USA > Massachusetts > Massachusetts in the war, 1861-1865 Pt. 2 > Part 32
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The Ninth left Fort Rice on the 4th of February and the day fol- lowing went with the corps to Hatcher's Rim, being absent six days and suffering much from the stormy weather, but taking no active part in the engagements. On the 23d the command was further strengthened by the addition of the detachment left behind by the First Massachusetts Battery when its term of service expired.
From the 4th to the 27th of March the battery ocenpied Fort Rice, when it was transferred to the Artillery Brigade of the Ninth Corps, commanded by Colonel Tidball. and took position in the lines manned by that corps. During the final struggle before Petersburg on the 1st and 2d of April it had an active part, though withont casualties. On the 3d, after " turning in " two of its guns, it joined in the pursuit of the retreating Confederates, going as far as Nott- away Court Honse, where it stopped for a fortnight. It then re- turned by way of Petersburg to City Point, and became once more a part of the Artillery Reserve of the Army of the Potomac, a few days later marching to the vicinity of Washington.
It left for Massachusetts on the 1st of Jime, reaching Boston on the 3d and going into camp on Gallop's Island. The command was mustered out of the service on the 6th by Captain Krontinger of the United States Army, and paid and disbanded on the 9th.
THE TENTH BATTERY.
T HE Tenth Light Battery was authorized by a special order of Governor Andrew dated August 12, 1862, Henry H. Granger being designated as the recruiting officer, the company to be filled by the 16th. Two recruiting offices were opened in Boston, and in a few days the quota of 156 men was complete. On the 23d the command went into camp at Lynnfield, remaining there for a few days when it was transferred to Camp Stanton at Boxford, where .on the 9th of September, it was mustered into the United States service by Lieutenant Elder. Captain Sleeper, promoted from a lieutenancy in the First Battery, arrived on the 29th and took com- mand, the roster of officers being as follows :-
Captain, J. Henry Sleeper; first lieutenants, Henry H. Granger and J. Webb Adams, all of Boston; second lieutenants, Asa Smith of Ipswich and Thomas R. Armitage of Charlestown; first sergeant, Otis N. Har- rington of Brookline; quartermaster sergeant, S. Augustus Alden.
Leaving Boston on the 14th of October with his full complement of men and 110 horses, Captain Sleeper proceeded by way of the Old Colony Railroad to Fall River, taking the steamer State of Maine thence to Jersey City and resumed cars for Washington via Phila- delphia and Baltimore, reaching the national capital during the night of the 15th, and going into quarters at Camp Barry near the Bladensburg Toll Gate on the 17th. Here the organization was completed and the command drilled during the remainder of the fall, receiving their armament of six three-inch rifled Rodman guns on the 17th of December.
Marching orders were received on the 26th, and the following morn- ing the command set out by easy movements for Poolesville, which was reached on the 28th, the battery going into camp in the vicinity of the Thirty-ninth Massachusetts and Fourteenth New Hampshire
1
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THIE TENTII BATTERY.
Regiments, with a small force of cavalry near by. Stables were built and a comfortable camp was laid out, named Camp Davis, in honor of the colonel of the Thirty-ninth, in which the Tenth re- mained without notable incident till spring. Then the two infantry regiments were withdrawn, leaving the cavalry and the battery the only troops at that point except that two regiments, the Tenth Ver- mont and the Twenty-third Maine, were scattered along the Potomac at the different fords. The battery then moved on the 18th of April, 1863, to Camp Heintzelman, a mile from the village, loeating in new quarters, the center section under Lieutenant Smith being carly in May sent to Edwards Ferry, where it took position com- manding the crossing and the mouth of Goose Creek in the opposite shore. With an occasional alarm and the final assembling of the entire battery on advantageous ground the time passed till June 24, when the small force in the vicinity of Poolesville marched up the Potomac and on the 26th joined the command of General French opposite Harper's Ferry.
