USA > Massachusetts > History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery : organized October 3, 1861, mustered out June 12, 1865, v.2 > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
Dyer : "June 5th. Heavy firing heard in the direction of Fredericksburg at 6 o'clock p. m."
----
599
FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
Chase : "Bugler Winters returned from furlough."
Captain Phillips' Letter : "June 5th 8 p. m. The 6th Corps crossed at Franklin's crossing of last December, about sunset. No serious resistance. . . . All furloughs stopped. Saturday forenoon : I have just got my two guns and horses. No movement yet. All quiet on the river."
THE GUNS COME BACK FROM THE FOURTH RHODE ISLAND.
Notes of Private John E. Dyer : "Saturday June 6, 1863 : At reveille we were notified we were to have two more guns again, and the men's names were read who were assigned to these Detachments, I being assigned to the 5th Detachment, Sergt. Morgridge.
Two guns came to us from the R. I. Battery, our old Peninsula pieces."
Scott's Notes: "June 6th. Harris's Light Cavalry camped near us during the night, from Yorktown. . . . Some skirmishing on the river. Our troops in position. Rebs. obstinate."
Phillips' Diary : "June 6th. . . . Obtained two guns and caissons from Captain Waterman, and 32 horses and one section of harness from Lieut. C. T. Bruen, 10th N. Y. Battery."
June 6th a sergeant of the 10th N. Y. was assigned as sergeant of the 6th Detachment of the Fifth Mass. Battery, vice Simonds in charge of the 3d.
Dyer's Notes: "June 7th. Brigade inspection.
Regulations read in line at 'Retreat.' On guard."
Scott: "June 7th. Am Officer of the Day. . . . Our troops still across the river. Some cannonading this after- noon. Harris's Light Cavalry gone to Warrenton.
June Sth. . . . Went to the River. Our forces still across, having thrown up rifle pits."
600
HISTORY OF THE
Captain Phillips' Letter: "June 8th, 1863. Yesterday being very pleasant. after a brigade inspection I rode down to the river to take a look at our troops on the other side. The bridges are laid at 'Franklin's Crossing.' At this point the hills on the other side are nearly two miles back fromn the river, and the plain between the hills and the river is occupied by our troops. Our pickets are within pistol shot of the woods which cover the hills, while our main body lies just over the river. Part of the Corps is over, and the rest is on the flat on this side ready to cross. Everything seemed very quiet. A few rebels in the edge of the woods. but no other demonstration.
The 5th Corps is stretched along the river from Banks's Ford to Bealton: Huntington's Battery is at Banks's Ford: Ames of our Brigade at United States. (Capt. Nelson Ames Battery G. Ist N. Y. Light. ) Martin at Kelly's. Captain Huntington was in here at noon, and reports all quiet where he is. The river is very low. A slight thunder shower Saturday night. is all the rain we have had since the storm when we recrossed the river from Chancellorsville, and the country is very dry. . . . I have the finest set of horses I ever had or saw. When I was reduced to a four gun battery I of course turned in the meanest ones I had, and last week when I received two more guns I went over to the 10th N. Y. Battery and picked out the best horses they had. So I have a lot now that will not stick at anything."
Scott's Notes: "June 10, 1863. Battery drill by Captain Phillips. Some firing up River said to be a cavalry fight at Culpeper. Detailed on Court Martial. June 11th. . Am off duty to-day attending Court Martial at Major McGilvery's. . . All quiet on the river here.
Fight at Ellis Ford with Stuart's cavalry."
Dyer's Notes: "Thursday June Ith. An inspection of knapsacks this afternoon."
Scott's Notes: "June 12th, 1863. .. . Went down to
601
FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
the river. Our troops still across. Our forces mounting Sx too pdr. Parrotts."
Letter of Captain Phillips: "June 12. Some movement is going on here. We have received orders to reduce bag- gage, and this morning I sent off knapsacks &c., allowing the men to retain merely a blanket and change of under- clothes. The 3d Corps marched last night, and the Ist Corps this morning up river. The Battery is in tip top shape."
