IN THE WAR FOR THE UNION

No. 3---IN BRIDGEPORT

The headquarters were established in the court house, and the members of the company were boarded at the Sterling and Atlantic hotels and at the boarding houses. The camp was not then established. There was some drilling through the day, but most of the time was given to the men to use as they saw fit.

This state of things continued for two weeks, when, other companies arriving, a camp was laid out. It was located by the water in a large meadow, where Seaside Park is now established. The name of the camp was Aiken, in honor of the state's quartermaster-general. Here we drilled some, built the camp, and loafed around. We had the privilege of going into the city often, and of going home every Saturday, to stay over Sunday.

Once we went to Newtown to attend a public meeting to stimulate recruiting for the regiment. That was August 7, the day we went into camp. All this time Bridgeport was making active efforts to secure two companies for the regiment. Handbills were posted on the walls setting forth the value of the bounties offered, and impassioned appeals were made on all sides for volunteers.

W.H. Lacey and J.F. Clancy each engaged in raising a company in Bridgeport. The first company to go into camp was the Danbury. The next was Captain Lacey's. Neither company was more than three-quarters full at the time. The Bridgeport Standard of August 8^th had this to say of the Norwalk company:

"Captain Fowler's company, in Norwalk, is said to be full, and that they are a fine looking body of men. They expect to go into the Seventeenth camp in this city on Tuesday next. By the way, Captain Fowler would make a most capital major for the Seventeenth."

Captain Lacey's company was called the Howe Rifles after the inventor of the sewing machine, who was a member of the company. Company K, recruited by John McCarty and William Coleman, were called the Rough and Ready guards. The company was chiefly from Fairfield, but had many Bridgeport men in it. McCarty became its captain. Coleman never served with the company.

The Norwalk Gazette of August 9^th published the following:

"Make way for the Lockwood Guards!

LeGrand Lockwood has donated the magnificent sum of $1000 for the enlistment of another company of volunteers from Norwalk. Yesterday, Captain Fowler's company was filled to its maximum number, and to-day large numbers of volunteers presented themselves for enlistment into his company, only to be disappointed. Lieutenant Enoch Wood has been commissioned by the adjutant general to recruit a second company. He is a military man of energy and character and proposes to take command, and he with is co-laborers in his recruiting service, Allen, Knapp, Kellogg, Lewis and others, are vigorously pushing ahead enlistments, and over fifty men are already enrolled. Ten dollars per man of the Lockwood fund is paid down as fast as sworn in."

Monday, August 11^th, a company of sixty men with a band of music came into camp from Westport. This was afterwards called Company E.

The week before Ridgefield voted $200 to each volunteer who was sworn in prior to August 20^th. F.A. Rockwell and Nirum Dikeman opened recruiting offices there, and soon succeeded in getting up a company. This became Company G. There were many Bridgeport and other shore town men in the company. Captain Dunham, of Bridgeport, active in the recruiting service, became its captain, and Wilson French, of Stratford, its first lieutenant. Dikeman was made second lieutenant.

August 11^th, Captain Lacey and sixty-three of his men, afterward Company D, went into camp.

Company K, of Fairfield, went into camp August 12^th, with forty men and a band of music. At this time there were over eight hundred men in the regiment.

Here is a family incident connected with this company, as recorded in the Bridgeport Standard, August 13^th:

"Five brothers named Kelly enlisted in the "Rough and Ready" company, this morning. They are all residents of this town*, sons of Ephraim Kelly, of New York. It would seem as if the family had done pretty well in the matter of enlistments, but the five express some regret that two other brothers choose to remain at home when the country needs their help."

(* The Standard was mistaken. Three of the boys belonged in Bridgeport, one other in Fairfield and the fifth in Sherman. ---ED. NEWS)

On the 13^th of August a half-filled company marched into camp from New Canaan. This was subsequently known as Company H. Company B, of Stamford, and Company I, of Greenwich, occupied the camp the same day.

The Lockwood guards from Norwalk marched into camp August 15^th, with the Westport band. The company was recruited in three days.

August 16 Rev. Alexander R. Thompson, of Bridgeport, was appointed chaplain of the regiment until a regular appointment could be made. Services were held in the camp Sunday morning and in Franklin Hall in the evening. A collection was taken up one day for a chapel tent, and $75 was collected. At this service, which was the first in the camp, the hymns sung were, "Jesus shall reign wheree'r the sun," "Am I a soldier of the cross?" "My country 'tis of thee."

