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Connecticut and the Civil War (1861-1865)
The little State of Connecticut displayed in a striking manner
the many
sturdy qualities of her people throughout the period of
the Civil War. Seldom, if ever, has any group of people found
themselves more unprepared for the stern call of war than were
the citizens of Connecticut when the final summons
came. Prac-
tically all her sons had been trained to the peaceful walks of life
and were practiced only in the ways
of commerce and agricul-
ture. Yet in the four long years of bloody strife, they developed
a readiness and aptitude
for warfare which gave the regiments
of the state an individuality all their own, and gained for them
a reputation
for discipline, cleanly behavior and splendid cour-
age, kindly remembered by the veterans of all the states. Her
people,
as was generally true throughout the North, were slow
to believe that the Southern States were about to take the bold
and decisive steps that spelled disunion. They felt that in some
way, by some means, the demands of the South would
be satis-
fied and war averted. But once the flag of the nation had been
assailed by traitor hands and "Old Glory"
trailed in the dust, the
latent fires of patriotism leaped forth and no state gave a readier
or more generous response
to the call to arms. Without dispar-
agement to the glorious services rendered by all the loyal states,
it is proper
to say that the record of her volunteer soldiery dur-
ing the war will stand favorable comparison with that of any
during
the struggle.
In the words of Croffut, the military historian of the state:
"The first
great martyrs of the war -- Ellsworth, Winthrop,
Ward, and Lyon -- were of Connecticut stock. A Connecticut
general,
with Connecticut regiments, opened the battle of Bull
Run, and closed it; and a Connecticut regiment was marshaled
in
front of the farmhouse at Appomattox, when Lee surrendered
to a soldier of Connecticut blood. A Connecticut flag first
dis-
placed the palmetto upon the soil of South Carolina; a Connecti-
cut flag was first planted in Mississippi; a
Connecticut flag was
first unfurled before New Orleans. Upon the reclaimed walls
of Pulaski, Donelson, Macon, Jackson,
St. Philip, Morgan, Wag-
ner, Sumter, Fisher, our state left its ineffaceable mark. The sons
of
Connecticut followed the illustrious grandson of Connecticut,
as he swung his army with amazing momentum, from the fast-
nesses of Tennessee to the Confederacy's vital center. At An-
tietam, Gettysburg, and in all the fierce campaigns
of Virginia,
our soldiers won crimson glories; and at Port Hudson, they were
the very first and readiest m that valiant
little band -- every man
a Winicelreid, resolved to gather the shafts of flame into their
bosoms to make a path for
Liberty to tread. On the banks of
every river of the South, and in the battle smoke of every con-
tested ridge and
mountain-peak, the sons of Connecticut have
stood and patiently struggled. In every ransomed state we
have a holy
acre on which the storm has left its emerald waves."
The state was most fortunate in keeping at the helm through-
out
the struggle her great "war-governor," William A. Buck-
ingham, the friend of Lincoln. The best evidence of the disinter-
ested nature of his services, is the fact that during his eight
years' tenure of office, he never drew a dollar of
salary -- an ex-
ample emulated by others. Gov. Buckingham's majority in the
hotly contested election of 1860 was
541, and placed the stamp of
disapproval on the secession movement; in the succeeding au-
tumn, Lincoln's majority
in the state was 10,292. Connecticut
is a state where party majorities have long been small, and the
result in both
the state and national elections was significant as
showing the trend of popular sentiment on the great issues of the
hour. Sympathy for the South ruled strong, and many of the
conservative and intelligent citizens of the state were
willing to
go to almost any length to avert the impending crisis and ap-
pease the angry South. Among the prominent
papers of the state
which had opposed the election of Lincoln were the Hartford
Times, the New Haven Register and
the Bridgeport Farmer.
The two former afterwards modified their views and the latter,
which continued to serve as
the organ of the "peace party" for
some months after the beginning of hostilities, was silenced, its
office being
attacked and sacked by an indignant body of citizens
and soldiers on Aug. 26, 1861. Connecticut sent an able dele-
gation
to the 36th Congress, to wit, Senators, Lafayette S. Fos-
ter and James B. Dixon; Representatives, Dwight Loomis, John
Woodruff, Alfred A. Burnham, and Orrin S. Ferry. The con-
servative sentiment of the state spoke through Senator Dixon
when he declared, "My constituents are ready to make any sac-
rifice which a reasonable man can ask or an honorable
man can
grant." But events were hurrying on to precipitate the crisis,
and it is doubtful if any degree of forbearance,
or any conces-
sions, short of absolute surrender of all the North had contended
for and won in the elections of 1860, would have satisfied the
South.
As early as Jan. 9, 1861, the Star of the West, carrying
supplies to Maj. Anderson at Fort Sumter, was fired upon.
