You are currently browsing the daily archive for March 15th, 2007.
Excerpts….
we have made another successful attact at Newberne which we done in bold and brave courage.
There they had four large heavy guns bearing upon us but a few shells from our gunboats soon silenced that one which the rebels left and proceeded up the river…
It was a bold attempt but we won the victory driving the rebels in every direction.
8th Connecticut Infantry, Company C., Pvt. Cyrus B. Harrington of Canton, CT., enlisted in September 1861 and mustered in on 9/25/61. He re-enlisted on December 24, 1863. Sadly, Harrington died on the very last day of the war - the day Lee signed surrender papers - on April 9th, 1865.
As part of the 8th CT., Harrington was engaged at New Berne, seige of Ft. Macon, Antietam, Fredricksburg, Walthall Junction, Drewry’s Bluff, Cold Harbor and Fort Harrison.
Read the complete letter
Nancy Bostick De Saussure (1837 - 1915) describes the evening she watched the bombardment of Fort Sumter from a roof top in Charleston on April 12, 1861. She was in her mid 20s.
It was an all-day journey with a drive of twenty miles to the railway. We reached Charleston about eight o’clock in the evening. My father-in-law met us, and after a warm greeting to the little stranger and ourselves, said, “You are just in time to see the fight at Fort Sumter, for it begins to-night.” I was terrified and begged to be taken home, but there was no train until morning and, therefore, we had to remain.
That night I was too frightened to sleep. Toward morning, about four o’clock, the first gun was fired, and it seemed to me as if it were in my room. I sprang up, as I suppose everyone else did in the city. I hurriedly dressed myself and went down to cousin Louis De Saussure’s house, which is still standing on the corner of South and East Battery.
From its numerous piazzas, which commanded a fine view of the harbor, we watched every gun fired from the two forts, Moultrie and Sumter. The house was crowded with excited mothers and wives, who had sons and husbands in the fight, and every hour added to their distress and excitement, as reports, which afterwards proved false, were brought to them of wounded dear ones. It was a day I can never forget.
That night we returned to Grandfather De Saussure’s and when morning came we spent another most anxious day following an anxious night, but when Fort Sumter took fire and the white flag was raised, our spirits rose over the Southern victory, to confidence and hope.
We little realized the long years of struggle that were to follow ending in defeat, and ruined homes and country. Later on I was in Charleston several times when it was under shot and shell and heard the explosions of the shells as they shrieked over our houses. Those were sad and exciting times, the awful memories of which are still active with me.
By Mrs. Nancy Bostick De Saussure (1837 - 1915), who lived just outside of Beaufort, South Carolina. This excerpt, and her war record is found in OLD PLANTATION DAYS : BEING RECOLLECTIONS OF SOUTHERN LIFE BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR. NEW YORK. DUFFIELD & COMPANY. 1909; which she wrote.
8th Connecticut Infantry, Company C., Pvt. Cyrus B. Harrington of Canton, CT., served from Sept of ‘61 to his death on April 9, 1865.
The Connecticut Historical Society has numerous letters from other 8th CT soldiers on their web site; including the following from Company C: Andrew Byrne, Noah Ives, and Michael Kelley.
Harrington captures in great detail the Battle of New Bern, March of 1862.
Newbern , North Carolina
Mar 15th 1862
Dear Brother
I had a few leisure moments to myself I thought I would write and let you know that we have made another successful attact at Newberne which we done in bold and brave courage. The fight commenced on Friday morning about 7 miles below New at the mouth of the Neuse River an lasted until about sundown. Our troops were landed at the mouth of the river and the gunboats proceeded up the river. The first fire was shot from the rebels about [?] mile from where our troops were landed. There they had four large heavy guns bearing upon us but a few shells from our gunboats soon silenced that one which the rebels left and proceeded up the river to another battery mounted with 12 guns where they again opened fire but when our old gunboats got along up broadside they soon cooled down and started on still further up the river. From the east side about two thirds the way across where they had another strong battery mounted with 11 guns but they hadn’t time to do much before our boats was close upon them.
