USA > Massachusetts > History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery : organized October 3, 1861, mustered out June 12, 1865, v.2 > Part 31
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This battle was the last for the Third Mass. Battery. its term of service having expired. Its guns and equipments were turned into the ordnance department, the horses and wagons to the quartermasters department. Its commander, Captain Augustus P. Martin was soon after brevetted colonel, as an honorary title for his valuable services, and for the reason, as General Henry J. Hunt, Chief of Artillery of the Army of the Potomac observed, that besides com- manding his battery, he had "performed the highest duties of field-officer."
By these operations, of the third and fourth weeks of August, our main line was extended from the Jerusalem Plank Road at the Cheever house to Globe Tavern. From this point we held all the ground along the Weldon Rail- road to White House where a fort was built and named for Colonel Dushane.
August 25th the Battery moved about two miles to the left in support of the Second Corps, which had a severe fight at Ream's Station on the Weldon Railroad. The enemy forced our lines, tore up the railroad track and cap- tured the guns of the Tenth Mass. Battery and Battery G. Ist Rhode Island.
The Fifth Mass. Battery was placed in position on the
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pike leading to Ream's Station in advance of the line of battle.
"August 29th, 186.1. (Shackley's Notes.) Cleared up our park and dug another well, making eleven wells dug by the Battery in front of Petersburg.
Corporal Tripp promoted to sergeant, James Kay and Joseph Clark promoted to corporals."
The Battery's position on the 30th was outside the in- trenchments, two guns on each side of the road. At the front and on the right in the edge of the woods skirmishers were thrown out.
Major Phillips in his report to the Adjutant General of the state of Massachusetts dated Dec. 16, 1864, thus refers to the status of the Third Mass. Battery and its relations to the Fifth :--
"On the 30th of August, the enlisted men of the Third Mass. Battery, who were not entitled to be mustered out, were permanently transferred to the Fifth Mass. Battery by Special Order 210, Head Quarters Fifth Army Corps, dated August 27th. This order was afterwards rescinded, and it was directed that the two organizations should be kept up, by Special Order 236, Head Quarters Fifth Army Corps. The two batteries have since been temporarily united under my command."
The report of the Third to the same state official reads :----
"The Veterans and Recruits transferred to the Fifth Mass. Bat- tery, and the battery ordered to the rear with instructions to turn over the battery, &c., preparatory to leaving the Army, and on the evening of the 4th September the officers and men whose term of service was about to expire, marched to City Point."
New wharves had been built at City Point and a new rail- way in the rear of the lines from City Point to the Weldon Railroad at Globe Tavern, and from that point to the crossing of the Vaughan road near Wyatt's house, the Wel- don Railroad was used as a military railway.
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HISTORY OF THE
FROM THE HISTORY OF THE THIRD MASS. BATTERY.
List of the Members of the Fhird Mass. Battery temporarily con- solidated with the Fifth Mass. Battery.
Aug. 30, 1804, and Previous.
Allen Elisha
Ayıner Frank
Ball Volney
Boutwell Win, G.
Bowman Benedict
Brizee Wm. A. Jr.
Brock John H.
Broom George
Bryson Peter
Bugbee Wm. L.
Burleson Charles
Burns Joseph
Cabill George II.
Carling Chas. P.
Cary Richard
Conant Sherman W.
Crockett George F.
Downey Thomas
Drake Wm. M.
Dudley Edwd. M.
Duff Robert P.
Edwards William
Flanagan Thomas
Follett Charles A.
Ford Jacob W.
Gragg John T.
Graves Henry B.
Hanley Henry
Hart Patrick
Hayden Wm. A.
Hayes Joseph
Hunt Geo. S.
Hunt Ira J.
Johnson Alfred J.
Johnston Leonard F.
Knowles William
Leach Jacob H.
Mahan Fred'k W.
Mahan Geo. F.
Martis Win. A.
