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                                HISTORY

                                OF THE

                         THIRTY-SIXTH REGIMENT

                       MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS.

                              1862-1865.


                   _BY A COMMITTEE OF THE REGIMENT._

                                BOSTON:
                   PRESS OF ROCKWELL AND CHURCHILL.
                            89 ARCH STREET.
                                 1884.

                                  TO

                             Our Comrades

                                OF THE

                _THIRTY-SIXTH MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS_

                  THIS RECORD OF A COMMON EXPERIENCE

                                  IS

                      _AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED_.

    _Ah, never shall the land forget_
      _How gushed the life-blood of her brave,--_
    _Gushed, warm with hope and courage yet,--_
      _Upon the soil they sought to save._

    _Now all is calm, and fresh, and still;_
      _Alone the chirp of flitting bird,_
    _And talk of children on the hill,_
      _And bell of wand'ring kine, are heard._

    _No solemn host goes trailing by,_
      _The black-mouthed gun and stag'ring wain;_
    _Men start not at the battle-cry;_
      _Oh, be it never heard again!_

                                  --WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.




PREFACE.


Not long after the close of the war a plan was proposed, by some of
the officers of the regiment, for the preparation of a history of the
Thirty-sixth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers; but the plan was
not carried into execution. At the regimental reunions, in subsequent
years, parts of such a history were read by Comrades White, Ranlett,
and Hodgkins, and the desire for a complete history of the regiment,
which found expression on these occasions, was so strong that, at the
reunion of the regiment at Worcester, in September, 1876, a committee,
consisting of Comrades White, Ranlett, Burrage, and Hodgkins, was
appointed to procure materials for a history of the regiment.

Some progress was made by the committee in the performance of the
work thus assigned to them; but it was not so great as they, or their
comrades of the Thirty-sixth, desired. At the reunion, September 2,
1879, the matter was again considered, and it was finally voted, "that
Comrades White, Ranlett, Hodgkins, Burrage, and Noyes, be chosen a
committee to have charge of the compiling, revising, and printing the
history of the regiment, to be ready for delivery at our next reunion;
and that the committee have power to procure any help they may need."

Many difficulties were encountered in the progress of the work, and it
was found that it would be impossible to prepare, within the limit of
time prescribed, such a history as would be worthy of the regiment. The
different members of the committee, amid the activities of busy lives,
could give to the work only such intervals of leisure as they could
find amid their daily tasks. At the annual reunions of 1880, 1881, and
1882,--testing the patience of their comrades who had entrusted to them
this important task,--they were compelled to report progress only. In
September, 1883,--the last reunion,--however, they were able to say
that the work was already in press, and would be ready for delivery in
the course of a few weeks.

In the table of contents will be found the names of the authors of
the different chapters. The work of Comrades White, Ranlett, Olin,
and Noyes, entitles them to the hearty thanks of all their companions
in arms. Especially, however, are such thanks due to Comrade W. H.
Hodgkins, not only for his own contribution to the history, but
also for his careful attention to the innumerable details which the
preparation of such a work required. Indeed, without his unwearied
endeavors in gathering materials, securing the coöperation of others,
and attending to the business of publication, the history would not so
soon, and might never, have been completed.

To the writer of these lines was assigned the editorial supervision
of the work. From the materials placed in his hands he arranged the
history of the regiment as it now appears. Two proofs of the entire
work have passed under his eye, and in this part of his task he has had
the invaluable assistance of Major Hodgkins. The history, of course,
is not free from errors of statement; and it will doubtless be found
that there are omissions which the writers of the different chapters,
as well as their comrades, will deeply deplore. Yet, with all its
imperfections, this volume is believed to be substantially a faithful
history of the part which the regiment had in the great conflict for
the preservation of the National Union, which was waged during the
years 1862-1865; and, as such, it is certainly a history of which all
those who participated in it may well be proud.

                                                                 H. S. B.
  PORTLAND, ME., Sept. 26, 1883.




CONTENTS.


  CHAPTER I.                                                        PAGE

  ORGANIZATION OF THE REGIMENT.--ALONZO A. WHITE                    1-10


  CHAPTER II.

  TO THE FRONT.--ALONZO A. WHITE                                   11-18


  CHAPTER III.

  IN VIRGINIA.--ALONZO A. WHITE                                    19-36


  CHAPTER IV.

  THE KENTUCKY CAMPAIGN.--S. ALONZO RANLETT                        37-48


  CHAPTER V.

  IN THE REAR OF VICKSBURG.--S. ALONZO RANLETT                     49-57


  CHAPTER VI.

  THE MOVEMENT ON JACKSON.--S. ALONZO RANLETT                      58-72


  CHAPTER VII.

  THE RETURN TO KENTUCKY.--S. ALONZO RANLETT                       73-78


  CHAPTER VIII.

  IN EAST TENNESSEE.--S. ALONZO RANLETT                            79-87


  CHAPTER IX.

