Troop Tents at Camp Cameron

I have always suspected that temporary tents may have been brought in for times of over crowding. In rereading Hard Tack and Coffee I came across this "a still larger number found shelter in tents prior to their departure for the field. These tents were of various patterns, but the principle varieties used were Sibley, the A or Wedge Tent, and the Hospital or Wall Tent."

Once again this shows the importance of rereading your sources. You always miss something. 

Watertown Ma. Library Local History Room collection in danger!

This message is from the Historical Society of Watertown's Facebook page.

Please help!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Historical-Society-of-Watertown-Watertown-MA/115394905142815

Watertown Library Local History Room Collection in Danger

Dear Watertown History Enthusiast, July 2013

I’m writing on a matter of concern to many of us here in Watertown. The Library Trustees intend to do away with of a large part of the current History Room collection as the footage of the June 4, 2013 Trustees meeting makes clear. (This is available for viewing at www.wcatv.org as “Library Trustees Meeting” 6/4/13, with the discussion about the History Collection taking place from about 24 min. 30 sec. to 43 min 15 sec.)
The current collection, the fruit of many generations, not only has proven its continuing usefulness, but includes many rare, irreplaceable volumes. It is consulted by locals, people from a distance researching their Watertown connections, and even people from other nations (France, Scotland, etc.) studying New England life. Other institutions, such as lecturers representing the New England Historic Genealogical Society, often recommend this well-rounded resource. The History Collection is not only one of Watertown’s valued assets, but also makes our town a destination.
The stated purpose of the de-accessioning, as stated in the Library Director’s email to Clare Murphy, is primarily to provide space in the History Room for the many binders of paperwork relating to the Arsenal clean-up. To do this, the Trustees decided to remove all “non-Watertown” material, even works about towns that were once part of Watertown’s original territory (such as Weston, Waltham and Belmont), or towns directly settled by Watertown people (Watertown has long been called “the Mother Town.”) Some examples of the towns settled in the 1600s partly by the founders of Watertown are Brookfield, parts of Cambridge, Lexington, Lincoln, Dedham, Hingham, Sudbury, Concord, Wethersfield CT and other CT towns, Newport RI and Providence RI.
Other works on relevant New England topics, such as The Journal of John Winthrop, 1630-1649, which for 350 years has been recognized as the central source for the history of Massachusetts in the 1630s and 1640s, would also be banished from our Local History Room. These books and manuscripts would either be sold, placed in circulation (some are fragile and many are rare and valuable) or offered to the Historical Society.
A good research collection provides background material as well as matter specific to the topic. The Local History Collection Policy, as approved by the Trustees January 7, 2013, includes within its scope “a selection of materials about other towns and genealogical materials about Massachusetts and the United States that relate to Watertown.” The Collection Policy can be read thru this link.http://www.watertownlib.org/sites/default/files/LH%20Collection%20Development%20Policy%20%28Local%20History%29.pdf
The targeted material either refers to the original territory (and thus clarifies what the town records discuss), or else provides information on Watertown-related individuals, families, or events in related locations. History, like the rest of human activity, spreads beyond political bounds (as it certainly did in 1775-1776 when Watertown was the Massachusetts capital and seat of the Legislature). The Arsenal clean-up material can still be stored within the Library (as federally mandated), even adjacent to the History Room, without eliminating so large a part of the collection. 
The recorded discussion on WCATV assumed that much of the target material was available on-line, when in fact few of the titles are. Works that are on-line are often in a form difficult to peruse and even the best are not as convenient as books in hand. Instead of referring from one existing book to another, the advice was for researchers to drive from town to town to consult other local histories (most towns are inaccessible by public transportation), or to request titles through inter-library loan (such reference collections do not circulate at all, much less by inter-library loan).
No one can be expected to understand every scholarly pursuit, but with all due respect, the board of Trustees seems unfamiliar with historical research and unaware of the most productive way to go about it. While the Historical Society has been offered this material, we lack the space and the volunteers to make the books publicly available. We believe that having the intact collection, this valuable and valued town resource, preserved within the Public Library, is of far greater advantage to Watertown.
We hope that the Trustees will reconsider their interpretation of the collection’s value before disbursing a public resource that once gone, would be impossible to reconstruct. Letters, phone calls and meetings with the Trustees/Library Director, voicing our concerns about losing this valuable collection have been fruitless. Now we need the help of Watertown residents who value our town’s important place in American history or simply love our public library.
If you share this concern, we hope that you will voice your opinion. Email your support to me at mkr12y@yahoo.com, or write a Letter to the Editor to the Watertown Tab. Time is fast running out, because the trustees have already voted to allow this disaster to occur and the library director is on board. 
Like the recent debacle in Peru, when an ancient Pyramid was bulldozed by developers, the people may realize that although it is fast and easy to destroy it is impossible to reconstruct. Please call Marilynne Roach at 617-924-3559 with any questions or need for clarification.

Respectfully,
Marilynne K. Roach, President Historical Society of Watertown
Joyce Kelly, Collections Manager Historical Society of Watertown
Clare Murphy, Genealogist Historical Society of Watertown 
Audrey Jones Childs, Vice President Historical Society of Watertown
Ruth Arena, Treasurer Historical Society of Watertown
Mary Spiers, Recording/Correspond. Secretary Historical Society of Watertown
Peggy Anderson, Councilor Historical Society of Watertown
Robert Childs, Councilor Historical Society of Watertown
Jon Spector, Councilor Historical Society of Watertown



DAN SULLIVAN

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

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

Websites for fans of the Massachusetts 28th Regiment

https://www.facebook.com/groups/28thmass/?hc_location=stream

http://www.28thmass.org/

DAN SULLIVAN

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 

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