Adjutant and Inspector General Reports
1865 Report
Troops in the Field
(continued)
The NINTH REGIMENT, at the date of my last Report, was stationed near Chapin's Farm (Chaffin's Farm), in front of Richmond, and was attached to the First Brigade, Second Division of the Eighteenth Army Corps. They remained in front of Richmond, with some changes in position, until its evacuation. While at Chapin's Farm (Chaffin's Farm) their flank rested upon the James, and they were confronted by most formidable works of the enemy, and threatened by the enemy's gunboats. On the 27th of October the regiment bore an honorable part in the affair of the Williamsburg road. Early in November the regiment was moved to the City of New York, to assist in preserving the peace during the Presidential election. While there the regiment proved themselves worthy of the trust reposed in them, and were highly complimented for their behaviour and their entire reliability. Not a men left his post, or his colors, although the very confidence reposed in them subjected them to greater temptations and afforded them greater facilities. The regiment returned to the brigade on the seventeenth of November. During this time Col. Ripley was in command of the brigade, and Lieut. Col. Barney commanded the regiment. In December Col. Ripley resumed command of the regiment.
In the re-organization of Army Corps, in December, the regiment was attached to the Second Brigade, Third Division of the Twenty Fourth Corps. By General Order from Corps Headquarters, dated January 17, 1865, an inspection of the regiments in each brigade was provided for, at stated times, with a view of determining which was the best regiment in the brigade, and then an inspection of the regiment, thus ascertained to be the best in each brigade, by the General commanding the division, for the purpose of determining which was the best regiment in the division. The Ninth Regiment entered into this competition with great spirit and determination, and by the perfection of their drill and discipline gained the post of honor in the division. On the twentieth of February it was pronounced the best in the brigade, and, under the provisions of the General Order, was excused from all picket and outside details for one week. On the six of March they were again pronounced the best in the brigade, and excused again from all picket and other outside details for one week. And on the tenth of March, after careful inspection at Division Headquarters, they were announced in orders to be the best regiment in the division,--a division consisting of twenty regiments, and which was, in the opinion of the Corps commander, "as completely fitted for the field as a command could well be,"--and the regiment was again excused from details for an additional week. The officers and men of the regiment were justly proud of the distinction which they had thus attained, not merely upon their own account, but for the honor thereby conferred on their State. I annex, in Appendix C, the several brigade and division orders, announcing the condition of the regiment.
Before the period had terminated, during which they had been excused from details, the men of the regiment made application to be allowed to again go upon duty, to relieve their comrades of the brigade, whose duties were rendered exceedingly arduous by the excuse of this regiment from duty. This genuine act of good nature called forth another complimentary order from division head quarters, which is also published in Appendix C.
The regiment was one of the first to enter Richmond after its evacuation, and was stationed in that city until mustered out. On the thirteenth of June the original members of the regiment and the recruits, whose terms of service were to expire previous to the first of October, were mustered out of service. The remaining members of the regiment were consolidated into a battalion of four companies, which was stationed at Richmond for a time, but was at Portsmouth, Va., at the date of the last report.
A communication from Brevet Major-Gen. Charles Devens, commanding the division, to the Governor of this State, highly complimentary to the regiment upon occasion of their muster-out is published in Appendix C.
The following statement shows the condition and station of the regiment at the several dates specified:
(see Legend, below)NINTH REGIMENT
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1864 | |||||||||
| Sep. 30, | Chaffins's Farm, Va. | 1129 | 754 | 237 | 14 | 2 | - | - | 122 |
| Oct. 31, | do | 1139 | 697 | 410 | 5 | 37 | - | - | 90 |
| Dec. 31, | do | 1136 | 743 | 383 | 6 | - | 4 | - | - |
| 1865 | |||||||||
| Jan. 31, | In the Field, Va. | 1018 | 718 | 290 | 7 | - | 3 | - | - |
| Feb. 28, | do | 1016 | 714 | 287 | 13 | - | 2 | - | - |
| Mar. 31, | do | 1034 | 745 | 273 | 8 | - | 6 | 2 | - |
| Apr. 30, | Richmond, Va. | 1041 | 792 | 234 | 9 | 1 | 5 | - | - |
| Battalion | |||||||||
| June 30 | Richmond, Va. | 408 | 282 | 113 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | - |
| Aug. 31, | Portsmouth, Va. | 388 | 249 | 126 | 6 | 3 | 4 | - | - |
The casualties in the regiment, during the year, have been as follows:--Mustered out of service, 656; transferred to Vermont Brigade, 86; transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, 5; discharged, 57; deserted, 20; died, 130; total, 954.
A - Date
B - Station.
C - Aggregate
D - On Duty
E - Sick
F - Absent with Leave
G - Absent without Leave
H - In arrest or confinement
I - Prisons
 Eighth Regiment |
Tenth Regiment |