Recruiting was getting hot at this stage. New Canaan voted $50 and Wilton offered $100 for each volunteer.

Company G went into camp August 18^th.

On Saturday, August 23^rd, a number of ladies of Norwalk came into camp in a special car. They brought with them a number of baskets of provisions, and after the two Norwalk companies were supplied there were many baskets of fragments, which were dealt to the other companies. Late in the day Mrs. LeGrand Lockwood and Messrs. Rev. Diosey and Anderson presented each member of Company F (Lockwood Guards) with a gilt-edge testament, a gift from LeGrand Lockwood.

Adjutant Wilcoxson was today presented with a fine sword and belt by his Masonic friends.

William A. Kellogg, of Company F, was given a handsome revolver by his former companions of Phoenix engine and hose companies. And Captain Fowler's Company A, was given an elegant silk flag by the ladies of South Norwalk. On it was inscribed the words: "Fowler Guards."

August 25^th the following order was issued from the adjutant general's office:

The companies comprising the Seventeenth regiment are hereby designated as follows:

On Tuesday, the 26^th, the chapel tent was consecrated with appropriate service.

On the same day the hospital steward, Jesse Nash, was presented with sword, sash and belt.

Just before this Lieutenant Claney, of Company D, was presented with a sword. Governor Buckingham made the presentation speech. Among other things he said:

"This sword, whether it comes back or not, may it never be unsheathed without cause, and may it never be sheathed in dishonor."

On Thursday, August 28^th, the regiment was sworn into the United States service. On that occasion each member of Company C was presented with a bible. The week before, Captain Fowler, and Lieutenants Crowe and McQuahae were presented with elegant swords by the members of their company.

Quite a number of presentations followed. Col. Noble was given a horse and equipments, and other valuable tokens of regard. Lieut.-Col. Walters was presented with a horse and equipments. Captain Dunham got a sword and a revolver from his company, and Captain Benson got the same. John I. Ward, the quartermaster-sergeant, was presented with a revolver by employees of the Adams Express Company, in whose service he was.

On Saturday, August 30^th, a full delegation of Company C went to Danbury. In the evening there was a gathering in Concert Hall. The room was crowded with people. The occasion was the presentation to Captain Moore, and to Lieutenants Daniels and Quien, of the company, of swords and belts.

These were gifts from the members of the company. The presentation speech was made by Governor Averill, and was most gracefully rendered. The officers responded as completely as their feelings would allow. Other speech makers were called upon, when Captain Moore objected, saying that the men of his command were home for what was probably the last time, and needed every moment to be with their families and friends. Then meeting then broke up.

On the first of September, the following special order, No. 694, was issued from the state headquarters:

1. Col. William H. Noble, Seventeenth Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, will proceed to Washington with his command, on Wednesday next, the 3^rd inst., and report to the adjutant general, for orders.

 

2. Col. Noble will make requisition on Brigadier-General William A. Aiken, quarter-master-general, for transportation.

No. 4-GOING TO THE FRONT

The steamer arrived at Elizabethport, N.J., at 10 o'clock in the evening of September 3^rd, and found a train composed of the meanest looking cars we had ever seen, into which we stowed ourselves for a trip to Baltimore. We arrived in that city at 11 p.m., and as no arrangements had been made for quartering us we lay down in the street at the Calvert street station and slept there until 4 o'clock, when we were aroused, and marched to the Union Relief association building, where we were warmly welcomed with a breakfast of bread, cold ham, cheese and hot coffee. We were then marched to the station of the Washington road, where we expected to take a train for the capitol. The boys occupied the time of waiting in strolling about the neighborhood, but in the afternoon we were forbidden to leave the station, and remained there in a crowded condition. At 3 o'clock Enfield rifles and ammunition were dealt out to the men of the regiment.

That night we remained at the railway station. No rations were weighed out to us after three o'clock of Friday afternoon until Saturday midnight. But there was an abundance of peddlers around with cake, pie, bologna and fruit, and as all the boys had money there was no real suffering in the commissary department. All sorts of stories were afloat Friday and Saturday, Stonewall Jackson was reported to be on his way to take Baltimore. Again we were to Join Siegel's corps then in reserve before Washington.

