USA > New York > History of the 10th Regiment N. Y. Heavy Artillery, from Madison Barracks to Appomattox, with reminiscences, &c > Part 1
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Gc 973.74 N42web 1758100
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
GU
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01084 2455
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012
http://archive.org/details/historyof10threg00webb
HISTORY
-OF-
THE 10TH REGIMENT
N. Y. HEAVY ARTILLERY 1
FROM
MADISON BARRACKS TO APPOMATOX. WITHI REMINISCENCES, &C.
-BY- E. P. WEBB, Late Cap't 10th Artillery.
WATERTOWN, N. Y. POST BOOK AND JOB PRINTING ESTABLISHMENT. 1887.
8349.532 12
1758100
We, the undersigned, late officers to the 10th Regt. N. Y. H. Artillery, have heard read the manuscript entitled: "History of the 10th Regt. from Madison Barracks to the Finish," and we give it our approval as being an interesting history in detail of our late regiment, and correct in all essential particulars, and believe that to those interested in the old command, it will prove valuable as a matter of record.
Dated, July 26th, 1887.
A. W. WHEELOCK, O. B. CADWELL,
H. D. PAYNE,
J. C. ARMSTRONG, I. L. HUNTINGTON.
17463 'xe 1
HISTORY OF THE 10TH REGIMENT NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY FROM MADISON BAR- RACKS TO THE APPOMATOX, WITH REMINISCENCES, ETC.
The occurrences at Fort Sumpter, in April, 1861, having aroused the nation to an active appreciation of the gravity of passing events, and the government having grasped the situation, to meet its requirements made a call for 75, 000 volunteers. . To this demand the County of Jefferson responded promptly, sending forth under this and subsequent calls, to sustain the government in her hour of peril, several regiments and two batteries of light artillery. These batteries Co's "C" and "H" known as Spratt's and Barnes' batteries being an integral part of what was better known as Bailey's 1st Regiment N. Y. Light Artillery, com- manded by Col. Guilford D. Bailey, whose life was sacrificed at the battle of Seven Pines, the battle at which Lieut .- Col. Joseph Spratt received the wound which conduced materially to his subsequent death. The general movement of Mcclellan in the early spring of 1862, included the command of Col. Bailey. From the necessity of the case, light artillery regi- ments were operated in detached companies assigned to independent positions or attached to other organi- ations. In the campaign of Mcclellan down the Chickehomeny and in front of Richmond, Co. C. and H of the 1st N. Y. Light Artillery, acted a conspicu- ous part, notably at Fair Oaks, Seven Pines and in ront of Richmond; here the foundation was laid for he supposed military knowledge and skill attained by hem which led in the first instance to the selection rom these batteries of the principal officers for the attalion of artillery then at Sackets Harbor, which nbsequently organized as the 10th Heavy Artillery. On the 20th of June, 1862, Lieut. E. P. Webb, then ommanding Co. C, 1st N. Y. Light Artillery, received rders to report to the adjutant general of the army t Washington, D. C. These orders were transmitted
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through General D. B. Sackett, who privately in- formed Lieut. Webb that the disasters with the army of the Potomac made it imperative that the govern- ment should have more men immediately to fill up and reinforce the depleted regiments then in the field; that being the emergency, such officers had been de- tailed as, was thought, could best and soonest accom- plish the desired end. Accordingly Lient. Webb re- ported to the adjutant general at Washington for in- structions, when he was ordered to report to General E. D. Morgan, at Albany, then governor of this state. and there await instructions. Gen. Morgan ordered him to take post at Watertown, N. Y., and await requisition from Washington, D. C .; he arrived at Watertown on the last days of June, 1862, and im- mediately opened a general recruiting office.
The disasters to MeClellan's army, and the convic- tion which had seized upon the northern mind, that Greek must be met by Greek, and from the fact that the people had come to the knowledge that a formida- ble war was being waged between the North and South, and that the politician's cry that the South would not fight and that a thirty days campaign would wipe them out, was a snare and delusion, made it compara- tively easy to enlist good and substantial men-men who through patriotism and love of our institutions. took their lives in their hands and went forth to do and die if need be for their country.
