- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Location
- Central Massachusetts
Frank S. Knight was a 25 year old clerk, From Warren, Mass., when he enlisted in Company D, 31st Massachusetts Volunteers ("The Western Mass. Regiment"), on September 14, 1861.
The 31st Mass., including Frank Knight, was the first Federal regiment ashore in New Orleans on May 1st, 1862, escorting Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler into the city. Company D was part of the regiment that remained in New Orleans for several weeks, as Provost Guard. They were quartered at the Customs House. In this letter to his mother, dated May 9th, Pvt. Knight gives us a glimpse at life in the newly occupied city.
Head Quarters of the Gulf
31st Regiment Mass. Volunteers
New Orleans, May 9th, 1862
My dear Mother
Six months today my name was enrolled upon U.S. paper. Never shall I forget my feelings that night as I lay upon my comfortable bed thinking that tomorrow I should bid adieu to my dearest friends on earth to go forth to fight the battles of my country. This day has not passed unmindful of my birthday and I feel grateful to God for having spared my life thus far. It is a painful task, for me to inform you of the death of young Ruggles at Ship Island. He died in the afternoon of April 16th. Yet the steamer was out of hailing distance which bore his comrades in Arms to this City. Alfred was much respected and universally beloved by every one of his company and his death is deeply felt by all of us. He was a patient sufferer through a long series of acute diseases and Dr. Bidwell, our assistant surgeon, who had attended him from the time he first came down with the Croup at camp Seward, said he never heard him utter one word of complaint. He always charged me never to write to his folks how sick he was, and if I said anything, “speak of me as being much better”. I saw him and had a long conversation with him the day before we sailed. He felt badly because he was obliged to be left behind the Regiment. He was left with his friends and did not want for attention. Alfred was one of the first to enlist in Co. D from Hardwick, and to do so he gave up a pleasant home and fireside and many bright prospects, but he promptly relinquished all the comforts of home to defend his Country and Cause. While the cheering news of the glorious Union victories is carrying joy and hope from one end of the country to the other, I cannot but feel sad to think of the desolation and sorrow it brings to those who are called to mourn the death of a dear departed one. For his father, mother, brothers, sisters, I feel for them with the sincerest sentiments of sympathy.
We are still quartered at the Custom House, but most of our Regiment have been taken away to do guard duty, and more tonight than usual on account of expected trouble. The General made a haul of 2 millions of specie today in the house of the French Consul, and considerable excitement is up in consequence, otherwise the world renowned and long dreaded City of New Orleans is very quiet as far as rebellion is concerned. The terrors of masked batteries and rebel guns no longer make us falter. “The City is ours.” Active preparations are going on for the advance up the River. Several Regiments have already gone and more are all ready. The 31st will stay here to do Provost duty, we now occupy the most central building in the City for our hospital and barracks. Gen. Butler is going to set all the idlers and unemployed people about the City to work. We are also raising a Battery. We have several recruiting offices in operation. Those who enlisted to fight for the Union are mostly foreigners.
This morning I got up quite early and done up my writing and went over the River to Algiers. We had a nice horse and buggy and after driving around the place we came back to New Orleans and took a turn on the shell road.
Tomorrow, Sunday, Gen. Butler distributes 1000/bbls. of beef to the poor and also pork and rice. We have made some large confiscations of sugar, molasses, rice, and beef, cattle (wild Texas). Butler has ordered every method of furnishing food to the poor of this City. The hunger does not pinch the wealthy and the leaders of the rebellion, who got up this war. They have caused provisions to be carried out of the City for Confederate service. Since the occupation of U.S. forces, they have burned cotton, and tumbled thousands of bbls. of sugar into the River, which otherwise might have been exchanged for food, but instead of which they have destroyed property and eloped with the specie stolen from the U.S., thus leaving them to ruin and starvation. I pity from the bottom of my heart the poor fellows who have been seized and forced into the army, while the nabobs have had the handling — they made their sons and nephews officers. I would like to see these streets run red with blood and piled up dead bodies of these leaders, but you cannot find [BLANK].
But I must close my letter for it is now after ten o’clock and the whole building is hushed in sleep and nothing is to be heard save the sentinels’ tread on the pavement. We have a heavy guard on all the time, both day and night. Our cannons are placed at each corner of the buildings and two on top, also around the St. Charles. The weather has been delightful for the last two days — about an even temperature. We have none of us had the “Yellow Jack” that the Secesh are chuckling themselves over — on us Yankees. The fear of being sick troubles me more than anything else. I am very careful what I eat and drink, and don’t touch much fruit. Oranges come in now by the cart loads as big as my head. Bread is very scarce — flour being worth from $25 to $50 per bbl. — butter cannot be had at any price — milk 10 [cents] per qt. — sugar and molasses cheap enough and lots of it. I shall expect to hear from you in a few days. Tell Fannie I received the walnut-meat and eat it — am much obliged. Remember me with much love to all the family and hoping this letter will find you in good health, I am, Dear Mother,
Your affectionate son,
Frank
Direct New Orleans
Care of Col. O.P. Gooding
31st Reg. M.V.M.
Midnight, 12 o’clock
I have been to bed, but the mosquitos are so thick could not go to sleep. They almost take one out of bed. You can hear them buzz all around the room. I wish I had one of your veils.
