Norwich bulletin., 1910-05-20

| William H. Noble was placed in charge of the Second brigade. His headquarters were established at St Augustine. In October. 1863, General the trenches in the neighborhood of Fort Wagner, returned to Hilton Head. The charge at Fort Wagner, July IT, 1863. was led by Lieutenant Daniel C. Rodnan. He was desperately wound- ed in the attack. The Swamp Angel battery, which had the bombardment of Fort Sumter and Charleston m charge for months, was in the hands rif1ed Parrot The regiment re-en- listed 333 members. This force was sent north on a thirty day furlough January 13. 1864. The men who had rot re-en1iSted were rendeZyOused in Florida and took an active part in the battle of Olustee- In this engagement General Hawley commanded bri- gade.
 General HawIey at OIustee.
 At Olustee General HawIey's bri- Hampshire, Colonel Joseph c. Abbott, the Eighth United States colored in- fantry Colonel Charles w. Frfbley, and the Seventh Connecticut battalion, Captain Charles G. Mills was at the head of the First company of the bat talion which was deployed by com mand of General T. Seymour as skir-
 
 Lieut. Jeremiah Townsend of New Ha- ven was held in reserve The right of the line was strengthened by an addi- tiona1 thirty men under Lieut.. Robert Dempsey of Winchester. who was kill ed in the action.
 The Seventh Connecticut battalion comprised ten officers and 365 men. Captain Skinner, who was in com mand, belonged in Danbury. The off, cers of the Seventh, who were on Gen. eral Hawley's staff at Olustee were First Lieut.. F. Lewis Moore of Sails bury, Lieut.. w. T. Seward of Guilford and Lieut.. John Van Keuren of New Britain
 Losses in the Engagement.
 The casualties in the battalion at Olustee were heavy, principally in prisoners of war, who were confined in the stockade at Andersonville and in Mfllen. Levi L. Smith of Killingly was wounded.
 The Seventh was recruited at the north after Olustee, the ranks being filled to a normal state, and resumed service in Virginia. It was assigned to the army of the James. performing miracles of valor at Drury's Bluff. In 1865 it had brilliant part in the cap- ture of Fort Fisher. In September, 1884, Colonel Haw1ey was made a brigadier general and Lieutenant Col onel Rodnnan took command of the regiment. The wounds of Colonel Rodman compelled his resignation and Seager S. AtWel Of Mer1den succeeded him.
 The coIored Troops.
 The Eighth United States coIored infantry in General Hawley's brigade fought with courage and loyalty at Olustee. Col. Charles W. F'ribley was shot and died on the field. The cap tured were confined in Andersonville many of them dying during the sum rner of 1864. These negro captives en- dured the hardships of Andersonville VT 1r1T 1T<1fr I-fx, d. faithful soldiers of the union.
 Col. Joseph F'innegan commanded the confederate forces at Olustee.
 The Seventeenth in Florida.
 In August. 1863. the bridage under General Ames was ordered into the Island Aug. 12 and was soon trans ferred to Morris Island where it saw the first gun fired in Gilmore's bom- bardment- The brigade, which was Connecticut, was ordered to embark for Florida in February 1864. The Tenth Connecticut was relieved at St Augustine by the Seventeenth. Several 1 Colonel Noble's command. including | Dunn's lake, February 1864 and Wela- | Ba, May 19. Lieut.. Col Albert 1T. Will coxson of Norwal& was wounded at | Dunn's lake and died March 6. Adjt i H. Whitney Chatfield was killed in the | engagement Henry s. Turrell of New Milford was captured at Welaka May 1 19 and was paro1ed Nov. 1s He was l made an assistant surgeon, U S. A.. June 25 1875. The casualties suffered | by the Seventeenth at Dunn's lake and | were chiefly in the way of | captures. Scattered in picket organiza- l tions east of St. Johns river, the mem | bers became an easy prey.
 Colonel Noble's Capture.
 Colonel Noble, while returning from | a coTtmartial held at Jacksonville to the headquarters of the Seventeenth in St. Augustine, was captured Dec 24 | 1884 and was taken at first to Ander- sonville and was afterward in the prfs- | on at Macon.
 Governors in the Ranks
 The Seventeenth was one of the three 1
 CoU0c00 .aCHY