JJJUVERSiTY OF Cl BAV1S HISTORY OF THE FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS BATTERY. ORGANIZED OCTOBER 3, 1861, MUSTERED OUT JUNE 12, 1865, BOSTON : LUTHER E. COWLES, PUBLISHER, 60 FEDERAL STREET. 1902. VKRAttY COPYRIGHT, 1902, BY LUTHER E. COWLES All Rights Reserved ;$ UOLLECTIOI PREFACE. In submitting these pages to the general public, made doubly and more profoundly critical by new opportuni ties for observation, furnished by the recent war with Spain, we are aware that our most appreciative readers will be found among the daily diminishing ranks of our comrades and their circle of friends whose memories reach back to the period of which it treats, forty years ago. It is not without some feeling of complacence that we have reviewed these records of the endurance of hard ships, which, in the inexperience of early youth, we accepted as the inevitable, and carelessly turned into jest as the easiest and quickest way of getting over the mis fortunes of war, and we have closely followed the trials to which were submitted those innate impulses of courage inspired by patriotism, that found us all ready to mount at the call of " Boots and Saddles," and, harnessing our impatience to the wheels of the grumbling cannon and caissons, to seek the field wherever, whenever and how soever we were directed. To our aid in this work we have called the sister of a soldier of the i8th Massachusetts Regiment Infantry, who has brought to her task that which is considered indispensable in the historian of a distant period, " the familiarized knowledge of many years." Her impres sions do not all come at second hand. They are the product of memories transplanted from a living past, to assist in the selection of scenes in camp, on the march, iii iv PREFACE. and in the field, and to present them in a form of ready reference for the use of its members and their descendants for all time, to bear witness to the labors, sacrifices and achievements of the 5th Massachusetts Battery, Light Artillery. NATHAN APPLETON, HENRY D. SCOTT, JOHN F. MURRAY, THOMAS E. CHASE, GEORGE L. NEWTON, Committee. The committee desire to acknowledge the receipt of historical data, loan of books, letters, diaries and other means of information necessary to the compilation, from the following persons : Massachusetts : Miss Katharine Phillips, Miss Jane Phillips, Mrs. Stephen H. Phillips, Brevet Brigadier- General Augustus P. Martin, Stephen F. Keyes, Judge Advocate, Department of Massachusetts, G. A. R., George H. Freeman, Quartermaster R. A. Peirce, Post G. A. R., Charles F. Shaw, R. C. Ingraham, Charles W. Coggeshall (Coggeshall, Maxfield & Co.), B. F. Bright- man (Alaska Oil Co.), Isaac S. Mullen, Ward Room Steward U. S. ships Portsmouth and Chocura, Milo J. Proctor, 6th Massachusetts Infantry, Charles O. Eaton, Custodian of State Flags, Rev. George Batchelor, Wm. G. Kirschbaum, New Bedford Standard. Maine: Brevet Major-General Joshua L. Chamber lain, Brevet Major Henry S. Burrage, Major Holman S. Melcher, 2Oth Maine Regiment Association, Captain Harvey H. Webber. New York : Brevet Colonel Horatio C. King, Hugh Hastings, State Historian, Frank H. Norton, Edmund PREFACE. v B. Taber, New York Herald, R. G. Butler, New York Sun. North Dakota : Colonel C. A. Lounsberry, 2Oth Michi gan Infantry. Pennsylvania : Colonel John P. Nicholson, Gettys burg National Park Commission. Rhode Island: Major Geo. E. Randolph (Denver, Col.), William Ames Card (New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad), Captain Wm. B. Weeden, 4th (Weeden's) Rhode Island Battery, First Lieutenant Gideon Spencer, ist Rhode Island Light Artillery, Captain Wm. B. Rhodes, Battery E, ist Rhode Island, John Galvin and J. B. Peck, Battery C, ist Rhode Island, Frederic M. Sackett, Adjutant General State of Rhode Island. Virginia: Colonel Wm. Thompson, Governor Na tional Soldiers' Home, W. W. Scott, Librarian State Library, Richmond. Washington, D. C. : Captain Charles E. Troutman, Colonel Lee Crandall, William Crozier, Brigadier-Gen eral, Chief of Ordnance, U. S. A. NOTE. Parentheses are used to explain the text and for cross-references. Paren thetical remarks by the writers quoted are between dashes. TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER FIRST. December 29, 1861 December 22, 1865. The Battery Flags, 3 ; The Color Bearers, 4 ; The Flags Unfurled, 5 ; The Flags Replaced, 6 ; The Worn Colors, 11 ; Corps and Brigade Flags and Badges, 18. CHAPTER SECOND. December 3, 1860 August 23, 1861. In 'Sixty-One, 23; The Safety of Washington, 24; The Massachusetts Legislature, 24 ; Massachusetts in the National Congress, 24; The Re port of a Committee, 25 ; General Order No. 4, 26 ; Interview with U. S. Attorney General Stanton, 30; The Roads to Washington, 36. CHAPTER THIRD. April 2, 1863 June 1, 1865. The Composition of the Battery, 49 ; Light Artillery in the Field, 52 ; Artil lery Tactics, 63. CHAPTER FOURTH. August 20, 1861 December 26, 1861. Recruiting the Battery, 66 ; The Defences of Washington, 67 ; McClellan and the Artillery, 68 ; City of New Bedford, 69 ; Boston and Vicinity, 70 ; Recruiting Office in New Bedford, 71 ; Recruiting Office in Boston, 72 ; Enlistment Rolls of Lieut. John B. Hyde, 78 ; Original Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers, 82 ; Enlistment Rolls of Lieut. George D. Allen, 87 ; Camp Schouler, Lynnfield, 83 ; Camp Massasoit, Readville, 90 ; Departure for the Seat of War, 93. CHAPTER FIFTH. December 25, 1861 March 9, 1862. Washington, D. C., and Hall's Hill, Va., 95 ; Camp at Washington, D. C., 98 Camp at Hall's Hill, 131 ; The Target Shooting, 139. vii viii TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER SIXTH. March 10, 1862 April 4, 1862. The Advance upon Richmond, 156 ; The President's War Order, 158 ; McClel- lan's Address to the Army, 162 ; The Peninsula, 163 ; Centreville and Manassas, 165; The Embarkation, 169; The Situation, 192; Banks' Fifth Corps, 195 ; Howard's Mills, 195 ; The First Gun Fired, 195. CHAPTER SEVENTH. April 6, 1862 May 8, 1862. Yorktown, 205 ; " In Battery," 205 ; In the Earthworks, 210 ; The Masked Battery, 213 ; Guarding the Bridge over Wormley's Creek by Sections, 217 ; The Trenches, 231 ; The Camp, 233 ; Batteries of Siege Guns, 240 ; The Charge on the Right Fort, 244. CHAPTER EIGHTH. May 9, 1862 May 31, 1862. The Battle of Hanover Court House, 252; Up York River, 253; West Point to Cumberland Creek, 257; White House Landing, 263; Fifth Pro visional Army Corps, 264 ; In Hanover County, 271. CHAPTER NINTH. May 31, 1862 June 27, 1862. The Valley of the Chickahominy, 287 ; Battle of Mechanicsville, 288 ; The Battery at the Bridge, 289 ; Leaves of Absence, 295 ; Review of the Fifth Corps, 296 ; On Picket at New Bridge, 299 ; In the Earthworks, 299 ; The First Death in Camp, 300 ; On Gaines Hill, 302 ; The Bridges across the Chickahominy River, 304 ; Battery No. 4, 310. CHAPTER TENTH. June 26, 1862 June 28, 1862. The Battle of Gaines Mills, 314 ; The Situation, 315 ; In Battery, 319 ; The March, 319 ; Casualties, 320 ; The Retreat of the Forces, 336. CHAPTER ELEVENTH. June 29, 1862 July 1, 1862. The Battle of Malvern Hill, 361 ; The March, 361 ; The Navy Assists, 362 5 The Gunboats, 363 ; McClellan and the Artillery, 367 ; Casualties, 370. CHAPTER TWELFTH. July 2, 1862 August 14, 1862, The Battery divided, 381 ; Harrison's Landing, 382 ; The Inspection, 383 ; Review by Gen. H. W. Halleck, 383 ; Special Order No. 200 Divid ing the Battery, 387; Officers Resigned, 388; Officers Promoted, 3905 The Sick and Wounded, 392 ; An Artillery Demonstration, 398. TABLE OF CONTENTS. ix CHAPTER THIRTEENTH. August 14, 1862 September 3, 1862. From Harrison's Landing to Acquia Creek, 413 ; The Battle of Second Manassas, 413 ; The Relief of Major General John Pope, 414 ; The March to Williamsburg, 414; The Sick and Wounded, 415; Acquia Creek, 415; The Fourth R. I. Contingent, 423; Casualties, 423; The Peril of the National Capital, 428. CHAPTER FOURTEENTH. September 3, 1862 October 9, 1862. The Battery Reunited and Reinstated, 432 ; The Battery Concentrated, 439 ; Battle of Antietam, 445 ; Reported to Gen. Whipple, 445 ; Re-recruit ing the Battery, 447 ; Emancipation, 448 ; Full Equipment, 452 ; Re ported to General Morell, 458. CHAPTER FIFTEENTH. October 11, 1862 January 25, 1863. The Battle of Fredericksburg, 459; Men of Massachusetts and Michigan, 464 ; Crossing the River, 465 ; Joined the Division at Harper's Ferry, 477; Snicker's Gap, 479 ; Camp near Warrenton, Va., 483; Near Fal- mouth, Va., 489 ; Hooker in Command of the Fifth Corps, 495 ; In Battery, 496 ; Casualties, 497. CHAPTER SIXTEENTH. January 26, 1863 June 13, 1863. The Battle of Chancellorsville, 544 ; A Cavalry Review, 568 ; Grand Re view, 569 ; Invalid Corps, 576 ; In Line of Battle, 582 ; Recrossed the River, 583 ; Report of Captain Phillips, 586 ; Reduced to Four Guns, 595 ; Drew another Section, 598. CHAPTER SEVENTEENTH. June 13, 1863 August 8, 1863. The Battle of Gettysburg, 602 ; Rebels said to be in Maryland, 603 ; Veteran Volunteers, 617 ; Duty and the Death Penalty, 621 ; Positions of the Bat tery, 626, 651 ; " Fix Prolonge to Fire Retiring," 630 ; Tenth New York Battery, 664 ; Fifth Massachusetts Battery Monument, 676 ; High Water Mark, 678; Progress South of the Armies, 682. CHAPTER EIGHTEENTH. August 9, 1863 November 23, 1863. The Battle of Rappahannock Station, 695 ; Massachusetts State Agency, 697; White Sulphur Springs, 703; Target Practice, 706; The Invalid x TABLE OF CONTENTS. Corps, 709; The Fight at Bristoe, 716; Manoeuvring for Position, 721 ; Music in the Army, 728; Attack on the Earthwork*, 732 ; Under Fire, 733. CHAPTER NINETEENTH. November 23, 1863 February 29, 1864. The Battle of Mine Run, 740 ; Brigade Drill, 744 ; The Crossing of the Rap- idan, 745 ; In Line of Battle, 746 ; Longfellow's Son Shot, 747 ; A Fatal Mistake, 749 ; Reenlistments, 761 ; Music for the Army, 762 ; Money Paid by Drafted Persons, 767. CHAPTER TWENTIETH. March 1, 1864 May 7, 1864. The Battle of the Wilderness, 776; Grant takes Command, 777 ; The Invalid Corps, 784; Lieut. Scott Resigns, 785; "Wanted, Recruits." Poster, 787 ; Ball at General J. J. Bartlett's Headquarters, 789 ; Veteran Reserve Corps, 790 ; Reduction of Army Corps, 792 ; The Countersign, 797 ; The Demi-Brigade, 798 ; The Demi-Brigade Dissolved, 803 ; The Fight of May 5, 805 ; The Fight of May 6, 807 ; The Fight of May 7, 808. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIRST. May 8, 1864 May 18, 1864. The Battle of Spottsylvania Court House and Laurel Hill, 811 ; Captain A. P. Martin Wounded, 816; The Fight of May 8, 816; The Fight of May 9, 818 ; Casualties, 818 ; The Fight of May 10, 819 ; The Fight of May 11, 820 ; The Fight of May 12, 822 ; Casualties, 823 ; Turned in a Section,' 825 ; The Fight of May 18, 826. CHAPTER TWENTY-SECOND. May 19, 1864 May 25, 1864. The Battle of the North Anna River and Virginia Central Railroad, 827 ; The Fight of May 19, 831 ; Rounds Fired by the Battery in Eighteen Days, 833 ; The Fight of May 23, 834 ; The Crossing at Jericho Ford, 834 ; The Fifth Battery Men as Barn Movers, 835 ; The Fight of May 25, 839; Casualties, 839; Lieutenant Appleton's Promotion and Resigna tion, 847. CHAPTER TWENTY-THIRD. May 26, 1864 June 14, 1864. The Battle of Bethesda Church, 851; Officers Promoted, 857; Casualties, June 2, 858; Bethesda Church, 858; The Charge of the Battery, 863 The Company Fund, 864. TABLE OF CONTENTS. xi CHAPTER TWENTY-FOURTH. June 15, 1864 August 18, 1864. The Battle of Petersburg, 869; The Assault of June 18, 877; Casualties, 877 ; The Fortifications, 879 ; The Norfolk Railroad Cut, 881 ; The Sani tary Commission, 886; The Army Ration, 887 ; A Work Built for the Battery, 889; The Rebel Raid into Maryland, 890; Bombardment of July 30, 893 ; Casualties, 894. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIFTH. August 18, 1864 September 1, 1864. The Battle of the Weldon Railroad, 899; Expiration of Term of Service, 901; The Possession of the Weldon Railroad, 904; Casualties, 905; The Third Massachusetts Battery, 906 ; Officers Promoted, 907 ; Mem bers of the Third Massachusetts Battery Transferred, 908. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIXTH. September 2, 1864 November 19, 1864. The Battle of Hatcher's Run, 910; Disposal of Transferred Non-Commis- sioned Officers, 915 ; Commission Officers Promoted, 917 ; Non-Commis- sioned Officers Promoted, 918 ; The Battery in Fort Davison, 919 ; Mus tered Out at Expiration of Term of Service, 923 ; New Section (Centre) Added, 924 ; The Fight at Hatcher's Run, 924 ; The Defences of Wash ington, 927. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVENTH. November 4, 1864 April 6, 1865. The Assault on Petersburg, 930 ; Examination of Recruits at the Hospital, 935; The Weldon Railroad, 936; In the Advance Going Out: In the Rear Coming Back, 938 ; Four Guns in Fort Hays, 938 ; Two Guns in Battery 22, 938 ; Retired from the Forts, 939 ; Returned to the Forts, 940 ; Hatcher's Run, 941 ; Back to the Old Camp, 941 ; Turned in a Section^ 942 ; The Final Attack, 943 ; The Last Shot, 943 ; Casualties, 947. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTH. April 3,1865 June 24, 1865. Guns removed from Fort Hays, 953 ; The Artillery Reserve, 954 ; The Artil lery Brigade, 955 ; The Last Camp in Virginia, 956 ; The Last March, 957 ; Mustered Out of the United States Service, 958. Proceedings of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery Association, LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE THE BATTERY FLAGS .... Frontispiece THE COMMISSIONED OFFICERS .... 66 EQUIPMENTS 75 LIEUT. HYDE AND "BLACK CHARLEY " 92 PLAN OF OPERATIONS : YORKTOWN . . . 204 BUGLE CALL " IN BATTERY " .... 205 BUGLE CALL " To THE COLOR " . . . . 209 SIGNAL FLAG 219 REDOUBT 225 LUNETTE 226 CAMP CHAIR 228 HOUSE NEAR WORMLEY'S CREEK .... 234 REBEL REDOUBT 247 VALLEY OF THE CHICKAHOMINY: PLAN . . .286 BATTLE OF GAINES MILLS: PLAN . BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL: PLAN SECOND POSITION AT MALVERN HILL . CANNONEER'S SWORD ARMY DESK BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG: PLAN BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE : PLAN . BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, JULY 2,1863: PLAN xiii 360 3/2 386 441 459 544 602 xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE PORTRAIT OF CAPTAIN AUGUSTUS P. MARTIN . 613 BRINGING OFF THE GUN 636 BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, JULY 3, 1863 ; PLAN . 648 CAPTAIN PHILLIPS AND HIS HORSE . . . 662 FIFTH MASS. BATTERY MONUMENT . . . 676 HIGH WATER MARK: TABLET .... 678 LIEUT. APPLETON AND HIS HORSE "FOLKO" . 707 RAILROAD BRIDGE OVER THE RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER 733 CAMP OF THE FIFTH MASS. BATTERY, RAPPAHAN NOCK STATION, VA., DEC. 1863, -APRIL, 1864 . 740 "ACTION FRONT." DRILL AT WINTER QUARTERS CAMP, RAPPAHANNOCK STATION, VA., MAR. 1864 793 ONE PIECE OF THE FIFTH MASS. BATTERY, RAPPA HANNOCK STATION, VA., APRIL, 1864. LIEUT. SlMONDS STANDING IN THE REAR . . . 797 BATTLE OF PETERSBURG : PLAN . . . . 869 REUNION AT NEW BEDFORD, MASS., AUG. 9, 1892 967 CHAPTER I. THE BATTERY FLAGS. "An' didn't we flock to the colors when the drums began to beat, An' didn't we march with proud step along this village street? An' didn't the people cheer us when we got aboard the cars, With the flag a-wavin' o'er us, and went away to the wars?" CAPTAIN JACK CRAWFORD. There never was a time when the American Flag stood for so much in the estimation of the people of the Common wealth of Massachusetts, as in the spring and summer of 1 86 1 : there was never a time when the emblem of the in divisibility of the Union stood so much in need of appre ciation and respect. Emotions of alarm and anxiety for the security of the individual and all he held most dear, mingled with and intensified the enthusiasm which called together great con vocations of all classes and both sexes, to witness the simple raising of the flag which represented all that the constitu tion of the United States was intended to guarantee. In the capital of the state vast assemblages breathlessly watched the unfolding of flags of immense size, made of the costliest material, across the principal streets, in the most conspicuous places, to the music of the national airs. Flags were flung out from the steeples of churches. The clergy were among the most patriotic of those who ad dressed the multitude, the exercises opening with prayer. Far as the eye could see, above the crowd in the street, in the windows and on the roofs of houses, the people waited for the orator's closing words: "Our Country, the United States of America," which were the signal for the running 2 HISTORY OF THE out of the flag, and for long continued and hearty cheering, while the bands played "The Star Spangled Banner" and "Hail Columbia." Members of Congress anxious to show their colors, and returned travellers from the turbulent South, made soul stirring speeches and roused their youthful hearers to a wild fervor which from the first was unrestrainable, and sooner or later carried them "away to the wars." Ardent, unfaltering, undying devotion to the beautiful ensign was inculcated by the speakers and punctuated by the fife, drum and bugle. In the hush of the church vestries mission circles were formed by women, ten thousand of them in this state, who, fearing they knew not what, saw their stitches set through tears, by hurrying, tremulous hands, while the men cheered at the "flag raisings." They organized little bands called "Soldiers' Aid Societies." Sweethearts and wives, and sisters, made red, white and blue neckties, which the young soldiers wore in the state camps or on brief furloughs home. Young ladies in private schools took up subscriptions and purchased handsome standards which they presented to the volunteer companies. Young gentlemen in theirs presented flags and equipments to graduates. Note paper and envelopes ornamented with flags were the correct thing in correspondence. A large and elegantly wrought shawl was presented to the wife of Governor Andrew by R. H. Stearns & Co., popu lar dry goods merchants, designed and executed, by a lady in Newton. It was of the finest worsted in red, white and blue colors, with thirty-four stars and the Union shield of the same material so arranged as to give to the whole a symmetrical appearance and an exceedingly fine effect. And underlying all this ebullition of feeling absorbed by one object, in the participation of which political lines were effaced and a "war democrat" was as good a fighting man FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 3 as a republican, there was absolute, uncompromising fealty to the government, and a grim determination to stand by the flag at whatever cost to themselves or to others. Major C. A. Woodruff, U. S. A., in a speech at one of the reunions of the Society of the Army of the Potomac, has given the best expression to this sentiment : "No patriotic citizen of this Government can admit that there was any equality of flags : for true Americans there was but one national flag, and that the one the Union sol diers bore to complete victory : nor that there was any co- honor of causes : for true Americans there was but one just cause, and that the preservation of the Federal Union." To prove this fealty by action there was an ever increas ing necessity in the danger which threatened Washington, and called forth from Wendell Phillips the following enun ciation : "The war, then, is not aggressive, but in self-defence, and Washington has become the Thermopylae of liberty and justice. Rather than surrender that Capital, cover every square foot of it with a living body; crowd it with millions of men and empty every bank vault at the North to pay the cost. Teach the world, once for all, that North America belongs to the stars and stripes, and under them no man shall wear a chain. . . . Cannon think in the igth century; and you must put the North in the right before you can justify her in the face of the world: before you can pour Massachusetts like an avalanche through the streets of Bal timore, and carry Lexington on the i 9 th of April, s of Mason and Dixon's line." THE FLAGS OF THE BATTERY. NOTES OF FRANCIS* P. WASHBURN, MAY 5, IQOO. -As regards the Battery flags : two were given us by the state when we were organized; one a full-sized silk battle flag, the stars and stripes, the other a white silk guidon wit 4 HISTORY OF THE cross cannon and number and name of the Battery. The first had the staff shot off at Gaines Mills, and after the battle, was spliced, and did service through the Seven Days fight. Both flags were so badly used up in the campaign that when the men were transferred to the Third Mass, and Fourth R. I. batteries at Harrison's Landing the flags were sent back to the state. The only flags we ever carried after this were the regular U. S. Artillery guidons. The guidon was not used at the Seven Days' fight but was in the baggage wagon at that time, and a can of oil was spilled on it which spoiled it for use by the Battery, and I always supposed it was sent home with the other flag. The flags were furnished by the state, and were a part of the equipment carried by a battery at that time. When we joined the Army we were not allowed a color bearer or a guide : one of the buglers took those places." THE COLOR BEARERS. The buglers were James Winters, John C. Tucker, and after Tucker's three years' term expired, Henry M. Gifford. Winters re-enlisted and served through the war. The first guidon was Mortier Gale. He carried a large flag at parade, a small flag or guidon was ordinarily used. On a march both flags were carried in the Battery wagon. He carried the U. S. flag until after the seven days' battles. He was afterwards hospital steward. The second Bugler took his place. The state guidon could not be used because of the white color. It was sent home from Harrison's Land ing. Then came Andrew Hosley, a detached man from an in fantry regiment, who carried the colors, and after him A. K. P. Hayden. In the memory of some members Chris. Allen of New Bedford at one time acted as color bearer, and George W. Poole as Guidon. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 5 According to the report of Colonel Charles Amory, Mas ter of Ordnance of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for 1 86 1, that department issued to the Fifth Mass. Battery i silk Guidon with staff and socket, i National flag, silk, with staff and socket, 4 camp colors with staves, and 2 bugles. THE FLAGS UNFURLED. Journal of D. Henry Grows. ''Camp on Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, about 8 or 10 minutes' walk from the Capitol, Sunday morning, Dec. 29, 1 86 1 : After breakfast put on my uniform and went on dress parade. As it is the first Sunday here, we took our Ensign and Right Guide from their covering and for the first time in our presence our colors were loosed to the breeze. "They are handsome flags, one an American flag of silk, and the guidon of red and white with golden cannons, and the number of the Battery. After parade, before we were dismissed we had divine service. The officers sang a psalm, then Lieut. Allen acted as chaplain. He read the first chap ter in the Bible, then sang, then a prayer, and finished the services by all the men singing 'Old Hundred.' ' At this time the state guidon, swallow tail in form, was half red and half white, but subsequently, while retaining its shape, the stars and stripes were added in accordance with the following general order: HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, WASHINGTON, January 18, 1862. General Orders No. 4. I. Under instructions from the Secretary of War, dated January 7, 1862, guidons and camp colors for the Army will be made like the United States flag, with stars and stripes. . . . By command of Major General McClellan. L. THOMAS, Adjutant General. HISTORY OF THE THE FLAGS REPLACED. His Excellency Governor John A. Andrew in his inaug ural address, January 9, 1863, recommended replacing the flags torn and worn in battle in the following words : "Since the summer of 1862, several of our volunteer corps which reported that their colors had become unfit for use by being in battle and worn by the exposures of service, have been supplied by the Mas ter of Ordnance with new flags upon the return to his charge of those which they had borne so honorably through two campaigns. I respect fully ask an appropriation to cover the expense thus incurred, and of the replacement when needed of the colors of all the Massachusetts troops. It is a proud satisfaction to know that never yet has the white standard of this commonwealth been surrendered to the enemy." In 1863, Joel Hay den was Lieut. Governor, Oliver War ner, Secretary, Henry K. Oliver, Treasurer. Jonathan E. Field was president of the Senate and Alexander H. Bul lock was Speaker of the House of Representatives. The legislature of that year passed the following Resolve : Resolved, That a sum not exceeding three thousand dollars is hereby appropriated for the purpose of replacing the flags of Massa chusetts regiments worn out or lost in service, the same to be ex pended from time to time during the current year, by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Council. Approved March 5, 1863. A copy of this Resolve was sent to the Captain of the Battery with the following words added in red ink: "A 'special Requisition' for the above will be promptly answered." It is noted by the historian of the Third Mass. Battery that on March 13, 1863, a new state color appeared in line. The Fifth Mass. Battery was then in camp near the Third in the vicinity of Falmouth, Va., but there is no record of a new color having been sent or received. In his Returns of Clothing, Camp and Garrison Equipage for Oct. 31, 1863, Captain Phillips made the following entry: FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 7 "Oct. 31, 1863, Received One Silk Guidon new ." In November of the same year "On hand One Guidon." According to the report of the Master of Ordnance of the State of Massachusetts for the year 1863, no worn colors from the Fifth- Mass. Battery were in possession of the Department, January i, 1864, nor received during that year ending December 31, 1863, neither is there any mention of the one issued to them during that year. In the Acts and Resolves of the Massachusetts Legisla ture for 1864, Chapter 68, may be found the following Re solve to provide for the procuring of flags to replace those lost or worn out in the service, and for other purposes : Resolved, That the unexpended balance of the appropriation of three thousand dollars authorized by Chapter 26 of the Resolves of 1863, together with an additional sum not exceeding one thousand dol lars, shall be allowed and paid for the purpose of replacing the flags of Massachusetts regiments worn out in the service, and also for pro viding the necessary colors and guidons for Massachusetts regiments and batteries in the service of the United States; the same to be ex pended from time to time, during the current year by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Council. Approved May 10, 1864. Section 77, Chapter 238, Acts and Resolves, 1864. Each regiment shall be furnished by the State with the national and state colors, their staffs, belts and sockets, and each battery of light artillery and company of cavalry with its proper guidon, staff, belt, and socket, and the commander of such regiment, battery, or company, shall be responsible for their safe keeping. From the Report of Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Ordnance Richard A. Peirce to the Governor and Com- mander-in-Chief, dated January 2, 1865, for the year 1864: "Schedule K: Worn colors received by the Chief of Ordnance dur ing the year ending December 31, 1864. 5th Light Battery, I Guidon, silken. Schedule L: Worn colors in charge of the Chief of Ordnance, De cember 31, 1864. '5th Light Battery, i Guidon, silken." 8 HISTORY OF THE. There is no mention of the one issued to them in 1864. In a letter to a member of his family Captain Phillips wrote: "Before Petersburg, Nov. 16, 1864, I send you by Lieut. Tripp the Battery flag which I wish to preserve as a trophy. It is torn and spotted, but I wish to keep it just as it is." In his Returns for the month of November, 1864, he has, "Rec'd One Guidon in case new " and in December "On hand one Guidon." THE INSCRIPTIONS ON THE FLAGS. HEAD QUARTERS OF THE ARMY. ADJUTANT GENERAL' s OFFICE General Orders WASHINGTON Feb. 22 1862. No. 19 The following Order has been received from the War Department: It is ordered that there shall be inscribed upon the colors or guidons of all regiments and batteries in the service of the United States the names of the battles in which they have borne a meritorious part. These names will also be placed on the Army Register at the head of the list of the officers of each regiment. It is expected that troops so distinguished will regard their colors as representing the honor of their corps to be lost only with their lives; and that those not yet entitled to such a distinction will not rest satisfied until they have won it by their discipline and courage. The General commanding the Army will, under the instructions of this Department, take the necessary steps to carry out the order. Bv command of Major General McClellan. L. THOMAS Official : Adjutant General. Nothing was done in relation to this order until the autumn of 1864, when there appeared the following circu lar forwarded through the Commander of the Artillery Brigade : HEAD QUARTERS STH ARMY CORPS, Circular September 2ist 1864. No. 135 Division Commanders and the Commander of the Artillery Bri gade, will please have made out a report from each regiment and bat tery in their commands, of the battles which they claim should be in scribed on their flags and guidons for meritorious conduct as prescribed FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 9 in General Order No. 19, of February 22. 1862, from Head Quarters of the Army. By command of MAJOR GENERAL WARREN. (Signed) FRED T. LOCKE A. A. G. HEAD QUARTERS ARTILLERY BRIG. STH A. C. Sept. 2ist 1864. Official. Furnished for the information of Battery commanders. A list of battles in which their commands have borne a part, and which will entitle the commands to have the same inscribed on their oruidons, will be forwarded by commanders with the least possible delay. By command of COL. C. S. WAINWRIGHT FORD. MORRIS, Lieut. A. A. A. G. The following November a document was received at Battery Head Quarters labelled "Decision of the Military Board in Relation to what constitutes a battle to distinguish from skirmishes in which some portions of the command may have been engaged. Also calling for a list of Battles in which Battery E has actually been engaged during the present war." This is endorsed by Captain Phillips, "Received and in formation furnished Nov. n. 1864." THE DECISION ETC. HEAD QUARTERS STH ARMY CORPS, Nov. 8. 1864 General Orders No. 55 By decision of the Military Board convened at these Head Quar ters Oct. 29, 1864, by S. O. (Special Order) No. 268, the following list comprises all the battles in which this Corps has been engaged. Many regiments have claimed as battles actions which the board de cides are only part of the same battle, and to be included under c name. All that are claimed on the original list that do not appear on the list furnished have been rejected. 10 HISTORY OF THE It is decided that an organization may claim any engagement in which the Corps to which it belonged took part, whether actually en gaged or under orders and held in readiness on the field. Division Commanders and the Commander of the Artillery Brigade, will have new lists forwarded as soon as possible from all the regiments and batteries in their commands to include only such battles designated on the accompanying list, in order that the claims may be forwarded, and the list published at an early date. By command of MAJ. GENERAL WARREN A. S. MARVIN JR. A. A. General. Head Quarters Artillery Brig. 5th A. C. Nov. 9, 1864. FORD MORRIS Lieut, and A. A. A. General. Official : The "list" is appended, and in the following spring the order for the inscriptions was issued : HEAD QUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC March 7. 1865. General Orders No. 10. In accordance with the requirements of General Orders No. 19, of 1862, from the War Department, and in conformity with the reports of boards convened to examine into the services rendered by the troops concerned, and by the authority of the Lieutenant General command ing Armies of the United States, it is ordered 'that there shall be in scribed upon the colors or guidons of the following regiments and bat teries, serving in this army, the names of the battles in which they have borne a meritorious part, and as hereinafter specified, viz : BATTERY "E" MASSACHUSETTS ARTILLERY. Yorktown. Rappahannock Station. Hanover Court House. Mine Run. Mechanicsville. Wilderness. Gaines Mills. Spottsylvania. Malvern Hill. North Anna. Second Bull Run. Bethesda Church. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. H Fredericksburg. Petersburg. Chancellorsville. Weldon Railroad. Gettysburg. Hatcher's Run. By command of Major General Meade GEO. D. RUGGLES, Assistant Adjutant General Official : RETURNED TO THE STATE. Many flags had been returned before the war ended, for Governor Andrew thus referred to them in his inaugural address to the legislature in January, 1865 : "In the vestibule of the capitol of the Commonwealth you passed to this hall of your deliberations beneath a hundred battle-flags, war worn, begrimed and bloody. They are sad but proud memorials of the transcendent crime of the Rebellion, the curse of slavery, the elastic energy of a free Commonwealth, the glory and the grief of War. There has been no loyal army, the shout of whose victory has not drowned the dying sigh of a son of Massachusetts. There has been no victory gained which her blood has not helped to win." After the war was over the Government made the follow ing provision for the preservation of the colors in the fol lowing order : WAR DEPARTMENT ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE WASHINGTON May 15, 1865. General Orders No. 94. Extracts: III. The Adjutant General of the Army will designate places of rendezvous in the respective States, to which the regiments, after muster out, will be forwarded for payment. IV. Upon arrival at the rendezvous where the musters-out are to take place, a critical examination of the regimental and company rec ords, books, &c., will be made; and in case of omissions, the proper commanders will be made to supply them, and make all the entries as enjoined by the Army Regulations. At the same time the muster- out rolls will be commenced and prepared in accordance with existing regulations, under the direction of the Assistant Commissaries of Mus ters of Divisions, superintended by the Corps Commissaries. Corps 12 HISTORY OF THE and Department commanders will see that the work is pushed with energy and executed promptly, using to this end Division and Brigade commanders to superintend it, and their respective staff officers, to aid the mustering officers in collecting the data for the muster-out rolls and discharge papers as well as the preparation of the same. . . . V. So soon as the rolls of a regiment are completed, the said com mand, with its arms, colors, and necessary equipage, will be placed en route to its state, and to the rendezvous therein at or nearest which it was mustered in. En route, and after arrival in the State the following will be ob served : i. Immediately on arrival at the State rendezvous, the regiment will be reported to, and taken control of, by the Chief Mustering Officer for the State, or his assistant at the point. 7. The Chief Mustering Officer will, under regulations to be estab lished by himself, take possession of and carefully preserve the regi mental and company records, also the colors with the respective regi ments, and hold them subject to orders from the Adjutant General of the Army. 8. As soon as practicable after arrival at the state rendezvous the Chief Mustering Officer, or his assistant, will see that the arms and other public property brought to the State by the troops are turned over to the proper officer of the Supply Department thereat. VI. In preparing the muster-out rolls, Corps, Department, Divi sion and Brigade commanders will hold regimental officers to a strict accountability, in order to insure accurate and complete records of the enlisted men, and the better to establish the just claims 1 of the non commissioned officers and privates who have been wounded, or of the representatives of those who have died from disease or wounds, or been killed in battle. VII. Prior to the departure of regiments from the rendezvous where mustered out, all public property, except arms, colors, and equipage required en route, will be turned over to, and cared for by, the proper officers of the Supply Department concerned. THE RETURN OF THE GUIDON BY CAPT. PHILLIPS. HEADQUARTERS BATTERY E. MASS. ART'Y READVILLE, MASS., June 12, '65. I certify on honor that I have this day turned over to FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 13 Bv't Capt. (Robert) Davis 2d U. S. Inf. and mustering of ficer the following articles of C. C. and G. Equipage in obe dience to G. O. No. 94 War Dept. A. G. O. current series. A GUIDON. On the back of this paper is written : "No. 4. Transferred to Capt. Davis, i Guidon." In Captain Phillips' Returns of Clothing, Camp and Gar rison Equipage for the month of June, 1865, there is the entry : "Transferred to Capt. Davis One Guidon." The records of the Record and Pension Office of the Wai- Department, show by information forwarded from that of fice December 8, 1900, that by telegram dated War Depart ment, Adjutant General's Office, June 13, 1865, the chief mustering officer of the State of Massachusetts was author ized to turn over all regimental colors in his charge under section 7, paragraph 5, Special Orders No. 94, War Depart ment, Adjutant General's Office, 1865, to the Governor of the State of Massachusetts, at such time as the latter might name. RECEIVED BY THE STATE. On the 1 3th of December, 1865, the following General Order was issued: COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSOTT* HEAD QUARTERS, BOSTON. December 13, 1865. General Orders No. 18 By General Order No. 94, of the War Department, issued May 15, 1865, volunteer regiments and batteries, on their return to their re spective states, when mustered out and discharged were to deposit the colors with the chief United States mustering officers, to be by t. transferred to the governors of the states. 