock in the afternoon, our comrades
of the Sixth Corps were called into action, and twelve
picked regiments from that command, among which
were included the Fifth and Sixth Maine, made one of
the most brilliant and notable charges upon the
records of military history. Their attack was com
pletely successful, three lines of the enemy's entrench
ments being carried in rapid succession, and several
guns, together with a thousand or more prisoners,
taeing captured. The resistance with which they met,
however, was stutataorn, and the column suffered great
loss, and taeing unsupported, they were unable to
maintain their temporary advantage. The shattered
remnant of the twelve brave regiments that had
dashed against the retael works, retreated to the
shelter of our lines, leaving the dead and wounded in
the enemy's hands, and abandoning even the six guns
which they had captured.
At ataout the same time the Fifth and Second
Corps again taecame engaged, delivering another tarave
taut unsuccessful assault against the enemy's position
on Laurel Hill, and taeing repulsed with great loss.
As night came on, the noise of taattle gradually died
away, and soon after the darkness had fallen, the
wearied comtaatants on taoth sides were glad to snatch
a respite from the territale struggle which had endured
for so many hours. The day had been one of territale
loss to taoth armies, the Federals having some ten

120 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
thousand men killed and wounded, while the Confed
erates had lost nearly as many. In the Ninth Corps
the list of casualties was not so large as in some of the
others, taut many had fallen from its ranks. Our
First division had sustained the loss of its commander,
Brigadier-General Thonias G. Stevenson, of Massa
chusetts, together with many brave men of inferior
rank, while the other divisions had suffered propor
tionately. So far as can be ascertained now, no
casualties occurred on this day in our own battalion,
though we participated with the Second division in its
advance upon the Court House, and were otherwise
exposed to the enemy's fire through the day.
During the following day, Wednesday, the 11th
of May, the two armies lay in close contact with each
other, taut though . there was constant skirmishing,
neither side made any attempts to taring on a general
engagement. Both of the antagonists were quite
willing to permit a little lull in the contest, during
which they raight gather strength for its renewal.
On the part of the Federals, the day was passed in
sending the numerous wounded men to the rear of the
army, long trains of amtaulances and wagons loaded
with the victims of the previous day's engagement
taeing dispatched to Frederickstaurg. During the
progress of the skirmishing on the 11th, the Thirty-
Second Maine taattalion, temporarily under the
command of Lieutenant-Colonel Batataitt of the Ninth
New Hampshire, had a sharp encounter with a force
of the enemy's skirmishers, which, after a tarisk ex
change of volleys, we drove hack for a mile or more,
without material loss upon our part.
General Huraphreys in his "Virginia Campaign",
in speaking of the general operations of the day, says,

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 121
"On the 11th, the Ninth Corps was ordered to with
draw to the north side of the Ny, take up a position
with its left on the main road to Frederickstaurg, near
the Harris house, its right connecting with Mott's
division, near the BroAvn house, but before this order
could tae carried out, General Burnside was ordered
to recross the Ny and occupy his position near the
Court House, Avhich AA-as done without any serious
opposition ". *
In the course of the afternoon of Wednesday,
rain taegan to fall, the first since the taeginning of the
campaign. As night came on the storm grew heavier,
and as the darkness fell, the drenched earth and
dripping trees made our position anything taut a com-
fortatale one in Avhieli to pass the night. There was
no moon, the heavens were obscured tay heavy clouds,
the rain fell in soaking showers, and the whole
situation was a dismal and dreary one. Yet to many
a tarave fellow it was the last night of life, for the
coming day was to taring us another great taattle, in
which many of those who vainly sought that night to
forget their discorafort in sleep, should find that
•dreamless rest "that knows no waking".
Perhaps it may be of interest to quote here from
Greneral Humphreys' "Virginia Campaign" as to the
movements of these days preceding the battle of
the 12th of May. He writes, "In accordance with the
project of General Grant, the army began to move at
lialf past eight in the evening" (of the 7th of May),
' ' General Warren tay the Brock road toward Spottsyl
vania Court House, General Sedgwick by the pike and
plank roads to Chancellorsville, and thence by way
of Aldrich's and Piney Branch church to the inter-
* Humphreys— "A^irginia Campaign", p. 87.

122 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
section of the road from Piney Branch church to
Spottsylvania Court House, and the road from Alsop's
to Block House. * * * * Burnside followed Sedgwick,
but early on the 8th he was directed to halt at Al
drich's, where the Piney Branch church road leaves
the Fredericksburg plank road (about two miles from
the church), in order to cover the trains".* A little
later he says, "Early in the morning of the 9th, Gen
eral Burnside moved with the Ninth Corps from
Aldrich's, on the Orange and Fredericksburg plank
road, to Gates' house, on the road from Spottsylvania
Court House to Fredericksburg, and then toward
the Court House, crossing the Ny at Gates' house (a
mile and a half from the Court House), with Willcox's
division, and encountering a force of dismounted cav
alry and a brigade of Longstreet's Corps, according to
General Burnside's report. Ataout mid-day, Steven
son's division arrived, a portion of which was also
thrown across the river, while Potter's division fol
lowing was held near Alsop's, about a mile back from
theNy".t * Humphreys — " Virginia Campaign", pp. 67-58.
t Humphreys— "Virginia Campaign", p. 72.

J5KEVET CAPTAIN CHAIU.ES W. KEYES.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 123

3iograpI^ical Skctcf^.

BEEVET CAPTAIN CHAELES W. KEYES.
Brevet Captain Charles W. Keyes, U. S. A., was born
in Wilton, Frankbn County, Maine, February 1, 1831. He
was prevented by filial duties from joining the army during
the first year of the war, but enlisted as a private in the
Twenty-Eighth Maine Infantry, September 10, 1862, and
served with that regiment in Florida and Louisiana until it
was mustered out, September 1st of the following year.
During this term of service he received, in a sharp battle with
the enemy at Fort Butler, Louisiana, a severe wound in his
left arm. Two months after the Twenty-Eighth Eegiment was
mustered out (November, 1863), he enlisted the second time
in the Second Maine Cavalry as a private, and about three
months later was discharged by reason of promotion in the
Thirty-Second Maine Infantry, then organizing at Augusta.
He received a commission as First Lieutenant of Company E
of that regiment, April 2, 1864. This regiment was soon at
the front, and participated actively in the hard fighting of the
Wilderness and Spottsylvania Court House. In the latter
engagement (May 12, 1864), Lieutenant Keyes received a
wound, which resulted some days later in the loss of his left
foot. Partially recovering from his wound, he enlisted again as
Second Lieutenant in the Coast Guards, and served in a bat
tery near Belfast, Maine, till after the war closed. While in
command of his company there, in obedience to orders from
the War Department, salutes were fired over the surrender of
General Lee, and while executing this conimand he was struck
near the left eye by a friction-primer which blew from a
recoiling gun, and gradually lost the vision of that eye.

124 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH
Captain Keyes was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the
Forty-Fourth U. S. Infantry, July 28, 1866, and was unas-
signed May 27, 1869. He was rigtired with the rank of First
Lieutenant, December 31, 1870.
"For gallant and meritorious service at Fort Butler,
Louisiana", Captain Keyes received the brevet of First Lieu
tenant, March 2, 1867, and "for gallant and meritorious
service in the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, Virginia",
he, received on the same date, the brevet of Captain.
During his active service in the regular army he was a
member for some months of a general court-martial under
General Eicketts ; was on the staff of General W. H. Emoiy,
commander of the Department of Washington, during the
great review in honor of Burlingame and the Chinese embassy ;
served for a time as assistant superintendent of the War
Department Buildings, Washington, D. C, and for about two
years was engaged under General O. O. Howard in work
among the Freedmen's Schools of Kentucky.
A few years after retirement, Captain Keyes purchased
the Farmington (Maine) Chronicle, the leading paper of his
native county, and conducted it for about twelve years. He
was a member of the Board of Trustees of the State College
for seven years, and for eight years was a trustee of the
Maine Wesleyan Seminary and Female College, Kent's Hill.
Captain Keyes has been twice married, first, to Miss
Juliette C. Lord, eldest daughter of Eev. Isaac Lord of the
Maine M. E. Conference ; second, to Miss Hattie E. Park,
preceptress of the Maine Wesleyan Seminary and Female Col
lege. His home for the past twenty-five years has been at
Farmington, Maine, a pretty village in a region resorted to
for the beauty of the natural scenery.

CHAPTER VIII.

At Spottsylvania. — The ' ' Bloody Angle ". — Han
cock's Assault at Daybreak. — Captuee of
Geneeals Johnson and Steuaet. — The
Thiety-Second at Close Quartees. —
FouE Beigades Against One. — The
List of Casualties.

It has just taeen said that the night of the 11th of
May was a st6rmy and cheerless one, taut the storm
and darkness were not recognized tay the indomitatale
spirit of the Lieutenant-General of the Federal army
as otastacles to the carrying out of his stern purpose.
He had spent the day in preparations for a renewal of
the contest on the morrow, and had made such dispo
sitions of his troops as seemed likely to secure the taest
results. The attacks of the previous day, directed
against Lee's left and left center mainly, had shown
that portion of the enemy's line to tae strongly forti
fied, and it was scarcely protaatale that any renewal of
the assault upon the same part of their line would tae
more successful than those of Tuesday had taeen. But
on the Confederate right center, near what was known
as the Landrum or Landron house, their lines formed
a salient or projecting angle, and General Grant was
led to taelieve that a vigorous talow upon this point

126 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
might prove effective. Could the Confederate line tae
pierced here, and this angle seized tay our forces, it
was taelieved that the result would tae the turning of
Lee's right flank, and his consequent dislodgement
from the position.
Accordingly, arrangements for an attack at this
point were at once taegun, and Hancock Avas selected
to lead the assault. The Second Corps was ordered to
leave its entrenchments upon our extreme right, and
move, in rear of the army, to the left, where it Avas to
take position in a gap taetween the lines of the Sixth
and Ninth Corps, which had not been previously
occupied. This would bring Hancock directly
fronting the portion of the Confederate line in which
the angle was located, and against which his attack
was to tae delivered. The assault of the Second
Corps was to tae supported tay the remainder of the
army, Warren with the Fifth Corps, and Burnside
with the Ninth making demonstrations upon the Con
federate left and right at the same time, in order to
prevent the enemy from withdrawing troops from
those portions of the line to relieve and strengthen
his threatened center. Shortly after midnight of the
11th, in the midst of the storm and darkness, Hancock
moved to the rear out of his works, and passing to the
left, taehind Warren and Wright, silently and cau
tiously approached the point of attack, taking his
position within twelve hundred yards of the enemy's
front. Here he Availed for the first sign of the coming
of morning, whose earliest ray was to tae the signal
for his advance. A heavy mist rested over the forests
around Spottsylvania, and the low-hanging clouds,
and dense vapors that steamed upward from the
marshes, still half-concealed the feetale light of the

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 127
dawning day, when at half -past four o'clock on the
morning of Thursday, May 12th, Hancock had already
set his troops in motion.
General Huraphreys, in the work Avhich we have
previously quoted, says, "In the afternoon of the
11th, General Meade received the following despatch
from General Grant, dated three P. M., 'Move three
divisions of the Second Corps, by the rear of the Fifth
and Sixth Corps, under cover of night, so as to join
the Ninth Corps in a vigorous assault of the enemy at
four o'clock A. M. to-morrow ' ". He goes on to say,
" Hancock's troops moved, after it became dark, under
the guidance of Captain Mendell of the United States
Engineers, over a narrow, difficult road, and in a
heavy rain. The head of the column arrived at the
Brown house about half an hour after midnight, the
night still dark and rainy, and as soon as practicable
Avere formed for attack about twelve hundred yards
from the enemy's entrenchments. * * * * * Owing to
the heavy fog. General Hancock postponed the hour of
attack until there should be sufficient light to see
dimly, and at 4.35 A. M. gave the order to advance".*
The Brown house of which General Humphreys
speaks was ataout half a mile to the north and west of
the Landrum or Landron house. An open ground,
ataout four hundred yards wide, led frora Brown's
fields nearly due south to the apex of the salient, of
which raention has been raade, this open ground con
necting Brown's fields with the A\dde fields of the
Landrum farra, in the southwest corner of which was
the salient. BetAveen the position from which the
Second Corps advanced, and the retael Avorks, much of
the ground Avas clothed with a thick growth of pines
*Humphreys — "Virginia Campaign", pp. 89 and 92.

128 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
and tangled undertarush, extremely difficult to pene
trate. And within a short distance of the Confed
erate tareastworks, the surface rose with consideratale
ataruptness, so that the entrenchments themselves
were situated upon an elevation of moderate height.
Planned tay skilful engineers, strongly tauilt, and so
situated as to command the descending slope in its
front with its plunging fire, the retael work was one
capatale of taeing long and stubtaornly defended
against all attacks. But the men who composed its
garrison had no warning of Hancock's approach till
he burst upon them like a thunderbolt from out of
the darkness and the mists of morning. Under the
strictest orders for the preservation of silence, the
Second Corps advanced rapidly upon the salient, its
movement being so well concealed tay the dense
curtain of fog, that the retaels who occupied that
portion of the works were completely taken tay sur
prise. Noiselessly the lines had taeen formed, without
a loud word taeing spoken, or a command given in a
tone ataove a whisper. And without a cheer or shout,
they had moved forward, with fixed taayonets,
keeping the same ominous silence, and taending all
their energies to the task of covering the distance as
rapidly, and in as good order as the otastacles in their
way would permit. That these were neither few nor
small may tae inferred from the nature of the ground
over which their course lay. In the uncertain light
of early dawn, amid the drifting mists, and along the
dusky forest-paths, they plunged and struggled
through swamps and ditches, across morasses, and
over tangled underbrush and slashing.
And yet the enemy had no suspicion of their
approach, until, just at the edge of the wood

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 129
Hancock's men struck a line of rifle-pits filled with
rebel pickets, and encountered a scattering fire.
With a yell, the charging lines sprang forward, and
the pickets fied in confusion. The enemy's main line
was alarmed, taut it was too late for them to profit tay
this notice of the approach of the Union troops.
Right at the heels of the fiying pickets, gallantly and
impetuously charging up the little hill, came the line
of "taoys in talue". Up to and over the works they
pushed, unmindful of the enemy's fire, and the retaels,
surprised, panic-stricken and overpowered, gave way
taefore them. Many threw down their arms and
surrendered, and many others fied in dismay and
confusion to the second line of works, in their
rear. Artillerymen ataandoned their guns, which the
victorious Second Corps gathered up in whole taat-
teries, to the numtaer of between thirty and forty
pieces, together with limbers, caissons, horses and
ammunition. Infantry regiments surrendered bodily,
and one who participated in the charge estimates
that the numtaer of prisoners actually captured that
morning could not have taeen less than twelve to
fifteen thousand men. But only a comparatively
small numtaer of these, some three or four thousand
altogether, were retained in our hands. Being, from
the necessities of the case, sent to the rear without
guard or escort, many who . had surrendered, upon
finding themselves thus left to their own devices,
quietly passed around the fiank of the Second Corps,
under the shelter of the woods, and thus regained
their own lines.
The same authority (General Humphreys) from
whom we have previously quoted, states that Major-
General Edward Johnson commanded a division of

130 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
the Second (Ewell's) Corps of. the Confederate army
of Northern Virginia, consisting, in January, 1864, of
four brigades : the ' ' Stonewall Brigade " of five regi
ments of Virginians, commanded by Brigadier-General
J. A. Walker; Steuart's brigade of three Virginia and
two North Carolina regiments, under command of
Brigadier-General George H. Steuart; Jones' brigade
of six Virginia regiments, Brigadier-General J. M.
Jones, commanding; and Stafford's brigade of five
Louisiana regiments, commanded by Brigadier-Gen
eral L. A. Stafford. At the date of the taattle,
however. Colonels York and Terry, respectitely, com
manded the tarigades forraerly of Stafford and Jones.
The greater part of Johnson's division, and a portion
of Early's division were included in the prisoners
taken, the commander of that first named, Major
General EdAA^ard Johnson, taeing among the numtaer.
Another general officer of the rebel forces. General
George H. Steuart, was also captured here.
Thus far the most brilliant success had crowned
the exertions of the Second Corps, taut there was still
a strong second line of works a short distancein the
rear of that which it had so gallantly carried. The
enemy was in strong force here, and fully prepared
for the attack, and capatale of offering the most
stutataorn resistance. The taattle had tay this time
taecome general, and was raging with intense fury.
The Sixth Corps had taeen withdrawn from its first
position and sent in to the support of Hancock upon
his right, and the Ninth Corps had also become
engaged in a severe and bloody struggle upon his left.
Our Second division had taeen at once moved up in
support of Hancock's advance in the early morning,
our own Second brigade leading in this movement on

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 131
the part of the division. By this means, our brigade
line connected with the left of the Second Corps, and
we had the privilege of sharing with "the superb
Hancock " and his gallant corps, the honor and peril
of their dashing attack. Shall we ever forget that
advance? On through the dense woods, under the
dripping trees, now stumbling over the interlacing
vines and undergrowth, now ankle deep in a marshy
swamp, scarce seeing through the mist, with which
the smoke of taattle was taeginning to mingle, what
otastacles impeded our progress, the little tarigade
rushed forward in that headlong charge. A few
short minutes of alraost tareathless struggling up the
steep green slope before us, and then the fire of the
enemy sweeping over and through our line like a blast
of death. Men went down on the right and the left,
taut the colors never wavered, and the tarigade pushed
on undauntedly. Almost taefore we were aware, we
had carried a portion of the enemy's work, and cap
tured two of their guns. General Humphreys writes
in relation to this attack, "At four o'clock in the
morning of the 12th General Potter's division of
Burnside's Corps advanced against the enemy's
entrenchments, held by Lane's brigade, the left of
Hill's Corps. These he carried about five o'clock,
capturing some prisoners and two guns".* The
Confederate tarigade which we encountered here
consisted of five regiments of North Carolina troops,
under the command of Brigadier-General J. H. Lane,
forming a portion of the division commanded by
Major-General C. M. Wilcox.
We were not permitted, however, to remain long
in undisputed possession of the works which we had
* Humphreys — " Virginia Campaign ", p. 102.

132 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
captured, as General Lane, falling taack to some old
entrenchments which enfiladed those of which he had
been dispossessed, reformed his tarigade, under their
cover. And taeing reinforced tay the brigades of
Scales and Thomas, which had taeen sent up tay Gen
eral Wilcox as soon as he heard the firing, Lane
speedily compelled us to abandon the entrenchments
we had taken. General Dole's tarigade of Ewell's
Corps also came up to reinforce Lane at ataout the
same time as the others, and the comtained advance of
the four tarigades of Confederates was sufficient to
compel our falling taack for a short distance.
In the meantime, Hancock had pushed toward
the second line of the retaels, and been met by the
most determined and desperate opposition. His troops
had taecome somewhat broken tay their repeated at
tacks, — the fiery impetuosity of their charge, and the
nature of the ground over which they moved, contrita-
uting in no small degree to disturta their original order
of formation. Their ranks had taecome more or less
disorganized in the rush for the first line of works,
and the excitement of "scooping in" guns, colors and
prisoners after it had taeen carried. They were, there
fore, less atale to overcome the resistance with which
the Confederates, now heavily reinforced, met them.
To quote again from General Humphreys, we find him
writing, "In the capture of the entrenchments, the
troops taecame disordered and mixed, and it was ex
ceedingly difficult to restore order. It was particu
larly difficult in Barlow's division, where the men
must have taeen twenty deep and had mingled in one
common mass".*
Before time would permit General Hancock to
remedy this derangement of his forces, and once more
* Humphreys — "Virginia Campaign", p. 94.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 133
array his lines in proper order, he was, in his turn,
suddenly and vigorously assaulted tay the enemy.
The moment was an important and critical one, taut
our Second tarigade, from its position upon the left of
the Second Corps, was fortunately atale to render most
timely and efficient aid at this juncture. The enemy
advanced against Hancock in heavy masses, to which
our tarigade was, in comparison, taut little more than
a handful. But their advance was most handsomely
met, and for the moment, checked by the men of the
Second tarigade alone. While the disparity of num
bers would of necessity prevent us from claiming to
have taeen atale to repulse such an attack, we can, at
all events, assert that we held the enemy in check till
crushed and broken by his superior weight. And to
us belongs the honor of having delayed his advance
sufficiently long to enable Hancock to make some
progress in reforming his disordered lines. Had the
weight of the Confederate attack fallen upon the Sec
ond Corps, in its condition of partial disorganization,
the mere momentum of the assault might have com
pleted the disruption of its formation. We do not
say that it would certainly have done so, for no more
gallant men than the soldiers of the Second Corps,
ever wore the Federal uniform. And, inured as they
were to withstand the shock of battle, they might,
even in their disordered condition, have repulsed the
fierce attack, unaided by us. But it is certain that if
they had failed to do so; — if they had been broken
tay the weight of the retael masses, a gap would have
taeen opened in our lines through which the eager
enemy would have poured his legions in a resistless
flood. But the talow fell first upon us in the Second
brigade of Potter's division of the Ninth Corps, and

134 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
though we reeled taeneath its crushing force, we did
not give way. Though a hail of tauUets swept our
line, and men were falling faster and faster under the
deadly shower, we held our position with stutataorn
persistency. The veteran regiments of our brigade
bore themselves in this obstinate confiict as taecame
men who had already won their laurels on many
hard-fought fields. And side tay side with them
stood the new troops, as bravely and unflinchingly as
if accustomed to scenes of carnage and death. Our
own little taattalion was now, for the flrst time, en
gaged at close quarters with a force of the enemy
vastly its superior in numtaers. But there was no
wavering along its line, and no slackening of its
steady flre, as the retael advance drew nearer. The
cdlors, which taut a few short weeks taefore, had taeen
entrusted to our keeping, and which were then fresh
and bright, were now receiving their "baptism of
fire ", and being rapidly torn to shreds, as the bullets
of the enemy whistled and shrieked over our line.
And the tarave taoys who stood taeneath our flags were
taeing hurled to the ground, wounded, taleeding,
dying, as our ranks were swept tay the volleys of the
enemy. It was sharp, hot work, and could not last
for any great length of time when the forces opposed
to each other were so disproportionate in numtaer.
Perhaps for fifteen minutes, — perhaps for not more
than ten, the tarigade held the enemy at bay, and then
its shattered remnant gave way taefore his repeated
onsets. But those minutes had taeen of priceless value
to General Hancock, who had taeen enataled theretay to
partially restore his formation, and place his lines
in position to receive the attack, Avhich now fell upon
hira.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 135
In recognition of the essential service rendered tay
our brigade in this hour of need, our gallant com
mander. Colonel Griffin, was sutasequently made a
Brigadier-General, his commission as such taeing dated
from the 12th of May. Woodtaury says, "Colonel
Griffin's position enabled him at this moment to be
of effectual service, the enemy was handsomely met,
and Hancock was saved. So prorainent had taeen the
gallantry of the brigade commander upon this and
former occasions that General Burnside recommended
him for instant promotion".* That he had already
raerited this proraotion long before is unquestion
able, taut his timely aid to the Second Corps on this
occasion secured for him the star which he so well
deserved. The tarigade had suffered severely in this
encounter, taut there still remained much Avork for us
to do taefore the day should close. And we were able
to obtain but a very brief respite to enable us to
regain our breath after the hot work of the morning,
until we were again called upon to put forth every
exertion to hold the enemy in check.
The fighting of the morning was but the intro
duction to a series of bloody contests which ceased
only with the cessation of strife upon that ever-mem
orable day, long after night had fallen. General
Hancock gave up the attempt to carry the second line
of Confederate entrenchments, and fell taack to that
captured in the early morning, and here the taattle
raged for hours. The "angle" spoken of in the tae
ginning of this chapter, taecame the center ataout
which the contest was the most severe and otastinate.
Our forces were in possession of the Confederate
works upon our left as far as the salient, while the
* Woodbury — " Burnside and the Ninth Corps ", p. 384.

136 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
retaels still held the rest of their line taeyond the
angle. This made the angle an important factor in
the decision of the question as to which antagonist
should win the day. It was regarded tay taoth as
taeing the key-point of the whole position. Each
believed that its possession would ensure victory,
since it would enable the army which held it, to com
mand the whole first line of works. Hence the
Confederates made repeated and desperate attempts
to dislodge us, while the Federals fought with equal
desperation to maintain their position. Charge after
charge was made against the Second and Ninth Corps,
and each time the Confederates were repulsed after
severe fighting. The Sixth and Fifth Corps, still
further to the right of the Union line, were also fully
engaged, and the taattle was general along our whole
front. But immediately about the "Bloody Angle"
the storm of battle roared most loudly, and the leaden
rain fell thickest. For several hours the Confederates
hurled column after column upon this point, losing
heavily at each attempt, and infiicting severe loss
upon the Federals, in return. By eleven o'clock A. M. ,
after more than six hours of incessant and territale
musketry firing, there was a perceptitale lull so far as
this was concerned, though the artillery still thun
dered with unataatedVolume.
But this slackening of the fire was occasioned
more tay the exhaustion of the comtaatants than from
any disposition upon either side to discontinue the
contest, and was not of very long duration. Early in
the afternoon. General Grant taegan massing his forces
upon the enemy's right, hoping to succeed in turning
his fiank. Two divisions were detached from the
Fifth Corps, which was confronting, the Confederate

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 137
left, and sent in to the aid of the troops in the vicinity
of the angle. Thus reinforced, the Federals now
began an endeavor to force the Confederates to retire.
But the movement was met on the part of General Lee
by a corresponding massing of his own forces upon
the threatened portion of his line. And however
heavily the Union troops attacked, the retaels resisted
with equal persistency. The crash and roll of mus
ketry swelled again to full volume as the fight went
on, through the long hours of that afternoon. But
severe as was the flghting, and taloody and terrible as
was the slaughter upon each side, little did it avail
cither antagonist. Lee's raost terrific blows against
the salient could not effect the dislodgement of the
brave Federals who held it as the prize of taattle.
And neither could the supreme efforts on the part of
the Federals compel the rebels to retire, and leave the
Avorks in our possession. Rain had begun to fall in
showers during the forenoon, and continued at inter
vals throughout the day, being at times very heavy,
taut it had no effect upon the ardor of the combatants.
They fought on in the midst of the pouring showers
as unconcernedly as if they were unconscious of any
other emotion than the fierce excitement of taattle.
The contest continued till long after nightfall, and it
was not until nearly or quite midnight that it finally
ceased wholly, and Lee withdrew to his interior lines.
Both armies were well-nigh worn out and ex
hausted tay the incessant exertions required of them
during an engagement which had lasted for twenty
hours and had caused each antagonist to lose ten
thousand of his taest men. Throughout the day, our
own tarigade had taorne its part in the flerce contest,
and had taeen engaged, after the tarilliant affair of the

138 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
morning, in all the subsequent operations. We held
one of the most exposed positions upon the line, par
ticipated in repeated charges, and lost heavily in
officers and men. The ground in our immediate
front was densely wooded, and the enemy who con
fronted us was Avell protected by rifle-pits and timber
tareastworks, which gave him a considerable advan
tage. This was the first great taattle in which the
Thirty-Second Maine had taeen so closely engaged,
our service in the Wilderness having taeen mainly in
the construction of fortifications, as has taeen shown
in a previous chapter. But new as we were to such
scenes of carnage, the taattalion did its duty from the
beginning to the close of the battle, and, we believe,
tarought no discredit upon the honor of the Pine Tree
State tay its taehavior. Brigaded with old regiments,
accustomed to the fire of taattle, the taattalion endeav
ored to emulate the example of its veteran associates,
and prove itself as staunch as were they.
The casualties in the battalion were very large,
and attest the severity of the fire to which it was
exposed. In the forenoon we were at one time under
a severe enfilading fire, and taeing entirely without
breastworks or any other protection except the con
formation of the ground, which afforded us only par
tial shelter, we lost heavily. The first roll-call after
the taattle disclosed a long and ghastly list of killed,
wounded and missing, when the small numtaer of men
whom we took into action is considered. But six
companies, numtaering only ataout four hundred and
fifty officers and men "present for duty" were en
gaged in the taattle. And of these, ten were killed in
action, or mortally wounded, and thirty more or less
severely wounded, taut escaped with life. The casual
ties in the several corapanies were as folloAvs:

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 139
Company A, Privates George W. Remick, Charles
W. Whittier and Charles E. Witham, killed in action;
and Corporal William H. Staples, Privates Thomas
Benson, John Edgecomta, John Fernald, Ammi Man-
son, Patrick McCarthy, George H. Smith and Charles
H. Day, Avounded.
Company C, Sergeant Joseph Files, and Private
Adoniram Cookson, mortally wounded; and First
Lieutenant Joseph B. Hammond, Second Lieutenant
Charles F. Burr, Privates Clarence L. Atataott, John H.
Dodge, Michael Doran, William S. Davis, Daniel W.
Leavitt, Solomon C. Rider, Edward Rafter, John
McGee and Philip Wedge, wounded.
Company D, Private Maynard G. Davis, killed;
and Privates Geo. A. Hodgdon and Albert Small,
mortally wounded; First Lieutenant Charles B.
Rounds, Corporals Fred H. Nevins and Roger A.
Foss, Privates Daniel G. Harlow, and John Joyce,
wounded. Company E, Corporal James H. Hamraon, Privates
William A. Allen, Romanzo A. Burgess and Charles
T. Duley, wounded.
Company F, .First Lieutenant Fred S. Gurney,
Private Augustus Mason, killed; Private Jesse Dudley,
mortally wounded; and Private Oliver Hinckley,
wounded. It will tae seen that the loss of the taattalion was
one commissioned officer, one non-commissioned
officer, and nine enlisted men, killed or died of
wounds, and three coramissioned officers, four non
commissioned officers, and tAventy-tAvo enlisted men,
wounded. Many of these wounds were severe, ren
dering amputation necessary, or otherwise disataling
their recipients for the performance of further service

140 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
in the field. So that, although some of those above
named returned to duty subsequently, the battalion
was actually weakened to the extent of the permanent
loss of the greater numtaer. Private Day of Company
A lost his right leg, and Davis of Company C his arm,
while Dodge of Company C had his right arm so crip
pled that he never fully recovered its use. Privates
Leavitt and Wedge of C, and Corporal Nevins of D
were transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps. Cor
poral Staples and Privates Smith and Benson of A,
Privates Rafter of C, Harlow and Joyce of D, and, no
doutat, others in the remaining companies, after
months of suffering in hospitals, were finally dis
charged on account of their wounds, maimed and
disataled for life.
Perhaps among all the casualties of the day none
entailed more painful suffering than in the case of
poor young Cookson of Company C. A writer who
has putalished a little volume of hospital-sketches,
thus pathetically speaks of his lingering agony in the
hospital at Frederickstaurg: "Near * * * was a most
hopeless and pitiful case — a lad, Adoniram Cookson,
wounded in the taack tay a shell. He was a mere boy,
not over fifteen, so pinched and thin, and delicate in
frame, that I could easily have carried him in my
arms; and his face had grown prematurely old with
suffering. The only position in AA^hich he could rest
was upon his elbows and knees, and he turned help
lessly from side to side, moaning and talking in wild
delirium. I cannot forget his utterly hopeless look in
his moments of sanity, the eyes and face so wan and
worn with days and nights of agony. The poor boy
slept at last his long and quiet sleep, and was buried
in the newly-made cemetery, which increased with

CAPTAIN HORACE II. BURBAXK.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 141
fearful rapidity every day. We covered his lonely
resting place with flowers".*
In contrast with the protracted suffering of this
poor boy, was the almost instantaneous death of Lieu
tenant Gurney of Company F, who was struck down
upon the fleld during the fiercest fighting, and died
without a struggle. Sergeant Files of Company C
was shot through the abdomen, and lingered for a day
or two taefore death came to his relief. Privates Small
of Company D and Dudley of F also survived for
some days after receiving their death-wounds, the
latter living until the 3rd day of June.
Such, in tarief, was the share of our taattalion in
the great taattle of Spottsylvania, and while much
more might well tae written of the incidents of that
day of territale carnage, enough has already taeen said
to show that we bore our part of the toil and losses of
the day as befitted soldiers.
* W. H. Eeed — " Hospital Life in the Army of the Potomac ", p. 25

Bto^rapl^tcal Sketcl].

CAPTAIN HOEACE H. BUEBANK.
Horace Harmon Burbank was born in Limerick, York
County, Maine, October 27, 1837, and was the eldest son of
Abner and Eliza Adams (Harmon) Burbank. His early edu
cation was obtained in the village schools of his native town,
and the academies at Limerick and Yarmouth. After the usual
preparatory studies, he entered Bowdoin College, and grad
uated in the class of 1860. Among his classmates at Bowdoin
were Hon. Thomas B. Eeed, Hon. Joseph W. Symonds,

142 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
General John M. Brown, Hon. W. W. Thomas, Hon. Amos
L. Allen, and other well-known Maine men. After his grad
uation, he began the study of law with L. S. Moore of Lim
erick. And while reading law, he taught school, until
August, 1862. He then enlisted as a private in Company A,
Twenty-Seventh Maine Infantry Volunteers, for nine months
service. Three months after enlistment, he was promoted to
quartermaster-sergeant. When his term of service was about
to expire, in June, 1863, Lee's invasion alarmed the North,
and he was one of the three hundred members of the Twenty-
Seventh who voted to remain in the service after their period
of enlistment terminated. He served until after the battle of
Gettysburg, being discharged on July 17, 1863. Upon his
return home, he entered Harvard Law School, intending to
complete his legal studies. But his desire to I'eturn to the
army was too strong to be overcome. And in March, 1864,
he re-entered the service, being commissioned as First Lieu
tenant of Company A, of the Thirty-Second regiment of
Maine Infantry Volunteers. In the following May, he was
promoted to the captaincy of Company K, of the same regi
ment. He went to the front with the first battalion, and
participated in all of the battles from Spottsylvania to the
Mine Explosion. In the last named, on July 30, 1864, he
was taken prisoner, together with many other officers of his
regiment. On the 5th of August he reached Columbia, S. C,
and was confined in Eichland County Jail, and was there held
as a prisoner of war for four months. On December 5th, he
with other prisoners, was transferred from the jail to Camp
Asylum, an inclosure taken from the grounds of the State
Insane Asylum at Columbia, for a prison-camp.
In February, 1865, he, with others, made their escape
from prison, and succeeded in reaching Sherman's army.
After having joined Sherman, Captain Burbank went through

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 143
to Fayetteville with the army, and from thence, by consent of
General Sherman, went to Wilmington on a gunboat, and
thence to Fortress Monroe and Washington. During; his
imprisonment, the Thirty-Second regiment had been consoli
dated with the Thirty-First Maine, and he had been trans
ferred to the captaincy of Company B, of the latter regiment.
But he never assumed the command of that company, and, on
May 15, 1865, was discharged by special orde^ from the War
Department, on account of disability.
Since his return to peaceful life, he has always manifested
a lively interest in everything pertaining to the Civil War.
At the first opportunity after being mustered out of the
service, he became a member of the Grand Army of the
Eepublic. And he has since been a constant and efficient
worker for the Avelfare of the order. He is a Past Com
mander of his Post, and is now serving his nineteenth term as
Post Quartermaster. He has also been Judge Advocate of
the Department for two years. Junior Vice Department Com
mander one year, and in 1888, was elected Department Com
mander. He is also a member of the Maine Commandery of
the Military Order of the Loyal Legion. In the years 1876-
7-8, he was Judge Advocate on the staff of Gov. Selden Con
nor, with the rank of Colonel. He is also prominent in the
Masonic fraternity, being a Past Grand Master of the Grand
Lodge, and Past Grand Commander of Knights Templar of
Maine. In his chosen profession of the law, he has also won
honors, having been County Attorney for York County five
years, Eegister of Probate eight years, City Solicitor of Saco
five years, and Judge of the Municipal Court of the city of
Saco, since December 5, 1890, having been recently appointed
for his fourth term.
He is married, and has four children, two boys and two
girls.

CHAPTER IX.

The Results of the Battle. — Seveee Losses with
ONLY Inadequate Gain. — Supplies and Re-in-
FORCEMENTS RECEIVED. — In THE TeENCHES. —
The Battle of the 18th of May. —
Anothee Attack upon Steong Foeti-
FicATioNS. — Attempt to Dislodge
THE Enemy Abandoned. —
List of Casualties.

Some attempt has taeen made in the preceding
chapter to descritae the action at Spottsylvania, as it
was seen from the standpoint of our taattalion's par
ticipation therein. But no words are equal to the full
description of the actual experiences of that day of
fearful taloodshed and slaughter. Nor is it necessary,
for to those who participated in that taattle, there is
little need of anything taeyond the mere mention of its
name, to taring it taefore their memories in all its
horrors. The utterance of the single word ' ' Spottsyl
vania" is enough to taring most clearly and vividly
taefore our mental vision all the scenes of those long
hours of relentless and unremitting strife. At its
sound, we can still plainly taehold the piles of dead
and wounded heaped ataout the "taloody angle",
where the tide of taattle surged highest and most
fiercely. We can still hear the deep and thunderous

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 145
revertaerations of that incessant musketry-firing which
for so many hours rolled and pealed in one grand
volume of sound, without an interval. We can still
see the trees of the dense forest amid which the
confiict was waged, all scarred, scathed and torn tay
the storm of fiying missiles which swept through them.
We rememtaer the stout trunks, riven to fragments tay
the exploding shell, or literally hewn to pieces tay the
musket-taalls, and ¦ cut down as if felled tay the wood
man's axe. But without lingering longer upon the
recollections which the word brings to mind, let us
pass on to the consideration of the events of the days
succeeding the taattle.
On the morning following, which was that of
Friday, May 13th, the relative positions of the two
armies were not materially changed from those
occupied prior to the engagement. Hancock held the
works he had captured in the early morning of
the 12th, taut the Confederates were firmly intrenched
immediately in his front. The actual gain to the
Federals from the hotly contested struggle had taeen
tay no means proportionate to the expenditure of life tay
which it had taeen purchased. The whole fruit of
the otastinate fighting of the day had taeen the capture
of two lines of detached rifie-pits, and a portion of the
enemy's main line of works. This we had taeen atale
to hold against all his desperate attempts to recover
its possession, though only at a fearful cost. But
while he could not regain his lost ground, we had
taeen equally unatale to make any further advance,
and his strong position was still occupied by the
eneiny, practically as secure as taefore.
Yet if we had not gained a decisive victory, the
taattle had taeen productive of good results, and was of

146 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
service to the Union cause, in its moral effects.
Severe as had taeen the Federal loss, that of the enemy
was equally as great. The gigantic efforts which Lee
had made to recover his lost works, had entailed upon
him a fearful sacrifice of his best troops. And the
issue had shown that in spite of the heaviest blows
which could be infiicted upon them, the Federals
could not tae forced to retreat, or to ataandon their
purpose to crush the retaellion at all hazards. The
loyal North was encouraged and inspirited tay the
magnificent courage and endurance which the army
had so grandly exhitaited in the taattle. And the
army itself felt renewed confidence in its leaders, and
an increased reliance upon its own ataility to win in
the end. There were, indeed, a few here and there
in the North, mainly those Avho openly or secretly
sympathized with the retaellion, who saw in the great
taattle only a useless butchery, and who denounced
the Lieutenant-General of the Federal army as incom
petent and heartless. But great as had taeen the
expenditure of life since the army crossed the
Rapidan, the troops did not share in the opinions of
these faint-hearted or disloyal civilians.
Yet the sight which presented itself to the eyes of
the army on the morning of Friday might well have
seemed disheartening. Perhaps no taetter description
can tae found than is afforded by the following quota
tion from the history of one of our Maine regiments,
which served in Hancock's command, in this cam
paign. The writer says, ' 'The scene in our front was
one of the most horrid and revolting that it Avas ever
our fortune to taehold, the dead and wounded of taoth
armies literally covered the ground for miles. Words
are inadequate to convey any idea of the horrid spec-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

147

tacle. Some of the taodies were riddled with musket
taalls. Parties were engaged in taurying the dead
nearly all day; taut very few wounded were found, for
those who at first received taut slight wounds,
were unable to get off the field, and obliged to remain
on the ground, and be shot again and again by the
bullets of both friend and foe. A correspondent,
writing from the spot, thus describes the scene of
horror: 'The angle of the works at which Hancock
entered, and for the possession of which the savage
fight of the day was made, is a perfect Golgotha. In
this angle of death, the dead and wounded retaels
lie this morning literally in piles; men in th'e agonies
of death, groaning taeneath the dead bodies of their
comrades. On an area of a few acres, in the rear of
their position, lie not less than a thousand rebel
corpses; many literally torn to shreds by hundreds of
taalls, and several with taayonet thrusts through and
through their taodies, pierced on the very margins of
the parapet, which they were determined to retake or
perish in the attempt. The one exclamation of every
man, who looks on the spectacle is ' God f ortaid that I
should ever gaze upon such a sight again. ' "*
Other participants testify in equally vivid words
to the intense 'severity of the contest. The Confed
erate General McGowan, who commanded a tarigade
of Wilcox's division of A. P. HiU's Corps, is quoted
tay General Humphreys as saying, "Our men lay on
one side of the tareastwork, the enemy on the other,
and in many instances men were pulled over. * * *
The trenches on the right in the taloody angle had to
tae cleared of the dead more than once. An oak-tree,
* Houghton — "Campaigns of the Seventeenth Maine ", p. 179.

148 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
twenty -two inches in diameter, in rear of the brigade,
was cut down tay musket taalls, and fell ataout twelve
o'clock Thursday night, injuring several men in the
First South Carolina regiment ". And Brigadier-
General Grant, who commanded the Vermont (Second)
tarigade of the Second division. Sixth Corps, speaks of
it in even more forceful words. "It was not only a
desperate struggle", he says, "taut it was literally
a hand-to-hand fight. Nothing but the piled-up logs
or breastworks separated the comtaatants. Our men
would reach over the logs and fire into the faces of
the enemy; would stata over with their bayonets; —
many were shot and statataed through the crevices and
holes between the logs; men mounted the works, and
with muskets rapidly handed them, kept up a contin
uous fire until they were shot down, when others
would take their places and continue the deadly
work. * * * Several times during the day the retaels
would show a white fiag ataove the works, and when
our flre slackened, jump over and surrender, and
others were crowded down to fill their places. * * * *
It was there that the somewhat celetarated tree was
cut off tay bullets, — there that the brush and logs
were cut to pieces and whipped into taasket-stuff;
* * * there that the retael ditches and cross-sections
were filled with dead men several deepr * * * * i ^as
at the angle the next day. The sight was territale and
sickening, much worse than at Bloody Lane (Antie
tam). There a great many dead men were lying in the
road, and across the rails of the torn-down fences, and
out in the corn-field; taut they were not piled up
several deep, and their flesh was not so torn and
mangled as at the 'angle'".*
* Humphreys ^ " Virginia Campaign", pp. 99-100.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 149
During Friday there was some manceuvring and
moving of troops, taut taoth armies were glad to rest
as much as possitale after the exertions of the previous
day. The men on taoth sides were nearly worn out tay
the herculean efforts they had made, and neither
army was in condition for a general engagement.
But the movement of troops tarought them into col
lision at times, and there was some fighting, though
not of long continuance in most cases. The only
exception was a pretty severe engagement, which
lasted for several hours, taetween the Ninth Corps and
the Confederates under the command of General A. P.
Hill. This affair, however, terminated without mate
rial advantage to either side. The only casualty
suffered in the Thirty-Second Maine battalion during
the day was one man, corporal Joseph H. Goff of Com
pany C, wounded.
The movements of the 13th established the fact
that Lee had somewhat contracted his line, the Con
federate 'Tight having been withdrawn to a new
position, taut taeing quite as strongly intrenched along
this inner line as had previously taeen the case. The
ground which the Confederates ataandoned in this
withdrawal to their interior lines, was at once taken
possession of tay our forces, with taut little opposition
on the part of the enemy. The losses which General
Lee had sustained in his desperate assaults of the'12th,
have taeen assigned tay some historians of the war as
the occasion of his having thus shortened his lines.
But whatever may have taeen his reason for the
movement, it is certain that we derived no advantage
from its execution. He merely retired ataout a mile
toward Spottsylvania Court House, and still taarred
our every avenue of approach tay frowning fortifi
cations which appeared as invulneratale as ever.

150 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
The operations on Friday were carried on under
the adverse circumstances of bad weather and poor
roads. The rain which had taegun on Wednesday
still continued to fall at frequent intervals, and the
ground had become so thoroughly soaked tay this time
that the narrow and miry roads were almost impass-
atale. In spite of these difficulties, however, General
Grant set ataout the execution of a new manoeuvre, or
more correctly, the repetition of one already practiced.
During the night of Friday, the two corps upon the
right'of the Union lines, — the Fifth and Sixth Corps,
— taegan moving to the left, with the intention of
taking a position from which to deliver another as
sault upon the Confederate right. But though their
march continued all through the night, their progress
was so much impeded tay the heaviness of the roads,
that they were not atale to reach the new position
until after day-tareak on the morning of Saturday.
This unavoidatale delay occasioned the relinquishment
of the design for an attack tay the Fifth and Sixth
Corps, as by daylight the enemy would have taeen able
to perceive the intention of the movement in season to
resist it. The original purpose had taeen that these
two corps should confront the enemy's position under
cover of the darkness of night, in order to effect such
another surprise as Hancock had infiicted.
Since this could not now tae accomplished, the
idea of an assault was relinquished, and early on the
morning of Saturday, the 14th, the army taegan in
trenching itself, and the spade and the axe were
sutastituted for the satare and the musket. At this
time, the army lay in a general position at right
angles with the Frederickstaurg and Spottsylvania
Court House road, extending across that road, and

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 151
stretching from the Ny river to the Po. By the
changes which had taeen made in the relative positions
of the several corps during Friday night and Saturday
morning, Hancock with the Second Corps was now
upon the Union right again. Burnside and the Ninth
Corps was on the left center, while Wright with the
Sixth Corps and Warren with the Fifth Corps, consti
tuted the right center and extreme left respectively.
In this latter portion of the line there was some sharp
fighting in the course of Saturday afternoon, taut it
was not attended with any especial results, and the
engagement did not become general. In our own part
of the line there was some indecisive skirmishing and
artillery firing, but our battalion was not engaged,
although exposed to the fire of the enemy as we lay in
the trenches. For the next three days, Sunday, Monday and
Tuesday, the 15th, 16th and 17th of May, neither the
Union nor the Confederate armies, as a whole, were
especially active so far as aggressive hostilities were
concerned, though neither force was tay any means
idle during the time. The leaders of the opposing
armies were each busied in iraproving the time af
forded by the lull in the stern contest. Lee was
occupied in adding new works and strengthening his
already strong fortifications, constructing new lines
of rifie-pits, and otherwise increasing his powers of
defence. And upon the Federal side. Grant was
replenishing his supplies of ammunition and commis
sary stores, filling up his ranks, so terribly depleted
tay the days of taattle, with large reinforcements, and
sending his wounded from the field-hospitals, toward
Frederickstaurg and Washington. Upon each of these
three days there was more or less of sharp skirmishing

152 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
along the lines, and for several hours of every after
noon there was heavy artillery-firing, taut no general
action was tarought on. The armies lay face to face,
each quietly awaiting an aggressive movement on the
part of its antagonist, taut hazarding none on its own
part. General Grant was not, however, so much occu
pied in repairing the losses and supplying the needs
occasioned tay the terrible blows he had delivered
against Lee's position, that he could not, at the same
time, give his attention to the development of other
plans. Nor did he neglect any opportunity which
appeared to offer itself, to enable him to penetrate the
lines of defence which rose in his front. He was con
tinually manoeuvring and extending his line toward
his left, hoping tay this means to overlap the Confed
erate line, and thus turn the enemy's right flank.
But each successive extension merely developed a
seemingly endless series of strong tareastworks, behind
which the wary foe stood quietly awaiting the threat
ened assault. Our own taattalion was not engaged in
this sort of work on Sunday, the 15th, taut the fol
lowing day, in the course of the execution of one
of these manoeuvres, the Ninth Corps was called upon
to participate. The First and Second divisions of the
corps made a strong demonstration against the
enemy's lines, which failed to accomplish any impor
tant result. It succeeded, hoAvever, in estatalishing
taeyond question the fact that there was a large retael
force in our front, strongly entrenched, and ready to
offer us taattle, should a direct assault be made.
This, however, was not intended at this time, our
demonstration being merely to feel the enemy, and
develop with more certainty his position and approx-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 153
imate force. The battalion participated in this
reconnaissance with the division to which we be
longed, taut sustained no loss. This was on Monday,
May 16th, and Ave returned to our position in the
trenches to await the next move in the game, feeling
that our little excursion had taeen decidedly taarren of
results. The next day, Tuesday, the 17th, we remained in
our old position, as quietly as was possitale under the
circumstances. But though the interval taetween the
12th and 18th of May was one of comparative rest and
quiet, since we were not engaged in any battle during
that time, yet it was only tay comparison that it could
be deemed such. During that period, the taattalion,
with the tarigade of which it was a part, was constantly
in the first line of trenches, at the extreme front,
and therefore, continually under the enemy's fire.
Only a very short distance separated our works from
those of the enemy in our immediate front, and we
Avere constantly exposed to annoyance and danger
from their close proximity. So near were we to the
advanced trenches of the enemy that we were not per
mitted to light any fires in the neightaorhood of our
works, and our cooking had to be done several hun
dred yards in the rear of our trenches, and even then,
only at fires screened by a curtain of forest trees.
But the vigilance of the enemy's sharpshooters was
so great that it was a serious matter for our men to go
back to the fires, or to come up from them to the
trenches. From the moment that a man exposed him
self to view in the open ground till he was safely
under cover again, he Avas a target for twenty rifies,
and a rain of missiles fell around him. The bullets
whizzed uncomfortably close to his ears, or spitefully

154 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
threw up the dust at his feet, if happily they missed
infiicting a serious wound. The tall pines which
stood a short distance outside our lines, in the space
between us and the enemy, Avere favorite lurking-
places for the sharpshooters. These marksmen, under
the cover of night, would climb into the tops of
the lofty trees, and safely screened from our obser
vation tay the thick foliage, overlook our works from
their elevated perch when daylight came, and send
their deadly missiles at every man who dared leave
the shelter of the trench. The constant fusilade
which they kept up was annoying in the extreme,
even when no damage was inflicted tay it.
Wednesday, May 18th, tarought us some more
active service than that of the three days preceding.
An attempt was made to turn the Confederate right
tay a sudden and vigorous attack. The assault was
made soon after daylight on Wednesday morning, and
was participated in tay a large portion of the Federal
forces, the Second and Ninth Corps each furnishing
two divisions, and the entire Sixth Corps forming the
remainder of the attacking column. When the
arrangements for the assault were completed, the
First and Second divisions of the Ninth Corps formed
the left of the line, the Sixth Corps was on the right,
and the First and Second divisions of the Second
Corps were in the center.
In this order the Union line moved to the attack,
gaining at flrst some slight advantage, the enemy
taeing easily forced taack from his most advanced
position. This was, however, nothing more f ormidatale
than a line of rifle-pits held only by a considerable
force of skirmishers, who readily gave way and left
the pits in our possession. They were closely followed

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 155-
up until their second line of works was reached, but
this proved to tae much more difficult of approach. It
consisted of strong tareastworks protected tay a thick
and almost impenetrable abattis, and defended by a
large and determined force of Confederates. But
formidable as these works appeared, the Union troops
made a gallant attempt to carry them, and a severe
struggle ensued, in which we lost heavily, without
obtaining any advantage. After the contest had con
tinued for some time, it became apparent that the
position was too strong to tae carried tay the force
which we were employing against it. Further persis
tence in the endeavor to dislodge an enemy so securely
posted, could only have one result, it was taelieved.
To prolong the contest would *tae only to increase the
expenditure of life in an effort which could not tae
otherwise than unavailing and fruitless. The attempt
to turn Lee's flank was therefore relinquished, and
the Federal line was withdraAvn under a heavy fire,
which added to the severe losses already sustained.
During the engagement, the troops which partici
pated lost from eight hundred to a thousand men in
the aggregate, without accomplishing anything which
could tae deemed an adequate return for this loss.
Our First and Second divisions, at one time during
the progress of this affair, succeeded in gaining a
position from which they were atale to render a part of
the enemy's line untenatale. But the fact that his
position was such as to make it impracticatale for us to
hazard a charge, prevented us from profiting by this
temporary advantage. And in consequence of the
general ill-success of the attack, it is more than prota
atale that had a charge been made, its results to us
would have taeen disastrous in the extreme.

156 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
Of the part which our own taattalion sustained in
this action, it may tae said that we were roused from
our uneasy slumber in the trenches, and moved, with
the rest of the brigade, a short distance to the left of
our original position. Then we passed to the front
of our line of works, and advanced taeyond their
shelter toward the enemy's lines. We had not far to
go, for only a short space separated their works from
ours. And it was not long taefore the sharp reports of
the rifies taegan to ring through the woods, and the
active work taegan in earnest. In the beginning of
the action, our brigade was put in position immediately
in rear of the first line of battle. The formation was
so close, however, that we were well within range,
and exposed to loss from the fire of the enemy. We
lay down, in order to cover ourselves as much as
possitale, but even then had some men struck tay the
stray shots which fell among us. But as the line
in our front sustained the heaviest of the fire, of
course, our loss here was not serious. The action
grew warm, and after some time had elapsed, the
brave fellows in our flrst line found their ranks sadly
thinned tay the severe musketry-fire which they had
taorne so long. They were withdrawn, and our
tarigade ordered to advance to the position they
had taeen occupying.
We were no sooner in this new position than we
taegan to suffer raore seriously than taefore. A furious
fire of musketry and artillery was now concentrated
upon us, and shell and rifle-balls fell thick and fast
among us, scattering death and wounds on every side.
But the brave old brigade held its ground manfully,
and did its taest to return in kind the favors it was
receiving from its opponents. In the progress of the

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 157
action, we were at one time in great danger of taeing
outflanked and driven from our position in confusion.
There was one of those unfortunate gaps in the line
with which soldiers are so familiar, the tarigade being
separated from that upon our right by a consideratale
space. The enemy sought to take advantage of this,
and push a column into the gap, and thus strike us in
fiank and rear. This they had almost succeeded
in accomplishing when their purpose was detected,
and tay good fortune, defeated. The Thirty-Second
Maine chanced to tae upon the exposed fiank, and
suffered consideratale loss from a rattling volley or
two poured into our ranks at very short range. We
replied with all possitale vigor, and the taattalion
hastily changed front under a storm of missiles. We
were new to such work, and may have manifested some
awkwardness in the delicate and dangerous manoeuvre
of changing front under fire, but we did not show any
want of courage. The tarigade was compelled to give
ground a little, but was not thrown into disorder, and
after falling back a short distance, held its new posi
tion with such tenacity as to prevent the enemy from
accomplishing his purpose. And during the remainder
of the action, we maintained our line without further
change of position, and prevented the enemy from
either turning our fianks, or effecting an entrance
into the gap of which he had sought to take such
advantage. It was not far from noon of the 18th when the
firing slackened, and the attempt to carry the Confed
erate position was soon after relinquished altogether.
We had had five or six hours of hard fighting, but had
not succeeded in our purpose of turning Lee's fiank.
And, after falling taack for a short distance, and

158 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
finding that the Confederates showed no disposition
to follow us up, we finally returned, in the course of
the afternoon, to our former position in the trenches.
The casualties in our taattalion in this affair were
numerous, considering our small numtaer. They in
cluded four enlisted men killed on the field, and three
¦enlisted men mortally wounded ; three commissioned
officers, two non-commissioned officers, and nine en
listed men wounded; and one enlisted man missing;
making an aggregate loss of twenty-two. This loss
was distritauted among the several companies as
follows: Company A, Privates John R.' Locke and Hiram
W. Spinney, killed; Corporal Cyrus E. Brown and
Private Joseph B. Lewis, wounded.
Company B, Captain Amos F. Noyes and Private
Almon Richardson, wounded.
Company C, Privates William McKay and HoAvard
Rotainson, killed; Captain Herbert R. Sargent, and
Privates Prescott Chamberlain; William L. Gray,
Charles H. Kincaid ahd Charles McGuire, wounded,
the last named, mortally.
Company D, Sergeant Lloyd Q. Arnold, Privates
George A. Cole, Charles S. Dyer, Charles E. Thomp-
¦son, and Hirara S. Tibtaetts, wounded, the latter, mor
tally. Company E, Lieutenant Charles W. Keyes, se
verely, and Private Isaac P. Wing, mortally wounded.
Company F, Private Alexander Smith, missing;
Private Osborne Trafton, wounded.
Among those named above, quite a number of the
wounded never returned to duty, remaining for a
longer or shorter time in hospital and taeing then
discharged. Private Cole of Company D probably

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 159
died a prisoner, as he was left on the field, wounded.
Captain Sargent of Company C was struck tay a piece
of grape shot which did not lacerate the skin, taut
infiicted a very severe contusion, and occasioned
internal injuries. He continued on duty for some six
days after the action, but was then compelled to go to
the hospital, where he remained under treatment for
a month. Private McKay of Company C was shot and
instantly killed, while assisting in lifting McGuire in
order to carry him to the rear. The latter, who was
.shot through the abdomen, lingered in suffering for a
day or two taefore death came to his relief, while
Titataetts of Company D died the next day after the
l^attle.

CHAPTER X.

The Movement by the Left Flank. — Ewell's Unex
pected Attack upon oue Right and Reae. — Its
Advantage to Lee. — To the North Anna. —
A Contest of Speed Between Fed
erals AND CONFEDEEATES.

The result of the taattle of the 18th of May
seemed to have convinced General Grant that it was
impossitale to gain anything tay assaults upon the Con
federate front or flank. He therefore decided to again
have resort to a movement which should turn Lee's
flank, and thus force him out of the strong works at
Spottsylvania. It has already taeen mentioned in
previous chapters that during the time the Union
army lay in the trenches, after the taattle of the 12th
of May, there had taeen a steady movement toward the
left. Day after day the right had been contracted,
and the left correspondingly extended. So that now
the Federals had gradually moved around from a
position north- westwardly of Spottsylvania Court
House, to one which was almost exactly east of that
point. From these lines the Lieutenant-General
taelieved it to tae possitale to make a A'igorous push
toward Richmond tay way of the North Anna river,
and place himself taetween General Lee and the Con-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 161
federate capital. Accordingly, on the 19th of May,
having received sufficient reinforcements to make
good the losses which he had sustained. Grant issued
orders for the movement to taegin.
It was ill the afternoon of Thursday that intelli
gence of the proposed change of position taegan to
circulate among the troops, though, of course, the men
knew taut little more than that a movement of some
nature was in contemplation. Without knowing their
destination, however, they were glad to go anywhere
away from before the fortifications which had so long
held them in check. They trusted implicitly in their
leader's skill and sagacity to make the movement one
which, at least, should not be an abandonment of the
purpose which had so long inspired them. And, so
long as they did not retreat upon Washington, it
mattered taut little to them in what direction they
marched. The general movement was to begin at
midnight of the 19th, but during the afternoon, some
portion of the forces began marching toward the left,
preparatory to participation in the general advance
toward the North Anna. But a sudden and unex
pected demonstration on the part of the Confederates
changed the aspect of affairs, and for a time delayed
the execution of Grant's plans. Perhaps suspecting
from the movement of our troops in that quarter, that
some new design had taeen set on foot. General Lee
ordered General Ewell to demonstrate vigorously
upon our extreme right.
Late in the afternoon of Thursday, Ewell crossed
the Ny river, taeyond our extreme fiank, and swinging
around in rear of our lines, seized the Frederickstaurg
road, and captured an ammunition-train. The Fed
eral troops at the point where his attack was made,

162 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
consisted of a tarigade of heavy artillery, among which
were the First Maine and First Massachusetts regi
ments. These troops, under the command of General
Tyler, had just come to the front frora the fortifi
cations around Washington. And although they had
taeen in the service for a consideratale time, they had
never taefore taeen in battle, their duty having been to
garrison the defenses of the Capital. They fought
with great bravery, and poured a furious fire into the
Confederate ranks, finally compelling Ewell's veterans
to relinquish their hold upon the road, and to fall
back into the woods. The artillerymen, however,
suffered very severely, as they exposed themselves to
the full weight of the enemy's heavy fire, through
their lack of experience. An officer of one of the
regiments which went to their assistance writes:
' ' The ground was literally covered with the dead
and wounded of the heavy artillery regiments. Not
having experience in fighting, they had neglected the
precaution that veterans take, and instead of lying
down, or taking ad Avantage of the ground, they had
chosen their position on the crest of a hill, where they
stood erect, and furnished most admirable targets for
the enemy, who fought as usual, in the woods and
taehind fences".*
Troops from the Second and Fifth Corps hurried
to the aid of the gallant artillerists, and tay their
united efforts, the Confederates, already repulsed tay
Tyler's command, were finally driven taack across the
Ny river. In the course of the night, Ewell withdrew
his main taody, and retired to the works from whence
he had issued. But the woods were filled with strag
glers from his command, and when our troops moved
* Houghton — " Campaigns of the Seventeenth Maine ", p. 184.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REG-IMENT 163
*
forward at daylight on Friday morning, May 20th,
they captured six or seven hundred prisoners, without
firing a shot. But this attack, while unsuccessful in
its results, so far as the effect produced upon our right
flank is concerned, was yet of much service to
the Confederate leader. It occasioned the delay of the
Federal forces in the execution of their movement
toward the North Anna, and afforded Lee an oppor
tunity to transfer his oavii troops to a new position, in
the time thus gained. How well he profited by this
transference of his army to a new taase, we shall soon
have occasion to consider.
It was not until ataout midnight of Friday, that
Hancock, with the Second Corps, taegan the march
toward Guinney's Station,* about ten miles to the
southeastward of Spottsylvania Court House. It was
at this place, — Guinney's Station, — that the fa
mous Stonewall Jackson died, after taeing mortally
wounded at Chancellorsville. Before the Second
Corps moved upon this point, a division of cavalry,
under General Torbett, had been dispatched in its
direction to cover the advance of the infantry.
Warren, with the Fifth Corps, followed Hancock,
breaking camp early on Saturday, May 21st, and
moving as rapidly as possible. Burnside, with the
Ninth Corps, left the lines in which we had been
lying, during the afternoon of Saturday, and taegan
moving to the left.
During the afternoon. General Ledlie's tarigade of
the First division of our corps, made a demonstration
against the enemy, in order to cover the movement of
the remainder of the troops. But it may be questioned
*General Humphreys and General Walker spell this name Guinea.
Woodbury has the name as above.

164 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
if this induced the taelief on the part of the Confed
erates that our lines were still held in strong force,
since sutasequent developments proved that they were
well aware that a movement was taking place. How
ever, no attack was made tay the enemy while the
movement was being made, as their energies were just
then exerted in a different direction. Wright, with
the Sixth Corps, was the last Federal force to leave
the intrenched position in the vicinity of Spottsyl
vania Court House, which he did without material
hindrance on the part of the enemy, on the night of
the 21st. A Confederate force under General Hill
attacked the Sixth Corps while preparing to retire
from its works, taut was easily repulsed without
serious loss upon the part of the Federals. And by
midnight of Saturday, May 21st, the whole Union
army was in motion, and marching rapidly southward.
All through that night, and until after daylight on
Sunday morning, the troops pressed forward, halting
only once or twice, and then taut for a short time, just
long enough to let the men get their tareath. It was
in reality a race taetween the two armies. Federal
and Confederate, with Richmond as the prize. As
soon as Lee learned of Hancock's movement, he had
at once set Longstreet's corps in motion southward,
and when Warren followed Hancock, on our part,
the Confederate general had dispatched Ewell in the
track of Longstreet. And finally, as Wright drew
out of the ataandoned trenches, Hill received Lee's
orders to move after Ewell, so that the whole force of
each antagonist was now upon the march.
Leaving these general movenients to tae more
particularly mentioned hereafter, let us now turn to
the consideration of the part which our own little

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 165
taattalion sustained during this march. The record of
the movements of the Second division of our corps
will fully present the story of the taattalion at this
time, as we participated in all its operations. Early
on Saturday afternoon, the First Brigade of the
division, under the command of Colonel Curtin, was
dispatched in advance of the rest of the corps to seize
and occupy the crossing of the Po river, at a point
near what was known as Stannard's Mill. The
brigade, in proceeding to execute this serAdce, encoun
tered the Confederate pickets at about a mile from
Stannard's, and drove them across the river. General
Potter at once hurried the rest of our division forward
to the river, on arriving at which, the enemy was
found to tae in position on the opposite bank, in con
sideratale force. General Potter at once commenced
making dispositions in order to charge and carry the
crossing, but before the division was fully in readiness
to advance, the plan was relinquished. It was ap
parent that the enemy was disposed to contest the
passage of the river with much stubbornness, judging
from their numbers and position. And it was feared
that an endeavor to cross would not only entail a
heavy loss, taut would tae likely to taring on a more
general engagement than was coptemplated when the
First tarigade was ordered to occupy the position.
This was deemed undesiratale under the circum
stances, the most of the army taeing, as has been said,
already on the march. Therefore, instead of at
tempting to force a passage at Stannard's Mill, the
division, with the exception of Curtin's brigade,
moved in the direction of Guinney's Bridge, near
Guinney's Station. The First tarigade was left to
hold the northern taank of the Po, and keep the

166 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
enemy in check until the rest of the corps had passed.
The remainder of the division, after a tedious and
fatiguing march, which continued throughout the
night, halted soon after sunrise on Sunday morning.
May 22nd, in the immediate neightaorhood of General
Grant's headquarters, near Guinney's Station. For a
few hours of the forenoon, we lay and rested here,
and then marched some miles further on, to the
vicinity of New Bethel. Here we halted again, and
remained throughout the rest of Sunday, and the
night following, in this position. Our duty here was
to hold the crossing of the Ta river, and the roads
just taeyond the crossing, so as to prevent an attack tay
the enemy, while the army was in motion. During
Sunday, the other two divisions of the Ninth Corps
came up and were united with the Second division, so
that by Sunday night we were once more together.
At five o'clock on the morning of Monday, May 23rd,
our march was resuraed, toward the North Anna, and
though the heat and dust were very oppressive, Ave
moved with much rapidity all through the day.
At this date the Ninth Corps was not a part of the
Array of the Potomac, but an independent command.
General Burnside receiving his orders, not from Gen
eral Meade, taut from. General Grant direct. He was
now directed tay General Grant to employ the corps as
an auxiliary to the Second Corps, in case General
Hancock should require assistance in forcing a passage
across the river. If not needed for this purpose, our
corps was to move in the direction of Ox Ford, and
cross the river there, if it was found practicable to do
so. During the afternoon of Monday, the Federals
had reached the North Anna, the Second Corps
striking it at Chesterfield Bridge, and the Fifth Corps

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

167

at Jericho Ford, these two points being some four miles
apart. Rapidly as the Union troops had moved,
however, they had been outstripped in the race. Lee,
having the interior lines and consequently taeing
otaliged to traverse less space, had moved still more
rapidly, and was already well posted upon the
southern taank, and in readiness to oppose any attempt
at crossing. Yet, to carry out Grant's plan of a fiank
movement, it was essential that he should cross the
river, since his purpose was to advance on Richmond.
It was Only reasonable to suppose that Lee, having
chosen his ground, was prepared to offer a vigorous
resistance to any effort to force a passage. Hancock
found Confederate works of great strength at Ches
terfield Bridge, upon a ground that was more than
ordinarily favorable for defence. Long Creek, which
flows into the North Anna, runs parallel with the
river for some distance, thus forming a tongue of land
between the two streams, north of the river. On this
piece of ground, Hancock advanced till he found him
self confronted by a formidable work which guarded
the approach to the bridge. It is described by one
writer "as an extended redan, with a wet ditch in
front, and rifle-trenches in the rear". On the opposite
bank of the river there was was another large work,
the guns of Avhich commanded the northern bank.
The Confederate garrison of these fortifications con
sisted of McLaws' division of Longstreet's Corps,
veterans who had fought on many taloody fields.
Ataout an hour taefore sunset, Hancock attacked
and carried the work on the northern taank, driving
the Confederates out and across the river. The Fed
eral loss was about one hundred and fifty men in this
brilliant affair, which opened the way for Hancock to

168 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
cross. As it was nearly dark, however, he did not
attempt the passage of the river that night, taut
remained in position upon the northern bank. During
the night, unsuccessful attempts Avere made tay the
Confederates to taurn the taridge, but the flames were
extinguished before much damage was done. The
Fifth Corps had effected a crossing at Jericho Ford
several hours prior to this affair of Hancock's, the
leading brigade wading through water waist deep,
taefore the pontoons were laid. They Avere permitted
to cross without encountering any opposition, as the
attention of the Confederates was mainly occupied
elsewhere. But they had scarcely reached the
southern bank, and began to get into position when
they were savagely attacked by the enemy. For a
while they bore the assaults of tA\^o retael divisions, —
Wilson's and Heth's of Hill's Corps, — taut after a
sharp contest, were finally atale to repulse them. The
Fifth Corps lost, in this affair, sorae three hundred or
four hundred men, but the enemy's loss Avas much
more severe. Warren captured ataout a thousand
prisoners, and taeat off his assailants, so that he
secured possession of his position.
MeauAvhile, we in the Ninth Corps had been
coming up to the front while these stirring events
were transpiring, and reached the river near Ox Ford.
At this point there Avas a salient in the enemy's line
of entrenchments, and the works were of the strongest
character. Any attempt to cross here in the face of
the extremely heavy fire to which an attacking force
must, of necessity, tae exposed, would have taeen of
very doutatful success. And whatever its result, the
endeavor must have entailed a frightful loss upon the
assailants. For these reasons, General Grant and

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 169
G^eneral Burnside did not deera it expedient to attempt
to force a passage at this point, but instead of making
an endeavor which, at the outset, was so hopeless of
success, the corps was divided, and mostly sent to
strengthen other parts of the Federal line. General
Willcox, with the Third division, remained in rear of
Ox Ford, to observe the movements of the enemy at
that point. General Potter, with our Second division
went to aid Hancock and the Second Corps, at Chester
field Bridge. General Crittenden and the First divis
ion proceeded to the assistance of the Fifth Corps at
Jericho Ford. We in the Second division did not reach
Hancock in season to bear any part in the attack upon
the redan on the northern bank, of which mention has
just taeen made. But on the following day, Tuesday,
May 24th, in conjunction with the Second Corps, our
division crossed the river, and engaged the enemy.
The Confederate artillery commanded the crossing,
and as our taattalion, with our comrades of the Second
brigade, moved over the long bridge, we were sub
jected to a tarisk cannonading. From the enemy's
taatteries ataove and below the taridge, we received a
sharp shelling, but fortunately, their cannoniers
miscalculated the elevation, and the missiles fiew
harmlessly over our heads. The taattalion suffered no
loss, though the effect of the shells which shrieked
ataove us, was unquestionataly to hasten considerataly
the pace at which we traversed that taridge. It did
not take us very long to reach the southern taank,
under the impetus imparted tay that artillery firing,
for we fancied that if we delayed too long, they inight
get the range a little more exactly.
After the crossing was effected, the right of the
division remained resting Upon a taluff near the river-

170 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
bank, while the left was well advanced, and connected
with the right of General Birney's division of the
Second Corps. The enemy giving way before the
advance of the Federal lines, we proceeded to make
secure the foot-hold we had gained, by intrenching as
strongly as possible. Between the afternoon of the
24th, and noon of the next day, we had thrown up
three separate lines of works, at varying distances
from the river. As the Federals taecame in larger
force upon the southern taank, Lee gradually suffered
himself to tae pushed taackward, ataandoning some of
his more advanced works. When Warren crossed,
Lee had drawn back his left wing,- and when Hancock
passed the river, the Confederate right wing was cor
respondingly retired. Their center, however, still
rested on the river, near Ox Ford, forming the salient
of which mention has been made. From this fact of
the retirement of the Confederate right, arose our
extensive labors in intrenchment-building.
Our line advanced cautiously, feeling the enemy,
and when he appeared disposed to make a stand, we
halted and tauilt a line of tareastworks, to hold the
ground over which we had come. When he again
withdrew, we followed, repeating the same tactics as
taefore. In this way, with tarief intervals of rest, we
passed the night of Tuesday, the 24th, at one time
during which there came up a severe rain-storm, with
very heavy and almost incessant thunder, and vivid
lightning. In the depths of the woods, 'With an eneiny
in strong force close in our front, the rain falling in
sheets, the thunder rolling and crashing, and the
rapid alternations of talinding light and intense dark
ness confusing the vision, that night-storm was one
to tae long rememtaered. It was too violent to continue

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT l7l
long, however, and its fury was soon spent. It
sensibly cooled and purified the heated and sultry air,
and rendered it much more comfortable, though we,
in common with everything ataout us, were dripping
wet when it ceased.
Before going on to speak of the events which
followed during the days immediately succeeding the
the crossing, it seems proper to mention here the
losses which the taattalion sustained during the march
to the North Anna., These were tay capture exclu
sively, as the taattalion was not engaged in any action
taetween the 18th and 24th, yet we lost no less than
thirteen men, all of whom Avere taken prisoners.
They were Privates Charles Ayers of Company A,
Josiah Tufts of Company C, Leonard G. Dingley and
Henry M. Lord of Company D, and Sergeant John H.
Taylor, Corporals Lewis S. Tuttle and William Mer
ritt, and Privates Williara Adams, George W. Clough,
Eltaridge Hilton, John Mathews, Oscar H. Thompson,
and David L. Tuttle of Company F. Of these Sergeant
Taylor, Corporal Merritt, and Privates Dingley,
Adams, Clough and Hilton were subsequently re
leased and returned to the regiment. Corporal
Tuttle died in prison at Andersonville, Nov. 30, 1864,
and Privates Mathews and Tuttle died at the same
prison, one on Oct. 14, and the other Dec. 20, 1864.
Private Lord protaataly died in retael hands, as the last
record of him in the Adjutant General's Report for
1865, is "Missing since May 19".
Of the circumstances under which some of these
men fell into the hands of the enemy, the following is
taelieved to tae a correct statement; comrade Thompson
having furnished the details as to the capture of him
self, Ayers and Tufts sutastantially as follows: He

172 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
writes that on the 21st of May he became completely
exhausted, and so sick that he was placed in an ambu
lance. This soon became so crowded that the men
were otaliged to take turns in walking, while others
rode. The last time comrade Thompson attempted to
walk was ataout four o'clock in the afternoon. He
was so much exhausted that he was atale to go only a
short distance when he fell down. The Captain of
his company (I. P. Fall) soon came along, and seeing
Thompson's condition, called the Surgeon, (Dr. Kim-
taall, Ass't Surgeon, Thompson thinks it was). That
officer said he did not know what to do with him, as
the ambulance was full. So he gave Thompson a pass
to remain Avhere he was, together with Charles Ayers
of Company A, and Josiah Tufts of Company C, tell
ing them to lie in the woods that night, and try and
OA'ertake the regiment the next day.
The three reraained, and slept in the woods that
night, and taeing somewhat refreshed tay their night's
rest, felt taetter the next morning, and started on to
catch up with the regiment. After walking a few
miles they otaserved a house a short distance off to the
right, and having had no tareakfast,. concluded to go
over and see if they could otatain some at the house.
They thought if they could get something to eat, they
would then feel taetter atale to exert themselves to
overtake the regiment. Accordingly they left the
road, and went to the house, which they found occu
pied tay two ladies, one an elderly lady and the other
quite young, with two or three small children. They
were very pleasantly received, and given quite a good
tareakfast. Just after they sat down to the table, the
younger lady went out of the house, but her doing so
excited no suspicion, and they went on with their

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

173

breakfast without taking particular notice of her
movements. But they had good reason to remember
it afterwards, for just as they got through eating,
they heard the sound of horses' feet approaching the
house. And taefore they could get outside, and reach
their arms, which they had incautiously left leaning
against the house, nine rebels had obtained possession
of their muskets, and were taending them around the
trees in front of the house, so as to render them
unserviceatale. The three poor fellows could, of
course, offer no resistance and had no alternative but
to surrender. After the squad of rebels had disposed of the
weapons, they turned their attention to the prisoners,
and proceeded to rota them of whatever articles of
value they could find about them. From Ayers they
took his watch, and a ring off his finger, while Tufts'
boots were taken from his feet. Thompson had a
watch without a chain in a pocket under his belt, and
this escaped their notice, but they took his "house
wife", containing needles, pins, buttons, thread, etc.
After searching the prisoners, their captors held quite
a consultation as to how they should be disposed of,
and one of the rebels was desirous of shooting them
where they were. But the majority finally decided to
take them along and turn them over to the authori
ties. After travelling some flve or six miles from the
place of capture, the sqiiad overtook a company of
rebel cavalry taking ataout fifty Union prisoners to
Richmond. Our three Thirty-Second taoys were
turned over to these cavalrymen, and saw no more of
the "Johnnies" who had captured them. The Lieu
tenant in command of the cavalry asked the boys if
they had got away with anything of value, and

174 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
offered if they had,' to buy it of them, saying they
could not pass Libtay Prison with anything. Comrade
Thompson, thinking it well to make the best of a bad
bargain, sold him the watch which had escaped the
notice of the first squad, receiving thirty dollars in
Confederate money for it.
The prisoners arriA^ed at Libtay Prison on the
fourth day after their capture, or on May 26th, taut
Tufts was so sick that he was left at a farmhouse
taefore they reached Richmond. He was sutasequently
carried to Andersonville, and died there on the Sth
of August. The other two taoys remained at Litatay
Prison one week, from May 26th to June 2nd or 3rd,
when they were taken out, with other prisoners, and
loaded into cattle cars and started for an unknown
destination, which proved to tae Andersonville, where
they arrived about a week later. Ayers and Thomp
son were placed upon their arrival, in the Eighty-First
squad. Second detachment. On the second day after
reaching Andersonville, they found sergeant Taylor
and others of Company F, Thirty-Second Maine, who
were captured on May 19th, and had then taeen at
Andersonville ataout a week. After enduring the
horrors of the prison for ataout flve months, Ayers
and Thorapson were sent to Savannah, and put into a
stockade, where they staid only one night. The next
morning, sick and weak, they were carried on stretch
ers to the prison hospital, which had formerly been a
slave pen. This hospital was merely a yard with
small tents, having two "bunks" to a tent, and two
men to a bunk. In one corner of the yard was a small
square brick tauilding, used as a dead house.
On arriving at the hospital, our two comrades
were put into the dead house, not taecause they were

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 175
quite dead, though, as comrade Thompson says, they
were "next door to it", taut taecause the tents were all
filled and they could not tae accommodated any where
else. They lay in the dead house two days and two
nights, waiting for some of the men in the tents to die,
and thus make room for them. The third morning
they were taken out, together with Eltaridge Hilton
of Company F, Avhom they had found at the dead
house. Hilton and Thompson were placed in one
tent together, and poor Ayers carried to another,
where he died that same night, (October, - '64), while
Hilton died ataout three weeks later, in Novenitaer,'64.
Ataout two weeks after Hilton's decease all in the hos
pital were paroled and sent North, and Thompson was
released Avith the rest. After staying in the hospital
at Baltimore two weeks, he came home on a furlough,
and sutasequently rejoined the regiment at Alexan
dria, and was finally discharged in July, 1865.