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Matthews David A. Matthews Roland F. McCarthy Eugene McCartney John Murphy James Murphy Thomas
Murphy Walter
Nichols Wm. H.
Potter Geo. Jr.
Ransom Wallace R.
Ransom William
Reed Andrew
Remington Lysander F.
Riley Morris
Robinson John R.
Rowe Amos
Skillin Iloward A.
Spencer Albert L.
Stetson Charles F.
Stetson Henry
Sullivan James
Thomas Jefferson
Tufts Henry
Turner Thomas
Waterson James
Waterson William
Way George H.
Welch John H.
Wheelock Geo. W.
Whelan John
Wilson Richard
Wood Alfred.
August 31, 1864. notice was received of Lieut. Nathan Appleton's discharge. Special Order War Departinent dated Aug. 25, 1864, and Lient. Hamblet was mustered in to date August 25. 1864.
September 1, 186.4. our rear was attacked by rebel cavalry. "Pickets were driven in, ( Shackley's Notes) the Rebs were repulsed, and we unhitched."
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CHAPTER XXVI.
THE BATTLE OF HATCHER'S RUN.
OCTOBER 27, 1864. "Here was the camp, the watch-flame, and the host, Still does he mark it with triumphant boast, And points to yonder cliffs, which oft were won and lost." --- Childe Harold.
As far as new ground was gained by our forces, en- frenchments and redoubts of great strength were carried on to secure it. The length of this line was about three and a half miles on the front from Fort Davis to Fort Wads- worth, and a mile and a half along the railroad from Fort Wadsworth to Fort Dushane. The reverse works extended from Fort Dushane back to the Jerusalem Plank Road. a distance of about four miles. The forts included in the front line were Forts Hays, Howard, Wadsworth and Dushane and several redoubts. The reverse line was made up of small forts, the only one of large extent being Fort Stevenson. The woods in the vicinity were utilized, and furnished all the timber needed for gun platforms and drawbridges by means of portable saw mills. Skilled labor of all descriptions for building the fortifications, railroads. etc., was found in the ranks of the army.
As fast as the protecting works were completed the mili- tary line connecting with the Weldon Railroad at Globe Tavern was extended. Parts of the line built for the use of batteries of artillery were numbered, beginning at the right of the line near the James River and numbering towards the left.
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September 23, 1864, a circular was published and read to the Army, announcing the success of General Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. While at the height of the en- thusiasm created by this glorious news, the determination of General Grant to strike a blow at Richmond from the north bank of the James met general approval, and on Sep- tember 28th the 18th Corps under General E. O. C. Ord, and the moth Corps under General D. B. Birney went off "in good spirits," as the phrase was then, across the James; the 18th by the Varina road nearer the river and the roth by the Newmarket and Darby roads. The result was the capture of Fort Harrison and its entrenchments and their guns.
On the 29th at 4 a. in. the Army of the Potomac was under arms for a move, and preparations were made to withdraw from the entrenchments round Petersburg, leav- ing garrisons in the forts and batteries.
The cavalry was sent off to the crossing of Hatcher's Run, by the Vaughan road, where there was a rebel redoubt and entrenchments which were a part of the Petersburg line, running parallel with the Weldon Railroad. Cavalry was also sent to Peebles and Pegram farms on the Squirrel Level road, two miles west of our intrenchments on the railroad, in order to extend our left and surround Peters- burg.
There was a redoubt called Fort McRac, at the junction of the Squirrel Level and Poplar Spring Church roads, com- ing from the southwest, which it was Grant's design to cap- ture with a part of the Fifth Corps including Griffin's Divi- sion, accompanied by Batteries B, D and H, Ist N. Y. Light Artillery, and at 7 o'clock of September 30, they left the intrenchients at Globe Tavern and fought their way west, holding the entrenchments captured, through the Peebles and Pegram farms, and northwest to the Boydton Plank Road, and on the 2d of October the Fifth and Second
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Corps had established a new line of entrenchments, connect ing with the Weldon Railroad works, made up of redoubts and batteries. On the 27th of October General Meade was directed by General Grant to take possession of the South side Railroad, and to hold and fortify it.