Though
active military preparations had been going on for some
time in nearly all the Southern States, the North remained
strangely
apathetic. To the Peace Conference, the last great
effort to adjust the strained relations between the sections, Con-
necticut sent a distinguished delegation, including ex-Gov.
Roger Sherman Baldwin, Hon. Charles J. McCurdy, and Hon.
Robbins Battell. The story of that futile convention, called
through the influence of Virginia, is now history, and
the work
it attempted is now seen to have been impossible. Throughout
the war, Gideon Welles, a worthy son of Connecticut,
served as
Lincoln's secretary of the navy. His efficient services and wise
counsel helped to efface the memory of
his predecessor under
Buchanan, Isaac Toucey, also a son of Connecticut, who was
suspected of scattering the nation's
warships in distant seas and
of allowing officers and naval stores to slip from under his con-
trol.
In the spring election of 1861, Gov. Buckingham received a
majority
of more than 2,000, and Washington could count on the
loyal support of the state administration. But all else was now
forgotten amid the excitement of greater events. Actual war
was precipitated with unexpected suddenness. The news
that
Sumter had been fired upon reached Connecticut on Sunday
morning, April 14, and the innate patriotism of her
citizens was
at once exhibited. All hesitation was put aside and a wave of
spontaneous loyalty to the Union swept
the state from border to
border. Disapproval of coercive measures was silenced amid
the excitement of great Union
meetings and the active prepara-
tions for war which at once begun. A volunteer company was
started in New Britain
and in West Winsted 100 men offered
their services, $700 being promptly subscribed toward
their proper equipment.
Frank Stanley of New Britain,
afterward killed at Irish bend, was the first man to volunteer his
services. On the
15th was issued President Lincoln's call for
75,000 militia for three months, of which Connecticut's quota
was one
regiment of 780 men. The governor found that the
laws of the state were such that a militia regiment could not be
ordered
to leave the state and he assumed the responsibility of
enlisting a regiment of volunteers. Such was the enthusiasm
that
three regiments were quickly recruited and within four days
the 1st regiment was encamped at New Haven. It was followed
by the 2nd within six days; the 3d going into camp at Hartford
two weeks later, and at the end of three weeks a total
of fifty-
four companies were formed, all eager to go to the front. New
Britain
and Danbury were the first to offer companies to the
state, while the West Meriden company was the first to be ac-
cepted
by the governor. The first complete volunteer company
was that of Capt. Burnham from Hartford. The first volunteer
in
Norwich, the governor's home, was James B. Coit, who organ-
ized the "Buckingham Rifles" as soon as the news of the attack
on Sumter was received, the company finally becoming a part of
the 2nd regiment. The Wooster Guards of Danbury proffered
their services two days before the governor issued his call and
were the initial company to arrive at New Haven. Illustrations
of the tremendous enthusiasm which everywhere prevailed and
of the feverish bustle of war preparations might be multiplied
almost indefinitely. Brooklyn, Windham county, raised 60 men
within 30 minutes, and the record was almost equalled
in numer-
ous other towns. Five brothers, sons of Jared Dennis, enlisted
in Norwich, and Capt. Dickerson, of the Mansfield
company, had
his men armed and equipped with full ranks over night. Much
of this haste was inspired by news from Washington,
which
reported the town to be closely invested by the enemy and in
imminent danger of capture. All rail and wire communication
with the nation's capital was cut off, and the reception of the
6th Mass. in Baltimore augured ill for its quick relief.
The gov-
ernor despatched William A. Aiken, quartermaster-general of
the state, on April 22, to see if communication
with the capital
could be had, and to assure the president that help from Con-
necticut was on the way. Gen. Aiken
returned after a trip full
of dangerous incident and afterward declared, "I believe there
has been no hour since,
when messages of sympathy, encourage-
ment, and aid from the loyal government of a loyal state were
more truly needed,
or more effective in the mind of the late presi-
dent, that these I had the honor to deliver." On the 18th the
few
companies of unarmed Pennsylvanians had reached Wash-
ington, followed on the 19th by the 6th Mass., and on the 26th
by
the 8th Mass., and the 7th N. Y. Word came on the 25th
that Washington was safe, and the next day the railroads adver-
tised that they would run a few trains.
During these trying days the state administration was con-
fronted by
a condition of almost complete military unprepared-
ness. Through the wise foresight of Gov. Buckingham partial
equipment
for 5,000 men had been provided during the winter
of 1860-61, but much was lacking. The state had only about
1,000
muskets of the latest pattern, and the necessary money to
properly arm and equip the men must be found. This was freely
proffered by the banks of the state. The Elm City bank of New
Haven offered a loan of $50,000; the Thames bank, $100,000;
each of
the following- banks, Pahquioque bank of Danbury, the
Danbury bank, and the Mechanics' bank of New Haven, tendered
$50,000;
the Fairfield County bank of Norwalk $25,000, and the
banks of Hartford, $500,000, or one-tenth of their combined
capital
nor was money alone needed; all aided in the work of
preparation. Everywhere the women were busy making uni-
forms
and other needed garments; tailors gave their services
without thought of compensation; caterers served lunches ; out-
fitters supplied underclothing, and in this way the work was done
in an incredibly short space of time. It is recorded
that the
women of New Haven finished and distributed more than 500
uniforms in ten days. Substantial encouragement
was also of-
fered by many towns in making provision for the families of
those who enlisted, thus anticipating the
later work of the state.
