General Notes

[Demarce.FTW]
Joseph Blondin, born 15 December 1847, son of Joseph Blondin and Marguerite Belile of Grand Isle, Vt., baptized 23 January 1851, St. Joseph's, Burlington, Vt.  Godparents:  David St. Martin and Eleonard Paquet.
Joseph Blondin, Jr
Residence Colchester VT;
Enlisted on 2/22/1865 as a Private.
On 2/22/1865 he mustered into "I" Co. VT 7th Infantry
He was Mustered Out on 7/11/1865
VERMONT
SEVENTH REGIMENT.
(THREE YEARS.)
BY WILLLIAM C. HOLBROOK, COLONEL SEVENTH REGIMENT.
THE Seventh Regiment, numbering 943 officers and men, was mustered into the service of the United States at Rutland, Vt.,
February 12, 1862, under the command of Col. George T. Roberts. The act under which the regiment was formed authorized the
Governor to "recruit, organize, arm and equip, an additional regiment" * * * "to serve in the army of the United States."
By a previous act, the Governor had been authorized to recruit, etc., a regiment to be attached to a New England division then
being raised by Gen. B. F. Butler, under the authority of the Secretary of War, to operate against the City of New Orleans,
which regiment was "to be armed and equipped at the expense of the United States." Under this latter act, the Eighth regiment
was formed. It was clearly the intention of the legislature, by the act under which the Seventh was formed, as it was the
avowed purpose of the State officials, that the Seventh shouldnot form a part of General Butler's division. It was the
unanimous wish of the officers and men that the regiment might be sent to the Army of the Potomac, and they were greatly
disappointed and disgusted when they learned that they had been
designated by the War Department, for service under General
Butler.
On the 10th of March, 1862, the Seventh left Rutland for
New York City, where it embarked on two old-fashioned sailing
ships, ill adapted for the transportation of troops, with
sealed orders to proceed to sea. Upon opening the orders, it
was learned that the destination of the regiment was Ship
Island, Miss. The voyage occupied upwards of three weeks, and
was very uncomfortable and trying, owing to the heavy March
gales which prevailed throughout the passage. On the fall of
New Orleans, a portion of the Seventh for a short time,
occupied Fort Pike, one of the important outlying
fortifications of the city, commanding the entrance to Lake
Pontchartrain. The balance of the regiment shortly thereafter
proceeded to Carrolton, an environ of New Orleans; thence, in a
few days, it proceeded to Baton Rouge, where it reported to
Brig.-Gen. Thomas Williams. On the 19th of June, 1862, eight
companies of the Seventh, with three other regiments and a
light battery, comprising altogether about 3,500 men, embarked
on transports to take part in a foolhardy expedition against
Vicksburg, conceived by General Butler. Although supported by
Admiral Farragut's entire squadron of war ships, the expedition
was a failure. After besieging the place for twenty-eight
days, and after the loss, unnecessarily, of many valuable
lives, principally from exposure and sickness, the command
returned to Baton Rouge. Disease and death had so decimated
the ranks of the Seventh, that of the 800 men with which it
started on this ill-starred campaign, it had less than 100 for
duty on its return to Baton Rouge. On the 5th of
August, 1862, the regiment took a conspicuous and highly
meritorious part in the battle which occurred at that place on
that day. In addition to other losses, it had the great
misfortune to lose its beloved and heroic Colonel, George T.
Roberts, who died two days later from wounds received while
gallantly discharging his duties at the most critical stage of
the action. Later, the regiment performed duty in and around
the City of New Orleans. At this time, owing to the hardships
endured on the Vicksburg campaign, the mortality in the
regiment reached its highest percentage. In November
following, the re