History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery : organized October 3, 1861, mustered out June 12, 1865, v.1, Part 13

Author:
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Boston : L.E. Cowles
Number of Pages: 1046

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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 1 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 II. 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 2 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 11, 1862.

PRESIDENT'S WAR ORDER No 3.

Major General MeClellan having personally taken the field at the head of the Army 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 prompt, full. and frequent reports will be expected of all and each of them.

By Order of the Secretary of War,

ABRAHAM LINCOLN. L. THOMAS Adjutant General.

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FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.

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 Quartermaster 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

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Merrimac shows more dash than I had given them credit for, thoughi 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 II o'clock. Laid back for a sinoke and a read. At 2 o'clock the call for the Battery to turn out was sounded, and as I thoughit a horse-back ride would do me good, I took a pair and went ont, 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. Aiter 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 :--

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HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC FAIRFAX C. H. VA. March 13, 1862.

General Order No. TOI

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. meintzelman. Divisions F. J. Porter, Hooker, and Hamilton.

4th Corps. Brig. Gen. E. D. Aeyes, Divisions Couch. Smith and Casey. 5th Corps. Maj. Gen. N. P. Banks, Divisions Williams and Shields. By command of

MAJOR GEN. MCCLELLAN. A. V. COLLURN, 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.

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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

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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, --- tragnificent 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.

GEO. 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

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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 Ioth of March, burned everything which he could not carry away.

The Army of the Potomac commenced its march on the roth 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.

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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 aların.

MANASSAS JUNCTION. 5

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

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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 1/2 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 11 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

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Lieut. Phillips on the 15th, "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 guns 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

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Grows' Journal : "Friday March 14, 1862. At 1/2 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 II 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

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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

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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 II 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 disagrecable 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 1/2 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 17th. Our Orderly Sergeant went at 4 o'clock this morning to Fairfax Court House to receive

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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 17th, 1862, the Army of the Potomac com- menced the embarkation, leaving 70,000 men for the de- fense of Washington.

On the 18th, 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.

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History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery : organized October 3, 1861, mustered out June 12, 1865, v.1, Part 13

Author: Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Boston : L.E. Cowles Number of Pages: 1046

Author:
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Boston : L.E. Cowles
Number of Pages: 1046