Harvard memorial biographies ...

Thomas Rodman Robeson.

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In the spring before his Class graduated he made up his
mind that it was best that he should prepare himself for the
military service of his country, feeling that he was needed
there, and believing that he could be more useful as a soldier
than in any other position in life. He obtained the consent
of his relatives, and of the Faculty of the College, who at the
next Commencement conferred upon him, in his absence, the
Bachelor's degree; and on April 25, 1861, he went down to
Fort Independence to drill with the Fourth Battalion. His
classmates Hallowell and Holmes went to Fort Independence
at the same time. He soon enlisted in the Second Regiment
of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, which was then being
recruited by Colonel George H. Gordon, and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in that regiment, May 28, 186i.
His regiment was in camp at Camp Andrew, in Wes't Roxbury, until July 8th, when it received marching orders. Lieutenant Robeson had been assigned to Company F, of which
Charles R. Mudge was Captain and Robert G. Shaw First
Lieutenant, and performed his duties in camp with fidelity and
success. He was much praised for his readiness and determination in suppressing some acts of insubordination on one
occasion very soon after his arrival.
On July 8th the Second started for Virginia, after some interesting presentations of flags at Camp Andrew and an enthusiastic reception in Boston. Another cordial reception
greeted them in New York. They were first stationed at
Martinsburg, Virginia, under the command of Major-General
Patterson. They were afterwards stationed for more than a
month at Harper's Ferry, and subsequently at Darnestown.
At the latter place, on September 12, i861, Lieutenant Robeson, with Lieutenant Howard, having been selected for the
purpose from four officers of the regiment by examination, was
detached for signal duty, and ordered to the signal camp at
Georgetown, D. C. He wrote home on September I4th:"Since I wrote to you I have been detached from my regiment
for signal duty. There have been two officers taken from each
regiment in our division (or rather from those regiments that had