USA > Massachusetts > History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery : organized October 3, 1861, mustered out June 12, 1865, v.1 > Part 32
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p. m. Marched to Bristoe Station, reaching there at I p. m."
The night of the 28th Sigel's command was just south of the Warrenton turnpike, the portion running from Gainesville to Centreville, part on the left near Newmarket. the remainder near the junction of the turnpike and Sud- ley Springs road at Groveton. Kearney was at Centreville. Heintzelman was with Hooker at Bull Run. Porter was at Bristoe. Part of McDowell's Corps had contested unsuc- cessfully the passage of Longstreet through Thoroughfare Gap in the Bull Run Mountains, through which passes the Manassas Gap R. R. from the country west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, through Manassas Gap and Thorough- fare Gap, to Manassas Junction, and part had been engaged with the enemy near Groveton.
Banks with his Corps was guarding the army trains at Bristoe.
On the rebel side, Longstreet was encamped at the foot of the mountain, on the eastern slope, having passed throughi Thoroughfare Gap.
On the morning of the 29th of August, the position was as follows :- The rebel general Jackson had marched round Pope's right flank, gained his rear, captured large supplies at Manassas, cut his railroad communication by the Orange and Alexandria R. R. with Washington, and was awaiting the arrival of other rebel forces under Lee on the old battlefield of Bull Run.
The Fifth Mass. Battery men with the Third Mass. Bat- tery left camp at 6.30 a. m. when the advance met the enemy. They opened one or more batteries on our troops but fired slowly. Our batteries and infantry were placed in position to give the enemy battle. "We marched." wrote Phillips, "to Manassas Junction, then up the Manassas Gap R. R. towards Thoroughfare Gap, and Morell's Division formed line of battle on the hills in a splendid position, our
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pickets being within hearing distance of Thoroughfare Gap. and hearing the Rebel troops passing. Our infantry was formed in plain sight and the rebels opened a battery on them, killing one or two. The infantry then retired under cover and Hazlett's Battery [5th U. S. Battery D, Lt. Charles E. Hazlett ] shelled a little. While I was expecting an attack on our part I learned it was proposed to retire as we came. However, after commanding and countermand- ing we stayed there that night."
On August 30, 1862, at half past three in the morning. Major General Fitz John Porter received from Major Gen- eral Jolin Pope orders, written in the field on the previous evening at 8.50, to march his command immediately to the field of battle of that day, and to report to him in person for orders.
"You are to understand," so ran the despatch, "that you are expected to comply strictly with this order, and to be present on the field within three hours after its reception, or after daybreak tomorrow morning."
To reach the field within three hours after the reception of the orders at 3.30 a. m. would be before half past six, but daylighit came so soon after that Porter, in order to obey instructions, was obliged to make a flank movement with his entire force in the presence of the enemy. Orders com- ing to Morell from Porter to lose not a moment in carrying out these instructions, Morell issued his orders to his com- mand, and at the head of Griffin's Brigade which Martin's Battery followed, took the direct road to Centreville.
General Pope was at Groveton. It is said that Morell's caution and circumspection with reference to Griffin's Brigade, waiting till he had called in his skirmishers, caused him to lose sight of the rest of his Division, and in going to Centreville he supposed he was following Sykes according to instructions, but Sykes had gone to Groveton. Orders
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were sent to Morell on the Gainesville road which of course did not reach him.
General Porter reported to General Pope as directed, and placed his Corps north of the Warrenton turnpike near the Dogan house, facing toward the west. Next him was Sigel, then Reno, then Heintzelman. Ricketts and King were in reserve. South of the Warrenton pike was Reynolds' Division. Sykes occupied a corn field in front of the Dogan house on both sides of the Warrenton road. Morell's Divi- sion was on the right of Sykes. Immediately in front and to the left of Reynolds was rising ground covered with tim- ber and scrub oak. On Porter's right front was a forest, and between the two was cleared ground a half mile in ex- tent, across which was an elevated ridge occupied by the cnemy's artillery commanding this cleared space and the turnpike, and in a position to concentrate a direct flank fire upon our forces in case we made the attack. The enemy's forces were concealed; the Union forces were in plain sight of the enemy.
