i8i4] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF 1812 167

1 8 14 they sent delegates to Hartford^ to consider the difficul-

ties. The meetings of this Hartford Convention — held in secret
— alarmed the government, which feared it might be a plan
of the federalists to break up the Union. They made a public
report recommending that New England be allowed to protect
her coast without waiting for the federal government. Peace
was, however, soon declared, and no further steps were taken
in this matter. The battle of New Orleans, January 8, 181 5, re-

sulted in so complete a victory that in twenty-tive minutes the

whole British line was in retreat, having lost the commander
and two thousand five hundred men, while of the Americans
eight were killed and thirteen wounded. Peace negotiations
had been going forward,^ and a treaty was ratified at Ghent in
Belgium on December 24, 1814, but the word did not reach
America in time to prevent the last disastrous battle. One
result of the war was the growth of power of the United
States. The accurate aim of the American gunners had done
much to win the victory. While the gunboats built in such
large numbers for the coast defence proved a failure, the naval
successes won for the country the respect of other nations, and
never again did Great Britain attempt to enforce her orders
in council" or the impressment of seamen, which had caused
the war.

1 Bradford, History of Massachusetts^ vol. ii, chap. 13.

2 Montgomery, History of United States, p. 219.
 CHAPTER XI

MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION

IBERTY and Union, now and forever, one and in-
separable," were the closing words of that "most
remarkable speech ever made in the American Con-
gress," when Daniel Webster replied to Hayne.
Later, in his reply to Calhoun, " There can be no secession
without revolution," his words found an echo in the senti-
ment so widespread over the North. Middleboro was too close
a neighbor to Marshfield, Webster's home, too close a neigh-
bor to Plymouth, the home
of liberty, too deeply imbued with
the spirit and loyalty to that Union for which
of patriotism
her fathers had fought, not to be stirred to her depths as
the murmurs of a great struggle began to be heard. Thirty
years after Webster's famous speech, when the Civil War
threatened to destroy the Union, thousands all over the land
were willing to die to save it.
It is beyond our province to trace the history of those thrill-

ing times, how

with the new discoveries, new inventions, new
came new problems, or old ones under a new guise.
territories,
The Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Law, the strug-
gle between North and South for the possession of Kansas,
the Dred Scott Decision, the John Brown raid, the election of
Lincoln as President, all led the way to the secession of the
southern states from the Union (1861). On March 4, 1861, at
his inauguration, Lincoln said, I have no purpose directly, or
indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the
states where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do
so, and I have no inclination to do so." At the same time he
felt it his duty to " preserve, protect, and defend " the Union.

On April 12, 1861, the first gun was fired at Fort Sumten No
longer was it possible to settle the slave question by a peace-
 186T-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION 169

ful arrangement war had begun, and the next day the Presi-
;

dent called for seventy-five thousand volunteers.

Middleboro furnished readily her full quota of men, and
contributed most liberally to supply the varied necessities
occasioned by this great national struggle. Few of the north-
ern statesmen were more active or energetic than John A.
Andrew,^ the illustrious war governor, by whose foresight and
alacrity Massachusetts was perhaps better prepared to meet
the exigencies of the war than any of the northern states, and
was the first to send her troops to the front. ^ Middleboro's.
patriotism is shown by the promptness with which she re-

sponded to the first call. The order from the governor reached
the town at six o'clock at night, requiring the company to re-
port for duty on Boston Common at nine o'clock the next morn-
ing. Captain Harlow lived eight miles from the station, and
the members of the company were scattered through Middle-
boro and the adjoining towns, covering an area of about fifteen
miles,and yet such was the readiness with which the men
responded, that when the morning train at twenty minutes past
seven left the station in Middleboro, more than three quarters
of the company were present.
Of the seventy-five thousand men called to serve three
months, Massachusetts,^ on the 15th day of April, received
an order for two regiments, and later for four, and so the
Third, Fourth, Sixth, and Eighth were sent. system The state
of organization of these regiments required but eight compa-
nies, while the United States standard demanded ten, hence
a reorganization was necessary where it was possible. The
departure of these regiments for three months' service aroused
the people to form recruiting companies, so that the call on
May 3 for regiments to volunteer for three years met with
a ready response. On August 4, 1862, the President called

1 hossing, Fie/d-Book of the Civil War, vol. i, p. 203.

