tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59780766229139076522024-03-13T04:37:35.802-07:00Three Month MenHistory of the 1st Connecticut Volunteer Regiment in the American Civil WarBill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-66053837771762103342011-06-12T22:55:00.000-07:002011-06-12T23:03:11.010-07:00Week 8 - June 10th - June 16th,1861 - First Blood/ Encampment at Roaches Mills VirginiaThis was a fairly slow week for the 1st Connecticut Regiment, although it did culminate in their first war casualty. The week involved some activity with the Colonel and mainly telegraph line work and railroad reconnaissance. Note that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Big_Bethel">Battle of Big Bethel</a> took place on June 10th, and although the 1st Connecticut was not involved several of the members made notes of this battle in their correspondence. <br />
<br />
Private Wolcott Marsh (Rifle Company A) visited the Marshall House in Alexandria on June 15th and noted that the wooden stairway where Elmer Ellsworth had been killed was cut away by Union troops as souvenirs (Mercer and Mercer, 2006). Private Horace Purdy also mentions this in a letter and sends a piece of the stairway to his wife. Unfortunately the current location of this momento is unknown.<br />
<br />
From the journal of Private Horace Purdy:<br />
<br />
<strong>Monday, June 10th 1861</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
The Colonel (Burnham) drunk. He abused Sgt. [<em>Milo</em>] Dickens shamefully at the morning drill without any cause at all. The difficulty was with him and not the Sgt. I went on picket guard this morning for the first time. My watch was brought from Washington it having been there to be repaired. The Stars + Stripes were hoisted in camp today. Governor Buckingham has been here and reviewed us.<br />
<br />
<em>[Note: Some accounts state that Burnham suffered from a neurological disorder than made him appear as drunk in the eyes of observers. Although the letters of Wolcott Marsh note on June 16th that the "Boys are getting disgusted with Colonel Burnham. Some companies starting petition to have him removed".]</em><br />
<br />
<strong>Tuesday, June 11th 1861</strong><br />
<br />
Hard thunder + lightening [sic] last night but to shower passed over without any rain here. I came off picket guard feeling a little tired but otherwise I felt good. I commenced a letter to Gussie. I received one from her and one from Harriet N. York.<br />
<br />
<strong>Wednesday, June 12th 1861</strong><br />
<br />
Our drills are changed to earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon. We drill now from 8 ½ to 10 ½ O’clock AM. And from 4 to 6 o’clock P.M. The day has been very warm. An engine with two cars passed our camp at 7 pm going towards Alexandria with an escort of soldiers on board. This is the first train that has run over the road since we have been encamped here.<br />
<br />
<strong>Thursday, June 13th 1861</strong><br />
<br />
Capt. [<em>Eliakim</em>] Wildman acted as Lieut Col and drilled the right wing of the regiment this forenoon. Lieut Stevens went with a party of us to bathe at 11 o’clock. We were obliged to have a commissioned officer with us in order to pass the guard. [<em>Private Benjamin F.</em>] Skinner got mad about a bed in the eve and left the tent. It has been a beautiful day.<br />
<br />
<strong>Sunday, June 16th 1861</strong><br />
<br />
About 400 of our regiment headed by Gen Tyler went up the railroad to reconnoiter. While I with a detailed party was at work putting up telegraph poles and wire. One of the platform cars filled with our soldiers was fired into near Vienna and seriously wounded one of Capt. Comstock’s Co. Busbee [<a href="http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~npmelton/sacbug.htm"><em>Private</em> <em>George H. Bugbey of Hartford, CT, Infantry Company A</em></a>] by name. One of our scouts were we were at work on the telegraph saw some men setting fire to the track between us and the train which had gone up. Frank Platt and myself rolled a hand car down to camp as soon as possible to get men to go up and drive then off. But when we got up there they had left without doing any damage. So we had our trouble for nothing. We saw some men ahead up the track just on the edge of a piece of woods which we thought to be the enemy but they proved to be our own. In a short time the train came down with the wounded man with the west. Some of us took the train and others of us took the handcar and went in to camp.Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-26176436533069263002011-04-24T21:26:00.000-07:002011-04-24T21:26:13.832-07:00Camp Life in May 1861 - Pvt. Philip Hudson, Infantry Company A, 1st Connecticut VolunteersPrivate Philip W. Hudson of Manchester Connecticut enlisted in Infantry Company A of the 1st Connecticut Volunteer Regiment on April 20th, 1861.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.newsinhistory.com/blog/letter-home-connecticut-yankee-describes-daily-life-civil-war-camp">Here is a post of a letter he wrote home from Virginia on May 17th, 1861.</a> It provides good details of the regimen of camp life at this time.Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-19385192433004232552011-04-15T22:00:00.000-07:002011-04-15T22:16:52.632-07:00Week 7 - June 3rd - June 9th 1861 - Encampment at Roaches Mills Virginia<strong>Now advanced into Virginia, it was still a fairly uneventful week for the 1st Connecticut volunteers despite a few alarms and the capturing of a prisoner. Conditions at camp appear to be fairly bad. Captain Wolcott Marsh complained to his wife that the food was not decent for a hog to eat and that he would not reenlist under the current Colonel [<em>Burnham</em>] (Mercer and Mercer, 2006). Private William Cooley noted that he had a bed tick but no straw to put in it. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>In a letter to his wife Pvt. Horace Purdy wrote that if he didn't by something extra to eat everyday he would not get along and described the fare as "pork and soup one day, and soup and pork the next". Furthermore, on June 8th Purdy reiterates the opinions of Cooley and Marsh: "I am not rugged enough to stand the exposures incident to camp life especially when we are under a Colonel like ours who seems to have but little regard for his men whether they have straw to sleep upon or bread to eat. Since we have been here we have had but little straw (and some have had none at all) to sleep upon. And nothing but hard sea biscuit to eat for bread. Yesterday the old Col. (now Brig. General) came to our camp and when he found out our condition he gave the Col. a severe talking to after this manner. What do you mean? Do you want to kill all my men? What are those two waggons [sic] doing yonder? Send them to the city and get some soft bread for the men. You have been drunk nearly ever since you have been here. If you do not do better you shall forfeit your papers. The General [Tyler] also set to work to have straw brought to the camp and before night three large loads of straw were hauled on the ground and the men scrambled as if for their lives to fill their beds fearing that it would be gone before they could accomplish it".</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>On the 9th he wrote: "Our bread was hard sea biscuit. It is about equal to pine chips and for me about as nourishing. The coffee was also miserable as usual." So obviously not everything in camp life was improved after the chewing out of the Colonel by the General.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Another common occurrence from this point on are rumors of further advance, especially on Fairfax Court House, the closest point defended by the Confederates. With the close proximity of the two opposing forces, the animosity begins to build as can be seen in letters home. On June 4th Purdy wrote: "As near as I can find out I think that we shall start soon for Fairfax where there has been some disturbance with the secessionists. If we go we may have a little brush with the fellows if they do not run as they have done heretofore. I think though that the latter will be the case for we shall not go but with a lean force if we go but with numbers sufficient to make our way through them. The secessionists are full as bad as reports make them out to be. The old fellow who was taken prisoner told the people here at the last election that any person who voted the union ticket he would have them hung the next day. Night before last a party of them went to a Union mans place and took 2 of his horses and drove them away. One of our pickets fired upon one last night but did not hit him. I believe I would shoot one as quick as I would a dog that had stolen my dinner if I should find one and knew him to be such and he should run instead of giving himself up as a prisoner". </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>From the journal of Private Horace Purdy</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Tuesday, June 4th 1861</strong><br />
<br />
An attack expected last night. An extra number of pickets were sent out. 30 more rounds of cartridges were given to each man making in all 40 rounds. We slept on our arms but there was no attack. I took a bath this morning before breakfast. Bought some strawberries for my supper. A brother [<em>Pvt. Adna B. Dean</em>] of Chas. Dean’s, a member of Capt. [<em>John C.</em>] Comstock’s Co. [<em>Company A</em>], came to my tent to see me, Chas. having sent his respects to me through him by letter. <br />
<br />
<strong>Wednesday, June 5th 1861</strong><br />
<br />
More rain. Nothing of importance today.<br />
<br />
<strong>Thursday, June 6th 1861</strong><br />
<br />
I was detailed for guard this morning. Cloudy misty and some rain. It rained very hard during guard mounting. I felt well when I went on duty, but very soon my head began to ache intensely. Was nearly down sick all day but did my duty nevertheless. My post has been at the guard tent over the prisoners, several fellows who have been sent there for punishment.<br />
<br />
<strong>Friday, June 7th 1861</strong><br />
<br />
Had a diarrhea, headache and a lame back this morning and being very tired I took my bed as soon as I came off guard which was about 9 o’clock. I was so sick that I could eat no dinner or supper. Recd a paper from the [<em>Danbury</em>] Times Editor (Osborne) with extracts from my letters in it.<br />
<br />
<strong>Saturday, June 8th 1861</strong><br />
<br />
On the sick list today. I spent the day on my bed, walking around the camp, reading, writing &c., Commenced a letter to Gussie.<br />
<br />
<strong>Sunday, June 9th 1861</strong><br />
<br />
I feel well today. An inspection of arms, equipments, &c., at 9 o’clock. I got a pass for Geo. Allen [<em>Corporal George B. Allen</em>] and myself and we went to a house near the old mill which we use for a hospital to see [<em>Pvt. H. Wellington</em>] Gibbs – [<em>Pvt. William J</em>.] Murphy – Blissard [<em>sic - actually Blizard according to records, this would be Pvt. William H. Blizard who was discharged the following day</em>] and others who are sick [<em>all from Infantry Company E</em>]. We also took a walk and found some strawberries. As we have no chaplain for the Regt. we have had no services today.Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-1731757445292570952011-04-01T22:16:00.000-07:002011-04-01T22:16:07.984-07:00Week 6 - May 27th - June 2nd 1861 - Discord in Camp and the Regiment Finally Advances Into VirginiaThis was a pretty eventful week for the 1st Connecticut, which began with their Colonel, Daniel Tyler, promoted to Brigadier General and <a href="http://www.old-picture.com/civil-war/Connecticut-Burnham-Infantry-Colonel-002.htm">Lt. Colonel George S. Burnham</a> succeding him as Colonel of the Regiment. About this same time (May 28th) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irvin_McDowell">General Irwin McDowell</a> assumed command of the Union Department of Northern Virginia. Private William H. Cooley of Infantry Company H wrote that the regiment was eating poorly because a cook was stealing food and selling it; however, the cook was replaced and the food situation improved. <br />
