Reminiscences of service with the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, and a memorial of Col. George H. Browne

A vivid, first‑hand account of a New England regiment’s early days in the Civil War, this memoir transports listeners to the summer of 1862 when Rhode Island’s towns buzzed with recruitment rallies, evening war meetings, and a surge of patriotic resolve. The narrator, a former quartermaster sergeant, recounts his own decision to leave the teaching profession and join the Twelfth Volunteers, detailing the bustling atmosphere of Camp Stevens, the camaraderie between officers and privates, and the diverse backgrounds that forged the unit’s character.

Interwoven with personal anecdotes is a respectful tribute to Colonel George H. Browne, whose leadership helped shape the regiment’s spirit of obedience and usefulness. Listeners will hear vivid descriptions of the logistical challenges of moving men and supplies, the anticipation of heading toward the front, and the broader anxieties of a nation on the brink of crisis—all narrated with the plain‑spoken clarity of someone who lived through those stirring months.