History of the Forty-Fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, "The Cadet Regiment", Compiled by Albert W. Mann, Historian of the Regiment

Published: Wallace Spooner, Boston, Mass., 1908

Many interesting personal accounts, lots of statistics, some genealogy, complete rosters, after the war, 1863 Boston draft riot, meetings and reunions

Page i

Whereas, Comrade Albert W. Mann, having been-selected and appointed by the Executive Committee of the Association of the 45th Mass. Regiment as Historian of the Regiment, by the adoption of this preamble said appointment by the Executive Committee is confirmed, and it is

Voted, At this Annual Meeting of the Association, held on June 23, 1908, that a book, purposed to be written, collated, printed and issued by said Albert W Mann, shall be known and considered by the present Association of the 45th Mass. Regiment as the authorized History of the Regiment, and that he may rightfully use such words as the title of his book.

It, however, being understood that the Association, as a body, or as individuals, are not to be held responsible or hable for any expense incurred through the publication of said book, or to be entitled to share in any profits which may accrue therefrom. --

Page ii

"THE Militia Regiments of Massachusetts were the first to respond to the call of the President; the first to march through Baltimore to the defense of the Capital; the first to shed their blood for the maintenance of our government; the first to open up a new route to Washington by way of Annapolis; the first to land on the Soil of Virginia, and hold possession of the most important fortress in the Union; the first to make the voyage of the Potomac and approach the Federal City by water, as they had been the first to reach it by land. The Soldiers of Massachusetts did their duty and the Nation owes them a debt of gratitude which can never be repaid.

"The dead who are buried in Virginia, the Carolinas, or the States of the Mississippi, at Andersonville, Salisbury, at home, or wherever they may rest; the sick, maimed, or wounded, who live among us; and those who escaped unharmed from a hundred battlefields,--their families, their names, their services, their sacrifices, their patriotism--will ever be held in grateful remembrance by a generous and enlightened people. And that 'my father fought or fell in the great Civil War to maintain the integrity of our Union and the honor of our Nation' will forever be an inheritance more precious than land, or riches, and a title of true republican nobility."

William Schouler,

Adjutant General of the State of Massachusetts during the Civil War.

Page iii [blank]

[image: Governor John A. Andrew]

Page iv [blank]

Page v

CONTENTS:

Introduction...1
A Brief Historical Sketch of the Independent Corps of Cadets...3
List of 185 Cadets who served in the Civil War...9
The services of the Cadets in the early part of the War and at Fort Warren in 1862...17
The Cadet Regiment and its friends in 1862...35
A Few Facts of interest to members of the Forty-Fifth Regiment...42
In Memory of Oliver White Peabody, Lieutenant-Colonel Forty Fifth Mass. Volunteers...48
In Memory of Russell Sturgis, Jr., Major Forty-Fifth Mass. Volunteers...51
The War Status when the Nine Months' Troops were called...55
Camp Meigs, Readville...60
From Readville to Morehead City, N. C....70
Camp Amory on the Trent...77
General John G. Foster...89
Colonel T. J C. Amory...93
The Signal Corps...94
Heroic Deeds of Heroic Men -- The Expedition to Goldsboro'...102
The Official Reports of the March to Kinston and Battle of Kinston,...115
The Return March from Goldsboro'...142
Cavalry Operations on the Expedition to Goldsboro'...146
The Confederate Account of the Goldsboro' Expedition...152
The Personal Experience of a Comrade wounded in the Battle of Whitehall, December 16, 1862...158
A Soldier's Letter...163
Regimental Colors and the Color Guard...165
A Sketch of the Life of Theodore Parkman...182
The Cadet Band...185
Four Months in Fort Macon -- Department of North Carolina...198
Captain Joseph Murdoch of Company G...204
The Mud March: The Expedition to Jonesville, Pollocksville and Trenton...207
Provost Duty in New Berne...211
Chaplain Stone and the Religious Life of the Forty-Fifth Mass. Regiment...223
A Stirring Day: The Attempt of the Confederates to Retake New Berne, March 13-14, 1863...235

