Manuscript/Mixed Material William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collection: Recollection of a Colored Troop, by Major John MacMurray, 6th United States Colored Troops, 1916
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Image 1 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collec... Recollections of Colored Troop by John McMurray Mn 6B SCT 1916 Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowdlocgov- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 2 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collec... RECOLLECTIONS OF A COLORED TROOP BY JOHN McMURRAY MAJOR 6TH USCT Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowdlocgov- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 3 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collec...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 4 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collec... RECOLLECTIONS OF A COLORED TROOP BY JOHN McMURRAY MAJOR 6TH USCT 1916 Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowdlocgov- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 5 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collec...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 6 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collec... John McMurray Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowdlocgov- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 7 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collec...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 8 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collec... CHAPTER I HOW I GOT MY COMMISSION Whether these recollections as I now write them will be edifying to my readers I know not I hope they will interest them at least They are interesting to me as I recall them now Let me say once for all they are really recollections and not imaginations The stories and incidents here recorded are narratives of...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 9 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collec... you wanted it to form a hollow square what command would you give and how would the movement be executed It so happened that in reading the tactics over and over my attention had been specially directed to that movement I had it thoroughly fixed in my mind and was able to give the proper command and to describe in detail with precision all...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 10 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... CHAPTER II CAMP WILLIAM PENN Camp William Penn was located in the edge of Montgomery county just north of Philadelphia a couple of miles beyond the built up portion of the city on the line of the North Pennsylvania railroad It was established about the first of July 1863 for the organization of colored troops under orders from the war department Ten regiments were...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 11 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... ner but it was not pleasant to me Finally he directed his adjutant to conduct me to the headquarters of Company D to which he would assign me I left his tent with a sensation of relief and must confess I never had an overflowing feeling of admiration for him sincenot even as a Philadelphia reform politician The adjutant proved to be the First...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 12 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... After saluting him in as soldierly a way as I knew how he inquired why my company street and quarters were not in better condition I replied that I did not know as I had only reported in camp about an hour before and had just been assigned to the company The next question was who had assigned me to Company D I answered...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 13 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... marching We were brigaded with the 4th and 5th Colored Troops and later the 22d Regiment joined us The officers of the regiment at its organization were as follows FIELD AND STAFF ColonelJohn W Ames Captain 11th US Infantry wounded September 29th 1864 brevetted Brigadier General mustered out with regiment Lieutenant ColonelClark E Royce Captain 44th N Y Volunteers wounded Sept 29th 1864 promoted...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 14 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... JOHN W AMES COL 6TH U S C T Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowdlocgov- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 15 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 16 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... tenant George E Heath promoted to Captain of Company B mustered out with regiment Second Lieutenant John B Johnson wounded September 29th 1864 promoted to First Lieutenant mustered out with regiment Company EâCaptain Edson J Harkness brevetted Major of Volunteers mustered out with regiment First Lieutenant Will A Glass died of disease Second Lieutenant W R Hammond promoted to Adjutant mustered out with regiment...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 17 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... Philadelphia Of the 133 assigned to my company 58 were present to be mustered out Of the 35 field and line officers who joined the regiment at its organization only 14 were mustered out with it at Philadelphia Twentyone had gone out through death discharge or promotion Among all the officers who served in this regiment from first to last I was the only...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 18 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... folk and to make of him a good man But Isaac was wayward The church had no charms for him He loved better the lively airs of the banjo than the solemn strains of the church organ and had a keener relish for a game of cards or drink of beer or whiskey than for mass or sacrament After Isaac went to camp his...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 19 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... up the camp A second attempt to bring him under religious influence was no more successful than the first when the mother became discouraged and went home Isaac was passionately fond of playing on the banjo and managed to have one with him generally wherever he went Many a time when we were lying in camp did I go down into the company street...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 20 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... Yorktown was a village of only a few hours and all the residents were poor whites or colored people Not a welltodo person remained in the place Outside of the fortifications distant less than a mile was a collection of nearly half a hundred cheap frail houses occupied by colored families Once when I happened to be Office of the Day and so had...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 21 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... arty in a short time as a guard was left to see that no harm bevel it till the marching column passed by During the six months we remained in camp at Yorktown we must have marched up and down the Peninsula through Williamsburg at least half a dozen times The town was about half a mile long and seemed to have only one...