USA > Massachusetts > History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery : organized October 3, 1861, mustered out June 12, 1865, v.2 > Part 18
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I have been reading 'Quits' lately, which I borrowed of Guthrie. a young lieutenant in an Ohio battery in our Brigade. I am now reading Tom Burke of Ours,' by Charles Lever, which is military and good. I read on the march, as all the time in camp you need to eat and sleep. I don't know when you will get this letter. I take a chance man going by to take it."
FROM DIARY OF LIEUT. APPLETON.
"At noon of October 20th we marched, following the Sixth Corps which advanced early in the morning when we were turned out but stood in harness till noon. Then we marched to New Baltimore arriving at 5 p. m. The rail- road from Bristoe south had been torn up and now was being repaired. The army were all moving to this point, following the enemy, then at New Baltimore, closely, and there was a cavalry fight near this place. We were without rations or forage. An order was read on this day to have roll calls at 12 m. and 3 p. m. At New Baltimore we re- ceived our mails with letters and lots of papers.
October 21, 1863, we remained in camp all day, the first time since the roth. We were then at New Baltimore, ten miles from Warrenton. The entire Brigade were encamped there near a rebel family. Rebs recrossed the Rappahan- nock. On the 22d our other tents were put up and the camp fixed up. Stores were received from Gainesville. The men had fresh meat for dinner. Captain Huntington dined and passed the afternoon with the Battery."
LETTER OF SERGT. W. H. PEACOCK.
"CAMP NEAR NEW BALTIMORE, VA. Oct. 22, 1863.
We have been on one continual march for over a month,
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and I have had no chance to write, or do anything else but look after shoeless and dead horses, disabled artillery car- riages, etc. I tell you, we have work enough to do after halting from a day's march. Horses, harnesses, ammuni- tion to repack, wheels to grease, and forty other things to do, so by the time we are through. it is time to drop down. This move was a very singular one. Lee would chase us 25 miles or so, then our Army turns around and chases him back, like boys playing 'tag.' We came over the Bull Run battleground a few days ago, and I tell you it was a sad sight, to see our poor fellows only partially buried, and many not buried at all. At the place where we halted you could not move without seeing a skull, arm, or leg of some Union soldier, as we could tell by the blue clothing they had on. A major of our Army, lay near where we were, not having been buried at all. Probably he had not been dis- covered before. Enclosed I send you some green, that I got near two of the bodies of our men, that were mostly out of the ground. and the spot where McDowell's Corps broke. and so many of our men were killed. I also send a clover leaf from a large Fort built by the Rebels at Manassas, in 1861. My hands are so stiff, and the pen so poor, that I can hardly write."
LETTER OF LIEUT. APPLETON.
"CAMP NEAR NEW BALTIMORE, Friday, Oct. 23, 1863.
I saw in yesterday's (Washington) 'Chronicle' that General Meade was ordered by the War Department to pursue right after the Rebs. I guess by this time they are well across the two Raps. Our army is so infernally cau- tious we can never do anything. Taking Richmond this way is played out. Either break up the Army of the Poto- mac or else try the Peninsula, which latter having been
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Mac's plan must of course be kept down! I am pleased to see the result of the elections, and I guess they will be a heavy blow to the Confeds and the Copperheads. I hope if we are to go into winter quarters it will be round Wash- ington, where the living is better, and you have a chance of an occasional run up to Washington and a good dinner. You may laugh at one's wanting a good dinner, in fact, at home people have a sort of notion that all a soldier has to do is to look grand and fight battles, march onward, &c., &c., but. out here, it much more consists of the little minutix of camp life,-eating, sleeping, keeping clean. having your eve everlastingly on the men, and being bothered by a hun- dred annoyances. But in return, you drink in the splendid October air described by Theodore Winthrop! Oh yes, at the sweet hour of two in the morning, when everything is chilly and damp. and you have two minutes to swallow a cup of boiling coffee! A night move of the Army is a splendid siglit! The whole plain as far as you can see, illuminated with ten thousand camp fires,-the shouts of the men, the braving of the mules. How Brigades and Divisions ever find their way is a marvel, but still they always do. I hardly know whether you have been able to make out my last letters. I was sitting in our ambulance by the side of the road writing my last, when some one said that the mail car- rier was passing by. So without reading or even finishing it. I bounced it into an envelope, and sent it off. Wherever we go we see dead cavalry horses lying along the roads. I am sorry to hear you say that poor Gus Barker died. (A captain in the 5th N. Y. Cavalry shot by guerillas near Kelly's Ford. Harvard, class of 1863.) Are there to be none of '63 warriors left to chat together over their adven- tures? It seems strange how we worry and fuss over horses at home, always afraid that they are getting cold, or sick, of something, while here they seem to be perfectly well and not under the slightest cover. I have blanketed my big one
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twice since I have been out here, and that was at first, before he had got at all used to things. The little one is rather tough. I can't write well when the wind is blowing my paper about. Dinner, consisting of salt fish-balls, pork, and ham scraps, and a pudding ingeniously made of hard tack and raisins, is almost ready, and I am going to halt.