Employers continued the pay of their employes and brother work-
men did the work of absent
comrades.
By April 20 the 1st regiment was assembled in New Haven,
commanded by
Col. Daniel Tyler, of Norwich, a graduate of
West Point. The 2nd, under Col. Alfred H. Terry, rendezvoused
at Brewster's
park. Such was the scarcity of experienced offi-
cers, that the cadets from Gen. Russell's military school at New
Haven
were employed in drilling the new recruits. The 3d regi-
ment encamped on Albany avenue, Hartford, May 9th, and left
for
Washington a few days after the first two regiments. Noth-
ing was too good for "the boys in blue," and equipment of all
kinds was pressed upon them by an admiring and sympathetic
public. Even after the process of elimination had taken
place,
the necessary accouterments, extra supplies of clothing, the Bible,
the photograph album, etc., gave each raw
recruit a pack of
from 125 to 150 pounds. These early volunteers had little con-
ception of the terrible hardships
before them, or of the stem
realities of war. Like the great majority of the people of the
North they believed that
the war would be of short duration -- a
campaign of a few months at most. Both North and South were
soon to be
cruelly undeceived on this score. The sight of men
proudly marching forth full of buoyant health and enthusiasm,
was
ere long displaced by the spectacle of the returning regi-
ments, often mere shattered remnants, made up of haggard,
weary and
footsore men. On May 10th the 1st marched to the
wharf and embarked for Washington on the "Bienville" by way
of the
Potomac, which was then open. It arrived on the 13th
and is said to have been the first regiment to reach the capital
fully equipped to take the field. Through the personal solicita-
tion of Gov. Buckingham, who journeyed to Washington
and
saw the president, two more regiments were ordered to the front.
The
2nd sailed on the steamer Cahawba on the 9th, and arrived
at Washington on the 14th. This regiment was fortunate in its
officers, most of whom were experienced soldiers of the state
militia, while three of its companies were old and popular
militia
organizations. The 3d embarked on the Cahawba for Wash-
ington on the 23d, and all three regiments were brigaded
under
Gen. Tyler, who had been made a brigadier-general of volunteers
on the day the 1st left the state.
The state legislature met on May 1, and at once took up the
work of
providing for the public defense, by voting the needed
supplies for the steady stream of troops which were to leave the
state from this time forward. The message of Gov. Bucking-
ham announced that forty-one volunteer companies had already
been accepted, and that the 5th regiment would be ready in a
few days. None would leave the state until it was fully
equipped
with camp and baggage trains, prepared to take the field. He
also recommended the organization of an efficient
state militia
not to exceed 10,000 men. The legislature gave a prompt and
cordial response to these recommendations.
On May 3 an act
to provide for the organization and equipment of a volunteer
militia and for the public defense passed
both houses. This
volunteer force of not more than 10,000 men was to be in addition
to the present military organization,
and was to be liable at all
times to be turned over by the governor to the service of the
nation. An appropriation
of $2,000,000 was made to defray the
expenditures under the act, the treasurer being empowered to
issue six per cent,
coupon bonds to that amount. Provision was
also made for the extra pay of the soldiers already departed, and
for the
payment of a bounty of $6 a month for the wife, and $2
for each child, not exceeding two, under the age of 14 years, of
all volunteers. This was paid quarterly, even after the death of
the soldier, during his term of enlistment. The work
of the
legislature was admirably done and only an extension of the
acts was needed during the rest of the war.
Of the three months' troops is should be said, that practically
all
volunteered from motives of pure patriotism, and without
hope of bounty or reward. It fell to their lot to do the cruel,
pioneer work of the war, and to point the way for future im-
provements in the service. They served also as a training
school
for the citizen soldiers, and provided many of the future officers
of the war as well as many of the veterans.
In order to secure
the addition of two regiments to the quota of the state under the
first call, the state had promised
that the other volunteers organ-
ized should enlist for three years, and the president's call of May
3
for 42,000 troops was for that length of time. Hence the men
who had enthusiastically responded to the first call and
had
gathered at Hartford with the hope of being mustered in with
the other three months' troops as the 4th infantry,
were reorgan-
ized as a three years' regiment and mustered in for that period
on May 22-23. The men composing the
5th infantry had also
enlisted for three years and were mustered in on July 23, 1861.
