Research Arsenal Spotlight 45: Herbert Daniels 7th Rhode Island Infantry
Herbert Daniels was born in 1836 to David Daniels and Nancy (Ballou) Daniels. The letters in this collection begin in 1862 while Herbert Daniels was helping his brother, Percy Daniels, recruit for the 7th Rhode Island Infantry. Herbert enlisted as a private in Company C of the 7th Rhode Island Infantry while Percy was commissioned as captain of Company E. Sometime during the war, Herbert Daniels transferred to Company B.
The letters in this collection were written to Mrs. Salina (Brewster) Waterson, with whom Herbert enjoyed an ongoing romantic relationship.
Recruiting for the 7th Rhode Island Infantry at Camp Bliss
Herbert Daniels wrote to Salina on July 1, 1862 and detailed how he helped approximately eight young recruits get register and come to Camp Bliss, near Providence, Rhode Island.
“Percy came from Woonsocket about the time I got to the office & the first thing we had to do was to find those young soldiers. I found them at last on the wharf at Fox Point about a mile from the office. Then we had to get them examined & sworn & we couldn’t find an officer. For a long time, we tramped around — well, I tell you, Percy & I with 8 soldier boys at our heels for he brought another with him. At last we got it all done just in time for Percy to take the cars but not until after they had started. After he left the office I thought of something I wanted to ask him so I ran after him & saw him get into the last car while it was going. I followed & got into the rear end of the last car just as he went into the next car. I followed him so through the whole train before I caught him. By that time we had got more than a quarter of a mile from the depot but they were not going so fast but that I could jump off & run back.
Then there were more papers to write & sign & questions to be asked & answered & explanations to be made to them about their pay &c. & then a requisition or order to be got for their clothing &c. which had to be copied to the Adjutant General’s office & then to the Quartermaster General’s office &c, & finally to the Clothing Department where they were completely fitted out with everything that a soldier needs (in the way of clothing) including knapsacks, blankets, overcoats, underclothes, & everything. I didn’t get them dressed & their knapsacks packed & strapped upon their backs until nearly 7 o’clock — just in time to take the 7 o’clock omnibus which carried within a half mile of the camp & then we had to march the rest of the way. I stayed at the camp over an hour or more & saw them comfortably established, saw that they got their beds & filled them, & looked out for the little drummer boys who were not sworn in & didn’t get any blankets nor anything. I don’t know why & am going to find out this afternoon. But they got their beds the same as the rest & borrowed all the overcoats they wanted so they would get along well enough for the night. They say they are used to such life having served 9 months in Massachusetts 20th Regiment & were in the Ball’s Bluff fight.”
Herbert Daniels at the Battle of Fredericksburg
The 7th Rhode Island Infantry finished its organization in September, 1862. From there it was sent down to Washington, D.C., before being assigned to the 9th Corps of the Army of the Potomac. In December, 1862, the 7th Rhode Island Infantry fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Herbert Daniels wrote a letter on December 14, 1862, telling Salina about the Battle and the regiment’s loss of their lieutenant colonel, Welcome Ballou Sayles.
“There has been a great battle & Percy & I were in it but we were not hurt. The mail is going in a few minutes so I can’t write much. Lieut. [George A.] Wilbur was hit in the leg—not very bad. Mr. [Harris C.] Wright [of Co. B] was badly wounded. I can’t find out whether he is alive or not. He was rather rash, went up with the Colonel to the front while the rest of us were lying down.
Thursday they shelled the city all day but we did nothing but look on. Friday forenoon we entered the city and stayed all day & night until yesterday noon when we went in the field and stayed till dark, lying down behind a hill except when we stood up to fire. The Colonel [Bliss] said the fire was as hot as men were ever exposed to. Only 18 men of our company & 14 of Percy’s could be found at night and yet there was but 1 known to be killed. Not a man in the regiment ran away or flinched. [Lieut.] Col. [Welcome Ballou] Sayles was killed instantly. We shall miss him very much.”
Herbert Daniels and the Battle of the Crater
On June 29, 1864, Herbert Daniels’ brother, Percy, was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 7th Rhode Island Infantry. The regiment was part of the Siege of Petersburg and on July 30, 1864, Herbert Daniels begin writing a letter to Salina Waterson at 6 AM. He updated the letter sporadically throughout the day, giving a real time account of the Battle of the Crater.
“6 o’clock Saturday morning [30 July 1864]. The rebellion didn’t get started upward until about 5 o’clock. I was in bed as usual and listening & felt the jar 2 or 3 times & jumped up and looked & saw the column of dirt high above the hill which is between here & there. Then about a hundred cannon opened & I laid down again. I expected some of the rebel shells would come over here but they don’t. I don’t believe the Rebs are doing much. Our guns are still firing as fast as possible.
The troops don’t all charge at once. I believe our Brigade hasn’t gone in yet. They have been all ready though for hours. I soon got up and pretty soon found the Spy of the 26th here in Percy’s tent & went back and laid down & read it & then came back here. I am going to breakfast now.
8 o’clock. The firing continues & shakes the very ground, to say nothing of the hair on our heads even at this distance. Walter is here in Percy’s tent. His whole Corps is around here. I have just heard from our Brigade. It is probably charging now.
Clark had a good breakfast ready—ham, potatoes, bread & butter, chocolate &c. Walter had heard from that Bixby & James & David Daniels. He is reading those Spys & was very glad to get them. [William H.] Folsom is in camp. I see him every day. He doesn’t go into battle. He is a clerk & assists in the hospital sometimes.
10 o’clock. The mail has come bringing me a Providence Evening Press but no letters.
5 P. M. The rebellion still lives. It seems as though this operation was a complete failure. It is said that the Rebs have recovered all they lost which wasn’t much—only that a few guns and men were buried this morning. (I haven’t heard a gun or cannon for some time but just heard what sounded like a small locomotive whizzing over these woods. You will have the particulars of this affair in Monday’s papers & we shall get it Monday night in the Washington Morning & Sunday Chronicle.”
Herbert Daniels continued serving with his regiment until the end of the war. Percy Daniels later became lieutenant governor of Kansas. Herbert first married Elizabeth LaPierre in 1868, but the two divorced five years later. He then married Salina (Brewster) Waterson in 1873 and the two remained married until her death in 1882. Herbert Daniels died in 1888, apparently of starvation, after becoming reclusive and falling destitute, living off of only his six dollar monthly pension.
We’d like to that William Griffing of Spared & Shared for his work in transcribing and sharing these letters.
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If you enjoyed this article, check out some of our other featured collections like Kimball Pearsons of the 10th New York Cavalry and Joseph Maitland of the 95th Ohio Infantry.