2 " Before the lapse of forty-eight hours a Massachusetts regiment, armed and
equipped, was on its way to Washington." Nicolay and Hay, Abraham Lincoln^
vol. iv, p. 85.
^ Bowen, Massachusetts in the War, i86t-i86j.
 ;

170 HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65

for three hundred thousand additional men to serve for nine

months. These were organized on the plan of the Massachu-
setts militia. Other regiments were sent to the field later.
Before we sketch the history of these regiments in which
men from Middleboro served, let us take a brief glance at the
events of these four years, that we may be better able to follow
our men in their brave struggle to defend the Union.
The first great battle at Bull Run resulted in the defeat
of the Union forces (July 21, 1861). In February, 1862, Fort
Henry and Fort Donelson were captured by the Union forces
in March occurred the famous battle between the Monitor

and the Merrimac in April the victory at Pittsburg Landing

;

and Island Number Ten. The greatest military achievement of

that year was the capture of New Orleans (April 25), when
Farragut passed the forts and destroyed the Confederate fleet
the second battle of Bull Run, in August, was shortly followed
by the battle of Antietam (September 17). From the Procla-
mation of Emancipation on New Year's Day, 1863, the North
strove to make the nation free — to restore the Union — with-
out slavery. In the spring General Hooker met Lee and
Jackson at Chancellorsville (May, 1863), where a fierce battle
raged for two days, resulting in a dearly bought Confederate
victory, and in the fall of their brilliant general, Stonewall
Jackson. A
month later Lee again attempted to pass to the
North and was defeated at Gettysburg (July), while another
great battle of almost equal importance was being fought at
Vicksburg, followed by the surrender of Port Hudson. In the
southwest the Union forces had been successful after severe
battles at Chickamauga (September), Missionary Ridge, and
Lookout Mountain (November). In May, 1864, occurred the
battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania in June the Con-
;

federate victory at Cold Harbor and the siege of Petersburg,

followed in August by Sheridan's raid in the Shenandoah Valley.
At the same time Sherman was marching through Georgia,
finally taking Atlanta (September 2), whence he marched to the
sea. Meanwhile, Admiral Farragut's last great battle resulted
in closing Mobile to Confederate supplies. Then Sheridan cut
1861-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION I7I

off Richmond on the west and south. Grant captured Peters-

burg (April 2, 1865), and on the 9th of April Lee surren-
dered to Grant at Appomattox Court House.
In order to give an adequate conception of the service which
our men rendered in this great rebellion, we have found it
necessary briefly to outline the history of the different regi-
ments in which the companies from Middleboro served. In
the various engagements, it often happened that some of the
companies were detailed to perform other duties than those in
which the regiment was engaged, and in many cases it has
been impossible to trace their movements in detail.^

Second Regiment
The Second Regiment was the first volunteer organization
in the state to begin to form after the order for Massachu-
setts militia, in April, 1861.
Only one Middleboro man was in this regiment.

Second Regiment of Infantry (3 years' service)

company i

Alfred S. Thayer

Third Regiment
The Third, for the three months' service, like so many other
Massachusetts regiments, was ready almost immediately after
the call. It left Boston harbor on the 18th of April, 1861,

and its first work was at the Gosport Navy Yard. The order
had been given that the navy yard should be evacuated, and
against the protest of Colonel Wardrop, the measure was car-
ried out with the assistance of this regiment. It soon after
arrived at Fortress Monroe, where it was made a part of the
garrison, and engaged in some scouting duty in the vicinity of
Yorktown, with a little skirmishing, but the regiment's main
duty was to strengthen the fortress. It returned to Boston,
and was mustered out on July 23.
1 For a complete sketch of all these regiments, see Bowen, Massachusetts in
the War, 1861-1863.
172 HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65

summer of 1862 Middleboro's men were again called

In the
out, and the nine months' troops responded. Company B of
this regiment was composed in part of Middleboro men. It
was encamped for a while in Camp Joe Hooker, at Lakeville,
and started on the 226. of October for Newbern. The regi-
ment was not well equipped, the Austrian rifle musket being a
poor weapon. The first expedition in which it took part was
toward Goldsboro (December, 1862), where it assisted in tear-
ing up the railroad track under fire of the enemy, and sup-
ported the artillery during the repulse of the Confederate
attack. It had before this taken a slight share in the engage-
ments at Kinston and Whitehall. In January, 1863, it moved
to Camp Jourdan, near Fort Totten. On the 6th of March it
went on a five days' expedition into Jones and Onslow coun-
ties, wh6re it won the thanks of the commanding officers for
the faithful discharge of duties. It then returned to camp
near Newbern, and later joined General Prince's Division in
the reconnoissance at Pollocksville ; it took part in the skir-
mish at Blount's Creek and later at Core Creek, and was en-
gaged with other troops in raising the siege at Washington,
but was not in any of the decisive battles of the war. After
some picket duty, it was mustered out on June 26.