CHAPTER XL

Events Across the Rivee. — The Ninth Coeps Be
comes A PAET OF THE AeMY OF THE PoTOMAC. —
Geneeal Buenside Waives his Senioeity
OF Rank. — The Thiety-Second Maine
Joined by its Second Battalion. —
The Action of May 26th. —
Re-ceossing the River
AT Midnight.

By the morning of Wednesday, May 25th, the
entire Union array had reached the southern taank of
the North Anna river, and was occupying good posi
tions behind strong, though hastily constructed
breastworks. There was but little activity manifested
on the part of either the Federals or Confederates
during the 25th, taut a series of reconnoissances made
tay our forces developed the fact that Lee was very
strongly posted within some two miles of our front.
As stated in the last chapter, the Confederate leader
had drawn taack, first his left wing and then his right,
as Warren and Hancock had successively crossed the
river, while his center still held its position. These
movements had given his line somewhat the form of
a triangle, the apex of which approached the river, be
tween Chesterfield Bridge and Jericho Ford, while the
sides of the triangle extended southwardly therefrom.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 177
The Confederate left rested upon Little river, and its
right was protected by the Hanover marshes. By
such a formation the movement of troops from point
to point, as necessity should arise, was rendered ex
tremely easy of accomplishment.
Moving upon short interior lines, large masses of
men could tae readily and speedily tarought to the
defense of any part of the line, against which we
might direct an attack. The position which the Con
federates occupied was not only one of much natural
strength, taut had as welF taeen made greatly stronger
by artificial means. The skill of Lee's best engineers
had taeen exerted in the planning and erection of
formidable works. An elaborate system of entrench
ments, to which even then others were taeing rapidly
added, rendered the position as well or taetter adapted
to purposes of defence than those previously occupied.
The most careful examination, of these works which
Grant's atalest officers were enabled to make, tarought
to view no weak point throughout their whole extent.
Repeated reconnoissances failed to detect an assail-
atale point against which our forces could tae thrown
with even a slight hope of thus penetrating the harrier
drawn across their path. It was only too clearly evi
dent that an attempt to carry tay assault, works of
such a character, would have the same disastrous
result as had attended our previous attack upon the
fortifications ataout Spottsylvania. Our commander
was, for the time being, apparently out-generalled tay
the sagacious leader of the Confederates, who had
thus interposed himself taetween us and Richmond.
But General Grant was tay no means at the end of his
resources, and thus hindered in the carrying out of
one of his plans, he merely sutastitutqd for it another

178 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
which looked to the accomplishment of the same end.
One who has written voluminously in regard to the
war, has said of Grant, "He was not aiming to take
Richmond, taut to defeat the Confederate army".*
With this otaject in view, after remaining across the
North Anna long enough to taecome convinced that
Lee could not tae defeated tay a movement against his
works, he had recourse to other tactics for its accom
plishment. While the examinations and reconnois
sances were taking place, on the 25th of May, the
greater part of the Union army was passing a very
quiet and uneventful day, as compared with the pre
vious weeks of hard marching and harder fighting.
To us in the Thirty-Second Maine, however,
while we were not called upon to take part in the
reconnoissances, taut lay quietly in the trenches, the
day was a raemoratale one, taecause of two events
which occurred, in taoth of which we were directly
concerned. The first of these was one which con
cerned us as a part of the Ninth Corps, and our inter
est in the event was shared tay all our comrades of the
corps, as it was upon this day we passed, for the first
time, under the command of General Meade, and tae
came a part of the Army of the Potomac.
It has already taeen said, in another portion of
this history, that the Ninth Corps was an entirely
independent command, and though acting with the
Army of the Potomac since the opening of the cam
paign in the Wilderness, was not at any time sutaject
to the orders of the General commanding that army,
taut only to those of the Lieutenant-General. In real
ity, up to this time, it had taeen, in all respects, so
entirely distinct from the Army of the Potomac as to
* C. C. Coffin ("Carleton"), in National Tribune, of March 1, 1888.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 179
constitute a separate army, though opiating in the
same campaign and upon the same ground. Bi.it it
had taecome plainly apparent to the officers high in
command that there were many great practical diffi
culties constantly arising from the existence of such
a peculiar condition of affairs. Much troutale was
encountered in the endeavor to successfully manoeu
vre and fight two separate armies upon the same field
of operations. The anomalous situation of the Ninth
Corps was not only a hindrance to the execution of
the plans of General Meade, for the employment of the
army in carrying out the orders of the Lieutenant-
General, but it wrought injury to the corps itself, and
interfered with its usefulness as a body.
The Second, Fifth and Sixth Corps were accus
tomed to tae handled and led by their own Generals,
and to act as a united force, and a commendable esprit
du corps was thereby kept up in each. With the
Ninth, it had too frequently happened that the corps-
commander had taeen completely divested of his forces
in order to strengthen others, and his troops, in
detached taodies, were sent to act under the orders of
other Generals, while their own leader was left with
out an adequate command. The Ninth Corps was
sometimes called upon to reinforce different corps of
the Army of the Potomac at the same tirae, as occa
sion required that additional forces should tae sent
simultaneously to several points along an extended
line. Then one division would be hurried in one
direction, and another in an opposite one, to report to
different corps-commanders, while a tarigade or two
might tae sent to aid still a third commander who
might tae hard-pressed. A recent instance of this had
occurred on the 23rd, when General Warren had taeen

180 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
reinforced tay the First division, and General Hancock
by the Second division, as mentioned in the last
chapter. Naturally, if we were engaged at such times, we
failed to receive as much credit for our service as we
should have otatained had we gone into action as a
corps, united under our own proper commander,
instead of being thus divided, and placed under the
command of strangers. Herein was an injustice to
General Burnside, and, as well, to the men of the
Ninth Corps, and, on the other hand, there was
another difficulty, so far as General Meade was con
cerned, in regard to the employment of the corps even
as an auxiliary to the corps of his army. The author
ity for the detachment of divisions or other portions
of the corps in the manner just mentioned, could only
emanate from General Grant himself, and not from
General Meade. In a pressing eftiergency, when rein
forcements were immediately necessary, it might
easily occur that much valuable time would tae irre-
coverataly lost in the necessity for the transmission of
orders from the general headquarters, which were
often at a consideratale distance from those of General
Burnside. Full knowledge of the imperative neces
sity for such a reinforcement tay a portion of the
Ninth Corps might tae possessed tay General Meade,
but unless the Lieutenant-General was also aware of
the state of the case, and issued his orders for the
movement. General Meade had no authority to do so.
Clearly it was requisite, for the well-being and
efficiency of the whole Union force, that there should
tae an end of this indirect and awkward method of
control. It would seem, at first glance, to have taeen
easy to terminate all trouble by the incorporation of

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 181
the Ninth Corps with the Army of the Potomac. But
here there arose at once a difficulty apparently insur-
mountatale, from a military point of view. General
Burnsidg was commissioned as Major-General taefore
General Meade reached that grade, and, tay such
seniority of commission was his superior in rank, and
as such, entitled to assume command of the whole
army should the consolidation tae made. If the Ninth
Corps taecame united with the Army of the Potomac,
its commander, as the senior Major-General, was
entitled to displace General Meade, as it would have
taeen a gross violation of military etiquette, and con
trary to well-estatalished law and usage for a junior to
continue to exercise the chief command, and give
orders to his superior. But nothing was farther from
General Burnside's own wishes than to be again
placed in coramand of the Army of the Potomac, or to
tae instrumental in causing the removal of General
Meade frora that position. Once taefore, when called
to coramand that army, Burnside had accepted -only
with great and unfeigned reluctance, modestly taeliev-
ing himself unequal to the vast responsitailities
involved. And the events of the period during which
he had held the chief command were not likely to
have lessened his unwillingness to assume such a
position. At this time, too, in the very midst of an
active campaign, which Meade had so far carried on to
the acceptance of the Lieutenant-General, it was even
less protaatale than taefore that Burnside should desire
to supersede Meade. How then was the difficulty to
tae overcome, and the efficiency of the array secured ?
A course suggested itself to General Burnside which
perhaps no other among the chief officers of our army,
tarave and generous as they were, would have con-

182 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
sented to adopt. It involved the surrender of posi
tion, and the waiving of well-earned rank, upon his
own part, and military men will understand what
this means, taetter than civilians.
On all questions involving matters of rank and
seniority, officers in general are among the most
tenacious and punctilious of mortals. But Burnside,
with a disregard of the rights and prerogatives of his
position so rare as to tae wholly unparalleled, offered
to waive the question of seniority, and all considera
tions of respective rank, in order to enhance the
effectiveness of the army. And at his own sugges
tion, an order was issued tay General Grant, upon the
25th of May, incorporating the Ninth Corps with the
Army of the Potomac, and thus placing him under
the orders of Meade. General Burnside thus volun
tarily placed himself under the command of one who
was his junior in rank, and consequently, in the
strictly military sense of the word, his inferior, from
a sincere desire to serve the cause with the utmost
possitale degree of usefulness, and from a generous
wish to relieve General Meade from all emtaarrass-
ment. That he has never received the full credit due
him for such an act, has undoutatedly taeen only tae
cause it has never taeen prorainently tarought to putalic
attention, many soldiers, even, taeing unaware that he
was superior to General Meade in rank. For this
reason, therefore, consideratale space has taeen given
here to a statement of the facts, when our transfer, as
a corps, to the Army of the Potomac might have taeen
passed over with taut a tarief mention. And it is
hoped no comrade will deem it an unpardonatale de
parture from the purposes of this history, to have

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 183
thus written in detail of so generous and honorable
an act of our old commander, as was this waiver of
his prerogative. Returning now to the more immediate history of
our own regiment, the second event which took place
on the 25th, was one which directly concerned our
selves. It was upon that date that we ceased to be
merely a battalion, and becarae a regiment, being
joined by the four companies composing the second
battalion, which we had left taehind us in Maine,
when we started for "the front" in April. These
four companies, G, H, I and K, had left Augusta,
Maine, on Wednesday, the 11th of May, just one day
. taefore we of the first taattalion had participated in the
first otastinate and taloody struggle at Spottsylvania.
While we were lying in the trenches after that taattle,
they had taeen journeying towards Washington, where
they arrived on the 13tli.
It may tae interesting, especially to those who
were memtaers of the companies composing the second
taattalion, to quote in this connection, from the diary
of Adjutant Hayes, as to the journey from Maine to
the front. He writes, "Left Augusta, Me., at 8.30
A. M., May 11th, and arrived at Kittery at 3 P. M.
My horse was put on there. Arrived at Boston at 6;
disemtaarked, marched across the city, re-entered the
cars, and at 7.30 started for New York via Fall River;
emtaarked on Str. 'Metropolis' at midnight, and
arrived in New York at 10 A. M., May 12th. Passed
from the ' Metropolis/ to a f err y-taoat, and was ferried
to Jersey City. Started from there at 1 o'clock; ar
rived at Philadelphia at 7.30 P. M., May 12th.
Partook of refreshments at the Volunteer Saloon, and
left for Baltimore at midnight; arrived at Havre de

184 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Grace at 6 A. M., May 13th, at which place crossed
the Susquehanna. Arrived in Baltimore at 12.45;
marched across the city, and had dinner at Volunteer
Refreshment Saloon, and then entered the train
for Washington. Arrived at ataout midnight, and
marched to Soldiers' Rest. On May 14th, were
ordered to report to General Ataercromtaie at Belle
Plain. Emtaarked at 10 o'clock P. M. on U. S. trans
port ' Wawaset'; left the wharf at 4 A. M., May 15th;
arrived at Belle Plain ataout 8 A. M. of the 15th; dis
emtaarked and camped on a hill near the Potomac.
Within a mile are 8,000 retael prisoners. All troops
and taaggage for the front or from it pass near us.
To-day (Sunday) we have heard from the first taat
talion. They were in the fight. Lieut. Gurney is
killed. My Sergt. Major is reported tay some killed,
and tay others, wounded. Lieut. Rounds, Acting
Adjutant, is also wounded, and raany others ". *
The next few days, (May 16th to 19th), it appears
tay the diary, the taattalion was mainly occupied in
drilling, and on May 20th, having taeen joined tay
Lieutenant Bearce and some fifty men who had been
left taehind at Augusta, was ordered to proceed the
next day, to join the first taattalion. The expected
movement was not made, however, until Sunday, May
22nd, when the taattalion marched at five o'clock
A. M. , guarding a large train of supplies and ammuni
tion, which was some two and a half miles in length.
Halting at Fredericksburg for the night, the inarch
was resumed about five A. M. , on the 23rd, and in
company with the Sixth New York, the battalion
reached Bowling Green at about eleven o'clock P. M.,
having covered some twenty-five miles. On Tuesday,
the 24th, the taattalion left Bowling Green at six

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 185
A. M., and passed through Milford, and towards the
North Anna river, halting for the night after a march
of some eighteen miles. Within the three days since
leaving Belle Plain, the command had marched, ac
cording to Adjutant Hayes' figures, nearly sixty miles,
under circumstances of much hardship, when it is
considered that the men were new to the service, and
Tinaccustomed to marching. It is not, therefore, to
tae wondered at, that raany had found themselves
compelled to fall out, through sheer inataility to keep
up with the column.
Corporal Ephraim Clark of Corapany I, says in
his, diary, under date of May 24th, "A hard day's
inarch ; much falling out on the way ; much eagerness
expressed to reach the front". And Adjutant Hayes
writes, under the same date, ' ' We started from Bowl
ing Green Avith three hundred and eight men, and
Avhen we stacked arms, there were ninety-five muskets.
The rest finally straggled in". On Wednesday, the
25th, the remaining distance was soon covered, a short
march of ataout six miles taringing the taattalion up to
the lines about half a mile south of the North Anna,
where they found and joined the first battalion at the
extreme front.
Together with these companies of the second bat
talion, came also the remainder of the regimental field
and staff officers, and a considerable numtaer of mem
taers of various companies in the first taattalion, these
latter having taeen among those left taehind sick when
we left the State. Not all of those whom we had left
in hospital, however, now rejoined us, for some who
lay sick in Augusta when we were ordered away, had
already ended their tarief soldier-life; and death
had found them in the wards of the hospital as

186 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
speedily and surely as it had many others upon the
battle-field. Indeed, even taefore the first taattalion
left Maine, some of its memtaers had died, almost
taefore they had assumed the uniform of a soldier.
Private Caleb Mclntyre, Jr. , of Company B had died
in the hospital March 21st, only eleven days after the
company was mustered into the United States serAdce.
Privates Charles E. Holden and George Butler of
Company E had died, one on April 16th, and the other
on April 17th, and Musician Stillman Hersey, of
Company G had died April 19th. Privates Hildreth
K. Eustis and Albert M. H. Lake, taoth of Company
E, died at Augusta on the 8th of May.
Immediately upon the arrival of the second taat
talion, Lieutenant-Colonel Brown assumed command
of the entire regiment. Colonel Wentworth taeing sick
at the time of their reaching us. The addition of
these four companies to our numbers gave us quite a
respectable front, and we began to feel that we were,
at last, a regimental organization. We were pleased
to tae once more united Avith our comrades, and gave
them a cordial Avelcome. It may have taeen the case
that we of the first taattalion were inclined to give
ourselves some harmless airs, however, tay virtue of
the service we had seen since we parted from them in
Augusta. The time of separation had not taeen long,
as reckoned tay ordinary raethods of computing the
duration of time. Only ataout five weeks had elapsed
since we had taroken carap at Augusta, and started
for the South, leaving thera taehind. But in those
five short Aveeks, our experiences had taeen such that
the time seemed far longer than it was. We had taeen
living amid a succession of the most strange and
startling scenes, and passing through an epoch so

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 187
crowded with new and startling events, that the years
of an ordinary life-time seemed hardly worthy to be
compared with those few weeks. For almost three
weeks out of the five, we had taeen constantly under
the fire of the enemy; not engaged in one taattle alone,
or encountering an antagonist at frequent intervals,
with periods of quiet rest intervening, taut practically
continuously in taattle for the entire period.
We were worn and haggard with the intense
strain of such severe duty, coraing as it did, so sud
denly and unexpectedly upon us, all unprepared as we
were tay previous experience of active service. It must
tae borne in mind that we were largely unfamiliar A^^th
military life, and kncAv nothing, even of much less
persistent and relentless warfare. We had had no
experience in previous campaigns, as had the veterans
of our tarigade, taut we were, the most of us, scarcely
more than boys, ignorant of the details of drill and
discipline, and allowed no time in which to acquire
the knowledge. We had grown thin and pale from
our privations and exertions, fighting all day and
marching all night, without sufficient food or sleep.
We had learned through sore experience what hunger
meant, when the three days' rations had been made
to last us four, five or six, and finally gave out altogeth
er, while the trains were still far in the rear, and the
empty haversacks must, of necessity, remain unfilled
till the slow wagons could come up again. The
bright new uniforms we had worn so proudly when
we left Maine, were now torn and ragged, where we
had pressed through tangled undergrowth in the for
ests, and clambered over close-set abattis in front of
rebel works. The blue bore many a stain, too, caught
Avhen we had cast ourselves down in muddy roadways,

188 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
or betAveen the furrows of plowed fields, to gain a
moment's rest when the bugles sounded the halt. The
colors we had unfurled that April morning, unmarred
in all their blazonry of stripes and stars, were now
pierced and torn tay rebel missiles, till they hung in
tatters from the staff. And, saddest of all, many once
familiar faces were no longer to tae seen amid our
ranks. The casualties of the campaign had already
told greatly upon our numtaers, and some seventy of
the men were, in this tarief time, recorded upon the
lists of killed, wounded and missing. Many who had
gone forth with us when we taade our comrades of the
second taattalion good-taye, were now lying dead in the
forest-glades of Spottsylvania, or suffering keen agony
from cruel wounds, in the crowded hospitals of Fred
erickstaurg, or, worst of all, were prisoners in the
hands of the eneiny.
Surely, though it was taut a brief while we had
taeen parted from the second battalion, yet in the time
we had passed through a stern and bitter experience,
indeed. And it was hardly to tae wondered at if we
felt ourselves to tae almost veterans in comparison
with the four companies that had just joined us. But
if they had not shared with us the hardships and
the dangers of the taattle and the march, up to this
time, their time was soon to come. They were soon to
stand side tay side with us amid such scenes of car
nage, that they can justly claim to have contritauted
their full proportion toward maintaining the credit
and the honor of the regiment. Though they did not
share, with us, in the struggles around Spottsylvania,
they taore their full part in the sutasequent service
which we rendered. Almost taefore they were fairly
among us, on the very day following their arrival in

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 189
the trenches, they taegan to realize what active service
meant, under such a leader as Grant.
On that day, Thursday, May 26th, the enemy in
our front taecame more active and annoying, and
in the afternoon, a sharp little collision occurred, in
which our Second division of the Ninth Corps taore
a prominent part. After a tarisk engagement, General
Potter drove taack the whole f orcQ of the enemy oppo
site his division front. And, while this action did
not produce any result of general importance, it
enabled us to advance the line of the division some
distance, and secure and hold more favorable ground
for our occupancy. In this affair the Sixth New
Hampshire, of our brigade, sustained a severe loss in
the death of its gallant commander, Lieutenant-
Colonel Pearson, who was killed during the progress
of the action. The Thirty-Second Maine lost one
enlisted man killed, two enlisted men mortally
wounded, and two less severely wounded, an aggre
gate of five. Nearly all these casualties occurred in
the companies which had just joined us. As distrita
uted among the several companies, the losses were as
follows: Company D, Private Sewall G. Darling, died of
wounds. Company H, Private George A. Elder, wounded.
Company I, Privates Ataijah Lapham, killed in
action, James Boyce, died of wounds, and Ira E.
Hopkins, wounded.
But while the events narrated in this chapter
were taking place, new plans involving the further
movements of the whole army, were taeing matured in
the mind of the great soldier who held its chief
command. As has taeen said, the advance to and

190 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
across the North Anna had not proved to tae such a
measure of success as to justify the hope of defeating
General Lee in an engagement on this ground. As
had taeen the case at other important epochs in this
great campaign, the attack, if attack there was to tae,
must tae made tay the Federals. The Confederates
were securely in position taehind strong fortifications,
and did not show any disposition either to advance and
deliver battle at any distance taeyond the protection
of their works, or to fall taack and ataandon them.
Within their defences, they had the material advan
tage of being atale to mass their forces to repel an
assault, or rapidly reinforce any point menaced tay
an attack, raerely tay moving troops across the space
enclosed within their triangular lines. On the other
hand, the Federals were in such a position that in case
of an emergency arising which should make it desir-
atale to reinforce any part of our lines, it could only
be done at great disadvantage. General Grant would
have taeen compelled to cross his troops over two
bridges, beside marching them a distance at least
twice as great as that covered tay his opponent, in
order to reach the- same point. Under these circum
stances, therefore, he failed to perceive any hope of
success in an attempt to assault the enemy's position.
But he determined to again employ his favorite
manoeuvre of turning the flank of that position, and
thus forcing the enemy to ataandon it. After consid
eration of the situation, he decided to continue his
former tactics, and move again tay the left flank. His
new taase of supplies was, therefore, to tae established
at White House Landing, on the York river, while the
army was to approach Richmond across the Pamunkey
river and Totopotomoy creek, tay way of Cold Hartaor
and Bethesda Church.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 191
The recent heavy rains had already caused the
North Anna river, in our rear, to become considerataly
swollen, and it appeared to be desirable that we
should re-cross without delay, if we were not to
advance farther in the movement which had placed us
upon the southern taank. Accordingly, during the
night of May 26th, the greater part of the Federal
army taegan to re-cross, Warren and Wright, with the
Fifth and Sixth Corps, having first made some demon
strations in their front, to occupy the attention of the
enemy. In the course of Thursday night, the Sixth
Corps quietly fell taack to the northern bank of the
river, and was followed as rapidly as possible by
the Fifth and Ninth. General Hancock covered the
rear with the Second Corps, and did not re-cross until
Friday morning, the 27th, taefore daytareak. So far
as we in the Thirty-Second Maine are concerned, the
events of that ' ' midnight fiitting " are not likely ever
to tae forgotten by any one of us who participated in
it. It Avas, perhaps, ataout eleven o'clock of a pro
foundly dark, cloudy and dismal night that we
received the order to withdraw from the trenches in
which we had taeen lying, and as noiselessly as
possitale, we formed and marched taack to the river.
The taridge upon which we were to cross, we found
covered with earth and taranches thickly strewn upon
the planks, in order to deaden as much as possitale the
.sound of the tramp of feet and the rumtale of wheels.
Infiammatale materials were in readiness near at hand,
and as soon as the rear had crossed, the torch was at
once applied, and the taridge destroyed tay fire. This
was to hinder the enemy from crossing in pursuit,
should he tay any chance discover our movement, and
.seek to follow up and harass our retreating columns.

192 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
So hastily, indeed, was the torch applied, that the
bridge was wrapped in flames and rendered impassable
before all of our own men had crossed, and numtaers
thus fell into the hands of the enemy. The loss of
these men was occasioned tay the fact that when the
retrograde movement taegan, a strong picket line had
taeen confronting the enemy. And in order to lull
suspicion, these pickets were not withdrawn until the
last moment, their continued presence contritauting
much to impress the Confederates with the idea that
the army still lay in its intrenchments, as at nightfall.
When, at last, this devoted little band who had thus
stood taetween us and discovery, pursuit, and perhaps,
disaster, were finally relieved, and with hurried steps
sought the bridge, many of them found themselves too
late. The picket-line was long, and taefore the officers
were atale to convey the order to retire, along its whole
extent, and the men could struggle through the dark
ness taack to the taridge, the fires had taeen already
lighted. And when they emerged from the forest,
upon the river taank, the flames were already curling
around tarace and stringer, and blazing ataove plank
and piling, and their retreat was cut off. The lurid
ligbt of the taurning timbers fell upon the turbid and
swollen waters with a sullen glare, as if to show them
how hopeless was any effort to escape. There was
death in the swirling and angry river at their feet,
and behind them was a less merciful and slower death
in the hells of Andersonville and Salisbury prisons.
Among the number of the unfortunates who thus
fell into the hands of the enemy were two memtaers of
the Thirty-Second Maine, George W. Wilson and
James K. P. Whitten, taoth being privates in Company
C. They were upon picket that night and never

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 193
rejoined the company, taut for a long time their com
rades were only atale to conjecture what their fate had
taeen. That one tarief word ' ' missing ", which was so
full of sad meaning in those days, was entered upon
the rolls against their names, and for months nothing
definite was learned concerning them. Later, how
ever, intelligence reached us that taoth had taeen
captured, and taoth had died in retael prison. The
fearful sufferings of Andersonville had proved too
much for their strength to endure, and Whitten had
succumtaed to the tortures of that loathsome pen on
the 19th day of August, and' Wilson had soon fol
lowed, dying on the 26th of the same month.
In closing this chapter, an extract from the diary
of Adjutant Hayes as to the incidents of the night of
the 26th, may tae of interest. He writes, under date
of May 27th:
"At midnight last night we were ordered to fall
back about fifty feet from the pits, to make room for
a regiment that was to relieve us. We did so, taut
scarcely had we taken position when the retas poured
it in upon us. Back we went into the pits, and waited
for them, taut to no purpose. At 1.30 A. M., we com
menced to fall back from the pits after taeing relieved,
and now the whole division is on the move. After
re-crossing the taridge at the North Anna, we taurnt it.
Halted ataout 3 A. M. Have taeen waiting several
hours for a move, taut the whole tarigade is here yet.
***** 6 P. M. We have been halted for ataout an
hour. There is a fair prospect of our marching
through the night. Col. Wentworth has not had
command since we left Frederickstaurg. We lost one
man killed yesterday and had three wounded. The
Lieut.-Colonel of the Sixth New Hampshire was killed
yesterday near us ".

CHAPTER XII.

The Maech to the Pamunkey. — Heat and Dust
AND WeAEINESS. — SuNDAY A DaY OF ReST. — LeE
not Taken by Surprise. — Oue Reinforce
ments FEOM BeEMUDA HuNDEEDS. — ToT-
OPOTOMOY CeEEK AND BeTHESDA
Chuech. — List of Casualties.

As was said in the last chapter, when General
tirant withdrew across the North Anna river, his pur
pose was to approach Richmond tay the way of Cold
Hartaor and Bethesda Church. His first otajective
point, upon which his columns were to tae directed,
was the Pamunkey river, which is formed by the
union of the North Anna and South Anna rivers.
His line of march, after having safely re-crossed the
North Anna, was at first well to the eastward, so as to
swing clear of the Confederate position, and then to
the southward, toward the Pamunkey. The army
moved in the following order: two divisions of
cavalry, under the coramand of Sheridan, led the
advance, and immediately f oUoAving the cavalry was
the Sixth Corps. Behind the Sixth came the Fifth
Corps, and in the rear of the Fifth marched the Ninth
Corps, or so much of it as was not temporarily
detached, when the movement taegan. In the rear of
all came the Second Corps, to which had taeen assigned

thirty-second MAINE EEGIMENT 195
the duty of covering the movement, and protecting
the rear of the entire army.
On through the night and the hours of early
morning the vast bodies of troops were rapidly
hurried, until ataout nine o'clock A.M., on Friday, May
27th, Sheridan and his cavalry otatained possession of
Hanover Ferry and of Hanover Town. The latter
was a small hamlet on the south side of the Pamunkey
river, nearly equi-distant from- Richmond, and from
White House on the York river, taeing fifteen miles
northeast from the former, and sixteen miles westerly
of the latter. This locality once in the hands of
Sheridan, the Union forces were immediately concen
trated as rapidly as possitale upon this point. And
during all of Friday and Saturday, May 27th and
28th, the army was taeing hurried forward with as
little delay as might tae, and gathering its forces in
greater numtaers every hour, ataout Hanover Town.
It was only tay the greatest celerity of movement that
General Grant could hope to win any advantage over
his sagacious and skillful opponent, and the troops
were pushed to the utmost limit of physical endur
ance. Little respite was there for our weary feet
through the long hours of those memoratale days of
almost constant marching. Severe as was the task
imposed upon all the troops in the vast army, perhaps
none had a harder march than our own Second divi
sion of the Ninth Corps. The necessity for especial
exertion upon our part arose from our peculiar situa
tion when the movement taegan.
It will tae rememtaered that on the 23rd the First
and Second divisions of our corps had taeen detached,
and sent, one to the assistance of General Warren at
Jericho Ford, and the other to aid General Hancock at

196 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Chesterfield Bridge. We had remained under the
temporary command of Hancock until the army re
crossed the river, and were therefore far in the rear of
the Fifth Corps, with which was our First division,
and, as well, of our own Third division, which
immediately followed Warren's Corps. But the entire
cOrps was to be once more united, and our division
was therefore obliged to push on as fast as possible, in
order to come up with the First and Third divisions
upon the march. So, when we left our abandoned
entrenchments on Thursday night, and with the glare
of the taurning bridge reddening the midnight sky at
our backs, plunged into the dark and gloomy forest,
we entered upon what proved to be one of the most
tedious and fatiguing marches we ever knew.
Hour after hour we were hurried along through
the darkness, over roads so heavy with the recent
rains, that it was with difficulty we made our way
through the mud. The tread of thousands of feet,
and the pressure of the heavy wheels of artillery had
comtained to reduce the roadways to perfect quag
mires, through which we floundered as taest we might.
Now and then some unlucky fellow made a mis-step
in the darkness, and suddenly plunged waist-deep
into some treacherous slough lurking unseen in his
pathway. But we struggled on, and when the sun
rose on Friday morning, we had already put many
miles taetween us and the taanks of the North Anna
river. But the new day brought us no cessation from
the toilsome labor of the march, except for a very
tarief period. A short halt was made, just as the first
level suntaeams taegan to light up the face of nature
that taright, pleasant May morning, and the men
availed themselves of the pause very gladly. Some

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 197
threw themselves upon the ground, to sleep or rest,
while others taegan to kindle little fires, and prepare a
hasty tareakfast, of which coffee formed the larger
part. But almost taefore the scanty breakfast was
eaten, or we began to realize that we were taecoming
rested, the column was re-formed, and taegan again to
push forward.
In the course of the day, the Second division
came up with the other divisions of the corps, the con
centration taeing effected in the vicinity of Mount
Carmel Church. But this junction was of little ser
vice to us so far as mitigating the toil of our rapid
march was concerned. It was scarcely effected when
the entire corps was set in motion again, and pro
ceeded toward Hanover Town, which was still far in
advance of us. The day was late in May, and was
unusually sultry for the season, even in Virginia,
where the climate at that time of year is much
warmer than in the North. The heat told severely
upon the troops, and comtained with the speed at
which we moved, to render the march extremely
fatiguing. Scarcely a moment's rest was permitted
all through that long day, but the men were hurried
forward, almost without a halt. And even when a
tarief pause was made, at long intervals, so short was
the time in which we were permitted to rest, that it
failed to refresh us. It was a welcome relief, when,
at last, the sun sank slowly in the west, and the
cooler air of evening taegan to touch our throtataing
temples with its gentle tareath. Yet, though the even
ing grew into night, we made no preparations for
going into taivouac, as the darkness fell, taut, footsore
and weary as we were, marched as steadily on as we
had done through the day.

198 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Throughout the whole night of the 27th, we were
in motion, making no halt whatever, of any consider
atale length, but marching constantly with the excep
tion of an occasional pause in order to close up the
column. At no time during the night were we at
rest for more than ten or fifteen minutes, and even
these tarief halts were by no means of frequent occur
rence. The instant the column halted, at each of
these infrequent pauses, our poor fellows would throw
themselves upon the ground wherever they happened
to tae, and try to snatch a few moments of sleep and
rest. But they were hardly able to close their eyes
taefore they were again roused, as the stern command
to "fall in" was repeated down the length of the line,
and the column again moved forward. So the night.
dragged away, and the morning of Saturday, May
28th, dawned upon us still wearily plodding on our
way, nor were we yet nearing our journey's end. All
through the dewy freshness of the early morning
hours we continued our march, and as the day
advanced, and the sun mounted higher in the
heavens, our discomfort increased. It proved to tae
another extremely close and sultry day, and our poor
taoys suffered intensely from the heat. The roads,
too, which had taeen muddy quagmires of limitless
depth, at the taeginning of our march, had tay this
time, taecome dried under the fervid taeams of the sun,
and were now more than ankle-deep with dust. This
added greatly to our distress, as the myriad feet of
men and horses stirred it as they passed, until it filled
the air ataout us, and hung in dense and suffocating
clouds above the column.
Wearied and worn down physically by their pre
vious' hard service, footsore and exhausted from the

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 199
length and rapidity of this march,— choked with dust,
and suffering torture from thirst, — faint for want
of food and dizzy from lack of sleep, — it was small
wonder that men were prostrated by weakness, and
overcome by. the fierce heat that taeat upon their
devoted heads so pitilessly. Some staggered talindly
out from the column, and sank down upon the road
side, to die there upon the dust- whitened grass, from
the deadly sunstroke, no less fatal in its effect than
the taullet. Others tottered on, fainting in the
scorching heat, and exhausted tay the protracted
march, till nature could endure the strain no longer,
and they fell in complete exhaustion, taut with life
yet remaining. Still others, perhaps of stronger
frame, kept their places in the toiling ranks, taut only
at the cost of fearful suffering, as with talistered feet
and aching limtas, and parching throat, and dizzy
tarain, they grimly plodded on. All day long on Sat
urday, our weary march continued, and it was not
until ataout ten o'clock Saturday night that our
Second division, which was the advance division of
the corps, reached and crossed the Pamunkey, the
goal, for which we had so arduously striven. The
rear of our corps came up and crossed some hours
later, on the morning of Sunday, May 29th, taut our
own share in this memoratale march was completed
taefore midnight of the 28th.
It had taeen ataout eleven o'clock on Thursday
night, the 26th of May, when our division taegan its
movement, and it was not far from the same hour on
Saturday night, when it finally halted, on the south
ern side of the Pamunkey. So that for nearly forty-
eight hours we were continually upon the march,
with no rest or cessation, for the few tarief halts which

200 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
were made were scarcely worthy of mention. It is not
surprising that men were literally worn out tay a march
of such length, following upon such severe service as
the army had seen in the preceding weeks. It is far
more wonderful that any should have passed through
such an experience, taxing every power of taody and
mind for so long, without taeing utterly taroken down
and unfitted for further service. However, having at
last attained the goal, to reach which we had taeen
thus straining every nerve and fitare to its utmost
tension for these two long days and nights, we were
permitted a tarief taut welcome interval of rest. On
Sunday, the 29th of May, the Ninth Corps made no
other movement, except to take position taetween the
Second and Fifth Corps, and there entrench itself.
The Satabath passed in comparative quiet, and was to
us in a peculiar sense, most truly a "day of rest".
Many of our men who had fallen out during the
march, came up and rejoined us in the course of the
day. From early morning until after nightfall they
were flocking into our lines, in groups and squads,
and singly, seeking to learn the location of their
brigades and regiments.
But rapid as had taeen our movement; so rapid as
to cause these hundreds of men to drop out of the
ranks frora sheer exhaustion; — yet the wary leader of
the Confederates had not taeen taken tay surprise.
He had already moved tay shorter routes, upon interior
lines, to a new position, and was even then strongly
entrenched and prepared to give us taattle when we
should attempt to pass the Chickahominy river, across
which lay our direct road to Richmond. But no
sound of strife disturbed the Sabtaath stillness of that
beautiful last Sunday of May, and no attempt was

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 201
made upon either side to taring on an engagement.
For our own part, we were glad to have an interval of
peace and quiet, after the toil and turmoil of the
previous week.
On Monday, May 30th, the position of the two
armies was substantially as follows: General Wright
with the Sixth Corps held the Union right, his line ex
tending in the direction of Hanover Court House; the
Second Corps formed the right center, resting on the
Shady Grove road; the Fifth Corps, on the Mechanics
ville road, constituting the left center, while the
Ninth Corps was upon the extreme left, and slightly
to the rear of the Fifth. Some slight changes in
position had been made during the previous night, as
we had originally taeen between the Second and Fifth
Corps, taut the latter had moved to our right sutase
quently. The left of the Confederate army was at
Hanover Court House, covering the railroad; its center
was at Atlee's Station, and its right at Mechanicsville
and Shady Grove.
During the 36th the Federals advanced in strong
force, and encountered consideratale opposition from
the enemy. Wright with the Sixth Corps succeeded
in reaching Hanover Court House without anything
more serious than heavy skirmishing, taut Hancock
and Warren were not equally fortunate. The Second
Corps was checked at Totopotomoy creek, and threw
up a line of works, under a heavy fire from the enemy.
The Fifth Corps came into collision with the Confed
erates under Ewell, not far from Shady Grove Church,
and its advance was stopped. At one time Warren's
fiank was in consideratale danger, his left taeing
furiously assailed, taut the attack was ultimately
repelled. Upon learning of this assault upon the

202 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Fifth Corps, General Meade immediately ordered an
attack to be made along our whole line. But, unfor
tunately, General Hancock was the only one of the
corps-commanders who received this order in season
to make the necessary dispositions, and engage the
enemy taefore darkness came. He sent General Bar
low's division forward, which drove in the Confederate
skirmish-line and captured their rifie-pits, which were
held during the^night.
The Ninth Corps was not so seriously engaged
during the day as were the others, though we ad
vanced to and across Totopotomoy creek, skirmishing
continually with the enemy at all points, and meeting
particularly sharp resistance in front of the Second
division, taut sustaining no heavy loss. By nightfall
of the 30th, we had succeeded in developing the
position of the enemy with consideratale accuracy, and
it was certain that he was present in full force
taetween us and the Chickahominy. General Grant
did not fail to realize, from the experience of the day,
what difficulties he would encounter if he should
attempt to force the passage of the river tay a direct
attack upon Lee's front. Large reinforcements were,
however, already upon their way to him, and would
soon tae availatale, as the greater part di General
Butler's forces at Bermuda Hundreds had taeen
ordered to join the Army of the Potomac. General
Grant had taecome dissatisfied with the manner in
which General Butler had conducted the operations
under his charge. And as the troops at Bermuda
Hundreds were not availatale for operations against
Richmond from that point, all except a small defen
sive force had been ordered to unite with us. The
Eighteenth Corps, and a large part of the Tenth

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 203
Corps accordingly embarked on transports at City
Point, and were conveyed down the James river and
tip the York to White House, at which point they
arrived on Monday.
The arrival of these troops, however, would not
materially change the situation of affairs, as the Con
federates were also receiving consideratale reinforce
ments. At ataout this date General Breckenridge
joined General Lee, coming from the western part of
Virginia with a command said to numtaer five thou
sand infantry and two brigades of cavalry. And
General Beauregard had also sent a large part of his
command from the field of his operations against
Butler, to strengthen Lee's forces. General Grant
had already hit upon another plan which would
enable him to carry out his purpose of crossing the
Chickahominy, however, without making a direct
attack. This was no other than a resort to his former
tactics of a flank movement around Lee's right. The
little village of Cold Hartaor taecame a point of much
strategic importance in the execution of this plan,
since it was a point which commanded all the roads
leading to Richmond in one direction, and to White
House in the other. Accordingly on Tuesday, May
31st, a division of cavalry under General Tortaert was
dispatched to dash upon and capture the place, which
it succeeded in doing, in the face of strong opposition.
During the day, there were some changes of position,
and movements with a view to determine more
definitely the position of the enemy, but no fighting
of material importance tay the main army, though
there was more or less firing along the whole line,
throughout the day. In the Ninth Corps there was a
movement to the front for a consideratale distance, in

204 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
the course of which several detached lines of rifie-pits
were carried, under a brisk fire, and with some slight
loss. By the close of the day, the corps was finally
established in a position in close proximity to the
enemy's main line.
The Union army on the 31st of May extended for
some six miles, stretching across Totopotomoy creek,
the right of the line facing to the west, while the left
looked toward the southwest. The Sixth Corps
formed the extreme right, the Second and Ninth
Corps were upon the right and left center, and the
Fifth Corps on the extreme left. The Tenth and
Eighteenth Corps were still in motion from White
House. The Confederates in our front lay in the
following order: A. P. Hill's (Third) Corps on their
right, Longstreet's (First) Corps in the center, and
EweU's (Second) Corps upon the left, with their cav
alry upon the flanks, and thrown out in the direction
of Bottom's Bridge on their right and Hanover Court
House on the left. During the night of the 31st the
Sixth Corps was ordered to march to the assistance of
the cavalry at Cold Harbor, and immediately set out
for that point. The morning of Wednesday, June 1st,
found us in the same positions as during the previous
day, except for this movement of the Sixth Corps.
There was no very serious demonstration in the main
lines of the army during Wednesday, though in some
portions there was somewhat otastinate flghting for a
while, taut no general engagement was brought on.
The day was spent in establishing and strengthening
our line, and changing the position of troops so as to
secure such combinations as seemed to promise most
successful and decisive results in the battle we all felt
to be impending. The usual continual skirmishing

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 205
took place while the movements were taeing made, taut
we had grown accustomed to that, and gave it little
heed. But if the day was a comparatively quiet one for
us, it was decidedly the reverse for our comrades of
the Sixth Corps and others at Cold Hartaor. Early
Wednesday forenoon the cavalry there had taeen
attacked by Confederates under General Hoke, and
had repulsed them. About noon Hoke had again
attacked and had pressed Tortaert severely. As has
taeen said, the Sixth Corps had taeen marching all
night, hurrying to relieve the cavalry, and effect a
permanent lodgment at Cold Hartaor. General W. F.
Smith, with the Tenth and Eighteenth Corps, was also
marching toward the same point. By a mistake in the
transmission of his orders, Smith had gone out of his
way some fifteen miles, to New Castle, instead of
marching at once from White House to Cold Hartaor.
He retraced his steps as rapidly as possitale, taut it was
not until late in the afternoon that he arrived upon
the ground. The Sixth Corps had only arrived just
previously, and the troops of taoth commands needed
rest after their long marches. But preparations for
an immediate attack were at once taegun, and soon
after five o'clock, P. M., they were in position, and
advanced upon the Confederates, Smith upon the
right and the Sixth Corps on the left. In the teeth of
a murderous fire, they succeeded in carrying the first
line of trenches, taut at the cost of the loss of some two
thousand men. In spite of vigorous efforts to capture
the second line of works, it remained in the hands
of the Confederates, taut the action had secured to the
Union army the possession of the contested point, and
Cold Harbor was in Grant's hands.

'206 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
The Federal line was now some eight miles in
length, extending from Bethesda Church to Cold
Hartaor, the order of its formation from right to left
b)eing as follows: Second, Ninth, Fifth, Tenth,
Eighteenth and Sixth Corps. The simple enumeration
of these several corps gives taut a faint idea of the
numtaers thus concentrated in this grand army, taut
the soldier-reader will readily call to mind the vast
masses of men so skilfully disposed tay Grant and
Meade during this great campaign. It was decided
during Wednesday night that an attempt should tae
made on the next day to force the Confederates across
the Chickahominy, and to estatalish a fording-place
for the passage of our own men. To aid in carrying
out the purpose, the Second Corps moved from its sta
tion on the right to the extreme left of the army,
taeginning its march ataout midnight of Wednesday
and not coming up into its new position until nearly
noon of Thursday. As just stated, it was the inten
tion of the chief commanders that a general attack
should tae made on Thursday, June 2nd, taut a violent
thunder-storm set in during the afternoon, which
was so severe as to put an end to all further move
ments for the day. The attack was therefore deferred
until Friday morning, orders taeing given for a simul
taneous advance along the whole line to tae made at
half -past four o'clock of the 3rd of June. The with
drawal of the Second Corps from the right rendered
it necessary for the Ninth Corps to make some changes
in its position during Wednesday night and Thurs
day. Our movements were effected only in the face
of consideratale opposition from the enemy, and in
attempting to take the positions assigned us, we, as
well as the Fifth Corps, which joined our left, were
assailed with much vigor and suffered some loss.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT

207

By nightfall on the 2nd of June, however, we
were securely posted on the extreme right of the
Federal line, our left resting near Bethesda Church,
the main line lying partly parallel with the Mechanics
ville road, and then running across, the right taeing
partially refused, to a point in the close vicinity of
Totopotomoy creek. Next upon our left lay Warren
with the Fifth Corps, Smith with the Tenth and
Eighteenth Corps formed the center, and Wright
with the Sixth, and Hancock with the Second A\'^ere
upon the left. The Union line extended from
Totopotomoy creek across the road from Cold Hartaor
to the Chickahominy river, and Sheridan, with a large
cavalry force was guarding the left fiank, while
Wilson, with another taody of cavalry, protected the
right fiank.
While Generals Grant and Meade had taeen thus
busy throughout Thursday, in completing their ar
rangements, and preparing for a vigorous attack. Gen
eral Lee had by no means been resting in idleness.
He had, on the contrary, taeen no less tausy and active
than his opponents, and keeping himself accurately
informed of the movements in his front, had used
every exertion to render them of no avail to us. His
forces occupied three lines of works, each very strong,
the front line being held by his skirmishers in large
numbers, and the other two tay heavy lines of taattle.
All day he had taeen concentrating his troops, and
strengthening his fortifications. Of great natural
strength originally, he had added much to the defen
sive ataility of his position during Thursday,«tay means
of extensive slashings, and long lines of rifle-pits.
Lee was, indeed, well prepared for the irapending
attack, and whether he was sincerely sanguine of sue-

208 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
cess or not, he was far too good a soldier to omit or
neglect any possitale precaution which might enatale
him to win, should fortune favor him.
The night of the 2nd of June was passed by the
opposing armies in the positions above described, each
awaiting the dawning of the next day with equal
anxiety and impatience, for the troops of both fully
realized that another fierce and taloody struggle was
near at hand. The noise of taattle was no new and
unwonted sound in this region, for the very ground
upon which the armies lay was the same over which, a
little less than two years taefore, [^the tide of strife had
swept with territale fury, in the action known as the
taattle of Gaines' Farm or Gaines' Mill, fought on the
27th of June, 1862. Singularly enough, however, the
positions of the comtaatants were now nearly reversed,
Lee occupying almost the identical line held two
years taefore tay McClellan, except that his troops were
now faced ataout.
For several days past, we had taeen traversing
historic ground, for the old Army of the Potomac was
once more upon the soil of the peninsula, where in
1862, it had struggled and suffered in that famous
campaign under McCleUan. The veteran regiments
in the army, which had participated in the events of
that campaign, could but have taeen inspirited and en
couraged to renewed exertions tay the proud associa
tions connected with the ground upon which they
now stood again. And even for us, who were younger
and less experienced soldiers, who had donned the uni
form since those events had transpired, there was an
inspiration and incentive in the very names of the
localities amid which we found ourselves. We
rememtaered the heroism our comrades had shown

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 209
amid the deadly miasma of the Chickahominy swamps,
and the courage and endurance they had displayed in
the daily encounters from Seven Pines to Malvern
Hill, and the memorable retreat they had made, at the
very moment when victory seemed to tae almost within
their grasp. Now they and we were again arrayed
against their old antagonist upon the same ground,
the possession of which had been so stubtaornly con
tested then. It was only natural that in the pause
before the approaching confiict, these reflections
should give us higher courage, and increase our deter
mination to do our utmost to secure a final and
decisive victory.
Before going on to speak of the events of the next
day, it seems desirable to mention here the casualties
which had occurred in our regiment up to the night
of June 2nd. Although the Thirty-Second had sus
tained its share of the hardships of the movements
since leaving the North Anna, and had taeen exposed
to the almost constant skirmish-firing which was so
marked a feature of the last few days, it had escaped
with a comparatively small loss. It is possible that
there may tae some errors or omissions in the list
which follows, as it has taeen found very difficult to
ascertain dates with any degree of accuracy. But in
the case of the casualties mentioned taelow, as well as
in sutasequent lists, the diary of Adjutant Hayes has
taeen taken as the taest authority, where discrepancies
have taeen found in the statements made tay others.
Between May 27th and June 2nd, so far as can tae
ascertained, the aggregate of losses was one commis
sioned officer wounded ; one non-commissioned officer
and one private killed; nine privates wounded, and
three privates missing, making a total of fifteen.

210 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
These casualties were distributed among the several
companies as follows :
Privates Abisha Allen, Company K, missing. May
28th, and Daniel Cookson, Company C, missing, May
29th. Lieutenant Silas M. Perkins, Company K,
wounded in foot; Privates Alveno V. Farris, Com
pany B, in arm, and Henry Abbott, Company B, in
head, May 31st.
Corporal Henry B. Rose, Company D; Private
William H. Flagg, Company G, killed; Privates Ches
ter Norwood, Company A, wounded in thigh; Herbert
Smith, Company B, in thigh; Henry O. Eaton, Com
pany B, in breast; Otaeron O. Stetson, Company B, in
left arm; Samuel N. Stetson, Company B, in arm;
Lewis W. Duntaar, Company I, in neck, June 1st.
Privates Jacob Thurston, Company B, wounded
in foot, and Worthington E. Dumont, Company K,
missing, June 2nd.
Of the ataove, A. V. Farris died July 24th, and
Hertaert Smith on June 22nd; Jacota Thurston was
sent to Maine, and died at Augusta on July 9th, while
Henry O. Eaton died June 3rd, and S. N. Stetson on
June 21st. Allen died in prison on July 10th, and
Dumont also died in prison, at a date which has not
taeen ascertained. With reference to the capture of
the latter, comrade J. A. Hobbs writes, "Dumont was
in my squad, and taeing much exhausted, went back
in the forenoon of June 2nd, a few rods to the rear,
and lay down to rest. Soon after we had to fall back,
and suppose he was overlooked, and captured".
In the case of Lieutenant Perkins, his wound was
the result of the accidental discharge of the musket
of one of his men. He was sent North, and died in

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 211
Maine, on June 22nd, from the effects of the wound.
Nothing is known with certainty as to Cookson's fate,
taut it is taelieved that he died in some one of the
southern prisons.
• W. H. Flagg was instantly killed tay a sharp
shooter, the taall entering his forehead. L. W. Dun
taar sutasequently returned to duty, and was finally
mustered out in July, 1865.
As an appropriate conclusion tb this chapter, the
following quotations from Adjutant Hayes' diary,
relative to the few days immediately preceding the
taattle of Cold Hartaor, are here inserted. Under date
of May 30th, he writes: "At 5.30 A. M., we started
again. Cannonading and musketry firing is going on
in our front, and we are working that way. It is now
8.30 A. M., and we have halted again. The firing
continues in our front, and an ammunition wagon has
just passed. We are in sight of the retas, and can see
the skirmishing going on ataout one-third of a mile off.
Our Division is waiting here for something. We are
decidedly in the dark with reference to the move to tae
made. * * * * We halted about 2 P. M., and got some
dinner; at 5 were ordered to move. Our regiment is
now on the ground occupied tay the retas this after
noon. The cannonading is terrific on our left, and
again we are ordered to be ready to move. Suppose
we are held in readiness in case they attempt any
thing in front".
The entry for May 31st, reads: "We were held
in readiness through the night, sleeping on our arms.
Lieutenant Perkins was accidently shot through the
foot this morning. Moved at 9 A. M., and have built
three lines of tareastworks. Cannonading is going on,
on our right and left, and skirmishing in front, taut

212 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
we have had none wounded. We are ordered to fall
in. ***** We have just made another advance. I
never heard such firing taefore. Here we are in the
extreme front. Two of Co. B, were wounded a few
minutes ago. We are driving the retas, taut they fight
weU". For Wednesday, June 1st, the entry is, ' ' Firing
still continues. Co. B has had two men wounded this
morning. 11 A. M. Two more men from Co. B were
hit, making four this morning. The fighting at this
part of the line is confined chiefiy to skirmishing and
picket firing, taut we have a taattery in our rear, which
throws a shell occasionally. A Co. A man was just
shot in the leg, and one from Company G, killed
instantly tay a sharpshooter, the ball entering his fore
head. Another man just wounded in Co. I, the taall
striking his throat. Another man in Co. B, just
wounded in the arm. * * * * * Ataout midnight the
Johnnies concluded to try us on. The men knew if
we were attacked they could not retreat, so they
stood up like men, and gave the retas a reception
which drove them into their entrenchments again".
And on the next day, June 2nd, the diary con
tinues: "The day opened tay the retas wounding a
man in Co. B. At 4 A. M., an Aide came with an
order for us to move to the rear as quickly and quietly
as possitale. We did so, and are now ataout half a
mile from our old position, getting tareakfast. We
left our pickets taehind to blind the Johnnies. Noon.
Have started again. Our Brigadier says our advance
was only eight miles from Richmond last night.
***** We marched three or four miles, and
halted. Nearly the whole corps was with us. Soon
the rain commenced pouring, and to add to the

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 213
beauties of the scene, all at once the retas opened on
us, and for the first time, I saw an army drawn up for
taattle. The artillery on taoth sides commenced, and
the musketry also. They would mass their forces,
and throw themselves upon our lines, taut to no pur
pose. They were repulsed at every point. Don't
know yet what our loss is. Our regiment did not
suffer any, we taeing on the extreme right, and the
fighting mostly at the center. All this time the rain
is coming down, and the old rifie pits we occupy are
full of water ".

CHAPTER XIII.

At Cold Harbor. — The Battle of the 3ed of June.
— The Chaege of the Second Coeps. — Cuetin's
Attack. — The Thiety-Second at the Sunken
Road. — List of Casualties.

It has taeen said in the previous chapter that on
the night of the 2nd of June, General Grant was fully
aware that the Confederates were well entrenched in
our front, their works taeing extremely formidatale
in character, while the approaches to them were
rendered difficult tay numerous thickets, swamps and
marshy tracts, as well as impeded tay wide extents of
ataattis. Nevertheless, he had determined, if it were
possitale, to carry these works tay assault, and thus
force the passage of the Chickahominy, and compel
Lee to fall back upon the interior works immediately
around Richmond. The early morning of Friday,
June 3rd, had been selected as the hour for striking
the blow which, it was hoped, might shatter the
strong impediment in our path, and open the way for
a triumphant advance. At dawn the Union army
prepared to obey the orders it had received, and the
troops were soon in motion, advancing rapidly but
silently, through a thick drizzling mist and rain,
toward the Confederate position.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 215
It was not long past the hour set, — half past four,
A. M. , — when the Federal skirmishers began the
advance, and the lines of battle followed close upon
them. The ground to tae traversed was low and
swampy, a marshy intervale between two slightly
higher sandy plains, upon which more elevated ground
the respective armies had lain. The space taetween
the lines was not a very wide one, and the skirmishers
soon came in contact with those of the enemy, and
the rifle-shots taegan to sound through the still air of
morning. The Confederate skirmishers were in strong
force, and the firing grew more and more heavy, and
the familiar sound of musketry grew louder and
louder. Then the Federal artillery opened along the
whole front, as soon as the skirmishers were fairly
engaged, and the thunder of the heavy guns mingled
grandly with the swelling volleys. The noise of taattle
grew deafening, but through it rose the wild cheers of
the advancing lines, as the Federals dashed forward
toward the Confederate works. The assault was a
vigorous and gallant one, and nearly the whole of the
Union forces was thrown against the enemy's line at
the same moment.
The headlong precipitation of such masses upon
his fortifications may well have produced such a
shock as was unparalleled in the warfare of the world.
But ponderous and territale as was the talow, the
works upon which it fell were too strong, and the
force which defended them too nuraerous to tae
shattered and dispersed, even tay such a herculean
shock. The assaulting lines recoiled from the en
trenchments which they had failed to carry, though
they had striven grandly. One of the historians of
the war has said of this attack, "The onset was

216 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
terrific and on a scale of magnitude surpassing
anything yet witnessed in the war. The resistance
was equally grand, and on a scale of proportionate
magnitude. Never, perhaps, in the history of previous
warfare was such a shock of taattle experienced".*
Another has written, perhaps more graphically than
truthfully, "It took hardly more than ten minutes of
the figment men call time, to decide the taattle. There
was along the whole line a rush — the spectacle of
impregnatale works — a taloody loss — then a sullen
falling taack, and the action was decided^W
This language is too sweeping, for it ignores the
achievements of the gallant men who won those
partial successes, which redeem the taattle from the
stigma of taeing an unqualified reverse to the Federal
arms. And there were many such partial successes at
various points, though the practical impregnataility of
the Confederate fortifications remained unaffected,
and their line, as a whole, was unshaken tay the
assault. Some of these deserve to tae briefly men
tioned here, as a relief to the general narrative of the
failures and disasters of the day. Two divisions of
the Second Corps made a spirited and magnificent
charge upon an important work occupying an eleva
tion called Watt's Hill, opposite the left of the
Federal line. Under a heavy fire of artillery and
musketry they ascended the acclivity, and drove the
enemy from his position, in spite of his concentrating
infantry and taatteries upon this point. Pressing into
the works as the Confederates fell taack, the men of the
Second Corps captured a taattery before it could
limber up and gallop to the rear, and his own guns
* Tomes and Smith — "Battles of America by Sea^ and Land",
p. 700. t Swinton — " Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac ", p. 486.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 217
were actually turned upon the retreating enemy.
Having in this charge advanced far taeyond their line,
these two divisions were without support, and were
subjected' to a severe enfilading fire which occasioned
them much loss. Upon the approach of a second line
of Confederates, they were compelled to withdraw
from the work they had taken, but tarought off with
them a taattle-fiag, three guns and several hundred
prisoners, as trophies of their taravery. And though
compelled to relinquish the captured works, they
would not permit themselves to tae driven taack to the
line from which they had originally advanced. But
taking advantage of the partial cover afforded tay a
ridge ataout fifty yards from the enemy's tareastworks,
they halted and entrenched themselves there, holding
the ground so stutataornly that they could not tae dis
lodged during the whole day.
An equally gallant assault was made by the Sixth
Corps, which resulted in the carrying of the fiidline
of Confederate entrenchments, and the advance of the
men to within ataout two hundred and fifty yards of
the main works. But at this juncture, their right
fiank became much exposed to a heavy enfilading fire,
and the corps was compelled to fall back. A part of
General Smith's command, which advanced upon the
right of the Sixth Corps, became somewhat broken up
and disorganized in attempting to pass through the
ataattis, and was otaliged to retire. Although Smith
made several attempts, he failed to carry any con
sideratale portion of the rifie-pits in front of the
Tenth and Eighteenth Corps, taut it was only after a
great loss of life that they were finally repulsed.
These corps were atale by great exertions to maintain
a position some distance in advance of their original

218 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
lines, but their utmost efforts would not avail to
enatale them to push the enemy taack from his strong^
position. The Fifth Corps met with no decided advantage
in its assault, General Warren's line taeing unfor
tunately much extended, which rendered it so thin
that no concentration was possitale upon any point
along his front. His artillery was served with excel
lent effect, and did much good work, but the infantry
attack carried taut little, if any consideratale portion
of the Confederate rifle-pits, though they charged
with much spirit and energy. But from the thinness
of their line, no great weight fell upon any single
point, and the enemy was easily atale to repulse such
an assault. Thus while all the troops upon the
Federal left and center, from Hancock to Warren,
had exhibited splendid heroism, and all had lost
heavily, yet no decisive advantage had been otatained
from the immense sacrifice of human life which had
accompanied their tarilliant taut fruitless efforts to
tareak through the Confederate line.
In the meanwhile, the Ninth Corps had tay no
means taeen idle, when our comrades in other portions
of the field were so lavishly pouring out their blood,
and so bravely yielding up their lives. As has taeen
said, our corps was upon the extreme right of the
army, and was formed with its right refused, or partly
drawn taack. It could not, therefore, be tarought into
position to deliver its attack quite so early in the day
as did the corps upon our left. But our dispositions
were made as rapidly as possitale, General Wilson's
cavalry taeing pushed out as far as possitale to cover
the fiank, while the Second and Third divisions were
formed for the assault. The First • division, under

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 219
General Crittenden, was held in reserve, taut within
supporting distance. While the corps was getting
into position, the taattle was raging upon our left, and
the thundering of the artillery and the crashing of the
musketry grew louder and louder as the moments
passed. The storm of conflict increased, and came
swelling in mightier volume down along the entire
front of the great army stretching for miles among
the swamps, and along the marshy taorders of the
sluggish Chickahominy. But our opportunity to join
in the strife was at hand, and our own Second division
had the honor of striking the first talow of the day, on
the part of our corps.
Colonel Curtin, with the First tarigade of our
division, made a daring, dashing charge, which drove
in the enemy's skirmishers, and carried a numtaer of
detached rifle-pits. The enemy, which consisted of
troops from the commands of Longstreet and Ewell,
were forced to fall taack into their inner works, and
the First tarigade was able to estatalish itself at a very
short distance from the Confederate entrenchments.
Our own tarigade was in support of the First, and
came up at once, taking its position upon the right
flank of the corps, and consequently forming, for the
time, the extreme right of the whole Federal army,
except the cavalry. The artillery of our division now
came galloping to the front, and hurriedly unlimtaered,
and opened fire. The batteries rendered efficient
service, their fire blowing up some of the Confederate
caissons, and silencing their guns. The Third division
had also assaulted at about the same time as the
Second, and had met with excellent success, having
captured a line of rifie-pits, and driven the enemy
back to the shelter of his interior works. General

220 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
Hartranft's tarigade of this division had led its
advance, and distinguished itself equally with our
First tarigade. The artillery of the division was
tarought up, and the music of its deep tones was soon
added to the taooming of our own guns. Our division
and the Third were fairly in position in the face of
the enemy, and taut a short distance from the strong
second line of works, and here we paused to gather
breath for another assault. We held the ground
gained tay our first attack, taut the enemy swarmed
thickly in our front, and was not to tae dislodged
without an effort.
In the pause that followed that first fierce attack,
the men who lay so close upon the frowning entrench
ments of the foe, may have gradually felt the
conviction settle upon their minds that those works
were too strong to tae carried tay a direct assault. But
however hopeless of success, we should not have
refused to make the attempt, had we taeen ordered to
move once more against them. Yet it has taeen delita-
erately charged that we did refuse, and a story has
gained some credence that there was a general muti
nous and insutaordinate refusal to otaey the order for
another attack, which involved the whole army. It
has taeen asserted that the rank and file of the grand
old Army of the Potomac had become so cowed and
demoralized tay the losses sustained in the assault of
the morning, that in the immediate face of the enemy,
the men wilfully refused obedience. This charge is
made by Swinton in his putalished history, in the
following words :
"The action was decided in an increditaly brief
tirae in the morning's assault. But rapidly as the
result was reached, it was decisive; for the conscious-

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 221
ness of every man pronounced further assault hopeless.
The troops went forward as far as the example of their
officers could carry them, nor was it possible to urge
them beyond; for there they knew lay only death,
without even the chance of victory. The completeness
with which this judgment had been reached by the
whole army was strikingly illustrated by an incident
that occurred during the forenoon. Some hours after
the failure of the first assault, General Meade sent
instructions to each corps-commander to renew the
attack without reference to the troops on his right or
left. The order was issued through these officers to
their subordinate commanders, and from them de
scended through the wonted channels; taut no man
stirred, and immotaile lines pronounced a verdict,
silent, yet emphatic, against further slaughter".*
Never was a taaser litael or a more unfounded and
gratuitous slander uttered than the insinuation con
tained in these sentences. Never was there a more
unmerited attack upon the soldierly honor and good
discipline of one of the most patient, courageous and
uniformly sutaordinate and otaedient armies the world
has ever seen. From personal knowledge, of course,
the writer is not atale to say anything as to the state
of feeling in other corps, nor does he claim that his
sources of information, at the time of the taattle, were
such as to enatale him to speak for that, even, in which
he served. From the nature of the case, a soldier in
the ranks knows little or nothing of what is going on
except that which takes place immediately ataout
himself. But so far as the Ninth Corps is concerned,
the charge made tay Swinton has taeen indignantly
repelled tay one whose opportunities for obtaining
* Swinton — "Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac", p. 487.

222 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
reliable information were extensive ahd thoroughly
utilized. Woodtaury writes, "That the commanding
general should issue a distinct order, and that the
soldiers of his army should utterly refuse to take the
first step toward its otaedience, is not to tae believed
for a moment ". *
And as far as we ourselves are concerned; — we
who served in Potter's division, — in Griffin's tarigade,
— know that, as for those organizations, there is not
the remotest shadow of truth in the accusation. The
men of that tarigade, — of that division, — had served
unmurmuringly through too many reverses to become
disheartened and cowardly, even after such a bloody
struggle as was that morning's onset at Cold Harbor.
The mere mention of the gallant regiments which
composed the Second tarigade is enough to stamp the
whole narration as one of the taasest of calumnies, so
far as they, at least, are concerned. Comrades from
New Hampshire, from Maryland, from Vermont and
from Maine, when did our old brigade ever receive the
order to advance against the enemy, and coward-like,
falter and refuse to obey ? When did Griffin ever give
the command "Forward" and see his men hesitate, or
wilfully fail to do his bidding? So far as it has been
possitale to ascertain the real truth of the history of
that day, the facts in regard to the Ninth Corps, at
least, are as follows:
By noon, the corps was in position within an
extremely short distance of the enemy's works, and
ready to move upon his interior line. The troops had
advanced very closely to the line of the Confederates,
in many cases not more than fifty yards intervening
* Woodbury— " Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps", foot note,
p. 399.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 223
taetween the Union and Confederate fronts. Orders
were given tay General Burnside to Generals Potter
and Willcox to attack with their respective divisions
at one o'clock in the afternoon, and soon after the
appointed hour, the skirmishers of these divisions
began their adva,nce. But just as they moved out, to
feel the way in front of the columns of attack, the
order for the moveraent was countermanded tay
the corps-commander. This change of purpose was
taecause General Burnside had received orders from
General Meade to relinquish all offensive operations.
This order was in the following terms:
Headquarters Army of the Potomac, )
June 3, 1864, 1.30 P. M. 5
Orders: For the present, all further offensive operations will be
-suspended. Corps-commanders will at once entrench the
positions they now hold, including their advanced positions ;
and will cause reconnoissances to be made with a view to
move against the enemy's works, by regular approaches, from
the advanced positions now held.
Should the enemy assume the offensive, and succeed in
breaking through any point of our line, the corps-commander
nearest to the assaulted point will throw his whole force upon
the enemy's column making the attack.
By command of
Major-Geneeal Meade.
.(Signed) S. Williams,
Assistant Adjutant General.
There can tae no doutat in the minds of reasonatale
men that this order was inspired, not tay any stutataorn
and mutinous refusal on the part of the troops to go
forward, taut tay the lack of decisive advantage
otatained in the earlier part of the day. The attack

224 an HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
of the morning had shown the Federal commanders
the real strength of the works in their front, and a
prudent and commendatale regard for the lives of his
tarave soldiers led General Meade to entertain the
thought of carrying the enemy's position ' ' tay regular
apprOarches " instead of an assault. The failure of the
heavy and determined onslaught made tay Hancock
and Wright on the left, and Smith in the center, had
induced Meade to decide against the expediency of
further attempts of a similar nature. Therefore the
projected movement of the Ninth Corps was counter
manded, although it is possitale that if carried out, it
might have proved more successful than the morning's
work had taeen. Information of the intended advance
had taeen sent tay General Burnside to General Wilson,
who commanded the cavalry division which was
covering our right, and the suggestion made to him
that he should sweep around the enemy's fiank, and
attack him in the rear, at the same time that the
Ninth Corps engaged him in front. This simultaneous
attack might have taeen attended with very material
success, had General Meade permitted the attempt to
tae made. And it is equally within the limits of pos-
sitaility that another disaster would have taeen added
to the failures of the day.
However, General Meade's orders left no alterna
tive, and the skirmish-line was at once drawn in, and
the assault ataandoned, and we turned our attention
to strengthening the position in which we lay. But
had our superior officers permitted, the divisions of
Potter and of Willcox would have advanced to the
attack as steadily, if not as hopefully, on the after
noon of Friday, as they had sprung forward in the
first attack that morning. The two divisions which

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 225
taore the brunt of the battle had fought bravely, and
their loss had taeen severe. More than a thousand
men were killed or wounded in the corps, nearly all
the casualties taeing in the Second and Third
divisions. But our exertions for the day were not yet
at an end. The ataandonment of offensive demon
strations upon the part of the Federals seemed to
emtaolden the enemy. He taecame, in his turn,
aggressive, and demonstrated against our lines at
various points during the afternoon and evening.
Firing broke out from time to time with consideratale
vigor in different parts of our front, as the eneray felt
our position. In one of these demonstrations, our
Second tarigade taecame involved in an affair which
occasioned it considerable loss. The Confederates in
our front made an assault, which was quickly met
and vigorously repulsed, taut which was maintained
tay them with much otastinacy for a time.
When this attack was made, the Thirty-Second
Maine was in a particularly exposed position, having
no other cover than an open rail-fence in our front,
with a slightly sunken roadway in its rear. The
enemy had the advantage of the shelter of a piece of
woods extending to Avithin a short distance of the
road. This hid and protected his advance until he
was close upon us, taut after a sharp contest, he was
compelled to leave us in possession of the field at this
point. The regiment suffered considerable loss in
officers and men, but official documents award us
the praise of having fought gallantly and driven the
enemy further than at any point on the line. The
casualties for the day in the Thirty-Second were four
killed and twenty-seven wounded, making an aggre
gate loss of thirty-one. Of these, one non-commis-

226 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
sioned officer, and three enlisted men were killed
on the field; one commissioned officer and one non
commissioned officer mortally wounded; and one com
missioned officer, five non-commissioned officers, and
twenty enlisted men wounded. They were divided
among the several companies as follows:
Company B, Private Leroy A. Gowell, killed;
Corporal Charles E. Chase, wounded, in foot; Private
Joseph Holland, in hand.
Corapany C, Corporal Freeman J. Knights, mor
tally wounded; Privates George M. Hammon, killed;
Algernon H. Brown, wounded in leg; Henry C.
Houston, in right thigh.
Company D, Captain William R. Ham, mortally
wounded, in breast; Corporal William H. Nevins,
wounded; Privates Benjamin B. Larrabee, killed;
Francis D. Salstaury, wounded; Timothy Kennedy,
in hand; Michael McCarthy, in hand; Oliver N.
Leavitt. Company E, Captain Etaenezer S. Kyes, wounded,
in thigh; Sergeants Marcus C. Keyes, in foot, Osman
B. Richardson, in arm; Private Peter Y. Bean, in
hand. Company G, Corporal Fred E. Heath, killed;
Privates Anthony O'Neil, wounded in tareast; Jere
Noonan, in hand; John Dixon, in hand.
Company H, Privates Wilson J. Greene, wounded
in leg; John J. Hurley, in leg; Charles S. Hill, in
head; Edwin B. Peverly, in head; Litataens H. Leav
itt, in hand; Charles H. Latham, in head.
Company I, Sergeant Joel H. Little, wounded in
hand. Company K, Privates Alvah C. Witham, wounded
in face and neck; Francis Sawyer, in face.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 227
Captain Ham died early in the morning of the fol
lowing day, at the field hospital. Corporal Knights
died in hospital at Washington, D. C, on June 13th.
Sergeant Richardson suffered an amputation, and
died at North Jay, Me., on August 24th. PriA^ate
Hurley died June 19th, and it is taelieved there were
other deaths, of Avhich no record has taeen found,
resulting from wounds received in this engagement.
It has not taeen possitale to ascertain definitely
how many of those less severely wounded subse
quently returned to duty. But in some few instances
the date of return has been found of record. Captain
Kyes rejoined the regiment October 28th, 1864,
while still on crutches; sergeant Keyes returned in
December, and private SaAvyer in August, while
others undoutatedly rejoined after a more or less pro
tracted absence.
While the ataove list is believed to show the cas
ualties sustained in our regiment during the entire
day, the story of the fierce fighting on that bloody
Friday is by no means at an end. Though we in the
Ninth Corps were not again seriously mejiaced, there
were severe contests and sharp fighting in other por
tions of the line. Of one vigorous attack made tay
the Confederates upon our extreme left, the next chap
ter will speak more in detail. But taefore considering
that incident, it has taeen deemed expedient to insert
here the following copy of the Monthly Return for
May, 1864, which shows at a glance, the condition of
our regiment at the end of May, just prior to its enter
ing the taattle of which some description has taeen
attempted ataove. It will tae taorne in mind, however,
that it does not include the losses sustained during
the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of June.