Page vi

Scouting at Night beyond the Pickets on a Locomotive...245
Camp Massachusetts...250
The Fight at Dover Cross Roads...258
The Grand Review...262
As I Saw It...265
The Enlistment of Colored Troops...297
The Sergeant's Story...304
Under Marching Orders...313
War: The Romance and the Reality...314
The Medical and Surgical Department and Ambulance Corps...326
Memories of New Berne and the Massachusetts Forty-Fifth...341
The Rank and File...358
Memories of the Civil War and of Camp and Field in the Forty-Fifth Massachusetts Regiment...364
Reminiscences and Incidents of Army Life in North Carolina in the Eighteenth Army Corps...385
Arrival Home and Reception of the Forty-Fifth...425
The Draft Riot in July, 1863, and Services of the Forty-Fifth...432
After twenty-five years-- Notes of a trip to Newbern...439
Tribute to the Memory of Hon. Edward W. Kinsley...444
Meetings and Re-unions of the Regiment since Muster-Out...452
Roster...470
    Roster 1 - Field and Staff; Company A; Company B; Company C;
    Company D; Company E; Company F...470-520
    Roster 2 - Company G; Company H; Company J; Company K;
    Names and Addresses of the Surviving Members of the 45th
    Regiment, M. V. M. as far as known in 1908...521-562

Page vii [blank]

Page viii [blank]

Page ix [blank]

Page x [blank]

[image: Col. Charles R. Codman. Commanding Forty-Fifty Regiment Mass. Vol. Militia.]

Page xi

"Never, from the commencement of the war, was an officer sent from Massachusetts, better fitted for the responsibilities of his position than our noble Colonel,

Charles R. Codman

Perfect in his drill, firm in his discipline, yet free from all severity; brave in the hour of danger, yet without rashness; loved, and yet respected, he was truly a model officer. In these later years, it is the pride and boast of every member of the Forty-fifth Massachusetts, that he served for such a country, in such a cause, from such a State, in such a regiment, and under such a Commander."

-- Corporal Charles Eustis Hubbard.

Page xii [blank]

Page 1

A FEW months after the "Muster Out" of the Forty-Fifth Regiment, the members of Company A formed a permanent organization, known as the "Company A Associates of the Forty-Fifth Regiment M.V.M.," and Re-unions have been held each year on the anniversary of the Expedition to Trenton.

In this way the old army ties have been strengthened, and the varied experiences of our service in North Carolina have been kept in fresh remembrance.

In 1882, under the auspices of this Association, a Diary of one of the members, Corporal Charles Eustis Hubbard, was published, bearing the title, "The Campaign of the Forty-Fifth," which was illustrated with drawings by another member, that well-known Boston artist, the late Frank H. Shapleigh, from sketches made during his army life. By his permission several of these sketches appear in this History.

This book proved of such great interest to the members and friends of the Regiment that the small edition was soon exhausted. A few years later at one of the reunions of the "Associates," it was decided to request members to furnish papers which should give the consecutive history of the Regiment from the formation of Company A to our "Muster Out," and these papers were carefully prepared, and were read, one or more at each reunion, for several years. Not only did they prove interesting and entertaining to those who heard them, but to-day they possess an historical value, as they were read in open meeting and subject to the criticism of those who were participants in the scenes and events they described, and any inaccuracies of statement would have been corrected at once. They were afterwards entered upon the Records of the Association.

During his term of service the writer kept a diary and this has been freely drawn upon for dates and facts, in the papers which he and others have prepared for this volume.

Page 2

With all this valuable nucleus at hand, the conviction impressed itself upon the mind of the writer that, although the long period of over forty years had elapsed since our army service, it was not yet too late to publish a "History of the Forty-Fifth." We entered upon the work "with fear and trembling," realizing the responsibility we had assumed, but as the work has progressed, the encouragement received from the officers of the Regiment and of the Association, and from "the rank and file" from far and near, has quickened our zeal in this self-imposed task and shown us the mettle and true comradeship of the men of the Forty-Fifth.

We gratefully acknowledge the receipt of valuable papers from our gallant Adjutant, Gershom C. Winsor, from the efficient Secretary of the Association, Mr. John D. Whitcomb, and many incidents and reminiscences from comrades whose names will appear annexed to their sketches. Nearly all of the papers received from Mr. Whitcomb were written many years ago, when the subject of a History of the Regiment was under consideration.

We earnestly hope that this "History of the Forty-Fifth" will meet with the cordial approval of our comrades-in-arms, and interest all who peruse its pages.

Comrades, in the words of our eloquent War Governor, John A. Andrew: "We have proud memories of fields of conflict; sweet memories of valor and friendship; tender memories of our fallen brothers, whose dying eyes looked last upon our country's flag; grand memories of heroic virtue, sublime by grief; thankful memories of a deliverance wrought out for humanity itself; immortal memories, with immortal honors blended."

Albert W. Mann,

Historian of the Forty-Fifth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia.

July, 1908.