The first great reverse of the
war at Bull Run, in which the
state's three months' troops had displayed conspicuous gallantry,
brought renewed confidence
to the advocates of the peace policy
in the state. Peace meetings were numerous and many attempts
made to raise white
flags. However, the great body of the people
were still enthusiastic for the war and the white flags were gen-
erally
lowered in response to the indignant protest of the
majority. Frequent collisions took place between the two ele-
ments,
which finally caused Gov. Buckingham on Aug. 31 to issue
a stirring proclamation, appealing to the patriotism of all and
call-
ing upon the officers of the law to arrest and punish those guilty
of disturbing the public peace, sedition
and treason, or of ob-
structing the due execution of the laws. His opening words
declared: "Eleven states of the
Union are now armed and in open
rebellion against Federal authority; they have paralyzed the
business of the nation,
have involved us in civil war, and are now
exerting their combined energies to rob us of the blessings of a
free government.
The greatness of their crime has no parallel
In the history of human governments. At this critical juncture,
our liberties
are still further imperilled by the utterance of sedi-
tious language; by a traitorous press, which excuses or justifies
the rebellion; by secret organizations, which propose to resist
the laws of this state by force; by the public exhibition
of 'peace
flags' -- falsely so called; and by an effort to redress grievances
regardless of the forms and officers
of the law. The very exist-
ence of our government, the future prosperity of this entire
nation, and the hopes of
universal freedom demand that these
outrages be suppressed." Despite this sporadic opposition, the
v/ork of enlistment
in obedience to the call of the governor in
August for four regiments of infantry for three years, or the
war, went
on briskly. The ranks of these organizations, desig-
nated the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th infantry', were filled during the
summer and all had been mustered into the U. S. service and left
the state by the end of October. Under the call of
April 15, the
state had furnished a total of 2,402 men; under the call of May
3, and the acts of Congress approved
July 22 and 25, 1861, the
quota of the state was 13,057 men, so that there was urgent
need to provide more soldiers. Consequently the legislature met
in extra
session on Oct. 9, 1861, to make liberal provision for
more troops, to rectify errors in the militia laws recently passed,
and to decide whether the state would assume its share of the
direct national tax, or leave the Federal government
to collect
it. The governor stated in his message that the expense of
raising and equipping volunteers to Oct. 1 was
$943,939, which
had been met by the sale of $800,000 worth of bonds and the
money in the treasury. He said: "The calls
made upon volun-
teers for the national defense have met with a hearty response,
and but for a hesitancy on the part
of the general government
to accept more troops, we might have had 12,000 or 15,000 men
in the field today. We have,
however, organized, equipped, sent
into the field, and have now ready nine regiments of infantry.
Their camp equipage
was complete, and their appointments
were highly respectable. About 5,000 Sharp's and Enfield rifles
have been purchased,
and contracts made for an equal number of
the latter arms, which have not yet been delivered. Arrange-
ments have
also been made to arm, uniform, and furnish complete
equipments for two other regiments now rendezvousing, and for
one
not yet organized." After a session of one week, the legis-
lature gave the governor unlimited power to raise volunteers
;
authorized another loan of $2,000,000; and assumed the collection
of the national tax, thereby saving 15 per cent,
to the state.
The loth infantry was mustered in for three years on Sept.
30, 1861;
the nth was recruited in the fall and mustered in for
three years on Oct. 24. The 12th, known as the "Charter Oak
regiment,"
was recruited in the late autumn, as part of the "New
England division;" and the 13th was also recruited in the late
fall
and early winter of 1861. In addition to the above organiza-
tions, the 1st squadron of cavalry was recruited and mustered
in
in Aug., 1861. A battalion of cavalry composed of four com-
panies, one from each Congressional district, was recruited
in
the fall, under a call issued on Oct. 1, 1861, and was eventually
recruited to a full regiment, designated the
ist regiment Conn,
volunteer cavalry. It will thus be seen that by the end of the
year the state had raised and equipped
thirteen full regiments,
besides a considerable body of men organized as cavalry; and in
addition one battery of light
artillery was recruited in the autumn.
The year 1862 brought many reverses and disappointments
to the Union
arms. The authorities were vacillating in their
plans, the South was full of confidence, and the friends of seces-
sion
in the North once mo^e raised their voices. Gov. Bucking-
ham continued to exert himself to the utmost during this dark
period and was one of the loyal governors who advised the presi-
dent to issue his call of July 2, 1862, for 300,000 more troops for
three
years. The quota assigned to Connecticut was 7,145.
