During the Spring of 1861 First Rhode Island Infantry was mustered into service by order of Governor William Sprague, and was to be led by Colonel Ambrose Burnside. Henry Tillinghast Sisson then a Major in the Rhode Island Marine Artillery and a Colonel with the National Cadets in Providence, RI., commanded companies that would eventually serve with the Second Rhode Island Regiment.
During the Civil War, David Sisson (Henry Sisson's father) was an agent of the Fall River Iron Works Company. David's offices located at 70 South Water Street in Providence, RI were turned into the states recruiting office and housed the states military stores. Henry Sisson was long rememberd for his recruiting abilities having enrolled many men for the various regiments of the state.
Sarah (Bailey) Sisson, Henry's mother had a chronic illness and felt that Henry (being an only child) should take a non combatants role in the newly formed 1st RI. To appease his mother Henry met with Gov. William Sprague and accepted the position of Paymaster with the rank of Lieutenant. It would not be long until he was called upon to assume a combatants role with his fellow Rhode Islanders.
Upon arriving in Washington DC, the 1st Infantry spent their first night at the Naval Yard, then they were moved temporarily to the U.S. Patent Office located on "8th" & "F" Streets in the nations capitol. Soon thereafter they were once again moved to the camp that would bare their governors name "Camp Sprague", initially the Quartermaster and the Paymaster were headquartered in a house adjacent to the camp, but were then moved to one of several shanties that would make up "Camp Sprague".
One day during a morning ride along the bank of the Potomac he noticed the secession flag flying from some of the buildings on the Virginia side of the river, he asked Gov. Sprague if he might be allowed to try and make his way acros the river and see what was going on militarily in the city of Alexandria, the governor agreed and Lieutenant Sisson was given a pass. A day later the Lieutenant traveled across Long Bridge, traveled along the streets of Alexandria, visiting many of the inns and taverns. Later the Lieutenant returned to the capitol and relayed the information he had gathered to his commanding officers, they were grateful in getting the only reliable information they had had for awhile.
The First RI Regiment had been assigned a Drillmaster from the regular army, he ended up leaving to join with the Confederacy. Several of the men (including some of the officers) appeared before Colonel Burnside and asked if they could be drilled by Lieutenant Sisson, seeing no harm in this Col. Burnside summoned Lieutenant Sisson and asked if he would take one company to drill. The Lieutenant agreed, left the presence of the Colonel and proceeded to drill the company. Lieutenant Sisson with his experience in the Hardee and Zouave Drill, upon completion was met with cheers from the company. Several officers along with 50 of the men went in and delivered a letter to Burnside requesting that Henry be allowed to command the Carabineers of the regiment, Burnside was less than pleased. Believing this was a slight towards their commander Francis Goddard, Burnside gave the men "A complete blowing up". The next day Henry Sisson was taken into Colonel Ambrose Burnsides office and told that he now was to take command of the Carabineers during the Harpers Ferry expedition, though he was to continue with his duties as Paymaster.
Upon returning from the eventless Harpers Ferry expedition, the Regiment was once again quartered at Camp Sprague. In June, Colonel Burnside, Chaplain Augustus Woodbury and Lieutenant Sisson rode their horses to the train depot and awaited the arrival of their friends with the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment. Having arrived early, Burnside, Woodbury and Sisson took advantage of the many ambulance carts around the depot and slept a few hours on top of mattresses filled with horse hair.
