USA > Maine > History of the Fourth Maine battery, light artillery, in the civil war, 1861-65; containing a brief account of its services compiled from diaries of its members and other sources. Also personal sketches of many of its members and an account of its reunions from 1882 to 1905 > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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HISTORY
OF THE
FOURTH MAINE BATTERY
LIGHT ARTILLERY
IN THE
CIVIL WAR, 1861-65
Containing a Brief Account of Its Services Compiled from Diaries of Its Members and Other Sources. Also Personal Sketches of Many of Its Members and an Account of Its Reunions from 1882 to 1905
AUGUSTA, MAINF BURLEIGH & LIVNI, Printers
10,05
1755554
CAPTAIN O'NEIL W. ROBINSON, JR.
----
F 8349 . 3424
Maine artillery. Jth battery, 1861-1865.
IJistory of the Fourth Maine battery, light artillery. in the civil war, 1861-65; containing a brief account of its services compiled from diaries of its members and other sources. Also personal sketches of many of its members and an account of its reunions from 1882 to 1905. Au- gusta, Me., Burleigh & Flynt, printers, 1905.
:
vi, (7)-183 p. front. (port.) 233cm.
1. U. S .- Hist .-- Civil war-Regimental histories -- Me. ait .-- 4th battery. I. Title.
7 -- 24009
Library of Congress E.511.8.4th
INTRODUCTION
It is not expected that the contents of this book will be of general interest to the public, but it is intended for, and especially dedicated to, the comrades of the Fourth Maine Battery who are now living, their friends and descendants and those of their deceased comrades.
In its preparation, no attempt at embellishment has been made, and we offer only a plain and authentic story of the every- day life of the soldier of the artillery service in camp and field.
The sources from which this history has been made for the greater part, are diaries which were kept by several of the cont- rades, among whom were those of Corporal James M. Allen and Arthur T. Chapin; from these and other reliable sources exact dates and records of events have been obtained and are here given.
The work might have appeared earlier but for the death of Comrade Ethel H. Jones, who was one of the committee appointed by the Fourth Maine Battery Association to prepare these records for publication and whose unfinished work has now been completed by others.
Judson Ames, of Foxcroft, has given liberally of time and effort and his determination has at last brought these pages to the comrades who have so long desired to have a suitable record which they might leave to their children and friends.
The Fourth Maine Battery Association was formed at Augusta in 1882 and Algernon S. Bangs of Augusta was the first President and James A. Jones Secretary.
The latter has served faithfully for many years and to his efforts are largely due the success of many annual reunions.
The commissioned officers of the Battery have shown but little interest in the Association and it has been organized and sustained by a firm brotherhood composed of the rank and file, and is at this time characterized by all the essentials of a true
IV
INTRODUCTION.
modern fraternity whose foundations rest upon realities and memories of their patriotism and mutual hardships in earlier days.
To the Fourth Maine Battery Association and any who may care for a plain picture of soldier life under the Union Flag in those great days, this book is heartily commended.
August, 1905.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
ORGANIZATION -- AT PORTLAND-TO WASHINGTON AND FORT. RAMSAY - SHENANDOAH VALLEY - LITTLE WASHINGTON-CEDAR MOUNTAIN
7
CHAPTER HI.
POPE'S RETREAT-RAPPAHANNOCK STATION-SULPHUR SPRINGS -2D BULL RUN -INTO MARYLAND - ANTIETAM -- MARYLAND HEIGHTS.
23
CHAPTER III.
SHARPSPURG AND ANTIETAM IRON WORKS -- WINTER AT HARPER'S FERRY AND MARYLAND HEIGHTS-JOIN ARMY OF POTOMAC-WITH 3D CORPS -- WAPPING HEIGHTS 35
CHAPTER IV.
NEAR THE RAPPAHANNOCK-NEAR CULPEPER-RETREAT TO CENTREVILLE-MCLEAN'S FORD -- KELLY'S FORD -- BRANDY STATION 49
CHAPTER V.
