| SIXTH
NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. ( THREE YEARS ) By LYMAN JACKMAN, late Captain Sixth Regiment New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry,.and Historian of Regiment. |
| THE Sixth Regiment was organized at Keene, in November, 1861, the men coming from all parts of the State. The regiment camped on the Cheshire Fair Ground, about a mile and a half out from the city, the camp being called "Camp Brooks." Company B was the first on the ground, reporting November 9. The men were mustered in November 27 to 30, the regimental organization being completed on the 30th. On the 25th of December the regiment left Keene, and proceeded via Worcester, Norwich, and New York, to Washington, where it arrived at 4 P. M., on the 28th, and was assigned toCasey's Provisional Brigade, in which it remained until January 6, 1862, being camped at Bladensburg, Md. On the 6th of January the regiment started for Annapolis, Md., to join
Burnside's expedition to North Carolina. Arriving at Annapolis on the
evening of the 7th, the regiment the next day went on board the steamer
"Louisiana" and the ship "Martha Greenwood," and arrived
at Fort Monroe on the evening of the 10th. Here the whole regiment was
crowded onto the "Louisiana," and on the 11th started for Hatteras
Inlet, arriving there about 5 P. M., the next day, after encountering
a terrible storm on the way. The Sixth landed on the 17th and camped at
"Camp Wool" on Hatteras Island. The camp being very unhealthy,
the regiment, on the 24th, moved about two miles to " Camp Winfield
Scott," where it remaineduntil the 24th of February. On the 25th
it embarked on the steamer " Northerner," and landed on Roanoke
Island March 2, being assigned, on the 6th, to the Fourth Brigade, Department
On the 18th of June the regiment left Roanoke Island, and reached New Berne, N. C., the next day. During this month the Sixth was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division,Department of North Carolina. On the 1st of July the Sixth embarked to join McClellan in Virginia;
but it having been reported that Richmond had been captured, the regiment
returned and landed at New Berne, July 5, but re-embarked the next day,
and on the 10th landed at Newport News. The regiment was assigned on the
22d to the
The army then fell back to the defences of Washington; and here the Sixth remained until the 7th of September, when, with its corps, it moved; and passing through Frederick. Md., was at South Mountain on the 14th, being used with its division as a support. At Antietam on the 17th. the Sixth was again engaged, taking part in a charge made to take the "stone bridge'' (afterwards known as "Burnside's bridge''), on Antietam creek
Orders were received on the 20th of March to break
camp and take transports to Baltimore, and from thence to proceed by rail
to Cincinnati. The Ninth Army Corps was ordered toreport to General Burnside,
who had been transferred to the Department of the Ohio. As the central
and southern portions of Kentucky were being plundered by the rebels,
General Burnside decided early in April to send the Ninth Corps into that
State. Accordingly the Sixth proceeded to Lexington, Ky., and from thence
to Winchester, on the 8th of April; andleaving Winchester on the 16th,
arrived at Richmond (Ky.), on the 18th. The regiment then proceeded to
Paint Lick creek on the 3d of May, and to Lancaster on the 10th. Remaining
there until the 23d, when it advanced to Crab Orchard, with a view On the 13th of June the fleet reached Milliken's
Bend, and on the 14th the Sixth disembarked near the canal dug by General
Williams to turn the river so that the Union boats might pass Vicksburg
unmolested. On the 15th the regiment marched southwest to a point on the
river about ten miles below Vicksburg, returning the same day; and on
the morning of the 16th, went up the Yazoo river to Haynes' Bluff, and
camped at Milldale, about a mile distant. Here the regiment remained until
the 22d, when it marched eastward, and on the 25th cameupon some of the
enemy's outposts near the Big Black river.
June 2 and 3 the regiment was engaged near Bethesda Church, and from the 4th to the 12th, was under fire at Cold Harbor. On the night of the 12th the army withdrew, and at Noon of the 16th the Ninth Corps arrived in front of Petersburg. Here the regiment was constantly under fire until the 20th of August, taking part in the assault following the explosion of the "Mine" on the 30th of July. August 20 the corps withdrew and moved to the Weldon Railroad. Here on the 20th and 21st, the Sixth assisted in repelling two desperate attacks made by the rebels. A new line of intrenchments was thrown up, connecting with those formerly held, and the regiment remained here under fire until September 30 On the 30th of September and the day following, the Sixth was engaged near Poplar Springs Church, about one hundred and twenty-five officers and men being killed, wounded, or captured. Works were thrown up, and the regiment remained here until early in December, participating without loss in the engagement at Hatcher's Run, on the 27th of October. Early in December the corps returned to its original position in front of Petersburg, the Sixth lying in rear of Fort Alexander Hays until April 1, 1865. While here the regiment took part in a reconnoissance to Nottoway Court House, December 10,11, and 12,1864. On the night of April 1, 1865, the Sixth, with its brigade, made a successful attack on the enemy's works to the left of Fort Davis, and on the morning of the 2d participated in a second successful attack near Fort Sedgwick. From Petersburg the regiment marched in pursuit
of Lee's army, arriving at Burkeville on the 9th of April. On the 20th
the regiment marched for City Point, and leaving there on the26th, embarked
on the steamer "D. R. Martin.'' Alexandria was reached the next day,
where the regiment remained in camp The regiment during its term of service served
in seventeen different states; meeting all the requisitions of The Sixth New Hampshire Volunteers was attached
to General Casey's Provisional Brigade, near Washington, D. C., December
28, 1861; General Burnside's Expedition to North Carolina, January 6,
1862; Fourth Brigade, Department of North Carolina, March 6, 1862; First
Brigade, First Division, Department of North Carolina, June, 1862; First
Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Army Corps, July 22, 1862; District of
Kentucky, Department of Ohio, September 9, 1863; on Veteran Furlough,
E N G A G E M E N T S . Source: New Hampshire Soldiers & Sailors War of the Rebellion, Ayling |