Meanwhile, the people had reelected Gov. Buckingham by a
handsome
majority in April, and chosen a legislature of which
the senate was unanimously Republican, and the house was
made
up of 195 Republicans and 56 Democrats. During 1862
the state expended for war purposes $1,866,097. By Nov. 1,
1862
it had furnished 28,551 men for the volunteer army, con-
sisting of twenty-seven regiments of infantry, one regiment of
heavy artillery, two batteries of light artillery, one squadron and
one battalion of cavalry. At its regular session
in May, 1862,
the legislature revised and modified the militia law of the previous
year, which now divided the able-bodied
males of the state be-
tween the ages of 18 and 45 years, save for the usual exemptions,
into two classes -- the active
and the inactive militia -- the former
to consist of all the volunteer companies then organized, or to be
organized,
armed and equipped by the state and paid a per diem
of $2 together with mileage; the latter to be composed of all
other
able-bodied persons not exempt, to be enrolled and (except
minors) to pay a commutation tax of $1 per annum, but to be
called into service only in case of rebellion or invasion of the state,
when they were liable to be drafted by the
commander-in-chief
(the governor) to fill up the ranks of the active militia. The
law was by no means perfect and
considerable complaint arose
in regard to it.
When the above mentioned call of July was issued, enthusias-
tic war-meetings
were again the order of the day. Each town
was now called upon for its proper quota and under the liberal
bounties
offered recruiting went on very rapidly. The small
towns exerted themselves to equal the liberality of the larger
ones,
Bloomfield and Watertown going so far as to offer $250
per man. In the intense rivalry between the towns to fill their
quotas under this call and the succeeding one in August, and
thereby escape resort to the dreaded draft, the smaller
and poorer
towns were outmatched by the large, wealthy ones. In many
particulars the whole bounty system resulted
in great wrong and
injustice, though it was deemed necessary under the imperious
demands of the period. Connecticut
was the first to fill its quota
under the July call, furnishing 9,195 men. It thus had a large
surplus to spare, which
materially aided in the work of filling
the quota under the call of August. While the state was strain-
ing every
nerve to promptly fill its July quota, came the call of
Aug. 4, 1862, for 300,000 militia for nine months' service. Con-
necticut's quota was again 7,145 and the men were to be drafted.
From the beginning to the end of the war, both the
state and local
authorities labored strenuously to avoid the draft, and were in
the
main successful. Under these two calls of July and August,
the state raised and equipped in less than five months, 14,797
men. The 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st infantry, and
the 2nd cavalry (originally recruited as the 19th
infantry) were
three years' regiments and all had left the state by the middle of
September. The 22nd, 23d, 24th,
25th, 26th and 27th were nine
months' regiments, all of which had been mustered into the U. S.
service and left for
the scene of war by Nov. 20, 1862. In addi-
tion, a large number of recruits had been enlisted and gone
forward to
fill the depleted ranks of the regiments in the field.
There had also been organized under the three years' call of
July
the 2nd light battery, which left the state for Washington on
Oct. 15, 1862. The July regiments were of unusually fine
mate-
rial, and had on their rolls many of the finest names in the state.
Did space permit it would be a pleasure
to enumerate the names
of many of those distinguished for their heroism and patriotic
and disinterested services.
The fame of one man -- a private in
the 17th -- spread throughout the state. This was Elias Howe,
Jr., of Fairfield
county. One of the richest and most patriotic
men in the state, prevented by chronic lameness from the per-
formance
of ordinary duties, he nevertheless served as the regi-
mental postmaster and expressman throughout its term of service.
When the regimental pay was in arrears for four months, he gave
his personal check for $31,000 to the government,
or for half
the sum then due the regiment. This is but one of many noble
instances of private generosity. With the
exception of the State
of Iowa, Connecticut was the first state to fill her full quota under
the two calls of July
and Aug., 1862. Some resort to the draft
was made to fill the quota of nine months' men, but in most
places it was
escaped. Hartford drafted 421 men; but in New
Haven, the deficiency was made up by volunteers, just before the
dreaded
moment arrived when the draft was to begin, $1,200
having been collected from the patriotic citizens to aid in raising
the full quota. Slight opposition was offered to the draft in
Fairfield and Newtown, but the disorders were soon quelled.
Altogether, 1,212 men were drafted, but of these only 218, of
whom 142 were substitutes, were mustered into the U.
S. service,
81 deserted after reaching camp, 623 were exempted by the exam-
iners, 10 had previously volunteered,
34 were not subject to
military duty, and 166 were unaccounted for. Volunteers
eventually made up the number needed,
which, on the whole, was
fortunate, as many of the conscripts made poor soldiers and were
not popular in the ranks
of the volunteers. Many of them be-
longed to the despised class of "bounty- jumpers," enlisting only
to secure the
reward and then desert.
The cost of raising and equipping this large body of troops
had drained
the treasury and the governor called a special ses-
sion of the legislature, which met in Hartford on Dec. 9, 1862.
The
governor's message stated the inefficiency of the draft;
again called attention to the defects of the militia law; advocated
the extension of the suffrage to the soldiers in the field; recom-
mended that the state bonds be issued for a definite
number of
years; and that the towns be authorized to issue bonds. There
was a total state indebtedness of $1,338,553
to be provided for
and the legislature authorized a loan of $2,000,000, taken in
Feb., 1863, at a premium of 12 per
cent. The militia law
was again modified and an act was passed authorizing the soldiers
in the field to vote, a law
which the state supreme court subse-
quently declared to be unconstitutional.