  THE RETREAT FROM LENOIR'S AND THE BATTLE OF CAMPBELL'S
  STATION.--HENRY S. BURRAGE                                      88-100


  CHAPTER X.

  THE SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE.--HENRY S. BURRAGE                      101-122


  CHAPTER XI.

  SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS IN EAST TENNESSEE.--HENRY S. BURRAGE     123-134


  CHAPTER XII.

  REORGANIZATION.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                           135-145


  CHAPTER XIII.

  IN THE WILDERNESS.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                        146-159


  CHAPTER XIV.

  AT SPOTTSYLVANIA.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                         160-177


  CHAPTER XV.

  ON THE NORTH ANNA AND THE PAMUNKEY.--WILLIAM H.
  HODGKINS                                                       178-187


  CHAPTER XVI.

  AT COLD HARBOR.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                           188-200


  CHAPTER XVII.

  THE MOVEMENT ON PETERSBURG.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS               201-215


  CHAPTER XVIII.

  IN THE TRENCHES.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                          216-222


  CHAPTER XIX.

  DIARY OF THE SIEGE.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                       223-232


  CHAPTER XX.

  THE MINE AFFAIR.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                          233-241


  CHAPTER XXI.

  THE SIEGE CONTINUED.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                      242-252


  CHAPTER XXII.

  IN THE PINES.--EDMUND W. NOYES                                 253-257


  CHAPTER XXIII.

  THE ACTION AT PEGRAM FARM.--EDMUND W. NOYES                    258-265


  CHAPTER XXIV.

  AGAIN IN THE TRENCHES.--EDMUND W. NOYES                        266-275


  CHAPTER XXV.

  IN WINTER QUARTERS.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                       276-281


  CHAPTER XXVI.

  THE FINAL ASSAULT AT PETERSBURG.--WILLIAM M. OLIN              282-291


  CHAPTER XXVII.

  CLOSING SCENES.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                           292-311


  CHAPTER XXVIII.

  CONCLUSION.--WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                               312-315


  ROSTER AND RECORD OF THE THIRTY-SIXTH REGIMENT OF
  MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS, COMPILED AND CORRECTED
  BY WILLIAM H. HODGKINS                                             316

  RECAPITULATION                                                     385

  NAMES OF MEMBERS OF THE REGIMENT WHO DIED IN REBEL
  PRISONS                                                            386

  NARRATIVE OF ISRAEL H. SMITH                                       387

  INDEX                                                              391

                         THIRTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
                       MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS.




CHAPTER I.

ORGANIZATION OF THE REGIMENT.


Early in July, 1862, when the war of the rebellion had been in progress
a little more than a year, President Lincoln issued an order for three
hundred thousand volunteers, to serve three years, or during the war.
It was a time of sore discouragement and general depression throughout
the loyal States. Our army in Virginia, under General McClellan, during
a seven days' fight near the Chickahominy, had met with such reverses
that it had been compelled to "make a change of base," and fall back
to the James river, near Harrison's Landing. Nobly, however, and
cheerfully, did the people of the North respond to the President's call
for reinforcements. On every hand was heard the chorus:--

"We're coming, Father Abraham, three hundred thousand more."

Massachusetts was not behind her sister States in raising her quota,
which was fifteen thousand men. In a general order, dated July 7, 1862,
Governor Andrew announced the call which had been made upon him by the
President, stated the number of men which every city and town would
be required to furnish, and closed with these words: "The government
demands new regiments, and our brave men who have so nobly upheld
the honor of Massachusetts call loudly from the battle-fields of the
South to their brethren at home to come forward at once and fill their
decimated ranks, and take the places of the brave men who have fallen
and suffered in the cause of the Union and of American Constitutional
Liberty." Like the blast of a trumpet this order stirred the hearts
of the people in all parts of the state, and cities and towns vied
with each other, in patriotic endeavors to hurry forward the work of
enlistment.

A subsequent order, dated July 16, 1862, containing instructions
relative to the new recruitment, designated Camp John E. Wool, at
the city of Worcester, as the general rendezvous for the counties of
Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester. Colonel George
H. Ward, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts Volunteers, who had lost a
leg at the battle of Ball's Bluff, and was now at home on account of
disability, was placed in command of the camp.

The order of July 7th contained this announcement: "The new regiments
now partly formed, and to be formed, are the Thirty-second,
Thirty-third, Thirty-fourth, Thirty-fifth, Thirty-sixth, and
Thirty-seventh. To complete these regiments to the maximum standard,
the Thirty-second regiment requires 300 men; the Thirty-third, 650
men; the Thirty-fourth, 800 men; and the Thirty-fifth, 850 men." It
was accordingly ordered that recruiting for the Thirty-sixth and
Thirty-seventh regiments should not commence until the four first named
were filled. The order, however, was not strictly observed.

