Name: Isaac C Sweat
Residence: Danby, Vermont
Enlistment Date: 12 Jun 1861
Rank at enlistment: Private
State Served: Vermont
Survived the War?: Yes
Service Record: Enlisted in Company D, Vermont 7th Infantry Regiment on 12 Feb 1862.
Promoted to Full Corporal on 01 Mar 1863.
Mustered out on 25 Dec 1863.
Sources: Roster of Vermont Volunteers During the War of the Rebellion 1861-66
Name: Isaac Sweat
Residence: Danby, Vermont
Enlistment Date: 6 Dec 1861
Side Served: Union
State Served: Vermont
Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 6 December 1861.
Enlisted in Company D, 7th Infantry Regiment Vermont on 12 Feb 1862.
Promoted to Full Corporal on 1 Mar 1863.
Discharged for promotion Company D, 7th Infantry Regiment Vermont on 25 Dec 1863.
Regiment: 7th Infantry Regiment Vermont
Date of Organization: 1 Feb 1862
Muster Date: 14 Mar 1866
Regiment State: Vermont
Regiment Type: Infantry
Regiment Number: 7th
Officers Killed or Mortally Wounded: 3
Officers Died of Disease or Accident: 4
Enlisted Killed or Mortally Wounded: 10
Enlisted Died of Disease or Accident: 403
Regimental Soldiers and History: List of Soldiers
Regimental History
VERMONT
SEVENTH REGIMENT.
(THREE YEARS.)
BY WILLLIAM C. HOLBROOK, COLONEL SEVENTH REGIMENT.
THE Seventh Regiment, numbering 943 officers and men, was
mustered into the service of the United States at Rutland, Vt.,
February 12, 1862, under the command of Col. George T. Roberts.
The act under which the regiment was formed authorized the
Governor to "recruit, organize, arm and equip, an additional
regiment" * * * "to serve in the army of the United States."
By a previous act, the Governor had been authorized to recruit,
etc., a regiment to be attached to a New England division then
being raised by Gen. B. F. Butler, under the authority of the
Secretary of War, to operate against the City of New Orleans,
which regiment was "to be armed and equipped at the expense of
the United States." Under this latter act, the Eighth regiment
was formed. It was clearly the intention of the legislature,
by the act under which the Seventh was formed, as it was the
avowed purpose of the State officials, that the Seventh should
not form a part of General Butler's division. It was the
unanimous wish of the officers and men that the regiment might
be sent to the Army of the Potomac, and they were greatly
disappointed and disgusted when they learned that they had been
designated by the War Department, for service under General
Butler.
On the 10th of March, 1862, the Seventh left Rutland for
New York City, where it embarked on two old-fashioned sailing
ships, ill adapted for the transportation of troops, with
sealed orders to proceed to sea. Upon opening the orders, it
was learned that the destination of the regiment was Ship
Island, Miss. The voyage occupied upwards of three weeks, and
was very uncomfortable and trying, owing to the heavy March
gales which prevailed throughout the passage. On the fall of
New Orleans, a portion of the Seventh for a short time,
occupied Fort Pike, one of the important outlying
fortifications of the city, commanding the entrance to Lake
Pontchartrain. The balance of the regiment shortly thereafter
proceeded to Carrolton, an environ of New Orleans; thence, in a
few days, it proceeded to Baton Rouge, where it reported to
Brig.-Gen. Thomas Williams. On the 19th of June, 1862, eight
companies of the Seventh, with three other regiments and a
light battery, comprising altogether about 3,500 men, embarked
on transports to take part in a foolhardy expedition against
Vicksburg, conceived by General Butler. Although supported by
Admiral Farragut's entire squadron of war ships, the expedition
was a failure. After besieging the place for twenty-eight
days, and after the loss, unnecessarily, of many valuable
lives, principally from exposure and sickness, the command
returned to Baton Rouge. Disease and death had so decimated
the ranks of the Seventh, that of the 800 men with which it
started on this ill-starred campaign, it had less than 100 for
duty on its return to Baton Rouge. On the 5th of
August, 1862, the regiment took a conspicuous and highly
meritorious part in the battle which occurred at that place on
that day. In addition to other losses, it had the great
misfortune to lose its beloved and heroic Colonel, George T.
