USA > Massachusetts > History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery : organized October 3, 1861, mustered out June 12, 1865, v.1 > Part 15
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The Reserve will also furnish a line of sentinels to communicate with the Supports, as well as a line communicating with the Headquar- ters of the Brigade. The sentinels on these lines will be posted within easy call of each other, so that intelligence may be passed from the Pickets to the Camp with the utmost celerity. They are to be relieved every two hours, and while on post must keep constantly on the alert. never being allowed to sit or lie down.
The duties of the Pickets are to keep a vigilant watch over the country in front, and over the movements of the enemy, if in sight : to prevent all unauthorized persons from passing in or out of the lines, and to arrest all suspicious individuals. In case of an attack, they will act as a line of skirmishers, and hold their ground to the last moment. If forced to retire, they will slowly close their intervals, and fall back upon their Supports.
The Supports, being placed in strong positions, will hold themselves in readiness to receive the Pickets, and repel an attack, retiring in good order upon the Reserve, when unable any longer to hold their ground.
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One relief of the Supports will be allowed to sleep. One must con- stantly be on the alert. One commissioned officer must also be up and awake at all hours.
No.fires will be allowed on the line of Supports, or outside the line of Reserves. Any fires found burning will be promptly extinguished.
The Reserves, stationed in a strong position, and one which com- mands, as far as practicable, all approaches to the camp, shall be of sufficient strength to check the advance of the enemy, thus affording the main body of the Army ample time to form and prepare for attack. It will give a rallying point for the Pickets and their Supports, if driven in, and, being reinforced by them, will hold its ground until ordered by the Division Commander to retire. At least one commissioned offi- cer and one-third of the men of the Reserve must be on the alert at all hours. Fires may be built on this line in such places as are screened from the view in front by the nature of the ground. The position of the Reserve should be strengthened by the use of all such defences as the country affords. When near the enemy abattis should be con- structed whenever practicable. The Reserve shall, in addition to the lines of sentinels already mentioned, send out patrols between the lines and a short distance to the front of the line of Pickets, to examine such portions of the country as are not fully in view of the Pickets.
A detachment of Cavalry shall be attached to cach Reserve, which shall send several mounted men to remain with each of the Supports, to act as messengers in case of necessity. These men shall be relieved every six hours, and while on duty with the Support shall keep their horses saddled and bridled. The detachment with the Reserve shall keep one half of their horses saddled and bridled. prepared to mount at the command. This Cavalry is to be used for mounted patrols, and such other duty in connection with the guard as the Field Officer of the Day may direct.
Field Artillery may sometimes be used to strengthen the position of the Reserves whenever the nature of the ground gives it an effective range. In all cases when artillery forms a portion of the guard, it will be constantly in readiness for immediate use. The horses will never be unhitched, and their drivers will remain within reach of them.
As a general rule, the Advanced Guard will consist of about one- tenth of the effective strength of the command. But this, of course, varies with circumstances. The Reserve,-with the sentinels and pa- trols it furnishes,-will comprise two-thirds of the entire guard. The other third being subdivided for the Supports and their Pickets. The positions of Pickets, Supports, and Reserves, will be designated by the Field Officers of the Day for each Brigade, under the supervision and control of the General Officer of the Day for the Division.
Each Commander of Division will have an understanding with the Commander on his right and left, as to where they are to unite with the adjoining Guards.
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On arriving at the position to be occupied by the Reserve, the Com- mander of the Guard will advance with and station the Supports and point out the position of the line of Pickets. The Commander of the Supports will. accompanied by the non-commissioned officers of the reliefs, post the Pickets of the first relief. and explain to them their dutics. They will be careful to observe that the whole ground is cov- ered ; and that perfect connection is made with the lines on their right and Icit. After the Pickets are posted, the Commander of the Guard, will himself visit them, sce that they understand their duties and occupy proper positions, and connect with the lines to the right and left. Should the position of the Pickets be changed, the order must pass through the Commander of the Supports to which they belong.
