USA > Massachusetts > History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery : organized October 3, 1861, mustered out June 12, 1865, v.2 > Part 23
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April 10, 1864, General Grant was at Culpeper. On the Lith trains from Washington arrived in the evening. The night of the 12th Colonel Wm. S. Tilion passed with the Battery.
April 13, Dyer was on extra fatigue duty for not attend- ing drill call, but as there was a pretty merry crowd on. they had a pretty jolly time. Colonel Tilton was sent off in an ambulance. The sutlers were selling off cheap, as they were obliged to go to the rear with the wagon trains.
April 14, 1864. Battery drill in the forenoon. The
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sutlers left the camp. On the 15th a trench was dug in the stable and the place the sutler occupied was cleaned up. Battery drill in the forenoon. In the afternoon Captain Phillips selected a spot for target practice just over the river near the fort, firing down river towards Kellyville. Good ranges up to 1500 yards. Two recruits arrived. Ordered to turn in surplus clothing to reduce baggage.
April 16th it rained all day, postponing the target practice. The men's surplus baggage was sent off. Unserviceable Quarter Master's property and clothing, camp and garrison equipage was inspected. Orders came to be ready to march by the 21st. The entire Army under marching orders. Did not shoot on account of the rain.
April 18th. Dyer was busy all day "making a tent against we marched." General Charles Griffin and others called Page got extra guard duty because the man on No. I post failed to salute General Griffin. The Ist Michigan vets. (see p. 561) returned. Perfect day.
LETTER OF LIEUT. APPLETON.
"April 19. 1864. The Army is completely ready, and we sha'n't be surprised any morning to have the order- For- ward, Army of the Potomac!' The story now is that the Veteran Reserve Corps,-the old Invalid Corps,-are to have the honor of defending the Capital. In that case the Army of the Potomac can move independently, a thing, by the by, which it has never been able to do, and one that is quite ignored by the 'On to Richmonders.' Send every . body out immediately. General Grant keeps . reviewing different slugs of the Army every day. Our Battery was out target shooting this morning, as all the artillery and infantry have been doing for the last month. We are very well filled up now with all our recruits."
At the target shooting from a hill over the river, General
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Griffin, Captain Martin, and several other officers were present. The targets were placed at 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, and 1700 yards. Made several holes in the 1000 yards target. The Battery fired 36 shots. At dress parade an Order for the cannoneers to fall in at all calls was read.
April 20, 1864. Battery drill in the forenoon and drill on the manual of the piece in the afternoon. The awkward squad also drilled.
April 21st. George H. Johnson was thrown from a horse and received a broken wrist. Battery drill in the forenoon. Drill on the manual of the piece in the afternoon. Dyer says, "The weather was changeable, from wind, snow, and rain, to the hot torrents of the sun."
April 22d. Battery drill. Lieut. Appleton met General Gregg on the way to Martin's.
April 23d. Orders were received to clean up for inspec. tion the next day. All the old things belonging to the Battery were condemned. Ordnance stores were inspected by Lieut. Breck ist N. Y. Artillery. An Order was read at dress parade relating to applications to prepare for com- missions in colored troops.
April 24th the Battery was inspected by Captain Phillips It was Sunday. Lieut. J. Edward Spear passed the night with Lieut. Appleton. Some thought they were waiting for General Burnside to get all ready, before moving. In the evening Private Dver took a walk up the railroad. On the 25th Lieut. Appleton rode with Dr. Fontaine to Brigade Head Quarters near Culpeper, went into the town and came home in the dark. 26th .. Drill on the pieces for upwards of three hours in the forenoon. Drill on the manual of the piece in the afternoon.
April 27th had a very long drill, both forenoon and after- noon. At guard mounting a gale of dust came blowing over the hill, which made the officers beat a hasty retreat for their quarters. Appleton wrote: "We have drills con-
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stantly and are quite ready to be in the saddle, with our bed in the mud. The tremendous lull here seems almost strange at the present time, but when we are off we think it will be short and stupendous. The news all around the edges of the Confederacy is bad at present, but to us absorbed in what must soon take place here, these disasters give little annoyance."
April 28, 1864. Lieut. Appleton went in the evening to a "sociable" at the 3d Brigade. 29th. After fatigu: duty Bob King and John E. Dyer went up to the station with the teams for grain and hay. The same day Dyer finished his tent. Various rumors of Burnside's troops coming up the railroad. All ready to move. Ephraim B. Nye, with his battery, the 14th Mass., came right into the camp, which they occupied when the Battery left. The gth Corps arrived to relieve the Fifth in guarding the railroad. The Pennsylvania Reserves and Rittenhouse's Battery crossed the river and marched to Brandy Station.
