Civil War CDV Union Lt William H Haynes 2nd/7th Connecticut, WIA James Island

Residence New Haven CT;  Enlisted on 4/22/1861 as a Private.   On 5/7/1861 he mustered into "G" Co. CT 2nd Infantry   He was Mustered Out on 8/7/1861 at New Haven, CT 

On 9/7/1861 he mustered into "G" Co. CT 7th Infantry  He Re-enlisted on 12/22/1863  He was Mustered Out on 7/20/1865 at Goldsboro, NC

He was listed as:

* Wounded 6/16/1862 James Island, SC   Promotions:

* Sergt 9/7/1861 (As of Co. G 7th CT Inf)

* 1st Sergt 6/23/1862 

* Private 4/26/1865 (At his own request, Reduced to ranks)

* 1st Lieut 4/28/1865 

Other Information:

born in 1841

died 7/21/1893 

Buried: Cedar Grove Cemetery, New London, CT

WRITTEN BY CAPTAIN WILLIAM H. PIERPONT, LATE OF COMPANY D, 

SEVENTH CONNECTICUT VOLUNTEERS.

     THE Seventh Regiment Connecticut Volunteers was organized 

at New Haven in August, 1861, under the first call for three 

years men, and contained a large percentage of the lately 

discharged three months volunteers.  Their previous experience, 

drill, and discipline so ably seconded the zeal of the officers 

that the regiment was soon reported ready for active service.  

Alfred H. Terry of New Haven, late Colonel of the Second 

Regiment, was commissioned Colonel, with Joseph R. Hawley of 

Hartford, late Captain of "Rifle Company A," of the First 

Regiment, as Lieutenant-Colonel, and George F. Gardiner of New 

Haven, as Major.

     The regiment, one thousand and eighteen strong, was 

mustered into the United States service at New Haven, September 

17, 1861, and started next day for Washington, D. C., where it 

was brigaded with the Sixth Connecticut and Third and Seventh 

New Hampshire regiments, under command of Brigadier-General 

Horatio G. Wright.*

     After three weeks of constant drill the regiment moved to 

Annapolis, Md., October 8th, where drill was continued until 

October 19th, when it embarked on steamer for Fortress Monroe, 

Va., the rendezvous of the Sherman-Dupont expedition, then 

preparing to sail under sealed orders.

     Leaving Fortress Monroe October 29th,and encountering a 

series of heavy gales which wrecked some vessels and scattered 

the fleet, the regiment arrived off Port Royal, S. C., November 

4th.  At the bombardment of Port Royal and the capture of Forts 

Walker and Beauregard on the 7th of November, the Seventh was 

the first regiment ashore and into the rebel fortifications, 

and its colors the first to float over the soil of South 

Carolina since her secession; an historic fact noted by 

Governor Buckingham in a congratulatory order which was read 

before every Connecticut regiment then in the field.

     After six weeks of very heavy work on the huge 

fortifications projected at Hilton Head, the Seventh occupied 

Tybee Island, at the mouth of the Savannah River, Ga., December 

19, 1861, and devoted the entire winter to the erection of 

masked batteries for the reduction of Fort Pulaski, situated on 

Cockspur Island, adjoining.  This was a most arduous task, 

owing to the swampy nature of the soil and close proximity to 

the fort, which compelled the men to work on the batteries only 

by night, while the days were devoted to landing artillery and 

ordnance stores two miles farther down the beach (beyond the 

range of the rebel guns), and in drilling as heavy artillerists 

for the bombardment when the batteries were finally completed.  

The work of hauling timber for the batteries, a well as 

removing the immense guns and mortars more than two miles 

through deep, shifting sands, or deeper and apparently 

bottomless swamps, where the ponderous "sling-carts" crushed 

the corduroy roads deep into the treacherous morass (often 

needing the entire available force of the regiment to move a 

single gun), was a most formidable undertaking indeed, being 

all done by night, as the batteries were built upon an open 

marsh, where there were neither trees nor bushes to conceal 

operations by day; but the work was completed early in April, 

1862.

     The first 13-inch mortars used during the war were mounted 

and manned by men of the Seventh, who were drilled by an 

officer of the regular artillery in the intervals between 

"night fatigue" details.

     During the bombardment of Fort Pulaski, on the 10th and 

11th of April, 1862, the Seventh manned nine of the eleven 

batteries engaged, being under fire more than thirty hours, 

rendering most efficient service, and was once more accorded 

the honor of being the first to enter and occupy the captured 

fortress.

