USA > Massachusetts > History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery : organized October 3, 1861, mustered out June 12, 1865, v.1 > Part 22
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WAR DEPARTMENT ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE WASHINGTON, July 31, 1862.
1
General Orders: No. 92
The following Order is published for the information of all con- cerned :
WAR DEPARTMENT WASHINGTON CITY D. C., July 31, IS62.
The absence of officers and privates from their duty under various pretexts, while receiving pay, at great expense and burden to the Gov- ernment, makes it necessary that efficient measures be taken to enforce their return to duty, or that their places be supplied by those who will not take pay while rendering no service. This evil, moreover, tends greatly to discourage the patriotic impulses of those who would con- tribute to support the families of faithful soldiers. It is therefore or- dered by the President :-
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FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
J. That on Monday, the 11th day of August, all leaves of absence and furloughs by whomsoever given, unless by the War Department, are revoked and absolutely annulled, and all officers capable of ser- vice are required forthwith to join their respective commands, and all privates capable of service to join their regiments. under penalty of dismissal from the service, or such penalty as a Court Martial may award, unless the absence be occasioned by lawful cause.
II. The only excuses allowed for the absence of officers or privates after the rith day of August, arc:
Ist. The order or leave of the War Department.
2d. Disability from wounds received in service,
3d. Disability from disease that renders the party unfit for military duty. But any officer or private whose health permits him to visit watering places or places of amusement, or to make social visits, or walk about the town. city. or neighborhood in which he may be, will be considered fit for military duty, and as evading duty by absence from his command or ranks.
III. On Monday, the eighteenth day of August, at 10 o'clock a. m., . each Regiment and Corps shall be mustercd. The absentees will be marked. three lists of the same made out. and, within forty-eight hours after the muster. one copy shall be sent to the Adjutant General of the Ariny, one to the Commander of the Corps, the third to be retained ; and all officers and privates fit for duty absent at that time will be regarded as absent without cause, their pav will be stopped. and they dismissed from the service, or treated as deserters, unless restored ; and no officer shall be restored to his rank unless by the judgment of a Court of Inquiry, to be approved by the President, he shall establish that his absence was with good cause.
IV. Commanders of Corps, Divisions, Brigades, Regiments, and detached Posts, are strictly enjoined to enforce the muster and return aforesaid. Any officer failing in his duty herein will be deemed guilty of gross neglect of duty, and be dismissed from the service.
V. A commissioner shall be appointed by the Secretary of War to superintend the execution of this order in the respective States.
The United States marshals in the respective districts. the mayor and chief of police of any town or city, the sheriff of the respective counties in each state, all postmasters and justices of the peace, are authorized to act as special provost marshals to arrest any officer or private soldier, fit for duty, who may be found absent from his com- mand without just cause, and convey him to the nearest military post or depot. The transportation, reasonable expenses of this duty, and five dollars, will be paid for each officer or private so arrested and de- livered.
By Order of the President :
By Order of the Secretary of War:
E. M. STANTON. Secretary of War.
E. D. TOWNSEND Assistant Adjutant General.
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On the day designated in this Order for the revocation of leaves of absence the following was promulgated :---
WAR DEPARTMENT ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, WASHINGTON, August 11, 1862.
General Orders, No 102.
All leaves of absence and furloughs, by whomsoever given, unless by the War Department, are, from this date, null and void, and all offi- cers and privates capable of service will immediately rejoin their rc- spective commands. The commanding officer of each corps, regiment, military post, or other command, will see that the muster directed in General Orders No. 92, current series, be made on the ISth instant, and that all absentees be marked as therein directed. All persons so marked as absent will be considered as absent without proper cause until they shall adduce evidence before a military court or commission to show that such absence was occasioned by one of the three causes specified in General Orders, No. 92; and until the action of such court or commis- sion they will receive no pay.
By Command of Major General Halleck :
E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adiutant General.
CAPTAIN ALLEN'S RESIGNATION.
A letter from Lieut. Phillips explains why Captain Allen's resignation did not take effect until October 17th, and a copy of the discharge found in Lt. Phillips' army desk. regularly endorsed by Gen. McClellan and the Division commanders, is here added :----
[FROM LT. PHILLIPS' LETTER. ] "CAMP NEAR SHARPSBURG, MD. Thursday Evening Oct. 16, 1862.
