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Chapter 44: in camp at Bailey's Cross Roads. Muster out.
The regiment had by this time become entirely different in its make up to the Nineteenth Massachusetts of 1861, and and the addition of many recruits of all nationalities lent much to its picturesqueness.
Here nothing of interest occurred until May 23, when the Army of the Potomac passed in review before
President Johnson and
Lieutenant General Grant.
This was a great event.
Most of the previous day was spent in preparation, cleaning guns, polishing brasses and blacking equipments and boots.
No knapsacks or equipments were to be carried.
Colonel Rice wanted to make it as easy for the men as possible and they would march much easier and make a better appearance without them.
The tin receptacles for cartridges were taken out of the cartridge boxes and sandwiches of bread and pork put in their places for the men's dinners.
At sunrise they started, each man carrying in his ‘inside pocket’ a pair of white gloves to be put on at the proper time.
On reaching the city, the Nineteenth marched to the
East of the
Capitol building where the
Division was massed in side streets to await its turn.
Men were brought along with the regiment to carry blacking and brushes and while waiting in line, the veterans brushed up and ate their lunches
The white gloves were to be put on ‘just before they started,’ but that time was so often that the men nearly wore them out drawing them on and off.
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Finally the end of the tramping column appeared and the Nineteenth filed into its place in the line late in the afternoon —the column had been marching many hours—and marched down past the
Capitol where an immense crowd was assembled, and then out Pennsylvania Avenue.
So many persons lined the streets as to leave hardly room for the regiment to march.
In the centre of a vast assemblage of brilliant uniforms at a point on the line of march, sat
General U. S. Grant, while in the chair, which, but for the fanatic
Booth, would have been filled by
Abraham Lincoln, sat
President Andrew Johnson.
No halt was made until the regiment had crossed the
Aqueduct Bridge into
Virginia and was well on the way to camp.
This was the last march the old Second Corps ever made.
Although the Army of the Potomac never presented a finer appearance than on that day, and the Second Division was admitted to be one of the finest divisions in the Army, the Nineteenth Massachusetts was adjudged to be the best regiment in its Corps for appearance, discipline and instruction.
Those of its friends who witnessed its march will never forget its fine appearance and bearing.
The numerical condition of the regiment on June 1, 1865, was as follows:
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absent: |
Commissioned officers: |
On detached service, | 0 |
With leave, | 1 |
Sick, | 1 |
| 2 |
Enlisted men: |
On detached service, | 5 |
Sick, | 108 |
Paroled prisoners of war | 173 |
| 286 |
Present and absent: |
Commissioned officers: |
Colonel, | 0 |
Lieut. Colonel, | 1 |
Major, | 1 |
Adjt. | 0 |
Regt.
Q. M. | 1 |
Captains, | 5 |
1st. Lieuts. | 8 |
2nd Lieuts. | 3 |
Surgeon, | 1 |
| 20 |
Enlisted men: |
Sergt. Major, | 1 |
Q. M. Sergt. | 1 |
Prin.
Music'n, | 2 |
Sergeants, | 32 |
Corporals, | 42 |
Musicians, | 20 |
Com. Sergt. & Hosp.
Steward, | 2 |
Privates, | 545 |
Total enlisted, | 645 |
Aggregate, | 665 |
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The regiment remained in camp at Bailey's Cross Roads, on Munson's Hill, until June 29, when it was mustered out, at 9 o'clock in the evening, in obedience to
General Orders No. 158, Headquarters Army of the Potomac, current series, and on the following morning began its return journey toward Readville, Mass.
The command left
Washington at 10 A. M.,
Baltimore at 4.45 P. M. on the same day; arrived in
Philadelphia at 6 A. M. on July 1st.
It is needless to say that from the Philadelphians the regiment experienced a cordial and substantial welcome at the ‘Old Cooper Shop.’