The rebels had intrenchments not very complete at a point two miles above the crossing of Hatcher's Run by the Vaughan road, and about a mile above Armstrong's Mills They did not cross the run or extend any farther up than the crossing.
The Confederate Petersburg lines reached from the Ap pomattox River to a battery west of the Jerusalem Plank Road. Our movement was to the left, the Second Corps moving by the Vaughan road, crossing Hatcher's Run and proceeding by the Boydton Plank and White Oak Roads to the Southside Railroad; striking it at a point about three miles east of Sutherland Station. The Ninth Corps was to attack the intrenchments at Hatcher's Run, and the Fifth to move to Armstrong's Mills and support the Ninth at Hatcher's Run.
The Confederate lines stretched from Hatcher's Run to the Boydton Road a distance of about a mile, covering the road.
The Fifth Corps started at 4 a. m. of Oct. 27, 1864. It was composed of the ist and 2d and two Brigades of the 3d Division, under General S. W. Crawford. The ammuni tion and reserve supplies remained in camp guarded by the 2d Brigade of Crawford's Division under General Henry Baxter, and 8 batteries of 34 guns. Three batteries of light 12 pdrs. 14 guns, and two batteries of 3 inch rifled, 10 guns. accompanied the expedition.
Griffin's Ist Division was 4707 strong; of these more than one-third were ignorant of the manual, and more than half the number had never fired a musket. In Ayres' 2d Divi- sion 4704 strong. there were 104 men who had not been
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drilled in the manual, and 812 who had never fired a musket. In Crawford's 3d Division there were 298 raw recruits.
They moved southwesterly and westerly. meeting the rebel skirmishers at 9 a. m. and driving them into a line of breastworks.
Orders hurried Warren in command to cross Hatcher's Run and communicate with Hancock forthwith, and both Grant and Meade appeared in person at Warren's Head Quarters. Griffin's skirmish line then extended to Hatch- er's Run on the left. Hancock's Corps had moved towards the Boydion Plank Road past Armstrong's Mills. Warren ordered Crawford with one Brigade of Ayres to cross the Ran, place his right flank on the Run, and then move up and attack the enemy's right in flank.
Generals Grant and Meade informed Hancock in person of this movement of Crawford, and Hancock's Second Corps was ordered to extend its line to the right to connect with Crawford, and hold his position till the next morning. which he did after a skirmish with the enemy who tried to get possession of the Plank Road.
The woods were dense and the stream was crooked and these caused delay.
Warren arrived at 11.45 a. m. and rested his right on the Run in line of battle, and Griffin opened on the Confed- erates at I p. m. of the 27th, and about 4 p. m. Crawford, having come up, and formed his line on the right flank of the Confederate position fronting Griffin, began skirmish- ing with the enemy, but his line of march had carried him into quite a different position from what was expected, and he was in a dense forest where his men were getting lost. even the enemy it is said were bewildered. and his command was difficult to reach.
There was a consultation between Generals Meade and Warren at Armstrong's Mills, as to what should be done
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with Crawford, and he was ordered to withdraw at day- break of the 28th to the north side of Hatcher's Run.
Hancock with ammunition exhausted, and seeing no ad. vantage in holding his position, commenced to fall back it 10 p. m. of the 27th. At 10 a. in. of the 28th the road was clear of wagons, wounded and prisoners, and at if a. m .. the Fifth and Ninth Corps had withdrawn and returned to their former positions.
The object of this movement is variously stated. Some historians believe they have authority for saying that the demonstration was made on the left by our Army to hold the enemy's attention so that he would not trouble Butler who was coming up towards Richmond from the James River, while others say that the plan was a concerted move- ment to attack Lee in order to prevent his sending rein- forcements to oppose Butler who was to operate on that side, and prevent reinforcements being sent to Lee. That Grant was very desirous of getting possession of the rail- roads is made plain in his Memoirs, when he says of the railroad south by way of Danville, he was afraid the enemy was "running off his men and stores and ordnance" by it.
