War diary and letters of Stephen Minot Weld

Headquarters 56th Massachusetts Reg’t.

Camp Holmes, near Annapolis, March 25, 1864.

Dear Father, — We are now comfortably settled in tents about two miles from Annapolis, on the exact ground that the 24th Massachusetts were encamped two years ago. The ground is dry and easily drained, with water, etc., within convenient distance. The railroad runs within a fourth of a mile of our camp, making it very convenient for us to get our supplies.

We left camp, as you know, on Sunday morning, the men and officers being in the best of spirits, and with but few of the men, I am glad to say, drunk. The day before we left, over forty gallons of liquor were confiscated at General Peirce’s headquarters, being found on the persons of the soldiers’ friends, or rather enemies. We reached Groton at 3 P.M. without losing a man. At every place we stopped, the officers and guards got out, and prevented any civilians from having access to the men. In this way we managed to keep all liquor away from the soldiers. At Groton we shipped the regiment on board the Plymouth Rock and reached Jersey City by 2.30 AM., experiencing no trouble except from the boat-hands selling rum to the men. At Jersey City we had to wait until 10.30 A.M. before we could get the regiment on board the cars and started. We lost but two men here. We reached Camden at about 7 P.M. with all our men except one. At Newark a citizen was shot by one of the officers for refusing to go away from the cars, where he was selling liquor, and for throwing stones at the officer. I don’t know whether the man was mortally wounded or not. At Camden we took the ferry and crossed to Philadelphia, where we received a supper from the Union Association. I demolished a liquor shop in Philadelphia and took the proprietor prisoner. I had him hand-cuffed and taken on to Baltimore, where I had half his head and beard shaved and then turned him over to the provost marshal. At Philadelphia the colonel and quartermaster left us, and went on to Baltimore to provide transportation for the regiment, and therefore I had command. After taking our supper here, we marched to Philadelphia and Baltimore depot, where we took freight cars for Baltimore. We arrived there at 12 and found the colonel waiting for us. As a dinner was promised us here at the Union Rooms, we marched some two miles from the depot to the place, where we found that we had been taken in, for no dinner was ready, so like the king of old we marched down the hill again. We took the steamer Columbia at Baltimore about 2 P.M. and started for Annapolis, reaching there at 6.30 P.M. in a driving snow-storm. We disembarked as soon as possible, and marched to what are called the College Green Barracks, where the paroled prisoners are kept for the first day or two after their arrival. We found only four of the barracks empty, and had to pack our men in them, putting four hundred where two [hundred] are usually put. Still it was much better this way than without any shelter at all, for the night was bitter cold and the wind keen and sharp. In the morning we made arrangements with Major Chamberlain to provide our men with hot coffee and meat, until we could draw our rations. Major Chamberlain is in the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry and in charge of the parole camp. He was very kind and obliging to us, for without his aid we could have done nothing for our men, and should have been obliged to have seen them suffer a great deal. As it was, they had a pretty hard time of it. This same morning, that is, Wednesday, lots of our men got into the town, and drank much bad whiskey, besides bringing a lot more into camp. About noon camp began to be a perfect pandemonium, and as the colonel was away, the major and I sallied out to restore order. We put all the noisy drunkards in the guard-house, and soon quelled the disturbance outside. In the guardhouse, however, confusion reigned supreme for a long time. We tied up any number of men, and finally succeeded in getting quiet restored. One of the worst cases in the regiment, named Casey, I had tied up by the thumbs, and gagged. He then kicked an officer there, and I said to him, “Casey, I will shoot you if you do that again.” Another officer came by and he kicked him, and I drew that pistol Uncle Oliver gave me and fired at him twice. The first shot went through his arm, in the biceps, without touching the bone. The second hit the bayonet in his mouth by which he was gagged, and dropped into his stocking. The bayonet saved his life, for the shot would have gone through his head otherwise. I meant to kill him, and was very sorry I did not succeed. The shots had a wonderful effect in quieting the men, and I had very little trouble with them after that.

Yesterday morning we started for our camp outside the city and delighted (?) the Secesh citizens by playing “John Brown” as we marched through the town. We pitched all the tents before night and had the regiment comfortably housed and fed. Considering that some regiments that arrived over a week ago only managed to do the same thing in a week, I think we have every reason to be satisfied. . . .

