quickly exhibited a distinct talent for
annoying his neighbors. The same year he
was admitted to the bar, he busied himself
fighting Southern slave hunters in the Ran-
dolph County courts, as well as litigating
on behalf of the free black settlement of
Cabin Creek. The resulting ire of the
Democratic community little affected the
prickly Colgrove, who seemed to relish the
fuss, even after he was violently accosted
by a gray-haired matron. “I never got such
a tongue-lashing in my life,” an amused
Colgrove recalled.
A state legislator at the outbreak of the
war, Colgrove was commissioned lieu-tenant colonel of the 8th Indiana and
served a three-month stint in western Vir-
ginia, including action at the Battle of Rich
Mountain. Governor Oliver P. Morton,
always on the lookout for officers with ties
to the state’s Republican machinery,
rewarded Colgrove with the colonelcy of
the newly formed 27th in September 1861.
Meanwhile in Boston, another volunteer
regiment, the 2nd Massachusetts, was com-
posed of far different makings than its Indi-
ana counterpart. The officer corps of the
2nd Massachusetts was largely composed
of young men from some of the wealthiest
and most privileged families in the Bay
State. Indicative of the lot was Charles Red-
ington Mudge, a recent graduate of Har-
vard University. Mudge received news of the
outbreak of war while still in bed on a Sun-
day morning. He recalled in a letter to afriend, “I jumped out of bed at the news of
the capture of Fort Sumter, and fully made
up my mind to fight; and when I say fight I
mean win or die.”
Born in New York City on October 22,
1839, Mudge enjoyed a comfortable
upbringing; his father, Enoch Mudge, was
one of the wealthiest cotton and wool
traders in the nation. The younger Mudge
was a cheerful, popular individual. He
enrolled in Harvard in 1856 and quickly
revealed a marked indifference to his stud-
ies. The president of Harvard was obliged
to forward a cautionary letter to Mudge’s
father, warning him that Charles’ work
was “imperfectly performed, and he has
persisted in disregarding the rules of order
in the college. I trust he will now let the
responsibilities and duties of life sober him
down, and cure that levity of conductwhich has been so particularly displayed
by his residence in College.”
Mudge was far more interested in sports
and a thriving social life. Lithe, muscular,
and athletic, he distinguished himself in
manly sports and exercises, including row-
ing, boxing, and gymnastics. An excellent
vocalist as well, he served as vice president
of the prestigious Hasty Pudding Club.
Mudge’s personable demeanor garnered
him the near universal affection of the stu-
dent body. “This popularity was founded
upon a remarkable unvarying kindliness
of nature,” thought one acquaintance.
“An instinct assured each classmate that
there could be no chance of a word of
harshness or sarcasm from him.”
Mudge’s personality, however, won few
academic points from the faculty. In July
1860, his father was informed that
Charles’ degree “will be probably granted
in a year if nothing occurs in the meantime
to make it impossible.” The coming of the
Civil War sent Mudge scrambling to secure
his son’s degree. After Charles was com-
missioned a lieutenant in the 2nd Massa-
chusetts, the elder Mudge pleaded his son’s
case to the president of Harvard. “As my
son may never return and might leave
immediately,” he wrote, “I have to ask if
he can now receive his degree, the reasons
will doubtless be sufficiently apparent to
the Faculty.” The endeavors of Mudge’s
influential father were successful. By the
time the 2nd Massachusetts headed for the
front in July 1861, Charles Mudge had
been granted his degree.
The regiment was arguably the best-
drilled volunteer regiment in Federal ser-
vice. Its commander, George H. Gordon,
was a fussy West Pointer who instilled a
professional bearing in his regiment. The
Massachusetts men soon earned the nick-
name of “Gordon’s Regulars.” The men of
Company F were particularly pleased with
Mudge. “It was his nature,” recalled one
acquaintance,” to appreciate the good
traits of everyone.”
Unfortunately for the men of the 27th
Indiana, the same could not be said for Silas
Colgrove. From the outset, the colonel
proved decidedly unpopular with most ofLibrary of CongressColonels Thomas H. Ruger of the 3rd Wisconsin,
left, and George H. Gordon, 2nd Massachusetts.
BELOW: Officers of the 2nd Massachusetts were
photographed standing together in more peace-
able surroundings in 1861. Regimental comman-
der Colonel William Cogswell stands fourth from
the left.Library of CongressCWQ-EW16 Culp's Hill_Layout 1 10/22/15 1:04 PM Page 40