CIVIL WAR GENERAL COLONEL 10th NEW HAMPSHIRE INFANTRY MEDAL HONOR LETTER SIGNED

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CIVIL WAR GENERAL COLONEL 10th NEW HAMPSHIRE INFANTRY MEDAL HONOR LETTER SIGNED:
$152.50

JOHN COUGHLIN

(1837 - 1912)

CIVIL WAR UNION BVT BRIGADIER GENERAL,

LT. COLONEL of the ‘Hard-Fighting’10th NEW HAMPSHIRE – The ‘Manchester Irish Regiment’,

CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL of HONOR RECIPIENTfor BRAVERY at the BATTLE of SWIFT’S CREEK, VIRGINIA,

PROVOST MARSHAL GENERAL ARMY of theJAMES!

John Coughlin was awarded the Medal ofHonor for his actions at Swifts Creek, VA on May 9, 1864. During a sudden night attack upon Burnham’sBrigade, resulting in much confusion, Lt. Colonel Coughlin, without waiting fororders, led his regiment forward and interposed a line of battle between theadvancing enemy and Hunt’s Battery, repulsing the attack and saving the guns.

HERE’SA RARE, 1p., AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED by COUGHLIN, 1p., datelined at Washington,D. C., Oct. 26, 1890 to fellow Civil War General Henry Martin Cist atCincinnati, Ohio, providing information about Major Timothy B. Crowley. The letter comes with its originaltransmittal postal stationary envelope cover with Washington, D.C. Circular DateStamp Postmark.

TheALS reads:

“Dear General, Your letter ofthe 20th inst. duly received, in which you make inquiries aboutMajor Timothy B. Crowley, late of the 10th New HampshireInfantry. Timothy B. Crowley wasmustered into the United States service 5th Sept. 1862 as Capt. Co. “B,”and mustered out 21st June 1865 as Major of the 10th N.H. Vol. Infty. He served in no othercommand during the war. He died atNashua N. H. about July 4th 1886.Any other information that I can give you will be cheerfullyrendered. The pamphlet on ChickamaugaNational Park has not yet materialized.Very Truly Yours, John Coughlin”

Note: The Civil War Database has a photograph ofCrowley, and indicates that he was wounded-in-action at Fair Oaks, Virginia onOct. 27, 1864, and was promoted a month later to Major on Nov. 23, 1864.

The document measures 5”x 8” and is in very fine, clean condition.

A Raredocument to add to your Civil War Generals Autograph, Manuscript and Ephemeracollection!

By Janice Brown

Lieut. Colonel General John F. Coughlin was not native to New Hampshire,but he helped to organize, and then served with Manchester’s Irish Regiment, 10th New Hampshire

Infantry entering the service at Manchester, New Hampshire 5 September1862. His regiment participated in several battles and skirmishesmostly in Virginia. On the 9 May 1864 at Swifts Creek, Virginia, he ledhis regiment to victory despite terrible odds, saving the guns.

He was promoted to brevet colonel and then to brevet brigadier general ofthe U.S. Volunteers on 9 April 1865. [A brevet was a warrant authorizing acommissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually withoutreceiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in thatrole. So if you see him being called Lieut. Colonel, that was thetitle he held during the Civil War. After the war he was entitled to usethe Bvt. Brigadier General rank].

When his regiment mustered out on 21 June 1865 there had been 195 losses:7 officers and 54 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 1 officer and133 enlisted men who died of disease.

It was not until twenty-nine years after his service, on August 31, 1893,that the President of the United States [then GroverCleveland] awarded then Lieut. Colonel John Coughlin the Medalof Honor as follows:

“The President of the United States of America, in the name ofCongress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to LieutenantColonel John Coughlin, United States Army,for extraordinary heroism on 9 May 1864, while serving with Irish Regiment,10th New Hampshire Infantry, in action at Swift Creek, Virginia. During asudden night attack upon Burnham’s Brigade, resulting in much confusion,Lieutenant Colonel Coughlin, without waiting for orders, led his regimentforward and interposed a line of battle between the advancing enemy and Hunt’sBattery, repulsing the attack and saving the guns.”

Lieut. Colonel John Coughlin died on 20 May 1912 in Manchester, NewHampshire, and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery,Arlington, Va. (Section 2, Lot 936, WS).

NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
(THREE YEARS)

By JAMES ALBERT SANBORN, late Captain Tenth Regiment New

Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, and Historian of the Regiment.