The same day: Lieut. Spear and I took a ride towards New Baltimore. Nothing interesting going on."
From Appleton's Diary: "Oct. 23, 1863. Camp near New Baltimore. Our little campaign of two weeks seems about over, and we have again settled down to the com- forts (?) of a camp. Many think we are to settle down into winter quarters near Washington or Warrenton. I hate to think we are to try to do nothing more. On this day we pitched our tents in line, and on the 24th were ordered at 33 p. m., to march about sunset in a cold northeast rain- storm. 'Boots and saddles' at 5 p. m. Marched with the Corps to Anburn near Cedar Run, between Warrenton and the Junction, and went into park at 8 p. m., with orders to move at a moment's notice. (Auburn is the name of a post office near the estate of the McCormicks, world famous manufacturers of agricultural implements. ) Here General Judson Kilpatrick in command of the Union cavalry, was surprised by the confederate cavalry general Stuart, while Kilpatrick was in bivouac in a hollow; the situation and the state of the atmosphere, a dense fog, aiding the attacking party, who had also a light battery with them, but Kilpatrick not only escaped from the snare but showed fight and beat off the enemy."
The next day was Sunday the 25th. The batteries of the Corps changed ground and pitched camp over. Went into position facing south. Very cold. The trains remain be hind. Rations were not all up.
حد أننايعود شطح تلك
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FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
THE MASS. IOTH BATTERY NEAR BY.
From Scott's Notes: "The roth Battery was attacked on the march with the Sixth Corps. Serg't. Woodfin of the roth Battery was struck from his horse by a ball passing through his neck from a rebel carbine. Afterwards he was First Lieutenant of the 16th Mass. Battery."
This was while Scott commanded it. Colonel Philip T. Woodfin was Governor of the Southern Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, at Hampton, Va., 28 years, and died there August 24, 1901. The bullet that struck him October 13, 1863, and lodged in the back of his neck, Captain Scott took from his shoulder July 4, 186.4.
October 26, 1863. Reveille at nsual camp hour. Cold and wet. Lient. Appleton mentions the building of "a large semi-circular fireplace in front of our tent." The men had nothing but hard bread to eat in the morning, but in the afternoon the wagons came up. Some cannonading was heard towards the Rappahannock, and orders were received to be ready to move at short notice.
Private Dyer records that on the night of Oct. 26-27, was seen the first ice of the season. He was on guard that night. Where Corporal Shackley was, ice was half an inch in thickness. On the 27th firing was heard at the south towards the Rappahannock.
LIEUT. APPLETON'S LETTER HOME. "CAMP AT AUBURN NEAR CEDAR RUN, Oct. 28, 1863.
Rode over to Army I'd Q'rs and called on Theodore Lyman. Burt (the cook) brought us some good grub from Gainesville, 2 turkeys. Cargill (Lieut. in the Third Mass. Battery ) called on us from Boston. By the way, how well the Virginians named their streams here, every one is a 'run.' Last Saturday they interrupted the quiet of a rainy
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afternoon by an order for an immediate start, so off we went for about five miles and then squatted down again. Colonel Theodore Lyman said that Mcade's plan was to try to make them give us battle, but they didn't see it, as each side wanted to get choice of ground. The railroad has been badly injured, and it will take some time for us to put it in running order, though we are working at it pretty steadily. The roads are good now but won't be long. The horses out here have a playful way in the night of gnawing off each others' tails, which they use as a substitute for hay. My big one had a little piece bitten out of his last night, but Joe takes care to put them well off from the picket rope. I guess you will see some good pictures of our late movements in Harper's. I often see their artist sitting by the side of the road, sketching us as we are going over some stream. One thing the Army sadly needs is some good bands of music : even an unappreciative ear enjoys it out here. The other day when we were trying to get our forge through a big mud hole, and two horses tumbled down in it, in suc- cession, a band was playing beautifully near by, and it seemed to me that it had a good deal to do with getting us through safely. If I were a general I would use a good deal of money on drilling a superb band. (After the first year Brigade and Division bands were all that were al- lowed. )
I see you are to have more fun in Boston in the drafting and recruiting biz. Tell John A. A. (Governor Andrew ) that cavalry is what we want now to finish up the work."