<br />
The end of the week saw a minor disturbance as the Colonel of the 3rd Connecticut Volunteers, John Arnold, was forced to resign his command on May 29th. He was replaced by Major John L. Chatham of the 1st Connecticut. As a result of this change, Captain John Speidel of Rifle Company B was promoted the Lt. Col. of the regiment and Captain Theodore Byxbee was promoted to Major. <br />
<br />
The next day, following skirmishes at Arlington Mills [Co. E, 1st Michigan Volunteers] and <a href="http://www.mycivilwar.com/battles/610601.htm">Fairfax Courthouse on June 1st</a>, the 1st Connecticut Regiment moved into Virginia and set up camp at Roaches Mills, Virginia. They would not withdraw from Virginia until after the Battle of Bull Run in late July.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T4ORyJwwi0A/TZatfo4MfBI/AAAAAAAAA_I/pZLjq5tiwjg/s1600/Calvary+Charge+at+Fairfax+CourtHouse+May+31+1861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T4ORyJwwi0A/TZatfo4MfBI/AAAAAAAAA_I/pZLjq5tiwjg/s320/Calvary+Charge+at+Fairfax+CourtHouse+May+31+1861.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cavalry Charge at Fairfax Courthouse - <em>Harper’s Weekly</em>, June 15, 1861</td></tr>
</tbody></table><strong>Entries from the journal of Pvt. Horace Purdy:</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Saturday June 1st, 1861</strong><br />
<br />
A disturbance in the <span style="font-family: inherit;">3rd Regt. Capt. Bixbee [<em>Theodore Byxbee - </em>Meriden] and Co. [<em>Infantry Company F</em>] </span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"> </span>were sent over by General Tyler to arrest their Col. [<em>John Arnold - New Haven</em>]. His men rallied around him to prevent his arrest. Our regime<span style="font-family: inherit;">nt were</span> ordered under arms to go over and put a stop to the difficulty, but our services were not required. The disturbance was on account of a misunderstanding between their Col. and the Gen. Some unnecessary severity on the part of Gen. Tyler together with the misunderstanding nearly caused a quarrel between them. Their Col. finally gave himself up, and this eve <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lyman_Chatfield">Major [<em>John L.</em>] Chatfield</a> of our regiment was promoted to Col. by Gen. Tyler subject to the sanction of our Gov. Buckingham. Tomorrow he takes command of the 3rd Regt. <br />
<br />
<strong>Sunday, June 2nd, 1861</strong><br />
<br />
At 12 o’clock last night we were marched from our camp across <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Long_Bridge_1861.jpg">Long Bridge</a> and into Virginia. About 5 miles over the heights to Arlington Mills where the <a href="http://www.civilwarintheeast.com/USA/NY/NY012.php">N. York 12th Regt.</a> were on duty and relieved them, they returning to Washington. We arrived about 3 o’clock A.M. after a hard march. We had a hard shower last night before we left which made the roads very muddy and consequently it was hard to march. I was detached for guard duty as soon as we had breakfasted on the rations which we carried with us. The Regt. pitched their tents on a lot near by for temporary quarters. I was very tired and slept when I was relieved from duty. The day has been very warm. Capt. [<em>Eliakim E.</em>]Wildman being sick he did not march with us but arrived during the day.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kGCpsl7G5FM/TZajbgCiaUI/AAAAAAAAA_E/DV5zLL0GcSU/s1600/harpers-semimonthly_long_bridge_potomac_may_24_1861_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kGCpsl7G5FM/TZajbgCiaUI/AAAAAAAAA_E/DV5zLL0GcSU/s400/harpers-semimonthly_long_bridge_potomac_may_24_1861_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the Long Bridge 1861 - pictures-civil-war.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-82395127659478673902011-02-09T13:52:00.000-08:002011-02-09T13:52:15.561-08:00The 4th and 5th Weeks - May 13th - 26th - Washington City.Things were pretty quiet for the 1st Connecticut Regiment during this time, with the exception of the false alarm on May 25th, and most of the information I have is from the letters of Pvt. Horace Purdy and Capt. Wolcott Marsh. Purdy also wrote close to 40 pages of letters home during this time. <br />
<br />
The regiment was camped north of the city near Glenwood Cemetery and close to the 2nd Connecticut and 7th New York Regiments. Aletter dated the 19th calls this "Camp Buckingham". Note the condition of the men when any type of march is made, they are clearly still very green. In his letters Purdy notes suprise that "the stoutest and most rugged men we had were the first to give out". Still Purdy wrote that the "president considers us one of the best regiments in Washington and Gen. Scott says he thanks God that one of the regiments has come ready for service."<br />
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Entries from the journal of Pvt. Horace Purdy:<br />
<br />
<strong>Monday May 13th, 1861</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
We had our breakfast on board of the boat [the steamer Bienville, see previous post] this morning. A detachment was sent ahead early to clear up the ground and pitch our tents near <a href="http://www.glenwoodcemetery.net/">Glenwood Cemetery</a> north of the city. Afternoon the regiment was marched to our encampment. The day was very warm and a number of our men gave out before we arrived there. [<em>Purdy's letters home note that on this march the regiment marched past the Capitol Building, the Treasury, and the Patent Office</em>].<br />
<br />
<strong>Sunday May 19th, 1861</strong><br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
I got a pass this morning and went to the city and attended Dr. Ryan’s church (Methodist). He preached an excellent sermon in which he eluded [sic] to the present condition of our country in a very feeling manner. Text Dan 6-10. One of the members, a good Bro., took me home with him to dinner after which I went to camp where there was preaching at 4 pm. Text Proverbs 30=5. I went to the city again in the eve and attend church. Wellington Gibbs and Edgar Wildman was with me. It began to rain after we started and rained hard all the eve. Dr. Ryan preached from Eph. 5=16.<br />
<br />
<strong>Monday May 20th, 1861</strong><br />
<br />
Wrote a letter home. Received one from Harriet from N. York. Commenced writing one to her. The day has been stormy.<br />
<br />
<strong>Tuesday May 21st, 1861.</strong><br />
<br />
Pleasant. I went over to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_Regiment_(New_York_State_Militia)">Brooklyn 14th Regiment</a> in the eve to see their chaplain Bro. Inskip but did not as there was only a detachment sent there to pitch their tents, the remainder of the regt and Bro. Inskip are to come into their camp tomorrow. <br />
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<strong>Friday May 24th, 1861</strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer_E._Ellsworth">Ellsworth</a> assassinated in Alexandria on Wednesday 22nd. [<em>Note- this is a mistake. Col. Ellsworth was killed in on the 24th of May</em>].<br />
<br />
Sick with a diarrhea. I got some medicine from our surgeon Dr. Stearns. I have done no duty except dress parade at 6 pm. The 3rd regiment [<em>Connecticut</em>] came and encamped near us today.<br />
<br />
<em>From a letter dated May 24th:</em> I have heard this morning that a secession flag was taken down last night at Alexandria and the Stars and Stripes hoisted in its place by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_New_York_Volunteer_Infantry_Regiment">N. York 7th Regiment</a> and a party of Texas Rangers (a portion of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_E._Twiggs">Gen. Twiggs</a> force which was in Texas).<br />
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<strong>Saturday May 25th, 1861</strong><br />
<br />
I was up a good deal last night, had a touch of <u><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholera#Cholera_morbus">Cholera morbus</a></u>. A shower after breakfast. At 1 ¼ o’clock we were ordered away as we supposed at the time to battle. We marched as far as the<a href="http://www.old-picture.com/civil-war/Bridge-Long.htm"> Long Bridge</a> but did not cross over into Virginia. The alarm was a false one or at least a small affair caused it. We were forthwith marched back to camp. Not feeling well, it was too much for me. I was obliged to give up my knapsack both ways going and returning.<br />
<br />
<strong>Sunday May 26th, 1861</strong><br />
<br />
I was detailed for guard duty this morning but I was relieved just in time to attend the preaching in the P.M. under a large oak tree on our parade ground. Text 1st John 1=8.9. We have no regular chaplain for our regt. This man has come hear from the city once before and kindly volunteered to preach for us. I do not remember his name.Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-47941865048695196182011-01-22T15:00:00.000-08:002011-01-22T15:04:32.432-08:00The Third Week - May 6th - 12th, 1861: The Regiment Travels to WashingtonBecause of the closure of routes through Maryland (especially through Baltimore) other routes and modes of transportation were used in early May of 1861 to get Union troops to the endangered Federal capital. The journal and letters have a good account of this three day trip on the steamer <a href="http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-b/bienvill.htm">Bienville</a>, as does Capt. Wolcott Marsh in a book of published letters (Mercer and Mercer, 2006). The 1st and 2nd Connecticut Regiments departed New Haven on the 9th on May and arrived safely in Washington D.C. three days later. Along the way they passed Mt. Vernon (the home of George Washington) and even encountered President Lincoln on a passing steamer on the Potomac River. I provide some of Purdy's unpublished account below.<br />
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<strong>Thursday May 9th 1861, onboard the steamer Bienville</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
The day has been pretty warm and very dusty. Mr. C. Wheeler, one of my old shopmates, was to the camp and staid until we struck our tents and marched off from the ground to go to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Wharf_(New_Haven)">Long Wharf</a> to take the steamer Bienville enroute for Washington, which was about 4 ¼ oclock pm. We arrived at the wharf and went on board at 6 oclock. The other steamer to take the 2nd regiment came in while we lay at the dock. We left the dock at 10 ½ oclock, rounded the east end of Long Island during the night. <br />
<br />
<strong>Friday May 10th 1861, onboard the steamer Bienville.</strong><br />
<br />
I awoke about 4 oclock this morn and went on deck just in time to see Long Island as we were leaving it and to see the sunrise. 8 oclock – out of sight of land. Clear and pleasant, the weather fine. The sea is calm and there is just swell enough to give an easy motion to the steamer. At 10 ¾ oclock we passed a Danish Barque and signaled her. We gave her three hearty cheers. Hazy in the P.M. So called Baltimore (a comical fellow, a member of the Waterbury fellow) is cutting up his pranks and raising --- generally. All the men are in good spirits a few who are beginning to be seasick.<br />
