Boynton, Winthrop Perkins

WINTHROP PERKINS BOYNTON. Second Lieutenant 55th Mass. Vols. (Infantry), July 8, 1863; First Lieutenant, November 21, 1863; Captain, November 23, 1864; killed at Honey Hill, S. C., November 30, 1864. The subject of this sketch was born in Boston, August 29, 1841. His parents were Perkins and Mary Anne (Simonds) Boynton. After two years spent at the Endicott School in Boston, he was sent to the public Latin School, of which Francis Gardner, Esq. was principal. There he remained for six years, finishing his course in 1858, and having then no intention of going to college. In school he was not remarkable for any great brilliancy or especial endowments, but for steady fidelity to his duty. In the early part of the year 1859, having conceived the idea of entering college, he returned to his studies, under the instruction of Mr. Edwin H. Abbot, and in July, 1859, was admitted to the Freshman Class. In college he displayed the same characteristics as at school. While faithful to his work, he was not ambitious of distinguished honor, and contented himself with a respectable position in point of scholarship. His taste for natural history and the natural sciences was shown by his choice of studies, and was also frequently exhibited in his letters home from the army. He was distinguished for his strength and powers bf endurance, was an active gymnast, and very fond of boating and other athletic sports. He was extremely reserved, contenting himself with a few intimate friends, and not seeking the acquaintance of a large number of his Class, so that to most of them he was comparatively unknown; but by those who knew him best he was loved and respected. In 1857, when he was in his seventeenth year, he united himself with the Bowdoin Square Baptist Church, and was ever faithful to the obligations under which this relation placed him. His pastor says of him - "He was an earnest, ardent disciple of the Master, taking an active part in the meetings of the church, especially among his young friends. During the four years of his college course he kept his place in the meetings, faithfully discharging his duties. In the Sabbath school he bore an active part, and greatly endeared himself to the superintendent, scholars, and teachers.... He was decided in his character, manly in the expression of his views, uncompromising in his religious convictions, unswerving in his principles of integrity and honor." The testimony of his college chum so accords with what has been said that it is well to quote it - "He was reserved and of few words, so that few knew him thoroughly at College. But he was remarkable for stern moral purity, unswerving truthfulness, and deep religious faith, and was highly esteemed by all.... He was almost the type of a wholly developed man, an unusually strong and healthy frame, great mechanical ingenuity, discreet judgment, a taste cultivated by communion with the best books,.... warm sympathies for others, high manly motives in his heart, and a constant sense of the love and presence of God; and all these without a spark of the consciousness that he displayed them." As his college course drew towards its close, he seems to have felt some doubts as to his proper vocation. That the war had lasted for two years was a source of great anxiety to his mind. At this time the experiment of forming regiments of colored soldiers had been much talked of, and was under trial. A few extracts from his letters at this time will best show the state of his feelings. His friend Crane (afterwards his Captain in the service, and always his intimate friend) was then in the nine months' service, having left College to enlist in the Fortyfourth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. To him he wrote, under date of February, 1863, that he had no idea what he should do after Class-day; but under date of May 19th he said, after speaking of his devotion to rowing and gymnastics, with reference to his great purpose: "My darling project of late has been to get a commission in a negro regiment. I fear that will prove but a mere dream. Commissions go by favor, or by that which makes the mare go; and, so far as I can learn, it will be of little or no avail to apply to the Governor in my own name." Soon after this the Forty-fourth Regiment returned home, and Crane received a commission in the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts, a colored regiment then encamped at Readville. Meanwhile Boynton had made an application for a commission, which had been disregarded. At this time he was zealously studying tactics, and seeking to acquire a knowledge of military matters. One day when visiting Captain Crane at Readville, he offered to remain and assist in drilling the men, thinking thereby to add to his own knowledge and to increase his chances of subsequently securing the much-desired commission for himself. The offer was accepted, and he remained at the camp for several days, making himself many friends both among the officers and