It appears that it had been the design of General Pope on the day before to possess himself of the coverts provided by these forests, but his efforts were unsuccessful, resulting in much loss; his only gain being the knowledge, too dearly bought, that the rebel general Jackson was present in large force especially on the Left, and that he had the advantage at the north of a railroad embankment to add to the strength of his position. It is said that General Porter learned at General Pope's headquarters, that the efforts of the 29th had been mainly a series of skirmishes, artillery contests at long range. and a few attacks, after strong protests and delay, by Brigades and separate Divisions resulting in re- pulses and heavy losses.
Between 12 and I p. m. of the 30th, Porter was ordered to push forward on the Warrenton turnpike to be followed by King and Reynolds, while the Division of Ricketts would
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pursue the Haymarket road followed by the Corps of General Heintzelman. The cavalry was to be assigned by General McDowell.
Orders from McDowell directed Porter :---
"Organize a strong advance to precede your command, and push on rapidly in pursuit of the enemy until you come in contact with hun. Report frequently. Bayard's brigade will be ordered to report to you : push it well to the left as you advance."
Reynolds and Porter, it is affirmed, were confident that the enemy with numerous artillery were massing their forces on the left.
General McDowell believed the enemy was retreating when they had merely withdrawn from the Right in order to concentrate on our Left.
General Porter prepared for a strong attack, which But- terfield supported by Sykes commenced at 3 p. m., charging across the open field nearly to the woods, hoping to sweep round to the left and take the guns of the enemy, but were repelled by musketry fire on the right and front, and an in- cessant cross fire of artillery. They held their ground 30 minutes assisted by Hazlett's Battery.
General Porter had desired the help of Sigel; he again asked for it after Butterfield's repulse, but the necessity was comprehended too late. The enemy was in a position to sweep the entire ground, over which the Fifth Corps had to pass, with its numerous artillery, and its musketry protected by the railway embankment, and four desperate attacks, most gallantly made, were repulsed, in the attempt to take the embankment, our men being fired upon by many with stones, time being too pressing to adniit of loading firearms The rebel general Longstreet attempted to cut the Union troops off from the turnpike by pressing upon Warren on our Left.
Porter's attack with proper support might have broken Jackson's line but with the terrible fire from the enemy's guns it was madness to continue, and the order was given
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to retire to the plateau in the rear of the Henry and Robin- son houses which commanded the Stone Bridge over Bull Run, which was saved. It was at the Henry house on the right of the turnpike that General Morell joined the Ist Division having ridden from Centreville.
Weeden's Fourth R. I. Battery, Captain Richard Water- man commanding, in which were thirty of our Fifth Mass. Battery men, took position on the heights near the Warren- ton turnpike, commanding the field, over which Butterfield was to advance to the attack. One section, the remainder staying on the hill at the Henry house, advanced later to within canister range of the woods, but returned soon after and fired shrapnell at the enemy's infantry in the edge of the woods, limbering up to fall back with the infantry. (Sigel.) Subsequently they went into position on the top of Bull Run Hill, covering the charge on the Left of our lines, and at 7.30 p. m. moved with the Army to Centreville.
Louis E. Pattison served as cannoneer throughout the campaign.
The Adjutant General's Report of the state of Rhode Island, 1865, in its casualties gives "one man wounded."
It is recorded in the official reports of the Adjutant Gen- eral of the state of Massachusetts, that the Fourth R. I. Battery was engaged in the Second Battle of Bull Run, and "one of the men of the Fifth ( Mass.) Battery was wounded."
The name of this soldier was Francis Oldis, and he was taken to Washington, D. C., and placed with the wounded in "Ward P" of the Armory Hospital. He subsequently rejoined the reunited Fifth Mass. Battery.
NOTES OF LOUIS E. PATTISON. Nov. 2, 1901.
"Only one section of the Fourth R. I. Battery went into action on the Bull Run field. The whole battery went into
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position when Longstreet was coming through the Gap. but my recollection is that no shots were fired. On the next day on the old Bull Run field, General Sigel ordered Captain Waterman to proceed to a position near the R. R. cut, and Captain Waterman replied that he must have orders from General Porter. Sigel replied angrily that Porter could fight his men, and he would fight his own, and you can readily see why our forces were unsuccessful."
The Captain called for volunteers from the Left and Centre sections to help man the Right section to go into action near the R. R. cut, and Sergt. William B. Pattison and his brother Louis E. Pattison of the Fifth Mass. Bat- tery volunteered to go with the Right section into action.