The Commander of the Guard will make himself thoroughly ac- quainted with the ground which his Guard occupies, with the ap- proaches and communications. He will keep up constant communica- tion from front to rear and from right to left by means of lines of sen- tinels and patrols. In case of alarm he will promptly investigate the cause, and be careful not to exaggerate the danger. Should the enemy advance. he will, by personal observation, endeavor to discover whether they are in force. and beware of causing unnecessary alarm. He will communicate all important intelligence to the Field Officer of the Day, who will report the same to the General Officer of the Day, and if the case be urgent, directly to Division and Brigade Headquarters. He will see that all the duties of his Guard are performed in a prompt and soldierly manner, and enforce the strictest discipline. The Field Offi- cer of the Day will visit the Reserves, Supports and Pickets soon after they are posted, and at least once during the night. . . . At nightfall the line should be drawn somewhat closer to the Supports, and should pass through the lower ground, and just within the front of any timber or brush.
All Sentinels of Advanced Guards must be given the countersign [see p.797 April 2, 1861] before sunset, and commence challenging immediately thereafter. At night care and vigilance must be redoubled by officers and men of the Guard."
GREAT BETHEL.
The bridge having been repaired on March 26, 1862, the 22d Mass., Infantry, went over on a reconnoissance march- ing to within a mile of Great Bethel After a seven mile march they only saw a few pickets.
The Fifth Mass. Battery were ordered to hold themselves in readiness to support the 22d if attacked. During the night the lieutenant of the picket was shot at. It was pro- posed to take possession of Great Bethel on the 27th and
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about seven o'clock our troops began to march past in the following order :
Griffin's Battery, Hancock's Brigade, Smith's Division.
Ist N. Y. Battery, Butterfield's Brigade, Porter's Divi- sion.
Martin's Battery. Ayres' Battery, Brooks' Brigade, Smith's Division.
Morell's Brigade. Porter's Division.
3d N. Y. Battery, Davidson's Brigade, Smith's Division. In all about 15,000 men ; 30 guns.
Martindale's Brigade was held in reserve.
Grows' Journal: "Wednesday March 26, 1862. Turned out for drill. Came in, in about an hour. About 10 o'clock we hitched up, and were ordered to cover the rear of the 22d. Mass. Remained 'in Battery' about an hour, and seeing no signs of the rebels we went to our quarters. Was much pleased by seeing a number of men from Nims' (Second Mass. ) Battery. They are ordered to leave tomorrow for Ship Island at the mouth of the Mississippi River. We are waiting for an advance to be made. There is a rebel for whose capture $300 will be paid at the Fort. He is a great shot, and has killed off several of the infantry pickets. There is a house near by and we have received orders to shell it out this afternoon. Spies have been lurking around our camp today. Arrested one of them and sent him to the Fort. It has been a glorious day and as warm as it is at home in the summer, but the nights are heavy with dew, and if we are out we have to wear our overcoats.
Thursday, March 27th. The same old drill and such like."
Lt. Phillips in his letter of March 27th 1862. Thursday evening, wrote :- "We were ordered to report to General Martindale as soon as we heard firing, so we waited with horses harnessed ready to start at a moment's notice, but as the day passed on we gave up all hopes of an engagement.
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Once or twice we heard the report of a field piece, but no orders came and we unharnessed.
Pretty soon a cloud of dust appeared on the road, and back came Griffin's Battery all covered with dust and dirt. but his sponges as clean as if they had never sponged a gun. Then came infantry, General Porter and his staff and Mar- tin's Battery. They had been 5 miles beyond Great Bethel and seen hardly a rebel.
Smith's Division remained behind, and it is very likely that we shall push on tomorrow.
The remainder of the Division was encamped along the left hand road. Until today the pickets were on outside picket, and as the brook is not more than 100 yards in front of our guns, we were pretty well up to the front. Last night the officer of the picket was fired at while at the fire in front of our park 30 yards off. The bullet whistled near enough to be uncomfortable. The first day we came there was quite an excitement firing at somebody in the old house 900 yards off. After he disappeared a lot of pigs made their appearance, and the pickets kept popping at them all day. They did not hit any and strict orders had been given to allow no one near the old house. Today, how- ever, as the advance of our forces had removed all risk, Hyde and Scott took their revolvers and went foraging round the house, and succeeded after an exciting chase in bringing home two pigs. Martin's Battery brought home six pigs, one on each caisson. We have also gained a colt .--- seceshi of course, -- which by some means or other strayed into our camp, and was forthwith caught and appropriated. We fare rather better than most of the troops round us, ow- ing to the superior cuteness of our quartermaster. Our Battery is in first rate order; good horses, guns and car- riages well kept, and men in good health. We have re- ceived a good many compliments on our appearance, and venture to hope that it is not entirely undeserved. Our
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drill is now quite good and I think we shall do pretty well in a fight.
