: Charles K. Cadwell
: The Old Sixth Regiment Its War Record, 1861-65
: Dead Dodo World War Classics
: 9781518319723
: 1
: CHF 0.70
:
: Geschichte
: English
: 353
: DRM
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB
The object of this work is to give a true and impartial record of the old Sixth Regiment during the war. The author collected the facts from a private diary kept by himself while in the service. Less has been known of the Sixth by our citizens than most of the other regiments; perhaps this is due partly to the fact that when we arrived.in Washington Colonel Chatfield instructed officers and men that it was unmilitary to write letters for the press; he desired that the War Record should know the record of the Sixth, and not the newspapers only. Its history is less full on this account; yet none can say that the record of the Sixth is sullied. In many trying places the regiment proved itself honor ably and gained confidence from its corps and department commanders. There may be errors in this work, and if any are inclined to censure, I trust they will remember that very few histories are without them; yet they are errors of the head and not of the heart. If what is here written meets the approval of the old members and the intelligent readers in general, I shall feel that my labors have been amply rewarded.

CHAPTER II


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TUESDAY, SEPT. 17, WAS USHERED in by a warm sun and a genial atmosphere, which only served to increase our interest in the busy scenes that were before us, for we were all aware that the old Sixth would soon be en route for the seat of war. The colonel and staff were busy issuing orders, captains of companies were instructed to issue no passes to leave camp, and so far as was practicable all visitors were excluded from the precincts of the camp proper. The cooks were busy preparing our rations, and every one seemed to think himself an important personage around the cook’s tent. As the day wore on the clouds began to thicken, portending a storm, and as the call was sounded by the drummers at 2 o’clock to “strike tents,” the rain came down copiously. We rolled up the wet canvass as expeditiously as possible, which was quickly loaded on our army wagons, together with other camp equipage.

We received two days’ rations for our haversacks, consisting of boiled ham and hard bread, to nourish the inner man, and were soon in line for our departure, but the usual delays incident to such an occasion kept us in line about three hours. 5 o’clock came, and with it the order to “Forward, march.” The band struck up “The gal I left behind me,” and we marched through the rain and mud to Belle Dock. The rain did not dampen the ardor of the boys nor decrease the patriotism of the citizens of the Elm City. Handkerchiefs from fair ones waved us adieu; men shouted “God bless the boys,” together with the martial music of the band to increase the enthusiasm, made our departure from New Haven pleasant to contemplate. Pleasant, from the fact that we felt that the prayers and best wishes of our good people would go with us, as incentives to noble principles and holy action. We embarked on the steamer Elm City and soon stretched ourselves on the several decks and in the cabin, glad enough for a chance to rest ourselves, for the rain had drenched us through to the skin. The boat left her moorings at 8 o’clock, and when we awoke we found ourselves alongside the dock at Jersey City. For some unknown reason we did not disembark till about noon. At 2 P. M. we left by rail for the capital of the nation. Arriving at Philadelphia we were entertained at the Union Refreshment Rooms with a bountiful collation, which was indeed refreshing to the inner man, and it also gave evidence of a large stock of loyalty on the part of the good people of that city. Every regiment passing through the city were made heartily welcome to their hospitality, and none will ever forget the hearty cheers and the “God speed” which was heard on every hand.

Leaving Philadelphia, our next stopping place was at Perryville, where we arrived at 8 o’clock in the evening. We were delayed here about two hours, and were then ferried across the river to Havre-de-Grace, when we again started by rail for Baltimore, arriving there