excerpted from the History of Fairfield County After the pursuit of Lee had ceased on his retreat from Gettysburg, and while the forces were marshaling for a new conflict, a sudden order came for the Ames and Von Gilsa brigades to take rail to Alexandria and embark for Fortress Monroe. After arrival there the brigades again took transport, and were landed about August 21st on Folly Island, S.C. They had hardly got into camp when a detail of a thousand men was ordered, under Col. Noble, into the siege-trenches on Morris Island, approaching Fort Wagner. This was a reserve force, and in protection of the artillerymen and of the siege-works. On this duty the regiment lay for forty-eight hours close under the fire of Wagner, and under shell showered by Forts James and Moultrie. The brigade was afterwards quartered a short distance below the siege-works of Wagner. For about a fortnight on that island they were most of the time under fire from the enemy's batteries. While there they saw the first gun fired upon Sumter from the great siege-works guns of Gen. Gilmore, and remained there until the ruins of that fort looked like a sand-bank or the debris of some great brick edifice. Several of the regiment were killed and several others badly wounded by the bursting of shell and the breaking of solid shot down through the splinterproofs. Lying under these cannon-balls and shell protections, without the excitement of attack and real conflict, was about the most trying work the regiment ever did. On 28 Oct 1863, Major General Quincy A. Gillmore issued an order creating "medals of honor for gallantry and meritorious conduct during the operations before Charleston" and awarding them to enlisted men of his command who had been in action in the batteries and trenches. This medal---designed by Ball, Black, and Company; New York--- was suspended by a swivel, from a metal clasp; there was no ribbon. The following soldiers of the Seventeenth Connecticut were awarded the Gilmore Medal: Corporal Rufus Tilbe - Company E Private Walter Jarmon - Company F 1st Sergeant Charles Smith, Jr. - Company G Private Richard McGee, Jr. - Company K
by William H. Noble
The Gilmore Medal
Before we left the island, Gen. Ames took the officers of his brigade up into the high tower of the lighthouse, a short distance below Fort Wagner, where a good view was obtained, through a telescope, of the conditions and ruins of Sumter. He then said to them to them that it had been proposed that his brigade should organize for a night-attack upon said fort, and asked us if he should ask for us the duty. The officers unanimously desired Gen. Ames to solicit the place for us. But such was not to be our task. The navy claimed it as their prize, and made an abortive attempt to capture the fort. Although in ruins as to its walls, it was found to have been made stronger than ever by sand-bags and fallen masonry. The attack had been delayed too long; the right time was when we volunteered for the duty.
After the fall of Wagner till February only one military event deserving notice occurred to the regiment. About the middle of October there came by night an urgent order from Gen. Vodges, commanding the forces on Morris Island, saying that the enemy were about to make an attack in great force on its northern and western sides by floats down from Secessionville, and ordering out the division to resist the attack. On this occasion the Seventeenth was under arms and in line of march twenty minutes before any other regiment reported. This was noted by Gen. Ames to the colonel of the regiment as highly complimentary to his command. But the alarm proved entirely false; no attack was made.
The remainder of the fall and winter was spent by the Seventeenth upon the island under drill and on a brief expedition under Gen. Schimmelpfennig to John's Island as a diversion to hold in check the removal of the troops of the enemy farther north to meet and resist some movement of our own forces. There was only a small skirmish on our approach to John's Island, in which several of the regiment were wounded slightly. During a part of the winter Gen. Ames' absence at the North threw the command of the brigade upon Gen. Noble, whose principal task was drilling its six regiments in field- movements.
At Christmas and New Year's the Seventeenth received a heavy consignment from the people of Bridgeport and Fairfield County, who sent boxes to individuals and general stores for the hospital and for the good of the regiment. There came a large and varied supply, under the care of Lieut. Hayes, their former quartermaster, and Dr. L.H. Norton. It was welcome Christmas cheer to gladden the hearts of the soldiers.
On the 22nd of February, 1864, orders came to strike out tents and make everything ready for Florida. The next morning we took transport for Jacksonville. The repulse of Gen. Seymour's advance into Florida, at the battle of Olustee, where the Sharps' rifles of Hawley's regiment alone saved us from a terrible reverse, had called for this reinforcement of our brigade to Florida. On our arrival at Jacksonville general orders were issued creating two divisions, of which Gen. Ames and the forces under him constituted one, Gen. Noble commanding Ames' brigade. The forces advanced outside to the north and west of the town and intrenched. An attack from the enemy was felt to be possible from any quarter of that traversible country, and the forces were for a month aroused at three in the morning to prepare for an attack.
