Bristol County, Massachusetts - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 11 of those read), 1883 (part 2 of 2)

War of 1812. - The sentiment of the citizens of New Bedford in relation to this war and its privateering auxiliaries is best expressed by the following vote, passed July 21, 1814 :

" Voted, unanimously, as expressive of the sense of the inhabitants of this town, that inasmuch as we have uniformly disapproved of the impolitic, unnecessary, and ruinous war in which the United States are engaged, we have considered it our duty to abstain, and have scrupulously abstained from all interest and concern in sending out private armed vessels to harass the commerce of the enemy, and from all voluntary acts which appeared to us to have a tendency to prolong the duration, encourage the prosecution, or increase the ravages of the 'unprof jtable contest;' that we have seen with disapprobation several private armed vessels belonging to other ports taking shelter in our peaceful waters, and regret that we have not the authority of law wholly to exclude them from our harbor, where they serve to increase our dangers, and to excite tumult, disorder, riot, and confusion.

" Voted, unanimously, as expressive of the sense of this town, that private armed vessels, while cruising in various climates and visiting ships and vessels from every country, are extremely liable to contract and receive on board infectious diseases, and that in all such cases there is reason to suspect that such vessels and the persons, baggage, clothing, and goods on board may be infected with some contagious distemper.

" Voted, unanimously, as expressive of the sense of the inhabitants of this town, that the safety of the inhabitants thereof requires that any private armed vessel of vessels which shall arrive or be bound into the harbor of New Bedford, from any port or place, shall be required to perform quarantine during a term of not less than forty days; and that the selectmen and health committee of the town be requested to cause all such vessels to perform quarantine at such places as they shall appoint, under such restrictions ami regulations as they may judge expedient.

" Voted, That the privateer called the ' Yankee,' now in this port, be ordered by the selectmen immediately on quarantine ground, to be designated by them, for forty dajs.

*' Voted, That the following persons be a Committee of Safety, whose business will be to advise and direct in measures that may best secure the peace and safety of the town in case of invasion by an enemy :

It was a sad war for this little community, for the commerce of the country was swept from the ocean, and it was upon the ocean alone that the inhabitants of New Bedford depended for support.

The losses were heavy and the suffering was great, and there are some who will read this who still retain a vivid recollection of the deprivations which followed the closing of the ocean highways and cruisinggrounds to the enterprise and skillful daring of our merchants and sailors.

There was, in the summer of 1814. a large detachment of the militia of this part of the State ordered to New Bedford for its defense. There were at that time probably a thousand men under arms in the town, including our own military companies.

We publish the names of the members of the two New Bedford military companies then on active duty. This we have been enabled to do by an examination of the rosters of the several companies composing the command of Lieut.-Col. Benjamin Lincoln, which were detached for service at New Bedford. The record is very complete. This valuable contribution to our local annals is in the possession of the Free

Public Library, to which institution it was presented by Mrs. Caroline Lincoln Whitridge, tbe daughter of tbe lieutenant-colonel in command, afterwards Maj. -Gen. Benjamin Lincoln.

We find but little of incident in this military record. Several courts-martial were beld for desertion and other grave offenses. One poor boy-fifer, who said be did not mean to run away, was sentenced to close confinement during bis term of service, and to have his whiskey stopped. Lucky sentence for the boy! One officer deserted at the first alarm, and a private fled beyond the reach of a squad sent for him.

Officers of the Regiment. - Benjamin Lincoln, lieut.-col. commanding; Edward Pope, maj. ; John Coggeshall, maj. of art.; Elislia Tobey, adjt.; William Kempton, q.m. ; Samuel Perry, snrgeon ; Elijah Wilbur, q.m.-aergt. ; Levi Peirce, maj.; Ebenezer Hunt, maj.; Daniel Lane, adjt. art. All of these were of New Bedford, excepting Tobey, Peirce, Hart, and Lane.

This company was stationed at Clarke's Cove, in New Bedford, for the purpose of forming a regular guard around Clarke's Point, from the Cove to the Smoking Rocks.

Infantry Company. - Roll of Capt. Nathaniel Nelson's company of detached troops, stationed at New Bedford, ordered out by Lieut.-Col. Benjamin Lincoln, June, 1814 :

Officers. - Nathaniel Nelson, capt.; Job Gray, Jr. (Fairhaven, sick and did no duty;, lieu t.; George Clark, ensign . . .; Benjamin Warren, 1st sergt.; Gamaliel Hart, 2d sergt.; Nathaniel Perry, 3d sergt.; Thomas Biddell, 4th sergt.; Charles Hathaway, d rill -sergt. ; David Howlaud, James Proud, Robert Tuckerman, Charles Covel, corps. ; Alansou Caswell, drummer ; Charles Pratt, fifer ; Abner Suule, captain's waiter.

