Howard County, MD in the Civil War

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Primary Sources for the 8th New York State Militia

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The Press, May 9, 1861

The Accident at the Relay House.

The sudden death of a member of the Eighth New York regiment, by the discharge of his musket while cleaning it; yesterday, has saddened the hearts of his comrades, and thrown a gloom over the regiment. His name was LLOYD, and he was endeared to his associates by his courteous and kind deportment. He leaves a wife and two children in Brooklyn, New York.

Lest evening, a number of the soldiers at the Relay House sickened after eating ginger cakes, purchased from a cake vendor, who came to the camp. The matter is to be investigated.

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New York Times, May 10, 1861

LETTERS FROM THE ARMY.

FROM THE EIGHTH.
THE MOVEMENT TO THE RELAY HOUSE.
ELK RIDGE LANDING, ST. DENIS,
9 miles south of Baltimore,
Sunday, May 5, 1861.

Last night the Eighth Regiment of New-York Was surprised with orders from Brig. Gen. BUTLER, at Annapolis, to start for an unknown destination at 5 o'clock this morning. In obedience the regiment started at 7 o'clock, and arrived here about noon, the expedition being conducted by Gen. BUTLER in person. Immediately on arrival we moved to the grounds of Dr. HALL, who is now absent in Europe, thence removed to the estate of JOHN LATROBE, Esq., an eminent lawyer of Baltimore.

The object of the expedition is for the protection of the two bridges which cross the Patapsco River at this point. One of these bridges is a splendid stone structure, belonging to the Baltimore and Washington Railroad, and which would compare favorably with our own High Bridge at Harlem. The other, which is situated about half a mile below, is on the turnpike route, between Baltimore and Washington, called the “Washington turnpike.”

It is presumed that a Philadelphia Regiment will attempt the passage through Baltimore to-day, and the destruction of these two bridges by the Secessionists, may be attempted. and Gen. BUTLER has resolved to guard against the probability, as well as to be enabled to march against Baltimore should any demonstration be made to interrupt the peaceable passage of troops through that city destined for the defence of the country.

At 5 o’clock, the Sixth Regiment of Massachusetts, Col. E. F. JONES, of Lowell, came up from Washington, and encamped on the grounds of Dr. HALL.

In conversation with a gentleman of standing in Baltimore, he remarked that no opposition would be made to any Northern troops passing through that city, but considered it very probable that a collision would occur should Col. WILSON'S Regiment undertake the passage. S. A. W.

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Brooklyn Times Union, May 11, 1861

OUR WAR CORRESPONDENCE.

ENCAMPMENT, from Baltimore
9 miles, May 6th, 1861.

EDITOR TIMES.—I suppose you wonder at our being here, supposing we would remain at Annapolis for some time yet, Last Saturday evening we received orders to pack knapsacks and be In readiness to leave Annapolis the next morning at 6 o'clock. None of us knew where we were going, we were under sealed orders, but we all concluded that our destination would be Washington, but time soon informed us of our mistake. We are here, a short distance from Baltimore, holding a very important post called the “Relay House”; we are in camp, our duty is to protect the bridges and railroads in this part of the country.

I would have written you before, but could not find time, as we were all day Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, pitching tents and preparing grounds, which I assure you was hard work as it was raining hard all the time.

Our living is very poor, but gradually getting better, fresh meat is not to be had here, and hard biscuits are played out, I tell you it is very hard living for so much hard work, but I do not wish to complain, I shall stay with the Regiment as long as they stay.

One of our men was accidentally shot yesterday, he was drawing a charge from his musket, when it went off, the ball entering under his chin, passed through the top of bis head and killed him instantly; he was buried in the afternoon with all the military honors, the ceremony being very impressive.

All the boys are in good spirits and health and appear to be aching for a muss, which I think they will soon be sure to have, as it is said if the Pennsylvania troops are not allowed to pass through Baltimore without molestation, we are to go down and give them a brush. Another report says we are to go Harper's Ferry, which if true, will certainly give us the pleasure of a fight. But rumors are not to be relied on, all we can do in to obey orders.

I do not think we are going to Washington at all, but cannot tell exactly; to our friends we would say, all letters or parcels directed to us at Washington or Annapolis, will be forwarded us wherever we chance to be.

