USA > Massachusetts > Massachusetts in the war, 1861-1865 Pt. 2 > Part 28
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The Second left Quincy on the evening of the 8th of August, reached New York 48 hours later, and while en route to Washing- ton received instructions to go into camp at Baltimore. They did so on the 12th, taking the camp on Mount Clare occupied by Cook's Battery during its three-months' service, which was re-christened Camp Andrew, in honor of the governor of Massachusetts. Here they remained until the 4th of November without incident, save that on the 8th of October the loyal citizens of Baltimore presented them with a flag, which was duly thrown to the breeze from a staff 90 feet in hight prepared by the command.
The battery embarked from the Light-street wharf, with the Fourth Wisconsin Regiment and a company of cavalry November 4, dropping down the bay to Duckbill Landing, Somerset County, Md. There the little expedition landed and began a march through
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THIE SECOND BATTERY.
Somerset and Worcester Counties, where there was much secession feeling and organization of forces for the rebel army was in prog- ress. After a few days spent in marching through these counties, the column joined the larger body under General Lockwood at Newtown, Md. General Dix, in command of the department with head-quarters at Baltimore, had on the 13th of the month issued a proclamation to the inhabitants of the two Eastern Shore counties of Virginia-Accomac and Northampton-exhorting them to peace and loyalty, and on the 25th General Lockwood began his march from Newtown, moving his column by way of Drummondtown and Belletown to Eastville, near the end of the peninsula, where he re- mained till December 2. Finding that the Confederate forces had left the two counties, General Lockwood returned to Baltimore and Nims's Battery reoccupied Camp Andrew after an absence of 41 days, the purposes of the expedition having been fully and blood- lessly accomplished. On the 18th of December both first lieutenants of the battery resigned to accept commissions in a Maryland battery ; the second lieutenants were advanced to their places, and the vacan- cies were filled by the commissioning of William Marland of Andover and Sergeant Warren K. Snow of Boston as second lieutenants.
On the organization of General Butler's expedition against New . Orleans, Nims's Battery was made a portion of his command ; it was ordered on the 25th of February, 1862, to Fortress Monroe, reached there next day, and went into camp at Old Point Comfort, where it remained until the 19th of April. Passage was then taken on a transport ship for New Orleans, the voyage occupying 32 days, and on arriving there the command encamped at the Pelican Cotton Press. The battery was assigned to General Williams's Brigade, located at Baton Rouge, for which place it sailed on the 31st of May, landing on the zd of June and encamping there until the 19th. It then prepared to join the expedition against Vicksburg, sailing next morning, and landing the. 22d at Ellis's Cliffs assisted to drive away a hostile force threatening the transports passing up the river. It landed opposite Vicksburg on the 25th, and three days later took part without loss in the bombardment of that stronghold.
The battery returned to Baton Rouge on the 26th of July, and on the 4th of August Lieutenant Trull, who was in command, owing to the illness of Captain Nims, was ordered to prepare for action, as a battle was imminent. Of the 140 members of the command
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THIE WAR.
it was found that only 21 were " present for duty," all the remainder being sick in hospitals. A detail of 30 men was secured from the Ninth Connecticut Regiment and hastily drilled, so that next morn- ing, when the battle of Baton Rouge opened, the six guns were manned. The position of the battery was at the extreme Union right, and throughout the battle it won the highest commendation for efficient service. Four times during the engagement did it change position to meet the exigencies of the fight, on each occasion with the steadiness of veterans. At one time one of its guns was in the hands of the enemy, all of its horses having been disabled, but a detachment of the infantry supports brought the piece off by hand. The company lost four men wounded and one captured.
The battery left Baton Rouge on the 21st of August, going by transport to Carrollton, whence it marched to New Orleans on the 24th, encamping first on the Race Course but changing a week later to Tivoli Circle where it remained until the 27th of December. While there Lientenant Trull was promoted to captain of the Fourth Massachusetts Battery, Second Lieutenant Marland was advanced to first, and First Sergeant Edward K. Russell of Chelsea was com- missioned to fill the vacant second lientenancy. General Banks having succeeded General Butler in command of the Department of the Gulf, the troops in Louisiana were organized as the Nine- teenth Army Corps of four divisions, Nims's Battery being assigned to the Fourth Divison, commanded by General Grover. It embarked for Baton Rouge on the 17th of December, and was quartered in the barracks at that place through the winter, and there being no cavalry attached to the post, its members frequently acted as videttes and scouts, and in that service one or two were wounded.