228 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE

Officers present for duty,

18

Officers absent, detaclied duty,

2

" " " extra duty,

1

" sick.

10

" " sick,

2

Enlisted men " detached duty.

18

Enlisted men present for duty.

468

" " with leave.

11

" " " extra "

60

" " without leave,

36

" sick.

12

" " " sick.

169

Died in action or of wounds.

13

" of disease,

7

Total Commissioned,

33

Missing in action,

14

Enlisted.

777

Wounded in action,

43

Aggregate,
810
Date — June 1st, 1864.
As an appropriate conclusion to this chapter, it
has seemed Avell to quote here some paragraphs from
a letter written by sergeant John Hilling of Company
G, to one of the newspapers in Bath, Me. He dates
his letter from the "Battle Field of Green Oaks,
Va. , " by which name the action was also known at
the time, and after speaking of the engagement of
June 2nd, goes on to say :
"Next day, June 3rd, the battle taecame furious;
the rattle of musketry and roar of artillery was almost
deafening. * * * * Ataout noon our regiment was led
up to hold a road, and protect it from a flank move
ment. We»marched in good order across a field where
the retas had full sweep from tareastworks in a field
adjoining, and also had the woods in their rear filled
with sharpshooters. They had six guns also, in
position. Nothing daunted, our taoys marched up to
the fence of the road, in the midst of a galling fiank
fire, without fiinching, and soon commenced to send
their compliments to the retas with such good will that
it rather astonished the natives. Other regiments
were with us, all doing fearful work. The battle
lasted until dark, and we then went to work to build
breastworks,' for a Virginia fence is not much pro
tection from bullets. Early next morning, June 4th,
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JAMES L. HUNT.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 229
our skirmishers were in possession of the enemy's
works, they having sJcedaddled during the night. We
went to have a look at the enemy's ground, and found
it was a strong position, taut most territaly the shell
and shot of Uncle Sam had told upon it. In one spot
on which we stood, Ave counted nineteen^horses, and
thirty-five untauried men, taut it was not so taad all
over the field".

3tograpI^tcaI SkctcI^.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JAMES L. HUNT.
James L. Hunt was born in Georgetown, Maine, Feb
ruary 1st, 1826, but when he was three years of age, the
family removed to Bath, where he subsequently attended the
public schools during his boyhood. A lover of books, and a
great reader, his education was farther advanced than that of
the average school boy of those days, when his attendance
ceased. After arriving at maturity, he was a school teacher for
several years, but for some time prior to the breaking out of
the rebellion, he was engaged in commerce on the Kennebec
river. In 1847, he married Winnifred Hunt, by whom he
had nine children, six of whom are now living. Mrs. Hunt
died in 1868.
He belonged to a family of earnest and brave men, and
when it was realized that the nation was engaged in a struo--
gle for its existence, instead of "a picnic", as many earlier
believed the war would be, there was no question in the mind

230 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
of James L. Hunt as to his duty. In the summer of 1862 he
assisted in raising a company for the Twenty-First Maine
Infantry Volunteers, and was mustered into the United
States service October 14, 1862, as First Lieutenant of Com
pany C, receiving, a few days later, his commission as Cap
tain. He participated in the siege of Port Hudson, saw
much hard service, and won the admiration of officers and
men for his great bravery and fine soldierly qualities.
Soon after the expiration of his term of service in the
Twenty-First, Captain Hunt was among the first to respond
to President Lincoln's call for 300;000 men for three years,
or during the war, and recruited a company at Bath, which
became Company G, of the Thirty-Second Maine, and was
commissioned its Captain, April 16, 1864.
The hard service in the Army of the Potomac in the
campaign of 1864, is too well known to those who will read
this sketch to dwell upon here. And, through it all, on the
march by day and by night, or in action. Captain Hunt was
the same vigorous, cool and intrepid leader ; always at his
post of duty, and while thoughtful of his men, requiring
every man of his command to do his full duty. Did space
permit, many incidents in his army career, known to those of
his command, might be cited, showing the sterling qualities
of, and the " sand" in the man.
In the battle in front of Petersburg, July 30th, 1864, he
was badly wounded in the shoulder, being shot by a Confed
erate officer who had demanded his surrender, and whom
he cut down. Captain Hunt was soon after promoted to
Lieutenant-Colonel, his commission as such being dated
October 8, 1864. On the consolidation of the regiment with
the Thirty-First, in December, 1864, Colonel Hunt was mus
tered out of the service, and returning home, was commis
sioned to command one of the coast defences. In 1866, he
was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the regular army.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 231
and ordered to Arizona to fight the Apache Indians. After
serving there most acceptably for some years, he resigned
from the army, and engaged as a contractor and builder at
the several military posts in Arizona. He was spoken of, at
this time, as " the best man in the territory", an expression
of great significance in that region in those days. He died of
apoplexy, at Phoenix, Arizona, March 28, 1887.
No braver man ever wore a uniform. R. P. E.

CHAPTER XIV.

In THE Teenches at Cold Haeboe. — The Second
Division's Contest foe Disputed Teeeitoey. —
Annoyance feom the Enemy's Shaepshootees.
— An Unwholesome Position in the
Swamps of the Chickahominy. — An
othee Movement to the Left. —
List of Casualties.

At nightfall upon Friday, June 3rd, the noise of
confiict had almost entirely ceased along the whole
front of the opposing armies. Save for the occasional
sound of a sharpshooter's rifle, there was little or
nothing to disturta the stillness of the evening. The
taattle had taeen virtually over since early in the after
noon, though from time to tirae partial engagements
here and there had served to fill the air with the dull
thunder of artillery and the roll and rattle of nearer
or more distant musketry. The grand assault tay
which General Grant had hoped to accomplish so
much, had wholly failed to dislodge the enemy, and
force him to fall taack across the river. The losses of
the day had taeen very large on the part of the Fed
erals, taeing not less than seven thousand in killed,
wounded and prisoners, at the lowest estimates, while
some authorities make them even larger. The Con-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 233
federates, who had fought mainly from behind their
protecting works, had suffered taut little in comparison
with the Union forces, Avhich had taeen wholly without
protection while assailing the enemy's position.
It is little to tae wondered at, if under such circum
stances, there was sadness and gloom in the hearts of
the survivors in the Union lines that night as the sun
sank down, and darkness sloAvly settled over the
field. Many tarave comrades had gone down in death
that day, taut the sacrifice of so many lives had taeen
unavailing, and Lee and his army still lay across our
path, aiid seemed atale successfully to dispute our
further advance. The evening hours crept on, and
even the sharpshooters ceased their dropping and
irregular firing, till at length there was perfect quiet
along the lines. Stillness and calm succeeded to the
rush and roar of battle, and the swampy marshes and
sandy plains over which the storm of strife had swept
with such awful force were as peaceful underneath
the silent stars as if they had never known the sound
of war. At length, near the hour of eight o'clock, P. M.,
the calm hush of evening was suddenly and violently
broken, and clamor and confusion filled the listening
ear. Peal on peal reverberating in heavier thunder,
came the crashing and bellowing of the Confederate
guns, opening in quick succession against our left.
And mingling with the discharges of the artillery and
the bursting of the shells, but rising ataove them,
came the wild, hoarse notes of the "retael yell",
"As all the fiends, from heaven that fell,
Had pealed the banner-cry of hell".
The Confederates in the front of the Second and Sixth
Corps had suddenly sallied out of their works, and

234 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
under cover of a rapid fire from their taatteries, were
making a vigorous onset against Hancock's right and
Warren's left. Their charge was most determined and
courageous, taut the Federal artillery opened upon the
advancing columns, and with well-aimed missiles tore
great gaps through the leading files. And a withering
fire of musketry, in incessant volleys, blazed out from
the Union earthworks, till even the desperate, reckless
bravery of the enemy could sustain no more. The
attack was repulsed, with great loss to the assailants,
and leaving many of their number taehind, dead, or
prisoners in Federal hands, the Confederates sullenly
retired to their own lines. This daring, taut fruitless
and ill-advised effort on the part of the Confederates,
to tareak our lines, closed the fighting on that taloody
and memoratale Friday. The almost exhausted antag
onists passed the remainder of the night in quiet,
taoth seeking rest after the territale exertions of the
day. The issue of this fierce struggle had most con
clusively estatalished the fact that it was not possitale
for General Grant to cross the river at this point
without a stupendous sacrifice of life. And even after
the expenditure of thousands of lives, it was tay no
means certain his purpose could tae accomplished, in
any event. Lee's forces were most advantageously
posted, and admirataly prepared to offer the most
determined resistance to our efforts. But the Federal
commandeMn-chief was little disposed to relinquish a
purpose once formed, or to ataandon a design once
conceived, without having made every effort to carry
it into effect. And he was not yet ready to retire
from the lines he now occupied, until he had maturely
considered the situation. In the atasence of any offen-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 235
sive or aggressive movement on the part of General
Grant, the Confederate commander seemed to tae
content to remain within his works for the most part,
keenly watching the Federals, taut not attempting to
assume the offensive himself.
The next few days after the taattle were therefore
passed tay taoth armies in very nearly the same posi
tions as those held tay them upon the day of its
occurrence. Both were tausily engaged in entrenching
and strengthening their respective lines, in caring for
their wounded, and in taurying their dead. New
earthworks were constructed tay the Federals along
the line of the Chickahominy in the direction of
White House. But as fast as these were thrown up,
they were everywhere confronted tay parallel lines
tauilt tay the enemy. The wounded were gathered up
and conveyed from tlie field hospitals to points farther
removed from the front. Long trains of* ambulances
and army wagons were filled with these sufferers, and
dispatched to White House, where the disataled
victims of the contest were placed upon steamers and
transported to Washington, Alexandria, and points in
that vicinity. For many of those wounded on the 3rd
of June, a pleasant and salubrious location was found
at Fairfax Seminary Hospital, a short distance from
Alexandria, Va. Others were sent to the several well-
known hospitals in and around Washington. Later
on, a temporary hospital was established at White
House itself for a short time, wherej it is said over
twenty thousand sick and wounded men were cared
for, in the brief period before it was taroken up tay the
transfer of the taase of supplies to City Point.
But, to return to the operations immediately
following the taattle of the 3rd of June, the places

236 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
vacated tay the thousands of wounded sent to the rear,
were filled as speedily as possitale tay the taringing to
the front new troops, and convalescents atale to resume
active service. These days of comparative quiet were
not wholly without incident, tay any means, for almost
constant skirmishing was kept up for some ten days
following the assault. And during this interval there
were a numtaer of sharp and sanguinary engagements
of minor importance, involving some portion of the
respective armies, taut not in any case rising to the
dignity of a general action.
During Saturday, June 4th, the Union forces were
tausily employed in the construction of breastworks,
and were permitted to labor without much annoyance
from the enemy throughout the day. But late that
night, as they were ataout sinking to sleep, wearied
with the toil of the day, a sudden attack was made,
about nine "o'clock, P. M., upon that portion of the
line held by Hancock, Wright and Smith, on the left
and center. The enemy assaulted with consideratale
vigor, taut were speedily repulsed, and did not seek to
renew the attack during the night. Sunday, the 5th,
there was some severe fighting in portions of the line,
as inight tae expected from the close proximity of the
enemy, the opposing works taeing separated from each
other only tay a distance varying from fifty to two
hundred yards. . There were also partial engagements
during Monday, the 6th, the Confederates being the
attacking party in most, if not all instances, and their
assaults taeing in every case vigorously and success
fully repelled.
In the most of these demonstrations, as we were
reversing the tactics of the past weeks, and fighting
from taehind tareastworks, instead of attacking them

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 237
as heretofore, the greater share of the loss fell upon
the Confederates. This Avas a new taut tay no means
unpleasant experience to men who had so long taorne
the part of assailants, and so often charged against
strong works. At midnight of the 6th, a heavy charge
was made tay the Confederates against the position
held by the Ninth Corps, which was gallantly met and
repulsed tay us. But taefore speaking of this in detail,
some allusion should be made to events which had
preceded it during the day. During Monday, the line
of the army had taeen shortened, the Fifth Corps
haAdng taeen moved to the rear, and our corps moving
to the left and taking the position vacated tay the
Fifth. These manoeuvres were preliminary to a
change of taase. Grant and Meade taeing even then
preparing for the movement -to the James river. But
the undertaking was a hazardous one, and should the
enemy penetrate the design, there was imminent
danger that the army would tae cut in two, and taroken
tay a sudden attack.
So it was only gradually, through several days,
that the troops were tarought into proper position, the
lines moving tay degrees to the left. While the enemy
did not perceive the otaject of these manoeuvres, of
course the movements of the troops could not tae made
without attracting his attention. And, ever on the
alert to meet any threatening combination on the part
of the Federal commanders, he made all possitale
efforts to annoy and harass our men, and prevent the
consummation of Grant's plans. In the course of this
manoeuvring, our Second division came in for a con
sideratale share of sharp fighting, the especial occasion
taeing the occupation of a commanding crest near our
lines. In the vicinity of what was known "as the

238 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Tucker estate there was a hill, the possession of which
was deemed of importance. General Potter, with our
division, had taken position upon the ridge, and
posted his skirmishers thereon, with the view of
fortifying it subsequently. The enemy permitted this
movement to be made, but were not disposed to allow
the ground to remain in our hands without a contest.
In the afternoon of Monday, June 6th, the Con
federates suddenly advanced in considerable force
upon our skirmishers. These were soon driven in,
and compelled to ataandon the disputed territory,
leaving a few of their number prisoners in the hands
of the enemy. A Confederate taattery or two now
came into position upon the crest, and a harmless
artillery-fire opened upon our lines. Dispositions were
apparently made to hold the ridge firmly should we
attempt to recapture it. This, however, we did not
undertake to do immediately, as it was already near
nightfall. Nothing disturtaed the quiet of the hours
of darkness, until nearly or quite midnight, when a
sudden attack was made tay the Confederates not only
upon the position held tay our division, taut along the
whole line of our corps. The assault was made tay
heavy columns, which under cover of the darkness,
pressed close to our entrenchments, and attacked with '
much determination. But the corps maintained its
position with equal gallantry, and a severe fire of
musketry and artillery soon convinced the enemy that
he could not hope to profit tay any want of vigilance
upon our part, however unexpected and vigorous his
attack. The firing was heavy and rapid while it
lasted, taut the attack was soon repelled, and the
charging column driven back to the works from
whence they had advanced. During the continuance

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 239
of this affair, or at its termination, the Confederate
guns mentioned as having taeen placed upon the hill
in front of the Second division in the afternoon, Vere
withdrawn. When this was ascertained, our skir
mishers Avere again advanced, and possession taken of
the ridge. In the course of the night, a working-
party was sent up, and a line of rifie-pits dug before
the sun rose on Tuesday morning.
During the 7th, however, this much-covetecl terri
tory again changed hands, the enemy advancing in
heavy force, and compelling our men to abandon the
ground temporarily. Their occupancy of the position
was, however, of short duration, as General Potter
had no idea of yielding that portion of the line,
wdthout further struggle. In the course of Tuesday
night, he sent forward troops enough to force the
enemy out of his position, and ensure our permanent
possession of the crest. The hill was soon cleared of
the Confederates, and was thereafter strongly forti
fied and remained in our hands. From this tirae
forward, for several days, there was no further
fighting of any consequence, so far as our corps was
concerned. Wednesday, June Sth, Thursday, the 9th,
Friday, the 10th, Saturday, the 11th, and Sunday, the
12th, were all uneventful in the main, the only inci
dent of importance to the corps being the retirement
of General Crittenden from the command of the First
division. He was relieved at his own request, and
was succeeded in the coramand by Brigadier-General
Ledlie. But while there was nothing during these five
days which rose to the dignity of a regular engage
ment, or even a tarisk skirmish, there was consideratale
picket and artillery firing constantly kept up. And

240 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
each day added to the list of casualties, for the
merciless and unerring rifies of the enemy's sharp
shooters were continually claiming new victims. We
had thought the fire to which we were sutajected
while lying in the trenches after the battle of Spott
sylvania, sufficiently harassing, but it was scarcely to
tae compared in degree of annoyance to that to which
we were uoav exposed. One who has written an
interesting narrative of the service of the gallant
Sixth Corps thus speaks of the experience of these
days, — "Never taefore had our army taeen in a position
where there was such constant danger as at Cold
Hartaor. Men in the front line dared not leave the
cover of the tareastworks except in the darkness of
night, and even then the movement of a company to
the rear might taring on a storra of shells. High
tareastworks were thrown up at all angles with the
main line, and deep trenches were dug in which
the men might pass to and from the front without
taeing otaserved. Even with all these extraordinary
precautions, no man was safe in venturing to go to the
rear tay daylight. If a soldier collected the canteens
of his companions and started to the rear for water,
he was obliged to crawl along the trenches with the
utmost secrecy, and even then he was liable to tae
shot. Not a day passed, even when there was no
taattle, in which scores of men were not killed, or
tarought to the hospitals with severe wounds.
"The whole plain occupied tay our army was dug
over. Far to the rear the men had entrenched them
selves. General officers had their tents erected in
deep excavations surrounded tay emtaankments of
earth, and special duty raen had each prepared for
themselves burrows in the ground, many of which

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

241

were creditable specimens of engineering. One was
reminded, in riding over the plain, of the colonies of
prairie-dogs, with their burrows and mounds".*
In some parts of the lines of the army, however, it
would seem that there gradually grew up a kind of
understanding, between the men of the opposing
forces, that picket firing should be suspended in the
atasence of imperative orders for its continuance.
And this informal suspension of hostilities led to an
intercourse, of which the men took advantage to
exchange coffee for totaacco. Before the Federals
began the movement to the James river, this inter
course was prohibited, as it was feared that the
unrestrained mingling of the men might result in the
revealing of important secrets. But however friendly
the pickets might have taecome, there was little or no
cessation in the work of the sharpshooters during all
the time that we continued in the lines at Cold
Hartaor. Men who had passed unharmed through the
rain of missiles in such great taattles as the Wilderness
and Spottsylvania, were now stricken down in the
trenches by the bullet of a concealed marksman.
But it became apparent that the army was soon to
leave the sandy and arid plains upon which it had
taeen lying so long. Indeed, it could not have well
remained for any consideratale time in its present lines
without territale loss of life. It was amid the deadly
marshes of the Chickahominy, and exposed to the
malarious exhalations from those swamps which had
taeen so fatal to the soldiers of McClellan two years
taefore. The season of the year was a sickly one, as it
was now June, and the heat was excessive, and detail-
itating in the extreme. The water was impure, and
*Stevens— "Three Years in the Sixth Corps", p. 354.

242 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
filled with germs of disease, and many who escaped
the taullet were falling victims to fever and dysen
tery. Where the country ataout us was not a wet and
swampy taog, it was a taarren, sandy plain, scarcely
fertile enough to sustain vegetation, and with taut few
trees to afford shelter and shade. For all these
reasons it was imperative that the army should soon
raove from these fatal surroundings, or it would
speedily taecome so weakened tay its enormous losses
as to tae practically inoperative. Gradually the
knowledge taecame general that another grand fiank-
ing movement tay the left was in contemplation.
While still demonstrating so as to impress the enemy
with the belief that he desired to force a passage near
Cold Hartaor, Grant was really moving toward his own
left, Avith a view to a sudden advance to the James
river. By the tactics he had employed, gradually
refusing his right, and extending his left, he had
massed a large part of his forces within a short dis
tance of the lower crossings of the Chickahominy,
without exciting Lee's suspicions.
No doutat Grant was in some degree disappointed
with the slender success he had so far achieved,
compared with the territale cost of the campaign up to
this point. But if the results had not been decisive,
there had yet taeen some real advantage derived from
the fearful fighting of the previous weeks. If the
Federals had suffered enormous losses during those
days of constant taattle, the Confederates had also lost
heavily during the campaign. Large numtaers of new
troops, and of convalescents atale to return to duty
were tarought up, as has been said, to supply the place
of those thus rendered useless, on the part of the
Federals. But it was a much more difficult matter

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 243
for Lee to reinforce his depleted ranks so as to make
good his losses. And again, the moral effect of the
campaign, so far, had taeen decidedly in favor of the
Union arms. The Confederates had taeen greatly
aided by the peculiar character of the country over
which the armies had been moving, and tay the entire
familiarity of their leaders with the ground. But
these advantages had not enataled them to win a
decisive victory in forty-three days of constant
fighting. The advance of the Union forces had taeen
slow and painful, and not always in a direct line, taut
yet they had advanced steadily. And all the skill,
and all the resources of the atale Confederate leader
had never taeen sufficient to convert that advance into
a retreat. It is worthy of especial notice that General Lee
changed his method of operations very materially
after the taattle of the Wilderness. In that first
eiicounter with the army under command of General
Grant, the Confederates attacked with confidence,
hoping, perhaps, to drive the Federals taack across the
river. But it is to tae noted as a significant circum
stance that they did not again attack in full force,
throughout the campaign. Their sutasequent policy
was, in general, one of defensive taattles, from taehind
strong works, and in no instance, did they assume the
offensive, or offer us battle in the open field. They
awaited our attacks in positions of their own selection,
fortified until they seemed impregnatale, and yet they
Avere successively forced to abandon these chosen
positions, and retire still closer to the city which they
were guarding from our approach. Time after time
the Federal leader had successfully executed those
fiank marches in the face of the enemy which military

244 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
critics deem so delicate and hazardous a manoeuvre.
And even at such times they had offered taut the most
feetale and ineffective opposition, taecause they feared
to assume the aggressive. They had come to rely upon
the strength and solidity of their defensive works,
rather than upon the courage and endurance of their
taattalions, and to deem themselves atale to contend
with Federal soldiers far taetter from behind entrench
ments than in the field. So that General Grant was
not without some elements of encouragement, for to
have thus checked the fiery courage of the Army of
Northern Virginia, was, in itself, a result of no small
magnitude. And now he was ataout to undertake another of
those favorite turning movements, and as he hoped,
compel the surrender of Richmond, tay capturing its
lines of communication with the South. "Without a
greater sacrifice of life than I was willing to make "
he writes in his report of the campaign, "all could
not tae accomplished that I had designed north of
Richmond; I therefore determined to continue to hold
sutastantially the ground we then occupied * * * * *
until the cavalry could tae sent to Charlottesville and
Gordonsville * * * * * and when the cavalry got well
off, to move the army to the south side of the James
river, tay the enemy's right flank, where I felt I could
cut off all his sources of supply except the canal ".
In order to gain time for the execution of this
manoeuvre, and to prevent the enemy from suspecting
Grant's purpose, it had taeen necessary for the army to
continue in its lines at Cold Harbor during all the
weary and comfortless days which followed the taattle
of the 3rd, maintaining its position, erecting new
earthworks, and repulsing assaults, as if it had deter-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 245
mined to remain till victory crowned its endeavors.
While the Thirty-Second Maine participated in all the
events of this period, with its tarigade, the list of
casualties between the 4th and the 12th of June is not
large. During that time, nine enlisted men were
A!\^ounded, of whom four died from effects of wounds.
Tbey were Privates Andrew J. Kennedy, Company E;
Nathaniel S. Kennedy, Company E, in foot; Stephen
Henderson, Company F, in left arm, shoulder and
side, June 5th; Corporal Josiah Estes, Company G, in
tareast; Privates A. K. P. Marston, Company D, in
left fore arm; Nathaniel Marden, Company I, in hand;
George D. Ross, Company I, in hand, June 6th;
Private F. O. J. Smith, Company H, in hand, June
Sth; Private Lewis F. Mixer, Company D, in hand,
June 9th. Of these, Nathaniel S. Kennedy died on
June 6th, Marden on June 11th, and Henderson July
4th, while Estes died in hospital, taut at a date not
ascertained. Adjutant Hayes' diary contains an interesting
entry under date of June 10th, when he writes,
"Tri-monthly report, made this morning, shows two
hundred and thirty-two, atasent, sick; we have lost
ataout one hundred and twenty-five, killed and
wounded, and have ataout three hundred and fifty
muskets in the regiment".
When it is taken into consideration that two
months had not yet elapsed since the first taattalion of
the regiment left Maine, these figures are deeply
significant as to the severity of the experience the
command had taeen called upon to endure, in that
brief time. - J

246 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
3tograpI]icaI Skdcl].

BREVET-MAJOE EBENEZER S. KYES.
Ebenezer Sylvester Kyes was born in North Jay, Frank
lin County, Maine, on January 22, 1842. He was the son of
Elisha and Katharine (Fuller) Kyes. After attending the
public schools, and preparing for college under private tutor
ship, he entered Bowdoin College in 1861, and attended one
year. In the fall of 1862, after becoming a sophomore, he
entered the military service of the United States. And on
October 13th, 1862, he was mustered in as orderly sergeant of
Company K, Twenty-Eighth Maine Infantry Volunteers, for
nine months.
This regiment served in the Gulf States, and was not dis
charged until September of 1863. But perhaps the severest
personal experience of the subject of this sketch during this
period was a typhoid fever, from which he suffeied while in
Louisiana. Upon his discharge and return home, he began the study
of law with Judge Enos T. Luce in Auburn, Maine, but the
call, in the following winter, for men to serve "three years,
or during the war," took him again into the army. And on
April 2, 1864, he was mustered in as Captain of Company E,
Thirty-Second Maine Infantry Volunteers. Going to the
front with the first battalion, on April 20th, he shared its for
tunes, participating in all its battles and marches, until
severely wounded in the engagement at Cold Harbor, on the
3rd of June, 1864. After remaining at the Harewood Hospi
tal, Washington, D. C, and the Officers' Hospital, Annapolis,
Md., until late in the fall of 1864, he returned to the regi
ment, while still on crutches. He served much ofthe winter
following the consolidation with the Thirty-First, as Judge-

BREVET MAJOR EBENEZER S. KYES.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 247
Advocate, and entering into active service in the spring, as
Captain of Company E, of the Thirty-First, he received a
brevet as Major for "gallant and meritorious conduct in the
assault before Petersburg, Va.," to date from April 2, 1865.
He was in command of his regiment for a time during April
and May, 1865, and finally mustered out and discharged with
the regiment in July, 1865.
Upon returning home, he resumed his legal studies, and
was later admitted to the Androscoggin County bar. He at
first established a law office at Mechanic Falls, but a little less
than a year afterward returned to his native town and county.
During his subsequent residence there, of some fourteen years,
he Avas the recipient of various civic honors, among which was
the State senator.ship in 1874-5, and 1875-6.
In September of 1881, he removed to Washington, D. C,
with the intention of making his home there, having accepted
a position as Special Examiner in the Pension Bureau. But
as work "in the field," which this appointment required,
appeared likely to prove too arduous for his failing strength,
he decided to remain in the Pension Office at Washington.
And for several years he was employed in the adjudication of
claims for widows and minors, "Western Division." He died
at his home in Washington, on July 25, 1888, from malarial
fever, complicated with disabilities incurred in service.
He had married on March 12, 1867, Caroline M. Cool
idge, of Jay, who survives him, as does one son, now Dr.
Preston Kyes, of the Medical Department of Chicago Uni
versity. His remains rest with those of an infant daughter
and four young sons, in his native town of North Jay. And,
after a life of honorable service, in military and civic posi
tions, his memory is still held in esteem by all who knew him,
and by none more highly than among his old comrades of the
Thirty-Second.

CHAPTER XV.

To THE James Rivee. — Geneeal Geant's Reasons
FOE THE Movement upon Peteesbueg. — Sheeidan's
Teevilian Station Raid. — A Memoeable
Maech. — The Pontoon Beidge at Wil
cox's Landing. — List of Casualties.

The previous chapter tarought this narrative up to
Sunday, the 12th of June, which was the last day we
spent at Cold Hartaor. Before speaking of our ex
perience upon the march to the James, it seems
desiratale to mention briefiy the reasons which General
Grant himself has assigned for his movement upon
Petersburg. The report which was quoted from in
the last chapter presents these reasons in the following
language :
"I was still in a condition to either move tay the
enemy's left fiank, and invest Richmond from the
north side, or continue my move tay his right fiank to
the south side of the James. While the former might
have taeen taetter as a covering for Washington, yet a
full survey of all the ground satisfied me that it would
tae impracticatale to hold a line north and east of
Richmond that would protect the Frederickstaurg
Railroad — a long, vulneratale line, which would
exhaust much of our strength to guard, and that
would have to tae protected to supply the army, and

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 249
would leave open to the enemy all his lines of com
munication on the south side of the James. My idea,
from the start, had taeen to taeat Lee's army north of
Richmond, if possitale. Then, after destroying his
lines of communication north of the James river, to
transfer the army to the south side, and taesiege Lee
in Richmond, or follow him south, if he should
retreat". Thus it will tae seen this movement was not an
after-thought, nor did Grant resort to it as an alter
native, after having failed to accomplish the desired
result tay other means. But as he declares in the
paragraph quoted ataove, it had been a part of his plan
"from the start", — that is, since leaving the Rapidan.
It is true, he had not actually beaten Lee's army in a
pitched battle, as he had hoped to do, before making
this movement. But as has taeen said, he had otatained
some sutastantial encouragement that in the end Lee
would tae compelled to succumb, and that the defeat
which he desired to inflict upon the Confederates was
only postponed, not permanently averted. At the risk
of some repetition, it seems proper to embody here
what the report goes on to say in relation to this
point. After the language already quoted, General
Grant immediately writes as follows:
' ' After the battle of the Wilderness, it was evident
that the enemy deemed it of the first importance to
run no risks with the army he then had. He acted
purely on the defensive, behind tareastworks, or feebly
on the offensive, immediately in front of them, and
where, in case of repulse, he could easily retire taehind
them." * * *-).**
"The taattles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania,
North Anna, and Cold Hartaor, taloody and territale as

250 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
they were on our side, were even more damaging to
the enemy, and so crippled him as to make him wary
ever after of taking the offensive. His losses in men
were protaataly not so great, owing to the fact that
we were, save in the Wilderness, almost invariataly
the attacking party; and when he did attack it was in
the open field".*
These quotations indicate that Grant was aware
that the tenacity, as well as the determination, with
which he had pressed the campaign, and the steady
approach which his army, tay dint of continuous
desperate fighting, had taeen atale to make toward
Richmond, had greatly reduced the morale of the
Confederate forces. He felt that the final result was
certain, and that the only matter of doutat was the
length of time it would require to accomplish that
result. In his view, a movement which would place
his army south of the retael capital, and enatale him to
seize upon its lines of comraanication with the interior
of the Confederacy, would tend to greatly lessen that
time. And since he must ataandon his hope of
winning a decisive battle, and beating his wary
adversary tay the mere impact of numtaers hurled in
direct assault against the strong works which so
securely sheltered the enemy, there could tae no taetter
time than the present to set on foot such a movement.
The preliminaries were dispatched as rapidly as
was consistent with the safe execution of the
manoeuvre. The railroad tay which communication
had been had with White House was dismantled
during Friday and Saturday, and the rails and -other
material loaded upon barges to tae trans-shipped to
City Point. The cavalry was sent to demonstrate
" Grant's Report, dated July 22, 1865.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 251
against the enemy's lines of communication, and if
possible, to tareak up the railroad connection taetween
Richmond and the Shenandoah Valley. This move
ment of the cavalry was also of taenefit to Grant's
purposed manoeuvre in that it would enable him to
encounter less hindrance frora the eneiny. It would,
while in progress, occupy the attention of the Confed
erate cavalry, at least, and thus prevent them from
obstructing, or even of taecoming aware of his advance
toward the James. Accordingly, as early as Tuesday,
June 7th, General Sheridan, with two divisions of
cavalry under Generals Gregg and Tortaert, was sent
out to destroy as effectively as possitale, the railroads
forming the lines of communication with western
Virginia. As soon as the enemy penetrated the
purpose of his movement, the Confederate cavalry
attempted to prevent the expedition from accom
plishing its design. And being thus concentrated in
front of Sheridan's column, the path was, as had taeen
foreseen, left open for Grant, so far as these forces
were concerned.
After a rapid march, the Federal column was
approaching the Virginia Central railroad, and had
arrived within some three miles of Trevilian Station,
on the 11th of June, when it encountered the enemy
in strong force. After an otastinate contest, the Con
federates were driven from the field in utter confusion,
leaving a numtaer of prisoners. That night Sheridan
bivouacked at Trevilian Station, within seven miles
of Gordonsville, and on the 12th he destroyed the
railroad from Trevilian Station to Louisa Court
House. During the 12th he also advanced upon the
enemy at Gordonsville, taut found the position too
strong to warrant his assaulting it. Upon Monday,

252 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
the 13th, he learned that heavy reinforcements were
taeing sent to assist in the defense of Gordonsville,
and not feeling himself strong enough to encounter so
numerous a force, he withdrew across the North Anna
river. The expedition now returned to the vicinity of
the main army, arriving at White House on the 19th
of June, just as the enemy's cavalry taegan an attack,
which the timely appearance of the Federals rendered
fruitless. The Union loss in this cavalry expedition
was nearly six hundred, of which numtaer four
hundred and ninety were wounded. For lack of
amtaulances, Sheridan was compelled to leave some
of his wounded in the hands of the enemy, taut as an
offset to this, he tarought back almost four hundred
prisoners. Meanwhile, during Sheridan's absence upon this
expedition, the main army had been gradually massed
near the lower crossings of the Chickahominy, except
the troops of General Sraith. On the evening of Sun
day, June 12th, everything was in readiness, and the
movement was at last begun, after dark that night,
the troops exercising great caution and secrecy in
their withdrawal from their positions. The enemy
held the north bank of the river, as far down as Bot
tom's Bridge. Below this there are two others, Long
Bridge being some six miles from Bottom's Bridge,
and Jones' Bridge taeing five or six miles from Long
Bridge, or some ten or twelve miles taelow Bottom's
Bridge. The cavalry division of General Wilson,
which had not gone with Sheridan, led the advance,
and was followed tay General Warren and the Fifth
Corps. They crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge,
and Warren moved out upon the road through White

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 253
Oak Swamp, in order to cover the crossing of the
other troops. Halting and taking position upon this
road, he made such dispositions of his troops as to
induce Lee to suppose that an attack upon Richmond
was threatened from that direction. His feint
evidently had the desired effect, and misled the Con
federates as to the real intentions of Grant and
Meade. Meanwhile the Second Corps, which had
followed the Fifth across Long Bridge, marched
directly by way of St. Mary's Church and Charles
City Cross Roads, toward Wilcox Landing on the
James river. Wright with the Sixth Corps marched
upon a longer, exterior line, and crossed the Chicka
hominy lower down, at Jones' Bridge, and moved
toward Charles City Court House. The men of the
Tenth and Eighteenth Corps, under General Smith,
instead of moving with the rest of the army, had
marched back to White House, at which point they
took transports and proceeded tay water to Bermuda
Hundreds, the position from which they had recently
come to join Grant at Cold Hartaor. The immense
trains of the army were directed upon Cole's Ferry,
at which point they succeeded in crossing the Chicka
hominy without otastruction.
As for our own corps, the narrative of its march
perhaps deserves that it should tae given more in detail
than in the case of the others. During the night of
the 12 th, it withdrew with great care, and in the
utmost silence, from its position. The enemy failed
to receive the slightest intimation that such a move
ment was in progress, even the picket line taeing
retired without exciting the suspicion of the Confed
erates. So successfully was the withdrawal effected,
that it is said that the enemy kept up a fire of artiUery

254 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
upon one of our earthworks for an hour, at least, after
it had been vacated, supposing it to be still held tay
us. The corps moved during Sunday night to
Tunstall's Station, at which point it arrived ataout
daylight on Monday morning. Through some miscon
ception of orders, the trains had taeen permitted to
get upon the roads over which we were to move, and
our advance was greatly impeded tay their presence.
At Tunstall's Station, our column was halted for a
time, and the men rested tay the road-side, while an
effort was made to clear the trains from our path.
Before long, the corps was again in motion, and we
struggled onward, taetween and around the long lines
of white-topped wagons which crowded the roads.
All through the long hours of Monday, June 13th, we
were almost constantly in motion, marching tay way
of Baltimore Cross Roads and Olive Church, and
arriving near Sloane's Crossing on the Chickahominy
ataout nightfall.
Here we went into taivouac for a few hours, taut
early Tuesday morning we were again upon the
march. During the 14th we marched tay way of
Varden's, Clopton's and Tyler's Mills, and finally
reached the James river during the night of Tuesday,
going into position on the right of the Sixth Corps,
near Charles City Court House. The official report of
the Adjutant-General of Maine claims for the Thirty-
Second that during this movement the regiment
marched thirty-five miles in twenty-seven hours with
taut one hour's rest in the time. While this march is
not especially remarkable as to the distance accom
plished, it is yet somewhat sharply in contrast with
the march from Arlington Heights to Bristoe Station,
spoken of in a previous chapter. Then we had coa^-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 255
ered thirty -four miles in a march of two days' duration,
and thought we had endured extreme fatigue. But at
that time we were new to the service, and had but
slight and crude ideas as to what men were able to
accomplish under the pressure of necessity. It is true
only a few weeks had since elapsed, but the experience
of those few weeks had gone far toward making us
veterans, as to the amount of active service which had
been crowded into them. And we could look back
upon that march to Bristoe, and after what we had
since endured, could wonder that we had thought it
in any degree remarkable.
But this more recent march to the James seems,
even now, worthy of especial mention because of the
unremitting persistency with which it was kept up.
Hour after hour, without halt or rest, the men pressed
forward, keeping constantly in raotion, with the
exception of one single hour, for more than a whole
day. The march was a most toilsome one, for the air
was hot and sultry, and the dust was thick and suffo
cating. The lack of any opportunity to relieve the
strained and aching muscles, even by a tarief halt,
made the discomfort seera even greater than usual.
And since there was no pause in which a dish of
coffee might tae made, the men missed that usual
solace of their weariness, and lacked the support and
stimulus which it always afforded. It is easy to speak
of such a march, after its accomplishment, and taut
few words are needed to record the fact of its having
been made. But how much is comprehended in that
brief statement, to the understanding of those who
are atale to "read taetween the lines". What a record
of the most exhausting exertions, — of patient endur
ance of the severest physical weariness, — of hunger

256 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
and thirst, and fervid heat, and choking dust, and
every accumulated ill, — is to tae discerned in the few
short words which chronicle a march of more than
twenty-four consecutive hours. How can it be a
matter of surprise that now, nearly forty years after
ward, the survivors of the war are found to be broken
down in health, worn with suffering, and prematurely
old and feeble, after having so often borne such an
intense strain and tension upon every muscle and
nerve and fitare of their system, for such protracted
periods? But to return to^the history, from which this has
taeen a digression. After the army had arrived, as
ataove narrated, upon the northern taank of the James,
some delay in crossing was occasioned tay the atasence
of sufficient pontoon material to provide at once for
the needs of so vast masses of troops. As a conse
quence of this delay, we were atale to rest during
Wednesday, the 15th, and thus recover somewhat from
the fatigue of the wearisome march we had made.
Throughout Wednesday, our corps lay quietly in the
position we had taken on the right of the Sixth Corps,
and which we had fortified to some extent. Mean
while other troops were crossing the river upon an
immensely long pontoon taridge, which stretched
across the broad stream.* Even this taridge was
insufficient to enable the troops to cross as rapidly as
was deemed desiratale, and large taodies of men were
carried over tay ferrying in transport steamers, while
the taridge was crowded to its full capacity. At last
it came the turn of the Ninth Corps to move down and
* General Humphreys says, "The site of the bridge was between
Windmill Point and Fort Powhatan, where the river was 2,100 feet
wide. * * * The number of pontoons was one hundred and one".
Humphreys— "Virginia Campaign", p. 203.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 257
cross the pontoon taridge, which we did on the evening
of the 15th, and immediately moved forward toward
Peterstaurg, whither a portion of our comrades had
already preceded'us.
General Smith's command, which had arrived at
Bermuda Hundreds on the night of the 14th, had taeen
immediately ordered to move on Peterstaurg. Before
daylight on the 15th, his advance arrived taefore that
city, and late in the afternoon of the same day, he
assaulted the Confederate works with consideratale
success. The Second Corps had crossed the James at
Wilcox's Landing on Tuesday, the 14th, and at nine
o'clock P. M. on the 15th, Hancock, with two divisions,
had joined Smith. The Sixth Corps had been divided
at the James river, one division only, — the Second, —
being put en route for Peterstaurg, while the First and
Third divisions were taken on hoard steamers and
conveyed to City Point. These divisions were in
tended to assist in a moveraent against the enemy's
communications between Petersburg and Richmond,
made by General Butler, taut which failed to accom
plish the expected results. The Fifth Corps followed
the Ninth, crossing the James at Powhatan Point
on the 15th and 16th of June, and marching at once
upon Petersburg.
By noon of the 16th of June, the movement had
been successfully accomplished, and the army was
already in position taefore Peterstaurg. That General
Lee was unprepared for this manoeuvre, and uncertain
as to the Federal commander's real purpose, was
rendered apparent tay a cavalry reconnoissance which
was made on the 15th. This movement on the north
side of the James river and in the direction of Malvern
Hill, demonstrated that the Confederates were still

258 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
holding the country southeast of Richmond with a
large force. Evidently, so late as this they had not
penetrated Grant's real purpose, and were still main
taining this strong force in this region in order to
repel a possitale effort on his part to advance on Rich
mond itself. The Federal commander-in-chief was
much gratified tay the result of his manoeuvre, and
ataout this time summed up what had taeen so far
accomplished, in the following dispatch:
' ' Our forces drew out from within fifty yards of
the enemy's entrenchments at Cold Hartaor, made a
fiank movement of ataout fifty-five miles' march,
crossing the Chickahominy and James rivers, the
latter 2,000 feet wide and eighty-four feet deep at
the point of crossing, without the loss of a wagon or
piece of artillery".
There had taeen no opposition on the part of the
Confederates which was worthy of notice, and the loss
in men was extremely small. On the march, the
troops had suffered little or no annoyance from
the enemy. Warren, it is true, had a tarisk little
affair near White Oak Bridge, on the taorders of the
Swamp, as he made his demonstration toward Rich
mond. But the cavalry under Wilson, and Crawford's
division of infantry, had easily driven off the eneiny,
with a Federal loss of not raore than two hundred
men. A few pickets and skirmishers had fallen into
the enemy's hands at the taeginning of the march from
Cold Hartaor. And the severity of the inarch, pursued
with such rapidity beneath a taurning sun, and along
scorched and dusty roads, had exhausted the strength
of sorae. And from this cause, there were losses by
so-called "straggling", as in raany cases raen who were
worn out and wearied taeyond the power of endurance.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 259
were unatale to keep up with the swiftly-moving
columns, and compelled to fall out. Of these unfor
tunate ones, the greater numtaer were captured by the
enemy. But including all the losses from these
several sources, the aggregate during the whole move
ment will not exceed four or fiA^e hundred men.
The proportion of this loss which fell to the share
of the Thirty-Second Maine was quite large, when the
fact is taken into consideration that the regiment
participated in no engagement during the time.
Privates Zachariah Durgin, Company A; Mellen N.
Jones, Company D; Charles W. Ayers and Samuel C.
Chase, Company F; Abram E. Davis and Francis
Valley, Company K, were reported as missing, June
12th. Privates Eliab R. Frost, Corapany I, was
wounded, in foot; and Charles H. Mitchell, Company
I, in foot, on June 14tli, and Privates Greenfield
Coburn, Benjamin W. Judkins, and Henry R. Merrill,
all of Company E, were missing on June 14th, having
fallen out on the inarch. Privates Gilbert L. Berry,
George Guard and William McDaniel, all of Company
I, and George E. Chamberlain of Corapany K were
missing June 15th, thus making the aggregate loss
fifteen enlisted men.
So far as the sutasequent fate of these men can be
ascertained, Durgin died in prison at Andersonville,
on August 22nd, and Valley August 19th. Davis also
died in prison, taut at a date which it has not taeen
possible to ascertain, while in the cases of Chase and
Coburn, no record evidence of death has been found,
though there is reason to believe that taoth died while
in prison. Jones was left sick with fever, when the
march taegan, and was never afterward heard from.
Berry undoutatedly died at Andersonville on August

260 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
30th, though the prison records give the name as
Barney. Frost died from his wound, at Washington,
D. C, on July 25th, and Mitchell was transferred to
the Veteran Reserve Corps. Judkins died in prison
on June 30th, and Chamtaerlain on Novemtaer 3rd. In
reference to the latter, comrade J. A. Hobbs writes,
"like others, he fell out, no doutat exhausted, and
was missed after our arrival near the James river".
Of Davis and Valley, comrade Hotatas says, "taoth
were sick when we left Gaines' Farm, on June •12th,
and as no conveyance could tae furnished, they, like
many others, fell out and were captured tay the enemy
following in our rear ". Merrill remained as a prisoner
for a consideratale time, taut was eventually exchanged,
and finally discharged June 1, 1865, while Ayers and
Chase were also exchanged, and returned to be
mustered out with the regiment.
As the crossing of the James and the advance to
Petersburg'may tae regarded as the termination of the
first part of the Overland Campaign, it seems proper
to make here a tarief recapitulation of the losses of
our regiment up to this time. It was not quite two
months since the first taattalion had left Maine, and in
that short time the casualties, exclusive of those occa
sioned tay sickness, amounted to no less than one hun
dred and twenty-two. As quoted in the preceding
chapter, Adjutant Hayes said, ''¦about one hundred
and twenty-five ", a few days before this time, but it
is taelieved the numtaer mentioned ataove is correct.
There had taeen killed or died of wounds, thirty-one;
and slightly or severely wounded, sixty-one, many of
these latter taeing permanently disataled; and there
had taeen captured tay the enemy and held as prisoners,
thirty of our numtaer, of whom twenty are taelieved

CAPTAIN WILLIAM B. BARKER.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 261
to have died in prison. A large proportion of this
heavy loss, it will tae taorne in mind, had fallen upon
the first taattalion, as it was only since the 26th of May
that the second battalion had taeen under flre, or
exposed to the casualties of active service.
We had, indeed, had a territale initiation into the
realities of military life, and our tarief experience had
taeen purchased at a costly price. There was now to
tae a change in the methods of operation, and weary
days and months of siege were to take the place of our
former hurried marches. But taefore we settled down
to the protracted investment of Peterstaurg, which
forms the closing epoch of the history of the civil war,
there were some incidents connected with the early
days of our presence in front of that city, which
deserve especial mention here. And of one of those
incidents, with which the Thirty-Second Maine was
closely identified, we shall speak in detail in the next
chapter.

Btograpl^tcal SkctcI^.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM B. BAEKER.
William Boardman Barker was born in Limerick, York
County, Maine, on April 17, 1838, and was the son of Simeon
and Almira (Boardman) Barkei-.
He received the education which the common schools and
academy in his native town provided, and subsequently taught
several terms of school. He then read law in the office of his
brother-in-law, Hon. Luther S. Moore, of Limerick.
He first entered the mibtary service Sept. 30, 1862,
enlisting in Co. A, Twenty-Seventh Maine Volunteer Infan-

262 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH
try, and becoming a corporal. After nearly ten months of
service, he was mustered out July 17, 1863, having been one
of those who volunteered to remain after their time was out,
because of Lee's march into Pennsylvania, and the impending
battle of Gettysburg.
He then returned to the study of law until the Thirty-
Second Maine was recruited, when he again enlisted, and was
mustered into the Union army as Sergeant-Major of that regi
ment, on April 5, 1864. Participating with the regiment in
all its severe service, he was promoted to Second Lieuten
ant of Co. C, June 21, 1864, and to First Lieutenant of
Co. H, Sept. 16, 1864; was Acting Quartermaster; and on
Oct. 8, 1864, was commissioned Captain of Co. D.
At the consolidation of the Thirty-First and Thirty-
Second Maine, Dec. 12, 1864, Captain Barker was assigned to
the command of Co. I, Thirty-First Maine, where he re
mained until the regiment was mustered out.
He had been admitted to York County bar on Jan. 13,
1864, and after the close ofthe war entered upon the practice
of the law in New York City for a time. But while on a
visit to Portland, Me., he was suddenly taken sick, and after
a few days' illness, died of congestion of the lungs, Nov. 24,
1866. He was buried in the village cemetery at Limerick.
His obituarist at the time of his death, writes of him as "a
young man of fine natural ability and prepossessing personal
appearance, which would doubtless have secured to him a
successful and honorable career had his life been spared."
His comrades of the Thirty-Second Maine will recall him as a
genial, generous and noble-hearted man, and a brave soldier.
Captain Burbank was his close friend from boyhood, they
having been associated in the same school and academy,
having read law in the same office, and later having served
together in the Twenty-Seventh and the Thirty-Second
regiments.

CHAPTER XVI.

Peteesbueg. — Its Situation and Steategic Import
ance. — Geneeal Butler's Demonstrations Against
It. — Movements of Geneeals Gillmoee and
Kautz. — Geneeal Smith's Assault. —
Aeeival of the Ninth Coeps. — Cap
tuee OF THE Rifle-pits by the
Second Beigade. — The Ra
vine AT THE. Shand House.
— The Chaege at Day-
BEEAK.

The city of Petersburg, taefore which the Army of
the Potomac found itself upon the 16th of June, was
a place of much strategic importance, and its posses
sion tay the Federals would have a powerful effect in
determining the final result of the great struggle for
the occupation of Richmond. It is said to have taeen,
taefore the war, an exceedingly handsome and fiour-
ishing town, and to have ranked as the third in the
State, in regard to population and commercial advan
tages. It had a numtaer of mills and factories, an iron
furnace, and other manufacturing establishments, and
three newspapers were putalished in the place. From ,
these statements, it is easy to form the conclusion that
it was a much more thriving town than many of the
hamlets, dignified in Southern fashion, by the preten
tious name of city. It is situated on the southern

264 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
taank of the Appomattox river, ataout twenty-two miles
southwardly from Richmond, and ten miles south-
westward of City Point, on the James river. At the
taeginning of the war, it had a population of taetween
eighteen and twenty thousand. No less than five
lines of railroad centered in the place, which had no
doutat derived much of its prosperity from this fact.
The several lines were : the Peterstaurg and Richmond
road, running taetween Peterstaurg and the retael
capital; the Weldon road, running southward into
the Carolinas; the South Side road, which ran west
wardly to Lynchburg; the Norfolk road, which ran
southeastwardly to Suffolk and thence to Norfolk;
and a short line which ran northeast to City Point.
These roads, with their connecting lines, enataled the
Confederates to transport troops and supplies to and
from Richmond with the utmost facility, and were of
great value as the means of communication with the
interior States.
Otaviously, then, the capture of Peterstaurg would
enatale the Federals to cut these lines of communi
cation with the country lying southward, and thus
inflict great damage upon their opponents. Moreover,
the capture of Richmond would tae practically ensured
by the possession of Peterstaurg, as that city would
theretay be isolated from the rest of the rebellious
section, and prevented from receiving reinforcements
to its army of defence. As has been shown. General
Grant had early foreseen the advantages to be derived
from gaining possession of the place, and his original
plan of campaign had contemplated its reduction and
occupation. To the army of the James, under com
mand of General Butler, this task had been assigned
at the outset, but their efforts had proved entirely

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 265
fruitless. The first demonstrations, made early in
May, against the Peterstaurg and Richmond railroad,
were unsuccessful, and, tay the 20th of that month,
G-eneral Butler "was forced taack or drew taack", to
use the words of Grant himself, "into his entrench
ments taetween the forks of the James and Appomattox
rivers, the enemy entrenching himself in his front,
thus covering his railroads, the city, and all that was
valuable to him".*
Later, while the Army of the Potomac was at
Cold Hartaor, and occupying the attention of the
Confederate forces ataout Richmond, Butler was again
ordered to attack Peterstaurg. It is said, upon good
authority, that the works around that city, were then
garrisoned only tay local militia and a detachment of
Wise's Legion. General Gillmore with 3, 500 infantry
was directed to move against the city from the east
ward, while General Kautz, with 1,400 cavalry, was to
make a circuit, and attack from the south or south-
westward. Gillmore arrived in front of the place, taut
deemed the works too formidatale to tae attempted tay
the force under his command, and therefore withdrew
his troops without an attack. Kautz actually pene
trated the fortifications upon his side of the place, and
skirmished with the enemy in the streets of the city.
But without the co-operation of the infantry, he could
not hold his prize, and was compelled to'retire. These
operations were during the 9th and 10th of June, and
just prior to the taeginning of the movement to the
James river.
Once more, during the progress of that movement,
a part of the Army of the James was sent against
Peterstaurg. As briefiy mentioned in the last chapter,
* Grant's Report, dated July 22, 1865.

266 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
General Smith's coramand had taeen sent forward
from Bermuda Hundreds during the night of the 14th
of June. General Lee was still under the impression
that the Federal movement was directed against Rich
mond, and at Warren's feint toward the city, had
retired within its fortifications and stood in readiness
to meet the assault he feared. Meanwhile, for the
moraent, the defences of Peterstaurg were left almost
without a garrison, and it seemed as if a sudden blow
would ensure its capture. Of the result of Gen
eral Smith's attack we will take the opinion of General
Grant himself.
"General Smith got off as directed", the Lieu
tenant-General says in his report, "and confronted
the enemy's pickets near Peterstaurg taefore daylight
next morning, taut for some reason that 1 have never
taeen atale to satisfactorily understand, did not get
ready to assault his main lines until near sundown.
Then, with a part of his command only, he made the
assault, and carried the line northeast of Petersburg
from the Apporaattox river for a distance of over two
and a half miles, capturing fifteen pieces of artillery
and three hundred prisoners. This was ataout seven
P. M. Between the line thus captured and Peterstaurg
there were no other works, and there is no evidence
that the enemy had reinforced Peterstaurg with a
single tarigade from any source. The night was clear,
the moon shining tarightly, and favoratale to further
operations. General Hancock, with two divisions of
the Second Corps, reached General Smith just after
dark, and offered the services of these troops as he
(Smith) might wish, waiving rank to the named com
mander, who he naturally supposed knew taest the
position of affairs, and what to do with the troops.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 267
But instead of taking these troops and pushing at
once into Peterstaurg, he requested General Hancock
to relieve a part of his line in the captured works,
which was done taefore midnight".*
Notwithstanding General Grant's censure of
General Smith's failure to enter and take possession
of Peterstaurg, it has taeen urged that the latter com
mander was not without reasonable ground for his
course of action. It is claimed, in his behalf, that
his troops were exhausted by a long march, and
broken tay the shock of taattle, and their commander
was unaAvare what reserve force the Confederates
might tae atale to hurl upon his wearied men, should
he hazard a further advance. And, until a late hour,
he was equally in ignorance as to the proximity of any
adequate supporting force of Federals, upon whom he
might rely for assistance should he press forward. It
was not until nine o'clock Wednesday night that
General Birney's division of the Second Corps estata
lished connection with General Smith, as stated by an
officer of that division, who goes on to say, "Had
Hancock arrived earlier, so as to have followed up the
successes achieved tay General Sraith, we should have
undoutatedly occupied Petersburg, with a demoralized
foe flying taefore us".t However that might have
taeen, it is unquestionataly true that Smith's attack
had taeen very successful, so far as it went.
The defences of the city Avere of a formidatale
character, consisting of a series of skillfully-con
structed earthworks, emtaracing square redoutats,
rifle-trenches and redans, with an outer line of ataattis,
stakes and chevaux-de-frise. These works extended
* Grant's Report, dated July 22, 1865.
t Houghton— "Campaigns of the Seventeenth Maine", p. 200.

268 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
around the city in a vast semi-circle, both extremities
of which rested upon the river. From a point ataout
two miles and a half taelow Petersburg, on the
Appomattox, these strong fortiflcations stretched in
one untaroken succession to at least an equal distance
ataove the city. Immense redoutats occurred at fre
quent intervals, closely united with each other by
well-built tareastworks and lines of rifie-pits. Not less
than eleven of these huge redoutats fell into the hands
of Smith's forces as the fruits of their first assault,
together with the guns and prisoners mentioned in
Grant's report, ataove quoted. With this partial
success, however, the Federals remained content
throughout Wednesday night, which passed without
any important incident.
Early on the morning of Thursday, June 16th,
Egan's tarigade, of Birney's division of the Second
Corps, made a gallant charge upon a portion of the
Confederate line, sustaining severe loss. A general
attempt was made soon after to advance the Federal
pickets, taut was met tay sharp skirmishing and
artillery firing, and the movement was suspended for
the time taeing. The demonstration proved that the
enemy was taeing rapidly reinforced, and in such large
numtaers that it was not deemed advisatale to make a
general advance, until General Burnside should arrive
upon the ground with our corps. We were at this
time making a severe forced march, in order to come
up to the scene of action as speedily as possitale.
Since crossing the pontoon taridge over the James
river, on the previous evening, the corps had been
constantly in motion. General Willcox, with the
Third division, led the main column, and arrived at
the lines before Peterstaurg at ataout ten o'clock A. M.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 269
on Thursday. General Potter, with our own division,
tarought up the rear, so that it was an hour or two
later when we came up. But tay one o'clock in the
afternoon of the 16th, the entire corps had arrived
upon the ground, and proceeded to take position for
an assault. A line of taattle was formed, with Smith's
(Eighteenth) Corps on the right, Hancock's (Second)
Corps in the center, and the Ninth Corps upon the
left. General Barlow's division of the Second Corps
formed the left of Hancock's line, and General Potter's
division of the Ninth was upon the right of Burnside's,
so that our tarigade joined Barlow upon his left.
It had taeen intended tay General Meade that an
attack should tae made upon the enemy's position at
four o'clock P. M., taut for some reason, there was
consideratale delay in getting the troops into position.
And it was not until some two hours later than the
time assigned, that the dispositions were finally
perfected, and everything in readiness for the assault.
At six o'clock, P. M., the attack was commenced, the
sharp rattle of musketry tareaking out suddenly all
along our front, as the troops advanced. The sun
went down, and the dusk of evening grew deeper, taut
the confiict continued to assume still larger pro
portions. The roar of taattle grew louder and louder
till its volume taecame terrific, its intensity steadily
increasing for more than an hour from the opening of
the assault. Thenceforward it gradually diminished
tay slow degrees until ataout nine o'clock, when it
ceased almost entirely. The fighting had continued
about three hours from the time of the beginning of
the attack, and there were occasional outbursts of
firing subsequently through the greater part of the
night.

270 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
The results of this attack were not of especial
importance to the Federals, and taut little advantage
was gained in any part of the line. Nearly the whole
of the three corps present had taeen simultaneously
engaged, taut the contest upon the extreme right had
not taeen of so stutataorn and sanguinary a character as
in the center and upon the left. The Eighteenth
Corps had otatained no material advantage in its part
of the line, and the losses it had sustained were com
paratively very small. General Birney's division,
upon the right of the Second Corps, had carried the
crest in its immediate front without any very serious
difiiculty, and held the ground it had gained, in spite
of the enemy's efforts to retake it. General Barlow's
division of the Second Corps, and our own division of
the Ninth, had found much more opposition to their
advance, the eneiny taeing concentrated in greater
force in this portion of the line. The ground taetween
the Confederate position and our own, was fairly open,
though of a somewhat taroken and rugged character.
It was sufficiently level in some portions of its extent
to adrait of its cultivation, and in such places had
taeen planted to grain, the green talades of which were
taroken doAvn and trodden under foot as our men
advanced through the fields.
After some indecisive fighting in this part of the
line. General Miles' tarigade of the Second Corps, and
our own brigade of Potter's division, were ordered to
charge. In the face of a rapid and destructive artillery
fire, Miles and Grifiin led their men forward in the
most gallant manner, and gained a foothold in
the rifie-pits of the eneiny, outside their main works.
Together with our brave comrades of the Second
Corps, we held our possession of these pits, though

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 271
greatly annoyed by the fire of the enemy from the
second line of works. To relieve us from this, an
assault upon the main works was planned, and the
men were preparing for an advance, when the Confed
erates increased the severity of their fire, particularly
that directed against Griffin's brigade. And at the
same time, by a sudden movement, they succeeded in
capturing some three hundred men from a skirmish
line in the front of Barlow's division. These demon
strations proved them to tae present in strong force in
our immediate front, and owing to this fact, as well
as to the lateness of the hour, it Avas deemed wiser to
defer the contemplated assault until the next morning.
So the raen sheltered themselves as well as possible,
and prepared to pass the night, or so much as remained
of it, in such repose as might be obtained so close to
the lines of an alert and watchful enemy.
But for us in the Second division of the Ninth
Corps, there was taut little rest or repose to tae had,
for as has just taeen said, another attempt at carry
ing the Confederate position tay assault was to tae
made early on the morning of Friday, the l7th, and
General Potter's division of the Ninth Corps had taeen
selected as the assaulting column, while General
Ledlie was to support us Avith the First division. To
our own Second brigade was assigned the perilous
duty of leading the attack, and once more the gallant
little command prepared itself to fill the post of honor
and of danger in the advance upon the strong works
taefore it, taristling with artillery, and manned tay
Lee's veterans. Ou.r commander. General Griffin, was
charged with the duty of planning and carrying out
the details of the attack, and as the result will show,
he arranged and executed the movement with equal
ability and daring.

272 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
About half a mile in our front was a large house
belonging to a Mr. Shand, and near this house, and
between us and the enemy's line, there was a ravine
fifteen or twenty feet deep, with a small stream
running through it. Under cover of the darkness of
the night, we were led to this ravine, and placed in
position for an attack at the first gleam of morning.
The enemy was present in force at the head of the
ravine, and his artillery commanded the approaches
through the narrow defile. His lines were so near our
own that the necessary orders were given us only in
whispers, and the strictest silence was enjoined upon
our men. The tin plates and dippers, and even the
canteens, were placed inside the haversacks to prevent
them from conveying any warning of our presence to
the vigilant ears so close in our front, by an accidental
rattling. General Grifiin gave explicit and stringent
orders that no man among us should fire a shot during
our advance, but that the brigade should depend
wholly upon the taayonet to accomplish its task of
clearing the Confederate works.
When the arrangements had taeen completed, the
order of formation wa,s as follows: our brigade, as the
column of attack, was in two lines, and the First
tarigade, which was to constitute our supporting force,
was also in two lines. In our first line were the
Seventeenth Vermont, the Eleventh New Hampshire,
and the Thirty-Second Maine, in the order named,
from right to left, while the Sixth and Ninth New
Hampshire, the Thirty-First Maine and the Second
Maryland constituted our second line. Colonel
Curtin had formed his tarigade with the Forty-Fifth
and Forty-Eighth Pennsylvania and Thirty-Sixth
Massachusetts in the first line, and the Seventh Rhode

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

273

Island, the Second New York Mounted Rifies,— dis
mounted, —and Fifty-Eighth Massachusetts in the
second. A vivid and picturesque writer has said,
speaking of these regiments at this time: —
"They make their way into the ravine. They are
only fifty-seven paces from the Confederate tareast
works. Their taayonets are fixed. They are to rush
up the steep bank, across the narrow terrace, leap the
tareastAfrorks and gather in the living line of men in
gray. Cannon will fiame in their faces. There may
tae a storm of leaden rain. It requires nerve and
hardihood to move at midnight silently down into the
ravine — the rising moon throwing its light along
the moving column — to take their places, speaking
no word ataove a whisper, to lie upon the ground till
the first gleam of daylight appears on the eastern
sky".* Impatiently, taut in the profoundest silence, the
men of the Second tarigade awaited the order to
advance, and just as the first faint streaks of dawn
appeared in the east, the word "Forward!" was
whispered along the lines of the crouching, motionless
regiments. The effect of the tarief command was
electrical, and as if inspired with one common impulse,
our men sprang swiftly and noiselessly to their feet,
and with the utmost rapidity dashed upon the enemy.
The Confederates, surprised and bewildered at such
an unexpected assault, gave way taefore the sudden
onset. Their works were carried at the point of the
taayonet taefore they were atale to realize that an
attack was to tae made upon them. In the same in
stant that they taecame aware of the column charging
down upon them out of the darkness, they were
* C. C. Coffin— "Carleton"— in National Tribune, of March 15, 1888.

274 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
struck and swept away tay the momentum of its swift
advance. The writer just quoted goes on to say of
the charge itself:
"The men in the ravine rise and dress their
ranks, eltaow touching eltaow. They grasp their
muskets with nervous energy. There is no clicking
of locks, taut each soldier brings his musket to the
'charge'. With watches in one hand and swords in
the other the commanders of regiments wait. Their
swords wave. It is the signal. The moon is high in
the heavens. The soldiers catch the gleam of the
flashing talades, and move up the taank and on toward
the line of yellow earth. Cannon flash. Men go
down, taut the lines roll on, up to the taank of earth,
over it. 'Surrender!' Six hundred and fifty throw
down their muskets. The six cannon are seized,
fifteen hundred muskets are captured, and four stands
of colors. It is the work of three minutes ".
Perhaps these words contain some unintentional
exaggeration as to the numtaer of trophies of victory
otatained by the two tarigades. A careful and reliatale
historian of the achievements of the Ninth Corps thus
modifies some of the ataove statements:
"They swept his lines for a mile, gathering up
arras, flags, cannon and prisoners all along their vic
torious pathway. A stand of colors, four pieces of
artillery Vith their caissons and horses, fifteen hun
dred stands of small arms, a quantity of ammunition,
and six hundred prisoners were the fruits of this
splendid charge".*
Whichever of these narratives may tae more nearly
correct, it is, at least, certain that the assault was
eminently successful, and that a wide tareach Avas
* Woodbury — "Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps", p. 411.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 275
made in the lines of the enemy. And that he was
forced out of his strong works by the taayonet alone.
Many of his taest troops surrendered without firing a
single shot in their own defence. This dashing and
victorious charge added a new and well-merited dis
tinction to the already honoratale and glorious record
of our gallant Second tarigade, and its tarave com
mander. But while the commands of Griffin and of
Curtin had so well discharged the important and
perilous duty assigned to them, the full fruit of their
taravery and devotion was not to be reaped by the
Federal army. Most unfortunately, the gallant move
ment of the two tarigades was not followed up with
sufficient energy and celerity. The advantage which
they had gained was not utilized as it should have
taeen. General Potter's division had most notaly and
successfully performed their part. General Griffin
and the Second tarigade had charged with energy and
effect, and Colonel Curtin and the First tarigade had
assisted with the utmost promptness and vigor. But
General Ledlie's division failed to reach the scene of
action in season to render efficient support. Moving
in the darkness, over fallen timber and manifold
obstructions, the First division had only taeen atale to
advance very sloAvly. And they did not arrive in
season to press in taefore the Confederates recovered
from the shock of our unexpected charge.
When Ledlie's men finally made a junction with
us, the golden moment of favoratale opportunity was
past, and the enemy had rallied from his temporary
demoralization. It was then too late to do more than
to secure our possession of the position we had Avon,
which General Potter at once proceeded to do. Our
pickets and skirmishers were pushed up close to the

276 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
new line upon which the Confederates had fallen
taack, and all possitale dispositions were made to
maintain the ground we had gained. While this was
taeing done, sharp skirmishing was going on taetween
the respective picket-lines, and the artillery of taoth
sides was maintaining a steady fire. In the. afternoon
of the l7th, our division was relieved tay the First and
Third divisions of our corps, under command of
Generals Ledlie and Willcox. As soon as this was
effected, General Ledlie was ordered to make an
advance. Accordingly, the First division, covered tay a
rapid fire of artillery from our main lines, made a
gallant and handsome charge, and after a short taut
taloody struggle, dislodged the enemy from a portion
of his tareastworks. Notwithstanding several attempts
on the part of the Confederates to retake them, the
captured works were firmly held tay our troops during
the afternoon. But at a late hour of the night of the
17th, however, another desperate assault was made,
which proved more successful. Under cover of an
extremely vigorous shelling from the Confederate
taatteries, two heavy columns of the enemy attacked
simultaneously, the one directly in front, and the
other upon the fiank of the position. Aided tay the
darkness of the night, they succeeded in entering
the captured works, and driving out the troops which
occupied them. Only that part of the line of en
trenchments which had taeen taken by General Ledlie's
troops was lost, however, in this night struggle. The
conquests made tay our Second division, and Colonel
Christ's tarigade of the Third division, were still held
in spite of the enemy's attempt to retake them. The
men of General Willcox's and General Ledlie's

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 277
divisions had fought with great spirit and taravery,
and had obtained some temporary advantages, at the
cost of a terrible expenditure of blood. Yet nearly
all the sutastantial and permanent success of the day
rested with us of the Second division. And the most
important triumph achieved during this day of as
saults, lay in the victory we of the gallant Griffin's
tarigade had won in the early morning, with the
assistance of our comrades of Curtin's command. We
may well tae proud of the record which the old tarigade
made on the l7th of June, and proud, too, to say that
we taore our part therein.
Throughout the day, the principal weight of the
contest fell almost wholly upon the Ninth Corps,
the other portions of the army having taeen engaged
only in skirmishing, without attempting to make any
assault. The position of the enemy in the front of
the Second Corps was deemed too strong to tae at
tacked with any hope of success. And, except for the
assistance rendered tay General Barlow's division of
that corps during our charge in the morning, Han
cock's troops taore taut little, comparatively, of the taur-
den of the day. The Eighteenth Corps was relieved
in part, during the day, and while two of its divisions
remained on the extreme right, the rest of the corps
returned to its old entrenchments at Bermuda Hun
dreds. General Crawford's division of the Fifth Corps
had rendered efficient service in support of the move
ment made tay General Ledlie, taut the reraainder of
the corps had taeen comparatively inactive. The
severe fighting had been done by the men of the Ninth
Corps, which, as is said tay one of its historians,
"almost unassisted, had carried and now held the

278 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
most advanced position of our lines in front of Peters
taurg".* The loss had been very heavy, particularly in the
First division of the corps, while the Third division,
as well as our own, had also suffered severely, though
perhaps not so greatly as the troops under General
Ledlie's command. In the case of our own tarigade,
we did not suffer so much loss in the charge as might
have been expected, though we were by no rfleans
without casualties. But the enemy were so completely
taken by surprise, that they had no time to infiict very
serious damage before they Avere thrown into disorder,
broken and hurled taack upon their inner line of
defences. Although, as has taeen said, the Thirty-Second
Maine was upon the left of the first line in the attack,
our loss was taut one man killed, and seven wounded.
Private Reutaen Vining, Company I, was killed; Cor
poral Rotaert T. Smith, Company C, wounded in
shoulder; Privates Charles F. True, Company C,
in neck; Altaans D. Rotaerts, Company F, in thigh;
Lorin S. Tuttle, Corapany F, in shoulder; John
Dixon, Company G, in ankle; John Loon, Company G,
in arm; John Ervin, Company I, in shoulder. Roberts
died from wound, at Armory Square Hospital, Wash
ington, D. C, November 14th, and Tuttle was dis
charged on account of wound, May 19, 1865.
Although some repetition cannot tae avoided, it
seems desirable, taefore closing this chapter, to quote
here, somewhat at length, from General Griffin's own
stateraent as to the charge of the raorning of the 17th
of June. As the words of our loved and honored old
commander, it is taelieved the statement will tae read
* Woodbury — "Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps", p. 411.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 279
with much interest by the survivors of the Thirty-
Second Maine. General Humphreys states that in a
paper contritauted to the Massachusetts Historical
Society, General Griffin says that General Potter
entrusted him with the charge of the assault,
assigning Curtin's brigade to his support. He quotes
General Griffin as saying:
"I then spent the entire night in moving my
troops through the felled timber, getting them in
proper position, and preparing for the attack. I
placed my tarigade on the left of the Second Corps, in a
ravine immediately in front of the Shand house, which
the enemy held, and within one hundred yards of their
lines, with Curtin on my left and a little further to
the rear on account of the conformation of the ground.
We were so near the enemy that all our movements
had to tae made with the utmost care and caution;
canteens were placed in knapsacks to prevent rattling,
and all commands were given in whispers. I formed
my tarigade in two lines. * * * * Colonel Curtin
formed his in the same way. * * * * My orders were
not to fire a shot, taut to depend wholly on the taayonet
in carrying the lines.
"Just as the dawn taegan to light up the east, I
gave the command 'Forward'. It was passed along
the lines in whispers, the men sprang to their feet,
and taoth tarigades moved forward at once in well-
formed lines, sweeping directly over the enemy's
works, taking them completely tay surprise, and
carrying all taefore us. One gunner saw us ap
proaching, and fired his piece. That was all we heard
from thera, and almost the only shot fired on either
side. The rebels were asleep with their arms in their
hands, and many of them sprang up and ran away as

280 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
we came over. Others surrendered without resistance.
' ' We swept their line for a mile from where my
right rested, gathering in prisoners and ataandoned
arms and equipments all the way. Four pieces of
artillery, with caissons and horses, a stand of colors,
six hundred prisoners, fifteen hundred stand of arms,
and some ammunition fell into our hands ".*
Such is the language in which the modest and
gallant soldier who led us to victory recorded his own
and our achievement in that memoratale charge. It
may tae also of interest to add here the entry made in
Adjutant Hayes' diary relative to this exploit. Under
date of June 17th he writes:
"Yesterday afternoon we were ordered into the
tareastworks. Ataout four P. M. we advanced to
another line. Barlow's division of the Second Corps
made a charge, and for the first time, were repulsed.
Last night we made another advance into our old
place, the front line. * * * * At three o'clock this
morning, we made a charge; drove the rascals; took
two field pieces, two hundred prisoners, one colonel,
one taattle fiag and a large amount of small arms.
Our loss is slight yet. We are now lying under a hill;
ataout two hundred yards in front is another retael
work, and they are flring shot and shell over us, taut
cannot hurt us".
* Humphreys — " Virginia Campaign", foot note, p. 217.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 281
3iograpI^tcaI SkctcI^.

