USA > Rhode Island > Battery F, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery in the Civil War, 1861-1865 > Part 2
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The George Peabody sailed from Hampton Roads on the 12th of January. The Picket with General Burnside on board sailed the same day, about an hour in advance. When off Cape Henry the sealed orders were opened, and it was then learned that the fleet would rendezvous at Hatteras Inlet for service in the sounds of North Carolina. The passage from Fort- ress Monroe to Hatteras was attended by rough weather. Numerous accounts of the storm which overtook the Burnside Expedition have been written and published. On the George Peabody the scenes enacted during the voyage partook somewhat of the ludicrous as well as the serious. Most of the men of the battery were taking their first sea voyage and ex- perienced the usual consequences.
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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY.
As stated above, the gunboat Picket, Capt. Thomas P. Ives, sailed from Hampton Roads about an hour in advance of the George Peabody, on the 12th of January, with General Burnside on board. About two o'clock on the morning of the 13th the latter overhauled her off Cape Hatteras. A heavy sea was running, the result of the storm which scat- tered the fleet, and it was deemed prudent for the larger vessel to remain by the Picket until daylight before attempting to round the cape. No member of the battery will forget the commanding appearance of General Burnside, as he stood upon the forward deck of the Picket in the early morning of the 13th while the crew of the Peabody were passing a line to the Picket to take her in tow. The situation and conditions were such that no one who was able to stand on his feet and respond to the call to give the general three cheers will ever forget the scene.
The Picket was taken in tow by the George Pea- body, both vessels arrived at Hatteras Inlet in safety on the 13th, crossed the bar and came to anchor in the sound. It was a singular coincidence that the George Peabody, upon which General Burn- side states that he first established his headquarters,
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then for certain reasons characteristic of the general changed to the Picket, should be the vessel to tow the Picket, with the general on board, to the safety of the sounds, overhauling it off Hatteras when rolling very uncomfortably, not to say dangerously. The terrible storm which caused so much damage to the fleet and anxiety for its safety at the North, had broken upon the expedition. "The steamer City of New York, loaded with ammunition, the Pocahontas with horses" and forage belonging to the Fourth Rhode Island Infantry, " went ashore and. were lost ; the gunboat Zouave dragged her anchors and was wrecked; the floating battery Grapeshot was swamped, and one or two schooners loaded with forage and pro- visions were driven upon the beach." *
The battery remained on board the steamer much longer than was originally intended or provided for, and, as it was impossible to replenish the commissary department the supply of rations and water, also forage for the animals ran short, and the inevitable result followed, viz. : men and horses were placed upon short rations ; the allowance per man was a half pint of water and a few hard tack and occasionally a
* Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps, by Augustus Woodbury.
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ration of coffee. The water was measured às care- fully as would have been the most expensive luxury of a soldier's ration. It is amusing to recall the first issue of rations after the stock had been replenished.
Lieut. George W. Field.
It consisted of the usual hard tack, a thick slice of raw pork, very fat, and a little molasses. Men who, a few weeks before would not have thought it possi- ble, ate the raw pork and molasses with apparent relish.
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BATTERY F, .
During the time the battery remained on board the George Peabody it was of course necessary to have a small boat if the officers wished to do any vis- iting, and Captain Belger organized a " boat's crew" from the battery, borrowed one of the steamer's boats, and was able to go about from vessel to vessel with almost as much style as the naval portion of the expedition. This was known among the men as the' " captain's gig," and the improvised crew were em- ployed many hours in pulling about the inlet while their comrades remained confined to the steamer's decks. But it was not always an easy or agreeable task, for the winds did blow at Hatteras, and some- times the rains suddenly fell, and then the "crew" would have gladly changed places with their com- rades on the steamer.