Oh how I would like to take a peep in the ‘Burgh, to see how you all are and get along, and get one good square meal of victuals,which I have not had since I left home.

Maryland appears strong Union, so I would judge. I think there is no fear of attack while in this State, but we are well prepared if such a thing should happen.

I may not be regular in writing, for sometimes we are ordered off when we do not get a chance to write in three or four days, like the present case.

Respectfully HIRAM G. SMITH
Corporal Co. B, 8th Reg., N. Y. S. M.

P.S. Excuse writing, as I am sitting upon the ground writing on my knapsack.

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New York Evening Post, May 11, 1861

The Eighth New York Regiment In Maryland

A letter from a member of the Eighth Regiment of this city, dated at Elk Ridge Landing, Howard county, Md., says;

“We are encamped here, about seven miles from Baltimore. Send me a double Mackinaw blanket; my single blanket is not sufficient. It is very chilly here nights, and since our arrival here the weather has been very disagreeable and rainy. It is currently reported here that the Seventh Regiment, on being sworn in, distinctly stipulated that they should not be called away from Washington until their term expired. We have not yet been sworn in,but we are ready to face Harper's Ferry, Baltimore, or any of their strongholds.”

Another member of the Eighth, in a letter received this morning, writes:

“It has been cold all the time since we left New York. Some of our men are without over-coats, some without under-coats and some ragged, but we are all much better off than the poor Massachusetts boys, who have had a rough time here, without tents or proper provisions for their comfort.

“I feel anxious about leaving my wife and child, but my country called and I had to make the sacrifice.”

Our benevolent citizens, whose contributions to other regiments have been lavish, might direct some of their generous offerings to the Eighth Regiment. They will scarcely find a more deserving body of men.

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New York Times, May 11, 1861

LETTERS FROM THE ARMY.

FROM THE EIGHTH NEW-YORK REGIMENT.

POISONING OF TROOPS—FUNERAL OF LEONARD— GEN. BUTLER.

EIGHTH (N. Y.) REGIMENT,
ELK RIDGE LANDING, Tuesday, May 7, 1861.
Nine miles South of Baltimore.

A large number of Baltimoreans have been hovering about the encampments of the different Regiments quartered here, loud and unanimous in their declarations of loyalty and devotion to the Union; but a strict and right military discipline has been exercised against any admittance to our grounds. But wagons of every description are driven to our borders, and are of easy access to the camps, where eggs, pies, cakes, bread, coffee and tobacco are sold to the soldiers, at reasonable prices. But orders have just been issued fer their immediate removal, in consequence of the alleged poisoning of one or two members of the Sixth Regiment of Massachusetts troops. The circumstances of the case are these:

Yesterday a member of Company G, Capt. H. W. PRATT, from Worcester, Mass, named GEO. MINTER, went about among these country vendors, purchasing various kinds ef food, and upon returning to camp and eating of them was thrown into violent spasms, snapping and biting at every one who approached him, and suffering most intense pain. He was immediately placed under the attention of the surgeon of his regiment, Dr. NORMAN SMITH, of Groton, Mass., who treated him immediately for poison. The medicines employed operated so favorably that he may recover, although he still lies in the hospital in a critical position. In conversation with Dr. SMITH, he says the symptoms were unmistakably those produced by arsenic. Another man who was with him at the time, from Company A, National Greys, Capt. LAWTELL, from Lowell, was also taken ill, but was not seriously affected.

The funeral of CHARLES LEONARD, of the Eighth New-York Regiment, who accidentally shot himself, took place to-day.

At 6 o'clock P. M., the Regimental line was formed in front of the officers' quarters, and many were the sad faces upon which the gleam of the morning still lingered. The regiment came immediately to a “parade rest.” Then followed the solemn tap of the drum, and the bereaved company appeared at the fight of the line, and with measured tread and sadly beating hearts bore the remains of their dead comrade to the centre of the line. The body was encased in a coffin, and enshrouded in the folds of the American flag, and borne along resting upon two of the company's muskets.

The company to which the deceased belonged formed upon the left and near the coffin, with inverted arms.

The entire officers of the regiment, including Gen. BUTLER and staff, then closed around the foot of the coffin, all remaining motionless and still as death, as, with uncovered beads, they awaited the commencement of the burial services, which were conducted by the Surgeon of the Regiment, FOSTER SMITH, M. D.

