Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery Part 13

_Tuesday, March 22._--We were paid off for two months service. Snow-storm.

_Friday, March 25._--The Army of the Potomac is to be divided in three corps. The Second will be consolidated with the Third corps, and commanded by General Hanc.o.c.k; the Fifth corps commanded by General Warren; The First and Sixth corps by General Sedgwick.

_Sat.u.r.day, March 26._--Lieutenant General Grant arrived at Brandy Station.

_Sunday, March 27._--Mounted inspection.

_Tuesday, March 29._--A heavy rain.

_Wednesday, March 30._--Rickett's Pennsylvania battery changed camp, going on top of the hill on the other side of Mountain Run.

_Friday, April 1._--Rain.

_Sat.u.r.day, April 2._--Rain.

_Sunday, April 3._--We exchanged ammunition with Thompson's Pennsylvania battery.

_Monday, April 4._--Captain Thompson's battery left for Was.h.i.+ngton.

_Tuesday, April 5, and Sat.u.r.day, April 9._--A heavy fall of rain on both days.

_Monday, April 11._--Mounted inspection by the new chief-of-artillery, Colonel Tidball, of the Fourth Heavy Artillery, New York.

_Tuesday, April 12._--Eugene Googins and Bill Taylor returned from Providence.

_Thursday, April 14._--Fred Frown, promoted to captain, arrived to-day, and was presented with a sabre, in presence of Colonel Tompkins and Lieutenant Colonel Munroe, by Battery B, his new command.

_Sunday, April 17._--Lieutenant Colewell left the battery to-day, being discharged on his application.

_Tuesday, April 19._--The artillery practised target-shooting in the morning.

_Wednesday, April 20._--Review of the artillery of the Second corps, by General Hanc.o.c.k. The corps has eight batteries now.

_Friday, April 22._--Review of the Second corps, numbering nearly forty thousand men, by General Grant.

_Sunday, April 24._--Mounted inspection.

_Monday, April 25._--This afternoon, a private of the Nineteenth Ma.s.sachusetts regiment was hung for violating a woman eighty years old.

_Wednesday, April 27._--The battery broke up winter-quarters this morning, and went to camp between Stevensburg and Pony Mountain. Sergeant Greene returned from recruiting.

_Friday, April 29._--The battery changed camp again, moving close to the infantry.

_Sat.u.r.day, April 30._--We were mustered in for two months service.

_Sunday, May 1._--Mounted inspection. Burnside's corps arrived at Warrenton Junction.

_Tuesday, May 3._--The Army of the Potomac commences the great campaign against Richmond. General Grant is with the army. Our battery left camp at eight o'clock in the evening, and marched all night.

_Wednesday, May 4._--Arriving at the Rapidan, we halted but a few minutes.

Our cavalry was already across. About six o'clock A. M., we forded the river at Ely's Ford. The infantry crossed on a pontoon bridge. We marched directly towards the Wilderness, and arrived at Chancellorsville at noon.

One division of the Second corps formed in line of battle, facing Fredericksburg, and remained there all day and night.

_Thursday, May 5._--Battle in the Wilderness. At seven o'clock in the morning, the army was in motion, on the road leading to Spottsylvania. The Sixth corps was in possession of Mine Run. Fighting commenced on our right about one o'clock P. M. The First division, Batteries A and B, Rhode Island, turned to the left at four o'clock P. M. Parts of our corps were hotly engaged near sunset. Our battery went in position near a farm house, and commenced to fortify immediately. So did the infantry on our left. The troops on our left were to be withdrawn, but suddenly ordered to halt as the rebel cavalry was reported to attack our left. In the night, our battery withdrew some distance to the rear, going in park. General Hayes was killed to-day.

_Friday, May 6._--Battle in the Wilderness. The troops were awake at three o'clock in the morning. Our battery returned to its position at daybreak, and was strengthening the fortifications. Incessant musketry fire was going on from five o'clock until ten o'clock A. M. Most of the fighting took place in the woods. Very little artillery had been used so far. The right section of our battery went to the rear to guard a road against the rebel cavalry. The enemy opened on our left with artillery, but was vigorously replied to by the Tenth Ma.s.sachusetts battery. Heavy cannonading was going on on the extreme right. One gun of Rickett's Pennsylvania battery bursted. A general attack from the rebels was expected in the evening; but all remained, quiet during the night. We stayed within our fortifications all night, laying alongside of our guns.

_Sat.u.r.day, May 7._--Battle in the Wilderness. We were fortifying our position stronger yet. Little fighting was done in our front to-day. The woods are on fire, exposing the wounded to a horrible death. General Sheridan's cavalry has been fighting hard all day, near Todd's Tavern. Our battery went to the rear at eight o'clock in the evening; but was kept in readiness for marching all night.

