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N the third of May, 1861, President Lincoln issued his second call for troops, to serve for a period of three years unless sooner discharged. Recruiting had been vigorously kept up from the first outbreak of hostilities, and the enlistments were still freely tendered. The presence of the Governor, who seemed with wise foresight to anticipate the needs of the General Government, contributed to keep up the public interest in securing volunteers. With tireless devotion he sought to second every appeal of the National Executive, and through him Connecticut, and Norwich too, were kept fully abreast of the calls from time

to time made upon them for men. The reverse at Bull Run seemed to rouse anew the patriotic spirit of our citizens, while the zeal of private individuals and the liberal action of the town gave a fresh impetus to recruiting. The Fourth and Fifth Regiments had already been accepted by the War Department for three years, as the condition of receiving from the State the second and third three months' regiments, which were really in excess of Connecticut's quota under the first call for troops. In the Fourth, Norwich was represented by Major Henry W. Birge, Assistant Surgeon Edwin Bentley, with some eighteen or twenty men scattered through the different companies. was mustered into service at Hartford in June, 1861, and sent to Chambersburg and associated with General Patterson's troops. In November it was stationed at Fort Richardson, near Washington. In January, 1862, the regiment was changed from infantry into artillery; and under the management of Robert O. Tyler, who was appointed Colonel, reorganized as the First Artillery. Major Birge was, meanwhile, transferred to the command of the Thirteenth Regiment Infantry.

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For the Fifth Regiment a fine Irish company had been recruited from this city, called the Jackson Guards, under Captain Thomas Maguire. Some disagreement concerning the regiment's arms, and the appointment of subalterns, led to the revoking of Colonel Colt's commission, and the regiment was disbanded. The greater portion of the Norwich Company reorganized, and was accepted into the First Regiment Heavy Artillery of New York. Captain Maguire subsequently became Major in the New York service. William A. Berry, a member of the company, was chosen Captain, and after serving full three years, was killed at the siege of Petersburg. He was succeeded by Captain Thomas Scott, also of the Norwich company.

The Fifth Regiment was then reorganized, and Orris S. Ferry commissioned Colonel. It was mustered into service July, 1861. In this regiment Norwich had no officers, and not over twenty privates. It was first sent to Virginia, where it served creditably in many sharp conflicts with the enemy. At the battle of Cedar Mountain, among those who fell bravely fighting, was Sergeant Alexander S. Avery, of Norwich, August ninth, 1862. At the hard fought battle of Resaca, Ga., May fifteenth, 1864, out of ten men who had reënlisted from Norwich, four were reported wounded, - John G. Blake, Thos. W. Baird, Delano N. Carpenter, Stephen Corcoran.

On the fifteenth of August the Governor issued orders for receiving volunteers for the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Regiments, a part of Connecticut's quota under the recent call of the President. Recruiting offices were opened by some of those who had served in the three months' campaign, and every effort by citizens and former soldiers was made to have Norwich well represented in the new regiments.

The Sixth Regiment received a company recruited mainly in Windham County, by Captain W. G. Ely of this city, who was appointed Lieutenant-colonel, vice Edward Harland, but was soon transferred to the command of the Eighteenth. The Quartermaster, and twelve enlisted Germans, were from Norwich. Alfred P. Rockwell of Norwich was appointed, in June, 1864, to the colonelcy vacated by the death of Colonel Chatfield. Mr. Rockwell had previously served as Captain of the First Light Battery, C. V., and had been stationed on James Island, and other parts of the Carolina coast, coöperating in the siege of Charleston.

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To the Seventh Regiment Norwich sent one company under Captain John B. Dennis, who had served three months in the Massachusetts Sixth. This was the first reg