USA > Maine > History of the Seventh Maine Light Battery, volunteers in the great rebellion also, personal sketches of a large number of members, portraits, illustrations and poems > Part 2
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The enemy at this time had left our front, leaving only a rear guard behind : and at I p.M .. in the intense heat, the march
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SEVENTH MAINE LIGHT BATTERY.
was resumed, and continued until night. when we halted at the cross roads, 12 miles from Fredericksburg. and remained until 3 o'clock on the morning of May 9, at which time the march was resumed towards Spottsylvania, arriving at Ny river about 9.30 A.M., where position was taken.
SPOTTSYLVANIA.
During the day. May 9, three of our guns were placed in position near the Gale House, by order of Gen. O. B. Wilcox. and at once opened fire on the enemy's lines, the guns bearing on a point left of the turnpike leading to Spottsylvania Court House. Three other batteries were also at the same time actively engaged in shelling the enemy out of the position occupied by them. The engagement thus lasted during the day; and at night the left section of the Battery, under Lieut. Bundy, crossed the Ny river, threw up a lunette on the hill to the left of the road leading to the Court House, and placed the guns in position.
On the morning of the 10th, under a light fire of shot and shell, two guns were placed in position on the line of the Third Division, one bearing to the right and one to the left of the road leading to the Court House. In the evening, at the time of the advance of the line. three of the guns from the center section were placed in position on the line of the right of the road, bearing on the woods, while one remained in position on the road, and the left section advanced with the Second Division to the Beverly House. This was part of a concerted attack along the whole line, the fighting being kept up briskly until quite late and continuing at intervals all that night. Remained on the hill during the fore- noon of the 11th, and at 2 p.M. crossed the river and went into park, but little fighting being done until near night, when some skirmishing took place : but no artillery being needed, the Battery remained in its position near the river. The main position was thus held at all points, the left of the line advancing about one- half mile.
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HISTORY.
On the morning of the 12th. the left section of the Battery, under Lieut. Bundy, took an advanced position on the front line and further to the right, and opened with shot and shell upon the enemy. Then the right and center sections, under Lieuts. Thorp and Staples, took similar positions, and at once also opened fire upon the rebel line. At this time the entire Battery was several hundred yards further advanced than any other battery of the corps, and was very much exposed to the fire of the enemy, being without protecting works of any kind to shield the men. The fighting was severe all around; but the loss to the Battery was small, under all the circumstances, exposed as it was, only three of the men being wounded - one, J. Henry Fall, mortally ; and two, Charles O. Randall and W. R. Bean, severely. Two horses were killed and one lost.
Towards evening our guns were withdrawn, together with several other batteries, and placed in the position near the river occupied on the 10th and 11th, where it was again engaged, once to repel an assault upon the Nineteenth New York Battery, and again in shelling the rebel forces, advancing on the road leading from the Court House. Here it remained until about 9 P.M., when it was ordered to move to the right through the woods. passing Gen. Burnside and Staff at about 11 p.M., and at 12, midnight, halted. At 1 A.r. of the 13th moved again, and marched all day, leaving the guns in position and coming round to nearly the same place left in the morning.
At 11 o'clock a.M. the next day, May 14, had orders to move back near the position occupied on the 12th; and on the 15th moved to the right and went into position on the ground occupied by the enemy a few days before. Comrade Fall, who was wounded in the engagement on the 12th, died on the 15th; and Comrades Bean and Randall were sent to Fredericksburg. preparatory to moving them to Alexandria. While here F. Q. Bodwell was wounded in the foot and sent to Fredericksburg. During the night of the 17th the Battery was placed in position
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SEVENTH MAINE LIGHT BATTERY.
on the right of the Ninth Corps line. and opened fire on the enemy at daylight on the following morning, when our troops advanced and joined the division on the night of the 18th, as the main portion of the Union army moved to the left. In this engagement the Battery was upon the right of the line, and was sharply engaged from early morning until noon, and occasionally during the afternoon of the 18th. In the evening the guns and caissons followed the Sixth Army Corps, which had moved round towards the left in the afternoon.