men. In consequence of his success and the earnestness which he displayed, Colonel Hallowell offered to use his influence to procure him a commission in the regiment, and on the 8th of July, 1863, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant. His cherished desire was accomplished, and he was now in a position for which he was peculiarly qualified, and where, to use his own words, he was in his right element. His decided opinions in regard to the principles involved in the war, his sympathy with the negro race, his strength and power of endurance, his determination and self-control, and his strong religious principles, fitted him for the discharge of his duties, and combined to make him one of the most energetic and conscientious officers of the regiment. He always retained the good-will of his men, and was particularly successful in arresting the tendency to mutiny which the soldiers at one time manifested, when they had been deprived for many months of their pay, in consequence of the action of Congress. In this matter his sympathy was entirely with them, and in his letters he frequently praises the spirit and persistency with which they demanded their rights, and their performance of their duty under so great discouragement, and speaks with indignation of those who withheld their dues. But he felt that the discipline of the service must be maintained, and was as strict in enforcing it as he was strong in his feeling for their wrongs. From the time that he received his commission his history is identical with that of his regiment. He was usually at head-quarters, seldom on detached service. Active campaigning agreed with his constitution, and many months after leaving home he was mentioned as the only officer whose name had not been on the sick-list. So many officers had been detached that the service of the others was particularly severe; and as his health was always good, he seems to have had his full share, or even more. He left home as Lieutenant in the company of his friend Captain Crane, and for many months they were inseparable. During his whole term of service, in all of which he never received a leave of absence, he wrote home cheerful letters, - in some of them displaying a humor and keen wit which few knew him to possess. On leaving Boston his regiment went to Newbern, North Carolina, where it remained for a few days. It was then sent to take part in the attack on Charleston, and encamped on Folly Island, where he accompanied it. He there passed most of his remaining life, with the exception of a few months spent in an expedition to Florida, and a few when with his company he garrisoned Long Island, South Carolina. His descriptions of his life were very graphic and interesting, and he always seemed perfectly contented and happy. He wrote in one of his earliest letters to his college chum: - "Your description of all you enjoyed during your vacation for a moment made me feel half sad, for it reminded me that I might have experienced similar pleasures if I had chosen.... Yet I would not change places with you for the world. I did not take the step I took without seriously weighing the matter from every point of view, and that step I have never regretted for an instant. You have mentioned the chosen pursuits of many old friends, but there is not one with whom I could be tempted to exchange. I could not, during the war, feel the minutest particle of interest in any of those pursuits." And in another letter written nearly a year later, and within about four months of the close of his life, he says: - "I believe the army to be a first-rate school, which very often ruins its pupils; but if they can sustain the training; they come out with greatly increased self-confidence, knowledge of men, power of self-government, and very many of those qualities which go so far to make up a real man." In speaking of his army life he regrets the loss of Sunday and of religious worship. In one of his letters he says: "I have not heard a sermon nor attended a religious meeting of any kind for three months." In another, written some time after: " Religion does not flourish on this soil, and Sabbaths are unknown in our brigade. Each Sunday is for the men a day of cleaning up and beginning anew." He follows this with quite a graphic account of the " Sunday inspection." Soon after arriving at Folly Island he had been placed third in the order for promotion on the list of Second Lieutenants; and in a letter written January 21, 1864, he speaks of having been recently promoted First Lieutenant (November 21, 1863), and then says, " I find no trouble in making myself at home in camp, and enjoy the life there perfectly." In the same letter he says, referring to his regiment: "I admire the spirit which these men show. They have evidently enlisted on principle, and, moreover, being so nearly akin to the Fifty-fourth, they are eager to emulate their example. I have not the least doubt that they will fight to the death, the more because they expect nothing but the