Lieut. Richard Waterman in command of the battery was promoted to captain July 25th, 1862, receiving his commis- sion in the field.
Colonel J. Albert Monroe of the Ist Rhode Island Light Artillery of which the "Fourth" was "Battery C," says, in a paper published by the Soldiers and Sailors Historical Society of Rhode Island :-
"Our northern historians when it has been necessary to mention the artillery, have not been so painstaking [reference to the Southerners who mentioned them with great accuracy] and have generally only incidentally mentioned that 'a battery' here or there did so and so, ignoring entirely what particular battery it was, or who commanded it, unless it was a regular battery, and in that case it is designated by its commanding officer's name. The exceptions are comparatively few, and they seem to be accidental, rather than intentional !"
He observes,
"the marked contrast between the honorable mention of infantry and cavalry with that of light artillery batteries."
Having by long and careful reading been impressed with the justice of this criticism. pains have been taken in the present work to make conspicuous the well authenticated movements of the light artillery, to give the complete official designations of the batteries, and whenever they are called
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by the names of their commanders, the full name is given at the first mention.
Anxiously the men in the hospitals north and south were looking for news on that day. Grows wrote in his journal : "Saturday, Aug. 30, 1862. ( Philadelphia. ) Got the papers to sce about the Army. The news is not very encouraging, but still we all hope for the best."
Lt. Phillips's notes of the event now before us contain the following observations :---
"Saturday, Aug. 30. 1862. we began to retire at 3 a. m. Griffin's Brigade and Martin's Battery forming the rear guard. I waited till the pickets were all drawn in, and the troops gone, but no rebels appeared.
AT CENTREVILLE.
Returning to the Junction we marched up the railroad, forded Bull Run and went into park near Centreville with Griffin's brigade, the rest of the Division having got out of sight and hearing. Some cannonading was going on. but this was too common to excite attention. We started a plum duff, but before it was finished we got orders to hitch up and started for Bull Run .- finally going on across Bull Run. By dark we reached Stone Bridge, Franklin's forces marching with us. Here we found our troops retiring. and halted till General Franklin ordered us to return. and we camped in Centreville about midnight. Butterfield's and Martindale's brigades badly cut up. Fletcher Webster re- ported killed."
From the Notes of Corporal Chase of the 5th Mass. then with the 3rd Mass. Battery :- "August 30, 1862. Hitched up at 4 a. m. and relieved Battery D, 5th U. S. ( Hazlett's) in front, and remained in position half an hour, then left for Centreville, Va. Reached Centreville at II a. m. Caissons sent to the rear this morning. Saw about 150 prisoners at
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Centreville. Hitched up at 5 p. m. and started to reinforce the troops in front; advanced about a mile and a half to the front when we met teams and wounded soldiers coming to the rear. In a short time the whole army appeared to be retreating in the wildest confusion. For about three hours the troops both able and disabled continued to pass us; 3rd Mass. Battery countermarched and camped on heights at Centreville."
Captain Waterman's battery moved by order of General Morell from Centreville, on the morning of August 31st towards Alexandria, to procure forage for the horses, they being in a very exhausted state, not having had any grain for five days. It moved as far as Fairfax Court House and encamped; three of the horses having dropped dead from exhaustion as the battery moved into camp. In front of the Third Battery cannonading was heard, and the smoke seen. Hacks were arriving from Washington to remove the wounded. The Battery advanced about an eighth of a mile to the front about II a. m., and went "In Battery" sup- ported by a large force of infantry. Several lines of battle formed and skirmishers were thrown out, remaining in position all day and night, but all remained quiet until late in the evening, when the advance batteries began to shell the woods, and the pickets and skirmishers fired several volleys of musketry. Generals Pope and McDowell passed the Bat- tery in the evening. No mail was received, no newspapers, and all interest seemed to be centred in the wagons which had been sent to Alexandria and Falmouth for supplies which were sorely needed, when the alarming news reached the waiting lines, so advantageously placed upon the hills of Centreville, that the enemy was between the Army of the Potomac and Washington !