Bedford excepting Lieut. Gray, who was from Fairhaven, Charles Wood, who was from Dartmouth, and the last six named on the list, who were from Freetown. Charles Gilbert was killed by a stupid sentinel stationed at the gun -house on Spring Street, near Sixth. He was going the rounds in the night inspecting the posts, and, not answering promptly the first demand for the countersign, he was shot and instantly killed.

Artillery Company. - Return pay-roll of Capt. Samuel Stall's company of artillery of the Second Brigade, Fifth Division of Massachusetts militia, stationed in New Bedford, and detached by order of Lieut.-Col. Benjamin Lincoln :

War of the Rebellion. - -New Bedford responded promptly to the country's call in 1861, and on the 19th of April of that year five thousand dollars were appropriated for the benefit of the City Guards, and ten thousand dollars for the formation of a Home and Coast Guard. On the same date the American flag was ordered to be displayed from the City Hall until otherwise ordered.

The city clerk in 1861 and 1862 was San ford S. Horton ; in 1863, 1864, and 1865, Henry T. Leonard. The city treasurer during all the years of the war was James B. Congdon.

July 15th. A report was received showing that Fort Phoenix, in Fairhaven, and Fort Taber, in New- Bedford, mounting eleven guns, had been manned by the Home Guard, and recommendingan additional appropriation to maintain the same ; and on the 29th of July five thousand dollars was appropriated.

September 5th. The mayor was authorized to organize one or more companies " for the national army," the bounty to each member not to exceed fifteen dollars.

January 4th. This being the close of the municipal year, a report and resolution complimentary of the outgoing mayor, Hon. Isaac C. Taber, were unanimously adopted.

July 10th. Seven thousand five hundred dollars was appropriated to establish a general hospital for sick and wounded soldiers, provided the general government should " decide to locate one in this city."

Voted, To pay a bounty of one hundred dollars to each volunteer who enlists for three years' military service, to the credit of the city. Twenty-six thousand dollars was appropriated to pay the same. The use of the spacious city almshouse, capable of accommodating three hundred sick and wounded soldiers, was offered to the general government, which offer was respectfully declined.

August 18th. The bounty to volunteers was increased to two hundred and fifty dollars ; and twenty thousand dollars was appropriated to pay the same.

August 29th. Voted, To pay a bounty of two hundred dollars to each volunteer for nine months' service. Twenty-five thousand dollars was appropriated to pay said bounties.

October 21st. A further appropriation of five thousand dollars was made for the Home and Coast Guard, and twenty thousand for military bounties, which, on the 13th of December, was Increased by a loan of twenty-six thousand dollars.

1863, February 26th. The City Council adjourned " for the purpose of paying their respects to Governor Andrew and Gen. Wool at the City Hall."

March 4th. State aid was directed to be paid to the families " of colored citizens who shall be mustered into the service of the United States."

April 9th. Two hundred dollars was authorized to be expended on the enlistment of a company of heavy artillery, which, on the 21st of May, was increased to one thousand dollars.

September 21st. The treasurer was directed to pay the treasurer of the commonwealth $15,450.68, "under the laws in relation to the reimbursement of bounties."

1865, January 7th. Appropriate resolutions were passed in regard to the death of Hon. Edward Everett, and ex-Governor John H. Clifford was invited to deliver a eulogy on the life and character of the deceased.

February 7th. The mayor recommended the ringing of the bells and the firing of one hundred guns in honor of President Lincoln signing the emancipation proclamation.

April 15th. A message was received from the mayor making an official announcement of the death of President Lincoln, and a committee was appointed to consider and report upon the proper measures to be taken in regard to it. The committee reported a series of appropriate resolutions, which were adopted.

June 22d. Alderman Gifford presented to the Council a Confederate flag captured at Charleston, S. C, Feb. 18, 1865, and sent to him by Capt. James W. Grace, of Company C, Fifty-fourth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers (colored).

New Bedford furnished about three thousand two hundred men for the war, which was asurplus of eleven hundred and ten men over and above all demands.1

One hundred and twenty were officers in the military service. We do not know the number who served in the navy. The whole amount of money appropriated and expended on account of the war, exclusive of State aid, was one hundred and seventyseven thousand dollars.