Chase's Diary: "June 13th, 1863. Marching orders !!. In. Orders to destroy all our surplus camp equipage before leaving."
CHAPTER XVII.
THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
July 1-3, 1863.
GENERAL MOVEMENTS
"But yester-eve, so motionless around, So mute was this wide plain, that not a sound But the far torrent, or the locust bird Hunting among the thickets, could be heard ;-- Yet hark! what discords now, of every kind! Shouts, laughs, and screams, are revelling in the wind;
The neigh of cavalry ; Ringing of arms, and flapping in the breeze . Of streamers from ten thousand canopies; . . . " -- THOMAS MOORE.
The display of audacity of the southern confederates, which during the Maryland raid of September, 1862, they were well aware had stimulated confidence in their cause abroad, was repeated in June, 1863, with the hope of hasten- ing intervention in their behalf by foreign powers. and was carried into Pennsylvania so far north of the dividing line between that state and Maryland, as to give them, if un- molested, a fair chance of turning the tables on the national army, and of compelling from the national government the credit for intrepidity ever yielded to the ensnarer by the ensnared.
But the account for this bold cavalry dash was to be settled in plain view, for all the world to see and pass judg- ment upon for all time, in a clear field, divested of all complicating circumstances which could render it unintelli- gible: on free Pennsylvania soil, and north of the not too
602
GETTYSBURG. The Fight of July 2nd
C
Gettysburg
Seminary
Willowarte
COPOS
/Cemetvy Hill
Culps
Hill.
And Corps. No
DS
15
-.
1
-
f:th
Nobel Advance
High Ground
5 3rd Corps
Low Ground
good Green 1.0
Avance
22
13.
Emmolisoura
13.
708
--
--
Run
and Round
Top
Timestown
Union
Rebel 000
Scaleabout 3000ft to linch.
1. Phillips' 5"> Mass Battery. 2. Bigelow's. 3. 2"aN.J. Battery B. 4. Hart's. 5. Ames. 6. Thompson's. 7. Peach Orchard. 8. Trestle's house. 9. Second Position of the 5th Mass. 10. Lost Part of 5th. Mass. 11. Meade's Head Quarters. 12. Mc. Allisters Mill. 13. Rebel Batteries Silenced 14. Rebelenfilading Batteries. 15. Low Marsh. 16. Hill upon which the Rebels brought their Batteries. 17. Removed Piece by hand. 18 Road from Tarrytown Road to Emmittsburg Road. 19. Part of 5th Corps. 20. House and Barn.
road
3
2' Y'position of 3rd Corps.
-----
yiQuan
19
-
THI11.
Revina
Road.
1.3
1.ale
From Sketches My
LA. PMThps.
+ =will oup .
-- 1
-
1
603
FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
loyal city of Baltimore, leaving the sacred cordon of defence around Washington not only inviolable but actually unassailed.
All the important bridges on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad from Martinsburg to Cumberland, Md. had been destroyed. Creeping up through the mountains the rebel cavalry, preceding a Division of infantry, encountering our forces in a series of skirmishes, reached the town of Carlisle, Penn. in the centre of the Cumberland Valley, 18 miles from Harrisburg the capital of the state, on the 27th of June.
Another Division of infantry, moving up by other roads, encamped near Chambersburg, Penn .; another marched to the north east of Gettysburg occupying the town of York, breaking railroad communication between Baltimore and Harrisburg; also, to facilitate their movements the Chesa- peake and Ohio canal had been considerably damaged.