BREVET MA JOE-GENERAL SIMON G. GRIFFIN.
Simon Goodell Griffin was born in Nelson, Cheshire
County, New Hampshire, on August 9, 1824. He was de
scended from a sturdy New England ancestry, among whom
many had been prominent in the communities in which they
lived. His grandfather, Samuel Griffin, and his mother's
father, Nehemiah Wright, were both soldiers of the Revolu
tion, and had fought at Bunker Hill.
Born and reared in a small country town, his advantages
for obtaining an education were somewhat limited, and he was
not a graduate of any college or academic school. But in
spite of difficulties, he pursued his studies almost unaided,
and fitted himself, for the legal profession. At the breaking
out of the war, he had been admitted to the bar, and had en
tered upon the practice ofthe law in Concord.
At the first call of President Lincoln for troops, he left
his practice, and enlisted as a private in a company then form
ing in Concord, known as the Goodwin Rifles. At its organi
zation, he was elected captain of this company, which was
assigned to the Second New Hampshire regiment, and went to
the front in season to participate in the first battle of BuU
Run, in July, 1861.
In the autumn of 1861, Captain Griffin was promoted to
be Lieutenant-Colonel of the Sixth New Hampshire Volun
teers, and not long after, upon the resignation of its Colonel,
he succeeded to the command of the regiment. Having been
selected as a part of the forces constituting the Burnside Ex
pedition to North Carolina, the Sixth New Hampshire took
part in the campaign conducted in that State.
An appreciative and well-merited tribute to the memory
of General Griffin, by General Thos. Sherwin, from which we

282 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
are permitted to quote, contains the following allusion to this
period of his military life.
"A part of General Griffin's military service," writes
General Sherwin, "which he recalled with especial satisfac
tion was the work, while his regiment lay at Roanoke Island,
of l)ringing it to a condition of thorough discipline, drill and
efficiency. Composed as it was of young men of the best
New England type, it was, like most volunteer regiments at
that date, unskilled in the care and use of arms, and un
trained for the work which lay before it. Colonel Griffin
entered earnestly upon the task of bringing his command into
a condition of thorough efficiency. Schools for commissioned
and non-commissioned officers were established, squad, com
pany and battalion drills were held, and incentive ofi'ered to
the men to keep their arms, uniforms, and equipments in good
order  Merited promotions were made, and a few
weeks later, at the battle of Camden, the regiment, by its
splendid conduct, gained the reputation which it never after
ward forfeited, for steadiness and discipline under fire,
soldierly bearing and efficiency, second to none in the Corps."
During the year 1862, Colonel Griffin and the Sixth New
Hampshire took part in the battles of Second Bull Run,
Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg,
the regiment being one of those composing General Reno's
division of the Ninth Corps. At the Second Bull Run, the
Sixth lost heavily, one hundred and eighty men having been
killed or wounded, out of the four hundred and fifty taken
into action. Three color bearers in succession had been shot,
and the regiment was almost surrounded by the enemy, and
being forced to withdraw the command. Colonel Griffin him
self brought the colors ofi".
The Ninth Corps went west in 1863, and Colonel Griffin
was placed in command of the First brigade, Second division
of the Ninth Corps, and served in that capacity through the

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 283
Vicksburg campaign. After the surrender of Vicksburg, he
was appointed to superintend the re-enlistmeqt of New
Hampshire men in the departments of Virginia and North
Carolina. Ih the spring of 1864, he was assigned to the command
of the Second brigade of his division, in which his own old
regiment Avas included, together Avith two others from New
Hampshire, — the Ninth and Eleventh, — the Thirty^First
and Thirty-Second Maine, Seventeenth Vermont, and Second
Maryland, numbering in all only about twenty-seven hundred
men. With this brigade he participated in the Wilderness
campaign, and all the operations of the Arniy of the Potomac
until Lee surrendered at Appomattox. At various times,
other regiments were added to the original brigade, and its
aggregate number of casualties, from the Wilderness to
Appomattox, were some three thousand, or several hundred
more than its total strength at the beginning of the campaign.
At the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, May 12,
1864, Griffin's brigade met an attack directed against the
flank of the Second Corps, at a critical moment, and, assisted
Hancock to hold his position. And in recognition of his gal
lant conduct and distinguished service in this action. Griffin
was commissioned as Brigadier-General of Volunteers, with
rank from May 12th, 1864.
From this time until the close of hostilities, General
Griffin was constantly called upon to render service of the
most arduous character, and most gallantly did he and the
men of the Second brigade respond.
Inthe preliminary movements about Petersburg, before
the beginning of the siege, one of the most brilliant and prom
inent affairs was the charge of Griffin's brigade at the Shand
house, at dawn on the 17th of June. Formed in two lines,
with Curtin's brigade in support, Griffin stole in silence up
the ravine, in the darkness of night, and just at day-break.

284 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
hurled himself upon the unsuspecting Confederates. Taken
by surprise, they were completely overwhelmed, and he swept
along their line for a mile, capturing guns, colors and pris
oners, almost without resistance.
At the Mine Explosion, July 30th, it was Griffin's bri
gade which pushed for two hundred yards beyond the yawn
ing crater, and fell back only when, broken and entangled
amid the net-work of traverses and covered ways, it encount
ered a severe fire from infantry and artillery on front and
flank. And, in the final battle before Petersburg, on April 2,
1865, General Griffin's brigade sustained an important part in
the assault on the enemy's lines. Without firing a shot, the
men of the Second brigade advanced, tore away the abattis,
and drove the Confederates from their works with the bayo
net, turning upon them the captured cannon. In this action.
General Potter, the division commander, was wounded, and
General Griffin assumed the command, which he continued to
hold to the close of the war. For distinguished services on
this day, he was commissioned Brevet Major-General of Vol
unteers, and was the only volunteer officer from New Hamp
shire who bore the rank of full Brigadier and Brevet Major-
General, during the war.
During his service. General Griffin took part in twenty-
two battles, and in numerous minor engagements. He had
two horses killed, and five wounded under him. And from
first to last, whenever his men were ordered to go under fire,
he went with them. Yet he never received a wound, and -was
never absent from his command on account of illness.
At the close of the war, he was mustered out, and re
turned tothe pursuits of civil life. He Avas tendered a com
mission as Major in the regular army, but declined to accept
it. He had been married in January, 1863, to Miss Margaret
R. Lamson, of Keene, N. IL, and at his discharge from ser-

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 285
vice, Keene became his home. He was engaged for a time in
manufacturing, and later was interested in the development
of lands in Texas.
The welfare of the city in which he lived, was always a
subject of warm interest to him, and he served as a member
of the Board of Education, was a Trustee of the City Hos
pital, and President of the Huraane Society, and for a quarter
of a century was Warden of his church. He also represented
the city in the Legislature, serving two terms as Speaker of
the House of Representatives.
His character was always marked by firmness and
courage of conviction, and uncompromising integrity of
thought and act, but not less conspicuous traits were his un
varying gentleness, genuine kindness and unfailing courtesy.
He was of scholarly tastes and broad learning, and possessed
marked literary ability.
His death occurred at his home in Keene, on January 14,
1902, a widow and two sons surviving him. But he will long
be held in remembrance as a gallant and distinguished soldier,
and a patriotic and upright citizen, and by none will his mem
ory be held in higher esteera than by the survivors of his old
brigade.

CHAPTER XVII.

Movements of the Second and Fifth Coeps. — The
NOEFOLK RaILEOAD. — AeEIVAL OF THE CoLOEED
Teoops. — The Beginning of the Siege. —
The Weldon Raileoad. — List of
Casualties. — The Monthly
Retuen foe June.

On the morning of Saturday, the 18th of June,
the Federal forces which lay taefore Peterstaurg were
in the following order, from right to left: the two
divisions of the Eighteenth Corps, which had not yet
returned to their old position at Bermuda Hundreds,
formed the extreme right of the line. These two
divisions were under the command of General Martin-
dale, and General Hinks, respectively. Next them,
upon the right center, lay the Sixth Corps, Avhile the
Second Corps occupied the center, General Wright
and General Birney taeing the respectiA^e commanders.
The Ninth Corps, temporarily commanded tay General
Parke, formed the left center, and the Fifth Corps,
under General Warren, was upon the extreme left.
It had been the intention of the Federal leaders
that a general assault should tae made at four o'clock
on Saturday morning. But while the preliminary
arrangements for the advance were taeing executed,

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 287
the discovery was made by the skirmishers who were
sent out, that the enemy had changed his position.
The line of works immediately in the Federal front
had taeen abandoned, and the Confederates had fallen
taack upon an interior line of defences. This move
ment rendered ncAv dispositions necessary upon the
part of the Federal troops, taefore they could advance
to the assault. Delay was therefore required until the
new comtainations had taeen effected. Meanwhile
the defensive line occupied tay the enemy was care
fully reconnoitred, to determine its location, and
detect if possitale, some Aveaker point upon which an
effective blow might be delivered. Brisk skirmishing
and a constant artillery fire was kept up while this
AA-as taeing done. Thus the hours of the forenoon wore
slowly away without any decisiA^e action, taut with a
continuous rattle of small arms, and roar of cannon
all along our front.
Ataout noon, the three corps upon the left and
center of the Union line, — the Fifth, Ninth and
Second, — were ordered to make a general advance at
once. A large proportion of the severe fighting which
ensued fell to the share of the Ninth Corps, although
the Fifth and Second Avere by no means backward, as
Avill tae seen by the following brief sketch of their
respective part in the action. The Fifth Corps made a
vigorous and determined movement directed against
the Norfolk railroad, but was unsuccessful in the
accomplishment of its raain object. The ground in
front of this part of the line was generally of an open
character, but obstructed here and there both by
abattis, and as well by natural undergrowth. This
placed the assaulting columns at a consideratale disad
vantage, the enemy taeing well protected by strong

288 ¦ AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
works, and able to concentrate a severe fire upon the
men of Griffin's and Crawford's divisions, as they
advanced. And in spite of the vigor of the assault,
the Confederates maintained their position.
In the Second Corps, Gibtaon's division moved
promptly against the works in its front, near the
railroad to City Point. Three • tarigades formed the
assaulting column, which, as soon as it emerged from
the cover of its entrenchments, was assailed tay a
severe enfilading fire from the left; The ranks were
swept by the incessant volleys, and men fell at every
step. Still the column pressed desperately forward
through the storm of fire, for a time. But taefore the
entrenchments of the enemy were reached, the men
were compelled to retire, and the shattered brigades
fell back, leaving many of their numtaer upon the
field. And, notwithstanding the gallant effort to
dislodge them, the Confederates still held their
ground, having repulsed the attack with compar
atively slight loss to themselves.
Meanwhile, during the time these events were
transpiring upon the right and left of us, we in the
Ninth Corps were tay no means idle. The division
commanded tay General Willcox, together with Colonel
Curtin's — First — brigade of our own division, was
selected to form the assaulting column, Ledlie's
division being held in reserve. The troops, with
Hartranft's brigade in the advance, moved forward
into the space taetween the Second and Fifth Corps.
The otajective point toward which their efforts were
directed was the Norfolk railroad, which, at this
place, passed through a deep ravine, or artificial
cutting. Before reaching the railroad, the column
must penetrate a piece of woods, in which the enemy

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 289
were posted in force. Although resisting stutataornly,
the Confederates were slowly pushed taack to the
railroad. Here there was some sharp fighting, and
musketry firing taecame extremely heavy and destruc
tive, taut the enemy was finally dislodged from a
portion of the ravine.
The task was one of great difficulty, however, as
the cut was from fifteen to twenty feet in depth, with
steep sides, in which the men were otaliged to make
steps and holes in order to climta up on the taank.
The division entrenched itself in this position, tearing
up the rails, sleepers and ties of the railroad track to
afford themselves material for fortifying their front,
and held the ground they had so gallantly won.
Later in the afternoon, General Willcox made a
further advance, and gained still more ground in his
immediate front. The enemy was pressed taack, and
the Third division established itself well across the
railroad, taut only at the expense of severe losses. For
a time the Confederates slowly retired as Willcox's
men advanced across the rough and taroken ground.
Finally, however, a heavy artillery fire upon the flank
of the division checked its further progress, and, as
night came on, the assault in this part of the line
ceased, without having penetrated the main line of
the enemy. Our men, however, entrenched them
selves within a hundred and twenty-five yards of the
enemy's salient, and succeeded in maintaining this
position. The ground thus gained tay the Third
division was afterwards strongly fortified, and
securely held, and formed the salient of the Federal
lines during the entire sutasequent siege.
Although the principal weight of these flerce
encounters had fallen upon the Third division and the

290 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
First brigade of our own division, it was tay no means
wholly confined to them. Our own tarigade, although
only acting as a support to the column of assault,
suffered some loss through the day, and as will appear
from the following list, several casualties fell to the
share of the Thirty-Second Maine. The losses reported
were as follows :
Privates Daniel Bennett and John W. Brown,
taoth of Company F, killed; Corporal Joseph W. Bart
lett, Company A, wounded in knee; Corporal Freeman
H. M. Shackley, Company B, in leg; Privates James F.
Tarbox, Company D, in finger; Charles Morse, Com
pany D, in leg; Corporal Samuel W. Hackett, Company
H, in hand; Privates Daniel Constantine, Company H,
in arm and side; Nathaniel Brook, Company H, in
head; and William Berry, Company H, in leg, making
an aggregate of ten enlisted men killed, or disataled
more or less seriously. Of these. Corporal Shackley
suffered amputation, was sent home to Maine, and
died at Norway, April 12, 1865; Morse also suffered
amputation, and died at Annapolis., Md., June 25,
1864; Constantine was discharged Novemtaer 5th, on
account of wounds; and Berry was discharged on
January 3, 1865, for the same cause.
So that we may fairly claim to share in the com
mendation which General Burnside, in his official
report, taestowed upon the Second and Third divisions.
The words employed in the report are that ' ' no taetter
fighting has taeen done during the war than was done
tay the divisions of Generals Potter and Willcox
during this attack".
Yet, determined as the assault had taeen, and
severe as were the losses experienced tay the Federal
army, little or nothing of real value had taeen won.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 291
In every part of the long line, the enemy sutastantially
held their own, and nowhere had their raain line of
fortifications taeen penetrated. Strongly entrenched
upon an interior line, a mile nearer the city of Peters
taurg than were the works they had ataandoned on the
night of the 17th, they had taeen able to successfully
resist all attempts to dislodge them. Our furious
attacks had accomplished little more than the terrible
depletion of our own storming columns. In the series
of operations covering the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th of
June, it has been estimated that the Federal losses, in
killed, wounded and missing, would not fall far short
of ten thousand men. Four days of severe fighting,
and repeated assaults upon practically impregnatale
fortifications, while not successful in its purpose of
driving the enemy from his position, had cost us
dearly, and it taegan to tae apparent that Peterstaurg
could only be reduced tay the process of a regular
siege. No raoveraents of importance were made tay the
Union army during Sunday and Monday, June 19th
and 20th, taut entrenching was industriously carried
on. In the Ninth Corps, especially, during these two
days, and those immediately following, much hard
lataor of this character was performed. The line in
the neightaorhood of General Willcox's exploit at the
Norfolk railroad was strongly entrenched, and
strengthened tay traverses, ataattis and covered ways,
and the salient, which had been held as an entrenched
skirmish line, at first, was tay degrees so strengthened
as to make it a part of the main line. On the 19th,
the Fourth — or colored — division of the Ninth Corps,
which had taeen in the rear, and separated from the
remainder of the corps, since the 6th of May, came
up to the trenches, and took its place in the line.

292 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
General Ferrero and his men had hitherto had
.but little participation in the series of taloody contests
in which their white comrades had taeen engaged since
crossing the Rapidan. Most of the time since they
were detached, they had taeen employed in guarding
the immense trains of the army, and had seen little or
no real fighting. They were, henceforward, destined
to hear their full proportion of exposure to the
dangers and sufferings incident to a soldier's life,
however, and it will tae seen hereafter how well they
acquitted themselves. One marked feature of their
presence in the trenches was the especial hatred and
spitefulness manifested by the enemy, not only
towards the negroes themselves, but as well to the
white soldiers of the corps to which they belonged.
In the progress of the siege, somewhat friendly and
amicable arrangements came to tae made taetween the
outposts of the two armies in portions of the line, taut
this was never the case in the Ninth Corps. For
instance, while upon our left, in front of the Fifth
Corps, there was an almost entire cessation of picket
firing, by mutual agreement between the men, it was
constantly kept up in front of the Ninth. Skirmishitig
was continually going on taetween the opposing picket-
lines, and the firing taecame almost incessant. Gen
eral Potter's report states that while our division
occupied the front lines, his losses averaged "some
fourteen or fifteen officers and men killed and
wounded per diem ".
The men soon learned to take all possitale precau
tions to shield themselves from the merciless fire that
assailed them on the slightest exposure. Bomta-proofs
of logs and earth, winding covered ways, and many
similar expedients were resorted to, in order to secure

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 293
shelter. But in spite of all, the watchful sharp
shooters often found a target for their fatal missiles,
as an incautious movement exposed some poor fellow
to their aim. Meanwhile, from every spot where a
taattery could tae planted, artillery and mortars kept
up an almost constant thunder, from taoth sides. In
the midst of all this, the investment went on steadily,
and the various operations pertaining to a siege were
carried forward. The axe and the spade were sutasti
tuted for the musket, and the men who had taeen
fighting so persistently, now went to digging as vigor
ously. Earthworks of various sizes were rapidly tauilt,
and armed with field-pieces, siege-guns and mortars.
On the line of the Ninth Corps there were erected two
taatteries of two guns each, one of four, one of six,
two of eight each, and one in the center mounting
fourteen guns, making an aggregate of forty-four
pieces of artillery. Beside these there were three
mortar taatteries at different points along the line of
our front. Of course, the completion of these various
works occupied many weeks, though for convenience
sake, mention has taeen raade of them here.
To return to the narrative of our daily experiences
at the taeginning of the siege, on Tuesday, June 21st,
active movements were again taegun, looking to the
seizure of the Weldon railroad, and the interruption
of the enemy's comraunications to the southward.
During Monday night the Second Corps moved from
the center of the line to the left, and the Ninth Corps
was extended to fill the gap thus made. During Tues
day, which was an intensely hot day, the Second
Corps marched rapidly toward the railroad, and in the
afternoon came in contact with the eneray. Severe
skirmishing followed, taut nothing of iraportance was

294 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
accomplished. On Wednesday, the 22nd, the move
ment was resumed, portions of the Fifth and Sixth
Corps co-operating with the Second, taut in the action
which ensued, an unfortunate gap in the lines was
taken advantage of tay the Confederates. The tarigade
of General Mahone led the advance of an entire retael
division upon the exposed left fiank of General
Barlow's division of the Second Corps. They carried
everything taefore them in the impetuosity of their
charge, and broke in succession through the lines of
Barlow, Mott and Gitataons, capturing in some cases
almost entire regiments. The numtaer of killed and
wounded in this affair was not much over five
hundred, taut at least two thousand prisoners were
taken tay the enemy, including some fifty or sixty
officers. Four guns also fell into the hands of the
Confederates, together with several colors, and on the
whole, the affair proved to tae a disastrous one. Later
in the day, the Second and Sixth Corps were again
sent forward, and towards evening, succeeded in
regaining some portion of the ground they had passed
over earlier. While these events were transpiring,
the day passed with us in the Ninth Corps without
especial incident. But after dark, the enemy opened
upon our position a very sharp and heavy fire of
musketry and artillery, which was answered on our
part tay an equally vigorous firing. This continued
until late in the night, taut gradually died away into
sullen and irregular firing taetween the opposing
pickets. During Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the 23rd,
24th, and 25th of June, nothing of particular impor
tance took place along the line of the Ninth Corps,
though in some other parts of the army, there were

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

295

some sharp encounters, the Sixth Corps having an
engagement on the 23rd with Confederates under
General Anderson. And on the next day a brigade of
the enemy attacked General Stannard's division of the
Tenth Corps, but was easily repulsed. But with us,
there was nothing more serious than the usual inces
sant skirmishing and picket-firing, with occasional
outbursts of artillery-shelling. The three days were
tausily employed tay us in strengthening our position,
and adding to the defensive capatailities of our works.
At ataout ten o'clock Saturday night, June 25th, how
ever, there was a sudden outtareak of heavy artillery
firing, directed against the left of our corps line,
and the right of the Fifth Corps. After continuing
for nearly or quite an hour, the firing was followed
tay the advance of a strong skirmish-line of the enemy
to within a short distance of our tareastworks. The
skirmishers were, however, easily driven taack without
serious loss on either side, and no further attempt was
made upon our position during the night, or the days
immediately following.
From Sunday, June 26th, to Wednesday, June
29th, the time passed in comparative quiet, though
there were frequent outtareaks of firing along the
picket lines, and more or less heavy cannonading.
The men lataored hard, and with taut little cessation,
in the erection of new works and the strengthening
of those already constructed. The massive entrench
ments along the Union front received such constant
improvements as to rapidly become almost perfectly
impregnable. New and very heavy siege-guns were
mounted in various parts of the line, and the
taomtaardment of the city of Petersburg taegun, with
consideratale effect, a thirty pound Parrott shell taeing

296 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
thrown frora the front of the Eighteenth Corps, every
five minutes, during the morning of the 27th. This
tarought on a severe artillery contest about noon of
that day, the eneiny opening with their heavy guns,
upon General Smith's position, to which he replied by
shelling the city from all the taatteries in his front.
On the 28th, General Smith continued to taomtaard
the city at intervals, taursting a shell over it every
fifteen minutes during the night. During the 29th,
our First division participated in a somewhat lively
affair, a severe artillery and musketry fire taeing
directed against their front for a time, taut with
no very serious results. General Ledlie had been
engaged in erecting an earth-work for a taattery of
siege-guns at the front of his position, and against
this the enemy suddenly opened a fierce fire, which
they kept up with much vigor for some time, but
which failed to accomplish anything of consequence.
Thursday, the 30th of June, was not a particularly
eventful day in any portion of the Federal lines,
though the Eighteenth Corps made an unsuccessful
demonstration against the works in its front. During
the night, however, the fire of General Smith's
heavy guns caused a consideratale conflagration in
Petersburg, and the glare of the flames upon the sky
was plainly visible from our lines.
Up to this time the weather had taeen intensely
hot for many days and nights, and the excessive heat
had been very trying to the wounded, and had occa
sioned much suffering. The soil was of a light and
sandy nature, and in the long-continued heat, and
drought, had becorae so devoid of moisture as to be
easily reduced to powder tay the passage of wagons
and animals. The dust lay deep in the roads, and

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

297

hung in clouds in the air, wherever columns of men,
or trains of wagons were in motion. And even to
those in health, the discomfort of the heat and the
annoyance of the stifiing dust had taecome almost
intoleratale. But ataout the end of June, the weather
became somewhat cooler, and though there was as yet
no rain, the decrease in temperature was gladly wel
comed tay the men, who were almost worn out tay the
continued hard labor in the terrible heat. Thus we
have sketched the early days of the siege, and before
going on to speak of the events of subsequent occur
rence during its continuance, it seems desirable to
mention the losses sustained in our regiment up to
this time. The casualties occurring in the regiment
during the twelve days from June 18th to June 30th
were quite numerous, and were distritauted among the
several companies as shown in the following list:
Field and staff: — ¦Lieutenant-Colonel John Mar
shall Brown, wounded June 19th in left arm and side,
severely; resigned on account of wounds, on Septem-
taer 12, 1864.
Company A, Sergeant Frank E. Lowry, wounded
in foot; Private John Bickford, in thigh, June 21st;
Private Charles E. Stevens, in head, June 22nd.
Company B, Private Wesley McAllister, killed
June 20th.
Company C, Privates Henry A. Hussey, killed
June 20th; Edward H. Shaw, wounded in shoulder;
and John McGee, in shoulder, June 24th.
Company D, Private Augustus Smith, wounded
in head; and Luther M. Smith, wounded, June 29th.
Company E, Privates Amos H. Reed, wounded in
head and shoulder, June 19th; Isaac Foote, in arm,
June 25th.

298 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Company G, Privates Charles E. Nelson, wounded
in head, June 21st; Anthony O'Neil, in left arm; and
Almon L. Brookings, in shoulder, June 25th.
Company H, Privates Ataner C. Gill, in head,
mortally, June 21st; Michael Hynes, June 21st; Ezra
Cousins, in arm and side, June 25th.
Company I, Privates Frank Grant, killed June
20th; William Swift, wounded in tareast, mortally,
June 21st; Edward J. Hare, in waist, June 24th;
Allen T. Crowell, in shoulder, June 24th; J. J. Wise
man, in shoulder, June 28th.
Company K, Privates Edward Jones, wounded in
left arm, June 19th; James B. Richardson, in foot;
and William Goodrich, in foot, June 21st; Sergeant
Hiram Hodgdon, in arm; and Private Horatio N.
Brown, in right thigh, June 25th.
The aggregate loss was one commissioned officer,
wounded; three enlisted men killed; and twenty-four
enlisted men wounded, making a total of twenty-
eight. So far as it has taeen possitale to ascertain, the
proportion of fatalities among the wounded was very
large. Reed died from wounds on June 27th, Gill
died on June 22nd, and Goodrich on Septemtaer 1st.
Swift was reported as mortally wounded, but the date
of his death is unknown. Hare died June 29th, Shaw
on July 11th, and McGee July 16th. Brookings died
while on board the steamer "Baltic", on the way
North, taut the records do not show the date of death.
Cousins died June 28th, and Brown on June 30th, and
it is possitale there may have taeen others of those
wounded who died in consequence of their injuries,
taut whose deaths are unreported.
The Monthly Report for June shows the following
to have taeen the condition of the regiment at the
close of the month, viz: —

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 299

OfScers present for duty,

11

Officers absent, detached duty.

2

" '" " extra duty,

2

" with leave,

2

sick,

4

" sick,

10

Enlisted men present for duty.

286

Enlisted men " detached duty,

26

" " " extra "

22

" " with leave,

5

" " " sick,

58

" " " sick.

309

Died in action or of wounds.

20

" of disease,

6

Total Commissioned,

32

Wounded in action,

59

" Enlisted.

765

Aggregate, 797
Date — Not shown ; Rec'd Adjt. Gen'l Office, July 20, 1864.
None of the field officers of the regiment were
present with it at the end of June. Colonel Went
worth was sick, and had taeen sent to Maine, on June
25th; Lieutenant-Colonel Brown had taeen wounded,
as previously stated, on June 19th, and Major Deering
was sick at the Division Hospital. Of the line officers.
Captain Bryant was sick in the hospital at City
Point. Captain Fall had taeen atasent in hospital till
June 24th. Captain Noyes had taeen in command of
the regiment from June 19th to June 27th. Captain
Ham had taeen killed at Cold Hartaor, June 3rd, and
Captain Kyes was in hospital at Annapolis, on account
of his wound received on that day. Captain Chadwell
had taeen atasent, sick, since May 26th, and Captains
Hussey and Burtaank were present, sick. Captain
Sargent had taeen in hospital ^from May 25th to June
24th, on account of injury received in the taattle on
May 18th, and since his return had taeen in command
of the regiment. Lieutenants Hammond and Rounds
were absent on account of wounds, as was also Lieu
tenant Keyes; Lieutenants Coltay and Perkins were
dead, the former from disease, and the latter from
wounds. Lieutenant Gurney had been killed in
action May 12th. Lieutenant Chase had been atasent,
sick, since May 7th. Lieutenant Bearce was at City

300 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Point. Lieutenant Currier was sick in Division
Hospital, Lieutenant Mitchell was in hospital at
Annapolis, and Lieutenant Whitten was present, sick,
so that out of the entire numtaer of commissioned
officers, taarely one-third Avere present for duty. And
of the enlisted men, it will tae seen that even if those
"present, sick" are included, less than one-half ofthe
whole numtaer on the rolls were with the colors.
As a further illustration of the severe losses which
had taeen sustained, a tarief quotation from another
letter written tay sergeant Hilling of Company G to
one of the Bath papers is here inserted. Under date
of June 20th, he says:
' ' When we left Augusta, we had eighty-five men
in our company; we now numtaer thirty-eight from
Bath". After mentioning by name eleven men as
killed, wounded, or sick in hospital, he goes on to say,
"The rest are sick, or left out of the ranks on the
march, and have not yet rejoined the regiment ".
In much the same spirit Adjutant Hayes wrote in
his diary on June 20tli, ' ' Two raonths ago to-day the
first taattalion left Augusta, and what changes since!
On May 6th we had thirty-nine commissioned officers
for duty, and ataout eight hundred and fifty men.
This morning I report eleven officers for duty, and
two hundred and seventy-five men, armed ".
As a conclusion to this chapter, the following
extracts from a letter written tay sergeant John L.
Hara, of Company D, will tae of interest, as showing
the losses sustained in that company. The letter is
dated "Before Peterstaurg, Va., July 5tli, 1864", and
after some preliminary sentences, goes on to say:
' ' We have had seventeen men wounded, and nine
killed. The Captain was killed June 3rd, at the

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 301
battle of Cold Harbor, or Green Oaks. Corporal
Henry B. Rose, of Livermore, was killed June 1st,
while on picket. Private George A. Cole, of Lisbon,
was killed May 12th, at the taattle of Spottsylvania.
Maynard G. Davis, of Lewiston, was killed May 12th.
George A. Hodgdon, of Lewiston, was wounded at
the same place, and died June 12th, I think. Ben
jamin B. Larrataee, of Lewiston, was killed at the
taattle of Cold Harbor, June 3rd. , Sewall G. Darling,
of Lewiston, was wounded May 12th, and died May
26th. Albert Small, of Lewiston or Lisbon, — am not
certain which, — was wounded May 12th, and died
May 14th. Hiram S. Titataitts was wounded May 18th,
and died the same day, I think. Lieutenant C. B.
Rounds, wounded in the arm. May 12th; sergeant
Arnold, wounded in the, leg. May 18th; corporal
William H. Nevens, in the shoulder, June 3rd; cor
poral Frederick H. Nevens, wounded in tbe knee, May
12th; corporal Roger A. Foss, wounded in the head,
May 12th, arid we hear that he is at home in Maine.
John M. Atataott, wounded in the arm, I think. May
12th, and at horae in Jay, Me. Charles S. Dyer, of
Chesterfield, wounded May 18th, in the head and
mouth. Daniel Y. Harlow, wounded May 12th, now
at home in Turner, Me. John Joyce, wounded May
12th, in the hand. Timothy Kennedy, wounded
June 3rd, in the finger, while helping to carry the
captain off from the taattle field. William Lewis,
reported wounded; Michael McCarthy, wounded
in the finger, June 3rd; Altaion K. P. Marston,
wounded June 6th, near Cold Harbor, Va. , while on
picket, in the left arm. Elias A. Morse, wounded June
l7th, near Peterstaurg; Charles Morse, ;! wounded
June 9th, near Cold Hartaor, — taoth of Livermore ; —

302 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Augustus Smith, wounded June 21st, in the head,
— from Lisbon, — and Charles E. Thompson, wounded
May 18th.
"We have ataout twenty-five men sick in the
different hospitals in the United States. Alvah"
(referring to Alvah N. Ham,) "went to the hospital
sick with the diarrhoea June 29th. I have not heard
from him since, and it is impossitale for me to go and
see him. I expect that he is at City Point. Alvah is
not tough enough for this work; any one has got to tae
made of iron. We have three men that have taeen
missing for some time. They are corporal Walter S.
Hodges, Leonard G. Dingley, and Henry M. Lord, all
of Lewiston. Warren C. Knowles of New Portland,
we have heard, was in hospital in Rhode Island.
' ' I will now give you our Roll of Honor, or the
numtaer of men that we have for duty to-day: — First
sergeant John M. Jackson, who has command of the
company; fourth sergeant John L. Ham, acting first
sergeant; flfth sergeant Charles E. Cole; corporal
William H. Mace, privates Lora H. Collins, Charles F.
Cummings, Charles H. Goodwin, (cook), Hetaron
Norton, Joseph C. Norris, Luther N. Smith, Francis
E. Salstaury, Hiram R. Thorapson, Andrew J. Bryant,
and Solomon Anderson ".

MILTON H. STEVENS.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 303
Btograpl^tcal SkctcI^.

MILTON H. STEVENS.
Milton H. Stevens was born at Springvale, York County,
Maine, on June 12, 1845. He enlisted in Co. F, Thirty-
Second Regiment Maine Infantry Volunteers, at Kittery,
Me., on February 29, 1864, being then a few months more
than eighteen years of age. He left Maine for the front,
with the first six companies, on April 20, 1864. And from
that time up to nearly the end of July, he participated with
them in all the severe service which they encountered. Dur
ing the time, he was never obliged to report at sick-call, and
passed through the several b.attles in which the command was
engaged, without receiving any wound. At the battle of
Cold Harbor, on June 3rd, he narrowly escaped injury, how
ever, as one bullet passed through the top of his cap, and
another cut a lock of hair from over his left ear, while a third
passed through his blouse, under the left arm. None of these
missiles inflicted any wound, although they came unpleasantly
close. During the latter part of July, 1864, he was detailed
for duty at brigade headquarters, in the commissary depart
ment. At the consolidation of the two regiments, on Deceraber
12, 1864, he was transferred to Co. F., Thirty-First Maine,
and continued in the service until the war ended. Although
detailed at brigade headquarters, he Avas constantly near and
with the regiment, and was in the ranks at Burkeville Junc
tion, when Lee surrendered, on April 9, 1865. Soon after
the surrender, the brigade carae back to Alexandria, Va., and
Avent into carap there. At this tirae comrade Stevens was fill
ing the position of Issuing Clerk of the Brigade Commissary
of the Second Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Army Corps.
Late in May, 1865, he also assumed the duties of Sales Clerk

304 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH
and Receiving Clerk, in addition to those of his former posi
tion. This, was owing to the fact that the time of the men
performing those duties had expired, and they had been
mustered out. In June, 1865, comrade Stevens came home
on a furlough of nineteen days, returning to duty about July
1st. And tbis period of nineteen days was the only interval
during his service when he was not in close touch with the
regiment. He had suffered from a very severe attack of
jaundice and stomach trouble, in July and August, 1864,
after his being detailed into the commissary department, but
had refused to go to the hospital. Soon after his return from
furlough, he was mustered out, on July 15, 1865, near
Alexandria, Va., by reason of general orders from the War
Department, and returned to Maine with the regiment, and
was with it until it finally disbanded at Bangor, Me.
Comrade Stevens has resided in Waltham, Mass., since
1870, and for the past seventeen years has been overseer of a
department in the factory of the American Watch Co. He is
married, and has four children, the eldest being 24, and the
youngest 10. In spite of the fact that the disease incurred in
1864 has been his constant attendant ever since, with varying
degrees of severity, comrade Stevens has led a strenuous and
active life. He has been closely identified with the affairs of
his adopted city for many years, having served two years as
Alderman, three years as member of the Board of Education,
three years as Park Commissioner, and four years as member
of the Board of Health. He has long been connected with the
Grand Army of the Republic, having been a raeraber of the
order since 1867. He has been six times Commander of his
Post, has held various offices in the Department of Massachu
setts, and served as aide-de-camp on the staff of the Com
mander-in-Chief in 1900 and 1901.

CHAPTER XVIII.

In Feont of Peteesbueg in July. — Confedeeate
Attack upon the Fiest Division. — Moetae Bat-
TEEIES AND SlEGE-GuNS IN OPEEATION.  ThE
Second Coeps Noeth of the James. — Its
Retuen to the Teenches. — List of
Casualties.

On Friday, the 1st day of July, there was no
event of importance in the lines of the Union army
taefore Peterstaurg, during the long hours of daylight.
The usual monotonous employments of the siege
proceeded in comparative quietness, which was broken
only tay "©ccasional picket-firing, and the ordinary
amount of cannonading. Allusion has already been
made to the especial hatred which the Confederates
appeared to entertain toward the Ninth Corps taecause
of the presence of a division of negro troops in its lirie.
This animosity by no means lessened in intensity as
time passed, and however little firing there raight be
in other portions of the front, along the line of our
corps the skirmishing taetween the pickets was almost
incessant, at all times.
On the night of July 1st, however, at about ten
o'clock, a much heavier musketry fire than usual
suddenly broke out from the enemy in our front, and
rapidly grew in volume. Presently the wild yells of

306 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
a charging column rose upon the night air, and a
Confederate force dashed upon the lines of our First
division. Mention has been made of the attack on
the 29th of June, made against an earth-work which
General Ledlie was engaged in erecting. This same
work was the otajective point against which this night-
assault was directed. Being intended for the recep
tion of heavy siege-guns, the enemy had viewed its
construction with much misgiving, and had used
every means in their power to annoy the working-
parties engaged upon it. Their sharpshooters had
kept up an almost constant fire upon the men em
ployed in erecting it, and many of the First division
had been killed or wounded while laboring for its
completion. Several times previously, the enemy had
opened a severe artillery fire upon the unfinished
work, and subjected it to a vigorous shelling. In
spite of all their efforts, however, the work had gone
on, and although the guns had not yet been put in
position, it was nearly completed.
The eneray, therefore, determined to make one
last attempt to wrest it frora the Federal hands tay a
sudden desperate assault. Flanking taatteries, how
ever, commanded the position, and after a severe taut
tarief contest the atterapt was relinquished, and the
Confederates were driven taack to their works, having
sustained a consideratale loss. They were somewhat
unwilling to ataandon the struggle, and though no
further charge was attempted, a considerably heavy
fire was kept up nearly all through the night. The
next day, Saturday, July 2nd, was comparatively
quiet, all along the lines, and ataout the only incident
of note was a sharp artillery fire opened tay the enemy'
about three o'clock in the afternoon upon the line of

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

307

the Eighteenth Corps. To this the batteries in Gen
eral Smith's front vigorously responded, and a tarisk
artillery duel was kept up for about two hours, but
without any result of importance. Sunday, July 3rd,
was another day unmarked by the occurrence of any
event of general consequence, though^ there was the
usual amount of musketry and artillery firing.
The next day, Monday, July 4th, being the anni
versary of the Declaration of Independence, appropriate
notice was taken by the Union troops, the military
bands playing National melodies, at various points
in the line. One especial feature of the obserA^ance of
the day was the firing of a National salute of thirty-
four shots from a thirty-pound Parrott gun from Gen
eral Smith's front. This was followed tay a general
opening of the artillery along the line, and for a
while, a tarisk fire of shells was kept up, with the
spires of the city as targets.
Tuesday and Wednesday, the 5th and 6th of July,
were uneventful days, and except for the skirmishing
which was a regular accompaniment of every day,
there was little to mark them as taeing spent in the
face of the enemy. Upon the next day, however,
July 7th, a taattery of heavy guns in front of the Fifth
Corps opened fire on a working party of the enemy
who were erecting new fortifications. The artiljery
of the Confederates replied, and a general cannon
ading was tarought on. The sharpshooters on both
sides joined in, and for a while there was a pretty
lively artillery and musketry fire, which gradually
died away without any especial effect.
On Friday morning, the 8th, before daybreak,
the enemy began a fusillade, without apparent cause,
which did not, however, continue very long. The

308 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
day passed in comparative quiet until ataout four
o'clock in the afternoon, when the Confederates sud
denly fired a heavy volley against the left of the
Eighteenth jCorps, and with their customary yell,
advanced rapidly upon the Federal works. The
musketry grew furious, and for a little time, a general
engagement seemed imminent, taut in a short while,
the enemy were repulsed, without even having
succeeded in reaching the Union entrenchments.
Meanwhile, the artillery all along the front of the
Eighteenth, the Ninth and the Fifth Corps, or the en
tire right wing of the army, opened with shot and
shell upon the Confederate column of assault, and as
well the works around the city, and the city itself.
The affair was not of very long duration, as the
cannonading was all over tay the time it taecame dark,
and the actual loss was not very large on either side.
The eneray suffered most, however, as they were the
attacking party, and unsheltered in their advance,
while our forces were protected by their entrench
ments. For the next ten days, there was no especially
noticeable activity manifested by either of the com
taatants, and the time passed without affording any
incidents requiring mention here. The men of the
Federal army, already worn down and exhausted tay
the severe marching and fighting of the earlier part
of the campaign, and fatigued tay the more recent
lataor of digging trenches and erecting fortifications,
were not unwilling to remain under cover as much as
possitale. The weather continued to tae extremely hot
and dry, and the sultriness of the atmosphere made
all ordinary exertion almost intoleratale. Still work
went on in the trenches, however, in ^spite of the

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

309

scorching sun, and new entrenchments were thrown
up, and powerful taatteries placed in position at
various points along the line. There were occasional
reconnoissances, and the ordinary amount of skir
mishing, while the artillery and mortar taatteries
were kept more or less constantly in activity. Thus
the time went on, somewhat monotonously, it is true,
taut the interval of comparative rest was by no means
unwelcoine. On Monday, July 18th, a huge thirteen - inch
mortar, which had just been placed in position in
front of General Smith's position, opened fire on the
works of the enemy, and during all of the next day,
there was nearly continuous artillery firing along the
front of the Eighteenth and Ninth Corps. But
the troops on both sides were so well protected by
their earth-works, that even the heaviest artillery
could infiict but little damage. Sheltered tay their
bomta-proofs and traverses, the men were in com
parative safety even in the midst of the severest
shelling. But the city itself suffered considerataly
frora the Federal taomtaardment, which proved destruc
tive to its tauildings. Much more memoratale than the
bombardment of the 19th, however, was the welcome
and long-expected rain, which began to fall on that
day in copious quantity. Allusion has several times
taeen made to the long continued and extreme heat
and dryness which had taeen so marked a feature of
the season up to this time. One authority says the
drought had continued for not less than forty-seven
days,* and it is certain that no rain of any conse
quence had fallen since the army left the neightaor
hood of Spottsylvania Court House, except on the 2nd
* Humphreys: — "Virginia Campaign", p. 243.

310 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
of June. On Tuesday, the 19th, however, it taegan to
rain early in the morning, and 'throughout the day
and into the night, the cheering, invigorating drops
continued to fall upon the parched earth. The effect
upon the troops was taeneficial, and the men were glad
to tae rid of the discomfort of the burning sun, which
had scorched them so pitilessly for so many days.
The annoyance of the dust, too, Avas materially
alleviated for the time, as the rain was sufficient to
thoroughly penetrate the heaps, which under the
tread of so many feet, had become ankle-deep in the
camps, and on the road-ways.
On Wednesday, the 20th, the discharge of the
thirteen-inch mortar in front of the Eighteenth Corps
was replied to tay the enemy with a concentrated
artillery fire. This was responded to, on our part, tay
a general cannonade, in which thirty-pound Parrott
guns and eight-inch mortars mingled their deep notes
with the lighter pieces of the field taatteries. This
heavy firing lasted from ataout ten o'clock A. M. till
after two P. M. , or for some four hours, taut nothing
of importance was accomplished tay the expenditure of
all this ammunition. Thursday and Friday were not
marked* tay any especially noteworthy events, and on
Saturday, the 23rd, the only important incident was a
particularly heavy artillery fire in the front of the
Eighteenth Corps, which taroke out toward evening.
General Smith had been relieved from'the command
of this corps a day or two taefore, and General Ord,
formerly of the Eighth Corps, was now its com
mander. The artillery practice of Saturday evening
was without especial result, taut the firing was kept
up until quite a late hour, and the heavy detonations
of the mortars disturtaed the stillness of the summer
night.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 311
On the following day, Sunday, the 24th, there
was little of Sabtaath stillness or peacef ulness, taut
even more than the usual amount of activity was
manifested along the line. Especially was this the
case in front of the Ninth Corps, where sharp picket
firing and shelling were kept up throughout the day.
In the afternoon, a shell thrown from one of our guns
exploded one of the enemy's caissons, and disataled a
consideratale numtaer of men. Shortly afterward a
shell from a Confederate taattery taurst in the head
quarters of the Fifty-Seventh Massachusetts, of the
First tarigade of our First division, severely wounding
a numtaer of its officers. Though the firing continued
all day, the casualties among the Federal troops were
small, not raor.e than twenty or thirty in all.
On Monday, the 25th, there was renewed cannon
ading, and in the course of the day, another explosion
was occasioned in the enemy's works by the fire of our
artillery. Tuesday, the 26th, was another noisy day,
the picket firing along the front of the Ninth Corps
being even more heavy and continuous than usual.
In the afternoon, the artillery opened fire, and from
about dark until after midnight, a very heavy cannon
ading prevailed all along the line of the right, and
right center. And for the greater part of the time,
while this continued, there was also a rapid fire of
musketry maintained by the skirmishers. No general
engagement ensued, however, nor was there any very
serious loss occasioned upon either side.
Some changes in the forraation of the troops were
contemplated tay the Lieutenant-General, and in
accordance with his plans, the Second Corps left its
position on the extreme left of our line, in the after
noon of the 26th, and marched in the direction of

312 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
City Point. A rapid movement tarought the corps
to the taanks of the James river at two o'clock in the
morning of the 27th, and soon afterward it crossed on
pontoons, which had taeen covered with grass and
hay, to prevent noise. During the day — 27th — the
Second Corps, together with other troops, had more
or less tarisk skirmishing with a Confederate force
under General Kershaw, but the entire loss in the
day's operation was taut little more than a hundred
men. On Thursday and Friday, the 28th and 29th,
the troops north of the James continued to demon
strate toward the enemy's position, and Sheridan's
cavalry had a somewhat serious collision with a Con
federate force on the 28th, in which the Federal loss
amounted to ataout two hundred and fifty.
Meanwhile, in the lines taefore Petersburg, during
these two or three days, there had taeen no diminution
or slackening of the fire of artillery and musketry.
Indeed, the firing had increased rather than dimin
ished in intensity, especially on the right, and along
the line of the Ninth Corps. On the evening of the
28th, the firing was especially severe, and a consid
eratale confiagration was occasioned in Peterstaurg by
the taursting shells. Consideratale loss had taeen
caused to both sides, mainly by the explosion of
shells, in the direction of which the gunners had now
taecome extremely accurate. The mortar-shells were
those most dreaded tay the men. The light field-
pieces, and even the siege-guns, were not regarded as
very dangerous, since their missiles were thrown
point-talank, or at only a moderate angle of elevation,
and, lying close taehind the tareastworks, the men felt
comparatively safe from their effect. But the huge
mortars, throwing their ponderous shells high up into

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 313
the air almost perpendicularly, until a certain altitude
was attained, when they turned and descended into
our lines, far taeyond the tareastworks, were far more
terrifying, and produced much more disastrous
results. The enormous missiles whizzed and screeched
through the air, and when they reached the ground in
their descent, their explosion threw up clouds of dust
and showers of sand, tearing great holes in the earth,
and scattering fragments in every direction. At such
times, the shelter of the taomta-proofs was speedily
sought tay every man who could possitaly reach them.
But it frequently happened that the bursting of these
huge shells killed or injured a numtaer of men, whom
the requirements of duty compelled to expose them
selves outside the places of safety. And, as has just
taeen said, the firing during the last few days of July,
had increased in severity, especially along the lines of
the Ninth Corps.
An important undertaking, from the result of
which it was hoped the Union forces would reap much
taenefit, was approaching completion, and in order to
render its success more certain, it was desirable that
the enemy should not suspect what was going on.
To prevent the Confederates from obtaining any
knowledge of the matter, therefore, an incessant
skirmishing and shelling was maintained along our
front, even when the rest of the line was enjoying
comparative quiet and peace. This undertaking, it
will be understood, was the famous mine, which the
Ninth Corps constructed, and the explosion of which,
on the memoratale 30th of July, willtae rememtaered
while life lasts tay every man who was present on that
disastrous day. Of the construction of the mine,
more will tae said in detail in the following pages, taut

314 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
taefore going on to speak of that, let us complete the
narrative of the days immediately preceding the
explosion. The movement of the Second Corps to the
northern taank of the James,. as previously mentioned,
had taeen made in pursuance of a plan of General
Grant's, tay which he designed to add to the chances
of success, when the time should come to spring the
mine, and commence the assault which was to follow
the explosion. In order to induce General Lee to
remove as large a numtaer of the Confederate troops
as possitale from the defences of Peterstaurg, the
Union leader made a feint of moving upon Richmond,
or at least, of transferring active operations to the
vicinity of that city. A division of the Tenth Corps
had for a considerable time held the extreme right of
the Federal position, at Deep Bottom, which was so
situated as to afford a convenient taase for an advance
upon Richmond, tay three parallel roads. This point
was, therefore, selected as that from which the pro
posed feint in that direction should tae made. A
tarigade of the Nineteenth Corps, — comprising among
the regiments of which it was made up, our Thirtieth
Maine, — crossed the James at Strawtaerry Plains, as
early as the 23rd of July, and the Second Corps, as we
have seen, crossed five days later, and skirmished
sharply with the Confederates.
The movements in this direction finally excited
the suspicions of the enemy, precisely as General
Grant had desired. Impressed with the idea that an
attack upon Richmond was contemplated, General
Lee hurriedly transferred a large proportion of the
Confederate forces from the lines of Peterstaurg to
the north side of the James. Thus the defensive

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 315
works in our front were depleted of a large portion of
their garrison, temporarily, as General Grant had
hoped would tae the case. Having accomplished his
purpose so far, the troops which had taeen demon
strating toward Richmond, were now gradually drawn
off from their position north of the James. As early
as the night of the 28th, General Mott's division of
the Second Corps recrossed the river, with great
secrecy, and made a hurried and fatiguing forced
march taack to the lines in the front of Peterstaurg,
where they arrived at daylight of the 29th. And,
after nightfall on the 29th, the other divisions of the
Second Corps, together with all the cavalry, also
recrossed, and marched all night, reaching the lines
taefore Peterstaurg taefore the morning of the 30th.
Everything was now in readiness for the contemplated
assault upon the enemy's position, which it was
designed to make at the instant of the explosion of
the mine. This was expected to take place early
on the morning of the 30th, the time fixed for igniting'
the fuses taeing half -past three o'clock A. M.
But taefore going on to speak in detail of the
mine, and the events following its taeing fired, let us
first glance at the casualties sustained in our own
regiment during the period taetween the 1st of July
and the 29th. Allusion has already taeen made in
preceding pages to the almost incessant skirmishing
kept up taetween our pickets and the enemy, and the
frequent outtareaks of artillery fire from the Confed
erate lines. As a result of our exposure to this
continuous shelling and sharpshooting, more or less
casualties occurred from day to day, and a consid
eratale numtaer of our men were killed or wounded
during the month. And the diary of Adjutant Hayes

316 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
contains numerous entries in July like the following:
' ' We had one man wounded last night, and one this
morning", and again the next day, he writes: "A few
minutes ago, one raan was shot through the taody, and
still later, another through the head, taoth killed
instantly ".
The list of losses from day to day, from July Ist
to the 29th, is as follows: — Private Orrin Hatch,
Company E, wounded, July 1st; Private Simeon
Morgan, Company B, wounded in tareast, slightly,
July 2nd; Privates Walter C. Bradeen, Company F,
and Charles Edmonds, Company H, killed, July 3rd;
Sergeant Samuel Lord, Company I, wounded in hand,
and Private Orestes Ranger, Company E, wounded
in face, July 7th; Sergeant Giltaert L. Fiske, Company
B, killed, July 10th; Private Joseph Richardson, Com
pany B, wounded in tareast, July 14th; and Private
Cecil G. Chesley, Company E, wounded in knee, and
Corporal George W. Stevens, Company K, wounded
in leg, July 15th; Private Alfred M. Lang, Company
A, right hand torn off tay shell, July 16th; Private
John Maley, Company C, wounded in head and foot,
July 18th; Private Samuel Jabot, Company I, wounded
in left hip, July 19th; Lieutenant Stephen G. Dorman,
Company K, contusion of hip and leg, tay shell;
Sergeant Fernando R. Gould, Company E, wounded
in thigh; Private John G. Towle, Company E, in
taack, arm and leg; Corporal Williara H. Mace, Com
pany D, leg torn off ataove knee; Privates Michael
Gillen, Company F, wounded in leg; Elijah Litatay,
Company K, wounded; and Joseph A. Hotatas, Com
pany K, wounded in left side, all on July 22nd.
Privates Sylvester Manson, Company F, wounded in
leg; and Abner R. Phelps, Company C, wounded

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT

317

In face, July 24th; Private Benjamin F. Curtis, Com
pany F, wounded in neck, July 25th; and Corporal
Hosea Q. Buzzell, Company A, killed July 26th.
The aggregate loss was twenty-four, two non
commissioned officers and two privates being killed,
and one commissioned officer, four non-commissioned
officers, and fifteen privates wounded. Of the
wounded, several of those most severely injured died
within a few days. Private Ranger's death occurred
July 20th ; Corporal Mace and Private Gillen died on
the 23rd, and Sergeant Gould the 24th, and Private
Chesley on the 29th of July. Lieutenant Dorman
was discharged by special order on August 24th.
Private Manson sustained an _ amputation, and was
finally discharged in May, 1865, as was also Private
Towle. Private Lang was discharged in December,
1864, and Richardson in October, and it would appear
that all, or nearly all the others, returned to duty
after a longer or shorter absence.
In closing this chapter, it may tae of interest to
quote tariefiy from the diary of Adjutant Hayes as
to incidents occurring dilring this month. It will tae
rememtaered that the regiment was alternately on duty
in the trenches on the picket line for forty-eight hours,
and then when relieved, retired to a piece of woods
several acres in extent, some half-a-mile or more to the
rear, to rest there for an equal length of time. On
July 1st, Adjutant Hayes wrote:
"Still in the woods; shall protaataly go into the
trenches again to-night. * ^ * Heavy firing on our
right, and a few shells and taalls thrown into these
woods constituted the programme for yesterday".
And on the next day he said, ' ' Now in the trenches
again in a new place, ataout half-a-mile in' front of our

318 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
old place. I am now sitting on the track of the
Norfolk and Peterstaurg railroad, and taehind me is a
breastwork of sand-bags, railroad iron and sleepers ".
The entry for July 4th reads, ' ' Were relieved last
night, and are passing the day in the woods". On
the 10th he writes, "The regiment went into trenches
again last night. One of the sergeants of Company B
was just tarought in, dead — shot through the head.
He makes one hundred killed and wounded since I
came out, May 25th ".
Under date of the 14th he says, ' ' Left woods at
ten o'clock last night, and are now in the trenches
w^here we have lost so raany men. Every one who
shows himself is shot at.
"The siege proper commenced to-day, and our
Generals are called Corps Comraanders no longer,
taut Generals of the Trenches ".
About this time, as has taeen previously men
tioned, the troops were very busily engaged in the
erection of additional fortifications, and frequent
allusions are made tay Adjutant Hayes to a fort which
was taeing tauilt tay our regiment. On July 16th he
writes, ' ' Our regiment still at work on fort. We have
been at it two nights and a day, and taegun on the
second day. * * * * As a relief of ours was returning
from the fort a few minutes ago, a shell came amongst
them, tearing off the right hand of a Kittery taoy, and
striking two others upon the head, taut not injuring
thera much. It then exploded, doing no other
harm". Again, oh the 19th,. he says, "Our regiment
has taeen at work day and night on the fort, which is
nearly completed".
On the 20th and 21st, the diary shows that there
were taattalion drills, possitaly to relieve the fatigue

fm^

LIEUTENANT STEPHEN G. DORMAN.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 319
induced tay the lataor on the fortification. On the
22nd and 23rd, the regiment was again in the trenches,
and as will tae seen tay reference to the preceding list
of casualties, had seven men more or less seriously
Avounded on the former date, taut lost none on the
23rd. On the 24th the regiment was once raore in
the woods at the rear, and in this place of com
parative safety, two men were wounded. On the 29th,
the entry in the diary records that Lieutenant Burr
of Company C, who had only rejoined on the 22nd,
Avas again compelled to go taack to the hospital, on
account of his old wound, and. that Surgeon Trafton
was sick, and had applied for leave of atasence.

3iograpI^tcaI Sketches.

LIEUTENANT STEPHEN G. DORMAN.
Stephen Greenleaf Dorman was born in Sanford, Maine,
March 31, 1835. He was the son of Deacon Stephen and
Mary (Buzzell) Dorman, and until arriving at maturity, his
life was passed in his native town, and in Kennebunkport.
He entered the military seryice in 1864, having been
mustered as First Lieutenant of Co. K,. Thirty-Second Maine
Infantry Volunteers, on May 6, of that year. He left the
State with the second battalion, on May 11th, and joined the
regiment at the Nortli Anna river. Participating with the
command in its service up to the investment of Petersburg, he
was wounded in the trenches in front of that city, July 22,
1864. A shell frora the enemy's lines burst among a group of
our men, injuring a number severely, one man having his leg
torn off above the -knee. Lieutenant Dorman was knocked
down, and injured in the thigh and hip, and was discharged
by special order, August 24, 1864.

320 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
After his return to civil life, he carried on an extensive
business in fruit and fiour brokerage, first in Portland, and
later in Boston, and established a large trade with the west.
In later years he devoted his attention chiefly to selling
canned goods and acting as a coraraission merchant. He had
varied interests in California, and spent his winters in that
climate. He died suddenly, from heart failure, while sitting
in his office in Boston, on October 26, 1898. He was a man
of strict and unwavering integrity, careful in his business en
terprise, and respected and esteemed by his associates. He
was of scholarly attainments, and possessed literary abilities
above the average. He Avas a member of the Masonic
fraternity, and past master of Saco lodge. He left a widow,
who was Miss Abbie Gooch of Kennebunkport, Me., and also
one child, a daughter.

LIEUTENANT FRED S. GURNEY.
Only a brief and in many respects unsatisfactory sketch
can be given of this gallant young officer, from the scanty
data which has been obtained.
It has not been possible to ascertain the place or date of
his birth, or the names of his parents. But the Adjutant-Gen
eral's Report for 1861, shows that he first entered the military
service of the United States, in the early days of the Rebel
lion, having been mustered into service June 24, 1861, as
First Lieutenant of Company C, Fifth Maine Infantry Vol
unteers. His age at enlistment is stated to be twenty-one
years, and his residence, Saco.
His service in the Fifth was of short duration, however,
as like many other officers of the regiment, he resigned soon
after the first battle of Bull Run, and was discharged August
14, 1861. One year later, in August, 1862,_he again entered the mili
tary service, at this time enlisting under the call of the Presi
dent for nine months' men, in Co. A, Twenty-Seventh Maine

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 321
Infantry Volunteers. He is remembered as a young man of
gentlemanly and quiet dignity of manners, brave without boast-
fulness, sturdy and manly. He had many friends, few or no
enemies. During his service in the Twenty-Seventh, he was
appointed sergeant, and held that rank till mustered out, in
1863. Although the regiment was in no battle, the duties it
Was required to perform in the lines of defence in front of
Washington, as far out as Chantilly, were not less difficult and
trying to discipline and soldierly qualities than active cam
paigning. And sergeant Fred Gurney was never found want
ing in the performance of any duty.
After his muster out, and return home, when the Thirty-
Second Maine was being organized, he again enlisted, and was
commissioned as First Lieutenant of Co. F, on April 5, 1864.
The campaign had but barely opened, after the entry of
this regiment upon active service, when Lieutenant Gurney was
called upon to give his life for his country. At the battle of
Spottsylvania Court House, on May 12, 1864, he was lying
on the ground with his company, under a heavy fire. Araid
the rain of rebel bullets, one struck hira in the forehead, and
penetrated his brain. One of his comrades heard the peculiar
"thud" ofthe missile as it came in contact with the skull, and,
looking round behind him, as he also lay, saw the blood and
brain oozing from the wound, heard him call once for water,
and then, life had fled. The body lay upon the field until the
next day, and was then sought out, and given burial where he
died. And perhaps it is not too much to say that no braver
man or truer patriot sleeps beneath the soil of Virginia.
He was the first commissioned officer of the Thirty-Second
Maine to be killed in battle, and brief as was his connection
with the regiment, his meraory has never ceased to be honored
among its surviving members. His name has been perpet
uated by its adoption by the Post of the Grand Army of the
Republic located in Saco, and while it is believed that no
immediate relatives now survive, he is still held in remem
brance by his comrades.

CHAPTER XIX.

Buenside's Mine. — The Inception of the Plan.
Location of the Mine. — The Obstacles En
countered. — Its Completion, and the
Plan of Assault. — General Meade's
Disapproval. — The Orders of
Battle. — The Night Be
fore THE Explosion.

Protaataly there is no incident connected with the
service of the Thirty-Second Maine, so vividly im
pressed upon the minds of its survivors, as the taloody
and disastrous struggle of the 30th of July, 1864.
The affair stands out so prominently in the recollec
tion of all who participated in that fearful contest,
that it seems proper to give it so much space in a his
tory of the regiment, as to do full justice to the mat
ter in all its details, and present the story of the mine
in all its particulars. The first conception of the mine
was formed very soon after the Union army arrived
in front of Peterstaurg. As has taeen related, several
determined attempts had been made to carry the Con
federate defences by assault. But each had failed,
and the successive storming columns had been re
pulsed with severe losses. And the feeling gained
ground among the soldiers, as Avell as among officers
high in command, that the frowning fortifications

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 323
taefore us were not to tae -captured tay a direct assault.
At this juncture, an officer of General Potter's divi
sion formed the idea of tareaching the enemy's line,
tay the explosion of a mine taeneath one of the forts.
This officer was Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Pleasants,
of the Forty-Eighth Pennsylvania regiment, in the
First tarigade of our division.
The regiment consisted largely of experienced
miners from Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, and
Lieutenant-Colonel Pleasants was himself an atale and
skilful mining engineer, taefore he taecame a soldier.
Familiar with mining operations taefore the war, he
soon came to taelieve it entirely practicatale to run a
mine under the space intervening taetween the lines of
the Ninth Corps, and the position of the enemy.
Opposite the salient which it will tae rememtaered the
Third division captured on the 18th of June, the
enemy had sutasequently constructed a strong re
doubt. This work was a few hundred yards below
the crest of "Cemetery HiU", as it was called. In
the rear of the redoubt, and running back to the hill
at ataout a right angle with the Confederate line,
there was a considerable ridge. The position ap
peared to tae one which would tae valiiatale to us, if we
could gain possession of it. If carried tay an assault,
it was taelieved that from this point we should tae atale
to compel the enemy to ataandon a large part, if not
all, of his line. The distance which it would tae
necessary to mine, in order to explode the magazine
directly taeneath the redoutat, was taut little more than
five hundred feet.
Having considered the matter, and decided upon
its feasitaility, Lieutenant-Colonel Pleasants carried
his plan to General Potter, and sutamitted it to his

324 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
judgment. Upon the 24th of June, General Potter,
in his turn, presented the scheme to the consideration
of General Burnside, who after some deliberation,
approved it, and gave directions that the work should
be undertaken. Information was given General
Meade as to the proposed operation, but the scheme
did not meet with very hearty approval from him, or
from the gentlemen^ of his staff. Major Duane, Chief
of Engineers, expressed a decidedly unfavorable
opinion of the contemplated undertaking, and was
somewhat doutatful as to its practicataility. Yet, not
withstanding this lack of taelief in its success. General
Meade did not refuse his official sanction of the plan.
And, though apparently with some reluctance, he
authorized the continuance of the work.
The construction of the mine was entrusted to
the men of the Forty-Eighth Pennsylvania, under the
superintendence of Lieutenant-Colonel Pleasants.
And at noon on the 25th of June, the work of excava
tion was commenced. Ground was broken in the side
of a ravine in the rear of an earth- work at our front,
and opposite the redoutat of the enemy. The most
careful precautions were otaserved to prevent any
suspicion of what was going on from arising in
the mind of the enemy. As the work progressed,
the earth which was excavated was brought out of
the gallery in cracker boxes, and disposed of with
great care. The quantity of earth thus handled, was,
of course, very Targe, the whole amount of material
excavated being estimated at eighteen thousand cubic
feet. Had this taeen permitted to accumulate in
heaps at the mouth of the gallery, the watchful eyes
of the enemy in so close proximity would have de
tected that something unusual was going on. To

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 325
avoid this, the earth was distritauted on the works in
such quantities as to appear to have taeen naturally
thrown up in digging the trenches. The main gallery
of the mine was ataout four feet wide at the taottom,
and ataout four and a half feet in height. As the
sides rose, they were sloped toward each other some
what, so that the space taetween them was narrower at
the top of the gallery than at the taottom.
Many difficulties taeset the undertaking, and, at
times, it seemed as if these would prove insurmount-
atale. But Colonel Pleasants, and his hardy miners
lataored on, undaunted tay the otastacles which they
encountered. Perhaps the lack of interest evinced
tay the commanding general of the Army of the Poto
mac, and other leading officers, was the most disheart
ening' of all the experiences of the gallant projector of
the scheme. It appears that he received no encour
agement in his work from any general officers except
Generals Burnside and Potter. But on the other
hand, there was a consideratale spirit of derision mani
fested, and a disinclination to afford the assistance
which he might reasonataly haA^e expected to receive.
For instance, a theodolite could not tae otatained until
General Burnside sent to Washington for one, al
though there was a good instrument at General
Meade's headquarters. *
The mechanical difficulties encountered in the
progress of the work, were tay no means trifling or
easily overcome. The ground through which the gal
lery was run proved to tae, in some places, very wet
and difficult to work. A quicksand was found to
exist in one portion of the extent, and the timbers of
the gallery 8:ave way, and nearly closed the tunnel.
* Woodbury — "Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps ", p. 423.

326 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Again, a stratum of marl was encountered, which
proved very difficult to excavate, and caused the men
engaged in the work, much troutale. The ground
gradually rose toward the Confederate redoutat, and
in order not to go too deeply under it, it taecame
requisite to slope the gallery upward also. The taot
tom of the tunnel was an inclined plane rising thir
teen and a half feet in a hundred. To prevent acci
dents, and keep the top of the gallery from falling,
taraces and props of timtaer were employed. These
were cut and prepared taefore taeing carried into the
mine, and were placed in position as needed there, by
hand alone, to avoid the possibility of the noise of
tools taeing heard tay the enemy.
The mine was, at all times, exceedingly damp,
and the air in such a confined space was, of course,
close and oppressive. In order to improve the ventila
tion of the gallery as much as possible, a shaft was
sunk to the side of the tunnel, at the taottom of which
a fireplace was tauilt, with an opening into the mine.
Here a flre was kept constantly taurning, and tay this
means a current of air was created, which in some
measure relieved the oppressiveness of the atmos
phere. But in the intense sultriness of the weather
during the time the mine was taeing constructed, it
was tay no means an easy task to labor in the close,
dark, hot tunnel, even for a short time. The
smoke rising from the fire at the bottom of the
shaft, which has just taeen mentioned, could not be
hidden from the enemy's observation, of course. But
in order to divert attention from it, other fires were
maintained in various parts of the line. And thus no
particular suspicion was excited, as would have taeen
the case had the enemy otaserved a single column of

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 327
smoke constantly arising from one point, day after
day, during the time the mine was being run.
In the teeth of all the difficulties and hindrances
which have taeen named, Colonel Pleasants and the
men of the Forty-Eighth Pennsylvania continued to
work with the utmost energy. And so persevering
were their efforts, that tay the 23rd of July, they had
constructed a main gallery or tunnel five hundred
and ten and eight-tenths feet in length, with two
wing or lateral galleries at the end underneath the
Confederate work. One of these wings was thirty-
seven and the other thirty-eight feet long. As con
templated tay General Burnside's plan, these lateral
galleries were for the reception of the magazines, of
which there were to tae four in each gallery. The
magazines were to tae placed, two upon each side of the
chamtaer, and to contain somewhere ataout half-a-ton
of gun-powder in each.
The original design was that these magazines
should tae connected with each other tay troughs of
powder, and that two wires, and a number of fuses
should extend through the main gallery to the
entrance of the mine. The fuses were to tae fired in
the ordinary manner, " when the mine was completed,
and the wires were intended to transmit an electric
spark, so as tb insure, by one means or the other, an
explosion of the magazines. But at this point there
occurred a most unfortunate omission, which threat
ened to result in the complete failure of the whole
affair. No wires at all were furnished, as had been
expected, and the fuses supplied were far from being
satisfactory. Instead of being of sufficient length to
extend through the five hundred feet of space in the
main gallery, as was desired, the fuses were in parts

328 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
and pieces, some of them not Inore than ten feet long.
The only material that could tae otatained to splice
these short pieces together, was strips cut from old
talankets, although requisition had taeen seasonataly
made upon the proper officers for all needful supplies.
Despite these drawtaacks, the work went on, and
on the 27th of July, the magazines were charged with
ataout four tons of powder, and carefully "tamped",
or packed with sand-taags and wood. The final
arrangements were made on this and the following
day, the work being completed at six o'clock on the
afternoon of the 28th. The magazines, with their
immense charge of eight thousand pounds of powder,
were exactly underneath the enemy's redoutat, and
only ataout twenty feet of earth intervened between.
the roof of the chambers, and the surface of the
ground. The men laboring below were atale to hear
the enemy above their heads, as they performed their
daily drill, and went about their customary work.
The suspicion of the Confederates had been excited
before the completion of the undertaking, though
they were in doutat as to the position of the Federal
raine. They believed it to be somewhere in the
vicinity of its actual location, however, and had
already taegun to countermine, though their work had
not progressed very far when ours reached completion.
The plan of assault which was formed tay the
Federal commanders was, in general terms, to explode
the mine, and at once to open a cannonade from every
availatale gun along our front. The explosion, and
the immediate outtareak of such a heavy fire of artil
lery, were relied upon to produce consternation and
confusion araong the enemy. And, before they were
able to rally from the bewilderment and dismay, into

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 329
which it was expected they would tae thrown, a strong
storming party Avas to rush forward from our ad
vanced lines. It was supposed the talowing up of the
mine would make a gap in the Confederate works,
through which our assaulting column would tae atale
to penetrate. Once in the enemy's lines, our troops
were to endeavor to carry the crest of Cemetery Hill,
which was a strongly fortified position, and which
commanded the city of Peterstaurg itself. With this
in our possession, it was taelieved we should hold the
key of the enemy's position, and thus compel them to
evacuate their works, and even ataandon the city.
The details necessary to carrying into effect the
plan thus generally stated, were to tae under the
especial direction of General Burnside, since his corps
had dug the mine, and was to make the assault. On
mature delitaeration, and for reasons which seem to
tae weighty and conclusive, the gallant commander
of the Ninth Corps selected his Fourth, or' the colored
division, to lead the attack. General' Ferrero, its
commander, was instructed that he would have the
honor of forming the assaulting column with his
negroes, when the mine was fired. After examining
the ground, and deciding upon his methods, he com
municated to the men under his command the
intelligence that they had taeen selected to make
the attack. He also taegan to drill the division with a
special view to rendering them" familiar with the move
ments they were to execute. And for three weeks
taefore the mine was exploded, the men of the colored
division were exercised in such manoeuvres as they
were expected to employ in the assault.
Upon the 26th of July, General Meade requested
General Burnside to furnish him with a detailed

330 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
statement of his plans, and the request was at once
complied with. At the risk of some repetition of
what has already been stated, it seems desiratale
to present here some extracts from this statement.
"My plan would tae". General Burnside writes, "to
explode the mine just taefore daylight in the morning,
or at ataout five o'clock in the afternoon. Mass the
two tarigades of the colored division in rear of my first
line, in columns of divisions, — 'doutale column closed
in mass', — 'the head of each tarigade resting on the
frontline', — and as soon as the explosion has taken
place, move them forward with instructions for the
division to take half -distance. As soon as the leading
regiments of the two tarigades pass through the gap in
the enemy's line, the leading regiment of the right
brigade should come into line perpendicular to the
enemy's tay the 'right companies on the right into
line, wheel ', the ' left companies on the right into line ',
and proceed at once down the line of the enemy's
works as rapidly as possible; and the leading regi
ment of the left brigade to execute the reverse
movement to the left, moving up the enemy's line.
The remainder of the colurans to move directly
towards the crest in front as rapidly as possitale,
diverging in such a way as to enatale them to deploy
into columns of regiments, the right column making
as nearly as possitale for Cemetery Hill. These
columns to tae followed tay the other divisions of this
corps as soon as they can tae thrown in. This would
involve the necessity of relieving these divisions tay
other troops taefore the movement, and of holding
columns of other troops in readiness to take our place
on the crest in case we gain it and sweep down it. It
would, ill my opinion, tae advisatale, if we succeed in

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 331
gaining the crest, to throw the colored division right
into the town".'^'
General Burnside's choice of the Fourth division
to act as the storming party, was influenced in some
degree by the consideration that he had taeen a firm
taeliever in the capacity of negroes to taecome good
soldiers, and he now desired to prove that his belief
was well-founded. Beside this, there were other
reasons why he preferred the colored troops should be
employed in this undertaking. The white soldiers
had passed through a campaign of unexampled
severity, and were literally worn out, and exhausted
tay the continuous marching and fighting which had
taeen their lot since the opening confiict in the
Wilderness. In the graphic language of one of the
participants, the experience of the soldiers had taeen
"monotonously uniform, like our rations, — hard
tack, light marching orders and coffee for tareakfast,
skirmishing and coffee for dinner, and a pitched
taattle for supper. And the same diet was continued
day tay day for thirty-five days, except that long and
wearisome marches were, part of the time, sutastituted
for the fighting ". t
The Ninth Corps had shared to the utmost in all
this unremitting toil, and taorne its honoratale propor
tion of the perils and losses. Its Fourth division
alone, had taeen measurataly exempt from the danger
and lataor which had so long environed the remainder
of the army, and the colored soldiers were, therefore,
the freshest troops, not only in the Ninth Corps, taut
in the whole force under General Meade's command.
* A;Voodbury —" Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps", pp. 426-27.
t Lieutenant-Colonel Lyn^an E. Knapp of the Seventeenth Ver
mont.

332 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
And not only were the white troops completely worn
out physically, by the severity of their service, but
they were as well, somewhat affected in morale and
efficiency tay the tremendous losses they had sustained.
Commissioned officers of all ranks, had taeen killed or
wounded tay hundreds since the taeginning of the
campaign, and less experienced, if not less skilful,
men had succeeded to the command of divisions,
tariga^ies, regiments and companies. The white
soldiers had learned to exercise caution to such an
extent, that, as General Ferrero testified taefore the
Comraittee on Conduct of the War, "it had taecome
second nature with them to dodge^a taullet ". On the
other hand, the troops of the colored division had
taeen taut little exposed up to this time, though they
had taeen engaged in one or two sharp skirmishes, in
which they had shown a commendatale steadiness
undeir fire. Therefore, General Burnside desired to
employ these fresh and comparatively strong brigades,
upon this arduous duty rather than his exhausted
white troops, with their ranks depleted by previous
service. General Meade, however, did not agree with
General Burnside in his views, and was not Avilling to
approve the latter's plan, so far as it related to the
employment of the colored troops. Nor was he
favorably inclined towards the movement to the right
and left , contemplated tay General Burnside's design.
On Thursday, July 28th, at an interview taetween
Generals Meade and Burnside, at the headquarters of
the former, the two officers discussed the proposed
attack in all its 'details. The historian of the Ninth
Corps has descritaed this interview in such terms that,
although of consideratale length, it seems desirable to

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 333
quote here what he has said in relation to the position
taken tay the two generals.
' ' General Meade ", is Mr. Woodbury's language,
"urged that the colored troops were not so reliable
for such an assault as was contemplated, as the white
troops of the Ninth Corps. The operation was to tae a
coup de main, the assaulting column was to tae as a
forlorn hope, such as are put in breaches, and. the
assault ought to be made with the best troops.
General Burnside argued, — in accordance with what
has already been stated, — that his Avhite troops were
not in proper condition to head an attack of the kind.
They had taeen exposed for forty days to a ceaseless
fire, and had acquired the hatait of sheltering them
selves from the enemy's missiles. Moreover, they
were worn down tay excessive labor, watchings and
cares. Their officers had not expected to make an
assault, — knowing that the colored division had been
selected for that purpose, — and had not exarained the
ground. The colored troops, on the contrary, were
fresh and strong, their ranks full, their morale unex
ceptionable, and their spirits elated tay the thought of
the approaching confiict. They had taeen drilled with
especial reference to this very movement, and their
officers were conversant with all its details, the ground
to tae traversed, and the work to be done.
"General Meade could not be turned from his
purpose of changing the order of assault, but finally
agreed to submit the matter to General Grant. That
officer concurred with General Meade, having had no
opportunity of hearing the other side of the case
presented tay General Burnside. The colored troops
were ruled out, — very much to the disappointment of
themselves, their own commander, and General

334 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Burnside. The decision was made known to Gen
eral Burnside not far from noon on the 29th.
General Meade at the same time called at General
Burnside's headquarters, where he met the three
commanders of the white dlAdsions of the Ninth
Corps. On the day previous he had told General
Burnside * * * * that he did not approve the order of
the formation of the attacking column, 'taecause', as
General Burnside testifies, 'he was satisfied that we
would not tae atale, in the face of the enemy to make
the movements which were contemplated, to the
right and left; and that he was of the opinion that
the troops should move directly to the crest without
attempting these side movements '.
"On the occasion of the interview with the
division commanders, on the 29th, [General Meade
declared that 'there were two things to tae done,
namely, that we should go up promptly and take the,
crest '. General Meade seemed to have taut one plan
of action. That was to ' rush for the crest '. These
words he repeated in more than one order on the day
of taattle. ' Don't lose time in making formations ', he
said, 'but rush for the crest'. There seems to have
taeen a little discrepancy in General Meade's recollec
tion of the discussion which took place respecting
General Burnside's formation of the assaulting
column. As to General Burnside's 'tactical forma
tion', he testified before the Committee on the Conduct
of the War, ' and what he was to do with his troops, I
raade no objection. The only objection I intended to
make to his plan was to the use of the colored troops
in advance '. But before the Court of Inquiry, which
after the taattle, investigated the whole affair. General
Meade testified as follows: ' I saw Potter, Ledlie and

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 335
Willcox, and I referred in the presence of those
gentlemen to the tactical manoeuvres to tae made
taetween the crater and the crest, — that the only thing
to tae done was to rush for the crest, and take it
immediately after the explosion had taken place; and
that they might rest assured that any attempt to take
time to form their troops would result in a repulse '.
No other conclusion can be reached than that General
Meade did otaject to General Burnside's 'tactical
formation', and that the entire plan of attack, which
had been carefully prepared, was disapproved in all its
details. In this situation General Burnside and his
division commanders found themselves on the after
noon of the 29th of July ".*
Naturally, the disapproval of the plan created
much uncertainty, and gave rise to new difficulties in
the execution of the design. General Meade's deci
sion against General Burnside's proposed eraployraent
of the. negro troops, was raade known at so late a
raoraent as to leave little time to perfect new arrange
ments. It was noAV the afternoon of Friday, and the
mine was to be fired at daybreak on Saturday morn
ing. Since the division originally selected to make
the assault was not to tae permitted to do so, another
must at once tae designated to perform that duty.
Among the three, there was little ground for prefer
ring any one ataove the other two. All had seen
nearly an equal amount of severe service since the
campaign taegun. And no one of the divisions had
fallen behind the others in maintaining its reputation
for taravery and discipline. The Second and Third
divisions lay somewhat nearer the point of assault
than did the First, and could, therefore, be put into
position in less time than it would require to bring up
* Woodbury— "Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps", pp. 430-32.

