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THE THIRTY-SIXTH AT HOUGH'S FERRY.

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Thence it went to Knoxville, where it remained in camp until the 3d of October, when it was ordered to meet the rebels advancing from Virginia under Gen. Jones, who were fought and defeated on the 10th, at Blue Springs. On the 11th, our troops pursued them twenty miles, and took many prisoners. After five days' rest, the regiment marched south thirty miles, where the rebels were threatening an attack, Here it went into camp; and, while preparing for winter-quarters, it received orders to move, as Longstreet was approaching.

The regiment marched to Hough's Ferry, where the rebels were crossing. Their skirmishers were driven in; but, learning that another force was crossing at Kingston, it fell back to Lenoir's the next morning. Col. Morrison's brigade, to which it was attached, consisting of the Thirty-sixth Massachusetts, Fortyfifth Pennsylvania, Eighth Michigan, and Seventy-ninth NewYork, was sent out on the Kingston Road to prevent the advance of the enemy from that direction. The Thirty-sixth was the regiment farthest advanced, and at dark the rebel advance was in plain sight. We remained in line all night: the other troops were withdrawn. Three times the enemy advanced, probably to ascertain if we were still there; and as many times he received sufficient proof that we were, and fell back. About four o'clock on the morning of the 15th, orders were received to withdraw the regiment, which was done with the loss of only one man. Finding the remainder of the troops en route for Knoxville, we fell into our place, and moved in that direction. Nine miles from Lenoir's, near Campbell's Station, another road from Kingston intersects the one from Loudon to Knoxville. Here the enemy commenced an attack on the left and rear of our column. The first brigade, having passed this place, formed line, facing the rear, and advanced on the enemy. As they were advancing in force. through a wood on our left, we executed a left half-wheel, formed line against a fence, and, after half an hour's sharp firing, repulsed them. Just as we did so, a force appeared in our rear. We faced about, gave a volley which scattered it, and marched back a quarter of a mile to where our batteries were in position, and supported Benjamin's and Roemer's batteries until dark. At that time, the enemy being repulsed, we again marched towards Knoxville, which we reached about three o'clock next morning.

The brigade occupied Fort Sanders, and the line on the east of it to the river, during the siege. All this while, the men suffered much from cold, hunger, want of clothing and of sleep.

The official report says,

Quarter-rations only were issued. Many lacked blankets and shoes, and nearly all overcoats; and one-third, and sometimes one-half, of the men were kept awake at night. The morning of the 7th, we moved in pursuit of the rebels. Followed them to Rutledge, thirty miles, and remained there till the 15th, when Longstreet was reported to be strongly re-enforced, and advancing in this direction. We fell back to this place (Blane's Cross-roads), and awaited his attack; but he has again fallen back. A sergeant and ten men were sent out to a mill while we were at Rutledge, by order of the brigade commander; and on our retreat they were captured, as was a messenger sent to warn them.

We are in a state of utter destitution; and, as we are so far from civilization, we can get nothing by requisition. One old wall-tent, without a fly, constitutes our camp-equipage; and yesterday I received the pleasing intelligence, that we could get no more in East Tennessee. The men are still on very short rations.

Dec. 27, the regiment changed its camping-grounds to the woods, where it remained until Jan. 16, 1864; when it marched to Strawberry Plains, remaining until the 21st, suffering severely from want of sufficient clothing and proper food,―rations being six spoonfuls of flour for seven days, and what corn could be picked up from under the feet of the mules and horses: the clothing was all tattered and torn, and there was not enough even of this quality.

The Thirty-sixth then retreated to Knoxville, and remained with the brigade, marching to different points, until the 21st of March; when, passing over the Cumberland Mountains, it reached Nicholasville, Ky., April 1, and there took cars for Annapolis, reaching that point April 6. Here new clothing was drawn ; and the men were allowed, after the severe hardships of the winter, seventeen days for rest. On the 23d they set out to join the Army of the Potomac, and reached Bealton May 4. The next day they crossed the Rapidan, and on the 6th were engaged in the battle of the Wilderness. In three several charges upon the enemy here, their loss was heavy. Thence they moved to Spottsylvania Court House, where they were again engaged, with heavy loss. Also, in the engagement of the Ninth Corps with the enemy at Bethesda Church, the Thirty-sixth suffered severely. It was engaged in frequent skirmishes until the 14th of June, when it reached the banks of the James near Harrison's Landing. Crossing the river, it arrived in front of the enemy's lines before Petersburg on the evening of the 16th. Next morning, at daybreak,

THE THIRTY-SIXTH AT PETERSBURG.

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charged the enemy's works, and surprised him, capturing two cannon and four hundred and fifty prisoners; a success in every particular. Here the regiment remained until the 19th of August, when it marched to the Weldon Railroad. It returned to Petersburg on the 27th, moving thence to Poplar-grove Church, Va.; where, on the morning of the 30th, the Ninth Corps supported the Fifth in a charge upon the rebel works, taking the first line of works. In the afternoon of the same day, the Ninth Corps, being on the left of the Fifth Corps, moved forward on the enemy's second line of works, where we were repulsed with considerable loss.

Oct. 1, a new line was established at Pegram Farm, Va. Here the Thirty-sixth remained encamped until the 29th of November, when it was ordered to garrison Fort Rice.

It remained at Fort Rice until April, doing picket-duty, and watching the movements of the enemy.

In the assault upon the enemy's works on the morning of April 2, the regiment had one hundred men on the skirmish line, and five in the pioneer corps, to cut away the obstructions in front of the assaulting column. The remainder of the regiment was held in reserve. Its loss was one enlisted man killed, and

four enlisted men wounded.

