Lt. Moses S. Herrick
Dr. Norman Smith's amputation patient
April
1861
Dr. Norman Smith did indeed perform
one of, if not 'the' first amputations of the Civil War in the Rotunda
of the Capital due to a ankle bullet wound caused by a rifle which fell
over when improperly stacked. This is the name and information regarding that patient:
Documentation
of the amputation performed by Norman Smith,
M.D. in Washington, D.C. after the Baltimore Riot
Norman
Smith Biography
Documentation regarding the uniform worn by Dr. Smith in the document photos
Additional information on Dr.
Norman Smith in his uniform
Return to the
display of
the Norman Smith surgical set
Documentation regarding the uniform worn by Dr. Smith in
the photos
6th
Mass. Vol. Militia and the Pratt Street (Baltimore) Riot
THE
SIXTH MASS. REGIMENT
THE
Sixth Regiment of Militia
became by the force of
circumstances the most
famous organization called
to the defense of the
national government. The
first, it is believed, to
offer its services in case
of their need, and prompt in
response when the call came,
it was the first to shed its
blood and give of its lives,
and it was the first command
armed and equipped for
active service to reach the
national capital when that
city was cut off from
communication with the loyal
nation and surrounded by
enemies of the government.
At a
meeting of its officers at
Lowell January 21, 1801, a
resolution waa unanimously
adopted tendering the
services of the command to
the governor if they should
be needed, and on the lf>rh
of April following the
demand came. The members of
the Sixth were scattered in
four counties, yet such was
the energy displayed that
most of them were at
head-quarters at Lowell
early the following morning,
and the others were but a
few hours behind. During the
16th the eight companies
constituting the original
regiment went to Boston by
rail; they were
enthusiastically received
and escorted to Faneuil and
Boylston Halls where they
remained that night. Going
to the State House next day
they exchanged their old
style muskets for the rifled
and were presented with a
stand of colors by Governor
Andrew. Companies from
Worcester, Stone- ham and
Boston were attached to the
command, the organization
and the roster of officers
being as follows:—
Colonel, Edward F. Jones of
Pepperell; major, Benjamin
F. Wat- sou of Lawrence;
surgeon, Norman Smith
of
Groton; assistant surgeon,
Jansen T. 1'aine of
Charlestown;
chaplain, Charles Babbidge
of
Pepperell; adjutant, Alpha
B. Farr of Lowell;
quartermaster, James Monroe
of Cambridge; paymaster,
Rnfus L. Plaisted of Lowell;
sergeant major, Samuel W.
Shattuck of Groton;
quartermaster sergeant,
Church Howe of Worcester;
commissary sergeant, John
Dupee
of Boston; drum major,
Frederick K. Stafford of
Lowell; hospital steward,
from May 7, William H. Gray
of Acton.
The
regiment, accompanied by a
band, left Boston for
Washington by rail direct,
going by way of New York and
Philadelphia, the streets
being everywhere packed with
enthusiastic, cheering
multitudes. At the latter
city the officers were
quartered at the Continental
Hotel and the men at the new
and unoccupied Girard House,
on the evening of the 18th ;
but before quiet had fairly
settled over the scene the
long roll sounded and at 1
o'clock on the morning of
the 19th the journey was
resumed. Colonel Jones had
information that the passage
of his command through
Baltimore would be opposed,
and he pushed forward at
once, the train bearing the
regiment being preceded by a
pilot engine to guard
against interference with
the track by evil disposed
persons.
Baltimore was reached at 10
o'clock on the 19th, the
regiment having been
furnished with 20 rounds of
ball cartridge and having
loaded and capped their
pieces. It was intended to
march the regiment across
the city between the depots,
but the method of handling
the cars was not understood
by Colonel Jones, and as
soon as the train stopped
horses were attached and the
cars started for the
Washington depot. Seven
companies passed without
serious incident, only the
rearmost—K—being seriously
assaulted. Four of its men
were wounded and their
comrades fired from the car
windows upon the mob. By
this time the track was
obstructed and torn Tip so
that the cars containing the
remaining four companies— C,
I, L and B—could not be
moved. The detachment
debarked from the cars and
under command of Captain
Follansbee marched across
the city, being for much of
the distance compelled to
light its way through an
infuriated mob of many
thousands.
Company E, Beverly—Captain,
Francis E. Porter; first
lieutenant, John W. Raymond;
second lieutenant, Eleazer
Giles; third lieutenant,
Albert Wallis; fourth
lieutenant,
Moses S. Herrick.
Four
of the soldiers were killed
in the melee—Addison 0.
Whitney, Luther C. Ladd and
Charles A. Taylor of Company
D), and Sumner H. Needham of
Company I—and 35 were
wounded. Captain Dike was
shot through the thigh and
took shelter in a Baltimore
hotel; Lieutenants Lynde and
Rowe were also wounded.
Shutting themselves closely
into the cars the regiment
were finally drawn from the
depot and reached Washington
that evening without further
adventure, but minus the
band, which had been set
upon by the mob and
dispersed, losing
instruments, music and extra
clothing. Under police
protection the musicians
finally took the cars back
to Massachusetts. Some
unarmed Pennsylvania troops,
following the Sixth, also
turned back without
attempting to pass through
the city.
At
Washington the regiment
received a most cordial
greeting from the friends of
the national government. It
was quartered in the Senate
chamber, where officers and
men slept on their arms, in
readiness for any duty to
which they might be called.