During the night of the 19th the guns were again placed. in position on the front line of the First Division, and remained on the line until the night of the 21st, when they were withdrawn : and again the Battery took up the line of march with the Third Division towards the North Anna River, our Corps being sharply attacked by the enemy just as we were leaving, but were promptly repulsed. Marched all night through a splendid country, and all next day, halting only a short time in the morning for rest and rations. At night went into Park at Guinness Station, near the river road.
NORTH ANNA RIVER.
Early on the morning of the 23d we again moved on, con- tinuing the march through a beautiful country, frequently passing through plantations, where the boys got pigs and chickens, which furnished food in place of rations, which had given out, and without which they would have suffered with hunger. Arriving at the North Anna River, about 25 miles from Richmond, late in the afternoon, the guns were at once placed in position. During the night earth-works were thrown up for protection against the sharp firing constantly going on in front, where the fight was raging. During the 21th and 25th, while holding this position, the Battery had sharp artillery practice with the enemy. The rebel sharpshooters, constantly firing upon us, made it necessary to keep protected. Our only loss in this engagement was the
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HISTORY.
horse of Lieut. Staples, which was shot by the sharpshooters on the 25th. On the 26th the firing had nearly ceased, and towards night, having orders to move. the Battery marched about two - miles to an oak grove and camped for the night.
On the morning of June 27th, joined the Division and marched all day, crossing the Richmond & Petersburgh Railroad about 11 A.M. and camping about 10 r.M. Continued the march on the 28th ; crossed the Pamunkey about 6 P.M. and went into park. May 29, were moving about, marching and halting nearly all day : aud late in the afternoon went into park about 15 miles from Richmond, in which direction the Battery was moving. Here the night was passed; and on the 30th advanced with the Division to the Tolepotomy Creek near Salein Church, where one section of the Battery was placed in position bearing across the creek; and another section was sent to the front, on the Third Division line. There was sharp firing along the lines on the forenoon of the 30th, but the Battery was not engaged at that time.
On the night of June 1, about 10 o'clock, the Battery was ordered to move, and followed the Third Division train to the left, in the rear of the line of battle. Was on the road all that night. making, however, only two or three miles. The next morning went into park about 9 o'clock, and remained until about 2 r.M., then moved on a few miles to
BETHESDA CHURCH.
Unhitched and grazed the horses, the Battery taking posi- tion on the line of the Third Division, where the enemy pressed our.right flank. All the guns opened rapidly against the enemy and kept up a sharp fire until dark, a heavy rain storm adding to the terrible work. During this engagement on the afternoon of the 2d, the Battery had one caisson wheel disabled by a rebel shot from our left flank. During the night our works were strengthened, and on the morning of June 3d fire was again
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SEVENTH MAINE LIGHT BATTERY.
opened, this time upon the enemy's artillery, with good effect. All this day there was severe fighting all along the line. Our Battery was in position all day and firing constantly, being exposed to a flank fire. Joseph R. Niles was badly wounded in the head by a rebel shell. Toward noon, by order of Gen. Wilcox, the Battery was placed in an advanced and very much exposed position, within 350 yards of the enemy's works. After throwing up temporary earth-works to protect the cannoniers, the guns were turned against the enemy's works, and, when the Ninth Corps (Burnside's) advanced. threw shot and shell with great rapidity. Withdrew at dark and returned to the position held in the morning where Gen. Lee tried to break our lines, but failed. In this engagement we had one man killed (from the Seventeenth Michigan Regt., who was serving with the Battery), also several horses killed- two by a solid shot; and the narrow escape of many of the men during the day was a matter of much comment. In fact, it seemed almost a miracle that no more were killed or wounded, so exposed had they been in their advanced position, and nuder such a heavy fire.
COLD HARBOR.
During the afternoon of June 4. the Battery moved about two miles toward the left of the line, and went into park near the cross-roads at Cold Harbor, where it remained until the evening of June 5, when another short move to the left was ordered, and again parked; being then about 10 miles from Richmond. Here the Battery lay in park until about 3.15 P.M., June 6, when it was shelled out by the enemy (whose firing became too rapid and hot for comfort ) and moved about one-half mile. Four of the guns then went into position on the front line, where the fighting was going on briskly all that day and where it remained until the 12th of JJune, in the evening. having occasional artillery practice with the enemy during all that time. Most of the men were at first engaged in fortifying, and on the
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HISTORY.