worst treatment from the Rebs. I admire, too, the manner in which they stick together in the pay matter. They have not taken a cent yet, and will not until the United States pays them as it does white soldiers." About the 14th of February, 1864, his regiment was sent on an expedition to Florida, and participated in the battle of Olustee, where it covered the retreat of our defeated forces. Of this expedition he wrote under date of February 28th:" Just two weeks ago to-day we left South Carolina, and ceased, forever and a day, I trust, to be foolish islanders. We broke camp at daylight,.... and embarked at noon.... for the State of Florida. We had a delightful voyage, and I dreamed (by day) of De Soto and Ponce de Leon, and the romantic search for the fountain of youth..... We landed at Jacksonville, Monday, and bivouacked in town..... Next morning we marched eight miles, to Camp Finnigan, and the day following marched eight miles back again. Good thing that, for it taught us to make our packs as light as possible. One's eyes are wonderfully opened by a march with knapsacks to the fact that man needs but little here below. " Companies D and H were detailed for provost duty in town, and Captain Crane and I were Assistant Provost-Marshals for two days.... Friday morning we started for the front, marching through magnificent open pine woods, and bivouacked at night between two swamps, I commanding the picket. Next morning we marched eighteen miles and reached Barber's. In the afternoon heard a fierce battle going on in our front, and marched towards it as fast as possible. Company H was detailed to guard a blockhouse and an enormous railroad-bridge....Next morning news came that the enemy were in hot pursuit of our routed forces, and our picket was ordered to come in as quickly as possible. We were then a mile and a quarter from camp, and on approaching it found the army retreating in two columns, our regiment bringing up the rear of that on the right..... That day (Sunday) we retreated in good order to Baldwin, stayed an hour or two, and at nightfall started again and travelled thirteen miles more, - twenty-five in all.... Halted at midnight, and bivouacked in the woods. Were we tired and footsore? Did we (Will and I) have a good supper of fried pork and coffee? Did we then turn in, snapping our fingers at all fear of Johnny, and go to sleep to be awakened by daylight, which seemed to tread on the heels of twelve o'clock? All this we did and more. We started again at sunrise.... The retreat, though made in excellent order,... was a disgraceful affair, because entirely unnecessary.... This week we have been employed moving our camp from one place to another, and fortifying the town, which is now completely encircled by rifle-pits and several small forts. Reinforcements have also arrived, and there are troops enough here to defend the town against fifty thousand Rebels (I think)." In another letter written somewhat later, but during the same expedition; he alludes to some invidious distinctions made between the white and black regiments, as follows: "An order has been issued by the commander of the post, that white and colored men are not to attend church together. I wonder he had not issued a general order specifying what shade of complexion and texture of hair a man must have to enter the kingdom of Heaven." Soon after, with his regiment, he returned to Folly Island. In the latter part of May, 1864, he was sick for two weeks or more with pneumonia, the first time that he was ever on the sick-list. He had himself put on the list for active duty, however, before fairly recovering, because there was only a small number of officers present with the regiment, and he wished to do his share of duty. He went out also with a fatigue party for two days, during the whole of which time there was a severe rain. But so strong was his constitution, that, strange as it may seem, no ill effects resulted from this exposure. On the 3d of July he was engaged with his regiment in the capture of a battery on James Island. In this engagement several officers were wounded, among them Captain Goodwin of Company D; and Boynton was now detached and placed in command of this company, where he remained till his death. In the latter part of September, 1864, he was detailed with his company, at his own request, to form part of the garrison of Long Island, and wrote thence, under date of October 12th:"I have been here twenty days. The island is thickly wooded with pines, live-oak, palmetto, persimmon-trees, and many others. It is surrounded by marshes like those described in the first article of the last Atlantic.... The delineations of a night in this Southern climate are very correct. A score of little points attracted my attention as being parts also of my own experience, -the large and high soaring fireflies, the rabbits leaping the narrow footpath, the oozy, treacherous marshes, and the piers and picket (or picquet) posts.... The writer is evidently no stranger among the