On the 13th of March, 1863, its division joined the expedition toward the rear of Port Hudson, and one section was sent within shelling distance of the Confederate works, throwing forty or fifty shells into them. The battery then returned leisurely, reaching camp on the 20th. A week of maction followed, and on the 27th the command was transported to Donaldsonville, whence it marched overland to Brashear City, the trip beginning on the 31st and end- ing on the 9th of April. It embarked on the 11th and was trans- ported to Porter's Plantation, where it landed on the 13th, crossed Bayou Teche in connection with the operations against Fort Bis- land, rejoining the main body soon after, and sharing in the subse-
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THE SECOND BATTERY.
quent operations of General Banks's column. During this entire movement, which lasted until the 12th of May, when Alexandria on the Red river was reached, the battery was continually active, being often called to accompany detached parties. The column left Alexandria on the 17th, by way of Simmsport and Bayou Sara, the battery taking position before Port Hudson on the 25th and opening fire. One section under Lieutenant Snow which had been detached a month previous joined the main body a few days later. During the entire siege the battery was represented at the front in various positions, ever rendering good service and without serious loss in men. On the 4th of July it fired the National salute with shotted guns trained on the enemy's works; six days later, the stronghold having surrendered, the Second marched inside the fortifications, and on the 11th set out for Baton Rouge.
There transport was taken for Donaldsonville, in which vicinity the Confederates were making serious demonstrations, and where the company remained for two weeks. It then marched to Carroll- ton, stopped there for a week, and thence continued the march to New Orleans, where it was quartered at the Mississippi Cotton Press from the 6th of August to the 17th of September. First Lieuten- ant Hall having resigned on the 29th of July, his juniors were pro- moted in turn, and First Sergeant Joseph K. Greenleaf of Boston was commissioned junior second lieutenant. Early in October Second Lieutenant Russell was promoted and transferred to the Sixth Bat- tery, creating a vacancy which was filled some months later by the commissioning of First Sergeant Lucian 1. Hodgdon of Somerville.
Another movement toward the interior of Louisiana began on the 17th of September, when the battery crossed the Mississippi to Algiers, and was taken to Brashear City, crossing the bay in a day or two and encamping near Berwick. This was followed a week later by an advance to Bisland, and early in October, via Franklin to New Iberia. Vermilion river was reached on the 9th, where the battery took part in a brisk engagement, followed on the 15th at Carrion Crow Bayou by a more serious one, in which the Second fired 180 rounds. Two or three days later the vicinity of Opelousas was reached and a halt was made, the company being assigned to the cavalry division commanded by General Lee. On the 1st of November, the command returned to Carrion Crow Bayou, where one section halted while the others proceeded to Vermilion river.
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
Two days later the section at the Bayou, commanded by Lieutenant Marland, was attacked in camp by a strong force of the enemy, who were within short range before the guns could be brought into action. A desperate fight ensued, in which the Confederates were at first repulsed and the guns advanced to a more favorable position, but the infantry support giving way, they were obliged to fall back and eventually, the pieces being almost surrounded, the cannoncers fought their way through the enemy with their revolvers and brought off the guns in triumph, victory finally resting on the Union arms. The two sections were brought up from Vermilion river next day, and on the 5th the entire battery returned to that point and went into camp, remaining with the exception of a scouting expedition until the 16th, when it marched to New Iberia and encamped.
The camp was changed to Franklin, half way to Brashear City, during the early part of January, 1864, the march being made over roads so bad that it required more than three days to travel a dis- tance of 23 miles. Three months were spent there, and on the 13th of March camp was broken for the Red river campaign. The battery accompanied the cavalry advance, which required long and trying marches, frequently 30 to 40 miles per day, one section reaching Alexandria on the 21st, and the others on the 22d, when a few days' rest was had. The march into the enemy's country be- gan on the 28th, skirmishing commenced a day or two later, and from that time there was only active duty for the command; now here, now there, in the front or on the flank, it was galloping in pursuit of the retiring foe, and again fighting stubbornly when a stand was made, day after day and night after night.
