Chapter 11:
- General position of affairs at the beginning of 1864 -- credits in the Navy -- law of Congress -- appointment of commissioners -- circular letter -- agents to recruit in rebel States -- letter to Mr. Everett -- Governor Andrew in Washington -- pay of colored troops -- letter to the President -- letter to Mr. Stanton -- expectation of rebel attack on our coast -- Presentof a turtle -- Brigadier-General Bartlett -- letter to Governor Seymour, ofNew York–letter to the Secretary of War -- letter to the Attorney-General -- letter to Andrew Ellison -- Colonel N. A. M. Dudley -- letter of Governor Yates, of Illinois -- case of Otis Newhall, of Lynn -- case of Mrs.Bixby, of Boston -- letter to the President -- plan to burn the Northerncities -- speech of Mr. Everett -- destruction of the ‘Alabama’ -- Honorspaid to Commodore Winslow -- donations for our soldiers -- letter of Mr.Stebbins -- letter to the Union League Club, New York -- colored officers -- letter to James A. Hamilton -- battle before Nashville -- case of Jackflowers -- national conventions -- nominations -- Republican State Convention-proceedings -- Renomination of Governor Andrew -- Democratic Stateconvention -- nominations -- report of the Adjutant-General's journey tothe front -- staff appointments during the year -- conclusion.
The general position of affairs up to July 1, 1864, in the State, and at the front, we have given in the last chapter. At that time, Governor Andrew was in Washington. On the 1st of July, the Secretary of War, in order to relieve veteran troops on garrison duty at various points, and send them into active service, called for militia regiments for one hundred days service to take their places, and perform their duties. Massachusetts furnished five regiments of one hundred days men, under this call. They were,—the Fifth Regiment of Infantry, Colonel Peirson, which left the State July 28, and was stationed at Fort Marshall, in the vicinity of Baltimore; the Sixth Regiment of Infantry, Colonel Follansbee, which was sent forward July 20, and was detailed for duty at Fort Delaware, Md., a depot for rebel prisoners; the Eighth Regiment of Infantry, Colonel Peach, which left the State July 26, and was stationed for duty at Baltimore and Cockeysville, Md. The Forty-second Regiment [561] of Infantry left for Washington, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Steadman, July 24; and Colonel Burrill, who had returned home after a long captivity in Texas, joined the regiment at Alexandria, Va., and remained with it until it returned home, and was mustered out. The Sixtieth Regiment of Infantry, a new organization, left the State, under Colonel Wass, for Washington, Aug. 1, and was afterwards sent to Indianapolis, Ind., where it remained until its term of service expired. Nine unattached companies of one hundred days men were also recruited for garrison duties in the forts on our coast. The number of men thus recruited was 5,461, and they were not credited to the quota of the State. A regiment of infantry was recruited for one year's service, and was known as the Sixty-first Regiment. It left the State in detachments, to report to General Grant at City Point. Of this regiment, Charles F. Walcott was commissioned colonel, Nov. 9, 1864. The Fourth Regiment of Heavy Artillery, one year's men, was also recruited, and left the State by detachments, between the 10th and 16th of September, for Washington. Lieutenant-Colonel William S. King, formerly of the Thirty-fifth Regiment of Infantry, was commissioned colonel. This regiment was detailed for duty in the defences of Washington. Two unattached companies, respectively commanded by Captain Kenny and Captain Brigham, were sent forward to Washington, for the same service. Captain Brigham's company left the State Sept. 26; and Captain Kenny's company, Oct. 29. In-addition to the above, 1,247 men were mustered in for ninety days service. On the 4th of July, Congress passed an act allowing credits to be given for men in the naval service who had entered during the Rebellion. This was one of the most just deeds of Congress during the war, and great credit is due to Governor Andrew for it. He was at Washington when the bill passed. On the 5th of July, he sent the following telegram to the Adjutant-General,— [562]
