CHAPTER VII.
Company D, Third Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia.
[The following historical sketch of Company D, Third Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia (a nine months’ campaign during the War of the Rebellion), was prepared by Capt. Andrew R. Wright, and read by him at the reunion of the Third Regiment, held at Lincoln Park, Mass.]
In the month of August, 1862, a call was made by the President of the United States for three hundred thousand troops to aid in suppressing the rebellion then still existing, and to serve for a term of nine months, or during the war. In compliance with that call the Commonwealth of Massachusetts proceeded to mobilize the militia of the State, by reorganizing the old regiments not then in the field, and by forming a number of new regiments for service under that call. Among the old regiments included in that call was the Third, which was located in the Old Colony district. Company D of this regiment was recruited up to the maximum, one hundred and one men, as required at that time by the laws of the United States governing the service in time of war. The company was composed of men enlisted from Fall River and Westport. When nearly the full number had been recruited, an election of officers was held in the City Hall in Fall River, at which election Col. Silas P. Richmond presided. The election resulted in the choice of Andrew R. Wright as captain, Thomas McFarland as first lieutenant, and George Reynolds as second lieutenant. In a few days afterwards the ranks having reached the required number, the company was ordered to proceed to the camp of instruction at Lakeville, which had been prepared by the State for such instruction to the raw troops as might be given to them previous to being called into active service at the front, and also to issue necessary clothing and equipments. The camp was known as “Camp Joe Hooker.” While there the company was drilled in the setting-up drill and company movements, also practical instruction in guard duty.
Capt. ANDREW R. WRIGHT.
On the 23d of September, 1862, the company was mustered into the United States service by a regular army officer; the company was paraded in two ranks, the ranks were opened and the front rank faced the rear; the mustering officer, having the muster roll, passed between the ranks from left to right critically examining each man as he came before him. Not one was rejected. After the identification and inspection the men collectively were required to remove their caps, hold up their right hands and take the oath to support the laws and constitution of the United States. The parade was then dismissed, and the company was then truly a portion of Uncle Sam’s army for the defence of the Union. The non-commissioned officers were appointed as follows:
Sergeants: Samuel B. Hinckley, First; Francis McGraw, Almanzor S. Elsbree, James Holt, Thomas A. Austin.
Corporals: Ashael M. Borden, Cornelius Kelley, Jr., Philip Chase, Charles E. Slade, William H. Wright, William H. Monroe, Sierra L. Braley, Charles F. Tripp.
After the muster the company was furloughed for one week that they might make a last visit to friends before leaving for the front. At the expiration of the furlough all returned to camp except two; one of whom deserted the service, the other was returned to the company by the provost guard after they reached Newbern. After all preparations had been made the company had orders to break camp and proceed to Newbern, N. C., via Boston, and thence by steamer to point of destination. On the morning of departure from Camp Joe Hooker, the regimental line was formed for the first time, Company D being upon the extreme left of the line. The company with the rest of the regiment marched from the camp to the railroad station at Lakeville on the line of the Old Colony road and embarked upon cars and were transported to Boston, marched through the city and went on board the steamer Mississippi that was to convey the whole of the Fifth and half of the Third Regiments to North Carolina. To say that the steamer was full conveys but a faint idea of the crowded condition of the vessel, and many of the men realized for the first time the discomforts and privations of campaigning; and this was but the beginning of hardships they endured during their nine months’ campaign in the swamps and pine barrens of the old “North State.” After an uneventful voyage by steamer, the company arrived at Morehead City and disembarked, then were transported on flat, uncovered freight cars to Newbern; arriving there they were marched to the first camp occupied by the regiment in Dixie. In honor of the colonel it was named Camp Richmond. It was located on the banks of the Neuse River and on the left of the Forty-fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, who had preceded the Third a few days. During all this time neither the regiment nor the company had been supplied with arms, and were not so supplied until some days after the arrival, when early one evening the long roll was sounded and report came in from the front, some six miles away, that our pickets had been driven in and the enemy was then marching upon Newbern. Then the arms and ammunition were issued to the regiment and as soon as possible the company was paraded in the company street, anxiously awaiting the call to form regimental line; but the alarm proved false and the company was dismissed to quarters, and the camp quieted down for the night. Subsequently, upon critical examination of the arms that had been issued, they proved to be a lot of Austrian rifles, and were nearly worthless. The men were very much discouraged, as the springs in the locks of some of the rifles were so weak that it was impossible to explode a percussion cap with the hammers; but by the skill of Sergeant Austin and the use of tools procured from the ordnance officers of the department the guns of the company were got into quite serviceable condition, but were far from satisfactory at any time during the company’s term of service.