General French had now an independent force of some 11,000 men, with which he was required by the authorities at Washington to hold that point, which force General Hooker, commanding the Army of the Potomac, then moving northward in quest of the Con- federate army under Lee, desired to add to his army. Not receiving the authority to do so, Hooker resigned his command, General Meade was appointed his successor and given permission to do as he pleased with French's garrison. He did exactly what Hooker had wished to do,-so far as to withdraw the force from Maryland Hights; but instead of adding them at once to the Army of the Potomac left the main body at Frederick City, employing about a third of the command as train guards between there and Washington. So it was that late on the 30th of June the Tenth Battery in a drenching rain set out on the march which next day ended at Frederick, the battery with the Tenth Vermont Regiment and some cavalry going next day to the Junction, some three miles distant, where the rest of Morris's Brigade soon gathered, for the protection of the rail- road bridge at that point.
This service was of short duration, as two sections were sent back to the city on the 6th of July for provost duty, and on the 8th the battery with the other troops of General French's command was assigned to the Third Corps of the Army of the Potomac, then
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
passing through the city toward Williamsport. General French took temporary command of the corps, and Captain Sleeper was placed in charge of the corps supply train. Without being engaged, or taking any prominent part, the battery marched to Williamsport, shared in the disappointment at the escape of the Confederates ; then turned down the river, crossing into Virginia at Harper's Ferry on the 19th and making its way southward as the army moved.
The Third Corps, the Tenth Battery included, was thrown into position at Manassas Gap on the 23d, in the expectation of a battle, but it proved that only a small force of the enemy had been posted there. They withdrew during the night and the Federal column resumed its march next day, finally halting near Warrenton, the battery accompanying the corps on the 31st to Sulphur Springs, where a camp was established near the Rappahannock and occupied till the middle of September. Then a forward movement began on the 15th, the Union army crossed the Rappahannock and on the 17th the battery came to a halt near Culpeper, where another sea- son of inactivity ensued. On the 10th of October it was suddenly ordered into line of battle, owing to the movements of the Confede- rate army, and the following day began the northward movement which resulted from the maneuvering of the two armies,-that of Lee to get between the Union army and Washington and of Meade to prevent that purpose being consummated.
It was during this period that the Tenth first went into action on the 13th near the little hamlet of Auburn. As the head of the column approached the place it was fired upon from the woods near the highway, and the battery, being the one nearest the scene, was hurried into position to rake the forest with canister. A few rounds drove the small force of the enemy-a part of Stuart's cavalry- from the scene, and the march was resumed, the Tenth having lost two men severely wounded. The fortifications about Centerville were reached and occupied by the Union army next day, realizing which, General Lee began to retire, and after waiting till satisfied of the fact, General Meade followed on the 19th, but not very rapidly, as the Southern army had destroyed the railroad while in their possession, and it had to be repaired as the Federal troops ad- vanced, to furnish a means of communication with the base of sup- plies at Alexandria. The battery reached Catlett's Station on the 21st and went into camp there till November 7.
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THE TENTHI BATTERY.
Camp was then broken and the Tenth accompanied the Third Corps as part of the left column in the movement against the enemy's position at Kelly's Ford, while the right wing of the army captured the ontposts at Rappahannock Station. The river was reached about noon, and soon after the battery was placed to com- mand the village of Kellysville and the vicinity. It soon became engaged, not only driving back a Confederate battery which opened upon it but rendering good service in the general fighting which en- sued, the Union troops crossing the river in force and advancing next day to Brandy Station, near which the corps halted and the battery went into camp, the enemy having fallen back across the Rapidan.
The battery took part in the Mine Run expedition, leaving camp early in the morning of the 26th, reaching Robertson's Tavern about noon of the 28th, going into position with its corps in front of the enemy at Mine Run, and opening with its guns at the time appointed for the general assault. But the attack was not made, and with the other troops the Tenth returned to the old camp near Brandy Station, having suffered greatly from the severe cold and the other hardships of the march. In this camp the winter passed. Thus far since joining the Army of the Potomac the Tenth had been connected with the First Division of the Third Corps, General Birney commanding. In preparation for the spring campaign of 1864 the army was consolidated to three corps, the Third being abolished, and under that arrangement the battery found itself attached to Gen- eral Hancock's Second Corps, of which General Birney's command formed the Third Division, and Captain Sleeper elected to follow the fortunes of his division commander in the new organization.
