Bearing Arms in the Twenty-Seventh Massachusetts Regiment of Volunteer Infantry During the Civil War, 1861-1865

Close of Service. The Soldier's life. The Last Ditch found. Disband-
ing of the Army. Muster-out of the Regiment. The fearful Cost
Personal Notices of Officers and Men.

478-195

CHAPTER XXV.

Medical. Surgeon Otis. Surgeon Otis' Letters. Hospital Department.

On the way to Annapolis. New Berne Battlefield. Asst.-Surg.'s

Camp and Hubon. Hospital funds. Effect of large Bounties. Dr.

G. E Fuller. At Cold Harbor, Va. Around Petersburg. Return

to North Carolina. Yellow fever. Hamilton Expedition. South-

West Creek. Final service. Signal Corps. Our Men in that Corps.

Its Advantage to the Army.

496-519

CHAPTER XXVI.

Its object.

Twenty-Seventh Massachusetts Regimental Association.

Discovery of the captured Colors. How recovered. A Jubilee of the

Regiment at Springfield. How the Flags were received.

ports. Flags deposited at the Springfield City Library.

regret; longing to be with us. Fraternal Greetings.

INTRODUCTORY.

ONE of our most eminent statesmen has said, "All governments must pass through three ordeals before having a confessed standing in the family of nations; first, the knowledge of and declaration of independent rights; second, defending rights and territory from foreign aggression; and lastly, maintaining itself against insurrection and treason within its domain." Two of these ordeals had been successfully passed by the United States, but in the last the nations of the world predicted its ruin. "We had no cohesiveness or power to enforce our laws, and at the first shock would fly to pieces like a torpedo from forces. within. At best, a republic based on universal suffrage and intelligence but nourished the causes that would prove its ruin." These predictions showed the bias of the nations, and their acts became so unfriendly at the outset of our contest, as to justify our noble President Lincoln in saying, in his annual message in 1862, "Every nation distracted by civil war must expect to be treated without consideration by foreign powers." Count De Gasparin, a writer of acknowl edged ability, said, "Suppose Europe not to exist, and America a duelling-ground in which no one can interfere, you cannot imagine a continuance of the struggle. Four months would suffice for the reduction of the South from the day it ceases to count on Europe."

It is proper to recount a few of the leading causes of the war as an introduction to the services and sacrifices of those who battled for the integrity of our Union. Headley in his History of the civil war says, "It is easy to see that it will be vain for either North or South to attempt to prove itself entirely guiltless before impartial history;" a declaration which means that, although the North was right in its determined opposition to slavery, the South was in a measure justified in recourse to arms, from the methods by which their pet institution was antagonized. Such a statement. may be soothing to a neutral mind, but lacks the vigor and honesty of the truism that right is always aggressive against evil, and must be in loyalty to itself.

The loyal North had endured banterings and insults until forbearance ceased to be a virtue. For the sake of peace, they had submitted to a long series of dominations, resulting in the admission of Texas as a slave State, and rendering effete the Wilmot Proviso, by the terms of which slavery could not be introduced into acquired territory. After a bitter struggle, slavery was legalized in Missouri under the Missouri Compromise, providing that henceforth slavery should be prohibited north of the thirty-sixth degree of latitude. To repeal this compromise, Squatter Sovereignty had been the rallying cry, and this declared it the right of those settling in a territory to decide its domestic institutions. To vitiate State sovereignty, as in Kansas, they appealed to border ruffianism, and invoked the military power of the government to crush out and destroy the opposing sentiment. Still dissatisfied, they obtained the famous Dred Scott decision from the Supreme Court, which

declared, "There is no difference between slaves and other kinds of property," and that "All American citizens may settle everywhere (in our domain) with their property." With the patronage of the government at their command, its marshals were employed in recovering fugitive slaves, and both houses of Congress passed stringent laws, ordering all the forces of the States, both public and private, to assist in capturing and returning the fugitives to bondage. Espionage was placed upon the mails, and all literature assailing slavery prohibited therefrom. Social ostracism against persons from the free States at the South, was exacting and intolerable, individual opinion overawed, and any expression of opposing sentiment was followed by a notice to leave, or by personal violence. Prominent men in all departments of government were playing fast and loose with treason, and distrust was justified on every hand.

Although a Massachusetts senator had been stricken down at the National Capitol, and these changes been endured, there was no intention to interfere with the institution of slavery, otherwise than by legislation, though secession and nullification had been openly advocated at the South.

The election of Abraham Lincoln furnished an occasion rather than a cause for the South; and the weakness or duplicity of James Buchanan, the opportunity to unveil their treasonable plans. South Carolina passed an ordinance of secession Dec. 20, 1860, and seized all public property within her State, under the plea of eminent domain. This was repeated in all the cotton States, until, upon the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln as President, March 4, 1861, seven States had passed ordinances of se

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Bearing Arms in the Twenty-Seventh Massachusetts Regiment of Volunteer ...