FROM LIEUT. APPLETON'S DIARY.
"On the 28th one day's ration of soft bread and fresh meat was issued to the men at night. On the 29th our fireplace tumbled down, but we should have been obliged to leave it, anyway, as we had orders to march at 7 a. in. of the 30th
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for Three Mile Station on the Warrenton Branch railroad, 3 miles from Warrenton Junction. The whole Corps hitched up and broke camp. Marched at 9 a. m. Marched past Three Mile Station and came into position about II a. n1., about two miles from Warrenton Junction, near the railroad. The railroad to Rappahannock and bridge were being repaired. The hilly roads over which we marched were very bad. Cars had passed up the Branch the previous evening. The railroad was repaired to the Junction. The corral was moved from Gainesville to the vicinity of War- renton Junction, and the general headquarters were moved."
LETTER OF CAPTAIN PHILLIPS. "CAMP NEAR THREE MILE STATION,
Oct. 31. 1863.
We certainly have not gained anything in the last three weeks. Then we were at Culpeper, now we are at Warren- ton Junction; then the railroad was in good order to the Rapidan, now it runs as far as Warrenton, and the track beyond that is destroyed. They can't get in our rear unless we get in theirs; they cannot cut our communications unless we cut theirs."
LETTER OF LIEUT. APPLETON. "CAMP AT THREE MILE STATION, NEAR WARRENTON JUNCTION, Nov. 1, 1863.
It is almost impossible to remember what day of the week it is out here, they are all so much alike, but outward circum- stances need not interfere with one's own ideas of a Sabbath. Don't judge by my writing that I am getting weary of things. Grumbling on paper is assuredly one of the privi- leges as well as the pleasures of our life in the 'bush,' as Joe calls it. Last night was very cold and windy, and 1
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found it difficult to keep comfortable. You wake up with a chill, and find yourself high and dry with all your blankets kicked off and then to rearrange them in the dark is fraught with difficulties. I don't know what to make of this last call for 300,000 more volunteers. It looks either as if the Administration expected the fighting to last some time or that they desired plenty of men in reserve. If we could fight the Rebs now, how we should lick 'em! But they have smashed the railroad and run off. I hope they will have no more humbug about the matter of drafting and recruiting, exempting, &c. The labors here are not so ter- ribly severe, but that a man of average strength and health can get along very well. Send out that book of mine which I liad at Lynn this summer, entitled 'Youatt on the Horse.' It will be of great use and instruction out here. For my servant Joe, two horses and myself I need & blankets, and the Quartermasters are so slow that it takes an everlasting time to get any."
The drill was kept up on the pieces, but the horses were without forage most of the time. Nov. 2d the men were digging holes for picket posts. Pontoons had been brought the day before to Warrenton Junction. . No forage was to be had for the horses. The Third Corps was said to be moving to the front. On the 3d, forage was obtained for the horses and it was very warm and pleasant.
NOTES OF JOHN E. DYER.
"Nov. 5, 1863, good news was received from the Massa- chusetts and New York clections. The men had boiled pork and stewed dried apples for dinner, and the Artillery Reserve passed by our position towards Catlett's Station. Orders were issued for eleven days' rations. Drill on the pieces. The sutler Gorham arrived in the evening of the
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oth and sold out. We had drill on the piece and orders to march at 6 a. m. the next morning, the 7th. Trains of cars were on fire on the railroad.
NOV. 7, 1863.
THE BATTLE.
In the morning at 4 a. m. we were awakened by the joyful sound of the bugle, hitched up at 6 a. m., moved out on the road at 73, left the camp at Three Mile Station and marched with the Fifth Corps to the Rappahannock River, where the enemy was said to be posted, passing through Bealton. Near Rappahannock Station we halted, remain- ing there all noon time, and skirmishers were thrown out, the Fifth Corps being deployed to the left of the railroad, which had been destroyed and the rails carried off by the Rebs.
About 2 o'clock in the afternoon, firing was heard in front at Kelly's Ford, where were the First, Second, and Third Corps, and we were ordered forward at 4 p. m.
The rebels had thrown up earthworks, which they held, on the north bank of the river, their guns sweeping the low ground in front of them, over which our attack must be made. The work was garrisoned by Hays' Brigade of Early's Division, Ewell's Corps, and Hoke's Brigade of the same Division was sent to reinforce them.