LETTER OF SERG'T. W. H. PEACOCK.
"RAPPAHANNOCK STATION, VA., April 30, 1864.
The 9th Army Corps arrived today, and is relieving all of the old troops from Warrenton to the Rappahannock. . I dread the coming campaign,-sleeping without tents and marching by day and night. The next battle of this Army will be a rouser. The rebels of Lee's Army are ali ready for us, and are said to be 90,000 men. They will give us a tough pull, if my opinion amounts to anything Today I was up to Brandy Station, 5 miles from here. drawing ordnance stores. You can form no idea of the bustle and confusion at this Depot when the Army is getting ยท ready to move. It looked to me as if one thousand or more wagons were waiting to load, and there were immense piles
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of ammunition, all kinds, ordnance stores, &c., &c., and piles of boxes of hard bread as high as two or three story houses. It reminded me some of a wharf in New York, with 12 or 15 ships loading and unloading."
"It is resolved-they march-consenting Night Guides with her star their dim and torchless flight. Already they perceive its tranquil beam Sleep on the surface of the barrier stream.
A moment's pause, 'tis but to breathe their band, Or shall they onward press, or here withstand? It matters little-if they charge the foes Who by the border-stream their march oppose, Some few, perchance, may break and pass the line However link'd to baffle such design." --- BYRON's "Lara."
May Ist, 1864, the Fifth Corps having been ordered to assemble at Culpeper Court House, Orders came at 3 a. m. for the Battery to eross the Rappahannock with Griffin's Ist Division and the two other batteries, and march at 9 a. m. in the following order :
Ist Brigade, Fifth Mass. Battery.
2d Brigade, Third Mass. Battery.
3d Brigade, Battery D. Ist N. Y. Artillery.
The Division looked splendidly.
They crossed the river at Rappahannock Station, and went into park a short distance beyond Ingalls Station, and north of Brandy Station. Everybody slept on the ground1.
May 2, 1864. Went about three miles to water horses. Lieut. Appleton passed a very delightful morning at General Meade's Head Quarters. Lunched there with all the fellows. Marehed at 53 p. m., in a terrible storm of wind and dust, followed by a heavy rain which continued till they came near Culpeper. Camped in the vieinity of the railroad bridge over Mountain Run, cold and wet. Shackley says,
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of ammunition, all kinds, ordnance stores, &e., &c., and piles of boxes of hard bread as high as two or three story houses. It reminded me some of a wharf in New York, with 12 or 15 ships loading and unloading."
"It is resolved-they march-consenting Night Guides with her star their dim and torchless Alight. Already they perceive its tranquil beam Sleep on the surface of the barrier stream.
A moment's pause, 'tis but to breathe their band, Or shall they onward press, or here withstand? It matters little-if they charge the foes Who by the border-stream their march oppose, Some few, perchance, may break and pass the line However link'd to baffle such design." -BYRON's "Lara."
May Ist, 1864, the Fifth Corps having been ordered to assemble at Culpeper Court House, Orders came at 3 a. m. for the Battery to cross the Rappahannock with Griffin's Ist Division and the two other batteries, and march at 9 a. m. in the following order :
Ist Brigade, Fifth Mass. Battery.
2d Brigade, Third Mass. Battery.
3d Brigade, Battery D, Ist N. Y. Artillery. The Division looked splendidly.
They erossed the river at Rappahannock Station, and went into park a short distance beyond Ingalls Station, and north of Brandy Station. Everybody slept on the ground.
May 2, 1864. Went about three miles to water horses. Lieut. Appleton passed a very delightful morning at General Meade's Head Quarters. Lunehed there with all the fellows. Marched at 53 p. m., in a terrible storm of wind and dust, followed by a heavy rain which contintied till they came near Culpeper. Camped in the vicinity of the railroad bridge over Mountain Run, cold and wet. Shackley says,
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"We passed the night in misery in our wet clothes, with no fire nor fuel to make one." A load of hay came for the men to lie upon. It ceased raining about 8. and they eat supper and went to bed pretty tired.
