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The 21st was a central Massachusetts regiment, organized in Worcester in the summer of 1861. At the end of August, they were sent to Annapolis, Md., to complete their training, and were then based at the Naval Academy, with a detachment a few miles away at Annapolis Junction. So impressed was Maryland Governor Thomas Hicks with them, that he requested directly to the War Dept. that the 21st Mass. be "retained at Annapolis and the Junction because of the exemplary conduct of the men." Colonel Augustus Morse was delighted … the men, who found the assignment "disagreeable and tedious" were not delighted.
Regimental historian Capt. Charles Walcott relates:
"We soon fell into disfavor with our friend Governor Hicks. One of his slaves had been seen to be passed by the guard into the Academy grounds, and the governor came in person to get him. Receiving no assistance from Captain Walker, the officer of the day, the governor complained to Colonel Morse, who at once summoned the captains to his headquarters: the colonel, after commenting severely on our base ingratitude to the governor, if we ran off one of his negroes after his kindness in saving us from the 'red hot shells' of Fort Sumter, ordered the officer of the day to have the buildings searched until the fugitive was found. Captain Walker, however, met the emergency like a man; saying that he did not come South to hunt slaves, he tore off his sash, threw it on the floor, and told the colonel to detail another officer for that sort of duty. Every captain was in turn detailed for the duty, and each followed Captain Walker's example in refusing to undertake it. The angry governor said that he would go to (department commander) General Dix, and if necessary to Washington, for redress, and left us, with the warm assurance that we should be sorry for that day's work. Meanwhile, the innocent cause of this pleasing little epivsode was hidden in a chimney of one of the buildings, and escaped as soon as it was dark, in a boat which some of the men kindly stole for him in the town. Although, first and last, we ran a good many negroes out of Maryland, we had more fun out of this case than any other."
Early in January, the 21st Mass. finally left Annapolis with Burnside's Coast Expedition, and went on to three more years of combat in both Eastern and Western Theaters. Col. Morse remained behind, taking command of the Annapolis post, which was quite as close to the "red hot shells" as he cared to be.
Charles Folsom Walcott, History of the Twenty-first Regiment Mass. Volunteers (p.11)
https://archive.org/details/historytwentyfi00walcgoog
Regimental historian Capt. Charles Walcott relates:
"We soon fell into disfavor with our friend Governor Hicks. One of his slaves had been seen to be passed by the guard into the Academy grounds, and the governor came in person to get him. Receiving no assistance from Captain Walker, the officer of the day, the governor complained to Colonel Morse, who at once summoned the captains to his headquarters: the colonel, after commenting severely on our base ingratitude to the governor, if we ran off one of his negroes after his kindness in saving us from the 'red hot shells' of Fort Sumter, ordered the officer of the day to have the buildings searched until the fugitive was found. Captain Walker, however, met the emergency like a man; saying that he did not come South to hunt slaves, he tore off his sash, threw it on the floor, and told the colonel to detail another officer for that sort of duty. Every captain was in turn detailed for the duty, and each followed Captain Walker's example in refusing to undertake it. The angry governor said that he would go to (department commander) General Dix, and if necessary to Washington, for redress, and left us, with the warm assurance that we should be sorry for that day's work. Meanwhile, the innocent cause of this pleasing little epivsode was hidden in a chimney of one of the buildings, and escaped as soon as it was dark, in a boat which some of the men kindly stole for him in the town. Although, first and last, we ran a good many negroes out of Maryland, we had more fun out of this case than any other."
Early in January, the 21st Mass. finally left Annapolis with Burnside's Coast Expedition, and went on to three more years of combat in both Eastern and Western Theaters. Col. Morse remained behind, taking command of the Annapolis post, which was quite as close to the "red hot shells" as he cared to be.
Charles Folsom Walcott, History of the Twenty-first Regiment Mass. Volunteers (p.11)
https://archive.org/details/historytwentyfi00walcgoog
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