THE FOURTH IN MOTION.

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railroad more than two thousand miles, and marched more than four hundred miles over the swampy roads of North Carolina; most of it being done during the most inclement season. It bivouacked upon the ground, without shelter, when the water froze in canteens; and also marched when the thermometer ranged at one hundred and seven degrees in the shade. During a portion of the time, more than two hundred men were furnished for extra duty as mechanics, and quite a large number were detailed as overseers of "contrabands' and others.

THE FOURTH REGIMENT.

The Fourth Regiment was not tardy in answering to the renewed demand for troops. It promptly prepared to march. Its

We give below, in a letter received from an officer of the Fourth, an authentic record of great interest. His glowing eulogy of the troops is not only pardonable, but, indeed, a commendable expression of appreciation of their gallant conduct.

Upon Gen. Banks's retreat down the Shenandoah Valley, the Fourth, with other regiments, was ordered out.

Lieut.-Col. Walker, late adjutant, living in Quincy, eight miles from Boston, read the order in the newspapers of the morning, while on his way to the depot. Setting the bells of his own town ringing, and arranging affairs there, he started, and drove through twenty miles of the country, setting all the church-bells ringing, appointing places of rendezvous, &c. In forty-eight hours, the regiment had eight hundred men in Boston. A question arising as to the term of service required under the then recent legislation of Congress, Lieut.-Col. Walker addressed the men, appealing to their patriotism, and sense of duty; and, in response, over two-thirds of those present promptly signed their names to an agreement to go, and trust to the justice of the Government. Out of all the other organizations in town, one only, the Fourth Battalion, took a like stand. Telegrams from Washington, stating that the troops were not needed, came the same day; and the four thousand men, who had gathered almost at a moment's notice, returned to their homes. In July, 1862, the call came for two hundred thousand nine-months' men.

On the very day on which it became known in Boston, Lieut.-Col. Walker offered the services of the regiment to the Governor, with the additional offer, that, if camp equipage could be furnished, the regiment would be ready to go out of the State with a thousand men in a fortnight. It WAS THE FIRST regiment offered under this call. Camp equipage could not be furnished; but, within the fortnight, the regiment was more than three-quarters full. New regiments were about this time started in Boston and vicinity, with large bounty funds, which tempted men to leave other organizations for the sake of the money. The Fourth finally went into camp, and was organized, Dec. 6, having had over twelve hundred men on its rolls. Lieut.-Col. Walker was chosen colonel; and on the 25th of December, 1862, the regiment left for New York. Here it was detained a week; Col. Walker refusing to go in the vessel provided. By law, it could not carry six hundred emigrants ; and here a thousand men were put on board for a voyage to New Orleans. This matter was finally arranged, part of the men being left for another ship. Touching at Fortress Monroe, the regiment arrived at New Orleans about the middle of February, and went into camp at Carrolton, where muskets were distributed to the men. Shortly after, the regiment proceeded to Baton Rouge, and took part in the first Port-Hudson expedition, when Farragut passed that point in "The Richmond." On the second day out, the rest of the army having halted, Col. Walker was ordered by Gen. Emory to take the Fourth and Thirty-first Massachusetts and Second Rhode-Island Cavalry, proceed to a point on the Clinton Plank-road called the "Cross-roads," and hold it at all hazards, as the right flank of the army. This force was afterward augmented to twenty-five hundred men and several pieces of artillery. It arrived at the Cross-roads on the afternoon of Saturday, March 11; under orders, fell back several miles to Cypress Bayou, reaching there about five, P.M., Sunday, 12th; bivouacked there until the afternoon of the next day, amid a driving storm, and was then ordered back to the main army, reaching it about ten, P.M. The troops were in arms at three, A.M.; waited until noon, and then started again for Cross-roads, reaching there at five, P.M.; here bivouacked until eleven, P.M., and fell back to Cypress Bayou again; left there at eight the following morning for the main army, and with that lay in camp two days, when all were ordered back to Baton Rouge. The Fourth was detailed to remain behind, and bring all the baggage off the ground. It did so, arriving some hours after the main army; having sent every wagon and every thing worth carrying ahead. Early in April, with the most of the army, the Fourth proceeded to Brashear City. With the Sixteenth NewHampshire, and part of the Twenty-first Indiana, it was ordered to garrison that post. Afterwards it was ordered across Berwick Bay to participate in the fight at Bisland, and then to return. The night of the retreat of the rebels, the regiment was thrown out in front, close to their works; and the fact that the rebels were retreating was first discovered by some of its officers, and by them communicated to Gen. Banks. It marched on as far as Franklin, and then returned to Brashear; the command of which post was assigned to Col.

THE FOURTH AT PORT HUDSON.

