SEVENTEENTH CONNECTICUT
The Record of a Yankee Regiment
IN THE WAR FOR THE UNION
From the Journal of William H. Warren, Private, of Co. C
No. 21
The balance of 1864 was spent in Picolata. Inspections formed the chief feature of the occasion, and we had enough of them. There were inspections by General Hatch, by Colonel Noble, by Major Allen, by Capt. Ayers, and by the company commanders. General Hatch came up once to see us at Picolata, and laid out fatigue work to last us all winter. Occasionally the monotony of camp and picket were relieved by the advent of deserters from the Confederate army and by the coming in of citizens who brought all their worldly stores with them. Then, too, there was an occasional raid in this direction or that; but they never amounted to much.
On December 24th we had a calamity. Colonel Noble, and a braver officer never lived, started for Augustine. He went off in a buggy. There was with him an officer who had been discharged from the service. The two were captured by Colonel Dickinson's men. The officers discharge papers secured his release, but the colonel was held. The released officer reported the capture in St. Augustine and the news quickly came to Picolata. Major Allen immediately began a search for the recovery of the colonel, but his efforts were in vain. Our gallant commander was gobbled up for good.
January 8th, 1865. We have started on a new year, and our last in the service. Whether we shall see any more active duty in the field is a mere matter of speculation, for in war, like love and poker, the next move is very uncertain. We have less than eight months to serve, and the prospect of getting home is very bright, but within twenty-four hours something may happen to knock the biggest kind of hole in that prospect for some of us. We are all still at Picolata, although it has been said we are to be immediately relieved by Company F, now at St. Augustine, and returned to that place. We hear that no boat has arrived in St. Augustine from the north in four weeks, they being used for other purposes in the department, probably for some warlike expedition. The commissary department is in a low state. There is neither sugar nor salt, and of other rations there is not a ten days' supply. Teams here run from St. Augustine to Jacksonville (a distance of forty miles) for forage for the horses. But now that supply is gone. All the food the animals have is what they can pick up.
In the early part of February, several of our officers and privates, and a number of officers and privates from St. Augustine accepted an invitation to attend a ball at a house on the road between Picolata and St. Augustine. Colonel Dickinson, of the confederate forces, was let into the secret, and he made a swoop down upon the terspichorean party and captured all of them. So without a ball or bullet the would-be dancers were scooped into the can of sardines.
Feb. 8, a detail of ten of us and an officer went across the river to gather rations from what cattle we could find. We shot four head and returned safely to camp with them.
February 26th. We have never fared so badly in the service in the matter of rations as we are doing now.
March 16th. Thomas McCorkell, of Company C, arrived at Picolata today with orders to evacuate this place. This was glorious news to the boys, who had become tired of the short rations and constant excitement (from attack) of the Piccolata camp.
On the 17th we took the steamer Wyoming down the St. Johns River to Jacksonville, and thence sailed to St. Augustine, where we arrived March the 18th and took possession of the barracks.
SEVENTEENTH CONNECTICUT
The Record of a Yankee Regiment
IN THE WAR FOR THE UNION
From the Journal of William H. Warren, Private, of Co. C
No. 22 -IN ST. AUGUSTINE, AND HOME.
The heat began to increase along about the middle of April, and all of us had spring fever to greater or less degree. We were given only one drill a day in Augustine. This took place in the afternoon. At out first drill after the return from the long sojourn on the St. Johns River there were but two officers present to take care of the whole regiment. Captain Kellogg, who was in command, sent a sergeant after the company officers, who brought them out.
April 16th the regimental band appeared in a new uniform.
On the 20th, Major Allen gave all the regiment a twenty-four hour vacation, in which we could do as we pleased, without offending the law.
April 24th, a schooner came into St. Augustine with its flag at half mast. It was out first news that President Lincoln was dead.
May 8th. Captain Ayres was married to-day, and was serenaded in the evening.
May 13th. Orders were read on dress parade announcing the surrender of the confederate armies in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida.
June 6th. A steamer came in to-day, bringing a United States regular army band, and a general order saying that the 1862 troops were to go home. Our regiment was ordered to pack knapsacks. We did so and then marched to the steamboat landing, where we stayed all night.
The next morning we took the steamer and sailed to Jacksonville. We thought we were going home, but we were put into camp here, and the next day, June 8th, were detailed to work repairing the railroad. This was a hard blow to the boys who were expecting to go straight home. We remained here until July 4th, when we took a boat for Hilton Head. There we remained until the 20th, when we sailed for home. On reaching New York, we took another boat for New Haven, where we were mustered out of the service.
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