The 'Vanderbilt' and another large steamer are now in the Roads, and it is proposed to run them full tilt at the rebel steamer. Probably it would settle the Vanderbilt, but the Merrimac would be likely to go down too.
Friday morning March 28. 1 see the campaign is open- ing as I expected; General ( Nathaniel P.) Banks advancing up the Shenandoah, and the rebels falling back on the Rap- pahannock. Is Burnside going to take Weldon?"
Grows' Journal: "Friday, March 28, 1862. After breakfast went and sat down by the side of the road, which is very near my tent, and stayed there till 3 past 10, looking at the regiments of infantry, batteries of artillery, and squadrons of cavalry pass by on their way to capture Great Bethel. There was a vast number of men and horses with teams, and in the rear the mournful looking ambulances for the wounded if there should be any. We soon received orders in case we heard heavy firing. to advance as soon as we could, but we did not hear any, so we still remain in the same place. . . .
About 4 this afternoon a large portion of the troops that went out this morning, came back, and will make a still farther advance in a few days. They told us that the rebels left in a great hurry when they saw our troops coming on to them at Great Bethel, in some cases leaving their dinner on the table, and leaving all their goods behind. Only four 'Secesh' were killed. Our troops came back well laden with hams, eggs, dead hogs and live turkeys. I do not blame them, poor fellows. Had some 'Secesh' curiosities given me, such as a fan, some buttons &c."
March 29th the rebels hield Great Bethel and our pickets extended only half a mile beyond Newmarket Bridge. Mr. Whittemore of the New York Times dined with the officers of the Fifth Mass. Battery on fried pork, bread, and tea. General Porter had been heard to say that they would have
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some fighting soon, that the Battery would be in the front, and he hoped it would be the first to open fire on the enemy.
Sunday March 30th the men had a good dinner of baked beans which were cooked in an oven that they built theni- selves.
LETTER OF LT. PHILLIPS. "NEWMARKET BRIDGE, Sunday Morning, March 30, 1862.
If marching 20,000 men ten miles and back again con- stitutes a great general, we have talented commanders round here. Twenty thousand men marched out to Great Bethel with flying colors, and, as I supposed, left some few behind to occupy the place, but in this I was mistaken, for I have since ascertained that all returned. Why on earth a reconnoissance in such force could not have ended in a real advance I do not know. The Army of the Potomac waits till the rebels have evacuated Manassas, and then ad- vances with a grand hullabulloo to occupy deserted in- trenchments, and this is military strategy!
The army at Fortress Monroe advances to Great Bethel to find it deserted and march back again, and this is military strategy!
Dillingham and I rode down to Newport News Friday afternoon, and passed through Smith's Division on our way. The regiments were camped close together, and the camp fires cast a brilliant light on the road. Fences and woods are rapidly disappearing before the Army of the Potomac, and the country will soon be stripped as bare as the hills round Alexandria.
At Newport News I found a redoubt on a hill armed with heavy guns, and outside of this an intrenchment de- fended hy two or three field and siege guns. The space inside of the intrenchment is filled with barracks, offices, and all sorts of log and frame houses.
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Dillingham found a friend of his in the commissary de- partment, who showed us round.
The 'Cumberland' was lying close in shore, her hull below water, but her masts and rigging all standing.
A few burnt sticks farther down was all that was left of the 'Congress.' Holes in the buildings showed where the Merrimac's shot had struck, and the only wonder is that a single building was left standing. The Merrimac lay with- in point blank range, and either her practice was very bad or her ammunition poor. Most of her shells did not burst, which looks as if the trouble was in the ammunition. . . .
Having the countersign and parole we had no difficulty in getting outside of the lines: but in the darkness took a . different road from the one we came, but as luck would have it, a shorter one.
Pretty soon rang out in front of us- Halt! who comes there?' 'Friends with the countersign.
'Advance! one with the countersign.'