^
Third Regiment of Infantry (3 months' service)

company a
Joseph S. Harlow, capt. Opher D. Mitchell
Oreb F. Mitchell, sergt. William M. Tinkham
James W. Bryant, corp.

COMPANY H
S. Loring, 2d lieut. Thomas Morton, Jr.
William C. Alden Robert Parris
Lorenzo L. Brown Lucius S. Raymond
Seth E. Hartwell Francis S. Thomas
1 For the names of men from Middleboro enlisted in all regiments in this
war, I have used the lists published in the History of Plymouth County, pp.

1009-1012.
1861-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION I
73

COMPANY K
Asa Shaw, ist sergt. George N. Gammons
Elbridge A. Maxim, corp. Martin F. Jefferson
Eben A. Shaw, corp. Henry L. McFarlin
Eli Atwood, Jr. Leven S. Morse
John S. Atwood Thomas W. Sampson

^
Third Regiment of Infantry (9 months' service)
company b

William S. Briggs, 2d lieut. Adoniram B. Lucas

Asa Shaw, ist sergt. Cornelius Ramsdell
Gideon Shurtliff, corp. Ezra Shaw
James Briggs Benjamin Shurtliff, Jr.
Allen Cobb Marcus M. WilUs
George Darling Henry Wrightinton

COMPANY K
Samuel Jones

P'ourth Regiment

The Fourth Regiment was the first organization to leave

Boston (on April 17, 1861) for three months' service. It was
ordered for duty at Fortress Monroe, where it remained until
its dismissal, July 22.
Company C of the nine months' troops of the Fourth Regi-
ment was mustered into service on the 17th of September,
1862 (the day of the battle of Antietam), was ordered to Camp
Joe Hooker, at Lakeville, and started for the front on the
30th of December of the same year. It joined General Banks's
corps in New Orleans, and was for a short time in camp at
Carrollton. was attached to the First Brigade, Third
It

Division, and on March 7 was sent to Baton Rouge, where it

encamped for two or three weeks, taking part in skirmishes
near Fort Bisland and in the assault at Port Hudson. The
company was engaged in one or two skirmishes at Indian
Bend, but no Middleboro men were killed or wounded. After-
1 The following men were killed : Company B : Asa Shaw, ist sergeant.
Company K Samuel Jones, May 26,
: 1863.
174 HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65

wards was ordered back, and with the army went up Red
it

River, and returned to Port Hudson in May, 1863. During

the siege at this place it was for the most part engaged in
skirmishing, the plan being to make a demonstration to aid
Admiral Farragut, in order that his fleet might come up the
river. On the 14th of June a fierce battle took place, in which
the company lost most of its men. A large number left in
charge of supplies were taken prisoners and sent to Texas.
Among them were the following Middleboro men :
^ —
WilliamW. Abbott Joshua M. Jenney
Andrew Alden Andrew Osborne
Isaac Alger Morton Robbins
William Barney Horatio N. Sampson
George W. Barrows James M. Sampson
Earle Bennett Dennis Shaw
Grover Bennett E. Howard Shaw
Augustus N. J. Buchel Winslow B. Sherman
Edwin M. Cole Alfred O. Standish
William H. Cole Henry Swift
William A. Coombs Sergeant S. Swett
Erastus E. Gay Sylvester R. Swift
Jonathan L. Hall Winslow Thomas
Daniel Handy James H. Waterman
Reuben Harlow Thomas E.Waterman
George H. Hermann Dura T. Weston

These men were paroled soon after some of them reen- ;

listed,joining other companies. During service the regiment

suffered severely, one hundred and eighteen of its number
dying from disease. It was mustered out at Lakeville on the
28th of August, 1865.