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 22 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... William and Mary College the second oldest seat of learning in the United States was located in Williamsburg It was chartered in 1693 and took its name from the reigning king and queen of England The college buildings were designed by Sir Christopher Wren the famous architect At the beginning of the Revolutionary war it was the wealthiest college in America George Washington was...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 23 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... make him go but failed The sergeant reported to the officer of the guard who also failed The officer of the guard finally reported to me and I went to the guard house never suspecting any serious trouble When I arrived there I found Hamilton lying in front of the guard tent surrounded by the officers of the guard the sergeant a couple of...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 24 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... for I then ordered every man to return to his quarters at once They hesitated a few moments turned about and walked slowly to their companies As soon as quiet was restored I went to Colonel Ames tent and reported to him what I had done He said I had done right and complimented me for acting so promptly and energetically Hamilton was court...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 25 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... approval and he wanted a statement of the occurrence from me And that was how I came to call on General Butler CHAPTER VII A MILITARY EXECUTION The Second New Hampshire volunteers was among the first regiments to enter the service of the Government in 1861 It was a good regiment and did excellent service For some time it was in the same brigade...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 26 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... possible despatch the sentences were approved by him and the men ordered to be executed in the presence of the troops encamped at Yorktown The day fixed for the execution was warm and sunshiny and the preparations were such as to permit nearly every soldier to witness the awful scene About three quarters of an hour before the execution the condemned men were hauled...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 27 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... the doomed men and the poor fellows fell back across their coffins almost without a struggle Every man who saw the terrible sight seemed to utter a sigh of relief when it was all over The bodies of the two men were placed in their coffins taken to an old graveyard near by and there buried Most of the shots took effect in the...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 28 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... in Pennsylvania He is the prosecuting officer representing the government in each case He presents the case to the court against each prisoner or culprit examines the witnesses and argues the case to the court if he thinks that necessary Persons tried before a court martial have a right to be represented by counsel if they so desire but no one appeared as counsel...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 29 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... every opportunity that offered in fixing punishments they answered when their names were called to be shot to death with musketry Even to this day I shudder when I recall their votes in case after case tried before us Fortunately for the men tried these officers were in a minority on the court While this court martial was in session my regiment with all...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 30 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... CHAPTER IX BIG SAM JOHNSON Didnt you see de dark cloud Risin ober yonder Pears like deres guine to be a storm Dem are only darkeys Come to join an fight for Uncle Sam To hear a thousand negro soldiers singing that song marching through Old Virginia was something to remember through the remainder of ones life The melody of the music the sentiment...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 31 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... Why he was called Big Same I never knew unless it was on account of his big feet or the big stores he told or because he was among the smallest men in the regiment He was about five feet seven inches in height slender in build a little stoop shouldered with slim legs and arms very big feet and a dark complexion A...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 32 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... his cheerful light of life was extinguished so earlyHe was probably about twentyfive years old I looked at him a few moments said good bye Sam and was compelled to go on without seeing that was decently buried Five or six ladies the wives of officers of our regiment spent the winter in camp at Yorktown It was an entirely new experience to them...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 33 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... very few soldiers were in and around the city and set at liberty the Union prisoners it contained The troops composing the expedition were the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry a regiment of white infantry and the Fourth Fifth Sixth and TwentySecond United States Colored Troops in all about five thousand men under command of Brigadier General Wister The troops rendezvoused at Williamsburg arriving there during...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 34 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... Most of the officers in the expedition knew what its purpose was and were prepared for any emergency We hoped to be inside the fortifications of Richmond before 9 oclock a m of February 7th Beyond that we made little calculation further than to do our best Whether this expedition had any wisdom behind it or ever had a ghost of a chance for...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 35 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... CHAPTER XI THE YORKTOWN CENTENNIAL Before leaving Yorktown and the Peninsula for good I want to speak of my visit to the Yorktown Centennial in October 1881 when the one hundredth anniversary of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis to General Washington was celebrated there That surrender ended the war of the Revolution when we achieved our independence as a nation The celebration being at...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 36 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... colony of Virginia on business demanding speedy attention He had crossed one of the several branches of the York river pushing on toward Williamsburg when he was met by a Mr Chamberlayne who had heard of the young mans fame and was anxious to have him as his guest Washington declined to stop but Mr Chamberlayne insisted and promised as an inducement to introduce...