THE regiment was organized under the call of July 1, 1862,

for 300,000 men. One company was recruited at Nashua and

vicinity ; one at Portsmouth; one at Andover and Wilmot; one at

Farmington and Dover, while Manchester furnished the larger

part of six companies. Capt. Michael T. Donohoe, then an

officer of the Third New Hampshire regiment, was appointed

colonel and Hon. John Coughlin, who resigned his seat in the

New Hampshire legislature to accept, was appointed lieutenant-

colonel. Manchester was selected as the rendezvous and the

camp was named \" Camp Pillsbury \" ; Companies began to arrive

on the 20th of August and on the 5th of September, 1862, the

regiment was mustered into service of the United States.

September 22 the regiment embarked by rail and arrived at

Washington on the 25th ;en route one man was killed and several

injured by a collision of trains near Baltimore.

Or, the evening of the 26th the regiment crossed the

Potomac river via Long Bridge to \" Camp Chase \" on Arlington

Heights, being assigned temporarily to Casey\'s division,

Defenses of Washington.

September 29 it returned to Washington and on the following

day proceeded by rail to Frederick, Md., and camped in the

suburbs of the town. October 4 the regiment broke camp,

marched to near Sandy Hook and camped on Maryland Heights. On

the 6th camp was pitched in Pleasant Valley, Md. Here the

regiment was assigned to the First Brigade (Col. Rush C.

Hawkins)\' Third Division (Gen. George W. Getty), Ninth Army

Corps (Gen. Orlando B. Willcox). For the following three weeks

the regiment was busily employed in perfecting itself in camp

duty, drills, inspection, reviews, and the usual preparations

for anactive campaign.

Late in October the Army of the Potomac began its second

advance on Richmond and on the morning of the 25th the Tenth

moved with its corps. At Gaskin\'s Mills, on the 10th of

November, the enemy having driven in the Union pickets and

threatened an attack, the regiment was sent out to support a

battery and the men slept on their arms that night, the

cold being intense. A halt of nearly a week was made here and

the army was reorganized under General Burnside. Three grand

divisions were formed, the Second and Ninth corps constituting

the Right Grand Division which was commanded by Gen. Edwin V.

Sumner.

November 15 the advance was resumed and while the Ninth

Corps was crossing the north fork of the Rappahannock its wagon

train was attacked. The Tenth was placed in support of a

battery and was under fire for the first time. On the 19th the

regiment camped at Falmouth, the camp being moved on the 28th

to near the Phillips House where the regiment was constantly

occupied with drill for the next two weeks.

At dark on the 11th of December the Tenth crossed into

Fredericksburg. On the morning of the 13th it relieved the

pickets on the railroad embankment at the left of the city,

facing Hazel Run, then advanced, driving the rebel pickets, and

occupied the railroad where it fought all day. Late in the

afternoon the remainder of the brigade which had been held in

reserve was brought up and with it the Tenth joined in the

charge of Getty\'s division on Marye\'s Heights. After the

repulse the regiment withdrew to the city where it lay in line

of battle during the two following days in expectation of a

renewal of the attack, returning on the night of the 15th to

its old camp near the Phillips House.

During the next six weeks it was engaged in picket duty and

the men suffered exceedingly from the cold and from

insufficient food and clothing. On the 9th of February, 1863,

the regiment went by rail to Aquia Creek and thence by boat to

Newport News where it landed on the 10th. Here the usual

routine o duty was resumed and the health of the command

rapidly improved.

Longstreet\'s forces having threatened an attack on Suffolk,

Getty\'s division was detached from the Ninth Army Corps ;

placed in the Department of Virginia and sent to reinforce

General Peck who commanded the troops at Suffolk. The Tenth

proceeded by boat to Portsmouth and thence by rail to Suffoll

March 14. On the 11th of April Longstreet advanced in force

and invested Suffolk. From this time until May 4 the regiment

was constantly occupied in skirmishing, building earthworks,

and performing picket duty. On the 19th of April Companies C,

D, G,H, and K joined the expedition which crossed the

Nansemond, stormed and captured the battery at Hill\'s Point.

Longstreet\'s forces were withdrawn on the 4th of May, and

on the 13th the Tenth moved to Bowers\' Hill eight miles nearer

Portsmouth where a line of defenses was begun for the

protection of Portsmouth and Norfolk. June 2 this line was

abandoned for one four miles nearer Portsmouth, extending from

the Eastern to the western branch of the Elizabeth river. Camp

was established near Getty\'s Station.

On the 22d of June the regiment marched to Portsmouth and

from there went by boat to Yorktown where it remained until the

26th when it proceeded by boat to White House Landing on the

Pamunkey river. July 1 marched to King William court house and

during the next three days was constantly on the move, the

marches being very severe. Littlepage\'s Bridge on the Pamunkey

river was reached about 10 A. M. On the 4th and the regiment

with its brigade guarded the bridge and fords while the

remainder of the division advanced to cut the railroad and

sever Lee\'s connection with Richmond. An artillery fight

ensued. On the next morning the troops were withdrawn and the

Tenth covered the crossing of the river and burned the bridge.

