Identifier: historyoffirstli00beec (find matches)
Title: History of the First Light Battery Connecticut Volunteers, 1861-1865. Personal records and reminiscences. The story of the battery from its organization to the present time
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Beecher, Herbert W De Morgan, John, ed
Subjects: United States. Army. Connecticut Artillery Battery, 1st (1861-1865) United States -- History Civil War, 1861-1865 Regimental histories
Publisher: New York, A. T. De La Mare Ptg. and Pub. Co., Ltd
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
se of squills wasthe universal panacea. The Battery surgeon. Dr. Hurlbut, had a very observant colored ser-vant, who acted as hospital steward. This wide-awake colored boy saw themarvelous cures wrought by the wonderful contents of the black bottle, andhe thought that some of the glory and credit might be his if he acted right-ly. He got a big black bottle—it had to be black, perhaps he thought therev/as magic in the color—and filled it from the hospital stores with syrup ofsquills. With this bottle in his hand he would go around among the com-rades asking if they didnt feel badly. His voice was sympathetic, but hismanner was determined, for he insisted that each one should have his doseof squills, and if he were not sick, why still a dose of squills might preventailment. A large packet ship of the Black Ball line, the Ellwood Walter, Capt.Chadwick, of Lyme, had been chartered to take the Battery to Port Royal,South Carolina. There was much to be done before the ship was ready for
Text Appearing After Image:
FIRST LIGHT BATTERY, 1861—1865 71 the troops. Berths had to be built, stalls made between decks and gunsand ammunition loaded. The lumber put on board was covered with ice, it had been exposed tothe frost and snow of that inclement season; but out of this frozen lumberbunks had to be made and the comrades had to thaw it out with the warmthof their bodies. Several days were occupied in loading the guns and caissons, so that theymight stand the voyage, and the ammunition in the least likely place for ashot from the enemy to reach it. Then there were a hundred and sixty horsesto be hoisted on board and lowered between decks. The horse was run intoa crate, which was then hoisted by hand power by a rope and pulley blockfixed to the yard, the yard was swung around and the crate lowered to thelower deck, where it was opened and the horse driven out. When the horseswere all on board, the personal belongings of the men stored away, berthswere apportioned and all the details of guard duty arr

Note About Images