Transcriber's Note:
This e-book contains archaic spelling which has not beenmodernized. To avoid confusion a list has been providedat the end of this document.
PERSONAL NARRATIVES
OF EVENTS IN THE
War of the Rebellion,
BEING PAPERS READ BEFORE THE
RHODE ISLAND SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
No. 7.... Second Series.
PROVIDENCE:"
N. BANGS WILLIAMS & CO.
1880.
Copyrighted by
N. BANGS WILLIAMS.
1880.
REMINISCENCES
OF
TWO YEARS WITH THE COLORED TROOPS.
BY
J.M. ADDEMAN,
[LATE CAPTAIN FOURTEENTH R.I. HEAVY ARTILLERY, COLORED.]
PROVIDENCE:
N. BANGS WILLIAMS & CO.
1880.
Copyrighted by
N. BANGS WILLIAMS.
1880.
PRINTED BY E.L. FREEMAN & CO.
REMINISCENCES OF TWO YEARS
WITH THE
COLORED TROOPS.
The circumstances attending the organizing of a colored regiment inthis State are well remembered. In the summer of 1863, white men wereno longer eager to enlist for a war the end of which none couldforesee; but nevertheless the war must be prosecuted with vigor;another draft was impending and the State's quota must be filled. Withdifficulty Governor Smith obtained permission to organize a company,and, as this rapidly filled, then a battalion, and finally a fullregiment of twelve companies of colored men for heavy artillery duty.In common with many others I did not at the outset look withparticular favor upon the scheme. But with some hesitation I [6]acceptedan appointment from the State as a second lieutenant and reported forduty at Camp Smith, on the Dexter Training Ground, in this city. Afterserving here for some weeks in the fall of 1863, in the organizing ofcompanies and forwarding them to Dutch Island, where the regiment wasin camp, I successfully passed an examination before what was known as"Casey's Board," and after some preliminary service with a company ofthe third battalion, was assigned to the command of Company H of thesecond battalion, with whose fortunes my lot was cast till the closeof our term of service. On the turtle-backed crown of Dutch Island weremained amid fierce storms and the howling winds that swept with keenedge over the waters of the Narragansett, until the 20th of January,1864, when, as I was about to make a visit home, the transport, DanielWebster, appeared in the harbor and orders were issued to prepare forembarking on the following day. At the time appointed, we were onboard, but the sutler's arrangements were not completed until earlythe next morning, when we got up steam and were soon out of sight ofour familiar camp.
[7]The incidents of the voyage it is not necessary to recite to anycomrade whose chance it was to make