Yorktown was reached on the afternoon of the 10th and here the

regiment rested until the 12th when the march was resumed. The

regiment reached Hampton on the next day; embarked for

Portsmouth and thence marched to its former camp at Getty\'s

Station. After a few day rest work on the fortifications was

resumed.

On the 30th of July the camp of the Tenth was removed to

Julian\'s Creek. Outposts were established at all important

points and work on the fortifications was pressed forward with

great vigor until November when the defenses were completed.

While at Julian\'s Creek the regiment was thoroughly instructed

in battalion and skirmish drill and considerable attention

was given to target practice. The winter was passed quietly.

On the 19th of March,1864, the regiment moved to Great Bridge

where it remained for, month doing picket duty and sending

out scouting parties.

On the 19th of April the regiment broke camp marched to

Dismal Swamp canal and proceeded via canal and river to

Portsmouth, Va. On the next day steamed to Newport News,

disembarked and marched to Big Bethel and on the 21st camped

near Yorktown. About this time General Burnside requested that

the regiment be returned to him and placed in the Ninth Army

Corps, but his request was not granted and on the 22d it was

assigned to the Second Brigade (Gen. Hiram Burnham), First

Division (Gen. W. H. F. Brooks), Eighteenth Army Corps (Gen. W. F.

Smith), Army of the James (Gen. B. F Butler). On the 4th of

May the regiment embarked for Bermuda Hundred where it landed

before day light on the 6th, and bivouacked near Point of

Rocks.

On the 7th the Tenth led the advance on the Richmond and

Petersburg Railroad near Port Walthall. After being under fire

all day returned to camp. On the 9th another advance was made

and the enemy was driven back. A portion of the regiment was

hotly engaged on the skirmish line all day. At night Hagood\'s

brigade of South Carolina troops charged Hunt\'s battery.

Lieutenant-Colonel Coughlin led the Tenth in a countercharge

and drove the enemy across Swift Creek with great loss.

Another advance was made on the 12th. The enemy strongly

posted, stubbornly contested the passage of Proctor\'s Creek.

The Tenth crossed a swamp in front of the enemy and charged,

clearing the entire front of the division and enabling the

corps to cross the creek and deploy. On the next day the

advance was continued and in the afternoon the regiment came

under a heavy artillery fire. On the 14th the corps advanced

and occupied the outer line of the defenses of Drewry\'s Bluff.

Skirmish and artillery firing continued throughout the next

day. Early on the morning of the 16th the enemy charged under

cover of a dense fog. The right wing of the Eighteenth Corps

was surprised and broken. Everything on the right (including

the Eighth Connecticut and One Hundred Eighteenth New York of

Burnham\'s brigade) was swept away until the Tenth was reached.

Here the tide was stayed. Charge after charge was beaten back

by the Tenth and Thirteenth New Hampshire who held the works

for two hours after the remainder of the brigade had retired.

Then they were withdrawn and acted as rear guard of the corps

and that night camped at Bermuda Hundred.

Butler\'s army now took up its position on the line of

intrenchments extending from the James to the Appomatox and

here the regiment was constantly under fire. On the 27th it

left the defenses and moved to the rear and on the 29th

embarked for White House where it landed on the next day. Cold

Harbor was reached on the afternoon of June 1 after a wearisome

march, and the regiment at once charged with its brigade, the

enemy being forced back. On the next day the regiment lay in

rifle pits. Early on the morning of the 3d the Tenth as

skirmishers led the assaulting column, carried a portion of the

enemy first line, of defenses and held the same throughout the

day, the position being more advanced than that of any

other troops that charged on that day. The regiment remained in

the front line at Cold Harbor, losing men every day until the

I2th of June. At noon on the I2th it left the battle ground,

marched to White House and on the next day embarked for Bermuda

Hundred where it arrived early on the morning of the 14th and

returned to its former camp behind the defenses.

At 3 A. M. on the morning of the 15th crossed the

Appomatox and moved toward Petersburg, the intrenchments being

reached in the afternoon. About 6.30 P. M. Burnham\'s brigade

in column of regiments, the Tenth New Hampshire leading, with

the Thirteenth New Hampshire deployed as skirmishers attacked

and captured that portion of the main defenses known as Battery

Five. The Thirteenth as skirmishers entered the works first

and was closely followed by the Tenth. On the next day

Companies A, E; and K assaulted an inner line and took more

prisoners than they themselves numbered. On the I7th the corps

returned to the defenses of Bermuda Hundred. June 21 again

returned to the works at Petersburg, the Tenth holding the

right of the line resting on the Appomatox river. July 29 the

regiment moved to the left with its corps, relieving the Ninth

Corps which was to make the assault on the explosion of the

mine. At midnight on the 30th, the assault having failed, the

regiment was relieved and on the 31st returned to its former

position. August 20 the brigade moved to the left of the

division near the Hare House. On the 25th the corps was

relieved, marched to the rear and on the 27th returned to the

Bermuda Hundred front, the Tenth being placed on the right of

the line opposite the Confederate Howlett House Battery on the

James river.