The vote for governor in the spring of 1863 gave Bucking-
ham a majority
of over 2,500 over his Democratic opponent,
Thomas H. Seymour. The strength of the opposition to the
war policy had
been much increased by the disasters to the Union
arms in 1862, and party lines, nearly obliterated at the beginning
of
the war, were again closely drawn. Many soldiers home on
furlough at the time of the election strengthened the majority
of the war party. The disastrous battle of Chancellorsville in-
creased the outcry against the continuance of the
war, and the
spring of 1863 was the darkest period of the struggle. The
gloom was soon to be dispelled, however, by
the great victories
achieved at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, both decisive events, and
marking the turning point of the
war.
During the summer of 1863 occurred the principal draft of
the war in
Connecticut, in conformity to a law passed by Con-
gress the previous winter. The final returns of this draft show
that
2,276 conscripts and substitutes were held to serve, and
1,252 paid commutation of $300 each -- amounting in all to $375,-
600. Every inducement was made to secure volunteers. The
national government offered in July a bounty of $402; the
state
a bounty of $30 per annum, and if the volunteer was married,
$6 a month to the wife, and $2 to each child under
14 years old;
while liberal bounties were also paid by the several towns and
cities. Under the calls of Oct. 17, 1863,
and Feb. 1, 1864, for
500,000 men for three years, the quota of the state was 7,919,
and she was credited with a total
of 11,839 men, 1,513 of whom
paid commutation. Under the liberal inducements offered the
soldiers in the field to
reenlist for another term of three years,
both by bounty and furlough, 2,850 Connecticut men reenlisted.
The legislature, which convened in extra session in Nov.,
1863, enacted
that each colored volunteer should be paid out of
the state treasury such sum as should make his monthly pay
equal to
the amount received from the United States by other
volunteers from Connecticut, and gave him an allowance of $3.50
per
month in addition, for clothing. Every man securing a vol-
unteer was to receive $10, and $200,000 was appropriated for
this purpose. Another act provided for the payment of $300
bounty to each volunteer, in addition to all previous sums
ordered,
and appropriated $1,800,000 for the purpose.
Recruiting for the 29th (colored) infantry began in Aug.,
1863, but
most of the men enlisted during the last three months
of the year and the regiment was finally mustered in on March
8;
1864. Recruiting for the 30th (colored) infantry began in
Jan., 1864, but such was the need for men at the front, that
when
only four companies were organized, it was sent to the front on
June 4, and consolidated with other companies
to form the 31st
regiment U. S. (colored) infantry. The last organization formed
in the state was the 3d light battery,
an independent body of
artillerymen which embraced many veterans, and which was
recruited during the summer and early
fall of 1864. The state
provided additional bounties for troops required in any future
requisitions and an amendment
to the constitution was adopted
permitting soldiers in the field and absent from the state to vote.
Connecticut was never called upon to furnish her assignment
under the
call of Dec. 19, 1864, for 300,000 men, as she then had
a large surplus to her credit. According to the statistician,
Phis-
terer, the total quotas of the state during the war amounted to
44,797, while she sent to the army a total of
54,349, and 1,515
paid commutation. She thus furnished a surplus of 11,067 men.
As there were only 80,000 voters in
the state at this period, she
contributed nearly seven-tenths of her voting strength. These
54,000 men were distributed
among twenty-eight regiments of
infantry, two regiments and three batteries of artillery, and one
regiment and one
squadron of cavalry. As already noted, she
also furnished one squadron of cavalry which was included,
despite promises
to the contrary, in the N. Y. Harris light cavalry
and credited to that state. The above enumeration likewise fails
to
include over 2,000 men from Connecticut who enlisted in the
U. S. navy, as well as large numbers who served in the regular
army and in the regiments of other states. The total expenses
of the war to the state, exclusive of private contributions
and
indirect losses, both very large, was $6,623,580. The largest
expenditures among the cities were made by New Haven,
and
Hartford was second. The 1st regiment heavy artillery was
longest in service, 4 years and 4 months; the 13th infantry
was
second, 4 years and 3 months; and the 8th and nth next, with
4 years and 2 months, and 4 years and 1 month, respectively.
Fifty-two
of the generals in the several armies of the Union were
actual residents of the state, and many others were Connecticut
born.