My impression is, that, under the volunteer laws, hundred day men cannot be mustered, but militia can be mustered for one hundred days. If Shenandoah raid subsides, and duty of patriotism therefore permits reference to our own interests, I shall consider the interest of Massachusetts served by not favoring hundred days men, since they tend to diminish volunteering for longer terms. Am making excellent progress, both about naval credits, and recruiting in disloyal States, under new law. Thus far, my visit is of the utmost advantage. Probably finish to-morrow.In carrying into effect the law of Congress allowing navy credits, the Secretary of War decided, that the men should be credited to the State in which they enlisted, unless it should be proved that they properly belonged elsewhere.. Governor Andrew and ex-Governor Clifford were appointed commissioners to take charge of the navy enlistment in Massachusetts; they were to decide all questions relating thereto, and, in case of disagreement, the Secretary of War was to act as umpire. No disagreement ever occurred. As the law did not pass until July 4, and a draft was to be made early in September, it was of the utmost importance that the number of navy credits to which Massachusetts was entitled should be immediately known and properly distributed. To obtain this information, recourse was had to the muster-rolls on board the receiving ship Ohio, at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Captain Green, U. S.N., in command of the ship, gave permission to the Adjutant-General to make a transcript of these rolls, and he employed two clerks to perform the work: these were all that could be employed at one time, because of the limited room on board the ship where they were kept. It appeared, by these rolls, that the total number of men who had enlisted in Massachusetts into the navy from April 13, 1861, to Feb. 24, 1864, the date fixed by act of Congress, was 22,360. In order that a just distribution of these credits should be made among the several cities and towns, the commissioners caused a circular to be sent to the municipal authorities of each place, requiring a sworn return of the names of all persons residing within their municipalities, who had entered the naval service during the Rebellion, up to Feb. 24, 1864. Answers [563] were received, and the whole number of men thus claimed was 16,181. In arranging the names in order that the credits might be given, twenty-five clerks were employed in the daytime by the Adjutant-General, and an equal number during the night, for several weeks, as the work had to be completed on or before the fifth day of September, the day fixed for the draft. The Secretary of War decided that only three years men should be counted as a unit: some men had enlisted for one year, some for two years; but the great majority were three years men. It took three one year's men to count one, and three two years men to count two. The total number of enlistments, when reduced to a three years term of service, was 16,625 men. The number of enlistments claimed by the several cities and towns was allowed them, and there was a surplus left of 7,605 men, which were distributed, pro rata, to the several cities and towns in the Commonwealth. None of the men were entitled to the State bounty, although their families were to receive the State aid. On the 11th of April, 1864, the Legislature passed a law allowing a bounty of $100 to men who should enlist for three years in the navy after that date, and be credited to this State; to men who enlisted for two years, $66.66; and to one year's men, $33.33: and imposed upon the Adjutant-General the duty of making out the bounty-rolls. From Feb. 24 to Dec. 1, 1864, 3,808 men enlisted in the navy, and were placed to the credit of the Commonwealth; making the total number of men who had enlisted in the navy from Massachusetts, up to that date (Dec. 1, 1864), 26,168, which completed a contingent of every town in the State upon all the calls made by the President, and left a surplus of 13,083 men. The law passed Nov. 18, 1863, by the Massachusetts Legislature, provided that ‘residents of any town, or ward of a city, in this Commonwealth, enlisting in any other town or ward, shall, nevertheless, be counted on the quota of the town or ward of which the person is a resident, until the quota of that town or ward is filled.’ Upwards of a thousand contested [564] cases of credits grew out of this section of the law: most of them being in regard to minors who lived in one town, and whose parents lived in another. A circular was sent from the office of the Adjutant-General to the authorities of each city and town, directing that the evidence in respect to these contested cases should be in writing, and sworn to before a justice of the peace, and forwarded to the Adjutant-General, who should decide which of the places should have the credit. The papers, when received, were referred to