The Ladies' Soldiers' Relief Society donated for the relief of the soldiers upwards of twenty thousand dollars in money ; in cotton cloth and flannel, four thousand dollars ; and in hospital stores to the value of six thousand dollars. The following are some of the articles contributed : Condensed milk, preserved fruits, jellies and pickles, farina, maizeua, tamarinds, lemons, dried apples, tea, coffee, cocoa; 1116 bottles of wine, consisting of sherry, currant, blackberry, and native

1 This large surplus was mainly owing to the act of Congress passed Jul}', 18(34, allowing credits for men serving in the United States navy.

wines, 423 bottles of brandy, 1130 bottles of blackberry brandy and syrups, 345 bottles of Port wine, large contributions for the Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas-trees at Portsmouth Grove Hospital, besides bushels of lint and bandages. The Society for the Comfort and Relief of our Soldiers in Hospitals furnished, among other things, 5904 flannel shirts, 3887 pairs of drawers, 4573 woolen socks, 1790 towels, 94 coats, 76 vests, 120 collars, 1000 handkerchiefs, 368 cravats, 314 dressing-gowns, 1836 pockethandkerchiefs, 300 pants, 148 napkins, 678 pairs slippers, 265 woolen mittens, 542 blankets, 515 sheets, 673 pillows, 750 quilts, 988 canes, 1280 woolen undershirts, etc.

The contributions named above are certainly remarkable, but we have to add that the ladies of New Bedford began early in the war. They held a meeting on the 18th of April, 1861, and organized for the work. Mrs. Joseph C. Delano was chosen president ; Mrs. Lawrence Grinnell, vice-president; and Mrs. William Eddy, secretary and treasurer. In addition to the above contributions, five hundred dollars were given by a lady to pay soldiers' wives for sewing. They also sent contributions to the St. Louis and Baltimore Soldiers' Fairs, and furnished tables at the New York and Boston Fairs.

Roll of Honor. - The following is a list of the names of the volunteers in the army and navy who died in the service of their country during the Rebellion of 1861-65 :

Allen, Frederick S., corp., 20th Regt., Co. G ; died Oct. 25, 1862. of wounds received at Antietam ; grave at Linden Grove Cemetery, Westport.

Bly, Joseph H., 38th Regt., Co. H ; died at Satterlee Hospital, Philadelphia, Nov. 10, 1864, of wounds received at Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864; buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Clough, James, corp., 7th Regt., Co. A ; died in Armory Hospital, Washington, June 18, 1863, of wounds received at Fredericksburg May 3, 1863.

Fitzsimmons, Henry (quota of Middleborough), 58th Regt., Co. K; died in Baltic, Conn., August, 1867, of wounds received at Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1865 ; grave in Catholic Cemetery.

Fleetwood, Lewis A., 54th Regt., Co. C; wounded at Fort Wagner July 18, 1863; foot amputated; died in New Bedford after discharge; grave in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Gooding, James H., sergt, 54th Regt, Co. C; wounded and taken prisoner at Olustee, Fla., Feb. 20, 1864 ; died at Andersonville, July 19, 1864.

Hussey, Robert B., 58th Regt., Co. E ; died nt Nantucket while on furlough, Nov. 27, 1864. Jackson, William S., 5th Regt. Cav., Co. F; died at Clarksville, Texas,

N. C, May 4, 1864; buried in Oak Grove Cemetery. Johnson, Edward, sergt., 3d Regt. Cav., Co. C ; killed in action at Alexandria, La., May 1, 1864. Jones, Charles, Corp., 18th Regt., Co. II ; died in New Bedford March

Libby Prison Aug. 6, 1864, of wounds received at Drury's Bluff. Kubler, John F., sergt., 3d Regt. H. Art., Co. B ; died at Sanitary Commission Hospital, Washington, Nov. 13,1864; grave in Rural Cemetery. Lally, Michael, 3d Regt. Cav., Co. A ; died of wounds at Winchester, Va.,

1863. Leonard, Stephen H., 3d Regt. Cav., Co. A ; died Sept. 24, 1864, at Winchester, Va., of wounds received September 19th. Leonard, Thomas W., 47th Regt., Co. D ; died at at Camp Parapet, Carrollton, La., July 15, 1863. Lines, Samuel, 24th Regt., Co. F ; killed at Newberne, N. C, March 14,

Oct. 11, 1864. Miller, Luke, 20th Regt., Co. G ; wounded at Gettysburg; died at Andersonville Oct. 1, 1864. Milliken, Albert F., corp., 5th Batt.; killed at Gaines' Mills, Va., June27,

25, I860 ; buried at Pocasset. Nye, Franklin, 3d Regt. Cav., Co. C ; killed at Port Hudson Nov. 30, 1863. O'Brien, Daniel (of Boston?), 20th Regt., Co. D; killed at Ball's Bluff