14 HISTORY OF THE Since that time the following Massachusetts regiments and bat teries, having faithfully served their country to the end of the Rebel lion, returned home and been discharged, their colors have been re ceived by Brevet-Colonel F. N. Clarke U. S. A.. Chief Musterine Officer, viz 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, nth, isth, i6th Batteries, Light Artillery .... On Friday, 22d. instant. Forefather's Day. the colors will be escorted from Colonel Clarke's headquarters, No. 2 Bulfmch Street, to the State House, where they will be formally received by His Ex cellency the Governor; and placed in the public archives of the Com monwealth, to be sacredly preserved forever as grand emblems of the heroic services and patriotic devotion to Liberty and Union of one hundred and forty thousand of her dead and living sons. The escort will be performed by the ist Company of Cadets Lieu tenant Colonel Holmes commanding, who will report to Brevet Colonel Oarke, at his headquarters, at n o'clock a. m., when the line of march will be taken up. All general, regimental and company officers, and past general, regimental and company officers of Massachusetts, and especially all officers and past officers, and all non-commissioned officers and pri vates of the several organizations named above, are invited to take part in the ceremony, and join in the processsion. The officers will, as far as practicable detail a color-guard for the colors of their respective late commands. The original date of muster- in of each command will govern its place in the procession. Officers and enlisted men, as far as practicable, will appear in uniform. For further orders and information apply to the Adjutant General of the Commonwealth. By order of His Excellency JOHN A. ANDREW, Governor and Commander-in-Chief. WILLIAM SCHOULER, Adjutant General. The returned regiments and batteries having by their rep resentatives signified their intention of taking part in these ceremonies, the following order was issued : COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, HEAD QUARTERS, BOSTON, December 13, 1865. [General Order, No. 19.] It having been represented at these head-quarters that the Massa chusetts regiments and companies which had filled their allotted terms of service in the field prior to May 15, 1865, the colors of which are deposited in the State House, desire to take part in the flag reception on the 22d. instant, referred to in General Order No. 18, current series, FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 15 the Commander-in-Chief most cordially complies with their wishes The colors of these organizations will be handed them on the morning of the 22d. upon proper requisition. They are to be returned at the close of the services. Major General Darius N. Couch of Taunton. ranking officer of volunteers in Massachusetts, has been invited to take command of the troops. Should he decline Brevet Major General George H. Gordon of Boston, next in rank, will take command. The commanding general will arrange details. By order of His Excellency JOHN A. ANDREW, Governor and Commander-in-Chief. WILLIAM SCHOULER, Adjutant General. Major Gen'l Couch accepted the command, appointed his staff, designated the Division and Brigade commanders, and made such arrangements for the order of the procession as he thought proper, announcing the same through the public press as directed by the Commander-in-Chief. Included in the regiments and batteries were those who served three months, ninety days, one hundred days, six months, nine months, one year and three years regiments and batteries, and it was decided that the organizations should take their places in line according to their numbers and not according to date of muster-in, as stated in General Order No. 18. This was to prevent confusion in the forma tion of the line. Meetings were at once held and color- bearers appointed by the organizations, and Brig. Gen. Ed ward W. Hinks was appointed Chief of Staff with head quarters at Room 10, State House. Brigadier and Brevet Major-General Joseph Hayes was appointed to the command of the Division of Artillery, which consisted of two Brigades: First, sixteen light batteries, Captain and Brevet Colonel Augustus P. Martin, com manding, and Second, four regiments and two battalions heavy artillery, Colonel Wm. S. King, commanding. The procession formed in the following order : ist, Cavalry; 2d, Artillery; 3d, Infantry. The Cavalry formed on Park Street mall of the Common, right resting near Park Street gate, the Artillery on the 16 HISTORY OF THE Tremont Street mall, right resting near Park Street gate, and the Infantry on Beacon Street mall, right resting in front of the State House. General officers and their staffs appeared mounted as far as practicable, and officers and men were in uniform and carried side arms when such were available. The weather was clear and cold and the ground was white with snow. The stars and stripes floated from staffs attached to churches, and decorated public and private buildings. The windows and roofs of houses were filled with spectators looking down on the crowd beneath, but the mind was busy with memories of events undreamed of in 1861, and at sight of the worn colors borne by the troops, although there were cheers hearty and prolonged, they were cheers with a differ ence. The headquarters of General Couch were pitched on the Park Street mall near the gate, and the colors were deliv ered to the officers of the respective commands from his tent. Before the procession started the flags were formally passed over, with a few remarks from Brevet Colonel Fran cis N. Clarke, Chief U. S. Mustering Officer to General Couch at these headquarters. General Couch's speech of acceptance closed with the fol lowing words : "To those who have been spared to bear them on to final triumph, devolves the privilege of returning them to the Commonwealth, in the consciousness that the object for which they were unfurled has been fully accomplished, the principles they symbolize triumphantly vindi cated, and the Union of the States restored upon a firm and enduring basis." This ceremony over, the procession started at eleven o'clock a. m. The Boston Brigade Band accompanied the Independent Cadets who formed the escort, and Gilmore's Band preceded the Infantry Corps. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 17 The route of march was from the Common to Tremont Street as far north as Hanover Street, then as far south as Dover Street and back to the Common through Arlington and Beacon Streets. In the Artillery Division, which made a fine display, the Fifth Mass. Battery, Brevet Major C. A. Phillips, marched with 40 men. The moment the head of the procession reached the State House, its arrival was announced by a gun from Light Bat tery A on the Common. The color-bearers took their places on each side of the steps leading up to the front of the capitol, and the remain der of the commands stood about in the yard on either side. The colors were raised when the Governor and his staff came forward, and prayer was offered by the Rev. Samuel K. Lothrop D. D. Chaplain of the Cadets. Gen. Couch then addressed the Governor. His speech ended with the words, "May it please your Excellency, the colors of the Massachusetts Volunteers are returned to the State." In his address of acceptance Governor Andrew promised that they should be "preserved and cherished amid all the vicissitudes of the future, as mementoes of brave men and noble actions/' and his pledge has been kept inviolate by successive Governors and legislatures, the result of whose combined efforts is a Memorial Hall designed especiallv to hold them, in simple grandeur second to none in the world, which forms a part of the rotunda of the capitol. In their sockets cut in the shelves of these niches the staves are firmly fixed, and from them forever droop the colors never more to be "loosed to the breeze." THE BATTERY FLAGS IN 1902. From the Report of Brigadier General and Acting Chief 18 HISTORY OF THE of Ordnance Richard A. Peirce to the Governor and Com- mander-in-Chief, dated January i, 1866, for the year 1865 : "Schedule of Worn Colors in charge of the Acting Chief of Ord nance Dec. 31, 1865. . . . 5th Light Battery Mass. Volunteers 2 Guidons, silken, National." These are doubtless the flags belonging to the Battery now preserved at the State House as described August n, 1900, by Mr. Charles O. Eaton, who made the flags for the troops in the first place, and has had exclusive charge of them since they were brought back from the War, viz., No. i, a National Flag, stars and stripes, about five feet long-, a large flag for a battery. It has no lettering, and is ragged and torn. It is made of silk, and has a staff with spear-head and battle-axe combined. No. 2, is a National Guidon in good condition, that is, not torn. It has a staff with spear-head. It is swallow tail form, with gold stars on a blue ground, and the stripes red and white alternate, beginning and ending with red. The names of the battles are inscribed with red letters on white stripes and gold colored letters on red stripes, beginning with Yorktown in the upper red stripe. The list of battles is the same as that given in General Order No. 10 p. 10 except that "Second Bull Run" is written "Bull Run 2d." CORPS AND BRIGADE FLAGS AND BADGES. "He interposed only a pin between himself and the only thing he dreaded oblivion. The pin held his name to his blouse, so that on the morrow the newspapers might tell who had died for his country." GEN. W. W. AVERELL on the American Volunteer. The Corps, Division, and Brigade flags accompany the commanding general on the march, and are pitched in front of Head Quarters in camp. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 19 HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, CAMP NEAR ALEXANDRIA SEMINARY, VA. March 24, 1862. General Orders No. 102. Extract. X. Brigades in Divisions, and Divisions in Army Corps, will be numbered from right to left, but in reports of operations they will be designated by the names of their commanders. XL Flags will be used to designate the various Headquarters as follows : General Head Quarters : National Flag. ist Army Corps, National Flag, with a small, square red flag be neath; 2d Army Corps, National Flag, with a small, square, blue flag beneath; 3d. Army Corps, National Flag, with a small, square blue and red flag vertical beneath ; 4th. Army Corps, National Flag, with a small, square, blue and red flag horizontal beneath. ist. Division of an Army Corps, red flag 6 ft. long and 5 ft. wide. The Artillery will have the colors of the Division to which it be longs, and be distinguished by a right angled triangular flag, six feet long and three feet wide at the staff. The Hospitals will be designated by a yellow flag. These flags will be attached to a portable staff 14 feet long, in two joints, and will be habitually displayed in front of the tent, or from some prominent part of the house or grounds occupied as the Head Quarters which they designate, and on the march shall be carried near the person of the officer commanding the Corps, Division, Brigade or Regiment it is intended to designate. By command of MAJ GEN'L MCCLELLAN. S. WILLIAMS, A. A. G. This order, that in reports of operations the organizations should be designated by the names of their commanders, has done much to make incomprehensible the records of the War, and to rob those who merited them of the honors to which they were entitled, for in many instances only the last name of a commander is given, where there were several of the same name in the Division. Marcs 2^ iS6-. General Fitz John Porter's Division to which the Fifth Mass. Bsttery was attached, formed a part :: the Thir; Crrps ?f the Army of the Pore-mac, and had .i i:r : r ?T r When the Fifdi Corps was permanently established. July 22. :Sv^ 7 rrer - : r: I - : the :"d THrd Corps, ordered during the Peninsn^ campaign th-e ^>. f:r kksinficanoa of the memrers :f his Division, isrhirh :f 5-n: i t: hive f . . T I ~: r : :-. i^t* it ~7 a Sez-era_ Dssit'. I Vai-^r sd sisccodact ill at fd: Ccs^ii. a Mafecse El^i: iir UK sze i. WILLIAJfS, 5 A. A. - <- -.. - e eserre Arri ^5 czmzos white, Bosccsi ^rrer this^ be h "ie"prel-ers cs: Washing-- HOSPITAL FLAGS Orders a 22 HISTORY OF THE follows : For General Hospitals, yellow bunting 9 by 5 feet, with the letter H, 24 inches long, of green bunting, in centre. For Post and Field Hospitals, yellow bunting 6 by 4 feet, with letter H, 24 inches long, of green bunting, in centre. For ambulances, and guidons to mark the way to Field Hospitals, yellow bunting 14 by 28 inches, with a border, one inch deep, of green. By Order of the Secretary of War, E. D. TOWNSEND, Ass't Adjt. General. HEAD QUARTERS FLAGS. UNDER GRANT AND MEADE. HEAD QUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, May 2. 10.30 a. m. 1864. Circular : Hereafter the designating flag for these Head Qrs. will be a ma genta colored swallow tail flag, with an eagle in gold surrounded by a silver wreath for an emblem. By command of Maj. Gen'l Meade. (Sgd) S. WILLIAMS, Ass't Adjt. Gen'l. HEAD QRS. STH ARMY CORPS. May 2, 1864. Official : (Sgd) FRED T. LOCKE, Ass't Adjt. General. HEAD QRS ART'Y. BRIG. STH A. C. May 3, 1864. Official: A. MATTHEWSON, Lieut. & A. A. A. Gen'l. THE LETTER E. In the estimate for clothing for October, 1864, in Quar ter Master Sergeant Wm. H. Peacock's Account Book, are 30 blouses, 40 caps, 100 cross cannon, and 100 Letter E. See p. 50 General Order No. 86, Consolidation of Artil lery. CHAPTER II. IN 'SIXTY- ONE. "They knew how genuine glory was put on; Taught us how rightfully a nation shone In splendor; what strength was, that would not bend But in magnanimous weakness." WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. In the first moment of the declaration of a Union of States bearing the title of the United States of America, the germ of expansion had taken root, and following close upon its rapid growth came the anxiety for the safety of the seat of government. John Quincy Adams in a speech in Congress on April 14, 1842, thus gave expression to his belief that the vicinity of Washington would, sooner or later, become the theatre of a great conflict : "If civil war come" said he, "if insurrection come, is this beleaguered capital, is this besieged government to see millions of its subjects in arms, and have no right to break the fetters which they are forging into swords ? No ! The war power of the government can sweep this institution (slavery) into the Gulf." The "institution" standing thus between the States, an ever present, ever increasing source of ill feeling, was nev ertheless not the immediate provocation that roused the North to action in 'Sixty-One. Not the slightest allusion was publicly made to it amidst the bustle and unusual ex citement of a military character, which unsettled the pub lic mind; in which decision and hesitation alternated, when men resolved and women pleaded tearfully, then yielded with a proud, fond foreboding, too soon realized, 23 24 HISTORY OF THE of the sacrifice to come : but the plea was always the dan ger that menaced the capital and the threatened dissever ance of the Union; a plea which was comprehended in England as shown by a few words of John Bright in a speech at Rochdale, when he declared : "If the thirty- three or thirty-four States of the American Union can break off whenever they like, I can see nothing but disas ter and confusion throughout the whole of that continent. I say that the war, be it successful or not, be it Christian or not, be it wise or not, is a war to sustain the govern ment and to sustain the authority of a great nation." In 1 86 1, John A. Andrew was Governor of the state of Massachusetts, John Z. Goodrich Lieutenant Governor, Oliver Warner Secretary, Henry K. Oliver Treasurer. President of the Senate William Claflin, Speaker of the House of Representatives John A. Goodwin. Clerk of the Senate Stephen N. Gifford, Clerk of the House William Stowe. The Rev. A. L. Stone was Chaplain of the House, the Rev. A. S. Patton of the Senate. Maj. John Morissey was Sergeant-at-Arms. The Governor's Staff consisted of Lieutenant-Colonels Horace Binney Sargent, Harrison Ritchie, John W. Weth- erell and Henry Lee Jr. The members of the United States Senate from Massa chusetts, were Charles Sumner, who was chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Henry Wilson, who was chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs. U. S. Representatives from this state were Thomas D. Eliot, James Buffington, Benjamin F. Thomas, Alexander H. Rice, William Appleton, John B. Alley, Daniel W. Gooch, Charles R. Train, Goldsmith F. Bailey, Charles Delano, Henry L. Dawes. Abraham Lincoln of Illinois, had been elected President of the United States, and Hannibal Hamlin of Maine, Vice President. The election took place on November 6, 1860. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 25 South Carolina, the most recalcitrant State, had threat ened, in case Abraham Lincoln was elected, to secede from the Union, in order to form a new confederacy of those states which upheld the traffic in slaves. Accordingly, not withstanding Congress was not in session until the 3d of December, 1860, the members of the United States Senate from South Carolina hastened to resign their seats. It was determined that United States law should no longer be administered in that state, and the United States judge for the district of South Carolina resigned his office. Other civil officers of the Government followed suit, the palmetto flag of South Carolina displaced the flag of our Union on several vessels in Charleston harbor, and a con vention of the people was recommended by the state legis lature then in session. On December 20, 1860, South Carolina by a unanimous vote formally passed an ordinance of secession; commissioners were appointed to proceed to Washington to treat with the United States, and soon thereafter its representatives in Congress dissolved their connection with that body. Thus was inaugurated the War of the Rebellion, for Georgia soon joined her fortunes with those of South Carolina, and the "blue cockade" a sign in former years of South Carolina's nullification, appeared in the streets of Savannah. In 1832, South Carolina nullified the revenue laws of the Union. January 5, 1861, John A. Andrew was inaugurated Gov ernor of the Commonwealth and on the Hth a committee of the State Senate made the following report: Report of a Committee. IN SENATE, January 14, 1861. The Committee on the Militia, to whom was referred the portion of the Governor's address relating to the Militia, beg leave to report they have considered the suggestions therein contained, and in order to give the Commander-in-Chief the power of immediately increasing t efficiency of an active militia by enlarging the number of private; 26 HISTORY OF THE comoanies of cavalry and infantry, by organizing new companies, and filling up to their quota the regiments and battalions now existing, and by increasing the whole force on the present basis, to such an extent as in his opinion the exigencies of the times may require, unanimously recommend the passage of the accompanying Act. For the Committee, CHARLES O. ROGERS. This report was accepted but before the bill came up in the Senate the following General Order was issued by the Adjutant General of the State. COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. HEAD QUARTERS, BOSTON. January 16, 1861. [General Order No. 4.] Events which have recently occurred, and are now in progress, require that Massachusetts should be at all times ready to furnish her quota upon any requisition of the President of the United States, to aid in the maintenance of the laws, and the peace of the Union. His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief therefore orders. That the commanding officer of each company of Vplunteer Militia examine with care the roll of his company, and cause the name of each member, together with his rank and place of residence, to be properly recorded, and a copy of the same to be forwarded to the office of the Adjutant General. Previous to which commanders of com panies shall make strict inquirv, whether there are men in their com mands who from age, physical defect, business, or family causes, may be unable, or indisposed to respond at once to the orders of the Com mander-in-Chief, made in response to the call of the President of the United States, that they be forthwith discharged, so that their places may be filled bv men ready for any public exigency which may arise, whenever called upon. After the above orders shall have been fulfilled, no discharge, either of officer or private shall be granted, unless for cause satisfactory to the Commander-in-Chief. If any companies have not the number of men allowed by law, the commanders of the same, shall make proper exertions to have the vacancies filled, and the men properly drilled and uniformed, and their names and places of residence forwarded to Head Quarters. To promote the objects embraced in this order, the general, field, and staff officers, and the Adjutant and Acting Quartermaster General will give all the aid and assistance in their power. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 27 Major Generals Sutton, Morse and Andrews, will cause this order to be promulgated throughout their respective divisions By command of His Excellency, JOHN A. 'ANDREW, Governor and Commander-in-Chief. WILLIAM SCHOULER, Adjutant General. Adjutant General Schouler in his "History of Massa chusetts in the Civil War" says that although this order was criticised as unnecessary and sensational, in some quarters, it was obeyed with alacrity by those to whom it was addressed. Next came the discussion of the Militia Bill in the State Senate : AN ACT IN RELATION TO THE VOLUNTEER MILITIA. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Gen eral Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: SECTION I. The volunteer militia companies, as now organized, with their officers, shall be retained in the service: and, hereafter, as the public exigency may require, the organization of companies of ar tillery may be authorized, on petition, by the Commander-in-Chief, with advice of the Council, and the organization of other companies may be authorized on petition by the Commander-in-Chief, or by the mayor and aldermen or selectmen by his permission; but all additional companies, battalions and regiments which may be organized under the provisions of this Act, shall be disbanded whenever the Governor, or the legislature, shall deem that their services are no longer needed. Companies of cavalry shall be limited to one hundred privates and a saddler and a farrier: companies of artillery to forty-eight cannoneers, twenty-four drivers, and a saddler and a farrier: the cadet companies of the first and second divisions to one hundred, and companies of in fantry and riflemen to sixty-four privates. SECTION 2. The fourteenth section of the thirteenth chapter _ of the General Statutes, and all laws or parts of laws now in force, limiting the number of the volunteer militia, are hereby repealed. SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. SENATE, January 18, 1861. Passed to be engrossed. Sent down for concurrence. S. N. GIFFORD, Clerk. There were several substitute bills but they were re jected, and the bill as here given passed both branches; amended in Section i, by the insertion of the words, 28 HISTORY OF THE "and said companies so retained and so organized, shall be liable on a requisition of the President of the United States upon the Commander- in-Chief to be marched without the limits of the Commonwealth," after the lines referring to the authorization of the com panies and before those referring to their disbandment. It was signed by the Governor February 15, 1861, but in the mean time Resolutions had passed both branches and received the Governor's signature, for plans for seces sion were rapidly reaching their consummation in the Southern States, and the situation became more and more one of anxiety and alarm. Mississippi promptly gave evi dence of her affiliation with the seceding states. Jefferson Davis, afterwards president of the confederacy, who had been U. S. Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce, and was then U. S. senator from Mississippi, took leave of the U. S. Senate on January 20, 1861. It was months before the other Southern States passed ordinances of secession, and the western portion of Virginia never wavered in her loyalty to the Union, but was made a new state, that of West Virginia, while the conflict raged in the eastern portion of her sacred soil. There was in all the southern states a respectable minority in favor of the Union who found their most distinguished representative in the person of ex-President Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, on the pedestal of whose monument were cut in the solid granite by the order of the citizens of that state, his mem orable words : "The Union must and shall be preserved." It was the union of the State of Virginia with the Con federacy which placed Washington, the capital of the na tion in imminent peril for four years. Already, in the win ter of 'Sixty-One the extremity of the Long Bridge across the Potomac River over which was the passage south out of Washington, was "hostile soil." FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 29 RESOLUTIONS IN THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE. January 23, 1861, the Governor signed the following: Resolves tendering the Aid of the Commonwealth to the President of the United States, in enforcing the Laws and Preserving the Union. WHEREAS, Several states of the Union have through the action of their people and authorities, assumed the attitude of rebellion against the national government; and whereas, treason is still more extensively diffused, and, whereas, the state of South Carolina, having first seized the post office, custom house, moneys, arms, munitions of war and fortifications of the federal government, has, by firing upon a vessel in the service of the United States, committed an act of war: and, whereas, the forts and property of the United States in Georgia, Ala bama, Louisiana and Florida, have been seized with hostile and trea sonable intention : and, whereas, senators and representatives in Con gress avow and sanction these acts of treason and rebellion: therefore, Resolved, That the legislature of Massachusetts, now, as always, convinced of the inestimable value of the Union, and the necessity of preserving its blessings to ourselves and our posterity, regard with un- mingled satisfaction the determination evinced in the recent firm and patriotic special message of the President of the United States (James Buchanan) to amply and faithfully discharge his constitutional duty of enforcing the laws and preserving the integrity of the Union: and we proffer to him, through the Governor of the Commonwealth, such aid in men and money as he may require, to maintain the authority of the national government. Resolved, That the Union-loving and patriotic authorities, represent atives and citizens of those states whose loyalty is endangered or assailed by internal or external treason, who labor in behalf of the Federal Union with unflinching courage and patriotic devotion, will receive the enduring gratitude of the American needle. Resolved, That the Governor be requested to forward, forthwith, conies of the foregoing resolutions, to the President of the United States, and the Governors of the several states. Approved January 23, 1861. At this period, and intimately connected with the scenes enacted in the national capital previous to the inaugura tion of President Lincoln March 4, 1861, immortal names 30 HISTORY OF THE of Massachusetts illumine every page of history, names, some of which are borne by members of the Battery and by others whose influence swayed its fortunes. Here also Rhode Island, so closely connected with the Battery in its marches, camps, and battles, furnishes her quota of lead ing figures. It was as members of a commission appointed to repre sent the interests of Massachusetts on a question of dis puted boundary between Massachusetts and Rhode Island, a question which had long been in dispute, the first re port of a commission having been made to this Common wealth February 21, 1792, in the Supreme Court of the United States, that four lawyers met at Washington in January, 1861 : Ex-Governor John H. Clifford of New Bedford, who had been attorney general of the state from 1849 to I 853, an d again from 1854 to 1858, and was then "Of Counsel for the Commonwealth," and Hon. Stephen H. Phillips who had been attorney general since 1858, rep resented Massachusetts; the Hon. Charles S. Bradley ex- Chief Justice, and the Hon. Thomas A. Jenckes, repre sented Rhode Island. All arrived in Washington before January 26, 1861. Hon. Edwin M. Stanton was then U. S. Attorney General, holding that office in the Cabinet of the retiring President, James Buchanan. An account of an interview between Attorney General Stanton and these gentlemen, with attending circumstances, by the late Hon. Stephen H. Phillips, from which these facts are taken, was published in the New York Sun, June n, 1893. He was then the only surviving member of the commission. On Wednesday evening Tanuary 30, 1861, a special mes senger was sent to Willard's Hotel to convey the gentlemen from Massachusetts to the Attorney General's office in the Treasury Building. Stanton said when Governor Clifford remarked upon the difficult access to the building, that such strictness might FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 31 keep honest men out, but that all the public buildings were full of traitors. In relation to the seizure of all the ar chives and muniments of the Government, the following is quoted by Mr. Phillips from a letter written by Governor Clifford to Gen. the Hon. Henry Wilson, dated Feb. 5, 1871 : "When it was known with what facility this could have been accom plished, and a provisional Government declared, with the ready recog nition of almost every diplomatic representative of foreign governments then in Washington, it is not surprising that I should have felt in passing through the corridors of the Treasury building at midnight with two or three superannuated watchmen only for its custody and defense, as if I were walking over a mined fortress, that might at any moment be blown up under my feet." At the time of this interview of January 30, 1861, the navy had been dispersed where it would do no good, the "Brooklyn" was the only fighting ship at Secretary Tou- cey's disposal, (Isaac Toucey of Connecticut was Secre tary of the Navy) the officers of the Naval Academy and the practice ship "Constitution" and the northern cadets generally were loyal. Secretary Stanton thought that the militia could be promptly mobilized only in three states, viz., New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The following is a copy of a letter signed John H. Clif ford and Stephen H. Phillips to Governor John A. Andrew, written that night after their return to the Hotel from their call upon the U. S. Attorney General : WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY NIGHT, January 30, 1861. Dear Sir. In an interview we have had with the Attorney General United States, we have been authorized to express to you confidentially ins individual opinion that there is imminent if not inevitable I ;rU o: an attack upon the city of Washington, between the 4 th and isth ruary, with a view to secure the svmbols of Government, and power and prestige of nossessions bv the traitors who are plo dissolution of the Union. 32 HISTORY OF THE We have a moment before the closing of the mail, to say to you, in this informal way, that no vigilance should be relaxed for Massa chusetts to be ready at any moment, and upon a sudden emergency, to come to the succor of the Federal Government. This may be an unnecessary precaution, but we feel that it is a sim ple discharge of a plain duty on our part, to give you the intimation of what we have heard from a source of such high authority. In great haste we are very truly and respectfully, JOHN H. CLIFFORD. STEPHEN H. PHILLIPS. Gov. Andrew. Clifford said to Phillips "Bradley and you must get through your printing by Friday. If the Supreme Court endures till then we will pack up and go home, arouse the people, and await the logic of events." The "logic of events" was a favorite phrase of the seces sionists. Phillips says "They reckoned upon getting the revolution well under way, and afterwards trusting to the logic of events.' " Stanton mentioned that General Scott, who was at the head of the Army, had prevailed on the President to send for two more batteries. Stanton was an old democrat, without as he, himself, said, affiliation with Republican leaders, neither was he in the councils of Mr. Lincoln and his friends, yet he ac cepted the entire responsibility of publishing to all whom it might concern, his profound sense of the impending peril, and his earnest appeal to all in authority to contribute their utmost energy for the preservation of the Union. The day after the meeting at the office of the U. S. At torney General, the gentlemen from Massachusetts sent a letter to the Hon. Horace Gray, explaining much that Mr. Stanton had told them, and especially indicating- the route through Annapolis which Mr. Stanton favored. Mr. Gray was to apprise Governor Andrew of the contents of this letter. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 33 Mr. Felton of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Balti more Railroad in a conversation with Mr. Clifford that day, said he was alarmed for his bridges. On Friday, February ist, Governor Clifford explained the elaborate details of the disputed boundary case to the Supreme Court, and then alluding to the troubled condi tion of the country, protested that in New England we should resort to no arms but those of the law to settle troubles between sister states. He used few words, but the placid dignity of his manner made a profound impression. When he got through the Chief Justice gave special direc tions to the Clerk, carefully notifying that the plat and sur veys must be returned into court by the ist of August. (See p. 47. Letter of C. A. Phillips.) Feb. 2, 1 86 1, Saturday, the commissioners left Washing ton. At the President street station they passed a long train, with pieces of artillery, caissons, horses, and the equipage of a light battery, followed by three cars full of soldiers. This was the West Point battery, which had left the Military Academy the day before, commanded by Lieut. Charles Griffin, afterwards a Division and Corps commander often mentioned in these pages. The orders of which Mr. Stanton had spoken had been executed with military promptness. In a New York newspaper which they obtained at Tren ton, Mr. Clifford read what caused him to exclaim "Our letter has reached Boston." Then he read that by request of Governor Andrew, the legislature of Massachuetts went the day before into secret session, in consequence of alarm ing news from Washington, and placed an emergency fund of $100,000 at the disposal of the Governor. In New York Mr. Phillips met John Bigelow, then con nected with the New York Evening Post, who urged him to go to Albany to see Governor Morgan which the Mas sachusetts gentlemen refused to do. Mr. Bigelow called, bringing Mr. W. C. Bryant and a friend of the Governor, 34 HISTORY OF THE but Phillips earnestly exhorted them to persuade Gov. Mor gan to send some officer of the National Guard to confer at Washington with General Scott and the secretary of war, [Ex-Postmaster General Joseph Holt of Kentucky an hon orable and patriotic Democrat, was then Secretary of War], and this timely warning in New York no doubt resulted in the readiness of the N. Y. /th Regiment to go to Washing ton the following April. The commissioners reached Bos ton at ii o'clock p. m. Monday Feb. 4th, going to the Tremont House, where they met more friends anxious for news. They seemed to be preparing for the worst, which simply meant war. Mr. Phillips went to the State House at an early hour, and was cordially welcomed by Governor Andrew, who spoke of their letter as acceptable, not because it contained anything unexpected, but because it was the first responsi ble and compact statement which he could show to others. Everything was bustle about the Governor's room. Mili tary preparations were universal. Later in the day, after Mr. Clifford's call on the Govern or, Colonel Harrison Ritchie was ordered to proceed to Washington at once, to be in communication with Mr. Stanton and General Scott according to Clifford's advice. In a sketch of Governor Andrew by Albert G. Browne Jr. military secretary to the Governor during the war, pub lished in 1868, is the following- in relation to the route to Washington by sea: "General Scott and Governor Andrew in consultation had provided in anticipation of obstruction of their route overland, that they should proceed by sea and be disembarked either under cover of the guns of Fort McHenry at Baltimore, or else at Annapolis Md., and steamers were kept for weeks in readiness at his (the Governor's) bidding, to transport them to the Chesapeake." This in point of time was January and February, 1861. Fort McHenry was built in the form of a star, the guns FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 35 being placed on the projections. Towards the city of Balti more there were open and level grounds affording an op portunity for 50,000 men to manoeuvre. The walls were earth embankments, not more than six to eight feet in height. Mr. Phillips thus refers in his article to what occurred in March and April : "During the inauguration of President Lincoln, it was thought pru dent to display a strong military force and to conceal a stronger one. All the avenues and approaches to the Capitol and even the roofs of buildings were guarded by armed men and artillery posted to sweep the streets. Little more than a month later, in consequence of the attack on Fort Sumter, the new President appealed to 'the country and 5,500 men of Massachusetts and 1,000 from Rhode Island with Governor Sprague at their head, moved almost at the tap of the drum." LINCOLN'S CABINET. President Lincoln's Cabinet consisted of William H. Seward Secretary of State, Simon Cameron Secretary of War, Gideon Welles Secretary of the Navy, Salmon P. Chase Secretary of the Treasury, Edward Bates Attorney General. The Department of the Interior was in charge of Caleb Smith and the Post Office Department had Mont gomery Blair at its head. These counsellors of the Presi dent exercised a marked influence on the conduct of the War in its earliest years. March 9, 1861, the Confederate Congress passed an Act for the organization of an army, and the Confederate Sec retary of War prophesied that the Confederate flag would float over the Capitol at Washington before the ist of May, and it might float eventually over Faneuil Hall itself. April 12, 1 86 1, the attack was made by the Confeder ates on Fort Sumter, South Carolina, and 30,000,000 peo ple, it was said, watched the contest by telegraph. April 15, 1 86 1, Abraham Lincoln President of the United States issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 men. 36 HISTORY OF THE THE ROADS TO WASHINGTON. The railroad bridges of the Northern and Central Penn sylvania and the Philadelphia and Baltimore Railway, crossed several rivers within the boundaries, and on the night of the igth of April, 1861, after the Massachusetts 6th Reg't. Infantry, had fought its way through the riot ous city of Baltimore, the bridges over them were destroyed by the order of the authorities of the city. Besides the route from the north to Washington through Baltimore, there were two other routes viz., one by the Potomac River, and the other by way of Annapolis. The route adopted by the New York 7th Regiment Infantry was followed for months by all succeeding regiments from the North. From Philadelphia there were two ways to Annap olis, one down the Delaware River, passing the capes of Chesapeake Bay, through the Bay and up the Severn River to the harbor of Annapolis, the other was to go to Havre de Grace, from Philadelphia, and from there to Annapolis. The N. Y. 7th took the latter route. All the rails were up from Annapolis to Annapolis Junction, and communica tion between Washington and the North by rail and wire, was destroyed. Telegraphing direct from Washington to New York, was suspended for nine days. At this time Charles A. Phillips a younger brother