April 3, the enemy having during the night evacuated their lines around Petersburg, our troops were early in motion, and, passing through Petersburg, followed the enemy twelve miles.

On the 5th, it was near Black and White Station, on the Southside Railroad; and, on the 9th, was at Farmville, guarding prisoners. Being relieved here, it re-formed its brigade at City Point, and left here by steamer for Alexandria on the 27th, and went into camp in front of Fort Lyons on the 28th. On the 8th of June, the regiment was mustered out, and left the same day for Readville, Mass., for pay and final discharge.

During the last campaign, it averaged about three hundred men ready for duty. When mustered out, two hundred and thirtythree men present and absent, whose term of service did not expire before the 1st of October, 1865, were transferred to the Fifty-sixth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers: of these, two hundred and three were re-enlisted veterans, formerly of the Twenty-first Regiment.

On the twenty-first day of June, the regiment was assembled as a body for the last time, and received its pay and final discharge, and to-day exists only in memory.

THIRTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.

The Thirty-seventh Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers was composed almost exclusively of citizens of Berkshire County. It was recruited at Camp Briggs, Pittsfield; and left the Commonwealth Sept. 7, 1862. The following is its roll of officers:

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The regiment was assigned to Gen. Briggs's brigade, and went into camp one mile south-east of Long Bridge, Va., at Camp Chase, where it remained about two weeks. It went to Frederick, and thence to Bakersville, where the regiment reported to Major-Gen. Couch, who assigned it to the third brigade, Brig.-Gen. Devens commanding. It moved about in Maryland and Virginia, finally encamping at Warrington.

Col. Edwards tells the following incident that occurred on its way to Washington:

Just after leaving Philadelphia, our train came into collision with an extra train, carrying a provost-guard to Havre de Grâce.

Three of the provost-guard were instantly killed, and fifteen wounded; and Surgeon Crehore and Assistant Surgeon Lawton, of the Thirty-seventh Regiment, were untiring in their exertions to alleviate the sufferings of the wounded. Word was immediately sent back to Philadelphia for another train to come to our assistance, which was sent out; but, unfortunately, they ran down upon the same track upon which our train stood.

A private in Company D, hearing the relief-train coming down upon the same track, with great presence of mind seized the red light, and waved it as a sig nal to the approaching train to stop. The engineer, seeing the signal, reversed the engine in time to prevent the full effects of the collision. The private continued waving the red light till the train was close upon him, and then threw himself flat upon the roof of the car, and escaped unhurt. Several of Company D were slightly bruised, but none seriously injured.

Omitting minute and unimportant particulars, we give substantially the report of the Thirty-seventh by one of its officers:

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The regiment left its camp at New Baltimore, Nov. 13, 1862, and moved, via Stafford Court House and White-oak Church, to the Rappahannock at

THE THIRTY-SEVENTH AT FREDERICKSBURG.

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Franklin's Crossing, below Fredericksburg; at which point it crossed to the south bank late in the day of Dec. 11, the Thirty-seventh being the advance regiment upon the lower of the two bridges there.

Alone our brigade covered the bridges all the next day, standing to arms through the entire night. On the afternoon of the 13th (the day of the general engagement), we took position on the extreme left, and were under a very severe shell-fire, with, however, but little loss. On the 14th, we were in reserve; on the 15th, again took position in front, and, during the night, covered the retreat of our army to the north bank of the river, our brigade being the last to recross, as it had been the first to cross. The behavior of officers and men of the regiment in this, the first time they ever were under fire, was all that we could wish, and was all that could be expected from even Massachusetts men.

We remained in camp near Falmouth till Jan. 17, 1863; when the monotony of our camp-life was relieved by the "mud campaign," in the miseries of which we had our full share. Jan. 20, we returned to our old camp at Falmouth.

March 9, finding sickness increasing to an alarming extent, I laid out a new camp, and the regiment constructed a hundred and sixty log-houses, every house alike, twelve feet long, seven feet wide, five feet high on the sides, and nine feet in the centre, with a fire-place to each, and a floor of pine poles. This camp was built by the men in one week, with but three axes to a company, and from standing wood. The favorable results hoped for from this new camp were more than realized; and, beyond the Sixth Corps, the "model camp," and the appearance and discipline of the Thirty-seventh, were acknowledged as second to none.

On the 28th of April, the passage of the Rappahannock was again forced; and we manœuvred upon the north bank of the river till the night of May 2, when we crossed at Franklin's Crossing, and, marching by night, at early dawn of May 3 took position in front of the historic Fredericksburg Heights, better known, perhaps, as Mary's Hill. In the forenoon, a gallant and successful assault was made upon this strong position; the Thirty-seventh being one of the supports of the charging column, and following close upon its heels. We took one of the enemy's redoubts and a number of prisoners, with but little loss. Moving immediately forward on the Chancellorsville Road, the advance division met the enemy re-enforced and strongly posted at Salem Heights. Renewing the attack, the first line of battle was severely repulsed, and thrown back in great disorder upon the second line, formed by our brigade, in which were three Massachusetts regiments. Nobly did they sustain upon that field the honor of the Old Bay State. Not a man flinched or faltered: freely they exposed their breasts to the leaden storm, and against that line a complete division of the rebels was thrown in vain; and they who swarmed from the wood in assaulting columns, flushed with victory, and yelling like demons, were thrown back into its sheltering cover, baffled, discomfited, defeated.

At the beginning of their assault, the Thirty-seventh was in column by wing

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