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 37 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... almost exactly as I remembered them I spent most of my time while there visiting places I had been familiar with even taking a long walk up the road toward Williamsburg The town now comprised about thirty houses and the population was less than 200 souls It was the center of quite an active oyster trade and large quantities of truck were shipped thence...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 38 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... two weeks and ended with the Confederates under General Beauregard holding it in its entire length with a strong line of earth works between it and our front It was the erection of this line of works that caused General Butler to write to General Grant that he was bottled up Several assaults were made on this line of works by Butler but with...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 39 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... three other officers were in the adjoining room talking to the girls No discourtesy was shown the family in any way The youngest daughter had been knitting and still held the yarn and stocking in her hands She and Lieut Johnson a young handsome fellow of less than twenty years of age were talking pleasantly as young folks have done in the years gone...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 40 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... CHAPTER XIII TWO OR THREE NOTED RETREATS At Spring Hill we built a small fort of earth and put out a picket line and cavalry videttes in the direction of Petersburg While camped her our picket line was visited several times by small bodies of troops from the defenses of Petersburg who drove in our outposts each time but inflicted no serious loss on...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 41 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... had left only a little while before Just then the approaching cavalrymen espied him and then it was a race for life The men on the picket line saw him coming with the cavalrymen in hot pursuit and to help him all they could began shooting at the approaching horsemen The firing checked their speed a little and Lieut Health got safely inside our...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 42 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... limbered up and left and never troubled us any more there After the trouble was all over the Johnnies gone and our picket line straightened out again one of the colored horsemen came in carrying his sadle and bridle which he said he didnt wanter pay for His horse was killed and he had lain behind it till the enemy retired when he stripped...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 43 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... imental and brigade drill but in fighting we were novices But now we were at the turning point and from this time forward we were destined to experience our full share of the vicissitudes of war WF Smiths division which lay on the north side of the Appomattox river and had taken part in the assault at Cold Harbor had the advance in this...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 44 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... Lieutenant Jones of Company A of our regiment was specially annoyed by this fire Every time a shell would burst overhead and one of its little missiles would strike near him he would start to seek a safer place Of course he was kept busy seeking Finally he found the right place A little iron bullet came down just where he was standing and...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 45 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... It was here the first time our regiment was under fire that I witnessed the most disgraceful act of cowardice in front of the enemy that ever fell under my notice William Law was the finest looking soldier in my company over six feet in height well formed strong and always neat in appearance Before I was assigned to the company he had been...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 46 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... CHAPTER XV OUR FIRST ATTACK ON PETERSBURG Ever since the day of which I am writing it has been a wonder to me why General Smith did not make an early assault on the Petersburg works on that 15th day of June His troops were all in position before ten oclock in the morning and I could see no reason for delay His own...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 47 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... the line of abattis placed a short distance beyond the ditch immediately before the fort So far not a shot had been fired at us but here we expected a rain of bullets We moved through the obstruction as rapidly as we could and were soon in the ditch Here we felt sure we would meet the enemys fire but still there was not...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 48 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... burgh Twelve hours earlier General Smith could have marched into Petersburg at will Now Grants whole army was unable to force its way in Soon after dark Hancock came up with the Second Corps leading the van of the Army of the Potomac It seemed he had not been informed that Petersburg was to be assaulted and knew nothing of Smiths operations until after...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 49 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... CHAPTER XVI BEFORE PETERSBURG When we lay down to sleep on the night of June 15th Smiths soldiers held the line of works from battery No 9 on the City Point road to the Appomattox river a distance of a mile or more The colored troops were massed near battery No 9 and two divisions of Hancocks corps which came up just at dark...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 50 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... and proceeded to bury the bodies as best we could As we groped our way into the darkness sometimes we could hardly distinguish a dead soldier from a section of a corn row and would have to determine the matter by feeling with our hands When we found a body we would as quietly as possible dig a hole beside it roll the body...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 51 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... danger from the flanks One evening we were going out and had just formed our line and were almost ready to face to the left and march off when we heard a cannon shot away off to our right and a few moments later heard the peculiar sound of a Whiteworth shell as it sped toward us Before we had time to realize anything...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 52 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... About four hundred yards beyond the doomed fort inside the Confederate line was an elevation called Cemetery Hill Burnsides object was to reach and hold that point for it was believed if we could do that we could take Petersburg The mine was to be sprung at 330 in the morning of July 30th and at that hour we were all waiting for it...