Second Brigade, Second Division
Lieutenant Colonel J S Pitman, 1st Rhode Island (Detached Militia
First Rhode Island (Detached Militia) Infantry
Three months' volunteers
COLONEL A E BURNSIDE
Commanding the Second Brigade, Second Division on 21 July, 1861.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL J S PITMAN
Detached for duty at Providence on 21 July, 1861.
MAJOR J P BALCH
Commanding regiment on 21 July, 1861. Colonel W Goddard, of the Governor's staff, appointed second major.
- Company A National Cadets: CAPT. A F DEXTER
- Company B Providence Artllery: CAPT. N VAN SLYCK
- Company C First Light Infantry No.1: CAPT. W W BROWN
Private W H Helme was assigned to an Air Balloon Detachment under the command of First Lieutenant H L Abbot on 14 July, 1861. - Company D First Light Infantry No.2: CAPT. N W BROWN
- Company E Pawtucket Light Guard: CAPT. S R BUCKLIN
- Company F Newport Artillery: CAPT. G W TEW
- Company G Providence Mechanic Rifles No.1: CAPT. J T PITMAN
Captain D A Peloubet went out in command of the company but was detached at Annapolis. - Company H Providence Mechanic Rifles No.2: CAPT. C W H DAY
- Company I Westerly Rifles: CAPT. H C CARD
- Company K Woonsocket Guards: CAPT. P SIMPSON
- Independent Company Carbineers: CAPT. F W GODDARD
Attached as skirmishers to the 1st Rhode Island (Detached Militia) Infantry.
Sources
"A company of Carbineers, to act as skirmishers, was formed, by details from the other companies, 1st Rhode Island (Detached Militia) Infantry, and armed with the Burnside rifles. On the 19 June, 1861 it was organised as a separate corps, and its place in the line of march was in front of the column. Its officers were appointed as follows: Francis W Goddard, commissioned as Captain. Walter B Manton, commissioned as Lieutenant. John B Campbell, of Company A, Sergeant. George O Gorton, of Company C, Sergeant. Robert H Deming, of Company D, Sergeant. Louis T Hall, of Company G, Sergeant. Peleg E Bryant, of Company B, Sergeant.
The Company numbered seventy-three privates, but its members messed, quartered, and were paid with their respective companies. Consequently no roll was preserved.
Burnside also took two companies of the Burnside Carbineers (a Zouave Unit) as sharpshooters to accompany the First Regiment. The Burnside Carbineers were under the command of Captain Francis W Goddard. The Carbineers were armed with the deadly Burnside Carbine lever action fast firing breach loader."
Narrative of the campaign of the First Rhode Island Regiment, in the spring and summer of 1861, by Augustus Woodbury
"The Regimental Band contains 22 musicians. The uniform of the Regiment consists of the regulation hat, a loose blue blouse, and grey pantaloons. A plain leather belt around the waist sustains the cartridge-box, the bayonet, and six-barrelled revolver, with which each man is armed. The officers are distinguished by a small gold strap on the shoulders; they wear a sash and a long sabre, and a revolver supported by a plain belt."
Rebellion Record: Document 80, Gov. Sprague's Rhode Islanders, New York Tribune, 22 April, 1861
"These consisted of a light blue blouse, of the Garibaldi pattern, dark grey pants, and Kossuth hat, with the brim turned up on the right side, and fastened to the crown with a brass plate, eagle shaped."
History of Company F, 1st Regiment, R I Volunteers, During the Spring and Summer of 1861, by Charles H Clarke
The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states 1861–65, records of the regiments in the Union army, cyclopedia of battles, memoirs of commanders and soldiers, Volume 1, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware
Notes
The 1st Rhode Island (Detached Militia) Infantry and the Independent Company Carbineers were mustered in for three months, and mustered out, at Providence, on 2 August, 1861, as their term of service expired.
Reports
OFFICIAL REPORT NO.39: Series I, Volume 2 (S# 2), Chapter IX, pp. 395–399
Colonel A E Burnside, First Rhode Island (Detached Militia) Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, Second Division
OFFICIAL REPORT NO.40: Series I, Volume 2 (S# 2), Chapter IX, pp. 399–400
Major J P Balch, First Rhode Island (Detached Militia) Infantry
Orders of Battle
The above painting, 'New York's Bravest', is by Don Troiani, modern America's finest historial artist.