USA > Rhode Island > Battery F, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery in the Civil War, 1861-1865 > Part 14
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WHITING, EDWARD, North Attleboro, Mass. Mustered Aug. 22, 1864; mustered out of service June 21, 1865.
WHITE, WILLIAM, Prince Edward's Island. See corporal.
WARNER, WILLIAM. Mustered April 1, 1865; mustered out of service June 27, 1865.
WALLACE, THOMAS. Mustered March 27, IS65; deserted May 10, 1865, while en route to battery.
WELDEN, JOHN. Mustered April 6, 1865; mustered out of . service June 27, 1 865.
YOUNG, EDWARD S., Warwick, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 22, IS61 ; mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; died in Hospital, Eighteenth Army Corps, July 9, 1864.
ROLL OF MEN TEMPORARILY ATTACHED.
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Second Lieutenants.
ROBERT B. SMITH, 16th N. Y. Battery, from Nov. 3, 1864, to Jan. 26, 1865.
LORENZO ERCAMBRACK, K, 3d N. Y. Artillery, from Jan. 27, 1865, to May 11, 1865.
Privates.
EBENEZER SHERMAN, G, 27th Mass. Vols., as blacksmith from July 17, 1863, to Dec., IS63.
EDWARD AUSTIN, E, Ist R. I. Light Artillery, from Oct. 21, IS63, to June IS, IS64.
BERNARD ROGERS, B, 16th N. Y. Artillery, as blacksmith from Jan. 30, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
CHRISTIAN BREGHNER, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, IS64, to June 21, IS65.
JOHN COLWELL, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
RICHARD EDWARDS, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
JOHN FOSTER, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
DAVID S. KEENER, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to Dec. 3, IS64.
CHARLES H. LAWTER, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
JAMES MCCORMICK, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY.
JOHN MORROW, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
FRANCIS G. PAUL, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
JAMES R. PRICE, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
JOHN ROONEY, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
ISAAC F. RUTHVINE, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
MICHAEL RYAN, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
FREDERICK SHULTZ, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
HENRY STRIEB, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
JOHN F. TANEBER, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
JOHN WALKER, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
CHARLES WARD, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
HENRY WEBER, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, IS64, to June 21, 1865.
ANDREW WIRTH, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
SAMUEL BRADFORD, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
JAMES BRIDGE, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
JOHN BROOKS, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
AUGUSTUS BURRIER, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
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282
BATTERY F,
WILLIAM CARRICK, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
LEWIS CHAFFMAN, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864 to June 21, IS65.
JOHN CONAWAY, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
WILLIAM Cox, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
ROBERT CUNNINGHAM, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, IS64, to June 21, IS65.
BENJAMIN DIX, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
SAMUEL DORSEY, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
JOHN EASTON, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
ANDREW GETTY, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
JOHN McGEE, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
WILLIAM MYERS, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
ANDREW QUARRY, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
JOHN RIDLIN, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
ISAAC STALL, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
WILLIAM SWEET, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
WILLIAM WHALIN, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
FRANCIS H. ARMSTRONG, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY.
JOHN BARWICK, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
SHARPLY BULLOCK, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
DANIEL CRAWFORD, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
HUGH DEVLIN, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
RICHARD FENIX, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
GUSTINE FOSTER, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, IS64, to June 21, 1865.
RICHARD GANETT, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
SAMUEL HOLLAND, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
EBENEZAH IRWIN, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
JAMES JORDAN, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
FRANCIS W. LAKE, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
JOSEPH LEE, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
JACOB LOTMAN, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
WILLIAM T. McCLOY, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
SAMUEL MCDONALD, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
SAMUEL H. MATTHEWS, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, IS64, to Feb. 2S, IS65.
JACOB M. MINKER, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, 1865.
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BATTERY F.
JOHN F. MOODY, 5th Maryland Infantry, froin Dec. 24, IS64, to June 21, IS65.
KROESON MORGAN, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
JOHN E. Moss, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to June 21, IS65.
CHARLES MYERS, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, IS64, to June 21, IS65.
DANIEL O'DONOGHUE, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, IS64, to Jan. 21, IS65.
