CHAPTER VI.

THE FIGHT AT PASS CHRISTIAN —THE NINTH LANDS AND MARCHES THROUGH THE PLACE —MEETS A CONFED ERATE FORCE BEYOND GALLANT CHARGE BY THE MEN FROM CONNECTICUT CAPTURE OF THE FLAG OF THE THIRD MISSISSIPPI WARM COMMENDATION FROM GEN. BUTLER THE START FROM NEW ORLEANS.

CAPT. ELLIOT M. CURTIS.

SOME hours after the close of the engagement with the rebel gunboats, preparations were completed for the attack on the enemy at Pass Christian. The Federal squadron had, in the meantime, been increased by the arrival of the gunboat Hatteras.

About 10 or 11 a. m., the same day, April 4, 1862, the squadron moved up toward the wharf at the place men¬tioned. It was expected that the landing would be con¬tested, as a report had been received that the rebels had a regiment of infantry, two companies of cavalry and a battery of artillery in the place. Before the Ninth, and Everett's battery, landed, therefore, the gunboats threw a few shells into the woods and into some of the principal buildings. The troops then went ashore and finding no rebel force, immediately went in search of the latter.

"Col. Cahill of the Ninth, and Major Strong of Gen. Butler's staff, with four companies of the Ninth, went out on the main road in rear of two companies of the Ninth, deployed as skirmishers, and commanded by Capt. French of Butler's staff. Lieut.-Col. Fitz Gibbon and Major Frye, each with two companies of the Ninth, de¬ployed to the right and left of the road. In this order, the line moved forward for two miles, when the enemy, comprising several companies of the Third Mississippi infantry, Brown's battery and Norman's cavalry—the whole force commanded by Lieut.-Col. Mellen of the

Third—were found drawn up in line of battle. A sharp fight ensued in which the rebels were beaten and driven to Camp Suggville, which our troops captured, together with the fine silk flag of the regiment. In this fight, Pri¬vate John Leonard, Co. A, of the Ninth Connecticut, was wounded and the only man hurt. He was struck in the left arm, below the elbow. After this engagement, our troops returned to Pass Christian and camped there until the next morning, Nov. 5. * * * This morn¬ing (Nov. s) the boys of the Ninth and of Everett's Massachusetts battery are feeling jubilant over the fight of yesterday, and well they may. * * * "

Another account states that the Third Mississippi "Kept up a constant fusilade as the Ninth advanced; but the latter fired one volley, and charged with an Irish 'Y-a-a-a-a-ah!' " when the defenders of the soil broke and ran to the woods. The victors scattered themselves through the comfortable camp, and made themselves at home. Capt. Lawrence O'Brien, (then a lieutenant), found in the commander's tent this dispatch to Gen. Lovell, (Confederate), at New Orleans: 'The Federals are landing in force. I shall defend the place. Have eight hundred infantry, two companies of cavalry, and two batteries." The ink was not dry when he was re¬treating, demoralized, in the direction of a force that had gone to recapture Biloxi.

"The camp was well provided and amply furnished; the officers' quarters even possessing a piano. They aban¬doned tents and equipage, arms and ammunition, food and everything else; and the Ninth loaded the transport with as much as they could carry back to the island. Next morning, they embarked; and, before leaving, a committee came down and expressed the thanks of the citizens for the good conduct of the soldiers during the night. The regiment returned to the island in high spirits, bearing among their trophies sundry wrought-iron bowie knives (one of them marked 'Yankee exter-

minator') and a beautiful silk flag (of the Third Missis¬sippi), carried off in spite of the tearful protestations of the fair rebels who made it."