They fired a few shots and started for the City and our boats [ ? ] on after them. They had a telegraph dispatch from Richmond early in the morning to burn the railroad bridge and city if they could not hold it. The bridge is half mile long and it was so splendid a piece of work but they set fire to it and its all burnt to ashes. It cost 15 hundred thousand dollars. They had a number of pitch and tar pits in and around the city which they set fire to. That was their principal business making turpentine tar & resin in Newbern but the fire did not spread much around the city. The rebels took the cars and started for Beaufort. They got away before our troops got up their. They had one breastwork thrown up to the City a mile long with fourteen guns strung along about equally distance apart for a mile. When our troops came upon them where they slide shell & shot upon our troops. The 8th was the first in the battle in which they fought bravely [ unable to make out several words] The 24th Mass flanked in on the [ ] side of us and made a charge into the Battery but was driven back again by the rebels. Upon that Gen Burnside came along up side of our Regt an order us to charge on them in which we did in double quick time in which they fired upon us killing 8 wounding several. It was a bold attempt but we won the victory driving the rebels in every direction.
We planted the stars & stripes on the battery of the [ ] rebels soil of North Carolina. The other Rmgts following on after the [ ] in which they succeeded in capturing several hundred but I don’t know how many their was [ ] [ ] of them but I suppose the most of them got away on the cars stood ready to take them on board before our troops got near enough to stop them. But they left everything behind all their armes and equipments with [ ] trunks packed full of clothes everything to make ourselves comfortable provisions of all kinds and enough of it all that the boats took 7 large schooners and two small steamers loaded down with flour & cotton. But we don’t expect to remain here long. We should soon push on to Beaufort from there Goldsborough where we make good success their we should be all right. Our next from their will be to Norfolk where we shall be on one side and Gen McClellan on the other. Where we expect to have something to do as it is strongly fortified with 30 to 40 thousand troops but it won’t take long to silence them. Gen Burnside on one side and McClellan on the other side we will soon quell them down. We soon shall see the soil of Old Conn. I expect to see it myself before the fourth of July. But I shall have to draw my letter to a close for I think I have wrote you a long letter for the times down here. I am well & hope you are the same. Write soon as you get this and let me know how you are all getting along and all the particulars. Yours in the mind.
Signed
Cyrus B. Harrington
Newbern North Carolina
Source: item purchased by The Center for the Study of the American Civil War, February 2005, Used with Permission
March 14, 1862
Federals capture New Madrid, Missouri, and New Berne, North Carolina.
After the Federal capture of Roanoke Island, Burnside, with some 11,000 men, moved on to the important old community of New Berne, N.C. He captured it after some fighting, driving back the Confederates of about 4000 under L. O. B. Branch. The attack began on the thirteenth and worked its way up to the right, or the west bank of the Neuse River through rain and over muddy roads. Casualties were 471 for the Federals an, including 90 killed, to nearly 600 for the Confederates, most of them captured or missing, with 64 killed. Another serviceable base had been established for Federal inland expeditions and a new vantage point gained for cultivating the considerable pro-Union elements of North Carolina. [pages 184-85] The Civil War Day-by-Day, E.B. Long
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According to the official regimental history (see full copy below):
After a month’s stay at Roanoke Island, Burnside’s forces moved toward Newbern, by transports to Slocum’s Creek (about eighteen miles below the city), thence marching up the south bank of the Neuse to the city’s line of defense.
The attack upon the defenses of Newbern (March 14th) was made at an early hour, and the Eighth assisted in the capture of about five hundred Confederate troops. This was the regiment’s first baptism of blood. Its killed were privates Phelps of Company B and Patterson of Company I, with four wounded. The personal bravery of Colonel Harland amid the whistling bullets at Newbern, together with his skill and cool-headedness as a tactician, and his evident desire to shield his men from harm whenever possible, gave them a confidence in him which was never afterward shaken.