JOHN P. RICHARDSON, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, IS64, to June 21, 1865.
CHARLES SNYDER, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, IS64, to June 21, IS65.
CHARLES STEPHEN, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864. to June 21, 1865.
DANIEL TIMNEY, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, IS64, to June 21, 1865.
MORTUARY RECORD.
Sergeants.
DRAPER, BENJAMIN H. Died May 27, IS62, at New Berne, N. C.,
from amputation of left thigh, caused by kick from a horse while on a scout.
SCHMID, I. CASPER, Died Oct. 7, IS64, at Philadelphia, Pa., from amputation of left leg, caused by wound received in front of Petersburg, Va.
Corporal.
MARTINDALE, BENJAMIN F. Killed by the enemy May 2, 1862, while on picket on Trent road, near New Berne, N. C.
Privates.
BARTLETT, JOHN E. Died June 2S, IS62, at Hammond General Hospital, Beaufort, N. C., of brain fever.
BAXTER, HENRY H. Died Feb. 5, 1S62, at Annapolis, MId., of phthisis pulmonalis.
BENWAY, THOMAS. Died Oct. 7, 1864, at Fort Monroe, Va., of diarrhea.
CONNOR, JAMES. Died Oct. 30, 1863, at Foster General Hospi- tal, New Berne, N. C., of inflammation of lungs.
DALEY, DAVID. Killed in action May 12, IS64, on Richmond and Petersburg turnpike, near Proctor's Creek, Va. DAVIS, JAMES C. Died May 30, 1864, at Richmond, Va., from wounds received in action May 16, 1864, at Drury's Bluff.
DAVIS, WILLIAM M. Died Aug. 27, 1862, at New Berne, N. C., of chronic diarrhea.
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BATTERY F.
EASTERBROOKS, SYLVESTER. Died May 24, 1864, at Hampton,
Va., from wounds received in action May 12, 1864, near Proctor's Creek, Va.
GAVITT, JAMES L. Killed in action Dec. 16, 1862, at Whitehall, N. C.
HALL, HENRY. Died Sept. 28, 1864, at Brattleboro, Vt., of wounds received in action, May 12, 1864, near Proctor's Creek, Va.
HAZZARD, Job. Died Dec. 20, 1862, near Kinston, N. C., of diphtheria.
HEALY, WILLIAM B. Died March 19, IS62, at Roanoke Island, N. C., of typhoid fever.
HORTON, ALONZO C. Died Feb. 19, 1862, at Hatteras, N. C., of inflammation of the brain.
HORTON, HENRY R. Died July 4, 1864, at Fort Monroe, Va., from wounds received in action June 24, 1864, in front of Petersburg, Va.
KENYON, WELCOME W. Died Sept. 12, 1864, at Baltimore, Md., disease not stated.
LARKIN, REUBEN E. Died June 12, 1862, at New Berne, N. C., of typhoid fever.
MCCABE, PATRICK. Killed in action May 16, 1864, at Drury's Bluff, Va.
McCOMB, JOHN. Died Aug. 31, 1862, at New Berne, N. C., of febris remittens.
NESBIT, WILLIAM. Killed in action Dec. 16, 1862, at Whitehall, N. C.
NYE, JONATHAN R. Died Aug. 3, 1862, at New Berne, N. C., of diphtheria.
STANLEY, MILTON. Died Dec. 6, 1864, at Providence, R. I., of bronchitis.
WHITHAM, BENJAMIN. Died Sept. 18, 1864, in Andersonville, Ga., military prison.
YOUNG, EDWARD S. Died July 9, 1864, near City Point, Va., disease not stated.
APPENDIX.
MY FOUR MONTHS' EXPERIENCE
AS A
PRISONER OF WAR.
BY CAPTAIN THOMAS SIMPSON.
