History of the Sixteenth Connecticut Volunteers

In August 1862, recruits from Hartford County began exchanging civilian comforts for the burdens of army life. B. F. Blakeslee follows that transition in a regimental history drawn largely from his own youthful diaries. The opening traces the Sixteenth Connecticut Volunteers from crowded farewell scenes at Hartford through boat and rail travel to Washington, then onto dusty roads toward the Army of the Potomac. Heavy knapsacks, uncertain rations and nights in the rain give the account its practical focus.

Published in 1875, the book was intended as a reference for surviving members and a memorial for families who had lost someone in battle or prison. Blakeslee acknowledges the limits of his record while preserving marches, engagements and shared experiences. Detailed descriptions of troop movements and a pontoon crossing broaden the military picture. For readers studying the Civil War through individual units, the account connects campaign geography with the strain of ordinary service.