Soon after recruiting for the 13th Connecticut Regiment
Infantry Volunteers was begun, I entered the recruiting service, and during the
winter of 1861—1862 labored for that regiment in that capacity until it was
full. Recruiting officers were quite plenty at that time and somehow the war
fever among the people had worn away considerably and consequently recruiting
was what might be termed slow, and not until March 17th, 1862, was the regiment
ready for the seat of war.
On that day at ten p. m. we left New Haven, on a steamboat,
and the next morning at five o'clock found us on board a large sailing vessel
in New York harbor, bound for Ship Island in the Gulf of Mexico. I enlisted as
a sergeant in Company K and it so happened the first night I was detailed as sergeant
of the guard. I don't think the 13th C. V. all belonged to the temperance
society. If they did many of them sadly broke their pledges; but perhaps they
thought the occasion justified them in doing so. The Colonel ordered one poor
fellow “seized” up in the rigging for disorderly conduct. It was distasteful to
me, but military orders must be obeyed. The job was new to me but I
accomplished it without much trouble, otherwise the night passed off quite
peacefully.
March 20th, the ship hoisted anchor, moved down and anchored
off Sandy Hook, where she lay until the 23rd. On the way everything was new to
me, Castle Garden, Governor's Island, Staten Island, etc. Besides the U. S.
gunboat Roanoake lay there. During the time tugboats were busy bringing water and
other supplies for the voyage.
On March 23d a propeller came down with two four-inch guns,
put them aboard and towed us out to sea. A U. S. mail steamship outward bound
passed us. It was a beautiful sight and one to make one feel proud of his
country. Thirty-one vessels, great and small were in sight from the deck of our
ship. At about one o'clock p. m. the tug boat left us, but the wind was calm as
a summer evening, and remained so until about 3 p. m. when a stiff breeze
sprang up and the good ship, City of New York, spread her white wings, and soon
the Jersey Heights began to grow dim, and the shades of night coming on, they
disappeared entirely from view. We never saw any more of this green earth until
we reached an island on the southern coast of Florida. Next day got the guns in
position, so that when Old Glory crept up to the masthead in the morning and
unfolded to the breeze he was greeted with the cannon's roar, the emblem of
freedom and power.
On the 25th we entered the Gulf Stream, water about milk
warm, sea rough, about in the latitude of Charleston, S. C. In the morning, “Sail
ho!” from the masthead. “Where away?” “Three points on the weather bow, sir.” “Steamship,
looks like a privateer.” Captain Saulter cracks on more sail. At noon it
disappeared to leeward. A gale sprang up in the afternoon and blew tremendously
all night.
SOURCE: George G. Smith, Leaves
from a Soldier's Diary, p. 1-3
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