USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island, Volume I > Part 32
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Battery A, of the 1st Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, was enlisted and organized simultaneously with the 2d Regiment Rhode Island Infantry, and with that regiment had its encampment on the Dexter Training Ground in Providence. It was mustered into service June 6th, 1861, and under the command of Captain William H. Rey- nolds embarked on board the transport steamer " Kill von Kull" for Washington June 19th. On arriving there it was attached to Burn- side's brigade, Hunter's division, McDowell's army corps. It remained at Camp Sprague until the movement of the army to Bull Run. There it opened the attack on the right.
In August, in accordance with instructions from the secretary of war, a battalion of light artillery was organized, consisting of Pat- teries A, B and C, under command of Major Charles H. Tompkins, and in September following was constituted a regiment, Major Tompkins being appointed its colonel. The battery wintered at Poolesville, Md., and in March, 1862, after the operations against Win- chester, shared the fortunes of the army of the Potomac on the Pen-
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
insula. It was engaged before Yorktown, at Fair Oaks, Peach Orchard, Savage's Station, Charles City Court House and Malvern Hill, and was the last battery to leave the hill when the army fell back to Harrison's Landing. The battery participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 13th, and in the battle of Marye's Heights, May 3d, 1863. At Gettysburg, Pa., on the 1st, 2d and 3d days of July following, it fought with distinguished bravery, losing five men killed and 23 wounded: 30 horses were also lost. October 14th it engaged the enemy at Bristoe Station, and aided in frustrating Lee's attempt to get between the forces of General Meade and Wash- ington. On the 3d of May the battery commenced the grand march with the entire army toward Richmond. It was hotly engaged in several battles, known as the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, North Anna, etc., and lost a number of men wounded. It fought at Cold Harbor, May 30th. Here Lieutenant Peter Hunt was wounded in the foot, and was removed to the hospital at Wash- ington, where the limb was amputated. Sinking under the effects of the wound, he died June 14th. His remains were brought to Provi- dence, and on the 20th, after an impressive service in the Central Congregational church, were escorted to their last resting place by 30 men of the battery.
The term of service of the original three years' men having now expired, the battery comprising that class returned home under Cap- tain Arnold, and arrived in Providence Monday morning, June 13th. On the evening of June 15th a sumptuous complimentary supper was given to the battery at the City Hotel by a number of gentlemen whose interest in its welfare had been unabated through its long and honorable career. The battery was mustered out of service June 18th.
Less than 50 men of the battery remained in the field after the departure of those whose three years' term of service had expired. These were recruits and re-enlisted veterans. The command de- volved on Lieutenant Gamaliel Lyman Dwight, who reorganized it with admirable despatch. He procured men from other batteries of the corps to supply its deficiencies, and in three days announced the battery as ready for the front. On the 30th of September the battery was consolidated with Battery B, which act terminated a distinctive history marked by brilliant deeds.
Battery B, 1st Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, left Provi- dence for Washington August 13th, 1861. On arriving there it was assigned to General Stone's command, afterward Sedgwick's corps, Army of the Potomac. October 21st, the left section, under the com- mand of Captain Vaughan, proceeded to Conrad's Ferry, to operate in the unfortunate battle of Ball's Bluff. In February, 1862, the bat- tery advanced to Winchester, Va. It moved with the army of the Potomac in the campaign of the Peninsula. It engaged the enemy
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
before Yorktown, was subsequently present as a support at the battle of Hanover Court House, was under fire at Fair Oaks, was in position at Peach Orchard, Savage's Station and Malvern Hill, having several men wounded at the latter place. At the battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 13th, the battery fought bravely under a hot fire, losing 16 men killed and wounded, and 12 battery horses shot. At Gettys- burg the battery again went into action and came out with a heavy loss of horses, four men killed and 23 wounded. In the subsequent movements of the army of the Potomac up to the close of 1863, the battery handsomely maintained, especially at Bristoe Station and Mine Run, a well-earned reputation. It wintered in the valley of the Rappahannock. It was now attached to the First Division (Barlow's), Second Army Corps, and shared in all the hard fights that marked the way to Petersburg. In the battle of the Wilderness it occupied a position in an open space in front of the advance line. At Todd's Tavern, four guns were placed in the front line in woods so dense that a road