Lieut. Webb had enlisted about fifty men for the general service, when a meeting of the leading men of this congressional district was called at the Woodruff House, to take some action in relation to raising men for the army to meet the pressing needs of the govern- ment. Stirring speeches were made by Hon. James F. Starbuck, Lafayette J. Bigelow, Hon. S. H. Hammond (Lieut. Webb, detailing the construction of a light artillery organization, and its use in the field) and Hon. A. W. Clark, then member of congress from this district, James A. Bell, state senator, and others of Lewis County. Hon. J. A. Bell was made a commit- tee to visit the Governor and procure Lieut. Webb to be relieved from the general recruiting service, if possi- ble, and detailed to organize a regiment of artillery from this and Lewis County. A committee was also
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.ppointed called the War Committee, composed of W. Camp, H. H. Babcock, Addison M. Farwell, Dr. .T. V. V. Rosa, Jas. A. Bell, A. W. Clark and C. D. Fright for Jefferson Co., and John Standring and thers whose names we cannot now recall, for Lewis )., to co-operate with and aid Lieut. Webb in any wanner possible, and to provide ways and means to raise the money necessary to secure the rapid enlist- went of men.
The mission of Hon. James A. Bell to the Governor proved successful, and Lieutenant Webb soon after received orders to take post at Sackets Harbor with such men as he had already enlisted, and proceed at once to send out and give instructions to recruiting officers, and organize companies for a new regiment of light artillery, and as his judgment dictated to co- operate with the committee appointed to aid in the
matter. Accordingly, on or about the 20th of July, 1862, Lieutenant Webb transferred the recruits then at Watertown to Sackets Harbor and quartered them at the barracks, thus forming the neuclus from which the splendid body of men afterwards there congre- gated soon increased to sixteen companies, aggre- gating about 2,300 men. No finer or more intelligent body of men was ever seen in the ranks, many of were competent to have filled creditably an offi- ommission. Thus originated what subsequently many difficulties, and considerable bickering on part of the government officials at Washington, " me the famous Tenth N. Y. Heavy Artillery. These were enlisted with every assurance by the Gov- or that when mustered into service they should would be organized and mustered for the light illery branch of the service. A promise which was filled to the letter by Gov. Morgan. While the icials at Washington from the first excepted to the ganization for light artillery of so many men ming from one county, insisting that it was im- racticable to drill or prepare them for service as ght artillery, and that volunteer officers without Xperience in that arm of the service were not quali- ied to properly prepare their commands to do effective und skillful service in the field, and proposed even going to the extent, then and afterward, of mak-
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ing requisition upon Lieutenant Webb to turn over his men in designated numbers to fill up other and older regiments. The knowledge of his rights, and the firmness with which he adhered to what he con- sidered to be the equities in the case, saved the in- cipient organization then under his command at Sackets Harbor from being broken up and utilized as recruits with which to fill up the regiments then in the field. An idea not fully abandoned by the authorities at Washington after the final muster into the United States service as Battalions of light artil- lery, of these men, and their equipment as such, as will be seen by the following order of Major-General Sedgwick to Lieutenant Webb, and the events follow- ing the arrival at Washington of the battalion, after- wards composing this regiment:
SPECIAL ORDER NO. 5.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Sept. 4, 1862. LIEUTENANT E. P. WEBB: Madison Barracks, Sack- ets Harbor, N. Y.
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Sir-You will take the men under your command to Washington, D. C., and there await instructions. I understand you have a large number in quarters. You will make the necessary requisition for transpor- tation, and on your arrival with the men you will re- port in person at these headquarters.
JOHN SEDGWICK, Major-General Commanding, Army Corps, Washing- ton, D. C.
WATERTOWN, N. Y., September 7, 1862.
MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN SEDGWICK, Washington, D.C .:
Sir-Your order regarding the disposition of the men of this command duly received. I beg to call the Gen- eral's attention to the fact that Gen. E. D. Morgan is in command of this department, conseque. ''v all orders not eminating from or sent through him, as command- ing officer. I in no manner feel at liberty to obey. If it is the desire of the government to remove the recruits now at Sackets Harbor to Washington and if the Gen- eral commanding will transmit the order through Gen- eral Morgan, with his approval, it will be cheerfully
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Jeyed. I think, however, there is some misapprehen- on as to this matter. My instructions are to organize companies for a regiment of Artillery, and when com- plete, to notify the General commanding to the end they may be mustered in the service as such, &c.