Soon after the first battle of Bull Run the Richmond Whig of July 24. 1861, published the following under the head-line of "The Devoted Band" :--
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"The shortest path to peace is that which carries havoc and desola- tion to our invaders. It is believed that there are five or ten thousand men in the South ready and willing to share the fate of Curtius and devote themselves to the salvation of the country. It is proposed that all who are willing to make this sacrifice, shall arm themselves with a sword, two five shooters and a carbine each, and meet, on horseback. at some place to be designated, convenient for the great work in hand. Fire and sword must be carried to the houses of those who are visit- ing those blessings upon their neighbors. Philadelphia, and even New York, is not beyond the reach of a long and brave arm. The moral people of these cities cannot be better taught the virtues of invasion, than by the blazing light of their own dwellings. None need apply for admission to 'The Devoted Band' but those who are prepared to take their life in their hand, and who would indulge not the least expecta- tion of ever returning. They dedicate their lives to the destruction of their enemies.
A. S. B. D. B. Richmond.
All Southern papers are requested to give this notice: a few inser- tions."
Now, after a ycar had passed, and another Bull Run bat- tle had been fought, the "long and brave arin" was actually stretching out its hand very near indeed to Washington, with the index finger pointing to Baltimore.
A few miles northwest of Fairfax Court House, Kearny was desperately opposing its force at Chantilly, where he made the gallant dash which cost him his life.
"THE SYMBOLS OF GOVERNMENT."
Hunger and fatigue so lately controlling emotions, passed out of mind. Chagrin at the second failure at Manassas lost its sharpest sting in the actual presence of the peril, which had so long threatened the citadel which held the "symbols of government," the treaties and seals, for the safety of which Edwin M. Stanton then Buchanan's attor- ney general, had trembled, long before the first rebel gun was fired.
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THE PROTECTION OF WASHINGTON.
General McClellan wrote General Porter September 1, 1862, 5.30 p. m. :---
"This week is the crisis of our fate. Say the same thing to all my friends in the Army of the Potomac, and that the last request I have to make of them is, that for their country's sake they will extend to Gen- eral Pope the same support they ever have to me. I am in charge of the defenses of Washington."
At the close of General Porter's acknowledgment of this letter, he said :---
"Our killed, wounded, and enfeebled troops attest our devoted duty."
It was Mcclellan who disposed the troops around Wash- ington, placing the Fifth Corps on Hall's Hill. Not being able to procure either rations or forage, the Fourth R. I. Battery moved on the Ist of September to within five miles of Alexandria, where part of one day's rations of grain was secured.
"The morning of that day." Chase wrote, "was cloudy and windy. Guns of the Third Mass. Battery still 'in Bat- tery.' Went with horses, for hay, about a mile, with ser- eral regiments of infantry and a section of a battery for protection against guerillas, a. m. Thunderstorm with cold. heavy rain at 5 p. m. Left position about 12 p. m."
Phillips says of this tempest. "It began to rain just after we had got orders to be ready to move and had struck our tarpaulins. I lay down with my overcoat on, on a wet pile of hay, and tried to persuade myself that I was not wet through, but did not succeed." On that day (Sept. Ist ) he afterwards wrote. "there was something of a fight. I have learnt no particulars."
THE EXPEDITION OF LT. SCOTT.
The historian of the Third Mass. Battery thus describes the expedition for rations [see p. 417] in charge of Lt. Henry D. Scott :-
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"Our army started to re-enforce General Pope's army then at Centreville.
General Lee was advancing to meet General Pope. The artillery brigade carried ten days' rations from Falmouth then the base of supplies. When out twenty miles they had used seven days' rations. Captain Augustus P. Martin, chief of the Fifth Corps Artillery, sent eighteen wagons belonging to the batteries of the Artillery Brigade in charge of Lt. Scott of the Fifth Mass. Battery back to Falmouth for rations. John D. Reed of the Third Mass. ( Battery) was ordered to report to him as his assistant.
They started at four o'clock in the afternoon, run within four miles of the ration depot and went into park at nine o'clock : started at daylight for the depot. Met an extra supply train at Falmouth Heights loaded with rations for the Fifth Corps: 75 wagons. We loaded our train with forage and as soon as possible started for the batteries. . . . Orders to hurry along and reach the army at Bealton before dark 29 miles from there. Rebel cavalry had crossed the river 25 miles above. General Burnside had returned from Newbern, N. C., and with a part of his army was encamped at Fredericksburg and Falmouth. There were several hun- dreds of wagons on the road. An orderly on the dead run ordered the trains to turn back. The enemy had captured over three hundred wagons, and destroyed the telegraph station three miles up the road.
The Fifth Corps supply train that we met was among those captured.