While the expedition was being organized there was naturally great anxiety in the South to learn what particular point on the coast would be its desti- nation. Emissaries at Washington sent frequent dispatches to rebel officers claiming to have discov- ered positive evidence as to the objective point. Dec. 28, 1861, an unknown writer in Washington, D. C., to Gen. J. E. Johnston said : " Burnside's fleet is
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to engage the batteries on the Potomac, and McClel- lan & Co. will move on Centreville and Manassas. This move will be made next week." Maj .- Gen .. T. H. Holmes (Confederate) wrote from Brook Station, Jan. 2, 1862, to the adjutant-general at Richmond : " Am fearful that Burnside's Expedition will land be- low here for the purpose of marching on Fredericks- burg." Gen. J. E. B. Stewart, on the 9th of Janu- ary, 1862, wrote to Gen. D. H. Hill : " The Potomac Burnside fleet has not yet developed itself, but we are all anxiously expectant. McClellan's illness delays its operations, doubtless." 3 Under date of Jan. 14, 1862, Gen. J. E. Johnston wrote to the Confederate secre- tary of war, "I have hitherto regarded these changes as impracticable, because unsafe, and shall so regard them until the destination of the Burnside Expedi- tion is known." Other letters and reports written at the time all point to the lower Potomac as the ex- pected point of attack by the Burnside Expedition, and apparently its real destination was kept a secret.
On the 21st of January the George Peabody steamed as near the shore as possible-there were no landing places-and, much to the satisfaction and comfort of men and animals, the battery disembarked on Hatte-
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BATTERY F.
ras Island. It was a difficult and laborious task. The horses were landed by throwing them overboard and towing them ashore by means of heaving lines, one end around the neck of the horse, the other held in a small boat, which was rowed back and forth from steamer to shore. This work occupied nearly an entire day, but was accomplished without loss or accident.
Hatteras Inlet with its two forts, Clark and Hatte- ras, had been captured in August, 1861, by a com- bined military and naval force under Gen. Benjamin F. Butler and Commodore Stringham, and, at the time the battery landed, Brig .- Gen. Thomas Williams with a brigade of infantry was in command. Camp Win- field, the name given-this encampment, was located about three miles up the island from Fort Hatteras. January 22d, the battery pitched its tents at Camp Winfield, and was placed in General Williams's com- mand. The duties at this point were light ; occa- sionally General Williams ordered brigade drill, and always included the battery. It was difficult to con- form to all the movements of the infantry on these drills, but the difficulties were overcome by the gen- eral excusing the battery from executing any order
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Landing of Horses at Hatteras.
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BATTERY F,
for movement of the brigade which did not and could not be applied to light artillery.
Camp Winfield was very sandy, in fact all of Hat- teras Island visited by the battery was sandy. The water was bad, and as a result considerable sickness developed among the men. It was here that the first death of a member of the battery occurred at or near the camp. Private Alonzo C. Horton died February 19th, of inflammation of the brain, and was buried with military honors on the 20th in the church-yard on the island. Private Henry B. Baxter died at An- napolis, Md., on the 5th of February, but that fact was not known at the battery at the time of Hor- ton's decease, and he was looked upon as the first man mustered out by death.
The battery remained at Camp Winfield until the 26th of February, about five weeks, at which time it was ordered to reembark. The tents were struck, baggage packed and all property moved to the inlet on that day, but for some reason the men were obliged to remain on the beach that night. A heavy storm of rain and wind prevailed, and, being almost entirely without shelter, for it was impossible to pitch a tent that would withstand the force of the wind, the night
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proved extremely uncomfortable. On the 27th of February the steamer Chancellor Livingston, formerly a ferry boat in New York harbor, drew up to the landing and the battery was put on board, after which she steamed over the swash and came to anchor in the sound. The wind blew furiously during the night-when did not the wind blow furiously at Hat- teras ? - the steamer was heavily loaded, the sea struck with such force under the guards that it. seemed almost impossible for her to withstand the battering. A leak was discovered early in the even- ing, from which water made so rapidly that it became necessary to work the pumps constantly to keep the water down. Reliefs from the men of the battery were organized for that purpose, and the pumping con- tinued steadily all night. The men were very much fatigued as a result of the work performed in breaking camp and moving property to the inlet on the 26th ; the exposure on the beach in the storm on the night of the 26th ; the loading of the battery and property on the steamer during the 27th ; and to be prevented from securing the needed rest on the night of the 27th by the storm and its effects upon the steamer, and the orders to keep the pumps working all night, was
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considered at the time something of a hardship ; but with the morning of the 28th came a lull in the storm, and, with the sea comparatively calm, the ne- cessity for pumping ceased, then, as there was no particular duty to perform, opportunity for rest came, which was improved by all.
