enemy grape and canister until they were within a hundred paces of his guns. The number of their wounded on that spot, the horrible nature of the wounds inflicted, and the repeated wavering of their column, testify to the efficiency of his resistance, which, but for the bad management of the Massachusetts battery, would have kept the enemy at bay. The rebels also pressed in overwhelming numbers, regiment after regiment, in upon the west. An officer came up, bearing a flag of truce and a demand for immediate surrender. Gen. Wessells promptly refused. Again the rebels pressed in, surrounding Fort Williams, pouring in a terrible fire upon the detached portions of the Sixteenth, which returned the concentrated fire as well as it could. The battle was renewed along the whole line, but with abated vigor on our part; and, as resistance became less and less effective, the remainder of the force outside Fort Williams was surrendered. The fort held out but a short time: the enemy was around it with a force of fifty to one. Company H of the Sixteenth, under Capt. Joseph H. Barnum of Hartford, had been sent to Roanoke Island as an escort for Union refugees, and escaped capture with the regiment. Major-Gen. John J. Peck, in command of the department, with headquarters at Newberne, on April 21 issued the following: "With the deepest sorrow, the commanding general announces the fall of Plymouth, N.C., and the capture of its gallant commander, Brig.-Gen. H. W. Wessells, and his command. This result, however, did not obtain until after the most determined resistance had been made. Five times the enemy stormed our lines, and as many was repulsed with great slaughter. For their noble defense, the gallant Gen. Wessells and his brave band deserve the warmest thanks of the country; while all will sympathize with them in their misfortune." It might be objected that this is slightly turgid; but it is enough to say that the subjects of the eulogy did not at all reciprocate the implied admiration. In fact, since the dig ging and fortifying at Suffolk, upon a plan as incoherent as the kite projects of Mr. Dick, the soldiers had come to regard Gen. Peck as a rather inoffensive old gentleman. CHAPTER XXX. Increased to a Regiment. --Fight in The First Cavalry Battalion. - Demoralization. FTER the battle of Cedar Mountain, in 1862, the Connecticut cavalry battalion crossed the battle-field, and took part in the pursuit of the enemy to Robinson River. From that time, Aug. 9, the battalion was for two weeks face to face with the enemy, protecting the Union flanks and rear; and was then transferred to Steinway's cavalry-brigade, and chiefly engaged in doing provost-duty until the end of Pope's retreat. Chaplain Edwin Warriner writes of that time, "Some of the most efficient scouts in that part of the army were men from this battalion. Corporal John A. Peters of Cheshire, in the disguise of an old woman, and Corporal Charles H. Marsh of New Milford, as one of Jackson's men, passed through the thrilling adventures of Union spies. For months, Marsh was unheard of among us, and at last was reported hung at Aldie as a spy. Yet other months passed away, and he surprised us by appearing in Baltimore as a paroled prisoner from Richmond. He saved his life by the most consummate stratagem. He was lying in a Confederate hospital, expecting daily to receive his sentence. Beside him lay a fellow-prisoner who was about to die. The surgeon who attended upon both these men was himself a Union prisoner; and, by his assistance, the two sick prisoners exchanged beds and names so secretly as to make it appear that Marsh died and was buried, and the other soldier lived, and was paroled." At the second battle of Bull Run, Sergeant Leonard P. Goodwin of Company A (from Plymouth) was detailed with a squad of men as a body-guard to Gen. Schenck. They were in the thickest of the fight, and around the general when he was wounded; and bore him from the field. Sergeant Goodwin helped to rally a regiment, and received the commendation of Gen. Schenck therefor. The battalion was mostly without rations, and lived as it could, doing severe service until the army fell back within the intrenchments about Washington. Major Lyon and Capt. Bowen had resigned, and great confusion arose as to which was the ranking officer; Capt. Farnsworth refusing to serve under Capt. Middlebrook. The command was demoralized; and the companies had for weeks marched, skirmished, and fought separately. Capt. William S. Fish was now made major; and the battalion, about Sept. 7, was ordered into camp near Georgetown, and an officer was sent home to obtain recruits. Capt. Middlebrook resigned soon, exhausted and sick, as the result of the exposures of the campaign. The camp was moved to a young apple-orchard near Tenallytown, north of Washington, where a hundred excellent recruits from the State were received. Company C, with all the horses of the battalion, under Capt. A. F. Niles of Hartford, went out to Fairfax Court House on provost-duty, and rendered highly acceptable service at Gen. Sigel's headquarters. Oct. 23, moved to Kalorama Grounds fear Washington, where drilling was in order until Nov. 17; when location was again changed to Hall's Farm, about three miles from Aque duct Bridge in Virginia. Here a beautiful and comfortable camp was made in the woods by clearing up a dense thicket; and the battalion was again thoroughly equipped and mounted. Major Fish's force and energy infused new spirit throughout the entire command; and, when they were required to march as a portion of Sigel's Reserve Corps to the vicinity of Fredericksburg, they were in better condition for effective service than ever before." They were not, however, engaged in the battle of Fredericksburg, but were 66 1 Letter of Chaplain Warriner. THE CAVALRY REGIMENT BUILD BARRACKS. 