The services commenced with reading, and singing “Mount Vernon,” with words slightly altered to suit the occasion. The melancholy tone with which this hymn was sung, and the tears that burst simultaneously from every eye in the regiment, in that lonely grove, far away from home, fully attested that the rough soldier bore within him that principle of affection which elevates and tones the human passions. Then followed reading of the 15th Chapter of Corinthians, commencing at the 15th verse. A prayer was then offered and followed by a few appropriate remarks.

When this was concluded, Gen. BUTLER rode forward a few paces towards the coffin, and while tears were coursing profusely down his cheeks, delivered a most touching and affecting appeal to the Regiment, to maintain the honor and glory of the Union, and calling upon them to swear above the dead body of their comrade, eternal fidelity to the great cause in which they were all engaged.

At the conclusion of his eloquent remarks, scarcely a dry eye was seen in the Regiment.

The coffin was then raised, and the mourning company, followed by Gen. BUTLER and Aids, as well as all the commissioned officers of the Regiment, commenced their slow march to the grave. Arriving at the chapel, the body was carried into the little graveyard of the village, about two miles from the camp, and consigned to its keeping until it shall be called for by the friends and relatives residing at New-York. Three volleys of musketry were fired over his grave, and in the darkness of the Light the company returned to their quarters.

Gen. BUTLER has, by this act, and by acknowledging, in tears of heartfelt sorrow, that the soldier is his brother, endeared himself far more to the hearts of his soldiers in the Eighth Regiment, than could the bestowal upon them of all the wealth of Golconda. He is a self-made man, and sympathizes deeply with the hardships and discomforts of his men.
S. A. W.

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Middletown Whig Press, May 14, 1861

News from Volunteers.

Edwin J. Scrantom, an apprentice in this office during the past year, but now a member of Company G, Washington Greys, 8th Regiment, on their way to the seat of War, has written a letter to a friend in Middletown, giving his 'experience’ of army life. We make some ex- tracts, He says the troops are (May 7th) encamped at Jack’s Bridge, eight miles from Baltimore, where there are 5,000 of them. One of the men in drawing a load from his gun that morning was accidentally killed. As to provender, he says they have salt pork, hard crackers, and coffee without milk. A night or two previous himself and another guard on duty 'surrounded' a prisoner.

We are sorry to see that 'Ed.' does not fancy a soldier’s life very much, and thinks he will discard the army when his time expires. We expected that, being a typo, he would have more of a liking for the 'shooting stick.'

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Commercial Advertiser, May 14, 1861

LETTER FROM THE ARMY.

CAPTURE OF THE STEAM GUN.

ELK RIDGE, Camp Morgan,
Sunday Morning, May 12, 1861.

Thursday night, May 2d, we left Camp Misery, where our Company and Company D were engaged in erecting fortifications to command the road from Baltimore, where the secession troops had to pass, and on last Sunday evening we left Annapolis for this place, which is about nine miles from Baltimore, and are now here, although we do not know how soon we may have to leave for some other place.

On Friday afternoon our company started on ten minutes notice, no one knew where except our captain, for all our movements are kept secret. We made for the railroad depot on a run, when a locomotive and single car started before more than half could got on except by running. We proceeded about seven miles and stopped, our captain separated the company in three commands, and proceeded in different directions. Our party, under the second lieutenant, succeeded in capturing the celebrated steam-gun, which left Baltimore for Harper's Ferry, and was, no doubt, intended to give our troops a warm reception. They calculate it to throw three hundred musket balls a minute, and it will scatter in all directions. But, thank God, we have captured it, The Baltimore papers give the Massachusetts regiment the credit of the capture, which is not the case, as Company C, Eighth regiment, N. Y.S. M., has taken the prize.

We have got four mules,two negroes and the owner, who would have escaped, but thinking to blind us, stepped up and wanted to know “what business we had to stop private property?” He said it was a new patent saw mill, but we could not swallow that. One of our staff officers in citizen's dress went to Baltimore, gained information of its being taken to Harper's Ferry, rode back in all haste, when we started off, and company C made the capture. Our captain's company did not arrive for two hours after; they had to march about eight miles further than we did.

