Sunday, June 30, 2013

MAP OF CAMP CAMERON



I adapted this from a map at the Cambridge Historical Commission. It was drawn onto an existing map. It is believed it was intended for the Cambridge City Directory, but never used. It is believed it was intended for either the 1862 or 1863 directory. I have added some features that I have learned. The building at the bottom on North Avenue, now Mass Ave, was referred to as the Gate House & Guard House. The 15 buildings along the dotted town line were barracks. They each held one company. From the history of the 1st Light Battery I know the two buildings above the single row of barracks on the right were the Commissary & Quarter Masters Dept. The other was a Stable. A dirt road ran through the center from North Avenue northward. Behind the barracks ran Tannery Brook. In the late 1800's Somerville and Cambridge submerged it and made it part of the drainage system. Although I have not identified the other individual buildings, I do know they contained officers quarters, at least one other stable, a hospital and a brig. According to the Lowell Courier a line of tents existed along the brook and were used by the cooks. I have also found two references to the buildings being numbered. The Gate House was #1. A member of the 38th Regiment wrote a letter to the Cambridge Chronicle in which he states his company was housed in building #8. Early in the camps history I have found references to men being appointed to command the camp. These appointments lasted only a few weeks with the state shuffling men around and then to the front. As time went on it seems that they fell into a system were the senior officer from the regiments stationed in the camp was the commander. So it is likely that policies changed with every new regiment. Since both of these references to numbered buildings comes from the same period but from two different men it is possible that it was not a designation the buildings had for the full 20 months.


DAN SULLIVAN

Friday, June 28, 2013

Walter W. Nourse's Sword. 38th Regiment.

Sgt. Walter Nourse was 22 when he enlisted in Company F of the 38th. He died of Typhoid Fever in March of 1863. In between he was promoted to Sgt. Major. The Story of the Thirty Eighth Regiment describes him as "the pet of that company, as well as a favorite with the whole regiment."
Last week Cambridge held their annual Open Archives event. At the Cambridge Freemasons I got to see his sword and his application to that group. He was sponsored by his father.
My guess is this was a ceremonial or fraternal sword, maybe even given to him by the Masons.

DAN SULLIVAN

Sunday, June 16, 2013

PVT. Michael Driscoll CO F Massachusetts 28th Regiment is captured

Michael Driscoll was my Great, Great Grandfather.
On June 13, 1863 the company marched from Stafford Court House to Dumfries VA. Somewhere near Dunfries he fell out of a march and became a straggler. Because of this he was taken prisoner and confined at Richmond.
On July 19 he was paroled at City Point and held at Camp Parole MD until he was able to rejoin the 28th on  Oct. 5, 1863.

This information comes from my brother Ed's family research.

DAN SULLIVAN 

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Company A, Massachusetts First Regiment, Edward Augustus Wild

On April 20, 1861 a meeting was held at the Brookline, MA Town Hall. It was decided to appoint a committee of seven men to organize the recruiting and drilling of companies in the town. They rented a hall for drilling. Jacob Miller who had been a sergeant in the army was found to help. Dr. Edward Augustus Wild was appointed as Captain. Wild was then made Captain of Co. A of the first taking his officers with him. The Governor then told him to fill his new company with the Brooklyn volunteers and to distribute any extra men to the other companies of the first as needed.
From this point the Brookline military Committee stopped recruiting but continued to everything it could for the men from Brookline. They raised money for muskets, and local women made uniforms.


DAN SULLIVAN

From History of Brookline, a memorial to Edward W. Baker, by Curtis, pg 269-270