So Dillingham trotted ahead, and I could hear a short conversation with the sentry. Pretty soon Dillingham told me to come on, and I found we had arrived at a place where the countersign was different. (See p. 797 Counter- sign.) So the sentry passed us on to the next, and so on till we came to the officer of the day on his rounds.
It seems we had come to Couch's Division, which had just landed and had the countersign which was put on by General Mcclellan on the Potomac. So he took us in charge and passed us along for about two miles, till we reached the last picket. We could not understand this great display of caution till the officer told us that his Divi- sion lay outside of everything. We concluded that he was laboring under a slight mistake, as some 30,000 men lay between him and Great Bethel.
March 31, 1862. Our Battery is at present in position commanding Newmarket Bridge. . . . Hamilton's Divi- sion 3d Corps and Casey's Division Keyes's Corps, are here.
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The Naval Brigade Colonel (David W.) Wardrop, the Dutch Brigade our neighbors on Capitol Hill, and others of the Artillery Reserve, are strung along between Hamp- ton and Fortress Monroe. On the whole I think you may set the effective force here at 75,000 infantry, 150 pieces of artillery, and a lot of cavalry; enough to do something when they get started. It is said that General Mcclellan arrived here yesterday. A salute of 13 guns was fired from the Fort yesterday. Two squadrons of cavalry and 400 or 500 infantry, rode by here today over the bridge on a re- connoissance.
Our cat, imported from Massachusetts, has taken up her quarters with us, (in the tent) as being the warmest to be found. The country here is quite different from the banks of the Potomac, the soil is sandy so that we are not troubled with mud, and the ground is very level, with here and there a brook and wood. A better field for infantry to manœuvre in could not be found. The Division parades are all large enough to review the whole Division, and 100,000 men can be handled here easier than 25,000 on the Potomac. Our artillery is splendid, and Porter's Division is equal to any in this respect. Griffin's Battery (D, 5th U. S.) is equal to any regular battery; Martin's ( Third Mass. ) is as good a battery as Massachusetts has sent.
We also come from Massachusetts, and Weeden's (Fourth R. I.) is a Rhode Island battery, which state shares with Massachusetts the pre-eminence in volunteer artillery. Captain (Stephen) Thomas of the Mass. 18th dined here yesterday on fried pork and tea. Colonel Wardrop was up here when we were lucky enough to have fresh meat. To- day we have made a ten strike and got hold of some fresh meat, potatoes, dried apples, and sugar. Milk we have given up for a long time."
Lieut. Phillips thus describes a shell thrown from the Merrimac :- "6 inches diam., 12 inches long, weighing filled about 60 lbs. The packing. of some soft metal, was
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all stripped off, and it looked as if there had been a cap ou the rear end. The fuze was percussion."
Tuesday, April 1, 1862, was observed as April Fool's Day. Grows notes in his journal being awakened by one of the men informing him that an acquaintance from Bos- ton was on the ground from the 20th Regt. and wished to sce him. Grows began dressing, but before he went out thought what day it was, and told him to tell the man to come into the tent. He did not come. At 'Reveille' many were the jokes played upon both officers and men.
Grows' Journal of the Ist: "After dinner about fifty of us went into the woods near by to catch some rabbits. They are very plentiful here. Came in about an hour after with five large ones. If we had had guns we could have had more, all we had were clubs and stones. Cooked them for our supper. Went this afternoon with the team about two miles from camp to help get a load of rails for our fires. Got back into camp about 5 this afternoon, feeling tiptop. Went to Roll, then had supper and a small piece of rabbit. The air is quite cool this evening, so we all sit around our fires with overcoats on."
That the men made the best of what they had is shown by Grows' Journal where he refers to making rice cakes for his supper. He says, "Soon after breakfast I got some rice and cooked it, also got some hominy and cooked that, then mixed them together and let them cook awhile, took some hard crackers and pounded them fine and put them in to thicken the rice, and then put the stuff away to make cakes for my supper, to be fried in pork fat."
He thus describes the building of the oven for his De- tachment :- "We went to work and built an oven and it is a nice one. We have plenty of bricks and water, and dirt for mortar, after which we covered the whole over with dirt, except the door."
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LETTERS OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS.
"April 2, 1862. Newmarket Bridge: The roads are get- ting so bad that we shall have a repetition of the immobility on the banks of the Potomac unless we move soon.