Still again Lee had crossed the Potomac into Maryland, and we were to stay here for defense. At 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon we received orders to be ready to move, and everything was packed up, and knapsacks and other accoutrements were strapped. In this condition we waited until 6 o'clock, when we were formed into line and marched through the city and down the bay to what was called Fort Marshall, a new earth fortification three miles out of the city. The march was a tedious one as it was the longest we had yet made. Everyone was tired with suspense and excitement, and everybody was loaded down with the abundance of baggage peculiar to the new recruit. It was 8 o'clock when we reached the fort. We bivouacked in front of it, and [as] there was no indication of supper we spread our blankets and speedily fell asleep. During the evening the cooks got their stoves up, and at midnight we were aroused for rations. We got some crackers and some hot coffee, and after consuming these we went to sleep again. September 7^th was our first Sunday in camp. It was not exactly a day of religious instruction. Many of the regiment did their first manual work on a Sabbath. We were busy nearly all day laying out company streets and putting up tents. There was a wild rumor that General Lee's force was approaching the city, and in the evening we were given twenty rounds of cartridges each, and obliged to sleep that night with our guns in our arms ready for any emergency. The prospect caused the hair on our head to stand right up.

The next day drills were established, dress parade was inaugurated, and pickets were put out. The regiment was suddenly put on a war footing. That night a scouting party was sent out to pick up stragglers and suspicious parties. Six characters were brought in in the night. Two of these were found to have a barrel of water in their possession, which was considered to be sufficiently damaging evidence to warrant their arrest. At 10 o'clock a general alarm was given by the firing of the pickets, and the regiment was up in line at once. But the alarm was proved to be false, and quiet reigned the rest of the night.

Friday, September 12^th, Fort McHenry celebrated the anniversary of its bombardment by the British in 1812. There were fireworks in the evening. This was an agreeable change from the daily and irksome routine into which the camp has fallen. The routine in question was as follows:

Roll call at 5 a.m.; drill from 5:30 to 6:30; breakfast at 7; drill from 8:30 to 10:30; dinner at 12 m [n?]; drill from 2 to 5 p.m.; dress parade at 5:30; supper at 6; roll call at 9; taps (lights out) at 9:30.

About this time there was a complaint about the quality of port served out. This was followed by a complaint of the quantity of the beef. Both these evils were promptly remedied through the agency of Captain Moore of Company C.

On the 19^th the chaplain presented a report of the money received and expended for a chapel tent and a library. The following is the

All of Company C was put on picket the night of the seventeenth, on account of the near presence of the enemy.

On Friday, the 19^th, the Norwalk Gazette regimental correspondent reported, "There are eleven members of Friendship division, S.O.T. of New Canaan, and ten of Concord division, of Norwalk, in the regiment. They hold a meeting this evening, and organized the 'Union Temperance Association of the 17^th Regt. C.V.' Mr. Offin, of New Canaan, president. C.H. Whitney, secretary."

The diet of stinking meat was resumed after a short respite. The sick list on the 22^nd numbered 150. On that day the following order was read on parade:

"No person shall be excused from duty unless excused by the surgeon at the surgeon's call at 6:30 a.m. Any person going to the surgeon at any other hour will be severely punished."

Sunday afternoon, the 21^st, a temperance meeting was held in a grove, near the camp. It was largely attended, and speeches were made by Colonel Noble, Corporal Whitney of Company A, and Private A. Offin, of Company H, an organization was formed, and Colonel Noble was elected president of it.

The colonel in his speech said he had no idea the regiment wanted to organize a temperance society, but he said he started one on his own hook when he entered the service. "I solemnly promised myself and my God that while I was gone there should be no intoxicating liquor in my tent nor drank in my presence." Sixty-three members of the audience signed the pledge.

On the afternoon of the 23^rd a unique but rather entertaining incident occurred. A woman came into camp to bring a washing. When she was taking the clothes from her basket a bottle of liquor was disclosed. She made a hasty attempt to hide it, and many excuses as to its origin. But it was believed she was bringing it in to sell, which was against the rule of the camp. A lieutenant of Company C ordered her to be drummed out of camp. The drum corps appeared, a guard secured the woman, and in spite of her appeals and protestations she was escorted outside the limits to the rather depressing air of the "Rogue's March".

Thursday, the 25^th, news reached camp that the 23^rd regiment of Connecticut was at the railway station in the city on its way to the front. As all of us desired to see somebody from home those who were not on duty were formed in line and marched into the city to the station. At the station we were met by our commissary sergeant, J.L. Day, who told us that we were on a bootless errand. The regiment was the 33^rd New York. As some compensation for the disappointment the officers gave the men a treat in some of the restaurants.

September 26^th. In the drill this morning Captain Moore had command. He sang or whistled for us to march by. There was plenty of fun during the drill, but I am confident it would, in its efficiency, compare most favorably with any other mornings work.