Col. John G. Healy, of New Haven, then a lieutenant in the Ninth, wrote the following little sketch of the Pass Christian affair shortly after: "A white flag was hung out of one house, but we took no notice of it, as it was not in the proper place. We started to go up to the dock, but went aground instead, so that the troops had to be landed in small boats. The first companies landed were sent out as skirmishers and on picket duty. As we landed before the color company, the Colonel ordered our com¬pany to take charge of the colors until the landing of that company. The Ninth formed in the principal street and awaited further orders. We very soon received informa¬tion that the rebels were encamped within six miles of us. We procured a guide and started to meet them. We had marched some time when the pickets discovered them coming to meet us. We went on but a short dis¬tance further, when they fired a shell at us, but it did no damage. They had fired a few more shells, when our artillery came up and replied." The enemy soon fell back to a bridge where they intended to make a stand, but, as the same officer continues, "we soon routed them again, firing as we advanced. They attempted to destroy the bridge, but we were too close upon them. We fixed the bridge so that the artillery could pass, and then went on. Just before we had come to the bridge, one of our skir¬mishers came in and informed us that the rebels had a masked battery a short distance from the left of our com¬pany. At this time the company was in the woods in support of the skirmishers. I went to the main body of the regiment and informed Major Strong of what I had heard. He gave orders for us to charge the battery and capture it. I transmitted the order to the Captain and he immediately commanded: 'Double quick!' and you may well say it was quick. I never saw men rush for-6

ward so in my life. But we were disappointed, for on reaching the place where we supposed the battery to be located, we found that it was only a kind of decoy. The rebels had felled some trees and put them together so that at a short distance away the structure looked as though constructed for a battery. We then marched by company front upon the camp of the rebels." In ac¬cordance with orders, this was afterwards burned.

Capt. Lawrence O'Brien, of New Haven, then a lieu¬tenant, writing about the attack on the rebels at Pass Christian, says: "We were separated in columns of com¬panies and attacked them from so many points that the enemy imagined we were a brigade. When we were close upon them, they broke and fled in disorder, leaving all their camp equipage in our possession. In this charge, my company had to cross a bayou over which we all attempted to leap, but only a little more than half our number got over with dry feet. Capt. Patrick Garvey and some of the men were compelled to climb the bank, while I and the other members of our company, who had cleared the stream, were in advance. Capt. Garvey shouted to me: 'Keep them at it!' So we rushed on and were the first to reach the rebel camp. I rushed to the deserted headquarters, and upon a table found the following dispatch: [See foregoing]. * * * I gave this dispatch to Col. Cahill in presence of Dr. Charles A. Gallagher and our chaplain, Father Mullen. The Colonel delivered it to Major Strong, who reported it to Gen. Butler. While we were attacking the left wing of the enemy, Capt. William Wright charged on their right and captured a new flag which had been presented the Third Mississippi the day before. This was one of the first flags captured by the Union troops during the war, and was sent North to become one of the attractions at the big Sanitary Fair held in New York city. I never saw such enthusiasm as that displayed in this charge on the rebel camp, every officer and man endeavoring to distin-

guish himself. All the prizes we could not carry away from the captured place, we burned. * * * We secured a quantity of note paper at the post office, with Confed¬erate printed headlines. This was sent to our friends in the North and prized by them as souvenirs. We returned to Ship Island loaded down with trophies of war. All the troops rushed down to the landing and gave us a most welcome reception back home to the island."

Col. Cahill afterwards wrote concerning these events at Biloxi and Pass Christian: "While at this place, [Biloxi], we received reliable information that the enemy were encamped in some force, (two regiments, a battery and two companies of cavalry), at Pass Christian, some twenty miles distant. * * * Accordingly, on the night of the second day, we left Biloxi, and with the gun¬boats [Nezv London and Jackson], sailed down the sound. A storm came up suddenly, and it being impossible to navigate in those waters, having no good pilots, we were obliged to come to anchor below Mississippi City, where, at an hour before daylight the next morning we were attacked by three rebel gunboats, the Pamlico, Oregon, and Carondelet, bringing eleven heavy guns into action. The New London and Jackson, however, came gallantly up to their work. * * * The anchors of the Lewis had got fouled in some way, and we experienced great difficulty in getting under way, being all the time under a very heavy fire. Accompanying us were two guns of the Sixth Massachusetts battery,—3-inch steel rifles— with which we kept up a rapid and accurate fire, damag¬ing the enemy considerably.