The steamer arrived off Pork Point, Roanoke Is- land, opposite General Burnside's headquarters, March 2d, with apparently no intention of landing the bat- tery. There was on board this ferry-boat a light bat- tery of six guns, with battery wagon, forge, baggage wagon, horses, in fact a fully equipped battery of light artillery, and the crowded condition caused the following letter to headquarters :
" HEADQUARTERS BATTERY F, IST REG'T. R. I. LT. ART'Y. STEAMER CHANCELLOR LIVINGSTON, ROANOKE ISLAND, March 4, 1862.
Capt. L. RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant General, Depart- ment of North Carolina.
SIR: I have the honor to request that measures be taken as soon as possible to relieve the men and horses of my battery, now aboard the Livingston. My men are suf- fering for the want of a place to sleep and cook in; my horses, one hundred and nineteen, for the want of forage and a place to stand. I rendered requisitions to the di-
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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY.
vision quartermaster for forage yesterday, and it has not been supplied. It is very necessary that something should be done at once, or my men and horses will be un- fit for active service if kept aboard this steamer.
I am, sir, very respectfully, Your obedient servant,
JAS. BELGER, Captain Commanding Battery F.
As a result of the above letter, a number of the men and horses were ordered on shore, on Roanoke Island, where they remained until the 11th of March, when they were placed on board the schooner Crocker, which was taken in tow through the sounds towards New Berne, N. C.
The experiences of the battery thus far on the Burnside Expedition had not been entirely as ex- pected. The storms at the outset caused a much longer stay on the steamer George Peabody than was intended ; the battery was put ashore at Hatteras instead of going with the troops to Roanoke Island ; it was again crowded on a steamer and sent to Roa- noke some time after the capture of the island, so that the discomforts and dangers thus far had come from the stormy seas, and the excitement and experi- ence of battle were still unknown to most of the men.
CHAPTER III.
NEW BERNE-ITS CAPTURE AND OCCUPATION- DUTY AS CAVALRY.
T HE force intended for the attack upon New Berne, N. C., sailed from Roanoke Island on the IIth of March, anchoring off the mouth of Hatteras Inlet in Pamlico Sound during the night of the 11th. The battery, part on the steamer Chancellor Living- ston and part on the schooner Crocker, was a portion of the force.
On the morning of the 12th, the fleet of transports with the naval escort sailed from Hatteras, taking course for the mouth of the Neuse River, and it was then evident to all that New Berne was the objective point. The vessels in the naval escort numbered fourteen. The passage of the fleet through the sound and up the Neuse River was a delightful trip. The weather was warm and pleasant, the sea calm,
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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY.
and the disposition of the vessels, the gun-boats in advance occasionally throwing a shell into the woods on either side of the river, the transports following in order by brigades, was a pleasing picture which impressed those participating, and had the effect of creating enthusiasm among the troops.
Towards night of the 12th the fleet arrived off Slocum's Creek, about sixteen miles from New Berne, and came to anchor. The night was in striking contrast with the day, for during the latter part of the afternoon the sky became cloudy, the weather was thick and black and rain fell throughout the night. At eight o'clock the next morning the sun shone out again, and at about nine o'clock the in- fantry commenced landing, which was accomplished by transferring the men from the steamers and sail- ing vessels to the launches, which were taken in tow by the steam-tugs, each tug taking a long line of these boats. At a signal the tugs steamed as near the shore as they could float, the momentum gained thereby sent the barges forward until they grounded, when the men jumped into the water, generally about waist deep, and waded ashore. During the 5
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landing the gun-boats steamed slowly up the river, shelling the woods, receiving no reply.