336 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
that division. But, on the other hand, the men of
the First division had not taeen quite so much exposed
as those of the other two, and had not taeen required
to work quite so hard. Really there was not any par
ticular reason why one should tae designated, to the
exclusion of the others. Therefore it was proposed to
decide tay lot which should have the advance, and,
the proposal taeing accepted, the choice fell upon the
First division. General Ledlie was thereupon di
rected tay General Burnside to exaraine the ground,
and make preparations for the assault. Later, Gen
eral Ledlie reported that he had complied with this
order, and was ready to take position, as soon as night
came on, and the troops which were to relieve him
had arrived. While these arrangements were being
made, General Meade issued a taattle order, from
which the following extracts, relating more especially
to the Ninth Corps, are here presented.
"1. As soon as it is dark, Major-General Burn
side, commanding Ninth Corps, will withdraw his two
tarigades under General White,* occupying the
entrenchments between the Plank and Norfolk roads,
and bring them to his front. Care will be taken not
to interfere with the troops of the Eighteenth Corps
moving into their position in rear of the Ninth Corps.
General Burnside will forra his troops for assaulting
the enemy's works at daylight of the 30th, prepare his
parapets and abattis for the passage of the columns,
and have the pioneers equipped for work in opening
passages for artillery, destroying enemy's abattis, etc.,
and the entrenching tools distritauted for effecting
lodgements, etc. "
* Temporarily commanding Fourth division, in the absence of Gen
eral Ferrero, who was away for a few days on leave, but who returned
on the 29th.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

337

"8. At half past three in the morning of the
30th, Major-General Burnside will spring his mine,
and his assaulting columns will immediately move
rapidly upon the tareach, seize the crest in the rear,
and effect a lodgement there. He will tae followed tay
Major-General Ord, who will support hira on the
right, directing his movement to the crest indicated,
and tay Major-General Warren, who will support him
on the left".
Other paragraphs of the order related to the
movements to be made tay the commanders of the
other corps in support of the assault, and to the
duties imposed upon officers of the engineers, pon-
toniers, and artillery in co-operating with the attack
ing forces. General Burnside also issued an order, of which
the material portions were as follows :
"1. The mine will tae exploded to-morrow morn
ing, at half -past three, by Colonel Pleasants.
"2. General Ledlie will, immediately upon the
explosion of the mine, move his division forward as
directed tay verbal orders, and if possible, crown the
crest at the point known as Cemetery Hill, occupying,
if possitale, the cemetery.
"3. General Willcox will move his division for
ward as soon as possitale after General Ledlie has
passed through the first line of the enemy's works,
bearing off to the left so as to effectually protect the
left fiank of General Ledlie's coluran, and make a
lodgement, if possitale, on the Jerusalem plank road
to the left of General Ledlie's division.
"4. General Potter will move his division for
ward to the right of General Ledlie's division as soon
as it is apparent that he will not interfere with the

338 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
movements of General Willcox's division, and will, as
near as possible, protect the right flank of General
Ledlie from any attack on that quarter, and establish
a line on the crest of a ravine, which seems to run
from the Cemetery Hill nearly at right angles to the
enemy's main line directly in our front.
"5. General Ferrero will move his division im
mediately after General Willcox's until he reaches
our present advanced line, where he will remain until
the ground in his front is entirely cleared tay the other
three divisions, when he will move forward over the
same ground that General Ledlie moved over, will
pass through our line, and if possible, move down and
occupy the village to the right ".
The few remaining hours of Friday passed
rapidly, and were full of tausy preparation for the
coming struggle. Through all the Union lines, a
fierce, suppressed excitement prevailed, and there was
little opportunity for rest or sleep that summer night
for any of the thousands of Federal soldiers taehind
our entrenchments. As the darkness came, the
troops taegan their preliminary movements, and
through the hours of the night, heavy columns were
constantly in motion, converging upon the point
opposite the Confederate redoutat, so soon to tae talown
heavenward in a whirlwind of fire. The Eighteenth
Corps came up slowly to the relief of our men in the
trenches, and at about ten o'clock P. M., General
Meade grew impatient at the tardiness of General
Ord's movement^. He therefore ordered the forma
tion of the assaulting column t*o tae completed without
reference to the presence of the relieving forces, even
if the trenches were temporarily left unoccupied.
General Warren's men were astir upon our left,
concentrating upon the right of their position in

OBERUN O. STETSON.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 339
heavy masses, in readiness to support the coming
assault. General Ord Avas coming up to a position in
the rear of the Ninth Corps, from which he could
lend his aid to the attacking forces. And the Second
Corps, under "Hancock the Superb", was marching
rapidly from the northern side of the James, to
occupy the trenches frora which the Eighteenth Corps
had moved out. Far- down upon the extreme left of
the Union lines, Sheridan and his horsemen were
gaining a position from which they raight operate
against the enemy's right flank. Such was the condi
tion of affairs in the lines of the Federal army during
the night of the 29th. In those of the enemy there
was no unusual activity, taut all unconscious of the
morning of carnage' and flame so soon to tareak, Lee's
veterans slept upon their arras.

3iograp{^icaI Skctcf^cs.

OBERUN O. STETSON.
Oberun O. Stetson was born in Hartford, Oxford County,
Maine, on July 20, 1845, and resided there until he was
about ten years old, when his parents moved into Canton, in
the same county. He was brought up on a farra, and
attended the town schools, and also two or tbree terms of
high school at Canton village.
InOctober, 1861, Orren R. Stetson, father of the subject
of this sketch, enlisted in the famous First Maine Cavalry, and
served as wagoner of Company G for tiiree full years. His
father's only brother, Ephraira T. Stetson, enlisted at the
same time, and was appointed commissary sergeant, and his
father's brother-in-law, William K. Ripley, was also a

340 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
sergeant, both of these serving in the same corapany with his
father. The patriotic impulses of the Stetsons would seem
to have been inherited, as the great-grandfather of the subject
ofthis sketch, Hezekiah Stetson, who died in Sumner, Me.,
March 3, 1833, was a soldier ofthe Revolutionary war.
After the enlistment of his father in 1861, young Stetson,
with the help of his younger brother, carried on the farm un
til the winter of 1864. He then himself became a soldier,
enlisting in the Thirty-Second Maine, February 25, and
being assigned to Company B. He remained at Camp Keyes,
Augusta, Me., until late in April, when six companies, were
ordered to the front. He shared the fortunes of his company
on the trip to Washington, the march to Alexandria, to
Bristoe Station, and to the Wilderness. Up to this time he
had been very anxious to meet the rebels, having an idea that
his company could ''clean out" any regiment the Southern
Confederacy could produce. But after the first battle, he
made up his mind that there was not so much fun in soldier
ing as he had anticipated. He participated in the actions at
Spottsylvania Court House and North Anna, and arrived near
Cold Harbor, May 31st. That night he was detailed for
picket, where he remained until about eleven o'clock in the
forenoon of June 1st., when he was wounded in the left arm.
He remained for a day or two at the field hospital, when an
ambulance train was made up for White House Landing, on
the York river. His wounds by this time had grown very
sore, and the ride of eighteen miles, for the most part over
corduroy roads, was anything but pleasant.
From White House Landing he was sent by steamer to
Washington, and assigned to Mount Pleasant Hospital, where
he remained about two months. As its narae indicated, this
was a very pleasant place to be in, and he would gladly have
staid longer under the care of the skilful surgeons and kind
nurses, but soldiers have no choice in such matters. He was
transferred from there to Grant U. S. General Hospital, at

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 341
Willett's Point, Long Island, New York, from which he re
ceived a furlough some five or six weeks later, and returned
to his home in Canton.
Here he remained until about the first of January, 1865,
when he reported back to the hospital at Willett's Point.
About the first of March, 1865, he was transferred to Cony
U. S. General Hospital, on Western Avenue in Augusta, Me.,
frora which he Avas discharged June 3, 1865, on account of
wounds, and the close of the war.
After his discharge, he attended school in Canton, until
September 23, 1867, when he again enlisted, entering the
regular army, and was assigned to the Forty-Fourth United
States Infantry, a regiment made up of invalid soldiers. He
served in companies H and G, and was detailed on general
court raartial duty, connected with the War Department at
Washington, D. C, until his discharge, on March 23, 1869.
After this final discharge, he came to Augusta, Me.,
where he has resided most of the time since, and where in 1873,
he married Miss Sarah H. Haskell, of China, Me. He was
for several years connected with the publishing house of the
late E. C. Allen, and has also occupied various other positions
in and about the city where he still resides, and any comrades
of the old Thirty-Second Maine who may corae that way, will
ever find his latch-string out, at No. 8 State Street Place, near
the State House.

CORPORAL WALTER S. HODGES.
Walter Scott Hodges was born in Hallowell, Kennebec
County, Maine, on June 3, 1845, and was the son of Daniel
and Abigail (Porter) Hodges, and a grandson of Ezra
Hodges, who Avas a soldier of the Revolution. -
At the age of seventeen, the subject of this sketch en
tered the military service of the United States, enlisting in
Company A, of the Twenty-Third Maine Infantry. He was

342 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH
mustered in, at Portland, Me., September 29, 1862, and
served with the regiment until the expiration of its period of
enlistment, being mustered out July 15, 1863.
Upon the organization of the Thirty-Second Maine, he
again enlisted, and was mustered into the United States ser
vice for the second time, on March 23, 1864, as a corporal in
Company D, of that regiment. Leaving Maine Avith the first
six companies, in April, he participated in the service ren
dered by the battalion up to the action of May 18th, at
Spottsylvania. After this battle, he was reported as missing, and for a
time, his real fate was unknown by his comrades. He had
been captured by the enemy, and was held as a prisoner of
war for nearly a year. He was confined at Belle Isle, Salis
bury and Andersonville, and suflered the horrors and priva
tions of those prisons for many months. At the consolida
tion of the Thirty-First and Thirty-Second regiments, in
Deceraber, 1864, he was accounted for on the transfer rolls as
mustered out as a supernumerary non-commissioned officer.
But this record was incorrect, as he was in fact, still a
prisoner. He was finally released and exchanged, and
reached his home in Lewiston in the spring of 1865. He was
a physical wreck from the effects of starvation and ill-treat
ment while in Southern prisons. And though he lingered for
a time, his strength was too far gone to enable him to rally,
and he died on September 29, 1865, at the age of 20 years,
3 months, 26 days.
He was buried from Park St. Church, Lewiston, his
remains being given a military funeral. A soraewhat singular
fact in connection with his railitary history is, that he was
never actually mustered out or discharged from the United
States service," after his return frora prison. A raustering
officer from Augusta came to Lewiston in September, 1865, to
formally release him from the service, but reached his home
the day after his death.

CHAPTER XX.

Buenside's Mine (continued) . — In the Ceater. -
Bullets, Shell and Shrapnel on Front and
Flank. — Mahone's Chaege. — Captuee of
Many Peisonees. — Responsibility for
the Disaster. — The Committee on
Conduct of the Wae. — List of
Casualties.

At half -past two o'clock on the morning of that
fatal Saturday, July 30th, the attacking division
taegan its formation, and moved forward to the point
from which it was to pass out of our fortified lines.
And as soon as the division had reached its position,
or at ataout half-past three o'clock, the fuses were
ignited, taut another half or three-quarters of an hour
passed, and no explosion followed. Day was now
dawning, and the enemy was already taeginning to
manifest renewed activity. It was evident that the
fire had failed to reach the raagazines, and two tarave
men. Lieutenant Jacota Douty, and sergeant (after
ward Lieutenant) Henry Rees, taoth of the Forty-
Eighth Pennsylvania, volunteered to go into the
mine, re-arrange the fuses, and relight them. This
they did, finding that dampness had penetrated where
the short lengths of fuse, previously mentioned, had
b)een spliced together, and the fire had therefore gone

344 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
out. This defect having taeen remedied, the train was
again fired, this time successfully.
The historian of the Ninth Corps graphically says,
"At precisely sixteen minutes taefore five o'clock, the
mine exploded. Then ensued a scene which taeggars
description. The ground heaved and tremtaled. A
terriflc sound, like the noise of great thunders, taurst
forth upon the raorning air. Huge masses of earth,
mingled with cannon, caissons, camp equipage,- and
human taodies, were thrown up. It seemed like a
mountain reversed, enveloped in clouds of smoke,
sand and dust, upheaved tay the explosion of four tons
of. powder. A moment more, and all that was left of
a six gun taattery, and its garrison of two hundred
raen and more, was a great crater, two hundred feet
long, fifty wide and twenty-five deep, with the
detaris of the material of what had taeen one of the
strongest of the enemy's works".''''
This crater was ataout one hundred yards distant
from our advanced line of entrenchments, and all the
ground taetween it and our works, across which we
must move, proved to tae exposed to a fiank fire from
the right and left. General Ledlie's division at once
went forward as soon as the explosion occurred, its
Second tarigade, under Colonel Marshall, taeing in the
advance, closely followed tay its First tarigade under
General W. F. Bartlett. Unfortunately the division
commander did not advance with his men, taut re
mained in the rear of the main line. On reaching the
edge of the crater, the leading tarigade found many
of the enemy lying in the ruins, half-tauried and un
atale to extricate themselves.
* Woodbury— " Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps ", p. 437.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 345
' ' The soldiers stopped to take prisoners, to dig out
guns and other material. * * * * The ranks were
taroken, the regimental organizations could not tae
preserved, the troops were becoming confused, the
officers stopped to form anew the disordered lines".*
Meanwhile the rebels were beginning to recover
from the first shock of the explosion, which had
temporarily occasioned great consternation and con
fusion. The retael taattery in the fort or redan, at
Elliott's salient, and parts of the Eighteenth and
Twenty-Third South Carolina Infantry, t had taeen
overwhelmed tay the taursting of the mine, and the
entrenchments for two or three hundred yards on
each side had taeen temporarily ataandoned. But a
part of Elliott's tarigade was rallied in a''ravine in
rear of the crater, and a musketry fire opened upon
Ledlie's division, which gradually taecame so effective
as to- repulse all attempts on the part of the Union
troops to advance taeyond the crater.
Our artillery, consisting of some eighty heavy
guns and mortars, and nearly the same numtaer of
field guns, was delivering its fire as effectively as
possitale, to keep down that of the enemy's salients
and taatteries. But a Confederate taattery of four
guns, concealed in the woods on our right, swept the
ground with its fire, and could not tae silenced.
Another taattery of two guns, hidden in a ravine on
* Woodbury — " Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps ", p. 438.
t Such is the statement of General Humphreys, — see page 256,
"Virginia Campaign ".— But George S. Bernard, of the Twelfth
Virginia Infantry, of Mahone's division, says, in a pamphlet entitled
"The Battle of the Crater ", published at Petersburg, Va., in 1890,
" The loss of life caused by the explosion of the mine was two hundred
and iifty-six officers and men of the Eighteenth and Twenty-Second
South Carolina regiments, and two officers and twenty men of
Pegram's Petersburg battery ".

346 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
our left, also annoyed us, and later on, others were
put into position on the crest fronting'^the crater, so
that there was tarought to hear upon the Federal
troops, not only an enfilading cross-fire from both
flanks, taut as well a front flre from Cemetery Hill,
which our artillery could not wholly silence, and
from which our men in the crater sought to cover
themselves tay entrenching.
As the plan of attack had contemplated the
formation of our Second division to the right of
the First, and of Willcox's — Third — division in the
corresponding place on its left, our own tarigade had
taeen massed taetween the railroad and the advanced
line, and soon after General Ledlie commenced his
advance. General Griffin led us forward and struck
the enemy's line just to the right of the crater. After
a sharp contest, we captured ataout two hundred
yards of rifle-pits, driving the Confederate troops (of
Elliott's tarigade), taack upon the line of Ransom's
tarigade, who were formed in a covered way running
along a ravine. The First tarigade of our division
followed us closely, and very materially aided General
Griffin in his advance, so that our little tarigade
struggled two hundred yards or more, nearer to the
coveted crest, taefore we were flnally checked. The
Second tarigade of Willcox's division occupied ataout a
hundred yards of the enemy's rifle-pits on the left of
the crater, but most of the troops became entangled
with Ledlie's men, and added to the confused and
disorganized condition that began to prevail in and
ataout the crater. It Avas now ataout half-past six
o'clock, and in otaedience to orders from General
Meade, the Eighteenth Corps, which had taeen massed
in rear of the Ninth, atterapted to move forward and

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 347
make a lodgement on the crest. General Turner's
division moved out of the advanced lines, and after
much effort, his First tarigade gained a position upon
the right of our own division, taut met with little or
no success. Meantime, on the part of the Confederates, every
effort possitale had been put forth to hold Cemetery
HiU at all hazards against our attack. Their forces
were concentrated immediately ataout the crater. All
of General Bushrod Johnson's division, containing
the several tarigades of Wise, Elliott, Ransom and
Gracie, and also Colquitt's tarigade of Hoke's division,
were in our front and on our flanks. And General
Mahone was bringing up from the rebel right the
two brigades of Weisiger and Wright, and had sent
back for Sanders' tarigade also. The fire of the eneray
was very severe, and frora front and fiank, heavy
volleys of musketry poured their deadly missiles into
the quivering, crowded masses in and around the
crater. And frora the field guns on the crest,
shrapnel and canister were hurled against the shat
tered remnantp of the tarave regiments which had
striven to win Cemetery Hill. The more distant
taatteries were throwing shell among the disorganized
and almost inextricataly confused crowd of troops
which filled the crater, while the flanking taatteries
swept the open space taetween the crater and our
advanced entrenchments with a torrent of fire, which
rendered it apparently as certain death to retreat as it
seemed to remain.
The further sacrifice pf human life seemed wholly
unwarranted by any good result to be expected, but
in otaedience to perempt(5ry orders from General
Meade, General Burnside now directed the Fourth —

348 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
or colored — division to attack, and endeavor to carry
the crest. With the utmost gallantry, the First
brigade, under Colonel J. K. Sigfried, led the advance,
moving out in rear of Colonel Humphreys' tarigade of
the Third division, passing down into the crater, and
although taecoming somewhat taroken and disor
ganized, in its exertions to make its way through the
crowds therein, extricating itself sufficiently to move
taeyond the crater to the right, and attack the en
trenchments of the enemy, capturing some two
hundred prisoners and a retael color. Colonel H. G.
Thomas, commanding the Second (colored) tarigade,
followed Colonel Sigfried, and in attempting to charge
with his tarigade, had advanced taut a short distance
taeyond the enemy's entrenchment just taken posses
sion of tay Sigfried, when he encountered Weisiger's
tarigade of Confederates, and part of Elliott's tarigade.
He was charged and driven taack in confusion, the
whole division falling taack in disorder, and carrying
with them taoth of General Turner's tarigades, and also
many men of our Second division, and others lying
around and in rear of the crater. Some of our
division were driven into the mass already crowded
together in the crater, and as General Humphreys
states, "This attack left the enemy in possession of
nearly all their entrenchments on our right of the
raine".''^ At half -past nine or quarter to ten o'clock, A. M.,
General Meade directed that all offensive operations
should cease, and the troops of the Second, Fifth and
Eighteenth Corps should return to their former
positions. General Burnside was also ordered to with
draw the Ninth Corps to its own entrenchments, taut
* Humphreys— "Virginia Campaign", p. 260.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 349
as it was impossitale, on account of the enfilading fire
across the ground taetAveen the crater and our rifle-
pits, to retreat except with great loss, it was not at
once undertaken.
At half-past ten. General Mahone charged the
position held tay the Third division, on the left of
the crater, and also attacked the troops massed in the
crater itself, taut was repulsed tay the musketry-fire
from our men, and forced to retire to the cover of a
line of trenches not far away. But taetween one and
two o'clock, P. M., taeing reinforced by Sanders'
brigade in the meantime, Mahone and Johnson
again attacked for the third time, and our men,
wearied and worn out tay their sufferings and exertions
since the early raorning, were unatale to resist success
fully. A large part of the troops endeavored to
retreat to our entrenched lines, taut little more than
three hundred feet away, taut even in traversing that
short distance, raany fell under the merciless infantry
and artillery fire of the enemy. And, of the consid
eratale numtaer who remained in the crater, although
for a time, they gallantly raaintained an unequal
contest against a superior force, fighting with great
bravery, and losing many killed and wounded, by far
the greater numtaer were compelled to surrender thera
selves as prisoners to the eneray. By the middle of
the afternoon, the affair was over, and our men had '
either fallen in action, or been captured by the enemy,
or had returned to the lines from which they had
advanced in the morning. The enemy had recovered
possession of all the ground we had taken in'our first
advance, and except for the ugly gap where the
demolished redan had stood, '.their lines were intact,
and as strong as before the explosion of the mine.

350 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Our losses were severe, various authorities stating
the aggregate of killed, wounded and captured in the
Ninth Corps at from 3,475 to 3,828, and so careful a
statistician as General Humphreys believes it to have
been 3,500. The loss in the other corps was trifling,
probably 500 in the Eighteenth, and not more than 50
in the Second and Fifth Corps.
Such, in brief, is the narrative of the events of
that territale disaster which taefell our corps upon the
memoratale 30th of July. It is hardly within the
proper limits of a work of such a character as this his
tory, to enter upon any extended discussion of the
causes which led to such disaster, or to attempt to
decide the question upon whom the talame should
rest. But it is matter of history that General Meade,
immediately after the taattle, — on the 3rd of Au
gust, — preferred charges against General Burnside
and desired to have him tried tay court-martial.
And that General Grant refused to order a court to
convene, to consider charges so frivolous, and Gen
eral Meade thereupon ordered a court of inquiry,
composed of Generals Hancock, Ayres and Miles, to
investigate the matter, against the constitution of
which court General Burnside made a formal protest
to the Secretary of War.
The court Avas, however, authorized tay Mr. Stan
ton, and proceeded with its investigations, taeing in
session at intervals, from August 6th to Septemtaer
9th. Its decision was that General Burnside, General
Ledlie, General Ferrero, General Willcox and Colonel
Bliss "were answeratale for the want of success", for
reasons which are set out in the case of each of those
officers in the report of the findings and opinion of
the court, taut which it is unnecessary to repeat here.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 351
The historian of the Ninth Corps has presented the
whole matter in detail, and apparently sums up the
case with great fairness, when he says, ' ' From a care
ful examination of the testimony and a consideration
of its ex parte character, from the partial constitution
of the court, and the circumstances connected with
the subject of its inquiry, the fairest conclusion to tae
reached is, that its 'opinion' is of little authority".*
A more recent writer has said, in speaking of the
same matter, "Meade showed much ill-will toward
Burnside, and tried to persuade General Grant to
order a court-martial, but did not succeed in this
malicious attempt. He himself then ordered a court
of inquiry. Against the constitution and composi
tion of this tribunal Burnside with good reason
remonstrated, for it was but a packed jury. Meade's
testimony taefore it was a mass of glaring incon
sistency, while the finding of the court did not follow
at all from the main taody of testimony given, and
cannot tae accepted as true in most of its details ". t
The question of the responsitaility for the disas
trous and most unfortunate terraination of the
assault on Cemetery Hill, was also investigated tay the
Committee on the Conduct of the War. Between De
cember I7th, 1864, and January 16th, 1865, that com
mittee examined not only the principal witnesses who
had previously taeen taefore the court of inquiry, taut
in addition to these, Lieutenant-Colonels Charles G.
Loring and J. L. Van Buren, who were respectively
Assistant Inspector-General and Aide-de-Camp on
General Burnside's staff, and Lieutenant-Colonel
Henry Pleasants, who had originally planned and
*Woodbury — "Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps", p. 459.
t Jackman — "History of the Sixth N. H. Regt. " note, p. 323.

352 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
carried into effect the project of the mine. The evi
dence given tay Colonel Pleasants on the occasion of
his examination tay the Committee, is at once curious
and interesting, as showing the difficulties and dis
couragements under which his work was carried for
ward, and the lack of favor with which his scherae
was regarded at army headquarters. He testified
that tbe corps commander (General Burnside), and
the division commander] (General Potter), "seemed to
tae the only high officers who taelieved in it"; that he
' ' found it impossitale to get any assistance from any
body ", and "had to do all the work" himself.
He went on to say ' ' I had to remove all the earth
in old cracker boxes. I got pieces of hickory, and
nailed on the boxes in which we received our crackers,
and then iron-cladded them with hoops of iron taken
from old pork and beef barrels ". And in answer to
the question "Why he was not able to get better
instruments with which to construct so important a
work", he replied "I do not know. Whenever I made
application I could not get anything, although Gen
eral Burnside was very favorable to it. * * * * I
wanted an accurate instrument with which to make
the necessary triangulations. * * * * I could not get
the instrument I wanted, although there was one at
army headquarters, and General Burnside had to
send to Washington and get an old-fashioned theodo
lite, which was given to me". In answer to an in
quiry as to whether he knew of any reason why he
could not have had the taetter instrument which was
at army headquarters, he stated that he did not, and
added" 'I know this: that General Burnside told me
that General Meade, and Major Duane, Chief Engi
neer of the Army of the Potomac, said the thing

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 353
could not tae done; that it wa's all clap- trap and
nonsense; that such a length of mine had never taeen
excavated in military operations, and could not tae;
that I would either get the men smothered for want
of air, or crushed by the falling of the earth; or the
enemy would find it out, and it would amount to
nothing. I could get no boards and lumber supplied
to me for my operations. I had to get a pass, and
send two companies of ray own regiraent, with
wagons, outside of our lines, to rebel saw-raills and
get lumber in that way, after having previously got
what lumber I could, by tearing down an old bridge.
I had no mining picks furnished me, but had to take
common army picks and have them straightened for
my mining picks ".*
Lieutenant-Colonel Loring, Assistant Inspector-
General, testified in substance, that the plan of attack
was changed from that first decided upon. General
Burnside's original plan being to have the colored
division lead the assault, and to have the attack made
with a certain formation of the troops engaged, taoth
of which points were countermanded (tay General
Meade,) on the day previous to the assault. He went
on to say that the reason ior General Burnside's
selection of the colored division was in some measure
due to an opinion he had himself expressed, in his
capacity as Inspector of the Corps, as to the condition
of the white troops. And he then adds "Sometime
previous to the intended assault I officially informed
General Burnside that, in my opinion, the white
troops of his Corps were not in fit condition to make
the assault; that many of them had taeen for six
weeks in close proximity to the enemy's lines, within
* Eeport of Committee on Conduct of the War — Vol. I, pp. 112-13.

354 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
one hundred and thirty yards; that all of thera had
taeen very near the enemy's fire; and that when
troops are exposed as they were, day and night for six
weeks, to an incessant fire, it is impossible that they
should have the same spirit as fresh troops.
"In addition to that, taefore sitting down taefore
the enemy's lines, they had taeen very much worn tay
the long and arduous campaign, in which, as I con
sidered, the Ninth Corps had performed more arduous
services than the other corps. But even if they had
taeen fresh when they had arrived taefore Peterstaurg,
the experience of those six weeks, — during which
they had taeen under fire day and night without cessa
tion, so that it was impossible to get to the rear even
to attend to the calls of nature, without taeing exposed
to taeing killed on the spot; during which period their
losses had averaged over thirty per day, amounting in
the whole to one man in eight, — was enough at least
to weaken the zeal of the men. For this reason, prin
cipally. General Burnside selected to lead the assault
the colored division, which up to that time had never
taeen under any serious flre. * * * * * That division
was, therefore, selected upon the principle that fresh
troops are much better to make an assault than old
but worn-out troops ". *
Lieutenant-Colonel Van Buren testifled that he
reported to General Potter about half-past two o'clock
on the morning of the assault, and went with him to
the front line where the reserves were massed. Suta
sequently, at ataout 7 o'clock A. M. , he went over to
the crater, and he descritaed the condition of affairs
which he found there, as follows, ' ' As you go out of
the crater of the mine you come into a latayrinth of
* Report of Committee on Conduct of the War — Vol. I, p. 91.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 355
taomta-proofs and magazines with passages taetween.
The enemy's rear line was about twenty-flve yards in
rear of their front line, and taetA\^een them were these
bomta-proofs, making a very taad place for troops to
pass over. In that way for ataout three hundred
yards our First division was crowded in some confu
sion; taeyond this came the high rear line, and on the
other side of that was the enemy's covered way, and
in that the most of General Potter's division. * * * *
All this time the flre of the eneray was very heavy.
There were two guns in what was known as the fort
on the left of the New Market road, and two guns
just across a ravine to the right. They were throwing
canister and shrapnel in these in a very lively way.
There was some mortar flring also".*
The Joint Committee, in their formal report, use
the following language as expressing their decision
with reference to the responsitaility for the failure of
the assault: "Your committee cannot, from allthe
testimony, avoid the conclusion that the flrst and
great cause of disaster was the change raade on the
afternoon preceding the attack, in the arrangement
of General Burnside to place the division of colored
troops in the advance". And again, "In conclusion
then, the committee must say that, in their opinion,
the cause of the disastrous result of the assault of the
30th of July last is mainly attributatale to the fact
that the plans and suggestions of the general who had
devoted his attention for so long a time to the subject,
who had carried out to a successful completion the
project of mining the enemy's works, and who had
carefully selected and drilled his troops for the pur
pose of securing whatever advantages might be
* Report of Committee on Conduct of the War — Vol. I, p. 96.

356 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
otatainable from the explosion of the mine, should
have been so entirely disregarded tay a general who
had evinced no faith in the successful prosecution of
that work, had aided it tay no countenance or open
approval, and had assumed the entire direction and
control only when it was completed, and the time had
come for reaping any advantages that might tae de
rived from it ". *
In commenting upon this report of the Committee
on the Conduct of the War, the historian of the gal
lant Eleventh New Hampshire uses the following
language: "This was a most righteous decision. No
committee, composed of intelligent, unprejudiced
men, with all the facts presented, could have come to
any other conclusion. The mine and its explosion
were a sutaject of ridicule at Meade's Headquarters,-
while the galleries were taeing excavated. There was
no sympathy with it there, .and not only Burnside,
taut the whole Ninth Corps was cognizant of the
facf'.t And certainly no memtaer of the old Ninth Corps
can taelieve that the result would have taeen the same
had General Burnside taeen permitted to carry out his
original plans, unemtaarrassed tay General Meade's
interference. Though it must tae admitted in all
honesty, that some of Burnside's sutaordinates were
remiss in their attention to their duty. The censures
contained in the findings of General Meade's court of
inquiry were undoutatedly deserved, so far as they
related to the conduct of Generals Ledlie and Ferrero.
Neither of these officers advanced with their divi
sions, taut remained in a bomta-proof, several rods in
* Report of Committee on Conduct of the War — Vol. I, pp. 8-11-12.
t Cogswell— "History of the Eleventh N. H. Volunteers", p. 420.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 357
rear of the tareast-works, while the men of the First
and Fourth divisions were struggling in and ataout
the crater. But turning from this contemplation of the gen
eral result, let us consider the details so far as our
own regiment was theretay affected. Led tay our
tarave and soldierly commander, the Second tarigade,
as previously stated, had advanced to the right of the
crater, capturing some two hundred yards of rifie-pits,
and forcing Elliott's (Confederate) brigade taack till it
reached a second line formed in a covered way, per
haps two hundred yards or more taeyond the crater.
Its position was held for a time, taut taeing unsup
ported tay other troops in sufficient force, and the
«nemy massing heavily in its front, it had retired to
the crater and the intricate system of rifie-pits and
covered ways in its immediate vicinity. After the
unsuccessful advance and sutasequent confused and
taroken retreat of the Fourth division, many of our
tarigade taecame commingled with the mass of disor
ganized troops which crowded the crater. Here they
remained exposed to the several charges made tay
Mahone and Johnson, as mentioned above, till the
middle of the afternoon. And when the triumphant
enemy finally regained possession of the crater and
adjacent lines, many men of the Second tarigade were
compelled to surrender themselves as prisoners to the
exultant Confederates. Throughout these varying
fortunes of the day, the Thirty-Second had its full
share of service and of suffering. Greatly reduced tay
its previous arduous service, the regiment had carried
into the action only about 150 officers and men.
So far as can tae ascertained from accessitale
records, it sustained the following severe loss:

358 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
Field and Staff: Colonel Mark F. Wentworth,
wounded in side.
Company A, Private Charles N. Billings, killed;
and Private Thomas Hutataard, wounded in head;
Lieutenant William B. Pierce, and Privates Howard
J. Marden, Altaert S. Hurst, Alexander Stackpole,
Charles H. Cole, George Matthews and John Fernald,
taken prisoners.
Company B, CorporalChar les R. Atwood, killed;
Corporal Caleta B. Ackley, wounded and taken pris
oner; Private Joseph H. Reed, wounded; Lieutenant
Henry M. Bearce, Corporal Rufus W. Herrick, Pri
vates Charles W. Danley, Altaert A. Cross, Consider
Cole, George W. Damon, Simeon Morgan, and George
M. Russell, taken prisoners.
Company C, Corporal Sylvester B. Cotata, wounded
in arm; Privates Peter Wedge, in arm; John Work,
in arm, and taken prisoner; James P. Grant, wounded;
Captain Hertaert R. Sargent, and Private Eugene B.
Clark, taken prisoners.
Company D, Sergeant Charles B. Cole, killed;
Lieutenant James J. Chase, wounded in head; Private
Luther M. Smith, wounded.
Company E, Private Henry W. Richards, killed;
Sergeant Charles Gitatas, Corporal Leroy T. Carlton,
Privates Nathan M. Townsend, Wyett Huff, and
Charles F. Duley, wounded; Private Charles A.
Green, wounded and taken prisoner; Privates John F^
Skinner and Charles W. Mend all, taken prisoners.
Company F, Lieutenant John G. Whitten, killed ;
Captain Isaac P. Fall, Sergeant Orrin J. Quimby,
Privates Winthrop A. Wallace, Brackett Lewis, Al
fred Clark, Benjamin F. Curtis, and Alba Merrill,
taken prisoners.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 359
Company G, Private Asa Coomtas, killed; Captain
James L. Hunt, wounded, in shoulder; Sergeant Ray
P. Eaton, in left arm; Corporal Eben F. Allen, in
shoulder; Private Columbus B. Frost, mortally,
in bowels; Private Ingalls B. Andrews; Private Ed
win Haskell, right hand; Privates Amasa Cox and
Nathaniel G. Frost, wounded and taken prisoners;
Sergeants WiUiam G. Ford, and Lemuel B. Spinney,
Corporals Henry A. Bragg, and Charles W. Johnson,
Privates William A. Frost, John H. Andrews, Hiram
K. Washburn, Charles O. Preble, and Mark A. Her
rick, taken prisoners.
Company H, Sergeant John D. Anderson, wounded
in arm; Private William H. Smith, wounded; Lieu
tenant Henry G. Mitchell, Privates John F. Knight,
Michael Sullivan, Jeremiah Thornton, Thomas D.
Ridlon, Almon Strout and George F. Richards, taken
prisoners. Company I, Privates James M. Peaslee and Charles
H. Page, killed; Lieutenant Wilraot M. Whitehouse,
wounded, in shoulder; Corporal Thomas Arnold, and
Privates John J. Gundlack and Allen F. Crowell,
wounded; Lieutenant George L. Hall, Sergeant
Alexander McAllister, Corporal John W. Palmer,
Privates Charles W. Tibtaetts, James H. Colby, George
B. Goud, Henry B. Sproul and John M. Joy, taken
prisoners. Company K, Sergeant Charles S. Hutataard and
Private James Flannagan, killed; Lieutenant James
W. Goodrich, wounded, in arm; Corporal Charles E.
Randall, wounded; Captain Horace H. Burtaank,
wounded in head and taken prisoner; Sergeant George
W. Damon, Corporal George A. Taylor, Privates
George W. Emmons, William E. Carter, Samuel C.

360 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
Ross, Moses Donnell, Frank Wormell, Ogilvie Rich
ards and Edward Farrell, taken prisoners.
These statistics show the aggregate loss to have
taeen one hundred and two, of whom one com
missioned officer and nine enlisted men were killed,
six officers and twenty-seven enlisted men wounded,
and seven officers and fifty-eight men captured, six of
the prisoners being also included in the list of the
wounded. It is proper to say here that some doubt
exists, as to whether all the casualties sustained tay the
regiment on that day of carnage, appear in the ataove
list. The fact that the command was left almost
entirely without commissioned officers, and that much
confusion existed for a time, after the shattered rem
nant had extricated itself from the slaughter-pit in the
crater, may well account for any failure to report
complete losses, if such omissions exist. Adjutant
Hayes gives somewhat larger figures in his diary,
writing under date of July 30th, "I have made my
evening report; five officers wounded, eight missing,
and eight men killed, thirty-one wounded, and
seventy-six missing. A sorry day's work for us, and
nothing gained ".
Again, on Sunday, July 31st, he writes, "Every
thing looks lonesome, so many have gone; one
hundred and twenty-eight killed, wounded and
missing out of less than one hundred and fifty who
went into the fight. Out of sixteen officers who were
engaged, three escaped unharmed. We have now in
the regiment eighty-five men, including cooks, present
sick, and extra duty men ".
The Monthly Return for July, on file in the
Adjutant-General's office at Augusta, is dated July
14th, 1864, taut this date is evidently an error, as it

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 361
was not received until August 30th, and was protaataly
made August 14th.
It presents the following statements:

Officers present lor duty,

3

Oihcers absent, detached duty.

none

" " " extra duty,

2

" " sick,

14

sick,

6

" with leave,

2

Enlisted men present for duty.

93

Enlisted men " detached duty,

3

" " " extra "

70

" " with leave,

1

" " " sick.

21

 ' sick.

415

Died in action or of wounds,

20

Total Commissioned,

27

" of disease,

10

Enlisted.

660

Missing in action.

66

Wounded in action,

37

Aggregate,

687

A tabulated statement from the Official Records
of the War of the Retaellion was putalished in Novem
taer, 1892, whicb gave the regimental losses for July,
1864, sutastantially as follows:
Killed, 13 enlisted men; wounded, 5 commissioned
officers, 40 enlisted men; captured or missing, 8 com
missioned officers, 54 enlisted men; making an aggre
gate of 120 casualties during the month, which would
not vary materially frora the totals of the lists given
in the preceding pages.
Whatever may be absolutely correct as to the
numtaer of men actually lost tay the regiment in this
taattle, it cannot tae denied that the detailed list given
above, is amply sufficient to warrant the assertion that
its casualties were extremely large in proportion to
the numtaer who went into the action, and to estatalish
its claim to have rendered faithful and honoratale
service. The historian of the Niiith Corps says of the
Second brigade, that General Griffin "found that
the point at which he entered was difficult of pene
tration. The line was defended tay chevaux-de-frise of

362 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
pointed stakes, traverses and other appliances, and he
was obliged to fight his way along hand to hand. He
succeeded, however, in securing about two hundred
yards of rifle-pits. He advanced even taeyond these
towards the crest for two hundred yards further, taut
was there checked ". *
Major W. H. Powell, who was Judge-advocate of
General Ledlie's division, speaking of the advance
of the regiments of the Second tarigade, says, ' ' Those
on the right passed over the trenches, taut owing to
the peculiar character of the enemy's works, which
were not single, but complex and involuted, and flUed
with pits, traverses and taomta-proofs, forming a latay
rinth as difficult of passage as the crater itself, the
tarigade was taroken up, and meeting the severe fire of
canister, also fell taack into the crater, which was then
full to suffocation ". t
Among the letters of sergeant Hilling to a news
paper in Bath, Me. , to which reference has taeen pre
viously made, that written immediately after the taat
tle contains so much of interest to the comrades of
our regiment that, while of considerable length, it
has seemed well to quote it here without omission. It
reads as follows: "In Front of Petersburg, )
Aug. 1st, 1864. 5
I will endeavor to-day to give you a more full account of
our engagement with the enemy on the morning of the 30th
of July. In a former letter, I informed you that something
was going on that would one daj"^ make the rebels tremble ; it
was the undermining of a rebel fort. The work was well
done, but the result has not been as we could have wished.
* Woodbury — "Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps", p. 439.
t " Battles and Leaders of the Civil War ", Vol. IV. p. 553.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 363
On the night of the 29th ult., we were ordered to have
our equipments on, and rifles in hand to move at a moment's
notice, taking no cumbrous articles to impede the progress of
our limbs. It was an anxious night to us. — Few guns were
fired along the picket lines ; all Avas comparatively still. Oc
casionally might be heard the "clinking hammers closing
rivets up, giving dreadful notes of preparation." Toward
morning, the mutHed sound of columns of our troops march
ing to the front, was heard. Just as the day broke, our
regiment was ordered to advance. Steadily and silently we
marched toward our front line of breastworks that we had so
long defended, and over which we were to go ; before reach
ing which, we halted on the railroad, in anxious suspense.
About 4 o'clock, with one deafening roar that caused the
earth to shake, the fort was blown to a confused mass' of ruins.
Then came the order, "forward." Our columns poured over
the breastworks, and with cheer upon cheer, amidst a shower
of shot and grape, we rushed into the ruins. It was some
time before we could see many feet in advance, the smoke
of powder being almost blinding as well as nearly suffocat
ing. Our batteries and those of the enemy were now in full
play, and with rifle firing the din was deafening. Shot and
shell flew thick and fast. It was truly terrific. Two or
three forts were firing upon us, while our forts were firing on
them and the town of Petersburg, part of which was set on
fire. Our regiment was marched by the left flank, which
brought Co. G on the right of Co. B, which company was the
left one, consequently in front. Col. Wentworth was about the
first over the fort ; Capt. Hunt called on our boys to follow,
and with cheers for Bath, away they went, breaking through
Co. B, which was for some cause thrown into disorder, but
only for a moment. We were soon with Col. Wentworth,

364 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
through the fort, over the backs or bodies of some other regi
ments, who were in the fort and lying down. We passed on,
over massive blocks of earth, dead bodies of rebels and the
debris which the explosion caused, and into the farthest line
of the rebel works, where we planted our flag or what remained
of it. Before we went into this action, this flag had thirty-five
bullet holes in it; but this time, before it was fairly planted,
the staff was shot in two, and the flag, what was remaining of
it, was literally cut to pieces.
Col. Wentworth was shot twice, but though he fell,
he still cheered on his men. His wounds are not considered
dangerous. I cannot pass without mentioning some of the officers of
the regiment, though when all did well, it might be invidious
to particularize. Still I must mention a few. Capt. Sargent
was everywhere encouraging his men ; so were Captains Bur
bank and Fall. Some of the companies Avere commanded by
Lieutenants ; among whom was Lieut. Whitehouse, who was
wounded by a shell — not dangerously. Capt. Hunt, of Co.
G, also seemed to be everywhere ; directing the firing of
some, encouraging others, assisting the wounded. A rebel
ordered him to surrender and leveled his rifle at his head, but
with a well-directed blow of the Captain's sword, the rebel
was laid in the dust. The Captain was wounded in the
shoulder by the reb's ball, which ball passed through his
shoulder and killed a private standing behind him. The
Captain's wound is not dangerous. Our Adjutant, C. L.
Hayes of Kittery, was in the thickest of the fight. He is no
fair-weather soldier. He has had several narrow escapes, but
has come out unharmed.
Such furious battles cannot be fought without many cas
ualties. In our company, G, Sergt. Ray P. Eaton has lost
his left arm above the elbow from the same ball that wounded
our Colonel. Asa Coombs Avas shot through the body and

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 365
has since died. Corp. Eben F. Allen was shot through the
shoulder, but we hope is not dangerously wounded. Colum
bus B. Frost, of Perry, shot in the leg and breast, we fear
mortally wounded. Ingham B. Andrews wounded through
the arm. These, so far as we can ascertain at yjresent, are
all from our company Avho were wounded, We have lost
many who are prisoners, among whom are Sergts. W. G.
Ford and L. B. Spinney, Corp. Henry A. Bragg, Private
Charles Preble, all of Bath. Many are missing, who in all
probability, are prisoners. We have now left in the regi
ment 46 men for duty. There are some sick, and those, with
the cooks, detailed men and musicians, would bring our regi
ment up to about 100, sick and well. Those that now remain
of Co. G are as follows : —
Capt. J. L. Hunt, wounded; Sergt. John Hilling; Corps.
D. W. Spinney, John , Dixon, Edwin Haskell; privates
Charles E. Nelson, Thomas Dolan, Michael Murphy, Joseph
Mclntire, W. O. Needham, William Trott, William Newton,
A. F. Winslow, S. L. T. Mariner ; Musicians, Michael Fogg,
W. Emery ; cooks, Hugh McKay, I. P. Obver.
In one hour from the time the fort blew up, the rebel
works were in our possession. I was ordered with a detail
to carry off poor Coombs and to assist in carrying off the
Colonel, if required. It was a dangerous operation. The
shot flew round us thick and fast, but not a man of the detail
was hurt. We got safely to the fort, placed our men in
safety, and were about to return, when we heard that our
men were repulsed and driven back over our front line
of breastworks, and also that the 31st and 32nd Maine were
all cut to pieces or prisoners.
What a sad termination to so promising a beginning ! As
we look around and miss the familiar faces, we feel sad and
lonely ; but we have the satisfaction of knowing that our com
panies did their duty well and nobly. Would that all had

366 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
done as well as did the 32nd Maine and the boys of Co. G,
so many of whom hailed from the city of Bath !
I have been to the Division Hospital to see our Avounded.
We found they were all doing well, and in the best of spirits.
Chaplain Crawford, of the 31st Maine, seemed to be every
where present, assisting in feeding the wounded, consoling
and cheering them in every way in his power. I know not
where our Chaplain is, or if we have any.
I should think, in killed, wounded and prisoners, our
loss must have been nearly 4,000 ; that ofthe enemy equally
as much, as they admit they had two regiments of South
Carolina troops in the fort just before the explosion ; and by
the number of dead bodies we passed over, few, if any, could
have escaped. Some of our men dug out four of them who
were head down, literally buried alive, but were taken out
and are now with the other prisoners.
There is something going along our lines, but what it is
we cannot tell. One thing is certain. Grant is not going to
lie idle long ; before many days, it would not be surprising to
hear some startling news. Yours, J. H."
A brief extract from the diary of one of the offi
cers captured in the crater must conclude this chapter.
Captain Sargent of Co. C, writes, under date of the
30th, "We charged into the crater, and through in
front of it, and there Colonel Wentworth was
wounded. Then we took possession of the rear line
of the retas' tareastworks and remained in them until
ataout ten o'clock, when Mahone's division of retas
made a charge, and took prisoners, killed or wounded
the most of us ".
And on August 1st, he adds,
' ' There were of our regiment taken prisoners on
the 30th, seven officers and sixty-one enlisted men".

SEEGEANT RAY P. EATON.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 367
If these figures are correct as to the number of
enlisted men captured, there were at least, three
whose names do not appear in the foregoing list, and
whose identity it has not taeen found possible to
establish.

3tograpf^tcaI Skdcl}.

SERGEANT RAY P. EATON.
Ray Palmer Eaton was born in Bath, Maine, September
1, 1846, and was the son of Thomas and Emily Bartlett
(Nash) Eaton.
During his boyhood, he attended the public schools of
his native city, and later, the Columbian University Law
School. In the early years of the Civil War, he was much inter
ested in the soldiers, attending their drills, and hoping for
the time when he, too, might become a soldier. He joined a
company of the Home Guard, and also became a member of
a light battery organization, drilling every day, and acquiring
some degree of proficiency in military matters.
He finally enlisted and was mustered into the United
States service, at the age of seventeen, as a sergeant of Com
pany G, Thirty-Second Maine Infantry, being first duty
sergeant, and at times, in command of his company.
He was in continuous active service as sergeant and act
ing sergeant-major, until July 30, 1864, when at the battle
of the Crater, in front of Petersburg, in the charge immedi
ately following the explosion ofthe mine, he lost his left arm,
receiving the shot of a Confederate sharpshooter at close
range. The same missile which inflicted this injury, had
already wounded Colonel Wentworth. Sergeant Eaton was

368 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
discharged from Campbell Hospital, Washington, D. C,
December 5, 1864, on account of wounds. On applying for
his discharge from hospital, he was tendered a commission as
First Lieutenant of the 101st Company, U. S. Invalid Corps,
performing guard duty at hospitals in and around Washing
ton, which he declined.
In 1865, he received an appointment in the U. S. Treas
ury Department at Washington, and as appears by. the follow
ing quotation from a letter of the Chief Clerk of the Depart
ment, "was promoted through the several grades of clerkship,
from the lowest to the highest, solely on the ground of
merit." He resigned in November, 1873, to enter upon the
practice of law, and was admitted to practice in United States
Courts the same year.
In 1875, he was appointed to an important desk in the
Post Office Department, and in November, 1877, was pro
moted to Superintendent of the Mail Service, in charge of the
"Star" and steamboat service of the country. During his
term of service he visited all sections of the country, trav
elling many thousand miles each year, and on several occa
sions, was designated by the Postmaster-General as his
special representative in matters concerning important railway
mail transportation.
Retiring from the postal service in 1881, he was soon
after appointed Deputy Collector of Customs for the district
of Bath, from which he voluntarily resigned in President
Cleveland's first term, to engage in commercial pursuits. In
November, 1888, he was tendered and accepted the appoint
ment of Commissary of Subsistence of the National Home for
Disabled Volunteer Soldiers at Togus, Maine, but the sur
roundings were not congenial, and he resigned the following
3'ear, to return to his former business position, although
urged by the Board of Managers to remain at the Home.
He was an active member of the Grand Army of the
Republic in the early days of its organization, holding many

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 369
offices, among which were Commander, John F. Reynolds
Post, No. 6 ; Commander, Phil Kearney Post, No. 10,
Department of the Potomac, (the latter Post being composed
entirely of permanently disabled soldiers,) and Senior Vice
Department Commander, Department of the Potomac. He
has also been Vice President of the Society of the Army of
the Potomac. In 1869, he married Ella Warren Cutter of
Calais, Maine, and has two daughters. He is now Register
of Deeds for Cumberland County, Maine, having been elected
to that office September 8, 1902.

CHAPTER XXI.

Aftee the Battle of the Ceatee. — The Thiety-
Second ONLY A Skeleton. — The Peogeess ofthe
Siege. — The Weldon Raileoad and Ream's
Station. — The Monthly Retuen foe
August. — An Incident of the
Picket Line.

Immediately following the disaster of the Mine
explosion, the opposing armies resumed to a great
extent the old condition of affairs, and for a few
weeks there were no movements of marked impor
tance. The regiments alternately did picket duty in
the front line of pits, or rested in the woods at the
rear, as they had done before the attempt to tareak
through the Confederate defences. The historian of
the Sixth New Hampshire says, "For a while the
rebels were more spiteful toward our part of the line
than ever before, taecause the colored troops had been
put in against them in the recent action. They galled
us with an incessant fire, which we duly returned,
doing them protaataly as much damage as they did us ".*
So vindictive were they, that on Sunday, July
31st, the day following the slaughter in and about the
crater, they refused to allow our wounded to tae
tarought off. And all day long, the poor fellows lay
*Jackman: — "History of the Sixth New Hampshire Regiment",
p. 330.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 371
where they had fallen, exposed to the full heat of the
summer sun, and, faint with wounds and parched
with thirst, they prayed for death to end their
suffering. One after another, through those long
hours of torture, gasped and died, till taut few were
left alive among the hundreds who lay upon that fatal
field. On Monday, August 1st, the enemy received
our fiag of truce, and allowed us to bury our dead,
and to taring ,into our lines the few who were still
living. The sight presented to the eyes of the detach
ments that performed that sad duty, was such as
might never tae forgotten. One of the Thirty-Second
writes, ' ' I had charge of our detachment, and such a
sight I hope never to see again. Men were swollen
out of all human shape, and whites could not tae told
from blacks, except by their hair. So much were
they swollen that their clothes were burst, and their
waist-bands would not reach half-way around their
taodies, and the stench was awful".*
Our regiment was at this time the merest skeleton
of an organization. On the 31st of July, Adjutant
Hayes, as quoted in the preceding chapter, writes in
his diary, "We have now in the regiment eighty-five
men, including cooks, present sick, and extra duty
men", and of this number the non-effectives must
have taeen fully one-half, as the diary states, under
date of Tuesday, August 2nd, "The regiment went on
picket to-night. We now have out forty-five muskets,
and the regiment is commanded tay an orderly
sergeant". This was sergeant A. L. Whitten of Com
pany F. Three days later, on Friday, August 5th, the
Adjutant again writes of the regiment, "It is in
creasing. We now send in upwards of sixty guns".
* Diary of J. A. Hobbs of Company K.

372 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
During the afternoon of Friday there was some
sharp skirmishing on our right, and for an hour or
more the musketry and artillery firing was quite
heavy. But neither our little reranant of a regiment,
nor indeed, any of the others in our tarigade were
called upon to participate.
On Sunday, August 7th, Captain Hammond of
Company D, who had taeen in command of the Thirty-
Second since the 30th of July, was otaliged to go to
the hospital. This left Adjutant Hayes the senior
officer present with the regiment. A few of the men
who had taeen atasent, on account of sickness or slight
wounds, were now rejoining the regiment from time to
time. But it Avas still scarcely larger in numtaers
than a single company should have taeen. Yet it was
performing arduous duty, having a tour of picket
service in the trenches or pits at the front, as has
taeen said, for a period of ataout forty-eight hours,
ordinarily, and then taeing permitted to rest at the
' ' retreat " in the woods at the rear, for the same length
of time. Even at the "retreat", however, it was tay no
raeans wholly taeyond danger from the fire of the
enemy. The woods in which our brigade lay, when
not on the front lines, consisted, as previously stated,
of a piece of pine growth, covering several acres, and
being nearly free from underbrush. From the
enemy's taatteries in his main line, and from his
mortars, shells could easily tae thrown into these
woods, and at all hours of the day and night stray
missiles found victims among our men. Many of the
Confederate rifie-shots at long range also penetrated
among these pines, and raore than one tarave fellow
was killed or wounded while asleep in the little

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 373
taough-huts, which had been constructed to keep off
the scorching sun. The weather at this time was very
hot and dry, and the mean temperature for days
together could hardly have been less than from eighty
to ninety degrees, so that the men suffered much from
the intense heat.
On Tuesday, August 9tli, there was very heavy
thunder, taut no rain fell. This was the day of the
memorable explosion at City Point, when an ordinance
barge blew up, and immense quantities of ammunition
were destroyed. On Wednesday and Thursday, the
10th and 11th of August, the regiment was on picket
in the trenches, and as usual the picket firing was
sharp and almost incessant, but we had no losses in
the Thirty-Second. We were relieved on the night
of the 11th, and came taack to the woods, where the
regiment was paid off on the next day, Friday, August
12th. On Saturday, the 13th, the regiment was
engaged in fatigue duty, cutting poles to tauild tareast-
Avorks. Heavy firing was heard during the day, and
it was ruraored that our forces were endeavoring to
g'ain possession of the Richmond and Peterstaurg
railroad. General Burnside was granted leave of
absence on the 13th, the command of the corps
devolving upon General Parke.
The next day (Sunday, August 14th,) the heavy
firing on our right still continued, and rumors Avere
current that our forces had seized and held a portion
of the railroad. Early Sunday morning, about three
o'clock, A. .M., orders were received to be ready to
march at a moment's notice. But though we awaited
the command to move all through the day, it was past
midnight taefore it finally reached us. And at about
three o'clock Monday morning, August 15th, we
inarched to the left, — southward, — toward the lines

374 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
held tay the Fifth Corps. We moved only a few miles,
taut the men were much pleased with the change, as in
our new position there was no firing at all along the
front line, and Federals and Confederates exposed
themselves freely, with no fear of taeing shot. On
Tuesday, August 16th, Adjutant Hayes records in his
diary that ' ' not a shot or shell has taeen fired at us, —
this taeing the third day since May 25th that such has
taeen the case ". And Wednesday, August l7th, was
another of those rare days of quietness, during which
there was no firing. On Tuesday Captain' Hamniond
returned from the hospital where he had taeen since
the 7th, and Lieutenant Whitehouse of Company I
left the regiment, to go to hospital. At this time we
had about one hundred men for duty, in the command.
On the l7th, news of the death of Surgeon Trafton
reached us, he having died on the 11th.
The weather was now changed considerably, rain
falling in more or less heavy showers on several
successive days, and the night of Wednesday, the
17th, was dark and rainy. Everything was quiet at
the usual hour of retiring, taut at a little past mid
night the enemy commenced an artillery fire, and for
ataout two hours shelled us heavily. The historian of
the Eleventh New Hampshire says of this affair,
' ' Ataout midnight the retaels taegan a fearful shelling
of our lines, which was quickly responded to. The
earth tremtaled with the thunder of guns in 'Fort
Hell ' and ' Fort Damnation ' ; the enemy atterapted a
charge, shouting, 'We'll clean you d  -d Yankees
out ' ! After shelling us a couple of hours, and finding-
that the old Ninth Corps was really in their front,
their firing ceased, and quiet reigned once more".*
* Cogswell— "History of the Eleventh New Hampshire Volun
teers ", p. 426.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 375
Within a few hours after this episode, ataout four
o'clock of the 18th (Thursday), the Fifth Corps, which
we of the Ninth Corps had relieved, for the purpose
of enataling it to move against and seize the Weldon
railroad, taegan its march. General Warren was in
structed to make a lodgement upon the line of the
road near the Gurley house, or as near as possitale to
the enemy's lines, and to destroy as much of the road
as practicatale, taut not to assault fortifications. Gen
eral Humphreys says, "General Warren moved as
directed, taking possession of the Weldon railroad
at the Glotae tavern, (some three miles west of our
left), finding only Dearing's cavalry brigade to oppose
him. Griffin's division was formed along the road
looking west, and began its destruction. The day was
oppressively hot and close, as were those that fol
lowed, and a heavy rain fell throughout the day".*
During the afternoon an attack was made on Warren
tay the Confederate General Heth, in which the enemy
gained some temporary advantage, taut was finally
driven back.
In order to reinforce the Fifth Corps, a division
(General Mott's) from the Second Corps, and troops
from the Eighteenth Corps, were ordered to relieve
the Ninth Corps, so as to permit our three (white)
divisions to tae sent to the left, on Friday, the 19th.
General Parke, who was now in command of the
Ninth Corps, as General Burnside's successor, prompt
ly despatched General Willcox with the Third divi
sion, that taeing on our left, and consequently nearest
to Warren's right, near the Glotae tavern. General
White, who had succeeded General Ledlie as cora
mander of the First division, followed the Third divi-
* Humphreys — " Virginia Campaign", p. 274.

376 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
sion, and when he came up, was posted still further to
the right. Our Second division did not raove until
later in the day, taut was finally put in motion, and
marched through mud and water sometimes waist-
deep, and in a pouring rain-storm. The march was
not a long one, only some flve or six miles, taut owing
to the territale condition of the roads, was a most
wearisome and fatiguing one. During the day, Adju
tant Hayes was quite severely hurt tay his horse fall
ing while crossing a deep stream.
Meanwhile, the Fifth Corps and Willcox's and
White's divisions of the Ninth had taeen furiously
attacked tay A. P. Hill with five tarigades under Heth
and Mahone. And some severe fighting had ensued,
during which our comrades of the First and Third
divisions had captured some two hundred prisoners,
and a color, and rendered material assistance to War
ren. Our tarigade of the Second division arrived on
the field ataout dark, and went into position on
ground which had just been taken from the enemy.
The Thirty-Second Avent on 'picket in a piece of thick
woods to the right of the Federal line.
On the following day, Saturday, August 20th,
General Warren drew his line taack ataout a mile to
more open ground, where artillery could tae used to
taetter advantage, as he was satisfied that the enemy
would not suffer him to remain in possession of the
railroad without making further efforts to tareak his
hold upon it. A part of our regiment remained on
the picket line through the day, and the remainder
was employed in tauilding breast-works. There was
no fighting in our front during the day.
But on Sunday, August 21st, A. P. Hill, re
inforced by a part of Hoke's division of EweU's corps,

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 377
assaulted our lines under the cover of an artillery fire
from thirty guns. We Avere, tay this tirae, well in
trenched along our entire front, and General Warren
had consideratale artillery in position. And HiU's
attack, which was made about ten o'clock in the fore
noon, was everywhere repulsed. General Willcox
writes of this assault, ' ' HiU's long, serried lines were
smashed by our guns taefore they got within reach of
our musketry".* Later in the day, Mahone attacked
bur left fiank, taut was broken tay our artillery fire,
and driven taack with heavy loss. This desperate
atterapt to regain possession of the Weldon railroad
was the enemy's last effort, and no further attack was
made upon General Warren's position. Our lines
were now extended across the railroad, and the
Federal hold upon the ground in its vicinity was
never afterward relinquished. But tay reason of the
closeness of our advanced line to the enemy, our duty
was extremely arduous, as we were tausily engaged for
several days in the erection of strong entrenchments,
in order to hold what we had gained. During a part
of this time the weather was very stormy, rain falling
frequently in heavy showers, and the nights especially
taeing uncomfortataly cool. The ground was so soft
ened tay the frequent rains that the roads and fields
taecame almost impassitale, and artillery and wagons
could scarcely tae extricated frora the quagmires
which impeded their movements.
On Monday and Tuesday, August 22nd and 23rd,
our regiment was eraployed in building a new line of
works, in front of and to the left of our former posi
tion. Wednesday, August 24th, was a pleasant and
quiet day in our imraediate vicinity, although subse-
* "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War", Vol. IV —p. 571.

378 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
quent events proved that the eneiny was quite active
in other parts of the lines. Although, as previously
stated, we had raade good our hold upon the Weldon
railroad in the neighborhood of the Globe tavern,
the enemy was not prevented theretay from using it as
a line of supply, up to a point within a day's hauling
tay wagon to Peterstaurg. It had, therefore, taeen
determined to destroy the road as far as Rowanty
Creek, thirteen miles taeyond Warren's left. This
would render it necessary for the Confederates to
haul their supplies tay wagon, over a circuitous route
at least thirty miles in length. As early as Monday,
the 22nd, General Hancock, with two divisions of the
Second Corps, and Gregg's cavalry, had set ataout this
work, and tay Wednesday night, had accomplished it
as far as Malone's cross-road, about three miles south
of Ream's Station, and had still ataout five miles of
the road to destroy. But the enemy had too much at
stake to permit this destruction to go on without a
vigorous effort to prevent it. And A. P. Hill, with
seven tarigades of his own corps, and one tarigade of
Longstreet's corps, together with a cavalry force
under Hampton, moved south on the 24th against
Hancock. On the morning of Thursday, August 25th, Hill
was within striking distance on Hancock's left, and
at ataout 2 o'clock P. M. made his preliminary attacks,
followed, at ataout quarter past 5 P. M. tay an assault
which taroke Hancock's line. The fighting continued
till after dark, when Hancock withdrew, having suf
fered consideratale loss. The division of General
Willcox was the only portion of the Ninth Corps
which took any part in this affair. The division was
ordered, ataout 2.45 P. M., to move down the Jerusalem

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 379
plank-road, to its intersection with the Ream's Station
cross-road, and report from there to Hancock. This
involved a march of some twelve miles, whereas tay
moving straight down the railroad, the distance
would not have taeen more than four or flve miles.
But ,there was some apprehension that the enemy
might get round Hancock's left to his rear, and it was
deemed advisatale that Willcox should move tay the
plank-road in order to prevent this. He arrived near
the scene of action some time taefore dark, taut as
Hancock did not think it wise to renew the flght, the
division was raerely drawn up as a rear-guard and the
troops of the Second Corps fell taack past it after
dark. The enemy did not attempt to follow our
troops, taut retired to the intrenchments ataout Peters
burg. Our regiment moved slightly to the left on the
25th, but only for a distance of about a quarter of a
mile. And in this position we lay throughout the
day, listening to the thundering of the guns at
Ream's Station, which did not cease till after night
fall. We knew hard fighting was going on, taut for not
a moment did we dream that the gallant Hancock and
the brave men of the Second Corps were being beaten.
Friday, August 26th, and Saturday, August 27th,
were quiet and uneventful days. The only incident
of importance was that on Saturday, Captain J. N.
Jones of the Sixth New Hampshire was placed in com
mand of our regiment, taeing detailed tay General
Griffin, on account of the Thirty-Second having
taecome so depleted of its officers tay the hard service
it had undergone.
Lieutenant Childs of Company G taecame Acting
Adjutant while Adjutant Hayes was atasent on

380 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
account of the injury received by taeing thrown from
his horse. On the 27th the Fourth (colored) division of our
corps which had taeen left in the old lines until that
time, joined the command, and was at once employed
in strengthening the works, slashing timber, and
otherwise aiding in perfecting our defences. Sunday
and Monday, August 28th and 29th, were pleasant
days, and passed quietly. Adjutant Hayes returned
to the regiment on Tuesday, the 30th, and Captain
Hammond, who had taeen compelled to go to the hos
pital again, returned on Wednesday, August 31st, and
took command of the regiment, relieving Captain
Jones of the Sixth New Hampshire.
The Monthly Return for August contains the
following statistics as to the condition of the regiment
at this time :

Officers present for duty,

4

Officers absent, detached duty.

1

" extra duty,

1

¦' sick,

14

" " sick.

1

" with leave,

6

Enlisted men present for duty.

114

Enlisted men " detached duty,

6

" " " extra "

62

" with leave,

1

" " sick.

34

" without leave,

8

" " sick,

424

Died in action, etc..

1

Total Commissioned,

27

" of disease,

11

Enlisted.

649

Missing in action, none reported.

Aggregate,
676
Date:— Sept. 2, 1864.
It will tae seen that at the date of the ataove
return, there were taut six officers and two hundred
and ten enlisted men present, and of this number,
only four officers and one hundred and fourteen men
were effective. The contrast taetween this mere
handful and the two battalions, aggregating together
nearly a thousand men, which had entered service so
short a time previous, was painful in the extreme.
THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 381
Yet the many vacancies in the ranks were silent but
eloquent testimony to the faithful and unremitting
performance of duty under all the severe conditions
of the arduous campaign. The lists of killed,
wounded and captured which have been given, serve
to show the losses sustained in action, and tay the fire of
the enemy. But of those who were stricken down
tay sickness, and forced to enter the crowded wards of
the hospitals, no such detailed lists can be given.
The raedical records of the regiraent have not been
found accessitale, and the dates on which individuals
were compelled to leave their comrades at the front,
and seek treatment for disataility occasioned tay
disease, can not tae ascertained, in the majority of
cases. Nevertheless, we well know that the long
marches, the sleepless nights, the privations, hardships
and exposures of the carapaign, sapped the strength,
and reduced the vitality of hundreds. And in every
hospital, from Virginia to Maine, there were men of
our regiment, who had taroken down under the intense
strain to which they had taeen sutajected. No data
has taeen otatained which would show how many of
them left the regiraent during the month of August.
And, so far as can tae ascertained, we had only one
man wounded during the month, — Private William G.
Farnham, Company B, wounded in jaw, on August
14th. Before closing this chapter, it seems proper to
emtaody here the history of an incident furnished tay
comrade Milton H. Stevens, which will no doutat
tae recalled tay many, not only of Company F, taut of
other companies as well.
The story, which should properly have taeen
placed among the events occurring in July, was not

382 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
furnished tay corarade Stevens until the chapters
covering that raonth had taeen written. But as it is
too good to tae lost, it is inserted here, although
somewhat earlier in point of date than the events
narrated in this chapter. And in order not to destroy
the effect, as it is a personal narrative, it will tae given,
as nearly as possitale, in comrade Stevens' own Avords.
He calls it "An Incident or Accident, and Its
Unfortunate Results. "
"When the Thirty-Second Maine", he writes,
"was doing picket duty, forty-eight hours on, and
forty-eight hours off, in front of Peterstaurg, in July,
1864, at that point where our line of works crossed the
Norfolk and Peterstaurg railroad, we had a flight of
steps cut out of the hard clay soil, so as to reach our
trench on the high bank that ran along parallel with
the railroad cut. One hot July afternoon, when the
sun seeraed to taurn down through our caps, and
almost bake our few scattered brains, not a breath of
air was moving, and the only noise was the occasional
crack of the rifies, and the singing of the minies from
the Johnnies in front of us. For want of something
to do to pass away the time, I took off my cap, and
placed it on my ramrod, and cautiously pushed it up
into view. Instantly three bullets tore through
it, and sent it spinning across the trench.
' 'About that time a very tarilliant idea struck me,
and I took out my white handkerchief, — and I think
it was the only one owned by Company F taoys, — and
placed it on the ramrod, and slowly pushed it ataove
the works. Very soon after they saw the white
cloth, the firing ceased all along the line, and we
taegan peeping over the works. As we grew holder,
and stood up straight, we saw that the Johnnies were

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 383
doing the same thing. We hailed them, 'Hello,
Johnnie'! and they said 'Hello, Yanks'! and, after a
short parley, a delegation from each side. Johnnies
and Yanks, raet raidway taetween the lines. We shook
hands, and swapped coffee, hard tack and salt frora
us, for totaacco and corn meal from them. An apple
tree stood quite near our works, taetween the lines,
which was loaded with half -grown, hitter, sour apples,
and during the time the truce was on, one of our
taoys, — I think it was Winthrop A. Wallace, —
climtaed this tree, and filled his haversack with the
fruit, and we had apple-sauce for supper.
"And now coraes the unfortunate part of the
incident. Our boys swapped papers with the Johnnies,
giving them the New York Herald, The Philadelphia
Inquirer and the Washington Chronicle and getting
in return the Peterstaurg, Richmond and Charleston
papers. As luck would have it, there were important
details of Grant's raoveraents or intended movements,
in the Northern papers, and of course, we gave the.
whole tausiness away. The news soon got taack to
headquarters that a fiag of truce had taeen or was out,
and we had to skedaddle for our works, and commence
firing again harder than ever. The officer in com
mand of our regiment was Major Arthur Deering,
and he was promptly relieved of his sword and com
mand and placed under arrest, and it was rumored
among the boys that he was liable to be court-
martialled and perhaps dismissed from the service.
And yet all this happened without his knowledge or
consent. The Major was relieved from arrest the
next day on the ground of ignorance of orders. But I
just simply shook in my boots for fear of the punish
ment which I so richly deserved for my folly".

384 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
3tograpI^tcaI Skctct^.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM R. HAM.
William Ross Ham was born at Robinson's Corner, in
that part of the town of Lisbon, Avhich is now Webster,
Maine, on the 22nd of September, 1829. He was the son of
Ebenezer and Judith (Barker) Ham, and was one of a family
of seven children. One brother was Captain John S. P. Ham,
of the Thirteenth Regiment of Maine Infantry Volunteers.
The parents of the subject of this sketch removed to Lewis-
ton, after his birth, and ever after resided on the old Barker
homestead. And here the boys who were destined to become
soldiers in after years, grew to manhood. William R. Ham,
during his boyhood, received his education in the public
schools of Lewiston, and at Lewiston Falls Academy, Au
burn. After arriving at raaturity, he was, during his early life, a
successful teacher, and later, he became engaged in the groc
ery business. He was married on January 1, 1855, to
"Augusta D. Pillsbury. Two daughters and a son were born
of this marriage, all of whom died in childhood, the death of
the little girls occurring not long before his entry into the
military service.
When the Thirty-Second Maine was being organized, he
engaged in recruiting men for that regiment, with great suc
cess. And on March 23, 1864, he was mustered into the
United States service as Captain of Company D. Leaving
the State with the first six companies, on the 20th of April
following, he participated in the several engagements in
which the battalion bore a part, up to the battle of Cold
Harbor, on June 3d. In the afternoon of that day, he re
ceived a mortal wound, and was carried to the field hospital,
a mile or more in the rear, where he quietly breathed his
last, early the following morning. From the nature of his
wound, he was aware that he could not live, but was per-

CAPTAIN WILLIAM R. HAM.

THIETAT-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 385
fectly calm and resigned, and met his death with Christian
fortitude. To those who vvere with him in his last moments,
he said "I am not afraid to die, and I hope to find a better
world than the one I am leaving ; and I shall join the dear
ones Avho have gone before me."
Unlike thousands who died upon the battlefield, his
remains received careful burial, beneath the spreading branches
of a large oak tree near Bethesda Church. His name was
carved on the tree by loving hands, and a marker placed at the
head of the grave. And, a year later, a brother went to the
spot, and brought to the old home in Maine, the body of the
dead soldier. And he was finally laid to rest where he wished
to be, — beside his children.
Captain Ham took high rank, from the first, as an officer,
and even in the brief time he was in the field, earned a repu
tation for kindness, energy, bravery and efficiency, worthy of
a veteran in the service. He excused himself from no duty,
and avoided no danger, and was beloved and esteemed, not
only by those of his own company, but by the officers and
men of the entire regiment.
From a letter written after his death, to his widow, by
Lieutenant C. B. Rounds, the following extracts are made, to
shoAV the regard in which he was held by his brother officers :
"Captain Ham was a brave and faithful officer, and was
respected by all who knew him. He shrank from no hard
ships, and in the hour of danger he was foremost, always
cheering his men, and by his own acts, setting them an heroic
example. He died at the post of duty, .giving his life a will
ing sacrifice to his country. All who knew him here, sympa
thize with you in this deep affliction.
While you have lost a faithful and affectionate hus
band, we have lost a true and devoted friend, one whose
noble qualities Ave shall not soon forget, and whose memory
we shall not fail to cherish."

CHAPTER XXII.

Changes in the Oeganization of the Ninth Coeps.
New Regiments Added to the Second Bei
gade. — The Disastee of the Thie-
tieth of Septembee. — Battle of
PoPLAE Speing Chuech oe
Pegeam Faem. — List
OF Casualties.