B ATTERY "F," First Regiment, Rhode Island Light Artillery, with which I had served from its muster in, was encamped on the 27th of October, 1864, at Jones's Landing on the James River, a little below and on the bank opposite Aikens's Landing. As the term of service of the officers and of most of the enlisted men expired on the 28th, we had received orders to draw out from the line of works to enable us better to make out the necessary papers connected with our muster-out ; and we had been encamped here a week or two. Having oc- casion to visit corps headquarters, some three miles from the James River, on the 26th, I found all the troops that could be spared from the works, massed in
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rear preparatory to some movement, whither or with what object the commanding officers only knew, and they were not disposed to be communicative. Never having been near where an action was taking place in which our bat- tery did not participate, or at least expect to, I deter- mined, if a possible excuse could be found, to follow and to be a looker on. Returning to camp I found Major William Monroe, Allotment Commissioner from Rhode Island, paying the men their State bounty then due. He remained over night, and in the morning, after taking him in my ambulance to Bermuda Hundred, where he took the Norfolk boat, I returned to camp, had my horse saddled, and with an excuse in the shape of a muster- roll, which the Commissary of Musters had notified me it would be necessary for him to see before approving the officers' applications for muster-out, I started for head- quarters, accompanied by an orderly ; neither of us with arms of any description. -
Arriving at the ground where the troops had been massed the day previous, I found they had started at day- break, and, learning about the direction they had gone, I followed, hoping to overtake them by noon. Riding some five miles, we came to a brigade of our cavalry drawn up in line at a cross-road, a squadron or two of which were evidently ready to charge down one of the roads. I halted here a few moments talking with some acquaintances in the First New York Mounted Rifles (better known, in our corps at least, as “ Mounted Rob- bers"), and after making some inquiries as to the where-
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abouts of corps headquarters, without getting anything definite, except that it was ahead, rode on. Some five hundred yards from these troops the road branched to the left, and as it seemed to have been traveled most re- cently in that direction, I concluded it was the one taken by the corps I was in pursuit of and turned down, having inquired of stragglers whom we overtook on the road as to how far the corps was ahead, etc., with rather poor success. Seeing two mounted men approaching, and sup- posing them to be orderlies from some headquarters, I thought that at last we should learn something definite ; and we did. When within a pace or two, and just about to speak to them, you can imagine I was somewhat as- tonished at receiving the order, " Halt ! Surrender ! " backed by a double-barreled shot-gun and Spencer rifle. The road at this point was quite narrow, fenced on each side, and although within easy gunshot of our cavalry, it was completely hidden from them by a narrow strip of woods and a bend in the road. To turn back was to be shot, unless a miracle should save us ; to go ahead I knew was to Richmond and a rebel prison. However, I had little time to weigh the chances, which I thought then, as I do now, were in favor of the latter.
Ordering us to ride on in front at a canter, our captors followed at the same gait for perhaps a quarter of a mile, when one of them, riding alongside, requested me to show him my watch ; this I declined to do and he dropped back without a word. After riding a short dis- tance further, we turned down a cart-path in the woods,
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and in a little while met two more of those scouts, as they call themselves. Here the individual anxious to possess my watch, again came alongside, ordered us to halt, and deliberately cocking and presenting a pistol to my head, remarked, " Now I'll take that watch." Of course I was unable to resist such persuasion as this, so handing him the watch I remarked that it was a valuable one, and asked him to take good care of it. He assured me that he would, and he has - such good care that I have not seen it since. These other two had several prisoners whom they had captured, among others the or- derly of the medical director of our corps, who told me that the medical director had been captured on the very road on which I had been taken, while looking for a place to park his ambulances. Although I wished no harm to the " Doctor," yet I felt a little better on finding that others had gone before on the same road as myself.
The entire party waited here in the woods for two more of their number whom they had left lying in ambush on the main road, and whose horses they had in charge. It was while thus waiting that I began to realize our situ- ation, and a more disagreeable one can hardly be imag- ined. I was soaked to the skin by a cold rain, which had commenced falling early in the day, and which was now pouring down as though we were about to have another flood ; had had nothing to eat since the day pre- vious, and though to tell the truth I was not hungry; had been relieved of what few valuables I had, as in addition to my watch they had kindly consented to take charge of
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any stray greenbacks that chanced to be in my pocket- book ; and added to all this was the prospect that instead of reaching home in a few days as I had expected, a dreary and in all probability long confinement was before me. Some of the stories which I had but a short time before read in the papers of -the horrors of life in Ander- sonville and other southern prisons, came fresh to my mind and were not encouraging ; still, seeing that there was no help for it, I resolved to put as good a face on the matter as possible.