I am, General, your obedient servant,
E. P. WEBB.
First Lieutenant First N. Y. Light Artillery, Com- manding Post, Sackets Harbor, N. Y.
- On the transfer of such men as were enlisted at Watertown to Sackets Harbor, Hon. R. B. Biddle- com was appointed by the Governor as commandant of the post, a position he creditably and successfully filled with skill, performing the arduous duties until the final muster of the men in the U. S. service. Mr. Jessie Babcock, of Dexter, was by the Governor ap- pointed as Commissary, to subsist the men while at Sackets Harbor, and as he subsequently found, no small tax upon his resources and tact, many days being obliged to provide for and supply two thousand men with food, suitably cooked and palatable. These men had not, as yet, become accustomed to army rations, life and customs. Coming as they did from homes of plenty, if not of Inxury, it was not natural that they should at once throw off their habits and modes of life : hence the Commissary often found them a little fastidious in their tastes, likes or dislikes, and on one occasion the men mutinied against what they termed the smallness and stint with which their rations were being served. Captain Stevenson, of the regular ser- vice, being at this time in command of a company of regulars also quartered at Madison Barracks, became alarmed at the attitude and clamor of the men, and run out an old cannon and threatened the men with immediate destruction and dire punishment if they did not desist in their mutinous conduct, much to the
i'm of ses of the more timid, and to the great iusement or others. Captain Stevenson was a rigid sciplinarian, and could not understand why volun- ers were not under the same discipline as regulars, d after Lieutenant Webb had been telegraphed for, d his arrival with several wagon loads of bread from atertown, the tumult subsided, and the Captain had
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many a hearty langh over his scare at what he per- sisted in denominating the "Civilians' Mutiny." The Captain persisted in saving "That mob of men could never be managed until they were got under strict military discipline, and this could only be accom- plished by at once putting them under thorough drill." How much this had to do with the subsequent drilling of the men, it is hard at this lapse of time to say, but it may be fairly inferred that the subsequent order, that company commanders would see that squad and company drill of their commands was daily had, was due largely to Captain Stevenson's rigid ideas of disci- plining men; be this as it may, these men soon made a soldierly appearance, and rapidly advanced from the civilian to the soldier, as many a belle can testify, as when with pride, she saw her adored on "dress pa- rade ;" and many a mother will tell you how her noble boy looked when she last saw him on "dress parade " at Sackets Harbor before his departure for the war. Such as have come upon the stage since those eventful times can but admire, from a retrospective view, and exclaim: Noble boys ! Grand the inspiration that led them to defend their imperriled country, and grander still the achievements for which they went forth to do battle-the preservation of our glorious institutions intact-for which the heart of every lover of his coun- try must swell with pride, as he reads or hears of the sacrifices then made, not only by the sons who went forth to do battle, but by the mothers, sisters, wives and fathers who gave those sons, brothers and hus- bands to the call of their country in her time of peril.