8th were re-inforced by a detail of thirty men from the Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery. In this engagement the Battery lost two horses-which were killed at the guns, and had two limber wheels disabled; but no men were lost, although during the first two or three days the rebel sharpshooters in front were very annoying. After this the artillery fire only was directed against us ; and at one time it was said that 8,000 of the Union troops were lost in ten minutes.
About 3 p.M. of the 12th, hitched up and moved about 10 miles to the left, where the guns joined us during the night. All started again about 11 A.M. on the 13th, and marched until 9 P.M., halting within two miles of the Chickahominy River. About 7 A.M. on the 14th, across the Chickahominy at Jones' Bridge, marched about 6 miles towards the James River and camped. June 15, moved on about two miles and crossed the James River at Cannon Landing, near Fort Powhattan, below City Point, Va., over a pontoon bridge more than 2,000 feet long. and went into park. Resting until 10.30 in the evening, we moved on towards Petersburgh. marching the remainder of the niglit, and arrived in front of the city about 4 r.M. on the 16th. During all this journey there was more or less fighting in front, the noise of musketry and the bursting shells being the music of the hours and coming uncomfortably near. Here began the first battle before
PETERSBURGH.
Four of the Battery's guns went out into the woods on the 17th in readiness to take a position. On the 18th, the Battery went into position beyond the woods, and was engaged at about 700 yards, with two lines of infantry in front. The enemy were here driven back by the Ninth Corps across the Norfolk Railroad ; and the Battery, advancing, took position on the crest of a hill commanding the enemy's new line of works, and kept up a constant fire to prevent the strengthening of their works and to
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SEVENTH MAINE LIGHT BATTERY.
assist the Union troops in advancing. In this position an assault. made by the enemy towards night, was repulsed. Here the Battery remained until the night of June 20, when it moved to the right, with the Third Division, and took an advanced position to the left of the Hare House, within 300 yards of the enemy. and opened fire on his works. Held this position, with frequent firing from both sides, the enemy making a desperate charge on the night of the 22d, but were repulsed with great loss (during which one of the horses was wounded ; and one man, who was on detail with the Battery, from the Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery, was severely wounded), until the night of June 23. when the Third Division returned to the left and the Battery was placed in position near the
TAYLOR HOUSE,
About 50 yards in advance of the works known as Fort Morton. near Burnside's Mine. Here the engagement was quite general, especially on the 25th, when there was sharp infantry firing and some artillery during the whole day; and about 10 p.M. the enemy charged, but were again driven back. The minnie balls rattled all around very lively : but fortunately no one was hit. The position occupied by the Battery in this engagement was very much exposed.
The 26th was Sunday ; but it did not prove a " day of rest." There was sharp picket tiring all day and evening; and about 9 r.M. action became very spirited for a short time, the Battery being shelled during the afternoon, but no one was hurt. The picket firing was kept up, with frequent discharges of artillery, until the 25th, when the left section was placed in position on the erest of a hill. about 300 yards to the left, and remained until July 9, when it was advaneed to the front line across the Norfolk Railroad, commanding a ravine and a rebel fort in front. These respective positions were held by our guns during the entire month of July. frequently exchanging shots with the enemy
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HISTORY.
and being constantly exposed to his fire, especially from the sharpshooters and the picket line, from which there were many Harrow and miraculous escapes. An incident occurred during this time which the boys will undoubtedly remember, viz. : On the morning of June 30, the bells in Petersburgh were heard ringing out a lively peal which, later in the day, was learned to have been in rejoicing over the defeat of our cavalry under Gen. Wilson.
It was during this time, on July 25, also, that Hezekiah G. Mason, while engaged in building or repairing breast-works under a steady picket fire, which made it almost fatal to expose any portion of the body above the works, was shot through the hand, which became exposed for an instant in lifting or placing some- thing upon the works; and those around him at the time will now remember how coolly he exhibited the hand, which was very large and which made an excellent mark, with these words. " Boys, look at my furlough."
BURNSIDE'S MINE.