We were then 15 miles from Falmouth, halfway between the Army of the Potomac and General Burnside. About dark a cavalry force and a flying artillery battery were sent out by General Burnside for our protection. At 12 o'clock at night we arrived inside the picket line at Falmouth, men and animals played out. At daylight started for Acquia Creek, arriving there at noon. A rebel battery followed us
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and at intervals shelled the train. The wagons and mules were loaded on steamers and sailed for Alexandria. When we arrived there the army was retreating back from Second Bull Run. The batteries camped at Upton's Hill, where we reached them with the forage six days after starting for it. The horses in the batteries had been four days without grain or hay, having only that which they could graze in the fields."
The trains of stores which were collected at Warrenton and Warrenton Junction, and were at Bristoe, Sept. 1, 1862. were stopped at that place on account of the bridge at Bristoe having been destroyed by the rebels. Sept. 2d, the Fourth Rhode Island Battery moved to Alexandria.
Gen. McClellan was appointed to the command of the troops for the defence of Washington.
From about 12 o'clock midnight, September Ist, the Third Mass. Battery marched to sunrise of the morning of the 2d. going three-quarters of a mile from the bivouac of the pre- vious day. They marched with a large body of troops- among them General Piatt and Battery H, Ist Ohio Artillery, who joined them on the route having been attached to the Division, -- and a large baggage train, to Fairfax Court House, where they halted about It a. m. for breakfast. Here Lt. Scott met them having come from Alexandria. Marched again at 2 p. m. : halted on the way while skirmish- ers were thrown out and line of battle formed : waited about an hour and a half, then proceeded : the rear guard attacked and heavy cannonading heard. John G. Sanford and Thomas E. Chase were obliged to straggle in the rear with disabled horses. In the evening the Battery arrived at Chain Bridge. On the 3d of September the Fourth Rhode Island Battery marched to Miner's, near Hall's, Hill, and rejoined the Division. . All other divisional batteries had remained with the commands.
Chase and Sanford, minus one horse etc., found the Third
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Mass. Battery after much trouble on the morning of the 3d. They hitched up at 9 a. m., marched to Hall's Hill, Va., with other troops and camped in the old camp of the Mass. 22d. Regiment. Rickett's Division was occupying Captain Mar- tin's old camp.
Lt. Phillips closes a letter with the words :--
"I went down to our old camp and looked around. 'The King of France with 40,000 men. Marched up the hill and then marched down again.'"
SCOTT'S SUMMING UP.
Lt. Scott thus comments on the situation :- "The enemy got tired waiting for McClellan to decide what to do, and started for Washington. The Army of the Potomac was ordered by the President to the protection of that city. The feeling of Mcclellan and his admirers seemed to be that they wanted to get General Pope, who was guarding Wash- ington, driven into the Potomac.
The Army moved at once to Hampton, and were trans- ported to Acquia Creek, moving to Fredericksburg and from there to Kelly's Ford on the Rappahannock to assist Pope. The final result was that Lee drove both armies on to Washington."
CHAPTER XIV.
THE BATTERY REUNITED.
"The great art of war consists in knowing how to separate in order to subsist. and how to concentrate in order to fight."
-- NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
THE FIFTH MASS. BATTERY REUNITED AND REINSTATED.
RE-ASSIGNED TO THE FIRST DIVISION. 5TH ARMY CORPS.
On September 3d, 1862, the enemy was no longer to be seen in front of Washington, but was far on its way north. and Mcclellan, with all the troops not needed in Washing- ton, was in pursuit.
Our pickets having been driven in, about 4 p. m. of the 4th, the Third Mass. Battery hitched up and marched with the whole infantry force towards Falls Church. Va., to meet the enemy. "Marched about three-quarters of a mile (Chase's Diary), then countermarched with the other troops to our camp; the enemy who had but a small force. withdrew after a few shots from their batteries .- Counter- sign .Yorktown 5th.'-[Other countersigns given on p. 797 contributed by General A. P. Martin, November, 1899.]
Grows' Journal : "Sept. 1, 1862. The Doctor took my name for a discharge. 5th. I was much pleased at seeing my papers this forenoon. They will be sent to General Montgomery to sign today. 7th. About 3 this afternoon Surgeon Gen: Dr. Hayes and his assistant came into the
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ward for inspection. This is done every Sunday, for the purpose of seeing that things are kept clean and in their places."
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