The companies having been filled to about the max- imum proportions, arrangements were made for mus- tering them into the United States service; consider- able difference of opinion arose between Col. John Bradley, New York State agent, and Lieutenant Webb as to the proper organization to be had of these companies. Col. Bradley finally carried the point and caused the companies to organize as battalions, called Black River Artillery. While Lieut. Webb insisted no such organization was known to the service, and he apprehended such a one would not be recognized by the government and much trouble would ensue from that source, an apprehension which subsequently
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wed too true, and the events which followed fully Indicated the prediction. The muster rolls by compa- nies having been completed, on the 11th day of Sep- tember, 1862, companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and M, two battalions of 1,200 men were mustered by Captain W. G. Eggerton, Eleventh infantry, U. S. A., into the United States service as the first and second battalions of Black River Artillery, each battalion consisting of four companies; the remaining complete companies were the next day mustered in as battalions three and fonr. The general idea with the state agent, Colonel Bradley, was that each battalion would be commanded by an officer having the rank of Major. It being un- derstood that these organizations were to be equipped as light artillery, in which branch of the service the organization was generally by batteries, the com- manding officer holding the rank of Captain. To avoid the battery organization the battalion was adopted, and, on the recommendation of the war committee, Captain A. J. Barney, Captain Joe Spratt, First New York Artillery, Lieutenant Osborn, of the First New York Artillery, and Lieutenant E. P. Webb, First New York Artillery, were designated to be Majors of these battalions, which recommendation was not acted upon by Governor Morgan until the formation of the regiment, in 1863. The 18th day of September fol- lowing the mustering in of these companies, orders were received from Governor Morgan to move two of these organizations to New York city for equipment; accordingly battalions first and second, under com- mand of Captain Webb, marched up from Sackets Harbor, to the junction of what was then the R .. W. and W. & P. railroads, at the foot of Arsenal street, in the then village of Watertown. This march was accomplished in good time through a broiling Septem- her sun, the men, in heavy marching order, carrying their haversacks, knapsacks and canteens, together with uch et ceteras as the civilian soldier deems necessary › his comfort. As may well be supposed, the men 'ere thoroughly fatigued from the march and excite- ient of meeting friends, more or less, on the road ver which they had come while on their way from arkets Harbor. The ladies of Watertown and feinity. anticipating their arrival, hunger and weari-
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ness, had prepared at the hotel then kept by S. P. Huffstater at the Junction, an ample repast of sand- wiches, coffee, etc., to which the tired and hungry soldiers did ample justice. The news of their depar- ture from the Harbor had preceded them and reached their friends at home, who by thousands had congre- gated at the Junction to see their friends, the boys in blue, off to the wars. From the leave-taking in its various forms, the difficulty of getting the men in the cars was a herculean task, and as the officers and their aids went from man to man urging them into the cars, repeatedly were they met with: "Oh, you are so cruel and hard hearted, to drive us away from our friends," which exclamations were generally indulged in by some pretty belle, desirous of retaining a lover or brother as long as possible, the tears trickling down her face, radiant with the excitement of the occasion, so worked upon the officers' sympathies and gallantry that they worked on in silence, without losing their equanimity until the last man was safely in the cars and a guard stationed at the door.
Well into the afternoon the train of 24 N. Y. Cen- tral R. R. coaches got under way amid the cheers of . the soldiers and the tears of the friends they left be- hind. The train ran through to Albany without change. When on its arrival they found a sumptu- ous supper ready spread, to which it is needless to say ample justice was done. Re-embarking, N. Y. City was reached the next afternoon, without accident or other mishap, than being obliged to lay on a side track at Albany a number of hours, until the right of way over the Hudson River R. R. could be secured. The battalion took quarters at Park Barracks; the men were allowed to visit any portion or the city, to many of whom it was a novelty, being a first visit and by them highly enjoyed. Here requisition was made for the camp equippage. necessary to a soldier; tents, blankets, cooking utensils, &c. Here were encamped a number of regiments awaiting equipment and trans- portation to Washington. Here some of them had been for weeks, with no prospect of getting away. Such was the doleful salutation which greeted the men as they filed in the barracks and disencumbered them- selves of knapsacks and extras. This, however, did
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lot prove an ill omen to this command; much to the chagrin and astonishment of other regiments in bar- acks before them, in forty-eight hours from the ime they filed into the barracks, they again marched out on their way to Washington. When asked how it ame about that a new regiment just into the barracks could equip and get transportation in so short a time, while others had to stay there for weeks, Capt. Webb would facetiously reply, "I suppose the government is in great need of artillery." There is a saying that all families have a skeleton concealed in the closet. So in this case, and the cruel war being over, and no motive for concealment being longer necessary, it is well to reveal the secret of this rapid movement,, that all participators may derive full credit, although at the time strict injunction was lain not to divulge the fact. At that time General Corcoran of Libby prison fame, was organizing a brigade in N. Y. City. It so happened that in Capt. Biddlecom's company was Corporal Patrick Hughes, nephew of Bishop Hughes; the Bishop was desirous of aiding him in obtaining a better position. It came about that Capt. Webb was invited to breakfast with General Corcoran, at the Astor House, where he met the Bishop, who desired an indefinite leave of absence for his nephew, from his company, to the end that he might be commis- sioned and go upon General Corcoran's staff. As one good turn is said to deserve another, it was agreed that Corporal Hughes should have leave of absence if the Bishop would in turn lend his aid to quickly procure equipments and transportation for this command. The bargain being thus consummated, the General called a carriage and the trio proceeded to the quarter- master's department, where the Bishop's influence speedily brought out camp kettles, tents, blankets, and transportation, with the Bishop's injunction, "Capt. Webb, don't divulge this for I will be worried by the importunities of others." Thus Corp'l Hughes was put in the way of and procurred his commission, and the command was speedily supplied with camp- ing implements and transportation, to the chagrin and Zement of less lucky regiments, then awaiting . ir turn for supplies.