The result of the movement was that we advanced our line to Poplar Spring Church.
On October 31st the regular infantry serving in the Fifthi Corps were again ordered to the city of New York to report to Major General John A. Dix, and the remainder of the Corps took their places once more in the fortifications before Petersburg near Fort Sedgwick.
AS RELATED BY MEMBERS OF THE BATTERY.
September 2, 1864. the square work of four bastions on the right was garrisoned by the Ninth Mass. Battery. The next day General Grant. General Lew Wallace and U. S. Secretary Fessenden paid a visit to camp.
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DISPOSAL OF NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
MAJOR C. A. PHILLIPS TO LIEUT. FORD. MORRIS.
September 8, 1864. LIEUT. FORD. MORRIS A. A. A. G. Art'y Brigade 5th A. C. Lieutenant.
I have the honor to forward the following statement for the action of the proper authorities.
On the 30th of August, by order from Corps Hd. Qrs. the enlisted men, recruits and veterans of Battery C, Mass. Art'y were transferred to Battery E, Mass. Art'y, the first named battery being ordered to be mustered out.
Among the men so transferred were the following non- commissioned officers. As there are now the full number of non-commissioned officers in Battery E. I respectfully request that these serg'ts. and corp'ls may be discharged, as they cannot be mustered for pay :-
Serg't. Lysander F. Remington Present.
Wallace R. Ransoni Thomas Turner . .
Corp. Charles A. Follett
Brooks B. Martis ..
.. Daniel Norcross absent wounded.
.. William H. Nichols.
I am very Resp'y Your Obd. Serv't CHARLES A. PHILLIPS, Captain Battery E, Mass. Art'y.
FROM BRIG. GEN. HENRY J. HUNT.
ART'Y HD. ORS. A. OF P. Sept. 20, 1864.
Respectfully returned to Ild. Qrs. A. of P. By a return made to these Hd. Qrs. August ist, it appears that
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there would be in batteries C & E Mass. Art'y on Sept. 5, and Dec. 3, the dates of muster out.
Battery C, 63 enlisted men. E. 71
Instead of transferring the men from one battery to the other I think the batteries should be united temporarily to serve one battery of guns, thus preserving their organization until recruits could be obtained to fill them. This would save their organization and keep the non-commissioned officers in service.
HENRY J. HUNT, Brig. Gen'l, Ch. of Art'y.
The opinion of General Meade, September 21, 1864, was as follows :-
"The order of the 30th uh. would seem to conflict with the instruc- tions from the War Dept. of the 16th ult. relating to consolidations a copy of which was furnished.
The same rule will apply to a battery as to a reg't. and the 63 inen of Battery C can be kept as a separate organization with the requisite number of officers and non-commissioned officers and the supernumerary mustered out."
His letter was returned to Captain Phillips by Colonel Wainwright, after having been referred to Captain W. T. Gentry commissary of musters of the Corps, the last date being Sept. 22, 1864.
Rumors that the enemy were moving around to the left caused some uneasiness, and on Sept. 15th hitched up at 4 a. m., unhitched at 8. Hitched up again at 2, and unhitched at dark. 16th. Ilitched up in the morning and remained hitched up all day. On the 17th orders to sweep the whole camp. As soon as this was done, hitched up and packed up, and took the Battery out of line. Relieved by Stewart's Battery B, Fourth Regulars and marched to Yellow Tav- ern. Went into camp near Warren's Station in the vicinity of Corps Head Quarters, being held to support any part of the line. On this day Lt. Simonds was mustered in as Ist
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Lieutenant and Mason W. Page was mustered in as 2d Lieutenant.
"Sunday Sept. 18, 1864. (Dyer's Notes.) Orders to clean up for inspection at 9 o'clock. We were inspected by Lieut. Spear. Weather warm and sultry. Divine ser- vices in the p. m."