sights and sounds of this Southern coast." He was commissioned Captain, November 23, 1864; but before learning his promotion he fell in the battle of Honey Hill, November 3oth, at the head of his company. He fell, struck in the side, but, rising again, led his men on. Waving his sword and shouting encouragement to them, he was hit in the neck, and fell again. The line was repulsed, and his body was never recovered. A writer in the Boston Daily Advertiser for December 4, 1865, under date of Charleston, November 25th, gives the following account of the battle: "Your readers may remember that Major-General Foster despatched General Hatch with some four thousand men, in November last, to cut the Charleston and Savannah Railroad, and offer another objective point to Sherman, then coming from Atlanta shoreward. The expedition landed at Boyd's Neck, on Broad River, and marched inland eight miles, encountering the enemy (about two thousand two hundred strong).... at Honey Hill, on the Grahamsville Road. In the fight which ensued, miserable generalship won us as rare a defeat as the whole war has witnessed, we losing over twelve hundred men to the Rebels' forty. The Massachusetts Fifty-fourth and Fifty-fifth infantry were engaged..... My object in revisiting the field was to discover, if possible, and mark the graves of Captain Crane and Lieutenant Boynton of the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts, both killed in the action of November 3oth, and said to have been honorably buried by the Rebels. We found the woods and swamp in which the fight occurred overgrown with weeds and bushes. Bits of clothing, scattered bones of men and horses, and all the debris of a battlefield, however, would have indicated, even to a civilian, that there had been a severe struggle upon the ground...... We crossed the little sluggish brook which had been our limit of advance in the fight, and ascended an abrupt slope to the substantial fieldwork which crowned it. Standing upon the embankment, and looking down at the stream and its dead fringe of thickly-set swamp-trees, only broken by the narrow opening of the road, we could not wonder that a concentrated fire of musketry and artillery, at hardly a hundred yards' range, swept back the gallant soldiers who advanced to so hopeless a charge. The narrowing of the road, bordered as it was by pools of water and slashed trees, broke the double column, in which the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts charged twice, into a crowded and confused mass, a marked target for the Rebel fire, which mowed down the front ranks, and rendered advance physically and morally impossible..... Captain Crane, who was acting as aid to Colonel Hartwell, fell in the stream, horse and rider being instantly killed by canister. Lieutenant Boynton, hit in the leg by a musket-ball, fell, rose again, staggered forward, and was killed by a discharge of canister, falling a second time upon his face in the water. The road was piled crosswise with wounded and slain. Marks of shot far up the trees were evidence of the wildness of part of the Rebel fire, which alone saved the regiment from utter annihilation. According to the stories of deserters, and (since the cessation of hostilities) of participants in the battle, the men were all buried on the side of the stream farthest from the intrenchments, and the officers, or at least Captain Crane, who was a Freemason, in separate graves on higher ground, still farther from the water. Upon search we found the trench in which the men had been interred. A narrow drain at the side of the road had apparently been widened, and the bodies thrown in and covered with a foot or so of mould. The earth seemed as if freshly turned, but was sunken from the effects of rain and drainage. We could find no other place of burial, nor indeed could we hope for success in our search unless aided by one of the burial party, for the weeds had grown up in the woods and at the wayside, all the ranker for their baptism of blood." Colonel Hartwell (Fifty-fifth Massachusetts) thus describes these two officers of his regiment, who died together, and whose memoirs here appear in close proximity. " They fell by the side of 'men of African descent,' brave and true as steel, who knew well the worth to their cause of earnest and educated gentlemen like Crane and Boynton. Crane obtained the position in the regiment for his classmate, and near friend Boynton. All through the fatiguing siege of Wagner and the incessant labors and difficulties of the regiment in the Department of the South, these two men were always at work, and always so cheerfully and so efficiently that I became greatly attached to them, and mourn their loss to the regiment and to the service. They were alike in being particularly refined and gentlemanly in their manners and tastes, and in doing everything with great care and precision. I remember how clean and well-dressed they looked on the day of the action, and how calmly and intelligently they behaved."