"The enemy finding he was getting the worst of the fight, made for the shoals off Cat Island, where our gun¬boats could not follow, and escaped. All this occupied considerable time, and it was late in the afternoon before we could land the men and the two small guns. We got them all ashore by 6 p. m., and immediately moved on the enemy, whom we ascertained to be about three or four

miles from the landing. We found the enemy advancing in column, with artillery in front. We received the fire from his two pieces of artillery. I ordered a charge, and the enemy broke, and ran for a bridge across a creek in his rear, tearing up the bridge. After a short delay, we crossed and followed in pursuit, but being obliged to drag our guns by hand, we could not overtake him. We fol¬lowed him to his camp, and destroyed and carried away all his camp and garrison equipage, remaining on the ground until 9 p. m."

In view of the results attained, Gen. Butler issued the following:

HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, April 12, 1862. GENERAL ORDERS NO. 10.

The Major-General commanding desires publicly to testify his appreciation of the gallant courage and good conduct of the Ninth Connecticut Volunteers, Colonel Cahill commanding, and a section of the Sixth Massa¬chusetts Battery, on a recent expedition to Biloxi and Pass Christian * * * .

Of their bravery in the field he felt assured, but another quality, more trying to the soldier, claims his admiration. After having been for months subjected to the privations necessarily incident to camp life upon this island, these well-disciplined soldiers, although for many hours in full possession of two rebel villages filled with what to them were most desirable luxuries, abstained from the least unauthorized interference with private property and all molestation of peaceful citizens. This behavior is worthy of all praise * * * .

The General commanding commends the action of the men of this expedition to every soldier in this department. Let it be imitated by all in the towns and cities we shall occupy, a living witness that the United States soldier fights only for the Union, the Constitution, and the en¬forcement of the laws.

By command of MAJ.-GEN. BUTLER, GEORGE C. STRONG, A. A. General.

In its issue of April 30, 1862, the New Haven Palladium notes the fact that: "A member of the Ninth Connecti-

cut regiment, writing home to his wife, mentions that after the rout of the rebels at Pass Qiristian, a party [of the Ninth] proceeded to a small house to ascertain if refreshments of some kind could be obtained. At the house they recognized a woman there as an old acquaint¬ance, who formerly resided in New Haven. The family were utterly destitute, and all [the men] could obtain was a drink of buttermilk. They paid her ten cents apiece for the buttermilk, and then distributed the crackers in their knapsacks to the children."

In a letter to Col. Cahill, in 1862, after the events at Biloxi and Pass Christian, Governor Buckingham of Connecticut, wrote: "It is hardly necessary for me to say that the conduct of your men meets my cordial ap¬proval, and I am proud of both officers and their com¬mand."

A circular issued to the Ninth, April 10, 1862, by the Colonel, states that "Sergeant Walter Maloney, of Co. A, and Sergeant Patrick Ingoldsby, of Co. C, are appointed color sergeants of this regiment, and will be exempt from all guard duty."

On April 10, 1862, Col. Cahill issued Regimental Order No. 20, from the camp of the Ninth on Ship Island. The order provided as follows:

First Lieutenant M. A. Williams, of Co. A, is hereby appointed to the office of captain, made vacant by the resignation of Captain John Duffy. Second Lieutenant John Cogan is appointed First Lieutenant, [vice] Wil¬liams, promoted. First Sergeant Farrell H. Gallagher, of the same company, is also appointed a second lieutenant, vice Second Lieutenant Cogan, promoted.

The above appointments will take effect from the date of Captain Duffy's discharge (April 10), and are subject to the confirmation of His Excellency, the Governor of the State of Connecticut, and will be obeyed and re¬spected accordingly.

The following non-commissioned officers are hereby appointed in Co. A, the date of their appointment to take

effect from April r, 1862, and will hereafter be obeyed and respected as such: For

First Sergeant, Thomas Starkey,

Second Sergeant, Michael Kennedy.

Third Sergeant, Joseph Gahagan.

Fourth Sergeant, William Scully.

Fifth Sergeant, Walter Maloney.

