Carolina, without camp-equipage, kettles, or a change of clothing in wet weather, the men were poorly prepared to endure the fatigue, and large numbers became sick, and were sent back to Baltimore from Sandy Hook and Maryland Heights; so that, when it arrived at the front, there were present for duty an aggregate of only two hundred and seventy-five men. The brigade was immediately assigned to the second division, First Corps, of the Army of the Potomac, and second line of battle.

The enemy disappeared from our front during the night; and, on the morning of the 14th, the army was in motion in pursuit of the retiring rebels. The Fifty-first marched with the main body, and proceeded to Williamsport, where it was evident the enemy had effected a crossing.

It encamped at Williamsport, and, on the 15th instant, marched back, through Funkstown and Antietam, to a point near Berlin, Md., where a pontoon across the Potomac had been thrown for the passage of our troops into Virginia.

The enemy having disappeared from our front, it recrossed the Potomac; and, while in full retreat, the regiment received orders from corps headquarters, on the 17th of July, to return to Massachusetts, to be mustered out of the service of the United States. It reached Baltimore on the morning of the 18th, and arrived at Worcester, Mass., on the 21st day of July.

A furlough was granted to the men till the 27th instant, when they were mustered out of service by Capt. Lawrence, Fourth Infantry, U. S. A., having served nearly ten months. The sick left at Newbern at the departure of the regiment, under charge of Assistant Surgeon Garvin, arrived home before the regiment, and were mustered out with the rest at Worcester, Mass.

56

CHAPTER XXIV.

FIFTY-SECOND AND FIFTY-THIRD REGIMENTS.

The Fifty-second ordered to the Department of the Gulf.

At Baton Rouge. - Marches.

At Port Hudson. - Homeward March. Col. Kimball and the Fifty-third. - New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Port Hudson. The Return to Massachusetts.

THE

FIFTY-SECOND REGIMENT.

HE Fifty-second was recruited in the counties of Hampshire and Franklin, and was organized at Camp Miller, Greenfield. The following names are found in its list of officers:

Nov. 19, 1862, the regiment was ordered to embark for the Department of the Gulf, and report to Gen. Banks. It arrived safely at New Orleans, and during December, 1862, and January, 1863, was stationed at Baton Rouge.

On the 13th of March, the regiment made a reconnoissance towards Port Hudson, marching up under the guns of the rebel fortifications, and returned to Baton Rouge on the 20th. Thence it took steamer for Donaldsonville, and on the 31st advanced in the direction of Thibodeaux twelve miles.

In closing the record for this month, Col. Greenleaf says,—

Our reconnoissance to about five hundred yards of the rebel batteries at Port Hudson we regard as an exceedingly hazardous one to ourselves; but it was, nevertheless, handsomely done, the regiment not only deporting itself to my entire satisfaction, but in such a manner as to call forth the congratulations of our brigade and division commanders.

April 1, 1863, the regiment marched from Pancoult, on the Bayou Lafourche, to Cox's Plantation, thirteen miles; the 2d, from Cox's Plantation to Thibodeaux, fifteen miles; the 4th, proceeded by rail to Bayou Bœuf, seventeen miles; the 9th, marched from Brashear

City, ten miles; the 11th, went on board the steamship "St. Mary;" the 13th, landed at Indian Bend, on Grand Lake, distant from Brashear City about thirty-five miles, and marched about three miles, our advance meeting, and driving before it, a small force of the enemy; the whole of Grover's division encamping for the night on Madam Porter's plantation.

. On the 14th, the battle of Indian Ridge was fought, the regiment not participating, as the second brigade, Col. Kimball, to which it belonged, was by turn, that day, the reserve brigade, the brigades alternating from day to day in marching. On the 15th, it started in pursuit of the enemy, performing the march to New Iberia in two days,-distance, thirty-two miles.

Leaving four companies here on provost-duty, the rest of the regiment advanced, and reached Barre's Landing on the 26th. Here it remained until the 21st of May, employed in collecting and guarding corn, cotton, sugar, molasses, &c., guarding negroes, and loading and unloading boats at the landing. Gen. Grover's division, with the exception of this regiment and a section of Nims's (second) battery, left the landing, going in the direction of Alexandria, leaving it in command of the post. On the 5th instant, there were at this post about four thousand bales of cotton, a considerable quantity of sugar and molasses, one hundred horses, and about four thousand negroes, mostly women and children.

