Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) * * * * * +-----------------------------------------------------------+ | Transcriber's Note: | | | | This e-book contains archaic spelling which has not been | | modernized. To avoid confusion a list has been provided | | at the end of this document. | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------+ * * * * * PERSONAL NARRATIVES OF EVENTS IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION, BEING PAPERS READ BEFORE THE RHODE ISLAND SOLDIERS AND SAILORS HISTORICAL SOCIETY. NO. 7.... SECOND SERIES. [Illustration] PROVIDENCE: N. BANGS WILLIAMS & CO. 1880. Copyrighted by N. BANGS WILLIAMS. 1880. REMINISCENCES OF TWO YEARS WITH THE COLORED TROOPS. BY J.M. ADDEMAN, [LATE CAPTAIN FOURTEENTH R.I. HEAVY ARTILLERY, COLORED.] PROVIDENCE: N. BANGS WILLIAMS & CO. 1880. Copyrighted by N. BANGS WILLIAMS. 1880. PRINTED BY E.L. FREEMAN & CO. REMINISCENCES OF TWO YEARS WITH THE COLORED TROOPS. The circumstances attending the organizing of a colored regiment in this State are well remembered. In the summer of 1863, white men were no longer eager to enlist for a war the end of which none could foresee; but nevertheless the war must be prosecuted with vigor; another draft was impending and the State's quota must be filled. With difficulty Governor Smith obtained permission to organize a company, and, as this rapidly filled, then a battalion, and finally a full regiment of twelve companies of colored men for heavy artillery duty. In common with many others I did not at the outset look with particular favor upon the scheme. But with some hesitation I accepted an appointment from the State as a second lieutenant and reported for duty at Camp Smith, on the Dexter Training Ground, in this city. After serving here for some weeks in the fall of 1863, in the organizing of companies and forwarding them to Dutch Island, where the regiment was in camp, I successfully passed an examination before what was known as "Casey's Board," and after some preliminary service with a company of the third battalion, was assigned to the command of Company H of the second battalion, with whose fortunes my lot was cast till the close of our term of service. On the turtle-backed crown of Dutch Island we remained amid fierce storms and the howling winds that swept with keen edge over the waters of the Narragansett, until the 20th of January, 1864, when, as I was about to make a visit home, the transport, Daniel Webster, appeared in the harbor and orders were issued to prepare for