     Then followed many weeks of "fatigue duty," the Yankee 

facility of adaptation soon transforming the late amateur 

artillerists into equally expert bricklayers, every available 

man being employed in rebuilding the fort so lately battered 

down, or in dismounting and removing the heavy guns in the 

batteries on Tybee Island.

     May 19, 1862, Colonel Terry was promoted to Brigadier-

General of volunteers, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hawley to the 

vacant colonelcy.

     June 1st the regiment left Fort Pulaski, and on the 6th 

occupied James Island, S. C., the first step towards the 

investment of Charleston.

     Frequent skirmishes and an incessant shelling of our lines 

followed this and subsequent advances, and on June 16th 

culminated in the battle of Secessionville or James Island.  

The Seventh was one of the leading regiments to attack and last 

to retreat, fighting stubbornly to the rear, losing eighty-

three officers and men (a large percentage killed), and 

receiving the warmest praise from brigade and division 

commanders.  Holding their position in the face of a victorious 

enemy in superior numbers until July 20th, they then evacuated 

James Island and returned to Hilton Head, after a bloody and 

dearly bought experience at the front.

     Offensive operations at various points in the Department 

of the South kept the Seventh constantly employed, though with 

slight losses, until October 22, 1862, when they were engaged 

in the battle of Pocotaligo, S. C., sustaining a loss of 

twenty-nine killed and wounded.

     Frequent expeditions all along the coast from Charleston, 

S. C., to St. Augustine, Fla., divided the regiment for many 

months into small battalions, one of which, consisting of 

Companies A, B, I, and K, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel 

Daniel C. Rodman, led the charges on Morris Island, S. C., July 

10th, and on Fort Wagner July 11, 1863.  The attack on Fort 

Wagner was made at night.  The Seventh gained and carried one 

face of the fort, but the supporting regiments were unable to 

endure the heavy fire and fell back in disorder before reaching 

the fort, leaving the little battalion entirely unsupported.  

Holding their position more than an hour, nearly surrounded, 

outnumbered five to one, their only field officer (Lieutenant-

Colonel Rodman) dangerously wounded, and no re-enforcements 

being sent to their aid, they had to retreat two miles down an 

open beach under an enfilading fire of artillery and infantry, 

without cover or support, losing 104 out of 191 officers and 

men.  The general commanding announced "The Seventh Connecticut 

has covered itself with glory."

     Strengthened by the arrival of Colonel Hawley with the 

remaining six companies from Florida, the Seventh took a 

prominent part in the siege of Forts Wagner, Gregg, and Sumter, 

building "Swamp-angel Battery," etc., besides furnishing heavy 

details of officers and men for artillerists, having sole 

charge of the 300-pound rifled Parrott, the heaviest gun on the 

island.

     Pushing their trenches constantly forward under a very 

heavy and continuous fire, night and day, five distinct lines 

of earthworks were finally erected, though with heavy loss, the 

fifth parallel being established within thirty yards of the 

face of Fort Wagner, and preparations were being made for 

carrying the fort by storm when the rebels evacuated the island 

on the night of September 7th, leaving us in possession of 

their works.

     These were at once rebuilt (to face the other way) under 

the concentrated fire of ten heavy batteries, from which we 

suffered many casualties.  Heavy guns were mounted, which 

commanded the entire city of Charleston, as well as their whole 

line of batteries, effectually checking all offensive 

demonstrations, and on the 16th of October, 1863, the Seventh 

returned to Hilton Head, having been in the trenches and 

constantly under fire for ninety-eight days.

     Encamping at once on St. Helena Island, the entire 

regiment commenced drilling as "boat infantry," manning a fleet 

of flat-bottomed boats, each carrying twenty men, propelled by 

six paddles on a side instead of oars, to insure noiseless 

manoeuvers.  Gaining the required proficiency in this 

amphibious warfare after two weeks of constant drill (in which 

the veterans declared they were fast becoming "web-footed"), 

the regiment was sent back to Folly Island under special 

orders, and held in readiness for a night attack upon Fort 

Sumter from October 30th till November 17th, when the project 

was abandoned.

     Returning to St. Helena Island, the regiment was relieved 

from boat duty and resumed infantry drill.  Early in December 

their old Enfield rifles were exchanged for Spencer repeating 

carbines, their sadly thinned ranks were again filled to the 

maximum by recruits from the North, and drilling was continued 

with increased vigor to put the new material on a war basis.

     During December, 1863, three hundred and thirty-three 

original members of the regiment re-enlisted for three years 

under the provisions of the "Veteran Act," and on January 13, 

1864, went North for a furlough of thirty days in the State.  

