Showing posts with label 31st MA INF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 31st MA INF. Show all posts

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Major-General Benjamin F. Butler: General Orders No. 23, May 6, 1862

GENERAL ORDERS No. 23.}
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,            
New Orleans, May 6, 1862.

A military commission, of not less than five commissioned officers of and above the rank of captain, with a recorder and legal adviser, is constituted and appointed, for the trial of all high crimes and misdemeanors which by the laws of any State in the Union, or the United States, or the laws martial, are punishable with death or imprisonment for a long term of years.

The sentence of such courts will be assimilated to those provided by such laws, due regard being had to the necessity of severity and for prompt punishment incident to the crimes and disorders arising from a state of war.

The commission will sit at all convenient hours for the dispatch of business, will be attended by the provost-marshal or his assistants, all its orders respected and obeyed, and its summonses complied with.

As the motives of men make so largely the element of the crimes cognizable by this commission, the rules of evidence of the English common law may be so far relaxed as to allow the accused to be questioned in presence of the commission, always leaving it to his free choice to respond or not to the questions proposed.

The accusation will be substantially in the form used in courts-martial, excepting that it should fully set forth a description of the accused, his residence and business, whether or not he has been a loyal citizen, his antecedents, character, and acts in that regard, so far as known, which portion of the accusation may be put in controversy at the trials, provided the accused be not a soldier of the United States.

All proceedings, findings, and sentences of this commission are to be subjected to the approval of the commanding general, and will be carried into effect upon his order.

The following-named officers are detailed for and will constitute such commission:

1. Col. Henry C. Deming, Twelfth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers.
2. Col. N. A. M. Dudley, Thirtieth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers.
3. Lieut. Col. C. M. Whelden, Thirty-first Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers.
4. Maj. F. A. Boardman, Fourth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers.
5. Capt. Peter Haggerty, aide-de-camp.

Maj. J. M. Bell, volunteer aide-de-camp, recorder and legal adviser. By command of Major-General Butler:

GEO. C. STRONG,               
Acting Chief of Staff.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 6 (Serial No. 6), p. 722-3

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Diary of Sergeant George G. Smith: May 25, 1863

[In the morning] we marched three miles further round towards the enemy's right, in the rear of some woods where the 91st New York deployed as skirmishers, and the First Louisiana fell into line as a reserve. The skirmishers had penetrated the woods but a short distance when they encountered the enemy's pickets and a sharp engagement was commenced, but the enemy soon gave way before advancing skirmishers. After pursuing them about half a mile, they obtained our range with three heavy guns from their works and we were obliged to fall back to their old encampment. We were not yet out of range, but the ground falling off in the opposite direction, his shot and shells flew harmlessly, hissing over our heads. After dark a serious catasttrophe happened on our left. The 31st Massachusetts stationed there mistook the 91st N. Y. on picket guard for the enemy, and fired into them. It cost the life of a captain of the 31st Massachusetts, but none of the 91st New York was injured.

The union line of investment was said to be seven miles long, from the river above Port Hudson to the river below. General Banks had most all the forces in the Department of the Gulf there; and were all stationed ready to invest the works preparatory to an assault. One in my position could not of course be expected to know much more than what was transacted directly under his own observation, so that those who desire a more extended view of the operations of the army during this siege must consult those who had better opportunities for observation than the writer of these pages.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 56-8

Sunday, August 19, 2012

The Situation Near Savannah – Arrangement Of The Forces – From Whom Brunswick Was Taken


The long talked of expedition against Savannah still “hangs fire,” but I will venture to assure the impatient portion of the community that the “blow will be struck” when – everything is ready, and not before.  Meanwhile Pulaski is “cut off” – isolated – “left out in the cold,” and will doubtless soon fall.  Reconnoissances are made daily, and the intricate windings of creeks, cuts and straits that fringe the islands on each side of Savannah, are fast being sought out.  Gen. Wright with his brigade, consisting of the 4th New Hampshire, 7th Connecticut, 9th Maine, and 97th Pennsylvania regiments are still in the neighborhood of Tybee, having returned from an expedition to Brunswick, Ga.

Quite an amusing story is told in connection with the affair at Brunswick.  It seems that the gunboats, after reconnoitering a while in front of the rebel fortifications, got into “posish,” and were about to “let slip the dogs,” when they discovered a boat push off from the shore at the fort, and make directly for the gunboat, upon nearing which it was found to contain a couple of “contrabands,” who commenced yelling “Hold on, Massa Yankee, don’t fire, der sogers all gone Serwerner,”  “dase leff me all alone.”  And sure enough they had gone, and the anticipated sport was “nipped.”

Gen. Viele is in command of a force on Dawfuskie Island, and is erecting fortifications there.  The forces on Hilton Head Island, consisting of the Massachusetts cavalry, 3d Rhode Island artillery, 2nd New Hampshire, 8th Maine, 6th Connecticut, 28th Massachusetts, and 45th Pennsylvania regiments are under command of Col. E. Q. Fellows of the 3d New Hampshire regiment.  Col. Fellows seems to have won the entire confidence of Gen. Sherman, who has seen fit to assign him to this responsible situation. – By the way, Col. F. is currently talked of as the next Brigadier from New Hampshire.  He is a soldier, and he is capable.

The steamship Mississippi, having on board Gen. Butler and Staff, the 31st Massachusetts regiment and part of the 13th Maine, Col. Neal Dow, put into this port and hauled up at Seabrook for repairs, having run aground on “Frying Pan” Shoals, off Cape Fear.  The damage was quite severe, a hole being stove in her bottom, causing a leak which had it not been an iron boat with several compartments, must have sunk her with all on board.  She will be speedily repaired and on her way to Ship Island.  Gen. Butler and Staff attended a grand review at Beaufort yesterday by invitation of Gen. Sherman.

The 3d New Hampshire regiment has been selected by Gen. Sherman to do some important service.  They are to embark to-day, under command of Lieut. Col. John H. Jackson, who “saw service” in the Mexican war, and will doubtless render a good account of himself and the regiment on this expedition.

The contrabands are getting organized into “gangs,” in view of the opening of the “spring’s work,” and under the direction of government agents will soon commence cultivating cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, &c. – Port Royal Cor. Of Boston Journal, 7th.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 22, 1862, p. 2

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Regiments Now At New Orleans

31st, 30th and 26th Massachusetts, 12th Maine, 9th, 13th and 12th Connecticut; 6th Michigan, 4th Wisconsin, 21st Indian[a], 8th Vermont; Captain S. Tyler Reid’s cavalry and Durlvage’s Cavalry.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 31, 1862, p. 1