Orders were issued to move north to Harrisburg, but crossing the Susquehanna River at Wrightsville, they en- countered our forces at the bridge, and soon becoming aware that their progress north was not to be unaccom- panied, on the 28th of June, the day Meade was placed in command of the Army of the Potomac vice Hooker resigned, they called together their divergent columns, and leaving a Division at Chambersburg to guard their rear, after attempting to obtain supplies at Gettysburg, and there on the 30th being repulsed by our cavalry under General John Buford, who had come up from Fairfield through Emmitts- burg; failing, also, to obtain supplies through the mountain passes in the presence of our troops who were being rapidly reinforced, they determined to make an attack upon Gettys- burg, there establishing their lines in positions favorable for artillery on Seminary Ridge, all ready for immediate action in the great battle of Wednesday, July 1, 1863.
The Union General John F. Reynolds had moved up his
.
604
HISTORY OF THE
Corps, taking up a defensive position. He commanded the Right wing, consisting of the First, Third and Eleventh Corps.
The recoil of the rebel advance had placed the enemy in the vicinity of Gettysburg, a village originally laid out by James Gettys in 1780, situated seven miles from the southern border of Pennsylvania, which separates it from Maryland, and 136 miles by rail from Philadelphia. At the time of which we write, it had become a town of about 3000 inhabitants, and was the seat of Pennsylvania College, founded in 1832. In the near neighborhood are the Gettys- burg medicinal springs, and one mile from the centre of the village there rises from the valley Seminary Ridge on which stands the Lutheran Theological Seminary, founded in 1825.
Gettysburg lies between two parallel streams, Willoughby Run and Rock Creek, which here run nearly south, about two and a half miles apart. Between these two streams run three parallel mountain ridges. Rock Creek flows along the foot of Culp's Hill on the east, and finally passes be- tween it and another rocky, wooded eminence known as Wolf's Hill. Culp's Hill commands Cemetery Ridge and Spangler's Hill, another rocky elevation covered with woods, and its intrenchments protected our communications with Baltimore.
West of the town about a half-mile, is Cemetery Hill where Evergreen Cemetery is located. Cemetery Ridge and Seminary Ridge run on nearly parallel lines, north and south. Directly opposite Seminary Ridge about three miles south of Gettysburg are two wooded hills, spurs of Cemetery Ridge, called Great Round Top and Little Round Top.
Both hills were steep and covered with large rocks. Big Round Top has an elevation of 300 feet above the valley. Little Round Top is not so high by 113 feet.
605
FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
Little Round Top is also called Sugar Loaf Mountain and Granite Spur. It is near a cross road, about a mile and a quarter long, between the Baltimore turnpike and the Emmittsburg road. Great Round Top lies southwest of Little Round Top. The road which led to Emmittsburg, a small town 50 miles w. n. w. of Baltimore and 10 miles s. s. w. of Gettysburg, left the Union Centre at the foot of Cemetery Hill, and diverged rapidly, crossing the field between the two armies, and entered into the Confederate line opposite the Union Leit. This road was on rising ground, traversing obliquely the space between the main ridges. Far in the distance to the southwest is South Mountain of the Blue Ridge, in the state of Maryland, west of which the battle was fought September 14, 1862.
Ten roads from surrounding towns focus at Gettysburg viz., Hagarstown, Chambersburg, Harrisburg, York, Car- lisle, Mummasburg, Hanover, Baltimore, Taneytown and . Emmittsburg.
THE DISPOSITION OF THE FORCES.
The territory embracing all the movements of the three days' fighting, is five and a half miles long by four and a half broad, covering twenty-five square miles. On Semin- ary Ridge, about a half-mile beyond the town, which they held, were formed the enemy's lines. The Right of the Union forces turned, at the junction of the Emmittsburg road with the Baltimore turnpike, to the cast and south, with the rebels between the extreme right and Rock Creek. The battle lasted for three days, commencing on Wednes- day July 1, 1863. The engagement of July Ist was west and south of the town, our Left resting on the Millerstown road; the Right being prolonged to Rock Creek on the Harrisburg road.
The First and Eleventh Corps on July Ist had been over- borne by superior numbers, and forced back through Gettys-
.