LETTER OF Q. M. SERG'T. PEACOCK. "CAMP NEAR SIX MILE STATION, VA.
Sept. 18, 1864.
We are in camp at the Yellow Tavern or Six Mile House, that I suppose you have read of, where the big battle took place when we first came up here. The Weldon R. R. track runs directly in front of the house only some twenty feet distant. Our line of battle is about fifty yards in front. . General Warren of the 5th Corps has his Hd. Ors. here. The house is of brick painted yellow. The past week we have been on a constant jump night and day, hitching up and remaining in suspense for a few hours, then the alarm will quiet down, and we unharness again for a short time.
The pickets get to firing in front of us, and they are so near at some points it is impossible to tell at what minute we shall see the rebels charging our works.
It takes our Battery not over ten minutes to hitch up, pack everything and be on the move. Early in the war it took us a half-hour.
Captain. Phillips is doing a lot of correspondence with the War Department to get us mustered out Oct. Ist, -- ex- piration of three years term of service .-- as there was a mistake or neglect in our muster in on that date."
Sept. roth. Corp. Jonas Shackley was discharged by Special Order No. 304 War Department. to receive a com- mission as 2d Lieutenant in the 24th Unattached Co. of
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Mass. Heavy Artillery. Ist Serg't. E. J. Gibbs was also discharged for a commission as 2d Lieutenant in the 26th Unattached Co. Mass. Heavy Artillery.
On this day the men levelled off the park and dug two wells which employed them most of the day. In the evening Dver went over to the 20th Maine Regt. and had a very pleasant time.
Sept. 20th the Battery was inspected at 2 o'clock by Lieut. G. W. Dresser A. A. I. G. Everything was minutely examined. John E. Dyer was personally complimented by him for being neat and clean. September 21st the Battery moved to the rear and occupied Fort Davison.
FROM A LETTER OF MAJOR PHILLIPS. "NEAR PETERSBURG, VA., Sept. 22, 186.4.
We have been very quiet since the first few days after we took the Weldon R. R. Last Saturday we moved out of our position outside of the line of battle on the road leading to Ream's Station, and went back into reserve near the .Yellow House' where General Warren's Ild. Qrs. are. We immediately went to work fixing up our camp and though the ground was very dirty we made a pretty good camp. Our officers' tents were pitched under an arbor built by Col. Hoffman icr his Hd. Ors., and were very pleasant.
We fixed a pole and pins for a game quite common here which is played in this way :- Two poles are set up with a cross piece about 20 feet from the ground, and a 12 pdr. round shot or shell is hung from this cross piece by a rope so that it swings within three inches from the ground. Then we set up ten pins under it as they do in a bowling alley and swing the ball at them. The object is to hit the pins when the ball is swinging towards you. If you hit the pins when the ball is swinging from you. you lose 5. Each player swings the ball three times to make one roll and to
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count just as they do in a bowling alley. It is quite a good game. General Warren rode by while we were playing it and seemed interested in it.
. . A brigade of colored troops is camped outside the redoubt, but we keep a guard at the entrance and have the whole inside to ourselves. One of the curiosities out here is the extension of the City Point R. R. built without survey and grades, up and down hill and across the fields anywhere. It crosses the Weldon R. R. and runs fairly into the en- trenched line of battle, the rails being within a foot of the face of the rifle pits."
Again on the 24th :---
"FORT DAVISON NEAR PETERSBURG,
Sept. 2.4, 1864.
