ever-charming views from the summit of the hill. Turn the glass, and again we have the same things in different combinations. But in every scene may be detected the vigilant eye of our commander, scrutinizing every thing, approving every soldierly act or trait, and punishing with rigor each minute offense against perfect military discipline."

A correspondent of the Philadelphia Press said, “It is a picturesque camp, a model of military neatness. Comfort, economy, and discipline are marked. These Yankees are a great people. They carry their good order and steady habits everywhere. In every thing, there is the precision of the regular army. I have seldom seen a finer body of men."

During these last months of 1861, the Fifth was still engaged in the most arduous and disagreeable duty known to a soldier's life, holding a long picket-line in the face of an alert enemy, exposed to snow and sleet, without any winter-quarters, and without comfortable tents. In October,

it moved from Darnestown to re-inforce Gen. Stone. Marching all night, it reached Edwards' Ferry the morning after the disastrous battle of Ball's Bluff; and was ordered to cross the river, and renew the attack. The order was countermanded, and the regiment went into temporary camp at Muddy Branch. Dec. 19, a company crossed the Potomac, and burnt the mill being used by the rebels at Dam Number Five. The regiment came near losing Col. Ferry, prostrated in Washington with fever; but he returned in three weeks, and was warmly welcomed. During the winter, we find the Fifth successively at Darnestown, Rockville, Frederick, Monocacy, Edwards' Ferry, Williamsport, Harper's Ferry, Jefferson, Hagerstown, Hancock, and in detachments at all the fords intervening. The first of December, their discomfort was materially modified by the receipt of a full set of Sibley tents. The winter was spent in ceaseless movements along the river, in which a degree of celerity was exhibited, which won for the Fifth the sobriquet of "the foot cavalry."

CHAPTER IX.

Extra Session of the Legislature. Governor's Message. -A Carte Blanche. More Regiments authorized. Gen. Butler and the Twelfth.-A Light Battery and a Battalion of Cavalry. At Meriden. Off for the War. - The Ninth badly equipped. - Twelfth in Camp at Hartford. — Thirteenth in Barracks at New Haven. - Ninth and Twelfth at Ship Island. — Blockading. - The "Stone Fleet." - Effect on the Harbors of the South.

HEN Gov. Buckingham issued orders in September, 1861, for the formation of the Tenth Regiment, he had reached the limit set by the General Assembly at its May session. He

therefore issued his proclamation on the 25th, convening the Assembly to consider what more the growing power of the Rebellion demanded from Connecticut, and to provide for the payment, by the State, of its proportion ($308,214) of the direct tax imposed by Congress at its July session.

The legislature met on the 9th of October following. Mr. Brandagee being disabled by illness, Hon. Henry C. Deming of Hartford was elected speaker pro tem. by acclamation; the Republican majority thus testifying their respect for a gentleman, who, elected as a Democrat, forgot all partisan feelings when he deemed his country in danger.

The message of the governor was terse and earnest. In referring to the war, he said,

"Instead of inquiring how much we have done, shall we not inquire what more we can do? It is a privilege to live in a day like this; to take a bold and energetic part in the conflict which is now raging between law and anarchy, and during this revolution, which, in the onward progress of events, is to accomplish the wise designs of an overruling Providence, to exert an influence which shall aid in advancing this nation to such a position of strength and moral power, that every citizen may safely, fully,

and speedily enjoy the blessings of freedom. This is a high cnor within our reach, a rich privilege which we may enjoy, and a solemn duty which God calls on us now to perform."

A law was passed authorizing the governor to enlist, organize, and equip, according to his discretion, an unlimited number of volunteers; and directing the treasurer to issue additional bonds of the State, to the amount of two million dollars, to meet whatever expenses might be incurred. This liberal action, in appropriating four million dollars in a single year, and intrusting its disbursement to a single man, evinced an uncalculating patriotism, and a confidence in the judgment and fidelity of the Executive almost without parallel.

Appropriations were made for the assistance of the families of those three-months' men who had been retained as prisoners; and the governor was authorized to pay the direct tax due the General Government by crediting the amount on the claims of the State.

A resolution was passed (the Republicans and one Democrat voting for it) instructing the comptroller to remove the portraits of Ex-Govs. Toucey and Seymour from their places on the walls of the senate-chamber.1

The assembly adjourned Oct. 16, after a session of only one week.