'he battalions left New York by way of what then
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was known as the Delaware and Raritan route, taki.g boat at N. Y. city for Camden in New Jersey, there disembarking and proceeding by rail to Philadelphia, arriving about midnight. Here, again and again, was the generosity of the citizens of that city displayed by their treatment of the boys in blue passing through there for the national capital. And the reception ac- corded this command was no less signal, nor their efforts to entertain and supply their wants less con- spicuous than it had been in their reception of pre- ceding regiments. The command was communicated with, some twenty miles out, the numbers ascertained and on its arrival at what was known as the soldiers' retreat, a bountiful supper was in waiting for the tired and hungry boys, with a commingling of sedate mat- rons, fascinating, yet modest young ladies, and sober men, each vieing with the other to do homage to the gallant boys in blue, and we venture the assertion not one of that command ever partook of or enjoyed a meal in any place with more zest than that partaken of at the soldiers' retreat in Philadelphia.
From here the command was marched through the city of Philadelphia to the southwest side, where cars were in readiness and quickly filled up with the boys now eager to reach the national capital, arriving in the city of Baltimore the following noon, being Sunday. Here again the good luck of this command came to its aid, and transportation was procured and the bat- talions proceeded the same afternoon to Washington. It so happened that the Quartermaster at Baltimore, an old soldier and the son of a soldier was born at Sackets Harbor, his father being at his birth an officer of the regular service, stationed at Madison barracks, who singularly named the son Madison, after the bar- racks. The old Quartermaster was so elated to see a regiment from his native county, that he ran bare head several squares to see and congratulate the men, and in consequence spared no trouble or effort to get in readiness transportation to take the command for- ward to Washington, much to the disgust of several regiments then laying at Baltimore awaiting trans- portation. Arriving at Washington late at night, the men were quartere ! at the soldiers' rest, and on the following morning were marched out and went into
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mp about two miles from the city, on the Bladens- urg pike, where they lay in camp some little time. eneral Casey was at this time in command of the ovisional corps of recruits. The General visited the vamp soon after the arrival of these battalions and lirected requisitions made upon the Quartermaster's department for horses and light artillery equipments. The battalion commander prepared their requisitions, . procured the approval of General Casey to them, and drew their complement of equipments for this com- mand. A few days after Captain Webb received a peremptory order to report in person at the war de -. partment. An inquiry was made in detail as to the organization under his command, which resulted in the final summing up, in terse and unmistakeable terms, and to the effect that Jefferson county had all the light artillery she was entitled to already in the field; that these men would be detailed to other regi- ments; that a battalion was an organization unknown to the service, and would not be recognized as such. After several days confusion, bickering and threats on the part of the officials, with the aid of General Casey, a truce was offered and accepted by complying with the demands of the war department, turning in the light artillery equipments to the department, and adroitly compromising the matter by consenting to take the command into the fortifications on the south- east side of the city of Washington, providing, how- ever, that the men should be drilled in light as well as heavy artillery tactics, each party believing a point had been gained, immagined himself the victor. The commanding officer gained time to act, and the acting officials had gained the first step towards defeating a light artillery organization. Tents were immediately struck, equipments gathered and secured, and the command took up its line of march for the fortifica- tions, company after company being assigned as the forts were reached. Fort Baker was occupied as headquarters, with Company A and a portion of Com- pany C in command of Lieut. Toby. The first bat- ilion occupying the next forts in line with Companies A, B, C, D, being the remaining fortifications on that side of the city. These battalions had not long been quartered in the fortifications when it was learned that
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