CHAPTER XXIX.

Harland's Brigade near Portsmouth. - More Digging. A Handsome Camp. - The Twenty-first on Provost-Duty in Portsmouth and Norfolk. - Raid through Dismal Swamp. The Eleventh at Gloucester Point. Twenty-first at Newport News.— An Expedition up the James. Fifteenth and Sixteenth go to North Carolina. – "Accidental" Fire. - Twenty-first at Newport Barracks and Newberne. - Life &t Plymouth. - Battle and Capture by the Rebels. Gen. Peck's Order.

JARLAND'S brigade, the only brigade of Connecticut regiments in the service, remained intact near Portsmouth during all the hot summer months of 1863; the thermometer sometimes ranging a hundred and ten degrees in the shade. Maltby's ice-cream saloon in Norfolk was a popular

resort.

The brigade was located at intervals on a military highway extending along and within the line of fortifications from the Suffolk to the Elizabeth-city Roads, which roads converge towards Portsmouth. The distance to Portsmouth varied from two and a half to four miles.

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The officers of the brigade were: Brig.-Gen. Edward Harland of Norwich, in command; Capt. H. P. Gates of the Eighth (Norwich), A. A. G.; Lieut. C. J. Arms of the Sixteenth (Norwich), A. D. C.; Lieut. Alfred M. Goddard of the Eighth (Norwich), A. D. C.; Lieut. N. P. Ives, of the Eighth (Meriden), Brigade Commissary; Lieut. Stuart Barnes of the Fifteenth (Fair Haven), Brigade Q. M.; Surgeon Melancthon Storrs of the Eighth (IIartford), Brigade Surgeon.

The regiments were kept almost constantly at work felling trees, digging trenches, and throwing up breastworks, with the accompanying picket-duty. The position in front of the Eleventh and Sixteenth was named Fort Griswold, after

the brave captain, killed at Antietam ; and was surrounded by a flat, sandy plain, covered with a low stretch of pine and gum trees. The toil on the fortifications served as a conductor to carry off the fire of patriotism, and tended to diminish the soldierly spirit; but they had an occasional review and dress-parade with the accompaniment of a fine brigade band, when the weather was fair, which kept the military spark from becoming quite extinct, and reminded the poor fellows, weary with chopping trees, rolling logs, and throwing shovelful after shovelful of dirt all day, that they belonged to the noble profession of arms. The men were required to be neat and cleanly in their persons and accouterments.

During the warm weather, much sickness prevailed, especially diarrhoea, diphtheria, and swamp fever; and there were some deaths from malarious diseases.1 All the surgeons were faithful; and, as the fall and winter months approached, health rapidly improved. The efficiency of Surgeon Dwight Satterlee of Ledyard was also especially mentioned; and by the 1st of October there were only two members of the Eleventh in the hospital. Surgeon Satterlee was afterwards promoted to be major of the regiment, the only case of the kind in the regiments from this State.

2

A member of the Sixteenth wrote, "We have of late had quite a number of ladies visiting us, and the effect on our men has been very good. Whereas you formerly could hear an oath now and then from an aggravated individual, now no such imprecations sully the air. Let me here mention the incalculable services rendered to our sick by Mrs. Burnham, mother of Lieut.-Col. John H. Burnham, now commanding the regiment. Almost seventy years old, this grand old lady displays a vigor and tenderness, a discrimination and practical kindness, in her attentions to the sick, that have gone far to help us through a dreadful epidemic of diphthe ria and of remittent fever, with the loss of only three men. She is constantly engaged in preparing those nice home tit

1 Sergeant William H Hubbard of Guilford died in September. He was a well-educated young man; moral and circumspect in his life, and happy in the hour of his sacrifice. 2 Surgeon Nathan Mayer.

FINE CONDITION OF THE TWENTY-FIRST.

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bits so dear to the sick soldiers. Not satisfied with preparing them, she administers them, talking all the time to the delighted men as only a great, good woman of that age and such motherly feelings can talk."

Surgeon Mayer, the successor of Dr. Abner S. Warner of Wethersfield, wrote of this time, "Gradually, the finest camp, but one, which it has been my fortune to see, grew up. The most perfect order, the most civilized condition, prevailed. The tents were neatly and prettily furnished, as our Connecticut country homes are, and the ground always in beautiful condition. As winter approached, the men built a hospital of logs, -log-houses for the officers, log kitchens and eating-saloons for the companies. Our pioneers erected a perfect village.

"During all these weeks, the military standing of the regi ment rose perceptibly. There was not a cleaner, prompter, more loyal, reliable, and honest regiment in the service. No brighter arms, no quicker evolutions, no greater perfection in drill, were to be found anywhere.”

The Twenty-first had been assigned to provost-duty in - Major Hiram Portsmouth, rather more agreeable service. B. Crosby was appointed provost-marshal. Col. Dutton, having been released from the command of the 3d Brigade, again assumed command of the regiment. "Lieut.-Col. Thomas F. Burpee, who had been absent several weeks, returned with restored health, and entered upon his duties with his usual energy, and did much toward bringing the regiment up to a high standard of excellence and perfection." 3

In September, the regiment was inspected by Col. Donohoe of a New-York regiment, from whose report the following is an extract:

"The clothing of the men is in very fine order; coats fit well, and are well taken care of. I believe that the general appearance of the regiment is equal, if not superior, to any that I have ever inspected. The officers appear to good advantage; and the non-commissioned officers deserve credit for their neat appearance and soldierly bearing. In conclusion, I can safely say, that the condition and general appear

8 Letter of Capt. Delos D. Brown of Chatham.