May 3. 1864, was cold and windy, the Blue Ridge a few miles distant was white with snow. Remained in camp all day and were told they would remain there for two or three days. Unpacked, pitched tents, and received orders to clean up for review the next day. Colonel Wainwright visited the camp. The Demi-Brigade was dissolved. Appleton calls it the "Demise of the Demis." Captain Martin took command of his own battery, the Third Mass., and Lieut. Spear came back to the Fifth Mass. Battery. In the evening rations were given out for 6 days. Rumors of a move on foot. Rumored the Rebs had evacuated in our front. At 11.30 p. m. Orders came to march at 12. The Army was to advance in two columns. The Fifth and Sixth Corps forming the Right, were to cross at Ger- manna Ford. and the Second Corps with the cavalry under Sheridan at Ely's Ford, six miles farther down. The Third and Fifth Mass. and Battery D, ist N. Y., fell in behind Griffin's First Division.
Reveille at midnight! "Boots and Saddles" immediately after cleaning horses.
BREAKING CAMP. APPLETON'S NOTES.
"The breaking camp at night and starting on the march, is a beautiful and inspiring sight. The country around for miles is lit up by a thousand fires, which sparkle like so many glowworms. Tents are struck and folded, horses are neighing and pawing impatiently in the cool night air, the artillery is harnessed and stands parked, ready for the word to move, officers are riding around seeing that every- thing is in readiness while all feel through their veins the electricity inspired by the prospect of change and activity,
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after the long days and nights of quiet. Silently, and in good order, the troops filed forth by the different roads. the cavalry having gone on in advance, and sunrise found the main body of the Army at the banks of the Rapidan, and ready to cross the stream.
The pontoons were then laid, and over we went again into the enemy's country, and all day long, under the rays of a hot spring sun, so hot that many threw away their blankets and extra clothing,
'Tramp. tramp, tramp, the boys are marching,' until as the afternoon shadows were lengthening, we halted on the edge of the Wilderness, where the pickets were carefully posted, and the order given to bivouac for the night."
They crossed the Rapidan withont opposition, and marched till about 2 of May 4th p. m., when they came into position 6 miles from Chancellorsville, within five miles of Mine Run, a hard march of 25 miles. The entire Army was in position in the Wilderness. The camp was close to the house where "Stonewall" Jackson was brought when he lost his arm the year before, and they found the old line of works which were hastily thrown up by the Third Corps at the Battle of Chancellorsville.
BULLETIN FROM GENERAL MEADE. READ TO THE SOLDIERS.
HEAD QUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. May 4. 1864.
(Extract.)
SOLDIERS :
. . . . You have been reorganized. strengthened and fully equippe! in every respect You form a part of the several armies of your country, the whole under the direction of an able and distinguishe i General, who enjoys the confidence of the government, the people, and the army. Your movement being in co-operation with others, it is of the utmost importance that no effort should be left unspared to make it successful. . .
GEO. G. MEADE, Maj. Gen'l Commanding.
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Appleton wrote of the close of the day of May 4th that he "listened to the music and retired under a 'fly' The Eve of Battle." Warren's Fifth Corps was in advance of the Right wing of the Army encamped on the Wilderness pike. Ewell's Corps of Lee's army was encamped directly opposite Warren's, each ignorant of the other's whereabouts. but when the Fifth Corps made ready to resume its march on the morning of Thursday, May 5th, they found the enemy, unexpectedly, confronting them, and were forced to fight him where he was. Meade concentrating the several army corps for that purpose. The Wilderness was a mining country. The timber of large growth had been cut down for miles around, for use in developing the mines, and the wood of smaller growth was a dense mass of scrub oaks, low pines, and underbrush, where it was an impossibility to form troops in line of battle or for the officers to see more than a sinall number of their commands at one time. The artillery could not be taken into the underbrush, and could only co-operate with the infantry by the use of a piece or a section at certain points. Cavalry was still less available. But here the Fifth Corps met the advance of Lee's Army.
THE FIGHT OF MAY 5.
May 5, 1864, at daylight, Battery in position where they first encamped. The Rebs came up about S a. m. The report was brought in that they were coming down upon them. In position on a high knoll commanding the valley "and the road to Parker's Store, just in front of the Lacey house, to the left of the turnpike, and not far from the Head Quarters of General Grant and General Meade.
The Right section, commanded by Lieut. J. E. Spear. was in position on the Gordonsville road, about noon and fired 13 rounds. The infantry firing was very heavy. Near
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them were Battery D, 5th U. S., Battery H, Ist N. Y., and B, Ist Pennsylvania.
