Chelsea played a prominent part in the Civil War. During the years
of 1861-1865 Chelsea not only provided men for service, but provided
financial aid and support of the war effort. The service men were
highly spirited, with intense patriotism, pride and determination to
fight for the cause in which they believed. Chelsea entered the Civil
War era with a population of 13,395 persons of which 2,175 enlisted
in the service of their country, of these 167 died in action. Chelsea
always filled its quota of army volunteers required by the government.
The Chelsea Light Infantry, was called immediately, disbanded as a
militia unit, and was formed into Company H, First Massachusetts
Volunteer Infantry Regiment under command of Captain Sumner Carruth.
Captain Carruth lived on Washington Avenue and advanced to the rank
of Brevet General before the war’s end. The regiment was shipped
immediately to protect Washington, D.C. Four months later Company H
was involved in the First Battle of Bull Run, in which five Chelsea
soldiers died in action. A few months later, four more Chelsea men
died in action, in the Battle at Yorktown. The seriousness of the war
impacted the families of Chelsea.
Many stories of individual heroism abound in the ranks of Chelsea
servicemen in the Civil War. Marcus Haskell of Company C 35th
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was awarded the Medal of Honor for
heroism performed while wounded and under enemy fire at the Battle of
Antietam September 17, 1862. Sergeant Haskell remained in the army
until war’s end despite being wounded six different times. Sergeant
Haskell is buried near Centerville on Cape Cod.
Michael Coyne joined the Navy at the beginning of the war. Coyne
was on the frigate, U.S. Cumberland. The Cumberland on, March 8,
1862, was located at Hampden Roads, when the first Confederate
ironclad the Merrimac appeared. The Cumberland gave full broadside to
the Merrimac, some shot entering open ports, killing or wounding
nineteen Confederate sailors, the remaining shot bounced off the
frigate like peas. After a two and one half hour battle, the
Cumberland was rammed by the Merrimac and the Cumberland sunk with
guns still smoking. Of the 376 men on board, 121 were killed and many
more wounded. Michael Coyne was rescued but quit the Navy and joined
the Army for the remainder of the War. Michael Coyne, the “last
living member of the Cumberland Crew” passed away in 1906 and is
buried in the Civil War Lot in Forestdale Cemetary, Malden.
With the blockade, the North had control of the North Carolina
Sound, Roanoke Island and the fort at Plymouth. Secretly in a
cornfield up the Roanoke River, the Confederates built an ironclad
ram they named, Albermarle. The Albermarle slipped down the river and
assisted the Confederate troops recapture Plymouth, also destroying
and scattering the Union flotilla. The Albermarle raised havoc with
the Union blockade for a few months. Naval Lieutenant William B.
Cushing projected a spar from the bow of a thirty foot picket boat.
From the spar hung a torpedo with three halyards, to set the depth,
release and trigger the device. Cushing was discovered as he began
his attempt, but in the bonfires’ light he saw a log boom protecting
the ram. Pulling back about a hundred yards, Cushing gave it full
steam. The small boat hit and slid over the boom toward the ram.
Cushing worked the halyards successfully, exploding the torpedo and
blowing a hole in the bottom of the Albermarle. Of the fifteen men on
the picket boat, only Cushing and one other man escaped that night,
October 27, 1864. William Barker Cushing was well known in Chelsea
while staying at his uncle Joshua Loring’s house, 60 Fourth Street.
William’s brother Alonzo was a first lieutenant, Battery A Fourth U.
S. Artillery. Alonzo’s Artillery was placed at the stone wall of what
became known as the ‘high water mark of the Confederacy’ during
Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. Fatally wounded and holding his
stomach in with his hand, Alonzo kept his gun firing, stopping the
charge before falling dead. Confederate General Lewis Armistead,
leading his men on by waving his hat on his sword, fell mortality
wounded before Alonzo’s gun.
New Chelsea recruits reported to Camp Stanton, by Lake Suntaug in
Lynnfield. The new recruits trained in a single company. When the
training period finished, ten companies combined to form a regiment
and were shipped to areas of need. All this for thirteen dollars a
month and a clothing allowance of $42 a year.