Quartermaster-Sergeant Nathan I. Bennett is also pro¬moted acting First Lieutenant and Quartermaster of the regiment, vice Lieutenant W. W. Harrall, Quartermaster of the same, resigned. Sergeant Wright, of Co. I, is promoted Quartermaster-Sergeant, vice Bennett, pro¬moted, and both will be obeyed and respected accord¬ingly.

Quartermaster Bennett, appointed, will be subject to the confirmation of His Excellency, the Governor of the State of Connecticut.

First Sergeant Henry McKenna, of Co. C, is hereby appointed Second Lieutenant of the same company, vice Second Lieutenant John Shaw, resigned. The date of appointment to take effect from April 1, 1862, and subject to the confirmation of His Excellency, the Governor of the State of Connecticut, and will be obeyed and re¬spected accordingly. The following named Sergeants are also appointed, and will be obeyed and respected in the same order in which they stand: For

First Sergeant, Dennis Gately.

Second Sergeant, Patrick Ingoldsby.

Third Sergeant, Bryan Donohue.

Fourth Sergeant, Peter Donnelly.

Fifth Sergeant, James Mullen.

The above appointments of non-commissioned officers to date from April 1, 1862.

Second Sergeant [J. B.] Prescott, of Co. K, is ap¬pointed First Sergeant of Co. F, vice First Sergeant Ryan, resigned. Second Sergeant, Timothy Ryan.

Third Sergeant, Fred Jervis. Jewett ?

Fourth Sergeant, Daniel Leahy, who will be obeyed and respected accordingly. The date of their appointments will take effect from April 1, 1862.

* * * Third Sergeant Tallmadge, Co. K, is also appointed Second Sergeant in the same company, vice Prescott, promoted [to be First Sergeant of Co. F].

Gen. Butler tells of an amusing incident that happened while the Ninth was on Ship Island. He says, in sub¬stance, that one day a detail from the regiment was sent to the upper portion of the island to relieve a party from the Twenty-sixth Massachusetts, which was engaged cutting wood. It was foggy when they came to the place of meeting, and as the two bodies of men approached each other the first thought was that they must be Con¬federates, each party seeming so to the other. Both began to get ready for a fight, when a quick-witted Irish¬man of the Ninth exclaimed:

"Be me soul, Captain, I believe that these are the Twenty-sixth's boys. Let me find out; I will give the countersign!''

"The countersign?" exclaimed the officer, "What countersign have you?"

"Oh, aisy, Captain!" and he stepped forth and cried out: "Connecticut over the fence!"

The men on both sides broke out into roars of laughter, and all danger of a collision was averted.

On the morning of April 9, 1862, Gen. Butler had issued orders for a grand review that day, of all the troops on the island. The review ground was located about two and a half miles from the fort, and "east of the line of camps of the army." Gen. Butler and staff occu¬pied a knoll in front of the centre of the line. At 2 p. m. the troops began moving forward in review. The line was made up as follows, the Ninth having the place of honor:

Ninth Connecticut, Col. Thomas W. Cahill. Twelfth Connecticut, Col. Henry C. Deming. Eighth New Hampshire, Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jr. Fourth Massachusetts Battery, Capt. Charles H. Man¬ning.

First Vermont Battery, Capt. G. W. Duncan. Second Vermont Battery, Capt. P. E. Holcomb. Third Company Massachusetts Cavalry, Capt. H. A. Durivage.

Twenty-first Indiana, Col. James W. McMillan. Twenty-sixth Massachusetts, Col. Edward F. Jones. Thirty-first Massachusetts, Col. Oliver P. Gooding. Sixth Michigan, Col. Fred W. Curtenius. Fourth Wisconsin, Col. H. E. Paine. Sixth Massachusetts Battery, Capt. Charles Everett. Second Company Massachusetts Cavalry, Capt. James Magee.