of the Attorney General and afterwards captain of the Bat tery, having graduated from Harvard College class of 1860, at the age of 19, was studying law in a lawyer's of fice in New York. The following is an extract from his Journal. New York. Monday, April 22, 1861 : "I start on Wednesday to join Salem Zouaves uniform ordered re volver purchased and all ready. T am just packing this book away." The Salem three months men were passing through FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 37 New York bound South. The next day he wrote home, "I am off for Washington. I have stood it as long as I could and can't keep away: I was asked to join the gth Regiment here but I prefer to join the Salem Zouaves, so I am going on to join them and see if they will not take me. I shall start at the earliest opportunity, probably on Wednesday or Thursday, with the 9th Regiment. Mas sachusetts is doing nobly and exciting the admiration of all here." Still in New York on April 24th he wrote to one of his brothers : "I want to get on to Washington and join the Salem Light Infantry, but find I may have some difficulty in getting on. Can't you get me some certificate or some thing of the sort from the authorities in Massachusetts, that will put me through ? I have no doubt Captain Devereaux will take me. Can't you get a note from Gov. Andrew passing me on to Washington as a recruit to the S. L. L? They are rather short of men, only 64, and ought to be glad to get me. I am determined to go, somehow, and if you can get me something of the sort I can get an opportunity to leave with the Qtli Reg't. which will leave here no earlier than Friday afternoon, and probably not before Saturday. Miss ing these, I can probably get a chance very soon. I pre fer a Massachusetts regiment. Please see what you can do for me." The advice he received from his brother was that if he was to join the Salem Zouaves, or Light Infantry, he must go home and start from Massachusetts. Another brother Edward W. Phillips afterwards lieutenant in the 5Oth Mas sachusetts Infantry, had joined the Fourth Battalion. The New York Seventh Regiment arrived in Washington at noon of April 25th and were cheered by the Sixth Mas sachusetts outside the Capitol as they approached the sta tion. For five days Washington had been isolated from the 38 HISTORY OF THE rest of the world, defended only by a small force of Regu lars and District Militia, the Massachusetts Sixth Regi ment, and citizens, including congressmen from the west ern states; not more than five thousand men under arms. The windows of the public buildings by order of General Scott were barricaded and earthworks were thrown up. The principal passage ways of the Treasury and the Capi tol were defended by howitzers which .raked their length. Breastworks were set up in the Capitol made of the iron plates cast for the dome supported by barrels of cement and heaps of stone and timber. The basement of the building was used as a kitchen and bakery, and after communication with the North was resumed, troops bivouacked in the ro tunda, and the chambers of the Senate and House were turned into barracks. A large proportion of the incumbents of the public offi ces in all the Departments, had been retained by the in coming administration, and it was well known that among them were many spies and traitors, ready to give aid and encouragement to the enemv in the destruction of the Gov ernment to which they had taken the oath of allegiance. The Confederacy had a considerable force the whole line, from the Chesapeake Bay to Edward's Ferry, about 30 miles above the capital. Maryland was then mainly in hostile possession. Baltimore and Ashland Md. were in the hands of the insurgents. THe White House and Treas ury building might be destroyed by long range cannon aimed from Arlington Heights two miles away. The number of troops then reported at Richmond under command of the rebel general Beauregard was 27,000 men, in addition to the Virginia troops in the vicinity of Wash ington. The Long Bridge had been secured by General Scott, and the bridge at Georgetown had been rendered useless. If taken, the capital could not have been retained against superior numbers, but the capture would have placed the FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 39 archives in the hands of the enemies of the Union. Wash ington was, however, in the words of President Lincoln, considered "safe for the country and the Constitution," after the Mass. 6th Regiment via Baltimore, and the New York ;th via Annapolis had arrived, although there was "great need of reinforcements." PRIVATE OF MARINES. C. A. Phillips instead of going to Washington as he pro posed in his New York letters, went to Salem and as he recorded in his Journal of July 2/th, 1861, "got a place as private of marines on board the Propeller 'Cambridge' owned by the State of Massachusetts and the underwriters of Boston. Sergeant of Marines JOHN DOVE. Corporal CHAS. J. LEE/' There were other Salem young men on this transport. FOUR LETTERS OF C. A. PHILLIPS. (BOSTON, MASS.) "PROPELLER CAMBRIDGE T WHARF. Wednesday Evening, May i, 1861. We got on board here about two hours ago. and are just sitting down. Yesterday we did nothing but drill a little, get caps etc. About 5 o'clock we were dismissed for the night, and I went out to Cambridge and spent the night with Fox and Scott. Fox was keeping guard at the Ar senal in the rain till 9 o'clock this morning. We reported at 9 o'clock, and after loafing round a little while, we signed a receipt for equipments etc. and then the Articles, and took an oath of allegiance. After this we were dismissed till 3, and Huntington and I went over to Jamaica Plain; our uniforms passing us over the road free. At half past two we got our uniforms, and started for Roxbury with the Sergeant. Our uniform consists of a dark blue fatigue 40 HISTORY OF THE cap with a bugle in front, dark blue frock coat with brass buttons and yellow trimmings, and light blue pants, alto gether a snug looking uniform. After standing in the rain some time we got into a car and started for Roxbury. Ar riving at the Sergeant's we stumbled into the middle of an Irish picnic party and a good many small boys. The Ser geant John Dove has a pretty little house and quite a large estate, into which we marched and paraded for a little time, after which we marched into the house, stacked our arms in the back parlor, and then marched into the front parlor to be introduced to the notabilities. Here we found quite a crowd gathered to receive us, particularly young ladies. After a short interval of conversation, we adjourned to the dining-room and prepared to gitch in. The Sergeant had prepared quite a little collation of oys ters, ham, corned beef, salad, coffee, lemonade etc. to which you may be assured we did ample justice, particular ly as I had had no dinner. After this we returned imme diately to our quarters and were ordered to prepare to go on board. Accordingly we shouldered our knapsacks and haversacks, took our revolvers, formed, and marched down State Street. Here we got our first taste of glory. The small boys hurrahed, the people stood still and looked, and for a short time we were the centre of attrac tion. Our men are pretty good looking, and a pretty good set of fellows. Their names are Sergeant John Dove, Cor poral C. J. Lee, Privates James Turner, Andrew Miller, Albert Upton, Arnold, Ben Nichols, C. E. Pond, - Cutler, - - Henry, Frank Pope, W. D. Huntington, C. A. Phillips. When we got to the wharf we found the 'Cambridge' lying ready to take in her guns, which were on the wharf: two 8 in. to go forward, one small brass to go on the quar ter deck, another ditto to go forward. We are quartered in the state rooms, 3 in a room opening into the cabin. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 41 Huntington, Lee and I are in one room. Our state rooms are first rate and our accommodations excellent. At this moment we are most of us sitting around the cabin table. 78 bunks have been fitted up amidships to carry two men in each, recruits. We shall sail tomorrow for Fort Monroe and Annapolis. Our Articles bind us for 30 days unless sooner discharged." "PROPELLER CAMBRIDGE OFF CAPE COD May 2, 1861. As I shall get a chance to send a letter at Holmes Hole by William Lee I have come down from deck to write a little. To continue my journal which I sent by Mr. Hunt ington : Last evening we turned into our state rooms and enjoyed a good night's rest till about 7 o'clock. As the cook had neglected to provide for us we went on shore to get breakfast. At half past nine having returned to the boat, we were put on guard at the gangways and on the wharf, while we took on board our guns: two 8 in. for ward, one 12 pounder brass gun on the forecastle, and one 12 pound rifled brass gun on the quarter deck. From 9 and one half to 1 1 and one half, I was keeping guard on the wharf, my musket gaining weight very rapidly. At 1 1 and one half we cast off, and steamed down the harbor, saluting Fort Independence as we passed. We were too far off, however, to distinguish any faces. At noon our duties proper commenced, and so far consist in mounting guard three at a time, two at the after com panion way, and prevent any but officers, marines, etc. from passing, and one on the lower deck over the forward hatchway, to prevent any smoking, fire etc., the powder being stored below. The last guard carries a cutlass, and the post is not considered a very desirable one, as it helps on sea-sickness very much. The weather was very rough coming out, the number stretched out on deck was very 42 HISTORY OF THE large, and I fared like the rest, but having now cast up my account and eaten a good dinner I feel all right. We dine in the cabin, faring like the officers on roast beef, ham, potatoes etc. Owing to the number of officers on board we have been crammed a little, 6 being quartered in each state room : but as we shall keep watch and watch, this will not trouble us much. The watches will be set tonight at 8 o'clock. There are two watches of six each, four hours apiece, two at the companion way, two at the powder hatch, and two on deck. We have a number of troops on board, I do not know how many, bunked amidships. We shall stop at Fort Monroe, then at Annapolis, and thence, nobody knows where." "WASHINGTON May 9, 1861. 4 o'clock P. M. My last letter left me at Fort Monroe, Saturday night. Sunday morning we hauled up to the wharf and landed about a hundred troops, and then took in six eight inch Columbiads and 1200 shells to carry to Washington. This was quite a job as there were no machines for handling the heavy guns. The shells were passed in quite easily, a string of riflemen forming, and passing them from hand to hand. During the day we got two hours leave of absenc.e, and visited the Fort. This is a tremendous fort and a very pleasant place. The grounds are planted with apple trees and the officers' quarters are surrounded with gardens full of roses and flowers of all kinds, in full bloom. After exploring the Fort thoroughly we went down to see the big gun which stands out on the point on a concrete plat form, solitary and alone. They say they won't allow it to be fired, because it breaks all the windows in the Fort. After getting in a part of our cargo, we hauled into the stream and lay there over night, keeping a strict guard, to guard against any attack. In the morning we found the steamer 'Roanoke' lying alongside, and while speculating FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 43 as to her character and passengers, her boat came alongside with Capt. Devereaux and Lieut. Putnam of the Salem Zouaves, who were going to Washington in the 'Roa- noke.' By this time we could see the fellows on the quarter deck getting leave of absence. We started in the ship's boat for the 'Roanoke.' The wind was blowing heavily, and I had a tremendous long oar, but Cambridge training showed itself, and very soon we arrived. We met quite a cordial reception on deck, and had quite a jolly time till our leave expired and we reluctantly rowed back. Luckily, however, we did not part here : the 'Roanoke' wanted to go up the Potomac, and havinp- no guns hardly dared to go alone, not knowing how many batteries might have been erected along the shore. As we were armed and our new Captain not unwilling to try our guns, we changed our destination and agreed to go as a convoy. About 11.30 Monday morning, having got all our cargo on board, we steamed off up Chesapeake Bay in company with the 'Roanoke.' The weather was squally and un pleasant, but nevertheless we contrived to enjoy the sail. About 8.30 we arrived in the mouth of the Potomac and anchored for the night. About 20 of Dodd's Rifles turned out to assist us in the watch, and we began to realize that we were in an enemy's country. We were armed with rifles and revolvers loaded and capped, and had ten rounds of ball cartridge in our boxes. Our orders were not to allow any boat to approach the ship, but to hail it and to fire if they did not sheer off, and, as the Captain observed, to fire very quick. However, we were not molested, as the secessionists evidently did not care to attempt to cut out an armed steamer. The rifle which we carry on night watch, is a very pretty one, with a large bore and rather heavy, but very neat and serviceable. 44 HISTORY OF THE Early in the morning we started up the Potomac, the 'Roanoke' ahead with a pilot. The day was lovely, and we had a splendid sail up the river. We saw nothing of the batteries thrown up along the river and we think they must be somewhere else. However, we were all ready for them ; our guns were shotted and run out, and all of us, who were not on duty, were ordered to be between decks to serve the bif guns. Acquia Creek was the point where we apprehended an attack, and as we approached it, the Captain told the gun ners to get ready to be fired into. Our 8 inch gun on the port bow was cleared for action, the tackle run out, sight adjusted, and all the preparations made. As we approached the critical point the 'Roanoke' dropped back to give us the first chance, and we steamed ahead, expecting the battle to begin, every moment. All our hopes, however, were dis appointed : our peaceful voyage was not interrupted, and we steamed past Fort Washington and Alexandria, where the secession flags have all disappeared, and made fast to the Arsenal wharf, after colliding with another propeller, which carried away the starboard fore shrouds. The next day we commenced to unload, and as we were of no use we went into the city. ist to the Capitol, where we found the Salem Zouaves quartered in the rear of the left wing behind the House of Representatives. The House was full of soldiers, writing letters. Lang Ward was at one desk, John Hodges at an other, and by invitation of the Salem Zouaves we stopped to dinner and had a jolly time. The dining room is very high studded, being the area on the side of the Capitol steps. Our dinner consisted of minced fish, bread, crackers, and coffee, and though not very luxurious fare we had a pleasant time, and a jollier crowd was never seen. We spent about the pleasantest time we have had since we left. We returned, according to orders, about six o'clock, just in time to see the 'Cambridge' FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 45 steaming up the river and passing through the bridge. In quiring I found she had gone up to G street, so chartering an omnibus we started, and arrived on board at 8 o'clock; luckily finding the steamer, as we should have been locked up if found out after 9.30. This regulation is quite strict, a man was shot last night for not answering the post. It was about 2 o'clock in my watch, only a quarter of a mile off. I saw the flash and heard the report. This morning I was up at the Capitol, then went down to the National Hotel to get a bath and some dinner. Washington is quite warlike, regiments parading, all round, and almost every other house being used as barracks. Colonel Ellsworth's regiment is very ubiquitous, and you see them everywhere. They keep guard at the Capitol, where, however, our uniforms pass us everywhere, and last night they turned out to put out a fire at Willard's. They entirely took the shine off the Washington firemen. This morning they were pulling down the wall as we passed. The 5th Mass. Regiment is quartered at the Treasury Department. We are lying at the foot of G street, discharging and repairing. We shall probably sail in 4 or 5 days, though there is some talk of selling the ship to the Government and discharging the crew. I don't think however, this amounts to anything." Fort Washington mentioned in this letter was on the Potomac River six miles below Alexandria. It was a mere water battery, intended for offensive action against the river side. This trip on the "Cambridge" lasted ten days, and Phillips went back to the study of law which he continued in Boston in the office of his brother Hon. Stephen H. Phillips. From there he wrote the following letter: "BOSTON, June 10, 1861. I think the Government has shown great energy, and the 46 HISTORY OF THE movements of the Army seem to be well planned and emi nently successful. Of course such dashing exploits as the ride through Fairfax C. H. appear to display more energy than the advance of a large army, but like the charge of Balaklava they do not decide the event of a war. It is only an army of inferior strength that needs to try such experiments. Scott's policy, I take it, is to use to the ut most the advantages he has in numbers and position, and never to allow the enemy a chance to fight except at a dis advantage. Such appears to be the plan at Harper's Ferry. Our forces are advancing from every direction, in over whelming numbers, and the Southerners, if they remain, must inevitably be surrounded and starved out, or fight Scott on his own ground. So with Richmond, a strong column will soon move down from the North on this city, while Butler will co operate on the South. If the rebels, therefore, take posi tion on either side of the city for its defense, they will be answered by the advance of the column on the other side. They will thus be unable to check the march of either col umn at a distance from the city, and must take up a position near Richmond and fight it out. This, I have no doubt, is the way in which the first battle will be fought, and Scott is not the cautious general we think him, if he loses it. Of the success of this plan I have no doubt, but its success depends much on careful preparation, which may account for the apparent sluggishness of the movements. But still, the advance goes on : day after day we hear of military movements, small in themselves, but in a week amounting to a great deal. Now it is the attack of a company on Fair fax Court House, to be followed by a regiment in a day or two : now a regiment attacks Philippi and in three days 10,000 men occupy the town: or General Butler occupies the point of Newport News, and in a week we find 5000 men advanced 10 or 15 miles into the country. So the movement goes on. The first attack attracts people's atten- FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 47 tion, but few pay any attention to the advance of the troops afterwards. For the last week I have kept an account of military movements, and I have on mv list 69 regiments of volunteers now in active duty in Virginia and Maryland, besides several batteries of field artillery, battalions of rifles &c., and my list is by no means complete, for there must be 20 or 30 regiments, at least, in these states, of which I have no account. This does not include the troops at Cairo, encamped in Ohio, at Chambersburg, in Massachusetts, Staten Island &c &c., which would more than double the number. This cer tainly does not look like a lack of energy. In addition to the plan I have sketched out, the approach of cool weather will probably witness an attack upon Charleston and New Orleans: the navy yards at Norfolk and Pensacola will be repossessed, and a fleet and army will move from Cairo down the Mississippi. Thus threat ened on every side I do not see what the rebels can do but surrender. In the meantime I am getting a little anxious about our foreign relations : the attitude of England is anything but friendly. Spain seems to have taken advantage of our dissensions to seize St. Domingo, and the rejection of Bur- lingame is a gratuitous insult on the part of Austria. I should not be surprised if a general war broke out within a year, with England, Spain, and Austria, and perhaps Prussia, on one side, and France, Russia, and the United States on the other. Better this than that we should de scend so low as to bid against our rebel subjects for the favor of foreign nations. I am studying law in Stephen's Boston office, and shall not, probably, return to New York." Now approaches the ist of August when the papers re lating to the Rhode Island boundary were to be returned into court, and Charles A. Phillips was employed by his elder brother as special messenger. The commissioner says 48 HISTORY OF THE in his article in the Sun, referring to this mission, "He got through without difficulty. Upon completing his business a clerk in the office from a window in the west front of the capitol showed him rebel flags at Hall's Hill. The enemy never got nearer than Hall's Hill." In a note dated Washington Aug. i, 1861, written to his brother young Phillips says : "Immediately after my arrival I went uj) to the capitol. ... I was in the Senate this morning, and left while Breckenridge was making a speech against confiscating property in the seceded states." The utterances of the Southern press were read with great interest at the North. Said the Richmond Whig, as quoted in the Boston Journal of Aug. 23, 1861 : "They are alarmed for Washington, but they have not yet begun to tremble for New York and Boston. As England and France knew that there could be no stable peace with the treacherous, knavish, cow ardly and cruel Chinese, short of Pekin, so we know that there can be no lasting peace with the Chinese counterparts on this continent until Confederate cannon overawe New York, and Confederate legions bivouac on Boston Common. Boston is the Pekin of the Western China: and 'On to Pekin' is the watchword of Southern armies. Washington is a mere circumstance." CHAPTER III. THE COMPOSITION OF THE BATTERY. "Whether in camp, on the march, or on the field of battle, there was a strength, an evident power in the artillery service that left an impression on the mind of the spectator not liable to be effaced, and no scenes in war are more terribly suggestive than an array of bat teries in position, ready to open fire at the word of command." EDWIN FORBES. The artillery has been esteemed a valuable arm of the service, on account of its capability of inflicting so much more loss than it receives, and the many changes in the composition of the light batteries, which followed the for tunes of the Army of the Potomac, as well as in their or ganization, prove their adaptability to the requirements of the variable demands, and that the general disposition of them, as reduced or enlarged in their capacity, occupied a large share of the attention of the authorities whose delib erations determined these changes, in the state legislatures, in Congress, and at General Head Quarters. Her batteries of light artillery were sent out from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as independent batteries, known by numbers from the "First" to the "Sixteenth." This suited the requirements at the time, for at first single batteries were attached directly to infantry Brigades, one battery to each Brigade, and they "camped and marched, and fought together." Some batteries in other states were independent, and some were formed into regiments, like the Regular artillery of 12 batteries each, designated by let ters from A to L, but these were, like the rest, passed around from one Division or Corps to another, even after 49 50 HISTORY OF THE the artillery was grouped into Brigades, and in that way attached to a Division or Corps, forming a part of it and under the orders of its commander, and there was a distinct organization called the "Artillery Brigade," and the "Artil lery Corps," with a chief who had his staff as in infantry or cavalry. The only reason for preference seemed to be that in the regimental organization, although assigned like the rest to temporary service, there was chance for promotion for the officers, while as independent batteries there was no such chance. In respect to Massachusetts it will be shown that not withstanding all the influence that could be brought to bear upon the War Department to effect the change, her bat teries came back as they went out, designated by numbers and independent of each other, and had no right to be classed in any sense as a regiment and designated by let ters, yet in the spring of 1863, when it was thought expe dient to consolidate the artillery, General Orders No. 86 compelled the Fifth Mass. Battery, although not a part of any regiment, to accept the regimental company or battery designation of a letter "E." CONSOLIDATION OF ARTILLERY. WAR DEPARTMENT ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE General Orders WASHINGTON April 2, 1863. No. 86. i. Under the authority contained in Sections 19 and 20 of the act "for enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for other pur poses," approved March 3, 1863, it is ordered that for each and every regiment of the volunteer army now reduced, or that may be reduced hereafter, as set forth in said sections, consolidation shall be made in accordance with the following rules: ARTILLERY. 3. Each regiment will be consolidated into six, or a less number of batteries, an! the colonel, two majors, and one assistant surgeon, mus tered out. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 51 4. The companies and batteries formed by consolidation will be of the maximum strength, and will be organized as now directed by law and regulation. The first letters of the alphabet will be used to designate the companies. (See p. 22. The "E" on the caps. Peacock.) 5. The company officers commissioned and non-commissioned rendered supernumerary, with those enumerated in the foregoing, will be mustered out of service at the date of consolidation, all other offi cers and non-commissioned officers will be retained. 6. The officers to be retained will be selected by the Division and Corns commanders, under the instructions of the Commanding Gen eral of the Army or Department, from among the most efficient offi cers of the respective regiments. ill. The following are the sections of the Act referred to, and under which the foregoing is ordered: Sec. 19. And be it further enacted, That whenever a regiment of volunteers of the same arm, from the same state, is reduced to one- half the maximum number prescribed by law, the President may direct the consolidation of the companies of such regiment, Provided, That no company so formed shall exceed the maximum number prescribed by law. When such consolidation is made, the regimental officers shall be reduced in proportion to the reduction in the number of companies. Sec. 20. And be it further enacted, That whenever a regiment is reduced below the minimum number allowed by law, no officers shall be appointed in such regiment, beyond those necessary for the com mand of such reduced numbers. By order of the Secretary of War. E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant General. The legislature of Massachusetts, mindful of its respon sibility hastened to put on its passage the following Act :- Chapter 243, Section 2, of an Act in Addition to an Act concerning the militia. The Militia so organized shall consist of at least one regiment of cavalry to consist of twelve troops or companies: one regiment of artillery of not more than twelve batteries, and eight regiments of infantry of ten companies each, which shall be officered in the manner prescribed by the laws of the United States and of this State concern ing the Militia. Approved April 29, 1863. 52 HISTORY OF THE NOTES OF CAPTAIN NATHAN APPLETON. "That I gave some time and thought to the improvement of the Light Artillery service of our Army during the long months of comparative idleness of winter quarters, 1863 and '64, can be judged by the letters I wrote to the Secre tary of War, Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Hon. Alexander H. Rice M. C. from Massachusetts, and a long article to the 'Army and Navy Journal' which I do not think was pub lished : TO SECRETARY STANTON. HON. EDWIN M. STANTON. Sir. Ever since the Rebellion has existed, the Light Artillery of Massachusetts has been organized as so many independent batteries, each commanded by a captain. The Governor and Senators of Massachusetts, I am in formed, and some of the Artillery officers of the state, have interested themselves in the plan of having the batteries united in a regiment, with the appointment of field officers. I consider that it personally concerns all those connected with the Mass. Light Artillery, and I lately received a com munication from one of Governor Andrew's staff on the subject, who said that a request from General Sykes, Captain Martin 3d. Mass. Battery, is the chief of artillery of the Fifth Corps, or from General Meade, to the Secre tary of War, might have the desired effect. This, at best, places the matter in uncertainty, and is an embassy which it would scarcely be becoming for one so young as myself (20 years of age) to undertake, unless so ordered, and I thought that I would write to you, and ex press freely my opinion on the subject. That Massachusetts should have Field officers of Light FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 53 Artillery seems to me a right which she deserves, not merely in connection with other states that have regimental organizations, and I believe that most of the states hav ing Light Artillery enough to warrant it are so arranged, but, also, in connection with her Cavalry and Infantry. For now there is a dead stop to promotion in Light Artil lery, and some of the oldest and best tried officers of the state, who have served since the beginning of the war, and who do not wish to leave their favorite branch of the ser vice, cannot get higher up the ladder than two bars. But, Sir, there is another consideration, The Artillery Brigade of our Corps is commanded by a captain of Massachusetts. In the Brigade there are captains belonging to states hav ing regimental organizations. In case of their promotion to field appointments in their regiments the Massachusetts captain would be ousted from his command. I think that the subject of Artillery in the field is one about which little can be known except from actual expe rience. A Brigade of Infantry must generally act to gether, but it is not so with Artillery, for it has to do its work for the whole Corps. Some guns have to be put in one place, some in another, some rushed to the front, some kept in reserve, and the caissons must be put in some shel tered spot. This must be all personally attended to by the Chief of Artillery, and in addition, the position of every thing remembered, while he is responsible for everything. A Brigade of Infantry is commanded by a brigadier gen eral or a colonel : a Brigade of Artillery often by a captain ! It seems to me that a man commanding one hundred and fifty men, one hundred, odd, horses, six guns and six cais sons, in all about fifty thousand dollars worth of United States property, and who has an independent command, should rank higher than one commanding one hundred men and one hundred muskets, and who is under the direct command of another. Why cannot the Artillery be reorganized, and the chiefs 54 HISTORY OF THE of Artillery be commissioned by the President, and the old plan of calling a battery a company be dropped? Is not a battery of six guns as responsible a command as that which a major of Infantry generally has? For while regiments are constantly thinned a battery must be kept full to a certain complement, or its guns are worse than useless. And, finally, is Massachusetts to be forgotten? It may seem to you, sir, unbecoming for one so young as myself to write thus on this matter, but I think that in a democracy one cannot overrate the good or bad which he can individually perform, and I consider it the bounden duty of any one who has ideas whicr; he thinks may accom plish good, to present them to those in places of authority. I have the honor to be most respectfully yours. NATHAN APPLETON 2d. Lieut. 5th Mass. Battery. HON. EDWIN M. STANTON. This very contingency mentioned in my letter to Secre tary Stanton, occurred when General Grant came in person to the Army of the Potomac, and consolidated the corps. When the Third Corps was united to the Fifth, its chief of Artillery was Colonel Charles S. Wainwright of the First N. Y. Regiment of Light Artillery, and as he ranked Captain A. P. Martin, he naturally assumed command of the Artillery Brigade. I was on his staff later as I had been on that of Captain Martin. In a letter I wrote my brother W. S. Appleton from this camp about this date, I described Captain Martin's com mand as follows : 'Our Brigade is commanded by Captain Martin of the 3<:1. Mass. Battery, and he has as big a staff and as respon sible a place as any Brigadier. It consists of the 3d. Mass. Lt. Walcott, 12 Ib. Napoleons; 5th Mass. 3 inch; Battery D, FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 55 5th U. S. Griffin's Battery, commanded by Hazlett killed at Gettysburg, now by Lieut. Rittenhouse, Parrotts 3 inch; Batteries F & K. 3d. U. S. four guns 12 Ib. Napoleons, commanded by Lieut. Barstow; Battery L, ist Ohio 12 Ib. Napoleons, Capt. Gibbs; Battery C, ist N. Y. 4 guns, 3 inch Ordnance, same as 5th Mass., Capt. Barnes.' I find this at the end of my letter: 'And now I want you, and some other influential people in Boston, to go to work, with John A. Andrew to get the light batteries formed regimentally, with a colonel, lieutenant colonel, 3 majors, adjutants, quartermasters &c &c. It ought to be done, as it stops promotion, keeps down pay, and gives the responsible command of a Brigade, over 30 pieces of Ar tillery, to a captain. Moreover the other states are or ganized and Massachusetts kept behind. If the matter was brought before the Governor in the right manner I think he would fix it all right. If I am in Boston this winter I shall try to do something about it myself. Another thing is, the Mass. Batteries ought to have con scripts immediately. I have no doubt but what there are enough at Long Island today to fill them all. This should be attended to, as it is hard on the men to have to do Guard Duty so often.' ' At the time this letter was sent home by Lieut. Appleton the Legislature of 1864, had assembled. Jonathan E. Field was president of the Senate, Alexander H. Bullock was speaker of the House of Representatives. John A. Andrew had been elected Governor for the fourth time, Joel Hayden was Lieut-Governor. Warner and Oliver were Secretary and Treasurer as in 1861. United States senators were the same, Sumner and Wilson, but there had been some changes in the members of Con gress. Some of the old ones had dropped out. The new ones were Oakes Ames, Samuel Hooper, George S. Bout- well, John D. Baldwin and William B. Washburn. Edwin 56 HISTORY OF THE M. Stanton attorney general in Buchanan's Cabinet was U. S. Secretary of War. LETTER FROM GOVERNOR ANDREW TO THE SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM MASSACHUSETTS IN CONGRESS. COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, BOSTON, May 5, 1864. To the Honorable, the Senators, and the Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the Congress of the United States : I beg to renew my previous representations of the anomaly existing in the organization of the light artillery arm of the volunteer forces of the United States, by means of which an injustice is done to cer tain states relatively to certain other states and their officers. I will illustrate by the example of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts the nature of this injustice, selecting that Commonwealth for the illustra tion only because I am more familiar with the facts concerning it, but being informed and believing that similar injustice is practised towards others also. There are in the volunteer service of the United States, at this time, sixteen batteries of light artillery from the Commonwealth of Massa chusetts. The Government, having power in the premises to grant or to with hold organization, denies a regimental organization for these bat teries, or any portion of them, while it concedes such organization for the artillery batteries of the states of Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michi gan, New York. Ohio, and Rhode Island, certainly, and perhaps to some other states. This discrimination creates great dissatisfaction among the artillery troops, and with reason, for a man enlisting into an Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, New York, or Rhode Island battery, has a road open to promotion to be a colonel, while in the Massachusetts batteries, no regimental organization existing, a soldier can rise to no grade higher than captain. Among the sixteen batteries of Massachusetts, is one which has been in the field since April 19, 1861, having accompanied the column which opened communication between Annapolis and Washington, and having re-enlisted for three years at the end of the three months' term of enlistment. [This was the First Light Battery M. V. M. Major Asa M. Cook : Lieutenants Josiah Porter, Wm. H. McCartney, Caleb C. E. Mortimer and Robert L. Sawin. It proceeded to Washington with the Fifth Mass. Infantry, April 20, FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 57 1 86 1, by way of Annapolis, and was stationed at the Relay House, 10 miles from Baltimore.] A majority of all the other Massachusetts batteries entered the field near the beginning of the war. They have served everywhere with honor: their officers have been tested and sifted by this long experience, and they deserve, by military accomplishment and merito rious service, equal opportunity for promotion with the officers of any other state. I have frequently, but in vain, by letter and by officers of my staff specially deputed for the purpose, asked for them from the Secretary of War such equal opportunity, which would be afforded by authoriz ing the appointment of field officers of light artillery for the Massa chusetts batteries in the same manner as for the batteries of Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Rhode Island. The reasons which are assigned, in reply, by the Secretary of War, for thus withholding from one state what he grants to others, are: 1. The averment that he accepted the batteries from those other states as components of regimental organizations, while he accepted the batteries from Massachusetts as independent and unattached. 2. That he regards the appointment of any field-officers of artil lery as useless, and 3. That by Section i. of General Order No. 126 of War Depart ment's series of 1862, he intended to restrict such appointments by denying special authorities for muster, and thereby ultimately to do away with them altogether. But I would respectfully represent : 1. That the volunteer batteries of all the states named, whether accepted originally as components of regimental organizations or not, have all been serving in like manner. 