Connecticut Volunteers in the War of the Rebellion

t t t t l t t b t t t t S SAMUEL KI MBALL E L LI o nn . R o ck ville , C 1 P o s t N o . 7 , h a la in o f B u r p e e , P a st C o mm a n d e r a n d C p R . G . A . TH E TWENTY-FI FTH REGIMENT C onnecticut Volunteers I N T H E WAR OF T HE RE BELLION R m o f o f I rish History, e iniscences , Description B attle o f R R Bend , Carrying Pay oll , oster . P B I H D 1 U L S E JUN E , 913 PR E SS OF TH E R OCKVI LLE JOUR N AL nocxm E , CON N . o f -fifth R m B rief History the Twenty egi ent , Connecticut th o f Volunteers , from e pen Colonel George P . B issell . R m f m K E f R Experiences and e iniscences o Sa uel . llis o ock o u t ville , who went as a Private in Company G , -fifth R Twenty egiment . A o o f o f Complete Acc unt the B attle Irish Bend , Given T m M M n by Maj or h o as c a us . How the Pay of a R egiment Was Carried to N e w Orlean s i by First L eutenant Henry Hill Goodell . O P L GE RGE . BIS S E L D e ce a s e d C o o ne 2 5th e m e nt Co nne ct u t V l l R gi , ic o lu nte e rs . B R I EF H I ST OR Y OF T H E T W EN T Y-F I F T H R EGI M N E T , C . V . - fifth R The Twenty egiment , Connecticut Volunteers , (George P . Bissell , Colonel), was recruited in Hartford and f 186 2 o . Tolland Counties , in the fall The regiment was m m m v co posed of the very best aterial , being al ost exclusi e l u m e n m y yo ng i pelled by patriotic motives , and from the first they took a high stand for efficiency and good dis i lin c p e . Later in its history , when the regiment h ad been tried m u in arches and battles , it was th s described by Adj utant General Morse in his report to the Legislature for 186 4 : “ ’ This is o n e o f the best of o u r nine months regim ents and u u ca m bore a conspicuo s part in th e advance pon , and the ai n f o . p g preceding , the fall Port Hudson By the bravery o f always displayed on the field battle , and the patience and m o n m endurance anifested many long and arduous arches , ” it has won for itself a high and lasting reputation . The Twenty - fifth was mustered into th e United States N m 11 18 6 2 o n 14th m service ove ber , , and the sailed fro I n Hartford for Centerville , L . , to j oi at that rendezvous T h e m - 8 11 m n the Banks Expedition . uster roll showed e thoroughly drilled and well appointed , except that they were without rifles which were later served to them o n the n R ship after their arrival o the Mississippi iver . m m N v m 2 9 18 6 2 The regi ent e barked o e ber , , in two divisions — o ne division o f five companies under co m m and of Colonel Bissell o n the Steamer Mary Board m an ! and the remainder under command of Lieutenant o n m E m ! Colonel Stevens the Stea er pire City . The destina tio n of the expedition was u nknown when th e vessels sailed as the sealed orders were not to be opened until we had - u to u sailed twenty fo r hours the so thward and eastward . re The orders , when opened , were found to be simply to at o ff m o f i R port Ship Island , the outh the Mississ ppi iver , F o rtu a s allowing a stop at Dry g for coal if necessary . The ships dul-y arrived at Ship Island and proceeded at o nc e up M1 9 8 5 1 5 6 14th the river to N ew Orleans where they arrived o n the of 16 th m 2 . , December , 186 On the , the Mary Board an with R several o f the other ships proceeded to B aton ouge , where E m i they arrived the next day . The p re City landed the m N e w left wing o f the regiment at Ca p Parapet , j ust above R Orleans . The forces landed at B aton ouge after a brief bombardment of the city and the Twenty- fifth (five co m i‘ m o n pan cs), went into ca p first the United States Arsenal m ground in the city and later near the ce etery , back of the m ! city , W here after so e delay the left wing j oined the col ’ ‘ o n e l s comm and and the regiment was once more united m m and in fighting tri . The regi ent was first brigaded under General Albert E . Payne of Wisconsin , a noble and ffi . brave o cer, afterwards with the Thirteenth Connecticut The Twenty - sixth Maine and One - Hundred and Fifty N e w u . ninth York , nder Colonel H W B irge , of the Thir te e n th m f Connecticut , as B rigade Co mander , an o ficer of rare ability and bravery and a disciplinarian o f the bes t m mm -fifth sta p . Under his co and the Twenty served dur m m m ing its entire ter of service . He led the in any battles m and arches and while he was strictness personified , he was m m so agnani ous , brave , reasonable and such a thorough m e n h im him soldier , that the worshiped and would follow f N o w into the face o any fire . that h e is gone they revere m m his e ory . The first work o f the regiment was o n the advance on 10 18 6 3 co m Port Hudson , March , , when Colonel B issell , in m o f m o f and his own regiment , two detach ents cavalry and m a regular ar y battery , occupied Bayou Montesano , con structed earthworks and built a bridge across B ayou Sara . This bridge was designed by Se rgeant William Webster of m o f Co pany I , after a West Point engineer had despaired m the j ob . The regi ent was seven miles in advance of the rest o f the army and in a very exposed and dangerous posi tion . This position they held u nder a frequently severe fire till the remainder o f the arm y cam e up when they j oined o n the column and went to Port Hudson . They were in the front o f the land forces when Farragu t sailed by the m o f forts in the Flagship Hartford . Fro the banks the river the Twenty- fifth witnessed this grand bombardment and the burning o f the frigate Mississippi in the night . m When the obj ect o f the expedition had been aeco ’ plish e d (to u s e the words of General Banks order), the R regim ent returned to Baton ouge , passing a wet and m dreary night in Ca p Misery , a night which will never be h e o f forgotten , nor will any one ever forget t noble act m u . ! arter aster John S Ives , who rode his tired horse sev eral miles to Baton R ou ge and brought o u t to the m e n ff m m co ee , which they anaged to prepare over s all fires and ’ n m m which o doubt saved any a an s life . After a short R m m o n stay at B aton ouge , th e ar y ade another advance th e o f 2 8 th 18 6 3 west bank the Mississippi , starting March , , m u m arching with freq ent skir ishes , sailing up the Atcha u m falaya bayo and landing at Irish Bend , where the regi ent 18 6 3 14 . engaged in its first real battle , April th , The severity o f this battle m a y be judged o f as we read in the ’ “ u - t: o u m Adj tant general s repor Our loss , as y will see fro the accompanying ret u rns o f the cas u alties has been very - u severe , being in all , ninety six killed and wo nded out of 350 m ” with which the regi ent went into action . From this point the regim ent m arched up to within six miles of the R e d R iver and of this march the r egim ental “ s u : o u r report speak th s What with loss in battle , details fo r special service and the n u mber who have given o u t o n o u r m m m u very long and severe arches , this regi ent is ch red u ced and has today only 2 99 m e n present o f whom bu t 2 48 Y m .

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