Twelfth Maine, Lieut.-Col. W. K. Kimball. Thirteenth Maine, Col. Neal Dow. Fourteenth Maine, Col. F. S. Nickerson. Fifteenth Maine, Col. J. McClusky. Thirtieth Massachusetts, Col. N. A. M. Dudley. First Maine Light Battery, Capt. E. P. Thompson. First Company Massachusetts Cavalry, Capt. S. Tyler Reed.

The whole force, including parts of the Seventh and Eighth Vermont regiments, numbered about 12,000 men. The review was an unqualified success, and was over at 4 p. m. This review was considered by the men to indi¬cate that an important movement of some kind was about to take place, and so it proved.

Gen. Butler issued, on April 10, 1862, "General Orders No. 9," providing for the embarkation of troops, for the movement against New Orleans. They were to embark the next day, in the following order:

On board ship Great Republic: the Twenty-first Indiana, Fourth Wisconsin, and Sixth Michigan, regi¬ments.

On board steamer Mississippi: Twenty-sixth and Thirty-first Massachusetts regiments, Brown's Sappers and Miners and the Sixth Massachusetts battery.

On steamer Matanzas: the Ninth Connecticut regi¬ment and the Second Vermont battery. On the North America: the Thirtieth Massachusetts regiment, Reed and Durivage's Massachusetts Cavalry, and the Fourth Massachusetts battery.

On ship E. Wilder Farley: the Twelfth Connecticut regiment.

Each regiment was ordered to "take three tents, and the detached companies of cavalry, artillery, and pioneers, one tent each. The remaining tents will be left standing. The troops will carry their camp kettles, mess pans, cups, plates, knives and forks, and each soldier his knapsack, overcoat, blanket, one extra shirt, one extra pair of drawers, one extra pair of shoes, canteens, and in his haversack four days' cooked rations. They will also take all the axes, hatchets, picks, shovels, and spades, they may have in possession. Officers' baggage will be lim¬ited to bedding and one valise, bag or knapsack. No trunks in any case to be taken. The remaining baggage of officers and men will be properly secured, as compactly as possible, marked, and turned over to the division quartermaster. Captains of companies will be held re¬sponsible that every soldier has in his cartridge box 40 rounds of ammunition. The troops will be inspected at 6 p. m., to-day, to see that this order has been complied with, as far as may be necessary at that hour, to insure promptness in the embarkation to-morrow. One non¬commissioned officer for each regiment will be left behind to turn over the baggage, tents, etc., to the chief quarter¬master."

The next day, April 11, a storm prevailed, and the

troops did not embark. They did begin embarking, how¬ever, on Tuesday morning, April 15. "All our boys," writes a participant, "seem much pleased at the prospect of a change of scene, and active service. Still, sweet mem¬ories of the island, so barren and desolate, and our home for 132 days, will ever remain with us. Since the first troops landed on this island, Dec. 4, 1861, to April 9, last, fifty men have died, and are buried there."

Shortly before the Ninth left Ship Island, Private Robert Walsh of Company E, was accidentally killed, being shot through the heart. He belonged in New Haven, and was a good soldier and comrade. His death was much regretted. The date of the fatality was April 14, 1862. Private Martin Burke, of Company B, was injured at Ship Island in February, 1862. He was of Cheshire, Ct. He recovered from his injury and was mustered out Oct. 26, 1864, his term of service having expired.

The embarkation of the troops was completed Wednes¬day forenoon. The transport fleet hauled out at 4 p. m., and anchored two miles off shore to await the darkness, so that further movements would be covered. The troops aboard—8,000 men—comprised the brigades of Generals Phelps and Williams. Quarters were provided aboard the Mississippi for Gen. Butler's family, and the steamer Saxon was headquarters ship for Butler and his staff. Gen. Phelps and staff had quarters aboard the Matanzas with the Ninth, while Gen. Williams and staff were quar¬tered aboard the Great Republic. The Third Brigade re¬mained on the island.

That night between 8 and 9 o'clock, the fleet weighed anchor and stood out to sea. The steamer Matanzas, with the Ninth aboard, was towing the E. Wilder Farley; the Mississippi had the North America in tow; and the gun¬boat. P. Jackson had the Great Republic. The course taken was a little south of west.