On July 30 the position of the Battery's guns at the Taylor House was immediately in front of, and about 700 yards distant from, the celebrated Burnside's Mine. The center section occupied a position on the turnpike, about 200 yards to the left ; while the left section remained in the position taken on the 9th, across the Norfolk Railroad. On the explosion of the mine, at 4 A.M. of July 30, all the guns opened fire on the enemy's works : the right section directing its fire to the right of the mine, the center section to the left, while the left section kept the guns in the fort on its immediate front silent during the entire day, firing, it was said, 142 solid shot, 76 shell and 71 case shot. For two hours, from the time of the explosion, the earth beneath us fairly trembled with the noise of the artillery. The works were taken, and retaken by the enemy with great loss to the Union forces. One man, serving with the Battery
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SEVENTH MAINE LIGHT BATTERY.
on detail from the Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery. was killed. It was a day of sad sights, the memory of which will forever remain with all those whose lot it was to witness it and engage in the fearful work.
The next day was Sunday; and both armies rested from the severe conflict of the preceding day, the larger guns being moved during the night of the 30th from the larger forts. On Monday and Tuesday of August 1 and 2, under a flag of truce, the dead between the two lines were buried and the wounded cared for. On the evening of August 4, after dark, the guns of the Battery were relieved from a position held for 47 consecutive days-a longer time than any other Battery of the army remained, at any one time, in an exposed position.
From this time until August 14, the Battery remained comparatively inactive, though the shot and shell from the enemy's guns often fell near the tents: when orders came to again take position, which was done at Fort Rice, about one mile to the left of the Mine and near the Jerusalem Plank Road, to relieve a battery of the Fifth Corps. August 15. the Battery was mustered for pay. On the 18th, in a heavy rain, the caissons were moved about one-half mile to the old camp of Capt. Minks. Here, soon after midnight, the enemy opened a sharp and rapid fire upon us, lasting about one hour; during which time one of our guns (the third piece) was disabled, being struck by a 32-1b. shell, and one man was slightly wounded. Soon after, in the early morning of the 19th, orders came to again change position. The guns were withdrawn, and the Battery went into park near the Avery House, where it remained until the 24th, when it joined the Third Division near the Weldon Railroad, about three miles to the left and near the Williams House.
On the 25th the caissons and teams joined the guns near Reams Station on the Weldon Road, marching with the Third
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HISTORY.
Division to the support of the Second Corps; but were ordered back to the old camp near the Gurley House, and remained for the night. One gun, the third, which was disabled on the 19th, had already been turned in by Sergt. Carter at City Point; and on the 26th, in pursuance of orders, another one was turned in. leaving the Battery with only four guns. These went into park on the 27th near the Aiken House, and were joined on the 28th by the caissons and teams. All remained in park until September 9, making only one change, of about one mile on the 31st of August, when the Battery was mustered for pay. During all this time there was more or less firing along the line, at times quite heavy; and the Battery was kept in constant readiness for action, especially from September 7, when orders were received to be ready to march at an hour's notice. This was the situation September 9, when the guns were ordered into position in a lunette on the Jerusalem Plank Road, near the Williams House. Being placed, with the caissons and teams not far away, all remained until September 29, when at 3 A.M. broke camp and started towards the left, moving about two miles and halting near the Gurley House. On the 30th, again moved on, past the Yellow Tavern, and halted at the Peebles House, near
POPLAR SPRING CHURCH
And near the line of the captured rebel works, about five miles to the left of the last camping grounds.
Here the guns were . ordered into position, just before dark, to the left of Fort MeRae (a fort which had been captured from the enemy that day), but were withdrawn during the evening; and on October 1 were again ordered into position, this time at the Peebles House, where they remained during the day and night, bearing upon the woods some 700 yards distant, through which the enemy had been driven the day before, but without being engaged. On the morning of
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October 2, moved out of this position, passed through the woods and took up a new position near the Pegram House, about a mile in advance, under a brisk fire of artillery, during which two of the horses were killed and the limber of one gun temporarily disabled; but fortunately none of the men were injured.
