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 12
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Harper's Ferry. December 14. 1862.
We are now encamped a mile from Harper's Ferry, on the road to Bolivar Heights. We had orders to move with our corps towards Fredericksburg, but the roads were so covered with ice and the horses so smooth shod that it took us two days and most of the next night to reach here, and the commanding officer told us that we would have to stay here this winter. The
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first day of the move it snowed, and you can imagine a row of thirty men in one bed on the snow with a good fire of fence rails the whole length of the row, with a guard to keep the fire burning, and you will see the first section of the Battery. The other two sections were a mile behind us. Our tents are larger and better than they were last winter and there are only eight men in a tent, so that we are quite comfortable.
Harper's Ferry, December 29, 1862.
We are to have a review tomorrow by General Kenly. Quite an addition has been made to the force here lately, and last night an Indiana battery, five companies of heavy artillery and two regiments of cavalry came in.
We send one gun out on Bolivar Heights on picket each day, and they had quite a skirmish one day with about thirty Rebel cavalry who, wearing blue overcoats, came inside our videttes and attacked the picket line. The gun fired four shots at then, when they scattered. We captured one Captain and one man and they got three of our cavalrymen. We have received thirty-six new horses and twelve mules for the baggage wagons and now have quite good teams.
Harper's Ferry, January 4, 1863.
Still here in winter quarters. A box was sent me from home but is lost. I had expected a good dinner from it. We have not been paid for some time and I have just six cents left.
Harper's Ferry, January 18, 1863.
Sunday, but no meeting-only drums, bugles and inspections. Lieutenant Eaton has got his discharge and started for home today.
Maryland Heights. April 8. 1863.
We are again on Maryland Heights with tents all up, and comfortably situated within ten rods of where we camped last fall, and have been placed in Morrill's brigade with the heavy artillery on the Heights.
Maryland Heights. April 27, 1863.
Have had several rainy days since we came on the Heights.
,
I33
LIGHT ARTILLERY, 1861-65.
During pleasant weather we have mounted drill, which reminds tt. of Washington times last year. Some of the people in the Fast blame the army for not doing more, but they do not know anything about the winter weather we have here. After the stormy weather commenced there has not been a week until the second week in this month that an army could move.
May 17, 1863.
We are still on the Heights and are not having much to do. We were on duty all the fall and winter while others were rest- ing, and feel that we have a right to a little rest now. It is a very hot day and the boys are spending the Sabbath about as usual. Some are writing home, some playing cards, some in swimming and some asleep.
Maryland Heights, May 27. 1863.
We have mounted drill every day now and the Battery is in good shape. I have eleven regular camp calls to blow besides the calls at diill, so that I am kept pretty busy.
Maryland Heights, June 10. 1863.
There has been quite a stir here for the past few days. Lee's army has made an advance and attacked General Milroy at Win- chester. Milroy was surrounded, but most of his troops cut their way out and were three days in getting to Harper's Ferry. On Sunday a small force stationed at Martinsburg to guard the railroad was attacked. Some of the infantry and one section of a battery got in here Monday, and they suppose that the rest of the battery is captured. All the supplies and most of the troops have been moved from Harper's Ferry to this side of the river. Our men were on duty with the battery in line of battle last night. Today we have heard cannonading in the direction of Leesburg.
Maryland Heights, June 28. 1863.
It is quiet here now. The most of Lee's army is near here and Hocker is moving our army. The 23d Maine Regiment is here and leaves for home.
Frederick, Md. July 2. 1863.
We left Maryland Heights Tuesday, June 30th, and arrived
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here last night. The troops all started with knapsacks packed full. The route for several miles was along the canal. The weather was hot and as we were hurried along the men began to throw away their things and in a short time most of them had nothing but their blankets left. I saw hundreds of knapsacks floating in the canal that had been thrown away by the troops ahead of us. It has been raining for two weeks and has not vet cleared off.
Urferville, Fa., July 17. 1863.
We have been attached to the 3d Corps and are now encamped at the foot of the Blue Ridge. The battle of Gettys- burg has been fought and the Rebels badly whipped, and they have retreated into Virginia. We did not get to Gettysburg, but have had hard marching since leaving Maryland Heights and there has not been a whole dry day since we started. From Frederick we went to Monocacy Junction, from there to Wil- liamsport, and from there here. Last Wednesday we passed over the battle ground of Antietam. All the signs of battle to be seen are the graves and the broken trees. A large part of the ground has been plowed and has good crops growing on it. We bave forty men detailed from the 14th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery and the battery is now well manned.
