Not much of special importance occurred to disturb the regular routine of camp life while here, the days being spent in actively drilling and becoming acquainted with the duties of a soldier; but occasionally some little break would be made in the monotony of camp life; it seems that there had grown up a feeling of jealousy among some of the officers of another regiment in the camp, because Mr. Stone had been appointed Commandant of Camp from civil life, and without previous military training, when there were other officers in camp who had had such training in the Volunteer Militia, and on October 24 the dissatisfaction culminated in an assault upon Capt. Stone’s headquarters with bricks and other missiles, and for a time matters assumed rather a warlike aspect, but finally settled down with but very little bloodshed.
The quota of Massachusetts under this call was 19,090 men. The great numbers already in the field and the fact that the last previous call of July 2, for 300,000 men for three years’ service had not been entirely filled, made it more difficult to secure these additional men but the officers worked with a will, and soon no doubt was felt that the object would be attained, and the call promptly answered. The first company to secure the requisite number of recruits was the company from Newburyport under command of Capt. Stone, which was mustered September 16, and from that time forward companies were mustered as they obtained the requisite number of men, until about November 1, when there were about 750 men in camp, distributed in eight different companies.
On the day previous to Thanksgiving Day the several companies were furloughed to go home to spend Thanksgiving, to report again in camp Saturday morning; only one company reported in accordance with orders, and as no other company put in an appearance, the Captain gave his men leave to return home, but to report again Monday morning, which they did, as did the other companies, only to feel a little chagrined to find that Adjt. Gen. Schouler, with a part of his staff, had visited the camp on Sunday, and was very angry to find the camp deserted by all but one Lieutenant and just enough men for camp guard. His remarks were reported to have been very forcible, succinct and pithy, the air was said to have been lurid.
He said, “By God! I’ll send this regiment South or to Hell!” and the men concluded that they hadn’t much preference as to the two locations. As a compromise between, the regiment was ordered to move to Camp Meigs, at Readville, Mass., forthwith; but expecting to be sent to one of the aforementioned places later on.
December 4, the regiment broke camp at Wenham and left for Camp Meigs. While marching through Boston at the intersection of Washington and Boylston Streets, the two companies from Lawrence, commanded respectively by Capts. Colby and Rollins left, being transferred to the 4th Regiment which had been recruiting at Lakeville, Mass., thus filling up that regiment, and the unorganized 55th Irish Regiment, which had been also recruiting at Lakeville was brought to Readville, and merged with the remaining six companies from Wenham, which completed the organization of this regiment, thus disposing of all expectation of an Essex County regiment.
All the officers of the Wenham companies petitioned the Governor to allow the Lawrence companies to remain as formerly connected. They were a fine body of men and officers, and, being in the same camp together so long, a strong attachment had sprung up between the different companies; but the request was denied. The men and officers in the Irish regiment were also much dissatisfied, and there were a great many desertions, which (it was said) were encouraged by their officers; a large number of the latter resigned and others were summarily discharged. They had volunteered with the understanding that they were to form an Irish regiment, and they were very indignant that that arrangement was not carried out.
The accession of these new men having given the regiment the necessary number of men, on December 6 an election for field officers was held, and the regiment became the 48th Regiment of Massachusetts Infantry.
Capt. Eben F. Stone of Newburyport was elected Colonel, Mr. James O’Brien of Charlestown was elected Lieutenant-Colonel, and Capt. George Wheatland of Salem was elected Major.
The companies were designated as follows:—Co. A, from Newburyport and vicinity; Co. B, from West Newbury and vicinity; Co. C, from Salisbury and vicinity; Co. D, from Newbury and vicinity; Co. E, from Salem and vicinity; Co. F, at large; Co. G, at large; Co. H, from Lowell; Co. I, at large; Co. K, at large.
The line officers were as follows:—Co. A, Capt. Woodward, Lieuts. Lawrie and Morrison; Co. B, Capt. Stanwood, Lieuts. Rollins and Merrill; Co. C, Capt. Pettengill, Lieuts. Currier and Schoff; Co. D, Capt. Noyes, Lieuts. Lord and Wilson; Co. E, Capt. Howes, Lieuts. Sanders and Lee; Co. F, Capt. Sherman, Lieuts. Noyes and Burnett; Co. G, Captain (vacant), Lieuts. Rudderham and O’Brien; Co. H, Capt. Rogers, Lieuts. Frawley and Maginness; Co. I, Capt. McGuire, Lieuts. Smith and Reade; Co. K, Capt. Todd, Lieuts. Clark and Bellen.