Jesse Reno
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Letters of the Garrigus Brothers (Horace & Jacob Henry) Company E - 8th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry
Horace Garrigus enlisted on Sept. 23, 1861 from his home at Waterbury, CT. He was 18 years old and had been a farmer. He was wounded severely in the hip at Antietam, but recovered and re-enlisted on Dec. 24, 1863. He was wounded again in the head at the Battle of Walthall Junction. Horace was promoted to Corporal on May 1, 1865. Jacob Henry Garrigus enlisted at the same time as his brother, in Waterbury, CT. He was a Joiner by trade and was age 23. He was promoted to Corporal on July 1, 1862, and to Sergeant on July 1, 1865.
Interview background: Life on the Plantation
Education for the de Saussure Children
GVD: What kind of education was provided for plantation families?
NBD: We had a schoolhouse on the plantation where we went after breakfast with our governess. In those days, as teachers were not paid well for their services, it was difficult to find refined and cultured people to fill the position. Knowing this, father paid the highest salaries and thus secured the best talent there was to be had for us.
GVD: Did your education include exposure to music?
NBD: Besides a governess, we also had a music teacher, so we were expected to devote many hours to practicing music, and thus we were employed while mother was busy housekeeping.
GVD: Did you or your siblings attend college? If so, where?
NBD: As soon as the girls in our family were old enough they were sent North to school to finish their education, and the boys were sent to Northern colleges.
Social Life around a Plantation community
GVD: we have heard that it was common for planters to host guests fairly often, and oftentimes, many at one time. Can you speak to that?
NBD: As there were no inns in our country, and plantations were miles apart, some provision had to be made for the entertainment of travelers, who were never turned away. We often had delightful house parties and hunting parties, but our chief enjoyment was riding through the wild and beautiful country. We also went on fishing excursions, and on picnics. We thought nothing of driving ten miles to dine at a neighbor’s house.
Life and Times in Charleston during the Civil War (1861-1865)
Early in the War
GVD: What were the times like in South Carolina, more specifically, Charleston-area, in March 1861, just a month before the firing on Sumter?
NBD: It was a turbulent time; the feeling ran high between the North and the South, and we heard rumors of war, but it seemed too far away to invade our peaceful country.
The Firing on Sumter, April 1861
GVD: We understand you reached Charleston on April 12th, the very evening (and following eraly morning) that Sumter was fired upon. Tells us about that.
NBD: We reached Charleston about eight o’clock in the evening. My father-in-law met us, and after a warm greeting to the little stranger and ourselves, said, “You are just in time to see the fight at Fort Sumter, for it begins to-night.” I was terrified and begged to be taken home, but there was no train until morning and, therefore, we had to remain.
GVD: You were 24 years old and had a five-week old baby girl in April 1861; did you sleep that night (the 12th)?
NBD: That night I was too frightened to sleep.
GVD: Did you personally observe the bombardment of Ft. Sumter? If so, from what vantage point?
NBD: Toward morning, about four o’clock, the first gun was fired, and it seemed to me as if it were in my room. I sprang up, as I suppose everyone else did in the city. I hurriedly dressed myself and went down to cousin Louis De Saussure’s house, which is still standing on the corner of South and East Battery. From its numerous piazzas, which commanded a fine view of the harbor, we watched every gun fired from the two forts, Moultrie and Sumter.
GVD: Did others join you?
NBD: The house was crowded with excited mothers and wives, who had sons and husbands in the fight, and every hour added to their distress and excitement, as reports, which afterwards proved false, were brought to them of wounded dear ones. It was a day I can never forget.
We spent another most anxious day following an anxious night, but when Fort Sumter took fire and the white flag was raised, our spirits rose over the Southern victory, to confidence and hope.
GVD: Not knowing how long the war would last (four years), and the devastation Charleston would endure; how do you reflect on this today, some 40 years later (1909)?
NBD: We little realized the long years of struggle that were to follow ending in defeat, and ruined homes and country. Later on I was in Charleston several times when it was under shot and shell and heard the explosions of the shells as they shrieked over our houses. Those were sad and exciting times, the awful memories of which are still active with me.