I have received a letter from Captain Allen and several official documents. Among the latter was Captain Allen's resignation, which has been wandering around some time after me. He sent it in to the Adjutant General's office August 20th. It left the Adjutant General's office August
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FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
26th, respectfully referred to the commander of the Fifth Mass. Battery. Somehow or other the Post Office was a long time in bringing it to me, and it only reached me this morning. I respectfully referred and forwarded it to Captain Martin, he will do the same to General Morell, he to General Fitz John Porter, who will accept it."
SPECIAL ORDERS NO. 284 HEAD QUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, CAMP NEAR KNOXVILLE MD. Oct. 17, 1862.
Special Orders. No. 284 Extract.
6. The following named officers, having tendered their resigna- tions, are honorably discharged from the military service of the United States.
Captain George D. Allen, Battery E. Mass. Artillery. By command of Major General Mcclellan
(Signed) S WILLIAMS Ass't Adj't. General. HEAD QUARTERS 5TH ARMY CORPS
October 18th, 1862. Official :
(Sd.) J. KIRKLAND Maj. A. D. C.
Official :
HEAD QUARTERS MORELL'S DIVISION. Oct. 19, 1862. (Sd. ) FRANCIS S. EARLE Ass't Adj't. General.
Official :
A. P. MARTIN, Capt. Commanding Division Artillery.
CAMP ON THE GAINES FARM.
To continue Phillips' letter from the old camp ground, May 29. 1862 :---
"One of the cannoneers. Alpheus Haskins, had his left foot badly bruised by being run over by a gun carriage. A stout boot saved the bones though it ruined the boot."
All of Morell's Division returned on the 29th to their camp on the Gaines Farm.
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HISTORY OF THE
This was the end of the battle of Hanover Court House, but not of the casualties. While quietly resting next day in camp, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, there arose a violent thunder storm. The thunder was loud and continuous, and the sky a sheet of flame. One of the N. Y. 44th camp- ing near by was killed by a stroke of lightning, and another stunned. They were sitting on a box of ammunition. Scott and Phillips generously gave up their tent and home-made bedsteads to two sick men, and occupied the "secesh" tent through which the water ran in a continual stream.
On one occasion Phillips wrote of the situation, after the battle of Hanover Court House, sickness, "secesh," and the rest :- "I regret that Dr. Gaines is allowed to keep his house, though not allowed to leave it,-when so many better men than he are lying on the damp ground sick with fever. After the battle of Hanover Court House some twenty wounded men lay in his barn on the floor crowded together, while he was allowed to occupy a comfortable bed. First look out for the comfort of our soldiers, say I, and theu look out for secessionists. At this very moment we have in our Battery men sick with fever lying on the wet ground in poncho tents,-dog kennels you would call them at home,-while Dr. Gaines's large house close by is almost empty. These men can be cured if we send them home where they can get comfortable beds under a dry roof, but keep them here exposed as they now are, and in a month they will be in their graves. We have nearly 20 men unfit for duty, and the regiments in this Division will not aver- age more than 500 men. The New York 25th went to Hanover Court House with 300 men and lost half; the New York 44th had 550 and lost 120; the Mass. 22d is as full as any in the service. The Maine 2d is pretty full and is a splendid regiment, and to them as much as to any single regiment we owe the victory at Hanover.
The New York 44th fought splendidly. They were op- posed for some time to 4000 rebels and held them at bay till the 20 Maine came up."
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FROM A LETTER OF T. E. CHASE.
"HANOVER Co. VA. May 31st, 1862.
Dr. Gaines is a noted rebel and tried to escape, but was caught by our pickets, he has a fine residence, a large plan- tation, and 87 slaves, all of whom seem to favor the con- fiscation of all rebel property. I have often visited the log cabins of the negroes on hoe-cake speculation, and quizzed them some, and I have had 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' from their lips."
Of the march to Hanover Court House he says :---
"We passed the direct road to Richmond -- which was seven miles distant-on the left. When we had marched about 18 miles we heard firing ahead, and about a mile farther on we saw that the enemy had been surprised and routed. Several acres of land were strewn with clothing, belts, knapsacks, haversacks, &c. which the gallant south- rons were too proud to take with them -- or they were too heavy-on a foot race with the 'mudsills." The roadside was lined with infantry resting, and some of them were wounded. It was a strange spectacle to see them lying in all positions; some talking, some writing, many asleep, and others tying up slight wounds. In a field at our right lay the body of one of the cannoneers of Regular Battery M, who was killed by a shell. The back part of his head was shot away, and his brains and fragments of his skull were scattered in every direction. He was a No. 3 man and, had a thumbstall still on his thumb, which was peculiarly suggestive to me, but I had but little time to borrow trouble about that then. Several dead horses were lying there that were shot from under their riders. As the Battery went round a corner. I cut across a wheat field to save distance, and but a few rods from the road I saw for the first time one of the enemy's dead. He fell on his side.