Warrenton, Judy 27, 1863.
We have been having hard marches for a week and are pretty tired. For three nights out of five we had only two hours' sleep. Last Wednesday we went up Manassas Gap twelve miles and drove the Rebels back into the Shenandoah Valley, then Friday, Saturday and Sunday came here. On the mountain, and much of the rest of the way the roads were very rough and bad. Some of the officers wanted to buy tea here and found the price to be $24.00 per pound and coffee $4.00 per pound.
Near White Sulphur Springs, August 2. 1863.
We left Warrenton yesterday morning and passing through White Sulphur Springs went into camp at White Plains. Today we moved camp two miles to get better camp grounds and grazing for the horses. It was a hard march yesterday. During the day we heard firing in the direction of Culpeper.
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LIGHT ARTILLERY, 1861-65.
Lieutenant White has gone to Maine for recruits. We need fifty men to make our number what they should be. We left one man sick at Frederick and yesterday sent four to the hos- pital at Alexandria.
Near Culpeper. September 20, 1863.
We are still near Culpeper and have fixed up as if we are to stay all winter. We take more pains to fix up our tents when in camp than we did last year, and we also get along much easier on the march. We have benefited some by experience. We have a good chief of artillery in Captain Randolph of Battery E, Ist Rhode Island. The enemy have built fortifications and have siege guns at Raccoon ford, a few miles from here.
Our rations are better than they were a year ago and we sometimes got soft bread. I have just got my dinner and this is the receipt: A small piece of pork and an onion ; boil them, break in some hard bread, add a little sugar and pepper and stew for a short time. It makes t very good meal for a soldier and the boys have pared the dish "Billy-be-dam."
Union Mis, October 16, 1863.
We are abom five miles from Fairfax Station and in position covering Mellan's ford. On the morning of the 11th we had orders to report to General Ward near Culpeper, and at & o'clock: the battery joined his division and started on a forced retreat towards Washington, and arrived here yesterday morn- ing, when we had a sharp engagement with the enemy, in which the battery fired 131 rounds. After three hours' engagement the enemy fel brick. Our loss was Sergeant Powers severely wounded. During the night there was a heavy shower and we lay down to sleep as wet as water could make us. On this retreat it was a regular race with the 3d Corps and the Rebs from Culpeper to the Rappahannock. We moved in two columns : a column of seven batteries in the road and a division of infantry through the fields on the left. About 3 o'clock the enemy showed themselves net more than fifty yards from our battery. The infantry formed into line on the double quick and the Reb- left without firing a gun. A short time after they attacked the head of the column and one stall officer was killed and several wounded. Early on the morning of the 13th we
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left the Rappahannock and arrived at Greenwich at 3 o'clock the next morning, where a stop of two hours was made and we again pushed on for Centreville. General Warren with the 2d Corps was following as rear guard and had a sharp fight at Bristol Station not more than two hours after we had passed. We arrived at Manassas Plains at 4 P. M., and crossing Bull Run, went into position to cover the trains while they were crossing. The trains got across at dark and we then moved back to Centreville and the next morning ( 15th) to Union Mills.
Callett's Station, October 22, 1863.
We started back from Bull Run Monday morning and are in camp here. Hlave had a hard march since a week ago Sunday.
Brandy Station, November 19, 1863.
We are now having a resting spell and living well. General Fraich reviewed the corps Tuesday. There were eight bat- teries in line, with the 4th Maine on the right, making a line half a mile long.
Brandy Station, November 25. 1863.
We dress ten days' rations and had orders to move at daylight yesterday morning. It commenced to rain and we stood in har- ness until i o'clock, and then unharnessed and pitched our tents.
Brandy Station. December 1. 1863.
