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[44]

In addition, there were several who lost their lives by the diseases incident to the hardship ship and exposure of a soldier's life.

Chaplain Fuller, of the Sixteenth Massachusetts, had resigned from the service and had just received his discharge, when he learned that his regiment was about to go into action, at Fredericksburg. Crossing the river in the boats with the forlorn hope, he joined the skirmishers of the Nineteenth Massachusetts, who were then fighting their way through the streets. He fell dead, rifle in hand, in front of a grocery store on Caroline Street.

Springer, of the Third Wisconsin, fell mortally wounded at Resaca, after having “seized a musket” and fought for four hours in the “hottest of the fight.” 1

Howell, of the Ninetieth Pennsylvania, was shot at Gettysburg during the retreat through the town, and died on the steps of a church.

Butler was killed at the Siege of Suffolk, while carrying water to some wounded men.

Bartlett, of the First Maine Cavalry, was killed at Cold Harbor. He was struck in the breast by a shell and “literally blown to pieces.”

Benton fell at New Berne, and General Reno states in his official report that he “was killed while nobly encouraging the men to do their duty.”

Eddy, of the Seventy-second Indiana, fell at Hoover's Gap, Tenn., struck by a cannon ball.

Of Chaplain Ambrose, who was killed in the trenches at Petersburg, the regimental historian says that “a braver man never lived; a truer man never wore the garb of Christianity.”

At Resaca, among the Confederate dead which lay so thickly in front of the Twenty-seventh seventh Indiana, was a family group: a gray-haired Chaplain and his two sons.

The official reports make frequent mention of Chaplains whose gallantry and zeal had attracted the notice of their general. In the Chancellorsville reports, General Berdan, commander of the famous Sharpshooters, states that “Chaplain Barber, of the Secondl Regiment, took a rifle and went in with the skirmishers, with his usual bravery.”

At Antietam, Gen. J. R. Brooke mentions in his report “the brave Chaplain of the Sixty-sixth New York, Rev. Mr. Dwight, who was constantly in the field, in the thickest of the fight.”

Gen. Giles A. Smith, in his report of the battle of Atlanta (July 22d), states that Chaplain Bennett, of the Thirty-second Ohio, “carried his musket and fought all day in the ranks. which I learn is his custom on all such occasions.”

The officers of a brigade petitioned that Chaplain H. C. Trumbull, of the Tenth Connecticut, be brevetted a Major; stating that, “always at his post in time of danger, he has, on two occasions at least, displayed marked and conspicuous gallantry; dashing into the thickest of the fight to rally and encourage the wavering line.” Gen. Terry forwarded the paper with the endorsement: “No officer of his regiment has displayed more gallantry in action, or done more to animate the men to do their duty.”

Aside from such notices, these men have not received the recognition due their services, but lack of space forbids further mention here.

Many of the Chaplains had served in the ranks as enlisted men prior to their appointment. They were regularly ordained clergymen, whose patriotic zeal had impelled them to exchange their pulpits for the camp; so, when a vacancy occurred in the chaplaincy of a regiment to which any such belonged, the Colonel was very apt to recommend the clerical musket-bearer, whose gallantry perhaps had already attracted his attention.

In this connection, mention should also be made of the many clergymen who left their pastoral duties to accept commissions in the army, some of whom held regimental or brigade commands. Among the brigade commanders killed at Cold Harbor was the Rev. Jeremitah

1 Love: Wisconsin in the War.

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