On our side, General David A. Russell was in com- mand of Wright's Division of the Sixth Corps, and made the assault as night was coming on, the 5th Wisconsin and 6th Maine in advance, supported by our artillery fire and the skirmishers of the 121st New York and 20th Maine.
The Fifth Mass. Battery went into position on the left of the railroad, 900 yards below the rebel earthworks, near the bridge. Corporal Shackley noted in his Diary the
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fact that "Captain A. P. Martin came to us, and was pleased to say 'You are making some fine shots, boys!' "
The 5th Battery fired 3 12 rounds, shelling the earthworks till dark, when the infantry charged the Station, captured the fort, with 8 pieces of artillery, caissons and horses, 2 Bri- gades and 7 flags. There were no casualties in the Battery. The Union loss in the engagement was 370 killed, wounded and missing.
The Battery parked at night with the Fifth Corps back from the river, and on its south side, about a mile from the field.
Nov. Sth, they were aroused at 4 a. m., ate breakfast, and marched at daylight for Kelly's Ford, where they arrived at IO a. in. At 12 they crossed the river on pontoons and inarched about 5 miles beyond, as far as Stephensburg. where they camped for the night near Mountain Creek. The Army was across the river.
Private Dyer wrote: "After rallying on a rail fence we unhitched, and getting supper we turned in for the night." The First and Second Corps were ahead and they heard some cannonading towards the Rapidan.
Lieut. Appleton observes that "General Meade passed us and was enthusiastically cheered."
Nov. gtb. Reveille at 43 o'clock at Stephensburg. There was a snow squall from the westward during the day, the first of the season. No orders at 8 o'clock. The wagon trains had not come up. "Pindar and train lost," writes Appleton, "and ice made 3 of an inch in thickness. Snow was seen on the Blue Ridge. The First and Second Corps were at Brandy Station. No firing this day. The Rebs had made preparations here for winter quarters."
"Order in the evening ( Scott's Diary) to picket Mountain Creek, north bank, on the morrow."
This creek passes Culpeper. Private Dyer was on guard
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كما، حامله - كلا ما الكا ها
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that night, which was "a bitter cold night," with Corporal Proctor.
This photograph which was taken by Gorman and Jordan. army photographers in January. 1864, is highly prized by Captain Appleton, who then purchased it. The following is from his Diary :- "The Army was advancing, after its withdrawal back to Bull Run. This picture shows the rail- road (Orange and Alexandria R. R. ) bridge across the river, the ridge. and the open lowland. The railroad from War- renton Junction to the Rappahannock had been repaired. The rebels liad possession of the ridge, and the open lowland lay between them and our forces. Our Battery went into position alongside of Griffin's Battery D, 5th Regt. U. S Artillery, commanded by Lieut. Rittenhouse. We fired at the earthworks afterwards captured at the bayonet by the Sixth Corps. We are now ( Nov. 9, 1863) a good ways off from any railroad connection. Pontoons have been sent to Fredericksburg."
FROM LIEUT. APPLETON'S LETTER OF THE SAME DATE.
"CAMP BETWEEN THE RAPIDAN AND THE RAPPAHANNOCK, SIX MILES BEYOND KELLY'S FORD.
We are just in the beginning of what will be a brilliant campaign. I hope soon to write from Richmond. Well, I have been under fire, and don't like it. It isn't pleasant to have shells come whizzing through the woods and see men carried off on stretchers. One piece of shell went between Barnard and myself as we were talking by the roadside. (This was Captain George M. Barnard, Jr., known as 'Rappahannock George,' the officer who mustered him in at Beverly Ford.) I guess we have got the Rebs in a tight place. We hear heavy firing every day. Our affair the other day was brilliant but short. I was in the woods with
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the caissons, and as the Rebs fired very high the shells fell just around where I was. No man in the Battery was hit, in fact, I guess I was the nearest to it of any one. I only hope we shall move on soon, and try something more. Gill- more still hammers at Charleston. Cargill and Carroll (Lieut. Carroll, brother of the wife of General Griffin and the Misses Carroll of Washington, a lieutenant in Griffin's Battery) called, and the latter dined. Men's Is (quar- ters) fixed up. Pleasant game of whist in the evening with Dr. Bell. Perhaps you have seen in the papers something about an 'unknown battery by the, side of Griffin's, which did good execution.' That was the Fifth Massachusetts. By the by, the Army is a splendid school for the control of one's angry spirits. Do what you are told and ask no questions. How you sometimes fret under the restraint, like Folko on a slow march!"
INVALID CORPS.