The taeginning of Septemtaer was marked tay a
change in the organization of the Ninth Corps. The
historian of the Corps says, "The arduous duties
which had fallen upon the First division had reduced
the numtaers of this gallant taody of men to such an
extent as to make a reorganization of the Corps desir
able. Scarcely a moiety of the officers and men
remained in those regiments which had left Annap
olis with full ranks. They had borne an honoratale
part in every action since the opening of the cam
paign, and had left on every taattle field the evidences
of their heroic self-sacrifice. It now taecame neces
sary to merge the troops of the First division with
those of the Second and Third".* Captain Jackman
also writes, "The First had taecome so reduced in
numtaers tay the casualties of war, and the expiration
of enlistments, that on Friday, the 2nd of Septemtaer,
* Woodbury — " Burnsirle and the Ninth Army Corps " — p. 466.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 387
it was broken up, and its skeleton regiments were dis
tributed to the Second and Third. In this reorgani
zation the former Third (Willcox's) became the First;
the former Second (Potter's) retained its number; the
former Fourth (Ferrero's) became the Third".* By
this change, two regiments formerly of the old First
division, became associated with us in the Second
brigade of Potter's division. These were. the Fifty-
Sixth Massachusetts Infantry, and the Second New
York Mounted Rifies, serving as infantry. Both of
these regiments had joined the corps in the preced
ing April, at ataout the same time as ourselves, and
had taeen much reduced in numerical strength tay the
hard service they had seen in the intervening time.
Most of the month of Septemtaer was passed tay us,
in comraon with our corarades pf the other corps, in
comparative quiet, and our men had consideratale
opportunity for rest, after the incessant strain to
Avhich they had taeen sutajected since the opening of
the campaign. It is true, there was fatigue duty of
various kinds to tae performed, taut as this was done
largely by detail, frequent opportunities were afforded
us for more or less complete relief from hard labor.
Nothing was required from us involving more severe
duty than the strengthening of the entrenched works
in the position recently gained. In this work the
Thirty-Second had its share.
On Thursday, September 1st, Adjutant Hayes
writes in his diary, ' ' a large part of the regiment has
taeen building corduroy roads to-day ", and details of
from 25 to 75 men were engaged in the same lataor on
Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the 2nd, 3rd,
* Jackman— "History of the Sixth New Hampshire Regiment",
footnote — p. 334.

388 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
4th and 5th. Again on Tuesday, Septemtaer 6th,
Adjutant Hayes' diary states, ' ' Still large details for
fatigue each day, tauilding forts and tareastworks
faced to the rear, in anticipation of an attack from
Early in that direction". On Wednesday, the 7th,
the regiraent moved ataout two miles to the right, and
took position taehind tareastworks facing to the rear,
and fatigue parties were sent out to cut trees in front
of the works, in order to obstruct the passage of
cavalry. The same day, September 7th, Captain
Hammond was again otaliged to go to the hospital,
and Adjutant Hayes assumed the command of the
regiment, which continu.ed during the 8th, 9th and
10th, in the position taken on the 7th.
Sunday, Septemtaer 11th, was National Thanks
giving, and taut very little duty was done for the day,
except regimental inspection. Monday, Septemtaer
12th, was pleasant taut very cold for the season. The
regiment was inspected during the afternoon tay Cap
tain Cogswell, Brigade Inspector. Captain Hussey
returned from hospital on Tuesday, the 13th, and
took command of the regiment. On the next day,
Septemtaer 14th, the Second division was reviewed tay
General Potter, commanding the division. Thursday,
the 15th, the whole regiment was employed in tauild
ing wagon roads. During the 16th and 17th the regi
ment had company drills, and on Sunday, September
18th, religious services were held tay the chaplain of
the Fifty -Eighth Massachusetts regiment. The ser
mon was the first to which the regiment had listened
since leaving home, its Satataaths having taeen passed
under such circumstances during the active campaign
ing that divine service could not tae held. On Mon
day, the 19th, the regiment had a taattalion drill.

THIETA'-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 389
under coramand of Captain Hussey, in the afternoon,
having had company drills in the forenoon. Captain
Hunt of Company G, who had taeen atasent since the
30th of July, on account of his wounds, rejoined the
regiment and assumed command. Tuesday, Septem
taer 20th, the regiment again drilled tay companies in
the forenoon, and as a taattalion in the afternoon.
The news of Sheridan's splendid victory in the Valley
on the 19th, reached us on the 20th, and was received
with great enthusiasra.
On Wednesday, the 21st, our regiment was on
fatigue duty, being employed in tauilding a fort.
Captain Hamraond of Corapany D, taeing physically
unatale to sustain further active service, had tendered
his resignation a short tirae previously, and it was
accepted on the 21st, and he Avas finally discharged
a day or two later. In hira the regiment lost the
services of a faithful and efficient officer. On
Septeraber 22nd, the customary company drills were
had in the forenoon, and some changes were made in
the camp, tents moved, etc., during the afternoon.
Company and taattalion drill occupied the next day,
Friday, Septemtaer 23rd, and the monotony of drilling
was varied on Saturday, the 24th, tay a detail of forty
men to work in tauilding a fort. Several commissions
were received at regimental headquarters on the 24th,
Assistant-Surgeon John H. Kimtaall taeing promoted
to Surgeon, and First Lieutenant Thos. P. Beals to
Captain of Corapany H, and Second Lieutenant Wm.
B. Barker to First Lieutenant of the same company,
all to date from Septemtaer 16th. Captain Beals had
just rejoined the regiment on the 23rd.
On Sunday, the 25th of Septemtaer, we had sixty
men at work building a fort and twenty more engaged

390 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
in policing for brigade guard-mounting. In the
afternoon the regiment moved some three or four
railes to the right, and went into camp near the mili
tary railroad running to City Point. We remained in
the same position on Monday and Tuesday, the 26th
and 27th, and while lying here, were visited by the
paymaster. On Tuesday notice was received of the
acceptance of the resignation of Lieutenant Stephen
G. Dorman of Company K, to date from August 24th.
On' Wednesday, Septemtaer 28th, the regiment marched
back to its old camp, where it reraained through the
day, waiting further orders, which did not come until
midnight. Then we were ordered to tae ready to
move at 4 o'clock on the raorning of the 29th, with
four days' rations and sixty rounds of ammunition for
each man. We were ready at the time named, taut
the expected orders did not come, and all through the
day (Thursday) we remained in readiness to move,
taut did not taegin our march until the next day.
Movements were in progress on the 29th, on the
north side of the James river, tay troops from the
Tenth ^' and Eighteenth Corps, looking towards an
advance'upon Richmond, and some sharp fighting was
experienced, especially tay Stannard's division of the
Eighteenth Corps, which carried Fort Harrison tay
assault. General Humphreys states that it was con
templated in General Grant's plans, if the enemy drew
off so large a part of the forces from the defences
of Peterstaurg to reinforce the nortli line of the
James, as to justify a movement by General Meade
against the South Side Railroad or Petersburg, such
a moveraent was to be made. But as the Confederate
force ataout Peterstaurg was not sufficiently reduced to
justify it on the 29th, General Grant did not deem it

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 391
advisatale for the troops under General Meade to move
on that day, nor until the forenoon of the 30th.
"The otaject then in view", General Humphreys
goes on to say, ' ' was to secure the junction of two
roads coraing from the southwest, the Squirrel Level,
and the Poplar Spring Church roads. This junction
was at the Peetales farm, where a redoutat terrainated
the Confederate entrenchraents, covering the roads".*
To accoraplish this object, if possible. General Warren
with two divisions of the Fifth Corps moved out
against the junction of the roads, while General
Parke, with our First and Second divisions, followed.
Ataout noon General Warren came in contact with the
enemy, whose position was a strong one on the ridge
of a range of hills. The troops attacked the enemy's
line gallantly, carrying the redoubt and the' infantry
parapets, capturing one gun and a number of pris
oners, and forcing the enemy to retire to a second
entrenched position ataout half a mile in the rear of
his former line . t
General Parke advanced our Second division to
support the left of the Fifth Corps, and as soon as
General Willcox came up, the First division took
position on our left. General Parke then moved the
two divisions of the Ninth Corps forward in a north
west direction toward the Boydton road. Our Second
division passed through a taelt of woods, and came out
upon a large clearing, on which stood what was known
as the Pegram house. The division advanced taeyond
the house, into a piece of woods on the other side
of the clearing. Passing through these woods, we were
near the enemy's main line of entrenchments, General
?Humphreys — "Virginia Campaign", p. 290-291.
t Woodbury — " Burnside and the Ninth Army Cprps ", p. 467.

392 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Humphreys states within eight hundred yards. Two
Confederate divisions, (those of Heth and Wilcox, of
HiU's corps,) were in our front, and General Potter
immediately advanced to attack them, our Second
tarigade leading the division. Our advance, however,
was met tay a counter-charge on the part of the enemy,
in largely superior numtaers. Their line overlapped
ours, and our right was outflanked. An unfortunate
gap existed taetween our right, and the left of General
Griffin's division of the Fifth Corps, and into this
interval the Confederates poured with irresistitale
force, throwing the entire Second division into con
fusion tay the sudden and vigorous attack, in front
and fiank. General Potter was temporarily otaliged to
fall taack, as was the right tarigade of General
Willcox''s division. But the remainder of the First
division, aided tay the prompt assistance of Griffin's di
vision of the Fifth Corps, enataled the Second division
to rally and re-form, and a new line was estatalished,
which checked the further advance of the enemy.
Nightfall prevented a renewal of the contest, and
we entrenched and held the line of works captured
from the enemy on the Peetales farm, the Ninth Corps
connecting on the right with the Fifth Corps, and our
left drawn taack to cover the Squirrel Level road. By
the operations of the day the Federal lines had been
extended some three miles taeyond the Weldon rail
road. But mainly taecause of the gap which had been
left taetween the Fifth and Ninth Corps, our loss in
the latter had been disproportionately heavy. Wood
taury states the casualties in the Ninth Corps to have
taeen sixty-seven killed, four hundred and eighteen
wounded, and fifteen hundred and nine missing, a
total of nineteen hundred and ninety-four, much the

THIETY-SEOOND MAINE EEGIMENT 393
larger portion of which loss, he says, fell upon our
Second division.* General Humphreys, however,
writing more recently and having access to the cor
rected official records, states the whole number of casu
alties in the operation to haA^e taeen six hundred and
sixty-one killed and wounded, and thirteen hundred
and forty-eight missing, making a total of two thou
sand and nine, t This estimate Avould reduce our loss
in the Ninth Corps somewhat, as the Fifth raust have
lost a considerable number in the attack of the morn
ing and sutasequently. Although, General Humphreys
says General Parke lost four hundred and eighty-five
killed and wounded.
The historian of the Sixth NeAv Hampshire
describes the ground over which this action was
fought so graphically, that at the risk of sorae repe
tition of Avliat has already been said, the following
extract is raade from his account of the battle. After
saying that the enemy's advance Avorks Avere carried
tay assault tay the Fifth Corps, and that the Con
federates then fell taack to their raain entrenched
position ataout half a raile to the rear and left of the
captured works, he goes on to say, "The two divisions
of the Ninth Corps having come up on the left of the
Fifth, a moveraent was made tay them upon this
position, the Second taeing in advance, with its Second
tarigade (Griffin's) in the lead. Our Sixth regiment
was at the center of the brigade line, with the Ninth
and Eleventh New Hampshire and Seventeenth Ver
mont on its right, the Second Maryland, the Thirty-
First and Thirty-Second Maine, and other portions of
our corps, on its left, and Avith the Second New York
* Woodbury — " Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps ", p. 468.
t Humphreys — " Virginia Campaign ", p. 292.

394 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Mounted Rifles deployed as skirmishers. We moved
forward over an open field, tay the Pegram farm-house,
through corn fields, across some low ground and into
a piece of pine woods, exchanging shots all the while
with the retiring enemy, and wheeling partially to
the right as we advanced, to keep our connection
with the Fifth Corps, or rather, with an intervening
swamp, which immediately protected our right fiank.
Along the further side of the pine woods was
a fence, and taeyond the fence another farra, with a
large white house and extensive out-tauildings, yards,
and corn fields, the ground falling off considerably
frora the woods down to the house".*
He continues his narrative tay stating that his
regiraent, seized the position iraraediately around the
large white house, taut did not perceive a strong line
of the enemy which was advancing upon the same
position, under cover of a bushy ravine. This force
was, however, upon them in a few minutes, and as the
Sixth was a little in advance of the other troops in
the line, and its flanks therefore entirely unprotected,
it was compelled to retreat hastily, and with some loss
in prisoners. "While the right of our line held its
ground for the time taeing", he adds, "that strong
rebel-force, a part of which had struck the Sixth,
advanced also upon our corps farther to the left,
enveloped its flank and swept everything before it.
Finally our whole line Avas corapelled to give way and
to retire to the Pegram farm, where the retael advance
was checked, and the ground was held in permanent
Union grasp ".t
* Jackman — "History of the Sixth New Hampshire Regiment",
pp. .335-886. t Ibid, p. 337.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 395
The night of the 30th of September was a sad and
dismal one, a heavy rain-storm having set in late in
the afternoon, which continued till the following day.
Drenched and miserable in body, and mentally filled
with regret and anger, we sullenly counted the hours
of that dreary night, in the breastworks on the
Pegram farm. The next day, Saturday, October 1st,
was still wet and stormy, and no especial movement
was made in front of the Ninth Corps, although
demonstrations were made by the enemy against the
position held tay the Fifth Corps. Two attacks were
made upon General Ayres' division of that corps
during the day, taut taoth were easily repulsed. A
cavalry fight was also had, in the pouring rain,
taetween the Confederate horsemen under Hampton,
and the Federal troopers of General Gregg's division,
away down upon our left flank, taut the action was
indecisive, Hampton gaining some slight advantage at
first, taut finally taeing compelled to retire.
General Mott's division of the Second Corps came
up, and took position on the left of the Ninth Corps in
the afternoon of the 1st of Octotaer. The next day,
Sunday, Octotaer 2nd, General Parke advanced our
two divisions, with artillery and musketry firing,
nearly half way to the enemy's works, and then estata
lished a line of entrenchments on the ground thus
occupied. The moA'^ement was effected under a severe
fire frora the eneray, mainly of artillery, taut their
shells did taut slight damage. The line of works con
structed on the 2nd was connected with the Weldon
railroad works, and made a part of the permanent
lines of investment.
But let us now consider more especially the part
which our own regiment was called upon to hear in

396 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
the taattle of the 30tli. As has taeen said in previous
pages, its numbers had taeen much reduced prior to
this time. But some accessions had been had during
Septemtaer, tay sick and slightly wounded men
returning to duty, and the regiment carried into the
action of Friday about one hundred muskets. Of
this little handful of men, we lost one man, killed,
thirteen wounded, and thirty-four taken prisoners,
six of the Avounded being also captured, making an
aggregate of forty-two men, or nearly one-half of the
entire numtaer present for duty. The unfortunate
overlapping of our line and enveloping of our flank tay
the enemy, resulted in our being thrown into consider
able confusion, which rendered it easy for the enemy
to capture so large a numtaer of our men, while the
tarigade was still taroken into fragraents tay the force
of the unexpected aud vigorous assault.
The casualties were distritauted araong the several
companies as follows:
Company A, Sergeant Andrew J. Harriman,
wounded in leg, and taken prisoner; Corporal Charles
E. Stevens, and Privates Charles H. Potter, Charles
W. Rotainson, Alonzo Carpenter, Charles Bowden,
Walter Eaton and Ammi Mason, captured.
Company B, Sergeant Winfield S. Howe, wounded
and taken prisoner; Privates Henry N. Judkins and
David Sewall, Jr., captured.
Company C, Corporal Marshall Martin, captured;
Private Charles B. Wetataer, wounded and taken pris
oner. Company D, Corporal Hiram A. Conant, wounded
in neck; Private James F. Tartaox, wounded in foot;
Sergeant John L. Ham, Corporal Roger A. Foss,
Privates Hirara K. Thorapson and Joseph C. Norris,
captured.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 397
Company E, Private Thomas C. Welch, wounded
in head, severely.
Company F, Sergeant Nathan Chadtaourn, Cor
poral Gardner L. Patterson, Privates Caleta Went
worth, George Blodgett, William L. Trafton, Asa B.
Smith and Henry Remick, captured.
Company G, Private Joseph Mclntire, killed;
Corporal Edwin Haskell, wounded in hand; Private
William H. Emery, wounded in ankle; Privates
Michael Murphy, Stephen S. F. Marriner, Joseph L.
Sraall, Joseph H. Herrick and John Dixon, captured.
Company H, Corporal Charles O. Cushman,
captured; Private Nathan Brock, wounded and cap
tured. Company I, Privates John E. Lapham, wounded
in thigh, and taken prisoner; Nathan O. Mann,
wounded. Company K, Corporal Freeman Cataan, wounded
and captured; Privates John W. Santaorn, wounded
in knee; George Ricker, captured.
Of those who fell into the hands of the eneray, a
consideratale nuraber died in prison, or very shortly
after being released. Comrades Wetataer and Ricker
died in Octotaer, 1864, the latter having taeen paroled,
and dying at Annapolis, Md., Octotaer 30th. Com
rades Remick and Herrick died in Novemtaer, the
first named on Novemtaer 2nd, and the latter Novem
taer 21st, while Norris died some time during the same
month; Marriner died Novemtaer 1st, and Sewall
Decemtaer 12th, 1864. Patterson, Smith and Bowden
died during January, 1865, the last named having
deceased on January 14th. The date of death in the
cases of Comrades Eaton and Rotainson it has not
taeen possitale to ascertain. Most of the other pris-

398 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
oners were paroled or exchanged during the fall and
winter, but the exact dates are not known, except in a
few instances. Sergeant Howe was paroled on Octo
taer 10th, 1864; Sergeant Harriraan, and Privates Car
penter and Potter, Fetaruary 23rd, 1865; and Corporal
Martin on March 23rd, 1865.
The Monthly Return for Septemtaer appears to
have taeen much delayed, as it hears date of October
21st, 1864. It presents the following data:

OflScers present for duty,

5

Officers absent, detached duty.

1

" " " extra duty,

2

" " sick.

8

" " sick,

none

" with leave,

8

Enlisted men present for duty.

144

Enlisted men " detached duty,

1

" " " extra "

55

" " with leave.

1

" sick,

44

" " without leave,

7

" " sick.

385

Died in action, etc..

1

" of disease, enlisted men.
10
Total Commissioned,
24
officer,
1
Enlisted.
637
Eesigned or discharged.

for disability (officers).
2
Aggregate,
661
The ' ' officers present for duty ", as shown tay this
return, were Surgeon John H. Kimtaall and Adjutant
C. L. Hayes of the field and staff, and Captains T. P.
Beals, Company H, and M. L. M. Hussey, Company I,
and Lieutenant Thomas Child, Company G, of the
line officers. Assistant Surgeon Henry S. B. Smith
was on special duty with the artillery of the brigade,
and Captain J. L. Hunt, Company G, was serving on a
court martial at Division Headquarters. Lieutenant
Charles B. Rounds, Company D, was on detached
duty, guarding retael prisoners at Elmira, N. Y., while
Major Arthur Deering, Chaplain William A. Patten,
Quartermaster John Hall, Captains S. E. Bryant,
Company A, and A. F. Noyes, Company B, and Lieu
tenants S. A. James, Company A, James A. Stanley,
THIETA'-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 399
Company E, and James B. Currier, Company G, were
atasent, sick. In addition to the above. Colonel M. F.
Wentworth, Lieutenant-Colonel J. M. Brown, Captain
E. S. Keyes, Company E, and Lieutenants J. J. Chase,
Company D, Wilmot Whitehouse, Company I, James
M. Goodrich, Company K, Charles F. Burr, Company
C, and Charles W. Keyes, Corapany E, were reported
absent, wo.unded.
And when there are added to this list the seven
commissioned officers captured by the enemy two
months previously, it Avill at once be seen that the
regiment was almost wholly destitute of officers
at the close of Septemtaer. And although the re
turn, as given ataove, shows one hundred and forty-
four enlisted men "present for duty", apparently this
numtaer could not have taeen with the colors at the
end of that month. It seems more probable that this
was the numtaer shown tay the morning report about
the 21st of Octotaer, when the raonthly return for
Septemtaer was made up, as appears from its date. As
proof of this, attention is called to the numtaer men
tioned in the following extract from Adjutant Hayes'
diary, under date of October 2nd. Reference has
taeen made to General Parke's advance with the two
divisions of the Ninth Corps on that day. The
remnant of the Thirty-Second Maine shared in that
advance, and the diary reads :
"9.30 A. M. — The army is in motion. We are
advancing in three lines of taattle. 4.15 P. M. — Here
we are, lying in line of taattle, and have taeen so for
five hours. The fighting has taeen sharp in front.
We have taeen under severe shelling, taut have had
none hit yet. One shell killed and wounded seven or
eight men just in front of us. Another killed one of

400 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Captain Twitchell's horses and wounded another.
We have left forty musJcets, the last of our regiment;
' the last of the Mohicans '. Night. — We have
taivouacked; have not taeen actively engaged to-day.
After we were comfortataly settled for the night, the
Adjutant-General came along, and we had to go on
picket".

3iograpt)tcaI Skctct^.

CAPTAIN JOSEPH B. HAMMOND.
Joseph Baker Hammond was born in New Gloucester,
Maine, on April 8, 1825, and was the second son of George
and Martha (Baker) Hammond. His father was a native of
New Gloucester, and his mother was born in Durham, Maine.
He was descended from one of the patriotic heroes of the
Eevolution, his great-grandfather, Benjamin Hammond, hav
ing been commissioned as Captain in the Continental army,
and having died from sickness at Ticonderoga, while yet in
the prime of life. This ancestor is said to have been a famous
Indian scout, and a mighty hunter. Upon the maternal side,
also, there was a distinguished ancestry, his mother's great
grandfather having been the first Lieutenant-Governor of
Massachusetts. The subject of this sketch had grown to manhood, and
was engaged in the lumbering business at Bethel, Me., when
President Lincoln made his first call for seventy-five thousand
volunteers at ihe beginning of the Civil War. Leaving his
business, be at once enlisted in Co. I, Fifth IVIaine Infantry
Vols., and was mustered into the service of the United States
June 23, 1861. He first saw active service in the first battle

CAPTAIN JOSEPH B. HAMMOND.

THIETA'-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 401
of Bull Eun, a month later, on July 21, 1861, and in Sep
tember following, he was honorably discharged, on account of
disability, having in the meantime been promoted to sergeants
In the spring of 1864, he again entered the service, and
was commissioned First Lieutenant of Co. C, Thirty-Second
Maine Infantry Vols., on March 23, 1864. Going to the
front with the first battalion, he was wounded May 12th at
Spottsylvania, Va., and six days later, in the action of May
18th, received a second wound. And after some ten days in
hospital, was sent home to Maine to recuperate, returning to
the regiment July 20th. While at home he had been pro
moted to Captain of Co. D, and was mustered in that rank on
July 23, 1864. Almost immediately after rejoining, he
went into the charge at the explosion of the mine on July
30th, and was the only one out of fifteen line officers who
came out of that engagement without being either killed,
wounded or captured. And his escape from injury or capture
Avas due to his having been ordered to the rear with Lieu
tenant J. J. Chase, who had been severely wounded in the
head, and Avas at the time, supposed to be mortally wounded.
After the explosion, Captain Hammond was in command
of the remnant of the regiment until compelled to go to the
hospital on Aug. 7th, from which he returned August 16th,
but was again obliged to go back to the hospital in a few
days, and finding himself unable to return to duty in conse
quence of his disabilities, he resigned on September 22, 1864.
Since the war he has lived in the home in which he was
born, actively engaged, until recently, not only in the man
agement of a large and thrifty farm, but also in the social
affairs of the town.
He is a faithful member of Cumberland Lodge F. and A.
M., and of Geo. E. Whitman Post, G. A. E., and is also a
member of the Loyal Legion, while the Universalist church
in his native town finds in him one of its strongest supporters.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Camp Life in Octobee. — Hatchee's Run and the
South Side Raileoad. — Retuen to the Old
Lines.' — The Peesidential Election in
Novembee. — Captuee of Geneeal
RoGEE A. Peyoe. — The Monthly
Retuens foe Octobee
AND Novembee.

As stated at the close of the last chapter, the
Thirty-Second Maine, or Avhat remained of it, was on
picket duty during the night of Sunday, October 2nd.
It was, however, relieved at noon the next day, and
returned to the first line of tareastAvorks, where it
remained the rest of the day, without the occurrence
of any especial event. On Tuesday, October 4tli,
General Ferrero's (colored) division, Avliich had been
left behind when the First and Second divisions
moved out to participate in the battle of the 30th,
again rejoined the corps. And Avith the sturdy aid
of the colored troops the work of intrenching was car
ried on with increased vigor. But the,Avhite divisions
were by no means exerapted frora their full share of
this lataor. Our regiment had a large detachment
at work in tauilding a fort during the night of the
4th, comprising almost every man availatale for duty.
Lieutenant Jaraes B. Currier of Company G, rejoined

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 403
the regiment in the afternoon of Tuesday, having
been absent on account of injuries received at Cold
Hartaor in June. By a curious coincidence, however,
his discharge was received at regimental headquarters
the next day, to date from June 24th, and Lieutenant
Currier started for the North on Thursday, October
6th, two days after he had rejoined us. Other dis
charges received on the 5th of October were those of
Lieutenant-Colonel John M. Brown, to date frora
September 12th, and of Captain Geo. H. Chadwell of
Company H, to date from May 26th.
On the 6th the regiment was employed in build
ing breastworks, until about 5 o'clock P. M. , when
sixty men were sent out on picket, under command of
Lieutenant Child, this taeing nearly the entire
strength of the regiment. Friday, the 7th, was a
very quiet day on the picket line, where the regiment
remained without incident until the morning of the
8th, when it was relieved, and returned to the tareast
works. Two tarigades of the First division moved to the
left and made a demonstration against the Squirrel
Level road, on Saturday, the 8th. And in anticipa
tion of support taeing needed, we were kept in readi
ness to move, frora seven in the raorning to ataout five
in the afternoon. All tents were struck and knap
sacks packed, and we Avere in momentary expectation of
an order to march throughout the day. But General
Willcox found the eneray in force at all points in
front, and made no attack, taut returned without
taringing on an engagement. And late in the after
noon we received orders to repitch our tents, and
remain in our old position. Sunday, Octotaer 9th,
was a cold, cloudy day, and the ground was frozen in

404 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
the morning, for the first time for the season. We
had an inspection in the forenoon, and later. Chap
lain Crawford of the Thirty-First Maine held divine
services. Captain Bryant of Company A, rejoined
the regiment on the 9th. On Monday, Octotaer 10th,
the regiment was again on fatigue duty engaged in
tauilding a fort. Captain Hunt of Company G,
received his commission as Lieutenant-Colonel, to
date from October Sth, on the 10th. The next day,
Tuesday, the 11th, was warm and pleasant, and
passed quietly with us, although there was heavy
cannonading on our right. On Wednesday, the 12th,
the regiment again went on picket, and Adjutant
Hayes writes in his diary, "Had hard work to raise
sixty men", thus attesting very emphatically the
degree to which the regiment had taeen reduced in
numtaers. On the next day, Friday the 14th, the entire
Second division was drawn up to witness a military
execution. Charles Merlin,* of the Second Mary
land who had deserted to the enemy, and had taeen
recaptured tay his own regiment while fighting against
them, was shot by a file of men, at 10 o'clock A. M.
Five thousand men were paraded, and formed on three
sides of a square to witness the execution. The
deserter seemed to be hardened and reckless, and to
have no care for the awful fate awaiting him. He
fell at the first volley, with three taalls in his taody,
one in his neck, and one in the arm.
On Saturday, the 15th, the regiment was again at
work tauilding a fort, three officers and seventy-five
men composing the force engaged in this duty. The
* OrMullin, as the name is spelled by Cogswell, inthe "History
of the Eleventh N. H. Vol.", 'p. 499.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 405
following day was one of comparative rest, taeing the
Sabtaath. We had regimental inspection in the morn
ing, and divine services in the afternoon, the Chap
lain of the Fifty-Eighth Massachusetts officiating for
us. On Monday, Octotaer 17th, our time was occupied
in drilling, tay companies in th© forenoon, and as a
taattalion in the afternoon. And the next day W0,s
well taken up tay a brigade guard raounting, and com
pany drills in the forenoon, and taattalion drill
followed tay dress parade, in the afternoon. On
Wednesday, Octotaer 19th, our regiment was on tarig
ade guard, from which we were relieved Thursday
morning. We again indulged in the unusual luxury
of a taattalion drill and dress parade on Thursday
afternoon. It was just six months this day (Octotaer 20th)
since the first taattalion of our regiraent left Augusta,
and in that time what hardships and suffering had
fallen to its lot. Wearisome marches, privation and
exposure had sapped the strength of many of its
number, and disease had raade raany inroads upon its
ranks. But leaving all these out of the account, the
regiment had actually suffered a loss of upwards of
three hundred and thirty men killed, wounded and
missing, in a service of taut half a year. In other
words, it had sustained an average loss of fifty-five
men per month, for six successive months, tay the
casualties of battle alone, without considering at all
the many poor fellows who had succumtaed to disease
within the sarae period.
Good news from Sheridan's troops in the ' 'Valley "
was received to-day, and the camps were nearly wild
with rejoicing at the glorious victory. On Friday,
Octotaer 21st, Chaplain Patten rejoined the regiraent

406 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
after an extended absence. We had taattalion drill
and dress parade again in the afternoon. The regi
ment was on guard duty in the trenches on Saturday,
the 22nd, taut was relieved on the next day, and our
chaplain held divine services, it being the Satabath.
On Monday, Octotaer 24th, we had the now frequent
ro,utine of company and taattalion drills and dress
parade. But indications now became apparent that
our period of quiet was approaching an end, and
rumors of another intended movement taegan to tae
heard. The Federal lines were now within three
railes frora the South Side railroad, which the eneray
still held tenaciously, being well aware of its value.
General Grant therefore deterrained to make one more
effort to gain possession of this coveted prize. Plans
were perfected for another movement to the left, it
being hoped to succeed in turning the Confederate
defences at Hatcher's Run. On the 24th, General
Grant wrote to General Meade, ' ' Make your prepara
tions to march out at an early hour on the 27th, to
gain possession of the South Side railroad and to hold
it and fortify back to your present left".* And on
the 25th, General Meade issued an order in which
after providing for the movements of the Second
Corps, and of General Gregg's cavalry, he went on to
say: "4. Major General Parke, commanding Ninth
Corps, will move at such an hour on the morning of
the 27th, as will enatale him to attack the right of the
eneray's infantry between Hatcher's Run and their
new works at Hawkes' and Dabney's at the dawn of
day. It is protaatale that the enemy's line of entrench
ments is incomplete at that point; and the com-
" Humphreys — "Virginia Campaign", p. 294.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 407
manding general expects, tay a secret and sudden
movement, to surprise them and carry their half-
formed works. General Parke will therefore move
and attack vigorously at the time named, not later
than half-past five, and if successful, will follow up
the eneray closely, turning toward the right. Should
he not tareak the eneray's line, General Parke will
reraain confronting them until the operations on the
left draw off the enemy".*
Thus designated as a portion of the attacking
force, and assigned to the discharge of an important
duty, the Ninth Corps taegan vigorous preparations
for the impending movement. The days which inter
vened taefore that selected as the time for the attack,
were tausy and anxious ones. The troops were
stripped for the conflict, all surplus taaggage taeing
ordered sent to City Point; all spare horses sent
to the rear, and ammunition, forage and other wagons
parked at the most secure points. Sixty rounds
of ammunition per man, to be carried on the person,
and forty more to be transported in wagons, were
drawn, and four days' full rations were also issued.
Every available man on detached, special, extra or
daily duty that could be spared for the emergency,
was armed and equipped, and sent into the ranks.
Headquarters guards, and other detached men were
ordered to their regiments. And tay the night of
Wednesday, Octotaer 26th, every armed man that
could tae released frora other duties, was present with
his command to participate in the intended operation.
Two thousand men from the Ninth Corps were to
remain taehind to garrison the forts and hold the line
of entrenchments, with ataout an equal numtaer from
the Fifth Corps.
* Walker — " History of the Second Army Corps ", p. 614.

408 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OP THE
At ataout 3.30 A. M., on Thursday, Octotaer 27th,
the movements of the Ninth and Fifth Corps taegan,
and General Hancock with the Second Corps, com
menced his raarch at ataout the sarae hour. At
daylight the Second tarigade was outside the Union
picket line, and marching down the Squirrel Level
road. General Willcox led the corps with the First
division, followed tay General Ferrero with the Third
— colored — division, while General Potter, with the
Second division, brought up the rear. From the fact
of our position, we were not, therefore, iraraediately
in contact with the enemy. The morning was dark
and rainy, and the advance was delayed tay the diffi
culty of movement over the wooded ground, and the
surprise which General Meade had hoped to effect,
was prevented tay the delay, and tay the vigilance of
the enemy. Colonel Cutcheon's tarigade, —the Sec
ond, — of General Willcox's division had been sent
forward in advance, to capture the enemy's outposts,
and surprise the forces covering the Boydton plank
road, taut was unable to accoraplish these purposes.
The Ninth Corps was then deployed. General Will
cox's division on the left, and General Ferrero's in the
center, with our division in support, on the right.
The Confederate pickets were driven in, and the
enemy's works were found to be strongly constructed
entrenchments, with ataattis and slashed timtaer in
their front, and held tay such force as not to justify
an attempt to assault them. The Third division
advanced through thick woods and heavy under
growth, to within ataout one hundred yards of the
Confederate works. But finding the fallen timtaer
and ataattis obstructions which he could not OA^ercoine,
General Ferrero entrenched, and held the ground

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 409
which he had gained. The First division was equally
unatale to penetrate the enemy's line, and proceeded
to entrench itself also. Meanwhile General Hancock
with two divisions of the Second Corps, had pushed
forward on the left, and had taecome engaged with
the enemy at Burgess's Mill, at the crossing of
Hatcher's Run by the Boydton road, and General
Crawford's division of the Fifth Corps had been
thrown across the run, and was moving up to connect
with the right of the Second Corps. But General
Hancock received orders from General Meade to halt
at the Boydton road, and sutasequently he was
directed to hold his position until the next morning,
and then to fall back by the route over which he had
advanced. General Huraphreys explains this by say
ing, "The South Side Railroad was still six miles
distant from the leading corps. It was essential to
the success of the operation that the objective points
should have been reached during the first day. That
had not taeen done. In view of the character of the
country, our starting-points were too distant from our
points of destination; we were ignorant of the topog
raphy of the country to tae passed over. It was evi
dent that we must extend our entrenchments more to
the left taefore advancing to the South Side Railroad,
so as to give us more and taetter roads to move the
infantry columns on".*
Late in the afternoon, General Hancock was sud
denly and vigorously attacked by Mahone and Heth,
but after some close and severe fighting, the Confed
erates were driven from the field in complete confu
sion. But this brilliant affair was merely an episode,
and the projected movement tay the left flank against
* Humphrey— "Virginia Campaign", pp. 299-300.

410 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
the South Side Railroad, was abandoned as impracti
catale, when it was estatalished that the Confederate
entrenched lines were so much more complete, and
stronger than had taeen supposed. As the supply of
ammunition was nearly exhausted in the Second
Corps, and neither reinforcements nor a fresh supply
of ammunition could be got forward to reach General
Hancock tay daylight the next morning, it was deemed
advisable that he should taegin to withdraw on Thurs
day night. Rain taegan to fall ataout dark, and con
tinued most of the night, but the troops of the Second
Corps began the movement to the rear about 10
o'clock P. M. , in extreme darkness and amid a heavy
storm. The Fifth Corps, and our own, however,- main
tained their position in front of the Confederate
works through the night of the 27th, and taeing with
drawn on the 28th, returned to their old lines. The
historian of the Ninth Corps says, ' ' Our troops * * *
retired, closely followed tay the enemy, without
material loss. When within a mile of its encamp
ment, the Ninth Corps formed in line of taattle, and
the divisions retired in that order, one through the
other. The First division formed in line while the
Second and Third passed through. The corps was all
in by six o'clock in the evening, having suffered a loss
of eight killed, one hundred and twenty-seven
wounded, and fourteen missing".* Of this loss, our
proportion in the Second division was only very
slight. Adjutant Hayes writes in his diary, under
date of the 27th, that at daylight, we were outside the
picket line, and drawn up for battle, having taroken
camp at 3.30 A. M. And at a later hour, (10 A.M.) he
* Woodbury — "Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps", p. 470.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 411
says, "The battle has commenced, and they are taring
ing in the wounded, 'etaonies' and whites. Our
division has not yet been engaged ". At noon, he
records that we had just advanced, and were then
building breastworks on the ground from which the
rebels were driven in the morning.
Under date of the 28tli, he says, " But little flring
through the night, but it commenced hot this
morning. * * * * We have ninety-nine muskets in
the stacks * * * * 8.30 P. M.— We are on our old
ground. We fell taack from our position this after
noon. . Our tarigade hardly lost a man in the whole
affair ". During the advance of the 27th, the Ninth
and Eleventh New Hampshire regiments of our tari
gade, were thrown out as skirmishers, and, late in the
afternoon, one of those rumors, which so often origi
nated, no one knew how, taegan to tae circulated
among us. It was said that the Eleventh had taeen
captured on the skirmish line, and that all or nearly
all of its officers and men had taeen swept off together,
and were prisoners in the hands of the enemy. Hap
pily, this rumor, like many another "camp-story",
proved to be wholly unfounded, as the regiment
safely returned to us during the night, much to the
gratification of the entire brigade.
The next few days after this unsuccessful move
ment against the South Side railroad, were quiet and
uneventful ones. Indeed, no further operations on
the left, in which the Ninth Corps participated,
occurred for more than a raonth afterward. Saturday
and Sunday, Octotaer 29th and 30th, most of our little
regiment spent on guard and picket duty, those
remaining in camp, occupying the time in fixing up
their quarters so as to secure a larger degree of com-

412 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
fort. The weather was quite cool, and it was evident
that winter was not far distant. On Monday, October
31st, the regiment was mustered for pay, and the boys
began to look eagerly for the coming of the paymaster.
Captain Noyes of Company B rejoined the regiment
on the 31st. A new regiment from New York, the
One Hundred Eighty-Sixth, joined the corps late in
Octotaer, and was assigned to our — Second — brigade.
Tuesday, November 1st, the regiment was engaged in
drilling, and held a dress parade in the afternoon.
The next day, Wednesday, Novemtaer ' 2nd, was a dull
and rainy day. On Thursday, the 3rd, we had ataout
eighty men on guard, taeing nearly all th'e effectives
of the regiment. It rained nearly all day, and the
men had a wet, dreary and comfortless tour of duty.
The rest of the week was raarked tay no special inci
dent, except that on Saturday, Novemtaer 5th, Captain
Bryant of Company A, who had taeen in command,
was relieved, and Captain Hunt of Company G, who
had been commissioned, but not mustered, as Lieu
tenant-Colonel in Octotaer, was placed in coramand of
the regiment. During Saturday night there was
more than the usual araount of artillery, and consid
eratale infantry firing, taut it araounted to nothing of
consequence. On Sunday, the 6th, the regiraent had its usual
inspection in the morning, and the tarigade was
reviewed in the afternoon by General Griffin. Re
ligious services were held in Fort Welch tay chaplain
Patten, and a dress parade closed the busy day.
Monday, November 7th, was rainy and disagreeable,
but the regiraent had battalion drill in the afternoon,
and a dress parade at night. The next day, Tuesday,
November Sth, was National Election. Our regiment

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 413
was on guard duty during the day, taut oppor
tunity was afforded all who wished, to vote for
president, and also for governor. The whole numtaer
of votes cast for president in our regiment was ninety-
nine, of which sixty-eight were for Lincoln, and
thirty-one for McClellan. Fifty-four votes were
thrown for Samuel Cony for governor. As indicative
in some degree, of the sentiments of the^army, it is to
tae noted that Lincoln's majority in the Second
tarigade was ataout 380, and in the Ninth Corps, 2,000.*
Adjutant Hayes left the regiment on the morning
of the Sth, going North on a fifteen days' leave of
atasence, and Lieutenant Childs of Company G, who
had been detailed on General Griffin's staff a few days
taefore, reported for duty on the sarae date. Joseph A.
Hotatas, of Company K, was detailed as acting quarter
master-sergeant on the Sth.
From this time forward, during the remainder of
the month of Novemtaer, the daily record of events
transpiring in the lines contains taut little of especial
importance or interest to the Thirty-Second. The
only change that took place among the officers of our
regiment, so far as ascertained, was the resignation of
Captain Bryant of Company A, which occurred on
Novemtaer 25th.
Ataout the last of the month, a ripple of excite
ment was occasioned, not only in our tarigade, taut
throughout the army, by the capture of General
Roger A. Pryor, of the Confederate army, by Captain
Hollis O. Dudley, of the Eleventh New Hampshire, in
retaliation for the capture of Captain Henry S.
Burrage of the Thirty-Sixth Massachusetts, a short
* Cogswell— "History of the Eleventh New Hampshire Volun
teers", p. 431.

414 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
time previous. As some raembers of our own regiment
were, to some extent, participants in the affair, it seems
proper to give here a brief history of the capture.
The following copy of the affidavit of Captain Dudley
is taken from the history of his regiment, through the
courtesy of the historian of the Eleventh.
"The Confederates having openly charged Gen
eral Pryor with voluntarily surrendering himself, the
following affidavit was given him tay Captain Dudley
to disprove it:
I, Hollis O. Dudley, of the city of Manchester, state of
New Hampshire, do hereby make oath to the following facts :
In November, 1864, a Captain Burridge* of the Thirty-
Sixth Eegiment, had been captured by two Confederate
officers, while between the lines engaged in a sort of contra
band trade, which was then going on betweeen the picket lines
of the opposing armies, by which newspapers were exchanged
for tobacco, etc., and both sides became informed of each
other's moA'ements. General Sherman was then on his march
to the sea, and orders were issued to stop this sort of thing.
Burridge had gone out alone to meet the Confederate officers,
and they had walked him into their lines, one on each side of
him. The capture of Burridge was considered by the Ninth
Corps as a reflection upon them, and General Parke applied
for and obtained permission to capture a Confederate officer
under similar circumstances, as a measure of retaliation.
This Avas at once communicated by General Parke to his
officers, and we determined to seize the first opportunity to
carry his order into efl'ect.
On or about the 27th of November, 1864, I was in
command ofthe brigade picket line, the picket consisting of
* This spelling of the name is incorrect. It should be Burrage.
Major Burrage is now, — 1903 — and has long been a resident of Port
land, a clergyman of the Baptist church, and editor of "Zion's
Advocate ".

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 415
the Eleventh New Hampshire, and two companies of the
Thirty-Second Maine Eegiment. My advance picket was on
a knoll in an angle of the line, and commanded considerable
distance. I had just been to dinner, when I was told that a
Confederate officer wished to communicate with us for the
purpose of exchanging papers.
I selected five men ofthe Eleventh New Hampshire, and
numbered them from one to five, and ordered (Japtain Hussey
of the Thirty-Second Maine to pick out five of the best
marksmen and coolest men of his regiment. These were
numbered from six to ten. These men were sent forward to
the advance post with orders to keep me in view, and to fire
in rotation, commencing with No. 1, (who was T. O. Furnald,
of this city,) if I raised a hand or got into a quarrel, and to
kill the rebel if they could. Pryor had been standing in
front of the rebel picket for half an hour, trying to effect an
exchange of newspapers for tobacco. Captain Hussey had
told him that an officer would soon be sent out to see him.
As I walked out, I took short steps, which brought Pryor
more than half way to our lines. When we met, he made
some remark, to which I answered, demanding his surrender.
He replied, " No, by — " ! or some such language ; but before
his words were out of his mouth, his right hand was grasped
in my left, and a six-inch Smith & Wesson six-shooter was
pressed against his shirt-bosom, he wearing a low-cut vest. I
at once faced toward my line, saying, " A word from you, or
a particle of resistance, and I shall drop you and go to my
line", keeping my revolver constantly at his breast. In that
position we moved to my post immediately in front of Avhere
we stood. Eesistance would have been an act of sheer folly,
and the slightest offer would have been met by instant death.
As we stepped into the post, which was occupied by
Captain Hussey and a sergeant Durgin and the ten men
referred to, Pryor succeeded in getting his revolver, cocked

416 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
it, and made a pass to shoot me, when the revolver was
knocked from his hand by Captain Hussey.
After searching him for further arms, and taking his
name, I immediately took him to General S. G. Griffin,
brigade commander, and resumed my position in command of
the picket line. Within an hour of my return to the line,
General E. B. Potter sent his provost marshal to me to
present his compliments, and to congratulate me upon the
greatest achievement ever accomplished by an officer in the
Ninth Corps since its organization, saying if I ever had any
request to make of him to command him. I returned my
compliments to General Potter, saying that I had but done
my duty, and that I had but one request to make, and that
was that the revolver, belt, and holster that I took from
Pryor should be my property. The request was within a few
days granted, and I now have the revolver, belt, and holster
in my possession.
After the close of the war it was deposited by me in the
State House at Concord, New Hampshire, as a Avar relic ; but
fearing that it might be lost or injured, I resumed possession
of it.
Hollis O. Dudley.
State of New Hampshire, April 26, 1889.
Hillsborough, ss. — Then personally appeared Hollis O.
Dudley and made oath that the above affidavit by him signed
is true. Before me, James F. Beiggs,
Justice ofthe Peace and Notary Public. "*
In the foregoing affidavit, Captain Dudley alludes
to the fact that two companies of our regiment were a
part of the picket under his command. But he does
not state, and possitaly was not aware, that a member
* Cogswell — " History of the Eleventh New Hampshire Volun
teers", pp. 436-437.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 417
of one of those corapanies clairas to have uninten
tionally set in motion the train of circumstances
which led up to the capture of General Pryor.
Comrade E. A. Morse, of Company D, writes that
while on picket, he was relieving the raonotony of his
position tay reading a newspaper, and when he finished
reading, began idly waving the paper to and fro.
Aware that the exchange of papers had been for
bidden, he was surprised to see an officer from the
enemy's lines opposite ride out, waving a paper in
reply. He continued, however, to keep his paper in
motion, and the Confederate officer finally dismounted
and walked toward our lines. At this juncture,
Captain Dudley carae up and took the paper from
Morse, and taegan td wave it vigorously. As the Con
federate came out in front of his own breastworks.
Captain Dudley followed his exaraple, and the little
episode progressed to its conclusion, as narrated in
the affidavit. Comrade Morse writes that corporal
Leroy T. Carlton and himself were among the men
who were in readiness to fire if there was any
resistance on the part of the Confederate, as men
tioned by Captain Dudley.
On the 29th of Noveraber, the Ninth Corps raoved
some five miles to the right, relieving the Second
Corps, and occupying the lines iii front of Peterstaurg,
on the right of the army, extending from the
Appomattox river eastwardly to Battery Numtaer
Twenty-four. General Willcox with the First division
was on the right, and our own division on the left,
our Second tarigade connecting with the right of the
Fifth Corps. The line of the Second division ran
westwardly to a point nearly opposite the "crater"
where the mine was exploded, and where we had

418 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
fought SO unavailingiy, and lost so heavily, in the
previous suraraer.
The famous Fort Sedgwick, — better known to us,
and to all soldiers of the taesieging army, as "Fort
HeU", — and Forts Davis and Hayes were the principal
works occupied tay our division, which continued
practically in this position throughout the winter.
Occasionally a tarigade or a division was detached
from the Ninth Corps, and sent to support movements
made tay other troops, and the Second division, or
some portion of it, was from time to time assigned to
this duty.
But taefore going on to speak in detail of the
incidents of the winter, let us glance for a moment at
the statistics contained in the Monthly Returns for
Octotaer and Novemtaer, as found on file in the Adju
tant-General's office at Augusta.
The Monthly Return for October gives the fol
lowing details :

Ofificers present for duty,

9

Officers absent, detached duty.

2

" " " extra duty,

1

" " sick.

2

sick,

1

" with leave,

6

Enlisted men present for duty.

135

Enlisted men " with leave,

1

extra "

SO

" without leave.

8

sick,

19

" " ", sick.

369

Died of disease.

10

Total Commissioned,

21

Missing in action.

34

Enlisted,

682

Discharged for disability

(ofiicers),

4

Aggregate, Date:— Nov. 1, 1864.

603

The officers ' ' present for duty ", as shown above,
were Adjutant Calvin L. Hayes, Chaplain William A.
Patten, Captains S. E. Bryant, Company A; E. S.
Kyes, Company E; J. L. Hunt, Company G; T. P.
Beals, Company H; M. L. M. Hussey, Company I; and
Lieutenants Thomas Child, Corapany G, and W. B.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 419
Barker, Company H, the latter acting quartermaster.
Assistant Surgeon H. S. B. Smith was on special duty
with the Artillery Brigade of the Ninth Corps, and
Lieutenant Wilmot Whitehouse was ' ' present, sick ".
Major Arthur Deering had been "absent, sick", since
July 20th, and Quartermaster John Hall since August
1st. Lieutenant C. F. Burr, Company C, was at
Annapolis, Md., on Court Martial, to which duty he
had taeen assigned tay Special order No. 279, A. G. O.,
August 24th, and Lieutenant C. B. Rounds, Corapany
D, was at Elmira, N. Y., guarding prisoners of war,
having taeen assigned by Special order No. 164, July
20th. The officers discharged for disataility were Lieu
tenant-Colonel John M. Brown, tay Special Order War
Department, No. 317, Septemtaer 23rd, to date Septem
taer 12th; First Lieutenant S. A. James, Corapany A,
by Special order No. 319, Septeraber 24th, to date
Septemtaer 10th; First Lieutenant C. W. Keyes, Com
pany E, tay Special order. No. 322, Septemtaer 27th, to
¦date on that day; and Second Lieutenant J. B.
•Currier, Company G, by Special order No. 317, Sep
tember 23rd, to date June 24th.
The Monthly Return for November contains the
following data, viz:

Officers present for duty.

12

Officers absent, detached duty,

1

" " " extra duty.

1

" " sick.

2

Enlisted men present for duty,

170

" " with leave.

4

" extra duty,

30

Enlisted men absent, sick.

341

" sick.

18

Died of disease.

8

Total commissioned.

20

Discharged, officer.

1

" enlisted.

559

Aggregate,
579
The eight men shown above as having died of
disease were sergeant Edward Shaw, Company C,
420 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
whose death occurred in Maine, on Novemtaer 13th;
privates George M. Russell, Company B, at Annapolis;,
Clement P. Dennison, Company C, at Fort Wood,.
N. Y., November 2nd; A. W. Stinchfield, Company
D, at Washington; A. D. Roberts, on Novemtaer 4th,
in hospital not named; John Pinder, Company H,
Novemtaer 1st, at Beverly, N. J.; Nathaniel Leach,
Company K, at Washington; and George Ricker, Com
pany K, at Annapolis.

3tograpf^tcaI Skctcl^cs.
LIEUTENANT JAMES J. CHASE.
James Judson Chase was born at Chase's Mills, Turner,
Maine, February 9, 1847, and was the son of Solon and Ann
(Phillips) Chase. He attended the schools of his native
town Uf) to the time of his enlistment. Although only a boy
in years at the beginning of the Civil War, he was filled with
a spirit of military ardor, and desired extremely to become a
soldier. After one or two unsuccessful attempts to enter the
service, he enbsted August 8, 1863, at Lewiston, Me., as a
substitute. He was not immediately assigned to duty with
any regiment, but remained in Maine, with the drafted forces
at Lewiston and at Camp Berry, Portland, until March 27,
1864. He was then commissioned as Second Lieutenant of
Co. D, Thirty-Second Maine Infantry, and Avent to the front
with his company in April. After participating in the ser
vice rendered by the battalion up to May 7th, he was stricken
down by severe illness, and sent to hospital, at Washington.
Thence he was sent to Maine, and having become some
what improved in health after being at home for a short time,
rejoined the regiment in front of Petersburg on July 22nd,
and took command of Co. D ; the nextday, hoAvever, he was

LIEUTENANT JAMES J. CHASE.

THIETA'-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 421
relieved by Captain Hammond. Eight days after his return
to the regiment, on July 30th, 1864, Lieutenant Chase was
severely, and as it was at first supposed, mortally wounded.
The missile struck back of the left eye, ranging forward, and
passing out at the inner angle of the eye, destroying it, and
throwing it from its socket. While still sufl^ering from this
t:errible wound he was, on October 6, 1864, promoted to First
Lieutenant of Co. H, but was unable to assume the duty, and
was discharged on Deceraber 22, on account of disability from
.the wound. Later he was commissioned as First Lieutenant
¦of Co. E, Maine Coast Guards, and stationed at Rockland,
Me., serving until July 11, 1865, when he Avas finally dis
charged. Some years after the close of the war, the vision of
¦the remaining eye failed through sympathetic affection, and
for more than twenty-five years he has been entirely blind, as
a consequence of the wound. ^
In addition to his total deprivation of sight, he suffers
much from the injuries occasioned by the missile, but main-
i;ains his courage and cheerfulness in spite of all. He is a
regular attendant at the annual re-unions of the regiment,
:and is, perhaps, one of its best known members.

422 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
LIEUTENANT GEORGE L. HALL.
George Loring Hall was born in Nobleboro, Me., on
March 7, 1834, and was the son of Horace and Silence Hall.
Shortly after the outbreak of the Avar of the Rebellion, he en
listed, on June 13, 1861, in the regimental band of the Fourth
Regiment Maine Infantry Volunteers, and four days later,
left Rockland, Me., and proceeded to Washington with the
regiment. Arriving on June 20th at its destination, the
Fourth Maine went into camp on Meridian Hill, and early in
July crossed to the Virginia side of the Potomac, and on the
18th, was at Centerville, and on the 21st Avas engaged in the
battle of Bull Run.
The subject of this sketch followed the fortunes of the
regiment until discharged, on September 13, 1863, under an
order from the War Department for the discharge of regi
mental bands.
During his service, he participated in the siege of York-
town, the battle of Williamsburg, the Seven Days battles
before Richmond, and the Second Bull Run, being detailed to
serve in the ambulance corps during the battles.
When the Thirty-Second Maine was organized, he again
entered the military service, and was commissioned as Second
Lieutenant of Company I, of that regiment, on May 4, 1864.
Going out with the second battalion, he joined the Ninth
Corps at the North Anna river, on May 25, 1864. He parti
cipated in the battle of Cold Harbor, and the siege of Peters
burg, and other minor engagements. On July 30, 1864, h&
was takfen prisoner at the explosion of Burnside's Mine, in
front of Petersburg, and was confined at Columbia, S. C, for
several months. He was paroled, and passed through the
Confederate lines near Wilmington, N. C, on March 5, 1865,
and sent to Annapolis, Md. On March 12, 1865, he was
mustered out and honorably discharged, by reason of the
consolidation with the Thirty-First, Avhich occurred while he

LIEUTENANT GEOEGE L. HALL.

THIETY-SECOND AIAINE EEGIMENT

423

was still a prisoner, and by which he had been rendered
supernumerary. On May 10th, 1866, he was married to Sarah Ebzabeth
Russell, daughter of Gushing B. Russell, of Nobleboro,
Maine. He has been prominent in town affairs, having
served as Town Clerk, Treasurer and Collector of Taxes, and
was Representative to the Legislature in 1872-3. He also
held the office of Postmaster, from 1863 to 1876, and was
again appointed to the same position in 1897, and has con
tinued to serve until the present time. He has held a com
mission as Justice of the Peace ever since the war, and has
been actively engaged in business pursuits.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Changes in Oeganization of Ninth Coeps. — The
CoLOEED Teoops Detached. — New Regiments
FEOM Pennsylvania Join the Coeps. — Wae-
een's Reconnaissance. — The Thiety-
Second Maine in Decembee. — The
Consolidation with the Thiety-
FiEST Maine. — List of Offi-
CEES AND Men Peesent at
Date of Teansfee.

The previous chapter tarought the narrative down
to the close of Novemtaer, 1864, and in taeginning to
speak of the progress of events in the following month,
the first matter of interest appears to be the changes
which took place in the organization of the Ninth
Corps early in Decemtaer.
The Third (or colored) division was permanently
detached, and separated from General Parke's com
mand, at the taeginning of the month. The two
tarigades of colored troops were moved doAvn to
Bermuda Hundreds, where, together with the colored
regiments formerly taelonging to the Tenth and
Eighteenth Corps, they were organized into a hcav
corps, the Twenty-Fifth, on Decemtaer 3, 1864. ^
Their place in the Ninth Corps was taken tay six
new regiments of Pennsylvania troops, designated as

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 425
the Two Hundredth, the Two Hundred and Fifth,
Two Hundred and Seventh, Two Hundred and
Eighth, Two Hundred and Ninth, and the Two
Hundred and Eleventh Pennsylvania Infantry.
These men Avere enlisted for one year's service, and
the regiments had taeen organized and mustered in,
ataout Septemtaer, 1864. They constituted the new
Third division. General John F. Hartranft taeing
assigned to the command of the division. Colonel
C. W. Diven commanded the First tarigade, consisting
of the Two Hundredth, the Two Hundred and
Eighth, and the Two Hundred and Ninth. The
¦Second tarigade was composed of the Two Hundred
and Fifth, the Two Hundred and Seventh, and the
Two Hundred and Eleventh, under the command of
Colonel J. A. Mathews.
A reconnaissance to the Weldon railroad was
undertaken tay General Warren on the 6th of
December, with the Fifth Corps, and a division of the
Second Corps. He proceeded as far as Hicksford, on
the Meherrin river, forty miles from Petersburg, and
was successful in destroying the railroad track for a
consideratale distance. The Confederate General
A. P. Hill was dispatched against Warren, and on the
10th of Decemtaer, a part of our Second division was
sent down to Nottoway Court House to reinforce
Warren, and aid his return.
The only regiments in the Second tarigade which
participated ih this movement were the Sixth New
Hampshire, the Second Maryland and the One
Hundred and Seventy-Ninth and One Hundred
and Eighty-Sixth New York, the remainder of the
tarigade remaining taehind to hold the line. The
march to the Nottoway river is said to have taeen a

426 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
very uncorafortable one, as the weather was very cold,
and the air full of sleet and snow. General Warren's
raen had taeen suffering frora the inclemency of the
weather, and were wearied with the hardships and
exposure to which they had taeen sutajected, when
General Potter reached them, during the afternoon of
the 11th. The entire force returned to their old
places in the lines, on Decemtaer 12th, without having
come into collision with Hill.
But in these early days of December, while these
events were taking place, the period of existence of
the Thirty-Second Maine as a separate regimental
organization was rapidly approaching its terraination.
As has taeen shown, the regiraent had suffered severely
during its tarief term of service. Its Colonel and
Lieutenant-Colonel had taoth been otaliged to resign on
account of severe and disataling wounds, Avhile its
Major had long taeen atasent on account of disease
contracted in the service. It was entirely without
field-officers, and its line-officers were nearly all either
dead, or atasent on account of wonnds or sickness, or
prisoners in the hands of the enemy. Three Captains
and four Lieutenants had been captured in one day, at
the Mine Explosion, and the Morning Reports for
Decemtaer 1st shoAv two companies without any com
missioned officer present, six companies with only one
commissioned officer each, and two companies each
with two officers present. And of the thousand and
more enlisted raen, Avho had entered the service in its
ranks, less than a year previous, there now remained
taut a small and feetale reranant, who could still tae
nuintaered as effectives, present for duty. From the
Wilderness, early in May, to Hatcher's Run, in late
Octotaer, for nearly six consecutive months, the

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 42T
regiment had been almost continuously under fire,
inarching and fighting, or garrisoning the trenches.
Its dead lay on every battle-field of that territale cam
paign, and its wounded, in long procession, were to
be found in every hospital, from City Point to far-off
Maine. Disease, as well as the casualties of taattle,
had taeen tausy in our ranks, and many who had
escaped the taullet, had succumtaed to the no less
deadly attacks of the manifold disatailities that
followed exposure, fatigue, irregular and insufficient
food, and unwholesome water. And in the foul and
noisome prisons, at Andersonville and Salistaury,
comrades of ours were starving and dying with scurvy
and diarrhoea, and all the myriad ills that taeset the
prisoners in the hands of the enemy. But little more
than a hundred men, — hardly more than one full
company, — now remained with the colors, out of all
whose names were taorne upon the regimental rolls.
The Morning Reports of all the companies, for
Decemtaer 1, 1864, have been examined, and they
exhibit the condition .of the regiment so clearly, that it
seems proper to present them here.
Company A's Morning Report on that date shows
one coramissioned officer, two non-comraissioned
officers and seventeen privates, present for duty ; two
privates present, sick, and four privates, present on
special duty, making an aggregate of twenty-six
present. There were four non-coraraissioned officers
and twelve privates, atasent, sick, showing total present
and atasent, forty-two.
Company B reports one commissioned officer, five
non-commissioned, and twenty-four privates, present
for duty, aggregating thirty present; and five non
commissioned officers and thirty-seven privates, absent,,
sick. Total present and absent, seventy-two.

428 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Company C has one commissioned officer, four
non-coraraissioned, and sixteen privates, present for
duty; one private present, sick, and two on special
duty, taeing an aggregate of twenty-four present.
There were atasent, sick, four non-commissioned offi
cers and forty privates, making total present and
atasent, sixty-eight.
Company D shows one commissioned and three
non-commissioned officers and six priA^ates, present for
duty, while four privates are present on special duty,
aggregating fourteen present. There are one com
missioned, and seven non-commissioned officers and
forty-one privates, atasent, sick, and one commissioned
officer atasent on special duty, the total present and
atasent taeing sixty-four.
In Company E there Avere two commissioned
officers, six non-commissioned, and nine privates,
present for duty, and two non-commissioned officers
and two privates, present, sick, one non-commissioned
officer and four privates, present on special duty, being
an aggregate of twenty-six present. There were three
non-commissioned officers and thirty-three privates,
absent, sick, making a total of sixty-two present and
atasent. Company F reports three non-commissioned offi
cers and eleven privates, present for duty; one non
commissioned officer and three privates, present on
special duty, the aggregate present taeing eighteen.
Shown as atasent, sick, are one non-commissioned
officer and eighteen privates, the total present and
atasent taeing thirty-seven.
Company G had one non-commissioned officer and
seventeen privates, present for duty, and one com
missioned officer and one private were on special duty,

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 429"
the aggregate present taeing twenty. There were nine
non-commissioned officers and tAventy-nine privates,
absent, sick, making total present and atasent, fifty-
eight. Company H had present for duty, one commis
sioned and nine non-commissioned officers, and twelve
privates; present, sick, six privates, and on special
duty, four privates, making aggregate present thirty-
two. There were atasent, sick, three non-commis
sioned officers and twenty-one privates, and the total
present and atasent was fifty-five.
Company I reported two commissioned, three
non-commissioned officers and thirteen privates,
present for duty; one non-commissioned officer and
four privates, present, sick, and two privates on special
duty, making aggregate present, twenty-five. There
were five non-commissioned officers and twenty -eight
privates, atasent, sick, and one private on special duty,
the total present and absent being fifty-nine.
Company K, had three non-comraissioned officers
and seven privates, present for duty, and one private
on special duty, making aggregate present, eleven.
Reported as absent, sick, were one coraraissioned and
four non-coraraissioned officers, and thirty-six privates,
making total present and absent fifty-two.
These reports would give a total, in the ten com
panies, of nine commissioned officers and one hundred
and seventy-one enlisted men, for duty, and one
officer and twenty-seven men on special duty, while
eighteen were present, sick. The discrepancy taetween
these figures, and those in the Monthly Return for
Novemtaer, as given in the preceding chapter, is very
slight, and is protaataly accounted for tay some trifiing
error in making up the Return.

430 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Such was the condition in which the regiment
was now found to tae, after having taeen in the service
taarely eight months, out of the three years' period for
which it had taeen enlisted. It is not strange, in view
of these facts, that the question arose, taoth at the
War Department, and with the State authorities, as to
the taest method of increasing its effectiveness. The
war was likely, so far as could then be determined,
to continue for an indefinite period, and new enlist
ments were still taeing made, in all the Northern
states. And it was hoped that the fragment of our
regiraent which remained, might tae permitted to
return to Maine for a time, taefore the taeginning
of active operations in the spring, and endeavor to
recruit its skeleton companies to a point somewhat
nearer the maximum in numtaer.
But in the atasence of field-officers, and, indeed,
the almost total lack of commissioned officers of any
grade, no especial infiuence could be brought to bear
¦upon the authorities to accomplish this result. And
the plan of taeing sent home to recruit, was not urged
with sufficient vigor to secure its adoption. The fact
that during the winter and spring, there were
numerous enlistments in Maine, so that, as noted
elsewhere, no less than thirty companies of infantry
were organized, would seem to indicate that our
depleted ranks might have taeen filled up, if we had
taeen permitted to come home.
The War Department, however, believed it to be
more expedient, for many reasons, to unite the shat
tered remnants of the Thirty-Second with the almost
equally reduced companies of the Thirty-First Maine,
and, from the consolidation of the two weak com
mands, to create one regiment of average strength.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 431
Of the wisdom and expediency of this action on the
part of the authorities at Washington, no criticism
would tae proper here. Nor would it serve any good
purpose to enter upon any discussion of the actual
results of the consolidation. But it may tae permitted
us to say that there were few, if any, of the raemtaers
of our regiment Avho taelieved at the tirae, that it was
either necessary or just to deprive us of our inde
pendent existence as an organization. And while it
is not intended to excuse, or palliate in any degree so
grave a military offence as desertion, it is nevertheless
true that some who had served faithfully prior to the
consolidation, Avere later marked as deserters, on
the rolls of the regiment to Avhich they had taeen trans
ferred. And there is reason to believe that in raost of
these cases, the inducing causes for the desertion
were to tae found in an extreme dissatisfaction with
the new conditions, and a lack of identification with,
and soldierly pride in, the new organization.
The consolidation was determined upon tay the
War Department, and however rauch we might have
taeen inclined to protest, nothing remained for us to
do taut to otaey orders. And accordingly, on the 12th
of Decemtaer, 1864, fifteen officers and four hundred
, and seventy men, making an aggregate force of four
hundred and eighty-five, were formally transferred,
on paper, to the Thirty-First Maine, and from and
after that date, the Thirty-Second regiraent of Maine
Infantry Volunteers no longer existed as an organiza
tion. But though so large a numtaer were nominally
transferred at this time, less than half that number
were actually present in the lines, there taeing only
one hundred and ninety men with the colors, on the
day the consolidation was effected. The remainder

432 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
were atasent, sick, wounded, or prisoners in the hands
of the eneray. And many, whose names were taorne
on the rolls of the Thirty -First Maine for a longer or
shorter time, never actually joined the regiment for
duty, or were ever present with it for a day.
The supernumerary non-commissioned officers of
the Thirty-Second were mustered out and discharged
at the consolidation, and the officers and men retained
in service were distributed among the several com
panies of the Thirty-First, and their sutasequent
military history, after the 12th of Decemtaer, 1864,
must tae traced in the story of the service of that
regiment from that date.
But it has taeen thought, that it would tae of
interest to give here a list of the officers and men who
were actually preseht at the time of the consolidation,
as shown tay the transfer-rolls in the office of the
Adjutant-General of Maine. They are as follows:
Company A. — Corporal Joseph W. Bartlett ; Wagon
er Almon Littlefield ; Privates Eltaridge Bean, James R.
Brewer, George H. Benson, John N. Bickford, Charles
M. Butler, Timothy Caswell, Henry E. Clark, Joseph
E. Emery, Joseph M. Hurst, John A. Hill, William
Kerr, John H. Lambert, Chester Norwood, James H.
Pickernell, Walter C. Rotaerts, Fred G. Runnels,
Justin Spinney, Hiram Totaey, Thoraas H. Wilson,
James West and James W. Tufts; twenty-three in all.
Company B. — Corporal Frank W. Barker; Wag
oner Lorenzo D. Hotatas; Privates Caleb W. Battles,
Caleb Battles, Hezekiah E. Brown, Ephraim F. God
dard, Stewart B. Horr, George A. Haskell, Benjamin
G. Holt, Joseph Holland, Ronello S. Herrick, Stephen
Irish, Frederick A. KimbaU, Charles H. Lovis, Wib
liam Lewis, Harris A. P. Lewis, Oliver Millett, James

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 433
L. Meserve, William C. Mallett, William H. Noble,
Leonard D. Randall, Charles Seavey, Richard Smith,
Frank Stanley, Benjamin F. Thurston, Augustine D.
Varney, Oscar F. Whitman, William W. Wilkins and
WiUiam H. Wiswell; twenty-nine in all.
Company C. — Musician Bartholomew Coughlin;
Wagoner John H. Welch; Privates Clarence L.
Atataott, George Blake, Oliver Brown, Charles M.
Cotata, Prescott Chamtaerlain, Thomas Childs, Nathan
Call, James P. Grant, Floris E. Gould, Altaert King,
Daiiiel W. Leavitt, Lendall A. Litatay, Joseph N.
March, Joshua M. Nash, Ataner C. Phelps, John F.
Palmer, Alphonso Pulcifer, Solomon C. Rider, Joseph
B. Rogers, Benj amin F. Rotaerts, William H. Sargent
and Elias H. Trumble; twenty-four in all.
Corapany D. — Sergeant Converse L. Pettengill;
Corporals Lora H. Collins and Hebron Norton;
Privates Charles H. Goodwin, Alvah N. Hara, Oliver
N. Leavitt, Cleaveland B. Merrill, Elias A. Morse,
Luther M. Smith and George Sylvester; ten in all.
Company E. — Captain Ebenezer S. Kyes; Ser
geants William W. Cushraan and Marcus C. Keyes;
Corporal John G. Powers; Privates Solomon Ander
son, Albert Bessey, Jereraiah C. Brackett, George A.
Brown, Elihu Child, Leander S. Cleaveland, Alonzo
D. Edgecomta, Moses Farmer, Jr., Israel C. Taylor,
Giltaert B. Townsend, Nathan M. Townsend, Joseph
W. Welch, Thomas C. Welch, Samuel S. Whitney,
Sumner W. Whitney, Daniel Winslow and John Y.
Wood ; twenty-one in all.
Company F. — Corporals James H. Smith and
John Hanscom; Musicians William C. Rowell and
George E. Joy; Privates Thomas Doieg, Joseph Dud
ley, Charles Goodwin, George W. iHilton, Frederick

434 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
Jeffrey, Charles L. Knight, Willard S. Knox, Altaa
Merrill, Edwin W. Prescott, Henry G. Stone, Milton
H. Stevens and David Thorn; sixteen in all.
Corapany G. — Wagoner John Avery; Musician
Charles B. Harraon; Privates John H. Adaras, John
S. Cresey, George W. Gray, Williara H. Gardiner,
Jaraes A. Haley, Nathan E. Hall, Charles H. Judkins,
Hugh McKay, John H. Nockton, Josiah P. Oliver,
Altaert A. Palmer, Edwin P. Ryerson, George V.
Rose, Charles F. Thurston, Aaron N. Trott. William
Trott and Williain J. Wright; nineteen in all.
Corapany H. — Captain Thomas P. Beals; Corporal
Charles E. Carle; Wagoner Charles H. Snow; Privates
North L. Batata, William Berry, James F. Birchsted,
Charles H. Chase, James M. Cook, George W. Cotab,
Simon Dyer, George A. Elder, Joseph A. Graffam,
Joseph D. Griffin, Charles Littlefield, Edwin C.
Milliken, Benjamin F. Milliken, Joseph F. Mackin,
Frank M. P. Perkins, William A. Rowell, Alonzo
Stanton and Thomas Welch Jr. ; twenty-one in all.
Company I. — Lieutenant Wilmot Whitehouse;
Privates Gustavus Brown, Charles H. Blackstone,
Cyrus E. Boynton, Williara A. D. CroUison, John
Downs, Jr., Byron Fossett, Oliver M. Greeley, Daniel
Garden, John J. Gundlack, Joseph E. Hilton, Joseph
Hussey, Peter Murray, William McDaniel, Andrew E.
Perkins, Henry D. Sidelinger and Thomas Tobin;
seventeen in all.
Company K. — Wagoner JohnH. Clayton; Pri Abates
Jerome L. Black, James A. Bragdon, George Buzzell,
Joseph A. Hobbs, Ralph T. Jordan, Elijah Libtay,
Charles W. Neal, Mark Porter and Benjamin Small; ^
ten in all.
These names have been given as they appear upon
the transfer-rolls, but it is possible some errors or

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 435
omissions may exist in the rolls, which seera to have
been raade somewhat hurriedly. Several men are not
accounted for upon the transfer-rolls, and in a number
of instances, the naraes of non-commissioned officers
are included with those of the privates. But it Avas
thought best to give the lists as copied from the rolls,
rather than to attempt any corrections in these par
ticulars. So far as it has taeen possitale to do so, the
final record of those not accounted for on the transfer-
rolls, has taeen given in the roster which foUows the
concluding chapter of the history. *
And here we take our final leave of the organiza
tion whose fortunes we have attempted to trace in the
foregoing pages. In fact, after the date at which we
have now arrived, the organization no longer had an
existence. There was not, after this time, any Thirty-
Second Maine Infantry, and the history of that
regiment mast tae closed. When the transfer had
taeen carried into effect, and the four hundred and
eighty-five men and officers, still borne upon its rolls,
had taeen either actually or nominally incorporated
into another regiraent, the Thirty-Second had termin
ated its tarief career. And its historian has completed
the task he has undertaken, so far as this imperfect
endeavor to present its story can tae said to tae cora
plete. Frora its organization, down to the close of its
service, when it lost its identity as a regiraent, and
taecame raerged with another, its course has been
followed in this narrative. Much has been left
unsaid, and there are, undoutatedly, omissions, errors,
and inaccuracies existing in the history as here
presented. These were unavoidatale, taoth taecause of
the necessarily imperfect condition of existing records,
and as well, the peculiar circumstances under which

436 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
the regiment performed its service. While all pos
sitale effort has taeen made to secure complete and
reliable information, and attain the utmost degree of
accuracy, this endeavor has often failed of success-
Many and grave difficulties have been encountered,
some of which it has not taeen possitale to overcome.
And yet, in spite of all these imperfections, it is
only with much reluctance that we turn from the
further consideration of the services and the suffering-
of the Thirty-Second, during its short taut memoratale
and arduous p^iod of independent existence. As
measured tay the passage of time, it was taut a tarief
while that it maintained its individuality as an
organization, and yet much taitter experience was
crowded into those eight months of taattle and of
siege. But though we were to continue until this
narrative should be enlarged to unwieldy proportions,
we could not hope, even then, to tell the whole story
of those months.
It only remains, then, to add to what has already
taeen written, a tarief statement of the subsequent
service rendered, from the date of the consolidation
until the close of the war, tay the men who joined the
Thirty-First Maine, and this it has taeen thought-
taest to do in a separate chapter.
If what has taeen said shall serve, in any degree,
to establish more clearly the right of the raen wha
served in the Thirty-Second Maine, to claira recog
nition among the soldier-sons of the Pine Tree State,,
as having performed their whole duty, and taorne an
honoratale part in the great contest taetween the North
and the South, this history will have successfully
accomplished the purpose for which it was designed,
even though it is imperfect in many particulars.

ADJUTANT CALVIN L. HAYES.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 437
3tograpI^tcaI Skctcl^cs.

ADJUTANT CALVIN L. HAYES.
Calvin L. Hayes was born in Kittery, Me., on March 1,
1842, and was the son of Lewis and Sarah M. Hayes. He
attended the public schools in his native town, and a private
school in Portsmouth, N. H. After fitting for college at the
Wolfboro, N. H. Academy, he entered Bowdoin in 1859, as
a member ofthe class of '63.
At the outbreak of the Rebellion, he enlisted on April 80,
1861, under President Lincoln's first call for 75,000 men, the
company to which he belonged being sent to garrison Fort
McClary, in the harbor of Portsmouth, N. H.
On September 10, 1862, he re -enlisted in the Twenty-
Seventh Maine Infantry, and was appointed Sergeant-Major
of the regiment, serving as such until discharged, July 17,
1863, by reason of expiration of term of service. The regi
ment was about to return home when General Lee's army be
gan its march North to meet defeat at Gettysburg. At the
request of President Lincoln, a portion of the Twenty-Seventh
Maine volunteered, in this emergency, to remain in defence
of Washington. And for this service, the subject of this
sketch, with others, received the highly prized medal of honor.
His third enlistment was on Feb. 19, 1864, when he was
oommissioned Adjutant of the Thirty-Second Maine, and with
Surgeon Trafton and Quartermaster Hall, was mustered into
the United States service, forming the nucleus of that regi
ment. He served with the Thirty-Second until its consolida
tion with the Thirty-First, and was, by reason of this consoli
dation, discharged Dec. 12, 1864.
During his connection with the regiment, he participated in
all its active service after the joining of the second battalion
at the North Anna. And after the explosion of the "mine,"

438 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
July 30, 1864, he was, for several weeks, in command of the
regiment, being the only commissioned officer on duty.
After the war, he occupied an important position in the
Navy Yard at Kittery for many years, and is still employed
there as Chief Clerk in the Department of Construction. He
has filled several town offices, and was for twenty-five years
connected with the School Board. He is President of the
board of trustees of the R. W. Traip Academy fund, and
Treasurer of the Rice Public Library fund.
On March 14, 1864, he married AngeliaM., daughter of
Greenlief and Hannah T. Perry, then residing at Wolfboro,
N. H. Her father was one of the "Argonauts," being a Cali
fornia "Forty -Niner."

