William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 1

[380] that we have nine camps of rendezvous in the State, in two of which there are three regiments each; in three, two regiments each; and, in the others, one each. There are but two mustering officers in the State; so you will see that it is not such an easy thing to get a mustering officer to go to Pittsfield every day. We have no command over these officers, and cannot say to them, Go, and he goeth, or Come, and he cometh; but, like the voters for the People's party, we have to get them when and how we can. I have just heard that Captain Arnold is at Pittsfield, and will muster in the two remaining companies of the Berkshire regiment; so you see you have been treated as you ought to be, with marked liberality in regard to mustering officers. I hope I have satisfied you. With any shortcomings, no blame can properly attach to the State authorities.

At length the quota of the State was filled. Upwards of thirty-three thousand men had been recruited in less than five months, regiments formed, thoroughly organized and equipped, and sent to the war. We have already given the names of the three months regiments and batteries, dates of their departure from the State, and the names of the commanding officers. We now proceed with the nine months regiments.

The Third Regiment served in the three months term in the beginning of the war. It was recruited to the full standard for the nine months service at ‘Camp Joe Hooker,’ at Lakeville. On the twenty-second day of October, the regiment embarked at Boston, in steamers Merrimack and ‘Mississippi,’ under command of Colonel Silas P. Richmond, and arrived at Beaufort, N. C., Oct. 26, and reached Newbern the same evening.

The Fourth Regiment, which had also served in the three months campaign in 1861, was recruited to the full standard at ‘Camp Joe Hooker’ for the nine months service. On the seventeenth day of December, it was ordered to join General Banks's command at New Orleans. It left the State on that day for New York, under the command of Colonel Henry Walker. From New York it went by transport to New Orleans.

The Fifth Regiment, which had also served in the three months campaign, was recruited for nine months service at ‘Camp Lander,’ at Wenham. It sailed from Boston in transports,