MINE RUN-WINTER AT BRANDY STATION-RE-ENLIST- MENTS-CAPTAIN ROBINSON CHIEF OF ARTILLERY. . 58
CHAPTER \I.
TRANSFERRED TO OTH CORPS-WILDERNESS-SPOTTSYL,- VANJA - NORTH ANNA - HANOVERTOWN --- COLD HARBOR
66
VI
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VII.
COLD HARBOR TO PETERSBURG -- FORT McGILVERY- REAMS STATION -- TO BALTIMORE AND WASHING- TON-PETERSBURG MINE 83
CHAPTER VIII.
IN FRONT LINES -- FORT HASKELL -- FORT STEADMAN- WINTER OF 1861-5 - PETERSBURG EVACUATED - MARCH TO WASHINGTON -- RETURN TO AUGUSTA MUSTERED OUT. 9-1
CHAPTER IN.
ROSTER -- PROMOTIONS --- DIED IN THE SERVICE AND
WOUNDED-DISCHARGED 1862-3-4- DIED SINCE 1865. 107
CHAPTER N.
BIOGRAPHY AND PERSONAL NOTES 123
REUNIONS
CHAPTER XI. 170
·
CHAPTER I.
ORGANIZATION-AT PORTLAND-TO WASHINGTON AND FORT RAMSAY-SHENANDOAH VALLEY-LITTLE WASHINGTON - CEDAR MOUNTAIN.
About the last of October. 1861, in response to the call for troops it was decided to raise and organize five Batteries of Light Artillery in Maine, and among others who immediately commenced recruiting for this branch of the service, were the Rev. 1 .. M. S. Haynes, the young pastor of the Baptist Church at Augusta, Hamlin F. Eaton of the Eaton School at Kent's Hill, Chas. W. White of Skowhegan, who had recently returned from several years' residence in California, and Mathew B. Coffin of Skowhegan.
At the same time recruiting was going on in all sections of the State for the Ist Maine Cavalry and the 13th, 14th and 15th Regiments of Infantry, all of which were to rendezvous at Augusta. This large number made the filling of the different organizations rather slow and it was not until the 16th day of December that the recruits for the 4th Battery were called into camp. Upon that day Lieutenants Haynes and Eaton with their men reported and were assigned to quarters in the teuts, which had been created for four of the Batteries just south of the State House. The following day Lieutenants White and Coffin arrived with their contingents and our camp and soldier life which was destined to last for three and a half years commenced. Our Bat- tery (the 4th) was camped next to the road, Capt. Sweet's (the 3d) coming next, and to the left of that Captain Lep- pien's ( the 5th) and to the left of that Captain McGilvery's (the 6th1). South of the road toward the river were located the 14th and 15th Regiments and Ist Cavalry, and across the river at the Arsenal grounds were located Colonel Neal Dow's 13th Regi- ment and Captain Tillson's 2d Battery.
8
FOURTH MAINE BATTERY
In a few days O'Neil W. Robinson. Jr., of Bethel, a young and prominent member of the Oxford County Bar, joined us as our Captain, bringing with him quite a number of Oxford County boys. This filled our ranks so that on the 21st of December we were mustered in at the State House by Captain Rankin as the 4th Maine Battery for the term of service of three years. The work of completing the organization of the Battery was now promptly carried on and the non-commissioned officers appointed and the detachments formed. A detachment which mans each gun consisting of a Sergeant, two Corporals and thirteen men. The extra men of the Battery are divided among the detachments. As organized the Battery was officered as follows :
Captain, O'Neil W. Robinson, Jr.
Senior First Lieutenant, L. M. S. Haynes.
Junior First Lieutenant, H. F. Eaton.
Senior Second Lieutenant, Chas. W. White. Junior Second Lieutenant, Mathew B. Coffin.
