The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-31

2nd OF OCTOBER, Ennelu TlHeS, VI lh
ferior quality of English manufacture
were issued to the command, and We
had our first dress parade, the same
day. The muster in began on thu
7th and continued daily till all were
mustered into the United States ser
vice, and on the 9th of October we haC
our first battalion drill. A regimenta
band and drum corps was enlisted anc
the camp was enlivened by martial mu-
sic. On the 18th of October, marching
orders came to report forthwith fol
service, to General Burnside at Annap-
oils, Md.
"On the following day (the 3Oth) His
Excellency, John A. Andrew, the great
war governor, visited our camp ano
reviewed the regiment, after which, II
his address to us, he said Il have
seen all the regiments which the state
has sent to the field, but the Twenty
fifth is the handsomest one have sci
eyes upon, and Is composed OF the
noblest looking body of men have
ever seen assembled in uniform" Sucf
a compliment from such a source was
cheerfully accepted by the entire com
me2d
ION the 31st Of October just 40 years
ago, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, came
the last assembly call at Camp Lin
COLI, previous W WLllSA LAG 5esN
wells were said to relatives and friends
and we marched, with colors flying
through Highland and Main Streets te
the Common, where at 4 o'clock, cars
were taken over the Norwich line, fol
New York.
1--WE adopted as our own, the lines
dedicated to our command by the Hon
Henry s. Washburn:
""And here's a parting blessing
AS we strike our tents, today.
For the loved who linger near us
And cheer us on the way.
While In serried ranks we gather,
With a purpose firm and high,
Our country shall be rescued
Or the Worcester boys will die"
you remember the reception at New
York by the Sons of Massachusetts,
and the thinness Of that soup furnished
at Park Barracks, and the grateful
contrast of the bountiful hospitality Of
the Cooper Shop Saloon at Philadel-
phia, at ] o'clock in the morning OF
November 2.
ION to Baltimore by rail and down
the Chesapeake by water, we reached
Annapolis, Sunday afternoon, Novem-
Der g. and on the following day our
camp was pitched outside the town,
where we found many regiments that
had preceded us.
"The prescribed eight hours a day
of drills under competent officers gave
us a standing which was apparent
when the troops were brigaded, and
General John G.. Foster, the senior
brigadier- general who had his choice
of all the troops, selected first the
Twenty-ffth Massachusetts, and gave
10 hn
his brigade, which position we main
tanned, and which gave us the advance
In the Battles of Roanoke Island New
bern. You cannot have forgotten the
soldier life for the two weeks we were
detained at Annapolis. This was un-
expected but proper vessels and equip
ment necessary for the Coast Division
could not be earlier secured.
do any Of you remember our first
Sunday at Annapolis, when our worthy
Chaplain James held service in the
temple not built with hands? The
regiment was in close column by divi-
sion. the band. and a regimental choir
In position. The chaplain, mounted on
a box with Bible in hand. read the
Ten Commandments, and some COM
rade lrreverently remarked that they
were not as we'll understood as the
articles of war.
General Burnside, the commander OF
our Coast Division, won the affections
as we'll as the confidence of his COM
mand, and so did his Brigadiers Fos-
ter, Reno and Parke. All these have
passed on to the silent majority. Yot
recall our embarkation, January 4, 1852
! The bands of the regiments played
Dixie" by order of General Burnside
as they PISSED successfully from tht
wharf OF quaint old Annapolis
vessels in all. The rendezvous al
Hampton Roads, then out to sea under
sealed orders, the storms of Hatteras
the difficulties encountered in getting
over the swash. Recollections of rough
seas, short rations and ropy water will
never fade from memory.
1.-THE fifth of February was a beau
tiful day. the stately transports load
ed with troops, the gunboats leading,
passed up the Sound. Then followed
the bombardment of the forts on the
7th, the landing at Ashby Harbor, in
the afternoon, under the fire of the
gunboats, our regiment leading, the
dismal wet night on shore, the battle In
the morning OF the Sth, in which we
were victorious and secured 5000 pris-
oners with munitions of war. 1t was
the first time we had met the enemy.
I'm his official report, General Burn
side said of his troops ''They have
endured all hardships with the utmost
fortitude, and have exhibited on the
battle field, a GOODNESS, courage, and
perseverance worthy of veteran SOL
diers'
"A few weeks later the transports
took us up the Neuse to Slocums
Creek, where we landed on the 18th
of March, and moved over muddy roads
about IA miles, where we bivouacked
near the strong works of the Confed-
crates. In the early morning of the
14th we were engaged with the enc
my, drove them out Of their strong
hold, and occupied Newbern, bringing
dismay to the Confederate cause, and
great joy to our government.
I'm March, Captain Pickett was pro-
NOTED to major: vice McCafferty re-
signed. AS provost guard, with quar-
tiers in town, we lived better than in
camp, but this became monotonous af
ter time, and early in May we were
on outpost duty at Red House, Bo-
gey's farm, a dozen miles away.
Eighteen months ago 1 visited this
desolate spot, which l could only iden-
tify by monument bearing the name
of Marcus Cicero Bogey. Our home at
the Red House was called Camp Bull
lock, in honor of the Hon. Alexander
H. Bullock of Worcester, and with de-
tails for scouting parties and guard
ing against surprise, there was no mo-
notony in this service. The picket fir
ing at Bogey's old white horse In the
thicket turned out the whole com
mand, at midnight, to our great dis
gust.
about the first of June we returned
to, Newbern, and Camp Oliver was
established just outside the town.
HEarlv in October I left the rpgirn ant
to assume command of the Fifty first
and with me went Ad-
jutant Hardness, who had been APP
pointed major of the same regiment.
The resignation of Colonel Upton, late
in October, on account of i'll health,
gave Major Pickett the command, and
he was commissioned colonel of the