491 soon recalled to Stafford Court House, where the battalion joined the encampment of the 11th Corps. While here, Company A was most of the time detached, and on severe duty at the extreme flank of the army. Corporal Michael Carver of Norwich, with four men, stopped at a house for breakfast; and Carver was shot by guerrillas concealed in the house, who then ran to the woods. Capt. Blakeslee went with a squad, but neither rebels nor family were to be found. The house was burned by order of Gen. Burnside. "Carver was a brave, good soldier; always cheerful and full of spirit; never shirking duty, but often volunteering to perform extra duty for others."2 While the regiment was near Washington, during the fall of 1862, Major Fish began in earnest the task of increasing the battalion to a regiment. This was soon ordered to be done, mainly through his influence and exertions. But the battalion filled slowly; and in January received the longexpected orders to march to Baltimore, whither it was called at the request of Major Fish. The Monumental City was reached duly after considerable exposure to rain; and here, for a time, the toil of war was suspended, while the men devoted themselves to the lighter duties of a soldier. Their first care was to rebuild the old, uncomfortable barracks at Camp Carroll; and Yankee skill soon erected new ones, and made them tidy and pleasant, - a model of convenience and comfort. Each squad of six or eight had a large room to itself; and the kitchens were complete in their arrangements. Company streets were paved with brick, and the open spaces turfed in the most approved manner. The stables were roomy and well ventilated, and the grain-rooms supplied with bins and troughs. All the work was done by the men of the battalion; the government piecing out the old boards with a small quantity of new lumber. A commodious chapel and hospital were also built; and most of the work was prosecuted under the energetic superintendence of Capt. Farnsworth. The place was named Camp Cheeseboro'. Major Fish was now promoted to be lieutenant-colonel, and Capt. Farnsworth to be major. 2 Capt. E. Blakeslee. Diary of Capt. Blakeslee. On March 15, Capt. Albert F. Niles, who had been through a year of active service without a sick day, was prostrated with fever at Baltimore, and suddenly died. He was a man of few words, and of a very self-contained disposition, so that some thought him proud or distant; but time proved him a perfect gentleman, and a cheerful, brave, ready, self-reliant soldier. He was buried in Hartford with all honors. more. arms. The regiment remained in Baltimore during the spring and summer of 1863, while recruits were gradually accumulating. Companies were detached for duty on the Potomac and at other posts. On June 29, signal rockets announcing the approach of Lee caused great apprehension in BaltiThe alarm-bells were rung, and the Union League rallied at the barricades. The First Cavalry turned out under Lieut. Joab B. Rogers of Norwich was in command of a picket post on the Westminster Road, and heard the shout of alarm from an excited officer as he dashed by the guards, declaring that the rebels were in close pursuit, and urging the pickets to fall back. The lieutenant proposed to remain at his post until he was relieved, or ordered in, or driven in by the enemy. He remained, and maintained the honor of a soldier. About the time of the battle of Gettysburg, the whole effective force of the battalion was ordered to Harper's Ferry. On July 14, Major Farnsworth, Capt. Blakeslee, and fifty men, crossed the Potomac by order of Gen. Naglee, to reconnoiter the enemy's position beyond Bolivar Heights, and to ascertain his strength. Capt. Blakeslee reports, — "About two miles from Harper's Ferry, the advance-guard (eighteen men, under myself) charged upon the picket of the enemy (numbering about thirty), and drove them in confusion back upon their reserve. Major Farnsworth, coming up now, charged upon the whole reserve of the enemy, about two hundred strong. The enemy also charged; and it became a hand-to-hand fight, in which, owing to the disparity of our numbers, they repulsed us, recovering several prisoners whom we had previously taken, and, I am sorry to add, captured Major Farnsworth with twenty-four men. The major fought most gallantly until he was overpowered, and taken prisoner. |