<br />
<strong>Saturday, May 11th 1861, onboard the steamer Bienville.</strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_Island,_Maryland">Smith’s Island</a> – <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Charles_(headland)">Cape Charles</a> and the sand banks of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Henry">Cape Henry</a> appeared in view about 6 oclock this morning. We are now in Chesapeake Bay. 7 ½ oclock passed and signaled a Swedish vessel. About 3 oclock met two steamers, one of them a U.S. Mail. 3 ½ oclock entered the mouth of the Potomac River. Hazy and scarcely any wind at all. On account of the removal of lights and buoys by the rebels, we anchored at dark on a bend in the river. After placing a guard fore and aft and at the sides of the steamer to keep a look out (for we were very near the Virginia shore). We retired for the night.<br />
<br />
<strong>Sunday, May 12th 1861, onboard the steamer Bienville, Washington D.C.</strong><br />
<br />
The crew began to weigh anchor about 4 oclock and we immediately started on our way up the river again. At 5 oclock met a war steamer, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Mohawk_(1853)">Mohawk</a>. She rounded up to us and her captain inquired where we were from and were bound, how many men on board, etc. He told us to go on up the river while he would go on down and meet the other steamer with the 2nd regiment. Virginia and Maryland are on each side of us. At times we are almost in hailing distance of either shore. About 8 oclock as a part of the regiment were eating breakfast below we passed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vernon">Mount Vernon</a>, the home and tomb of Washington. In passing our band played and dirge and a national air. Passed <a href="http://dcollections.bc.edu/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=23197&local_base=GEN01">Fort Washington</a> soon afterward. Passed <a href="http://alexandriava.gov/">Alexandria</a> about 9 oclock. A war steamer lay off there to keep the rebels quiet. A little later and we cast anchor in the river near Washington about halfway between the <a href="http://popartmachine.com/item/pop_art/LOC+1531790/ARSENAL-YARD,-WASHINGTON,-D.C.,-FROM-ROOF-OF-MODEL-ARSENAL-LOT...">Arsenal Yard</a> and the <a href="http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pl-usa/pl-dc/wny/wny-oa.htm">Navy Yard</a>. While we lay there a steamer came from the dock passing very near us having on board <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln">Abraham Lincoln</a> with a military escort. It was nearly noon when we were landed at the Arsenal Yard where we spent the remainder of the day very pleasantly. I spread my blanket on the grass and wrote a letter home to Gussie. We stacked our arms in the Armory and went on board the boat to quarter for the night.<br />
<br />
REFERENCE<br />
<br />
Mercer, S.M., and J. Mercer (eds.). 2006. Letters to a Civil War Bride: The Civil War Letters of Captain Wolcott Pascal Marsh, Heritage Books, Westminster Maryland, 536p. Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-59062442896688664552010-11-13T21:35:00.000-08:002010-11-13T21:35:03.025-08:00The Second Week - April 29th to May 5th - Settling InDuring this time the First Connecticut Volunteers were still stationed in New Haven, Connecticut. Purdy describes the encampment as near the hospital whereas Pvt. Gustavus S. Dana of Company A recollected that the camp was at "Oyster Point" (Swift, 1965). The weather was poor, Sgt. Andrew Knox of Company E described it as very rainy, snowy, with thick ice building up on tents. According to Pvt. Horace Purdy:<br />
<blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>"It was very cold night last for the season and I feared when I bunked in my tent that I should lie cold but by putting on my overcoat and three of us lying together spoon fashion with our three blankets over us together with our military overcoats on top of them and myself in between the two I lay as warm as toast, though many of the men lay cold."</blockquote>Rations were also poor causing much discontent in the ranks, and resulting in the courtmartial of some members (from the journal of Horace Purdy):<br />
<blockquote><strong>Tuesday April 30th 1861, New Haven, Connecticut</strong><br />
<br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
“Discontent amounting to almost mutiny in our company on account of our rations. A Sgt. belonging to the Meriden company was court-martialed for disrespect to the Col. Cold in the eve I retired with the toothache”.<br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
<strong>Wednesday May 1st 1861, New Haven, Connecticut</strong><br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
“Rather cool for the season. Three Sgts. and one Corp. in the regiment were reduced to the ranks and two Privates dismissed from the service and their uniforms taken from them for bad and unsoldierly conduct.”</blockquote>However, in letters to his wife Purdy himself did not find it to be too bad:<br />
<blockquote>May 2nd: "This morning we had a piece of tough beef steak, a third of a loaf of bakers bread (a 6 cnt loaf) and about a pint of hot coffee. The food is plain, but healthy though many found a great deal of fault. Many of the men are becoming dissatisfied with the army rations. It is so very different from their accustomed fare at home. It is no worse than expected and if they will only give it to us in quantities sufficient, I think it will be better for us with our out doors exercise than the dainties which we have been used to". </blockquote>Purdy, however, did have something to say about the election of the non-commissioned officers:<br />
<blockquote>May 5th: "As for me being promoted to the position of Corporal it is not so. But had our election been a fair one by ballott I should have had that place or a higher one. The election of officers to fill the vacancies ... was done by acclaimation in a hasty moment, most of the men being new recruits did not know the men...so as to vote understandingly".</blockquote>Besides rigged elections and preventing frostbite and general starvation, most of the time was spent drilling.<br />
<blockquote></blockquote>Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-28085085581887367442010-10-07T21:21:00.000-07:002010-10-07T21:21:00.465-07:00The First Connecticut Volunteer Regiment - The First Week - April 22nd - April 28th 1861 - Camp Life BeginsCamp life for the average soldier was quite monotonous, full of drills, poor food, and numerous rumors, with occasional trips to the city and the odd alarm or interesting event. To pass the time many soldiers wrote home and some, such as Purdy, kept detailed journals. These men also looked forward to letters and news from home. Rumors abounded in camp and the soldiers were often extremely frustrated by their lack of knowledge of details such as when and where they were going or if their services would be required for a fight. Quite a few soldiers, such as Horace Purdy, were strongly devout and worried about meshing army life and their ability to worship on the Sabbath.<strong> </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>From the journal of Pvt. Horace Purdy (Infantry Co. E).</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Tuesday April 23rd 1861, New Haven, Connecticut</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
"Pleasant. Drilled in the morning and in the PM. After tea we changed our quarters from the Hotel to the State House.”<br />
<br />
<strong>Wednesday April 24th 1861, New Haven, Connecticut</strong><br />
<br />
“Judah P. Crosby + Chas. T. Stevens came on to the Green in the forenoon. They were on their way to Hartford to procure overcoats for our co. In the PM we pitched our tents on a field near the Hospital and went into camp. Rain in the eve. We continue to go to the N. Haven House for our meals.”<br />
<br />
<strong>Thursday April 25th 1861, New Haven, Connecticut</strong><br />
<br />
“Pleasant. I received a letter from Gussie. I was detailed for guard duty at noon to continue to tomorrow morning.”<br />
<br />
<strong>Friday April 26th 1861, New Haven, Connecticut</strong><br />
<br />
“Pleasant. I tried my revolver this morning by firing at a mark. It gave me good satisfaction. It shoots well. My feet are very sore. I retired early or rather bunked in my tent. Retiring is rather too refined an expression for camp life.”<br />
<br />
<strong>Saturday April 27th 1861, New Haven, Connecticut</strong><br />
<br />
“We drilled in squads in the A.M. Capt. excused me after dinner to go to the city to get my boots mended. A. H. Byington, one of our members, mended them for me after getting permission of a shoemaker to use his seat for the purpose.”<br />
<br />
<strong>Sunday April 28th 1861, New Haven, Connecticut</strong>.<br />
<br />
“I attended the 1st Methodist Church. Dr. Kenedy Preacher. Text in the A. M., Heb. 10=36. In the P. M. it was Rev. 2=17. Geo. Allen and several others with myself attended prayer meeting at the same place in the eve. It has stormed all day and in the eve.<br />
<br />
<strong>Letter from Horace Purdy to Augusta Purdy dated April 26, 1861:</strong><br />
<br />
Encampment near Hospital N. Haven Friday Apr. 26th 1861<br />
<br />
<br />
Dear Gussie,<br />
<br />
I received your good letter yesterday and am glad that you are as comfortable as you are. But I fear that you worry more than you ought. Wednesday P.M. we were ordered to a field near the hospital about a mile from the Green where we pitched our tents and encamped. We shall undoubtedly remain at these quarters while we remain in N. Haven. We march to the New Haven House for our meals. But I believe that the understanding is now that tomorrow we are to have our rations brought to us at the encampment and are to do our own cooking. This will come harder to us than anything else because we are not accustomed to it, but if we are to have such fare the sooner we commence the better so as to become familiar with it. We expect to have our overcoats today from Hartford. When we shall get our other equipments I do not know, before long I hope. I should not be surprised if we staid hear nearly a week longer. The reasons for our moving from the interior of the city was to encamp to become better aquainted with camp duty and also to make room for the 2nd Reg. which is getting together.Yesterday quite a number of our members were rejected for the purpose of reducing our numbers to 64 men. The rejected ones felt bad, some actually cried.<br />
<br />
We have just had word that Mrs. Skinner is dead. Tell Geo. as for solice I cannot promise but I will do what I can. It will be inconvenient for me to carry a great deal besides my clothing as the knapsack will probably be full and the more I carry the heavier the burden to carry on my shoulders. I stood on guard last night, two hours on and four off. The day is ---. I am now in Capt. Wildman’s tent. The officers are telling stories, all hands are in a ---. A whole Co. is detailed at a time for guard duty. Our Co. was detailed yesterday. There are ten companies which compose the Reg. and consequently we will not have to go on guard duty again for ten days if we should stay here so long. Quite a number have given it as their opinion that when we move out at all it will be to go home. But I do not desire it. I would like to go though to Washington right ---. Notwithstanding I should like to be home.<br />
<br />
(Horace Cooper??) the one who enlisted with us has backed out and gone home today. He is a complete coward in my opinion. The general opinion of him here is that he is only half-witted. We are all glad to have him go for he could not learn anything and would never make a soldier. He knew about as much about a gun as you do, and handles it about as handy. The news has just been brought to us to march. It may be true and it may not. I stop now, I may write more and I may not.<br />