The remainder of the regiment soon went on an expedition into 

Florida, and were engaged in the battle of Olustee, February 

20, 1864.  During the inland march from Jacksonville the 

Seventh was in the advance during the entire day, and on the 

skirmish line next day when the battle opened, was actively 

engaged until its close, losing sixty-nine officers and men; 

then covered the retreat, acting as rear-guard for eighteen 

miles, doing much by coolness and courage to retrieve the 

disasters of the expedition.  On the second day's march, still 

in the rear, they pushed by hand along the railroad several 

abandoned cars loaded with valuable stores, which were brought 

safely into Jacksonville.

     Encamping on the line of outposts at "Six-Mile Creek," 

where they were rejoined by the returning "veterans" early in 

March, the next six weeks were spent in the most arduous and 

trying duties at the extreme front.

     April 13th they were ordered to Fortress Monroe, Va., and 

thence to Gloucester Point, Va., to report to General Wistar, 

and on May 5th started up the James River under General 

Benjamin F. Butler.

     May 6th the regiment was assigned a position on the 

Bermuda Hundred front, constantly reconnoitering and 

skirmishing till the 10th, when it took part in the battle of 

Chester Station.  From the 10th till the 17th it was almost 

continually engaged at various points in the advance on 

Richmond, losing two hundred and five men.

     June 5th the Seventh was in action on the Bermuda Hundred 

front, losing ninety-four men, and again on the 17th, with a 

loss of thirty men.

     Constant skirmishing and outpost duty, with frequent 

casualties, gave the regiment no rest day or night, and on 

August 13th it crossed to the north bank of the James River; 

was in action at Deep Bottom on the 14th and 15th, and at Deep 

Run August 16th and 18th, with an aggregate loss of forty-five 

men.

     On September 17th Colonel Hawley, who had commanded 

brigades for months, was promoted to Brigadier-General.  

Lieutenant-Colonel Rodman had been disabled early in May, and 

Major Sanford was captured June 2d, so the Seventh was 

virtually commanded by line officers during the greater part of 

the "battle summer" of 1864.

     From September 29th to October 27th the Seventh 

participated in five engagements before Richmond, losing in all 

seventy-nine men from a small battalion of less than two 

hundred.

     November 2d the regiment joined a detachment sent to New 

York to assist in quelling the draft riots, but none of the 

force was landed.  Remaining on transports until November 14th, 

and then returning to the Richmond front, this brilliant record 

of service in Virginia closed with two months of winter outpost 

duty under shelter tents.

     January 3, 1865, the Seventh, as a part of "Abbott's 

Brigade," accompanied General Alfred H. Terry on the "second 

Fort Fisher expedition," leading the final and victorious 

charge of the brigade after the charge of the sailors and 

marines was repulsed with heavy loss.

     A series of minor engagements during the hotly contested 

advance upon Wilmington resulted in the capture of that city 

February 22, 1865, and the enemy was being steadily pushed back 

towards Raleigh when the surrender of the Confederate army 

under General Johnston virtually ended the war in North 

Carolina.

     The Seventh Regiment was mustered out of service at 

Goldsboro, N. C., July 20, 1865, returning by rail to City 

Point, Va., thence by steamer to New Haven, where it arrived 

July 29th, and went into camp at Grapevine Point until final 

payment and discharge August 11, 1865, after serving three 

years, eleven months, and twenty-five days.

*Wright's Brigade, as finally organized under Sherman, was 

reported, February 28, 1862, to consist of the Sixth 

Connecticut Volunteers, Seventh Connecticut Volunteers, Ninth 

Maine, Fourth New Hampshire, and Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania 

regiments.  See official Records War of Rebellion, Vol. VI, p. 

237.

     ENGAGEMENTS.

Fort Pulaski, Ga., April 10-11, 1862.

James Island, S. C., June 16, 1862.

Pocotaligo, S. C., Oct. 22, 1862.

Morris Island, S. C., July 10, 1863.

Fort Wagner, S. C., July 11, 1863.

Fort Wagner, S. C., July to October, 1863.

Olustee, Fla., Feb. 24, 1864.

Chester Station, Va., May 10, 1864.

Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 10-17, 1864.

Bermuda Hundred, Va., June 2, 1864.

Bermuda Hundred, Va., June 17, 1864.

Deep Bottom, Va., Aug. 14-15, 1864.

Deep Run, Va., Aug. 16-18, 1864.

Chapin's Farm, Va., Sep. 29, 1864.

Near Richmond, Va., Oct. 1, 1864.

Newmarket Road, Va., Oct. 7, 1864.

Darbytown Road, Va., Oct. 13, 1864.

Charles City Road, Va., Oct. 27, 1864.

Fort Fisher, N. C., Jan. 15-19, 1865.