606
HISTORY OF THE
burg, with great slaughter, but held the field until the remainder of the Army of the Potomac came up. General Hooker in command of the Army broke camp at Fredericks- burg June 15, 1863, and was moving northward from the Rappahannock.
On July 2d and 3d the fighting was on the south and east, the Union forces occupying a position south of the rebel army. The troops engaged were the First, Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth, Eleventh, Twelfth, and the Cavalry Corps under General Alfred Pleasanton, with an average for each corps of less than 11,000 men.
Brigadier General Henry J. Hunt was Chief of the Artillery of the Army of the Potomac, Brigadier General Robert O. Tyler commanded the Division of the Reserve Artillery. The First Volunteer Brigade of this Division was commanded by Lieut .- Colonel Freeman McGilvery and was composed of the 15th New York, Light, Captain Patrick Hart, F and G, Pennsylvania, Captain R. B. Ricketts, Fifth Mass. Battery, Captain Charles A. Phillips, Ninth Mass. Battery. Captain Jolin Bigelow.
THE POSITION, JULY 20, 1863.
On July 2d, our Centre rested at the Cemetery, the line extending east across the valley to Culp's Hill, down its eastern slope, across Spangler's meadow, and resting at McAllister's Mill or Rock Creek. The Left wing commenc- ing at the Cemetery extended down the Ridge and in front of it to Round Top.
General Meade arrived at I a. m. of the 2d, and approved of the position selected and the disposition of the troops.
THE BATTLE LINE.
On Culp's Hill were the Twelfth Corps, General Henry, WV. Slocum, at their left on Cemetery Hill were the First Corps, General John F. Reynolds, divided and thrown to
607
FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
the right and left of the Eleventh Corps, General Oliver O. Howard, who occupied the Cemetery. The Second Corps. General Winfield S. Hancock, were placed on the left of the First Corps. The Third Corps, General Daniel E. Sickles commanding ---- Captain George E. Randolphi chief of artillery Third Army Corps-who arrived on the night of July Ist and lay on Cemetery Ridge, took position on the 2d at the left of the Second Corps. Subsequently, abandoning the line drawn from Cemetery Ridge toward Little Round Top he advanced to the Emmittsburg road without, it is asserted, informing General Hancock and thereby leaving a gap of some hundreds of yards between the right of the Third Corps and the left of the Second. One reason given for this change was that the position to which General Sickles had been assigned was low and un- tenable. Having reached the Emmittsburg road, he formed of his troops an angle, both sides of which were subject to an enfilading fire, one along the Emmittsburg road to the peach orchard, the other from the peach orchard southeast to Devil's Den, a rocky gorge at the foot of Little Round Top.
Early in the morning, General Robert O. Tyler had two Brigades of the Artillery Reserve in park behind the line prescribed for the Third Corps, and by 10.30 a. m. the remainder of the Reserve had arrived, and was parked between the Taneytown road and the Baltimore turnpike. The right of the Third Corps was three-quarters of a mile in front of Hancock's left, and the left a quarter of a mile in front of the base of Round Top. At this time nearly all of the Confederate army had reached Gettysburg, and was in condition for immediate action. The Union troops were rapidly concentrating. General Meade was on the ground.
The Fifth Corps under General George Sykes, which had marched at night from Hanover, 16 miles east, came up at
1
60S
HISTORY OF THE
noon of July 2d, and moved to the Left of the line on and about Round Top. The Sixth Corps, General John Sedg- wick, making a hurried march, and coming up later in the afternoon, were massed on the Taneytown road at Man- chester, Md., a small village about 34 miles n. n. w. of Baltimore, and 9 miles northieast of Westminster, which is on the Western Maryland railroad. Taneytown, Md., is on the Frederick branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad 223 miles n. e. of Frederick, and 40 miles n. w. of Baltimore.