<br />
Horace<br />
<br />
The alarm was false. Good by keep up good courage.<br />
<br />
HoraceBill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-9282505315479659822010-09-30T21:17:00.000-07:002010-10-03T14:15:34.190-07:00Brief Review of The First Assassin by John J. Miller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MCznsojQGoc/TKjyVRjrfuI/AAAAAAAAA7w/7p91v-J8Grk/s1600/bookcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MCznsojQGoc/TKjyVRjrfuI/AAAAAAAAA7w/7p91v-J8Grk/s320/bookcover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>The First Assassin is a fictional historical thriller that takes place predominantly in Washington D. C. in April of 1861 after the attack on Fort Sumter and revolves around a plot by secessionists in South Carolina to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln.<br />
<br />
The opening for the book deals with Lincoln's travel to Washington for his inauguration in February of 1861, and is based mainly on the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Plot">Baltimore Plot</a>", an alleged conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln before his inauguration. It is still debated whether or not the threat was real and if the plan to sneak Lincoln into Washington D.C. was the wisest course of action (Lincoln regretted it later); however, <a href="http://threemonthmen.blogspot.com/2009/12/excerts-from-journal-of-horace-purdy.html">journal notes</a> written by Horace Purdy of Danbury Connecticut during this time suggests that many people (besides <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Pinkerton">Allan Pinkerton</a>) thought these threats were serious.<br />
<br />
The book continues with the story of the travel by a runaway slave (Portia) to Washington on a mission devised by other slaves to warn Lincoln and thus strengthen their chances of being freed by the "abolitionist" president. The story also deals with the professional struggles of Colonel Charles P. Rook, the soldier assigned to provide security for Lincoln against southern sympathisers (and ultimately the hired assassin) as well as his own superior officer (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winfield_Scott">General Winfield Scott</a>) who believes that the threat against Lincoln is exaggerated.<br />
<br />
The book is well-written and suspenseful enough to keep the pages turning. Some parts are quite predictable such as who the informant is for the main female southern sympathiser and the main villain gets tripped up too many times to be considered a truly convincing threat. Moreover, there are some loose ends that are never tied up, especially the storyline of another group with a plan to cause trouble in the Capitol. Overall, however, I found The First Assassin to be a realistic (i.e. the characters and historical setting) and highly entertaining story. In fact, when I was finished with the book I found myself thinking that the story would actually make a great movie.<br />
<br />
For more information you can check out the author's <a href="http://www.heymiller.com/books/the-first-assassin/">website</a>.<br />
<br />
Miller, John J. 2010. The First Assassin. Published by AmazonEncore, Las Vegas, NV, 446 pages, fiction. ISBN-13:9781935597117Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-7848027368149107242010-08-08T21:26:00.000-07:002010-08-08T21:36:46.263-07:00April 22nd 1861 - The First Connecticut Regiment Mustered into Service at New Haven ConnecticutFrom the journal of Pvt. Horace Purdy.<br />
<br />
Monday April 22nd 1861, New Haven, Connecticut<br />
<br />
<br />
“Pleasant. Was sworn into the service of the U. States by Col. S. Loomis of the 5th United States Infantry. The examination and the administering of the oath was done on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Haven_Green">the Green</a> in front of the State House [<em><a href="http://www.conntact.com/archive_index/archive_pages/3059_Business_New_Haven.html">demolished in 1889</a></em>]. The examination was not very close.”<br />
<br />
From his letter to his wife from the same date:<br />
<br />
"We were not personaly [sic] inspected at all. The U.S. officer and the surgeon simply passed along the line and if they saw one who looked rather old or pretty young he would ask them their age. Nelson White took the oath with us. For fear that he would not be accepted he told them he was 23 years old. The surgeon was aquainted [sic] with him, he looked at him and smiled and passed along. The city is all excitement, the miletary [sic] are pouring in from all parts of the state. There is more than enough already here for the first Reg. We are now only waiting for our equipments, as soon as those are procured [sic] we shall be ready to march. I intend if we are not ordered away too soon after we are equipped to have my picture taken with all my regimentals on, overcoat, knapsack, and a Sharps rifle in my hand, and send it to you. So that you can see just how I look as I leave N. Haven for the war." <br />
<br />
"We may be ordered away in a few days, by the middle of the week I think. Direct to the N. Haven House then they will be brought to the hotel. This I shall send by a person going to Danbury I think. Tomorrow we expect the other Company here from Danbury to be put with the 2nd Reg., we will go with the first.<br />
<br />
Other events on this date:<br />
- Robert E. Lee named commander of Virginia Confederate forces.<br />
<br />
Numerous northern and southern units were mustered in on this date.Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-32617327080930339892010-07-21T20:15:00.000-07:002010-07-21T20:15:26.944-07:00First Bull Run AnniversaryToday is the 149th Anniversary of the First Battle of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Bull_Run">Bull Run</a> (Manassas), which was fought on July 21, 1861.<br />
<br />
I'm hoping my posts will reach the eve of the battle in time for the 150 anniversary (sesquicentennial) next year.Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-83520091095352274212010-07-02T22:31:00.000-07:002010-07-02T22:35:53.128-07:00The Wooster Guard - New Haven, Connecticut - April 21, 1861<strong>New Haven Hotel, Sunday April 21, 1861</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
Dear Gussie<br />
<br />
I received your package containing the letter last night with the other things sent by the good people to the co. I sent to you yesterday by Saml. Gregory a letter and I presume before this time you have received it. I also sent one to the Pahquioque I hope to my old shopmates. It was about the same as yours. Some of the wives sent their pictures to the men and I remarked that you were going to give me yours when I started but I refused thinking that it would make me homesick. A short time after I had occasion to go to my bag for something and found it in the bottom and after all I am glad that I have it for it is a great deal of company for me. After breakfast this morning we were ordered out on the green for an hours drill. I was appointed to a squad of men to drill them. The reason for drilling today is on account of the new recruits who are very deficient we want the men to be as thoughourly [sic] disciplined as possible before going to Washington for we may have to chastise those Baltamorians before we get there [<em>Note: two days earlier on April 19th, troops from Massachusetts an Baltimore citizens exchanged fire, which killed four Union soldiers and several civilians</em>].<br />
<br />
After drill we went to our quarters in the fifth story of the hotel and prepared for church. The whole company marched to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Bacon">Dr. Bacon’s</a> church on the Green and listened to a very interesting and patriotic sermon prepared expressly [sic] for the occasion and I confess that I came out of that church willing if need be to serve my country and fall on the field if I must. But I do not believe I shall. I believe that though I have to help fight in hard battles, that God will protect me and bring me back safely to my friends and my home. I feel impressed that I shall go through it all safely. Last night the Capt. requested me to read in the Bible before to co., I did so. This morning the Bible was read to the Co. again and one of our new recruits from Norwalk, Thomas Hootan offered prayer. Most of the men knelt upon the floor, those who did not gave the very best attention. It does me good to see it and I believe if we put our trust in God he will protect us. We are all in good spirits but it seems strangely to hear the sound of the drum and the tramp of the soldier on the Sabbath. My mind is in Danbury today. I can see you all in the Sabbath School. I have been with you in heart for 6 years, I have been in the school and it seems strange now to be doing a soldiers duty on the Sabbath.<br />
<br />
9 1/2 o’clock. Evening.<br />
<br />
I have just returned from a prayer meeting held at the Central Church, the same I attended this morning. It was holden expressly for the volunteers, it was an interesting meeting. Mr. Southmayd and others drove from Danbury here today and I sent this by him. The city has been the scene of the utmost enthusiasm today. 3,000 troops from Mass. passed through here about 4 o’clock P.M. Goodbye.<br />
<br />
Affectionately, Horace<br />
<br />
Write immediately thanks to Fanny, tell her I will pray.<br />
<br />
<strong>Some other notable occurrences on this day (April 21, 1861)</strong> <br />
<br />
- Colonel |Thomas J. Jackson placed in command of Virginia Military Institute cadets who were ordered to Richmond to serve as drillmasters for new army recruits. <br />
<br />
- Communication lines between Baltimore and Washington were cut. An attack on Washington by Confederate forces is feared. Union troops from Massachusetts and New York arrive in Washington to defend the capital from attack. <br />
<br />
-The 12th and 71st NY regiments left for Washington. <br />
<br />
-The U.S.S. Merrimack is captured by Confederate forces at the Gosport Navy Yard (now the Norfolk Naval Shipyard) in Virginia after being partially burned by withdrawing Union sailors the previous day. <br />
<br />
-George B. McClellan made Major-General of volunteers in the Union army.Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-41125358129340103502010-05-19T21:19:00.000-07:002010-05-19T22:16:42.168-07:00The Wooster Guard Arrives in New Haven - April 1861This is the first letter written home to his wife Anne Augusta "Gussie" by Private Horace Purdy of the 1st Connecticut Volunteer Regiment and contains much more details than his <a href="http://threemonthmen.blogspot.com/2010/04/off-to-war-1st-connecticut-volunteers.html">journal entries</a>. The company has just arrived in New Haven by train from Danbury and is awaiting other units to join them. At this point they have not yet been mustered in. Purdy's letter reflects the excitement and uncertainty new recruits on both sides must have been feeling at this point. Purdy also has a another reason for justifying his enlistment to his wife, guilt. At this time Anne Augusta is several months pregnant with their first child.<br />
<br />
Another uncertainty reflected in this letter is equipage, especially weaponry. Many of these militia units and early regiments were initially poorly equipped and there was a shortage of firearms in many cases, and many that were available were simply older smooth bore flintlock muskets that had been altered to percussion. Some units did receive more modern Sharp's rifles and in some cases companies nearly mutinied when given the older musket's rather than the Sharp's (Tyler, 1872:29). Although Purdy mentions in this letter that his company was going to be equipped with Sharp's rifles, they were later provided Springfield rifled muskets instead (Swift, 1965). The 1st Connecticut Regiment did have two Rifle Companies, equipped with Sharp's rifles, but the rest of the unit was armed with muskets.<br />
