We broke camp bright and early, about six o'clock, had our last bath at the pond, and breakfast at the old barracks, which had been our home so long, and then commenced the packing of our knapsacks and haversacks, till about eight o'clock, when we fell in with the rest of the regiment, and about nine o'clock marched to the station. After a fine salute from the 45th, who were drawn up on the hill at the right of the railroad track, we started for Boston. We marched to the Common, where we found our friends once more. We stayed here about an hour, talking the last talk for many a long week, then fell into line, and escorted by the New England Guard Reserve and other organizations, we took our way up Beacon Street, down Tremont, Court, State, and Commercial, to Battery Wharf to the steamer "Merrimac." Here we had a rest, and we needed it, our knapsacks were full, and the tramp was hard on us. Many of our friends smuggled themselves through the line at the head of the Wharf, and we held our last reception once more. Our guns were taken from us here, and finally we were packed away too, in the lower hold; no light, and about the same quantity of air. We left the Wharf about six o'clock, the cheers of our friends following us far out into the stream.
Our reception while passing through the city was a fine one, the streets were crowded, especially State Street, and we were cheered from one end of it to the other. We leave plenty of friends, as the following clipped from the Transcript will show:
DEPARTURE OF MASS. REGIMENTS FOR NEW BERNE.
The city has been thronged by strangers to-day to witness the arrival in the city of the three Mass. Regiments, and their embarkation on board the steamers which are to convey them to New Berne.
The "Forty Fourth," which has been encamped at Readville, absorbed the chief interest of the citizens of Boston. This regiment is the child of the New England Guard, and from its appearance, will worthily maintain its hereditary honor. It is the second regiment recruited by prominent members of the Guards, and is largely composed of young men who will be sadly missed here.
The hold the Forty-fourth has upon the sympathies and affections of our community has been shown to-day by the large turn-out to greet the boys as they went through the city.
The scene in the vicinity of Boylston Street was of quite an exhilarating character. The streets were filled with people, and windows and balconies contained large numbers of the fair sex, who waved their heart-welcome for the soldiers as they marched along.
Company H, Capt. Smith, had the right, and Company A, Capt. J. M. Richardson, the left.
Crowds thronged the avenues through which the troops passed, and loudly applauded them. The Forty-fourth marched almost with the steady tread of veterans, and by their precision of movement deserved the applause so liberally bestowed. The Roster is as follows:
Colonel—Francis L. Lee.
Lieut.-Colonel—Edward C. Cabot.
Major—Chas. W. Dabney, Jr.
Adjutant—Wallace Hinkley.
Quarter-Master—Francis Bush, Jr.
Surgeon—Robert Ware.
Assistant Surgeon—Theodore W. Fisher.
Chaplain—Edmund H. Hall.
Sergt-Major—Wm. H. Bird.
Quarter-Master-Sergt.—Fred. S. Gifford.
Commissary Sergt.—Charles D. Woodberry.
Hospital Steward—Wm. C. Brigham.
Principal Musician—Geo. L. Babcock.
COMPANY A.
Captain—James M. Richardson.
1st Lt.—Jared Coffin.
2nd Lt.—Charles G. Kendall.
COMPANY B.
Captain—John M. Griswold.
1st. Lt.—John A. Kendrick, Jr.
2nd Lt.—Charles C. Soule.
COMPANY C.
Captain—Jacob H. Lombard.
1st. Lt.—George B. Lombard.
2nd Lt.—James W. Briggs.
COMPANY D.
Captain—Henry D. Sullivan.
1st. Lt.—James H. Blake, Jr.
2nd Lt.—Asa H. Stebbins.
COMPANY E.
Captain—Spencer W. Richardson.
1st. Lt.—James S. Newell.
2nd Lt.—James S. Cumston.
COMPANY F.
Captain—Charles Storrow.
1st. Lt.—Alfred S. Hartwell.
2nd Lt.—John E. Taylor.
COMPANY G.
Captain—Charles Hunt.
1st. Lt.—James C. White.
2nd Lt.—Frederick Odiorne.
COMPANY H.
Captain—William V. Smith.
1st. Lt.—Edward C. Johnson.
2nd Lt.—Albert R. Howe.
COMPANY I.
Captain—Joseph R. Kendall.
1st. Lt.—William D. Hooper.
2nd Lt.—Benjamin F. Field, Jr.
COMPANY K.
Captain—Frank W. Reynolds.
1st. Lt.—Richard H. Weld.
2nd Lt.—Fred. P. Brown.
SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, p. 11-13
