“I have enjoyed much opportunity of communication with men from all parts of the Southern Confederacy, and I believe that you entertain an erroneous opinion of them. You believe that there exists among the masses an extended Union sentiment. It is not so. They go into this war with all their heart and soul. The little Union feeling among the class of poor whites amounts to nothing. They are opposed to us, man, woman and child. They are fighting with the spirit of ’76, for their rights, homes, liberties. They put up with every privation to sustain their army—and every man is in the army. The quicker we understand this the better for us. I do not think we shall accomplish much until we take hold of the work in earnest.
“In the section where I have been the enemy is three times stronger than they were two years ago. Now an army of 40,000 men cannot penetrate the country one hundred miles. They have an army of 40,000 men. They carry no equipage—they sling their blankets with a bit of cotton rope, and are all ready for an expedition. We must take our blankets on our shoulders—we cannot fight with army trains. I repeat, in order to carry on this war to a successful termination, we must fight them on their own ground and fight them in earnest.”
After this breakfast Colonel Burrell and his officers were escorted to Roxbury by the Roxbury Artillery Association, where another reception was given them by their townspeople.
August 10th the officers met at the Parker House, proceeded to the State House and reported to Adjutant-General Schouler, then to Major Clarke, U. S. Army, to receive their final pay, then to Major McCafferty, U. S. mustering-officer, and were mustered out of service, after being in “Uncle Sam’s” employ about twenty-one months—eighteen months and twenty-one days of the time as prisoners of war.
CHAPTER XIX.
In Service for One Hundred Days—Organization—Readville—Off for Washington—At Alexandria—At Great Falls—Return Home.
A scare existed in Washington, caused by Confederate operations under General Jubal Early, who threatened an invasion of Pennsylvania in order to mask a contemplated dash on Baltimore and Washington.[19]
[19] Governor Andrew was in Washington at the time, and telegraphed his adjutant-general (received July 5th) as follows: “I have arranged with the Secretary of War that men who volunteer for one hundred days’ service, as requested by him to-day, shall be exempted from any draft that may be ordered during such hundred days’ service, not from any future draft, but only from such as may be ordered during the term of hundred days for which they are asked. I direct you, at request of Secretary, to issue an order calling for four thousand one-hundred-days’ infantry, on the terms above mentioned. The details in connection with the project will not differ materially, otherwise, from those heretofore prescribed in like cases. I shall have another consultation to-morrow. Have sent home Peirce to-night.” General Orders No. 24, calling for five thousand hundred-day men, was issued July 6th, 1864, by Adjutant-General Schouler.
Adjutant-General Schouler casually informed Adjutant Davis, whom he met on the street, a call had been received from Washington to send troops immediately for one hundred days’ service. The adjutant had kept up a correspondence with all of the old line officers, for an ultimate purpose of again calling the regiment together when Colonel Burrell was exchanged. Davis mentioned this fact to General Schouler, who at once advanced the idea of again going into service and advised an attempt to do so. The old line officers were consulted, and, as the idea was favored by a majority of them, official orders were issued to go into camp at Readville, Mass., July 18th, 1864.
The following companies were designated to compose the regiment:
Company A, Captain Isaac Scott, of Roxbury; Company B, Captain Benjamin C. Tinkham, of Medway; Company C, Captain Isaac B. White, of Boston; Company D, Captain Samuel A. Waterman, of Roxbury; Company E, Captain Augustus Ford, of Worcester; Company F, Captain Samuel S. Eddy, of Worcester; Company G, Captain Alanson H. Ward, of Worcester; Company H, Captain F. M. Prouty, of Worcester; Company I, Captain James T. Stevens, of Dorchester; Company K, Captain Benjamin R. Wales, of Dorchester.