About April 15th the whole force at Jacksonville was broken up. Gen. Ames was ordered North to the Army of the Potomac, and his brigade left in Florida. The Seventeenth was ordered to relieve the Tenth Connecticut at St. Augustine, and took transport immediately for that ancient city. It seemed as if the regiment was to be laid up in lavender for the rest of its service in that lovely, quaint, old place. But the seeming did not prove the reality; the mass of the regiment never had harder or more taxing service than in Florida. The climate in the summer and fall is not particularly healthful. One of the companies of the regiment garrisoned the old Spanish Fort San Marco, the others were quartered in the old government barracks.
We had hardly got well settled in our quarters when an order came from Gen. Birney, then commanding in Florida, for Col. Noble to go with all his regiment, except one company, to Volusia, Fla. The regiment moved on the morning of the 25th of April, and made Volusia after a three days' march. Volusia is but a hamlet of a few houses on the St. John's River. After a few days the post was visited by Gen. Birney, who had proceeded up the St. John's River and disembarked near Pilatka with several regiments, and thus reached our post. At this place Gen. Birney ordered a company of the Seventeenth to be stationed in guard of the crossings of St. John's River at Welaka and Sanders. They had hardly been posted a week before all were gobbled up by the enemy, who crossed the river in strong force. They might just as easily have captured the fifty men left at Volusia, but were frightened away by the intrenchments made there under Capt. Kellogg and the track of an army-wagon, which they mistook for that of artillery.
Just after this Gen. Birney was relieved, and Gen. George H. Gordon placed in command of Florida. Under him Col. Noble was invested with the command of all the country east and south of the St. John's River, and of the forces within that area. These consisted of two colored regiments, the Seventy-Fifth Ohio and his own regiment.
About the 10th of June the Seventeenth, together with the other regiments in Gen. Gordon's command, numbering about two thousand men, was organized at Jacksonville for a raid and flank march upon McGilet's Creek. The expedition started at midnight on transports under conduct of the navy gunboats, and landing was made about three in the morning and march commenced. During all that day, which was one of the hottest of the season, the regiments marched along the close roads of Florida, and late in the afternoon, after a very fatiguing flank march, the force under Col. Noble joined that of Gen. Gordon, who had marched straight out from Jacksonville. The enemy's works were found to be of no great consequence, and, having destroyed its barracks and stores, the regiment moved, with the rest of the forces, back to Jacksonville, and thence to St. Augustine. Lieut.-Col. Wilcoxson commanded the regiment.
No sooner had we arrived at Jacksonville than an order came reversing things. Gen. Gordon was ordered to the Army of the Potomac, and Gen. Birney replaced in command of Florida.
About the 29th of July, Gen. Birney, still in command of Florida, ordered another raid on the enemy's unseen and insignificant works. Col. Noble was ordered with the Seventeenth, and all the force under his command, and all the horses in St. Augustine, and all the loyal Floridians, to rendezvous at Picolata, on the St. John's, there to take steamer and connect with Gen. Birney at a point upon the Black River. The force was gathered and the connection made, and proceeded with Gen. Birney to Baldwin, on the Cedar Keys Railroad. Col. Noble was at this time placed in command of Baldwin, and, having under his command a battery of Rhode Island artillery, two regiments of colored troops, and other forces, was ordered by Gen. Birney to hold and garrison that place and build a log fort. But Gen. Birney had hardly completed these orders and returned from Jacksonville to see our condition before news came that he was succeeded by Gen. Hatch.
Gen. Hatch withdrew the Seventeenth from Baldwin, and established it in post at Magnolia, to hold which post and construct a fort it was then ordered, Capt. Kellogg being in command of the portion of the Seventeenth Regiment at that place. But Col. Noble was ordered by him the next day to burn the few buildings and to make a raid with some cavalry, artillery, and three regiments, making a four days' march, and coming in at Magnolia, where he established a post garrisoned by the Seventeenth, and awaited the arrival of the expedition. This was accomplished, and the Seventeenth relieved from duty at Magnolia and returned to St. Augustine.