1863. Ormond, Patrick, 22d Regt., Co. D ; supposed to have died at Andersonville December, 1864. Orne, George, 3d Regt., Co. F; died Jan. 30, 1863, at Boston. Palmer, George S., 18th Regt., Co. H; died in Farley Hospital, Washington, Nov. 14, 1863, of wounds received at Rappahannock Station ;

27, 1863; buried in Oak Grove Cemetery. Ryan, James P., 38th Regt., Co. H ; died at University Hospital, New- Orleans, June 4, 1863. Sargent, Joseph A., sergt., 3d Regt. Cav., Co. A ; died at Annapolis March

18, 1863, of wounds received at Gettysburg; buried in Rural Cemetery. Sherman, William F., 31st Maine Regt., Co. C ; died at Millen, Ga., Oct.

Boston Haibor, Sept. 15, 1865; grave in Catholic Cemetery. Whalon, Joseph, 18th Regt., Co. B; died May 6, 1862, at York town, Va. Whitehall, John D., 2d Regt. Cav., Co. I; died at Gloucester Point, Va., grave in Oak Grove Cemetery. Wilcox, William S., 5th Batt.; died Nov. 28, 1S62, at Falmouth, Va. Williams, Henry J., 18th Regt., Co. A ; died at Sharpsburg, Md., Oct. 17,

S. C. Wood, Horatio, q.m.-sergt., 1st Regt. Cav.; died on board steamer "Ericsson" June 25, 1862. Wordell, Charles P., 58th Regt., Co. E; died in Douglas Hospital, Washington, Aug. 'Al, 1864, of wounds received at the assault upon Petersburg July 30, 1864.

City Point, Va., May 20, 1862. Andrews, Manuel, died in Marine Hospital, Chelsea, Sept. 11, 1861. Avila, Elisha N. (quota of Boston), steamer "Benton;" killed at Fort

Douelson Feb. 14, 1862 Bly, Horatio T., steamer "St. Louis ;" died of wounds Oct. 17, 1862. Boakim, Emanuel, steward ; killed Aug. 5, 1864. Cornell, John M., steamer " Mound City ;" died March 16, 1864. Coxen, Edward M., died of wounds July 24, 1863. Dandridge, Andrew, cook ; died of disease March 19, 1862. Francis, Isaac, Jr., acting ensign, schooner "Matthew Vassar;" died

Fuller, James, frigate "Congress;" drowned in Hampton Roads. Gifford, Charles R., killed at Brooklyn Navy-Yard June 20, 1862. Gifford, David S., died of disease Feb. 14, 1862. i lould, John, steamer " Herald ;" killed Oct. 25, 1863. Handy, Joshua J., steamer "Augusta;" died 1862. Harrington, Jeremiah, steamer " Rattler ;" died of gunshot-wounds lost overboard in Chesapeake Bay March 23, 1865. Louis, John, died June 12, 1863. Lucius, Juan, died at Brooklyn May 19, 1865. McCarty, John, died of disease Dec. 8, 1862. Milan, Michael, frigate" Congress;" killed in Hampton Roads March 17,

1862. Milliken, Charles E., first-class boy, killed in Mobile Bay Aug. 25, 1864. Mullany, Philip, died from casualty Jan. 26, 1864. Nugent, Robert N., died at < lharleston, S. C, Dec. 6, 1863. O'Neil, Cornelius, lost in steamer "Cincinnati" March 27, 1863. Ottiwell, Nathaniel D, acting master's mate, steamer "Cambridge;"

Rural Cemetery. Parnell, James E., steamer " Romeo;" died Aug 13, 1863, on board hospital-ship " Red Rover." Peirce, John A., perished on board the " Cumberland" in Hampton

Roads, March 8, 1862; grave in Kural Cemetery. Phillips, Edward, died in Marine Hospital, Chelsea, Dec. 19, 1861. Rogers, Reuben G., died of disease Sept. 20, 1862. Scott, John, died of disease Nov. 20, 1861. Standish, William D., steamer " Meteor,"' died Oct. 1, 1864. Taber, Daniel G., blown up in the " Tecumseh," in Mobile Bay, Aug. 5,

Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. - The monument erected by the city of New Bedford in memory of her citizens who perished in the Rebellion occupies a prominent situation upon the common.

It is a beautiful and appropriate structure. Of the many erections of this character that the gratitude of the living has raised to commemorate the patriotism of the dead, few can be found more tasteful and appropriate in design or more perfect in execution.

East Side. " Erected by tin- i 'ity nf New Bedford, as a tribute of gratitude to lier 6ons who fell defending their Country in its struggle with Slavery aud Treason."