History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

jiartuH'ot by Gen. Fremont, the battalion, with (_'om- ]iany D, became a part of the forces of ]\[aj.-Gen. Franz Sigel, coniniauding the First Army (.'orps of the Army of Virginia, under (Jen. .John Pope. Umler this general this company, as a part of the battalion commanded by Cajjt. Middlebrook, acting major, ]>ar- ticipated in all the oper.ations of the Army of Vir- ginia in 18G2, under Gen. Pope, including, among others, tlu' battles of Cedar JLmntain, Rappahannock Station, Groveton, Second Manassas, and Chantilly. Siion after the close of the camjiaign under Pojie, the battalion, inchuling C<imi)any D, was relieved from active duty in the field, and assigned to duty as pro- vost-guard, being stationed at the city of Baltimore, in the Mi<ldle Department. There it remained until Feb. 3, 18()3, when it was attached to the Army of the Potomac and took the field again, having in the mean time been raised to a full regiment of twelve com- ]ianics. Company D, as a part thereof, hcncetbrth took ]iart in all the operations of the Army of the Potomac, until Aug. 8, 18(14, when it was transferred with the rcnuiinder ol' the regiment to the Army of the Shenandoah, under (ten. Phil Sheridan, and sub- sei|Uenfly served under Gen. Sheridan in all the clos- ing operations of the war, previous to and after the fall of Richmond, and was mustered out with its regi- ment, at Washington, D. C, Aug. 2, ISti."). This cinnpany was in many respects a remarkable company of men. With a single exception they were all of American nativity and of superior intelligence and education. As an evidence of this, it is sufficient to state that no less than seventeen comnussioned officers were taken from its original ranks. Fifty- eight of its original nundier were enlisted from Y:\h-- ficld County, of which number Bridge[)ort furnished thirty-one, Trumliull six, Fairfield six, Wilton five, Newtown four, Huntington three, Daid)ury two, and Stamlbrd one. Of the remaining twenty-one, seven were enlisted from Litchfield County, and the balance from various jilaces throughout the State. xVU of the original company but one were citizens and residents of Connecticut. The comiiany received during its service in the field ninety-three recruits, all of whom were citizens of Connecticut, ten of them from Fair- field County, and the l)alance from dift'erent places throughout the State. Among the engagements in which this company participated, in addition to those mentioned, were the battles of Spottsylvania Court- House, Hanover Court- House, Ashland, Wimdiester, Cedar Creek, Waynes- boro', Five Forks, Harper's Farm, and very many other lesser battles, all in West Virginia and Vir- ginia. THE SECOND I.KUIT BATTERY. This battery was (u-ganized in August, 18(i2, when the glamour of military pomp had passed away and grim-visaged war in all its horrors stood out in awful vision beibre the people of this country. It was com- 54 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT. posed <it' twi) Bridgeport militia organizations, and was officered ius follows: Captain, John W. Sterling; first lieutenants, Walter S. Hotehkiss and Philip B. Segec ; second lieutenants, George Munger and Philo B. Sherman ; quartermaster-sergeant, Frank H. Whit- ing (promoted to second lieutenant, April 1, 18G4). The battery left for the front Oct. 15, 18G2, and was assigned to the A rmy of the Potomac. It was soon after assigned to the " Artillery Reserve," under Gen. E. O. Tyler, and jiarticipated in the memorable contest at Gettysburg, having three men wounded. After wearily traversing Maryland for a month the battery camped on Meridian Hill, near Washington. In August it was sent to New York during the draft troubles, and returned to Washington during December. February, 1804, found it transferred to the Department of the Gulf and stationed at Brashear City, and subsequently at Algiers, La., at Dauphin Island, Mobile Harbor. August Gth the battery took an active part in the en- gagement at Fort Gaines, and on the 19th in the re- duction of Fort Jlorgan. September 8tli it returned to Louisiana, and served until the following Feb- ruary. Then it was sent to Florida, served at Pensa- cola and elsewhere, and early in April wa.s engaged with the enemy near Blakely, Ala., the 9th of the mouth witnessing the carrying of their works by as- sault. The battery soon after returned to Connec- ticut, and was mustered out at New Haven, Aug. 9, 1865. It lost one killed,— J. S. Mills, of Bridgeport; one died of wounds, and eighteen of disease. THK FIRST REGIMENT IIEAVV ARTILLERY. This regiment was organized iu the spring of 1861 as the Fourth Infantry, and after six months' service was changed to an artillery regiment of twelve com- panies, of one hundred and fifty men each. It was commanded by Levi Woodliouse, of Hartford, colonel, and Nelsiin L. White, of Danbury, lieutenant-colonel. Company M was recruited in this county, princijjally in Bridgejiort. L'riah Wallace was captain, William H. Brown first lieutenant, and Charles W. Gleason second lieutenant. The regiment remained in the fortifications around Wasliington for a short