During the winter some changes had occurred in the company, and quite a number of new recruits had been received. First Ser- geant Harrington had died of disease at Washington July 30, 1863, Charles E. Pierce of Brookline succeeding to the office; Lieutenant Armitage resigned February 6, 1864, and Quartermaster Sergeant William E. Rollins was promoted to the vacancy, the latter being in turn succeeded by W. Il. Fitzpatrick of Boston. On the 8th of April, owing to the consolidation, the camp of the Tenth was changed to near Stevensburg, and on the 22d part was taken in the general review of the army by General Grant.
The marching orders opening the campaign of 1864 came on the 3d of May, and at 8 o'clock that evening the battery moved out some
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
four miles and parked. During the 4th the Rapidan was crossed at Ely's Ford by the Second Corps, and that night bivouac was made on the Chancellorsville battle-field. Todd's Tavern was reached before noon of the 5th, and the corps was resting there when it was summoned back to the battle of the Wilderness. The battery took position near the crossing of the Brock and Orange Plank roads, on what was known as Poplar Neck Ridge, about the only point in Hancock's lines where artillery could be placed, save at the plank road itself. Its position was changed several times within the nar- row limits possible, but it was only once slightly engaged. During the forenoon of the 6th a hostile battery suddenly opened fire from the edge of the woods opposite, which the Tenth returned so vigor- ously as to dismount one gun and drive the rest out of position.
The battery accompanied the Second Corps to Spottsylvania and was called upon for active work in connection with the retreat of the corps from the south side of the river Po on the 10th. Having itself returned from the other side, it was put in position to assist in covering the withdrawal of General Barlow's Division, though unable to render very effective service owing to the close quarters at which the engagement across the river was being fought. It was, however, under severe fire, and in addition to several horses had one man killed and two wounded. During the night of the 11th the battery spent much of the time making its tedious way through darkness and mud to the Brown House, but did not take part in the conflict at "the Angle," though under fire, losing one man wounded and moving from point to point during the day in the heavy rain. Next day the drivers brought off a gun and five caissons which had been captured by General Hancock.
From that time till the 20th, the battery was in motion every day and picked its way over much of the region to the left of the Brown House, to which point it generally returned ; but it was not further engaged. At this time, in common with the other light batteries of the army, it was reduced to four guns, the pieces of the center section being "turned in." On the evening of the 20th the south- ward march was resumed, the North Anna being reached on the 22d. The Tenth at once went into battery at a favorable point over- looking the river and joined in an artillery duel with a Confederate battery, blowing up a limber chest and driving away the guns. Late on the 23d the Tenth crossed the river under fire, remaining there
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THIE TENTH BATTERY.
three days, and on the morning of the 27th moved southward, its corps forming the rear of the army. The Pamunkey was crossed on the 28th, and on the 30th the battery went into position at Jones's Farm, losing one man killed by a sharpshooter. For two days this position was held with considerable activity on the part of the guns, when the order was received to set out for Cold Harbor.
The battery, after a hard night's march, reached the left of the Union lines during the forenoon of June 2, and after waiting some time for orders relieved a New Jersey battery, the movement being made under fire and the Tenth becoming immediately engaged. After dark the guns were advanced to the front line of works, oc- cupied by Gibbon's Division, and soon after half-past 4 the next morning the right piece was fired as the signal for the assault upon the enemy's work. The general attack and the repulse were over in a few minutes, but the artillery did not cease, the Tenth firing all the forenoon, expending all their ammunition and using that of another battery. Their guns also joined in the repulse of the night attacks made by the Confederates, and next morning were ordered still further to the front and left; where behind strong defenses at the angle of the works the battery was located nearer to the hostile lines than any other Federal artillery. This position was held with- out casualty during the rest of the time spent before Cold Harbor, the sobriquet of "Saucy Battery" being bestowed upon the Tenth on account of its location and the zest with which it improved every opportunity to make its mettle felt.
The march to the left was resumed on the night of the 12th, and during the afternoon of the 15th the James river was crossed at Wilcox Landing on the Winnissimmet, formerly a Boston and Chel- sea ferry-boat which many of the men quickly recognized. The following evening the Tenth went into battery in front of Peters- burg, and during the 17th, by direction of General Birney, fired probably the first shells thrown into the city. From time to time the guns were moved to the front till during the night of the 19th they were placed on a hillside within 250 yards of the enemy's works -a very critical situation owing to the incessant sharpshooting.