We have had a hard work's work. We left camp carly Thanksgiving morning and had a hard march over very muddy and bad roads to the Rapidan, where we arrived in the evening and stool in the road all night. In the morning we crossed the river and moved down the plauk road two miles, and then took another road to Robertson's tavern and camped for the night two miles frore the front lines. The next day at noon the Bat- tery moved two miles to the left, going across lots. We remained at this place until the next night ( Sunday) and then moved into line of battle. It had rained a large part of the time since we started, bat now turned severely cokl. This and the succeeding night water froze an inch thick and some of the wounded perished from the cold. The next morning we had a short. sharp fight. There were thirty-four guns in our line
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LIGHT ARTILLERY, 1861-65.
and they fired about twenty rounds cach. During the day I went with a staff officer and Captain Robinson about half way to the enemy's line to look for a place to put the battery if we should make an advance. We could see their lines and they fired two or three shots at us. Monday night we unharnessed for the first time since we left Brandy Station. Tuesday morn- ing we were called at 5 o'clock with orders to report at once to General Tyler of the reserve artillery. The ground was rough and frozen solid, the reserve artillery was rushed right along, and we had gone but a short distance when one of the gun axles broke and very soon a caisson axle broke. The ammunition was buried and drag poles put under the gun and caisson to bring them back to camp. We crossed the Rapidan at Ely's ford and went into camp at dark. Wednesday morning we harnessed up . and waited until the 2d Corps had crossed and then started for Brandy Station. Three miles from the station the road was completely blocked by teams stuck in the mud and we had to camp for the night, and this morning returned to our old camp grounds and had orders to pitch our tents and make ourselves comfortable.
Brandy Station, December 31, 1863.
I have just returned from a furlough of eighteen days and reached camp just one hour before the furlough expired. Lyman Brown returned with me. Twelve of the boys have re-enlisted and are going home on a thirty-five days' furlough.
Brandy Staten . February 1. 1801.
Sixteen recruits arrived from Portland yesterday. This makes twenty eight new men and helps the looks of the Battery. It needs twenty-five more to fill the Battery.
Brandy Station. February 27, 186 |.
It is very pleasant weather now and the ground is dry and dusty on top but frozen beneath. I have lots of camp calls to blow. The reveille at 6 A. M. : roll call, 6.15 ; guard mounting, 8: fatigue. 8.30 : water call. 9.30: surgeon's call. 3 P. M. ; stable call. 4: recall. 4.30: breakfast. dinner and supper calls, and retreat at o P. M.
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Brandy Station, March 23, 186.4.
It commenced snowing yesterday and during the day and night six inches fell. This is more than all we have had before this winter.
Brandy Station, April 6, 186.4.
I was ordered to blow the Assembly today and after the boys fell into line one of them presented me with a silver bugle that cost $54.00. It is a nice present and I am much pleased with it.
Bready Station, April 13, 186 1.
A few days ago we were transferred to the 6th Corps and have just moved our camp to that corps and got our tents up. . General Selgwick commands the corps. He is a good officer and well liked by every one.
Brandy Station. April 20, 1864.
The 6th Corps were ont last Monday to be reviewed by Gen- cral Grant. There are ten batteries in the corps and the buglers were all together playing when we passed the General, so I did not have much chance to see him.
Cold Harbor. Fa., June 10, 186.1.
We have not done much marching this month. Since we came here (on the ist) the pioneers and infantry have been busy digging and building fortifications and now both sides are well fortified. There is picket firing all the time and for several days the shells would often come over and through the Battery, but we have not been troubled with them for the past three days. On the ad we were harnessed up to go to the front. We heard a gun and watched for the shell. It struck about ten rods from uis where a band were cating their supper and threw the dirt all over them. It then came directly towards us and struck between Lieutenant Haynes and myself, who were standing close together, and covered us with dirt, and about two . rods further on wounded two horses and then struck an ambulance and stopped. There is not much fun in this way of living.
I have seen but one daily paper since this campaign com- menced, and that was ten days old.
Near Petersburg, June 26, 186 ;.