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 53 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... During all this time I stood on our line of works watching intently this life and death struggle The only real fighting on our part was done by Burnsides black division They fought desperately and determinedly but before their charge was made the Confederates had two or three batteries in position and had brought up a considerable force of infantry The black men were...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 54 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... and thinned by musketry When it was all over I stepped down from the parapet where I had stood for three hours or more feeling almost as much exhausted as though I had been in the thick of the fight Commenting on this mine explosion General Grant characterized it as a needlessly miserable affair I think the design was a good one and if...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 55 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... every day by a Confederate mortar battery located less than three quarters of a mile away across the upper James Really that canal was not a desirable place in which to work The enemy got our range exactly would drop a shell in on us whenever they wished to do so There was scarcely a day passed without us having one or more men...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 56 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... In my article entitled City Point and Spring Hill I spoke of a piano that was taken from the home of an old man and woman It was taken by Lieut M C Kingsbury our brigade commissary and a lieutenant in our regiment He gave it to a woman who seemed to be the mistress of an officer on a small steamer which ran...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 57 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... CHAPTER XIX SOME INCIDENTS AT DUTCH GAP Our brigade remained at Dutch Gap nearly two months employed nearly all the time in the canal in the manner stated in my last article While we remained there I went two or three times to visit acquaintances in Pennsylvania regiments that were encamped not far away On one of these trips I had a strange experienceone...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 58 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... and he never gave us any explanation of his strange conduct He was killed at New Market Heights a few weeks after being shot through the body by a Confederate bullet when within fifty feet of their line I was within three or four rods of him when he was shot and was looking at him at the time During our stay at Dutch...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 59 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... going back until I was left with a very thin line I had been directed to remain until an officer came to me with orders to retire That the enemy might not suspect our movement I was told to have my men keep up a fire along the picket line discharging their guns at intervals I remained for two hours going back and forth...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 60 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... In this movement we formed part of the 18th corps Early on the morning of September 29th we were astir and before sunrise were on the march directly toward the Confederate entrenchments at the foot of Spring Hill or New Market Heights about a mileandahalf from Fort Harrison In contemplating since the results of that day I have been led to see the wisdom...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 61 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... the picket line and were falling back before us to their line of entrenchments The field across which we were marching was possibly twenty rods in width as I remember it now From the edge of the wood the ground descended slightly toward the enemys line of works Between the far edge of this fields and the line of rifle pits had been a...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 62 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... CHAPTER XXI AT NEW MARKET HEIGHTS The point at which we attacked the enemies line was about a mileanda half to our right and the Confederate left of Fort Harrison Why we were directed to attack there I do not think an officer in our brigade knew And I think they were equally ignorant of what was transpiring at other points We learned afterward...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 63 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... Captain Ill get along all right And as I pressed on as best I could urging the men forward I passed others of my company some killed and some wounded I saw that my company was suffering heavy loss but thought of little else than pressing forward and keeping the men moving on When about half way through the slashing I came to a...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 64 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... learned it fully I admit I felt sick at heart and discouraged In the field some ten or twelve rods from the edge of the slashing we came to where Lieutenant Colonel Royce was sitting or lying seemingly exhausted His feet were in a hole in the ground made by a rebel shell As he was going back just as he reached that spot...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 65 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... formed and placed in their proper position in the regiment Captain Herbert of Company G came to me and said Captain I believe I am the ranking officer and Ill take charge of forming the regiment I gave way to him very meekly and turned my attention to my three men I mention this incident to show how much stress is laid on rank...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 66 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... in the back of his neck just at the base of the brain He had been shot in the mouth as he was pressing forward and the bullet came out at the back of the neck passing through the medulla oblongata which connects the brain and spinal cord Of course he was killed instantly and knew no more what hurt him than if he...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 67 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... Clark E Royce and Lieutenant Enoch F Jackman were slightly wounded The killed and mortally wounded in my company were twelve in all out of a total of thirty enlisted men who went into the fight The number wounded and sent to the hospital was fifteen leaving three enlisted men able to bear arms when the fight was over Officers wounded one Lieutenant John...