Some months later, the 31st would be reassigned to Fort Jackson, where Frank Knight would continue as a Clerk in the Adjutant's Department. Early in December, he was promoted Sergeant. He may have been spared much of the hard fatigue duty of the Infantry, but life was still perilous. On Dec. 14, 1862, Frank Knight was admitted to St. James' Hospital in New Orleans, with what was diagnosed as "Febris Remitten" (remittant fever). He died there on January 10, 1863.
___________________
Head Quarters of the Gulf
31st Regiment Mass. Volunteers
New Orleans, May 9th, 1862
My dear Mother
Six months today my name was enrolled upon U.S. paper. Never shall I forget my feelings that night as I lay upon my comfortable bed thinking that tomorrow I should bid adieu to my dearest friends on earth to go forth to fight the battles of my country. This day has not passed unmindful of my birthday and I feel grateful to God for having spared my life thus far. It is a painful task, for me to inform you of the death of young Ruggles at Ship Island. He died in the afternoon of April 16th. Yet the steamer was out of hailing distance which bore his comrades in Arms to this City. Alfred was much respected and universally beloved by every one of his company and his death is deeply felt by all of us. He was a patient sufferer through a long series of acute diseases and Dr. Bidwell, our assistant surgeon, who had attended him from the time he first came down with the Croup at camp Seward, said he never heard him utter one word of complaint. He always charged me never to write to his folks how sick he was, and if I said anything, “speak of me as being much better”. I saw him and had a long conversation with him the day before we sailed. He felt badly because he was obliged to be left behind the Regiment. He was left with his friends and did not want for attention. Alfred was one of the first to enlist in Co. D from Hardwick, and to do so he gave up a pleasant home and fireside and many bright prospects, but he promptly relinquished all the comforts of home to defend his Country and Cause. While the cheering news of the glorious Union victories is carrying joy and hope from one end of the country to the other, I cannot but feel sad to think of the desolation and sorrow it brings to those who are called to mourn the death of a dear departed one. For his father, mother, brothers, sisters, I feel for them with the sincerest sentiments of sympathy.
We are still quartered at the Custom House, but most of our Regiment have been taken away to do guard duty, and more tonight than usual on account of expected trouble. The General made a haul of 2 millions of specie today in the house of the French Consul, and considerable excitement is up in consequence, otherwise the world renowned and long dreaded City of New Orleans is very quiet as far as rebellion is concerned. The terrors of masked batteries and rebel guns no longer make us falter. “The City is ours.” Active preparations are going on for the advance up the River. Several Regiments have already gone and more are all ready. The 31st will stay here to do Provost duty, we now occupy the most central building in the City for our hospital and barracks. Gen. Butler is going to set all the idlers and unemployed people about the City to work. We are also raising a Battery. We have several recruiting offices in operation. Those who enlisted to fight for the Union are mostly foreigners.
This morning I got up quite early and done up my writing and went over the River to Algiers. We had a nice horse and buggy and after driving around the place we came back to New Orleans and took a turn on the shell road.
Tomorrow, Sunday, Gen. Butler distributes 1000/bbls. of beef to the poor and also pork and rice. We have made some large confiscations of sugar, molasses, rice, and beef, cattle (wild Texas). Butler has ordered every method of furnishing food to the poor of this City. The hunger does not pinch the wealthy and the leaders of the rebellion, who got up this war. They have caused provisions to be carried out of the City for Confederate service. Since the occupation of U.S. forces, they have burned cotton, and tumbled thousands of bbls. of sugar into the River, which otherwise might have been exchanged for food, but instead of which they have destroyed property and eloped with the specie stolen from the U.S., thus leaving them to ruin and starvation. I pity from the bottom of my heart the poor fellows who have been seized and forced into the army, while the nabobs have had the handling — they made their sons and nephews officers. I would like to see these streets run red with blood and piled up dead bodies of these leaders, but you cannot find [BLANK].
But I must close my letter for it is now after ten o’clock and the whole building is hushed in sleep and nothing is to be heard save the sentinels’ tread on the pavement. We have a heavy guard on all the time, both day and night. Our cannons are placed at each corner of the buildings and two on top, also around the St. Charles. The weather has been delightful for the last two days — about an even temperature. We have none of us had the “Yellow Jack” that the Secesh are chuckling themselves over — on us Yankees. The fear of being sick troubles me more than anything else. I am very careful what I eat and drink, and don’t touch much fruit. Oranges come in now by the cart loads as big as my head. Bread is very scarce — flour being worth from $25 to $50 per bbl. — butter cannot be had at any price — milk 10 [cents] per qt. — sugar and molasses cheap enough and lots of it. I shall expect to hear from you in a few days. Tell Fannie I received the walnut-meat and eat it — am much obliged. Remember me with much love to all the family and hoping this letter will find you in good health, I am, Dear Mother,
Your affectionate son,
Frank
Direct New Orleans
Care of Col. O.P. Gooding
31st Reg. M.V.M.
Midnight, 12 o’clock
I have been to bed, but the mosquitos are so thick could not go to sleep. They almost take one out of bed. You can hear them buzz all around the room. I wish I had one of your veils.
_______________________________
Some months later, the 31st would be reassigned to Fort Jackson, where Frank Knight would continue as a Clerk in the Adjutant's Department. Early in December, he was promoted Sergeant. He may have been spared much of the hard fatigue duty of the Infantry, but life was still perilous. On Dec. 14, 1862, Frank Knight was admitted to St. James' Hospital in New Orleans, with what was diagnosed as "Febris Remitten" (remittant fever). He died there on January 10, 1863.
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