From this point they were withdrawn on the afternoon of the 21st, and soon after moved westward toward the Jerusalem road, where on the afternoon of the 22d the Confederates penetrated be- tween the Second and Sixth Corps and inflicted considerable loss
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
upon the former. The battery was in the reserve line, and awaited an attack, but the Confederates were satisfied with the partial suc- . cess they had attained, and a period of comparative inaction fol- lowed. Some two weeks later the battery moved back toward the right, and remained in reserve till the 26th of July, when it crossed the Appomattox and the James on ponton bridges, landing near Deep Bottom, taking part in the engagement of the next day, and returning to Petersburg on the night of the 29th. The old camp was reoccupied till August 13, when another movement was made across the Appomattox at Point of Rocks, the Tenth parking within General Butler's lines near Bermuda Hundred and taking no part in the operations across the James. On the 21st they returned to camp, but immediately moved to the left in support of the movement of the Fifth Corps against the Weldon Railroad at Reams Station.
Early in the morning of the 23d the Tenth broke camp, crossed the railroad at the station and took position in the works on both sides of the Dinwiddie road. Here they remained till the 25th, when the disastrous engagement with the Confederates under Gen- eral Heth resulted in the capture of the four guns of the battery, after a stubborn fight in which all the ammunition was expended, 54 of the 59 horses were killed or disabled, one caisson only being saved, and the command suffering a loss of 29 men out of less than 70 taken into action. Of that number, five were killed or mortally wounded, 19 taken prisoners, several of whom died in captivity, and four others wounded, including Captain Sleeper severely in the arm.
After this decimation and the loss of their guns, the Tenth en- camped at the rear till a new outfit could be obtained. On the 20th of September, the horses and equipments having been previously re- ceived, a detail went to City Point and brought back the new guns,- four three-inch Parrotts. Four days later at evening the command went to the front, relieving a battery of regulars and taking position just east of Fort Morton, in Battery XIV, to the right of the Con- federate salient blown up on the 30th of July. During this month and the following, 25 recruits were received, and in October the Tenth was again made a six-gun battery by the addition of two more Parrotts. During this time its pieces remained in the redoubt, taking an active part in the continuous cannonading by day and night.
At night of the 24th the battery was relieved by the Eighth Ohio, and drew quietly to the rear, halting near the Norfolk Railroad.
841
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THIE TENTH BATTERY.
Gibbon's and Mott's Divisions of the Second Corps were to make another attempt to extend the Union lines to the left, and on the 26th the column moved to Globe Tavern on the Weldon Railroad, from which on the 27th it pushed to the southwest till the Boyd- town Plank road was reached, near the junction of the Dabney's Mill road. Here the Tenth halted, the skirmishers having encount- ered the enemy ; but in a short time Lieutenant Granger, command- ing in the absence of Captain Sleeper, was ordered into action, tak- ing position near the junction of the White Oak road a half-mile away. There it confronted Confederates with artillery located to the west, up the White Oak road; but just then a force of the enemy was seen making for the Union right flank and threatening the bridge over Hatcher's Run. The center section under Lieutenant Smith was sent to pay attention to this force and soon expended its available ammunition, when it was ordered by General Egan to re- tire; having withdrawn his guns Lieutenant Smith reported the fact to his battery commander, when he was struck down by a mortal wound from which he died on the 29th.