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 68 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... reason for this probably was the fact that those white troops knew when they were defeated and it was time to turn back the black soldiers hadnt learned that much yet and only knew that they were expected to go forward until ordered to turn back We saw these black men pass the white troops go on until they reached the ditch jump into...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 69 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... my eyes ran along the line to the last company and to the very last file and rested on a short stout fellow who seemed to be carrying a heavy load Apparently he was doing his very best but despite every effort was gradually falling behind Several men near me noticed him and seeing him losing ground began to make remarks to and about...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 70 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... followed the retreating foe For some reason our firing ceased and we simply watched the fleeing soldiers as they hurried back what was left of them to the grove of oak trees where we lost sight of them After they were gone the ground over which they came and went seemed to be strewn thick with dead and wounded men What their loss was...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 71 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... crazy and had to be looked after by those near me Dr Barnes the regimental surgeon was sent for He gave me a potion that quieted me and I rested till morning when I was sent to the corps hospital where I remained just ten days and then returned to my company And those ten days comprised all the time I was off duty...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 72 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... and inquired who that officer was who was drilling his men without wearing a coat and sword Lieutenant Colonel Royce happened to be in command at the time Colonel Ames being absent temporarily He stepped out of his tent and looked at me as I was exercising my men but told the General he couldnât distinguish the officer at the distance he was away...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 73 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... rods of the vessel where it lay in the stream For several minutes I stood and looked at it as it lay like some monster in the still water As I remember it now it looked like a long narrow building sunk in the water to within a few inches of the roof which sloped up from the sides and ends The top of...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 74 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... or the impending fear Officers and men were running to and fro in wild confusion There seemed to be something terrible impending After awhile it became known that the Confederate ram was on its way down the James River accompanied by two or three other vessels Some reports said they had passed the obstructions some said they were still above and others said they...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 75 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... ning I heard one of the most terrific sounds that ever greeted my ears It seemed loud enough to be heard a hundred miles and I felt the ground shake under me For a minute or two I was utterly bewildered As soon as I could collect my scattered wits a little I went to the tent door to look out I saw nothing...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 76 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... the vicinity of Cape Hatteras the vessels carrying the soldiers did not arrive until later and some were delayed until December 24th A project of General Butlers was to run a vessel filled with powder close under the fort and explode it there hoping the garrison would be so paralyzed by the shock that the work of capturing the fort would be rendered easy...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 77 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... to tell only three men were killed and not more than fifty wounded and General Weitzel said the defensive power of the fort was but little affected There had been a bombardment the day before lasting over and hour but I did not see it It was quite well known that General Grant favored an assault on Fort Fisher and was dissatisfied because Butler...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 78 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... the fort by the fleet These troops began operations against the fort at once All of the 14th was consumed in preparations and throwing up a line of works to protect themselves from an attack from the direction of Wilmington where the confederate General Hoke was supposed to be with a force of infantry Two thousand sailors and marines armed with cutlasses and revolvers...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 79 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... On the night of the 15th Fort Caswell across the Cape Fear river and the extensive works at Smithville and Reeves Point all forming part of the defenses of Wilmington were abandoned by the Confederates and destroyed as far as possible In giving this account the capture of Fort Fisher I desire to mention two facts which have never been published so far as...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 80 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... CAPTAIN SOLON A CARTER ASST ADJT GENERAL Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowdlocgov- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 81 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 82 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... marines Fortune or Providence seemed to fight for us These facts I give as I received them from men who were present and had opportunity to know They in no way detract from the gallantry and courage of the men who captured Fort Fisher but they seem to partially explain out wonderful success in securing so readily and at such small cost that wonderfully...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 83 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... wounded four or five men were killed and about fifteen were wounded On February 11th we had another little fight at the same place when Lieut Field of Company A was killed and Lieut Healy of Company F was severely wounded About February 9th or 10th while our brigade lay in the swamps I have mentioned I reported from Fort Harrison with my invalids...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 84 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... hundred flags â the Stars and Stripes I seemed to me that a flag waved from nearly every housetop and as a gentle breeze blew over the town how the folds of Old Glory swelled and danced to bid us welcome Never before did the old flag look so beautiful as on that afternoon and ever since I have had a love for it...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 85 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... in quiet and rest Twice during our stay there I walked into Wilmington to see what the town looked like I found it to be a well built place with a population of probably six thousand at the beginning of the war It was well located for business and enjoyed a prosperous trade It was the chief seaport of the state and owed its...