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HISTORY OF THE
His knapsack was strapped to his shoulders, and at his side lay his gun, haversack, and canteen. His eyes were par- tially closed. I raised the bosom of his blood-stained shirt, and saw the fatal wound. He was shot through the heart and must have died instantly. I took some cartridges from his cartridge box and ran to our piece. I found the car- tridges were made of good fine powder and a round moulded ball and three buck-shot each. On the road I picked up a cartridge box marked inside 'C. S. Arsenal, Baton Rouge. La.' . We marched about a mile farther, and were very suddenly ordered to countermarch, as the enemy had flanked us, but we went as fast as possible, and when we had regained our wasted mile, we took equipments, and mounted the caissons, and prepared for quick movements and hot work, and it had already commenced, for we heard the rattle of musketry in front of us, and saw the smoke."
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1
VALLEY of the CHICKAHOMINY
Ho gan
1.1.
3 Tolliper
Bridge
1.06
Barn
Wheat
DI Gaines!
Wheat
House 18.
11.
18.
To Rebel
Bridge
.Battery
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9.
Topacco
16.
Low Land
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prepared by
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1.
22.
Lewis Hill "
vision
Camps-1. Infantry of Division .- 2. Martin's Battery .- 3. Weeden's Battery .- 4. Griffin's Battery,-5. Allen's Battery. Positions, June5",-6, 5th Mass. Battery-7, Maryland Battery-8. Carlisle's Regular 20 par Battery .- 9. 32 pars ~10. Rebel Battery. 11. June 9." -Right Section, 11. Junell',-Centre Section. 13. June 13%- Centre & Left Sections. H. OUT Bridge . 15. New Bridge two bridges. In Batteries June 257-16. Right of New Bridge&Guns -17. On hill back of New Bridge Five 30 Days-18. On Gaines Hill, Five 30 Adrs-19. 5th Mass. in No4, Six Guns .- 20 June 16% to June 257-Rebel Guns. 2.1. Our Pickets. 22. Rebel Pickets.
From Sketches by C.APhillips
14
12.
Big Gun
Corn
7.
To Grapevine
New Bridge Road.
5.
/7.
Chickahominy River
5
20.
CHAPTER IX.
THE VALLEY OF THE CHICKAHOMINY.
BATTLE OF MECHANICSVILLE, June 26, 1862.
"Oftentimes an indifferent action, a short saying, or a ready jest, opens more intricacies of the true character than a siege or a battle." -- PLUTARCH'S Alexander.
"The slight circumstances of Plutarch are not mere anecdotes, in- sorted for the sake of amusement. They are traits of feeling and dis- position : short lines from a page of the heart put into italics."
-REV. ROBERT ARIS WILLMOTT.
Lieut. Henry D. Scott in his Notes describes the course of the Chickahominy as "from northwest to southeast, a treacherous stream, from 30 to 50 feet wide at this point. "Its banks," he says, "are low, and after a few hours' rain would overflow, and the country in its course would have the appearance of one vast lake."
The military operations on the Chickahominy embraced that part of the stream between Bottom's Bridge on the south where it is crossed by the Williamsburg road, and Meadow Bridge, fifteen miles to the north, where it is crossed by the Fredericksburg railroad.
Richmond lies nearly opposite the centre of this line, about 6 miles from the Chickahominy at its nearest ap- proach.
The swamp and stream had been crossed by several bridges. All of those in front of Richmond had been de- stroyed by Johnston when he fell back from Yorktown and Williamsburg, and the approaches to them were commanded
237
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HISTORY OF THE
by batteries on the southern side. Other points had to be chosen for building new bridges, which on account of the soil had to be laid upon trestles; the approaches being cordu- roved.
In moving from Williamsburg the Right wing of the Federal army had kept to the north, striking the Chicka- hominy at New Bridge directly in front of Richmond, the Left wing, keeping to the south, had reached the river at Bottom's Bridge, 13 miles below. This bridge had been demolished on May 20th, but close by was a ford which had been seized. On the 22d of May, Head Quarters were established at Cold Harbor just in the rear of the head of the Right wing. The bulk of the enemy were across the Chickahominy on the main road from New Bridge to Rich- mond, but a detachment had been left at Mechanicsville on the north bank 4 miles above. This was dispersed on the 24thi by the artillery and the bridge was destroyed.
