CIVIL WAR GENERAL COLONEL 1st MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY PASS DOCUMENT SIGNED 1863

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CIVIL WAR GENERAL COLONEL 1st MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY PASS DOCUMENT SIGNED 1863 :
$149.99

ROBERT COWDIN

(1805 - 1874)

CIVIL WAR FULL UNION BRIGADIER GENERAL

PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN COLONEL and COMMANDER of the Hard Fighting 1stMASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY – THE 1st VOLUNTEER REGIMENT FROM MASS!

Cowdin ledthe 1st Mass Infantry at the battle of First Manassas (Bull Run)where Cowdin’s horse was killed. He thenparticipated in the Peninsular campaign, fighting at Williamsburg, Fair Oaks,Glendale and Malvern Hill. For braveryat the Battle of Williamsburg, he was appointed Brigadier General!

HERE\'S A RARE CIVIL WAR DATE PASSDOCUMENT SIGNED BY COWDIN WITH BRIGADIER GENERAL RANK, 1p., HEADQUARTERS OF THE22nd CONNECTICUT VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, MARCH 22, 1863, A PASS FORPRIVATE JAMES M. WALLACE TO GO TO WASHINGTON AND RETURN TO CAMP. ALSO INCLUDED IS A SECOND PASS FOR THESAME CIVIL WAR SOLDIER TO GO TO WASHINGTON IN APRIL 1863 TO VISIT HIS SICK SON.

THE COWDIN-SIGNED PASS IS ALSOSIGNED BY ELLSWORTH N. PHELPS, LT. COLONEL OF THE 22nd CT INFANTRY,AND OTHER OFFICERS!

THE SIGNEDPASS DOCUMENT MEASURES 5” x 4” AND IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, WITH MINOR FOLDS SPLITS,ELSE VERY GOOD.

A RARE ADDITION TO YOUR CIVIL WAR GENERALSAUTOGRAPH, MANUSCRIPT & EPHEMERA COLLECTION!
Biography of Gen. RobertCowdin

Robert Cowdin (September 18, 1805 –July 9, 1874) was a businessman, a field officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a local politician inMassachusetts. Cowdin was colonel of the 1st Massachusetts Infantry and servedin several major battles early in the war. He was appointed brigadier generalof volunteers September 26, 1862 and he then commanded a brigade in thedefenses of Washington until March 1863. He did not become a full brigadiergeneral because his appointment expired by law March 4, 1862 when the U.S. Senateadjourned without confirming it. His grade reverted to colonel but after beingrelieved of command of the brigade, he returned home and saw no furtherservice.

Biography

Cowdin (occasionally misspelled as Cowden or Coudin) was born in Jamaica, Vermont, the son ofAngier and Abiah (Carter) Cowdin. He moved to Boston at age 20 toengage in the lumber business. He served in various organizations in the statemilitia from 1838 until the start of the Civil War. He also served on theCommon Council of Boston for eight years, and various elected positions in thecity\'s correctional system.

Civil War

Cowdin was colonel of the 2nd Massachusetts Militia Regiment at the start ofthe war, and was appointed colonel of the 1st Massachusetts Infantry on May 25,1861. He led his regiment at the battle of Blackburn\'s Ford on July 18, 1861,was part of Israel B. Richardson\'s brigade of Daniel Tyler\'s Divisionat the First Battle of Bull Run, where his horsewas killed. He also saw action at Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Glendale, Malvern Hill and Chantilly.

On September 26, 1862, based on a recommendation by General Joseph Hooker, he was appointed Brigadier General of Volunteers,and commanded the 1st Brigade, Abercrombie\'s Division, Defenses of Washington(later called the XXII Corps), from October 1862 to February 1863, then the 2ndBrigade until the end of March. On March 4, Congress adjourned withoutapproving his commission, and he was relieved of duty on March 30, and returnedto Massachusetts.

Postwar life

During the next 11 years, Cowdin served 10 terms on the Common Council andBoard of Aldermen in Boston, andserved as Captain of the Ancient andHonorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts. He died in Boston, Massachusetts, and is buried in Mount AuburnCemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Three Years

The 1st Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf. was the outgrowth of the 1st

Regt. Mass. Vol. Mil., commanded by Col. Robert Cowdin, who

became colonel of the 1st Inf. when its organization was

completed. To the five companies of the 1st Regt. Mass. Vol.

Mil. were added five others of volunteers raised in April,

1861. Four companies were mustered into the service May 23,

four others May 24, and one each on May 25 and May 27. On June

1 the regiment assembled at Camp Ellsworth on the banks of

Fresh Pond in Watertown. Twelve days later it was transferred

to Camp Cameron in North Cambridge.

Leaving Massachusetts June 15, on the 17th it reached

Washington. Assigned to Richardson\'s Brigade of Tyler\'s

Division, it remained in camp near Washington until the

advance to Bull Run where it participated in the battle at

Blackburn\'s Ford, July 18, three days before the main battle of

Bull Run.

In August it became a part of the famous Hooker Brigade.

During the fall it was encamped for some time at Bladensburg,

did duty on the Potomac above Washington, built Fort Lincoln,

moved to Budd\'s Ferry, and was variously engaged until spring

when it became a part of Grover\'s Brigade, Hooker\'s Division,

Heintzelman\'s (3d) Corps, and was transferred to the Peninsula.

On April 6 it was in action before Yorktown, and on May 5

it suffered heavily at Williamsburg. It was encamped in the

White Oak Swamp region until June 25 when it was engaged with

loss at Fair Oaks. During the Seven Days battles it lost

heavily at Glendale, June 30, its major, Charles P. Chandler

being killed. After the battle of Malvern Hill it retired to

Harrison\'s Landing where it remained until August when it was

ordered back to the defenses of Washington.

Joining Gen. Pope\'s army near Warrenton Jc., as a part of

Grover\'s Brigade, Hooker\'s Division, it was in action at

Bristoe Station, Aug. 27, and again near Groveton (Manassas),

Aug. 29, where it assaulted the celebrated railroad embankment

and suffered severe loss. After the campaign was ended the

regiment remained in or near the defenses of Washington until

the last of October. About this time Gen. Carr succeeded

Gen. Grover in command of the brigade. After Fredericksburg,

where the regiment suffered slight loss, it went into winter

quarters at Acquia Creek on the Potomac.

As a part of Carr\'s Brigade, Berry\'s Division, Sickles\'

(3d) Corps, it lost heavily at Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863,

and still more heavily at Gettysburg, July 2, while defending

the line of the Emmittsburg road. At Wapping Heights, July 23,

in New York City during the late summer and fall, at Kelly\'s

Ford, Nov. 7, and during the Mine Run campaign in the latter

part of November the regiment performed valuable service with

few casualties. The following winter was spent in camp near

Brandy Station.

When the 3d Corps was broken up in the early spring of

1864 the 1st Regt. became a part of McAllister\'s Brigade,

Mott\'s Division, Hancock\'s (2d) Corps. With this command it

participated in the battles of the Wilderness and

Spottsylvania, its last combat service being in Hancock\'s

assault on the bloody Angle, May 12, 1864.

Transferring its recruits and reenlisted men to the 11th

Mass. Inf., about May 20 it left the front and returned to

Boston where it was mustered out on May 25, after fully

three years of service.

Source: Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors & Marines in the Civil War

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