. Pleasant Hill was reached about noon of the 7th of April when the battery was immediately ordered to the front, where fighting was going on. It was not called into action that day, however, but on the 8th, in the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, it had its most ter- rible experience. Reporting to the advance early in the morning, it began skirmishing, which continued during the forenoon, the six pieces being finally placed in position across the road, but a short distance from the Union skirmish line. The location proved an un- fortunate one. About the middle of the afternoon the Confederates advanced in heavy force, and charged the battery. They were driven back by a terrible fire of canister at short range, but only to renew the attack. Three times were their lines broken by the ad-
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THE SECOND BATTERY.
mirable fire of the guns, but their purpose was not relinquished. A fourth attack followed, not only in front, but from the flank, whence such a destructive fire was poured upon the battery that its position became untenable. The order was given to limber to the rear, and the horses were attached to the pieces, but before the guns could be moved, 17 of the 18 horses on three of the guns were shot down, and these pieces were hastily spiked and abandoned. The other three being rescued, took up a new position in the rear and expended all their ammunition, when, the Union troops being in full rout, what was left of the battery was ordered to retire. But the single avenne of retreat was choked and crowded to its utmost capacity, and it was utterly impossible to move the guns; they were therefore spiked and relinquished, some of the cannoneers escaping by cutting their horses loose. The remnant of the company gathered at Pleasant Hill the next morning and were assigned to dity as guard to the ammunition train. The loss of the Second in the bat- tle had been very severe; one man was killed and 18 were wounded, five of whom were made prisoners, together with seven unwounded men. Lieutenant Snow was wounded and captured, and Lieutenant Slack was wounded. Besides the loss of the guns and caissons, 82 of the battery's horses were either killed or wounded.
Grand Ecore was reached on the 10th where the Union army gathered its scattered battalions. The members of the Second being without eqipment were ordered to New Orleans, where they arrived on the 20th, and were quartered at a cotton press. On the 10th of May they were transported to Carrollton where an outfit of light guns was furnished them for the defenses of New Orleans, but on the 22d of June these were transferred to the Sixth Massachu- setts Battery, and early in July the Second were quartered at the Apollo Stables, being equipped with four three-inch rified guns.
Transportation was taken on the 2d of September for Morganza, where the battery encamped for the winter. The monotony of this encampment was broken by various long and tedious scouting expeditions, in which one or more sections took part, often resulting in more or less severe fighting, though the command sustained no serions loss. The term of enlistment of the original members ex- pired on the 16th of August, 1864, and they were discharged; but 23 of their number having re-enlisted, in addition to the recruits re- ceived from time to time, the organization was continued.
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
Lieutenant Snow, disabled by his wounds and captivity, was dis- charged on the 30th of November, and on the 7th of January, 1865, Captain Nims, the honored commander, resigned his commission. Lieutenant Marland was promoted to the vacancy, the other lieu- tenants were advanced in due course, the second lieutenancies being filled by the promotions of First Sergeant Louis W. Swan and Ser- geant Jacob M. Ellis, both of Boston.
Under orders to report to General Steele for active service in the field, the Second took transport March 3, and on the 5th went into camp at Greenville, where fresh horses were received. It was ordered to New Orleans on the 7th and sailed next day for Barran- cas, Fla., where it landed on the 10th and encamped until the 18th. It then took up the march toward Mobile, and a terrible march it proved, through the woods and swamps of Florida. Rain fell in- cessantly and the mud was unfathomable. There was more or less fighting along the way where it was possible for troops to fight, and on the 2d of April the tedious march ended with the investment of Fort Blakely, commanding the approach to Mobile. The battery took an active part in the siege operations which followed, until the surrender of the fort on the 9th, when with a column of infantry and cavalry it set out on an expedition toward Claiborne, Ala. It fought at Daniels Plantation on the 11th-its last serious conflict.