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Walker. The duties here were very arduous. The regiment, by the medical and sanitary reports one of the cleanest and healthiest in the department, lost many men. The place was the depot of supplies for the whole army: to it were sent all the captured men and stores en route for New Orleans. Thousands of negroes came down, and had to be rationed, and sent to the rear. Thousands of head of cattle, horses and mules, were brought in, while the hospitals furnished accommodations for seven hundred men. So multifarious were the duties, that often there were not men enough left in camp for police or camp-guard duty; men performing the latter sometimes two or three days in succession. On the 28th of May, Col. Walker received orders to send his own, the Fourth, and other regiments, to Port Hudson. At his own request, he was relieved from command of the post, and rejoined the regiment at Port Hudson. Here it lay until the 14th of June, doing its full share of picket, fatigue, and foraging duty. In the assault of the 14th, Capt. Bartlett, of Company K, led the storming-party, made up of men from several regiments. Of the four officers of the Fourth in the advance, two (Capt. Hull, of Company A; Lieut. Sampson, Company I) were wounded; Capt. Bartlett, killed; Lieut. Drake, unhurt. Capt. Bartlett died on the very slope of the enemy's works, gallantly leading his men; and no truer Christian and patriot, and no braver soldier, went up from that bloody field than he. Said a rebel major, "He died nearer our works that day than any other Federal officer." The main body of the regiment, under the colonel, who had left his bed to go into the fight, advanced close under the works, and, with the rest of the assaulting columns, finally was ordered to halt, and lie down. Where the men dropped, there they lay until night, beneath the hot June Southern sun; and many were sun-struck. When darkness came on, all the troops, under its cover, went back to camp. The Fourth lost every fifth man. After the fall of Port Hudson, the regiment remained in camp until Aug. 4, when it started for home. While before Port Hudson, all its baggage, papers, clothing, had been captured by the enemy at Brashear City, where they had been left under orders. The regiment had nothing left but its camp-worn clothes, nearly used up by hard service; and as its term of service was nearly out, and no pay to be had, the men journeyed home in their war-worn blouses. The regiment was mustered out Aug. 28, 1863; most of it having been in the United-States service eleven months. Its character may be summed up in the words of Major-Gen. Emory: "It was one of the best regiments in my whole division. It was well disciplined. It was remarkable for its camp, police, and sanitary discipline. I remember signalizing it before the whole division at Baton Rouge, on account of its extreme excellence in these respects."

23

THE FIFTH REGIMENT.

The Fifth was briefly noticed in the narrative of early military operations.

It won unqualified praises from Gen. Mansfield while aiding him in the defence of Washington. Having only a State banner, it was presented with a beautiful ensign by Massachusetts men in the capital, while on Long Bridge, en route from the Treasury Building to Alexandria. It was visited at Camp Massachusetts by the President and Secretaries Chase and Cameron, who highly complimented the splendid appearance of the troops. The 4th of July was appropriately celebrated; and Gov. Andrew visited the encampment the succeeding day, greeting and praising the boys.

On the 16th, the march toward Centreville was commenced with Gen. Franklin's brigade. The Fifth, having the honor of the right of the division, marched at the head of the column under Col. Heintzelman. After an exciting advance over an enemy's country, the command came on the 21st to "fall in lively;" and, after ten miles of marching, the field of Bull Run, already covered with the smoke of battle, was reached.

When, soon after, the order rang over their ranks, "Fifth Massachusetts, forward, double-quick, march!" the men, in their dark uniforms, went forward, under the fire of shot and shell, "with as much coolness as if they had been on an ordinary muster-field." Indeed, they were mistaken by an officer for regulars, on account of their excellent behavior. Lawrence, the color-bearer, fell, bravely raising his standard in the wild tempest of that terrific struggle, when both armies had their sanguinary baptism into the war of Slavery with Freedom.

Returning to camp on the 22d, the Fifth marched towards Washington with their wounded colonel, who was determined to see his regiment safely home. From the capital the troops proceeded to Boston, attended along the way, and on their arrival, with the most enthusiastic demonstrations of grateful regard. The regiment was mustered out July 30, 1861.

This regiment sprang again to arms at the call of their beloved President for three hundred thousand soldiers for nine months. Repairing to Camp Lander, Wenham, the ranks were soon filled; and, Oct. 22, they sailed from Boston for Newbern, N.C., with orders to report to Gen. Foster, under the following officers:

The Fifth reached Newbern safely; but before its arms and equipments could be forwarded from Morehead City, the point of debarkation, orders were received to be ready immediately, with three days' rations, to start upon an important expedition. Within forty-eight hours after the arrival of the troops, and through the hours of all the night, the camp was aglow with the fires over which the rations were cooking. Muskets were distributed; and, at four o'clock of Oct. 30, they embarked on board transports for Washington, N.C., which was reached the following day. Here they waited until Nov. 2 for the arrival of troops from Newbern by the overland route.

At seven o'clock on the morning of the sabbath, the columns engaged in the expedition, led by Major-Gen. Foster, took up their line of march for Williamstown.

The regiment formed a part of Col. Horace C. Lee's brigade, of the Massachusetts Twenty-seventh, under whose able and appreciative command it continued during the whole term of its service. After a march, attended with slight skirmishes, of one hundred and sixty miles, over bad roads and under stormy skies, the troops returned to camp.

The story of their next march, commencing Dec. 10, to destroy the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, is well told by their enthusiastic colonel:

We formed regimental line at six, A.M., Thursday, Dec. 11; forming on the left of the third brigade, Col. H. C. Lee. At two, P.M., we started on the march, having the second post of honor (the extreme left). Marched until half-past four, A.M., of the 12th, and bivouacked about nine miles from Newbern. At sunrise, we again started in the same position, and, after a hard day's march, bivouacked about twenty miles from Newbern. Sunrise of the 13th saw us again moving in the same position. Arrived at the "Church," six miles from Kinston, about ten, P.M. In the morning, we were ordered to throw out pickets on the different roads, and to guard the baggage-train. Companies H, Capt. Drew, and E, Capt. Kent, were posted about three miles from our headquarters, on a cross-road leading to Kinston, and, in connection with a company of cavalry, held about six hundred of the enemy at bay, and finally drove them into Kinston, and joined us the next morning there. Company C, Capt. Daniels, was posted on the road leading