First Sergeant, Henry C. Haynes.
Quartermaster Sergeant, M. C. Kimball.
First Detachment -- Sergeant, O. O. Vittum; Corporals, Jere Owen, W. H. Brooks.
Second Detachment -- Sergeant, A. S. Bangs; Corporals, Jared Bates, Judson Ames.
Third Detachment -- Sergeant, Cyrus M. Williams; Corpo- rals, Geo. Holden, W. P. Friend.
Fourth Detachment -- Sergeant, Geo. W. Woods; Corporals, Lewis Brown, L. B. Jennings.
Fifth Detachment-Sergeant, Harry Parkman; Corporals, Jere Cleveland, Ebenezer Talcott.
Sixth Detachment-Sergeant, Solon Robertson; Corporals, Augustus Fox, Lester Holway.
9
LIGHIT ARTILLERY, 1861-65.
Buglers, H. M. Wentworth, Harley Hicks.
Saddler, Marshman W. Marvil.
Artificers, Frank C. Bartlett, Albert V. Thompson.
Wagoners, Geo. W. Mckinney, Chas. Crymble.
At the time we went into camp each man was provided with a blanket, a towel and a small bed tick which was filled with straw, and also a tin dipper, plate, knife, fork and spoon. Two or three days after muster a portion of our under clothing was furnished, but it was not until the 9th of January, that we were fully provided with our uniform and began to think that we were real soldiers. Our tents were of the Sibley pattern, being circular and about fifteen feet in diameter, with a small sheet iron stove in the centre, the stove pipe also answering for a tent pole. A board floor was provided upon which we spread our beds at night. The full complement for a tent being thirteen men, it was rather close quarters and with three feet of snow on the ground and the thermometer at times down to 20° below we found it necessary to lie close together and unfortunate was the man who came next to the door.
Occasionally some belated comrade who had been ont on a pass, would return, after all were asleep, and being cold would build a rousing fire in the little stove, giving us a terrible roast- ing ; and as the fire quickly went down an hour later, we would awake shivering with the cold. The result was that nearly every man had a cold and cough, and it is surprising that more serious sickness did not occur.
Our cook tent, over which Bob Gordon and Kittredge pre- sided, was situated a little in rear of the camp and at the call of the bugle, each man would take his dipper for coffee and his plate and fall in line and wait his turn. During the severe cold and stormy weather, this was no pleasant thing to do. A camp guard was placed, with strict orders to allow no one to leave camp in the day without a pass, or at night without a counter- sign.
Two years later such an idea would have been ridiculed, but we then thought it was the genuine thing for a soldier. How- ever. the boys used to get out in the evening pretty regularly and often. Our armament consisted of a dozen old sabres that must have been left over from the Mexican or Revolutionary War.
IO
FOURTH MAINE BATTERY.
During pleasant weather we were expected to drill two or three hours a day; but with the deep snow the only place avail- able was the narrow road which was crowded with teams and traffic, and our drilling was not a great success.
Early in February the infantry regiments and the 2d Battery were sent South and we began to fear very much that the John- nies would all get licked and the war closed without us.
However, all our growling availed nothing and we were des- tined to remain at Augusta until the 14th of March, when we were ordered to Portland and went into barracks that were located west of the city. There we found comfortable quarters and the weather was warm and springlike, and probably we enjoyed ourselves for a short time better than at any other por- tion of our service. We were located near the shore where clams were plenty, and all the spare time from drilling and camp duty was spent digging and cating clams. It was wonderful what an amount of clams some of the boys could get away with. One little incident occurred here that caused some amusement. One forenoon Cy Sturdy lost his cap: and after two or three hours' searching and considerable disturbance, the dinner call was sounded and the search postponed. After the coffee had all been served and Bob Gordon emptied the coffee boiler, the cap was discovered among the coffee grounds. However, we had all partaken of the coffee and Sturdy was no dude until he could get a new cap. About the first of April the Army of the Potomac under General MeClellan was moved from Washing- ton to the Peninsula, and we were ordered to Washington.
