Transcriber's Note:
Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has been preserved.
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.For a complete list, please see the end of this document.
A Table of Contents has been added for the readers' benefit.
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
It is to be regretted that a complete history of the 16th Regiment,Connecticut Volunteers, has not been written. At this late day itwould require much time, labor, and expense, to prepare one, andprobably will never be done. Many volumes might be written which wouldbe of inestimable value hereafter. Their services in the War for theUnion cannot be placed upon a few pages. This volume is but a mereoutline history, mostly compiled from diaries written by me at a youngage, the importance of which was not then comprehended; with noexpectation of the future use they would be put to,—but little waswritten, and that mostly concerned myself. It is the object of thiswork to create a permanent record of some of the marches, battles, andexperiences generally of the organization above mentioned. Thisundertaking is made in behalf of the surviving members of theregiment, to whom it is hoped the work will prove of some value as abook of reference. The hope is also expressed that this work may provea not unwelcome though sad memorial to the friends of those members ofthe regiment who lost their lives in battle or prison. The author isunaccustomed to historical composition, and makes no boast of literaryeducation.
The regiment was recruited in Hartford county, and its services weretendered to the National Government in response to the President'scall for three hundred thousand volunteers for three years. It wasalmost entirely made up of men in the county, and of excellentmaterial,—some of the oldest and best families were represented inits ranks; and comprised many of the finest young men whom thecommonwealth ever sent to uphold its honor in the field.
It was organized during the month of August, 1862, under the commandof Colonel Frank Beach, of the regular army. The month of August was asevere shock to most of the men, even those of a strong constitution