The command was mustered
into the United States
service on the 22d,
and during the early part of
May some changes occurred in
the roster of officers;
Major Watson was made
lieutenant colonel. Captain
Sawtell of Company A
becoming major. Several
changes also occurred in the
company officers, though the
organization was not changed
to the United States
standard. In drilling,
building ovens, making
preparations for a siege in
case one should ensue, with
an
occasional parade through
the streets, to show to the
spies and secession
sympathizers in the city
that the government was no
longer defenseless, the time
was passed till the 5th of
May.
_______________________
Edits
by Larry DeCan,
2010,
regarding the 'First Soldier
Killed in Civil War at
Baltimore Riot:
"Taylor is buried in
Lowell, MA". I don't
think this is the case.
In the first article the
NY Times claims Taylor's
body was found in
Baltimore, but note
that they relied on a
board on the grave to
make that statement. The
grave was not
excavated.
The next article, two
days later from Lowell
says Taylor's body was
not found. Then,
finally, Col. Jones in
1912 in the third
article some two years
later, says that the
search for Taylor's body
was unsuccessful. If
anybody would have known
the facts, it would have
been Col. Jones.
Further, there would
have been a news
explosion (never
happened) in
Massachusetts, if
Taylor's body were ever
returned.
I
have other newspaper
articles that tell of
Col. Jones and some GAR
people excavating the
gravesite with the
board. The grave was
found to be empty. The
board could have been a
hoax. Taylor's body
could have been used as
a medical cadaver. No
one will ever know what
really happened.
Taylor's body remains
somewhere in Maryland.
There is a plaque on the
reverse of the Ladd &
Whitney monument in
Lowell remembering
Taylor as the first to
die. It was placed there
through the efforts of
Col. Jones in 1909.
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Lt. Moses S. Herrick:
Residence: Beverly,
Massachusetts
Enlistment Date: 30
April 1861
Distinguished
Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Side Served: Union
State Served:
Massachusetts
Unit Numbers: 987
987
Service Record:
Shot
by accident on 26 April 1861 and foot amputated (by Surgeon
Norman Smith)
Enlisted as a
Lieutenant 4th Class on 30 April 1861 at the age of 29
Enlisted in Company
E, 8th Infantry Regiment Massachusetts on 30 April
1861
Discharged Company
E, 8th Infantry Regiment Massachusetts on 19 May 1861
As sited in the Medical &
Surgical History: Documents the date of the amputation and the
patients. If the War began on April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter,
this operation took place on April 26, 1861 after the
Riot at Baltimore and possibly
one of, if not the first surgical amputation of the Civil War.
"283
Herrick, M. S.,
Lieut., E, 8th Massachusetts. April 26, 26, '61. Surgeon. N. Smith, 6th
Mass. Disch'd May 21, 1861."
8th Regiment
History
EIGHTH REGIMENT MASSACHUSETTS
VOLUNTEER MILITIA (INFANTRY)
THREE MONTHS
The 8th Regt. Mass. Vol. Mil., "Minute Men," was called to Boston by Special Order No. 14, issued on the afternoon of April 15, 1861, by the Adjutant General of Massachusetts. Having only eight companies, one company was added from the 7th Regt., a Salem unit, and one from Pittsfield, taken from the 1st Battalion of Infantry. Leaving the State April 18, it proceeded to Annapolis, Md., on its way to the national capital. At Annapolis two companies were placed on the frigate CONSTITUTION, guarding her until she was safely removed to the harbor of New York. Another company was detached to do guard duty at Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Md.
The remainder of the regiment, after repairing the road-bed from Annapolis to Annapolis Junction and restoring the rolling stock of the railroad, proceeded to Washington, arriving April 26. Not until April 30 were the men mustered into the service of the United States.
On May 11 the regiment was ordered into camp at the Relay House, Md. Here Col. Munroe resigned on
account of age and ill health, and was succeeded by Col. Edward W. Hinks, an officer destined to attain high rank before the war was done. On July 2d the entire regiment was ordered to Baltimore, Md., the left wing arriving in the morning and the right wing in the evening of the following day.
On July 29 it was ordered to
Boston, Mass., and here on August 1, 1861, it was mustered out of the service.
The information above researched
and graciously provided
by Eleanor Gavazzi, Groton, Mass.
A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War -
Page 178
Resolved, " That we tender to the far-famed
Seventh Regiment of New York our heartfelt thanks for their many
kindnesses to our Eighth Massachusetts Regiment, and especially for
their liberality towards our wounded fellow-citizen. Lieutenant
Moses S. Herrick."
Resolved, " That our warmest sympathies be
tendered to Lieutenant
Herrick,
in his misfortunes, and that we
pledge ourselves to him, and to all his associates in our Beverly
company, and our other Beverly soldiers, and to their respective
families, to render unto their necessities all the material aid and
comfort that we can legitimately bestow."
In the resolve, chapter
seventy-two, in favor of
Moses S.
Herrick,
for injuries received in military service, the sum of
three hundred dollars.
Documentation
of the amputation performed by Norman Smith,
M.D. in Washington, D.C. after the Baltimore Riot
Moses S Herrick
Dr. Norman Smith's amputation patient
1861
Norman
Smith Biography
Documentation regarding the uniform worn by Dr. Smith in the document photos
Norman
Smith's Colt Dragoon pistol
Additional information on Dr.
Norman Smith in his uniform
Return to the
display of
the Norman Smith surgical set
Documentation regarding the uniform worn by Dr. Smith in
the photos
6th Mass.
Vol. Militia and the Pratt Street (Baltimore) Riot at the start of the Civil
War
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