On the 12th instant, Col. Thomas E. Chickering arrived from Opelousas, and, by order of Major-Gen. Banks, assumed command of the post. On the 19th, Companies A, E, F, and G, rejoined it, having marched from New Iberia to Brashear City, and thence to Barre's Landing by boat. On the 21st, it commenced the return-march to Brashear City, forming a portion of an escort for a five-mile negro and supply train, under command of Col. Joseph S. Morgan of the Ninetieth New-York Volunteers: distance marched, eighteen miles. On the 22d, starting late in the morning, it marched about eighteen miles, encamping at night on the Bayou Têche. On the 23d, it passed through St. Martinsville, and encamped for the night a mile above New Iberia, having marched about eighteen miles. On the 24th, passing through New Iberia, it marched about fifteen miles, and encamped for the night in a beautiful oak-grove on the Bayou Têche. On the 25th, it passed through Franklin and Centreville, and was attacked in the rear by what the colonel commanding supposed to be the advance. of a large rebel force under Gen. Mouton, and was ordered back

a distance of five miles to assist in repelling the attack. The attack having been repelled without any loss to this regiment, it resumed the march, and continued it through the night, making the distance of forty miles during the twenty-four hours, reaching Brashear City a few hours later. Thence it went by rail to Algiers, and by steamer to Springfield Landing; arriving at division headquarters, before Port Hudson, about midnight of the 30th. This march, performed during daytime, was both severe and exhausting.

From the 5th to the 8th of June, as a part of the column under Gen. Paine, the regiment marched to Clinton to disperse the rebels collected there. This object was effected with very little fighting.

On the 14th of June, the day of the assault upon Port Hudson, the regiment was assigned a position in the assaulting column under Gen. Weitzel; but, during the fight, was ordered to deploy for skirmishing, in order to prevent a flank movement from the enemy upon the column. It gained a position in the front within easy rifle-range of the rebel works, and held that position until the 20th. It was then sent under Col. Greenleaf as part of an escort of a wagon-train to Jackson's Cross-roads. While here, and loading its teams, it was attacked by a greatly superior force of rebels. This attack was repulsed with a loss to the rebels of thirty or forty killed and wounded, and a number of prisoners. The loss of the regiment was two taken prisoners and about sixty teams, the horses of which, becoming frightened, ran away from the escort.

On the night of the 20th, the regiment returned to its posi tion at the front. The loss during the month was nine killed (including a captain), twelve wounded, and two prisoners; total, twenty-three. It arrived home the third day of August, 1863, and was mustered out of service Aug. 14, 1863. This regiment was the first to make the voyage of the Mississippi after that river had been opened by the capture of Vicksburg and Port Hudson.

THE FIFTY-THIRD REGIMENT

Was recruited at Camp Stevens, Groton Junction. The companies composing it were principally from Northern Worcester and Middlesex Counties.

Col. Kimball has long been known as one of our best militiaofficers. He was major of the Fifteenth Regiment (three-years'

service), and was in every battle with that regiment, from Ball's Bluff to Fredericksburg. After the promotion of Col. Devens, of the Fifteenth, he had command of the regiment as lieutenantcolonel; Col. Ward having been at home from disability, and loss of limb, since the battle of Ball's Bluff.

On the 18th of November, the Fifty-third was ordered to proceed to New York, and report to Major-Gen. Banks. Col. Kimball not having arrived, the regiment left the State under command of Lieut.-Col. Barrett; but, before leaving New York to proceed to New Orleans, Col. Kimball joined the regiment.

Its officers were,

Colonel

John W. Kimball.
George H. Barrett.
James A. Ball.

James Q. A. M'Collester.
William M. Barrett.

Benjamin F. Whittemore.

The regiment remained in New York at Franklin Barracks until the 17th of January, 1863; when it embarked on board "The Continental," and, after a stormy passage of twelve days, reached New Orleans, and went into camp at Carrollton. It here became attached to the third brigade, third division, Brig.-Gen. Emory commanding.

On the 6th of March, going on board the steamer "Crescent," it proceeded to Baton Rouge, and went into camp three miles below the city.

On the 12th of March, it was ordered on a reconnoissance up the river. It embarked on two steamers, and, under convoy of the gunboat "Albatross," moved up the river five miles, where a landing was effected. With an escort of eighteen cavalry-men, it proceeded cautiously across the country about one and a half miles to the Bayou Sara Road, where it encountered and drove in the enemy's pickets. Returning by the Bayou Sara Road, it arrived at Baton Rouge the same afternoon, driving in a number of fine cattle.

On the evening of the 13th, it marched with the division in the expedition to Port Hudson, and, on the afternoon of the 14th, arrived at a point within three miles of that place, where it was ordered to bivouac. This was the night of the bombardment and successful passage of a portion of the fleet past the batteries of Port Hudson. The men slept on their arms, expecting to be