CONNECTICUT 9TH INFANTRY

Three Years Ninth Infantry.-Col., Thomas W. Cahill; Lieut.-Cols., Richard Fitzgibbons, John G. Healy; Maj., Frederick Frye. This regiment, mainly composed of men of Irish birth, was recruited during the fall of 1861 at Camp English, New Haven. Col. Cahill had been a popular militia officer, and both Lieut.-Col. Fitzgibbons and Maj. Frye had been captains in the three months' service. From the first the regiment was designed to form part of Butler's New England expedition, and was destined to see most of its service in the Department of the Gulf. It was mustered into the U.S. service Nov. 1, 1861, for three years, and three days later left for Lowell, Mass., without arms and poorly clothed. On Nov. 26, with the 26th Mass., it sailed on the Constitution for Ship island, Miss., where it arrived on Dec. 3. Here it received arms and tents and remained encamped until April 3,1862, when it engaged in an expedition, with a section of the 6th Mass. battery, to Biloxi and Pass Christian. After the capture of New Orleans, it proceeded to that city, where it was the first Union regiment to make a public parade through the streets. It was then employed on provost duty in the city, Col. Cahill being assigned to command of the defenses, until June, when it was ordered to a point opposite Vicksburg, Miss., and employed for some days in cutting a canal to divert the Mississippi river from Vicksburg, but the work was finally abandoned. The first important engagement of the 9th was at Baton Rouge, Aug. 5, 1862, where its casualties numbered 14. Early in September it participated in an expedition to the vicinity of St. Charles Court House, and then proceeded to New Orleans, which remained its headquarters during the whole of 1863, though the various companies were stationed at widely separated points. During the month of June, 1863, part of the regiment was engaged at La Fourche crossing and Chacahoula Station. Over 300 of the original members reenlisted in the winter of 1863-64 for a term of three years, and returned home on veteran furlough in April, 1864. On July 16, they rejoined the regiment, which arrived at Bermuda Hundred, Va., on the 24th and participated in a demonstration against the enemy at Deep Bottom on the 28th. It then embarked for Washington, whence it moved to Tenallytown, and on Aug. 14 it crossed the Potomac and moved to Berryville. It shared from this time in Gen. Sheridan's campaign up the Shenandoah Valley, being actively engaged at Winchester and at Fisher's hill. At Cedar hill in October the officers and men who had not reenlisted were mustered out, the veterans and recruits were organized as a battalion of four companies, under command of Capt. Healy, and bore an honorable part in the desperate battle of Cedar creek, losing 30 men killed and wounded. The battalion remained in Virginia until Jan. 7, 1865, when it was ordered to Baltimore, whence it sailed for Fortress Monroe and then for Savannah, Ga. While at Savannah it dispersed a force of guerrillas on Dawfuski island, after which it was ordered to Hilton Head, S.C., and there served under Gen. Gillmore until Aug. 3, 1865, when it embarked for New Haven, where it was finally mustered out and discharged. Including the service of the battalion the regiment was in active service for 3 years and 9 months. The original muster-in rolls of the regiment bore the names of 845 officers and men; it received about 440 recruits and 321 veterans reenlisted, making a total enrollment of 1,606 names. Its casualties were 8 killed and mortally wounded; 18 wounded; 17 captured; 240 died of disease, accident or in prison; 116 were discharged for disability and 73 were unaccounted for at muster out.

Connecticut 9th Volunteer Infantry Battalion (Union)

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