The Union lines from Cemetery Hill to Round Top faced nearly west, but from Cemetery Hill to the extreme right it faced east, being about four miles long, nearly semicircular in shape; the two flanks being one and a half miles apart. The Confederate line was nearly the same shape, but about a mile and a half longer, being on the outside, which in some respects was a disadvantage, but the long range of hills afforded more available space for artillery.
The number officially reported as "present for duty equipped" in the Army of the Potomac was 101.262, of which 6,427 were officers, and 7,546 belonged to the artillery arm of the service, but it is computed that the actual strength, including the reserves and all arms of the service, was approximately 85.674, with 354 pieces of artillery.
Major General Meade was in command of the Army of the Potomac, General Hooker having voluntarily resigned on account of incompatibility. He could not see his way to act contrary to his own judgment. General Meade's headquarters were in a small house on the south side of the Taneytown Road, a short distance in the rear of the Second Corps the Centre of his battle line. In front of the advanced line of the Left wing was a ravine, and beyond the ravine was a stone wall, which enclosed a wheat field, and south of that was a peach orchard.
From Seminary Ridge descended the Confederate force on July 2d, to attempt to turn our Left near Little Round
:
609
FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
Top, and from the same elevation on the same day, they made an equally futile attempt to storm our Centre at Ceme- tery Hill.
General Siekles' advanced line extended through the Devil's Den, along the Emmittsburg road, and across Plum Run. It was to turn this line and obtain possession of the ground, that the rebel general Longstreet made the niemorable assault of the 2d of July, on Ward's ( Colonel George Hull Ward's) Brigade of the Third Corps, which soon extended along the line. The design of the enemy was either to turn our Left flank, or to move directly across country and take the Union army in the rear, and they muade choice of the plan to outflank.
In the rear of the Third Corps, afterwards reinforced by the Fifth Corps and the infantry of the Sixth, were the Brigade of batteries commanded by Colonel McGilvery, which included the Fifth Mass. Battery.
Between two and three o'clock the rebels, who were direct- ing the fire of their artillery upon the troops at the Peach Orchard and along the Emmittsburg road, sent their in- fintry down into the valley. They crossed the Wheat Field, leaped the stone wall, and charged on the Divisions of the Third Corps, which were unable to hold their posi- tion, notwithstanding the assistance given them on their right by the Fifth Corps, on account of their inability to hold the two mountain spurs and defend their left flank.
The endeavor to extend their line to cover this exposed ground, scattered their forces, and compelled them to fall back after two hours of hard fighting. The retreat of a Division of the Third Corps on the extreme left forced by this desperate charge, let the determined Confederates in mywon the artillery in the gap between the left of the infantry line and Round Top. numbering 30 pieces hurriedly posted there: the extreme left of which was held by the Ninth Mass. Battery, who were in position with the Fifth Mass.
610
HISTORY OF THE
Battery on the eross road to the left of the Peach Orehard, and who at this critical moment were directed to remain on the ground, and continue firing, until other batteries should be sent to their relief. But the Ninth Battery was foreed to give way and retire firing, saving five out of their six guns, and so the cnemy fell upon the Fifth Mass. Battery. which retired in the same way, and with the Ninth took up a new position farther up the hill from which they again opened on the enemy, whose attack now being enfiladed by the fire from the troops of the Centre of our line suffered great loss. They had encountered a Division and a Brigade of the Fifth Corps coming up from the Balti- more turnpike, who protected the mountain spurs Little and Big Round Top, and drove the rebels back across the ravine, over the stone wall to the Wheat Field which they held for the night.
: Our new position was strengthened by reinforcements from the Right and Rear, consisting of Divisions of the First and Twelfth Corps, and later of the Sixth Corps, aided by a cross-fire of the powerful batteries of the Artil- lery Reserve now posted along Plum Run: so that before nightfall of July 2d, the advantage was on the side of the Union forces, for the elevated position on Cemetery Ridge to which they had been compelled to retire, proved to be impregnable.