Transferred to Invalid Corps to take effect on November 15, 1863, under General Orders No. 365 War Department : O'Connell, Daniel, Private Co. E, Ist Massachusetts Artillery.
McKeren, William, Private 5th Massachusetts Battery.
LETTER OF CAPTAIN PHILLIPS.
Extract relative to the action of the Battery at the Battle of Rappahannock Station taken from his letter of Nov. 15, 1863 :- "Although our Battery was engaged as much as any one we have been eliminated out of all the re- ports, and shall have to fall back on our reserve stock of glory. My own impression is that we did pretty good shooting. I enclose an extract from the Philadelphia In- quirer, which will show what other people thought of it.
FIFTH MASS. BATTERY. 785
'On the extreme right,' says the Inquirer correspondent, 'was Captain Waterman's Battery Ist R. I. Artillery, next to and hear it that of Captain Martin, Battery D, 5th U. S. Artil- lery; Taft's Battery of Reserve Artillery, a little to the right of the centre and on the left of the railroad, at a distance of some twelve hundred yards from the rebel forts, a battery belonging to the Fifth Corps, which I regret not to be able to name. particularly as it is said to have worked with ex- cellent effect.'
There were in reality two batteries of the Fifth Corps engaged: Rittenhouse's Battery D, 5th U. S., and mine, though as we were side by side, the general impression was that there was only one. The battery referred to in the extract as 'Captain Martin's Battery D, U. S. Art'y' was Lieut. Martin's Battery something else U. S. Art'y, belong- ing to the 6th Corps."
"Nov. 10, 1863. (Diary of Lieut. Scott.) Hitched up and moved into quarters vacated by the Rebel Dole's Bri- gade, 344 houses. These were well built, with fireplaces, and the Battery was made very comfortable, with plenty of wood . to burn. The Rebs had made extensive preparations for a winter's stay here, but now have retired beyond the Rapidan. Thirty-four houses were taken by our Battery. Four bat- teries, 200 between them. Ice made # of an inch. Blue Ridge covered with snow."
In relation to these comfortable quarters Private Dyer said it was "the first time the Rebs ever left anything for our benefit. Much obliged to them for skedaddling."
NOTES OF LOUIS E. PATTISON. Nov. 2, 1901.
"Action at Rappahannock Station, Nov. 7, 1863: Our Battery crossed to the left of the railroad going through a piece of woods at a trot, over rocks and stumps, and went
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into Battery on the edge of the woods; opening fire on one of the works.
Our guns fired very slowly. the officers watching the effect of the shots, in order at the proper moment to cease firing, when our infantry reached the forts, which they did very soon, I should say in fifteen to thirty minutes, going right into them. They captured over 1,000 prisoners, 8 colors, all the guns, and 2,000 small arms. Their loss is officially given as 419. Confederate loss, 1,674. I do not remember that the Battery had any loss, killed or wounded.
It was a very pretty little action, requiring quick move- ments and good judgment. We afterwards went into winter quarters on the right of the railroad, near the forts, during the winter of '63 and '64, and cut the woods referred to above, for fuel and houses for quarters."
These quarters were about a mile distant from the camp on Mountain Creek. They had been finished only about ten days previous and occupied by the 44th Georgia Regiment of Dole's Brigade.
On the rith of November the men cleared up camp and the cooks commenced cooking for the Battery. They found the "Rebs'" or "Johnnies' " quarters quite comfortable, though some of the quarters were not quite finished. Our troops again occupied Culpeper. The railroad and bridge were repaired and the road from Warrenton to Bealton was being pushed through. General Meade was at Brandy Station.
Appleton in his account of the day says :- "The Rebs evi- dently expected to pass the winter here, and pitched in in fine style, until so agreeably interrupted by us last Saturday. I can well imagine how angry they must be when they know that the Yankees are quietly enjoying their elegant houses. The splendid campaign, which I thought just beginning, seems to have quite fizzled out. All the Corps are, I be- lieve, quietly lying around. Nov. 12. Sat around the
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camp and chatted. It looks as if we were to stay here.
Orders were given to the men to cover their houses with shelter tents, and take tarpaulins for harnesses. They made harness racks on the 13th, and fixed up tents. On the 14th they had fried liver for dinner and played euchre in the evening. Licuts. Appleton and Blake with Lieut. Cargill went over the river to the Ist Division. Appleton writes :- "Rained like thunder in the evening, and the house leaked muchly. My bed fell down about the middle of the night." "Nov. 15. 1863. (Scott.) Ordered to be ready at a moment's notice. Brisk cannonading towards the Rapidan. Railroad nearly completed to the Rappahannock. Drew II new horses."
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