<br />
New Haven Saturday Apr. 20th 1861<br />
<br />
New Haven Hotel<br />
<br />
Dear Gussie and all the friends,<br />
<br />
We arrived here last eve at 6 PM. We were met at the depot by a portion of the N. Haven Greys and escorted by them to our quarters which are excellent. We have good beds, plenty of food and that which is good. In fact we have no reason for complaint. The citizens met us in great numbers with prolonged cheers. Danbury has the honor of being first in the field, or rather first at rendezvous. We will be in the first regiment from Connecticut and by being first at rendezvous we will probably be at the head of the regiment. I feel proud of Danbury, we shall not only live long in the hearts of our own townsmen, but in the hearts of the people of the whole state. We were greeted at Bethel by a large concourse of people and the firing of cannon with a grand display of the stars and stripes. One man came into the cars at Wilton Station and enlisted. Six did the same at Norwalk, they could not wait for the people of Norwalk to move. We came into New Haven with 78 men, all in good spirits. The hardest task was to get away from Danbury.<br />
<br />
I wore through my white gloves shaking hands. I thought I had got (through) when I left home but when we marched into Concert Hall there to see our dear Father G. to pray for and with us I was nearly overcome. <br />
<br />
Two companies are expected here from Hartford today, and two more from Bridgeport next Monday. Our examination by the surgeon will probably be merely a formal one, and I think that it will be exceedingly doubtful if I am home sooner than three months. I cannot desert my company in this time of need. My heart is with and for my country, and my trust is in God. I am far better pleased with being with my company in the discharge of my duty to my country with the assurance that you are well cared for, than I should be to be home with those faint-hearted ones who have been members of the company and have not the courage to take their places in the ranks to defend their country's flag. To stay at home would bring poverty to our door for there will probably be nothing to do and I should not receive the sympathy of the people, and perhaps my country would suffer for the want of my service. Now I know that I am doing my duty. I would like to be with you. My heart is in Danbury. My home and friends are dear but my country is also. I believe that God will defend the right and in him do I put my trust.<br />
<br />
I room with our Captain and Lieutenants and orderly Sergeant and Geo. Allen which makes six in three beds. Capt. Wildman was presented with a splendid Bible from Mrs. L.S. Wildman as we left home and he has requested his roommates to have a chapter read in it every night, and I hope that soon prayer will also be established in his room. I shall do what I can to have it done even if I have to be chaplain myself.<br />
<br />
We are armed with Sharp's breech-loading rifles with sabre bayonets. They are superior to our muskets which we have had although they were excellent. It has not yet cost us a penny and it probably will not. I have given away all of my paper except for this. The prospects are now that we shall leave for Washington sometime next week. We are to be fully armed and equipped, overcoats and all. And those who have uniforms will be allowed for them. The whole expense of our outfit is to be had by the state. We expect to be inspected today. Our company is now on the Green for drill and I must join them.<br />
<br />
1 o'clock PM. I have had a good dinner and am now in our quarters five stories high, the whole floor was given up to ourselves. The weather is fine and all hands are fully good. Gussie, keep up good spirits and all will be well. We saw one secession flag between Norwalk and Bridgeport, all hands expressed their indignation at it, some by saying they would like the opportunity to pull it down. A large concourse of the citizens came to our hotel about 9 o'clock last night headed by a brass band and the American Flag to serenade us. <br />
<br />
We are now called on the Green for drill and it is nearly time for Gregory to go, I send this by him. He goes home to raise another company. He will return if elected Lieutenant Colonel of our regiment as he expects. Good bye. Pray for me.<br />
<br />
Yours in love,<br />
<br />
HoraceBill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-25376581221649439722010-04-17T22:21:00.000-07:002010-04-17T22:21:32.023-07:00Two New Resources for the First Connecticut Volunteers Including a BookI'm always on the look out for information regarding Connecticut's three month regiments (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) and recently obtained two new sets of letters, one published and one not.<br />
<br />
The unpublished set is from Private William H. Cooley (sometimes spelled Coley) of Cold Spring, Connecticut who enlisted in Company H of the First Connecticut Volunteer Regiment on April 23rd 1861. He fought in the First Battle of Bull Run and was honorably discharged on July 31st with the rest of his regiment. While in the First Connecticut Cooley wrote 12 letters home from May 1st through July 15th. These letters mainly give details of camp life and events and no letter providing detailed of the advance on Manassas or the battle on the 21st seems to exist. Although he explicitly states in his letters that "thousands [of dollars] would not tempt him to enlist again", he did reenlist in the Fall of that year in the 7th Connecticut Regiment. The first letter from his second enlistment is dated September 13, 1861, six days after his enlistment. One of Cooley's letters [January 6, 1863] was referenced in McPherson's "For cause and comrades" and posted letters <a href="http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/exhibits/civilwar/cooley.html">online</a> show he was slightly wounded on June 22, 1862 during operations on James Island in South Carolina. Cooley died exactly two years later of wounds suffered in the Petersburg Campaign.<br />
<br />
Reference: William Henry Cooley papers #3678, in the Southern Historical Collection of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.<br />
<br />
The published set is a book titled "<strong>Letters to a Civil War Bride: The Civil War Letters of Captain Wolcott Pascal Marsh"</strong> edited by Sandra Marsh Mercer and Jerry Mercer. Marsh enlisted as a private on April 17th, 1861. This <a href="http://civilwarbride.com/service.php">webpage</a> states he enlisted in Infantry Company A, but he actually served in Rifle Company A. He served at First Bull Run and was discharged on July 31st, 1861. Wolcott went on to re-enlist as 2nd Lieutenant in Company A of the 8th Connecticut. He was subsequently promoted to Captain of Company F, but resigned for medical reasons on December 22nd, 1862 after the Battle of Fredricksburg. He had earlier contracted malaria in North Carolina. The letters in this book are to his young wife Anna who he married shortly after enlisting in 1861. He had seen action at several places including First Bull Run, Antietam, and Fredricksburg. This book is available through <a href="http://www.heritagebooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=HBI&Product_Code=M3685&Category_Code=">Heritage Books (ISBN: 0788436856).</a><br />
<br />
These new sets of letters, although not as detailed as those of Horace Purdy's, mesh nicely with my existing information, fleshing out many details of events leading up to First Bull Run. I cannot fully post them here as I do not have copyright, but will post cited snippets from time to time as I feel is needed. Again, if anyone is aware of any more sets of letters on this regiment, please let me know. I will continue to share any new information I find here.Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-57228576694568608942010-04-02T20:32:00.000-07:002010-04-02T20:32:13.550-07:00Off to the War - 1st Connecticut Volunteers - April 1861From the journal of Private Horace Purdy, 1st Connecticut Volunteers.<br />
<br />
<strong>Friday April 19th 1861 Danbury to New Haven, Connecticut</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
“I went to the shop in the morning to get my shop clothes and some of my tools. I came home and completed my preparations for leaving home. We took dinner over to Father Griswold’s. He broke a bottle of wine to drink together before my departure. After dinner I bid goodbye to all and started for our hall. Before taking the train (which was the freight) the company paraded up as far as Franklin St. and down to Concert Hall where unexpected to me Father Griswold was waiting to pray with and for us ere we left our native town. After the prayer we went to the depot where the train was in readiness for us and a large concourse of people meeting to bid us perhaps a last farewell. After shaking hands with a thousand or less we finally moved off amid deafening cheers. A number more enlisted in our company at Norwalk. We arrived in New Haven about 6 o’clock P.M. A delegation from New Haven Greys [<em>another local militia which served in the 2nd Connecticut Volunteer Regiment</em>] escorted us to the New Haven Hotel where we were quartered. In the evening we were serenaded by the New Haven Cornet Band which played beautifully. We are the first company in the state to arrive at Rendezvous.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Saturday April 20th 1861, New Haven, Connecticut</strong><br />
<br />
“Three other companies arrived today. We spent a part of the day drilling on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Haven_Green">Green</a>. We escorted Lt. Col Gregory to the cars in the P.M. He made a short speech on the rear car previous to starting.” [<em>Gregory left to raise another Company from Danbury, see below</em>].<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Sunday April 21st 1861, New Haven, Connecticut</strong><br />
<br />
“After breakfast we were ordered out for an hours drill on the Green. It is claimed by the officers to be indispensible on account of the new recruits. I attended <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Woolsey_Bacon">Dr. Bacon</a>’s church on the Green in the P.M. He preached a very patriotic sermon. I was very much interested and I trust profited by it.”<br />
<br />
From the "History of Danbury": <br />
<br />
"Lieutenant-Colonel Gregory, who escorted the boys to New Haven, returned Saturday evening, and a meeting was called in Concert Hall. He, with the band, was escorted to the hall, and after the organization of the meeting by electing Isaac Smith as chairman, Colonel Gregory responded to loud calls, and reported the arrival of the boys in New Haven, their reception there, and what other information he possessed ooncerning them. The excitement was at a fever heat, and papers, pens, and ink. were called for and a roll started for a second company. This was in little over twenty-four hours from the time of the departure of the first company. As one after another put his name to the <br />