In the mean time the four guns had been assailed in the rear by a strong Confederate force which threatened to cut them off altogether. Almost surrounded, the unshrinking gunners fired to the rear and then to the flank till their ammunition was exhausted, when Lieutenant Granger took the responsibility of attempting to withdraw his guns and save them from capture. This he succeeded in doing, reaching the caissons and securing a fresh supply of am- munition, when the battery again took position, under artillery fire to which it was not allowed to respond. At this time Lieutenant Granger was mortally wounded, dying on the 30th, and the com- mand was left withont a commissioned officer, Lieutenant Smith of Battery K, Fourth United States Artillery, being detailed to take temporary command. Just before midnight the company withdrew from the field, having, in addition to the two officers, lost one man killed and two wounded, seven horses and one gun disabled. The battery returned to Globe Tavern that night, the following day to the old camp, and on the 29th quarters were taken in Fort Steven- son. One section was presently detached to Fort Blaisdell, near by, and with this disposition some time was passed uneventfully. Cap- tain Sleeper, who had received the brevet of major, returned to the command of the battery. Lieutenant Adams, who had been on de-
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
tached service, also came back, and Second Lieutenant Rollins was advanced to junior first lientenant. Milbrey Green of Dorchester, who had been a lientenant for three years in the First Massachusetts Battery, and Sergeant George H. Day of the Tenth were commis- sioned second lieutenants, thus filling the roster once more. .
On the 8th of December the command was relieved by a New York battery and took the location vacated by the latter near Poplar Spring Church. The next day another movement to the left was begun, but after marching two or three miles the Tenth halted in the woods owing to a storm, and after a very uncomfortable night there returned to the intrenchments, being assigned to quarters in Forts Emory and Siebert. This disposition continued till the 5th of February, 1865, when the battery was called under the command of Lieutenant Adams (Captain Sleeper being absent on leave) to accompany the Second Division, Second Corps, commanded by Gen- eral Smythe, which with the Third Division moved out by the Vaughan road to the vicinity of Hatcher's Run. Here the battery went into position, the three sections at different points, and late in the afternoon the Confederates in force attacked and attempted to turn General Smythe's right flank. The left and center sections of the battery under command of Lieutenants Adams and Green were enabled to deliver an oblique and enfilading fire which was very effective. Three separate charges of Mahone's Confederate Division were repulsed within an hour, during which the two sections fired nearly 300 rounds and received high commendation from all sources for the skill and energy of the assistance rendered. Three horses were lost during the battle but not a man of the company was severely injured.
A severe storm set in next day, and great discomfort resulted, but the fighting went on. The Fifth corps made an attempt to extend the Union lines to the left, but an impetuous attack threw the troops into disorder, and an attack upon the Second Corps followed, but was repulsed. The Union lines were then extended and fortified from Fort Gregg to Hatcher's Run, and some 600 yards to the rear of the spot where it had done such valiant service a fortification known as "Battery E" was erected for the special ocenpancy of the Tenth. Very complete quarters were at once constructed, and occupied for several weeks. Captain Sleeper resigned and bade adieu to his command on the 27th, Lieutenant Adams was promoted
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THIE TENTII BATTERY.
to the captaincy, and other promotions followed in order, First Ser- geant George M. Townsend being made junior second lieutenant.
About the middle of March the Tenth was again reduced to a four-gun battery in preparation for the spring campaign; but the movement did not begin till the 29th, when the guns were posted in front of what had been the lines of the Union army, the Second Corps was extended to the left and began to feel its way forward. Several changes of position were made by the battery, but it was not till the morning of April 2 that from the Boydtown road it opened fire upon the Confederate works. As the enemy began to leave, Mott's Division pressed forward and soon had possession. About noon the battery passed through the works and at night bivouacked near Petersburg. Next morning it was off on the trail of the retreating Confederates, and from that time till the surrender it accompanied the Second Corps in the direct pursuit, often opening fire but meeting with no serious resistance. The last shots were fired at sundown of the 7th a few miles beyond Farmville, when two shells abandoned by the enemy were fired back to their former owners-the last shots fired by the artillery of the Second Corps.
After the surrender of the southern army the battery marched back to Burkesville Junction where it went into camp on the 14th, remaining till the 2d of May. Then the march was taken up via Richmond and Fredericksburg to Bailey's Cross Roads, near Wash- ington, where camp was established on the 13th and the command remained some two weeks. Following the grand review in Wash- ington, orders were received to turn in the guns and horses; only one of the latter being of the 110 that had come from Massachu- setts nearly three years before. On the 2d of June the command took cars for home, reaching there in due time and going into camp on Gallop's Island till the 14th, when the men were paid and mus- tered out, becoming peaceful citizens onee more.
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