in New York.—The Sixth ordered there until after election.—Back again to Virginia.—Embark on expedition down the James.—Capture of Fort Fisher.—Advance on Wilmington.—Skirmishing with the “Johnnies.”—Enemy driven across North East river.—At Goldsboro, N. C.—Surrender of Lee’s army.—Muster out of the Veteran Sixth at New Haven.

APPENDIX.

Association of the Old Sixth meet in New Haven in May, 1868.—Its object.—Permanent organization effected.—Choice of officers.—Yearly reunions, their character, &c.—Pleasant occasions.

ROSTER OF THE OLD REGIMENT.

Names of officers.—Residence.—Date of muster.—General remarks.—Names of enlisted men.—Substitutes and drafted.—Date of muster.—Residence.—General remarks concerning all.—Unassigned recruits.

ROLL OF HONOR.

CASUALTIES OF THE SIXTH.

THE

SIXTH REGIMENT,

Connecticut Volunteer Infantry.

CHAPTER I.

Early Spring in the year 1861, was an eventful one in American history. Troops were organizing in all the loyal States to go forth and suppress the unequal war that was waged upon the people of the North. Deeply was it overshadowing our land and threatening to destroy our liberties as a nation. The shot against Sumpter’s wall was the key note of the Rebellion, and its echo was heard in every town and hamlet, uniting all loyal hearts and inspiring all the people with a zeal which had hitherto remained dormant—a zeal to avenge the insult offered to our flag and to vindicate the nation’s honor. Traitors had been arrogant in our land and had openly defied any power of the national government to suppress their actions, but the shot from Charleston directed against

a federal fort aroused the people to a stern sense of duty. The call for brave men was nobly responded to, and regiment after regiment took their place in line, and in due time was off for the conflict. The disaster that befell the three months’ troops in the memorable Bull Run campaign, is widely known and needs no repetition here. Then the call for three years’ men was issued and again the ranks of the army were rapidly filled. None heeded the call with greater alacrity than the men who composed the members of the Sixth Regiment. A finer regiment or a more patriotic one, I venture to say, never entered the Union army; and that they maintained the honor of the State of Connecticut and reflected credit on their organization, subsequent events will prove.

The Sixth was sworn into the State service on the 3d of September, in camp at Oyster Point, New Haven, and on the 12th of the same month Uncle Sam made us secure for three years or the war. The ranks of the Sixth were filled with men who represented almost every avocation in life. There were to be found professional men, others who had made science a study, as well as a number who were skilled mechanics in those higher grades of industry. The merchant left his counting room, the student his books, the mechanic his workshop, the farmer his plow, and stood shoulder to shoulder in the ranks for the one grand object—the suppression of the Rebellion

and the restoration of the old flag. The field officers of the Sixth, with one exception, had already been baptized with fire, and quite a large number of the rank and file had seen active service in the three months’ campaign. John L. Chatfield of Waterbury was commissioned as Colonel; Wm. G. Ely of Norwich, Lieut. Colonel; John Speidel of Bridgeport, as Major.

The first company that reported on the ground was from Windham County—Thomas K. Bates of Brooklyn, Conn., as Captain. Three companies were furnished from New Haven, viz: Company “C,” Capt. Daniel Klein; Company “F,” Captain Lewis C. Allen, Jr.; Company “K,” Captain Henry G. Gerrish. Company “B,” Captain Benjamin F. Prouty, was from Hartford and the adjoining towns. Company “D,” Captain Lorenzo Meeker, was recruited principally from Stamford and Greenwich. Waterbury and the towns along the Naugatuck Valley furnished the members of Company “E,” Captain Edward P. Hudson. Company “G,” Captain John N. Tracy, was mainly from New Britain. Company “H,” Captain Henry Biebel, was called a Bridgeport company, although most of the members were recruited in towns and cities north of New Haven. Company “I,” Captain Thomas Boudren, was from Bridgeport, yet the adjoining towns contributed largely to her quota.

The companies, although formed under each letter, were not full when they reported in camp, yet recruits rapidly arriving soon swelled the ranks to the maximum number. The camp at Oyster Point was but the primary school that was to fit us for the more stern duties of the field, and very little care was bestowed upon our future movements, nor did we deem it wise to dwell upon the hardships of the soldier’s life when in the enemy’s country. We had some faint ideas of what might be, and while we could exclude these thoughts from our minds we considered it best to do so, knowing full well that trials would come soon enough. Our duties in camp were not arduous, and we patrolled our “beat” with unloaded muskets and kept a vigilant watch over the commissary stores at night, exercising as much care as in guarding the outposts in an enemy’s land. We would occasionally glance at the future and try to study its mysteries. There was considerable pleasure in the camp of the old Sixth, as well as its sorrows, and the time was well occupied in various ways and the days glided swiftly by. Friends were not wanting to regale our palates with choice food to supercede the rations of Uncle Sam, and to ply all manner of questions regarding our general health and condition. Such questions as “Did we sleep on feather beds?” and “We surely could not be expected to keep awake all night on guard?” and