paper, cheer after cheer were given".Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-14026869967299052812010-03-14T21:49:00.000-07:002010-03-14T22:01:56.805-07:00Departure of the Wooster Guard (1st Conn. Regiment) from Danbury Conn, April 1861The reaction of the town of Danbury Connecticut to the attack on Fort Sumter and the subsequent call for volunteers by President Lincoln in April of 1861 is detailed in James Montgomery Bailey's "History of Danbury Connecticut 1684-1896" (published in 1896). The Wooster Guard (local militia of which Horace Purdy was a member) was one of the first units to answer the President's and Governor's call travelling immediately to New Haven Connecticut where they were mustered into the first regiment from the state.<br /><br />From the "History of Danbury Connecticut 1684-1896" pages 381-384:<br /><br /><br />It was three o'clock on the afternoon of Saturday, April 13th, 1861, when Danbury received the news of the fall of Sumter, and the first victory of the Secessionists. All that day anxious men besieged the telegraph office in search of the intelligence which they dreaded. When it came there was a shock. It was as if the batteries that played against the doomed fortress had been galvanic, with their wires running through our heart's very centre.<br /><br />The next forty-eight hours were full of compressed life. They were mental yeast cakes. No excitement had equalled it since that April day, nearly a century dead, when the face of a foreign foe was turned our way and the tramp of an enemy's feet pressed our borders. Now we knew there was to be a war. Even the most sanguine of a bloodless ending to the trouble gave up the hope of peace, but not the determination to win it. In that first flush of indignant shame party lines went under, and a sea of patriotic passion swept over Danbury. There was little sleep in Danbury that night, there was none whatever the next day, although there were eight churches here. St. Peter gave way to saltpetre in the theology of that hour.<br /><br />On April 15th President Lincoln issued his call for seventy five thousand volunteers, and Governor Buckingham supplemented it with a call for volunteers to rendezvous at Hartford. Danbury was among the first to awake to the necessities of the hour. Her patriotism was aroused, and her flags were unfurled, showing her to be true to her colors. Hon. Roger Averill flung out the first flag, and he was followed by others, until houses and hilltops were crowned with the emblem that had ever led the armies of our country to victory. An interesting incident occurred in connection with the unfurling of Governor Averill's flag. Many distinctly remember the venerable Colonel E. Moss White. Several years before the war he was stricken with paralysis, and never recovered from the shock. He moved about with great difficulty and lost all control of verbal expression except two words, in the form of an injunction, which were, " Come all!" On seeing the flag he smote his breast with both hands and cried aloud, again and again, "Come all! Come all!" And the record shows that the able-bodied men of his native town almost literally responded to the cry.<br /><br />Governor Buckingham's call was received here on Wednesday, and on Friday, the 19th, the Wooster Guards, commanded by Captain E. E. Wildman, started for New Haven. It is a fact to the honor and credit of the Guards that even before the governor's call had been issued, the services of the company had been tendered him, which he had promptly accepted.<br /><br />The departure of the Guards for New Haven, which had been made the rendezvous, was a grand, sublime, and yet a touching and pathetic scene. Soon after dinner the Guards met at their headquarters, then Military Ball, in the top story of D. P. Nichol's Block, on the corner of Main and White Streets. Hundreds of people met with them, and forming in line, escorted by a cavalcade of citizens and a band, they marched to Concert Hall, where now appropriately stands the Soldiers' Monument erected in memory of some of that brave band, whose courage was equal to the test of giving up their lives for their country. Filing into the hall, they were seated, and Rev. E[l<em>ijah</em>]. E. Griswold, presiding elder of this district of the Methodist church, offered a prayer to the Throne of Grace for their welfare and that of the country. The services concluded the company re-formed, and escorted by the crowd, which had by this time swelled to thousands, they marched to the Danbury and Norwalk Railway station to take the cars.<br /><br /><em>Note: Elijah E. Griswold is the father of Anne Augusta Griswold Purdy, wife of Horace Purdy, and my direct ancestor.</em><br /><br />The large square on the north of the station now became the scene and centre of the most intense and exciting interest. The place was a condensed mass of humanity. Wives, mothers, fathers, and children stood in tearful mood, but withal imbued with firmness and patriotism and heroism, and exchanged. Good wishes and farewells. Here, amid the huzzas of the crowd, the bursts of martial music, the waving of flags, the boom of Cannon, the Wooster Guards went forth, the first company in the State of Connecticut to pledge itself to the defence of the untarnished honor of the commonwealth and the nation.<br /><br />The following is the roster of the company:<br /><br />Captain, E. E. Wildman.<br />First Lieutenant, Jesse D. Stevens.<br />Second Lieutenant, John D. Bussing.<br />Sergeants: Andrew Knox, Milo Dickens, William. Moegling, Samuel Y. Petit.<br />Corporals: George B. Allen, E. S. Davis, Alexander Kallman, Nathan Couch.<br />Musicians: Edward H. Dann, Grandison D. Foote.<br /><br />Privates: John Allen, Harris Anderson, C. H. Anderson, John Bogardus, Charles A. Boernm, James Blizzard, William H. Blizzard, Thomas T. Bussing, James Bradley, Theodore B. Benedict, A. H. Byington, George W. Banker, Charles A. Benger, Niram Blackman, Thomas D. Brown, Henry E. Buckingham, William K. Cowan, Lemuel B. Clark, William R. Doane, Josiah L. Day, Edward H. Day, Joseph L. Duuning, Ezekiel Eaton, C. Fieldstone, Dennis Geliven, Christopher Grimm, Charles A.. Gordon, H. W. Gibbs, Carl W. Hillbrandt, William O. Hoyt, W. P. Hoyt, David B. Hoyt, Alfred H. Hoddinott, Thomas Hooton, Otto Hagement, James Howath, Jesse L. James, Ernest T. Jennings, Isaac N. Jennings, George D. Keeler, Morris A. Krazynsky, William J. Murphy, Emil C. Margraff, James Martin, Andrew B. Nichols, <strong>Horace Purdy</strong>, Francis W. Platt, Joseph W. Raymond, James Reed, James R. Ross, Timothy Rose, George L. Smith, Alson J. Smith, Benjamin F. Skinner, David Sloane, Grandison Scott, Louis Shack, Eli D. Seeley, Augustus Staples, George Sears, James H. Taylor, Joseph Tammany, Darius A. Veats, Edgar L. Wildman, Howard W. Wheeler, John Waters.<br /><br />The [<em>Danbury</em>] Times of May 2d, 1861, in speaking of the commanders of the Danbury companies, has the following: "Captain Wildman is a young, energetic, straightforward, and highly esteemed citizen. His response to the call of the governor was, 'Our country needs our services and it is our duty to go,' and by his manly, resolute course inspired his whole company with confidence and courage. It cannot be otherwise than a source of gratification to those who have friends and relatives in the guards to know that their services will be performed under a brave, gallant, and honorable commander."<br /><br />The company arrived in New Haven at six 0' clock, and there they were met by the Grays, a company from that city, and by thousands of people, who gave them a hearty welcome. They were escorted to the New Haven House, where they made their headquarters.<br /><br />Lieutenant-Colonel Gregory, who escorted the boys to New Haven, returned Saturday evening, and a meeting was called in Concert Hall. He, with the band, was escorted to the hall, and after the organization of the meeting by electing Isaac Smith as chairman, Colonel Gregory responded to loud calls, and reported the arrival of the boys in New Haven, their reception there, and what other information he possessed concerning them. The excitement was at a fever heat, and papers, pens, and ink. Were called for and a roll started for a second company. This was in little over twenty-four hours from the time of the departure of the first company. As one after another put his name to the paper, cheer after cheer were given.Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-49871995553452662792010-02-27T18:16:00.000-08:002010-02-27T18:53:29.413-08:00Other Accounts of the First Connecticut Volunteers in 1861Horace Purdy was only one of thousands of volunteers that answered Abraham Lincoln's call for volunteers in April of 1861 and only one of hundreds who enlisted in the First Connecticut Regiment. However, finding the accounts of these volunteers is very difficult because although almost certainly letters of other recruits exist, only a handful have surfaced. Probably the best known account of the three month regiments from Connecticut are found in the 1872 book "Wooden Nutmegs" at Bull Run by Elnathan B. Tyler (writing as Frinkle Fry) of the 3rd Connecticut Regiment. This is a well written and humorous account of the Connecticut regiments from April through July of 1861 and highly recommended to anyone interested in these regiments or even in events leading up to the first battle of Bull Run.<br /><br />Another existing but little known account was published in the Lincoln Herald in 1965. Titled "Bully for the 1st Connecticut" (written by Lester L. Swift) it recounts experiences of Gustavus Sullivan Dana of Company A of the First Connecticut Regiment and includes entries from his enlistment to a good detailed description of the unit's role at First Bull Run, the best that is known. <br /><br />Dana was a 22 year old machinist from Hartford Connecticut and was a member of the Aetna Hose Company and the Hartford Light Guards. Many of these early volunteers were firefighters and/or members of local militia units. He offered his services on April 19th and formally was mustered in on April 22nd in New Haven. Dana later reinlisted in the 6th Connecticut Volunteer Regiment and rose to the rank of second lieutenant. After the war he was president of the Lincoln Guard of Honor, which was organized to prevent the theft of the casket containing Lincoln's body (Swift, 1965).<br /><br />Like others who enlisted at this time Dana believed that the war would be over quickly, "the general opinion was that the trouble would be ended and that we would be home at the end of the three months for which the first troops were enlisted" (Swift, 1965:73). In this expectation Dana left his tools in the charge of the shop superintendent and was told his job would be available when he returned; however, as stated earlier Dana served for the entire duration of the war and the fate of his tools and career as a machinist is unknown. He died in 1916 (Swift, 1965). <br /><br />The accounts of Dana, Tyler, and Purdy are currently all we have telling the detailed story of the three month men from Connecticut. I have some leads on other possibly surviving letter collections, but nothing else for certain at this time. Thus, the details on this units as somewhat vague, and because the three regiments were dissolved in July of 1861, these units do not have the long histories or reputations as many of the later Connecticut regiments. Still their story is an important one that should be told, providing us with a glimpse of the early months of the war, and a unique one as at one point these units were at the forward position of the Union advance in northern Virginia. It is my hope that more accounts of these regiments will surface at some point for they must surely exist. <br /><br />REFERENCES<br /><br />Swift, L. L. (ed.). 1965. "Bully for the First Connecticut": The recollections of a three month volunteer. Lincoln Herald 67(2):72-82.<br /><br />Tyler, E. B. 1872. "Wooden Nutmegs" at Bull Run. George L. Colburn Steam Print, Hartford. (reprinted by Gale Archival Editions on Demand).Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-40539726922439068232010-02-01T21:45:00.000-08:002010-02-01T22:09:36.118-08:00Excerpts from the Journal of Horace Purdy (1st Connecticut Volunteers) April 13th - 18th 1861 - the Fall of Fort Sumter and the Call for VolunteersThese entries reflect the attack on Fort Sumter and President Abraham Lincoln's subsequent call for 75,000 volunteer troops. Purdy's response was typical for many of the young men of the time. He enlisted without hesitation despite his job, obligations to his church, and the fact that his wife was pregnant with their first child.<br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Saturday April 13th 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“It is reported in the papers today that the rebel batteries together with Fort Moultry [sic] have opened fire on Major Anderson in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Sumter">Fort Sumter </a>in Charleston Harbor S. Carolina and the Major has returned fire. I went into the street in the eve to get the news if there was any. The news by telegraph states that Fort Sumter is on fire with the flag at half mast and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRC_Harriet_Lane_(1857)">Harriet Lane </a>is on fire. It may be correct and perhaps not”.<br /><br />[<em>The attack began on April 12th and Anderson surrendered at 2:30 PM on the 13th. The garrison was evacuated the following day. The rumor that the USRC Harriet Lane was on fire was incorrect</em>].<br /><br /><strong>Sunday April 14th 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“The telegraph has been at work all day receiving the war news. It says that Fort Sumter is on fire and Major Anderson has surrendered to the rebel forces under Gen. Beauregard. I don’t believe it myself, neither shall I until I hear something more tomorrow”.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Monday April 15th 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“The surrender of Major Anderson at Fort Sumter is confirmed. The fire from the rebel batteries <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fort_Sumter_telegram.jpg">was too hot for him</a>, burning the inside of the fort until all the wood work the officers’ quarters was consumed by the red hot shot and shell. The President has issued a call for 75,000 troops from the militia of the adhering states”.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Tuesday April 16th 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“Our Co[<em>mpany</em>] assembled at the drill room in the eve. We are expecting to be called into the service of the government immediately as the President has issued a call for 75,000 men from the states adhering to the Union. We are hourly expecting an order from our Governor”.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Wednesday April 17th 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“I worked in the shop all day. Attended a special meeting of the [<em>Wooster Light</em>] Guards at our hall in the eve at which we volunteered our services to the <a href="http://www.onlinebiographies.info/gov/buckingham-william.htm">Governor (Buckingham) </a>as volunteers in the NE states service in answer to the President's call for 75,000 troops. There were a large number of spectators at the room and when we with our voice offered our services a long loud shout went up from the people”.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Thursday April 18th 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“Today has been spent mostly in parading the streets and hoisting the Stars and Stripes. I received my pay from Mr. Crofut preparatory to going away. The bells began to ring in the P.M. on account of a dispatch from the Governor accepting our services for the Government. Supposing that we are to leave this afternoon I went home, immediately packed what clothes I intended to carry, bid goodbye to wife and friends and started for our hall, but we did not go so I returned home again”.Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-5263881767837647172010-01-25T18:18:00.000-08:002010-01-25T18:29:31.375-08:00Excerpts from the Journal of Horace Purdy (1st Connecticut Volunteers) - March 11 - April 2 1861I apologize for the blogging hiatus, it's taken me a few weeks to get back into things. This batch of journal entries deals with the quiet time right after Lincoln was inaugurated and leading into the Connecticut gubernatorial election of 1861. The first posts are a reminder of the times in the nineteenth century when diseases like smallpox were still prevalent and feared. Deaths were practically an everyday occurrence for these people, but nothing like the horrors they are about to face. Things are about to get much more interesting because of an April 1861 event that took place in Charleston, South Carolina.<br /><br /><strong>Monday March 11th 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“Dr. Bennett has eight cases of small pox in town. Widow Wilcox’s youngest son has it just out on the corner. After I finished my work in the shop I went to Tweedy Brothers shop to see Lieutenant John W. Bussing about electing Frederick Starr Captain of the Guards.”<br /><br />[<em>John W. Bussing was the 2nd Lieutenant of the First Connecticut Volunteers</em>.]<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday March 12th 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“I went to Andrew Knox and got a little paint to put on my rooms upstairs before renting.”<br /><br />[<em>Andrew Knox was a sergeant in the First Connecticut Regiment</em>.]<br /><br /><strong>Friday March 15th 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“Philander Betts having had the varioloid in his family came to the shop for the first time since. The men, thinking him to be a dangerous person to be in the shop, called the men together and by a unanimous vote requested him to leave the shop and to stay away until it was safe for him to go out from his family without exposing other people.”<br /><br />[<em>Varioloid is a mild form of small pox that occurs in someone who has previously survived the disease</em>.]<br /><br /><strong>Monday March 18th 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“Mr. Betts came to the shop again this morning and wanted to go to work, but the men being yet afraid to work with him on account of the varioloid, which he had had himself and in his family, voted unanimously to request him to stay away another week, but still he hung around the shop seemingly intent on exposing every man in the factory if it was possible.”<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday March 26th 1861 Danbury Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“Warm and pleasant. The snow is disappearing pretty fast. Anna Beers died this morning at four o’clock. On my way home from the shop I took a letter from the office for Father Griswold from his brother (Uncle Dwight) bearing the intelligence of the death of Aunt Kate. She jumped from her chamber window. In a short time after she died. She was deranged.”<br /><br /><strong>Thursday March 28th 1861 Danbury Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“I attended prayer meeting in the eve, after its close I stopped at concert hall a short time to listen to O. S. [<em>Orris Sanford</em>] Ferry addressing the Republicans previous to the state election on Monday next. Anna Beers was buried at 1 o’clock this P.M.”<br /><br />[<em>Orris Sanford</em> <em>Ferry was a Connecticut State Senator, Colonel of the 5th Connecticut Volunteers and later a Brigadier General. After the war he was elected to the United States Senate for two terms</em>.]<br /><br /><strong>Friday March 29th 1861 Danbury Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“I went to the drill room in the eve but there being only four members present we adjourned and went home. A Mr. Perrin who is speaking to the Democrats of Danbury this eve at Concert Hall is undoubtedly one cause of the vacant drill room.”<br /><br /><strong>Saturday, March 30th 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“Cyrus W. Northrup of Norwalk spoke to the Republicans in the eve at the Concert Hall. I went and heard him. Our brass band was there, also the Bethel Glee Club.”<br /><br />[<em>Northrup was a President of Yale College and later President of the University of Minnesota. He was a Lincoln supporter and a popular Republican orator of the time</em>.]<br /><br /><strong>Monday April 1st 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“State election.”<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday April 2nd 1861 Danbury, Connecticut</strong><br /><br />“I came home by way of Geo[<em>rge</em>] Starr’s shop and got a bag of shavings. Geo was at the Democratic meeting last eve at the Concert Hall and while setting down the figures of the election returns for his own gratification, was mistaken for the Jeffersonian’s reporter and three groans were given for him and then a vote taken to put him out, but he saved himself the trouble by going himself. The returns which they received last night were quite favorable for them and they thought that they had carried the state. But today the scale has turned and they laugh from the other sides of their mouths. We have carried the state. Gov Buckingham is elected by a larger majority than last year. We have a majority of both branches of the legislature, but we have lost O. S. Ferry of this district for Congress."Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-54285653116834778742009-12-26T21:05:00.000-08:002010-01-25T18:18:31.349-08:00Excerpts From the Journal of Horace Purdy, Danbury, February 13th - March 5th, 1861These excerpts from the journal of Horace Purdy (Wooster Guards/1st Conn. Vols.) deal with the final determination of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, and some of the rumors involving him inauguration. Also included here are some more interesting occurrences in the town of Danbury. Fires and deaths (mainly from the Smallpox) are common throughout the diary and remind us how much times have changed with childhood vaccines, modern elctricity and firefighting equipment, and instantaneous news sources.<br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Wednesday February 13th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“Abraham Lincoln has undoubtedly been declared the President of these United States in the halls of Congress at Washington.”<br /><br />[<em>Although Lincoln won the popular vote with 39.7% on November 6, 1860, the electoral college did not make the win official until February 13th, 1861</em>.]<br /><br /><strong>Friday February 15th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“I went to drill in the eve, while there an alarm of fire was raised. It soon became quiet again and we supposed it was a false alarm, but on my way home from drill I found out that it was a reality. It was McDonald Ford’s dry goods store. It was soon extinguished but not before it had done a great deal of damage.”<br /><br /><strong>Friday February 22nd 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“The anniversary of Washington’s birthday. The Wooster Guards assembled (or a portion of them voluntarily) to fire a national salute. At the second volley a horse becamed frightened, threw the driver out, and broke the wagon at which we stopped and closed the windows to the hall (for we were firing from the windows.) I attended drill in the eve.”<br /><br /><strong>Saturday February 23rd 1861 Danbury<br /></strong><br />“The news tonight by the N. York Evening Post is that Abraham Lincoln, the president elect, was to be assassinated at Baltimore on his way to Washington and that he escaped by disguising himself. He intended to arrive there today and undoubtedly did.”