MASSACHUSETTS. 



451 



retary to Gov. Andrew ; and the Vermont agent 

 was David W. Wardrop, of New Bedford, colonel 

 of the first regiment detailed -for service on the 

 fall of Fort Sumter. At the same time, the first 

 week in January, that these agents were de- 

 spatched to the New England States, the volun- 

 teer militia of the State began active drilling 

 nightly in their several armories. There were 

 5,000 men thus drilling ; of them 3,000 were 

 armed with the Springfield rifle musket, and the 

 adjutant-general sent to the War Department for 

 permission to draw 2,000 more rifled muskets 

 from the Springfield armory in advance of the 

 annual quota. 



It would seem from the fact that Massa- 

 chusetts could only at first arm 3,000 men, and 

 was many months getting 10,000 into the field, 

 that she was but little better prepared than the 

 other Northern States for war ; yet her usual 

 vigor and energy finally triumphed over all 

 obstacles, and she fully met the demands upon 

 her for troops. 



It is remarkable that on the same day on 

 which the five commissioners to the peace 

 conference were voted in the Massachusetts 

 Legislature, Feb. 7, military orders were pro- 

 mulgated to the 1st division to hold itself 

 ready for immediate service at the national 

 capital. 



Lieutenant-Colonel Harrison Ritchie, of my personal 

 staff, said Governor Andrew, was sent by me to Wash- 

 ington, for the purpose of consul ting with the General- 

 in-Chief of the Federal army, and with other officers, 

 civil as well as military, with reference to the despatch 

 of troops by this Commonwealth for the defence of 

 the City of Washington, in event of any emergency 

 which would render the employment of militia for that 

 purpose desirable. It is not deemed expedient to in- 

 sert in this communication the report made by Colonel 

 Ritchie of his mission. It is sufficient to state, that a 

 satisfactory understanding was established with the 

 General-in-Chief, and an arrangement effected, accord- 

 ing to which, if it should be found necessary to de- 

 spatch our troops, and their way between Philadelphia 

 and Baltimore should be obstructed over land, they 

 should be directed upon Baltimore by sea (landing 

 under cover of its forts,) or upon Annapolis and from 

 thence to Washington. 



Thus the troops were drilled and equipped, 

 and ready to start at a moment's notice. The 

 Massachusetts Senators at Washington were 

 persevering in urging upon the President the 

 services of the Massachusetts men. When the 

 expedition to Fort Sumter resulted in hostili- 

 ties, Senator Wilson immediately telegraphed 

 to Governor Andrew to send twenty companies 

 to Washington. In the course of the same day 

 the formal requisition of the department was 

 received, and Col. Wardrop, at New Bedford, 

 of the 3d Regiment, Col. Jones, at Lowell, of the 

 6th, Col. Packard, at Quincy, of the 4th, and 

 Col. Munroe, at Lynn, of the 8th, were ordered 

 to muster on the Common forthwith, and they 

 appeared on the following day. On the 16th 

 they began to arrive in Boston. The first com- 

 panies came from Marblehead on the evening 

 of the loth, which was the same day the proc- 

 lamation was issued. This town has the repu- 

 tation of sending the first troops to Cambridge, 



in 1775. Other companies arrived by the 

 various railroads, all with full ranks. The ex- 

 citement iu the several towns whence they 

 came was intense. The friends and neighbors 

 of the soldiers in many instances raised $1,000 

 and $2,000 for the benefit of their families. 

 They were cheered as they left home, and fre- 

 quently addressed by clergymen, ex-governors, 

 ex-members of Congress, and others. The 

 general feeling expressed was that civil war 

 with all its horrors was preferable to anarchy. 

 On the 16th Senator Wilson again telegraphed 

 for a brigade of four regiments. On the 17th 

 Col. Wardrop with 11 companies, 3d Regiment, 

 was ordered immediately to Fortress Monroe, 

 followed by Col. Packard with the 4th. Col. 

 Jones with 13 companies, comprising the 6th 

 Regiment, was ordered to Washington forth- 

 with via New York. This regiment was at- 

 tacked in Baltimore, April 19, the anniversary 

 of the battle of Lexington, 1775. On the re- 

 ceipt of the news in Boston, April 19th, of the 

 attack on the military at Baltimore, the pop- 

 ulace became almost frantic. The workmen 

 left their shops and factories in their shirt 

 sleeves and congregated in crowds, resolving 

 to avenge the wrong at all cost. Bodies of men 

 from all ranks were organizing and preparing 

 to leave at the earliest moment, determined to 

 redress the outrage with their lives. 



On the 20th of April, F. B. Crowninshield 

 was despatched to Europe to purchase 25.000 

 stand of arms, and was furnished with a credit 

 of $250,000 for that purpose. There were ex- 

 pended $251,339 for English Enfield rifles, and 

 $23,617 for infantry equipments. The remain- 

 der of a sum of $562,488 was expended. The 

 balance was made up of American infantry 

 equipments, ordnance, ordnance stores of every 

 description, and wagons and caissons foe the 

 battery companies, freight, repairs, and the like. 

 All regiments and companies, whether of in- 

 fantry or artillery, both for three months and 

 for three years service, furnished by the State 

 to the General Government, with the exception 

 of one battery, received all their armament 

 from the Commonwealth. The horse equip- 

 ments and sabres for cavalry were received 

 from the United States. Of the troops in the 

 three years' service, 14 regiments were armed 

 with the Enfield rifled musket, 4 with the 

 Springfield rifled musket, and 5 with the Spring- 

 field smooth-bored musket. The 15th and 21st 

 regiments were at first provided with smooth- 

 bores, which were afterwards replaced by 

 rifled arms. 



Massachusetts also loaned 2,000 Springfield 

 guns to arm Western Virginia. 



The State made a further contract for 5 000 

 Enfield rifles, of which 320 arrived before the 

 affair of the Trent caused the interdict of the 

 Queen of England against the further export 

 of arms. 



The troops continued to move forward rapid- 

 ly, and 6 regiments three-months men, number- 

 ing 3,736, were up to the 3d of May forwarded. 



