Blog in Real Time - July 1, 1861 - Post #26

The following is from the now defunct website "Letters of the Civil War" by Tom Hayes.

BOSTON HERALD
July 1, 1861 (page 2, column 2).

The Thirteenth (Rifle) Regiment at Fort Independence.

    The five companies from Marlborough, Sudbury, Natick and Westborough, which, together with the Fourth Battalion of Riflemen and the Roxbury Rifle Company, form the new Thirteenth Regiment, went down to Fort Independence Saturday afternoon in the steamer Nelly Baker. The several companies reported themselves to Major Leonard, on the Common, and under his command marched down to the boat, which left at half past two o'clock. - The Natick and Marlborough firemen, who escorted the companies from those towns into Boston, marched down to the wharf in the rear of the military, and gave their friends some parting cheers as the boat left.

    Capt. Hobart Moore, of the Natick company, resigned his commission Saturday morning on account of ill health, and 1st Lieut. Terry (Perry?)  D.  Chamberlain was in command.

    The battalion was handsomely received by the soldiers already at the Fort, and the men, soon after their arrival, set about putting their camp in order.

    All five companies are encamped outside the Fort; Co. F, of Marlborough, Capt. Pope, upon the southerly side, nearly opposite the sallyport, and the others upon the easterly side of the Fort, Co. H, of Natick, and Co. I, of Marlborough, being located upon the high plat of ground, and Co. K, of Marlborough, and Co. G, of Sudbury, upon the lower. All have the Sibley tents.

    The 4th Battalion and the Roxbury company remain in the same quarters as before, the former inside the Fort, and the latter in the building outside.

    The regiments lack about 200 men of being full. The new arrivals reported as follows: Co. F, 90 men; Co. G, 64 men; Co. H, 79 men; Co. I, 90 men; Co. K, 101 men. The Boston companies could be filled up at very short notice, and the orders for that purpose will probably be given in a few days. Major Leonard will have a splendid regiment. We all know what the Fourth Rifle Battalion is, and the new acquisition are of the right stamp. Of course they are at present lack the drill and discipline which the Boston Battalion has had an opportunity to obtain, but that they will make good advancement in military science we have no doubt.

    The rank of the commanding officers of the Regiment, according to the dates of their commissions, is as follows:- Capt. Batchelder, of Co. B; Capt. Fox, of Co. A; Capt. Pope, of Co. F; Capt. Kurtz, Co. C; Capt. Blackmer, of Co. K; Capt. Harlow, of Co. D; Capt. Palmer, of Co.   I; Capt. Jones, of Co. G; Lieut. Chamberlain, of Co. H; Lieut. Pratt, of Co. E.

    The regimental line will be subsequently formed thus:-

1-6-4-9-3-8-5-10-7-2

 B-D-C-H-F-G-K-E-I-A

    The following is a roster of the five companies which arrived at the Fort Saturday:-
    Co. F, Marlborough  Captain, Abel H. Pope; 1st Lieut., John T Whittier; 2d, Charles F. Morse; 3d, Donald Ross; 4th, Rufus H. Brigham.
    Co. G, Sudbury-Captain, Abel G. Jones; 1st. Lieut., Joel Parmenter; 2d, Marshall Davis; 3d, Lenan Willey; 4th, W. H. Benham.
    Co. H, Natick-Captain (vacancy); 1st Lieutenant, Perry D. Chamberlain; 2d, A. W. Pray; 3d, Francis Jenks; 4th, Joseph Adams.
    Co. I, Marlborough-Captain, Moses P. Palmer; 1st lieutenant, David L. Brown; 2d, Alfred G. Howe; 3d, Samuel D. Witt; 4th, (vacancy).
    Co. K, Westborough -Captain, William P. Blackmer; 1st Lieutenant, Charles P. Winslow; 2d, Ethan Bullock; 3d, John Sanderson; 4th, Abner Greenwood.

    1st Lieutenant Palmer, of Co. G, has resigned, but his resignation has not been accepted.