Connecticut 9th Infantry Regiment
HISTORICAL NOTES:
The 9th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry was organized at New Haven, Connecticut and was mustered in on the 26th September, 1861. It was established in September 1861 as an Irish regiment, composed mainly of soldiers born in Ireland or first generation Irish Americans. . Its first field officers were relatively experienced soldiers. Colonel Thomas W. Cahill of New Haven had a number of years experience with the antebellum state militia as captain of the Emmet Guards, while Lieutenant Colonel Richard Fitzgibbons and Major Frederick Frye had both served as captains of three-month companies at the First Battle of Bull Run in July.
Although recruitment at Camp English in New Haven proceeded slowly due to the lack of proper clothing and equipment, the regiment had 845 men when it left New Haven in November by rail for Camp Chase in Lowell, Massachusetts. There, the 9th was part of Brigadier General Benjamin Butler’s "New England Brigade" organized for the capture of New Orleans. The Ninth included James T. Mullen. The regiment saw action in number major battles, particularly in the Western Theater. The last of the regiment was mustered out August 3, 1865 at Savannah, Georgia.
The Regiment lost during service 10 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 240 Enlisted men by disease. Total 253.
OFFICERS:
Colonel Thomas W. Cahill of New Haven
ASSIGNMENTS:
Organized at New Haven September 26, 1861. Moved to Lowell, Mass., November 4, thence to Boston and embarked on steamer "Constitution" for Ship Island, Miss., November 25, arriving there December 3. Duty at Ship Island until April 15, 1862. Attached to Butler's New Orleans Expeditionary Corps to April, 1862. Phelps' 1st Brigade, Dept. of the Gulf, to October, 1862. Defenses of New Orleans, La., Dept. of the Gulf, to February, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 19th Army Corps, Dept. of the Gulf to March, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 19th Corps, to August, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 19th Corps to February, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 19th Corps, to April, 1864. Dept. of the East to July, 1864. Bermuda Hundred, Va., 10th Corps, Dept. Virginia and North Carolina, July, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 19th Army Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division, to January, 1865. 1st Brigade, Grover's Division, District of Savannah, Ga., Dept. of the South to March, 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 10th Army Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to May, 1865. District of Port Royal, S.C., Dept. of the South, to August, 1865.
SERVICE:
Expedition to Biloxi and Pass Christian April 2-5, 1862. Biloxi April 3. Pass Christian April 4. Operations against Forts St. Phillip and Jackson, Miss. River April 15-28. Moved to New Orleans April 29-May 1. Occupation of New Orleans May 1. Expedition to New Orleans and Jackson R. R. May 9-10. Moved to Baton Rouge May 13. Reconnaissance to Warrenton May 14-29. Williams' expedition to Vicksburg, Miss., and operations against that city June 20-July 23. Ellis Cliff June 22. Hamilton Plantation, near Grand Gulf, June 24. Arrived at Vicksburg June 25. Fatigue duty on Vicksburg Canal until July 23. Moved to Baton Rouge July 23-26, and duty there until August 21. Battle of Baton Rouge August 5. Moved to Carrollton August 21-22. Expedition to St. Charles September 7-8. Near St. Charles Court House September 8. Duty in the defenses of New Orleans until April, 1864, at New Orleans, Algiers, Mexican Gulf R. R. and mouth of the Mississippi and at Pass Manchac, Bonnet Carte, St. John Baptist District, October 19, 1862. Expedition to Ponchatoula March 21-30, 1863 (Detachment). Capture of Ponchatoula March 24 (Detachment). Action at Chackahoola Station, La., June 24 (Cos. "C," "E," "G," "I" and "K"). Expedition to Madisonville January 3, 1864. On veteran furlough in Connecticut April 15-July 16, 1864. Moved to Bermuda Hundred, Va., July 16-20. On Bermuda Hundred front July 20-28. Deep Bottom July 28-29. Moved to Washington, D.C., July 30-August 1, thence to Tenallytown August 1. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August to December. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty in the Shenandoah Valley until January, 1865. Moved to Savannah, Ga., January 6-20 and duty there until May 24. Moved to Hilton, S.C., May 24. Mustered out at Savannah, Ga., August 3, 1865.
ROSTERS:
The roster of this regiment contains the names of 2176 men.
Company A was largely formed by men from New Haven County.
Company B
Company C was largely formed by men from New Haven County.
Company D was largely formed by men from Fairfield County.
Company E was largely formed by men from New Haven County.
Company F was largely formed by men from New Haven County.
Company G
Company H
Company I
Company K
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
REFERENCES:
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion