ITS WAR RECORD, 1861-5, BY Late Sergeant of Co. F . NEW HAVEN, CONN., 1875. NEW HAVEN: TUTTLE, MOREHOUSE & TAYLOR, PRINTERS. 1875. TO THE LOYAL WOMEN, WHOSE HUSBANDS, BROTHERS AND FRIENDS CAST THEIR LOT WITH THE OLD SIXTH IN DEFENCE OF THE FLAG , THIS MEMORIAL OF PATRIOTIC SERVICE IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED By the Author....

The object of this work is to give a true and impartial record of the old Sixth Regiment during the war. The author collected the facts from a private diary kept by himself while in the service. Less has been known of the Sixth by our citizens than most of the other regiments; perhaps this is due partly to the fact that when we arrived in Washington Colonel Chatfield instructed officers and men that it was unmilitary to write letters for the press; he desired that the War Record should know the

Early Spring in the year 1861, was an eventful one in American history. Troops were organizing in all the loyal States to go forth and suppress the unequal war that was waged upon the people of the North. Deeply was it overshadowing our land and threatening to destroy our liberties as a nation. The shot against Sumpter’s wall was the key note of the Rebellion, and its echo was heard in every town and hamlet, uniting all loyal hearts and inspiring all the people with a zeal which had hitherto rem

Tuesday, Sept. 17, was ushered in by a warm sun and a genial atmosphere, which only served to increase our interest in the busy scenes that were before us, for we were all aware that the old Sixth would soon be en route for the seat of war. The colonel and staff were busy issuing orders, captains of companies were instructed to issue no passes to leave camp, and so far as was practicable all visitors were excluded from the precincts of the camp proper. The cooks were busy preparing our rations,

The 7th of November, 1861, will ever remain in the history of the war as one in which a grand victory perched upon the banner of the Union; when treason and rebellion received a blow from which they never fully recovered. The members of the old Sixth will not soon forget the events that transpired. Our gunboats were occupied several hours in getting into position to do the most effective service, and after forming into a circle, with the grand old frigate Wabash taking the lead, they sailed arou

The batteries on Tybee Island being already very strongly entrenched (the mortars out of sight of the fort), everything appeared ready for the battle. The Seventh Connecticut was assigned the duty of serving at the mortar batteries and other troops were on duty at the rifled guns. The work before us seemed no easy task, considering the strength of the enemy. Fort Pulaski’s walls were seven feet thick and mounted one tier of guns in embrasures and on en barbette . It was a huge five-sided fortres

The Sixth Connecticut Regiment left Beaufort on the evening of the 18th of March, bound down the coast. We passed several places of interest on our journey, among which were Mayport Mills, Fernandina and Fort Clinch. Deserted plantations lined the banks of the river and everything had the appearance of war’s desolation. In trying to cross the bar and enter St. John’s River we got aground, and after several ineffectual attempts, we finally succeeded by the aid of a tug-boat, and our destination,

After the death of Col. Chatfield, Redfield Duryee was appointed Colonel of the Sixth, rising from Adjutant to that position at a single step. He had been North on recruiting service for eighteen months previous to his appointment, but after securing that position he hastened to join the regiment in the field. The appointment was not received very pleasantly by the officers of the Sixth, nor by the privates, who expressed much dissatisfaction at his appointment. Those who had been with the regim

The Sixth remained around Petersburg on the line of the railroad after the non-re-enlisted men had returned home, skirmishing with the enemy, till the 28th of September, when Butler’s army faced to the right and crossed the Appomatox and hurried forward toward Richmond. Gen. Grant had resolved that a further advance toward Richmond in Butler’s front, while a demonstration from Warren and Hancock would weaken the rebel forces so that they would retire and give our siege trains an opportunity to p

The members of the Sixth always entertained and cherished a feeling of deep friendship for one another, and when we were discharged it seemed like breaking up a household, so closely were our sympathies united; and it was resolved to organize an association, at no distant day, to perpetuate and keep alive those friendly interests which united us so closely during the dark days of the war. Therefore, pursuant to a call, the members of the Sixth assembled at the old State House in New Haven, on th

Note. —No account is rendered of those returned as “Missing,” and “Supposed Killed.”...