_Sunday, May 8._--Battle in the Wilderness. Fredericksburg is in our possession. All of our wounded are sent there. The Second corps advanced as far as Todd's Tavern, forming in line of battle, the cavalry on the flanks. Fighting was kept on until night, mostly in the woods. Artillery not much used. General Grant and staff pa.s.sed by. The infantry was fortifying all night.

_Monday, May 9._--Battle in the Wilderness. Line of battle at Todd's Tavern. Before break of day, our battery took position behind breastworks, built by the Thirty-ninth New York Regiment. But no engagement took place at this point. We left the position at noon, marching to the right. About three o'clock we got sight of the enemy's trains on the other side of the Po Creek. The right section, under Lieutenant Hunt, and one of Battery B, went in action, sh.e.l.ling the rebel trains. An hour afterwards, the rebels brought four pieces of horse artillery to bear on the two sections, but were silenced in twenty minutes. Walter Arnold, of our battery, was slightly wounded. Battery B had two men killed. The Second corps crossed the Po Creek at dark. Our battery went to park at ten o'clock P. M.

General Sedgwick was killed by a sharpshooter. Picket firing all night.

_Tuesday, May 10._--Near Spottsylvania Court House. Fighting commenced all along the line. A report of the fall of Petersburg was read to all the troops. Our battery went a few rods to the rear, to be out of the way. The right section started off, and had an action of half an hour's duration, coming very near being flanked. At eleven o'clock, our whole battery went to the rear, which was threatened by the enemy. We went in action on the roadside, firing for half an hour. The rebels evidently drove our infantry. The battery changed position, having the open field in the front and the woods in the rear and no road left to retreat but one, which was already endangered by the enemy. General Barlow, commanded our troops at this point. It was decided now to withdraw the right and centre sections, leaving the left section to cover the retreat, without any support at all, to oppose the enemy, who was ma.s.sing three formidable lines of infantry against us. Captain Arnold and Lieutenant Blake remained with the left section, giving orders to load and lay down until the enemy should be very near. This was done accordingly. At command of Captain Arnold, the pieces were fired with good effect, and two of the rebel guns soon silenced. The left section fired point blank during this action. Four lines of rebel infantry advanced on the left, throwing back our line of infantry across the only remaining road. Captain Arnold ordered our two guns to be brought to the rear by hand, limbering up from the rear, and try to make through the woods. The sixth piece escaped; but not the fifth, the wheels getting stuck between trees. The enemy being very close upon us, opened such a terrific musketry fire on the piece as to make the horses unmanageable.

Besides that, the cannoniers being all new men, left. n.o.body remained but Captain Arnold, Lieutenant Blake, Sergeant Calder, myself and the drivers. We found it impossible to remove the gun, and had to abandon it therefore, and crossed the Po Creek, the best way we could. The batteries on the other side of the creek, opened furiously on the victorious enemy.

The remainder of our line of infantry fell back across the creek; but over one thousand men were taken prisoners. Two men of our left section were wounded--Reynolds and w.i.l.l.y of the fifth piece. The latter had to be left on the field. Arriving at the battery, our comrades rejoiced to see us come back safe. We were engaged all the afternoon, setting fire to several shanties which served as rendezvous for sharpshooters. In the evening, we blew up a caisson of a rebel battery, which rode up at full speed, trying to get in action, causing them to withdraw immediately. We were in position all night.

_Wednesday, May 11._--Battle near Spottsylvania. Our battery fortified before daybreak. Heavy skirmis.h.i.+ng, and some firing of artillery, was kept up all day. A heavy shower fell in the evening. Our horses were unharnessed and sent to the rear of the woods. At ten o'clock in the night our corps received orders to leave. We marched all night.

_Thursday, May 12._--Battle of Spottsylvania Court House. Great a.s.sault of Hanc.o.c.k's corps, supported by the Sixth. Near daybreak we arrived on the extreme left of our army. The infantry, was already formed in line, ready for an impetuous onset. General Hanc.o.c.k and his division commanders rode up in front of the lines harranguing the troops. The long line advanced suddenly, soon disappearing in the fog that hung over the ground. After a short but desperate engagement, the works were carried, and two Generals, Stewart and Johnson, eighteen pieces of artillery, seven colors, and three thousand men, captured. Our battery changed position three times while in action. When in the second position, our horses were unhitched to carry the captured rebel artillery to the rear. Our third position was close to the line of works taken from the enemy. We were hotly engaged for two hours. The rebels concentrated all their forces towards this point. Our ammunition giving away, we were compelled to withdraw. The musketry fire was so severe that, had we remained a few minutes longer, we would undoubtedly have lost half of our men. Battery C, Fifth Regulars, occupied our position afterwards, but had to leave, and abandon two guns. The battle raged all day, and the loss of both armies was very heavy. Our army took eight thousand prisoners. During the day, our battery returned to the position held first, remaining there the rest of the day and night.