<br /><br />[Read more about the 'Baltimore Plot' <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Plot">here</a>.]<br /><br /><strong>Saturday March 2nd 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“I waited on Fred Starr to see if he would take the command of the Wooster Guards, he consented on certain conditions.”<br /><br /><strong>Monday March 4th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“Abraham Lincoln, commonly called Honest Old Abe, has undoubtedly today been inaugurated President of the United States, if the southerners have not murdered him as some have believed they would.”<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday March 5th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“Today’s papers gives us an account of the inauguration at Washington which was peaceable and without disturbance.”<br /><br />[<em>Read his inauguration address (from March 4th 1861) </em><a href="http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres31.html"><em>here</em></a><em>. See a photo of the event <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Abraham_lincoln_inauguration_1861.jpg">here</a>]</em>Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-60855451939182751262009-12-21T22:00:00.000-08:002009-12-21T22:05:21.647-08:00Excerpts from the Journal of Horace Purdy, Danbury, January 25 - February 9, 1861<strong>Friday January 25th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“He (Geo.) staid [sic] until evening and went with me to drill. Our Capt. Having had orders from the Gov[ernor] to drill his men and look to our arms and equipments and hold ourselves in readiness to march at short notice to fight for our country. The co[mpany] was better represented than it has been for a long time before. Three new recruits were proposed for membership. Two of them were accepted – Fred Starr and Geo. Brockett. When I returned from drill I drew up the minutes of the meeting and retired.”<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday February 5th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Reed_Giddings">Joshua R. Giddings </a>lectured here this eve before the Young Mans’ Christian Association. The subject – <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Quincy_Adams">John Q. [Quincy] Adams </a>– the rowdies and roughs of the Democratic Party threaten to give him a smell of rotten eggs. I attended drill and on my way home I stopped a few moments outside the hall to see what was going on, but the crowd was made up of such a clup [?], and so obsene [sic] and disgraceful was the conversation that I thought to do justice for myself I had better leave and did so forthwith.”<br /><br /><strong>Saturday February 9th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“I went into the street in the eve to buy something for breakfast and got into a political discussion with Edgar Wildman which detained me longer than I intended.”<br />[Edgar L. Wildman was a private in the First Connecticut Regiment.]Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-20028774749328981102009-12-13T20:55:00.000-08:002009-12-13T20:55:01.290-08:00Excerpts from the Journal of Horace Purdy, Danbury, January 10-14, 1861<strong>Thursday January 10th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“There was about two inches of snow on the ground this morning. The papers today state that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_of_the_West">Star of the West</a>, carrying reinforcements to Major Anderson at Fort Sumter Charleston Harbor S. Carolina was fired into as she attempted to enter the harbor. She turned around an put out to sea.”<br /><br /><strong>Friday January 11th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“Colder – no work in the shop. We did not get the news papers until the freight train came in at 2 o’clock. South Carolina has actually declared war against the United States. Major Anderson is now awaiting orders from the President through one of his Lieutenants who he has sent as a messenger to Washington. He will undoubtedly have orders to blockade the port and protect the Stars and Stripes. I painted a little upstairs after dinner. I attended the quarterly meeting of the Guards [<em>Wooster Light Guard</em>] in the eve. There was not a quorum present.”<br /><br /><strong>Saturday January 12th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“I went into the street in the eve to get the news. The Star of the West has returned to N. York with her troops, she not being able to land at Fort Sumter. Out of 17 shots fired at her from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Island">Morris Island </a>and Fort Moultry [<em>sic</em>] only two struck her. The President has determined to remain inactive and to send no troops to take the forts which are on the coasts of the Gulf States thinking that the secession difficulty can be managed better without arms than with. This is the news tonight in the <a href="http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030103/">N. York Evening Express</a>.”<br /><br /><strong>Monday January 14th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“No work in the shop. I waited there until the ca{rs?} came in and then went up for the papers. I brought them to the shop where we all read the news. The return of the Star of the West to N. York is confirmed. The troops were landed Sunday morning at their barracks on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governors_Island">Governors Island</a>. The war steamer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Brooklyn_(1858)">Brooklyn</a> is lying off Charleston Bay. It’s real object is not definitely known.”Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-58218179966680707072009-12-06T22:00:00.000-08:002009-12-07T10:03:53.993-08:00Excerpts from the Journal of Horace Purdy, Danbury, January 1-5, 1861<strong>Tuesday January 1st 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“The report that Buchanan had resigned is false. The papers today state that Gen. Scott was offered the war secretaryship but declined – Post Master <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Holt">[<em>Joseph</em>] Holt </a>was then appointed who is now officiating as such. He is a strong Union man they say. The report also that Major Anderson is to be recalled is contradicted and he is to keep his position at Fort Sumter for the present at least.”<br /><br /><strong>Friday January 4th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“I have worked all day in the shop. A little snow in the A.M., pleasant in the P.M. The news from South Carolina today are that the Carolinians have repaired Fort Moultry [<em>sic</em>] and are planting cannon at the nearest land point to Fort Sumter and are nearly ready to open fire on it with the attempt to take. Now is the time for the President to act and that quickly to by sending reinforcements to Major Anderson at Fort Sumter.”<br /><br /><strong>Saturday January 5th 1861 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“Yesterday’s news in regard to besieging Fort Sumter in contradicted – instead of getting very stirring news today as expected, affairs are more tranquil. Secession has reached its highest pitch. Next week will tell. Something will be done then if ever.”Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-79730712013404634982009-11-28T22:40:00.000-08:002009-11-29T21:41:11.014-08:00Exerpts from the Journal of Horace Purdy, Danbury, December 29-31, 1860<strong>Saturday December 29th 1860 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“ The news from the revolutionists in South Carolina and the traitors at the seat of government in Washington are more alarming every day.”<br /><br /><strong>Sunday December 30th 1860 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“A proclamation was read from our Governor <a href="http://www.onlinebiographies.info/gov/buckingham-william.htm">([<em>William</em>] Buckingham)</a> in perseverance of one from the President <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Buchanan">([<em>James</em>] Buchanan</a>) (traitor as he is showing himself to be to the country) for Friday the 4th of January 1861 to be set apart for fasting and prayer. Our Governor has made some suitable amendments to it and out of respect for him it will undoubtedly be observed.”<br /><br /><strong>Monday December 31st 1860 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“I rose and went to the shop rather earlier than usual. I finished two hats which I had left over from Saturday and then had to wait until after 2 o’clock pm before I could get anymore. I went to teachers meeting in the eve. ------ news reach us again today. It is reported that the President has consented to surrender the forts in Charleston Harbor to the Carolinians (Traitors and Revolutionists) and recall Major Anderson from Fort Sumter. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winfield_Scott">General [<em>Winfield</em>] Scott </a>has written to Anderson and tells him that he did right and to hold his position and he will bear him out in it by heading the Northern Army and putting down treason and rebellion. At least this is the report.<br /><br />It is reported here this eve that a telegraphic dispatch states that Buchanan has resigned his office as President of the United States. I hope it is true for it may prevent a collision between the South Carolina and Federal troops.”Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5978076622913907652.post-50952178783536135162009-11-20T21:28:00.000-08:002009-11-20T21:44:19.801-08:00Excerpts from the Journal of Horace Purdy, Danbury, December 17-28, 1860<strong>Monday December 17th 1860 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“Today is the day for the succession convention in South Carolina. I have had work in the shop. I went to market in the eve and called with Gussie at the church where the Sunday School were met for the anniversary.”<br /><br /><strong>Friday December 21st 1860 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“Pleasant and warm with some mud. No work in the shop. The daily papers brings us news today that South Carolina passed her secession ordinance on [<em>space left</em> <em>blank</em>]. I went to drill in the eve. The company adjourned until the first Friday in April with the exception of the January general meeting.” [<em>South Carolina <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_the_Immediate_Causes_Which_Induce_and_Justify_the_Secession_of_South_Carolina_from_the_Federal_Union">seceded from the Union </a>on December 20, 1860</em>].<br /><br /><strong>Thursday December 27th 1860 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“It was reported when the evening train came in that Fort Moultry [sic] at Chareleston South Carolina was on fire, the guns spiked, and a train laid to blow it up.” .” [<em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Moultrie_National_Monument">Fort Moultrie </a>was abandoned by Federal troops on January 26th</em>].<br /><br /><strong>Friday December 28th 1860 Danbury</strong><br /><br />“A pleasant day. The report which we had last night is corroborated in the papers today. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Robert_Anderson">Major [<em>Robert</em>] Anderson</a> spiked the guns and burned the gun carriages and retreated to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Sumter">Fort Sumter </a>to strengthen his position. It would now be impossible for any force however large to take Sumter even with the Major’s small force. The Carolinians are very indignant at the movements of Anderson for they calculated to take Fort Sumter from the Government themselves.”Bill Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941940882532354219noreply@blogger.com0