My address is simply, 56th Mass. Vols., Annapolis, Md. I understand that we are the commencement of the 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 9th Army Corps, and that the corps badge is to be a cross with scalloped edges. Please ask Uncle Oliver to apply for our regiment, in case he takes any, on Burnside’s expedition. . . .

While we were in the College Green Barracks, a boatload of prisoners came in from Richmond. There were 500 in the lot that I saw. 500 of the worst cases had been sent to the hospital. Of the 500 selected as being in good health, I must say that I never saw a more horrible-looking set in my life. All ragged and filthy and thin, — it made one feel sick to see them. It was a good thing for the regiment, however, and I am glad that they saw them. The arrangements for these prisoners are very good indeed. They have a large bath-house for them, where they can take either warm or cold baths. I went in and saw some of them bathing. They looked more like skeletons than human beings. The rations for a day consist of one small piece of corn-bread. I saw Adjutant Cheever of the 17th Massachusetts, who said that Linus Comins was still in Richmond. . . .

You can’t tell how glad I am to get the regiment away from Massachusetts. It is a great relief to me, I assure you.

On Thursday, March 24, we left our barracks and marched out to the old camping-ground of the 24th Massachusetts, the ground being covered with snow about six inches deep. We received our tents here, and managed to have them all pitched before night. In the evening we had the band play, and what with delight at being away from Readville and finally settled in camp, I feel ready to pardon all past and future offences of the men. The regiment was in good spirits and everything seemed lovely.

Annapolis, March 20, 1864. — It is now over six months since I left Rappahannock Station for home, to take the position of lieutenant colonel of what was then to be called the 1st Veteran Volunteers from Massachusetts, but is now the 56th Massachusetts Volunteers. At the time I left the army I expected to be back again, with my regiment full, in the course of three months at the outside. I am now well satisfied at being here at all with my present rank.

When I reached home, matters looked badly enough for the regiment. Not a man enlisted, the recruiting, or rather attempts at it, having been going on for three weeks at least. My commission bore date of July 22, 1863, but I must say that for three or four months from that date, I had little expectation of ever being an officer in the United States service with that rank. I never should have taken the place, had not my old chum Harry Egbert persuaded me to do so.

Recruiting for our regiment began in reality about the first of November, under the call of October 17, 1863, for 300,000 men, stimulated by the promise of extra bounties from the State. It continued very fairly until about the first of March, when all our recruiting officers were called in. On January 2, 1864, I was mustered in as lieutenant colonel by Lieutenant Robert P. McKibben, 4th U. S. Infantry. The 4th of January, 1864, was my twenty-second birthday.

On Sunday, the 10th of March, 1864, after numerous false starts in accordance with the usual custom, the regiment finally started from Readville on its way to Annapolis. I was glad enough to get off, as the men were constantly deserting while in camp at Readville, and were all the time on guard or detailed, so that we could neither drill nor discipline them properly. The day before we started, over thirty gallons of liquor were confiscated on the persons of people coming to see their friends or relations in Readville.

[The passage in the diary describing the journey from Readville to Annapolis with the regiment is omitted, as that journey is described with more detail in my letter of March 25 to my father.]

I left the army at Rappahannock Station, having been appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 56th Massachusetts Volunteers. This was one of four new regiments, the 56th, 57th, 58th, and 59th. The idea was to have them largely composed of veterans who had recovered from wounds or sickness. I came home and set about the work of recruiting my regiment. I was appointed superintendent of recruiting for several counties in Massachusetts. We finally started for the war, for Annapolis, in March, 1864, most of the winter being spent in Readville recruiting the regiment and getting it into shape for service. Camp life at Readville had many pleasant features. We had a splendid regiment and a very fine band, led by Martland, who for some time had led the band at Brockton, Massachusetts. The band was so well known in the army that it was selected to go to Gettysburg when Lincoln made his celebrated speech and dedicated the monument there.