General Griffin, advancing up the turnpike with one sec- tion of Battery D, Ist N. Y. Light Battery, Capt. Geo. B. Winslow, opened the fight at 2 p. m. and was heavily engaged where the 140th New York Infantry made its fatal charge and Captain Winslow and Lieut. A. S. Sheldon were wounded. Captain Winslow lost two guns, and the remaining four guns were placed in position on the right of the section of the 5th Battery which was posted on the pike.
Powell's History of the Fifth Corps has it that a section of the Battery "replied to and several times silenced a Con- federate battery similarly posted at a distance of about 14co yards."
We drove the enemy off the road.
There was very heavy musketry firing all day, continuing till 8 o'clock in the evening. At that time unharnessed and turned in, having gained ground.
By Lieut. Nathan Appleton: "We were covering an open piece of land, while the fighting was taking place in the tangled woods, a half mile or so in advance. General James S. Wadsworth led his Division through this field, with ranks full and banners waving. to the woods, where we could distinctly hear the dread rattle of musketry. A: length I noticed the men coming back, singly and in squads, limping and on stretchers, and evidently in disor- der. Something had gone wrong, and the old general was rushing about with drawn sword rallying his men around a flag which he had placed in position. He seemed to do all the work himself, and I could not resist the temptation of mounting my horse, riding up to him, saluting, giving my name, and asking if I could be of any use. I thought that at least I might try to stop his men from passing to the rear, through the two guns of my section of the Battery.
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He thanked me, and in a short time he had re-organized his broken Division, and was ready for more fighting, and this came the next day, May 6, 1864, when he received a wound in the head from which he died two days later."
THE FIGHT OF MAY 6.
The fight opened at daylight, 5 a. m. and lulled at 10, commenced again at 4, and was continued till 9 p. m. We gained ground on the Left, but lost on the Right. The firing of the musketry was one continuous roll. The Battery lay still all the morning. Burnside's troops came up. In the afternoon reported to General Griffin. In the main line hell by the Fifth Corps were the Fifth Mass. Battery and Battery D, Ist N. Y., now commanded by Lieut. Lester I. Richardson. The New York Battery was on the right of the turnpike; the Fifth Mass. Battery across the pike; the Third Mass. Battery, Battery H, Ist N. Y., L, Ist N. Y., and B, Ist Pennsylvania to the left. At six o'clock a part of the Sixth Corps fell back, causing general excitement, and "all that night (Appleton's Letters) there was a mass of men marching through and over us, as we lay in bivouac trying to sleep. It was the Sixth Corps falling back in confusion, and communication on the Right of the Orange and Alexandria R. R. to Washington was lost, and must be established on the Left, by the rivers." Dyer writes : "The whole of the Sixth Corps gave way, and that flanked the Fifth Corps, so part of that gave way about dark. The rest of the 5th was firm."
Of the fight of May 6th Corporal Shackley wrote, "Fight- ing very severe, but did not fire. Towards night the other two sections (the Centre and Left) were brought into line. About sunset the Right wing (6th Corps) broke, and there was quite a panic. General Griffin met the stragglers in the rear of our guns, and most earnestly urged them to form
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line, 'For,' said he, 'I know that my artillery will stand!' "
THE FIGHT OF MAY 7.
On Saturday, May 7, 1864, the Battery opened fire with shot and shell early in the morning, checked the advance ci the enemy made about daylight driving in our skirmishers, and drove them back into the woods. One spare pole broke in action. Kept in position all day. At 3 p. m. General Warren was ordered to move the corps-train to Chancellors- ville at 5 p. m. and park it, to be ready to move at night. and to move the Corps at half-past eight p. m. on the Brock Road, via Todd's Tavern, to Spottsylvania Court House, passing by the Second Corps, which was to follow closely, the Fifth Corps pickets to be withdrawn at one o'clock 2. m. of the 8th, those of the Second at 2 a. m. This order was based on one from General Grant, directing a flank move- ment.
At & p. m. of the 7th the Battery started off with Griffin's Division. Marched all night, moving by the left flank along the line of Burnside's Corps, out on the Brock road for Spottsylvania Court House.
The route was back to the intersection of the Germanna Plank Road; to march along this road about a mile and a quarter, then to strike the Brock road. About a mile farther along cross the Orange Plank road. and, at the end of another three miles, the railroad.
General Sheridan with the cavalry protected the column. This was the first of the marches of the Army of the Potomac by the left flank, in which the Fifth Corps led.
FROM APPLETON'S NOTES.