The rebel general Johnston had destroyed the bridge by which the York River railroad crossed the Chickahominy, but no other damage was done, and after the bridge was re- paired the railroad was in operation up to the river.
On May 24th, 1862, McClellan received a despatch from the President, announcing that in consequence of General Banks's position having been made critical by the line being- broken on the day previous at Front Royal, with a probable loss to us of a regiment of infantry and two companies of cavalry, he was compelled to suspend General McDowell's movement to join the Army of the Potomac.
Then General McClellan ordered the construction of a series of bridges across the Chickahominy, but Bottom's Bridge and the Railroad bridge, a mile apart, were his main dependence, as the Railroad bridge, as it proved, was above the reach of the highest water; these he pro- tected in order to render his communications secure be- tween the Left wing on the south side of the Chickahominy composed of the two corps of Keyes and Heintzelman
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FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
covering six miles of the Williamsburg road in order to guard the approaches to White Oak Swamp, and the Right wing fifty miles away on the north bank of the river com- posed of the Corps of Sumner, Franklin and Porter, extend- ing north for 18 miles.
This was the situation on the 28th of May. The rise of the river on the 30th carried away all but the Railroad bridge, which was the only means of communication be- tween the two wings of the Army. During the afternoon and night of the 30th a storm more violent than had been known for many years, swept over Richmond. The rising of the Chickahominy which was already full would over- flow the swamp, preventing the forces on the south side from communicating with those on the north. The Left wing of the Army of the Potomac thus placed upon its own resources for its defense was thought by the rebel rulers to be at their mercy. But the rain fell alike on the just as on the unjust. The storm which swelled the Chicka- hominy impeded the movements of the troops of the rebel general Huger, and in the summing up of these events it has been sagely observed ( see Harper's "History of the Great Rebellion") that if Huger had come down upon the Left at any time. or if Smith had moved only an hour earlier on the Right. Heintzelman and Keyes must have been utterly crushed. Or. had the full flood of the Chickahominy come down, as was expected. four hours before, instead of four hours after noon, Suinner could not have crossed, and the U'nion forces on the south side of the river would have been annihilated in plain sight of the whole army on the opposite bank, utterly powerless to give any aid.
There is another period in the history of the world where an army passed from one bank to another in just the most convenient time. See chapter and verse in the Bible.
. THE BATTERY AT THE BRIDGE.
It was hoped that the next move would be direct for Richmond, and until that order came the weary soldier would rather rest in camp, but at 9 o'clock in the evening
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HISTORY OF THE
of Saturday the 31st of May, the repose of the Battery was broken by orders to go down and proteet the building of a bridge half a mile from eamp, and about the same distance below New Bridge, aeross the Chickahominy. In the dark- ness Lieut. Hyde rode over a bank about five feet high, bruising his arm so that he had to go back to camp.
A MISS-STEP IN THE DARK.
NOTES OF LIEUT. HYDE REVISED MAY 22, 1900.
"Ordered by General Griffin to take my Battery in the night as quietly as possible to a point under a eliff where the enemy had a strong fortification, at daylight as soon as it was light enough to discover their works we were to com- mence firing in that dircetion; the objeet being to draw their fire to ascertain what they had, -- and we found out!
We were moving along on what seemed in the darkness to be hard ground, and I was riding in company with Cap- tain A. P. Martin, when before I was aware of the danger, my horse went down a steep bank carrying me with him, and falling upon my leg and right arm, injuring me consider- ably, and I was compelled to leave the Battery in command of Lieut. Dillingham, and go baek, Captain Martin kindiy accompanying me, to the surgeon of the 44th N. Y. Regt. He examined my arm, putting it apparently in the best shape possible, plaeing it in a sling, and I returned to the Battery, having been absent only half an hour. I carried my arm in the sling for a week or ten days after. To this day (1900) it is sensitive to the touch, very crooked and two inches shorter than the left arm: the hand being mueh smaller."
The Battery was stationed in a large low-level clover field, about 500 yards from the river, and disposing them- selves as comfortably as possible on the limber boxes, officers and men slept all night in the mist and rain, with
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FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
the Battery in position just on the line of our advance pickets, though skirmishers were across the bridge on the left bank of the river. Porter's Fifth Corps of 20,000 men was alone upon the right bank.