On the evening of the 20th the Battery was sent into a fort
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LIGHT ARTILLERY, 1861-65.
on the Appomattox River within 300 yards of the enemy's works. Their sharpshooters were so near that the gunners could not raise their heads above the works without the Minie balls singing around their ears as thick as bees. During the day Jere Keene was killed, one man wounded and one horse killed. On account of the sharpshooters the Battery could not be relieved until after dark. On the evening of the 220 the Battery was relieved and marched all night and nearly the whole of the next day to a new position on the extreme left of the line. Here we worked all night building breastworks and were engaged almost steadily for the two following days, when we were relieved by the 2d Corps and moved back two miles and expected a little rest. We had just got fixed up a little and ready to sit down when I heard "Wentworth, blow the bugle." We had to pack and harness up again and move about half a mile, when we halted again. We have been at the front march- ing and fighting day and night since the 10th and the men and horses are nearly used up.
Front of Petersburg, July 3, 1801.
Our corps was on a raid to Ream's Station on the Weldon railroad and gone two days and three nights. The corps was not engaged, but tore up fifteen miles of railroad and destroyed a bridge and other property. There has been no rain since the 2d of June andl the ground is abont like ashes, and when the army is on the move the air is as full of dust as it ever was of smoke.
City Point, July ID. 1861.
The 6th Corps have all, except four batteries, gone to Mary- land. I had just got to bed and asleep Friday night (9th) when I was called to Wow the "Boots and Saddles." We hitched up and at 10 o'clock started for here and after an all-night march arrived at 8 o'clock in the morning. It is reported that the corps does not need all of its batteries and that we are to stay here. We are living high and get soft bread and all kinds of vegetables.
City Point, July 23. 1864.
The Battery has been on a trip to Washington and is now
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FOURTH MAINE BATTERY
back again. On the way back from Washington all the horses Were put on an old Boston ferry boat which was loaded clear down. When we arrived at Smith's Point, at the mouth of the Potomac. the bay was too rough to cross and we had to go back twenty -five miles and stay over night. Every foot of the floor was covered with men and baggage and I stayed two nights on a bale of hay. The third night it rained and I camped on a narrow seat in the old cabin but did not get much sleep.
Front of Petersburg, July 27, 186.1.
We moved up from City Point last night and are in park on ground that was occupied by some of the 2d Corps. There is a steady picket firing and cannonading going on day and night.
Front of Petersburg, July 31, 1864.
Night before last six batteries of our corps were sent to the front and placed in some new forts. The ammunition was unloaded and all the drivers and horses sent to the rear with orders to report at headquarters in the morning and await orders.
It was dark when we went in, but the lines are so near together that the Rebs heard us and commenced shelling with 100-pound mortars. We could follow through the air, by the burning fuse, the shells which dropped all around us. In the morning the whole line opened fire at once and such a cannon- ading is seldom heard. There were about 100 guns near us, besides any amount of musketry. It lasted three hours and was a continuous roar. Sergeant Fox and one man were both wounded by one musket ball.
When the firing commenced a shell came over and hit a sut- ler's tent near where the drivers were in camp. The sutler jumped on his horse and left and in less than fifteen minutes everything in the tent was distributed among the crowd.
Neu- Petersburg. August 5. 180.1.
This is the first day that I have been excused from duty on account of sickness. I am all used up with the dysentery.
Near Petersburg. August 17, 1864.
I am now in the hospital and the doctor advises me not to
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LICHT ARTILLERY, IS61-65.
blow the bugle any more. Two of our men are here, which makes it seem more like home to me.
Mt. Pleasant Hospital, Washington, August 25, 1864.
I was sent to City Point Sunday and one man in the ambi- lance with me died on the way. I arrived here yesterday, all used up.
August 28.
The doctor says that I have a stubborn case of chronic diarrhea. It follows me all the time but is not so painful as when I came here.
After a short time in the hospital they offered me a furlough for cighteen days. I went to my tent, thought it over and con- cluded that I could not get home alone, so had a cry and went to bed. That night my brother David came and with his help I got home and had to have my furlough extended three times for twenty days each. I returned to Washington expecting to go to the Battery, but they would not let ine, and after a few days I came home and was discharged at Augusta. My health was so poor that I did but little for a year and never fully recov- cred from the effects of exposure, and sickness contracted while on duty in the army.
SERGEANT SOLON ROBERTSON.
BIOGRAPHY AND PERSONAL NOTES.
