with his election frankly admitted, later, that the judgment of the company officers proved better than the advice of some of the home friends. No one acquiesced in this opinion more cheerfully than did Dr. Sherman, whose long service in the field as surgeon of the Thirty-fourth New York Regiment and later of the United States Volunteers, gave him abundant opportunity to estimate the value of the services of an officer educated in the science and art of war. Dr. Sherman was a strict partisan, and had really believed it best for the regiment and for the public service to have a man elected colonel who was in full political accord with the Administration. He had not at that time dissociated partisan activities from military operations, but during the four years in which he held an important position in the army, and rendered a service that is gratefully remembered by thousands who came under his hands, he came thoroughly to understand that war could best be conducted by those educated in military science. Great as was the service of Colonel Davies in drilling and disciplining the regiment, it will be conceded by all that his greatest service was in bringing to it, as adjutant, Joseph Howland, of Dutchess County, whose capacity and judgment were at once manifest. Joseph Howland possessed, as a birthright, every quality requisite to the making of a soldier and a gentleman. He at all times possessed the confidence, respect and affection of those under his command, and stood among the first in the esteem and consideration of his superiors. Surgeon William B. Crandall, of New York City, proved himself a competent and efficient officer and remained with the regiment until the end. Arthur de Windt, of Dutchess County, the quartermaster, might have proved himself able, had he remained with the regiment long enough to demonstrate his ability. Assistant-Surgeon John H. Mooers, of Plattsburgh, was the only staff officer taken from Northern New York, and demonstrated his great skill and devotion; and while all were glad of his promotion as surgeon of the One Hundred and Eighteenth New York, his leaving was regarded as a great loss to the regiment. Sergeant-Major Frederick C. Tapley, a native of Massachusetts, had recently been discharged from the United States Dragoons, after completing an enlistment of five years, in which he had attained the same position into which he was mustered as a member of the Sixteenth. Quartermaster-Sergeant Charles F. Moore, and Fife-Major David N. Wetherby, were from Clinton County. Colonel Davies brought with him from New York the drum-major, Howard B. Utter. On May 15, 1861, Captain L. Sitgreaves, United States Engineers, and Captain Frank Wheaton, United States. Cavalry, mustered the regiment into the United States Service, for the term of two years, unless sooner discharged. When my company was called out to take the oath, two men refused to be mustered into the United States Service, and General Rathbone ordered them to be drummed out of camp. When the lines of troops, between which they were to be marched, were formed, they weakened and offered to go into any regiment which the general might name; he declined to accept their offer and the ceremony proceeded. These boys went home, but not to stay; the next year I found them in the regiment under my command, and I recall with pleasure that they were good soldiers and proved, in every engagement, that they were really brave men. The only explanation which they ever gave as to the cause of their refusal to be mustered was this,-"We wanted to go home." These feelings were shared by many down to the close of the war, but in a few cases only did they cause men stealthily to leave the ranks. Drill, discipline, and active duty were the best antidotes for home-sickness. CHAPTER III PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION IN THE ART OF WAR ΟΝ N the 18th of May, the six companies in the Industrial School barracks, and four which were quartered in different places in the city, were brought together in the new wood barracks and inducted into guard duty, and squad and company drills. Companies took turns in performing guard duty for one day, and all others were required to drill six hours daily, except Sunday. The officers were as ignorant as the men in the ranks; they studied hard at night to learn the commands and their proper execution, and often carried a copy of Hardee's Tactics to help them out in hard places. Nevertheless, some very ludicrous movements took place; one of the almost insurmountable difficulties being that of keeping step and learning to advance the left foot first. "Time and motions" tried their souls and muscles, and the comprehension of compound commands, the first part cautionary, the second executive, was especially difficult. An example may illustrate:-"Now, men, I will advance you in line, every one will throw his shoulders back, look straight to the front, touch elbows to the right, and at the command, step off with the left foot; F-o-r-w-a-r-d (off the squad moves). No, I did not say march; when I say 'f-o-r-w-a-r-d,' stand still, when I say 'march,' step out with the left foot, and keep the step until I call 'halt." After two or three attempts he gets them off at the command "March," but the step is soon lost, and he calls "Left, left, left," having instructed them that they are to bring the left foot to the ground when he calls "Left." "Now you have got it, no, you have lost it, left, left," and to vary the monotony he uses the old phrases, “left, left, I had a good home which I left, left, left. Oh! you are all mixed up again, Halt!" After an alignment, renewed efforts would be made to have it done "right this time." Ludicrous and amusing as it must have been to one familiar with the elementary lessons in the art of war, certain it is that the perseverance and patience exhibited by a squad of raw recruits, being instructed in military tactics by an officer as innocent as themselves, was a sight which would have caused the ancient Stoics to turn green with envy. Happily, neither instructor nor learner was conscious of his astounding absurdities; if they had been, no courage which they could have summoned would have carried them through the ordeal. The time came when they were so proficient in drill that they executed difficult movements on the field, in the face of battalions and batteries in action. Great as were their losses in performing these tactical feats, it is believed that they would sooner have repeated these manœuvres in the face of an enemy, than have gone through, in the face of friends, the bungling exercises practised in their early days in Albany. The officers were not only ignorant of the tactics, but of every detail pertaining to military affairs; the preparation of official reports and the making of requisitions for supplies were matters to be learned, and many surprising documents were, no doubt, sent in to headquarters. Whether any of them were as unique and as startling as the requisition for equipments made by the officers of a Light Artillery company in Madison County, in the War of 1812, I am unable to state. Mr. Thurlow Weed, in his autobiography, states that the officers of this company were unable to make a requisition which was satisfactory to themselves, and finally submitted the subject to a village lawyer, the father of Mr. Luther R. Marsh, who became a distinguished lawyer in New York City. He presented the following, which was forwarded and promptly filled: "Great Daniel D., we send to thee For two great guns and trimmings! Governor Tompkins frequently showed it to his friends, as an interesting specimen of official correspondence connected with the organization and equipment of the militia of the State, in response to the calls of the Federal Authorities in the War of 1812. One hundred and fifty Springfield muskets of the pattern of 1840 were soon issued to the regiment; those not required for the use of the guard were distributed among the companies, to be used in practising the manual of arms. On June 1st, the regiment, in company with the Twentyeighth New York, under Colonel Donnelly, was moved into camp at Normand's Kill, Bethlehem, and commenced life under canvas. On the 15th, uniforms were received; this acquisition did much to improve the health and spirits of the men; nothing is more depressing to a respectable man, than to be placed in a position where he is made uncomfortable and unpresentable, by reason of deficient or worn out clothing. Colonel Davies notified the Reverend L. Merrill Miller, D.D., of the First Presbyterian Church of Ogdensburg, that he had been selected chaplain, and requested him to report for duty as early as possible. He came to our camp, but declined the appointment. The few days he spent with us, and the sermon which he preached on Sunday, made all regret that he was not to be the chaplain. His heart was in the work that the soldiers went out to perform, but the people |