was cut for each gun, and when planted the eye could not penetrate 50 yards in advance. On the afternoon of the 9th of May, the battery reached the Po, and a section was sent forward to shell a wagon train beyond the river. The rebels replied, killing two men of the battery. On the 10th, Barlow's division was attacked by a greatly superior force, and was ordered to re-cross the Po. The bat- tery was sent to take position on a hill overlooking the river, to cover the crossing. This was done with complete success, the heavy and well directed fire upon the pursuing rebels causing them to seek shelter in the woods in great disorder. At this time one man was killed and four were wounded by an enfilading fire from a rebel. bat- tery on the left. On the 12th, the battery was stationed all day within 500 yards of the rebel rifle-pits, where a sharp contest was carried on until after two o'clock on the morning of the 13th. On the 15th, Cor- poral McMeekin and Private Stephen Collins volunteered to run out and fasten ropes to two rebel guns that lay abandoned between the lines of sharpshooters, while a company of infantry should pull them within the Union lines. The dangerous enterprise was successfully accomplished. On the 19th the battery was severely engaged and lost one man. June 3d the battery had four men wounded at Cold Harbor, and in August five men wounded before Petersburg. Bat- teries A and B were now operated together under a single com- mander, though they were not officially consolidated until September 30th, when the two took the name of Battery B. as mentioned in the sketch of Battery A.
In the fierce battle of Ream's Station, August 25th, the combined battery A and B was nearly annihilated. The total of killed, wounded and missing numbered 52, with a loss of all the guns and 50 horses. The men served their guns faithfully and assisted in repelling three terrific assaults, but an overpowering force finally drove them from
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
their posts; not, however, until some of the men had been killed at the cannon's side by the clubbed muskets of the enemy. This dis- aster reduced the battery to 72 men. The battery continued with the Second Corps in all its movements and battles until Lee's surrender. On the retreat of the rebel general from Richmond, the battery fol- lowed close upon his rear, and had its last fight at Farmsville. Thus closing its military life in the field, the battery comprising 135 en- listed men, under Lieutenant Chace, left Washington June 3d, and arrived in Providence on the 5th. The men were quartered at the Silvey barracks until mustered out of service, June 13th.
By order of General Meade, March 7th, 1865, the following names of battles in which the battery had borne a meritorious part were directed to be inscribed on its colors: Ball's Bluff, Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, Antietam, First Fredericksburg, Second Fred- ericksburg, Gettysburg, Bristoe Station, Reams' Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Po River, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Tolopotomy, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Deep Bottom.
Battery C was enlisted in Providence and went into camp at "Camp Ames," on the Warwick road, beyond Pawtuxet, was mus- tered into the United States service August 25th, 1861, and on the 31st of the same month took the cars at Providence for Washington. On the 10th. of March, 1862, it moved with the grand army, first toward Manassas, and afterward by transports from Alexandria to the Peninsula. Landing at Fortress Monroe March 24th, the battery took up its line of march for Yorktown by way of Hampton, Great Bethel, New Market Bridge and Harwood's Mills. On the 5th of April it had its first fighting experience in front of Fort Magruder, one of the defenses of Yorktown. In this battle, which lasted from 10 o'clock A. M. until late in the afternoon, Battery C lost one man killed. On the 26th of June the great seven days' contest opened with the battle of Mechanicsville, where the battery was under fire. On the 27th it fought at Gaines' Farm with a vigor and bravery that commanded admiration. But courage and skill could not withstand the superior numbers hurled against the right wing of the federal army, and after repelling repeated charges, the battery was com- pelled to retire, losing severely in men and horses. Leaving this field of honorable disaster, the battery proceeded by Charles City Cross Roads to Turkey Bend, on the James river, and July 1st engaged in the bloody battle of Malvern Hill. The total losses at Gaines' Farm and Malvern Hill were five men killed, 21 wounded, one who died while being removed, five missing, three 3-inch ordnance guns, carriages and limbers, two caissons, two caisson bodies and 50 horses with their equipments.
When the army of the Potomac withdrew from the Peninsula, the battery with its corps joined General Pope and took part in the second battle of Bull Run. The casualties were one man wounded,
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IHISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
six horses killed, and two sets of horse equipments lost. On the 12th of September the battery marched with the army for the field of An- tietam, and during the battle of the 17th was in the reserve.