After waiting some two or three hours, and finding that the dismounted men did not arrive, our captors started with us for a point at which it seems they had agreed to meet should they get separated. This was the house of a poor white farmer whom we found, together with his wife and two daughters, at home. They mani- fested very little concern at receiving such a number of visitors, and the daughters, both of whom were quite pretty, declined to have any conversation with a " Yank," and little with anyone for that matter. The house was situated in rear of the new line of our troops, and picket firing along the lines could be distinctly heard during the greater part of the night. From this circumstance I had hopes that some stray party of our forces might discover and recapture us ; but towards morning the firing slacked and this hope left me.
About nine o'clock in the evening quite a stir was made by the arrival of the expected party with several prisoners, mostly sick or stragglers from our forces. One
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of them, whose presence gave great joy, as much to me, perhaps, just then, as to anyone, was an under-cook of an infantry company, with five days' rations of coffee and sugar for his company. This was a god-send indeed to the party,-cold, wet, and hungry as all were. The old farmer and his wife, who probably had not tasted either coffee or sugar since the commencement of the war, sud- denly remembered that they had a small piece of bacon and some sweet potatoes, which they would like to ex- change. These were soon smoking on the table, and. being an officer, after some deliberation I was invited to take hold and help myself. Feeling by this time quite hungry, I was not slow in availing myself of the privi- lege. The rest of the prisoners, most of whom had ra- tions in their haversacks, had a cup of coffee given them.
After supper I had some conversation with one of our guards and learned a little something of them. Their regiment was known as Hampton's Legion (South Caro- lina), and was attached to Gary's Cavalry Brigade, -on duty in the vicinity of Richmond. As they had scouted in this part of the country during General McClellan's campaign on the Peninsula, and were familiar with all the roads, they were now occasionally allowed to go on a scout near our lines for the purpose of picking up any information or stragglers, and, unfortunately for me, they were out for this purpose on the 27th of October. The party numbered six, all privates, though one of them was recognized as a sort of leader of the rest, and his orders were generally obeyed without question.
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We quartered during the night in the negro shanties of the farmer, two of the party standing guard over us. Before sunrise we were on the road to Richmond. The weather, though pleasant, for it had cleared during the night, was rather cool at that early hour, which made it very uncomfortable for us, our clothes not having dried much as yet. The course taken I should say was north- westerly, and it was the intention of the leader to pass through White Oak Swamp, supposing that the right of our lines extended to that neighborhood. They all seemed perfectly familiar with every crook and turn of the roads and paths, and from the time we started until we struck the " Nine Mile Road," near Fair Oaks, having traveled certainly fifteen miles, we were not on a main road except to cross it. Crossing the railroad at Savage's station we were halted. It was then noon, and some of the party bargained with the party living there for a peck of sweet potatoes, paying forty dollars for them, of course in Confederate money. These were cooked in the negro quarters, and with a cup of coffee from our cook we made a good dinner. This was my last meal outside of a prison for nearly four months.
After dinner the march was resumed and we passed through the swamp, on emerging from which two scouts were observed, who, after considerable signaling, allowed us to approach them, being rather suspicious of our blue coats. From them was learned the fact, that our forces had retired during the night, and that Gary's Brigade had followed them. This determined the leader to send two
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of the party with us to Richmond, while he with the re- mainder rejoined their regiment. I had little to complain of from these men, much less than I expected. With the exception of my watch and money, nothing was taken from me, although I had a gold pin, which to them must have been quite valuable, and an entire new suit of clothes purchased in Norfolk but a few days before, any article of which would have been a welcome addition to their wardrobe. As we approached Richmond some care was taken by our guards to avoid passing near any promi- nent works ; still we could see that the lines, although thinly manned with troops, were very formidable. Fol- lowing the " Nine Mile Road," from the point on which we struck it, until we had passed through the first line of works, we turned to the left over a corduroy road in rear of this line, down which we went until near Rocket's Landing, a suburb of Richmond, when we passed through the second line and arrived at the camp lately occupied by Gary's Brigade. Here my orderly and myself were compelled to dismount-for we had been allowed to ride the entire day-and after some delay we were all marched to Libby Prison. arriving there about sundown.
