Thursday, February 28, 2013

Review and Inspection at Fortress Monroe

Saturday, February 28, 1863

The Ninth Corps held a grand review on Wednesday. The Thirteenth New Hampshire took part in this five-hour event which, by many accounts, was "a fine display." The Thirteenth was engaged in drills for most of the week. Today the camp was inspected and the regiments were mustered for pay. As February closed many agreed that this was a favorable month for the regiment.1

References:
1S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 113-115.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Letters from the Front - Nathaniel Caverly Jr.

Thursday, February 26, 1863

Nathaniel Caverly Jr. wrote a letter home to his father from Newport News, thanking him for the letter he received from home on February 20. Nathaniel was glad to hear that everyone at home was well, and mentioned that he had been well except for a bad cold. He asked his father to send "a little cheese and some sweet cakes ... anything that is dry will keep ... a few pickles would be as good as anything that I know of ... and a piece of salt fish for we can't get any such things here." He also mentioned that if his family was thinking of heading west to make money, they should join the army instead. "You can take one hundred dollars and come out here and you can double it in six months and pay your expenses."1

References:
1Alan C. Phillips, Soldiers in My Family: Caverlys and Murrays 1754-1865. (DePere, Wisconsin: A.C. Phillips, 1993.), 86-87.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Drills and a Snowstorm at Fortress Monroe

Sunday, February 22, 1863

The Thirteenth New Hampshire passed their week at Fortress Monroe engaged in a regimen of drills. The weather was mainly clear yet cold until Saturday evening, when a severe snowstorm hit Newport News and deposited four inches of new snow. The Thirteenth remained in their barracks on Sunday and braced their quarters from the severity of the storm.1

References:
1S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 112-113.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Settling in at Fortress Monroe

Sunday, February 15, 1863

The Thirteenth New Hampshire arrived at Newport News on Monday at noon and settled into their first week at their new camp at Fortress Monroe. The weather conditions were much more favorable here than at Falmouth. Lumber for shelters and campfires was abundant, and the men began to prepare new quarters. Today the Thirteenth attended religious services at 5:00 P.M. and prepared for a new regiment of drills.1

References:
1S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 111-112.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Farewell to Falmouth

Sunday, February 8, 1863

A severe snow and rain storm struck Falmouth on Thursday, collapsing many of the shelter tent huts in camp. The Thirteenth New Hampshire received orders late Thursday to prepare to march on Friday to Fortress Monroe at Newport News with three days rations. The deep mud stalled their departure on Friday. The Thirteenth New Hampshire departed from Falmouth at 4:30 P.M. on Saturday and boarded railroad cars for Acquia Landing. They bivouacked at Acquia on Saturday evening to await steamboats for Newport News. This morning the Thirteenth boarded the steamer "George Washington" and at 2:00 P.M. the steamer began the voyage to Newport News.1

References:
1S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 106-110.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Burnside and His Army Stuck in the Mud

Sunday, February 1, 1863

The Thirteenth New Hampshire endured another week of cold and snowy weather in camp at Falmouth. Several cases of typhoid and malaria have broken out in the camp. This morning the Thirteenth returned from picket duty in the rain. Due to the weather conditions religious services and dress parade were suspended. The Confederates posted a large sign in Fredericksburg which read, "Burnside and his army stuck in the mud."1

References:
1S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 102-106.