September 28 the brigade crossed to the north bank of the

James at Aiken\'s Landing. Early on the next morning an advance

was made and the enemy\'s skirmishers were driven back into

Fort Harrison. General Stannard\'s (First) Division of the

Eighteenth Corps preceded by the Tenth New Hampshire and One

Hundred Eighteenth New York as skirmishers stormed and captured

the fort. On the 30th the rebels made three desperate attempts

to re-take the fort but were repulsed with great slaughter, the

brunt of the attack falling on Burnham\'s brigade and the right

of Stevens\'s brigade held by the Thirteenth New Hampshire. The

Tenth New Hampshire and One Hundred Eighteenth New York were

deployed by groups along the entire front of Burnham\'s brigade.

A skirmish line detailed from the two latter regiments and the

division sharpshooters, advanced after the Confederate repulse

and captured the remnant of the assaulting party with all the

dead and wounded, also every battle Flag of Ransom\'s North

Carolina brigade as well as some others. For several days the

rebels concentrated the fire of their mortars on the fort.

October 26 the regiment was withdrawn from the works and

moved to the rear. On the next day the corps moved to the

Williamsburg road. Near Fair Oaks the rebels made a stand but

were driven into their works. The Second Brigade charged the

entrenchments but was repulsed with great loss. The Tenth went

into the fight with ten officers and one hundred and twenty-

four men and came out with two officers and twenty-five men.

Many were captured here and afterwards died in rebel prison.

On the 28th he troops returned to the vicinity of Fort Harrison

(now called Fort Burnham) where the winter was spent.

On the 4th of December the Tenth was assigned to the

Second Brigade (Col. Joseph H.Potter), Third Division (Gen. J.

B. Carr), Twenty-fourth Army Corps (Gen. Alfred H. Terry

commanding during the absence of Gen. E. O. C. Ord. ), Gen.

Charles Devens subsequently commanded the division. The

exposure to cold and frequent and extended terms of picket duty

made the winter one of hardship. The Tenth was among the first

of the Union regiments to enter Richmond on the 3d of April,

1865. Following this it remained in Manchester, opposite

Richmond, doing provost duty. On the 21st of June it was

mustered out of the United States service and the next day with

the Twelfth and Thirteenth New Hampshire started for home,

arriving at Concord on the 27th and was paid on the 1st of

July. The record of the regiment is one of brave deeds and

heroic sacrifices. No regiment fought more bravely or

discharged more faithfully the duty which devolved upon it.

The Tenth New Hampshire Volunteers was attached to Casey\'s

Division, Defenses of Washington, September 27 to 30, 1862;

First Brigade, Third Division, Ninth Army Corps, October 7,

1862; Getty\'s Division, Department of Virginia, March 13, 1863;

Getty\'s Division, Department of Virginia and North Carolina,

July 18, 1863; for a time the regiment was attached to the

Third Brigade, Second Division, Seventh Army Corps, Department

of Virginia and North Carolina; Heckman\'s Division, Department

of Virginia and North Carolina, January --, 1864; Second

Brigade, First Division, Eighteenth Army Corps, April 22, 1864;

Second Brigade, Third Division, Twenty-fourth Army Corps,

December 4, 1864.

E N G A G E M E N T S .

White Sulphur Springs, Va. Nov. 15, 1862

Fredericksburg, Va. Dec. 13, 1862

Siege of Suffolk, Va. Apr. 11 to May 4, 1863

Hill\'s Point,Va. Apr. 19, 1863

Littlepage\'s Bridge, Va. July 4, 1863

Port Walthall, Va.

(Richmond & Petersburg Railroad) May 7, 1864

Swift Creek, Va. May 9, 1864

Proctor\'s and Kingsland Creeks, Va. May 12-13, 1864

Drewry\'s Bluff, Va. May 14-16, 1864

Cold Harbor, Va. June 1-12,1864

Battery Five, Petersburg, Va. June 15, 1864

Petersburg, Va. (assault by Cos.A, E, K) June 16, 1864

Siege of Petersburg, Va. June 16 to Aug. 27, 1864

Mine Explosion, Petersburg, Va. July 30,1864

Fort Harrison, Va., capture of Sept. 29, 1864

Fort Harrison, Va., defense of Sept. 30, 1864

Fair Oaks, Va. Oct. 27, 1864

Richmond, Va., occupation of Apr. 3, 1865

Source: New Hampshire Soldiers & Sailors War of the Rebellion, Ayling

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