I was born in Bethel, Me., where I resided previous to the war, and was by occupation a painter. When the Ist Maine Regiment was raised for three months' service I enlisted and was mustered in at Portland on the 3d day of May, 1861, in Company "G." Captain Beal. The Captain was afterwards Colonel of the toth and 29th Maine Regiments, and promoted to Brigadier General. The regiment left Portland for Wash- ington the Ist day of June, where it was encamped, performing guard duty at exposed points until Angust Ist, when it left for Portland, and I was mustered out with the regiment on August 5th. I was in the hospital in Portland from an attack of slow fever, and again in Washington with a severe case of mumps.
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FOURTH MAINE BATTERY
When the 4th Battery was raised I was one of the first to enlist with Captain Robinson, on December 9th, 1861, and was mustered in at Augusta on the 21st of the same month. When the organization of the Battery was completed I was appointed Sergeant of the sixth detachment, and being the only one in the Battery that had had any military experience, the work of drill- ing the men fell in a large measure upon me. At first we used infantry drill. One day when at drill near the State House, the Adjutant General came out and presented to me a copy of "Army Rules and Regulations" and an artillery drill book, which was the first one I had ever seen. After this we used artillery drill.
Among the earliest to enlist in the Battery was John O'Riley, who was doubtless insane. He was the cause of much trouble and also some amusement for the boys. At times he would claim that he was the original Christ, and to prove it would take off his boots and show the scars on his feet. At times it was impossible to do anything with him, and often it was necessary to place handcuffs on him. Once I took him to the jail for safe keeping, and when being taken to his cell he threw the keeper and both rolled down two flights of stairs. The keeper was very glad to accept the help I had before offered. O'Riley said that Sergeant Robertson was the only officer that he would obey and I was the only one that could manage him. After one of his disturbances I was ordered by the Captain to put him to sawing wood and a man with a sabre on guard over him. A few moments after leaving then I heard some one running, and going out of my tent I saw the guard running around the tent, holding the sabre in front of himself, and O'Riley chasing him with the saw. I spoke to O'Riley and he said that if I would take that man away he would saw the wood, and he kept his word. In Washington, after the Battery had been mounted, the Captain told me one. day to tell O'Riley to pack his knapsack and come to his tent, and that I was to tell the boys that O'Riley was to be sent to the river to wash his clothes. That was the last that we saw of O'Riley.
We left Augusta March 14 for Portland and were in barracks at Island Park until April ist, when we started for Washing- ton, and from there to Fort Ramsay by way of Alexandria. At Fort Ramsay, while drilling in the fort one day, I was called
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IIGIIT ARTILLERY, 1861-65.
to the gate by the sentinel and found two farmers who bad in their wagon Charles Robie and Lewis Davis, frightfully wounded by an exploding shell from which they had been try- ing to get off the lead fuse plug by pounding it with a piece of iron. I directed them to be taken to the hospital at Falls Church. Robie died that night and was buried in the cemetery near the church with military honors, my detachment acting as firing squad. The Captain telegraphed to Davis' folks and his father and mother came, arriving at the hospital a few moments after he had died. They carried his remains back to his home.
Previous to May 26th we had returned to Washington and on that date received our guns and horses, and two weeks later went by train to Harper's Ferry, where the horses were unloaded and we bivouacked for the night on Maryland Heights. The next morning the guns went forward by train and the drivers with the horses crossed on the pontoon bridge and started up the valley, where we went into camp at Cedar Creek. Near camp there was a herd of army cattle and I asked the Captain why we could not have some fresh beef, and he said "No," he did not want us to have the chronic diarrhea. The next day I took four men and went out half a mile, where I found a herd of young cattle. We shot and dressed one and brought it into camp. The Captain ordered it to be buried, but I insisted upon having it to eat and after it was cooked the Captain was very glad to have some of it for himself. After leaving Cedar Creek David Merrill was taken sick, and the ambulance being filled with the officers' baggage, I took him to a small cottage near some village, and the woman very readily consented to take him in and care for him until he got better. A few days later some rebel troops were in the village and were told that a Yankee soldier was secreted in this house. They came to make a search for himn, but the woman had taken Merrill to the attic and had him crawl close under the caves and then piled boxes and other things over him. In their search they ran their bayonets into the pile of rubbish and pricked Merrill several times, but he gave no alarm and their search proved fruitless. While encamped at Little Washington one of the men died with the black canker, which ate holes through his tongue and lips. Ser- geant Brown also died at this place and was buried under a
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