Roberts, who died two days later from wounds received while
gallantly discharging his duties at the most critical stage of
the action. Later, the regiment performed duty in and around
the City of New Orleans. At this time, owing to the hardships
endured on the Vicksburg campaign, the mortality in the
regiment reached its highest percentage. In November
following, the regiment was ordered to Pensacola, Florida.
Here the record of its first year's service closed with the sad
loss of over 300 by death, and upwards of 100 discharged for
disability, most of whom left the service with constitutions
permanently shattered.
The regiment remained in Florida until August 10, 1864,
when, in consequence of the re-enlistment of all but 58 of the
remaining members thereof, it became entitled to a veteran
furlough in Vermont, of thirty days. While in Florida, the
Seventh rendered important service as artillerists in holding
the important fortifications erected for the protection of
Pensacola Harbor, then the headquarters of Farragut's West Gulf
Squadron, where vast naval stores and appliances had been
accumulated for the use of his fleet, and which afforded a
standing bait for the enemy. Besides this, the regiment
performed heavy outpost and scouting duties, both as mounted
and dismounted infantry. It passed through two seasons of
yellow fever, one of which was of a very malignant type.
Several severe combats were had with the enemy, in all
of which the members of the Seventh acquitted themselves with
marked credit, as was attested in general orders by the General
commanding the District.
Upon the expiration of its veteran furlough Vermont, the
regiment was ordered back to New Orleans, where it was
stationed until February, 1865, when it was ordered to Mobile
Point, to take part in the siege of Mobile. The Seventh was
attached to the Thirteenth Corps, commanded by Gen. Gordon
Granger. This Corps, with the Sixteenth and Steele's Division,
and a Cavalry force, comprised the army of General Canby in his
attack upon Mobile. Had the war lasted, this army would have
been called upon for very important service, akin to that
performed by General Sherman in his operations in Alabama and
Georgia. The Seventh took a prominent part in the siege of
Spanish Fort, which was the main and strongest outlying
fortification in the approach to Mobile on its eastern side.
The siege lasted 13 continuous days. The regiment held
important and dangerous positions, and was highly commended for
its efficiency and courage. Several of its officers and men
were specially mentioned for gallantry, performing, as they
did, some of the red letter achievements of the siege. The
regiment participated in all the subsequent operations and
skirmishes of the campaign in and around Mobile, and received,
among other notices, very favorable mention for its part in an
affair at Whistler, which resulted, after a sharp fight, in
saving from destruction the repair and machine shops of the
Mobile and Ohio railway at that point. On the surrender of
Gen. Richard Taylor's army, the Seventh was ordered to
Clarksville, and subsequently to Brownsville, Texas, where it
composed a part of the "Army of Observation," on the Rio
Grande, maintained by our Government, under Gen. Philip H.
Sheridan, to observe and wait the development of the operations
of Maximilian and his French allies, then in Mexico.
On the 14th of March, 1866, the regiment was mustered out
of the service of the United States at Brownsville, Texas, but
proceeded in a body to Brattleboro, Vt., where it was formally
disbanded April 6, 1866.
The Seventh, although serving in the main alone, or with
detached organizations, or in detached parts, was at different
times connected with the Thirteenth and Nineteenth Army Corps.
The regiment served longer, lost more men from disease, and
more of its members re-enlisted "for the war" than was the case
with any other single Vermont organization.
The following is a list of the sieges and battles in which
the regiment, as a body, was mentioned by General Sheridan in
general orders, as having borne a "meritorious part," and
which were ordered inscribed upon its colors: Siege of
Vicksburg, Miss.; Baton Rouge, La.; Gonzales Station, Fla.;
Siege of Spanish Fort, Ala., and Whistler, Ala.
The following is a list of the skirmishes and combats, not
inscribed upon its colors, in which detached portions of the
regiment bore honorable part, and, in most of which, members
thereof were killed or wounded: Pearlington, Miss., June 28,
1862; Grand Gulf, Miss., July 7, 1862; Attack on Mortar Boats,
Vicksburg, Miss., July 8, 1862; Attack on Transport Cars,
Warrington, Miss., July 22, 1862; Oakfield, Fla., Feb. 17,
1863; Donaldsonville, La., June 27-28, 1863; Jackson's Bridge,
Fla., Jan. 25, 1864; Point Washington, Fla., Feb. 1, 1864;
Nix's Clearing, Fla., April 2, 1864; Marianna, Fla., Sept. 27,
1864; Fish River, Ala., March 22, 1865, and Blakely, Ala.,
April 9, 1865.
