CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER I. | Page |
|---|---|
| Organization of the Regiment.—Alonzo A. White | [1]-10 |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| To the Front.—Alonzo A. White | [11]-18 |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| In Virginia.—Alonzo A. White | [19]-36 |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| The Kentucky Campaign.—S. Alonzo Ranlett | [37]-48 |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| In the Rear of Vicksburg.—S. Alonzo Ranlett | [49]-57 |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| The Movement on Jackson.—S. Alonzo Ranlett | [58]-72 |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| The Return to Kentucky.—S. Alonzo Ranlett | [73]-78 |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| In East Tennessee.—S. Alonzo Ranlett | [79]-87 |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| The Retreat from Lenoir's and the Battle of Campbell's Station.—Henry S. Burrage | [88]-100 |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| The Siege of Knoxville.—Henry S. Burrage | [101]-122 |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Subsequent Operations in East Tennessee.—Henry S. Burrage | [123]-134 |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Reorganization.—William H. Hodgkins | [135]-145 |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| In the Wilderness.—William H. Hodgkins | [146]-159 |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| At Spottsylvania.—William H. Hodgkins | [160]-177 |
| CHAPTER XV. | |
| On the North Anna and the Pamunkey.—William H. Hodgkins | [178]-187 |
| CHAPTER XVI. | |
| At Cold Harbor.—William H. Hodgkins | [188]-200 |
| CHAPTER XVII. | |
| The Movement on Petersburg.—William H. Hodgkins | [201]-215 |
| CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| In the Trenches.—William H. Hodgkins | [216]-222 |
| CHAPTER XIX. | |
| Diary of the Siege.—William H. Hodgkins | [223]-232 |
| CHAPTER XX. | |
| The Mine Affair.—William H. Hodgkins | [233]-241 |
| CHAPTER XXI. | |
| The Siege continued.—William H. Hodgkins | [242]-252 |
| CHAPTER XXII. | |
| In the Pines.—Edmund W. Noyes | [253]-257 |
| CHAPTER XXIII. | |
| The Action at Pegram Farm.—Edmund W. Noyes | [258]-265 |
| CHAPTER XXIV. | |
| Again in the Trenches.—Edmund W. Noyes | [266]-275 |
| CHAPTER XXV. | |
| In Winter Quarters.—William H. Hodgkins | [276]-281 |
| CHAPTER XXVI. | |
| The Final Assault at Petersburg.—William M. Olin | [282]-291 |
| CHAPTER XXVII. | |
| Closing Scenes.—William H. Hodgkins | [292]-311 |
| CHAPTER XXVIII. | |
| Conclusion.—William H. Hodgkins | [312]-315 |
| Roster and Record of the Thirty-Sixth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers, Compiled and Corrected by William H. Hodgkins | [316] |
| Recapitulation | [385] |
| Names of Members of the Regiment who died in Rebel Prisons | [386] |
| Narrative of Israel H. Smith | [387] |
| Index | [391] |
THIRTY-SIXTH REGIMENT, MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS.
CHAPTER I.
ORGANIZATION OF THE REGIMENT.
Early in July, 1862, when the war of the rebellion had been in progress a little more than a year, President Lincoln issued an order for three hundred thousand volunteers, to serve three years, or during the war. It was a time of sore discouragement and general depression throughout the loyal States. Our army in Virginia, under General McClellan, during a seven days' fight near the Chickahominy, had met with such reverses that it had been compelled to "make a change of base," and fall back to the James river, near Harrison's Landing. Nobly, however, and cheerfully, did the people of the North respond to the President's call for reinforcements. On every hand was heard the chorus:—
"We're coming, Father Abraham, three hundred thousand more."
Massachusetts was not behind her sister States in raising her quota, which was fifteen thousand men. In a general order, dated July 7, 1862, Governor Andrew announced the call which had been made upon him by the President, stated the number of men which every city and town would be required to furnish, and closed with these words: "The government demands new regiments, and our brave men who have so nobly upheld the honor of Massachusetts call loudly from the battle-fields of the South to their brethren at home to come forward at once and fill their decimated ranks, and take the places of the brave men who have fallen and suffered in the cause of the Union and of American Constitutional Liberty." Like the blast of a trumpet this order stirred the hearts of the people in all parts of the state, and cities and towns vied with each other, in patriotic endeavors to hurry forward the work of enlistment.
A subsequent order, dated July 16, 1862, containing instructions relative to the new recruitment, designated Camp John E. Wool, at the city of Worcester, as the general rendezvous for the counties of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester. Colonel George H. Ward, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts Volunteers, who had lost a leg at the battle of Ball's Bluff, and was now at home on account of disability, was placed in command of the camp.