The schooner Crocker, with a part of the battery on board (transferred to her at Roanoke Island), in at- tempting to enter the creek ran aground, and, although tugs were brought to her assistance, night came and the vessel remained stuck in the mud. Early on the morning of the 14th the schooner was floated, and as the forces on shore had advanced, instead of landing at Slocum's Creek the vessel was towed two or three miles further up the river, and a landing made simi- lar to that at Hatteras, viz., by jumping the horses overboard and towing them ashore, and rafting the pieces and caissons by means of a platform built on two yawls lashed together, until the boats grounded, then drawing the carriages ashore by hand.
This method of landing a light battery was, to say the least, slow and tedious business; but the men worked with a will, and soon material enough was on shore to fit out a section, which, with First Lieut. George W. Field in command, was started for the front. After the material was on shore, it was tedi- ous and vexatious work getting in condition to take the road. The harnesses were mixed, and it was im-
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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY.
possible to get the particular harnesses for the horses they fitted without losing too much time ; but after some delay the section was pronounced ready, and started for the front without rations either for men or horses.
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The troops that landed at Slocum's Creek the day before took up the line of march immediately, and notwithstanding the fact that the weather became again stormy soon after they had landed, pushed on through mud and fog and rain, until at night . they were near the enemy's intrenched position, where they were ordered to halt and bivouac for the night. Early in the work of debarking the battery the sounds of the battle were distinctly heard by the batterymen, and they knew they would be very welcome at the front. These sounds probably caused the ordering of the two pieces off before the entire battery was ashore. The section traveled as rapidly as possible in the direction of the fighting, the sounds of which grew more and more distinct as they neared the front, but it was not their fortune, good or bad, to fire a shot in the battle of New Berne, as they reached the battlefield just after the enemy was routed. The efforts made were, however, appreciated by the de-
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BATTERY F,
partment commander, and, under date of May 20, 1862, the assistant adjutant-general wrote Captain Belger as follows: "The commanding general also instructs me to say that your battery well earned the right to inscribe on its banners, 'New Berne, March 14, 1862,' which he requests you will direct to have done."
Although the Rhode Island battery did not be- come engaged at this battle, Rhode Island troops were there and bore an honorable and conspicuous part. Historians have recorded the bravery and valor of the Fourth Regiment and Fifth Battalion, and have accorded to them the honor and credit nobly won on that field.
The battle of New Berne was fought about four miles south of the city. The following description of the works occupied by the enemy during the battle is taken from General Foster's report, dated March 20, 1862: "The breastwork we had entered was similar in construction to the abandoned one, running from Fort Thompson at the river to the railroad track, a distance of one and one-quarter miles, and from the railroad track rifle-pits and detached intrenchments in the form of lunettes and redans followed each
OF NEW BERNE & VICINITY, PARRARED SOX THE TWENTY THIRD HISTORY. BY TRISTRAM GRIFFIN ARCHITECT. cr CI. C. AJ"' REG'T. ,
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other for the distance of one and one-quarter miles, and terminated by a two-gun battery.
"Fort Thompson, a flanking bastion, mounted thirteen guns, all 32.pounders (two rifled) four of which were turned so as to bear upon our line. The breastwork was mounted by two complete field batte- ries, besides several pieces of heavy artillery, and manned by about six thousand men. The force in men and artillery of the other defences I am unable to give, they not coming under my observation."
Lieutenant Field with his section made but a short halt at the battlefield, pushing towards New Berne after the retreating enemy. The section arrived at the river, opposite the city, to find the bridges de- stroyed and no means of crossing. It was late in the afternoon, and both men and horses had been with- out food, excepting three hard crackers issued to each man early in the morning, since the evening before, a light ration for the work required and performed.
Lieutenant Field ordered a bivouac for the night near the river bank, and sent out a foraging party. Forage for the horses was soon found, but it was about midnight before the men were served with and en- joyed a hearty meal.