"On the Brock Road I met several of the officers of the 56th Mass. Regt. in the Ninth Corps, in bivouac and wait- ing to move, later on.
During that slow night march I occasionally dozed on
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my horse, taking cat naps, like some of the staff of Napoleon in Meissonier's famous painting of the 'Retreat from Mos- cow.' I may have done so before, but this time I recall it most vividly.
As I look back to that fearful three days' struggle, it seems to me like some confused and horrid dream. I can hear again the incessant crash of the musketry which would continue unbroken for hours, with the louder roar of the cannon at intervals relieving its terrifying sounds; 1 can see long lines of infantry pressing forward through the patches of farm land to their place in the woods. ranks full, flags floating in the breeze, and all proud and flushed with a hope of victory. I can see them straggling back, in groups of two or three, even squads and whole companies, confused and demoralized, their officers in vain trying to rally around the battle-riddled standard.
Again my car catches the sound of the rebel 'yell' and Yankee 'hurrah,' strangely mingled, as charges and counter charges would be made day and night; here long lines of ambulances block the road, while back through openings in thic tangled forests the bloody stretchers come bearing their sad and groaning load. The great tents of the field hospitals stand up before my vision in their white sepulchral lines, well out of reach of the firing, the red flag marking them as a place of refuge for friend or foe alike; here the poor sufferers lay, the surgeons bustling about, knife and band- ages in hand, while the strains of patriotic music the band was playing, would gladden the hearts of the wounded, and were often the last sound heard, as they gained the victory over death. Now a group of Confederate prisoners, in their rusty butternut dress, and long uncouth hair, would pass in the lines escorted by their guard: the officers casting around! looks of dogged defiance at their captors; here a battery of light artillery is rushed up the road to its position on some hill. the horses plunging and straining at the weight behind
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them; the flags of the signal service are waved in treetops, here and there, in a manner mysterious to all the unini- tiated; in a continuous line the tired soldiers remain man- fully at the breastworks hastily thrown up, and try, at odd times, to snatch a few hours' sleep and forgetfulness; but amidst all the carnage and confusion around, one quiet, un- pretending figure stands out conspicuously, clear-headed, and undismayed.
It is General Grant, the soldier of the people, the person upon whom the responsibility fell, and who was able to bear it, for, as he sat in his tent, calmly smoking his cigar, watching the varying fortunes of the struggle, receiving despatches as they were constantly brought in, more and more convinced did he become that success could only be achieved by blows, not by strategy, and that it was the duty of the army to 'fight it out on that line,' at no matter what apparent sacrifice.
So the three days of battle passed.
This march of May 7th was long and tedious for the weary soldiers, and, as is generally the case at night, espe- cially in the muddy roads of Virginia, not many miles were accomplished as the rosy streaks of the rising sun appeared in the eastern horizon. The day was fairly breaking when our Division came up to Todd's Tavern, an old wayside inn, and the troops were halted, with orders to rest for an hour or so, and make their coffee.
I took the saddle off my horse, and, using it for a pillow, tried to seize a few moments' sleep. Ah me! he who has passed through such scenes as these will not lightly talk of war as a thing to be madly rushed into, and a game for kings and emperors to play."
CHAPTER XXI.
THE BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE, AND LAUREL HILL.
MAY 8-18, 1864. "God's truth!" sez I,-'an ef I held the club, An' knowed jes' where to strike,-but there's the rub!"-
"Strike soon," sez he, "or you'll be deadly ail- in',-
Folks thet's afeared to fail are sure o' failin';" .... -JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL, The Biglow Papers.
The Fifth Corps, followed by the Sixth Corps, was put in motion on the Brock Road, at 9 o'clock on the night of the 7th of May, 1864, preceded by a Division of cavalry under General Wesley Merritt; their object being to secure a cross road leading to Fredericksburg, by which the wounded could be sent to Washington.
They met the enemy the next day about two miles be- yond Todd's Tavern, near the crossing of the river Po, about 12 miles from the position in the Wilderness, between the two most northern forks of the Mattapony river, the Po and the Ny, but nearer the banks of the Po. Two other streams, southern forks of the same river, are desig- nated by the syllables Mai and Ta.
The enemy was not able to dislodge our cavalry but they held Merritt in check, and about 6.30 a. m. General John C. Robinson's Division with the Third Mass. Battery and Battery L, Ist N. Y., followed by Griffin's Division with Battery H, Ist N. Y. Light, the Fifth Mass. Battery and
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