Fourth Regiment of Infantry (3 months' service)

COMPANY e
Thomas Taylor

COMPANY G
Daniel F. Wood Isaac S. Clark
1 These names were furnished by Mr. John Sullivan, Register of Probate.
1861-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION I
75

Fourth Regiment of Infantry (9 months' service) ^

COMPANY c
Seneca Thomas, capt, Daniel Handy
Daniel F. Wood, ist lieut. Reuben Harlow
Sargeant S. Sweet, sergt. Reuben A. Harlow
Frederick E. Wood, sergt. Levi Hathaway
Orlando H. Shaw, sergt. Conrad J. Herman
J.Horace Soule, sergt. George H. Herman
Davis S. Weston, sergt. Charles H. Holmes
Erastus E. Gay, corp. William N. Keith
Sylvanus Mendall, corp. William Mitchell
Dennis Shaw, corp. Harvey C. Pratt
Isaac E. Macomber, corp. Cornelius Redding
David A. Tucker, corp. Morton Robbins
George W. Barrows, corp. Andrew P. Rogers
Francis S. Thomas, corp. William H. Rogers
W. W. Atwood, musician Howard E. Shaw
J. M. Jenney, musician Henry L. Shaw
Asa B. Adams Joseph B. Shaw
Andrew Alden Ephraim Simmons
Isaac Alger Stillman S. Smith
Miron E. Alger Rodney E. Southworth
Elisha Benson Alfred O. Standish
Earle E. Bennett John C. Sullivan
Grover Bennett Henry A. Swift
Sylvanus Bisbee Andrew E. Thomas
William B. Bart Joseph Thomas
Augustus N. J. Buchel Stephen F. Thomas
David H. Burgess Winslow Thomas

1 The following were killed in battle or died from wounds received: —

Corporal Francis S. Thomas, d. at Carroll ton Hospital, March 9, 1863.
Miron E. Alger, d. at Brashear City, Louisiana, July 10, 1863.
David H. Burgess, d. August 28, 1863.
Daniel Handy, d. at Centralia, Illinois, September 10, 1863.
Levi Hathaway, d. at Indianapolis, Indiana, August 20, 1863.
Henry L. Shaw, d. (from wounds received at Port Hudson) October, 1863.
Ephraim Simmons, d. at Brashear City, May 24, 1863.
Andrew E. Thomas, d. at Brashear City, June 27, 1863.
Joseph Thomas, d. at Port Hudson, Louisiana, August i, 1863.
Stephen F. Thomas, d. at hospital in New Orleans, May i, 1863.
Williams S. Eaton, Jr., d. (from wounds received at Port Hudson) at New-
Orleans, June 21, 1863.
Alva C. Tinkham, d. at Brashear City, July 15, 1863.
176 HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65

Edwin M. Cole Alva C. Tinkham

William A. Coombs James H. Waterman
Richard Cox Thomas E. Waterman
Williams S. Eaton, Jr. Dura Weston, Jr.
Thomas W. Finney Charles M. Wilbur
Asa M. Franklin Edward W. Wood
Jonathan L. Hall Jacob Wood
Ninth Regiment
The Ninth Regiment was mustered in on June 11, 1861.
In the Peninsular Campaign of 1862 it was part of the Second
Brigade in the Army of the Potomac.

Ninth Regiment of Infantry (3 years' service)

Thomas B, Burt

Eleventh Regiment
The Eleventh Regiment was the third in the state to be
mustered in for three years' service. It was ordered to Fort
Warren, and left for the front on the 29th of June, 1861, its
•destination being Washington. As it passed through Balti-
more, the regiment was ordered to load with ball cartridges,
remembering the reception which the Sixth ^ had met the
April before. However, its passage through the city was
without molestation, and it reached Washington on July 3,
where it remained ten days, marching on the 14th to Alex-
andria, where, with the Massachusetts Fifth and others, it
formed the First Brigade, Third Division, McDowell's army,
under Colonel Franklin, and on the 21st took part in the
battle at the first Bull Run engagement. It suffered severely
in this disastrous battle, sustaining a loss of eighty-eight in
killed,wounded, or missing.
it joined General Hooker's Brigade, taking part in the
Later,
siege before Yorktown (April 12), and was one of the first to
engage in the battle at Williamsburg. In this engagement it
sustained a loss of sixty-seven men, and for gallant conduct
received a new standard from Governor Andrew. Although
1 Lossing, Field-Book of the Civil War, vol. i, p. 413; Comte de Paris, Civil
War in America, vol. i, Book II, chap. 4.