On the morning of the first of April the 4th with the 3d and 5th Maine Batteries took train for Boston and the same evening left Boston by railroad for New York, where we arrived on the morning of the ad and were transferred to a boat for Perth Amboy, where we took the Camden and Amboy Railroad for Philadelphia, arriving there in the evening. We were taken to the Cooper Shop Refreshment Saloon, where an excellent supper was waiting for us and which we most heartily enjoyed. The Cooper Shop Refreshment Saloon was supported by the voluntary contribution of the people of Philadelphia and was open during the four years of the war to any of the soldiers who were passing through the city, and every Eastern soldier has a kindly feeling for Philadelphia for its generons hospitality and kindly greetings.
II
LIGHT ARTILLERY, 1861-65.
Leaving Philadelphia late at night, we arrived in Baltimore the next morning, where, without disembarking, we were trans- ferred across the city, the cars being drawn by horses, and in the afternoon we started on the last stage of our journey, arriv- ing in Washington in the evening and camped for the night in the barracks near the station. The next morning we marched to Capitol Hill, situated about a mile east of the Capitol, and our tents and baggage being brought up, we soon had our camp established. At this time Capitol Hill, from the Capitol to the Penitentiary, was only a sandy plain, and at one place not far from our camp were the remains of an old cemetery, and the hogs, which were running wild in the streets, had rooted among the graves and brought to the surface many human skulls which greeted us most unpleasantly.
The only place in that part of the city possessing any beauty was the old Congressional Cemetery a little southeast of our camp. Here were erected monuments to deceased Congress- men and many other noted men : and the quietness and beauty of that place contrasted strongly with the rest of the city and vicinity.
Our stay here was destined to be short and on the 14th of April we took up our march to Fort Ramsey, which was eight miles from Alexandria, near Fall's Church.
With well filled knapsacks we started early in the morning and took boat from Washington to Alexandria, and after an hour or two of delay, which was improved by many of the boys in visiting the Marshall House, where Col. Ellsworth was killed. started on the march toward our destination, although the day was intensely hot, and the dust such as we had never seen before.
We had been told that the distance was only eight miles, but before we arrived we thought it was nearer eighteen and our knapsacks which contained all the articles that new troops usually think they may need, grew wonderfully heavy and it took days for the aches to get out of our shoulders.
The Battery had been furnished with two six-mule teams which conveyed tents and other baggage; and before night we were comfortably located in our new quarters on the north side of the road opposite the fort.
The 6th Battery had accompanied us and were stationed at
12
FOURTH MAINE BATTERY.
Fort Buffalo, about three-fourths of a mile away, and both Bat- teries were under command of Captain Robinson, he being the senior officer.
In the fort were four 12-pound brass guns and four 20-pound iron guns. We were supplied with rifles and drilling as heavy artillery was at once entered upon most vigorously. As we had enlisted for light artillery this was loudly protested against by many of the boys, but we soon found out that growling did no good and we settled down to our two hours a day of drill at the guns in the fort, and two hours as infantry. Regular guard duty was also established in the fort with the most minute instructions as to our duties in case of attack. After being in camp about two weeks, alarming reports came of the enemy being in the vicinity and pickets were stationed each night at a short distance from the forts, and perhaps it was a more severe test to a man's courage at this time to go on picket duty, than it was at a later period to go into a hard battle.
One night we were aroused by quite a brisk firing in the direc- tion of Fort Buffalo, and quickly turning out with our arms, we fell in line and marched into the fort. Capt. Robinson and a detachment of men, as body guard, proceeded to Fort Buffalo to ascertain the cause of the alarm, which he found to be that one of the pickets had become alarmed at some imaginary object and discharged his musket, which had caused a general alarm. Another version of this was that Captain McGilvery had arranged to have the alarm given in order to see how quickly his battery could be turned out, and later a good deal of explana- tion was required at headquarters in regard to the matter.