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BATTERY F.
. During the march from the enemy's earth-works to the river bank evidences of great haste in departure by the enemy were visible on all sides. Apparently they did not anticipate the necessity for moving on, or fear an unfavorable result of the engagement at their defensive works. From the reports gathered by the men of the battery while doing cavalry picket duty a few days after, the stampede must have equaled if it did not exceed that of the Union troops after the battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861. Some did not halt until they reached Trenton, N. C., about twenty miles away, while others made Kinston, N. C., still farther away, the rendezvous.
The remainder of the battery was landed as rapidly as possible, pushed forward and bivouacked during the night of the 14th on the battlefield, moving for- ward and joining the section under Lieutenant Field, at the river bank opposite New Berne, during the forenoon of the 15th, where the battery remained until Sunday, March 18, 1862, when it entered New Berne, crossing the Trent River some distance above its junction with the Neuse, and took possession of a large boarding-house on Broad Street as quarters for the men, a dwelling for the lieutenants, a dwelling
W.HLELAND & CO.PROV. R.L.
Quarters of Battery F at New Berne.
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for the captain, in which he soon after lived with his family, a store for the quartermaster and commissary departments, a large stable for the horses, and smaller buildings for mess-room, guard-house, etc., all situ- ated near together, mostly adjoining, on Broad Street, near the "junction." These buildings had been de- serted by their occupants when the rebel troops retreated from the city.
Such property belonging to the battery as was not landed on the 14th was brought to the city by the vessels and landed at the wharves soon after. Some of the men remained on board the vessels, and of course did not accompany the battery on its march.
Under date of March 19, 1862, General Burnside issued General Orders No. 19, as follows : "I. The brigade commanders will direct that their men have forty rounds of ball cartridges in their cartridge-boxes at all times, ready for immediate use.
"The post will be guarded as follows :
" General Foster will guard the approaches to the town, throwing his pickets out some four or five miles, with strict instructions to them to carefully watch every way of entrance. General Reno will guard the line of the Trent and railroad as far as the
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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 41
brick-yard, throwing out his pickets in the same man- ner. General Parke will guard from Croatan down his line, throwing out his pickets in the same way."
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To properly carry out the above order cavalry was much needed. There was none in the department, and some one conceived the idea of using Belger's battery as a cavalry force. Therefore the guns were left in park, the men mounted on the battery horses, and detailed to duty as cavalry scouts, videttes, etc. General Burnside in a letter to the secretary of war, Washington, D. C., dated March 27, writes : "There is nothing now of which we stand in so much need as cavalry. I have had to take the pieces from Captain Belger's battery and organize it into a cavalry com- pany."
The infantry outposts were established from five to seven miles from the city, and the battery, as cavalry, posted beyond, and also was expected to patrol the country to the front. The first scout was made on Friday, March 21st, the party consisting of about twenty-five men, under command of Lieutenant Pope. They went about fifteen miles in the direction of Trenton, N. C., but discovering no enemy returned
6
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الترم للـ
-
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BATTERY F,
to quarters. The men were then sent out in squads of three, with a non-commissioned officer in charge, to patrol the roads leading into the city. Each squad remained out three days, when it was relieved.
A number of casualties and hair-breadth escapes occurred during this service. Among them were the following : On the first scout, mentioned above, Sergt. Benjamin H. Draper received a severe wound in the leg from a kick by a horse, necessitating an amputa- tion at the thigh. The operation was performed May 8th. He died May 27, 1862, at fifteen minutes past six o'clock in the morning, at the Academy Green Hospital, New Berne. Sergeant Draper had won the respect and esteem of both officers and men, and his death under such circumstances cast a shadow over the battery, and it was long before the men ceased to think and speak of him.
Corp. Benjamin F. Martindale was killed May 2, 1862, on the Trent road, about seven and a half miles from New Berne. At the time of his death he was in charge of a squad patrolling this road, and while on duty discovered the enemy's cavalry riding towards the outpost. In obedience to instructions, he immediately rode to the outpost and reported to
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