2. That the weight of military practice sanctions the employment of field-officers of artillery, and 3. That since the date of General Order No. 126, above mentioned, special authorities for the muster of field-officers of artillery have repeatedly been granted by the War Department. The example of all other military powers' instituting grades of rank among artillery officers corresponding with those among officers of other arms of the service, has long been approved by the legisla tion of your honorable body, and the artillery arm of the regular army of the United States is organized accordingly into regiments. And in the volunteer service independent though the ^ batteries may be, each constituting a unit of organization, yet, practically thev do serve in conjunction, and if no artillery officers have higher rank captain, there will be, in such a force as ours, a great number of such 58 HISTORY OF THE officers exercising more than a captain's command, and for every cap tain thus employed, there will be a first lieutenant exercising a cap tain's command, a second lieutenant exercising a first lieutenant's com mand, and a sergeant exercising a second lieutenant's command. Therefore the injustice of thus restricting to the rank of captain, officers doing field-officers duty reaches the whole way down through all the grades of rank, preventing some first lieutenant from his right ful promotion as captain, some second lieutenant as first lieutenant, some sergeant as second lieutenant, some corporal as sergeant, and some private as corporal. I fully recognize that in any great army it will be often necessary, by the exigencies of the service, for officers to exercise commands, tem porarily, superior to their grades of rank ; but at the same time this fact in no manner justifies the restriction of rank as a principle, or rule, in the case of the light artillery officers of the volunteer service, and the unsoundness of the principle in its application to these officers is aggravated by the inequality of its administration; it being enforced against Massachusetts and certain other states, while it is relaxed from Illinois and Indiana, Maine, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Rhode Island, and also, as I am informed from unofficial sources, from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Within the last month the captain of a Massachusetts volunteer battery, who has long exercised with honor, the command of a Brigade of Light Artillery, in a Corps of the Army of the Potomac, has been superseded, through no fault of his own, but by the addition to the Corps of an officer who is his senior in point of rank only, by reason of one state being privileged to appoint artillery field-officers, while like permission is refused to another state. It is irksome to me to be obliged to return to this subject. But I know not how I can otherwise discharge my duty to the officers and men of sixteen batteries of Massachusetts Light Artillery: many of them among the best the Commonwealth has contributed to the service during the war. I am convinced that I ought not to leave them un supported by such effort as I may be able to command. I had hoped that the object would have been attained without my appealing to the Congressional Delegation from the Commonwealth in this formal man ner, but now I fear that the session of Congress may end without its accomplishment. If captains of batteries were never needed for field or staff positions pertaining to officers of higher rank, the mere desire to secure rank to our soldiers, however meritorious, would not have influenced me, but when I know that our officers are used and needed to command Brigades of Artillery, to act as chiefs of Artillery and otherwise, on the staffs of corps and division commanders, leaving their companies to be commanded by lieutenants ; when I know that the laws and regu lations for the Army of the United States, include the regimental or ganization, with its field-officers, for regular United States batteries, FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 59 when I know that such organization and officers are not denied to other states, some of them with fewer batteries in the field than we have ; and when I know that by reason of this sort of discrimination, good and brave officers whom I have commissioned are made to suffer what the soldier feels to be a personal and undeserved humiliation, I am not at liberty to omit my efforts. I, therefore, earnestly and respectfully commend this subject to the attention of the gentlemen whose presence in Washington, whose rela- .tion to the Executive Government, and whose personal and official in sight as the Senators of the Commonwealth and the Representatives of the People of Massachusetts, will enable them to speak efficiently, and entitle them and their opinions to the highest influence and con sideration. I have the honor to be. gentlemen, most respectfully, Your obedient servant, JOHN A. ANDREW, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Official Copy. A. G. BROWNE JR. Lieut. -Col. Military Secretary. STATE LEGISLATION. In the Acts and Resolves of 1864, may be found the fol lowing : Section 17, Chapter 238. Concerning the Militia. The volunteer companies shall be formed into separate regiments, or attached to such regiments of the active militia as the commander- in-chief shall deem proper, and he may retain any existing regiments of the volunteer militia. Section 19. Companies of cavalry, artillery and engineers may re main unattached to any regiment or brigade, if the good of the service in the opinion of the commander-in-chief, shall require it, and the two corps of cadets, or either of them, may be attached to divisions at the pleasure of the commander-in-chief. In such case, such companies or corps, shall be subject to the immediate orders of the commanders of such divisions or brigades as the commander-in-chief shall designate: who shall receive the reports, returns and orders, have the authority and discharge the duties, with regard to such companies or corps, which are prescribed for the commanders of regiments with regard to other companies. Section 25. Artillery. To each regiment of Artillery there shall be 60 HISTORY OF THE one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, one major, to every four com panies or batteries, one adjutant, and one quartermaster, each with the rank of first lieutenant, but not to be extra lieutenants, one chaplain, one sergeant-major, one quartermaster-sergeant, one t commissary-ser geant, one hospital steward, and two principal musicians. To each battery of Light Artillery, or company of Heavy Artillery, there shall be one captain, two first lieutenants, two second lieutenants, one first sergeant, one quartermaster-sergeant, six sergeants, twelve corporals, two musicians, two artificers, one wagoner, and one hundred and twenty-two privates. Anproved May 14, 1864. Thus it will be seen that no blame can attach to the state legislature for neglect of duty in this regard. Every artillery officer from the highest to the lowest rank was interested in this subject, and pens were busily employed in the endeavor to effect a change. An article appeared in the Army and Navy Journal of Nov. 14, 1864, in which the following views are attributed to General W. F. Barry. The theme as expressed by the author of J:he article is 'The Deficiency of Rank in the Artillery ser vice" : "This faulty organization can only be suitably corrected by legisla tive action, and it is earnestly hoped that the attention of the proper authorities may be at an early day invited to it." The editor adds that he "regrets to say that although their 'atten tion' has often since been 'invited' to it, the evil remains to this day in almost equal force, and the gross injustice is seen of a body of officers, whose services are unequalled in their value and importance, suffering from the false organization of their arm. This radical defect has already lost us some of our finest artillery officers, and if not corrected, it must, we fear, lose us a great many more." Of the result in Congress, Brevet Major Charles A. Phil lips thus wrote in a letter home, dated at City Point, March 15, 1865; Captain Robert H. Fitzhugh of New York had gone above him, and was lieutenant colonel in command of a Brigade of the Artillery Reserve, after having been a junior captain to him at Gettysburg: FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 61 'Tartly I think at my suggestion Senator Wilson intro duced a bill to remedy the evil, and give all battery com manders an equal chance of promotion, but I believe it was incorporated into the 'Omnibus Bill/ and was lost at the close of the session. However, Congress managed to raise our pay, which will make a difference to me of $30 per month." FROM THE REPORT OF B'V'T. MAJ. GEN. HENRY J. HUNT, U. S. ARMY, CHIEF OF ARTILLERY: i; ARTILLERY HEAD QUARTERS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. CAMP NEAR FORT ALBANY, VA. June i, 1865. .... In my previous reports I have had occasion to call attention to the want of a proper proportion of field officers for the artillery, and this I did especially in the reports of the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg : and as there is no bureau of artillery nor other centre of administration for it, I take this occasion to present the same subject in order that the results of our experience may not be lost. This is due to the reputation of the artillery in this war, as well as to the future interests of the service. At an early period of the war, or ders were given that field artillery should be taken into service only by single batteries, 'in order to save field officers' ; this whilst infantry regiments of a single battalion were allowed four with their proper staffs. Why this policy, so contrary to that of all modern armies, and so destructive to the efficiency of the most complicated of all the arms of the service, was adopted, I am at a loss to discern. Its effects have been but too clear. Not only has the service suffered from the want of officers absolutely necessary to its highest efficiency and economy, but the system has stopped promotion in the artillery, and, as a conse quence, nearly every officer of promise as well as of any distinction has been offered that promotion in the infantry, cavalry, or the staff, which no amount of capacity, gallantry, or good conduct, could secure him in his own arm. The result is that, with a few marked exceptions, in which officers were willing to sacrifice their personal advancement and prospects to their love for their arm, the best and most distin guished of the officers of the artillery accepted positions elsewhere, or left the service in disgust, as opportunity offered. The effect of this and of other errors of organization, has been but too evident: the artillery, although it has done much better than under the circum stances could have been expected or even hoped, has not attained to that efficiency which was possible, and has failed to retain the pre-emi nence it once held in our Army and in public estimation. This sacri fice of efficiency has been made at the expense of economy. I do not 62 HISTORY OF THE hesitate to say that the field artillery of this Army, although not in ferior to any other in our service, has been from one-third to one-half less efficient than it ought to have been, whilst it has cost from one- third to one-half more money than there was any necessity for. This has been due principally to the want of proper organization, which has deprived it of the experienced officers required for its proper com mand, management, and supervision, and is in no respect the fault of the artillery itself." General Meade wrote to Captain Martin at the expira tion of the term of service of the Third Mass. Battery, as quoted by the historian, "In no branch of the service is knowledge and experience so essential to success as in the artillery, nor is there any branch of the service where so little has been done by promotion to encourage the faithful and efficient officer." Perhaps the Adjutant General of the State, William Schouler, who shared with the Governor the care of all the troops who went from Massachusetts throughout the War, had as clear an insight, and was as capable of impartially stating what treatment her light artillery deserved and what it received as any one. In his "History of Massachusetts in the Civil War" pub lished in 1868, he says: "No arm of the Massachusetts volunteers did greater service to the nation, or reflected greater honor upon Massachusetts, than the sixteen light batteries which went from this Commonwealth to the War. Many of the officers held high commands, some of them of the artillery of a Corps, and yet none of them could ever reach a higher rank than captain, and for the reason that the Secretary of War would not consent to have our bat teries given either a battalion or a regimental organization. States, which did not send half as many batteries into the service, had these privileges allowed them, and in conse quence they had their majors, lieutenant-colonels, and colonels of artillery, while Massachusetts had no officer of higher rank in this arm of the service than a captain. The Governor exerted his utmost power to have this FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 63 wrong righted, but in vain. The only answer which Sec retary Stanton gave, was that 'mistakes had been made in the beginning of the War, which he did not wish to keep up.' We will not say that the Secretary was altogether to blame : but the wrong done could have been righted by Con gress fixing a brevet rank which would have carried com mand and pay with it, and not have permitted officers of the skill and bravery of Martin, McCartney, Nims, and others we could name, to serve in positions which properly belonged to brigadier generals, and to perform the duties of those positions with pre-eminent merit, while only holding in reality the commissions of captains, and allowed only the pay and allowances of captains. It is true that these gentlemen were named in official bul letins in words of praise, for 'gallant and efficient service in the field,' and at the end of the War they were brevetted brigadier-generals : but something more was due the of ficers and men of the light batteries of Massachusetts." A GLANCE AT ARTILLERY TACTICS. "The Artillery drill, although equally interesting, was not as rapid as that of the cavalry, because of the weight of the guns, but there was a grandeur in the movement of so many spirited, well-trained teams and heavy pieces, not seen in the other branches of the service. Target firing was also practiced to a high degree of excellence." EDWIN FORBES. Brig. Gen. John Gibbon who compiled 'The Artillerist's Manual," edition of 1863, declares that "Batteries derive all their value from the courage and skill of the gunners, from their constancy and devotion on difficult marches, from the quickness and capacity of the officers, and espe cially from the good condition and vigor of the teams, with out which nothing can be undertaken." 64 HISTORY OF THE From the revised system of Light Artillery Tactics sub mitted January 15, 1859, by a Light Artillery Board con sisting of Brevet Major Wm. H. French, Captain William F. Barry and Brevet Major Henry J. Hunt, having been approved by President James Buchanan, accepted for the government of the Army by the Secretary of War, and used by the Light Batteries during the War of the Rebel lion, the following is taken : "The battery of manoeuvre is composed of six fieldpieces and six caissons, properly manned, horsed, and equipped. It is sometimes reduced to four or increased to eight pieces. The tactics is adapted to either number, but six pieces are supposed. Each carriage is drawn by four or six horses, and the officers and men are as follows. One captain, who commands the battery, three lieutenants, each command ing a section: the section of the junior lieutenant should be in the centre. One lieutenant commanding the line of caissons. When half batteries are formed, they are commanded by the two lieutenants highest in rank. Six mounted sergeants, each charged with guiding and superintend ing a piece. Twenty-four, or thirty-six drivers, being one to each pair of horses. Six detachments of cannoneers, each containing nine men in mounted batteries, and eleven in horse batteries. This number in cludes two cornorals. one of whom is chief of the caisson, and the other the gunner, has charge of the gun and its detachment. Two trumpeters or buglers. One guidon. The battery is divided into three sections denominated the right, left, and centre sections. A section contains two pieces and two caissons and in each section the pieces are denominated right piece and left piece. The battery is also divided into half batteries denominated right half battery, and left half battery. The word piece applies to the gun or howitzer, either with or without its limber, and sometimes to the piece and caisson together. The front of a battery, in the order in battery, is the front of the line of pieces. In all other formations it is the front of the first line of drivers. The right or left of a battery is always that of the actual front, whether the pieces or caissons lead. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 65 PARADE FOR REVIEW AND INSPECTION. The battery being in line, with the pieces in front : the first sergeant 2 yards from the right: the bugler and guidon in one rank, 6 yards on his right: the quartermaster sergeant 2 yards from the left: the artificers in one rank, 6 yards on his left: all dressed on the lead drivers of the pieces: the Captain commands: 1. Attention. 2. Prepare for Review. 3. Action Front. 4. Right-Dress. 5. Front." A LITTLE BIT FROM MEMORY. Notes of Private D. Henry Grows Oct. 28, 1900: "A section consists of two guns, as there are six guns to a bat tery, they are called the Right, Left, and Centre sections. When in camp the tents are placed the same as the men are at the guns, viz., odd numbers on the right and even ones on the left, making Nos. i, 3 & 5 on the right, and 2, 4 & 6 on the left, so you will see that I, being in the 5th detach ment I would be placed on the right half. No. 6 is rarely changed, because the one holding the place has to learn the firing table, which is placed in the cover of the limber chest." Notes of Corporal Benjamin Graham Nov. n, 1900: "The pieces are all numbered from One to Six on a march or in a line. On a march the First piece is supposed to be in front or first, and in line of battle it is supposed to be on the right, thus: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, i, and the First piece is the First Detachment, the Second piece the Second Detach ment, and so on." CHAPTER IV. RECRUITING THE BATTERY. "Come forth ! come as the torrent comes when the winter's chain is burst ! So rushes on the land's revenge, in night and silence nursed The night is passed, the silence o'er on all our hills we rise We wait thee, youth ! sleep, dream no more ! the voice of battle cries." The Summons, Mrs. Hemans. The summons of the Secretary of War, to send on all regiments and parts of regiments then enlisted, gave rise to an increased activity in the various executive departments. The demand made so peremptorily, called for prompt and speedy action. Governor Andrew issued a proclamation on August 20, 1 86 1, which closed with the following words : "Citizen Soldiers of Massachusetts! Duty, Honor, the dearest sentiments of Patriotic Love and Devotion call for your brave hearts and unconquerable arms ! JOHN A. ANDREW Governor and Commander-in-Chief." On the 25th advices had been received at the State De partment in Washington, from all our foreign ministers, stating confidently that there would be no movement among the European governments to recognize the rebels so long as the federal government kept forces in the rebel states and held Washington. The President not only directed that fortifications should be erected to protect Washington, but he desired that they should form a base of operations against the rebels. These 66 FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 67 works were divided into three sections, western, middle, and eastern. Army Head Quarters were at Arlington House on Ar lington Heights, a ridge of land running parallel with the Potomac River from Alexandria to a point opposite Georgetown a distance of nine miles. South of these heights was Four Mile Run, a small creek, and upon them a series of earthworks were erected by which a few thou sand men could hold a large army in check. The Potomac Canal crossed the river on a high stone bridge. The bridge was guarded by a breastwork, and two bomb proof block houses of large logs two stories high were erected and pierced on all sides for musketry. Opposite on the Vir ginia shore the land rises about 150 feet to a plateau on which stood Fort Corcoran. About a mile from Arlington Heights towards Alexandria, were the middle works, erected at the crossing of the road from Alexandria to Georgetown and that from the Long Bridge to Fairfax Court House. They commanded a deep ravine towards Arlington, a wide plain towards Fairfax, and a broad val ley toward Alexandria. A dense forest was cut down in order to permit an unobstructed view. The eastern defences were back of Alexandria on Shu- ter's Hill and were known as Fort Ellsworth. The level ling of a forest of fifteen acres which sheltered Alexandria by three thousand men in a short time, is thus described in the Philadelphia Ledger in August, 1861 : "The axmen cut the trees only on one side, leaving them with just enough of the body to keep them upright. When the ut most verge was reached the largest trees were cut, and falling, swept the entire fifteen acres with one stroke. These laps are all sharpened and present a formidable ap pearance." General George B. McClellan, at the immature age of thirty-two suddenly summoned from Western Virginia to take command of the Army of the Potomac, was already 68 HISTORY OF THE from personal observation qualified to express an opinion on the methods to be adopted in carrying out the Presi dent's plans. He criticised the conduct of the allied gen erals of the Crimean war in the following terms : "Their measures were half way measures, slow and blundering, they failed to keep constantly in view the object of the ex pedition, and to press rapidly and unceasingly toward it. If a deficiency in men and means is assigned as a reason for the early operations of the allies, it is but another proof that, in undertaking the affair, they neglected one of the clearest rules of war; that is, to undertake no impor tant operation without full and reliable information as to the obstacles to be overcome, and the means of resistance in the hands of the enemy." He immediately introduced the strictest discipline, of which there had been a lack. It had been said that the bat tle of Bull Run exhibited the efficiency of artillery, and the comparative weakness of the infantry arm of the service. McClellan declared that this should be a war waged with artillery, and at once called for a large increase of artillery and cavalry, and after the review on the South side of the Potomac it was telegraphed August 25, 1861, all over the country : "Gen. McClellan declares perfect satisfaction with his army, and his army, the greatest ever seen on this continent, is equally satisfied with him." From this moment a sentiment of sacred honor attached itself to membership in the Army of the Potomac, and Mc- Clellan's acknowledged preference for artillery aroused in Massachusetts the latent liking for that arm of the service which had lurked in the militia system since the first two years of the Revolutionary War, when the one Corps of Artillery in the service of the Continent, under the imme diate command of General George Washington, was com posed chiefly of Massachusetts men. September 5th, 1861, the mayor of New Bedford, Hon. Isaac C. Taber, was authorized to organize one or more FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 69 companies "for the national army", the bounty to each member not to exceed fifteen dollars, and the next day the Taunton Gazette thus appealed to the people: "Shall we have an artillery company?" "We say yes:" replies the New Bedford Mercury, "and suggest that the company already in exist ence here under command of John B. Hyde, as the nucleus of such an organization. Captain Hyde, we doubt not, would enter into such a scheme with zeal, and of his efficiency there can be no question." John B. Hyde was born in New Bedford, August 14, 1830, and was educated in the public schools of that city. At the age of 18, he joined the New Bedford Volunteer Fire Department, and was Foreman of Columbian Engine No. 5, from 1854, to 1861. In 1855, he became a member of the New Bedford City Guards, and served out the enlistment term of live years, during which time the Guards were commanded by Major George A. Bourne and Colonel Timothy Ingraham, both superior military men. In 1857 an d '58, he was elected a member of the Common Council. At that time the Hon. George H. Dunbar was mayor of the city. When the war broke out and the Home Guard was formed, he was requested by Mayor Taber to take charge of two brass pieces belonging to the city, and organize a company to man them: and from the spring of 1861, to the time of bis recruiting of the Fifth Mass. Battery, he was in command of that branch of the home guard for the pro tection of the city in case of an invasion. This no doubt inspired the effort which resulted in the larger organiza tion, whose destination was the seat of war. The New Bedford City Guards, composed of so many of her citizens who were inclined to serve their country in the hour of danger, enlisted on the call for three months men, and with Timothy Ingraham as captain, went out as Company L of the Third Mass. Regt. Infantry. Colonel David W. Wardrop commanding. On their return July 23, 1 86 1, with full ranks, their arrival was greeted by a 70 HISTORY OF THE salvo of artillery fired upon the Common, and they were escorted to the City Hall by four companies of the Home and Coast Guard where they were addressed about 5 p. m. by the mayor and Ex-Governor John H. Clifford. It is recorded in the columns of the daily press that the Flying Artillery at the Common performed sundry evolu tions, previous to the arrival of the City Guards, which evinced a commendable knowledge of their peculiar duty, and great dexterity in discharging, unlimbering, and lim bering their pieces. The New Bedford Mercury of July 25th says of this ar tillery company : 'They are entitled to great credit for the proficiency they have made in artillery practice, and particularly as they have not had the benefit of any instruction, but have studied the science without any aid from a master. We regard it as quite extraordinary that Captain Hyde and his command have acquired such skill in all the details of duty from the mere reading of the manual." Captain Timothy Ingraham was afterwards Lieutenant Colonel of the Mass. i8th Regt. Infantry, and Colonel of the 38th. He was provost marshal in Washington when President Lincoln was assassinated. The Morning Mercury announced on this 6th Septem ber, 1 86 1 : "The sabres loaned to the city for the Home and Coast Guard Light Artillery, have been recalled by the Governor. Captain -Hyde will take them to Boston today." Thus the scene was changed to the city of Boston. Three days after, there was issued the following document bearing the state seal : GENERAL RECRUITING OFFICE FOR MASS. VOLUNTEERS. HEAD QUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE FIRST Div. M. V. M. No. 14 PITTS STREET. BOSTON, Sept. 9, 1861. This certifies that I have this day appointed G. D. Allen Deputy FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 71 Recruiting Officer for Gen. Wilson's Regiment Massachusetts Volun teers in the towns of Maiden, Medford and Melrose. All Recruiting Officers appointed by this Department are hereby directed to co-operate with each other, By order of W. W. BULLOCK General Recruiting Officer Mass. Vols. The Fifth Mass. Battery was in camp with the 22d and the 236, but both infantry regiments preceded it to the field. From the New Bedford Mercury. Sept. 13, 1861. The New Artillery Company: Lieut. John B. Hyde has opened a recruiting office at the Armory corner of Mechanics Lane and Pleasant street. The Company for which he is recruiting is to be attached to Gen Wilson's regiment (22d.), and it should be filled at once. Lieut. Hyde is well known in this county, and his personal popularity should secure his success in his present undertaking. If he fails, we shall despair of any man's raising a company in New Bedford." In another column was the advertisement: LIGHT ARTILLERY COMPANY RECRUITS WANTED. For an Artillery Company now forming in the City of New Bedford to be attached to Gen. Wilson's Regiment. $100 Bounty at the end of the War. $15 Bonus from the City at the time of enlisting. $13 per month, with Clothing and Rations. $4 per month for a wife. $8 per month for a wife and one child. $12 per month for a wife and two children. Pay monthly from the State. Pay and Rations to commence imme diately. Ihese inducements are the best now offered for young men de sirous of serving their country. Office at the Armory of the N. B. Light Artillery Company, corner of Mechanics Lane and Pleasant Street. J. B. HYDE. 72 HISTORY OF THE Boston next. GENERAL RECRUITING OFFICE FOR MASS. VOLUNTEERS. HEAD QUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE FIRST Div. M. V. M. No. 14 PITTS STREET BOSTON, Sept. 16, 1861. This certifies That I have this day appointed G. D. Allen Deputy Recruiting Officer for the Fourth Battery of Light Artillery for Gen. Wilson's Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers, in the City of Boston and vicinity. All Recruiting Officers appointed by this Department are hereby directed to co-operate with each other. By order of W. W. BULLOCK General Recruiting Officer Mass. Vols. NOTES OF CAPTAIN GEO. D. ALLEN Sept. 3. 1900. "I had the mustering in papers made out on the date of the first order I had for recruiting the Battery, this espe cially saved the New Bedford men two or three weeks pay. General Schouler sent for me to come to his office in the State House, and informed me that Salem and Lawrence wanted to join in recruiting a battery, and he had decided to call their battery the Fourth, and our battery would be the Fifth." THE CALL. The New Bedford Standard of Sept. 23, 1861, contained the following notice: "Lt. John B. Hyde advertises today for recruits for the artillery company to be attached to General Wilson's regiment. Lt. Hyde is well known here and has been exceedingly popular with his acquaint ance's, among whom we trust his call will meet with a prompt re sponse. The inducements [This refers to general inducements offered FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 73 bv the city] it will be seen are extremely liberal. His office is at the Armory, corner of Mechanics Lane and Pleasant street. The following appeared in the Boston Journal of Sep tember 25, 1 86 1 : "Wanted Recruits for the Fifth Massachusetts Light Battery, to be attached to the Twenty-third Regiment, Col. Whson. Able-bodied young men of good standing will ^lease apply imme diately to G. D. Allen, in Court street. The Company goes into Camp at Lynnfield immediately." The regiment raised by Senator Wilson _was the 22d. The 23d. was commanded by Colonel John Kurtz. The Third Mass. Battery accompanied the 22d. to the seat of war. in Court street was about where the Palace Theatre now stands, at the head of Sudbury street. Sergt. Wm. H. Peacock recollects the enlistment place as a vacant store. September 28th, 1861, George D. Allen of Maiden was commissioned First Lieutenant of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery. The same day the following Special Order was issued : COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS HEAD QUARTERS, BOSTON, Sept. 28, 1861 Special Order No. 484. Mr. George D. Allen of Maiden, who is recruiting the Fifth Battery of Light Artillery, to Le attached to the Twenty-third Resriment of ivlassachusetts Volunteers, now in camp at Lynnfield, is ordered to report with his command to Lt. Col. Kurtz, who will find him proper quarters. By order of the Commander-in-Chief. WM. SCHOULER Adj. General. The New Bedford Mercury of the same date had the fol lowing notice: NOTICE. "To the members of the N. B. Light Artillery Company. The members of this Company are notified, that they go into camp 74 HISTORY OF THE at Lvnnfield, on Monday Sept. 30, 1861. They are requested to meet at the Artillery Armory, Mechanics Lane, on Monday morning, Sept. 30, 1861, at 6 o'clock precisely. LIEUT. J. B. HYDE. New Bedford Sept. 28, 1861. Lynnfield formerly a part of Lynn, is a small town 12 miles from Boston, and the camp was established near the Lynnfield Hotel, in a level field, once used for a race-track. When Lieut. Allen went into camp at Lynnfield he was presented with a horse, in color a dark chestnut, by E. R. Sawyer & Co. in whose employ he was when he joined the army; other wholesale coal dealers in Boston contribut ing. When he found that they were not going to take the Battery horses from here, he was obliged to sell him, and buy another in Washington. From the New Bedford Mercury Oct. 2, 1861. DEPARTURE FOR THE CAMP. "Lieut. John B. Hyde and his command, 56 men, left by the early train, on the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad yesterday morning. They marched from their Armory to Market Square (City Hall) where prayer was offered by the Rev. Tohn Girdwood, and his Honor the Mayor made a few remarks, and presented to Lieut. Hyde, on behalf of the City, a full set of equinments. Lieut. Hyde made an appropriate response. As the train left, a salute was fired on the Common by a detachment of the Light Artillery Company of this city, under com mand of Lieut. Pliny B. Sherman. A large number of citizens were at the depot to witness the departure of their friends and neighbors, and to express their hearty wishes for their success." Same date: "We learn from the 'Journal' that Lieut. Hyde and hi command dined at the Parker House in Boston yesterday. His Honor Mayor Taber accompanied them, and Mayor Wightman (of Boston) and our friend Colonel Hatch were at the dinner. The Mayor of Boston was introduced by the Colonel, and addressed the men in cheering words of welcome." m FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 75 PRESENTATION OF EQUIPMENTS. His Honor Mayor Isaac C. Taber requested Lieut. Hyde to present himself with his recruits October i, 1861, at 7 o'clock in the morning, in front of the City Hall, where he proposed to make an address to his command. Owing to sickness the Mayor was unable to be present in person but delegated Mr. James B. Congdon, who made the address and presented to Lt. Hyde his equipments, consisting of a sabre, belt, sash, shoulder straps, spurs, and a pair of Colt's revolvers. After these ceremonies were concluded they proceeded to the depot, headed by the New Bedford Brass Band, and took the train for the camp at Lynnfield. CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP. NEW BEDFORD, October i, 1861. This certifies that William H. Peacock has been regularly mustered and sworn into the service of the United States, as a member of 5th Battery, 23d Regiment, now in Lynnfield. LIEUT. JOHN B. HYDE. "Personal" in the New Bedford Mercury Oct. 3, 1861. "Lieut. T. B. Hyde of the Fifth Battery, returned to the city last evening. He reports that his men have all been sworn in, uniformed and equipped. They are all in excellent spirits, and highly pleased with their quarters and rations." The next day came the following anonuncement. "Fifth Battery : Lieut. H^de returns to Camp Schouler at Lynnfield this morning (October 4th) with the following recruits: Robert A. Dillingham, Timothy W. Terry, Henr- D. Scott, Alpheus Haskins. Edward F. Smith, William Turner. Mason W. Page, Joseph G. Braley, George McCully, Samuel A. hardy, George H. Chadwick, J. Augustus Wood, Christopher C. Allen, Edward Mitchell, Philo P. 76 HISTORY OF THE Braley, William Greeley, Josiah W. Gardner, John Langley, James D. Allen, Charles D. Barnard, Michael Flynn. George W. Smith, Thomas Higgins and several others whose names we could not learn. Timothy W. Terry, brother of our city marshal, has received the ap pointment of Quartermaster's Sergeant. The recruiting office will be kept open a short time, and those intending to enlist should do so at once. Lieut. Hyde has made arrangements with the postmaster at Lynnfield, so that all letters addressed Fifth Battery Artillery, Camp Schouler, Lynnfield, will be conveyed daily to the camp by the Quar termaster's Sergeant." ADVERTISEMENT IN THE MERCURY OCT. 5th. "LAST CHANCE. 20 able-bodied men wanted Immediately. For the New Bedford Light Artillery Company Now encamped at Lynnfield." After specifying the bounty, as before, the following is added : "Call soon, as only a few more can be accepted in this Company. Apply at the Armory of the New Bedford Light Artillery Com pany, on Mechanics Lane, above Purchase street." October 8, 1861, John B. Hyde of New Bedford was commissioned Second Lieutenant. Robert A. Dillingham of New Bedford Third Lieutenant. Charles A. Phillips of Salem, Fourth Lieutenant of the Fifth Mass. Battery. On the same day the New Bedford Mercury announced the following additional recruits : "THE FIFTH BATTERY "Lieut. Hvde leaves for camp this morning with the following recruits for the Fifth Battery, completing the number of his company: Christopher C. Allen, Michael Hewitt, Robert King, Joseph R. Hath away, Thomas Place, Richard Heyes, John F. Hathaway, Stephen Townsend, John H. Alton, Christopher B. Tripp, William S. Wilcox, Peleg W. Blake, Joseph B. Alton, James Robinson, Thomas A. Cush- man, Squire W. Butts, Michael Sullivan, David B. Peirce, Benjamin S. Kanuse, James L. Warren, William H. Caswell, John T. Drew, Francis P. Washburn. Lot Tynan, James H. Albro." FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 77 Oct. 8th, the 22d. Regiment left Boston for Washington. On the loth, according to the Mercury, the mayor and city treasurer of New Bedford "proceeded to Camp Schouler, Lynnfield, and paid the bounty offered by the City to vol unteers in Lieut. Hyde's company, and the Clifford Guards, Co. D, 23d Regiment." This company was recruited by Cornelius Rowland Jr. and went to camp about the time the artillery company was sent there. On the i6th Colonel Kurtz changed the camp of the 23d to the location vacated by the 22d. October 23, 1861, Max Eppendorff of New Bedford, was commissioned captain of the Fifth Mass. Battery. CAPTAIN MAX EPPENDORFF. The first commander of the Battery enjoyed the full con fidence of His Excellency Governor Andrew, and the high officials with whom he came in business connection, and he tried to deserve this confidence to the best of his ability. NOTES OF CAPTAIN EPPENDORFF. October 26, 1900. ''When, in the early part of the year 1849, the Royal Saxon Army, I am a subject of the King of Saxony, not of Prussia , was reorganized and increased, the Minister of War was compelled to call for Volunteers to fill the vacant positions of Subaltern Officers. With 8 other young men, who like myself, had formerly been students of the Polytechnic High school in Dresden, I applied for admission in the Artillery Corps. We were accepted and mustered in as Ensigns. For 5 months we were drilled in Artillery and Infantry service, and in structed by Officers of the Regiment in general duties of an Artillery Officer, and in special Artillery science. Having satisfactorily passed examination before a com mittee composed of the Staff of the Regiment, we obtained 78 HISTORY OF THE our appointments as Second Lieutenants of the Saxon Ar tillery. I served my King faithfully for 6 years, when I tendered my resignation and obtained my honorable discharge with pension, which latter I am by special favor allowed to draw in any foreign country. On my first interview with Governor Andrew, I handed him these papers, of whose contents he took the necessary insight. My application for a position as a kind of in structor for officers and men of Batteries of the State then to be organized, was finally refused by the Secretary of War in Washington." THE ORIGINAL ENLISTMENT ROLLS IN NEW BEDFORD. Signed by The Recruits. Enlisted at New Bedford from September 23d. to Oct. 8th, 1 86 1, by Lt. John B. Hyde. Robert A. Dillingham New Bedford, Mass. Henry D. Scott New Bedford, Mass. Timothy W. Terry New Bedford, Mass. Charles H. Morgridge New Bedford, Mass. George Shaw New Bedford, Mass. Anson E. Ferris New Bedford, Mass. John Pilling New Bedford, Mass. Luther Petty New Bedford, Mass. Thomas Burke New Bedford, Mass. Jacob A. Gilbert New Bedford, Mass. Francis Oldis New Bedford, Mass. Michael Flynn New Bedford, Mass. George W. Smith New Bedford, Mass. Samuel R. Jordan Mattapoisett, Mass. Henry W. Soule New Bedford, Mass. John C. Hart New Bedford, Mass. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 79 Patrick Walsh New Bedford, Mass. James A. Tripp New Bedford, Mass. John G. Sanford New Bedford, Mass. Robert Miller New Bedford, Mass. Michael Dugan New Bedford, Mass. Alexander Moore New Bedford, Mass. Henry D. Crapo New Bedford, Mass. Andrew W. Almy Fairhaven, Mass. Francis Carson New Bedford, Mass. John Agen New Bedford, Mass. Benjamin T. Burt Fall River, Mass. James Winters, Bugler New Bedford, Mass. William W. Carsley New Bedford, Mass. Albion K. P. Hayden New . Bedford, Mass. George S. Manchester New Bedford, Mass. Jacob Peacock New Bedford, Mass. Charles C. Weeden New Bedford, Mass. Joseph W. Clarke New Bedford, Mass. Thomas Higgins New Bedford, Mass. James Neild New Bedford, Mass. Elisha J. Gibbs New Bedford, Mass. Charles A. Clark New Bedford, Mass. James Kay New Bedford, Mass. Benjamin Graham New Bedford, Mass. Benjamin F. Smith New Bedford, Mass. John Waddington New Bedford, Mass. Edwin J. Butler New Bedford, Mass. Thomas Carney New Bedford, Mass. William Pinder New Bedford, Mass. James T. Shepard New Bedford, Mass. Joseph Hall New Bedford, Mass. John E. Dyer New Bedford, Mass. Edward T. Wilson 2d New Bedford, Mass. Edward W. West Fairhaven, Mass. Philip T. Quillin Fairhaven, Mass. William H. Dunham Fairhaven, Mass. 80 HISTORY OF THE William H. Ray Fall River, Mass. Alpheus Haskins Marion, Mass. Edward F. Smith New Bedford, Mass. William Gunning New Bedford, Mass. William Saxner Blackstone, R. I. Mason W. Page New Bedford, Mass. Joseph G. Braley Freetown, Mass. George McCulley Freetown, Mass. Samuel A. Hardy New Bedford, Mass. George H. Chadwick New Bedford, Mass. J. Augustus Wood New Bedford, Mass. Christopher C. Allen New Bedford, Mass. Edward Mitchell New Bedford, Mass. Philo L. Braley Freetown, Mass. William Greely Germany. Josiah W. Gardner New Bedford, Mass. John Langley New 7 Bedford, Mass. James D. Allen New Bedford, Mass. [afterwards captain's clerk] Charles D. Barnard New Bedford, Mass. Lemuel A. Washburn Freetown, Mass. Michael Hewitt New Bedford, Mass. Ephraim B. Nye New Bedford, Mass. Edward Champlin Westerly, R. I. James Cox New Bedford, Mass. Samuel Clark Smithfield, R. I. John M. Canty New Bedford, Mass. Charles Jay New Bedford, Mass. William Hathaway Jr New Bedford, Mass. James H. Paxton New Bedford, Mass. Frederick D. Alden Fall River, Mass. Charles H. Macomber Fall River, Mass. Benjamin West New Bedford, Mass. William Sweeney New Bedford, Mass. A. F. Milliken New Bedford, Mass. Patrick Doyle New Bedford, Mass. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 81 Henry Fitzsimmons New Bedford, Mass. Lorenzo D. Brownell New Bedford, Mass. John H. Hodgins New Bedford, Mass. George F. Healy Rochester, Mass. David McVey New Bedford, Mass. Robert King New Bedford, Mass. Joseph R. Hathaway New Bedford, Mas^ Thomas Place New Bedford, Mass. Richard Heyes New Bedford, Mass. John F. Hathaway. New Bedford, Mass. Stephen Donovan New Bedford, Mass. John H. Alton Freetown, Mass. Christopher B. Tripp Westport, Mass. William S. Wilcox New Bedford, Mass. Frederick W. Wood New Bedford, Mass. Peleg W. Blake New Bedford, Mass. Samuel Sanderson New Bedford, Mass. Joseph B. Alton Sandwich, Mass. James Robinson New Bedford, Mass. Thomas A. Cushman New Bedford, Mass. Michael Sullivan New Bedford, Mass. David B. Peirce New Bedford, Mass. Benjamin S. Kanuse New Bedford, Mass. Squire W. Butts New Bedford, Mass. James L. Warren New Bedford, Mass. William W. Caswell New Bedford, Mass. John A. Drew New Bedford, Mass. Francis P. Washburn New Bedford, Mass. Lot Tynan New Bedford, Mass. James H. Albro New Bedford, Mass. James W. Baldwin New Bedford, Mass. John H. Cole New Bedford, Mass. William H. Peacock New Bedford, Mass. 82 HISTORY OF THE THE ORIGINAL COMMISSIONED OFFICERS. From Lt. Hyde's Rolls. Captain, Max Eppendorff, New Bedford, Mass. Sen. ist Lt. George D. Allen, Maiden, Mass. Jun. ist Lt. John B. Hyde, New Bedford, Mass. Sen. 2d Lt. Robert A. Dillingham, New Bedford, Mass. Jun. 2d Lt. Charles A. Phillips, Salem, Mass. ORIGINAL NON COMMISSIONED OFFICERS. Sergeant Major, George H. Johnson, Boston, Mass. Sergeants : Frederick A. Lull, Cambridge, Mass. Henry D. Scott, New Bedford, Mass. Otis B. Smith, Boston, Mass. Charles H. Morgridge, New Bedford, Mass. William B. Pattison, Boston, Mass. Peleg W. Blake, New Bedford, Mass. William H. Peacock, New Bedford, Mass. Quartermaster Sergeant. Timothy W. Terry, New Bedford. Corporals. W. G. Warren Boston, Mass. A. E. Ferris New Bedford, Mass. H. O. Simonds Boston, Mass. Mason W. Page New Bedford, Mass. William H. Baxter Boston, Mass. Ephraim B. Nye New Bedford, Mass. The representative of the New Bedford Mercury at FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 83 Camp Schouler thus describes an unusual scene and a novel recruit : "We saw a dav or two since a noble looking mastiff, a most intelli gent brute, and thoroughly trained, which was purchased by certain gentlemen in the city, and presented to the Fifth Massachusetts Bat tery. He was taken to the camp by Ass't Engineer H. H. Fisher, who, we learn, made an appropriate presentation speech. As 'Jack's' loyalty was beyond all question, the usual oath was dispensed with." The sentinel "Jack" was also called "Trusty." October 28th, His Excellency Governor Andrew re ceived the Twenty-Third Regiment and the Fifth Mass. Battery, at Lynnfield. Corporal Thomas E. Chase refers to this in his Diary, and says there were fifteen guns fired in honor of His Ex cellency, and that on that day Captain Max Eppendorff took command of the Battery. In relation to Lieut. Phillips' fitting himself for promo tion, Private Louis E. Pattison says: "Chas. A. Phillips joined the company at Lynnfield as Junior Second Lieutenant, and immediately had Thomas Stantial, an artificer, make him a table on which, with the aid of blocks representing artillery, and a copy of the tac tics, he familiarized himself with the movements of a bat tery, so that later he was competent to perform his duties successfully." MEETING IN MALDEN TOWN HALL. Maiden, like New Bedford, had just sent out an infantry company, Co. K, of the Mass. I7th Regt, which was at Camp Andrew, Baltimore, Md., when on Monday evening October 28th, 1861, there was a Masonic celebration at the Maiden Town Hall, a public installation of officers of Mount Vernon Lodge, and a presentation to the retiring Master of the Lodge, George D. Allen. 84 HISTORY OF THE In the centre of the hall stood the altar, draped with the American flag, and above the platform where were seated the officers of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, hung a portrait of Washington festooned with red, white and blue. SABRE AND EQUIPMENTS. The installation of the officers was by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge R. W. Wm. D. Coolidge, followed by a hymn written for the occasion by the Rev. T. J. Green wood and sung by a choir of thirty voices, the closing verses of which were as follows : O'er our country in her sorrow Deign to hold thy mighty shield: Bring to us a bright tomorrow, Through the struggles of the field. Lo ! our cherished brother leaves us, Dangers, for our Land, to brave : While the parting sadly grieves us, We for him thy blessing crave. Shield him, by thy gracious power ! Shield his comrades in the strife, And to life's remotest hour, Be his helper, God of Life ! Guide us onward, all, and ever, 'Till thou lead a world to thee ! Let our trusting falter, never, God of Life, and Liberty. Then came the presentation of a splendid sabre and equipments to the late Master of the Lodge, George D. Allen, the exercises commencing with the song "Comrades Awake to Glory": Comrades awake to glory, Know ye not the foe is near, Hear ye not the trumpet sounding, See ye not the glistening spear? You'll awake on your graves, Already the torch is applied. And the blood of your comrades Is dyeing the turf at your side. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 85 The presentation speech was made by Wm. H. Richard son Jr. Esq. who said in part: "The members of Mount Vernon Lodge . . . have called you here tonieht to seal their approbation of a step which reflects equal honor upon you in the taking and upon them in their prompt recognition of its high importance. A few weeks since we learned that you, in obedience to the prompt ings of an unselfish patriotism had offered your services to your country in her hour of darkness and trial : we learned also, that the offer had been accented, and that in a few brief weeks you would exchange the quiet walks of life, the delights of home, and the society of cherished friends, for the distant and stirring scenes of camp and battle field. Spontaneously, as it were, the members of this Institution, with whom you have been so long and honorably connected, suggested the idea of a parting testimonial, which should be alike a substantial token of our appreciation of your labors with us, of our regard for you as a gentle man and brother, and as useful and appropriate symbols of the new profession in which you are about to embark. ... It is no empty com pliment, no formal act of courtesy no enforced compliance with the fashion of the times that seeks this method to cover a heartless cere mony, but it is the warm expression of a hundred hearts that beat in proud sympathy with a step that evinces the noblest patriotism and the truest devotion to a sacred cause. . . . We do not forget that the name of Allen bears an historic glory, and a revolutionary memory that will never die, and may you emulate that sturdy patriotism and unflinching courage which make the name of Allen and Ticonderoga the watchwords of victory. . . . You are now to exchange the gavel for the sword, and thereby discharge the duties you owe to the laws under which you live; keeping steadily in view the allegiance due to your country. These spurs, too, are emblems of honor, suggestive of that open eyed vigilance which is ever ready for the word of command, come when it may: requiring, as Napoleon used to term it, a sort of 'two o'clock in the morning' courage, and demanding great discipline and great enthusiasm to guard against surprise. It is said of Suwarrow that even in peace he always slept fully, armed, boots and all, and when he wished to enjoy a very comfortable nap he used to take off one spur. Let his ready zeal be to you a lesson in fidelity." . . . MR. ALLEN'S REPLY. Mr. Allen replied as follows : "Brother Senior Warden, and Brothers of Mount Ver non Lodge : There are moments when even the lips of elo quence are held mute by the emotions that struggle in the 86 HISTORY OF THE heart. And if to such souls emotions are sometimes un mastering, how much more so must they now be to me who can lay no claim to eloquence or even common Ian guage, to speak what I feel. I cannot talk. Our countn is in peril, and for her sake, I have ventured to say I wa; ready to fight. But even here I am reminded that profes sion is more becoming him who putteth off his armor, thai he who putteth it on. I will then strive not to abuse th< confidence you have manifested by these splendid gifts. '. will endeavor to use them manfully in protection of ou] country and her laws, and for them so appropriate in th< position in which I stand, as well as expressing the confi dence of the Lodge over which I have had the happiness and honor to preside, as well as for the eloquent and appro priate manner in which they have been conveyed, my whol< soul centres in an expression of grateful thanks." In closing Mr. Allen invited the Rev. T. J. Greenwooc to speak for him, which he did, portraying Mr. Allen'; willingness to sacrifice his life for his country "which al true Masons are bound to love, and cherish, and defend,' and as a personal gift presented him with a bible "Th< Word of God" "The Great Light of Freemasonry, whid we are all taught to heed." District Deputy Grand Mas ter J. K. Hall presented Mr. Allen with the Diploma of c Past Master, in acknowledgment of the faithful perform ance of the duties intrusted to him, with a poetical allusior to Washington for whom Mount Vernon Lodge was named, and to the sabre and bible : "And may its hilt be blessed by faith in God While you seek succor from his holy word : So shall you honor that masonic name Which he, our brother, cherished more than fame." Reference was also made by the speaker to those shin ing lights in Freemasonry the patriots Warren and La fayette. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 87 LIST OF MEN RECRUITED BY LIEUT. GEO. D. ALLEN. As stated on the Muster Out Roll, at Boston and Readville from September i6th to December 25th, 1861. Chase, Thomas E Boston, Mass. Doherty, Bernard Readville, Mass. Dickerman, Joseph C Readville, Mass. Lull, Frederick A Boston, Mass. Spear, Joseph E Boston, Mass. Smith, Otis B Boston, Mass. Simonds, Harrison O Boston, Mass. Peacock, William H Boston, Mass. Morrison, John W Boston, Mass. Pattison, William B Boston, Mass. Newhall, William B Boston, Mass. Stiles, Charles F Boston, Mass. Newton, Geo. L Boston, Mass. Proctor, George O Boston, Mass. Tucker, John C Boston, Mass. Johnson, George H Boston, Mass. Burkis, James M \ . . Boston, Mass. Brown, Warren W Boston, Mass. Blanchard, Amos Boston, Mass. Brown, Edward A Readville, Mass. Baxter, William H. Boston, Mass. Barry, William Boston, Mass. Cox, Henry A Readville, Mass. Estee, William E Boston, Mass. Freeborn, Geo. H Boston, Mass. Grows, David H Boston, Mass. Gale, Mortier Boston, Mass. Knox, Joseph L Boston, Mass. Leach, Geo. H , Boston, Mass. 88 HISTORY OF THE Lapham, Frederick A., Jr Boston, Mass. Mack. John F Boston, Mass. Murray, John Boston, Mass. Phippen, Edward A., Jr Boston, Mass. Poole, Geo. W Boston, Mass. Pattison, Louis E Boston, Mass. Rice, Edward E Boston, Mass. Stantial, Thomas B Boston, Mass. Story. Benjamin F Boston, Mass. Shaw, Horatio E Boston, Mass. Waugh, William A Boston, Mass. Whitcher, Joseph Boston, Mass. Gustine, Edward F Boston, Mass. Parsons, Henry C Boston, Mass. Platts, Edward M Boston, Mass. Warren, William G Boston, Mass. Lapham, William H. H Readville, Mass. Morrison, Joseph J Boston, Mass. Prescott, Francis A Readville, Mass. Cook, John G., Jr Boston, Mass. Skinner, Charles E Boston, Mass. Simonds, Warren Readville, Mass. Xew Bedford Mercury October 29, 1861 : "The company will today be provided with two 12 pound howitzers, two 6 pound smooth bore, and two rifled cannon. There are twenty tents, including officers' quarters, those of the privates accommodating twelve men each. Since the Battery has been encamped, a park has been neatly laid out, and a Liberty pole erected in the centre. The company rations are satisfactory, and the Quarter master is spoken of in the highest terms." McCLELLAN COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. On the 3 ist of October, 1861, General Winfield Scott re tired, and General George B. McClellan was made Com- mander-in-Chief of all the Armies of the United States. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 89 THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION. COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. HEAD QUARTERS, BOSTON. General Order No. 28. Nov. 5. 1861. The soldiers who illustrate the fame of Massachusetts, and defend her cause with that of our Union and our National Flag, in military service remote from the homes where they have been wont to celebrate with their families the venerable and joyful New England Festival of Thanksgiving to God for the fruits of the season, and the bounty of His Providence, ought to be remembered and associated so far as may be in the celebration now at hand. .t is therefore ordered by the Commander-in-Chief that the Adjutant General cause copies of the Governor's recent Proclamation for a dav of Public Thanksgiving and Praise to be sent to the colonels and chap lains of all the Massachusetts Regiments of Volunteers with the as surance of the grateful and sympathetic remembrance of them by the Government and people of Massachusetts, of their thankfulness for the many satisfactions and blessings with which even in war we are con stantly attended, and of our fervent prayers for the welfare of our gallant and patriotic soldiers, and our undoubting faith in their fidelity and honor: and finally, with the exnression of the hope that militarv duties mav not be inconsistent with their observation in some fitting manner of the day annually set apart for the renewal and enlivening of the domestic affections, and for remembering the Giver of all mercies by the united consent of the people of our beloved Commonwealth. commanders of Regiments and Batteries of the Massachusetts Vol unteers, will promulgate this Order in their respective commands. By order of His Excellency JOHN A. ANDREW, Governor and Commander-in-Chief. WILLIAM SCHOULER, Adjutant General. It was said that since the memory of the oldest inhabitant the country had not teemed with such abundant crops as the season of 1861. NOTE OF SERGEANT PEACOCK. "CAMP SCHOULER. LYNXFIELD Nov. 9, '61. We move our camp to Camp Brigham. Readville. next 90 HISTORY OF THE Wednesday, where there are stables for horses. Here we have none. We expect to remain there 6 weeks, certain. There has been any quantity of rain and wet weather, but we have very comfortable tents, so we keep dry and warm. There are three of us in a tent the Sergt. Major, the Q. M. Sergeant, and myself, so we have plenty of room." It was said that this removal was in order to concentrate the forces remaining in the state, to the end that they might be more economically supported. Nov. nth the 2^d Regt. Colonel Kurtz, left for the seat of war and Corporal Chase noted in his Diary: "5th Detachment of 5th Battery fired a salute of 6 guns on their departure." FIRST MARCHING ORDERS. COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. HEAD QUARTERS, BOSTON. Special Order No. 568. Nov. 13, 1861. Captain Max Eppendorff commanding Fifth Battery of the Massa chusetts Volunteers now in camp at Lynnfield, will proceed with his command tomorrow to Readville and encamp there, under direction of the Quartermaster General. By command of His Excellency JOHN A. ANDREW, Governor and Commander-in-Chief. WILLIAM BROWN, Ass't. Adj. General. The Battery marched from Lynnfield to Readville, a village then forming a part of Dedham, now of Hyde Park, about 8 miles from Boston, on the Providence railroad. Here there were two camps, "Massasoit" and "Brigham." The Battery moved Nov. I4th and camped at Camp Massa soit. Nov. 1 8th, 1 86 1, the following order was issued: Special Order No. 579. Captain Eppendorff, commanding Fifth Battery of the ^Massachusetts Volunteers, will report to and receive orders from Major Stevenson commanding Twenty-Fourth Regt. in camp at Readville. By order of the Commander-in-Chief WM. SCHOULER Adj. Gen. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 91 Nov. 22d, Lieut. Robert A. Dillingham was presented with a full set of artillery equipments by Mayor Taber of New Bedford, on behalf of the Military committee. "Nov. 25th. (Chase's Diary) Three inches of snow on the ground this morning. Very stormy day. No drill. Nov. 30. Fired a salute of three guns on arrival of Co. I, 24th Regt. from Fort Warren." ORGANIZATION OF DETACHMENTS. From Lieut. Phillips' Diary, Nov. 27, 1861. 42 Cannoneers, 7 in each Detachment. 36 Drivers, 6 in each Det. 6 Artificers, i in the ist, 3d, 5th, & 6th Det. 2 in the 2d. 6 Cooks, i in each Det. 8 Wagoners, i in the ist, 2d, 3d and 6th Det. 2 in the 4th and 5th. 2 Buglers, i in the 3d Det, i in the 6th. 2 Clerks, i in the 2d, i in the 4th Det. 22 Spare Men, 4 in the ist, 2d, 3d & 4th Det., 3 in the 5th & 6th. Total 124. LETTER FROM ALDERMAN LADD. NEW BEDFORD, MASS. 'Friend Wyde. Dec. 13, 1861. Mr. Cow en [Conductor on the New Bedford and Boston R. R.] informs me that you leave on Monday next and that you would like to see me tomorrow. It would afford me much pleasure to come down were it possible, but we have a cargo of lumber at our wharf, which is to be discharged and loaded on to the cars, and I must remain to attend to it. I have persuaded Alderman Lewis to represent me on the occa sion. I send by Mr. Lewis [Alderman Lewis] two hundred dollars [This was in gold] donated by your friends in this city, towards pur chasing a horse and equipments which ^ r ou will please accept with their kind regards for your future health, happiness, and success. We all take a deep interest in the Fifth (Mass.) Battery and shall watch its course with interest and with confidence that all, both officers and men, will be faithful to duty, and reflect credit and honor on them selves and on the city under whose auspices it was raised. 92 HISTORY OF THE In relation to fares, you will please collect what you can of the men and hand it to Mr. Lewis, and the balance we will take care of. in conclusion, allow me to utter an earnest prayer that yourself and all connected with you, may return, when this wicked rebellion shall have been utterly crushed out, in health and vigor, to your friends and families. With respect, Yours truly, WARREN LADD. THE HORSE. The horse which was bought in Washington, and was called "Black Charley," was coal black, with the exception of a white star in his forehead. G. O. No. 108 HEAD QUARTERS OF THE ARMY. ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, [Transfers] WASHINGTON D. C. Dec. 16, 1861. General Orders No. 108. [Extract] III. The numerous applications for transfer of soldiers from one regiment or company to another, would, if complied with, cause confusion in the records, and be injurious to the future interests of the soldiers themselves. Such transfers will not henceforth be made. By command of Major General McClellan. L. THOMAS Adj't Gen'l. That this order was wise in its intention, and would have been for the best interests of the soldiers if it had been carried out, has been amply proven by the confusion of many of the records in respect to the membership of differ ent organizations. The two old guns with which the Battery had been drilling were sent to Boston Dec. I7th. On the 2Oth the non-commissioned officers of the Fifth Battery went to Point Shirley in Boston Harbor to practice, and on the same day the Battery received orders to march. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 93 From a letter of Lieut. Phillips to a little nephew written at the camp at Readville, Dec. 17, 1861 : "The whole cavalry regiment rode out two or three miles today. There were about 700 men on horseback. Col. Williams and Lieut. Col. Sargent rode in front. Col. Wil liams rode a dark horse and Lt. Col. Sargent rode his own horse. . . . One company in the regiment have all black horses and look very well. The paymaster came down the other day and paid off all the men. He had his money in tin plates on the table in front of him. One plate was full of coppers, one of five cent pieces, one of halves and quarters, one of gold dollars and another of three dollar gold pieces. Besides he had a little pile of treasury notes." ORDERED TO WASHINGTON. HEAD QUARTERS, BOSTON Dec. 20, 1861. Special Order No. 638. Captain Max Eppendorff commanding the Fifth Battery of the Massachusetts Volunteers, is hereby ordered to proceed with his com mand on Tuesday next, to Washington D. C. and report for duty to Major Gen. McClellan U. S. A. Captain Eppendorff will apply to the U. S. Quarter Master in Boston, Captain McKim, (W. W. McKim Ass't Quartermaster U. S. A.) for transportation. By command of His Excellency JOHN A. ANDREW, Governor and Commander-in-Chief. WM. SCHOULER, Adjt. GenM. "Tuesday next" was Dec. 25, 1861. In the Adjutant General's Report for 1861, may be found the following relative to the equipment of the Bat tery : "This battery is the only one which has left the State without a full and complete equipment. Everything was furnished except the horses, which Quartermaster General Meigs U. S. A. preferred to supply at Washington. The company is well officered, and is composed of the very best material. 94 HISTORY OF THE Captain Max Eppendorff, New Bedford, Sen. ist Lieut. George D. Allen, Maiden, Jun. ist Lieut. John B. Hyde, New Bedford, Sen. 2d Lieut. Robert A. Dillingham, New Bedford, Jun. 2d Lieut. Charles A. Phillips, Salem." REPORT OF THE MASTER OF ORDNANCE. Colonel Charles Amory, Master of Ordnance, reported : "Dec. 26, 1861, there had been issued to the Fifth Battery 4 Bronze Field Guns, 6 pounders, rifled, 2 Bronze Field Howitzers, 12 pounders, 6 Gun carriages, complete with limbers, 6 caissons, 'complete, with lim bers, i forge wagon complete, with tools and stores per U. S. Regula tions, i Battery wagon, complete, with tools and stores per U. S. Regu lations. 14 sets 6 Horse Artillery Harness, complete, 18 tarpaulins, large, 17 sets Horse equipments, complete, 17 non-commissioned officers sabres, 17 non-commissioned officers Sabre Belts and Plates, 44 artillery sabres, 44 artillery Sabre Belts and Plates, 90 artillery Short Swords, 92 Waist Belts and Plates with Shoulder Straps and Frogs, i Guidon, silk, with staff and socket, i national flag, silk, with staff and socket, 4 camp colors with staves, 4 Sponges and Rammers for 6 pounder Guns, 4 Bristle Sponges and Rammers for 6 pounder Guns, 4 Sponges and Rammers for 12 pounder Howitzers, 12 Sponge Covers, 4 Worms and Staves for 6 pounder Guns, 2 Worms and Staves for 12 pounder Howitzers, 18 Hand Spikes, 6 Prolongs, 6 Sponge Buckets, 12 Tar Buckets, 6 Gunners' Pincers, 18 Tow Hooks, 24 Thumb stalls, 12 Prim ing Wires, 12 Lanyards and Hooks, 6 Felling Axes with handles, 6 Shovels, long handled, 6 Pick Axes with handles, 3 Crow Bars, 2 Ham mers, 2 Hatchets, 6 Tompions and straps, 6 Vent Covers, 12 Tube Pouches and Belts, 12 Gunners' Haversacks, 12 Screw Drivers, 6 Vent Punches, 6 Linstocks, 50 Slow Match yards , 3 Pole Yokes, spare, 4 Cannon Sights, pairs, 56 Rubber Watering Buckets, 75 Feed Bags, 2 Bugles and Trumpets, 2 Sergeants Sashes, i Picket Rope, coil , i Picket Beetle, 2 Copper Scoops, 2 Copper Dippers, 2 Copper Tunnels, 20 Revolving Pistols with appurtenances, 2000 ball cartridges for pis tols, 3000 percussion caps for pistols, 300 cartridges i l / 2 pounds powder each, 2000 Cartridge Bags, 2400 Friction Cannon Primers, 43 kegs Gun Powder, 300 Shot, 6 pounder Schenkle, 400 Shell 6 pounder Schenkle, 120 shell 12 pounder for Howitzers, 184 shell, 12 pounder Canister, for Howitzers, 4 Field Glasses, 25 pounds Twine, 105 pounds Tow in bags, i Emery Cloth, ream , 24 Chamois Skins, 12 Sheep Skins, 32 Linchpin Rings, 48 pairs Chest Straps." CHAPTER V. IN CAMP AT WASHINGTON, D. C, AND HALL'S HILL, VIRGINIA. HOW THEY FARED. OFFICERS AND MEN. "After we shall have made our last march, shall have answered our last roll call, then will some historian take in hand the story of the war, and fashion it into a goodly tale to tell our offspring what we did from '61 to '65 ... and what will his story be?" CLARENCE F. COBB. Orator of the Society of the Army of the Potomac, Niagara Falls, N. Y., 1898. LETTER OF LIEUT. C. A. PHILLIPS. "CAMP DUNCAN WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, '61. Wednesday forenoon we struck our tents at Readville, and packed up. After standing round in the cold for two or three hours, we took the cars at 125^ and started for New York. At Groton we went on board the Common wealth, the men occupying the lower cabin, while we occu pied state rooms. Arriving at New York about six in the morning, we had some more waiting to do while our baggage was loading. During the course of the fore noon, we sent our baggage to Jersey City; Lieut. Hyde taking charge of the baggage train. At 9 or ten o'clock I marched the men into the ferry boat and across, and waited in the depot for the train. About io we started for Philadelphia, leaving a squad of men to take care of our baggage, which was to follow In the next train. We got to Philadelphia about two, and had a little more waiting to do. Our baggage got mixed with that of 95 96 HISTORY OF THE the loth N. J. Regt., got delayed, and did not get along till midnight. By this time the N. J. Regt. had arrived, so that we had some fellow travellers. During all this time our men were kept waiting in the depot, with nothing to do, and a guard placed at every door. The only redeeming feature in Philadelphia was the dinner which we got at the 'Union Volunteer Refreshment Saloon,' foot of Wash ington street. The whole Battery marched in and sat down, that is, the officers sat down and the men stood up, to a very good dinner of cold corned beef, coffee, bread and butter, pickles, and cheese. About midnight we started for Baltimore and arrived there early the next morning : unloaded, and marched across the city to tne neighborhood of the Camden St. depot, where we found an imitation of the Philadelphia arrange ment, and rather a poor one at that. The breakfast was cold ham with considerable saltpetre, or something of the sort, bread, and coffee without any milk, and we had to wait about an hour to get this. Ki three o'clock in the afternoon we started in a special train with the, Jerseymen for Washington, and had a tedious time in finishing our journey. We stopped at every turnout to avoid a regular train, and succeeded in reaching Washington at 9 o'clock in the evening, without any acci dent, except that one member of the Jersey Regt., who had got off the train during one of our stoppages, was left by the train, and in running to catch up with it, refused to stop at the challenge of the sentinel, and was shot through the head. The sentinels are posted all along the road from Baltimore to Washington. Arrived there we marched into the upper story of the 'Soldiers Rest/ a large, wooden building, where we deposited our knapsacks. We then marched into the lower story, and had 'some supper of regular army rations, meat, and coffee. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 97 The men slept here all night, spreading their blankets on the floor, while the officers went up to the National. The next forenoon we unloaded our baggage and marched up here to camp." JOURNAL OF PRIVATE GROWS. DEC. 25 TO DEC. 28, 1861. "Wednesday morning Dec. 25, 1861. Camp Massasoit. Pleasant and very cold. Turned out at 5 o'clock, and begun to pack our things, and at 8 o'clock 'struck tents' and had them ready for packing in the cars. At n went and drew two days' rations, then built a large fire to keep warm by. At 12 got dinner. At half past i marched to the depot, took the cars for Groton, stopped at Providence at 4 o'clock for wood and water, then started for Groton, arrived there at 8 o'clock, and went on board the Steamer 'Commonwealth,' and started 10 o'clock for New York. I had the ill fortune to be put on guard over the bar room. . . . Was relieved at 2 o'clock next morning. Turned in my berth No. 39, turned out at 5 o'clock in New York. Thursday morning Dec. 26, was detailed for guard over the powder on the wharf. Stood till half past 8, then guarded the team with the powder till it was aboard the ferry boat for Jersey City. Left Jersey City for Philadel phia on the Camden and Amboy R. R., arrived at Camden, crossed the river in the cars on a ferry boat. The boatliad three tracks with three cars and an engine. Arrived in Philadelphia at half past 2, and marched to the 'Volunteer Refreshment Saloon' and took dinner, and it was a big- thing, home made bread, coffee, meats, cheese, butter &c. We were honored by the presence of the Ladies of the Society. It is a great institution. At half past 3 we marched to the Baltimore and Ohio R. R. and had to stay there till n that night, under strict 98 HISTORY OF THE guard. I had the good fortune to get a 'pass,' so I took a look around the city. At u o'clock in the evening took the cars for Baltimore. It is of no use to try to sleep in the cars; some are singing, some talking, etc. Friday morning Dec. 27, we marched through the street where the Massachusetts soldiers were fired upon. There are quite a number of 'secesh' here, but they have to keep quiet, because the city is under martial law. We marched to a place called the 'Soldiers Relief where a scant lunch of bread and coffee was given to us. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon we were on our way to Washington, where we arrived about 5 minutes past u. That night at 12 o'clock midnight got some supper, then went across from the depot to a large, wooden building called the 'Soldiers Retreat,' to spend the night. At one o'clock Saturday morning we spread our blankets on the floor, and taking our knapsacks for pillows we turned in, and slept on the soft side of a pine board. I think I slept about 9 or 10 knots an hour. After breakfast got permission to see the Capitol building. It is a splendid edifice. Washington is not such a handsome city as I ex pected. At past i 'took knapsacks,' and took -up line of march for our camp ground, which is at present on Penn sylvania avenue, about 8 or ten minutes walk from the Capitol. Arrived on our ground and without any dinner, commenced unloading teams, and at l /2 past 3, to pitch tents. Had them all up and the park laid out at 7 o'clock, then had supper of hard bread and water. Since leaving camp at Readville, we have passed through 8 different states: Mass., R. I., Conn., New York, New Jersey, Penn., Maryland, Delaware, into the District of Columbia. There are a great many pickets thrown out at Newark, N. J. There are guards from there to Washing ton on the railroad, guarding bridges" (see p. 33 ). FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 99 TO REPORT TO MUSTERING OFFICER. OFFICE OF CHIEF OF ARTILLERY. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC WASHINGTON D. C. Dec. 28, 1861. CAPTAIN MAX EPPENDORFF. Company E, Mass. Art'y. Captain Major Chas. S. Wainwright ist Regt. N. Y. Artillery, will muster your company on the 3ist inst. You will see that the muster roll of your company is properly made out, and in season, and will have your company duly paraded at the hour designated by the mustering officer. I am, Capt. very respectfully Yr. Obt. Servt. WILLIAM F. BARRY, Brig. Gen'l Chief of Artillery. FROM LIEUT. PHILLIPS' LETTER OF DEC. 29, 1861. "By the way, I forgot to mention that yesterday, while we were pitching- our tents we were inspected by General Barry, under whose command we are. The men were drawn up in line and inspected. He seemed to think they were very well, only they wanted their hair cut, and he told each of us that our posts were as responsible as that of a major of infantry, whereat we were much pleased, of course." THE FIRST SUNDAY. Journal oT D. H. Grows: "Dec. 29, 1861. . . . After service I took a walk around camp. There are 4 Batteries encamped here besides ourselves. They are mostly Germans, and are attached to batteries of very heavy calibre, mostly 245 and 32cls. 100 HISTORY OF THE This afternoon got a 'pass' to go to the city. I am disappointed a great deal about Washington. The soil is rather clayey and of a reddish color, a great many of the streets are not paved, and the buildings are miserable look ing, some of them would be a disgrace to Boston. Returned to camp at 4 o'clock. At ^2 past 5 had supper of raw bacon and hard bread. Monday Dec. 3Oth, dug a cellar in the tent, put a box down to keep my tobacco and loose stuff, such as shoes &c. in, then went to work on the tent. Went to dinner. Hard Bread and water. Tuesday Dec. 31 : At 8 o'clock formed in line and marched 1^/2 miles to a large building, and got a good breakfast of hot coffee, bread, and cold tongue. The reason of this was, the delay in receiving our provisions. Took up line of march to camp at 9, arrived there about 1 1 . Fell into line for inspection of clothing and arms, were dis missed, went to dinner. In the afternoon our Guns came on the field. Went to work fixing carriages, and helped clean Gun. At 4 o'clock p. m. heavy firing heard across the River Potomac. At ^ past 5 roll call. Received a large loaf of bread to each man for three meals, also some coffee. Made our own coffee. 7 o'clock: Have got through supper, and the men are having a smoke and talking about home. 8 o'clock p. m. : Roll call is just through and we are talking about the firing across the river, which is still kept up. Lights are seen on the opposite side of the river, also signal fires along the river. Great excitement in camp. There goes the 'tattoo' for lights out, so I must turn in." Chase's Diary. "Dec. 31, 1861. Received our guns: four rifled brass 6 pounders, and two brass twelve pound howitzers." (See p. 94 Ordnance Report.) Notes of Sergt. Henry D. Scott: "Arriving in Wash ington we camped in the mud on Capitol Hill. Here we FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 101 heard the first guns in our experience, from the Rebel batteries at Acquia Creek, below Mount Vernon, on the Potomac." NEW YEAR'S DAY, 1862. Journal of D. H. Grows: "Four o'clock a. m. (Wednes day Jan'y i, 1862) was awakened by heavy firing across tHe river. We had a good breakfast of bread, meat, salt pork, and coffee. Some of the men have just got some milk. The men, most of them, are speaking of New. Years gifts at home. Thursday, January 2 : Some of our horses for the baggage wagons have arrived. They do not look as nice as our northern horses, but they are very tough. Friday Jan'y 30!: Detailed on the 2d Relief for guard from ii a. m. to i p. m. Some of the men are cleaning their arms, some are asleep, some are writing, and two are playing cards. We detail two men every morning out of our tent to keep the tent supplied with wood and water for the day, next morning two other men take their places and so on. By doing this we have plenty of water to drink and to wash with, and wood to keep us warm. 7 o'clock p. m. : Have just come off from guard. It is hailing quite fast, and is very cold, but I am warm and comfortable, as I am provided with good and warm cloth ing. I had some hot coffee while on guard. Saturday Jan'y 4th : The ground is just covered with snow, and it has frozen and it is quite slippery. 