While here money became very scarce and in order to obtain tobacco many of the boys spent their spare time gathering old bullets, which could be sold for old lead. Lewis Davis and Chas. Robie finding an old shell attempted to extract the fuse plug, with the result that the shell exploded, fatally wounding, both of them. Robie was obliged to have his leg amputated and died in an hour after, and Davis died in the hospital a few days later.
While stationed here MeClellan was approaching very near Richmond and there was much fear that our services at the front would not be required and that we would be sent home without seeing anything of actual war. However, after about five weeks
13
LIGHT ARTILLERY, 1861-65.
at Fort Ramsey we very gladly received orders to turn in our muskets and return to Washington. Leaving Fort Ramsey on May 20th, we made our return march via Aqueduct Bridge and Georgetown and again occupied our old campground on Capitol Hill. On the 25th we received our horses and the next day our harnesses and six 3-inch rifle guns of the Rodman pattern.
With green horses, green drivers and a kind of harness that none of us had ever seen before, it took us some time to get the hang of things. One of the sergeants had a great deal of trouble in getting his saddle to fit. until one of the boys showed him that he was putting it on with the front to the rear.
The 6th Battery, which had also been mounted, returned to Washington with us, and after a few days which were fully occupied in mounted drill, both of the batteries were ordered to the Shenandoah Valley and June 13 the guns and horses were loaded on cars at the Baltimore and Ohio Station, and we pro- ceeded to Harper's Ferry via the Relay House. It was a beau- tiful country through which we were passing, the boys were in high spirits at the idea of going to the front and enjoyed the trip immensely. We arrived at Sandy Hook, a mile east of Harper's Ferry, carly on the morning of the 14th and during the forenoon the horses were unloaded and taken to Maryland Heights, where we encamped for the night for the first time under the open sky.
About noon on the 15th the drivers with the horses crossed on the ferry to Harper's Ferry. where a halt was made until nearly four o'clock, when they started up the valley on the Win- chester pike and passed through Halltown and Charlestown to Wadesville, where camp was made for the night. The train on which the guns had been left was then divided, the guns and men of the 4th Battery forming our train and the 6th Battery following on another train. Crossing the bridge and starting up the Shenandoah Valley or Winchester Railroad. we found that the track was a 4-inch joist with strap iron nailed on top and that the engine had much difficulty in making any progress. Much of the way the boys would get off and walk, thereby having a chance to pick berries, which were very abundant, and in one instance they helped to push the train up the grade. Arriving at Charleston, the tender got off the track at a switch and caused a delay of two hours to get it on. This gave us an
14
FOURTH MAINE BATTERY.
opportunity to look over the town so noted on account of the John Brown trial and many of the boys visited the jail and the gallows, which was still standing in a field near by, upon which John Brown had been hung. Here we first met the genuine Secesh and about the only good looking girls that we saw in Virginia, but they did not smile very sweetly on us, although they seemed much pleased at our difficulty in being derailed. At last we were again on our way and at 10 o'clock arrived at Wadesville, where we found that our horses which had left Harper's Ferry at the same time as we did, had been in camp about two hours. We thought this pretty slow time on a rail- road, twenty-one miles in over six hours. Where we camped was a spring which caused much curiosity on account of its size and the quantity of water that flowed from it. It was nearly twenty feet across and in the centre no bottom could be seen, although the water was perfectly clear, and a stream several inches deep and several feet wide flowed from it.
The next morning we harnessed up and started on our first mounted march. Passing through Winchester, Kearnstown and Middletown, we arrived at Cedar Creek on the 19th and went into camp on the ground where two years later Gen. Early made his fierce attack and surprised Sheridan's army at the battle of Cedar Creek.