Just before reaching Rockett's, my orderly whispered to me that he had sixty dollars which one of the men in camp had placed with him for safe keeping, and asked me to take a part of it. I consented to do so, and he handed it to me without attracting the attention of our guard. I sup- posed then that the money prisoners had would not be taken from them by the prison authorities, but in this was wofully mistaken.
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We were compelled to wait outside of Libby for some time, there being other prisoners ahead of us, but were finally admitted to the office. Here I had to part from my orderly, and it was with many misgivings, for having picked him out from among my men as too young and light to perform the heavy work required in a battery, I scarcely expected that he would survive the fare and treatment of a rebel prison ; and, blaming myself, as I did, for our capture, I felt that if he should die, his death would properly be chargeable to me.
A record of my name, date and place of capture, etc., was entered in a book kept for that purpose, and I was sent into another room to be searched for money and any concealed weapons which might be on my person. The officer having charge of this requested me, if I had any money, to give it up and it would be placed to my credit until I was transferred from there, when it would be re- turned; otherwise if on searching any was found, it would be confiscated - for whose benefit he did not say. I handed him the thirty dollars which my orderly had given me, and on assuring him that I had no more, nor any concealed weapons, was removed to the officers prison in the next story. It might be well to remark that somebody still owes me thirty dollars, unless it is consid- ered as balancing four months' board, although I think that amount, judiciously expended, would have kept me four months longer on the same fare, and the balance then be in my favor.
The building known as Libby is a two story and a half
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brick block, situated in the business part of the city of Richmond, and was built, I believe, for a tobacco ware- house. It is divided into stores connected with each other by double iron doors set in brick partitions. These stores have a row of wooden posts, a foot or more in diameter, braced so as to sustain immense weight, run- ning through the centre in each story. The entire block, with the exception of the lower story of the western store, which was used as offices and quarters for the guard, was filled with prisoners. Officers were confined in the other two stories of the west end. Access from the lower to the second story was had by means of wooden steps, which, after being used, were immediately lowered to the floor by a pulley and communication cut off. All glass had been removed from the grated windows and canvas screens substituted. These being worn and torn, and in some cases absent entirely, formed but poor protection against the winds, which at this time were quite cool. The interior was bare of furniture, excepting a long pine table to eat from, and two cast-iron wood-stoves ; for each of these we were allowed one armful of wood per day, just enough to keep a fire. I don't believe that at any time while I was there it would have been uncomfortable to sit on either stove on account of heat. How much they could impart to a building with open windows, for it was necessary during the day, at least, to have part of the screens down to give us light, can readily be imagined. Most of us had to lie on the bare floor, though a few for- tunate individuals had blankets. These were very desira-
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ble articles, but the owners soon found that they were not to be the only occupants, having to share them with a little creature, who, although not taking up much room, made it quite uncomfortable for his bed-fellows. Still with this drawback they were eagerly sought for. I man- aged to get a piece of one, lively too, just before leaving Libby, but was not allowed to carry it away.
Reveillé was sounded about six o'clock in the morning, by a drum band made up from some of our colored sol- diers, who were prisoners, and this was followed in about fifteen minutes by roll-call. For this we fell in in four ranks, and instead of calling a roll we were counted by the prison inspector, "Dick " Turner. After counting, the rooms were carefully searched and then ranks were broken. Any claiming to be sick were examined by the inspector, and if he thought necessary sent to hospi- tal. Rations were issued shortly after roll-call. They con- sisted of a piece of corn-bread about three inches long, two wide, and perhaps one inch thick, with a pint of what they called bean soup-black beans boiled in water and seasoned with a little salt, and, during the six days that I spent in this prison, I don't believe that one sound bean ever strayed into my ration. The inside of the beans had been eaten by small black bugs, who were still at work when put in the pot. Many could not eat this soup at all, and were forced to subsist on the ration of corn-bread. Being blessed with a good appetite, as well as a pretty strong stomach, I managed to eat my own ra- tions as well as those of some others who required a
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