My life while recruiting had many pleasant and many disagreeable incidents. I had a chance to go to parties and see the young ladies, dance, etc., but the difficulty of getting recruits and drilling them, and the constant disciplining the new men, was very wearing, and I was only too thankful when we finally got off and I started for the front. As I have said, we had a splendid band, and I used to enjoy them very much. We had for adjutant a fellow named Lipp, a very brave fellow, but excitable, and, being a foreigner, not understanding very well how to get along with our men. I had Horatio D. Jarves, my classmate, for major, and afterwards for lieutenant colonel. He always did well, but having lost his foot in the early part of the War, he was disabled a good deal of the time and could not always be present. I started out with my classmate, Charles J. Alills, as adjutant, but we lost him soon, as he was detailed on staff duty and was killed in the last battle of the War, before Petersburg, while on General Humphreys’s staff. He was a brave and charming fellow and a delightful companion. His mother gave me his ring, which I still have,— an antique representing a lion tearing a hare. Colonel Griswold, my colonel, had been in the 22d Massachusetts; he suffered from a chronic trouble, which compelled him to resign from there. He used to be with me in the cadets. He was a brave man and a good officer. Captain Hollis, Captain Cartwright, Lieutenant Mitchell, Lieutenant Cadwell, and a great many others were fine officers and good men. Captain Duncan Lamb was also a good officer of the regiment, a brother of William E. Lamb of ’59. Major Putnam was also a fine officer. He was mortally wounded at Cold Harbor. Some of the incidents of recruiting were quite amusing. A letter sent in by the mother of a recruit is reproduced on the opposite page.

Saturday, December 3. — Sherman reported at Millen. All of us anxious to have Dr. Spencer come. Made my application to go to camp. Day pleasant and warm. Belcher on.

Richland Jail, Columbia, S. C., Sept. 11, 1864.

Dear Father, — I suppose you have heard from Captain Williams by this time that I am well. In case he is unsuccessful and has to return here, please send $100 in gold by him. If he does not come back, please forward a bill of exchange for 20 pounds sterling to Major Anderson of General Foster’s staff, and ask him to get it to me. I am very anxious to hear from you all at home. Have heard nothing since my capture, which was six weeks yesterday. Have managed to get along very comfortably since I have been here. Our rations are good and in sufficient quantity, and we have obtained money to buy extras by selling our watches.

Captain Amory is well. He received a box of clothes day before yesterday from Major Anderson. He very kindly furnished me with a shirt and pair of drawers, so that I manage to keep a clean suit of underclothes with me.

We all of us expect a general exchange of prisoners this fall. It certainly ought to be done for the sake of the enlisted men, who have no money and no means of getting any.

In our new room we have got rid of all vermin. An agreeable riddance, I can assure you.

. . . Please give me any news you. may have in regard to my regiment.

August 5. — Rode over to headquarters this afternoon to see if I could get a leave, in order to go home and accept my commission as lieutenant colonel. Had a letter from Father this afternoon. Got back to camp about ten and a half. Found staff engaged in playing poker.

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Weld did get his commission  and was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 56th Massachusetts Volunteers.  After recruiting and training his new regiment, they started for the war in March 1864.  Weld’s war diary entries and letters will be back at dotcw.com in March of next year.

August 4. — General Newton rode down to the river this morning and visited General Robinson and GeneralCutler. Also stopped at General Buford’s headquarters. We had just got back to camp when we heard firing down near the river, and found that the enemy were advancing. After swallowing a hasty dinner, we rode down on a gallop, and found that the enemy were being driven back by our cavalry. It was showery during the day.

Headquarters 1st Army Corps,

Camp at Rappahannock Station, 6 P.M., Aug. 3, 1863.

Dear Father, — I have heard nothing about my commission, and nothing about coming home. I am afraid that there is some mistake about the matter. In case any telegram or document is sent me, you had better have it directed to me at these headquarters. Of course I can take no measures about coming home until I receive official notice that I am commissioned as lieutenant colonel, or until I am ordered home by the War Department. Even if I took any such measures, no attention would be paid them, unless, as I have said, I should receive official notice.

We are settled here for some time, I think. At present we have most of our corps across the river, waiting until the railroad bridge is completed. I went out to the front day before yesterday, and saw the cavalry fight. The fighting I saw took place near Brandy Station, some six miles from here.

Our headquarters are on this side of the river and about a mile from the river.

I hope I shall hear soon from some one in regard to my commission. As soon as I do hear, I shall start for home, going from here to Washington on the railroad, which is a safe route. I shall send my horses on to New York by boat.

August 3. — We received a message this morning that the enemy was advancing in force. Lieutenant Jackson rode down to the river, and found that it was a false alarm. Weather sultry and hot.