9 a. m.; It is snowing quite hard. 3 p. m. : About 30 more horses have just come in. We have now 46 horses in all. Sunday Jan'y 5th: Got a 'pass' from J past 10 till 4 in the afternoon, to go to the city, the Sergeant and myself. First we went to the Treasury Building, a very large build ing of granite on Pennsylvania avenue. The celebrated 102 HISTORY OF THE Washington monument is close to the building. It is about 175 or 200 feet high at the present time. Long Bridge is close to the monument. This part of the city is quite hand some. At every other corner on this avenue you will see mounted patrols, and on the sidewalks you will be stopped very often by the street patrol. If you have a 'pass' it is all right. If not you will be arrested and put to work white-washing or cutting wood, and you will be kept in prison until relieved by your Captain. Lieutenants have to have a 'pass' when they go out, just the same as privates. In the rear of the Treasury Building and bearing to the left, is the White House, a very handsome building. I had the pleasure of seeing 'Old Abe' (The President) a pleasant looking man. In front of the White House about 80 rods, is the celebrated equestrian statue of General Jackson, in bronze, as large as life. It is a splendid thing. I stopped about half an hour, looking at it. The parks here are nothing compared to our old Boston Common. At the upper end of Pennsylvania avenue there is another large statue, of Washington, on horseback. It is not so fine as that of Jackson. About every other person you meet in the streets are soldiers, you will not see many citizens. There are about 200,000 troops encamped around Washington, and it would seem to be impossible for the rebels to attempt to take the city. I went to Arlington Heights where Follett's (Afterwards Martin's Third Mass.) Battery is encamped. From there I visited the camp of the i8th Mass., the latter killed about 60 rebels 2 days ago. The rebels are a lean looking set. About 800 are in prison here. The 1 8th and other regiments and batteries expect to be home for good in a very short time. I hope so. The war cannot last much longer as the rebels are giving ij4 per cent on gold, that is, they give $1.25 of scrip for $1.00 in gold." FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 103 LETTER OF SERG'T. PELEG W. BLAKE. (The name of the Camp had been changed from "Duncan" to "Surnner.") "WASHINGTON D. C. CAMP SUMNER. 5TH BATT. MASS. ART'Y. CAPT. MAX EPPENDORFF. January 5, 1862. We are encamped about a quarter of a mile from the Capitol east. There are 20 batteries around us, three or four batteries from Fort Monroe, regulars, that I was acquainted with when I was out there last spring. The city of Washington is nothing very alarming, the Capitol looks very well, but the White House where the President lives I have seen a good many better looking houses than that is ! I have seen the noted 'Uncle Abe,' and General Geo. B. McClellan. Last Monday I went down to the Provost Marshal's Office and got a 'pass' to go across the Potomac. I went through Georgetown, and then ar rived at the river. I got stopped every few minutes by the patrols who I had to show my 'pass.' We went across the river on flat boats, had to pull myself across by lines ex tended across the river. I had to travel three miles to the river. After I got there I went about five miles further and arrived at Hall's Hill, where the i8th (Mass.) Reg't. was. The country was all lined with troops, all the way along. I stayed an hour and then I started back. I had to go about 17 miles. I think I sha'n't go again till we move over there. We have got a fine battery, and have drawn 50 horses, and are receiving horses every day." 104 HISTORY OF THE FROM A LETTER OF THOMAS E. CHASE OF THE ;TH IN RELATION TO SUNDAY JAN'Y 5TH 1862 : "Last Sunday six of us crossed the Potomac and visited the Mass. Qth, i8th, and 22d, and Follett's Battery. I saw several of my old Boston friends, with others James Vaughan Jr. with the 22d. . . They are shut in by guards, pickets, and patrols, on every side, and are just as much prisoners as though within the walls of a penitentiary. We of the 5th are not very aristocratic, in our way of living, but I think we have more privileges than the infantry have. The troops at Hall's Hill make- their quarters in this way, viz., they drive slabs of wood down endwise around a circle, which makes a fence about three feet high, then the crevices are plastered up with mud, so that it is quite tight. On top of this circular fence the tent is set just as it would set on the ground. By this arrangement much more room is gained, and instead of having a part of the tent open all the time, they have a small wooden door. All the furniture of the tent is painted as follows : The ground work is a smoke color, then on this three different shades viz. dirty, more dirty, most dirty. I do not say this of one company or reg't. alone for camp life is about the same with all of us, it cannot be otherwise. . . I wish I could write some news to you, but all I can write until we have a fight, an awkward way of saying never, are trifling things that the press will not notice. You get more war news than we do, for a Boston paper is better for news than any of the one-horse concerns here. Give my thanks to Mrs. T. and Fred for writing to me, and for the mending materials, which I find indispensable, especially the yarn." He closes his letter with an expression which shows how little these very young men were inclined to engage, of FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 105 their own accord, in warlike pursuits : "If this govern ment should become a monarchy and your humble servant crowned ICing of it, ' I should not be more surprised than to have known a year and a half ago, that I was to be in the Army this year of our Lord, 1862." Journal of D. H. Grows : "Monday, January 6th. There has been quite a snow storm during the night. When I went out to breakfast there was about two inches of snow on the ground. The air is quite warm. Our stove broke down in the night. I am detailed for Guard on the 2d relief. I went on at 1 1 o'clock and came off at i o'clock, then 5 to 7, then 1 1 to i at night, 5 to 7 in the morning. The water we drink here makes a person sick. Tuesday, January 7th. Fourteen more horses have come in this morning. I went this afternoon with the Captain's clerk to fn'e Senate Chamber in the Capitol. Six teen more horses have come. We have now about 70 horses. This forenoon I, with five others, went out on a foraging party. We went about 4 miles from camp. It was a splen did sight to see so many camps. There are about 30 bat teries around here. Thursday, Jan'y 9. Was awakened this morning about 5 o'clock by hearing it rain very hard, got up and found about an inch of water all over the bottom of the tent. It had run in by the door. We dug two large holes in the ground, and took out five pails full of water. Our beds were wet. I got my blankets dried and got some straw, and spread down in the tent, and it has dried up the mud con siderably. The mud is from about 3 to 5 inches deep, and the travelling is very hard as the soil is clayey. The bugle will soon sound 'Lights out.' ' Private Grows w.ent to Washington to send some money by Adams' Express ,and being detained four minutes over the time, four o'clock, allowed by his "pass," he was arrested within a short distance of the Battery guard line 106 HISTORY OF THE by the provost guard, a beardless youth, and sent to the Louisiana Avenue jail. "I was taken," he writes, "into a large room, where there were about seventy men, some for desertion, drunkenness &c. I was immediately saluted with the cry of 'fresh fish, meaning I was a new comer. I was detained till morning, 2 past 8." Chase's Diary. . "Feb. 17, 1862, Lieut. Allen announced to the Company that he had been commissioned as Captain, and the other lieutenants were promoted. Serg't. H. D. Scott promoted to 4th Lieut. Company called in line and the great victory of Fort Donelson announced by orders from Head Quarters. Hearty cheers for the great victory and new officers." Forts Henry and Donelson were the centre of the Con federate line in Tennessee. LETTER OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "HALL'S HILL Feb. 18, 1862. While I had my section out this morning, Captain Griffin rode up and drilled us a little. Our men do first rate consid ering what opportunities we have had. Captain Griffin says we have 'the finest set of men that ever were got together on the face of the earth' ! Lieut. Henry W. Kingsbury of Captain Griffin's Battery has been assigned to this Battery as instructor, as General Porter wishes to push us forward as fast as possible, so that we shall not be much behind the rest of the Division. The following changes have been announced to the Bat tery : Junior 2d Lt. Henry D. Scott. Sergeant H. O. Simonds vice Scott promoted. 136 HISTORY OF THE Corporal C. H. Macomber vice Simonds promoted. Yesterday we received circular orders from General Por ter announcing the glorious news from Fort Donelson, fol lowed by permission to issue a ration of w r hiskev to the men, and an order to fire a national salute. As we are a temperance battery we did nothing about the whiskey, and having no blank cartridges we had to send to Captain Mar tin's (Third Mass.) Battery to get them. By the time we got ready it was dark, and we postponed the salute till this morning, when it was fired in good style." Chase's Diary. "Feb. 18, 1862. A salute of 34 guns fired by Serg'ts Lull and Smith's Detachments." Grows' Journal "Feb. 18, 1862. Tuesday. The assembly was sounded at 10. We all turned out in line and were informed that my friend Harry Simonds was to be the ser geant of the 6th Detachment. The men were very glad, for he is well liked both by men and officers. At n we went out to drill under the Drill Captain, Griffin. He is very strict about drill. At 2 we went to drill again. I had to take No. I's place on account of his being on guard. It is a rather hard berth, but if it is understood it is one of the best berths there is on the piece. Drill was over at 3 when we went to our quarters. Wednesday Feb. 19, 1862. The rain held up a little this afternoon, and the Detachment went out to drill on the guns, for word has come that we must move in fifteen days with the Division. We expect to go to Manassas Junction. I want to go on with the Division and see what is to be seen and not be kept up here in camp like a prisoner. Thursday Feb. 20, 1862. A splendid morning. About i o'clock Lieut. R. A. Dillingham ordered me to build some feed boxes for the horses, so I went to work on them. At /^2 past 2 Lieut. Kingsbury of the Regulars came over to drill the men, and he did 'put them through a course of sprouts' they never saw before. Knocked off work at 5 and went to Roll Call, had 8 boxes made 16 ft. long. Had sup per at l /2 past 5 of bread and coffee; the coffee was fair, but the bread was black and very hard. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 137 A change has been made in the hours of the day in regard to drill. The preparatory call is at 10 minutes of 6 in the morning, the Reveille at 6, giving the men 10 minutes to dress and be out in line. After Roll, breakfast call, at T /4 to 7 stable call, at 7 the 'Sick Call.' At this last call all that are sick fall into line, and are marched to the Hospital. It is a good idea, for the men cannot play off sick. Instead of mounting guard at 9 in the morning as usual, it is now at 5 in the afternoon." FROM A LETTER OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "Feb. 20, 1862 : The officers, commissioned and non-com missioned have daily recitations in Artillery Tactics, and Lieut. Kingsbury has the general oversight of the drill and interior economy of the Battery. This morning he took charge of the drill on the guns, and this afternoon he intro duced several changes in the working of the Battery. He is a gentleman, and a well drilled officer, and a brother-in-law of General Buckner, lately captured, who married his sister. Captain Griffin has been here several times. Gen. McClellan and staff rode by here this forenoon on a tour of inspection. Our guard was turned out, sabres presented, and the General touched his cap. We exchange our two howitzers in a few days for two three inch rifled guns, so that my section will be like the rest. Our ammunition will come in a few days, and we shall com mence target-shooting." Grows' Journal: "Friday Feb. 2ist. At 9, went to see about some pickets being cut for the feed troughs to be put on for the horses to eat out of. Worked till dinner time. A new rule has been made : the guard of one day will do the police duty of the camp the following day. Today I was stationed over the quartermaster store tent, and I did not want for good things to eat." 138 HISTORY OF THE WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 1862. A NOTABLE ANNIVERSARY. By General Orders No. 16. Head Quarters of the Army, Washington, Feb. 18, 1862, in compliance with concurrent resolutions of Congress that the President should direct that Orders be issued, copious extracts from the Farewell Ad dress of George Washingon were read to the troops by com mand of Major General McClellan simultaneously with the performance of a similar ceremony before the two branches of Congress in joint session assembled. In these extracts were emphatic utterances in regard to the unity of government, which might have been spoken in the light of actual events by the orator had he been still at the head of the Army of the United States : "But as it is easy to foresee that from different causes, and from different quarters, much pains will be taken, many artifices employed, to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth, as this is the point in your political fortress against which the batteries of internal and external enemies will be most constantly and actively, though often covertly and insidiously, directed, it is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immense value of your national union to your collective and individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it : accustoming your selves to think and to speak of it as a palladium of your political safety and prosperity, watching for its preservation with jealous anxiety: dis countenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned : and indignantly frowning upon the first dawn ing of every attempt to alienate anv portion of our country from the rest, or to enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts." Chase's Diary: "Feb. 22, 1862. Gun drill in the after noon under Lieut. Kingsbury of the Regular Art'y, in the presence of Gen'l Porter. First and Second Detachments hitched up and practised with shells, and a misdirected one went through a house occupied by a family; shell burst, but no one hurt." FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 139 AN ACCOUNT OF THE TARGET SHOOTING BY LIEUT. PHILLIPS, IN A LETTER DATED Feb. 23, 1862 : "Lieut. Kingsbury has not yet fairly commenced operations. He has drilled us once or twice. Tomorrow, however, he will pitch his tent and move into camp. The terms upon which we consented to have him come here were that he should act as instructor 'until such time as we were able to take the field alone' ; Captain Grif fin's own words. But I do not know whether Lt. K. quite understands this. He talks of commanding the Battery, and of taking us into the first action, but he can hardly do this against the consent of Captain Allen, his ranking officer. The conclusion I come to is that we can dispense with his instructions whenever \ve choose. However, I am very glad to have him here as we all need to learn a good deal. He has assigned lessons in the 'Instruction for Field Artillery' to the commissioned and non commissioned officers and has had two recitations. Hyde, Dillingham, Scott and I recited together, and I believe I came out best, not having yet got out of my college practice. Lieut. K., without troubling himself about the lesson as signed, skipped all over the book from Battery manoeuvres to harnessing a horse, but did not succeed in catching me, so I think I am all right in that quarter. Yesterday afternoon Captain Griffin and Lieut. Kings- bury came here and ordered out the Right section for target shooting, so taking 40 rounds of ammunition, we started across the country, taking two fences, and a man's back yard on the way, till we got to the top of a hill, and came into battery. The mark was a stump on an opposite hill, distance 800 or 1,000 yards, as we afterwards ascertained. The day being foggy and misty, Captain G. and Lt. K. who directed the firing, put the pieces at an elevation of 3 and 4 degrees, cor responding to a range of 1300 and 1600 yds. With these 140 HISTORY OF THE elevations changing to 2 and 4^2, we fired about 20 shots, some percussion fuzes and some time fuzes, but could not see where any of them burst. At first Captain G. laid this to the fuzes, but finally we tried an elevation of i% and landed a shell half way be tween the stump and the top of the hill, so we came to the conclusion that we must have been firing over the top of the hill. Finally, disgusted, and without hitting the mark, we lim bered up and returned. On our way to camp we met two men on horseback, looking rather frightened, who informed us that we had been shelling their houses. Lt. Scott went over with them to the scene of operations, and found half a mile beyond the hill a bunch of houses where most of our shell had burst, and he picked up quite a number of frag ments lying round. One shell went through the door of a house, knocked out the underpinning on the other side and was picked up in the mud. Another whistled close by a woman's head, and some of the shrapnel scattered bullets among some children playing round. As soon as the shells began to whistle round the house the inhabitants cleared out, and when Scott got there he found only two dogs left. Al together it was a pretty narrow escape, and we feel thankful that nobody was hurt. We told the man that we knew nothing about the country, but the shooting was under the direction of Captain Griffin, and General Porter was present, and we supposed that they knew what was in range of our guns." Carefully preserved in Lieut. Phillips' desk (see p. 441 ) is a brass instrument for sighting a Gun, showing elevation &c., length 9^2 inches. LIEUT. SCOTT'S VERSION. Lieut. Henry D. Scott remarks relative to the drill in tactics at this time, and the target shooting episode: FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 141 "Kingsbury was a gentleman, and treated us very hand somely. He was afterwards killed at Antietam while mak ing a charge with the loth Conn, as its colonel. While the Battery remained here it was ordered out for target practice. It was supposed that the principal object was to try the effi ciency of the men with rifled guns. The Battery was placed in position on a hill some distance away from Hall's Hijj, on our right towards Chain Bridge up the Potomac, an open valley in front, with a wooded hill some 12 to 15 hundred yards distant. No house was in sight, and the trunk of a large, dead tree on top of the hill was to be the target. All the general officers of the 5th Corps with staffs were present to witness the practice. After several shots had been fired in which all seemed to have something to say, the target was not hit, nor could any one tell where the shots struck or went. In fact no one of the Battery had ever fired the guns before, and could not have acquired the experience which came to them afterwards in which some fine practice was done. The firing was kept up, slowly, until towards night, when a citizen rode into the company, his horse all of a white foam, and said: 'Stop firing. You are shelling the village beyond the woods!' I had only been a spectator up to this time. Of course the practice was ended, and I was ordered to go with the citizen and report the damage, if any had been done. Following the rider a roundabout way of two miles or more, we struck the scene of the excitement in the town of Union. It was a collection of pretty houses, well kept and painted, with one street running parallel to the direction in which the shots had come, and which had been well ploughed by the shots from the Battery. I saw no one at first, but the people soon came out of cellars and other hiding places, and were soon quieted. They were told that the commander of the Bat tery could not have known of the village or its nearness, but 142 HISTORY OF THE he had sent me to inquire into and report any damage to life or property. It was found that several shots had struck one house, one passing through a door and lodging in a cellar; another passing through a kitchen. However, no great damage had been done. They claimed to be union citizens, and I saw nothing that led me to suppose to the contrary. They certainly could not be blamed for being frightened out of their wits. Returning to camp alone in the darkness, I reported what the result of the firing had been and nothing more was heard about it. It was singular that no one knew of the close proximity of the village. It must have been outside the picket line." THE DAY IN CAMP. ANOTHER SHOOTING EPI SODE. THEY KNEW HOW IT WAS THEMSELVES. Grows' Journal: "Saturday, Feb. 22, 1862. Washing ton's Birth Day. Was called at i o'clock this morning to go on guard. Went out to my post and found I had more duty to do. I had to look after six teams loaded with powder and fixed ammunition. I had to see that there were no lights or smoking, within fifty feet of them. \Vas relieved at 3 this morning, went to my tent and turned in on my bed, for I now have a bedstead. Yesterday four of us cut some trees and built us some bedsteads. They are tip top, but they are not feather beds by any means. After turning in I had some hot coffee, which one of the men made for me while I was out. It warmed me up first rate. Called again at 7 in the morning. It began to rain like fury but I did not mind that, for I had a good post, where I could keep clear of the rain. The Quartermaster gave me some rice and sugar. Relieved at 9 and went to my quarters. At 12 . . . cooked my rice and had a tip top dinner. At I o'clock I went on guard. In a few minutes after I was surprised by seeing James Tuttle of Boston. He is in the 22cl Mass. Regt. He looks well. He stayed a short time and left for his camp. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 143 Shortly after we were visited by General Porter, Captain Griffin, and their aides. They ordered two of our pieces to be taken out for target practice. They went off over the hill, and were soon out of sight. I was relieved at 3, and went to my tent. Stayed in about one hour, when I went out to see Harry Simonds and C. C. Allen take a ride on horseback. Harry took the lead, and Allen after him on a slow trot. He had not gone more than thirty feet, when Allen's horse slipped on a stone, and broke his nigh hind leg short off in the thigh. Word was immediately sent to the Captain : he was off with the pieces on practice, about the horse, for we are not allowed to kill a horse, unless it is done in the presence of two commissioned officers. He did not come till most 6 o'clock, and that poor horse lay there all that time, in awful agony. When Captain Allen came, the horse was instantly killed, dragged off, and buried. It was one of the best horses we had. During the time the men were out on practice two of the shells went into a house of a Union man and one exploded in the vard. The house was over i l /2 miles from where the firing was. The poor man thought the rebels were coming, and taking his wife and six children he came into our camp almost frightened to death. They were informed that it was an accident, and they went to their home, happy enough. It was a great wonder that some of them were not killed. A Minie ball passed through our cook house close to the head of one of our men. Some of the infantry were firing at a target, when, it is supposed, some one carelessly pointed his gun in the direction of our camp. They are bad things to trifle with. Sunday Feb. 23d. At 4 this afternoon, we were all called into line, to have the Articles of War read to us, it being the duty of the commander of any Reg't. or Battery in the service of the United States to read them to the men under 144 HISTORY OF THE their command once in three months. We were dismissed to our quarters at YZ past 4." THE ARTICLES OF WAR. The Articles of War were rules and articles by which the Armies of the United States were governed. They were established by Act of Congress, and were one hundred in number. They embraced every department of the service in every part of the country, and provided for the regulation of the conduct of officers and soldiers in every contingency and capacity, from the rulings of courts martial to the de struction of private property. THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE. In Article 10 is the Oath of Allegiance: "I, A. B., do solemnly swear or affirm (as the case may be) that I will bear true allegiance to the United States of America, and that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies or opposers whatsoever; and ob serve and obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the Rules and Articles for the government of the armies of the United States." The words "So help me God" are not added to the oath of the non-commissioned officer or soldier as given in this Article, but they appear in the Articles devoted to the mem bers of -the courts martial, as part of the oath. The Act which contained these Articles of War was approved April 10, 1806. Grows' Journal: "Feb. 24, 1862, (About 9 a. m.) it began to blow a gale. In a short time the next tent to ours was blown down, then the one opposite. We jumped up FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 145 and hung on to our tent pole. In a short time our stove pipe was blown down, and the lashings of our doors were torn off, but we made out to save our tent. Trees were torn up, and chimneys blown down and there is considerable damage done. After considerable work we got our tent secured, our stove up again, and a fire going. It is an awful cold evening and I expect it will be a howling night. The mud has dried up considerably in consequence of the wind blowing so hard all day. It is now freezing quite hard." Chase's Diary: "Feb. 25, 1862, the Third and Fourth Detachments went to the Washington Arsenal, and ex changed the two Howitzers for two 3 inch ten pounder Rodman guns." Grows' Journal: "Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1862, l /> past 8, went out to drill for one hour. After drill got permission to go over to the 4th Michigan Regt. to change some bread for tobacco, for I was getting short of the weed. All the bread we have left over we sell to them for five cents a loaf, and get sugar, molasses, cheese, butter, and other articles. I had twelve spare loaves, so I got twelve heads of tobacco, which will last me some time. At 10 o'clock the drivers were called out to drill on the pieces, and it was amusing to see how awkward they were, for they never handled a sponge staff before, and we could see by their actions how green we looked the first time we began to drill. They will have to drill, as well as the cannoneers, so that in case of action men should be killed on the gun, they will be able to fill their places. At i o'clock I went out to work on the pickets, and worked till 5. At 3 in the afternoon the Battery was called out for drill, and stayed out till l /2 past 4, when they re turned to camp; the i8th Mass, and 44th New York were also out on drill. They made a splendid sight. A sergeant from Captain Griffin's battery has come over to drill the drivers in regard to harnessing and hitching out horses. He will probably remain with us for a week or ten days." 146 HISTORY OF THE Letter of Lieut. Phillips, Feb. 27, 1862: 'This after noon the Left section went off target shooting, and did rather better than the last time we went. The Right and Centre sections went out in Battery drill under Captain Martin, and had a first rate drill. The i8th Regiment and Captain Martin's Battery are expecting marching orders tonight to go up the river to reinforce General Banks. Tattoo has just sounded, and we can hear a great cheering from their camp, so I suppose the orders have come. They leave their tents and carry 7 days' rations. I hear postal communication is stopped." Grows' Journal: "Feb. 27, 1862. After dinner was called out to go with a piece and act No 6 to cut the fuze. Took out two pieces with ten rounds of fuze shell and ten rounds of percussion shell in each limber box. Went out under the charge of Lieut. Kingsbury of Captain Griffin's regular battery, to Martin's Battery formerly Follett's (Third Mass. ) and fired at a tree one and a half miles off. It being the first time I ever had an opportunity of seeing the effect of shell I took great interest in watching it. When they struck the ground they tore up large furrows in the dirt. The tree was struck two or three times, which stove it up considerable. After firing all our ammunition we started for home, most of us feeling rather tired, for the cannoneers had to walk both ways. It was some six miles to and from our camp. Got back to our quarters about X to 5. After supper sent five spare loaves of bread over to the sutlers (He was eating rice instead of bread.) and got sugar for it. They charge 15 cts. a Ib. for it so we got almost two Ibs. of sugar. Friday Feb. 28. After breakfast an order was given to be ready at 8 o'clock to go, all hands, with the horses har nessed in, the guns all ready, to Captain Griffin's Battery, to see if our names on the Pay Roll were all right, so we can be paid off. We left camp at l /2 past 8, cannoneers dismounted, and FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 147 we had to walk all the way, about six miles. On our way we passed Martin's Battery. It is a splendid battery. They have a new battery of six heavy guns of brass. Also passed through the i8th Mass., the 44th New York, 22d Mass., and the gth Mass., Col. Cass's. After we arrived on the ground we were drawn up in line, and our names called off, upon which each man stepped three paces to the front. After the Roll was through we formed columns and, thank heaven, the order was given soon, 'Cannoneers Mount!' but those six miles were rough riding. I shall remember it for some time. At 3 in the afternoon went out for a mounted drill, stayed out one hour, then came in feeling awfully cold. It blows a perfect gale, and has for two days. A report in the camp that Gen. McClellan has the telegraph under his control so no news from the North can reach the South. (It had been the report until corrected, that letters could not go or come from the North for a week.) The mud is now most all dried up so in all probability there will be an advance made soon. Saturday March i . After breakfast went into the woods and cut some poles for a cook house, was called in at 9, and got ready for drill. After getting in the ranks I was in formed that I must not turn out for I had been to work. This pleased me very much. It is quite cozey inside, but outside it blows a gale. A news boy has just passed through the camp crying out : 'Another Fight! General Banks' Division Cut to Pieces!' It went through me like a shudder, but I hope it is not true. . . . Now see how we are deceived. One of our men bought a paper, and in it was stated that the rebels were not within twenty-five miles of General Banks's pickets. So the boy made a good thing out of his papers, sold them for five cents a piece, and then left the camp. I saw for the first time since we have been on this side, a white woman. Lieut. Kingsbury with his wife and two 148 HISTORY OF THE other ladies, passed through our camp. They were all on horseback and looked splendid. Got through working on the pickets about 4 in the after noon. The men came in from drill about half an hour after. They were drilled by Captain Martin. We have lost an other horse this day by lung fever." Diary of Lieut. Phillips: "March 2, 1862. Orderly G. H. Johnson resigned. . . . Sergt. F. A. Lull promoted Orderly vice Johnson. W. H. Peacock promoted Chief of Piece vice Lull., Geo. H. Johnson appointed wagoner vice Peacock. Corp. M. W. Page promoted Sergt. vice Patti- son. Corp. J. E. Spear promoted Gunner vice Page. Pri vate C. C. Allen promoted Chief of Caissons vice Spear." The Battery had four sergeants capable of handling it, viz., Johnson, Lull, Wm. B. Pattison, and O. B. Smith; they having served in the First Mass. Battery see p. 56 with the three months' men, and when the Battery commenced drilling under the tutelage of Lieut. Kingsbury and Sergt. Thomas Broderick, there was naturally a good deal of ad verse criticism among the non-commissioned officers and pany officers, see p. 5 28 where Captain Phillips appoints new privates. Non-commissioned officers are appointed by corn- sergeants and corporals, and as a punishment they may be reduced to the ranks. In this case, for criticising the ap pointment of drill officers, Sergt. Wm. B. Pattison and Orderly Serg't. Geo. H. Johnson were reduced to the ranks. February Qth, 1863, Wm. B. Pattison was again made sergeant in the place of Serg't O. B. Smith, promoted to Orderly Sergeant, and at Gettysburg, see p. 639, was in charge of No. i. gun of the Right section commanded by Lieut. Scott. Grows' Journal : "March 2, 1862, at 10 o'clock turned out for inspection of clothing. After the drivers' articles were examined viz. two red blankets, one curry comb, brush, sponge, watering bucket, bridle and halter, next came the cannoneers' turn. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 149 After waiting an hour General Porter passed through the camp. Then we were dismissed to our quarters, and we were glad, for it had commenced to snow. After dinner orders came to clean up our tents, for they will be inspected tomorrow forenoon by the Captain. I expect it will be rough on account of the mud. We could not very well go out on account of the storm, so we all sat down around the fire, smoking and talking about different things, home, etc. Monday March 3d. It is raining and hailing at times, making the travelling bad. Our wood being out we started for the woods and took some rails from a fence, broke them up, and they make a very hot fire. For the first time for a great while sat down to a game of euchre; played about an hour then went to work darning stockings. It was the first time I ever attempted it and I did make a dreadful job, but there is the first time for everything, so I took courage and on the second pair I did better than on the first; still they were sorrowful looking stockings, but we must put up with anything in war times! After supper a box came for one of the men in the tent. In it were pies, cake, meats, &c., and, my goodness, how we put into them, and had a most glorious time. The pies were immense, and the cakes huge. It is raining outside in torrents and it will be an awful night. At Roll Call this afternoon at 5 o'clock, we were in formed that our gunner Mason W. Page is appointed ser geant of the 3d. Detachment, Corporal Spear will take the place of Page, and C. C. Allen standard bearer of the 6th^ will take the place of Spear. On account of its being so stormy there was no 8 o'clock Roll Call, and we were glad enough, for our tent began to leak awfully : so we pinned up our rubber blankets over our heads to keep from getting wet, and then we turned in. There is about an inch of water in our tent, but as most of our beds are built up from the ground we shall get along very well. Those who lie on 150 HISTORY OF THE the ground will have rather wet quarters. There is a great difference between having a good roof over our heads as we have at home, and the thin covering of canvas which we have here. After all there is no place like home, no matter how humble." Letter of Lieut. Phillips, March 4, 1862: "My section went out target shooting today. The guns were placed on the top of Hall's Hill, right in front of Captain Martin's camp, and we shot a little to the right of Falls Church. This village consists of 8 or ten houses, and a little white meeting-house. We fired 77 shots at trees and stumps, at distances of 500, 700, 1700, and 2000 yards. Most of the shots were very good." Grows' Journal : "Tuesday March 4th. Splendid morn ing. Ground frozen solid. Nice travelling. Called out at T /2 past 9 for drill on gun. Stayed out one hour. Orders came after dinner for the drivers and cannoneers to turn out for a mounted drill. Went out and drilled one hour, and came in. The sun is out quite powerful and has started the mud so the travelling is quite bad, as the mud is about three inches deep and in some places it is a great deal worse. We received orders this afternoon to prepare ourselves for a start inside of five days. Wednesday March 5th. After breakfast I got a box and packed all my loose things that I did not need, and gave the box to the teamster to carry into the city, to be sent by Harnden's Express. We have had orders to have all the stuff that we cannot carry in our knapsacks sent home. We expect to make an advance to Budd's ferry to shell out two rebel batteries that are there. A portion of the cannoneers were detailed to pack their ammunition chests, to be prepared so to turn out for drill. Was visited by John Mann the Hospital Warden of the Mass. Qth Regt. Had a pleasant time talking over our school-boy days. He stopped and took dinner with us of fresh beef and soup. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 151 We were ordered out for drill at past 3, with 10 rounds of blank cartridges in our chests. After we were mounted it began to blow and snow like fury and continued for about half an hour, then the clouds broke away, and the air began to be quite sharp. Went out on to the field and began to fire. Had considerable trouble with the horses on account of most of them never having been under fire before, but be fore we had fired all our rounds they began to cool down to their work considerable. Came in at 4 o'clock. Helped the drivers unhitch, and then went to quarters. Sent ten loaves of spare bread over to the sutler, and received one pound of butter and five heads of tobacco. Had a good supper of bread and butter and coffee. Two of the Detachments will go on to Vienna tomorrow or next day, for the purpose of protecting the Rail Road, which is being built. The rebels ripped up the track and built a large fire, and then heated the rails and bent them out of shape. The 9th Mass. Reg't. are out there on the same errand." Letter of Lieut. Phillips, March 6, 1862: "We had a drill with the horses in the forenoon and after noon, making considerable progress in artillery tactics. This afternoon while we were out drilling, General (John H.) Martindale's Brigade were drilling in the next field, making quite a show. They finally formed each regiment in a square with two guns, Captain Martin's 12 pdrs. in the intervals, and began shooting with blank cartridges in our direction. It struck me at the time that they looked very much as the enemy will when they begin shooting at that distance 1200 yards. We fire with blank cartridges nearly every day, and the horses are getting used to the sound, though they jumped and kicked a great deal, when they first had to face the music. We have a few balky horses, that give us a little trouble once in a while, but they are gradually breaking in, 152 HISTORY OF THE as they have to go along with four horses ahead of them, and it is of no use trying to break an artillery harness by kicking round. We get the news here in a very irregular manner. Some days we buy the New York papers at 5 cts. of some persevering newsman who makes a tour through the camp, but most of the time we have to trust to what is sent to us." Grows' Journal : 'Thursday March 6, 1862. Went to Roll Call at the usual hour. Am detailed for Rider on the Caissons, the swing team. Fed and watered the horses soon after. Went out to drill at 9, on the gun. After drilling one hour we were ordered to grease up and be ready for a start out. At ^ past 10 we were all harnessed, the cannoneers mounted, and the drivers standing 'To horse.' The order was given 'Mount' ! and I did, and out we went for drill. As it has been some time since I was in a saddle, it seemed quite odd. Came in at 12. After dinner order was turn out for drill at 2 o'clock, so I got ready to turn out again. At 2 we started, and instead of being the swing team I was put on the lead of the caisson. The off horse being a dangerous one I had to look out for him. After drilling about an hour, we began to fire blank cartridges. My team stood well. We limbered up, and in a short time the off horse began his airs, which means rear ing up and throwing himself on the rear horse and by this means he can throw the Rider out of the saddle. On ac count of his actions I changed then into the swing team, in which he worked a great deal better. We then stayed out till 4, when we came in. On carrying our horses into the quarters, we found one of our horses dead. Had him opened, and found it was disease of the heart. Harry Simonds was detailed to take some men and bury him. Went to supper, and found that I was detailed for guard on the first relief, to go on immediately after the 5 o'clock FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 153 Roll. Went on my post, came off at 7, and turned in to sleep till ii when I shall be called again. Friday March 7th. Was called this morning at 5 to go on guard. At 6 the bugle sounded for the men to dress and come out for Roll. The time slipped away quite rapidly till 7 when I was relieved. By the new order that has been made, those that are detailed for guard are clear from all drill or other duty. So I pulled down my bed and turned in. Saturday March 8th. The Battery went out for drill this forenoon, and came in at half past eleven. The men are rapidly improving in drill and the horses are becoming more used to the firing. Our pickets were driven in last night, and the iSth Mass, have gone out today. They ex pect to have a brush. We have heard today that we will have to move from here in a few days, but we cannot put much dependence on what we hear in camp." Letter of Lieut. Phillips : "March 9, 1862 : This has been the pleasantest day we have seen so far, warm and bright like a May day in Mas sachusetts. Under foot there is a little mud, though this is slowly drying up. In the forenoon we had an inspection of the Battery teams hitched, knapsacks packed, &c. The whole of General Martindale's Brigade are encamped on the top of Hall's Hill, in the following order: 22cl Mass, on the right, 2d Maine in the centre ; i8th Mass, on the left, 3d Mass. Battery on the left of the 1 8th." . . . A RIDE TO FALLS CHURCH. "After this visit [a call on Captain Lewis E. Wentworth of the Sharpshooters attached to the 22d Reg't] Hyde, Dillingham, and I started off on a ride to Falls Church, striking into a cart path in front of Captain Martin's Bat tery. After a long and crooked journey we struck into the Alexandria and Leesburg turnpike, just beyond the village 154 HISTORY OF THE of Falls Church. This road we found in excellent condi tion, so we indulged our horses with a gallop through the- village. Falls Church, on our right, is a large square brick church, without steeple or anything to denote its character. There is also a little white church built just as they build them in New England. The village itself is quite a pleasant little place, particularly from its contrast with the fenceless, tree less, desolate region round our camp, and is the nearest approach to civilization we have seen for some time. After leaving the village we kept on over Upton's Hill, passing Mr. Upton's house on our left : on our right was a redoubt armed with some heavy siege guns, and some field pieces. The 2Oth N. Y. S. M. are encamped around Mr. Upton's house. From here w r e struck across country and soon came to what had once been a house but now nothing was left but the cellar. From appearances there must have been quite a place here once. We could still trace the bounds of the orchard and garden with walks and borders, flowers still growing, but all tangled and overgrown with weeds. The well was choked with stumps as if somebody had played the part of the dog in the manger. After moralizing a little while on this, we kept on our way towards Hall's Hill, where we arrived in time to witness the Dress Parade of the 1 8th Mass." Grows' Journal : "March Qth. A glorious morning. After breakfast took a walk around the stables. Found one of the horses dead, this making six we have lost since we have been here. Had 'inspection drill' with our knap sacks, canteens, and haversacks, and we got enough of it for about two hours. When we went into park we were dismissed for service. Had some singing and reading from the 8th chapter of Matthew. When we were dismissed I immediately got a 'pass' to leave camp, and went to the i8th Mass., the 22d Mass.^ FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 155 and the Irish Reg't. the Qth. Visited the spot where some soldiers were buried, took portions of the head stones and brought them along with me to camp. Turned in at the usual hour, was called at 10 o'clock, and we were informed that we must get ready to make an ad vance in the morning. So we began to pack our knapsacks, fill our canteens, and clean up our 'boarding knives.' The cooks began to cook our rations for three days. The men all seemed anxious to go." CHAPTER VI. THE ADVANCE UPON RICHMOND. "The despatches of a general . . . the safest sources from which the historian of a campaign can draw." GEORGE MEREDITH. "Military despatches are often excellent reading their very dry- ness and literalness in dealing with life and death, give them a special nlace in our literature." Illustrated London News. It was expected that when the Division made a forward movement the Battery would go with it, but instead of that, Captain Allen received the following order : HEAD QUARTERS PORTER'S DIVISION HALL'S HILL VA. March 10, 1862. CAPT. ALLEN Comd'g Battery E. Mass. Artillery. Captain. The commanding General directs me to inform you that 'your Bat tery will not move with the Division, but will be held in readiness to move at a moment's notice. Very respectfully Yr Obt. Serv't FRED T. LOCKE ass't adj. Gen'l. Notes of Lieut. Scott: "About the gth of March the Army moved on to Manassas. The Fifth Mass. Battery was not ordered out on this movement. The men of the Battery were in an excited condition. The Battery was of no account, would never see any fighting, might as well go 156 FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 157 home. The commander, Captain Geo. D. Allen called the men into line, and said he would show them what to do, and they would get all the fighting they wanted before they were out of it." Grows' Journal: "Monday morning March 10, 1862, a report came into camp for us to unpack our things, for we would not go with this advance. Oh how mad the men were! There were our horses all ready, bedding done up, and tents ready to strike the first thing in the morning. So, we unpacked our things and made up our beds again. I laid down, but could not sleep on account of the passing of baggage teams, cavalry, and regiments of infantry by our camp ; gathering together so as to start early in the morning. There will be a smart fight when they meet the rebels. After breakfast went on to the hill to see the regiments and batteries start. It soon began to rain like fury, but the brave men did not heed it and cheer after cheer went up, as they passed. Poor fellows ! all of them will not return. In a short time John Mann of the gib. came on horseback through our camp, on his way to Arlington for some ambu lances for the wounded and sick. It now rains in torrents, the boys will have a hard day to march in, and when they get to their destination, which is supposed to be Manassas, if the rebels stand they will have a hard time there. After dinner took rations in our haversacks, packed our knapsacks with one shirt, i pair drawers, i pair socks, a blanket on the outside my rubber and other woolen blanket. At precisely 2 o'clock the 'Assembly' sounded, and we turned out with knapsacks and equipments, marched to our pieces and lashed them on. The drivers hitched in and we stood 'cannoneers to posts,' and the drivers 'to horse,' and in this way we waited for three long hours for the order 158 HISTORY OF THE to advance on Manassas, but the order did not come, so we were all dismissed to our quarters. After supper went to the ammunition chests to see if they were packed right. Found everything in its place. Was told to get all the sleep I could, not knowing at what time I might be called, and to sleep with my arms, and what I had to carry, handy. The men all feel anxious to start. Thursday, March 1 1 . Found out that we would not be wanted to-day. At 8 o'clock we were called out for one hour's drill on the piece. Came in at half past 9. At J o'clock we hitched out and started out for drill. Stayed out till 5 o'clock, and the men were "put through a course of sprouts" that was astonishing to some of them, but it showed the men and officers that they had a great deal to learn. Artillery drill cannot be learnt in a month, or three months. The drivers have to understand their horses, the men on the piece their part, and the horses have to get accustomed to the firing, which some never get used to. After supper news came into camp that our troops found Manassas evacuated. If this is true we will all be home in about a month." THE PRESIDENT'S ORDER: EXECUTIVE MANSION WASHINGTON, March n, 1862. PRESIDENT'S WAR ORDER No 3. Major General" McClellan having personally taken the field at the head of the Armv of the Potomac until otherwise ordered, he is re lieved from the command of the other military departments, he retain ing command of the Department of the Potomac. Ordered, That all the commanders of Departments, after the receipt of this order by them, respectively report severally and directly to the Secretary of War, and that nrompt, full, and frequent reports will be expected of all and each of them. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. By Order of the Secretary of War, L. THOMAS Adjutant General. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 159 The next day General Porter telegraphed the following advice : UNITED STATES MILITARY TELEGRAPH Received March 12, 1862. FROM F (FAIRFAX) COURT HOUSE. To Capt. Allen. Improve every moment for instruction of your company. I expect soon to call for it. Get your supplies of Capt. Cole, at Ft. Corcoran, who is ordered to provide you. F. J. PORTER B. G. LETTER FROM LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "HALL'S HILL March 12, 1862. Last Monday morning the Army of the Potomac com menced its grand progress to Richmond, and at last accounts has passed over 25 miles or so of its journey. For some unexplained reason, but in obedience to orders, the Fifth (Mass.) Battery remained behind and are now supreme on Hall's Hill. The tents are all left standing, and but for the unusual quiet we would suppose the army still here. The stillness which pervaded the air after the first bustle of departure, was quite startling, but at the same time quite pleasant. Yesterday was very warm and pleasant, the frogs and bluebirds have commenced to sing, and it looks as if spring had come at last. Porter's Division are now occupying Fairfax Court House, and expect, so the postmaster of the 2d Maine told me, to be ordered back. The first to occupy Manassas, as I hear, were the 3d and 5th Penn. Cavalry who have been encamped between us and Fort Corcoran. The latest rumor is that General Porter's Division is to join General Burnside. Our Ouartermaster reports a num ber of gunboats and passenger steamboats at the Arsenal in the City, so that it looks as if this were the case. The reb els have done pretty well at Norfolk. The attack of the 160 HISTORY OF THE Merrimac shows more dash than I had given them credit for, though I do not see why they did not make a dash for the open sea where they could have done so much more 'harm." Grows' Journal: "March 12, 1862. After breakfast I re packed the shot and shell in the ammunition chests, and found that everything about the Gun was all right, then went to quarters. In about an hour went out to drill on the piece. Came in about n o'clock. Laid back for a smoke and a read. At 2 o'clock the call for the Battery to turn out was sounded, and as I thought a horse-back ride would do me good, I took a pair and went out, but I had to dismount and take my place on the Gun on account of the off horse being ugly. He is a condemned one and will be changed soon. Came into camp at 5 o'clock. After supper we were ordered to be ready at a minute's notice to go on to Fairfax to guard it, as it has been taken from the rebels. Five prisoners passed through our camp today on the way to Washington. They were taken yesterday. They were a sorrowful looking set. Our men are all in good spirits and first rate health. Two of the men were put on guard for three days for disobeying orders by laughing and talking after lights were out, it being the rule of the camp to have no noise in camp after the 'Taps.' Thursday March 13, 1862: After dinner all the men turned out and cleaned up the Park. Had a good time collecting the brush and loose stuff together in large piles and setting fire to them. Stayed out about two hours." The first formation of the Army of the Potomac was by "Divisions," under an order of October 15, 1861, but before active movements began in the spring of 1862, it was di vided into Army Corps in accordance with the following General Order : FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 161 HEADQUARTERS &.RMY OF THE POTOMAC FAIRFAX C. H. VA. March 13, 1862. General Order No. 101 In compliance with the President's War Order No 2 of March 8, 1862, the active portion of the Army of the Potomac is formed into Army Corps as follows: ist Corps. Major General Irvin McDowell to consist for the present, of the Divisions of Franklin, McCall and King. 2d Corps. Brig. Gen. E. V. Sumner, Divisions Richardson, Blenker and Sedgwick. 3d Corps. Brig. Gen. S. P. neintzelman, Divisions F. J. Porter, Hooker, and Hamilton. 4th Corps. Brig. Gen. E. D. jxeyes, divisions Couch, Smith and Casey. 5th Corps. Maj. Gen. N. P. Banks, Divisions Williams and Shields. By command of MAJOR GEN. MCCLELLAN. A. V. COLBURN, A. A. G. March 13, 1862, a council composed of Corps Com manders McDowell, Sumner, Heintzelman and Keyes, de termined upon adopting Fortress Monroe as the base of op erations for the movement upon Richmond. General Fitz John Porter's command was assigned to the Third Army Corps, and placed first in the order of Divisions. The artillery attached to this Division was Battery D, 5th U. S. Captain Charles Griffin, Third Mass. Battery, Captain Augustus P. Martin, Battery C, ist R. I. Captain William B. Weeden, Fifth Mass. Battery, Captain Geo. D. Allen. Lt. Col. Wm. H. Powell says in his history of the Fifth Corps -."Captains Weeden, Martin and Allen were able pupils and co-workers under such a chief as Griffin," and 2d Lt. Charles A. Phillips said at the time that Rhode Island shared with Massachusetts pre-eminence in Volun teer Artillery. 162 HISTORY OF THE THE GUNS. Captain Griffin had six 10 pdr. Parrotts. Captain Martin had six Light 12 pdrs. Captain Weeden had six 3 in. Rifled Iron Guns. Captain Allen had six 3 in. Rifled Iron Guns. Each Division had the same artillery. In the organization of the Army of the Potomac the Regiment was the unit. Four Regiments constituted a Brigade, and three Brigades a Division. Each Division had four batteries, three served by volunteers and one by regulars; the captain of the latter commanding the entire artillery of the Division. The regulars were not distributed, but were kept together in Divisions by themselves. It has been said that in the constitution of this Army McClellan's intimate acquaintance with European tactics became of very great value and assistance. General Wm. F. Barry in his report states that the whole of the field artillery of the Division of the Potomac July 25th, 1861, when General McClellan was appointed to the command, was comprised in nine imperfectly equipped batteries of 30 guns, 650 men, and 400 horses. In March 1862, after an interval of seven months it consisted of 92 batteries, 520 guns, 12,500 men and 10,000 horses. Of the whole force 62 bat teries belonged to the Volunteer service. McCLELLAN'S ADDRESS TO THE ARMY. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC FAIRFAX COURT HOUSE, VA. March 14, 1862. Soldiers of the Army of the Potomac: For a long time I have kept you inactive, but not without a purpose. You were to be disciplined, armed, and instructed. The formidable artillery you now have had to be created. Other armies were to move and accomplish certain results. I have held you back that you might give the death-blow to the rebellion that has distracted our once happy country. The patience you have shown, and your confidence in your FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 163 General, are worth a dozen victories. These preliminary results are now accomplished. I feel that the patient labors of many months have produced their fruits. The Army of the Potomac is now a real Army, magnificent in materiel, admirable in discipline and instruction, ex cellently equipped and armed. Your commanders are all that I could wish. The moment for action has arrived, and I know that I can trust in you to save our country. As I ride through your ranks I see in your faces the sure presage of victory : I feel that you will do whatever I ask of you. The period of inaction is passed. I will bring you now face to face with the rebels and only pray that God may defend the right. In whatever direction you may move, however strange my ac tions may appear to you, ever bear in mind that my fate is linked with yours and that all I do, is to bring you where I know you wish to be, on the decisive battle field. It is my business to place you there. I am to watch over you as a parent over his children, and you know that your General loves you from the depths of his heart. It shall be my care, as it has ever been, to gain success with the least possible loss, but I know that if it is necessary, you will willingly follow me to our graves, for our righteous cause. God smiles upon us, victory attends us. Yet I would not have you think that our aim is to be attained without a manly struggle. I will not disguise it from you. You have brave foes to encounter, foemen well worthy of the steel that you will use so well. I shall demand of you great, heroic exertions, rapid and long marches, desperate com bats, privations, perhaps. We will share all these together; and when this sad war is over, we will all return to our homes, and feel that we can ask no higher honor than the proud consciousness that we belonged to the Army of the Potomac. CEO. B. McCLELLAN, Major General Commanding. THE PENINSULA OF VIRGINIA. The Peninsula of Virginia lies between the James and York Rivers; which, running nearly parallel from the northwest, empty into Chesapeake Bay. Fortress Monroe occupies the extremity of the Peninsula, and is connected with the main portion only by a narrow sand beach. See p. 109. The extreme length, from the fort to a line drawn between Richmond and West Point, is about 60 miles, the average breadth about 12. At Yorktown, twenty miles up the river it is narrowed to 8 miles, which width remains the same as far as Williamsburg where the 164 HISTORY OF THE rivers begin to diverge. The land is flat and low, covered with swampy forests. Yorktown was a dilapidated village of about 50 houses. The only tavern in the place, situated on a bluff, the high est point of land on the Peninsula below Richmond, was called the Nelson House and was originally owned by Gov ernor Thomas Nelson. The bulk of the Confederate force lay at and near Centreville and Manassas, drawing its sup plies mainly from Richmond by way of the Orange and Alexandria railroad. On hearing of the order for the Fed eral forces to move upon Richmond by the way of the Peninsula, the Confederate general Beauregard called back his corps of observation, who occupied the works at Cen treville, destroyed the bridges over Bull Run, and falling back on Manassas which he evacuated on the loth of March, burned everything which he could not carry away. The Army of the Potomac commenced its march on the loth as stated, but they went no farther than Centreville, General McClellan with his escort fording Bull Run and riding on to Manassas, found it as anticipated an abandoned ruin. THE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN. In the plan of the Peninsula campaign, Richmond was to be reached by the way of Yorktown and West Point. The first object was to capture Yorktown by a combined naval and military attack, then to establish West Point, about 25 miles from Richmond, as the new base. Centreville was a village of a few straggling houses built along a ridge at the confluence of -the Warrenton turnpike,, which runs west and crosses Bull Run at the Stone Bridge, and another southwest crossing Bull Run at Blackburn's Ford, leading direct to Manassas Junction three miles be yond Bull Run, and connecting- by cross-roads with the different fords above and below. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 165 The works at Centreville and Manassas were laid out by the Confederate general Beauregard. At Centreville they consisted of two lines. One faced east, a mile and three- quarters long, the other, two miles long, faced north. In both were 13 distinct forts connected by "infantry para pets," double caponnieres (covered lodgements) and "re dans" (portions of the fortification included in single salient angles). There were embrasures for 71 guns. On a high hill commanding the rear of both lines, was a large "re doubt" (an isolated fort defensible on all sides) with 10 embrasures. Manassas was defended in all directions by a system of detached works, with platforms for heavy guns, arranged for massive carriages and connected by "infantry parapets"; the system being rendered complete by a very large work with 16 embrasures commanding the highest of the other works by about 50 feet. The works at Manassas had been mounted with guns. Those at Centreville had been merely laid out ; but no heavy artillery had been placed in them, and for weeks they had been occupied only by a corps of observation ready to fall back upon any alarm. MANASSAS JUNCTION. The Orange and Alexandria Railroad runs southwest through the flat Potomac region for 27 miles, when it meets the Manassas Gap Railroad which runs west for 50 miles to Strasburg in the valley of the Shenandoah River, then south for 20 miles down the valley. The place where these two roads, the Orange and Alexandria and the Manassas Gap Railroad meet is high ground, and is called Manassas Junc tion. There was a station, merely, with a few scattering houses. From Manassas which was considered the key of the direct route to the south, the distance to Washington was about 30 miles. Southwest of Manassas Junction at Warrenton Junction 166 HISTORY OF THE a branch road run to Warrenton. At Rappahannock Sta tion the train crossed the Rappahannock River on the way to Culpeper Court House, passed over the Rapidan River to Orange Court House and still farther southwest to Lynchburg via Gordonsville and Charlottesville. Grows' Journal: "Friday March 14, 1862. At l /2 past 8 went out for drill. Came in at 10, and then went to work packing ammunition chests, so if we are called we will be all ready to start. I do not think we will go until we are better drilled. If we do it will be to guard the place. Had dinner of 'Duff' and molasses with water to drink. It tasted first rate, but there was not enough of it, so we have been promised some for dinner tomorrow. At 2 o'clock we went out for drill, the men on the guns dismounted. Had a good drill. A slight accident happened to Harry Simonds. While we were firing his horse reared up and fell over on him, jamming his side, but in a short time he was able to mount his horse again, and take care of his Detachment. Came in after drilling about two hours. We fired 17 rounds of blank cartridges. The men are improving in drill very fast. Am detailed for guard tonight on the 3d relief the worst one there is to be on. Laid down to get some rest but could not sleep there was so much noise. Was called at 9 o'clock to go on guard. It began to rain. It is a rough night. While on guard about 8000 cavalry passed our camp. It was a splendid sight. They were returning from Manassas and Centreville. The rebels have left the place in a hurry. They had wooden guns mounted in place of cannon, to deceive our troops. Came in at 1 1 from guard, made a fire in the tent and turned in." MARCHING ORDERS. Friday night at 12 o'clock March 14, 1862, the Fifth Mass. Battery received their orders. "We are ordered to move on Sunday, tomorrow," wrote FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 167 Lieut. Phillips on the i5th, "to Cloud's Mills, near Alex andria, with three days' cooked rations. We shall have two wagons and as little baggage as possible. One tent is al lowed for the officers, the men sleeping under the tarpau lins which cover the ^uns and caissons. I saw Adjutant Sherwin [Thomas Sherwin Jr.] of the 22d Mass, last night, and he said that they were breaking up camp and expecting to move this morning. Part of their baggage is on the steamboat at Alexandria. Sherwin reports that the whole of Porter's Division embark at Alexandria for some un known destination perhaps to reinforce Burnside. A long train of wagons went by here last night bound to Washing ton. All the sick have been sent to Washington. The two Pennsylvania Cavalry regiments which were the first to enter Manassas returned to their camp last night, and ex pect to leave soon in some other direction. After receiving our marching orders it set in for the hardest rain storm of the season, and we have been making our preparations with a most dismal prospect ahead. Rations were cooked, knapsacks packed, tents, camp equipage &c. invoiced and turned over to the U. S. Quartermaster at Fort Corcoran. I sent my trunk home, packed my knapsack and saddle bags, hung my feed bag on my saddle, and made all my preparations. In the mean time the rain continued, the park was all afloat, and our tent nearly so. Somehow the water, found an entrance at our front door, and soon we had a small brook running across the floor, and out at the back door. To prevent this making it too muddy, we confined it to a narrow channel, and Scott and I by way of variety whittled out some water wheels which were soon running merrily. Meanwhile both night and rain were falling, and the rations were all cooked, and their delivery commenced. Before this was completed, however, up rode an orderly with new orders to delay our departure till further orders, as the roads were impassable." At the close of this letter Phillips 168 HISTORY OF THE refers to being "the other day out target shooting" with his "revolver." Grows' Journal: "Saturday March 15, 1862. Was called at 3 this morning to go on guard. Made out after a fashion to worry out the two hours till 5 o'clock when I was relieved and went to my quarters and laid down, but could not sleep, as the Bugle sounded at 6 the 'Reveille.' Went on again at 9, was relieved at n o'clock. At 3, was called to go on my beat. I stayed on about an hour, and then I had to knock under and go to my tent. Stayed in and packed my knap sack, for we have been ordered to break camp at 4 tomor row morning, to start for Alexandria. . . . The men were called into line soon after and told to have their knapsacks ready and fill our haversacks with two days' rations, and fill our canteens with water. We had just got all our things ready when word came that we would not start tomorrow on 'account of the rain. We were pleased, for it would be a rather disagreeable march in the rain, but we expect to go Monday or Tuesday. After putting our things away, we began to see how we could fix our beds so that we could sleep. About three inches of water in our tent and the can vas leaks like fury. We pinned our rubber blankets up over the beds, made them up, turned in, and then laid rubber blankets over them, and in this way we went to bed, the rain pouring in torrents on our beds. Sunday March 16. We now think we will not start before Tuesday. We expect to go to Sewall's Point off Fortress Monroe. About ^ past 4 a message came, in forming us that we will not start tomorrow. About 5 the Battery were called together for Sunday services. The singing sounded splendid. The Captain (Allen) read the 9th chapter of Matthew and then closed the service. Monday, March i/th. Our Orderly Sergeant went at 4 o'clock this morning to Fairfax Court House to receive FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 169 some orders, but as yet we do not know what they are. At Roll Call at 5 o'clock we were informed that we would break camp in the morning to proceed to Alexandria and there take boats to go somewhere, but where we do not know." THE EMBARKATION. On March i/th, 1862, the Army of the Potomac com menced the embarkation, leaving 70,000 men for the de fense of Washington. On the 1 8th, the Fifth Mass. Battery left camp at Hall's Hill, and marched to join Porter's Division which after making its advance on Manassas had turned back to Alex andria Heights. They marched via Ball's and Bailey's Cross Roads, and arrived about 2 p. m. at "Camp California," near Alexan dria, Va., and midway between Fairfax Seminary and Fort Ellsworth. Here they pitched their camp with only one tent, all outside of that depending for shelter upon rubber blankets, and prepared for embarking, destination unknown. Troops were all around them and Griffin's and Martin's Bat teries were close by. The 83d. Penn., which was next to them at Hall's Hill was next them there. Grows' Journal : "Tuesday March 18, 1862. A fine feel ing morning. Had a light breakfast of coffee and bread, then lashed our knapsacks on the pieces, leaving our tents, and other articles such as stoves, behind, for we cannot carry them. At 9 o'clock this morning the order was given, Tor- ward !' and the first step was taken in the march, for we had to walk all the way, 9 miles. We took the road to Alexan dria, and by mistake went some four miles out of the way. ... On the way we had in some places to build up parts of the road where it had been washed away. The roads here are in a very bad state, but are a great deal better than they 170 HISTORY OF THE have been. At 3 in the afternoon we struck the ground where we are to stop tonight, about i^ miles from the city of Alexandria. After eating a little, and getting cleaned up, for we were very dusty, we began to make some preparations for sleep ing, but as we have no tents, we stuck one covering of the gun up on poles, crawled in under, laid on the ground, and soon got to sleep. Wednesday, March 19. Got up feeling quite sore and stiff. As we had nothing to eat, I went over to Martin's Battery and got some fried potatoes, some good white bread and about a quart of nice, hot coffee. About ^ past 9 our quartermaster got some coffee for the men. Soon after we were called out to drill. Stayed out about an hour, and then we had to wash the carriages and pieces, which took us till dinner time. Had dinner of hard bread and water. This afternoon began fixing for a place to sleep; arranged a bed for a fellow named Joe Knox and myself. Had sup per of hot coffee and hard bread. Was put on guard to take care of one of our drivers' horses." FROM LETTERS OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "The hills and valleys are covered with camps, most of them, like our own, supplied with very scant equipage. We have one tent for the officers, which at the present moment contains all five, getting along very comfortably. Scott is writing a letter on the same box as I, and the Captain (Allen) is cutting a quill preparatory to doing the same thing. The men have pitched the tarpaulins between the carriages, making three tents to hold fifty apiece, so that they get along as well as we do. We expect to embark within two days for some great expedition. General Sum- ner's Division went down today, and several more are wait ing to go. Where we shall bring up I do not know, but FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 171 from the preparations going on the expedition must be in tended to finish the Rebellion. Large quantities of provisions have been sent lately to Fortress Monroe, which would look like an attack upon Richmond up the James or York River, or we may be going to join Burnside. Last night we went on a serenading excursion. The 44th N. Y. [Ellsworth Avengers] to which we have been as signed for hospital purposes, have taken great interest in our Battery. The hospital is in a house close to our camp owned by a Mr. Osborne. In the evening we got together the musical crowd, and went up to the house with a band of an accordeon and a banjo. We were invited in and got some apples and cakes. Then we had a little music and adjourned to the kitchen for a clog dance by Mr. Joseph Clark, banjo player and clog dancer for the Battery. After a few jigs and breakdowns we went home and went to bed. Mr. Osborne is quite a brick, a very strong union man. At one time the rebel pickets occupied the bushes across the road in front of his house, and used to blaze away at him at every opportunity. He offered to sell his hay to the gov ernment, but they thought it too dangerous to send wagons after it, so he carted it himself, exposed all the while to the rebel fire. His wagon was hit several times but he escaped. Thursday evening March 20, 1862, Alexandria Heights: The 3d Michigan moved up close by us yesterday being ordered to get as near Alexandria as possible. Fort Ells worth, as near as I can make out, is a square bastioned fort like Fort Corcoran, rather larger, constructed strictly ac cording to theoretical rules. We are encamped on a little hill, the one tent being pitched on the summit. For this purpose we picked out the tightest tent in camp, the one which I have always had, and inside of this are the jolliest crowd of officers that can be found. Our baggage is limited, but we get on without. 172 HISTORY OF THE Captain Allen occupies the back of the tent on a bedstead which we have managed to bring so far, Hyde and Dilling- ham make up their bed on one side, while Scott and I make up ours on the other. Two rubber blankets constitute the foundations, then come our bed sacks filled with hay, and our blankets finish off. We get along first rate though we pull off the blankets a great deal. The principal article of furniture is the com pany desk which was put in here as there was no other tent to put it in : coats, sabres, haversacks, canteens, dishes, valises, knapsacks, boxes, saddles, opera glasses, &c &c. On the whole we are pretty full. The men have quite a variety of substitutes for tents. Some take the tarpaulins which cover the guns : each of which is large enough to accommo date 10 or 15 men; some use their rubber ponchos [rubber blankets with holes in the middle] which make a very good pleasant weather tent. Each poncho is about 5 ft. by 4, and four of them make a tent large enough to hold four men lying or sitting. This is the prevalent style of tent round here : the 83d Penn. between us and the Fort, are quartered in them, also the 3d Michigan on the other side of us. The 1 7th New York are encamped just beyond the 83d Penn., with the same accommodations. We received yesterday the news of the capture of Newberne. Lt. Kingsbury seems to have left us. When the advance was made last week he was ordered to join his Battery and has been with them ever since. When we came here he was over here for about five minutes and that is all. It rained all last night and all today, and the General Commanding has authorized us to issue a ration of whiskey to the men, which has accordingly been done, without any bad effects as far as I have seen. Martin's Battery have been encamped with Martindale's brigade, Weeden's with Morell's, and we have had most to do with the 44th N. Y. (Ellsworth's Avengers) a fine regi ment who led the advance at Manassas. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 173 Captain Griffin has been appointed Chief of Artillery for the Division. I hear that Porter's Battery [First Mass. Lt. Art'y] in Franklin's Division, and McDowell's Corps (ist) are to embark today, and the General Order No. 101, or dered the whole of a corps to be kept together, so at least two corps are going on the proposed expedition. The num ber of troops right round here is estimated anywhere from 20,000 to 150,000. At present we are living not very luxuriously, making up our beds on the ground, and eating hard tack and salt pork." Grows' Journal : 'Thursday, March 20, 1862. Was awakened by the rain this morning. Found my hair quite wet from the rain falling on my head during the night. Some of the men had to sit up all night on account of the rain, for all the tents we have is a piece of canvas laid upon two poles, and the water runs under like a sluiceway. Had dinner of fresh beef and potatoes, after which I went to Porter's Battery." About 8 a. m. of Friday, March 2ist they marched to Alexandria Va., and waited in the street until 3 p. m. for the Fourth R. I. Battery to embark, then commenced put ting their guns on board the same propeller, the "A. H. Bowman." About six p. m. they were ready to load the horses on the schooners "Louisa Reed" and "Ida De la Torre." This was accomplished about 10 o'clock and after taking on some of the horses they were to have from the 1 8th Mass. Regt. to complete their number, they found quarters for themselves on board a canal boat which was loaded with the baggage of the two batteries. Grows' Journal: "Friday March 21, 1862. Were called at 6 and ordered to pack our knapsacks and be ready to start at 8 o'clock. Went to work on empty stomachs. Got two days' rations in our haversacks. Marched on foot 9 174 HISTORY OF THE miles to that nest of secession Alexandria. Waited till 2 in the afternoon before we got aboard. While here I vis ited the Marshall House, where Ellsworth was killed by Jackson. This is a hard looking place. Our Battery was joined by Griffin's, Martin's and the Rhode Island Fourth. We all got aboard and I turned in under one of the guns, using the sponge staff for a pillow, and the deck for a bed. Was called at 1 1 o'clock to go on guard on the barge which had all our stores on. How it did rain! Stood up against the mast. On account of the corporal being sick I called my man at i o'clock." THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. NOTES OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "March 22, 1862, at 4 a. m., Scott and I had to get up and look after some new horses which we have received from the i8th Mass. Regt. By daylight we got them all on board, and with the rest of the fleet dropped into the stream. Captain Allen and Lt. Hyde went on the propeller, Lt. Dillingham on the 'Ida De la Torre/ Scott on the canal boat, and I on the 'Louisa Reed/ After a good deal of backing and filling the fleet got ready to start. There are some 96 vessels in all. About 12 o'clock we started, the flagship 'Daniel Webster' leading the way. We had been assigned a place near the head of the col umn, but the 'A. H. Bowman' being unable to keep it, soon fell behind. The 'Bowman' towed the two schooners, the 'Ida De la Torre' on the starboard, the 'Louisa Reed' on the larboard side. The 'Hero' took the canal boat, with out- baggage, and went out of sight in a very short time. Dil lingham has charge of one schooner and I of the other, Captain Allen and Lt. Hyde look after the steamer, and Scott has gone off in the canal boat. The 'Bowman' is so FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 175 slow that we have dropped behind everything. I quarter in the captain's state room and the men sleep on the hay in the hold. The fare on board is good and we have a jolly time. At night we anchored in the Potomac river. The next day all went well, beautiful weather and the whole fleet ahead of us. Before daylight on the 24th we anchored off Fortress Monroe. While waiting to disembark I took the schooner's boat and rowed round the Monitor. As soon as we came in sight of the fort I commenced looking for the Monitor, and pretty soon I espied a puff of smoke, and a box on a raft, lying up in the Roads among the fleet. We rowed round close to her and I counted some 20 shot marks all over her, five or six in the turret, some of them very near the portholes, and the rest along her sides. The one which had made the most impression struck about three feet from the bows near the upper edge of the side, and dented in the side plate about two inches, started the rivets and knocked up the deck plate. The other shots had made more or less impression : those which struck the middle of the plates merely denting them an inch or so, and those which struck near the edges, driving in the plates and start ing the rivets, breaking the heads off. However, no seri ous damage was done. About noon we had our Battery landed and took up our line of march. Passing by Fortress Monroe we kept on over the bridge to the main land, and on through what was once the main street of Hampton, but now only a road between ruined houses. For half a mile the road was lined with walls and chimneys, but only two whole houses were in sight. Just beyond the village we came to General Por ter's Head Quarters; then we passed the camp of General Porter's and Hamilton's Divisions. Still on we kept, till we came to Captain Martin's battery encamped in a large field on the right of the road. Here we turned in and pitched our camp. A deserted and ruined house furnished 176 HISTORY OF THE us with firewood and flooring and soon our camp fires were blazing merrily. Xims Battery, (Ormand F. Nims) Mass. Art'y, is two miles back, but nobody is in front of us, save a few pickets. \Ye start again tomorrow, to fight or not, who knows? Captain Griffin's Battery arrived soon after we did, and Captain \Yeedeirs has just come. We have a pleasant camping ground, level as a barn floor. The camp fires and the variety of tents give quite a picturesque appearance to the scene. The rest of the Division is a mile back of us." The little village of Hampton referred to by Lieut. Phil lips, was burned by Magruder, on seeing in a northern news paper that the Federal forces contemplated occupying the town as winter quarters, to prevent its falling into the hands of General Benjamin F. Butler. From his Head Quarters on the Back River road he designated four companies, two of infantry and two of cav alry, to proceed there at night. Each company fired one- quarter of the town as divided at the cross streets, and it soon became one mass of flames. The Monitor was launched on the 3Oth of January 1862, and was lost in a gale off Cape Hatteras the 3r r Porter's Division on the Right, led the advance of the Army of the Potomac. FROM LETTERS OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS, OF APRIL 6, 1862. "Sunday forenoon. Yesterday morning we left our com fortable quarters, and started as we supposed on a recon- noissance, but we have not yet returned. After we had pro ceeded a short distance on our way it commenced to rain, and poured down till noon. We marched on, and about twelve o'clock we heard firing ahead, and marched into a fieft. 205 206 HISTORY OF THE The Rhode Island Battery and Griffin's were shelling the rebel intrenchments. Pretty soon Martin's Battery was sent off to the left, and commenced shelling. About 4 o'clock, Martin returned, having lost 2 killed and 3 wounded, and we were ordered to relieve Captain Weeden, who had lost one, killed. So our pieces started off and formed in battery in front of the rebels about 2000 yards distant. Just as we were coming into battery, a little smoke puffed out from the fort, then the report, and a few seconds later, a 32 pdr. shell struck in the dirt 50 yards on our left. The fuze had not ignited, so we picked up the shell and carried it home. We blazed away once or twice in return, and pretty soon we heard two reports from them to the right and left, and then bang, bang! two shells burst right in front of us 50 feet from the ground; one piece striking an infantry soldier in the woods to our right. We fired a little more, but, not accomplishing much, we soon stopped, and after dark re turned to camp. Early this morning, 3 o'clock, the Right and Centre sec tions took position in the same place, and are at present, 12 m., there. The men are mostly asleep and I am lying on my overcoat writing this letter. The rebels have been making embrasures in front of their guns, probably to keep off the bullets by our skirmishers, who are scattered round pretty thick. The enemy's gunners are quite good, and they have got our range very well." Grows' Journal: "Saturday, April 5, 1862. We are about 9 miles from Yorktown, and there are about 30,000 rebels encamped there in strong breastworks. Owing to the bad state of the roads we did not arrive at Yorktown outside of the enemy's works till half past one. The rebel works are in sight and about i^ miles to two miles off. About half an hour after we arrived the Rhode Island 4th Battery were ordered to open fire upon them. In a short FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 207 time one of the enemy's shells struck one of their men, and he died in half an hour. At past 3 this afternoon Mar tin's Battery was ordered to relieve the Rhode Island Bat tery. As soon as they came in sight the enemy opened upon them a murderous fire killing Charles Lord and Ed ward Lewis, both of Charlestown, wounding 3 men, and killing 6 horses. After firing about two hours they silenced one of the enemy's batteries. At 8 o'clock that evening we were ordered back to camp. Just as we were leaving they threw a shell which knocked down one of the infantry about 100 yards on my right. We came into camp feeling well, but tired. Sunday April 6th. Was awakened at 4 o'clock this morning by the noise caused by the Right and Centre sec tions going do\vn into the field. About 3 this afternoon, went a short distance to Martin's Battery to witness the funeral ceremonies over the bodies of Lord and Lewis. It was a very affecting sight. The pictures of their wives, which they had with them were opened, and laid, open, upon their breasts, and in this way they were buried." In the "History of .Rhode Island in the Rebellion" may be found the following in relation to these first shots : "During the advance on Yorktown April, 1862, Battery C, R. I. Captain Weeden, went into battery in a cornfield on the right of the road leading to Yorktown. Griffin's Battery came up on our right and peppered away in fine style. Martin's did similar execution on our left. In ad vance, and about 750 yards from the nearest rebel entrench ment, Berdan's sharpshooters were posted. . . . At_3 o'clock p. m. Randolph's Battery was ordered to relieve Griffin's. He was engaged two hours. [This was Battery E, ist R. I. Captain George E. Randolph afterwards chief of artillery of Division and Corps, Third Corps.] The 3d and 5th Massachusetts batteries took an efficient part in the fight. Butterfield's and Martindale's Brigades reclined on their arms within range of the enemy's guns during the day. 208 HISTORY OF THE The roar of cannon shook the earth like a subterranean con vulsion and the sharp crack of Berdan's rifles told how bus ily they were employed. . . . Two men belonging to Mar tin's Battery were killed and five reported wounded. Thus Rhode Island and Massachusetts share the honor of shed ding the first blood in this preliminary engagement." FROM LETTERS OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "Monday morning. (April 7, 1862) We had a little target practice yesterday. We waited during the forenoon without firing, and while we were sleeping away as com fortably as possible, bang, whiz, bang! came a shell from the Fort, bursting very near, and waking us all up. The enemy then hoisted a new and handsome flag on our left, and brought a field piece into position, out of sight from where I was, but visible from the Right section, and let us have a shell from it. It burst close to and the pieces flew all round us. ... This fun did not particularly suit us, but soon we got orders from General Porter to reply, so the Right section blazed away at the field piece on our left, and soon silenced that, while my section went to work pitching shells into the Fort and camp. We fired two shots at the Fort, one of which struck the sandbags in the embrasure, and then we pitched into the camp. After a while down went one tent in a cloud of dust, and the shells began to fly pretty thick round the rest. Still the distance was too great, and we stopped after a while. Monday afternoon. Captain (Ormand F.) Nims has just arrived, and is going to the Fort. We have been in camp all day, and it is raining hard. Griffin occupies our yesterclay's position, intrenchments having been thrown up last night. Some 30 batteries of light artillery have ar rived, and as soon as the siege guns arrive we shall be ready for a second siege of Yorktown, which will be pretty sure to result as the former siege. It is said that the Right of the FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 209 enemy's lines was carried last night. I don't know how true the report is." Chase's Diary: "April 6, 1862. . . . Found fragments of a shell fired at us. But one good shot from the enemy today. Balloon reconnoissance by the generals today. None of the Battery injured today." TO PREPARE FOR ACTION. HEAD QUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, CAMP NEAR YORKTOWN, VA. April 8, 62. General Orders No. 113 Extract. VIII. "To the Color" sounded on the march, will be the signal to prepare for action. At this call (80 steps to the minute) the trains will draw, as far as possible, to one side of the road and halt. The ambulances will be pre pared for service: the men will close their ranks without further or ders, and preserve perfect silence. By command of Maj. Gen'l. McClellan. S. WILLIAMS A. A. G. FROM LETTERS OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "CAMP NEAR YORKTOWN, VA. April 9, 1862. For the last few days we have been exchanging shots at long range, but without accomplishing much. Earthworks 210 HISTORY OF THE have been thrown up in the field, and the Left section (Lieut. Dillingham's) are now out. The rebels have got some field pieces in position, and are trying to shell him out. Quite a lot of regiments are up in line round our camp, and it is said they are going to capture something." Phillips' Diary: "April 9, 1862. Dillingham's section went into the earthworks to dig, and the rebels tried to shell him out with a ten inch mortar in the hospital fort. One of the shells which blew out, was dug up 6 ft. deep, and car ried to General Porter. The Division, except Butterfield's Brigade, Martin's and Allen's Batteries, have moved one mile to tEe rear and during the night we were alarmed sev eral times, harnessed and unharnessed, but nothing came of it." Chase's Diary: "April 9, 1862. The Left section ex changed shots with the enemy today, and brought to camp an eleven inch shell, which 'blew' without exploding; weighing 86 Ibs. and having 80 bullets in it. Infantry regiments taking new positions." Grows' Journal: "Wednesday April 9, 1862. Our sec tion, consisting of two pieces, was ordered out into the field to protect the encampment of the 9th Mass., 62d. Penn., and our own camp. Soon after arriving on the field it began to rain like fury. The orders were for us to only answer the rebels' shot. They fired about ten heavy shell at us, four of which burst over our heads, but none of us got hurt. We fired in return at them, and by means of glasses saw several fall, but could not ascertain how many of them were killed. About 3 this afternoon the regiments near us were ordered to fall back about a mile, as they were in the direct range of the rebels' fire. At 6 this afternoon we were ordered back to camp. . . . Orders came about midnight to be ready to fall back about one mile to the rear, so the mortar and siege guns can work without our being in the way." FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 211 FROM LETTERS OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "Thursday Evening: (April 10, 1862.) It seems the rebels have been using a 10 inch mortar to silence our 3 in. guns. Several shells burst in the neighborhood of the Bat tery, but no damage was done. . . . Today Lieut. Hyde and I have been in the field, but not a shot was fired on either side. The rebels have struck the camp that we shelled the other day. Last night \ve had several alarms and harnessed several times expecting an attack, but nothing came of it. If the rebels don't shoot better than they have done, they may fire at us as long as they like." Chase's Diary: "April 10, 1862. Ordered out at n o'clock last night and pitched up 'double quick' both guns and caissons, and the infantry called in line : waited half an hour in line, then ordered to camp for the night without further excitement. Two sections of the Battery left camp and took position about a mile to the rear of the enemy, and joined the Division in a new position, leaving one section in front of the enemy." Grows' Journal : "April 10, 1862, we took up our line of march, and very soon arrived at this place. It is a very pretty place. The river is near by. Pitched our tents in a corn field. There are plenty of troops around us, and lots of gunboats to be seen on the river. General McClellan's quarters are on this ground. April nth. At 9 o'clock this morning our section (Left, Dillingham's) were or dered to go about | of a mile to protect the 'pioneers' of the 1 8th Mass, who are building a bridge across a creek, (Over Wormley's Creek, between the camp and Yorktown) for the purpose of conveying- troops and field-pieces across for the intrenchments that are going to be built by our troops. Arrived at the spot and pitched a large tent for us to sleep in at night, after which we cruised around, dug 212 HISTORY OF THE some mussels and oysters (The far famed York River oys ters described by the historian Lossing in 1848) which are very plenty here. Had them for dinner. Had our supper sent to us of coffee and hard bread. I am detailed for guard tonight from 8 till 9, one hour; after 'standing it' I sat down by the fire with Harry Simonds and some others, till 12 o'clock. Turned in soon after." FROM LETTER OE LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "CAMP NEAR YORKTOWN, VA. April 12, 1862. You need not imagine there was anything very terrible in the fight; there was some little popping away of muskets and some banging of artillery, without amounting to much. Martin's Battery got into a pretty tight spot, hotter than anything at Bull Run, so said Griffin. The R. I. battery got down in a field and blazed away at an earthwork mount ing four 32 pdrs. at 2500 yards. Griffin was alongside of them, but he did not silence their guns, or anything of the sort. Both sides might bang away till doomsday, at that distance, without doing any injury worth speaking of. We have been down on the same ground and fired at the enemy, and had them fire at us, till it has become rather ridiculous. One day we fired into a fort on the right to oblige General Porter, who was up in a balloon and wished to see what the effect would be. We blazed away with our 3 inch popguns till the rebels seemed to get a little excited, and bang went a big mortar, and a 10 inch shell whistled several hundred yards over our heads. We rather enjoy this amusement as they cannot afford to waste much valuable ammunition of the sort by throwing it half a mile over our heads. Our sharpshooters appear to bother the rebels a great deal and yesterday they sallied out and drove them in, burning down a house close by their lines which has given them a great deal of trouble. . . . We are now encamped within sight FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 213 }f York River, and of our gunboats lying in it, below York- ;own, in a corn field, by a house formerly owned by a Secesh doctor, now used as a General Hospital. Behind us s a large field in which General McClellan has his Head Quarters. For the last week there have been all sorts of umors about a large siege train which was somewhere or )ther, and for which everything must wait. Today I hear :hey are landed somewhere or other, and will soon arrive. [ hope so. At present we have nothing to do, and are ifraid to stir out of camp lest the Battery should move vhile we are out. For the last 24 hours our Left section ias been guarding a bridge which is building, and which is supposed to be absolutely necessary to the success of opera- ions. But at the present rate of construction the bridge vill be finished in the course of 6 months. - General Porter vent up in a balloon alone yesterday morning and got iclrift. After floating about a little while he came down n safety : the wind, fortunately for him, blowing from lie north." Phillips' Diary: "April 12, 1862. Yesterday Dilling- lam's section went into a masked battery in our front to >rotect a bridge. . . . Weeden sent one section into the old earthwork and had quite hot work. The rebels rallied at $000 strong: burnt the houses by the peach orchard and hreatened Dillingham's section, but nothing came of it. rhis morning I relieved Dillingham. The rebels fired 3 shells at a tug which tried to come up the river. Griffin :his morning concluded it was too dangerous to occupy the earthworks above." NOTES OF CORPORAL J. E. SPEAR, vho, besides acting directly with the Fifth Mass. Battery is sergeant and lieutenant, was at one time assistant adjti- ant general for Major Freeman McGilvery; at one time 214 HISTORY OF THE assistant adjutant general for General A. P. Martin; also ordnance officer for Artillery Brigade 5th Army Corps: "ARMY OF THE POTOMAC NEAR YORKTOWN, VA. Sunday, April 13, 1862. The stillness of the day has turned my thoughts towards home and the dear friends there. It is very quiet in the different camps. Nothing of importance save the arriving of more troops. Whilst I am writing I can hear the sounds of bugles from the newly arrived troops. I have just fin ished my dinner, fresh meat and broth, no more 'salt junk' for a spell, as long as 'Secesh Cattle' hold out, which I think will be for some time, and I am glad that we have ad vanced so that we can get fresh meat, for it has been nothing but salt junk and salt pork for some time past, and many of the boys were sick on rations of pork. I will give you a description of our march from Hamp ton to our present encampment : One week ago last Fri day, we left our pleasant little camp at Hampton, for Rich mond, expecting, of course, to be brought to a standstill at Yorktown, and we are, and no mistake. The first day, Fri day, we advanced about 3 miles beyond Big Bethel, coming to a rebel encampment of about 400 cavalry, the infantry and artillery having left the day before for Yorktown on hearing that Porter's Division was advancing towards them. (See p. 201 Howard's Mills.) At 5 o'clock the next morning (After the fight at How ard's Mills) we were routed up and ordered to move on ward, and after partaking of a good breakfast consisting of salt junk, hard bread, and some good coffee, we hitched up our horses and were soon moving onward, but our day's march was not as pleasant as that of the day before. Fri day the roads were in tip top condition and the day pleas ant, but Saturday we had to pass through a swamp of 5 FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 215 miles length, and we hadn't gone more than a mile or so, before it commenced raining real old Virginia style, drops as large, nearly, as cherries, and it was not long before the mud was ankle deep. On this day we found that we could not advance as readily as on the day before, and on coming to the end of the SAvamp, we began to hear the booming of cannon. Saturday there were 2 batteries with us in the ad vance, and leading us, so that we didn't have a chance to commence the firing as we did the day before. We finally came in sight of Yorktown, and we saw before us, forts, entrenchments, rifle pits, strongly guarded. The Rhode Island and 5th Regular batteries were ordered out to com mence firing upon the forts, but as they were of small calibre could not do much service, yet did considerable towards silencing the batteries. Our sharpshooters did about as much as any towards si lencing the Confederates, keeping the gunners from their guns. In the afternoon Martin's Battery was ordered out to endeavor the silencing of a battery on the left of the en trenchments, and was successful, but with a loss of two men and 3 horses; they also had 3 men wounded. About 4^ o'clock we were ordered into the field and remained until about 8 o'clock, when we were ordered back to camp. None of us were wounded, although the shell flew around us fast. On arriving at camp, the clerk of the company came to me with a piece of paper with names on it, and called it the guard detail. I felt very tired, don't know as I ever felt more so, but being detailed for guard I must attend to it. Was about f of an hour putting on the relief, the men being very tired and would not go on readily and I couldn't blame them, having marched for two days. About i o'clock I was relieved by Corporal Wilson, turned in, under my piece, and slept until morning. Sunday morning we were routed up very early. The Right and Centre sections were or dered into the field to guard our pickets, so as not to allow 216 HISTORY OF THE the rebel cavalry to charge upon them as they had attempt ed to on the day before. Bill Baxter is in the Centre sec tion, and I am in the Left, so he went in, and I remained in camp. When they returned, about 8 in the evening, I found out that they had been exposed to a pretty hot fire from the rebel siege guns, but thanks to God, none were injured. Captain Martin's Battery being encamped near us, I wit nessed the burial of the two men killed in action, and it was a hard sight to see so many brave and courageous men clus tered around their dead comrades, not, as on the day before, facing the din and smoke of battle, but bowed down in grief, the tears streaming down their manly cheeks. Monday was a stormy day, and the Left section was or dered out. As soon as we had reached our position at the entrenchments, which had been thrown up during the night, the cussed rebels commenced firing upon us, and our Cap tain returned the compliment. They shelled us for about an hour, but as their fuzes were cut too long the shells went beyond us, and burst in the air. None of us were hurt. About 2 in the afternoon it commenced raining, not driz zling rain, but a tough old Virginia rain storm. Tuesday returned to camp. Wednesday we moved back about a mile, as Gen'l Mc- Clellan thought we occupied too conspicuous a position, into a cornfield, and the stalks and husks make a very good bed. Friday the Left section was ordered to guard a party of men building a bridge across the river which separates the Right of the Army from Yorktown. We had only one alarm during the day : were relieved by the Centre section yesterday morning, and came back to camp. Yesterday afternoon I received permission to go with a party of two for oysters, so last night had an oyster stew. All that was needed to make it rich was butter, milk, pepper, and a few little extras that we must not expect in the Army. Sunday night, 6 o'clock : I have just finished my supper FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 217 of 3 hard breads and a cup of coffee. Oh! I am getting used to High Living. . . . State musters are nothing to be compared with the en campments here. General McClellan and his body guard are encamped about a quarter of a mile from ours. The guard consists of Duryea's Zouave Regiment, a Regiment of Regular Dragoons, and an infantry regiment. Billy Baxter and Charlie Jameson have been over to see Major Wood. He is on McClellan's staff with the rank of major. The gunboats that are going to do the mischief are in York River, four miles from us, and the Signal Corps have been signalling all day to them. I believe the ball will roll pretty soon, and if nothing is wanting save the number of men, why the place is ours. Who knows but what there will be another surrender at Yorktown!" Note : "At Yorktown on the first day, Corporal T. E. Chase was seen when under fire, studying the Manual of the Gun 'Serving with reduced numbers.' ' The Fifth Mass. Battery guarded the new bridge over Wormley Creek by sections on certain days, as follows : The Right section, Lieut. Hyde, April I3th, I5th, i8th, 2 ist, 24th, 27th, 30th, and May 3d. Centre section, Lieut. Phillips, April i6th, iQth, 22d, 25th, 28th and May ist. Left section, Lieut. Dillingham, April I4th, I7th, 2Oth, 23d, 26th, 29th and May 2d. FROM LETTERS OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "CAMP NEAR YORKTOWN, Sunday morning April 13, 1862. Yesterday morning I relieved Lieut. Dillingham. . . . As there were a lot of planks lying round intended for the bridge, we. set to work and built a house, 12 ft. by 18 ft. 218 HISTORY OF THE roofed with slabs which accommodated about 20 very com fortably. General McClellan is encamped in the field be hind us, and close to him is a regiment of some sort of Zouaves with red breeches and white turbans, altogether too conspicuous a uniform for comfort in war. ... I am getting dreadfully tired of loafing around here doing- nothing. No drill, no bugle calls, no stirring out of camp lest orders should come in our absence, and meanwhile we are waiting, waiting, doing nothing. . . . Oysters are plenty. Our cook is opening about half a bushel now for our dinner/' Grows' Journal: "April 13, 1862. The view where we are encamped is splendid, the river is near us. In front, in our rear, and either side, are woods and ravines, with nice, cool springs of water. Monday April 14. This forenoon at 9 we got our ration of hard bread for one day, so as to be ready at 10 to go on picket and relieve the section which is guarding the bridge. Soon after, we fell in and went over and relieved them, after which I made me a little house of boards to sleep in. I then dug a hole in front of it to put wood in so I can have a fire. We only stand guard of one hour, and are off eight, so it comes very easy on us. The rest of the time we dig oysters and mussels, and go fishing, or lie down on the grass in the shade. At one o'clock the cooks came over with our dinner of stewed beans. About five o'clock the coffee was brought over to us. I built a fire in front of my tent and with Serg't. Harry Simonds, and a few others we sat down to chat and smoke. At 8 I went on guard for one hour, coming off at 9-" FROM LETTERS OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "CAMP WINFIELD SCOTT NEAR YORKTOWN, April 14, 1862. I give a short journal to show how much time I have to myself: Sat'y April 5th marched at daylight. Halted and kept in line till 4 p. m., then went into the field and stayed FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 219 till 8 p. m. Sunday, April 6th, Right and Centre sections in the field from 3 a. m. till dark. Wednesday, April pth, Left section in the field. Kept in continual alarm all day and routed out at midnight for fear of an attack. Thursday, April loth, Right section in the field, Lieut. Phillips ac companying. Moved camp in the afternoon. Friday, April nth, Left section guarding the bridge 24 hours. Sat'y, April i2th, Centre section guarding the bridge 24 hours. Sunday, April I3th, Right -section at the bridge. Monday, April I4th, Left section at the bridge, Centre sec tion on picket. Last night Martin's and Weeden's batteries were turned out by a little skirmish in front. The rebels sallied out and cut down the peach orchard and burnt the houses on the left and front of the field in which our guns were placed Sun day April 6th. . . . Today I marched my section at 7 a. m. into the field where we encamped for the first few days, came into Battery, unhitched the horses, watered them, picketed them, posted a guard and went to work to pass away the time. The picket reserve were close by. This con sists of about 200 men . . . and is intended to support our pickets in case they are driven in. ... Pretty soon up rode some officers curious to look at the enemy but there is no passing pickets, so back they go. Next come some officers of the Signal Corps and they keep on wherever they choose, and pretty soon we see the signal flag waving ahead where Signal Flag* it keeps going all day, occasionally shifting its position. Then we see a section of artillery coming along the edge of 220 HISTORY OF THE the woods on our left, and pretty soon they come into bat tery and shell away at a rebel earthwork. Towards after noon we hear heavy reports on our right, and conclude that the gunboats are trying their hand in the rebel batteries. So gradually the day wears on till sunset, when we limber up and go home. I shall probably go down to the bridge tomorrow. . . . Shipping Point is important as a place where we can load he.avy stores instead of carting them over the roads between us and Fortress Monroe. Porter's Division is encamped well in sight of York River in one large field, i. e. it may have been several fields, but fences are among the things that were. In the same field is the Artillery Reserve, with guns too numerous to mention. . . . One side of our camp is sheltered by a fence, saved by our energetic efforts, which appertains to a large house distin guished as 'the house with blinds on it.' This house is a large two story edifice . . . used as a General Hospital for our troops. In front of the house is a large peach orchard, and the hopes of a speedy reduction of Yorktown are sad dened by the thought that we must leave so many unripe peaches behind us. The siege guns have at last been heard from. Lieut. Dillingham rode down a couple of miles toward Shipping Point last night, and saw in a field several 30 pdrs. Rifled Guns, one 8 inch Columbiad, and several 8 or 10 inch mortars. The engineers are at work prospecting all round, and I suppose we shall now start some trenches. The bridge over the creek which lies between Porter's Di vision and Yorktown, progresses slowly, and I think the at tack will be made in that direction. I just hear that Gen eral Hooker is at Shipping Point, General Sumner in the neighborhood of the Severn." Phillips' Diary: "April 14. Some of our heavy howitz ers on our left trying to shell out a rebel battery. Small fight between the gunboats and rebel batteries." FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 221 Grows' Journal: "Tuesday April 15, 1862. After break fast we laid ourselves out on the grass to wait till we should be relieved at 10 o'clock this forenoon. There are about 300 men here at work building bridges. There are to be three of them. There was a pontoon bridge of boats thrown across the creek last night. These bridges are fine looking ones. . . . About 10 a. m. were relieved, when we went to camp. All that I need the most is something to read, and that is almost impossible to get, for when a paper does get here it is spoken for by most every man that sees it." Phillips' Diary: "April i5th, 1862. One bridge fin ished, and a pontoon bridge put on the creek." FROM LETTERS OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "CAMP WINFIELD SCOTT, Wednesday, April 16, 1862. The Centre section is guarding the bridge today, Lieut. Hyde having had it yesterday. Nothing momentous has occurred. The gunboats have been throwing a few shells at the forts and the forts have been throwing a few shells at the gunboats. This morning there was a considerable heavy firing on the left. Hooker's Division came up today, and have encamped somewhere in our neighborhood. They are now building four bridges here. The floating bridge is rather a failure, as the logs sink as fast as they are put in. i and 2 were built by General Morell, and are about finished; 3 and 4 by General Martindale. No. i was laid yesterday in 2^ hours. No. 4 was commenced this morning, and is nearly finished. The width of the creek is about 60 yds. Across the river the banks rise up steep, and then there is a level plain to the enemy's lines. As soon as the bridges are finished the siege, 222 HISTORY OF THE guns and mortars will probably be carried across, and put in position, and the Secesh will have an unpleasant time. Yesterday afternoon I rode about i^ miles towards Ship Point, and found part of the siege train, twelve 4^ inch Rifled Guns, eleven 8 inch mortars, nine 10 inch mortars." Chase's Diary: "April 16, 1862. Centre section sent to guard bridge. Alarm at 7 p. m. when a shell struck in the camp of the 22d Mass. Reg't, General Miles's old regi ment, but doing no damage. Captain Griffin ordered 'every man to his post/ and to be ready to load with shrap- nell. Heavy cannonading and sharp musketry firing on the extreme left to-day, .and occasional shots through the night." Phillips' Diary: "April i6th. . . . Occasional shells from gunboats." FROM LETTERS OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. April 17, 1862. "Thursday morning. The firing on the left was kept up all day, and at supper time the rumor was that we had dismounted several pieces of the enemy. Towards evening the reports became heavier and I thought I could distinguish the boom of a mortar, and the whistling of a heavy shell. This morning the firing still continues, having been kept up all night. About five o'clock yesterday afternoon the enemy appeared to have become excited, and threw several shells in rapid succession, into the creek, just below us, rather disturbing one of my men who was fishing on the lower bridge. Some of their shells fell among the pickets across the creek and the officers of the Signal Corps who were over here were obliged to retreat double quick, with out time to carry away all their things. In a few minutes , up rode Griffin in a very excited state. FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 223 'Every man to the guns. Load with shrapnell when you load, and fire right at them! Two regiments of infantry and one of cavalry have just appeared outside of the Fort.' So we got all ready, but nobody appeared. Pretty soon, however, two of our regiments crossed over and deployed in front of us, and just as I was thinking that the com mander of them had better keep me informed of their move ments if he did not wish a shell amongst them, General Mar- tindale rode up and suggested the necessity of my using some discretion in firing at the other bank. I have just re turned from the bridge." FROM LIFE AND LETTERS OF THE REV. WAR REN H. CUDWORTH, CHAPLAIN iST MASS. . INFANTRY. "CAMP WINFIELD SCOTT, ' April 1 8, 1862. MY DEAR PARISHIONERS. . . . Here, in 1781, before the United States became a nation, were encamped the regiments of our Revolutionary ancestors and their French allies, and on the very ground where now are quartered the soldiers of the loyal North, the British laid down their arms, and the independence of the United States was practically established. The very house where Lafayette had his headquarters is within a few steps of my tent, and the site formerly occupied by his seven thou sand troops is freshly consecrated by the presence among the forces of two batteries from Massachusetts. The ist Reg't. occupies an advanced position about a mile in front of General McClellan's headquarters, and only two from the strong earthworks which defend Yorktown." 224 HISTORY OF THE FROM LETTERS OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS. "CAMP WINFIELD SCOTT, April 1 8, 1862. There is so much firing now around here that we don't get up to look out unless a shell comes in our neighborhood. The guns which are in plain sight directly in front of our tent, and the enemy's water batteries blaze away at each other once in a while, but without accomplishing much. We can hear the shells whistling through the air, and an in experienced individual would imagine them directly over our heads, though they do not come within a mile of us. ... I do not know whether General McClellan was de ceived in the character of the works to be encountered, but General Porter, who stands as high in McC.'s confidence as any General of Division had no idea that the rebel fortifi cations were as strong as they really are. The first clay was only a reconnoissance, as it would be as useless to throw stones at a brick wall as to oppose field batteries to earth works armed with 32 pdrs. and 10 in. mortars. Our gen erals soon found that out and are now preparing for an ex tended siege. Nothing can be done without trie siege train, and this moves slowly. There are now in a field about a mile from here, a kind of depot, some fifteen 4^ inch Rifled Guns, five 100 pdr. Parrott guns, and twenty 8 and 10 inch mortars, besides three or four 8 in. Howitzers. The 4-J in. guns and the Howitzers are mounted on siege carriages, something like a field carriage, the Parrotts on wrought iron barbette carriages with chains and trav erse circle. Nothing has yet been done towards opening the trenches, but about 400 men are at work across the creek in front of our two guns, in making gabions, so you see we expect to do some shovelling. '. . . Meantime the rebels are not idle, but are working like bees, shovelling FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 225 lirt, lhat is to say, they are making the negroes work, for ^ieut. Colonel Alexander, chief of engineers, told me the lay I was out on picket, that he had just been inspecting hem, and he could see nothing but negroes. ... A de serter who came in told the sergeant who had charge of lim, and the sergeant told one of our men, that our shots :he first Sunday we were here caused a great commotion in :he rebel camp, bursting right in the tents. As the Centre section of the Mass. 5th was the only one that fired at the :amp, you will see this story gives some satisfaction. At the same time mind I do not vouch for its correctness. [See 3. 208] . . This afternoon I took a ride towards the various andings, Ship Point, Crab Point, Cheesman's Point, Back River Landing, Melville Point &c. all in the same general direction. . . . Close to the seige train in the field afore said is a square redoubt, intended to defend an attack from Back River Landing and Ship Point. The redoubt is very well built, with a barbette in each corner for a gun, and would hold about 300 men. The ditch is full of water. [Barbette guns fire over the parapet and have a free range. | B. The magazines are under the ramparts, and are very well protected. The barracks are very comfortable, like all rebel barracks in this neighborhood, being well built log houses. At present the redoubt is occupied as a magazine for the ammunition for the siege train, and holds quite a 226 HISTORY OF THE pile of shells. Farther down the road is what would he called in military language a lunette, with a pan coupe (The short length of parapet, by which the salient angle of a work is sometimes cut off.) at the salient, and the gorge stockaded in this shape. A.Bis a mere