While the Third Corps had been making this bold advance and suddenly been whirled baek again, the field at the Centre and on the Right was comparatively quiet until dark, when a charge was made on our batteries on Cemetery Hill, by the enemy's troops leaving the town for that purpose, and was repulsed.
Then a night attaek was made on the Right wing, by which they gained a temporary advantage, having our works in their possession for a few hours, and seriously threatening our Rear. All failed, however, through the alertness of our
611
FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
artillery, which was placed in a position to protect the weak portions of our line on the Right, and at daylight on the 3d. our infantry, after a sharp contest, had repossessed them- selves of the works, and frustrated the attempt to cut off our communications with Baltimore. On July 2, 1863, the sun set at 7.23. After dark a council of war was held, at which all the corps commanders were present, and it was resolved to retain the present positions, and fight it out on those lines on the morrow.
THE BATTERY MOVEMENTS. "Who are these hangers-back, these dark-robed ones? They are the mothers who are reft of sons; The wives whose dearest lie all unca- ressed Afar with vital stains on brow or breast: The children orphaned at the mouths of guns." --- RICHARD BURTON, The Background Group.
The following minute narration of the movements of the Battery leading up to the Battle of Gettysburg, has been collated with the most painstaking accuracy, from the Diaries and Letters of 1863, as well as Notes of a more recent date, from the pens of Captain Phillips, Lieuts. Scott and Blake, Serg't. Peacock, Corporals Thomas E. Chase and Jonas Shackley, Privates John E. Dyer and Louis E. Pattison.
We left our camp near White Oak Church, Saturday after- noon June 13, 1863, between 4 and 5 o'clock. As we had been expecting to move with the Artillery Reserve for some time, we were all ready, and started out on the road to Stafford Court House. The road was quite good, but dusty. Weather very warm until about 7 p. m., when a thunder-
612
HISTORY OF THE
storm came up, but very little rain fell. We of course en- countered the usual delays from wagons, teams etc. A short distance before reaching Stafford Court House there was a steep hill, which seemed to have caused most of the delay. Half a dozen wagons, a caisson, and a forge, were tumbled over on either side, but we got up without a halt. We were on the march all night. Drove out on the side of the road at 4 a. m. of Sunday the 14th. Ceased raining. We icd our horses, made coffee, and after a halt of half an hour and a scanty meal, we started and pushed on for Brooks Station and Dumfries on the Potomac. The roads were good, though very dusty, and we travelled briskly. Went about two miles on a wrong road; countermarched, and took the right road. Reached Dinfries about noon and made another short halt. After dinner we started again, and with constant halts pushed on till dark. Then for some inexplicable reason, the column halted and remained till nine, moving during that time about a quarter of a mile by fits and starts, then another halt of two hours. All the delay was caused by a hill alcad, up which our Battery went with halting. After passing this hill we kept on at a pretty good jog. We had marched all day and all night, a hard march for man and beast, and were pretty well played out. At 7 p. m. when we had made coffee, we lay down to rest, but before we had rested 15 minutes we were called to "Attention." Not a wink of sleep Saturday night, and but one hour's sleep Sunday night. About sunrise, Mon- day, June 15th, we crossed the Occoquan River by fording it at Wolf Run Shoals. Halted at 6 o'clock, and unhitched and unharnessed; watered, fed and groomed our horses, made coffce, and rested about an hour. About 9 a. m. hitched up and marched about 3 miles beyond Fairfax Station, and went into park in a large field just at the edge of a fine grove of hard wood, about & of a mile from Fair- fax Court House. at I p. m. When we arrived we were very
-
1
·
رج ٠٣٦ ٠٨
613
FIFTH MASS. BATTERY.
dirty, very hungry, and very sleepy. Take it all through it was a pretty good march. We were on the road 44 hours, and marched over 50 miles without sleep or rest of any account. Some of the men went to sleep on horse- back, and one sergeant rode quite a distance ahead of the Battery, fast asleep.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.