In September, it was announced that Gen. Butler had received authority to recruit one regiment from each NewEngland State for a secret expedition of great importance. He visited Hartford during the special session of the General Assembly, was presented to both houses, and received with great enthusiasm.

He counseled with the governor and prominent citizens, among them his old Democratic friend Hon. Henry C. Deming, then Speaker of the House of Representatives (elected by acclamation in a house largely Republican). Mr. Deming accepted a commission as colonel of a regiment to be raised for this service, and to be called "The Charteroak Regiment." The other regiments were to take State

1 The resolution provided that the comptroller might restore the portraits to their frames when he was satisfied of their loyalty. They were replaced before the meeting of the General Assembly in 1867.

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appellations; as "The Pine-tree State," "The Granite State," "The Bay State," and "The Green-mountain Boys.'

" 2

The regiment thus decided on became, in the order of recruiting, the Twelfth Connecticut Volunteers, and was generally so designated.

About the middle of September, the Secretary of War sig nified to Gov. Buckingham his readiness to accept a battery of artillery and a battalion of cavalry from Connecticut. The governor immediately gave authority to proper persons to recruit for one company of cavalry in each congressional district, and to several persons in different parts of the State to enlist men for the battery. Both organizations were popular from the first, and volunteers were rapidly enrolled.

Oct. 22, the battery went into camp in West Meriden Hanover District) with about a hundred men. On the 26th, the men were mustered into the service of the United States for three years. The same day, they elected Selden T. Porter of Andover, and John S. Cannon of New Haven, first lieutenants; and William T. Seward of Guilford, and George T. Metcalf of Hartford, second lieutenants. Guns and horses were soon furnished them for temporary use, and artillery practice at once began.

Recruiting-officers for the cavalry battalion were appointed, with the intention of raising one company in each congressional district; but the district-lines were not at all observed.

Oct. 23, the battalion, numbering about three hundred men, encamped beside the battery. The men were soon equipped and mounted, and spent the bright days of autumn in learning camp and guard duty and cavalry tactics. They were at once the kings and pets of the town. The people opened their doors and their hearts, visited the camp with admiring curiosity, and rarely failed to leave some "creature comfort" as a token of cordial interest.

Religious meetings were frequent, and well attended. A sentence from a discourse to them by Rev. E. Warriner, afterwards their esteemed chaplain, recalls a conception of battle

2 In making up the force of Gen. Butler, the original plan was departed from, and he received several regiments from each State; from Connecticut, the Ninth, Twelf h, and Thirteenth. The Ninth and Thirteenth were not recruited with a view to this special service.

then shared by both, but which both would now smile at. It is this: "When you swing your saber over the head of a rebel, pray, 'God have mercy on your soul!' and then strike; and don't you pray too long either, for fear you may not hit him." The prayerful Cromwellian style of fighting was more popular in early theory than common in later practice.

The army-regulations make no provision for a chaplain to any organization smaller than a regiment; but the Legislature of Connecticut passed a special act for the commission and pay, by the State, of a chaplain to this battalion. Rev. Mr. Warriner was appointed; and he proceeded to organize a church on a simple basis of Christian brotherhood. Sects and creeds vanished. Christian faith, and a renunciation of sin, became the test of a hearty fellowship, which survived all the vicissitudes of camp and field, increased with the growth of the battalion to a regiment, and continued fresh and earnest to the final muster-out. It is, perhaps, worthy of record, that of the fourteen who originally united in the declaration of faith, though they were among the most devoted and daring men, all save two were preserved through countless perils to the end of the conflict. Capt. Elbridge Colburn and Sergeant William P. Traganza died in the faith they professed.

Similar church-organizations were formed in nearly all the regiments of our State, and kept up with more or less earnestness; flourishing or decaying with the presence or absence of a chaplain, the nature of the service, and the character of officers and men.

The members of the battalion, as a rule, were men of superior intelligence and character. Still the chaplain is sorely exercised to find very soon one of those anomalous and versatile characters, occasionally met with, who "makes flaming speeches; and the next we hear of him, he is playing cards, swearing, shearing horses' tails, and then living on bread and water in the guard-tent."

Drill was industriously continued in both the battalion and battery; and recruiting went on through October and November, when the men were mustered into the service. The cavalry battalion had three hundred and forty-six men, some