THREE REGIMENTS SENT.

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4

tents, and marched into Hartford. The colors were pi sented in front of the State House by Gov. Buckingham; after which, through a surging and enthusiastic crowd of friends and neighbors, the regiment marched to the dépôt, and took cars for New Haven. There they embarked upon the steamer Cahawba, and sailed forth cheerfully upon their strange mission.

A month had passed since the nation was aroused to arms, and since one regiment was called for from Connecticut. Three regiments had gone forward, so completely equipped as to become a model for general imitation, so well disciplined as to reflect honor upon the State in the excitement and confusion of battle.

The governor made a brief speech, in which he said, "No father could welcome more cordially the presence of his sons than I welcome you to-day. Let these banners be your rallying-point; and, if the hands that bear them be smitten, let your voices be heard inspiriting your fellows to their defense; and, if you fall, others shall take your places to bear them on, and they shall be the signal and emblem of your liberties vindicated and preserved."

CHAPTER V.

Gen. Dan Tyler. — Henry B. Norton. - Cassius M. Clay Guard.- The Fourth Regiment.-Towns represented. - Departure. — Colt's Revolving Rifles. — It becomes the Fifth Connecticut. Towns represented. - Home Guard. - Yale College. - The General Assembly. - Message of the Governor. - War Legislation. — The Constitutional Amendment. · Great Unanimity of Feeling. — Independence Day.

N these early movements, Gov. Buckingham relied greatly upon Capt. Daniel Tyler of Norwich, who was burning with zeal, chivalric, high-spirited, honorable, indefatigable in his labors, and familiar with the details of organization., He was the only professional soldier in the first three regiments. He impressed upon all, both officers and men, correct views of the character of the true soldier, and taught them that it was as honorable to obey as to command. His discipline was exact; and to those who forgot that an army can not be a democracy, and that a regiment is not a town-meeting, it seemed severe. Yet is it just to say that much of the systematic, well-disciplined character of Connecticut troops, which made so many of her regiments favorites in various corps and departments, was due to the soldierly spirit infused into the three-months' troops by Col. Tyler of the First. The position of brigadier of the State militia was early offered to him by Gov. Buckingham, and accepted by him on condition that all duties should be "performed without remuneration for services rendered or expenses incurred."1 Soon after reaching Washington with his regiment, he was made brigadier-general of volunteers at the earnest request of Gen. Scott.

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1 Gov. Buckingham's Message, 1862.

THE PRESIDENT'S PROCLAMATION.

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Henry B. Norton of Norwich also rendered substantial service in chartering vessels, superintending the transportation of troops, and purchasing supplies at that early period. An upright, able, and influential business-man, he left his own affairs, and gave personal attention to the wants of the State in this emergency. He cheerfully spent months of time, refusing even the re-imbursement of his expenses.

In the Cassius M. Clay Guard, which patrolled Washington in the days of alarm and peril, before the arrival of troops, Connecticut was represented by Orris S. Ferry, John Woodruff, Cornelius S. Bushnell, A. H. Byington, and William S. Chalker (captain of the first company of Wide-Awakes). The danger being passed, they were mustered out of service on May 18 by an order of the Secretary of War, expressing thanks for their faithful service day and night.

Deeming the three regiments sufficient for the emergency, the president declined the services of the twenty-four additional companies still industriously drilling in squads all over the State; and, on the 8th of May, Gov. Buckingham ordered them to be disbanded. The decision was received by the men with every expression of disappointment.

The president had, however, on the 3d of May, issued a proclamation for forty-two thousand volunteers, an increase of the regular army of twenty-two thousand and sixty-eight, and for the enlistment of eighteen thousand seamen; and the disappointment was quickly forgotten in the zeal to embrace one of these opportunities. The State-call was delayed until May 11; and it is estimated that "not less than two thousand men from Connecticut enlisted in other States, or the regular army or navy.”