One of Frank Leslie's artists was here taking a sketch of this famous gun. I took a good look at it yesterday,and it is a most singular looking affair. The Massachusetts boys were about to get steam on it yesterday, when I came away. It is at the General's headquarters, about a mile from our camp.

I procured & pass yesterday, with five privates and an officer, to visit the village, when we stopped at a small private house, where lived a strong Union man and wife. They gave us a nice dinner for the mall sum of twenty-five cents each. We had a nice clean table cloth, which was a great luxury to begin with; the eatables consisted of a nice piece of roast beef, with horseradish, pickles, apple sauce, biscuits and coffee, and seemed more like home to us all.

Last night we started about dark, and laid on our arms in the bushes on the road to Harper's Ferry, the General having received notice of an expected attack on our camp, with instructions to come in as quick as possible should the enemy make his appearance. We were not allowed to speak above a whisper, and stayed out until daylight,but they did not make their appearance, and to night we intend going three miles further on a branch road which was only found out this morning, D.
Company C, 8th regiment N.Y. S. M.

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Rockland Messenger, May 16, 1861

RELAY HOUSE, Mar 7, 1861.

Our camp has had a gloom cast over it by having one of our men removed from our midst by death. This morning about 9 o'clock, we heard the report of a musket, and soon the news spread that a man had been shot. I hastened to the spot, and there lay the man stretched upon the ground with the blood gushing out of his mouth. His name was Charles Leonard; his residence was No. 266 Avenue B, New York City. He was a member of Company G, Capt. William S. Carr. It seems that the Captain, but two minutes previous, had given orders to his men to stack those pieces that, were loaded, in order that no accident might occur. Instead of obeying this order, whether understanding it or not, we do not know, Mr. Leonard attempted to draw the charge from his musket by means of a screw attached to the rammer, and in so doing the powder exploded, and the ball was discharged, entering directly under the maxillary bone on the left side of the face, shattering the bone, and lacerating the blood-vessels. The ball took an obliquely downward and backward course, crushing the third and fourth cervical vertibae, and severing the spinal cord, causing almost instant death. His funeral will take place this afternoon, and his remains will be placed in the private burying ground of Mr. John Banker, who has kindly offered the use of it as a temporary burying place.

It is probable that they will be disinterred, and carried to New York.

This is the first death that has occurred in our midst since we left New-York, and our men naturally feel that it comes very, near home, to see a comrade suddenly struck down by death, although the result of pure accident, must naturally make them think how uncertain life is, and that we have no lease of our lives. have just been informed that Mr. Leonard was formerly a member of Engine Co. No, 18.

A rumor was afloat in this village, that the above Charles Leonard was the son of the Hon. M. G. Leonard, of Rockland Lake, but such is not the case —[Ed, Mess.]

Private Loyd, of the N.Y. 8th Regiment, while drawing a load from his rifle, the charge exploded, lodging a ball in his throat, killing him instantly. His body was sent to New York.

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New York Daily Herald, May 17, 1861

THE EIGHTH REGIMENT.
LETTER FROM A MEMBER OF COMPANY E.

CAMP MORGAN, RELAY HOUSE, May 8, 1861.

I will give you some idea of our trip from New York. We had to sleep just where we could find a place—some times between decks and sometimes on deck: but not one word of complaint was heard from the boys. At meal hours we formed a line and marched to the dining saloon door. We were let in, sixty at a time, only to find salt horse, bomb proof biscuit and strong coffee, after standing perhaps three or four hours to get at the table. At last we arrived at Annapolis, and had to lie all night and part of the next day out in the stream, before we could disembark. The first three or four nights we had to sleep out on the grass, with our feet to a tremendous log fire. We finally got quartered in a brick house, in the yard, through the kindness of Prof. Smith. Since that time we have gone through the regular routine of military duty, mounting guard in one of the most fierce rain storms I ever saw. We left for this place last Sunday morning, about nine o'clock, and arrived here about half- past one, much to the surprise of the villagers. We are encamped on a hill, surrounded by a beautiful wood. Our company is divided off into messes; I am in mess No 4. We all take our turns at cooking. Our captain is a fine fellow—Captain Griffin—and if we do have a fight, which the boys are all eager for, we will do justice to his command. We are all well, and regale ourselves three times a day with salt horse and biscuit—sometimes a little variation of beans and soup. But I must bring my correspondence to a close, as the drum is beating for dress parade.

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