_Friday, May 13._--Near Spottsylvania Court House. Skirmis.h.i.+ng continued.

Our battery changed position twice in the afternoon, going in park at last, unhitched and unharnessed. According to an official announcement to the army we captured two generals, eight thousand men, eighteen guns, and twenty-seven colors from the rebels. Our loss since we entered the Wilderness is estimated at forty thousand men in all. The rebels held their position all day, making the line of works taken yesterday, very uncomfortable. Picket-firing was kept up all night. One of our battery, by the name of Hoyle, a recruit, was shot in the foot while going near to the outer line.

_Sat.u.r.day, May 14._--The rebels are falling back. General Sheridan's cavalry has done great damage in their rear. Our fourth detachment received a rebel gun to-day, in place of the one lost on the tenth of May.

Two more guns and caissons were taken from the enemy to-day. A mortar battery was playing on the enemy's lines all day. Rainy weather.

_Sunday, May 15._--Our battery left at half-past one o'clock in the morning, marching but a few miles. The Second corps was relieved by the Eighth, General Augur, being in reserve for a few days. We rested all day.

A heavy shower fell in the evening.

_Monday, May 16._--Remained quiet all day. It was read in line that twenty-three thousand men, reinforcements, were on the way.

_Tuesday, May 17._--All the batteries were reduced to four guns. The guns of our left section were sent to Belle Plain, by way of Fredericksburg. We changed camp at four o'clock P. M., and again about six, and marched off about ten o'clock in the night, going to the right of the line.

_Wednesday, May 18._--At daybreak, heavy fighting commenced on the right.

Our battery was in position, but as reserve. Generals Grant and Meade were in front of our battery, watching the progress of the contest, which was fought almost precisely where the great a.s.sault of the twelfth instant took place. Battery B, Rhode Island, was in action. Many of the new troops, the Corcoran Legion amongst them, took part in this fight. We returned to our camping-place in the afternoon.

_Thursday, May 19._--Near Spottsylvania Court House. We changed camp at eleven o'clock A. M., going in front of the army headquarters, and were pleasantly situated on the edge of the woods. A little after three o'clock P. M., great excitement prevailed on the line, the rebels being reported to have made an attack on the Fredericksburg road. Our battery was ordered out, going two miles. The fight was nearly over at our arrival, the enemy being driven back. We returned to the camp with orders to be ready to march at eleven o'clock P. M. The battery remained packed up all night, but did not leave.

_Friday, May 20._--Near Spottsylvania Court House. Quiet all day. Started at eleven o'clock in the night. The battery wagons were all uncovered. We marched all night.

_Sat.u.r.day, May 21._--Forced march of the Second corps. Crossed the Mat river at seven o'clock in the morning, struck the Fredericksburg and Gordonsville Railroad, and entered Bowling Green at noon. A fair-looking town. Nine thousand of our cavalry and horse artillery pa.s.sed through early in the morning, scattering the militia of the place. Marching further, we arrived at Milford Station at five o'clock P. M. This is an important railroad junction, with a good depot, and many dwelling houses.

Our cavalry and horse artillery occupied the surrounding farms. At six o'clock P. M., we crossed the Mattapony river, over a stationary bridge, going in park for the night. About seven o'clock the rebels ran out two guns, firing on our camps for a short time. We marched twenty-five miles to-day.

_Sunday, May 22._--On the Mattapony river. We advanced but one mile, at seven o'clock A. M., taking our position in the line of battle, and fortified at once; but, after finis.h.i.+ng the works, we had to give them up to another battery, and dug a new line of intrenchments about one hundred yards off. This created great dissatisfaction among the men. Heavy firing was going on to our right, some ten miles off. An attack from the enemy on our corps was expected, but we were not disturbed.

_Monday, May 23._--The Second corps was in motion again at daybreak. After marching ten miles, we crossed the Pole Cat Creek. About noon we arrived in the vicinity of the North Anna River, the Fifth corps being there already. After an hour's rest, our right section was ordered to advance, taking position behind a narrow strip of woods, in front of the river. The rest of the battery, and all the other batteries of the corps, came soon after, and went in position. At three o'clock P. M., a desultory fire was opened on the enemy's works, ceasing by five o'clock. The right section was ordered to go in advance of the line of battle, in front of a strong redoubt of the enemy, and to open furiously, and be a signal to all the batteries of the corps. The enemy offered great resistance for some time.

If it had not been for a few very large trees in front of our position, we would have lost a number of men. A heavy cannonade was kept up until dark, when our a.s.saulting columns carried the works at the point of the bayonet.