The first detachment for the Thirty-sixth entered Camp Wool August 1st,
and was a part of the quota of the town of Fitchburg. This detachment
consisted of sixty-four men, under the command of Captain T. L. Barker.
Recruits for the regiment had been received at Camp Wool previous to
August 1st; but this was the first organized company in camp, and, in
the organization of the regiment, it was assigned to the right of
the line, and known as Company A. As early as August 6th this company
had its minimum number of recruits; and, in a few days, others, from
Fitchburg, Leominster, and adjacent towns, raised the number to the
maximum.

Company B, Captain John B. Norton, was recruited in Charlestown during
the month of July. It was at first intended that this company should
be attached to the Thirty-fourth Regiment as a flank company, and
the officers at first received commissions in that regiment; but the
requisite authority for such a company could not be obtained at the
War Department, and the company was transferred to the Thirty-sixth,
and the officers recommissioned. For a time, very naturally, it was
a disappointment to the members of this company that they could not
remain in the Thirty-fourth; but of the survivors there is, doubtless,
not one who is not satisfied that the record of the company was made
with the Thirty-sixth.

Recruiting for Company C was commenced in the city of Worcester, August
8th, and on the 12th the company was full. Eight days after, under the
command of Captain Arthur A. Goodell, the company entered Camp Wool. No
other company in the regiment was raised in so brief a space of time.

Company D was recruited principally in the towns of Templeton and
Winchendon. The first detachment entered Camp Wool, August 4, under the
command of Captain Amos Buffum, of Baldwinville, late second lieutenant
in the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers. In a few days the ranks
of this company were full.

The men of Company E were recruited from the towns of Palmer, Monson,
and the western towns of Worcester County. The first detachment entered
Camp Wool, August 10th, under the command of First Lieutenant R. M.
Cross. Captain S. C. Warriner, who had been discharged from the Tenth
Massachusetts Volunteers, in order to accept a captain's commission
in the Thirty-sixth, arrived in camp about the 20th of August, and
assumed command of the company, and completed its organization.

Company F was formed principally of recruits from Milford and vicinity,
with a detachment from Sutton. The first detachment arrived at Camp
Wool August 10th, under the command of Second Lieutenant A. S. Tuttle.
He remained in command of the company until September 17, when Captain
William F. Draper, promoted from first lieutenant in the Twenty-fifth
Massachusetts Volunteers, joined the regiment then in the field, and
assumed command of the company.

Company G was organized from unassigned recruits, representing the
eastern towns of Worcester County. S. Henry Bailey, of Northboro', was
commissioned captain of the company August 22d.

Company H was formed by adding to the quotas of Gardner and Orange
the unassigned recruits then in camp; and Christopher Sawyer, of
Templeton, who had entered Camp Wool as first sergeant of Company D,
was commissioned captain of this company August 22d.

Company I was recruited in Berlin, Marlboro', Upton, Uxbridge, and
adjoining towns, and entered Camp Wool in the early part of August,
under the command of Captain Christopher Hastings, of Berlin. The
company was filled to the maximum a few days after entering camp.
Indeed, Captain Hastings recruited men enough nearly to fill two
companies.

Company K, like G and H, was formed of unassigned recruits from the
various towns whose quotas reported at Camp Wool. James B. Smith, late
first lieutenant in the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers, was
commissioned captain of the company.

On the 27th of August these ten companies, constituting the
Thirty-sixth Massachusetts Volunteers, having completed their
organization, were mustered into the United States service, for three
years, unless sooner discharged.

The field, staff, and line officers were not mustered into the service
until September 2d, the day the regiment left Camp Wool for the seat of
war. Indeed, for the most part, the field officers were not appointed
until after the mustering in of the regiment.

Lieutenant-Colonel John W. Kimball, of Fitchburg, then serving in the
Fifteenth Regiment,--a true and accomplished officer,--was commissioned
colonel of the Thirty-sixth, August 11th, and application was made
by Governor Andrew for his discharge from the Fifteenth, in order to
accept promotion. But, in the critical state of affairs at that time,
it was not deemed advisable by the authorities at Washington to grant
the governor's request. Consequently, on the 22d of August, Major Henry
Bowman, of the Thirty-fourth regiment, then at Camp Casey, on Arlington
Heights, was promoted to the colonelcy of the Thirty-sixth; and,
receiving his discharge from the Thirty-fourth, he at once joined his
command at Camp Wool.

Captain John B. Norton, of Charlestown, who entered Camp Wool as
captain of Company B, was commissioned lieutenant-colonel, August 28th,
and on the same day, James H. Barker, of Milford, was commissioned
major.

James P. Prince, of Lynn, was commissioned surgeon, with Warren
Tyler, of North Brookfield, and Albert H. Bryant, of Natick, as
assistant-surgeons. Rev. Charles T. Canfield, of Worcester, was
commissioned chaplain, and F. B. Rice, also of Worcester, as first
lieutenant and quartermaster. An adjutant was not appointed until a
later date.

The regiment was now nearly ready for the field. Most of the men had
been hurried into camp, with the promise of a few days' furlough
before leaving the State. Many of them had left their business affairs