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 86 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... where we had dinner waiting for them I failed to recognize among them anyone whom I had ever known And as they at their dinner I passed to and fro among them but failed to find an acquaintance Feeling some disappointment I went to my tent and sat down to rest Soon I saw Lieutenant McCrea coming his face a picture of delight He...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 87 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... of the roughlooking hungry soldiers that Lieutenant McCrea and I were entertaining in our tent on the bank of the Cape Fear river in North Carolina would one day be a governor But had we known it we could not have treated them any better than we did CHAPTER XXX DEATH OF HUBBARD CEASER Hubbard Ceaser was a good soldier always obedient faithful ready...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 88 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... carry all he would start with but he would manage to worry along for miles with a load that was an astonishment to all who saw it It was always the small men who carried the big loads The big fellows had enough to do to carry themselves and their guns Very frequently they wouldnt carry even a shelter tent The little fellow whose...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 89 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... which no colored troop has ever returned What became of the treasures that carried him down to death there I know not We left them there as worthless As hastily as we could we got his poor body into an ambulance and a few hours later at noon time buried it in a grave that is unknown to man How war hardens the hearts...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 90 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... toward the close of the war The few days we lay in camp there witnessed the stirring and eventful scenes around Petersburg which culminated in Lees surrender at Appomattox and saw General Joseph E Johnsons army retreating through North Carolina followed by Sherman About the time we went into camp at Faison the battle of Bentonville was fought probably not more than twentyfive miles...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 91 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... secure some small pines to place around the hospital tents for shade The picket line was just in the edge of the wood and the corps hospital and corps headquarters were near by in the open field As the sergeant had no pass I did not allow his detail to go through the picket line Leaving his men and wagons at the picket line...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 92 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... had been ordered under arrest from corps headquarters Of course I knew why and was not surprised For two days I remained in my tent hearing nothing The third day I wrote a communication to General Terry corps commander making as plain a state of the whole affair as I could and asking to be released from arrest Colonel Ames forwarded it in the...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 93 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... other commissioners being Senator Wolcott of Colorado and exVice President Stevenson What General Paines views on the silver question were I do not know but I knew him to be a good military officer and a gentleman in every sense He was fond of playing billiards as I learned when we had our headquarters at Newberne There we occupied a large handsome building a...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 94 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... practical joke Being just a new staff officer I had been required to do my own work and that of nearly all the others as well And not being accustomed to riding made it much harder on me But I got through if I wasnt worth much for three or four days after About the 8th of April we broke camp at Faison Station...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 95 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... good we could hardly believe it and we asked each other over and over if it could really be true It hardly seemed possible that the terrible struggle that had gone on for four years could end so suddenly But the news was true And when we began to realize what this news meant how many glad hearts there were What visions of home...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 96 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... officer must handle and carefully examine every soldiers musket And after all this is is done he must go through the company streets look through all the tents and last of all look over the cooking arrangements to see that everything there is clean and properly arranged Great responsibility as to the comfort and health of the soldiers in camp rests on the inspecting...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 97 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... in which General Sherman and his staff were stationed I stood only a few rods from General Sherman and his staff while his army passed in review It was the army that had marched through the very heart of the Confederacy from Atlanta to the Sea driving everything before it All the forces that General Joe Johnston could muster could not stay its progress...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 98 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... CHAPTER XXXIV AT GOLDSBORO From Raleigh our division was sent to Goldsboro where we arrived near the close of April We remained there about a month Division headquarter were in a large well built house near the center of the town which seemed to have been occupied by a lawyer or a doctor as there was a good office building on the lot opening...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 99 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Colle... Mrs Joseph Freeman told me that when the Confederate soldiers were encamped at Goldsboro the citizens showed them every kindness possible She wanted to be kind to them as well as her neighbors but did not know what she could give as she had so little After thinking the matter all over she concluded to tear up a black silk dress she had and...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916
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Image 100 of William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Coll... number of men from the surrounding country came in to this meeting and they had a big day As was the cushion in that stage men of all parties were present and the meeting was addressed by all of the candidates seeking election There were three of this two of whom I remember distinctly One was a lawyer a tall slender gaunt fellow who...- Contributor: Gladstone, William A., Collector
- Date: 1916