ENGAGEMENTS.
Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., June and July, 1862.
Baton Rouge, La., Aug. 5, 1862.
Gonzales Station, La., July 15, 1864.
Mobile Campaign and Spanish Fort, Ala., March 17 to April
11, 1865.
Whistler, Ala., April 13, 1865.
Battles Fought
Fought on 28 Jun 1862 at Vicksburg, MS.
Fought on 23 Jul 1862 at Warrington, MS.
Fought on 5 Aug 1862 at Baton Rouge, LA.
Fought on 10 Sep 1863.
Fought on 8 Feb 1864.
Fought on 9 Feb 1864 at Baton Rouge, LA.
Fought on 24 Mar 1864 at Mobile, AL.
Fought on 27 Sep 1864.
Fought on 24 Mar 1865 at Mobile, AL.
Fought on 27 Mar 1865 at Mobile, AL.
Fought on 29 Mar 1865 at Mobile, AL.
Fought on 31 Mar 1865 at Mobile, AL.
Fought on 3 Apr 1865 at Mobile, AL.
Fought on 6 Apr 1865 at Mobile, AL.
Fought on 8 Apr 1865 at Mobile, AL.
BATON ROUGE, LA
AUG. 5TH, 1862
Baton Rouge, La., Aug. 5, 1862. Detached Forces under
Brig.-Gen. Thomas Williams. In pursuance of a plan of the
Confederate leaders at Vicksburg, Maj.-Gen. John C.
Breckenridge, with a force variously estimated at from 3,000
to 6,000 men, moved on Baton Rouge, while the newly built ram
Arkansas was to go down the river and engage the Federal
gunboats at the same time the fight was going on between the
land forces. Williams learned of the movement and disposed
his troops to meet it. The 4th Wis. was on the extreme left,
on the right bank of Bayou Gross on the opposite bank of which
were 2 pieces of Manning's battery so placed as to sweep the
ground on the left of the Badger regiment. To the right of
the 4th Wis. was the 9th Conn., with 2 guns in the rear of the
center and 2 more in rear of the right. Then came the 14th
Me., posted behind the Bayou Sara road and to the left of the
Greenwell Springs road; then the 21st Ind. in the woods behind
Magnolia cemetery with 4 pieces of Everett's battery on the
Greenwell Springs road, then the 6th Mich. across the road to
the right of Magnolia cemetery and the Clay Cut road, on the
former of which were 2 pieces of Everett's battery the 7th Vt.
was posted in rear of the 21st Ind. and 6th Mich. on the right
of the Catholic cemetery, and the 30th Mass., supporting Nim's
battery on the extreme right. The fight began at daylight.
Breckenridge formed line of battle on the open ground near the
Greenwell Springs road and attempted to draw Williams out.
Failing in this the Confederates advanced on the ground
between the Clinton and Clay Cut roads, thus throwing the
brunt of the attack against the 14th Me., the 21st Ind. and
the 6th Mich. Williams ordered the 9th Conn. and the 4th Wis.
with a section of artillery to support the left of the center
and the 30th Mass. with a portion of Nim's battery to aid the
right of the center, but the effort was unavailing. The
Federals put up a desperate resistance but were slowly forced
back and the Confederates captured the camps of the advanced
regiments. Williams was killed just as the regiments
commenced to fall back, and for a little time there was some
confusion in the Union ranks. When the Confederates had
forced the garrison back beyond Magnolia cemetery they were
within range of the Federal gunboats in the river and the
galling fire of the infantry, which was soon rallied, and the
gunboats compelled Breckinridge to fall back. When he had
destroyed the Federal encampment and had ascertained that the
ram Arkansas was hard aground with her machinery disabled he
hastily withdrew, leaving his dead and wounded on the field.
The Union loss in this affair was 84 killed, 266 wounded and
32 captured or missing, Confederate reports make their losses
44 killed, 152 wounded and 6 missing, but a despatch from
Lieut. G. Weitzel, chief engineer of the Department of the
Gulf, states that by the 8th the garrison at Baton Rouge had
buried 250 of the enemy's dead.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 5
No comments:
Post a Comment