While here we improved the time with daily mounted drill and on one occasion with other batteries of the corps had a day of target practice under the supeirvsion of Colonel Dalghreen, who gave us the credit of making the best shots of any battery in the corps. Colonel Dalghreen was killed near Richmond, March 2d. 1864. while on the Kilpatrick-Dalghreen raid.
We had been attached to Prince's Brigade of Augur's Divi- sion of Banks' Corps ( 2d), Army of Virginia, our brigade con- sisting of 3d Maryland, 102d New York, 100th Pennsylvania and frIth Pennsylvania Regiments. General Pope, who had been very successful in the west, had been called cast and given command of the corps of Gen. Banks. Gen. MeDowell and Gen. Fremont which were called the Army of Virginia and had assumed command on the 27th of June with his famous order which was generally interpreted to read "Headquarters in the saddle --- No lines of retreat but those of the enemy-Spades to the rear," etc.
15
LIGHT ARTILLERY, 1861-65.
Here the boys had their first experience in foraging and it seemed to come much more natural to some than drilling.
The officers cautioned, warned and threatened us in the matter, but at the same time there is not much doubt but the officers' own mess was sometimes supplied with food that was not furnished through the Commissary Department. The only serious result of any of the foraging was when a few of the boys had captured a pig and gathering just outside of the camp, in the woods, had a feast of roast pig. Everything passed off quietly until about It o'clock, when all had retired, when we were aroused by llorace Sally, who had been very active at the feast, making night hideous with his groans, and cries that he was going to die. However, he lived through the night, but had to be sent to the hospital.
Perhaps one reason for the foraging was the order that our rations would be confined to hard bread, meat, sugar, coffee, salt, vinegar and pepper, not a very luxurious "menu." On the 4th of July a national salute was fired in the morning, at noon and at night, which was the extent of our celebration.
We remained at Cedar Creek until July 5th, when the army moved to the east of the Blue Ridge, Banks' Corps passing through Manassas and Chester Gaps. Our battery broke camp late in the afternoon of the 5th and passed through Manassas Gap to Front Royal, from there making daily marches until the nith, when we passed the village of Waterloo and crossed Hedg- man River and went into camp near Warrenton. We remained at Warrenton until the 17th, when we returned across Hazel River and after four days' march went into camp at Little Washington on the 20th. We had a night march when leaving Cedar Creek and in the darkness Sergt. Bangs' caisson was overturned down a steep bank and L. Hunton and a drummer boy of the 1ogth Pennsylvania Regiment who were riding on
the caisson were seriously injured. They were taken to a farm house near by and Corporal Ames left to take care of them. The old farmer was Secesh all through and did not seem to ap- preciate his guests. The second morning the Corporal found that the army had nearly passed, and that the road was to be abandoned, and not relishing a trip to Richmond quite so soon, he obtained permission to place Hunton and the boy in the bag- gage wagon of a train that was returning to Winchester, to
16
FOURTH MAINE BATTERY
be taken to the hospital there. The old farmer was very anx- ious to know who was to pay for the bed that was sent along with them, but finally compromised by sending a bill for it to Lieutenant Haynes.
It is doubtful if Lieutenant Haynes has been that way since to pay the bill. The Corporal then started to join the Battery but taking the wrong road found himself in the Ist, Sigel's Corps, with which he remained three weeks before he could find the Battery. During his stay in the Ist Corps, he was very haud- somely provided for by Captain Johnson's 12th Ohio Battery. While near Warrenton, Charles and Asa Coombs and Albert V. Thompson, the blacksmith, went out one day to gather black- berries, which were very abundant in that section, and forgot to return to camp or rather got on the wrong road and did not discover their mistake until they arrived in Canada. The Coombs boys had been very prominent and we had been led to anticipate great things of them when we should meet the enemy, and it seemed unkind in them to leave us just at this time. However, they returned to the Battery three years later at Fair- fax Seminary, just in time to accompany us home. It is doubt- ful if they enjoyed themselves very much with us after their return.
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