Friday, January 10th, 1862. On January 10th, 1862, the Regiment held a Ceremony in Boston, Massachusetts where they were presented with three flags. These were the First Irish Regimental AKA “the Pilot’ flag,” the First National Flag, and the First State Color.
The event was accompanied by speeches from the Massachusetts Governor John A Andrew, Boston Mayor Joseph Wightman, and lastly by Col. William Monteith, the first Commanding Officer of the 28th Mass. A number of other local luminaries attended as well.
The ‘Pilot’ Flag was called such in reference to the subsequent sketch of the flag published in the Boston Pilot Newspaper. (The article can be read here.) Further, there is no evidence that the Regiment ever carried the State color.
Saturday, January 11th, 1862. The 28th Mass. marched out of Camp Cameron and made their way via a procession to the Boston Common. The city had prepared a dinner for them on the Common. After the dinner, the Regiment made their way to the railroad and was transported to Allen’s Point, where they boarded steamships to New York.
Sunday, January 12th, 1862. Due to the heavy fog, the steamships spent the night of the 11th at Fort Schuyler, and on Jan. 12, made their way to the Regiment’s destination at Castle Williams on Governor’s Island in New York Harbor. There they would spend the next few weeks.
During these weeks, the members of the Regiment barracked in the 50-year old sandstone Castle Williams felt Winter’s chill. Describing conditions in the stone fortress, the New York Post wrote of the 28th Mass:
“It appears that the men were quartered in Castle William, and half of them, for lack of available room in other portions of the fortress, were assigned to the casemates. The officers say these accommodations are wretchedly damp and filthy. There are no fires in them, and some of the men are frostbitten already.”
Pvt. John Ryan of the 28th noted of their arrival: “We were in this old castle for about two days before we received any rations…A great many of us had the blues.”
Ryan goes on to add that their first food came through charity in the city. He added, “…a society, I understood the Hibernians of New York, sent over several gallons of bean soup and other eatables to the regiment, which was thankfully received by the command.”
Wednesday, January 15th, 1862. The word of the bad conditions spread to the point that Governor Andrew of Massachusetts made a personal visit to the Castle on January 15th to inspect the living conditions of the Regiment.
Monday, February 10th, 1862. On this day, the Regiment submitted its first “monthly return” on Federal Service. The reported strength of the Regiment was as follows: “Field/Staff – 0/0 ; A – 3/98; B – 3/97; C – 3/87; D – 3/74; E – 3/95; F – 3/95; G – 3/78; H – 3/80; I – 3/87; K – 3/95; Band – 0/24. Total Present – 30/910. Total Present and absent – 37/925. Gain – 0, Loss 0.” It is interesting that none of the Regimental leadership, officer or enlisted, were present.
Friday, February 14th, 1862. After several weeks stationed at Castle Williams in New York Harbor, the regiment was assigned to the Expeditionary Corps led by Major General Benjamin Butler. On February 14th, the 28th Mass. embarked on the Steamer ‘Ericsson’ bound for Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Saturday, February 22nd, 1862. The 28th Mass. arrived at Hilton Head, South Carolina along with several other regiments, disembarked, and went into camp. There they would be stationed on without further orders until early April. Additionally, they were not placed into a Brigade structure for several weeks.
Pvt. John Ryan noted that the time was spent with usual drill, picket duty, and building breastworks. Ryan also noted a fun pastime for the soldiers was to dig up briar roots to make pipes and little settings for gold dollars.
Monday, April 7th to Friday April 11th, 1862. On April 7th, the Regiment left its camp on Hilton Head Island and boarded steamships and headed further south to Daufuskie Island. Upon debarkation, on Tuesday April 8th, the Regiment marched across the Island, going about 8-9 miles in total.
Once across the Island, the Regiment split into companies and spread across several locations to reinforce seige positions on Confederate Fort Pulaski. The siege commenced on Thursday April 10th, and constant artillery bombardment resulted in the fort’s surrender on Friday, April 11th.
During the siege, the 28th Mass. was spread across Daufuskie Island, as well as Jones and Bird’s Islands.