During the next seven weeks the command marched almost con- stantly, until the horses and mules were completely worn out. The men in fact were in little better condition, having subsisted for some weeks upon very insufficient rations, but late in May the march ended at Columbus, Miss. The men were then sent by rail to Mobile, and thence by water to Vicksburg where they arrived on the 4th of June, having traveled over 1,600 miles since landing in Florida. During this experience more than 110 horses and mules belonging to the battery had broken down and been killed or abandoned. The company encamped at Vicksburg till the 22d of July, when it turned over its outfit to the proper United States officers and set out for home. Boston was reached on the 4th of August, the men encamp- ing on Gallop's Island till the 11th, when they were paid and dis- charged. Although by rare good fortune this battery had but one man killed in action during its four years' service, no organization had a more honorable name or was more highly regarded by the troops with which it was associated than "Nims's Battery."
THE THIRD BATTERY.
T HE Third Battery of Light Artillery was recruited at Boston by Dexter H. Follett, who was made its first captain, under the auspices of Senator and Colonel Wilson of the Twenty- second Regiment, and was during its early days attached to his command. It went into camp at Lynnfield September 5, 1861, from which date its officers' commissions were issued and the men were mustered. Its officers were :-
Captain, Dexter H. Follett of Boston; first lieutenants, Augustus P. Martin of Boston and Caleb C. E. Mortimer of Charlestown; second lieutenants, Valentine M. Dunn of Charlestown and William W. Snell- ing of Boston; sergeant major, Aaron F. Walcott of Boston; quarter- master sergeant, James A. Hill of Boston
Remaining at the Lynnfield rendezvous till October 7, the battery broke camp and proceeded to Boston, whence on the 8th it accom- panied the Twenty-second Regiment to Washington by way of Worcester, Springfield and New York, reaching the national capital on the 11th and being temporarily quartered at Camp Duncan on East Capitol Hill in that city. In a few days, however, it crossed the Potomac to Hall's Hill, Va., where it was attached to General Por- ter's Division and remained during the winter, six Napoleon guns forming its armament. Captain Follett resigned on the 27th of November, and Lieutenant Snelling was dismissed by sentence of court-martial December 20. To fill these vacancies, the captaincy was bestowed on Lieutenant Martin, Lieutenants Mortimer and Dunn were each advanced one grade, and the second lieutenancies were filled by the promotion of Sergeant Philip II. Tyler of Charlestown and Sergeant Major Walcott.
The battery took part in the advance of the Army of the Potomac into Virginia on the 10th of March, 1862, and returned with the other troops to the vicinity of Alexandria on the 15th, whence on
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
the 21st it embarked for Fortress Monroe. Landing at that strong- hold on the 24th, it went into camp near New Market Bridge, and on the 27th joined with two brigades of infantry in a reconnaissance to Big Bethel. Camp was broken on the 4th of April and the com- pany marched toward Yorktown, in front of which it arrived the following day and soon after noon went into position on the War- wick road in co-operation with Martindale's Brigade, one half of the battery under Lieutenant Dunn being stationed a thousand yards to the left of the other half under Captain Martin. Both portions were sharply engaged with the Confederate artillery, the loss of Lieu- tenant Dunn's command being two men killed and three wounded.
The next engagement of the company was at the battle of Hanover Court House, May 27, the battery accompanying General Porter's command on its movement to that point, where Branch's (Con- federate) Brigade was stationed. In the battle there Lieutenant Dunn's section of the battery was engaged, having two men wounded, one fatally. The section did good service, though at one time, owing to the falling back of the support and the severe musketry fire of the enemy, the cannoneers were obliged temporarily to retire from the guns. At the battle of Mechanicsville, June 26, the battery was in reserve, having one man wounded, and the following day at Gaines Mill all the guns were engaged, being posted in an open field between the divisions of Generals Sykes and Morrell. The left of the line being broken, the battery was ordered to retire; but when almost without support Captain Martin perceived a hostile line of battle advancing in his front, into which he poured such a fire of canister as to break a portion of the line. He then retired as di- rected, though obliged to abandon three cassions of which the horses had been disabled. and in the retreat one gun was lost over the side of a bridge. The loss of the command was Lieutenant Mortimer fatally wounded and two men wounded, one mortally. The battery was also engaged at Malvern Hill on the 1st of July, but sustained no loss. The vacancy created by the death of Lieutenant Mortimer was filled by the promotion of Second Lieutenant Tyler, and of Pri- vate Thomas M. Cargill of Roxbury to be second lieutenant.