A revised list of the casualties of Connecticut troops during
the war
shows that the losses in killed, wounded, missing, cap-
tured, and died of disease and in prison, amounted to 20,573,
of whom 209 were officers. This was more than one-fourth of the
voters of the state. The 14th infantry suffered the
greatest loss,
with a casualty list of 1,467, of whom 188 were killed or mortally
wounded and 552 wounded. The total
number of men killed or
mortally wounded in battle in the volunteer organizations was
1,981. The total number who
died of disease was 2,801. The
9th infantry, which was sent south as a part of Butler's expedi-
tion for the capture
of New Orleans, and was wretchedly equip-
ped, suffered the greatest loss from disease -- 218 men; the 5th
and 18th
infantry show the smallest losses from this source,
losing 63 and 48 men respectively.
As the war dragged its weary length along the ranks of the
regiments
in the field became sadly depleted and the labor of
satisfying the constant demands of the government for more men
became
ever more and more difficult. Fortunately the state
eventually secured credit, under the amendment to the enrollment
act,
approved July 4, 1864, for all men who had enlisted, or who
should thereafter enlist in the navy, the men to be credited
to the
locality from which they enlisted. At the end of July a commis-
sion was appointed, consisting of Col. F. D.
Sewall, on behalf
of the United States, and Robert Coit, Jr., of New London, on
behalf of the state, to pass upon
the claim of the state for credit
for naval enlistments. After an exhaustive investigation Col.
Sewall passed to the
credit of the state 1,804 enlistments prior
to the passage of the act by Congress, and 339 enlistments in the
navy
were subsequently credited. Some slight benefit was also
derived from the act of Congress, approved July 4, 1864, pro-
viding that the governors of the loyal states might send agents
into the rebellious states to recruit troops. Six
principal points
of rendezvous for recruiting purposes were accordingly estab-
lished by the war department: Camp
Casey, Washington, D. C.,
"Fortress Monroe, Va., New Berne N. C, Hilton Head, S. C,
Vicksburg, Miss., and Nashville,
Tenn. Almost no results were
secured at Washington, Vicksburg and Nashville, but a total of
1,144 recruits were secured
at the other stations. The act grant-
ing authority to recruit in the South was repealed in Feb., 1865.
Before the war had lasted many months it began to be
realized that it would not be soon ended. The casualties from
death
and disease among the soldiers at the front grew in volume
and the patriotic citizens of Connecticut exerted themselves
to afford every aid and comfort possible to the soldier boys.
To this end various relief associations and agencies
were estab-
lished and before long the habit of the people exerted itself in
systematized effort to provide relief
in every possible way. At
the very outset, the sons of Connecticut residing in New York
provided rooms where the soldiers
could secure substantial
meals and other needed comforts. Robert H. McCurdy was the
president of the New York relief
agency; W. H. Oilman, treas-
urer; and Charles Gould, secretary. This agency continued to
exert itself throughout
the war. From the very outset the patri-
otic people at home, old and young, the women and the incapaci-
tated, exerted
themselves to supply necessaries and comforts for
those who had gone to the front. Everything that could be trans-
ported
to the field was sent and there was scarcely a household
that failed to do its share. Especially were efforts made to
cheer
the soldiers with bountiful supplies at Thanksgiving and Christ-
mas time. During the early months, while the
regiments were
still stationed near Washington, supplies were forwarded semi-
weekly by Craw & Martin, and later
by J. M. Crofut, under the
name of the Connecticut Troops Express. Afterward, when the
U. S. sanitary and Christian
commissions were organized, the
State cooperated fully and gladly in their famous work of relief.
Everything, from
sheets, shirts and needle-books, to arm-slings,
bandages, medicines, jellies, pickles and pies was contributed and
a
constant stream of gifts flowed out from the state. Great
sanitary fairs were held, and money was thus raised to secure
stores of sanitary supplies, on which the many army hospitals
might draw in times of need.
One of the most noteworthy relief agencies was started in a
small way,
in Oct., 1861, by Alfred Walker of New Haven.
Having announced through the newspapers that he would re-
ceive, pack
and forward any contributions for the sanitary
commission, the work soon grew to such proportions that in a
year the
value of the boxes forwarded was estimated at $25,000.
He had forwarded 371 boxes to the commission and 44 to Con-
necticut
regiments, the supplies having been secured from all
parts of the state. Mr. Walker not only devoted his own time
to
the work, but also made use of his own store as an office,
and donated the services of his clerks, assisted by a number
of
noble-minded ladies in keeping the accounts and packing the
boxes. In order to minimize expenses in every possible
way,
he secured free transportation by boat to New York, where the
government took charge of the freight and sent it on to Wash-
ington.