Leaving
Philadelphia at 2 P. M. on July 1, the men reached New York on the same night and there the regiment received from
Colonel Howe, his associates and friends, a reception worthy of it and them.
Leaving New York at 3 P. M., July 2, the regiment arrived at Readville at 9 A. M. on July 3, to await final discharge and payment.
The men were allowed to leave for their homes immediately and with only the delay necessary to dispose of guns and equipments, they took advantage of the opportunity.
Of the 37 commissioned officers who left
Massachusetts with the regiment in 1861, only 1 returned,—
Colonel Edmund Rice who went out as captain and returned as colonel commanding the regiment.
Fourteen officers and 250 men were either killed or died of wounds received in action, and 449 were discharged for disability occasioned by wounds or disease contracted in the service.
The colors, ordnance, camp and garrison equipage, regimental and company books and papers having been turned over to the proper officers of the
United States, final disbandment was accomplished July 20, 1865, at Readville.
The regiment has become a thing of the past, but its history also become a part of the history of
Massachusetts.
No regiment has had a more eventful history, fought better, or performed its duties with more promptness or alacrity.
During its existence the regiment was engaged in 45 battles and skirmishes, in six of which it lost from one third to five
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sixths of its men. It captured and turned over to the War Department seven stands of colors (First Texas, Fourteenth, Nineteenth, Fifty-Third and Fifty-Seventh Virginia, Twelfth South Carolina and Forty-Seventh North Carolina) and six pieces of artillery; When it is said that the regiment has been characterized by the most kindly and brotherly feeling, the best discipline and alacritous obedience in all ranks, that it was frequently commended and never censured by its superior commanders, the story is done.
The record is concluded by inserting the following, which appeared in the ‘Boston Journal:’
On the 15th of December, at Headquarters Second Army Corps, near
Yellow Tavern, Va.,
General Meade presented medals of honor commemorative of special instances of distinguished bravery in battle to several noncommissioned officers and soldiers of the Second Corps.
Among these honored and gallant men were
Sergeants B. H. Jellison and
Joseph H. DeCastro of the Nineteenth Massachusetts Infantry.
These gallant soldiers were two of the four members of this regiment, who, on the 3d of July, 1863, at
Gettysburg, captured the battle flags of the Fourteenth, Nineteenth, Fifty-Third and Fifty-Seventh Virginia Regiments.
The others were
Sergeant B. F. Falls, Co. A, of
Lynn, who fell mortally wounded at
Spottsylvania, May 12, and
Private John Robinson, of Co. I, of
Boston, now a prisoner of war. At the close of this interesting ceremony, the Nineteenth and other regiments, whose members had received medals, being drawn up before the general; he took occasion to address to them a few kind, cheering words of acknowledgment for the services of the rank and file of the army, justly observing that but for the heroic endurance and magnificent courage of the enlisted men, the utmost efforts of their officers would be unavailing.
The Nineteenth Massachusetts Infantry has, during its existence, captured seven stands of colors, viz: one at
Antietam (First Texas Regiment) by
Corporal Thomas Costello, Co. G, of
Lowell, killed at the
Wilderness, May 6th; four at
Gettysburg, by
Sergt. Benj. F. Falls,
Sergt. Benj. Jellison,
Corp. Jos. DeCastro and
Sergt. John Robinson; one at Spottsylvania Court House, (Thirty-Third No. Carolina) by
First Sergeant Samuel E. Viall, of Co. E, of
Lynn, mortally wounded on
North Anna River, May 24th; and one at
Hatcher's Run, Oct. 27th, (Forty-Seventh North Carolina) by
Sergeant Daniel F. Murphy, Co. F, of
Boston.
Sergeant Murphy being deputed by the
commanding general to personally present the captured color to the
Secretary of War, received from the hands of
Mr. Stanton a medal of honor in acknowledgment of his gallantry.
When it is considered that such captures are only made in hand to hand conflicts of the most desperate character, this appears a glorious record.
Officer