Through the remainder of the year the battery was fortunate in not being seriously engaged, though accompanying the Fifth Corps in all its movements. On the 20th of September it was in position on the banks of the Potomac near Blackford's Ford to cover the
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THE THIRD BATTERY.
crossing of the Union infantry and their return, suffering no loss; and on the 16th of October one section commanded by Lieutenant Cargill joined in a reconnaissance across the river to near Lees- burg, Va., where the command went into action, having one man wounded. When on the 10th of November General MeClellan took leave of the army he had for more than a year commanded, the Third Battery (then in camp at Warrenton ) fired the national salute, as it did the following day when General Fitz John Porter bade adieu to the Fifth. Corps, which he had commanded since its organi- zation. On the 24th the battery, which had arrived in the vicinity of Falmouth six days before, took position at Stoneman's Switch and put up permanent quarters. At the battle of Fredericksburg the company did not cross the river till the 14th of December, and during the night of the next day returned to the north side and re- occupied the Stoneman's Switch quarters. From the 20th to the 24th of January, 1863, it took part in the " Mud March," and there- after remained in camp till the Chancellorsville campaign. Some changes had meantime occurred among the officers. First Lieuten- ants Dunn and Tyler had resigned-the former January 30, 1863, and the latter October 11 previous. The vacancies were filled by the promotion of the two second lieutenants and the commissioning of Sergeants William HI. Follett of Quiney and Lewis V. Osgood of Charlestown as second lieutenants. Lieutenant Dunn had for some time been in command of the battery, Captain Martin commanding the division artillery, as he did during 1863 the artillery brigade of the Fifth Corps, while Lieutenant Walcott commanded the battery.
At the battle of Chancellorsville the Third were not actively engaged, being in position at the left of the line most of the time, and after the battle returning to the old camp. This was finally quitted on the 29th of May, when the command moved to United States Ford and took up a commanding position, remaining there till the 7th of June when it withdrew and went into camp near by, starting northward with its corps on the 13th. Reaching Gettys- burg about noon of July 2, the battery was in reserve till the latter part of the afternoon, when it was called on to relieve one of the Third Corps batteries in the Peach Orchard, but finding another battery had made the change before it reached the spot went into action with Ayers's Division of its own corps, losing two men killed and six wounded. That night it took position with the Vermont
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
Brigade of the Sixth Corps at the left of Round Top and remained there until the close of the battle. The Third shared the marches of its corps during the summer and autumn but was not in action. At Mine Run it reported successively to the Sixth and First Corps and returned to its own on the way to camp, with no other loss than the capture of Lieutenant Follett and one enlisted man by the Con- federate cavalry while on detached duty with an ordnance train.
The winter camp of the company was near Bealton Station, north of the Rappahannock, where it remained from early in December till the 1st of May, 1864. During March, Lieutenant Osgood hav- ing been commissioned in the Sixteenth Massachusetts Battery, his place in the Third was filled by the promotion of First Sergeant George E. Hunt of Wilmington. Camp was broken the first day of May and the command crossed the river, advancing to Brandy Station and thence to Culpeper, where it joined the Fifth Corps and moved with it into the Wilderness fight. This was one of the few batteries engaged in that peculiar contest, pioneers making an open- ing for it in the woods whence without loss it fired upon the Con- federates whenever they could be seen. On the 8th it took position at Laurel Hill, a part of the Spottsylvania field, and remained there five days, being often in action, having nine wounded, including Captain Martin shot through the neck, two mortally. Lieutenant Walcott was in command during the absence of Captain Martin.
On the 13th the company moved to the Po river at the left and afterward to other parts of the field, but was not closely engaged. During this time, in obedience to the order reducing all the batteries to four guns, two of its pieces were "turned in" to the ordnance department. The North Anna river was crossed on the 23d and the battery took part in the fighting of that day, having Lieutenant Cargill and one enlisted man wounded. Its next action was at Shady Grove Church from the 30th of May to the 3d of June, in which time two men and 13 horses were killed and one man was wounded. The Third were at Cold Harbor from the 5th to the 11th of June, but sustained no loss. They were likewise fortunate at Petersburg from the 18th to the 22d, though frequently in action. On the latter date they advanced to a new position within 500 yards of the hostile works, and remained till the 13th of August, the men occupying bomb-proofs when not engaged at the guns and the horses and camp belongings being well to the rear to avoid the incessant
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