2

Our quota was considerably less than one regiment; but the War Department had accepted the second and third threemonths' regiments from Connecticut, on condition that the State should immediately raise two other regiments for three years. Gov. Buckingham had gladly promised this, because fully convinced that the government would

2 Adjutant-General's Report for 1861.

need them; and now issued orders for two regiments from Connecticut. Men eagerly responded; though they greatly feared, that, before they could get to the front, the threemonths' regiments would inconsiderately go ahead, and finish the war.

The first full companies were accepted for the Fourth Regiment, and ordered into camp at Hartford. Levi Woodhouse, who had served with credit in Mexico, accepted the command. Company A, Capt. L. G. Hemingway, was mainly from Hartford; though twenty or thirty men were from Manchester, Farmington, and East and West Hartford. Company B, Capt. Elisha S. Kellogg, was from Derby; a few of the members hailing from Seymour, Canton, and other towns. Company C, Capt. R. S. Burbank, was officered by Suffield, which furnished about half the men; the rest going from Granby, Enfield, the Windsors, and neighboring towns. Company D, Capt. J. C. Dunford, was mainly from New London; a number of members, however, enlisting from Thompson and the various Lymes. Company E, Capt. O. A. Dennis, was mainly from New Haven; also Company F, Capt. N. S. Hallenbeck; both receiving a sprinkling of volunteers from adjacent towns. Middletown contributed the officers and fourteen privates of Company G, Capt. R. G. Williams; Killingly furnished twentytwo; Berlin, eleven; and Plainfield, Putnam, and other eastern towns, the rest. Middletown also officered Company H, Capt. C. C. Clark, and sent most of the privates; Berlin furnished sixteen; and twenty more were chiefly from Cromwell and East Haddam. Torrington contributed the officers and sixteen men to Company I, Capt. S. H. Perkins; while twenty-seven were from Plymouth, ten from Thompson, and twenty-five more from Litchfield, Waterbury, and Goshen. Company K, Capt. D. W. Siprell, was from Hartford; surrounding towns supplying twenty-five, and Meriden ten. Company G was known as the Wesleyan Guard, most of its members being students in Wesleyan University. It was more than an ordinary sacrifice for them to cease their studies, discard their hopes of distinction, and offer their young lives. to their country.

The regiment received careful and constant drill, and left Hartford for the front on Monday, June 10, seventeen days after the Third. At State-house Square, the regimental colors were presented by Lieut.-Gov. Benjamin Douglass3 in an earnest speech, concluding thus: "Remember Sumter! Remember that there, for the first time in our history, this blood-bought flag of our fathers was lowered to Americans. Let this thought fire your patriotism, nerve your arm, and give strength to your determination to wipe out this gross insult from the records of our national history." The men then sought refuge from the broiling sun on board the boats. Fifteen or twenty thousand people were assembled to witness their departure; and in the midst of cannon-firing, martial music, and resounding cheers, they steamed down the pleasant river, not to Washington, but to do picket-duty along the Upper Potomac.

On the 25th of April, Col. Sam. Colt offered to raise a regiment, and arm it with revolving breach rifles of his own manufacture. His purpose was to have every man over six feet high, and a good shot,—a regiment of accomplished grenadiers; and, on May 16, he was commissioned colonel of the First Connecticut Revolving Rifles. Parts of compa nies rendezvoused on South Meadows, at Hartford, in accordance with this plan, under Major George D. Chapman. There was soon disagreement concerning arms, the appointment of subalterns, and other important matters; and Col. Colt's commission was revoked June 20, and the regiment, then numbering nearly seven hundred men, was disbanded.*

Gov. Douglass, who had hitherto been known as an uncompromising foe of slavery. was henceforth distinguished, also, as being one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the war; giving freely of his time, labors, and money, first to put men in the field, and then ́o make them and their families comfortable.

A fine company of Irishmen from Norwich was raised for the Fifth Regiment; bu it