We have rumors of moving every day, but we are as much in the dark about things here as we are about things at home.
The first night we camped here all our pickets were on this side of the creek, one being posted at the bridge. Since the reconnoissance to Great Bethel they have been extended about half a mile up the road. Still as the enemy is not in force anywhere near us we have not much to fear.
Our fare so far has been the toughest we have seen, hard bread such as Uncle Sam furnishes to his troops being the only thing attainable. Most of the sutlers got left behind, and it is almost impossible to buy anything round here. Everything has to come from the vicinity of the Fort, the "city" as we call it. and waiting for orders that may come at any moment we can hardly communicate with this. Still we get along without any detriment to our health, and keep cheerful. The Division mail arrived at the Fort but by some mistake was given to the wrong person, which makes it rather doubtful how soon we shall get our letters.
P. S. Evening. Just received. P. P. S. The Post- master General desires that all letters for the Division be directed to Washington. The weather is chilly, with a northeast wind. Professor Low has arrived with his bai- locn."
THE SITUATION.
General McClellan on April 2d, 1862, had made his head- quarters at Fortress Monroe.
Two new departments: those of the Shenandoah and the Rappahannock had been created. April 3d an order was
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issued by the Secretary of War discontinuing the recruiting service. Troops offered by Massachusetts were peremp- torily declined. General McClellan had no control of the naval forces upon which he depended for co-operation in the reduction of Yorktown, and his command of forces in the field was restricted to the limits bounded on the west by the Fredericksburg and Richmond R. R. and on the east by the line defining the sixty-mile limit from Fort Monroe, and lying between the Potomac and James Rivers. His de- partment included the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia east of the Alleghanies and north of the James River, with the exception of Fortress Monroe and the country sur- rounding it, within a distance of sixty miles. The rebels had constructed several lines of fortifications between For- tress Monroe and Yorktown, the first of which was at Big Bethel. At Big Bethel there was a very crooked little brook about 20 feet wide. On the southern side there was a level plain, about large enough to hold a Brigade. The northern bank was very steep and rolling, and was defended by rifle pits and artillery "epaulements." (Demi-bastions in fortifications. A "bastion" is a bulwark. )
The rebels on the advance of our reconnaissance of March 27th, retreated beyond this line, to their second fortified line at Howard's Mills, where our scouts reported a large force of cavalry and infantry drawn up behind the ramparts.
The third line of defense was right around Yorktown.
General Order No. 33, dated War Department Adjutant General's Office, Washington, April 3, 1862, contained the following paragraphs :-
"II. In order to secure, as far as possible, the decent interment of those who have fallen, or may fall, in battle, it is made the duty of Commanding Generals to lay off lots of ground in some suitable spot near every battlefield, so soon as it may be in their power, and to cause the remains of those killed to be interred, with head-boards to the
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graves bearing numbers, and, where practicable, the names of the per- sons buried in them. A register of each butial ground will be pre- served, in which will be noted the marks corresponding with the head- boards."
It was a wise forethought which dictated this, but what of the next?
"III. The Recruiting service for volunteers will be discontinued in every state from this date. The officers detached on Volunteer Re- cruiting Service, will join their Regiments without delay, taking with them the parties and recruits at their respective stations. The Super- intendents of Volunteer Recruiting Service will disband their parties and close their offices, after having taken the necessary steps to carry out these orders. The public property belonging to the Volunteer Recruiting Service, will be sold to the best advantage possible, and the proceeds credited to the fund for collecting, drilling, and organizing volunteers.
By Order of the Secretary of War.
Official :
L. THOMAS, Adjutant General."
COMPANY ORDERS.
On this day Company Orders were "Three days' cooked rations : three days' uncooked." The Battery was to march the next morning at daybreak.
Grows' Journal : "April 3, 1862. Had cannoneer's drill one hour this forenoon. Had dinner of our baked beans. They were done just right. We were informed this after- noon that we would break camp at 2 in the morning, so I began to pack the loose things I had, so I could be on hand early. Had quite a good supper of coffee and hard bread, after which we drew three days' rations, consisting of thirty hard bread and three or four lbs. of meat, then filled our canteens with water. Our destination is to be Richmond, having to pass through Bethel and Yorktown."
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