Grows' Journal : "Saturday, May 31, 1862. At 2 this afternoon sharp musketry and heavy firing was heard. Across the creek our troops and the rebels are at it again. [This was the attack by Johnston on the Left wing of the Army of the Potomac commanded by General Silas Casey at Fair Oaks, when the Union forces were driven back.] The more they fight the sooner it will be over. The balloon, which is near us, went up this afternoon, and discovered our forces at Bottom's Bridge. We have orders that we may be called before morning. At 1/4 past 9 this eve, we were called to hitch out Guns and Caissons to go to a bridge about one mile from camp, and guard it. At 10 we started, leaving all our things behind except blankets and overcoats. We got on to the wrong road and got lost, and did not strike the right and get to the bridge till 14 past 3 in the morning."
June Ist, 1862, the Battle of Fair Oaks was renewed and resulted in the repulse of the rebels.
GUARDING THE BRIDGES. 3
In the valley of the Chickahominy the engineers labored under great disadvantage owing to the rising of the river, which overflowed its banks until the meadows were all afloat, and the completion of the bridge anticipated on Sun- day morning June Ist was not so soon accomplished. The Battery, however, was relieved at dark, twelve 32 pdrs. having come out during the day, and Colonel Alexander chief of engineers being of the opinion that two companies of infantry and two pieces of artillery were enough to pro- tect the bridge.
The day was hot, and very "close" and "muggy," but
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there were mitigating circumstances in a barn near by con- taining several tons of tobacco, which the men carried back to camp on the Gaines Farm, each carrying as much as could be transported in his arms.
Grows' Journal: "Sunday, June 1, 1862. 'As dark as pitch,' not a star to be seen. Unlimbered and went into Battery. This is the Chickahominy swamp, and a bridge has got to be built in order for our troops to cross. At 1/2 past 4 this morning I laid my blankets on the wet grass and clover and laid down. There was a very heavy dew and then rain. Got up at 6. We soon moved our guns farther back so we can get good range. A queer business for Sunday !
Soon after, several regiments of infantry came down to protect the batteries and to help on the bridge. They soon got themselves to work and then we were dismissed for the rest of the day, to make ourselves as comfortable as we could but not to go too far away,-to be within hailing distance.
This is a beautiful place. a large plantation. The owner's name is Dr. Laws. He is under arrest being one of the very rankest 'Secesh.' He raises mostly tobacco; has a large barn about 100 ft. from our piece, and in it is about $5000 worth of cured tobacco in the leaf. It has not been pressed. Our officers told us to help ourselves. It is far superior to that which we buy at home. All the men who smoke have plenty of cigars, for it is very easy to roll one out. The tobacco is packed in the barn all over the floor. about 5 ft. thick.
The sun is awful hot today, but I have kept myself in the shade of the Barn most of the time. This afternoon I was surprised to see Whitcher, who formerly belonged to the old Battery. He is now a lieutenant in the ist Maryland Battery. We have not had any occasion to fire, as yet. The battery on our right,-there are 8 of us .- has fired about 20 shots today. Sinall bodies of rebel troops keep showing themselves during the day, along the edge of the
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woods, but a shell or two soon scatters them. Our supper was brought over to us in good season, and about an hour after we got orders to go back to camp. Arrived soon after dark."
June 2d, Monday forenoon, about 10 o'clock, the Battery went down again to guard the bridge.
The officers had fried pork, and hasty pudding and molasses, for dinner, over which they discussed the situ- ation, while heavy firing both of musketry and artillery resounded on the left of the line. It was confidently asserted in the privacy of camp circles, that if Porter's Corps had crossed the Chickahominy on Sunday, June Ist, 1862, it could have marched straight to Richmond. The enemy's forces were then coming round on our right wing, which was held by Porter's Corps.
"This continual moving" [back and forth to the bridge] wrote Lt. Phillips, "is a terrible strain on sick men, and there are plenty of them here. Not a great many very sick, but a large number troubled with slight disorders, enough to render them unfit for duty. The country is not so healthy as New England, by any means, leaving out the exposure. Yesterday [3d] we remained in camp all day. We were ordercd to go out into the field, but in consequence of the storm, I suppose, General Morell ordercd us to stay in camp." -- A heavy rain flooded the road, and still the bridge was impassable. A regiment passed down with shovels and axes. The road was to be corduroyed.
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