On the afternoon of October 4, the enemy opened briskly with artillery, at the same time advancing a line of infantry. which pressed back on our pickets, but was checked by our guns, which replied with spirit and which continued firing until the guns of the enemy were silent. During the evening of October 5 our guns were ordered into Fort Welch, and the caissons and teams came up and went into camp about one- half mile to the rear and left. In this position the Battery remained until November 30, during which time there was the regular routine of camp life, with the constant watchfulness that was ever necessary in the face of the enemy. A few incidents might, however, be mentioned, as they occurred along during . this time, which may be of interest to recall.
Sunday, October 8, the Battery was mustered for pay. This was always a pleasant occasion to the boys: for though we got but little, it was hard earned; and the most of it was usually sent home, thus bringing pleasant memories which the thoughts of home ever awakened in our hearts. October 11 came the news of Sheridan's victory, which was the cause of inuch rejoicing all along our lines : for every such victory made us feel that the great and final victory was sure to come. October 14 we were called to witness the execution of a deserter from the Twenty-Ninth Maryland Regt. ; and while it was a sad sight, we knew that it was necessary to enforce the strictest rules while thus in the face of the foe. Thirty- tive recruits from Maine joined the Battery on this day.
October 20, the news that Sheridan had continued his victorious course and captured 42 more pieces of artillery
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HISTORY.
(making over 80 pieces captured during the month), was again the cause of great rejoicing. October 21, the Battery received two additional guns, entirely new, replacing those which had been turned in a short time before. October 25, fifteen more recruits 'from Maine joined for duty -all volunteers. October 26, the rear of the Battery was moved back about one-half mile, to a point near the Peebles House, all the guns going into the fort. October 27, sharp firing commenced about 7 A.M., mostly musketry, the troops at the same time moving to the left. On the 28th the enemy commenced, early in the morning, to move back towards our right, probably intending to re-inforce their troops near the James River, as heavy and continuous firing was heard in that direction during the night. Our troops then commenced to move back until they occupied their old position, the movement to the left being, it was said, a feint to assist Gen. Butler on the right : and this brought the Battery back to its old position near the fort.
The following extract from a letter written by me, October 30, from the Battery (then near Poplar Spring Church), and which was published in the Bethel Courier, may not be uninteresting, as it gave at that time a brief account of the movement generally supposed to have been intended to capture the South Side Railroad, and in which the Battery was engaged : -
"We had been in expectation of the movement for a number of days; and towards the evening of the 26th inst., the troops moving to the left in such numbers proved that our expectations were not unfounded. The right section of our Battery, under Lieut. Lapham, was taken from its position in Fort Gregg and placed with the left and center sections, uuder Lieuts. Bundy and Staples, in Fort Weich -all under command of Capt. Twitchell : and these, together with one section from Battery D, First Penn- sylvania Artillery, constituted the defense of said fort; while the remainder, under Lieut. Thorp, with horses, company property, etc.,
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were held in readiness for whatever might be required. A few hours served to complete the preparations; and on the morning of the 27th began the skirmishing along the left of the line, consisting of a part of the Second, Fifth and Ninth Corps -light volleys of inusketry at first, but gradually increasing until about 4 P.M., when the engagement seemed to have reached its height, both musketry and artillery being used.
"Soon after this night set in dark and stormy, and quiet seemed to take the place of tumult and battle. As regards the result, I know not what has already been circulated among you; but for one, I consider it a success, in that I believe it to have been a part of the programme of Gen. Butler's move, intended to draw the enemy from him as much as possible. The sounds of battle came to our ears from the direction of his army in concert, as it were, with those from our left; and we hope to hear good news from him when it comes. For as yet we hear only rumors -- these indefinite in quantity and import, though on the whole almost too good to be fully credited. Those who think the taking of the South Side Railroad was intended may look upon it as a failure, since it was not accomplished; but even then I cannot think it such, for our advance was steady and sure during the day. True, we lost some in prisoners, mostly from the Second Corps, and from the Second and Fifth quite a number in killed and wounded; while in the Ninth the loss was not so heavy, being comparatively few. But I think the prisoners taken more than account for those lost, in numbers, and I doubt not they feel the loss of some in killed and wounded; while many whom they will report as missing, are within our lives as deserters, glad to escape from the so-called Southern Confederacy.
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