Soon after, Gen. Hatch took command of Florida. While Col. Noble was at Magnolia he ascertained that heavy effort was being made in Lower and Middle Florida, east of St. John's, to recruit companies for the enemy. Orders were given to Col. Noble to detail part of his own regiment and the Seventy-Fifth Mounted Rifles to proceed up the St. John's along its eastern bank, while Col. Noble, with artillery and several regiments and a detachment of Massachusetts cavalry, proceeded by steamer up the St. John's and Dunn's Lake, to follow up the expedition of said regiments. After landing on said lake on a day's march the Seventy-fifth was met returning to St. Augustine, having captured a captain and twenty of his enrolled men, who were afterwards imprisoned in the fort at St. Augustine.
Soon after this Gen. Hatch was succeeded in command by Gen. Scammon, and all raids abandoned except a miserable one which resulted most disastrously to the regiment. Gen. Scammon had learned of a lot of cotton stored on the borders of Dunn's Lake, and directed Col. Wilcoxson, with teams and a sufficient force, to gather it in. The order was obeyed and the cotton gathered. The force was about started on its return home when it was attacked by about two hundred of Dixon's Mounted Rifles. The attack was sudden and unexpected. They are easily made so in Florida, which is pretty much all one pine wood.
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Captain James J. Dickison, CSA |
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A summons to surrender was unheeded by Col. Wilcoxson, and fire opened. Seeing no hope of escape, Lieut.-Col. Wilcoxson and Adj. Chatfield attempted to cut their way through the enemy. Adj. Chatfield was instantly killed, and Col. Wilcoxson shot through the shoulder, of which wound he afterwards died at Tallahassee. The regiment in these officers lost two gallant and able men. Two captains and about fifty men were captured and sent to Andersonville.
Prior to this, Col. Noble, the day before Christmas, 1864, while crossing from Jacksonville to St. Augustine, in company with two officers of other commands, was captured by the enemy's scouts about halfway betwixt these places. He was taken across the St. John's River to Tallahassee, to Macon, Ga., and finally to Andersonville. While there the force of the 17th that had been captured at Dunn's Lake, and in a subsequent raid of the enemy in the rear of St. Augustine, was brought into that prison. The officers were Capt. French, Company G; Capt. Betts, Company F; Lieut. Ruggles, Company K; Capt. Quien, Company C.
After this cotton expedition and the captures, the regiment passed a quiet and uneventful winter and spring. About the 1st of June, 1865, it was ordered by Gen. Vodges, then commanding Florida, to Jacksonville. While there it was sent out on provost-duty in various places, and was employed in reconstructing the Baldwin and Jacksonville Railroad.
About the 1st of July it was ordered to take transport for Hilton Head, to be mustered out of the service, and at that post, on the 19th of July, 1865, ended its duties as part of the army of the republic during its great struggle.
On no occasion had the people of the country had reason to regret the exertions they had made to put it in the field. Its gallant service had been an honor to them and to the State; no charge ever was or could be made upon them of flinching from any true military duty. In post at St. Augustine or in the field it never failed to win the respect and affection of all with whom it came in contact. In this the Seventeenth stands alongside of the glorious record of all the Connecticut troops in the war.
The regiment, leaving unnamed the towns which contributed in small numbers, received its quota from the following sources:
Company A, all from Norwalk, excepting eighteen from Wilton; Company B, all enlisted from Stamford and Darien; Company C received fifty-eight from Danbury, from Bethel sixteen, from Ridgefield twelve; Company D, forty-four from Bridgeport, seven- teen from Monroe, from Huntington nine; Company E received fifty-one from Westport, twenty-five from Newtown, fourteen from Bridgeport, ten from Weston; Company F, almost all from Norwalk, except fourteen from Wilton; Company G, Ridgefield, fifty- three, Bridgeport, twenty-three, Redding, twenty; Company H, mostly from New Canaan; Company I, mostly from Greenwich; Company K, thirty-five from Bridgeport, Fairfield, thirty-five. In all these companies there were members from other towns, making up the quota of the regiment,--a thousand and one men.
There were individuals in every town most active in promoting the enlistment of this regiment whose services should not be forgotten. The distinguished inventor of the sewing-machine, Elias Howe, Jr., was very active this service, himself enlisted as a private in the ranks, and on one occasion, by permission of the Secretary of War, advanced the pay of the regiment, about fourteen thousand dollars, on the march towards Fredericksburg.
The materiel of this regiment was of a character among the privates fit to have officered a dozen regiments. Wherever stationed they were commended for the morale and soldierly characteristics.
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