QIAKTEUMASTER JOHN HALL.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

439

QUARTERMASTER JOHN HALL.
Quartermaster John Hall Avas born in North Berwick,
Maine, on October 2, 1822, and was of pioneer ancestry, be
ing a descendent from John Hall of New Hampshire, who was
one of the early settlers on the borders of the Piscataqua
river. The farm on which the subject of this sketch was
born, was also the birthplace of his father, John Hall, Sr. ,
the latter having been born soon after the close of the Revolu
tion, on July 14, 1786.
Being thus descended from one of the old families, and
being bred and educated in North Berwick^. John Hall became
closely identified with the leading interests of the town. He
engaged successfully in the hereditary occupation of farming,
and also became active in public affairs, having served as Col
lector and Treasurer of the town, prior to the outbreak ofthe
Rebellion, and also as Selectman.
On May 28, 1846, he was married to Joanna Hurd
Fernald, daughter of Oliver Fernald, and granddaughter of
Hercules Fernald, a soldier of the Revolution. In August,
1862, he first entered the military service of the United
States as Quartermaster-sergeant of the Twenty-Seventh
Maine Infantry. In December, 1862, he was promoted to
Lieutenant of Company E, of the Twenty-Seventh, and was
detailed on the stafi" of General Grimshaw as commissary of
the brigade. And he subsequently served on the stafi" of
General Fessenden in the same capacity, remaining on staff
duty till the expiration of his regiment's term of service.
This was just prior to the battle of Gettysburg, and Lieuten
ant Hall, together with some three hundred others of the
regiment, volunteered to remain after their enlistment expired.
And in common with all who thus came to the aid of the
Nation in this crisis, he subsequently received a medal of
honor.

440 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
On July 17, 1863, he was honorably discharged from the
service, but on February 24, 1864, was commissioned as Quar
termaster of the Thirty-Second Maine, and continued to serve
as such up to the time of the consolidation with the Thirty-
First, being honorably discharged on December 12, 1864.
In 1868, he was elected Treasurer of York County, and
filled that position acceptably for four years. He had been a
member of the lower house of the legislature in 1858, before
the war, and, in 1874 and 1875, was state senator, and served
as chairman of the railroad committee. In 1880, he was
appointed by Governor Davis as state valuation commissioner,
and ten years later, in 1890, Governor Burleigh re-appointed
him to the same office. He was always a staunch Republi
can, and was chairman of the county comniittee for ten years,
and a member of the state committee six years.
He Avas also active in religious matters, and for more
than fifty years was clerk of the First Free Will Baptist
church in North Berwick, and for nearly the same length of
time was a deacon of that church. He was also interested in
fraternal organizations, being a member of L. D. Cowan Post,
G. A. R., and of Eagle Lodge, I. O. O. F.
He died suddenly, from apoplexy induced by heart dis
ease, on July 17, 1902, being nearly eighty years of age.
His wife had died almost ten years previously, on March 8,
1893, but a family of seven children, — two sons and five
daughters, — were left to mourn his loss.

JOSEPH L. SMALL, JR.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 441
JOSEPH L. SMALL, JR.
Joseph Larrabee Small, Jr., was born on December 4th,
1846, at Kennebunkport, Maine, and was the son of Joseph
L., and Lorenda (Libby) Small. He enlisted at Biddeford,
Me., on March 16, 1864, and was credited upon the quota of
Kennebunkport. On April 16, 1864, he was mustered into
the United States service, at Augusta, Me., as private in
Company G, of the Thirty-Second Maine Infantry. Leaving
Maine with the second battalion, on May 11th, he joined the
remainder of the regiment at the North Anna, on May 25th.
And from that date, he shared in all the duties performed
by the Thirty-Second, until the close of September, when he
was taken prisoner at the battle near the "Pegram house", on
September 30, 1864. After his capture, he was carried to
Petersburg, and thence to Richmond, Va. After three days
in Libby prison, he was sent to Salisbury, N. C.
Here he remained until February 22, 1865, when he was
paroled, and on March 1st, he re-entered the Union lines at
Wilmington, N. C, together with thirteen of the twenty-
eight men of his regiment who had been captured with him
five months previous, the other fourteen having succumbed
to the privations of prison-life. He was finally discharged at
Annapolis, Md., on June 5, 1865.
In November of 1865, he engaged in the grocery busi
ness at Biddeford, Me., in which he continued until 1875.
Selling out his business in that year, he became a commercial
traveler, which occupation he has since followed. He was
married September 13, 1871, to Miss Lucretia Maloon Meeds,
of Biddeford, by whom he has had five children, Fred H.,
Edward D., Harold J., Donald M., and Roydon L. Small.

CHAPTER XXV.

Aftee the Consolidation. — The Thiety-Fiest Maine.
— The Wintee in Foet Davis. — Battle of Apeil
2nd, '65. — The Sueeendee of Lee. — The
Geand Review. — Mustee Out.

Allusion has taeen tariefiy made, from time to time,
in the preceding pages, to our sister-regiment, the
Thirty -First Maine, with which the remnant of our
own regiment taecame consolidated in December, 1864,
as narrated at the close of the last chapter. But
taefore going on to speak of the sutasequent experiences
of our comrades who thus found themselves trans
ferred to that command, some further statements
regarding the history of the regiment of which they
now formed a part, may not be out of place. The
Thirty-First Regiment of Maine Infantry was raised
under authority of the same order of the War Depart
ment as our own, and reference to the General Order
from State Headquarters, dated Fetaruary, 8, 1864,
quoted in Chapter IIL, will show how closely it was
associated with us during the period of organization.
The two regiments had taeen assigned to the Ninth
Corps, in advance of their organization, and on the
ISth of April, nine corapanies of the Thirty-First left
Augusta for the front, to tae followed, only two days
later, tay six companies of the Thirty-Second.

i
THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 443
On joining the corps, the two regiments were
placed in the same tarigade, and from that time until
the consolidation, had marched and fought together,
enduring the same privations, and suffering the same
hardships. Their experience was almost identical,
and taoth were much reduced in numerical strength
tay the severe losses they had sustained in action, and
from the ravages of disease. The Thirty-First was,
however, to some extent the stronger coramand at the
' time of the consolidation, and had also a larger pro
portion of commissioned, officers present for duty. Its
advantage over our own regiment in point of numtaers
at this date, was largely .due to the fact that it had
received accessions during the fall, two additional
companies having taeen organized in Maine, and sent
out to swell its strength. Company L, Captain Alvan
D. Brock, left the State October 11th, 1864, and joined
the regiment a few days later. Company M, Captain
J. Sumner Rogers, left Maine on the 10th of Novem
ber, 1864, and reached the regiment about the middle
of the month.
These additional companies were sufficiently large
to add very materially to the regiment's aggregate
"present for duty", as they numbered nearly two
hundred men. Nominally, indeed, they exceeded
that number, the two corapanies having an aggregate
enrollment of six officers and two hundred and
fourteen men. But from the fact that a proportion of
the enlistments in these companies had been of that
undesiratale class known as " taounty-jumpers ", deser
tions had taeen raore numerous than usual. And
even taefore the companies joined the regiment, their
strength had taeen somewhat lessened from this cause.
The Thirty-First Maine, together with the Seven-

444 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
teenth Vermont and Fifty-Sixth Massachusetts, had
taeen assigned as the garrison of Fort Davis, on the
Jerusalem plank road, on the 29th of Novemtaer, while
our own regiment had been in camp near Fort Hayes,
about a mile to the left, from ataout the same time.
The men and officers who were present at the consoli
dation, joined the Thirty-First at Fort Davis, and
were distritauted among the several companies, with
the exception of L and M. In nearly all instances,
the men of one company of the Thirty-Second were
assigned to the company of the same letter in the
Thirty-First. Through the remainder of the month
of Decemtaer, and during the whole of January, 1865,
the regiment lay in Fort Davis. And but little of
sufficient interest to tae recorded, occurred during
those monotonous days of the winter in the trenches.
On the 11th of Fetaruary, 1865, the Thirty-First
moved to the left, and encamped near Parke Station,
on the line of the military railroad, where it remained
during the rest of Fetaruary, and throughout the
month of March. But little of an exciting nature
occurred, in which the regiment was directly con
cerned, at any time during the period. But one or
two matters of general interest, while not pertaining
directly to the regiment or the tarigade, may be tariefiy
mentioned here.
Ataout the last of January, 1865 (Sunday, the
29th), the Ninth Corps pickets reported a fiag of truce
to tae shown on the enemy's works. This taeing
reported to Colonel Samuel Harriman, who was then
coraraanding the First tarigade of the First division,
was tay him communicated to General Willcox, who was
in command of the corps. And on inquiry, it
was found that the purpose of the fiag was to request

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 445
permission for Messrs. A. H. Stephens, R. M. T.
Hunter and J. A. Camptaell to pass through our lines,
as commissioners to treat with our government on the
sutaject of a cessation of hostilities. The request was
granted, and General Grant sent an aide to accom
pany the commissioners to City Point. An interview
was had with President Lincoln and Secretary
Seward, which produced no result, the only terms
upon which the North was willing to treat for peace
taeing atasolute sutamission on the part of the South.
The conference taeing at an end, the commissioners
quietly repassed our lines, and returned to Richmond.
On the Sth of Fetaruary, 1865, the Third division,
— the six new regiments frora Pennsylvania, under
General Hartranft, previously mentioned, — supported
a movement of the Fifth and Second Corps, under
Generals Warren and Humphreys, toward Hatcher's
Run. They were engaged in this movement until the
10th, when they returned to their former position, the
attempt to gain possession of the Boydton plank road
having failed. But on the whole, the Ninth Corps
was not called upon during the winter, to participate
in such severe service as fell to the lot of some other
portions of the investing army. Yet it was sutajected
to constant danger and annoyance from the fire of the
Confederate sharpshooters, while skirmishing and
artillery duels were of almost daily occurrence.
Thus the days dragged on, both sides looking
forward to the coming of spring, with the feeling that
a fierce and decisive struggle would then tae entered
upon, which would end only in the destruction of one
of the opposing forces. A forerunner of this cul
minating effort came in the desperate and costly
attack upon Fort Stedman, March 25, 1865, when

446 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
the eneiny, tay a sudden assault, not only taroke our
lines, taut actually captured and held, for a tarief time,
the fort itself and two or three neightaoring taatteries.
The Second division lay too far to the left to tae
seriously involved in this affair, the garrison of the
fort taeing from the Fourteenth New York Heavy
Artillery, and other troops of the Third tarigade of
General Willcox's — First — division. General Hart
ranft's — Third — division, which was in reserve, at
ataout the distance of a mile to the rear, came up at
once, and materially assisted in repulsing the Con
federate attack, and recapturing the fort and adjacent
taatteries. But the affair was over too soon to admit
of General Potter's division taeing able to participate
in the fighting.
The assault was made by Major-General Gordon,
with a Confederate force estimated tay General Hart
ranft at ten or twelve thousand men. Advancing
from his lines before daytareak, tay a sudden attack he
carried Battery X., on the right of the fort, and
Batteries XI. and XII. , on its left, as well as the fort
itself. His immediate purpose, was, no doubt, to
tareak the Federal lines, and ultimately to otatain the
possession of Meade's Station, and the military rail
road, which would have taeen destroyed, together
with the supplies accumulated at the station. For
tunately, he was checked tay the severe enfilading fire
from Fort Haskell and Battery IX., long enough to
enable the Pennsylvanians of the Third division
to come up, and take position for a counter -assault.
This was entirely successful, the fort and taatteries
taeing recaptured, flfteen hundred or more prisoners
taken, and Gofdon forced to relinquish his daring
attempt, and fall taack to his own lines.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT

447

Nearly' two thousand prisoners, and nine stands
of colors, were taken tay the Ninth Corps, which
sustained a loss of four hundred and ninety-four
killed and wounded, and ataout five hundred missing.
The Second and Sixth Corps raade reconnoissance to
ascertain the condition of the eneray in their front,
and attacked and captured the entrenched picket line
of the Confederates, but found their main works held
by a force which rendered an assault impracticable.
From this time during the remaining days of March,
much activity was manifested in the Union lines, and
it was evident that a general movement was in
contemplation. Indeed, as early as the 24th of March,
General Grant had issued orders for a movement to
the left, to take place on the 29th. The purpose in
view was the destruction of the Danville and the
South Side railroads, and the turning of the Confed
erate right, thus forcing General Lee to ataandon his
entrenchments. Movements preliminary to this were going on for
several days, General Ord, with three divisions frora
the Twenty-Fourth and Twenty-Fifth Corps (Array
of the Jaraes), inarching on the night of the 27th, to
the left of the Army of Ihe Potomac, and taking his
position in the rear of the Second Corps on 'March
28th. General Warren with the Fifth, and General
Humphreys with the Second Corps moved across
Hatcher's Run on the 29th, General Sheridan with
his cavalry taeing in the advance, and covering the
movement of the infantry. The Sixth Corps,' under
General Wright, remained in its entrenchraents, taut
was held in readiness to move out at any moment,
while General Parke with the Ninth Corps, was
prepared to hold his own portion of the lines, ahd to

448 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
occupy also the works held tay the Sixth Corps, when
that should tae withdrawn. The Fifth Corps encoun
tered the enemy in the neightaorhood of the Quaker
road, and after some sharp fighting, forced the Con
federates to fall taack to their entrenchments on the
White Oak road. The Second Corps did not meet
with very serious opposition, and advanced towards
the enemy's position until nightfall rendered further
progress hazardous.
Through the night of March 29th, the rain fell
steadily, and continued through the following day,
taut the troops pressed close up to the Confederate
entrenchments on the 30th, though not attempting to
assault them. On the morning of the 31st, the
continuous heavy rain had rendered the roads so
nearly impassatale for artillery and wagons, that it
was not deemed advisatale to attempt any general
movement of the troops that day. But a reconnois
sance made tay General Warren toward the White Oak
road tarought on an engagement, in which the Fifth
Corps sustained the loss of sorae fourteen hundred
killed, wounded and missing, and the Second Corps,
which came up to support Warren, lost nearly four
hundred men. And on the 1st day of ¦ April, the
famous taattle of Five Forks was fought by Sheridan's
cavalry and the Fifth Corps, the Confederate forces
under General Pickett being routed and driven out of
their entrenchments, with a loss of forty-five hundred
prisoners, thirteen colors and six guns.
While these tarilliant manoeuvres and sharp
encounters were progressing on the left fiank, we in
the Ninth Corps, were contritauting our share toward
the success of the campaign which was to prove the
final end of the retaellion. Although General Lee

THIETY^-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 449
had not sufficient force left at his coraraand, to enatale
him to cope successfuUy with the Federal armies now
advancing against him, he was evidently tenacious of
his purpose to hold his fortified positions at Peters
taurg and Richmond to the latest moment possible.
And in order^to force him out of the entrenchments
at Peterstaurg, General Grant determined to attack
him in front as well on his flank. General Parke, as
well as General Wright and General Ord, had
employed the two or three days during which the
events just descritaed were transpiring, in examining
the enemy's works, and the ground in their front. It
was taelieved that General Lee's line was so much
extended to his right that some parts of it must tae
very thinly manned. And the comraanders of the
Sixth and Ninth Corps reported as the results of
their examination that it was practicatale to carry
the entrenchments in their respective fronts tay
assault. It will tae rememtaered that the enemy's line,
from the Appomattox river to the front of Fort Sedg
wick, was the old interior line which had resisted so
many assaults at the beginning of the investment.
The line held tay our corps mainly immediately
confronted this strong position.
General Parke received orders on the 30th of
March to attack the works in his front at four o'clock
the next morning, and the Second and Third divisions
were massed in rear of Fort Sedgwick, in readiness
for the movement. But as the operations at the left
were not deemed to tae sufficiently developed to make
success certain, the assault was suspended tay orders
from General Meade, and the divisions returned to
their former positions. Not for any length of time,
however, were they permitted to remain quiet. At

450 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
ataout ten o'clock in the night of April 1st, the
artillery flre opened, and skirmishers taegan to ad
vance. Our own Second tarigade penetrated a weak
place in our front, carrying the picket line with a
rush, and capturing some tAVO hundred and flfty
prisoners. But the enemy's main line was strongly
manned, and on the alert, and our brigade was with
drawn. Later in the night the troops were concentrated
in front of Fort Sedgwick, General Hartranft's
division taeing massed on the right of the fort, and
our own on its left. General Griffin had the advance
of General Potter's column, with our tarigade in
colurans of regiments, and General Curtin, with the
First tarigade, was in immediate support. Storming
parties, — pioneers with axes to cut away the ataattis, —
were placed in front of each division. At four o'clock
in the morning of Sunday, April 2nd, the First
division, under General Willcox, made a feint in front
of Fort Stedman, carrying the picket line. While the
enemy's attention was engaged tay this feint, and a
consideratale force concentrated on General Willcox's
troops, the main attack was made tay our division and
General Hartranft's at half -past four o'clock, A. M.
The troops advanced with eagerness and alacrity.
They were passing over almost the same ground from
which they had taeen repulsed in the earlier days ' of
the siege, and the raemory served to inspire them with
a stronger determination to succeed in this assault.
Under a heavy flre frora guns, mortars and musketry,
they advanced with steadiness and vigor. The
abattis was cut and torn away, the parapets sur
mounted and the Avorks carried for four hundred
yards on each side of the Jerusalem plank road.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 451
Several forts and redans, twelve guns, some colors,
and eight hundred prisoners were among the fruits of
victory. The Sixth New Harapshire, of our tarigade,
captured a taattery of four guns and turned them on
the Confederates. The flghting on the left, in which
our division was engaged, was very stutataorn and
sanguinary, the enemy's line where we assaulted taeing
heavily traversed, and his resistance so tenacious and
resolute, that it was necessary to drive him from
traverse to traverse tay a series of struggles. At the
distance of a quarter of a mile was an interior line of
works, in which he made a stand, and receiving
strong reinforcements, was flnally atale to check our
advance. In an unsuccessful attempt to carry this
interior line. General Potter received a very severe
wound, and General Griffin assumed command of the
division. While we were thus taattling in front of the
doomed city, far away to our left other movements
had taeen in progress. The Second, Sixth and Twenty-
Fifth Corps had captured portions of the Confederate
lines in their front, and at last, Peterstaurg was within
our grasp. The assault of the Ninth Corps, however,
had taeen directed against the enemy's raain line,
while the other corps had attacked other lines, the
occupation of which did not atasolutely ensure the pos
session of the city itself. General Parke was,
therefore, ordered not to advance, unless sure of
success, taut rather to make sure of holding what he
had gained. He proceeded to strengthen his position,
so as to tae atale to hold it against any assaults the
enemy might raake. And this work was not under
taken any too soon. Just before eleven o'clock the
Confederates made an effort to recapture the works

452 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
they had lost, taut were repulsed. They continued,
however, to attack from time to time during the after
noon, but without attaining any consideratale success.
General Huraphreys says, "Frequent attempts
were made tay General Gordon during the day to
retake the works, taat without success. The firing
continued all day and into the night".*
This was the last action in which the survivors of
our regiment were engaged, as during the few days
which intervened before the final surrender, the
Ninth Corps was not again under the fire of the enemy.
In this assault, however, the Thirty-First Maine
sustained a consideratale loss in killed and wounded.
And the following original memtaers of the Thirty-
Second Maine were among the numtaer who suffered
death or injury in this taattle :
Company A, Private John A. Hill, wounded;
Private Fred G. Runnells, wounded in shoulder.
Company B, Private William P. Damon, wounded;
Private William H. Wiswell, wounded.
Company D, Jonathan Damon, 2nd, killed in
action. Company E, Private Elihu Child, wounded;
Corporal Nathan M. Townsend, wounded; Private
Henry Works, killed in action.
Corapany G, Private William Trott, killed in
action. Company I, Private Joseph E. Hilton, killed in
action. The whole numtaer of casualties reported in the
regiment — Thirty-First — was thirty-three, divided as
follows: nine killed in action, twenty-three wounded,
and one missing. Nearly one-third of these, it will tae
?Humphreys — "Virginia Campaign", p. 366.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 453
seen by the ataove list, were among the original
memtaers of our own regiment, four taeing killed in
action, and six wounded.
The CA^ents of the few days immediately following
the 2nd of April, 1865, belong to history, and are too
well known to make it necessary to do more than to
point out the degree of participation therein which
fell to the lot of the Ninth Corps, and of our surviving
comrades of the old regiraent. At about four o'clock
Monday morning, April 3rd, the skirmishers of the
corps advanced, finding no pickets of the enemy in
their front, and meeting with no resistance. Peters
burg had taeen evacuated, and Lee was in full retreat.
The troops were at once put in motion, and possession
taken of the city. The Second tarigade of the First
division of the Ninth Corps was the first to pass the
enemy's works, and its commander, Lieutenant-
Colonel Ralph Ely, received the formal surrender of
the city. The fiag of the First Michigan Sharp
shooters, of Ely's tarigade, was raised over the court
house at half -past four o'clock, A. M., and tay five
o'clock, General Meade had received intelligence from
General Willcox that the Ninth Corps was in undis
puted occupancy of Peterstaurg.
The First division was at once constituted the
garrison of the city, General Willcox taeing placed in
command. And our own and the Third division
marched through the city, and out on the ¦South Side
railroad as far as Sutherland's Station, where they
camped for the night. At daylight on Tuesday, April
4th, the two divisions marched again, following the
Sixth Corps, till late in the afternoon. They were
then ordered to move over to the Coxe road, and cover
the rear of the Federal array as it advanced in pursuit

454 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
of Lee. And for several days, the corps was occupied
in scouting and picketing the line of railroad, to
prevent any demonstrations which the enemy might
make in that direction. On Thursday, April 6th, the
Thirty-First Maine regiment was at Nottoway Court
House, taut on Saturday, April 8th, it proceeded with
a detachment of prisoners to Ford's Station, and was
not therefore present at Appomattox the next day,
when the surrender took place.
The regiment arrived at Ford's Station on the
11th day of April, and delivered up its charge, turning
over the prisoners it had guarded, to the proper
authorities, and then returned to Burksville Junction.
The corps reraained in the vicinity of Sutherland's till
the 19th of April, when orders were received to pro
ceed to Washington. The Thirty-First Maine moved
to City Point the next day, April 20th, and emtaarked
for Alexandria, Va., where it arrived on April 27th,
and went into camp. The next month passed quietly
until, on the 22nd of May, the Ninth Corps marched
across Long Bridge, and entered Washington. On
the next day, May 23rd, the Thirty-First Maine,
together with the rest of the corps, participated in the
now historical Grand Review, after which it returned
to its camp. Here it reraained until July 15th, when
it was raustered out, and started for Maine. Arriving
at Bangor, Me, July 19th, the raen were given a short
furlough, and on July 27th, were paid and finally dis
charged from the service of the United States.

CYRUS GOFF.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 455
3tograpI]tcaI Sketcl\zs.

CYRUS GOFF.
Cyrus Goff Avas born in Gray, Maine, on March 1, 1842,
and was the son of Samuel and Deborah (Thayer) Gofi". His
boyhood was passed in his native town, and at the age of
twenty, he first enlisted in Company C, of the Twenty-Fifth
Maine Infantry, in September, 1862. While still in camp,
and before the regiment was mustered into the United States
service, he was taken sick with diphtheria. In consequence
of this illness, he was sent home, and did not go out with the
regiment, and was never borne upon the rolls of the company.
On March 26, 1864, he again enlisted in Company H, of
the Thirty-Second Maine, and was mustered into the service
of the United States on April 21st. Leaving the State with
the second battalion, on May 11th, he joined the regiment at
the North Anna river, on May 25th. From this time, he
participated with the regiment in its arduous service until the
9th of July.
On that date he was sent to hospital on account of dis
ability arising from sickness, and Avas unable to rejoin the
regiment until December 12, 1864, the day on which the con
solidation took place. Having been transferred to the Thirty-
First Maine, he resumed duty in that regiment, and was sub
sequently promoted to corporal. He participated in all the
service rendered by the Thirty-First after the consolidation
until the close of the war. And was engaged in the battle of
the 2nd of April, 1865, when the works in front of Peters
burg were taken by assault. He was mustered out and finally
discharged in July, 1865, with the regiment, and returned to
his home in Gray. Here he remained until 1889, and has
since resided in various other places, following the occupation
of a mill man most of the time. He was married in 1867, to
Sarah H. Rich of Gray, whose death occurred October 16,
1888. He has tvvo children now living, a son and a daughter.

456 AN HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE
HENRY C. HOUSTON.
Henry Clarence Houston was born in Portland, Maine,
on July 26, 1847, and was the son of John and Ann Maria
(Blake) Houston. Both his paternal great-grandfather,
John Houston, and his maternal great-grandfather, John
Starbird, were soldiers of the Revolution. And it is some
what remarkable that in their first enlistment, both these
ancestors served for a period of eight months in the same
company. Both were afterwards again in the Continental
Army, and his great-grandfather Starbird continued to serve
until 1783.
The subject of this sketch, after attending Park St.
Grammar school, entered the Portland High School in 1860,
but did not graduate. When his class — that of 1864 — fin
ished its course, he had been for several months in the
military service of the United States. From the outbreak of
the Civil War, he had a strong desire to become a soldier,
and while still a school-boy learned something of the rudi
raents of drill, in the ranks of the High School Cadets. But
desiring to see active service, he enlisted twice, the first time
in a cavalry organization, and again in a light battery, and
was each time rejected on account of being under the military
age. Finally, after these discouragements, he again enlisted,
early in February, 1864, in company C of the Thirty-Second
Maine Infantry, and though less than seventeen years of age,
succeeded, on this third attempt in passing the surgeons, and
was mustered into the United States service on March 23,
1864. Going to the front with the first battalion on April 20th,
he shared the fortunes of his companj-, participating with it in
all the marches and battles up to the engagement at Cold
Harbor. Here he received a wound in the right thigh, in conse
quence of which he was sent to Fairfax Seminary Hospital,

HENRY C. HOUSTON.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE EEGIMENT 457
near Alexandria, Va. Before he was able to lay aside his
crutches, it was found that he possessed some clerical ability,
and from that time, with the exception of a short period on
furlough at his home, he was on hospital duty in various
localities, until his discharge on account of disability from
Avound, on February 20, 1865, at Cony U. S. General Hospi
tal, Augusta, Me.
Soon after the introduction of the order into Maine, he
became a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, being
mustered into Bosworth Post, No. 2, in March, 1868. He
has filled various offices, among them Sergeant-Major and
Adjutant of his Post, Assistant Adjutant-General of the
Department of Maine for two terms. Assistant Inspector, and
Aide on the staff of the Department Commander, and of the
Commander-in-chief. He was married December 20, 1868,. to Harriet Louise,
daughter of Captain David Merriman, of Richmond, Maine,
and has four children, two daughters and two sons. The
death of his wife took place December 2, 1900.
His occupation has always been of a clerical nature, and
he has served one term of five years as Register of Deeds for
Cumberland County, and was for some two years in the U. S.
Pension Agency at Augusta, Me., under General Connor.
Later he was associated with the veteran claim agent, Z. K.
Harmon, in the prosecution of pension claims, for a consider
able number of years, and for some ten years past, has been
connected with insurance business.

COMPLETE ROSTER

OF THE

OFFICERS AND MEN
OF THE THIRTY -SECOND MAINE
REGIMENT.

FIELD AND STAFF.

Oio

Name.

Eesidence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Eecord.

Colonel.
Wentworth, Mark F.
Lieut.-Colonels.
Brown, John M.
Hunt, James L.
Major.
Deering, Arthur
Adjutant.
Hayes, Calvin L.

....

KitteryPortlandBath
RichmondKittery

May 6, 1864
May 5, 1864
Oct. 8, 1864
Apr. 7, 1864
Feb. 19, 1864

Lieutenant-Colonel 27th Me., Oct. 17, '62, and Col.
same Regt., Feb. 11, '63. Wounded July 30, '64, at
Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va. Gunshot wound left
side, and shell wound left hip. Resigned Oct. 18, '64,
on account of disability from wounds. Bvt. Brig.-
Gen., Mar. 13, '65.
Adjutant 20th Me., Sept. 1, '62. Act. Asst. Adjt.-Gen.
on staff of Gen. Ayres. Capt. and Asst. Adjt.-Gen.
June 28, '63. Served on staff of Gen. Ames, 1st Brig..
11th Corps. Wounded June 19, '64, in front of Peters
burg, Va. Gunshot wound left arm and side. Re
signed Sept. 12, '64, on account of disability from
wounds. Bvt. Col., Mar. 13, '65. Bvt. Brig.-Gen.,
Mar 13, '65.
Captain Co. C, 21st Me., Oct. 14, '62. Capt. Co. G, 32d
Me., Apr. 16, '64. Wounded July 30, '64, at Cemetery
Hill, Petersburg, Va. Gunshot wound of shoulder.
Promoted Lieut.-Col. Mustered out at consolidation
Dec. 12, '64.
Captain Co. A., 24th Me., Oct. 27, '62. Mustered out at
consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Sergeant-Major 27th Me., Sept. 19, '62. Mustered out
at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.

QoWOCOWo1^HWIsl

Quartermaster.,
Hall, John

Surgeons.
Trafton, Clark C.
Kimball, John H.

Asst. Surgeons.
Kimball, John H.
Smith, Henry S. B.

Chaplain.
Patten, William A.
Sergeant-Ma jo rs.
Barker, William B.

Field, James L.

Quartermaster- Sergeant
Guptill, Ferdinand W.

North Berwick

Kennebunk
Bridgton

Brunswick
York
Limerick
Freeport
Saco

Feb. 24, 1864

Feb. 19, 1864
Sept. 23, 1864.

May 6, 1864

Sept. 23, 1864

May 6, 1864

Quartermaster-Sergeant 27th Me., Sept. 19, '62. Lieut.
Co. E, same Regt., Dec, '62. Mustered out at con
solidation Dec. 12, '64.
Died of disease Aug. 11, '64, at Washington, D. C.
Assistant Surgeon 15th Me., Dec. 17, '61. Resigned
May 11, '63. Asst. Surgeon 32d Me., Feb. 27, '64. Pro
moted Surgeon. Transferred to 31st Me. as Sur
geon, at consolidation Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out
July 15, '65.
See above.
Private Co. C, 32d Me., Mar. 23, '64. Promoted Acting
Asst. Surgeon Apr. 19, '64. Detached as Med. Off.
to Artillery Brig., 9th Army Corps. Transferred to
31st Me., as Asst. Surgeon at consolidation Dec. 12,
'64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.

Corporal Co. A, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Promoted 2d
Lieut., Co. C, June 21, '64. 1st. Lieut. Co. H, Sept.
16, '64. At;ting Quartermaster. Promoted Capt., Co.
D, Oct. 8, '64. Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., as Capt.
at consolidation Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July
15, '65.
Private Co. G, 25th Me., Sept. 28, '62. Corp. Co. C, 32d
Me., Mar. 23, '64. Promoted Sergt.-Maj. Transferred
to 31st Me. as Sergt.-Maj. at consolidation Dec. 12,
'64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Sergeant Co. F, 32d Me., Apr. 5, '64. Promoted Quar-
termaster-Sergt. Mustered out at consolidation Dec.
12, '64.

1^
Wt-Htd(iWao%bWP

Ol

FIELD AND STAFF. — Continued.

h4^

Name.

ID

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record,

Commissary-Sergeant.
Walker, James B.
Hospital Stewards.
Bond, Henry
Litchfield, Joseph M.

TurnerKittery
Lewiston

Mar. (j, 1864.
it ti it
Sept. 1, 1864.

Private Co. K, 9th Me., Sept. 21, '61. Private Co. D,
32d Me., Mar. 23, '64. Promoted Com.-Sergt. Mus
tered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Sergeant Co. A, 32d Me., Mar. 3, '64. Promoted Hos
pital-Steward. Died July 28, '64, of disease at Phila
delphia, Pa.
Private Co. A, 23d Me., Oct. 13, '62. Corp. Co. D, 82d
Me., Mar. 23, '64. Promoted Hospital Steward. Mus
tered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.

Qo ^dt-i fedoCOH fedfedo 1^W

COMPANY A.

Name.

<6 a,
<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
ot Muster-in.

Final Record.

Captain.
Bryant, Seth E.
1st Lieutenanti.
Burbank, Horace H.
James, Samuel A.
Sd Lieutenants.
James, Samuel A.
Pierce, William B.
1st Sergeants.
Pierce, Wilham B.
Harriman, Andrew J.

3826 3237
25

KennebunkportLimerickKitteryBiddefordBiddeford

Mar. 3, 1864
(( (( ((
Apr. 27, 1864
tt i( tt
(C ti ti

Captain Co. I, 27th Me., Oct. 17, '62. Resigned Nov. 5,
'64, on account of disability.
Private Co. A, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Promoted Quarter
master -Sergt. Dec, '62. Promoted Capt. Co. K.Apr. 27,
'64. Captured July 30, '64, at CemeteryHill, Petersburg,
Va. Escaped from rebel prison at Columbia, S. C.,Feb.
17, '65, and joined Sherman's Army. Transferred to
Co. B, 31st Me., as Captain. Discharged May 15, '65.
Private Co. A, 32d Me. , Mar. 3, '64. Promoted 2d Lieut.,
Mar. 17, '64. Resigned Sept. 10, '64.
See above.
Sergeant Co. F, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. 1st Sergt., Co.
A, 32d Me., Mar. 3, '64. Promoted 2d Lieut. Cap
tured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.
Escaped from rebel prison at Columbia, S.C, Oct. 2,
'64, and was drowned by tbe parting of a raft while
attempting to cross the river near Columbia.
See above.
Private Co. E, 6th Me., July 15, '61. Corp. Co. A, 32d
Me., Mar. 3, '64. Promoted 1st Sergt. Wounded in
leg and captured Sept. 30, '64, Pegram Farm, Va.
Supposed to be mustered out as a supernumerary
non-commissioned officer at consolidation on Dec. 12,
'64, but was at that date still held as a prisoner, and
was not released until Feb. 22, '65, when paroled.
Was finally mustered out Feb. 13, '67, to date from
Mar. 31, '65.

1^
w M
td1^COfedooi^ti >¦M!^fedtd td
Ptd!^

CO

COMPANY A. -

- Continued.

Name.

Em
<1

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Sergeants.
Watson, Daniel
Bond, Henry
Carr, William P.
Long, Henry Corporals.
Staples, William H.
Lowry, Frank E.
Brown, Cyrus E.
Bartlett, Joseph W.
Grace, Hiram M.
Harriman, Andrew J.

23 252721 20
2219
20

Limerick
Kittery Kittery
KitteryEliot Kittery
LimingtonSanford
Kittery

Mar. 3, 1864
tt (( ((
<( (1 ((
it tt tt
.. (( it
(( (( ((
(( li ((

Private Co. A, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Mustered out at
consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Promoted Hospital Steward. See above, non-commis
sioned staff.
Private Co. G, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Mustered out at
consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Deserted May 12, '64.
Private Co. G, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Wounded May
12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Transferred to Co. A,
31st Me., at consolidation Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
Apr. 10, '65.
Promoted Sergt. Mustered out at consolidation Dec.
12, '64.
Private Co. A, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Wounded May
18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Transferred to Co. A,
31st Me., at consolidation Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
Apr. 10, '65.
Private Co. I, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Wounded June
18, '64, in front of Petersburg, Va., in knee. Trans
ferred to Co. A, 81st Me., at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Promoted Sergt. 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Private Co. G, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Transferred to
Co. A, 31st Me,, at consolidation Dec. 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
See above.

oo ?dt-<fedtdtdOCO 1^tdtdOWfed

Buzzell, Hosea Q.
Ricker, Benjamin J.
Musicians.
Wilson, Alonzo P.
Staples, Ivory
Wagoner.
Littlefield, Almon
Privates.
Atkins, Henry
Bean, Elbridge
Billings, Charles N.
Brewer, James R.
Benson, Thomas
Bowden, Charles
Benson, George H.
Bickford, John N.
Butler, Charles M.
Caswell, Timothy
Clark, Henry E.
Carpenter, Alonzo

22 191821
29 21 19212621 191818 18
442618

Waterboro
Waterboro KitteryEliot KitterySouth Berwick
Kittery Kittery
Freeport
Biddeford BiddefordKennebunk
Kittery North Berwick
North Berwick
Limerick
Waterboro

Mar. 3

Private Co. G, 5th Me., '61. Killed July 26, '64, in
front of I'etersburg, Va. Shot through head.
Wounded May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Died of
wounds July 11, '64.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
by order June 6, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.

Transferred to Co. A,
charged July 27, '05.

31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis-

Deserted Mar. 10, '64.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Killed July 30, '64,
Transferred to Co
Mar. 2, '65.
Wounded May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Dis- m
charged Sept. 2,

at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.
. A, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Deserted

'64, at Spottsylvania, Va.
64, on account of wound.
Captured Sept. 30, '64, at Pegram Farm, Va. Died in
prison at Salisbury, N. C, Jan. 14, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability Feb. 14, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Acting Quartermaster-Sergeant. Transferred to Co. A,
31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '05.
Captured Sept. 30, '64, at Pegram Farm, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Paroled pris
oner Feb. 2, '65. Discharged by order June 20, "(i5.

WMtd?<!,t»fedoo

!2jtd tdtd0Mtsl 1-3

?1^Ol

COMPANY A. — Continued.

Oi

Residence

Date

Name.

be

When Enlisted.

of Muster-in.

Final Record.

P-riva tes.

,.
Cole, Charles H.
18
Kittery
Mar. 3, 1864
Captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec, 12, '64. Pa
roled prisoner. Discharged July 5, '05.
Durgin, Zachariah
27
Limerick
(( it it
Missing June 12, '64. Captured and died in prison at
Andersonville, S. C, Aug. 22, '64.
Day, Charles H.
30
Waterboro
Wounded May 12, '04, at Spottsylvania, Va. Right leg
amputated. Discharged Aug. 26, '64, on account of
wound.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
Durgin, Benjamin F.
m
Waterboro
i. (( it
out July 15, '65.
Emery, Joseph E.
20
Biddeford
tt (( .(
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Eaton, Frank C.
21
Wells
tt it ((
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, "64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Eaton, Walter
42
¦\Vells
Private Co. E, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Captured Sept.
30, '04, at Pegram Farm, Va. Transferred to Co. A,
31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. No evidence of parole or ex
change found, and is believed to have died in prison.
Edgecomb, John
29
Biddeford
(( (t ti
Wounded May 12, '04, at Spottsylvania, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out
July 15, '65.
Fernald, John
33
Kittery
Wounded May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Captured
July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va. Pa
roled prisoner. Discharged Sept. 11, '65.
Foster, Ansel
40
Island Pond, Vt.
Captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.
Paroled prisoner. Discharged Sept. 11, "65.
Giistin, I5enjamin P.
44
Kennebunkport
" '* **
Discharged for disability Aug. 26, '64.
QOtdtd
tdo
CO 1^td
tdO>^wtd
Hale, Thomas
Hurst, Albert S.
Hurst, Joseph M.
Higgins, John
Henderson, Charles
Hill, John A.
Hubbard, Thomas

James, Samuel A.
Kerr, William
Lang, Alfred M.

Lambert, John H.
Locke, John Q.
Lewis, Joseph B.

Marden, Howard J.
Manson, Ammi
McCarthy, Patrick

Kittery KitteryKittery
Kittery Waterboro Waterboro
KitterySouth Berwick
KitteryKittery
Kittery Harrison Kittery
Kittery
North Berwick

Mar. 3, 1864

Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Ex
changed prisoner. Promoted Corp. 3lst Me. Mus
tered out July 1.5, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Deserted
Mar. 10, '65.
Deserted May 10, '64.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, •'65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Wounded
Apr. 2, '65, at Petersburg, Va.
Wounded July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg,
Va., in head. Died of wounds Sept. 6, '04, at David's
Island Hospital, N. Y.
See above.
Private Co. B, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Transferred to Co.
A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Wounded July 16, '64, in front of Petersburg, Va.
Right hand torn off by shell. Discharged Dec. 12,
'64, on account of wound.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec, 12 '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Killed in action May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va.
Wounded May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va., in both
arms. Died of wounds June 24, '64, at Carver Hos
pital, Washington, D. C.
Captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.
Died in prison at Danville, Va., Oct. 0, '64.
Wounded May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. A., 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
July 15, '65.
Wounded May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
Aug. 7, '65.

tdtd
ISK!dotdQoti M!^fed tdfedO tdS!

Oi

COMPANY A. — Continued.

Oi
00

Name.

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Privates.
Matthews, George
Norwood, Chester
Pickernell, James H.
Potter, Charles H.
Remick, George W.
Robinson, Charles W.
Roberts, Walter C.
Richards, George W.
Russell, Gideon P.
Randall, Samuel P.
Runnells, Frederick G.
Spinney, Justin
Spinney, Hiram W.
Sullivan, John

181819
18
36 19
3118
38
2318
18
19 18

KitteryPortland Kittery
Harrison Kittery
LimerickWaterboro
Portland Canaan, Vt.
South Berwick
Portland

KitteryKitteryPortland

Mar. 3,

1864

Captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.
Paroled prisoner. Discharged by order June 30, '65.
Wounded June 1,'64,'at Cold Harbor, Va. Transferred to
Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Captured Sept. 30, '64, at Pegram Farm, Va. Paroled
prisoner Feb. 22, '65. Discharged by order June 12, '65.
Killed in action May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va.
Captured Sept. 30, '64, at Pegram Farm, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Died in prison
at Salisbury, N. C.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps. Discharged at
Indianapolis, Aug. 24, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order May 22, '65.
Transferred to Co. F, 32d Me., July 1, '64.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Wounded
April 2, '65, in shoulder by grape-shot in attack on
Petersburg, Va. Discharged June 6, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Killed in action May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65,

oo td
tdO
CD td
tdOtd
^^Wfed

Smith, George H.
Sanborn, George F.
Stackpole, Alexander
Stevens, Charles E.
Tobey, Hiram
Tarbox, James B.
Wilson, Thomas H.
Witham, Lewis H.
Whittier, Charles W.
Wakefield, Royal B.
West, James
Witham, Charles E.
Young, Silas H.

Tufts, James W.

18

Augusta

21

Hiram

43

Kittery

20

South Berwick

24

Kittery

21

Hollis

19

Kittery

43

Biddeford

4439

Waterboro
Waterboro

18

Berwick

2238

KitteryNorth Berwick

Mar.

3,

1864

((

tt

((

tt

t( it

"

"

tl

((

"

li

11

itit

it

it

tt
tt

ll

Wounded May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
Mar. 7, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Deserted
Jan. 1, '65.
Captured July 30, 1864, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg,
Va. Paroled. Died Oct. 28, '64, at Annapolis, Md.
Private Co. D, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Promoted Cor
poral. Captured Sept. 30, '64, at Pegram Farm, Va.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Dis
charged by order June 20, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me.
out July 15, '65.
Killed in action May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania,
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64
tered out July 15, '65.
Killed in action May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va.
Died July 11, '64, from disease.

Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
Dec. 12, '64. Mustered

Va.
Mustered Mustered

Joined Company after organization.
18 I North Berwick I Sept. 27, 1864 I Transferred to Co. A, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 14, '65.

1^WtdHK|da fedoc S!ti>M fed tdtdO fed!^

02CO

COMPANY B.

o

Name.

cj

Residence

<)

When Enlisted.

Captain.

Noyes, Amos F.

51

Norway

1st Lieutenants.

Colby, Joseph E.
44
Rumford
Bearce, Henry M.
25
Hebron
Sd Lieutenants.
Bearce, Henry M.
Howe, Winfield S.
25
Hanover
1st Sergeant.
Hodgdon, Andrew J.
25
Hartford
Sergeants.
Howe, Winfield S.
Jewell, William F.
24
Woodstock
Fiske, Gilbert L.
22
Norway
Date
of Muster-in.
Mar. 10, 1864
Final Record.
First Lieut. Co. G, 14th Maine, Dec. 12, '61. Capt. Co.
H, 23d Mc, Oct. 17, '62. Wounded May 18, '64, at
Spottsylvania, Va. Shell wound of right shoulder,
affecting head and spifle. Mustered out at consoli
dation Dec. 12, '64.
Died at City Point, Va., June 25, '64, from fever.
Orderly Sergt. Co. D, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. 1st Lieut.
Co. D, 23d Me., Feb. 11, '63. 2d Lieut. Co. B, 32d
Me., Mar. 11, '64. Promoted 1st Lieut.— not mustered.
Captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg,
Va. Exchanged. Discharged Mar. 30, '65.
See above.
Corp. and Sergt. Co. G, 3d Me., June 4, '61. Sergt.
Co. B, 32d Me., Mar. 10, '64. Promoted 2d Lieut.— not
mustered. Wounded and captured Sept. 30, '64, at
Pegram Farm, Va. Paroled Oct. 10, '64. Mustered
out at consolidation Dec. 12. '64.
Mustered out at
Private Co. C, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62.
consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
See above.
Corporal Co. D, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Mustered out at
consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Private Co. H, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Killed on picket
in front of Petersburg, Va., July 10, '64.
oo^dfedfedtdO
COH td
tdotd
Wtd
Fogg, Levi C.

23

Norway

Mar. 10, 1864

Corporals.
Ackley, Caleb B.

30

MiltonPlantation

(( t( ((

Sliackley.FreemauII.M.

19

Norway

ti It il

Atwood, Charles R.

22

Norway

,, « ..

Lovis, Charles H.

19

Fryeburg

.. c< ..

Town, Osmond

28

Norway

.. .. ..

Chase, Charles II.
Eastman, Daniel G.
Bearce Charles F.
Bosworth, Otis

20271820

Woodstock
Rumford
Hebron
Hartford

(( tt tl
tt n H
(( (( tt
Sept. 1, 1864

Barker, Frank W.

IS

Lovell

.. ., ,.

Cox, William F.

20

Norway

(( 1< (C

Musicia7is.
Barrows, Samuel C.

25

Hebron

Mar. 10, 1864

Hall, Nathaniel P.

19

Norway

(( (( ((

Wagoner.
Hobbs, Lorenzo D.

43

Norway

tt It tl

Private Co. II, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62.
from disease.

Died Dec 5, '04,

Wounded and captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill
Petersburg, Va. Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec!
12, '64. Died in prison at Danville, Va., Jan. 4, '65
Private Co. H, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Wounded on
picket June 18, '64, in front of Petersburg, Va., and
leg amputated. Mustered out at consolidation Dec
12, '64. Died at Norway, Mc, Apr. 12, '65.
Killed in action at Cemetery Hill, Petersbursr Va
July 30, '64.
Private Co. H, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Reduced to
ranks. Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Died in hospital at City Point, Va., June 25, '64, from
fever.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Private Co. C, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Private Co. B
32d Me., Mar. 10, '64. Promoted Corp. Mustered
out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Private Co. B, 32d Me., Mar. 10, '04. Promoted Corp.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dee. 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '05.
Private Co. H, 23d Me., Sept. 2g, '(i2. Private Co. B
32d Me., Mar. 10, '64. Promoted Corp. Mustered out
at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Private Co. D, 23d Me., Sept. 2g, '62. Transferred to Co.
B., 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 12, '65.

HW
tdK|td
QO!^ti>Mfedtdtd2 Stdi^H

Transferred to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,
out July 15, '65.

'64. Mustered >(;.

COMPANY B. -

- Continued.

Name.

6 be
<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Privates.

'
Allen, Albert
20
Hartford
Mar. 10, 1864
Private Co. C, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Transferred to
Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Absent, sick, at mus
ter out July 15, '65. Discharged Aug. 4, '05.
Andrews, Freeland Q.
10
Sumner
(1 tc ((
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Allen, Charles F.
19
Hartford
" " "
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out July 15, '65. No further record.
Abbott, Henry
18
Rumford
(( (( tl
Wounded May 31, '64, in head at Totopotomoy Creek, Va.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Battles, Caleb W.
18
Leeds
(( 1( II
Transferred to Co. B., 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Brooks, Ansel F.
42
Minot
it tt tt
Transferred to Co, B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Brown, Hezekiah E.
23
Norway
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Promoted
Corp. andSergt. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '(iS.
Bradbury, Henry A, M.
33
Norway
tt It 11
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me.. Dec. 12, '()4. Absent,
sick, at muster out July 15, '65. No further record.
Bosworth, Otis
See above.
]5attles, Caleb
40
Livermore
(1 11 II
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Bartlett, William W.
20
Hanover
" " "
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Barker, Frank W.
See above.
Cox, William F.
See above.
LO
o ?dt-<tdfedtd
Occ 1^fedtd
oHKtd
Cole, Consider
Cross, Albert A.
Damon, George W.
Danley, Charles W.
Eaton, Henry O.
Elliott, Walter T.
Ellis, Albert A.
Farris, Alveno V.
Foye, George F.
Flood, Edward J.
Fuller, Nathaniel H.
Farnham, William G.
Farnham, Charles W.
Fogg, James E.

44 Paris

GreenwoodParis WaterfordRumford HanoverHartford ChinaRumford
NorwayWoodstockRumford Woodstock
Hartford

Mar. 10, 1864

Private Co. C, 10th Me., Oct., '61. Captured July 30,
'64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va. Transferred
to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Paroled. Died Apr.
7, '65, from disease at Alexandria, Va.
Captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg,
Va. Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64.
Died in prison at Danville, Va., Jan. 27, '64.
Captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.
I'aroled. Died at St. John's College Hospital, An
napolis, Md., Nov. 24, '64.
Musician Co. K, 23d Me., Sept. 29,'62. Captured July 30,
'64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va. Transferred
to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Died in prison Jan.
24, '65, at Danville, Va.
Wounded in breast June 1, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va.
Died of wounds June 3, '64.
Transferred to Co. B, 3lst Me., Dec 12, '64. Died of
disease Jan. 25, '65, at Hanover, Me.
Private Co. I, 16th Me., Aug. 20, '62. Transferred to
Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Died Jan. 20, '65, of
disease at Cony Hospital, Augusta, Me.
Wounded May 21st, '64, at Totopotomoy Creek, Va., in
arm. Died July 24, '64, in hospital at Philadelphia, Pa.
Died Aug. 1, '64, at Stanton Hospital, Washington, D.
C, from disease.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,'64. Absent,
sick, at muster out. No further record.
Died July 30, '64, at Cony Hospital, Augusta, Me., from
disease.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Died Oct. 18, '64, at Beverly Hospital, New Jersey.
Private Co. C, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Transferred to
Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Discharged for disabil
ity June 27, '65.

wS
1^ k;
do fedn
c ^ti M!^tdfed Mfed!^

-5

COMPANY B. -

- Continued.

Name.

<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Privates.

Foster, Elbridge H.
26
Hartford
Mar. 10, 1864
Private Co. C, 23d Mc, Sept. 29, '63. Transferred to
Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged for disabil
ity, Jan. 22, '65.
Goddard, Ephraim F.
44
Rumford
(( it tt
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Gowell, Leroy A.
18
Sumner
" " "
Killed in action June 3, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va.
Heald, Selwyn
18
Lovell
.. it it
Died Sept. 5, ¦'64, at Lovell, Me., from disease.
Horr, Stewart B.
18
Lovell
it li it
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Herrick, Albert S.
19
Greenwood
(. it i(
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 12, '65.
Herrick, Ronello S.
18
Poland
It it it
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Haskell, George A.
20
Harrison
tt it tt
Transferred to Co. B., 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Holt, Benjamin G.
2(i
Norway
tt tt tt
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Holland, Joseph
18
Canton
it it it
Wounded June 3, '64, in hand at Cold Harbor, Va.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, "64. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Irish, Stephen
21
Lovell
tt tt tt
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Judkins, Henry N.
24
Norway
tt tt tt
Captured Sept. 30, '64, at Pegram Farm, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Exchanged.
Discharged by order June 5, '65.
Kimball, Moses F.
38
Bethel
tt tt tt
Died in Hospital July 28, '64, at Willett's Point, N. Y.
ootdHfedtdOCDfedtdotdHW
Kimball, Abraham

44

Bridgton

Kimball, Frederick A.

18

Bridgton

Keene, John A.

42

Bridgton

Millett, Oliver

27

Hamlin's Grant

Morgan, Simeon

18

Greenwood '

Moody, Levi

30

Rumford

Maxwell, George H.

40

Sweden

Mclntire, Caleb Jr.

18

Fryeburg

Meserve, James L.

34

Lovell

McAllister, Wesley
Philbrick, Gilman F.

19
21

Lovell
Roxbury

Peabody, George W.

18

Bethel

Russell, George M.

18

Lovell

Richardson, Almon

18

Stoiieham

Richardson, Joseph

42

Roxbury

Reed, Joseph H.

29

Poland

Staples, Camille P.

20

Hanover

Mar. 10, 1864

Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability Jan. 0, '65.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability May 31, '65.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded in breast July 2, '04, in front of Petersburg,
Va. Captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Peters'-
burg, Va. Transferred to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,
'64. Died in prison Mar. 6, '05.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged May 20, '65.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Died in Hospital, Mar. 21st, '64, at Augusta, Me., from
fever, eleven days after muster in.
Private Co. H, 23d Me., Sept. 2, '62. Transferred to
Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
Killed on picket June 20, '64, in front of Petersburg, Va.
Transferred to Co. B, olst Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Died in Mount Pleasant Hospital, Washington, D. C,
Nov. 25, '04, from disease.
Captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.
Paroled. Died Nov. 1, '64, at Annapolis, Md.
Wounded May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Died of
wound at Stoneham, Me., Sept. 12, '64.
Wounded in breast July 14, '64, iu front of Petersburg,
Va. Discharged Oct. 6, '04.
Private Co. G, 23d Mc, Sept. 29, '62. Wounded July 30,
'64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va. Discharged
on account of wounds.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order July 1, '65.

tdHfedQO!^ti !^fedtdtd Mtd

COMPANY B. — Continued.

Oi

Name.

Privates.
Seavey, Charles
Smith, Herbert
Smith, Richard
Stanley, Frank
Swasey, Benjamin
Stetson, Samuel N.
Stetson, Oberun O.
Sewall, David Jr.
Thurston, Benjamin F.
Tucker, Henry W.
Thurston, Jacob
Varney, Augustine D.
Whitten, Oscar F.
Wilkins, Willi<T,m W.

18 19
43 1818
18
20 18
18
1832 IS18
33

Residence
When Enlisted.

PolandStowe Hanover
CantonCanton
SumnerCanton
Sumner
PolandHartfordPoLand Hanover Woodstock
Oxford

Date
of Muster-in.

Mar. 10, 1864

Final Record.

Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded June 1, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va. Died of
wounds June 22, '64.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '05.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded June 1, '04, at Cold Harbor, Va. Died of
wounds June 21, '04.
Wounded June 1, '64, in left arm at Cold Harbor, Va.
Discharged June 3, '05.
Captured Sept. 30, '64, at Pegram Farm, Va. Died in
prison Dec. 12, '64.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 2, '65.
Wounded June 2, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va. Died of
wounds July 9, '64, at Cony Hospital, Augusta, Me.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 16, '65.

aot-itdHtdtd
oGD fed
tdoWfed

Wiswell, WiUiam H.
Washburn, Jefferson

Whittle, Wilbur F.
York, John Jr.

Bean, Peter Y.
Damon, William T.
Herrick, Rufus W.
Lewis, Williain
Lewis, Harris A. P.
Mallett, William C.
Noble, William H.
Randall, Leonard D.
Shirley, David

2127

20
33

FryeburgParis

Greenwood
Albany

Hanover ParisPolandFryeburgFryeburgNorway Norway
Norway Stoneham

Mar. 10, 1864

Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. B, 31st Mc,
Apr. 2, '65, in attack on
charged Dec. 11, '65.
Died July 6, '64, at Washington,
Transferred to Co. B, 81st Me.,
out July 15, '65.

Dec. 12, '64.
Petersburg,

Wounded
Va. Dis-

D. C, from disease.
Dec. 12, '64. Mustered

Joined Company after Organization.

Apr. 2, 1864

Mar. 23, 1864

Apr. 2, 1864

Mar. 23, 1864

Transferred from Co. E. Wounded June 3, '64, in hand
at Cold Harbor, Va. Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me.,
Dec. 12, '64. Discharged Mar. 31, '65.
Transferred from Co. C. Transferred to Co. B, 31st
Me., Dec 12, '64. Wounded Apr. 2, '65, in attack on
Petersburg, Va.
Transferred from Co. C. Captured July 30, '64, at Cem
etery Hill, Petersburg, Va. Transferred to Co. B,
31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Exchanged. Promoted Corp.
in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred from Co. D. Transferred to Co. B, 31st
Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted Corp. iii 31st Me. Mus
tered out July 15, '6.5.
Transferred from Co. D. Private Co. H, 23d Me., Sept.
29, '62. Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred from Co. C. Transferred to Co. B, 31st
Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred from Co. C. Private Co. G, Uth Mc, Dec.
28, '61. Transferred to Co. B, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred from Co. E. Private Co. H, 23d Me., Sept.
29, '62. Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred from Co. D. Transferred to Co. B, 31st
Me., Dec. 12, '64. Absent, sick, at muster out.

1^
Wt-itd1^?^
db tdQO!^O w fed td Mfed'^

>1^ -5

COMPANY (;

^r
00

Namr.

Captain.
Sargent, Herbert R.

1st Lieutenants.
Hammond, Joseph B.

Burr, Charles F.

.?(? Lieulenants.
Burr, Charles F.
Barker, William B.
1st Sergeants.
Beals, Thomas P.

20

39

21

31

Residence
When Enlisted.

Portland

New Gloucester

Freeport

Portland

Date
of Muster-in.

Mar. 23, 1804

June 21, 1864

Mar. 23, 1804

Final Record.

Sergeant Co. E, 1st Mc, May, '61. Sergt. Co. E, 10th
Me., Oct., '01. Promoted Lieut, and Capt. Co. E,
10th Me. Wounded twice at Cedar Mountain, Va.,
Aug. 9, '62. Wounded May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania,
Va. Captured July 30, '04, at Cemetery Hill, Peters
burg, Va. Exchanged Apr. 20, '05. 'Transferred to
Co. C, 31st Mc, as Captain, Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 17, '65.
Sergeant Co. I, Sth Me., July, '61. Wounded May 12,
'64, and again May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Pro
moted Capt. Co. D, 32dMe., June 21, '64. Resigned
on account of disability, Sept. 22, '64.
Private Co. F, 10th Me., Oct., '61. 2d Lieut. Co. C,
32d Mc, Apr. 19, '64. Wounded May 12,'64, at Spott-.
sylvania, Va. Promoted 1st Lieut. Discharged
Dec. 8, '64.

See above.
See above, in Field and Staff.
Major.

Promoted from Sergt. -

Sergeant Co. (i, 7th Mc, '61. Promoted 1st Lievit. Co.
II, Apr. 2(1, '64. Promoted Capt. Co. H, Sept. 16, '64.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64, as Cap-
taiu. Mustered out July 17, '65.

o.o?d tdtdtd
Oa,fedtdO>^
W td

Jordan, Sylvester F.
Sergeants.
Files, Joseph
Shaw, Edward
Plummer, George W.
Libby, Ebenezer H.
Jordan, Henry F.
Corporals.
Field, Jaraes L.
Rogers, Seth O.
Smith, Robert T.
Libby, Ebenezer H.
Knights, Freeman J.
Jordan, Henry F.
Davis, Adoniram C.
Goff', Joseph H.

Cobb, Sylvester B.

24

Cape Elizabeth

Api

30

Gorliam

Ma

24

Cape Elizabeth

"

43

New Gloucester

"

42

Windham

24

Andover

27

Freeport

"

26

Raymond

'

23

Pownal

"

25
20

New Gloucester
Gray

"

19

Gray

Mar. 23, 1864

Corporal Co. B, Me. Coast Guards Arty., '61. Sergt.
Co. C, 32d Mc, Mar. 23, '64. Promoted 1st Sergt.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Corporal Co. K, 25th Me., Sept., '62. Killed in action
May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va.
Private Co. B, 10th Mc, Oct., '61. Died of disease
Nov. 13, '64, at Cape Elizabeth, Me.
Detailed in Ambulance Corps. Mustered out at con
solidation Dec. 12, '64.
Private Co, C, 25th Me , Sepfe 29, '62. Corp. Co. C, 32d
Mustered out at consolidation

Mc, Mar. 2.S, '64
Dec. 12, '64.
Private Co. F, loth Me,, Oct. 4, '01.

Corp. Co. C, 32d

Me., Mar. 23, '64. Mustered out at consolidation
Dec. 12, '64.
Promoted Sergt.-Maj. See above in Field and Staff.
New York Inf. (Ellsworth Zouaves), '61. Reduced to
ranks June 20, '64. Transferred to Co. C, 31st Mc,
Dec. 12, '04. Mustered out July 15, '05.
Wounded in shoulder June 17, '04, in front of Peters
burg, Va. Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Promoted Sergt. See above.
Wounded June 3, '64, at Cold Harbor, "\^a. Died of
wounds June 13, '04, at Washington, D. C.
Promoted Sergt. See above.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Corporal Co. C, 25th Me., Sept. 29, '62. Wounded May
13, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Transferred to Co. C,
31st Mc, Dec 12, '04. Promoted Sergt. in 31st Me.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Private Co. C, 25th Me., Sept. 19, '02. Private Co. C,
32d Me., Mar. 23, '64. Promoted Corp. Wounded
July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Absent in hos
pital at muster out.

WMtd?^fedooO >¦M!^ fedtd cdS fed:^H

COMPANY C. -

- Continued.

Name.

f

Residence

Date

Final Record.

be
<11

When Enlisted.

of Muster-in.

Corporals.
Martin, Marshall

25

Gorham

June 18, 1864

Private Co. A, 5th Mc, June 24, '61. Private Co. C,
32d Mc, Mar. 23, '64. Promoted Corp. Captured
Sept. 30, '64, at Pegram Farm, Va. Exchanged Mar.

Musician.
Coughlin, Bartholomew

23, '65. Discharged June 19, '65.
18
Portland
Mar. 23, 1864
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wagoner.
Welch, John W.
33
Standish
tl tc ((
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Injured
Jan., '65, in front of Petersburg, Va. Discharged on
Privates.
Abbott, Clarence L.
account of injury June, '65, at Baltimore, Md.
18
Portland
H tl (t
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64, in thigh.
Transferred to Co. C, 3lst Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Brewer, Orman D.
18
Freeport
tl l( tt
Died in Mount Pleasant Hospital, Washington, D. C,
July 26, '64, from disease.
Brown, Algernon H.
18
Freeport
it tl it
Wounded in leg, June 3, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Blake, George
18
Pownal
tl tt tl
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Brown, Oliver
29
Bridgton
" " "
Transferred to Co. C. 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
by order May 22, '65.
Chapman, John A.
22
Boston, Mass.
It tf ti
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick in hospital, at muster out.
Cobb, Sylvester B.
Promoted Corp. See above.
GOO
Q
O ?dt^tdH fedtd
OCO fedtdo*^1^Wtd
Cobb, Charles M.

18

Poland

Mar. 23, 1864

Colley, Orrin B.

23

Gray

It tl i(

Cole, Francis C.

18

Portland

II tt II

Curran, John
Chamberlain, Prescott

29 18

PortlandPortland

It It It
il ll It

Childs, Thomas

19

Portland

tt li tl

Clark, Eugene B.

21

Calais

II tl II

Cookson, Daniel

18

Woolwich

tt tt t.

Cookson, Adoniram

19

Woolwich

tt tt t.

Call, Nathan

43

Woolwich

a t. t.

Doran, Michael

23

Portland

tt tt tl

Dodge, John H.

19

Portland

ti ti it

Davis, William S.

18

Gray

tt tt tt

Duggan, Edmund

42

Halifax, N. S.

t. t, tt

Dennison, Clement P.

18

Freeport

tt tt tt

Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12. '64. 'Dis
charged for disability July 9, '65.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Deserted Apr. 5, '64.
Wounded in leg May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Pro
moted Corp. in 3Ist Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Captured July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Ex
changed. Discharged June 9, '65.
Missing May 29, '64. Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me.,
Dec. 12, '64. Captured and died in prison.
Wounded May 12, '64, in side and back by shell, at
Spottsylvania, Va. Died May 18, '64, at Fredericks
burg, Va., from wounds.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability June 10, '65.
Wounded May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Captured
May 28, '64, on march to Pamunky River. Exchanged.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Wounded in arm and shoulder May 12, '64, at Spottsyl
vania, Va. Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12,
'64. Discharged Mar. 4, '65, on account of wound.
Wounded in arm May- 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va.,
and arm amputated. Discharged Nov. 29, '64, on
account of wound.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Died in hospital at Fort Wood, East New York, Nov.
1, '64, from disease.

wM
KldotdQo t^ti ;>Mfed tdtdCDM td!^1-3

00

COMPANY C. — Continued.

OOt>0

Name.

Privates.
Damon, William T.
Emerson, Joshua
Files, William H. P.
Gray, Sewall C.
Gray, William L.
Goldthwait, William
Grant, James P.

Hussey, Henry A.
Houston, Henry C.

Hammon, George H.
Herrick, Rufus W.
King, Albert
Kincaid, Charles

Residence
When Enlisted.

Bridgton Gorham
Paris
Paris Bridgton
Casco

PortlandPortland

Hollis
Westbrook Augusta

Date
of Muster-in.

Mar. 23, 1864

Final Record.

Transferred to Co. B. See ante.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
for disability, Jan. 14, '65.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out.
Private Co. F, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Wounded at
Spottsylvania, Va.', May 18, '64. Transferred to Co.
C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Prisoner May 22, '64. Exchanged. Transferred to Co.
C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'04. Transferred to Co. C, 81st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Killed on picket in front of Petersburg, Va., June 20, '64.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64, in thigh.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged on account of wound at Cony Hospital, Au
gusta, Me., Feb. 20, '65.
Killed in action at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64.
Transferred to Co. B, June 30, '64. See ante.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15,. '65.
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 18, '64, in arm.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged June 16, '66.

Q O?dt-itd1^tdtdOCOfedtdO?^dHwtd

Leavitt, Daniel W.

20

Raymond

Mar. 23, 1864

Maley, John

28

Portland

Mooney, Nicholas

42

Brunswick

Merrill, William A.

19

Falmouth

March, Joseph N.

18

Bridgton

Martin, Marshall
McGuire, Charles
37
Cape Elizabeth
Mallett, Wilham C.
McGee, John
18
Canton
McGuire, John
18
Portland
McKay, William
Noble, William H.
Nash, Joshua M.
4318
Cape Elizabeth
Gray
Phelps, Abner R.
35
Cape Elizabeth
^
Palmer, .John F.
38
Cape Elizabeth
\
Patterson, Joel B.
18
Freeport
Pulcifer, Alphonzo
18
Poland
'64. Trans-
Transferred
Mustered
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12
ferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
to V. R. C, Feb. 22, '65.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., July 18 '64 in
head and foot. Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me Dec
12, '64. Discharged March 23, '65. '
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64
ont July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co
out July 15, '65.
Promoted Corp. See ante.
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 18, '64, in abdo
men. Died of wounds.
Transferred to Co. B. See ante.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 24 '64 in
shoulder. Died of wounds at Fairfax Seminary Hos
pital, Alexandria, Va., July 18, '64.
Transferred to Co, C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Killed in action at Spottsylvania, Va., May 18 '64
Transferred to Co. B. See ante.
Transferred to Co. C, 31«t Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Private Cc K, 25th Me.,. Sept. 29, '62. Wounded in
front of Petersburg, Va., July 24, '64, in face. Trans
ferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out
July 15, '65.
Private Co. II, 13th Me., Dec. 12, '61. Transferred to
Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Discharged for disabil
ity January 9, '65.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered hW
C, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Mustered tdH
CO fed
Qc !^
tiM'^fedtd tdMfed!^
00
CO
COMPANY C. -

- Continued.

Name.

6

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Privates.

Rider, Solomon C.
34
Pownal
Mar. 23, 1864
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec.' 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Robinson, Howard
18
Windham
tt It it
Killed in action at Spottsylvania, Va., May 18, '64.
Rogers, Joseph B.
27
Harrison
tt tt tt
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Roberts, Benjamin F.
18
Durham
it a tt
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. Died at Alexandria, Va., July 9, '65, from
chronic diarrhoea.
Rafter, Edward
44
Portland
tt tt tt
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64, in shoul
der. Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
Discharged June 16, '65.
Smith, Benjamin
20
Gray
tt tt tt
Died in hospital at New York, Aug. 9, '64, of disease.
Smith, Samuel
18
New Gloucester
tt tt tl
Died in Mount Pleasant Hospital at Washington, D. C,
Sept. 22, '64, of disease.
Smith, Leonard B.
20
Standish
tt tt tt
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
by order May 22, '65.
Smith, Henry S. B.
Promoted to Asst. Surgeon. See ante, Field and Staff.
Shaw, Edward H.
27
Portland
it it It
Wounded on picket in front of Petersburg, Va., June
24, '64, in shoulder. Died of wounds at Washington,
D. C, July 11, '64.
Taylor, Abel W.
18
Roxbury
It it tt
Died in Philadelphia, Pa., Apr. 25, '64, of disease.
True, Charles F.
18
North Yarmouth
It tt it
Wounded in action in front of Petersburg, Va., June
17, '64, in neck. Transferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec.
12, '64. Discharged by order June 12, '65.
Titcomb, Frank
21
North Yarmouth
tl tt tt
Died in Maine, May 22, '64, of disease.
00
o
o t-ifedHfedtdO
OD HfedtdOfedW
Tufts, Josiah
Trumble, Elias H.
Whitten, James K. P.
Work, John
Wilson, George W.
Wyman, Abraham
Wedge, Philip
Wedge, Peter

Barker, William B.
Gould, Floris E.

Libby, Lendall A.
Sargent, William H.
Wheelock, George I. J.
Webber, Charles B.

18
1823 18

Pownal
Bridgton Gray
Portland
Falmouth
MiltonPlantation CanadaCanada

Mar. 23, 1864

Prisoner on march to North Anna River, May 22, '64.
Died in prison at Andersonville, Ga., Aug. 8, '64, of
diarrhoea.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Private Co. C, 25th Mc, Sept. 29, '62. Prisoner at
North Anna River, May 27, '64. Died in prison at
Andersonville, Ga., Aug. 19, '64, of bronchitis.
Wounded in arm and prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Peters
burg, Va., July 30, '64. Exchanged. Discharged
June 6, '65.
Prisoner at North Anna River, May 27, '64. Died in pris
on at Andersonville, Ga., Aug. 26, '64, of diarrhoea.
Prisoner on march to Wilderness, May 6, '64. Died in
prison at Andersonville, Ga., Aug. 21, '64, of scorbutus.
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64, in arm.
Transferred to V. R. C. Discharged Aug. 7, '65.
Wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'64, in arm. Transferred to V. R. C. Discharged
July 21, '65.

Freeport PownalPortlandPortland

Joined Company after organization.Joined as 2d Lieut

May 6, 1864

Apr. 21, 1864

May 6, 1864

See above.
Transferred from Co. K. Wounded in right knee.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Transferred from Co. K. Transferred to Co. C, 31st
Mc, Dec 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred from Co. H. Transferred to Co. C, 31st
Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted to Corp. and Sergt.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred from Co. H. Transferred to Co. C, 31st Me.,
Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred from Co. K. Wounded and prisoner at
Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Died in prison,
Oct., '64.

Wtd
do tdo
c '^ti fed tdfedO MtdSI H

COMPANY D.

Ol

Name.

Captain,^.
Ham, William R.
Hammond, Joseph B.
Barker, William B.
1st Lieutenant.
Rounds, Charles B.
2d Lieutenant.
Chase, James J.

1st Sergeant.
Jackson, John M.

Sergeants.
Sproul, James H.
Arnold, Lloyd Q.
Ham, John L.
Cole, Charles E.
Pettengill, Converse L.

22

Residence
When Enlisted.

Lewiston
New Gloucester
LimerickDanville

Turner

23

Lewiston

25

Lewiston

28

Lisbon

20

Lewiston

29

Livermore

19

Lewiston

Date
ol Muster-in.

Mar. 23, 1864
June 21, 1864
Oct. 8, 1864
Apr. 10, 1864
Apr. 5, 1804
Mar. 23, 1864

Final Record.

Killed in action at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3,
Promoted from 1st Lieut. Co. C.
Promoted from 1st Lieut. Co. H.

64.

Acting Adjt. Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12,
'04. Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64.
Wounded at CemeteryHill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,'64.
Promoted 1st Lieut. Co. H, Oct. 6, '64. Not mus
tered on commission. Discharged on account of
wounds Dec. 22, '64.
Private Co. A, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Promoted 2d
Lieut. Co. C. Not mustered on commission. Mus
tered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Detailed as Clerk, Division Commissary, Subsistence
Dept. Mustered out Dec. 12, '64.
Corp. Co. A, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Wounded at Spott
sylvania, Va., May 18, '64. Discharged Nov. 17, '64.
Private Co. A, 23d Me, Sept. 29, '62. Prisoner at
Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Transferred to Co.
D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Absent, sick, at muster out.
Corporal Co. C, 8th Mc, Sept. 7, '61. Killed in action
at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Promoted from Private. Transferred to Co. D, 31st
Me. Promoted to 1st Sergt. Mustered out July 15 '65.

?dc-ifedHfedtdo
ao 1^
fedtdoW td

€!(jrporah.
Mace, William H.

Litchfield, Joseph M.
Rose, Henry B.
Conant, Hiram A.

Hodges, Walter S.
Nevens, Fredericli N.
Foss, Roger A.
Nevens, William II.
Collins, Lora H.
Norton, Hebron

Musicians.
Johnson, Frederick I.
Stinchfield, Angus W.

26

19

Lewiston

Livermore Turner

Lewiston

38

Auburn

19

Lisbon

19

^Lewiston

19

Lewiston

18

Livermore

18

Turner

18

Danville

Mar. 23, 1864

II ( t

Private Co. A, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Wounded on
picket July 22, '64, front of Petersburg, Va. Died
July 23, '64.
Promoted Hospital Steward. See ante in Field and
Staff.
Killed on picket at Cold Harbor, Va., June 1, '64.
Wounded at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
from hospital June 2, '65.
Private Co. A, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Prisoner May 18,
'04, at Spottsylvania, Va. Erroneously reported as
mustered out at consolidation Dec 12, '64. Paroled
about Mar., '65. Died in Lewiston, Mc, Sept. 29, '65,
having never been mustered out or discharged from
service.
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64. Trans
ferred to V. R. C. Date of discharge not shown.
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64. Prisoner
at Pegram Farm.Va., Sept. 30,'64. Transferred to Co.
D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged June 5, '65.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64. Transferred
to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Transferred to V. R.
C, Feb. 18, '65. Date of discharge not shown.
Private Co. F, 19th Me., Aug. 10, '63. Private Co. D,
32d Mc, Mar. 23, '64. Promoted Corp. Transferred
to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted Sergt.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Private Co. D., 32d Me., Mar. 33, '64. Promoted Corp.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order Sept. 11, '65.
Died of disease (consumption) at Alexandria, Va., Oct.
24, '65.

wtdfedoot^ti fed td fed0 fed '^H

00

CO

MPANY D. -

- Continued.