This benevolent and well systematized agency, once
started, was continued in perfect running order, and in all the
large
towns and cities the women organized soldiers' aid societies,
which played an important part in supplying the soldiers
with
necessities and even luxuries. Individuals, churches and socie-
ties obligated themselves for stated sums of
money, in order that
the good work might go on. The aid societies in the larger
cities thoroughly systematized their
work by means of committees
and the relief work was carried on with the method of regular
business. As an illustration
of the volume of work done by the
women of the state in aid of the sanitary commission, it is re-
corded that "One
lady in New Haven, Mrs. James D. Dana,
during two years, superintended in her house the cutting out of
7,000 shirts
and pairs of drawers; while Mrs. William A. Norton,
the wife of Prof. Norton of the Sheffield scientific school, with
his full consent, devoted all her time to the work of corresponding
secretary, and was in communication with 100 places,
including
New Haven." Nor were the wants of the soldiers neglected in
regard to reading matter, numerous regimental
libraries being
supplied. When the Rev. Edward Ashley Walker, chaplain of
the 4th regiment wrote home for a chapel
tent, he was provided
with a fine, large one, used as a gathering place for the men to
hold religious services until
finally appropriated to the uses of an
army hospital. Moreover, in the work of caring for the soldiers
of the state,
the unflagging zeal and interest of Gov. Buckingham
and of Adjt.-Gen. Morse and their able staff of assistants must
not
be forgotten. The judgment with which the officers of the
various organizations of the state were selected and the knowl-
edge displayed in sending forth the regiments equipped to take
care of themselves in the field, is especially to be
commended.
The general records of the Connecticut volunteer force in the
office of the adjutant-general was kept in
admirable shape. Full
records of the services of each man, as far as possible, were
kept, including enlistment papers,
muster-in and descriptive rolls,
muster-out rolls, etc. Opposite each name was entered all in-
formation to be obtained
regarding him from regimental rolls
and returns, from hospital and prison reports, or from any other
official source.
This office further rendered great assistance to
discharged volunteers and the relatives of those deceased in ob-
taining
from the general government the arrears of bounty, back
pay and pensions due them, and after the close of the war con-
tinued the work to good advantage, thereby sawing them the
fees of agents.
After April 13, 1865, it was ordered that no more men be
enlisted, and by proclamation of the governor on April 17, state
bounties
were ordered no longer paid. Immediately after the
order stopping further enlistments, the work of disbanding the
troops
began. The men were mustered out of service, sent to
their respective states, paid off and discharged with an ease,
rapidity
and facility second only to the promptness and zeal with
which the volunteers first sprang to arms in behalf of their
country. The torn and battle-stained flags borne by the brave
sons of Connecticut are now in the cherished custody
of the
state, and the memory of the glorious deeds of the men will
live forever.
With many of her sons inured to a seafaring life and with
her miles
of exposed sea coast, it is but natural to expect a large
degree of interest in the U. S. navy on the part of Connecticut.
As she is justly proud of the record of her soldier sons, so may
she point with pride to the honorable achievements
of her
sailors during the War of the Rebellion. Mention has already
been made of the fact that one of her sturdiest
and most honest
citizens, Gideon Welles of Hartford, held the portfolio of the
navy throughout the period of the war
and was ever the trusted
and able adviser of President Lincoln. So, too, it fell to the
lot of Connecticut to furnish
many naval officers of high rank,
distinguished for their valor and services. Among others, the
state gave to the
navy Rear-Adm. Francis H. Gregory; Commo-
dores John and C. R. P. Rodgers, R. B. Hitchcock and Andrew
Hull Foote,
the last named afterward an admiral; Lieut.-
Comdrs. Henry C. White, Edward Terry and Francis M. Bunce,
the last named
also to achieve the rank of admiral. The gallant
and intrepid Foote, a native of New Haven and for a time com-
mander
of the famous Cumberland, was one of the lamented
martyrs of the war. His honored name is indelibly associated
with
the first great Union success on inland waters -- the capture
of Forts Henry and Donelson -- and his second great work,
undertaken in conjunction with the army -- the reduction of the
strong works of Island No. 10 -- was a highly important
one in
the great problem of opening the Mississippi. Promoted to
admiral for his notable services, he was preparing
to take com-
mand of the South Atlantic squadron, when he died in New
York, June 26, 1863, worn out by his labors
and much enfeebled
by a severe wound. Nor should the unique service rendered by
another son of Connecticut, Cornelius
S. Bushnell, be forgotten.
It was largely due to his splendid enthusiasm and untiring efforts,
to his ability to grasp
the significance of a work of genius, to
his fine zeal in enlisting the halting cooperation of the authorities
at
Washington, and finally to his patriotic assistance in the work
of private individuals, that gave to the inventor Ericsson
his
opportunity and secured for the government the Monitor. Only
those who lived through that period of crisis when
the great
iron-clad Merrimac was performing its work of devastation, can
adequately conceive the relief felt when
the "little cheese-box on
a raft" met and conquered the hope of the Confederacy. All
honor to Ericsson, the man of
genius, but all honor also to the
man who devoted his best efforts
to the work, and finally induced
a reluctant naval board to give Ericsson a hearing. In the light
of after events,
the world speedily forgot that the wonder-working
craft was built and launched in the face of the utmost discourage-
ment and even under constant official protest.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 1
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