Moving again with the army, October 30th, the battery marched to the neighborhood of Potomac Creek, Va., and took an honorable part in the attack upon Fredericksburg, December 11th, 12th and 13th. After the second attempt on Fredericksburg, December 30th, the battery remained in winter quarters. Nothing further of moment occurred until the last of April, 1863, when General Hooker put the army of the Potomac in motion to meet and measure strength with the rebel army at Chancellorsville. April 30th it crossed the Rapidan river at Ely's Ford, and reached Chancellorsville at noon of the same day. The battle of May 2d and 3d was fierce and bloody, and on both days the battery moved in various directions over the field, at one time reconnoitering, and at another taking position commanding some important point.
The return march to the line of the Rappahannock commenced July 5th, was very severe on both men and horses. In the battle of Rappahannock Station, November 7th, the battery fired 160 rounds, and had two men wounded. At Mine Run, November 27th, it expended 150 rounds of percussion, fuse and shrapnell shell. The casualties were one man wounded and two horses killed.
The winter of 1863-4 was passed at Hazle Run, with little inci- dent to relieve the dullness of life in close quarters. On the morning of May 4th, 1864, the battery broke camp and joined in the forward movement of the entire army toward Richmond. For the succeeding 27 days it shared the fatigues and perils that beset the way to the Chickahominy. June 3d it reported to Major General Smith, com- manding the 18th Army Corps, at Cold Harbor, and took position in breastworks within 300 yards range of the rebel works. Here one man was killed by a rebel sharpshooter and one man was wounded. The battery remained at Cold Harbor until June 12th, when it moved toward the James river, which it crossed at Brandon on a pon- toon of 108 boats, and encamped near Petersburg on the 17th.
In the beginning of July General Early made a raid on Washing- ton, and the 6th Army Corps was withdrawn from before Petersburg for its protection. The battery broke camp at midnight July 9th, and on the 11th embarked at City Point on board the hospital steamer "George Leary." It reached Washington about 11 o'clock on the night of the 12th and went into camp at Fort Stevens. The prompt arrival of the 6th Corps saved the capital from the grasp of the rebel general, who, disappointed of his purpose and conscious of the danger of his situation, made a hasty retreat. Pursuit, in which the battery joined, was immediate. An early return to share in the work before Petersburg was now anticipated, but the operations of the rebels on the Upper Potomac rendered the recall of the battery
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IHISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
to that field necessary. For several weeks the battery was in inces- sant motion. now advancing and now retreating. as circumstances demanded. The heat was excessive; the dust, thrown into clouds, filled the atmosphere, and the marching was severe. These com- bined, greatly exhausted men and horses. In the double battle at Cedar Creek, October 19th, which for fierceness and brilliancy has few parallels in American military history, the battery was hotly engaged, and suffered severely in men and horses. Lieutenant Reu- ben H. Rich and Sergeant George A. Perry were badly wounded. Corporal John Keating and 13 privates were also wounded. Two guns were lost, but were subsequently recovered.
August 25th, preceding the above named battle, 44 men of the battery, whose three years term of service had expired, were mus- tered out near Harper's Ferry, and returned to Providence in charge of Lieutenant Rich, August 28th. A few days after they were paid off. December 23d, by order of the war department, the battery was consolidated with Battery G. By order of General Meade, the names of the following battles, in which it had borne a meritorious part, were directed to be inscribed upon its colors: Yorktown, Hanover Court House, Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mills, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Opequan, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek.
Battery D was enlisted in Providence, and was mustered into the service of the United States September 4th, 1861. October 12th, it reported to General McDowell at Upton's Hill. It established there "Camp Dupont," and remained in quarters until March 9th, 1862, when it marched to Fairfax Court House, and was attached to General King's division of General McDowell's corps. Early in June it accompanied the corps in pursuit after Stonewall Jackson when on his famous raid up the Shenandoah Valley. It subsequently took part in the fights at Sulphur Springs and Groveton. It the latter battle, August 28th, several men were wounded severely and four were taken prisoners. In the battle of Bull Run, August 29th and 30th, the battery lost 18 men in killed and wounded.