This redoubt forms one of a series built to protect our left flank and rear, and which form a very strong line. Our left flank describes a complete semi-circle and finally runs parallel to the main line. . . . The southerly work on the Weldon R. R. is Fort Dushane. The northerly work on the west of the Jerusalem Plank Road, a large square, redoubt formerly called Fort Warren, is now named Fort Davis after Colonel Davis 39th Mass. Vols., who was killed close by. . . . Between the two bastioned works on the Weldon R. R. there are two redans mounting 4 guns each, and a 4 gun battery between Fort Dushane and Fort Davi- son. All the works are connected by lines of rifle pits, varying in strength, and with single or double abattis in front all the length. In front of Fort Davis there is first a row of chercaux de frise formed of pointed stakes set in the ground at an angle of about 302 and fastened with iron wire to a riband about two feet from the ground. Outside of this is a row of abattis the whole forming rather a for- midable obstacle.
One great innovation in this war is the introduction of
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iron wire into obstacles. Abattis is always fastened with iron wire so as infallibly to trip up any one who tries to go through it. It is also extensively used in front of abattis fastened to stakes, forming a very effective obstacle to a charge.
I think we need have no fear of the Rebels attempting to repossess the Weldon R. R. and bringing on the great battle which the newspapers have been prophesying. They failed to drive us off the R. R. in the first few days after we got here, and they are too wise to attempt it now. Of course they may attempt it when their only alternative is utter annihilation, but it will amount to nothing. Their men and ours have charged rifle pits too much to run their heads against regular fortifications. The news from the Shenan- doch coming on top of Mobile and Atlanta, brings the alter- native of annihilation home to them, but I am inclined to think Early is too much used up to help Lee smash our left as Jackson helped him to smash our right in 1862. But, in 1862, we did not know how to dig. Not a shovelful of dirt was thrown on the left of the Chickahominy that was of any use in repelling Jackson's attack."
MARTIN'S BATTERY GOES HOME.
Sept. 24. 1864, the men of the Third Mass. Battery whose time had expired bivouacked in the rear of the 22d Mass. Regt. Infantry. Captain A. P. Martin and officers at Regi- mental Head Quarters. At 8 a. m. of September 25th. 186.4. they were escorted to the boat by the 22d Regiment; "send- ing them off" says their historian "with ringing cheers."
Sept. 26, 1864. Orders were received to make requisition for two more guns; rifled batteries having 130 men present being made six gun batteries. Harnesses came on the 27th but no guns. On the 28th orders were received during the evening to send horses, caissons and wagons to the am- munition train in case the main body of the Corps moved.
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keeping strong detachments in the fort, which was then garrisoned by the 944th N. Y., and the Fifth Mass. Battery. In the afternoon of the 29th cannonading was heard in the direction of Ream's Station.
Oct. Ist the Fifth Corps began to move to the left. Sent caissons, wagons, and all the horses to the Ammunition Train.
QUARTERMASTER'S STATISTICS.
Quartermaster Serg't. Peacock's Account Book contains some interesting statistics relative to the horses connected with the Battery. Their color was Bay, Black, Sorrel, Gray, Roan and Buckskin. They were separated from the Bat- tery by the following causes :--- Killed. abandoned, -- worn out .- died from exhaustion, died in a fit, strayed away. broke leg and was killed, died from sunstroke, from dis- case, killed in action, wounded and killed. May 28th, 1864, at Hanover Town, one horse died of swelled head.
Besides clothing, shelter tents, blankets, sacks, -- used on " the works of the Division .Artillery, gunners' implements etc. such property as the following was received for use of the Battery and accounted for :- Ridge Pole, Tarpaulin. Sides Harness Leather, Papers of Saddlers' Needles, Bridle, Spirits of Turpentine, Linseed Oil, Horse Nails, Wagon Tail Board, Lanyards, Castile Soap, Requisition for Sta- tionerv ; Letter Paper. Foolscap. Envelopes, pins, wafers. Sealin - Wax, Red Office Tape. Bottle of Ink, Stamps, Lead Pencils. Mucilage, Blotting Paper, Eraser.
LETTER OF MAJOR PHILLIPS OCT. 2, 1864.
"During the present demonstration towards the South- side R. R. we still garrison Fort Davison, while most of the Corps are fighting. We have rested in undisturbed quiet for the last few days, liearing of the fighting only an
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