time, when. Col. Woodhouse having re-signed, it was placed under the command of Gen. R. O. Tylerand entered the Peninsular campaign. This regiment had seventy-one guns in the siege- train. In November, 1862, Col. Tyler was promoted to be brigadier-general, and Capt. Henry L. Abbott was made colonel. The regiment saw active service and partieii)ated in the following engagements: Siege of Yorktown, Hanover Court-House, Gaines' Mills, Malvern Hill, siege of Fredericksburg, before Fredericksburg (De- cember, 1862), before Fredericksburg (April 28 to June 13, 1861?), Kelley's Ford, Orange Court-House, siege of Petersburg, siege of Riehniond, Fort Fisher. C:uiualties: Killed, 2<) ; died of wounds, 23; died of disease, 161. It was mustered out iu September, 1865. CHAPTER V. MILITARY HISTORY (Continued). THE SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT.* The Seventeenth Regiment of Connecticut Volun- teers was organized in an hour of national gloom and disaster: from the commission of its colonel to its departure for the front no bright sky rifted the war- cloud; yet the youth who filled its ranks, and the people of the county who backed them, neither quailed nor halted. The Seventeenth was the first localized regiment of the State. It was from the start known as the Fair- field County Regiment. With few exceptions, its ranks were filled by her sons. The people of the county made it their pride and the outlet of their aftcction and patriotic effort. Our War-Governor, Buckingham, at first doubted whether Fairfield County alone could put a regiment into the field as rapidly as the greed for troops at the front demanded. It was a most trying hour. The soul of the whole North, unflinching before disheart- ening reverses, aroused to mightier effort. The leading men of the county, who had a.sked the appointment of Col. Noble, and that the regiment might be made up of her sons, quieted the Governor's doubts ; they at once turned all their energies to till its ranks at the earliest moment. Towns and indi- viduals devotv'd to this their time and resources. Their liberality and energy kept full abrea.st of their faith in tlie cause of tlie Union. On July 23, 1862, William H. Noble, of Bridge- port, was commissioned as the colonel of the Seven- teenth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers. In less than thirty days therelrom, the regiment could have marched a thousand men to the front. Tlieir camp was on that lovely ground now forming the larger jjart of the Bridgeport .Saside Park. No more healthful or readily reached ground could have been found. Sea-bathing, fresh breezes, easy access from even,' point, vicinity, and town, and the railroad whose lines stretched through the county and State, — all made its choice a wi.se forethought. It.s charming position, tlnis so widely nuide known, doubtless won its choice for a park. NOTICES OF INDIVIDfAL OFKICERS. In the formation of the Seventeenth all the towns of the county were represented, tiiough .some fur- nished only a few nuMubers. It was officered as fol- lows : Colonel, William H. Noble, of Bridgeport, com- manding; brevetted brigadier-general on recommen- dation of (ten. tirant. Lieutenant-colonel, Charles Walter, of Bridgeport. Born in Denmark; came to America wlien young; • ConIril»iUil l>y Ovu. Wniiam n. Nuble. MILITAEY HISTORY. 55 private in Capt. S])eiders Company ol' tlio First Con- necticut; promoted to be tirst lieutenant and made aide-de-camp on Gen. Tyler's stall' at the battle of Bull Run, where he was cajjtured and spent a year afterwards in the rebel prisons; on his return was made lieutenant-colonel of the Seventeenth, and was killed .at Chancellorsville, Jlay 2, ISC-".. He was a man of high education, civil and military, and a sjieaker of several languages, a tine musician, and an .accomplished artist. , Major, Allen G. Brady, wdio liad seen service as lieutenant-colonel in the three months' regiments; enlisted and brought Ccnnjjany B to the regiment, and was made its major; was wounded at Gettysburg and transferred to the ^'eteran Reserves. Adjutant, A. H. 'Wileoxson, of Xorwalk, who was in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, where he distinguished hiinsrlf by coolness and daring. He was promoted to be captain of Company I, and afterwards to be lieutenant-colonel of the regi- ment ; was mortally wounded at Dunn's Lake, Fla., and died afterwards at Tallahassee while a prisoner. First surgeon, Dr. Roliert Hubbard, then and still a distinguished physician and surgeon of Bridgeport, who was soon promoted to be acting medical director of the Eleventh Corps, which distinguished jxisition he held till failing health coni])elled his resignation. First assistant surgeon, Dr. Robert D. McEwen, i)( Stratford, who remained with the regiment until he resigned, on Folly Island, S. C, Novendjer, 18ti3. Second assistant surgeon. Dr. Elijah Gregory, of Bridgeport, who remained with the regiment till its muster out ; since deceased. Quartermaster, First Lieut. Hanford X. Hayes, of Bridgeport, who resigned his position, July IS, ISii.'l Sergeant-major, Theodore Gray, of Bridgeport; afterwards promoted to Ijc cai)tain of Company K.