Name.

CD
<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record,

Wagoner.

Hood, Albion
37
Turner
Mar. 23, 1864
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 1-2, '04. Dis
charged May 22, '65.
Privates.
Aris, Robert J.
31
Lewiston
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability June, '65.
Atwood, Charles H.
18
Livermore
it tl It
Died at David's Island Hospital, N. Y., Aug. 5, '64, of
disease.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
Abbott, John W.
18
Lewiston
tt it it
out July 15, '65.
Bisbee, Forest E.
18
Lewiston
ft tl tt
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Bryant, Andrew J.
35
Turner
tt tt tt
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out. No further record.
Beckler, John W.
18
Livermore
tt tt tt
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged May 5, '65.
Lora H. Collins
Promoted to Corp. See above.
Cle.iveland, Leander S.
18
(.!amden
tt tt It
Transferred to Co. E.
Cummings, Charles F.
21
Portsmouth
tt tt tt
Died at Portland, Mc, Oct. 4, '64, of disease.
Chandler, Charles B.
22
Turner
tt tt tt
Deserted while on furlough.
Cole, George A.
24
Lisbon
" " "
Killed in action May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va.
Dingley, Leonard G.
21
Lewiston
Prisoner May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. D., 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Paroled.
Discharged July 31, '65.
Darling, Sewall G.
20
Lewiston
tt It tt
Wounded May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Died of
wounds May 26, '64.
Damon, Jonathan 2d
34
Buckfield
tt tt tt
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Killed in
action April 2, '65, at Petersburg, Va.
00
00
aotd
Hfedtd
OCOHtdtdotdfed
Dyer, John
Dyer, Charles S.
Davis, Maynard G.
Fish, Cephas J.
Goodwin, Charles H.
Gould, Andrew J.
Ham, Alvah N.-
Hodgdon, George A.
Harlow, Daniel G.
Jones, Mellen N.
Joyce, John
Knowles, Warren C.
Kennedy, Timothy
Litchfleld, Henry C.
Lewis, Harris A. P.
Lewis, William
Larrabee, Benjamin B.

23

Lewiston

21

Lewiston

34 30

Poland
Turner

22

Lewiston

19

Lisbon

18

Lewiston

18

Lewiston

18

Turner

18

Turner

39

Lewiston

18

Lewiston

35

Lewiston

18

Lewiston

19

Lewiston

Mar. 23, 1864

Transferred to Co. B, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Trans
ferred to V. R. C, Feb., '65. Discharged July 26, '65.
Wounded May 18, '64, in hand, face and neck, at Spott
sylvania, Va. Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec.
12, '64. Discharged July 9, "65.
Killed in action at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
from hospital July 11, '65.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out. No further record.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Wounded May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Died of
wounds at New York, at a date not ascertained.
Wounded May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
June 27, '65.
Missing since June 12, '64. Left sick with fever, on
march to James River, and not heard from subse
quently.
Wounded May 12, '64. at Spottsylvania, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
by reason of wounds, Apr. 5, '65.
Died of disease at Carver Hospital, Washington, D. C,
Sept. 4, '64.
Wounded June 3, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va. Transferred
to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Deserted from hos
pital Jan. 1, '65.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. B. See ante.
Transferred to Co. B. See ante.
Killed in action June 3, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va.

tdH1^dofedaO"Ati M
!^ fed

fedSfed

00

COMPANY D.

Continued.

COo

Name.

Privates.
Lord, Henry M.
Leavitt, C)liver N.
McCarthy, Michael
Marston, Albion K. P.
Mitchell, Sylvanus I).
Mitchell, Algernon M.
Merrill, Cleaveland B.
Morse, Lorin W.
Morse, Elias A.
Morse Charles A.
Mixer, Lewis F.
Norton, Hebron

24

1!)

Residence
When Enlisted.

Lewiston

Turner

22

Auburn

22

Lewiston

2925

LewistonLewiston

22

Lewiston

18

Livermore

18

Livermore

38

Livermore

18

Lewiston

Date
of Muster-in.

Mar. 23, 1864

Final Record.

Prisoner May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Trans
ferred to Co. I), 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. No further
record. Probably died in prison.
Wounded June 3, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va. Transferred
to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec 22, "64. Mustered out July
15, '65.
Wounded June 3, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va. Deserted
Aug: 31, '64.
Wounded June 6, '64, at Cold Harbor. Va. Transferred
to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged June 8, '65.
Died of disease at De Camp Hospital, N. Y, July 11, '64.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Trans
ferred to V. R. C, Feb. II, '65. No further record.
Private Co. A, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Transferred to
Co. I), 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Musteredout July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, -'65.
Transferred to Co. D, 3Ist Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded June 18, '64, in front of Petersburg, Va. Leg
amputated. Died at Annapolis, Md., June 25, '64, of
wound.
Wounded June 9, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va., in hand.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '05.
Promoted Corp. See ante.

oo?d fedfedtdOCO 1^tdtd
O >nHW

Norris, Joseph C.
Pettengill, Converse N.
Pease, Alvora S.
Phillips, Isaac

Phillips, Ossian C.
Pratt, Thomas M.
Pratt, Judson
Small, Albert
Smith, Luther M.

Smith, Augustus
Snell, Francis
Sylvester, George
Salsbury, Francis E.
Shirley, David
Simpson, William C.
Tarr, Moses W.
Tibbetts, Hiram B.
Thompson, Hiram K.

23

21

Turner

30

Turner

27

Turner

18

Livermore

18
18

TurnerLisbon

44

18

East Livermore

Lisbon

Lisbon

19

Turner

18

Turner

23

Lisbon

1819

Camden
Lewiston

18

Lewiston

43

Lewiston

Mar. 23, 1862

Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. .30, '64. Died in
prison Nov. 2, '64.
Promoted Sergt. See above.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability, June 16, '65.
Private Co. D, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Transferred to
Co. D, 3lst Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July
15, '65.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Discharged for disability, Aug. 26, '64.
Wounded May 12, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Died of
wounds May 14, '64.
Wounded June 29, '64, in front of Petersburg, Va. ; again
July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.. Trans
ferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
June 16, '65.
Wounded in head June 29, '64, in front of Petersburg,
Va. Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64.
Discharged on account of wounds Jan. 16, '65.
Died of disease at Hospital, Alexandria, Va., Aug.
29, '64.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 16, '65.
Transferred to Co. B. See ante.
Died of disease at Augusta, Mc, July 13, '64.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
by order May 22, '65.
Wounded May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va. Died of
wounds May 19, '64.
Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30,'64. Transferred
to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. No further record.

w
3KidotdQot?ti tdtd
S fed'At-3

CO

COMPANY D. — Continued.

CO

Name.

6
<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Privates.

Thompson, Charles E.
18
Lewiston
Mar. 23, 1864
Wounded May 18, '64, at Spottsylvania, Va., in left hip.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged from hospital Apr. 10, '65.
Wright, Frank
18
Lewiston
tt tt tl
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out. No further record.
Witham, Josiah H.
25
Lewiston
tt It a
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out. No further record.
Witham, Benjamin
30
Lewiston
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
for disability, May 11, '65.
Walker, James B.
Promoted Commissary Sergt. See ante, Field and Staff.
Joined Company alter organization.
Hammond, Joseph B.
Barker, William B.
Tarbox, James F.
'Tarbox, Daniel Jr.
18
LewistonLewiston
April 2, 1864
Sept. 22, 1864
Joined as Capt. See above.
Joined as Capt. See above.
Transferred from Co. E. Wounded June 18, '64, in
front of Petersburg. Va. Transferred to Co. D, 31st
Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. D, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 16, '65.
Qo^dt-ifedtdtdOCOtdtdo(-3
Ktd
COMPANY E.

Name.

bt
<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Captain.
Kyes, Ebenezer S.
1st Lieutenant.
Keyes, Charles W.
Sd Lieutenant.
Stanley, James A.
1st Sergeant.
Gibbs, Charles
Sergeants.
Gould, Fernando B.
Cushman, William W.
Keyes, Marcus C.

22 33
3423
252222

Jay WiltonFarmingtonLivermoreWilton
AvonWilton

April 2, 1864
tt tt tt
ft tt tf
tf ft ft
ft ft ft
ft tt ft
ft It It

1st Sergt. Cc K, 28th Mc, Oct. 13, '62. Wounded at Cold
Harbor, Va., June 3, '64. Transferred to Co. E, 31st
Me., Dec. 12, '64. Bvt. Maj. Apr. 2, '65. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Sergeant Cc B, 28th Mc, Oct. 10, '62. Private Co. F,
2d Mc Cav., Nov. 10, '63. Wounded at Spottsylvania,
Va., May 18, '64. Discharged on account of wounds
Sept. 27, '64. Subsequently Lieut. Co. P, Coast
Guards, Me. Inf., Jan. 20, '65, and Lieut. 44th U. S.
Inf., July 28, '66. Bvt. Capt. U. S. A., Mar. 2, '67.
Retired as 1st Lieut., U. S. A., Dec. 31, '70.
Transferred to Co. C, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability Jan. 13, '65.
Wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July SO,
'64. Mustered out at consolidation Dec 12, '64.
Wounded in thigh, in front of Petersburg, Va., July 22,
'64. Died of wounds July 24, '64.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Sick in
hospital at muster out. No further record.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64, in foot.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Pro
moted to 1st Sergt. Mustered out July 15, '65.

wtdKl
dotdooiAti>MtdtdPHtd!2|1^

COCO

COMPANY E. — Continued.

Name.

Sergeants.
Richardson, Osmon

Bigelow, John W.
Carleton, Laroy T.

Corporals.
Bigelow, John W.
Waldron, Holman W.
Carlton, Laroy T.
Hammon, James H.

Powers, John G.
Smith, Samuel B.
Brown, Samuel D.

Moody, Frank G.
Townsend, Gilbert B.

CO4^

33

Residence
When Enlisted.

Jay Livermore Phillips

Buckfleld

Peru

Wilton
Farmington Carthage

Monmouth
Jay

Date
of Muster in.

Apr. 2, 1864

ft ft
ft ft

Final Record.

Private Co. K, 28th Mc, Oct. 18, '62. Wounded at Cold
Harbor, Va., June 3, '64. Arm amputated. Died of
wounds, at Jay, Me., Aug. 24, '64.
Promoted from Corp. Mustered out at consolidation
Dec. 12, '64.
Wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'64, in head, hand and back. Promoted from Corp.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Promoted Sergt. See above.
Sergt. Cc C, 23d Mc, Sept. 29, '62. Mustered out at
consolidation Dee. 12, '64.
Promoted Sergt. See above.
Corporal Co. F, 9th Me., Sept. 2, '01. Wounded at
Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64. Transferred to Co.
E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged April 22, '65.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Not accounted for on Transfer Rolls.
Deserted from Augusta, Me., Apr. 16, '64. Returned
from desertion. Reduced to ranks. Transferred to
Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12,'64. Mustered out July 15,'65.
Transferred to Co. E, 3lst Mc, Dec 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Promoted from Private. Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me
Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.

oot-itdfedtd
OCOHfedtdOwtd

Whitney, Samuel S.

Musicians.
Gould, Orlando 0.
Plaisted, George W.
Wagoner.
McCrillis, Charles F.
Privates.
Allen, William A.

Anderson, Solomon
Bean, Peter Y
Bessey, Albert
Billington, William R.
Blackwell, Leonard
Brackett, Jeremiah C.
Brown, George O.
Burgess, Romanzo M.
Butler, George
Chandler, William E.
Chesley, Cecil G.
Chesley, Cyrus F.

30 Carthage

WiltonPhillips

Wilton Carthage
Auburn Webster StrongCarthagePeruJayHartford Weld
Washington Pin,
Wilton Wilton

Apr. 2, 1864

Promoted from Private. Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me.,
Dec. 12, '64. Promoted to Sergt. in 31st Me. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Died of disease Aug. 4, '64.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Discharged for disabihty Dec. 3, '64.
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Deserted
from hospital Jan. 1, '65.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order May 31, '65.
Transferred to Co. B, June 30, '64. See ante.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
out July 15, '65.
Died of consumption at Strong, Mc, Nov. 29,
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 1.5,
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64
out July 15, '65.
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12,
ferred to Co. E, 3lst Me., Dec. 12, '64.
for disability May 20, '65.
Died at Augusta, Mc, Apr. 17, '64.
Transferred to Co. E, 3lst Mc, Dec. 12
by order May 18, '65.
Wounded in front ot Petersburg, Va.,
knee. Died of wounds July 29, '64.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12.
out July 15, '65.

Mustered

Mustered
Promoted
'65. Mustered
'64. Trans-
Discharged

'64.

Discharged
July 15, '04, in
'64. Mustered

1^
K3^<
do td
o O!z!ti> 'Afedtdtd tHtd'AH

COOl

COMPANY E.

Continued.

Name.

Privates.
Child, Elihu

Coburn, Greenfield
Cox, William B.
Cushman, Jonathan
Decoster, Cyrus
Duley, Charles F.
Edgecomb, Alonzo I).
Eustis, Elijah G.
.Eustis, Hildreth K.
Farmer, Moses Jr.
Foote, Isaac
Gould, John O.

18
18
2819
21 21
21
22*
4143
42

Residence
When Enlisted.

PeruCarthage
Jay Avon Buckfield
Lewiston
Livermore
Jackson Pin.
Jackson Pin.
Phillips
Wilton Wilton

Hi-CO
Ol

Date
of Muster-in.

Apr. 2.

1864

Final Record.

Discharged Mustered

Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Wounded
Apr. 2, '65, at Petersburg, Va. In hospital at date
ot muster out. No further record.
Fell out on march June 14th. Returned to regiment
Aug. 20, '64. Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec.
12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64.
by order June 3, '65.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
for disability June 1, '65.
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64, and again
at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
by order May 22, '65.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Sick in
hospital at muster out. No further record
Died at Augusta, Me., May 8, '64.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64 Dis
charged for disability Jan. 25, '65. ¦
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
hospital at muster out. No further record
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64.
hospital at muster out. No further record.

Sick in
Sick in

aog
fedHtd
o
CO Hfed
td
Ofed
Kfed

Green, Charles A.
Hatch, Orrin
Hardy, Martin V. B.
Holden, Charles E.
Huff, Wyeth
Judkins, Benjamin W.
Kennedy, Michael
Kennedy, Andrew J. ,
Kennedy, Nathaniel S.
Lake, Albert M. H.
Maines, Henry L.
Mendall, Charles W.
Merrill, Henry B.
Morrison, Charles
Packard, Charles H.
Randall, Leonard D.
Ranger, Orestes
Reed, Amos H.

18 Hartford

36 251818
25 18
3128

Carthage
New Vineyard
CarthageWiltonCarthage
Jay
AvonAvon

18
4418

Madrid
Industry Hartford

20

Livermore

18

Madrid

18

Woodstock

18

Wilton

39

Jay

April 2, 1864

Wounded and prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg,
Va., July 30, '64. Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc,
Dec. 12, '64. No further record.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., July 1, '64. Not
accounted for on Transfer Rolls.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
by order May 22, '65.
Died at Augusta, Me., Apr. 16, '64.
Wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'64. Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
Discharged for disability June 1, '65.
Prisoner on march to James River, June 14, '64. Died
in prison June 30, '64.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Sick in
hospital at muster out. No further record.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., '64. Transferred to Co.
E., 31st Mc, Dec 12, '04. Discharged for disability
Jan. 8, '65.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 5, '64. Died at
Alexandria, Va., from wound, June 6, '64.
Died at Augusta, Me., May 8, '64, of fever.
Died in hospital at Portsmouth Grove, R. I., May 15, '64.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Died in prison at Danville, Va., Sept. 8, '64.
Private Oo. I, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '02. Prisoner June 14,
'64. Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
Discharged June 1,'65, at Cony Hospital, Augusta, Me.
Transferred to Co. E, 3lst Me., Dec. 12, '64. Sick in
hospital at muster out. No further record.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. B. See ante.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., July 7, '64, in face
—jaw broken. Died of wounds July 20, '04.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 19, '64, in
head and shoulder. Died of wounds June 27, '64.

wM
tdKldotdo
C 1^tih-i fedtd tdOsfed!^

CO

COMPANY E. — Continued.

CO00

Name.

6 60
<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Privates.

Richards, Henry W.
19
East Livermore
April 2, 1864
Killed in action at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.,
July 30, '64.
Ridley, James B.
18
Auburn
It II II
Muster revoked by Maj. Gardiner, Acting Asst. Pro
vost Marshal General.
Skinner, John F.
33
Carthage
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Died in prison at Danville, Va., Oct. 1, '64.
Small, William H.
19
Jay
ft ft t(
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability .June 16, '65.
Smith, Benjamin
18
Peru
tl tl tt
Died at Peru, Me., of fever.
Smith, Jasiel Jr.
43
Wilton
II It II
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Sick in
hospital at muster out. No further record.
Stevens, David H.
22
Auburn
April 12, 1864
Private Co. C, 10th Me., Oct. 5, '61. Transferred to Co.
E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged for disability
June 14, '05.
Tarbox, James F.
Transferred to Co. D. See ante.
Taylor, Israel C.
18
Livermore
April 2, 1864
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Tozer, Daniel
44
Vienna
ft ft ff
Discharged in the field, near Pegram House, Va., Oct.
17, '64, for disability.
Towle, John F.
38
Wilton
ft tt tt
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., July 23, '64, in
arm, back and leg. Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc,
Dec. 12, '64. Discharged by order May 31st, '65.
Townsend, Gilbert B.
Promoted Corp. See ante.
Townsend, Nathan M.
23
Jay
ft ft tt
Private Co. K, 28th Mc, Oct. 13, '62. Wounded at
Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., Apr. 2,
'65. Mustered out July 15, '65.
ao?dt-itdHfed
tdoCDHtdEdO>^HW
Townsend, James S.
Welch, Joseph W.
Welch, Thomas C.
Whitney Samuel S.
Whitney, Sumner W.
Wilcox, Jonas H. C.
Wing, Isaac P.
Winslow, Daniel
Winslow, Gilbert
Wood, John Y.
Works, Henry

43 22 19 18
18 181918
21 21

Auburn WiltonWilton Jay New Vineyard
Rumford Wilton
Livermore
HartfordNew Sharon

April 2, 1864

Private and Sergt. Co. A, Me. Coast Guards Arty.,
Oct. 28, '61. Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,
'64. Discharged Aug. 7, '65.
Transferred to Co, E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded Sept. 30, '64, at Pegram Farm, Va., in head.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Promoted Corp. See above.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 22, '65.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged July 3, '65.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 1, '64, in leg.
Died of wounds, July 24, '04.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
for disability Jan. 5, '65.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me,. Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged from hospital Aug. 7, '65.
Transferred to Co. E, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Killed in
action in front of Petersburg, Va., Apr. 2, '05.

Cleaveland, Leander S. I 18 I Camden

Joined Company after organization.
I Mar. 23, 1864 I Transferred from Co. D. Transferred to Co. E, 31st
I I Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.

wtdH*<
do td
Qo i^ti tdtd fed fed

CO CO

COMPANY F.

o
o

Name.

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Captain.
Fall, Isaac P.

1st Lieutenants.
Gurney, Fred S.

Whitten, John G.

Sd Lieutenant.
Whitten, John G.
1st Sergeant.
Durgin, Albion L.

Sergeants.
Barker, William B.
Guptill, Ferdinand W.
Taylor, John H.
Thompson, AdrialJr.

39

24

26

23

South Berwick

Saco

Alfred

Biddeford

Saco
Sanford

May 4, 1864

April 5, 1804

July 15, 1864

April 5, 1864

Captain Co. B, 27th Mc, Oct. 17, '62. Prisoner at
Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. F, 31st Me., as Capt., Dec. 12, '64.
Paroled Mar. 1, '65. Exchanged. Mustered out July
15, '65.
Lieut. Co. C, 5th Mc, June 24, '61. Sergt. Co. A, 27th
Me., Sept. 30, '02. Killed in action at Spottsylvania,
Va., May 12, '64.
Corporal Co. I, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Promoted
from 2d Lieut. Killed in action at Cemetery Hill,
Petersburg.Va., July 30, '64.
Promoted 1st Lieut. See above.
Sergeant Co. E, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Transferred
to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted 2d Lieut.
June 23, '65. Discharged by order June 27, '65,
Promoted Sergeant-Major. See ante, Field and Staff.
Promoted Quartermaster-Sergeant. See ante, Field
and Staff.
Prisoner May 19, '64, on march to North Anna River.
Died iu Andersonville prison.
Private Co. E, 27th Me., Sept. 30,'62. Mustered out at
consolidation Dec. 12, '64.

Qohdt^tdHtd
OCDHtdtdO
Wtd

Chadbourne, Nathan

25

Waterboro

Apr. 5, 1864

Corporal Co. K, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Promoted from
Corp. Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.

Corporals.

Tuttle, Lewis S.
29
Saco
tl It It
Prisoner on march to the North Anna river, May 19,
'64. Died at Andersonville prison, November 30, '64,
from diarrhoea.
Quimby, Orrin J.
23
Lebanon
It It {(
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,'64.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Chadbourne, Nathan
Promoted Sergt. See above.
Patterson, Gardiner L.
20
Saco
It ti tl
Private Co. A, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Prisoner at
Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Transferred to
Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Died in prison Jan.
7, '65.
Private Co. A, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Transferred
Smith, James H.
18
Saco
tt ll {(
to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Promoted Sergt.
in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Merril], Charles H.
20
Saco
II tc It
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Hanscom, John
43
Lebanon
tt II ft
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Merrill, William
29
Saco
it tl it
Prisoner on march to North Anna river, May 19, '64.
Died in Andersonville prison.
Randall, Samuel P.
23
South Berwick
Transferred from Co. A. Promoted from Private. Mus
tered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Musicians.
Rowell, William C.
44
Alfred
It tt ti
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Joy, George E.
18
South Berwick
It t( It
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wagoner.
Whitten, Samuel
.44
Alfred
II II II
Discharged near Weldon R. R., Va., Sept. 26, '64, for
disability.
Privates.
Ayres, Charles W.
18
Biddeford
ll tt li
Prisoner May 22, "64, on march to North Anna river.
Died in hospital at Savannah, Ga., Oct., '64, after
being confined at Andersonville 5 months.
wEd1^
do td
Q o'AO M!^td tdtdMtd
OlO
COMPANY F. — Continued.

oto

Name,

hi

Residence

Date

Final Record.

<

When Enlisted.

of Muster-in.

Privates.

Averill, James W.
24
Lyman
April 5, 1864
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Adams, William
23
Biddeford
tt ft tf
Prisoner on march to North Anna river May 19, '64.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged July 27, '65.
Bracy, Benjamin F.
19
Alfred
ft ft ft
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Brown, John W.
21
Waterboro
tt ft ft
Killed in action in front of Petersburg, Va., June 18,
'64.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
Bennett, Edward
18
Sanford
ft ft tt
out July 15, '65.
Bradeen, Walter C.
18
Limington
ft ft tt
Killed in front of Petersburg, Va., July 3, '64.
Bagley, William H.
19
Saco
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 24, '65.
Bennett, Daniel
29
Wells
ft ft ft
Killed in action in front of Petersburg, Va., June 18, '64.
Blodgett, George
21
Sherbrook, C. E.
Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Exchanged.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Clark, Alfred
18
Cornish
ft ft ft
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, "64.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Ex
changed. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Clark, Wheatley P.
18
Cornish
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Carter, Orrin P.
25
Kittery
.tt ft ft
Deserted May 12, '64.
Chase, Samuel C.
21
Richmond
ft ft ft
Missing June 12, '64. Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc,
Dec. 12, '64. Not present at muster out. Probably
died in prison.
QOt-ifed
fedtdoCOHfedtd
Wtd
Cluff, William II.
Clark, George Jr.
Corson, David
Curtis, Benjamin F.

Clough, George W.
Doieg, Thomas
Dudley, Joseph
Dudley, Jesse
Dudley, Benjamin
Davis, Nathaniel C.
Farnham, George
Goodwin, Charles
Grant, Isaiah
Grant, Rufus C.
Gillen, Michael
Hinckley, Oliver
Hilton, George W.

18
25 2817 19
34 IS
20 2718
4318
2121
214423

WaterboroSanfordLebanonKennebunkportBiddeford AlfredWaterboro Waterboro
Waterboro BiddefordWells
KitteryKittery
York Cornish
Brunswick Wells

April 5, 1864

Prisoner. Paroled. Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me.
Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Discharged Dec. 2, '64, by order of Gen. Dix.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order May 3, '65.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Paroled. Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Private Co. F, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Prisoner May
19, '64, on march to North Anna river. Transferred
to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64.
Private Co. I., 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '02. Transferred
to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July
15, '05.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 1.5, '65.
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64. Died of
wounds June 3, '64.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 4, '65.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64.
Corp. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12. '64.
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15,
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12
charged by order May 22, '65.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04.
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15.

Promoted Mustered
Promoted
'65. '64. Dis-
Promoted
'65.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., July 22. '64, in
leg. Died of wounds July 23, '64.
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64. Dis
charged Dec. 3, '64, by order of Gen. Dix.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.

wM
tdHdotd .
Co
Q 'Ati!^ tdtdtdQ td!^1^

CO

COMPANY F. — Continued.

Olo

Name.

Privates.
Hayes, John F.
Hilton, Elbridge
Henderson, Stephen S.
Jeffrey, Frederick
Knight, Charles L.
Knox, Willard S.
Lewis, Brackett
Lord, Charles O.
Mathews, John
Manson, Sylvester
Merril], Alby

Residence
When Enlisted.

LebanonWellsKitteryBiddefordSouth Berwick
Lebanon
Kittery
Sanford Wells
Kittery Wakefield, N. II.

Date
of Muster-in.

April 2, 1861

Final Record.

Prisoner May 19, '64, on marcli to North Anna river.
Paroled. Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,'04.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Prisoner May 19, '64, on inarch to North Anna river.
Paroled. Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 5, '64, in left arm
and side. Died of wounds July 4, '64.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Prisoner at CemeteryHill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,'64.
Paroled. Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged Jan. 30, '65, by order of Gen. Augur.
Prisoner May 19, '64. on march to North Anna river.
Died in prison at Andersonville, Ga., Oct. 14, '64, of
scorbutus.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., July 24, '64, in
leg. Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
Discharged on account of wound May 6, '05.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.

?dtr^fedHtdtdo
ao fedtd
C 1^1^Wfed

Mason, Augustus
Nemo, Edward
Philbrook, John M.
Prescott, Edwin W.
Rand, John F.
Roberts, Albans D.
Remick, Henry
Steel, John
Smith, Asa B.
Smith, Alexander
Stone, Henry G.
Stevens, Milton H.
Trafton, Osborne
Thorn, David
Tuttle, Lorin S.
Tuttle, David L.

Tarbox, William S.
Thompson, Oscar H.

42
31 18
191821
20 19 18
20 291832272233

South Berwick
St. John, N. B.
BiddefordSaco Cornish
Kittery

EliotSaco Saco

Saco
South Berwick
EliotAlfredLimingtonSaco

Saco

BiddefordCornish

April 5, 1864

Killed in action at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, '64.
Deserted Apr. 20, '64.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order May 22, '65.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 12, '65.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 17, '64, in
thigh. Died of 'wound in Armory Square Hospital,
Washington, D. C, Nov. 14, '64.
Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va , Sept. 30, '64. Died in
prison Nov. 28, '64.
Deserted Apr. 20, '64.
Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Died in prison
Jan. 2, '65.
Missing at Spottsylvania, Va., May 18, '64.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65. ¦-
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded at Spottsylvania, Va., May 18, '64. Died of
wounds May 29, '64.
Private Co. C, 27th Mc, Oct. 14, '62. Transferred to
Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12,'64. Mustered out July 15,'65.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 17, 1864, in
shoulder. Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12,
'64. Discharged for disability May 19, '65.
Prisoner May 19, '64. Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me.,
Dec. 12, '64. Died in prison at Andersonville, Ga.,
Dec. 20, '64, of scorbutus.
Died at Portsmouth Grove Hospital, R. I., Oct. 25, '64.
Prisoner on march to the North Anna river, May 22, '64.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64.
Paroled. Mustered out July 15, '65.

Wl-Htd1^^<dotdQoti M
!^ tdtdfed
P Mtd•A
H

Olo Ol

COMPANY F. -

- Continued.

Name.

is,
<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
ol Muster-in.

Final Record,

Privates.
Trafton, Williain L.
Whitney, Charles E.
Wallace, Winthrop A.
Wentworth, Caleb
Young, Charles H.

18
28 18
24 18

AlfredBiddefordKittery
Lebanon Lebanon

April 5, 1864
ft tt tf
ft ft ft
ft ft tt

Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
by order May 24, '05.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Prisoner at CemeteryHill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Died in prison at Danville, Va., Nov. 6, '64.
Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. F, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out
July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. F, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.

Joined Company after organization.

Randall, Samuel P.
Noyes, Thomas

Saco, or Biddef'd

Promoted Corp. See above.
Was not an enlisted man, and was never borne on the
rolls, but went to the front with Co. F, was taken
prisoner, and died at Andersonville, Ga., Sept. S, '64,
of diarrhoea.

Ol o

oo ?dt-ifed tdtd
OCO 1^tdtdO>^H td

COMPANY G.

Name.

6
<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Captain.

Hunt, James L.
38
Bath
Apr. 16, 1864
Captain Co. C, 21st Me., Oct. 14, '62. Wounded at
Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64. Pro
moted Lieut.-Col., Oct. 8, '64. See ante, Field and
Staff.
1st Lieutenant.
Child, Thomas
20
Bath
Apr. 27, 1864
Promoted Capt. Not mustered. Transferred to Co. G,
31st Me., as 1st Lieut., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out
July 15, '65.
2d Lieutenant.
Currier, James B.
41
Greenwood
Apr. 16, 1864
Discharged for disability June 24, '64.
1st Sergeant.
Ford, Wilham G.
30
Bath
t ft ft
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
Sergeants.
Hall, John
'64. Paroled. Discharged May 24, '65.
32
Phipsburg
Deserted at Augusta, Mc, Apr. 16, '64.
Eaton, Ray P.
18
Bath
Wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'04. Left arm amputated. Discharged on account
of wound, at Campbell Hospital, Washington, D. C,
Dec. 5, '64.
Spinney, Lemuel B.
21
Bath
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Died in prison at Danville, Va., Sept. 25, '64.
Hilling, John
42
Bath
Promoted to 2d Lieut., Co. D, Oct. 12, '64. Not mus
Corporals.
Allen, Eben F.
-
tered. Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
35
Bath
Wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'64, in arm and shoulder. Mustered out at consolida
tion Dec. 12, '64.
w
td*<
do fed
oO !^
tiMtdtd fed
P td'AH
Olt — '
COMPANY G. — Continued.

Olooo

Name.

ti
<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Corporals.

Bragg, Henry A.
26
Bath
April 10, 1864
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '04.
Paroled. Discharged May 24, '05.
Spinney, Daniel W.
28
Bath
It If ft
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
McKenney, Henry
21
Dresden
ft II tt
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Johnson, Charles W.
19
Newcastle
II tf 11
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '04.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Paroled.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Estes, Josiah
38
Newcastle
tf If ff
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 6, '64, in breast.
Died in hospital at Washington, D. C.
Heath, Frederick E.
18
Bath
It tl l(
Killed in action at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64.
Wilson, Samuel
30
Bath
ft tf tf
Deserted at Augusta,. Me., Apr. 18, '64.
Dixon, John
24
Bath
ft tt ft
Promoted from Private. Wounded at Cold Harbor,
Va., June 3, '64, in hand; and at Petersburg, Va.,
June 17, '64, in ankle. Prisoner at Pegram Farm,
Va., Sept. 30, '64. Transferred to Co. U, 31st Mc,
Dec. 12, '64. Paroled. Discharged Aug. 28, '65.
Haskell, Edwin
27
Bath
ft ff tt
Wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64,
in right hand, severely. Promoted from Private.
Musicians.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Fogg, Michael
44
Bath
If tl ft
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me,, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability Apr. 20, '65.
Hersey, Stillman
18
Bath
tf ff tl
Died at Augusta, Mc, Apr. 19, '64, of disease.
Harmon, Charles B.
14
Westbrook
tt ff ft
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
Wagoner.
out July 15, '05.
Avery, John
34
Bath
If tl II
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability Feb. 22, '65.
tdtdtd
OCO tdtd
Ohd Wtd
Privates.
Andrews, John H.

Adams, John H.
Andrews, Ingalls B.
Atkins, James
Brookings, Almon L.
Bennett, Thomas J.
Bulmer, Josiah T.
Coombs, Asa
Cresey, John S.
Clements, Samuel
Cox, Amasa
Campbell, Xerxes 0.
Dolan, Thomas
Dixon, John
Emery, William H.

Dresden
Richmond Stow
Newcastle BathAlnaPerry Bath
Bath
Bath Hebron
PerkinsBath
West Bath

April 16, 1864

Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Paroled.
Absent, sick, at muster out.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va , July 30, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 25, '64, in
shoulder. Died of wound on board transport "Baltic."
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out.
Killed in action at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.,
July 30, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered m
out July 15, '65.
Deserted Juue 16, '04. Was artested, tried by court-
¦ martial, convicted and sentenced to be shot, and exe
cuted in presence of regiment.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Transferred to Co. G,31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Paroled.
Absent, sick, at muster out.
Prisoner. Fell out on march from Belle Plain to
North Anna river. May, '64. Captured and died in
prison.
Discharged for disability, Dec, '64. Arms paralyzed
by round shot at Cold Harbor, Va., June, '64.
Promoted Corp. See above.
Wounded at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64, in ankle.
Acting Color-Sergt. Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc,
Dec. 12, '64. Discharged Apr. 18, '64.

OloCO

COMPANY G. - Continued.

Name.

Privates.
Estes, Josiah H.
Flagg, William H.
Frost, Nathaniel G.

Frost, Columbus B.
Frost, William A.
Gray, George W.
Gardiner, William H.

Heath, Sylvanus
Haley, James A.
Haskell, Edwin
Howard, William J.
Herrick, Joseph H.
Hall, Nathan E.

28

19

Residence
When Enlisted.

Bath

1833

RichmondNorway

18

Perry

24

Perry

18

Phipsburg

19

Richmond

44 19

Bath
Richmond

3719

Bath
Norway

Alna

Date
of Muster-in.

April 16, 1864

Final Record.

Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 26, '65.
Killed at Cold Harbor, Va., June 1, '64.
Prisoner and wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg
Va., July 30, '64. Left leg amputated. Paroled
.about Nov., '64. Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me.,
Dec. 12, '64. Discharged on account of wound, at
Augusta, Me., Feb. 8, '65.
Mortally wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.,
July 30, '64, in bowels. Died of wound July 31, '64.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Paroled.
Discharged Aug. 14. '65.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out.
Private Co. F, 24th Me., Oct. 13, '62. Transferred to
Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, f64. Mustered out July 15,
'65. ¦^
Died at Bath, Me., Oct. 15, '64, of disease.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged July 27, '65.
Promoted Corp. See above.
Deserted at Bowling Green, Va., May 24, '64.
Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Died in
prison at Salisbury, N. C, Nov. 21, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.

OlI— '
o

Qo?d t^
fedHfedtdOaotdtd
o1^HWtd

Hall, James W.
Herrick, Mark A.
Judkins, Charles H.
Jones, William
Jordan, Nathaniel C.
Keene, James F.
Lublow, Peter
Loon, John
LeBarron, Damon
Libby, Joseph
Mclntire, Joseph H.
McKay, Hugh
McKenney, Joseph
McKenney, William
Murphy, Michael
Marriner, Stephen S. T.
Moody, Henry C.
Nelson, Charles E.

NewcastlePoland Lewiston
Newcastle Newcastle
West Bath
BathBath Greenwood
Newcastle BathBath Bath
Dresden Bath
LewistonAvon Bath

April 16, 1864

Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Paroled.
Discharged for disability June 16, '65.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Deserted at Bowling Green, Va., May 24, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Trans
ferred to V. R. C.
Wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'64, in leg. Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,
'04. Discharged for disability May 15, '05.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 17, '64, in
arm. Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
Discharged for disability Jan. 14, '65.
Died at Cony U. S. Hospital, Augusta, Mc, Aug. 30,
'64, from chronic diarrhoea.
Deserted at Augusta, Mc, Apr. 19, '64.
Killed in action at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Discharged for disability by order of Gen. Dix, Sept. 5,
'64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me,, Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Paroled.
Mustered out July 15, '05.
Prisoner at Pegram" Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Died in
prison Dec. 1, '64.
Died in David's Island Hospital, N. Y, July 28, '64,
from rheumatism.
Transferred to Co. (i. 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.

nI— I
td
dotdgo'A tiM tdtd

tdH

COMPANY G. — Continued.

Ol I — '

Name.

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
ot Muster-in.

Final Record.

Privates.
Nockton, John H.
Noonan, Jeremiah

Newton, William R.
Needham, William O.
Oliver, Josiah P.
O'Neil, Anthony
Palmer, Albert A.
Pettingill, William D.
Preble, Charles O.
Reed, George A.
Rice, Otis P.
Ryerson, Edwin P.

Bath
Bath BathNorway
BathPhipsburgLewistonBath Bath
RichmondBath
Alna

April 16, 1864

Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64, iu hand.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Trans
ferred to V. R. C.
Died at Bath, Mc, Nov. 19, '64, of chronic diarrhcea.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64, in breast.
Again, in front of Petersburg, Va., June 25, '64; left
arm amputated. Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc,
Dec. 12, '64. Discharged for disability Mar. 8, '65.
'Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 19, '65.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 12, '65.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Died iu prison at Danville, Va., Aug. 15, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. and Sergt. in 31st Me. Mustered out July
15, '65.
Discharged by Special Order No. 274, War Department,
Aug. 28, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.

o
o ^dt-itd1^tdtdoaoHfedtd
o»^Wfed

Rose, George V.

24

Livermore

Swan, Fenno B.

38

Hallowell

Small, Joseph L. Jr.

IS

Kennebunkport

Thurston, Charles F.

18

Monmouth

Trott, Aaron N.

25

Perry

Trott, William
Varrell, Charles W.

25 18

PerryPoland

Winslow, Augustus F.

39

Bath

Wright, WiUiam J.

44

Bath

Webb, John

21

Berwick

Washburn, Hiram K.

23

Canton

April 16, If

Dec. 12, '64. Dis-

Dec 12, '64. Trans-

Sept.

30, '64. Trans-
Paroled. Dis-

Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc,
charged by order July 17, '65.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc,
ferred to V. R. C.
Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va.,
ferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12.'6"4.
charged by order June 5, '65.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 17, '05.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 9, '65.
Killed in action Apr. 2, '65, at Petersburg, Va.
Prisoner. Fell out on march from Belle Plain to North
Anna river, May, '64. Captured, and died in prison at
Andersonville, Ga., July 15, '64, of diarrhoea.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Left sick in Maine. Not accounted for on Transfer
Rolls. Died at Augusta, Mc, April, '64, of smallpox.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Transferred to Co. G, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Died in
prison at Danville, Va., Jan. 15, '65.

wMtd1-3
dotdoo!^ti

fedtd tdQ t^!^ H

OlI—'03

'

COMPANY H.

Name.

6
<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster-in.

Final Record.

Captains.
Chadwell, George H.

32

Portland

April 21, 1804

1st Lieut. Co. A, 1st Mc, May 6, '61. Capt. Co. B, 12th
Mc, Oct. 15, '61. Died of disease (censumption) at
Portland, Mc, Aug. 29, '04.

Beals, Thomas P.

31

Portland

Sept. 16, 1864

Sergt. Co. G, 7th Me., Aug. 21, '61. Promoted 1st
Lieut. Co. H, from 1st Sergt. Co. C, Apr. 21, '04.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., as Capt., Dec. 12, '64.
Mustered out July 27, '65.

ist Lieutenants.

Beals, Thomas P.
Promoted Capt. See above.
Barker, William B.
Promoted from 2d Lieut. Co. C. Promoted Capt. Co.
D, Oct. 8, '64. See ante.
2d Lieutenant.
Mitchell, Henry G.
29
Portland
Apr. 26, 1864
Pris(nier at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Tninsferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '(>4. Paroled.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
1st Sergeant.
Anderson, John D.
27
Gray
Apr. 21, 1804
1st Minn. Bat. Lt. Arty. Wounded at Cemetery Hill,
Petersburg, Va., July 30, '04, in right arm. Mus
tered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Sergeants.
Harmon, Edward R.
28
Westbrook
ft ft ft
Musician Co. E, 25th Me., Oct. 4, '62. Mustered out at
consolidation Dec. 12, '04.
Tyler, Jacob E.
24
Portland
Private Co. H, 5th Mc, June 24, '61. Mustered out at
consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Harlow, Silas F.
32
Hebron
ft tt ft
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Davis, Charles K.
26
Westbrook
tt ft tt
Private Co. B, Me. Coast Guards, Arty., Oct. 29, '61.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '04.
OlI— '
oc ?dtiHtdtdoai1^fedtd
1^Wfed
Corporals.
Carle, Charles E.

38

Portland

April 21, 1804

Kelley, Patrick
Welch, Sewall

2724

BuxtonStandish

ft ft tt

Graffam, Joseph A.

23

Windham

t ft tt

Cushman, Charles 0.

18

Cape EUzabeth

ft ft ft

Hackett, Samuel W.

36

Portland

ft ft ft

Mackin, Joseph F.

26

Portland

ft ft t.

Skillin, Alvin

26

Scarboro

Dow, William M.

36

Gray

II tt It

Mihiken, Benjamin F.

39

Bridgton

ft t. tt

Musicians.
Thomas, WilUam H.

IS

Brunswick

t tt ft

Robinson, Reuben

21

Windham

tt ft t.

Wagoner.
Snow, Charles H.

24

Westbrook

II II It

Privates.
Babb, North L.

18

Westbrook

ft tt ft

Transferred to Co. II, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
to Sergt. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Deserted May 6, '64.
Private Co. A, 5th Mc, June 21, '61. Mustered out at
consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Private Co. G, 7th Mc, Aug. 21, '01. Transferred to
Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Discharged June 23, '65.
Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Exchanged.
Discharged May 29, '65.
Wounded in hand June 18, '04, in front of Petersburg,
Va. Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Private Co. E, 1st Mc, May 3, '61. Corp. Co. E, 10th
Me., Oct. 4, '01. Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me.,
Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '05.
Private Co. C, 12th Mc, Nov. 15, '01. Mustered out at
constjlidation Dec. 12, '64.
Promoted from Private. Transferred to Co. II, 31st
Mc, Dec. 12, '(i4. Transferred to V. R. C, Mar. 1,
'05. Discharged July 29, '05.
Promoted from Private. Transferred to Co. H, 31st
Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered out July 15, '05.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Deserted,
arrested and sentenced by court-martial. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Transferred to Co. II, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Dis
charged for disability June 16, '65.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Dis
charged July 27, '65.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.

HWI—I
td
do fed
oo i^
ti >¦hH fedtdP hHt?d'AH

Ol I—'Ol

COMPANY H. — Continued.

Ol h- '
Oi

Name.

Privates.
Berry, William

Birchsted, James F.
Brock, Nathaniel
Buck, James
Chase, Charles H.
Cook, James M.
Constantine, Daniel
Carlton, Samuel S.
Cousins, Ezra W.
Cobb, George W.
Dow, William M.
Daly, James

44 18 19
43212135 18
20 1820

Residence
When Enlisted.

Lebanon
North Berwick
Lebanon Cape Elizabeth
Bridgton Windham
Lewiston Farmington
WeUs Windham
Portland

Date
ot Muster-in.

April 21, 1864
It tt ft
f C tf (I
May 10, 1864.
Apr. 21, 1864

Final Record.

Private Co. C, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '02. Wounded June
18, '64, in front of Petersburg, Va. Transferred to
Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged for disa
bility Jan. 3, '65.
Transferred to Co. II, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded June 18, '64, in front of Petersburg, Va., in
hand, and prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64.
Paroled. Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64.
Exchanged. Discharged for disability June 11, '65.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability June 16, '65.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged Aug. 7, '65.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability June 21, '65.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 18, '64, in
arm and side. Discharged Nov. 5, '64.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability June 16, '65.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 25, '64, in
arm and side. Died of wounds June 28, '64.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Promoted Corp. See above.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Deserted
from hospital Jan. 1, '66.

oo?dtitdfedtdoCOtdoHw td

Desmond, Thomas
Dyer, Simon
Edmunds, Charles
Elder, George A.

Frank, Granville H.
Evans, George W.
Grillin, Joseph I).
GUI, Abner C.
Griffin, Henry
Golf, Cyrus
Green, Wilson J.
Green, Joseph II.
Hill, King S.
HUl, Charles S.
Hynes, Michael '
Hurley, John
Holbrook, James O.
Hughes, William
Knight, Joseph F.

2318
3421 IS
22 3925 21 21292026 2418

Cape Elizabeth
North Berwick
BuxtonGorham

Gray
LymanCape Elizabeth
Chesterville Coburn
Gray WellsWellsKennebunkport Cape Elizabeth
Portland
Biddeford Portland
PortlandFalmouth

May 10,
Apr. 21,

1864 1864

May 10,
Apr. 21,
II It

1864 1864

Deserted at Augusta, Mc, May 13, '04.
Transferred to Co. II, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Killed in front of Petersburg, Va., July 3, '64.
Wounded at North Anna river, Va., May 20, '04, in
hand. Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Died at Washington, D. C, July 6, '04, of disease
(chronic diarrhoea).
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Private Co. I, 25th Mc, Sept. 29, '62. Transferred to
Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July
15, '65.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 21, '64, in
head, mortally. Died June 22, '64.
Died in hospital at Philadelphia, Pa., July 22, '64.
Transferred to Co. II, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Promoted
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '05.
Died of disease, Sept. 15, '04.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Deserted
from hospital Dec 12, '64.
Transferred to Co. II, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded in head June 3, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va.
accounted for on Transfer Rolls.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., .lune 21
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04.
charged for disability Apr. 22, '65.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '04, in
Died of vs'ounds June 19, '64.
Deserted May 13, '64.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Deserted
May 8, '65.
Missing July 30, '64, at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va.
No further record.

Not g
'64.
Dis- leg.

K hH
tdhJk;dotdooti hH•2,t?d

Ol -5

COMPANY H. -

- Continued.

Name.

6

Residence
Wlien Enlisted.

Date
of Muster in.

Final Record.

Privates.

Kolloch, Isaac M.
18
AVestbrook
April 21, 1864
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order May 19, '05.
Littlefield, Charles
30
Westbrook
ft
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Leavitt, Libbeus H.
25
Raymond
May 10, 1864
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64, in hand.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Latham, Charles H.
18
Raymond
bt If tl
Wounded June 3, '64, at Cold Harbor, Va., in head.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Dis
charged Jan. 7, '65.
Lewis, Aaron M.
18
Saco
Apr. 21, 1864
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec, 12, '64. Sick in
hospital at muster out.
Marble, Frederick
36
Bridgton
'Transferred to Co. II, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Milliken, Edwin C.
18
Bridgton
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, 1865.
Manson, George M.
18
Kittery
ft ft ft
Died at Alexandria, Va., Aug. 26, '64, of diphtheria.
Milliken, Benjamin F.
Promoted Corp. See above.
O'Donnell, .lames
20
Cape Elizabeth
tt ft ft
Deserted May 10, '64.
Peverly, Edwin B.
23
Mi ton Plantat'n
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64, in head.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Sick in
hospital at muster out.
Perkins, Frank M. B.'
18
Lebanon
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Phillips, Charles E.
20
Turner
ft tt tt
Died at McDougal Hospital, N. Y., July 27, '64, of
typhoid fever.
Died at Beverly, N. J., Nov. 1, '64, of chronic diarrhoea.
Pinder, John
19
Kittery
ft tt ft
Ol I— >
00
o
o ?dtitd^^fed td
OCOH fedtdo^dHWfed
Ridlon, Thomas D.
Richards, George F.
RoweU, William W.
Smith, Frank 0. J.
Strout, Almon
Smith, James
Sargent, William H.
Stanton, Alonzo
Sullivan, Michael
Smith, William II.
Smith, Ransom I).
Stevenson, William
Small, William P.
Thomas, Benjamin C.
Thornton, Jeremiah
Thompson, John W.

35

Bridgton

18

Scarboro

18

Alfred

28

Standish

IS

Poland

24

Buxton

19

Cape Elizabetli

18

Lewiston

22

Gorham

20

StaniUsh Kittery

18

Andover

18

Brunswick

21

Clinton

20

Hartford

AprU 21, 1804

Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Paroled. Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,
'64. Exchanged. Discharged June 16, '65.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,'64.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Died of
disease Mar. 13, '65.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 8, '64, in
hand. Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '(54.
Discharged from hospital, York, Pa., July 5, '05.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '04.
Died in prison at Danville, Va., Aug. 25, '04.
Deserted May 10, '64.
Transferred to Co. C. See ante.
Transferred to Co. II, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Prisoner at Cemetery HUl, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Died of
disease Mar. 20, '65.
Wounded at Cemetery HiU, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'04. Died of wounds Sept. 19, '64.
Died at Augusta, Mc, Apr. 29, '04, of typhoid fever.
Private Co. G, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '(i2. Transferred to
Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,'64. Mustered out July 15,'65.
Died at Washington, D. C, July 18, '64, of chronic
diarrhoea.
Private Co. D, 25th Mc, Sept. 29, '62. Transferred to
Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged July 31,
'65.
Prisoner at Cemetery HUl, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged by order June 19, '65.
Musician Co. K, 5th Me., June 24, '61. Transferred to
Co. H. 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted Corp. in 31st
Me. Discharged Aug. 7, '65.

W
tdh^k!dofed
oO !^
tit> MfedtdfedSfed2!

Ol1—1

COMPANY H. - Continued.

Name.

Privates.
Tounge, Aleck
Wheelock, George I. J.
Wallace, Charles 0.
Ward, Albert P.
Welch, Thomas, .Jr.
Wetherbee, WiUiam L.
Ward, Samuel D.

Love, Frederick

29
2434
36
35
27

Residence
When Enlisted.

SacoPortland
Portland
Standish
Portland
Portland

22 Westbrook

Date
of Muster-in.

AprU 21, n

Final Record.

May have been cap-

Dec
, '65.
Dec.

Reported deserted June 13, '64.
tured.
Transferred to Co. C. See ante.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc,
charged at Portland, Me., Jan. 1
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc,
charged by order June 15, '05.
Transferred to Co. H. 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64
out July 15, '05.
Transferred to Co. H, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64
out July 15, '65.
Reported deserted June 13, '04. May have been
tured.

12, '64. Dis-
12, '64. Dis-
Mustered
Mustered

cap-

Joined Company after organization.
I May 20, 1864 I Not accounted for.

Deserted.

Ol
to
o

Qotiti
fedHfed
td
OGOfedtd
c»dh^
Wfed

COMPANY I.

Residence

Date

Name.

S

When Enlisted.

ol Muster-in.

Final Record.

Captain.

Hussey, Marcus M. L.
31
Newcastle
May 5, 1864
Sergt. Co. K, 16th Mc, Aug. 14, '62. Mustered out at
consolidation Dec. 12, '64 .
1st Lieutenant.
Whitehouse, Wilmot
21
Newcastle
II 1 II
Private llth U. ,S. Inf. Wounded at Cemetery Hill,
Petersburg, Va , July 30, '64, in shoulder. Acting
Adjt. Nov., '64. Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec.
12, '64. Discharged Jan. 12, '65.
,?(Z Lieutenant.
Hall, George L.
30
Nobleboro
Musician, 4th Me. (Band), June 1.5, '01. Prisoner at
Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '(i4. Paroled Mar.,
1st Sergeant.
'65. Discharged Mar. 12, '65. ,
McAllister, Alexander
19
Damariscotta
II t( |(
Corporal Co. I, 21st Mc, Oct. 14, '62. Prisoner at Cem
etery HUl, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64. Paroled.
Discharged Aug. 22, '65.
SergeaiUs.
Reed, Eugene
22
Damariscotta
It II ft
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Monroe, John H.
28
Liverpool, Eng.
ft ft ft
Deserted May lo, '64.
Little, Joel H.
32
Bremen
ft ft ft
Sergeant Co. I, 21st Mc, Oct. 14, '62. Wounded at
Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64, in hand. Mustered
out at consolidation Dec 12, '64.
Corporals.
Denton, John W.
27
Evans
tt It tl
Deserted May 10, '64.
Lord, Samuel
40
Norway
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., July 7, '04, in
hand. Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
1^
whHtd
H K!
dotdQo!^ti>M'4tdtdfed
O hHfed'AH
Ol
COMPANY L — Continued.

Ol

Name.

Corporals.
Clark, Ephraim
Boynton, Joshua T.
WiUiams, Thomas
Arnold, Thomas

Atwood, Charles
Merril], Warren
Ervin, John

Leighton, Miles W.

Swift, William
Musicians.
Perkins, Calvin S.
Wall, George E.
Wagoner.
Chapman, John F.
Privates.
Ayres, Theodore

Residence
When Enlisted.

NewcastleSomerville Portland Damariscotta

Portland
NobleboroBristol

Somerville Liverpool, Eng.
Edgecomb Augusta
Damariscotta Cooper

Date
of Muster-in.

May 5, 1S64

Final Record.

Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Deserted May 10, '64.
Private Co. I, 21st Me., Oct. 14, '62. Wounded at Cem
etery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64. Transferred
to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged Mar. 3,'65.
Deserted May 10, '64.
Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64. »
Promoted from Private. W.ounded in front of Peters
burg, Va., June 17, '<)4, in shoulder. Mustered out at
consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Promoted from Private. Mustered out at consolida
tion Dec. 12, '04. Subsequently Sergt., Co. D, Coast
Guards, Inf., Jan. 6, '65 to Sept. 6, '65.
Promoted from Private. Wounded in front of Peters
burg, Va., June 21, '64, in breast. No further record.
Died at M. E. Church Hospital, Alexandria, Va., June
26, '64, of consumption.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Died at Washington, D. C, July 10, '64, of disease.

Qc*dtitd fedtdOGO1^ fedtd
O •TlHWtd

Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me.,
from hospital Jan. 31st, '65.

Dec. 12, '64. Deserted

Brown, Gustavus
Boyce, James H.
Blackstone, Charles II.
Blackstone, George C.
Brackett, Nathaniel
Berry, Gilbert L.
Blake, Thomas II.
Booker, Hathaway J.
Boynton, Cyrus E.
Cunningham, Lowell
CroUison, William A.I).
Colby, James II.
CroweU, AUen T.
Dunbar, Lewis W.
Downs, John Jr.
Ervin, John
Evans, Elisha Jr.

18

Palermo

IS

Augusta

18

WatervUle

19

Waterville

18

Parsonlield
East Machias

21

Wiscasset

30

Somerville

19

Jefferson

18

Jefferson

19

Whitefield

18

Somerville

23

Winslow

18

Nobleboro

21

Cherryfield

36

SomerviUe

May 5, 1864

Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
to Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Wounded at North Anna River, Va., May 26, '64, in
hand. Died of wound June 21, '64.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Trans
ferred to V. R. C. Jan. 1,'65. Discharged July 21, '65.
Died at Belle Plain, Va., May 17, '64, of sunstroke.
Prisoner on march to James River, June 15,'64. Died in
prison at AndersonvUle, Ga., Aug. 30, '64, of scorbutus.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
for disabUity Feb. 22, '65.
'Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
for disability Jan. 13, '65.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Died at David's Island Hospital, N. Y., Aug. 26, '(il, of
disease.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'64. Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Pa
roled. Exchanged. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 24, '64, in
shoulder; again wounded at Cemetery Hill, Peters
burg, Va., July 30, '64. Transferred to Co. I, 31st
Me., Dec 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Wounded June 1, '04, in neck, . at Cold Harbor, Va.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12,'64. Discharged
for disability, Feb. 14, '65.
Promoted to Corp. See above.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.

1^W1-itdk!dofedo
O titdtd td

fed

OlCO

COMPANY 1. — Continued.

Cn

Name.

tt,
<1

Residence
When Enliste

Privates.
Frost, Eliab R.

34

Norway

Fossett, Byron

18

Nobleboro

Greeley, Oliver M.

20

SomerviUe

GUpatrick, Evander

IS

Washington

Gowd, George B.

18

Dresden

Gordon, Daniel

33

Augusta

Grant, Franklin
Gundlack, John J.

22 18

Bangor
Montreal

(iuard, George

18

Highgate, Yt

Hopkins, Ira E.

26

Newcastle

Hall, David F.

25

Palermo

Date
of Muster-in.

May 5, 1864

tt ft

ft ft ft

tt ft tt
ft ft ft

Final Record.

Mustered
Mustered

July 30,
8, '0-1.
Mustered

Wounded on march to James River, Va., June 14, '64,
in foot. Died of wound at Washington, D. C., July
2.5, '64.
Transferred to Co. 1, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. and 1st Sergt., in 31st Me. Mustered out July
1.5, '65.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
out July 1.5, '65.
'Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
out July 15, '65.
Prisoner at Cemetery HiU, Petersburg, Va.,
'64. Died in prison at Danville, Va., Dec. f
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
out July 15, '65.
Killed on picket in front of Petersburg, Va., June 20,'(i4.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Erroneously reported "Deserted on the march June 15,
'64." Fell out on march, was captured, and subse
quently paroled, and discharged bv order, June 9, '65.
Wounded at North Anna River, Va.. May 26, '04.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Died at
Cony Hospital, Augusta, Mc, Mar. 18, '05, of infiam-
mation of bowels.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged for disability Jan. 20, '65.

ao tit-ifedfedtdocnh3fedtdOtiHWfed

Hutchings, Edward R.
Hilton, Joseph E.
Hussey, Joseph
Hare, Edward J.
Jones, Benjamin F.
Joy, John M.
Jabott, Samuel
Labree, Charles M.
Linscott, Willard
Leighton, Miles W.
Leeman, Clarence
Lovejoy, Lewis
Ijapham, John E.

Lapham, Abijah
Marden, Nathaniel

MitcheU, Charles H.

18

21

¦34

Newcastle

19

Bremen

44

Nobleboro

19

Houlton

36

Newcastle

19

Clinton

18

Highgate, Vt

31

Wales

18

Nobleboro

18

Pittston

39

Norway

Bethel BethelGranby, Vt.
Letter "E" Pin.

May 5, 1864

Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out. No further record.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Killed in
action Apr. 2, '65, at Petersburg, Va.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 24, '04, in
waist. Died at Washington, D. C, July 23, '64.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
by order May 29, '65.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill. Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'64. Transferred to Co. L 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Ex
changed. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., July 19, '64, in
left hip. Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64.
Deserted from hospital Mar. 1, '65.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Deserted
from hospital Jan. 24, '65.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12. '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Promoted to Corp. See above.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. 'Trans
ferred to V. R. C. Mar. 1, '65.
Private Co. H, 23d Me., Sept. 29, '62. Transferred to
Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Deserted from hospital
Mar. 1, '65.
Wounded at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64, in thigh.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Dis
charged on account of wound, June 7, '65.
Killed in action at North Anna River, Va., May 26, '04.
Private Co. G, 12th Mc, Nov. 15, '61. Wounded at
Cold Harbor, Va., June 0, '64, in hand. Died at
Washington, D. C, June 11, '64.
Wounded on march to James River, Va., June 14, '64,
in foot. Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64.
Transferred to V. R. C. Discharged July 27, '65.

1^
Wk!
dotdoo!^tihH!^titd td
O hHfedh^

OlOl

COMPANY L — Continued.

Name.

Privates.
Murry, Peter
Mann, Nathan P.

McDaniel, WUliam
McDaniel, Francis
Powers, Lewis
Peaslee, James M.
Perkins, Andrew E.
Page, Charles H.
Palmer, John W.
Ross, George D.
Smith, Charles

Residence
When Enlisted.

1918
1818
2624
2118
18

27

Bangor
DedhamSomerville
Somerville Bethel
Somerville
Edgecomb
EdgecombNobleboro

19 New Brunswick

Cnto

Date
of Muster-in.

May .5, 1864

ft tf ft
tt ft ft \

Sherbrooke

Final Record.

Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Wounded at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Trans
ferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12 '64 Absent
wounded, at date of muster out. No further record'
Reported deserted on march to James River June 15
64. No further record. '
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Died in V\^ashington, D. C, July 13, '64
Killed in action at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg Va
July 30, '04. ¦'
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04 Promoted
Corp. and Sergt. in 31st Me. Mustered out July
15, 05.
Killed in action at Cemetery HiU, Petersburg Va
July 30, '64. 6' ' ¦'
Prisoner at Cemetery HiU, Petersburg, Va., July 30 '64
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12 '64 'Ex
changed. Promoted Corp. in 31st Me. Mustered
ont July 15, '65.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 6, '64, in hand.
iran.sf erred to Co. L 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Deserted
trom hospital Jan. 1, '65. ,
Transferred to Cc I, 3Ist Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
by order May 12, '65.

ootititd
td
tdOCO
fedtd
OW
ti

Sidelinger, Henry D.
Sprowl, Henry B.

Swift, WiUiam
Tobin, Thomas
Tibbetts, Charles W.

'Tracey, WiUard
Vanastrand, James
Vining, Reuben
Wiseman, James

Nobleboro
Nobleboro NobleboroNorridgewock

Steuben Rockland Windsor
Bangor

May 5, 1864

II It
(I It

Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 1.5, '65.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Paroled. Died at Annapolis, Md., Oct. 21, '64, of
disease.
Promoted to Corp. See above.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. in 31 st Me. Mustered out July 15, '05.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Paroled. Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
Mustered out July 15, '05.
Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
June 17, '65.
Deserted May 12, '04.
Killed in action in front of Petersburg, Va., June 17,'64.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, A'a., June 28, '04, in
shoulder. Transferred to Co. I, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,
'64. Discharged for disability June 19, '05.

whHtd
h^doti
a ^,tit>hHi^titdWOti

OlfcO

COMPANY K.

Ol
oo

Name.

Captain.
Burbank, Horace H.
1st Lieutenant.
Dorman, Stephen G.

2d Lieutenants.
Perkins, SUas M.
Goodrich, James W.

1st Sergeant.
Goodrich, James W.
Sergeants.
Damon, George W.
Hubbard, Charles S.

Wadleigh, Charles H.
Hodgdon, Hiram

28

23

29

Residence
When Enlisted.

WeUs
Kennebun kport
Saco

Kittery
Kennebunk South Berwick
Saco

Date
of Muster-in.

Apr. 27, 1864
May 6, 1864
It It It
July 15,1864

May 6, 1864

Final Record.

Promoted Capt. from 1st Lieut. Co. A, Apr. 27, '64.
See ante (Co. A), for record of service.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., July 22, '04, con
tusions from shell, thigh and hip. Discharged by
Special Order, Aug. 24, '64.
Accidentally wounded in foot at Totopotomoy Creek,
Va., May 31, '64. Died of wound June 22, '64, iu
Maine.
Promoted from 1st Sergt. Wounded at Cemetery HiU,
Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64, in arm. Discharged
for disability from wound, Dec. 10, '64.
Promoted to 2d Lieut. See above.

Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Exchanged. Discharged May 19, '65.
Private Co. I, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Wounded at
Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64, mor
tally. Died of wounds July 31, '64.
Private Co. B, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Discharged by
order June 8, '65.
Private Co. A, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Wounded in
front of Petersburg, Va., June 25, '64, in arm. Mus-
tered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.

ootit-ifed
Htdtdo
tK >^titd
OtiWti

Corporals.
Grant, Alexander
Taylor, George A.

Parker, George T.
Gordon, George
Stevens, George W.

Clark, Charles B.
Musicians.
Scott, Frederick G.
Brown, Charles H.
Wago7ier.
Clayton, John H.
Privates.
Anderson, John
Arris, Benjamin
AUey, William L.
Allen, George E.
Allen, Abisha

Buzzell, Edmund C.
Buzzell, George

43

Biddeford Wells

Kittery
LymanPittston Portsm'th, N .11.
Biddeford Biddeford
Farmington -

Augusta Augusta Kittery Ijuxton
Smithfield

Lyman
Dayton

May 6, 1864

Mustered out at consolidation Dec. 12, '64.
Private Co. E, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Prisoner at
Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64. Ex
changed. Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,'64.
Mustered out July 15, '05.
Wounded at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'04. Discharged by order August 10, '65.
Private Co. I, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '02. Mustered out at
consolidation Dec 12, '64.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., July 15, '64, in
calf of leg. Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,
'64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Deserted May 12, '64.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Me., Dee. 12, '64. Not
accounted for on Muster-out Rolls.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged July 6, '05.

Transferred to Co. K,
out July 15, '65.

31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered

Deserted May 11, '04.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Me
for disability July 17, '05.

Dec 12, '04
It (Uty Point, Va

Discharged
Aug. 17, '04, of

Died in hospital
disease.
Deserted May 11, '04.
Prisoner on march to
'64. Died in prison
'64, of diarrluea.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st iMe., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '05.
Private Co. I, 27tli Mc, .Sept. 30, '02
K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Absent,

Pamunkey River,
at Andersonville,

Va., May 28,
Ga., .Inly lo,

ti
sti
^dotiCO
C fe!
OhH
'AtitdtiQ

ti

Transferred to Co.
sick, at muster out.

Ol Li

COMPANY K. - Continued.

CJiCO
o

Name.

Privates.
Buzzell, WUUam R.
Bragdon, James A.
Bennett, Horace A.
Bennett, Lorenzo
Black, Jerome L.
Carter, William E.
Cluff, John H.
Crockett, Joseph W.
Chamberlain, George E.
Donnell, Moses
Dermont, Worthing E.
Davis, Abram E.

Residence
When Enlisted.

Biddeford WeUsWeUs Wells
Limington
Kittery Kennebunkport
Augusta Augusta
WeUs
Biddeford Biddeford

Date
of Muster-in.

May 0, 1864

Final Record.

Transferred to Co. K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
Aug. 14, '65.
Private Co. E, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Tran.sferred to
Co. K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15,'05.
'Transferred to Co. K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Trans
ferred to V. R. C. Mar. 20, '65. Discharged Aug.
23, '65.
Died in hospital at City Point, Va., July 29, '64, of
disease.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Prisoner at CemeteryHill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '04.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Absent,
sick, at muster out.
Died in hospital at City Point, Va., July 2, "64, of or
ganic disorder of liver.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Prisoner on march to James River, Va., June 15, '04.
Died in prison Nov. 3, '64.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30,'04.
Paroled. Died at Camp Parole at Annapolis, Md.,
Oct. 22, '64.
Reported "Missing." Prisoner at Cold Harbor, A'a.,
June 2, '64. Died in prison, date unknown.
Prisoner on march to James River, Va., June 12, '04.
Died in prison, date unknown.

t^ti
ti ti

aoH Htd

ti

Dorcy, Charles
Eldridge, Edward W.
Emmons, Alonzo
Emmons, George W.
Flanagan, James
FarreU, Edward
Gefow, Joseph
Goodrich, WUliam

Gould, Floris E.
Hatch, Alonzo
Henry, Charles
Hackett, Lucius H.
Hobbs, Joseph A.

Hamilton, Noah
Hamilton, Alonzo
¦Jordan, Ralph T.

23 45 18
442324 1819IS
25 18
26441927

Augusta
WeUs
LymanLymanPortland Portland
Fairfield Biddeford
WeUs
PortlandNew Vineyard
Waterboro WaterboroWaterboro
Biddeford

May 6, 1864,

Transferred to Co. K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. In arrest
at Augusta, Mc, at muster out.
Private Co. B, 27th Me., Sept. 30, '62. Died in hospital
at City Point, Va., Aug. 22, '64, from disease.
Died in Mdwer TJ. S. General Hospital, PhUadelphia,
Pa., July 18, '64, from disease.
Private Co. I, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Prisoner at
Cemetery HiU, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64. Pa
roled. Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
Discharged July 27, '65.
Killed in action at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg. Va..
July 30, '64.
Prisoner at Cemetery HiU, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
Paroled. Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64.
Mustered out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out.
Wounded on picket in front of Petersburg, Va., June
21, '64, in foot. Died of wounds at Biddeford, Mc,
Sept. 1, '64.
Transferred to Co. C. See ante.
Died in CampbeU Hospital, Washington, D. C, July 8,
'64, of disease.
Deserted at Augusta, Me., May 11, '64.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., July 22, '64, in
left side. Acting Quartermaster-Sergt., Nov., '64.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Trans
ferred to V. R. C, Feb. 22, '65.
Transferred to Ca K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
for disabUity Apr. 18, '65.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
Aug. 7, '65.  ^

ti
WhHtdti
t^doti
oo!Z|O>hHtitdtihHfed !^ti

OlCO

COMPANY K. — Continued.

C71CO

Name.

Privates.
Jones, Daniel
Jones, Edward

KimbaU, John
Littlefield, Thaddeus
Locke, Jesse A.
Libby, Lendall A.
Leach, Nathaniel
Libby, Josiah
Libby, Elijah
Lee, George H.
Neal, Charles W.
Newell, Aaron
Perkins, Charles H.
Porter, Mark

43 234444 18

44
44

Residence
When Enlisted.

LymanPortland LymanNorth Berwick
Biddeford

Biddeford
Biddeford
Greenwood

Portland Kittery
DaytonBiddefordChina

Date
of Muster-in.

May 6, 1804

Final Record.

Sent to Division Hospital, July 6, '64. Not accounted
for on Transfer RoUs.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 19, '64, in
left arm. Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
Absent, wounded, at muster out.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Discharged
on account of wounds.
Private Co. B, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Transferred to
Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Discharged July 22, '65.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. C. See ante.
Died at Beverly Hospital, N. J., Oct. 18, '64, of disease.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out.
Private Co. F, 10th Mc, Oct. 4, '01. Wounded in front
of Petersburg, Va., July 22, '64. 'Transferred to Co.
K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered out July 15, '65.
Discharged Sept. 12, '64, for disability.
'Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Promoted
Corp. andSergt. in 31st Me. Musteredout July 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Dis
charged Aug. 15, '65.
Died at Judiciary Square Hospital, Washington, D. C,
Aug. 14, '64.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.

ao tititiHtitd
Occ tititdOti tiKti

Plummer, David R.

25

Wales

May 6, 1864

Richardson, James B.

18

Wales

tl tl If

Ross, Samuel C.

18

Portland

If It II

Richards, Ogilvie

19

Bremen

ff II II

Ricker, George

19

Sanford

If tl tf

Small, Benjamin

18

Gorham

II ti It

Sawyer, Francis A.

18

Standish

II tt II

Sanborn, John W.

19

Lebanon

ff tl If

Upson, Isaiah

18

Kennebunkport

If tl tt

Valley, Francis

42

MiUbridge

tt II If

Wickliff, Charles S.
Wakefield, Alonzo H.

19
18

PortlandLyman

It tl II

Witham, Alvah C.

36

Sanford

IC II If

Wells, Charles W.

18

Durham

fl If It

Died in hospital at Alexandria, Va., July 25, '64, of
disease.
Wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., June 21, '64, in
foot. Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
Absent, wounded, at muster out.
Prisoner at Cemetery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64.
'Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Private Co. I, 21st Me., Oct. 14, '62. Prisoner at Cem
etery Hill, Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64. Transferred
to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Exchanged. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Prisoner at Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64. Paroled.
Died at Camp Parole, Annapolis, Md., Oct. 30, '64.
'Transferred to Co. K, 3Ist Mc, Dec. 12, '04. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64, in face.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mus
tered out July 15, '65.
Private Co. D, 27th Mc, Sept. 30, '62. Wounded at Pe
gram Farm, Va., Sept. 30, '64, in knee. Transferred
to Co. K, 31st Me., Dec. 12, '64. Promoted Corp. in
31st Me. Mustered out Julv 15, '65.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Mustered
out July 15, '65.
Prisoner on march to James River, Va., June 12, '64.
Died in prison at Andersonville, Ga., Aug. 19, '64, of
diarrhoea.
Deserted at Augusta, Mc, May 11, '64.
Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12,'64. Discharged
by order May 22, '65.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64, in face and
neck. Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
Absent, wounded, at muster out.
'Transferred to Co. K, 3l8t Mc, Dec. 12, '64. Absent,
sick, at muster out.

tiWtitik!
do ti
Qo 'AOhH'Atitd ti
O sti

OlooCO

COMPANY K. — Continued.

Name.

<

Residence
When Enlisted.

Date
of Muster in.

Final Record.

Privates.
Whittaker, Charles
Wormell, Frank
Webber, Charles B.

2318

Biddeford
Farmington

May 6, 1864
ft ft ft

Died in hospital at City Point, Va., July 18, '64, of
disease.
Prisoner at Cemetery HiU, Petersburg, Va., July 30,
'64. Transferred to Co. K, 31st Mc, Dec. 12, '64.
Discharged for disability June 13, '65.
Transferred to Co. C. See ante.

Cfl00

QO tit-itititi
tdotititd

St i",

'^^^

GEORGE E. JOY.

THIETY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 535

3iograpI]tcaI Sketct?.

GEORGE E. JOY.
George E. Joy was born in Great Falls, New Hampshire,
on April 18, 1845, and was the son of Charles and Abby
(Grant) Joy. The early years of his life were not marked
by any unusual incidents, his boyhood being passed in the
manner customary with those born and reared in oUr peaceful
New England communities.
But as he approached manhood, the war of the Rebellion
was going on, and when the Thirty-Second Maine was being
formed, he enlisted in the company recruited for that regi
ment by Captain Isaac P. Fall, of South Berwick. And on
April 5, 1864, he being then less than nineteen years of age,
he vvas mustered into the military service of the United
States, as musician in Company F of the Thirty-Second.
Leaving Maine with the first battalion of the regiment, on
April 20th, he bore his part in the subsequent arduous service
rendered by the Thirty-Second. And on December 12, 1864,
he was transferred to Company F, of the Thirty-First Maine,
being one of the sixteen members of his company present
with the colors at the time of the consolidation. Continuing
to serve with the Thirty-First until the close of the war, he
was mustered out with the regiment on July 15, 1865, and
returned to Maine.
He was married November 28, 1869, to Miss Maria J.
Hildreth, and has had two children, one being a daughter,
and the other a son. Since the war he has been engaged in
the grocery business, at Salmon Falls, N. H., and also, for
twelve years, in South Berwick, Me. He is a member of
Sawyer Post, No. 17, G. A. R., of Dover, N. H., and is also
President of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Veteran Association,
of South Berwick. He has also been a member of the Board
of Selectmen of his town.

THIRTY-SECOND MAINE REGIMENT 537

ERRATA,
AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

In list of casualties, Maj^ 18th, page 158, add name of
Corporal Walter S. Hodges, Co. D, missing ; was captured,
and prisoner till March '65. — See roster.
On p. 163, read General Torbert instead of Torbett.
In list of casualties between May 18th and 24th, p. 171,
read. Corporal William Merrill, Co. K, captured, instead of
Merritt. On same page it is stated that Sergeant Taylor and
Corporal Merrill were subsequently released and returned to
regiment. But comrade Oscar Thompson states both died in
Andersonville prison, and the other information is believed
to be erroneous.
On p. 359, Private Amasa Cox, Co. G, is reported as
wounded and taken prisoner July 30th. Comrade J. L.
Small states Cox was killed in that action.
On p. 504, date of muster-in, read April 5, 1864, in
stead of April 2, 1864.
The biographical sketch and portrait of Comrade George
E. Joy were received too late for insertion in proper place.

YALE UNIVERSITY