After this disastrous battle, the battery returned with the army within the defenses of Washington, and marched with the army of the Potomac into Maryland, attached to General Hooker's corps. It participated in the victorious battle of South Mountain, September 14th, and on the 17th fought with great steadiness and bravery at Antietem. In this battle 39 men were lost. in killed, wounded and missing. Being subsequently assigned to the 9th Army Corps, for service in the Department of the Ohio, the battery proceeded to the Peninsula, and March 19th, 1863, departed from Newport News to join General Burnside. From April 9th to May Sth. the battery marched in various directions 237 miles. July 12th
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
it left Camp Nelson, Ky., for Cincinnati, O., where it was employed in picket and other duties during the alarm caused by Morgan's guerrillas until August.
After completing the service assigned to it in the Department of the Ohio, the battery returned to the East to rejoin the army of the Potomac. It came to Providence on a veteran furlough of 30 days, and had a handsome reception. From April 5th to the 25th, 1864, it was successively at Stevenson's Station, Kearnstown, Middletown. Summit Point, and near Winchester, Va. May 4th, it marched from Warrenton Junction as a part of the 9th Army Corps in the advance on Richmond, Va., and on the 6th took position near General Grant's headquarters.
. When General Early retreated from his raid on Washington Pat- tery D received a new armament and joined in the pursuit. Septem- ber 19th it marched to near Winchester, Va., and went into action with the 19th Corps, to which it was joined. In this battle four men were wounded and six horses were killed. On the 20th, it marched to Strasburg, Va .; on the 21st shelled the enemy; on the 22d engaged in the battle of Fisher's Hill, in which the rebels were put to rout with heavy los ;; and at 6 o'clock r. M. marched for Woodstock, where it arrived at daylight on the 23d. From this date to the 30th, the battery was consecutively at Edinburg, New Market, Harrisonburg, Mount Crawford, and again at Harrisonburg. October 19th, it en- gaged in the battle of Cedar Creek, in which it had six men wounded and 24 horses killed.
The battery continued in the Valley of the Shenandoah perform- ing such duties as were required of it until July 10th, 1865, when it left Winchester, Va., and proceeded to Providence under the com- mand of Captain Corthell. The battery was mustered out of service July 17th, leaving a record honorable alike to itself and to the state.
Battery E was enlisted in Providence and had its encampment at "Camp Greene," previously occupied by the 4th Regiment Rhode Is- land Volunteers. It left for Washington early in October. 1861, and remained in "Camp Sprague " until November 5th. when it passed into Virginia and established a camp near Fort Lyon, southwest of Alexandria, which was named " Camp Webb." It was busily occul- pied during the siege of Yorktown until the evacuation, when it joined in pursuit of the rebels, and after the battle of Williamsburg Captain Randolph, with a section of his battery and a section of Thompson's U. S. under him, was the first to enter the town the next day. It passed through the fiery ordeal of the memorable " seven days," in which the right wing of the army swung round to the James river. In the battle of Malvern Hill it lost one man killed and four men wounded. It left the Peninsula with the army of the Potomac to join General Pope, and fought bravely at Bristoe Station. August 27th, driving the enemy, and having two men killed and two
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
wounded. In the second battle of Bull Run, Captain Randolph posted his battery on the left of the Leesburg road, and delivered an effective fire. He lost two men killed and three taken prisoners. In the battle of Chantilly, September 1st, the destructive fire of the battery did much to decide the day.
At the battle of Chancellorsville, May 2d and 3d, 1863, Captain Randolph being chief of artillery, the battery was under the com- mand of Lieutenant Pardon S. Jastram, and fought with great vigor. It was subjected to a galling enfilading fire, and suffered a loss of ยท two men killed, 16 men wounded, and 24 horses killed, wounded and missing. At the battle of Gettysburg, Captain Randolph commanded the artillery brigade in General Sickles' (Third) corps. He had five batteries of his own brigade and three from the artillery reserve, in the battle, which were finely handled. Battery E was posted on the road from Gettysburg to Emmettsburg, near the Peach Orchard that formed the angle of the Federal lines. A concentrated rebel fire upon it caused a loss of 29 men killed or wounded, and 40 horses killed and disabled.
On returning to the valley of the Rappahannock, the battery was active in the various movements of the army until winter. In the advance upon the rebels November 7th, it surprised the enemy at Kelly's Ford, and drove him across the river. The loss of the bat- tery was one man killed and two wounded. In the battle of Mine Run, November 27th, the battery took an efficient part, and had two men wounded. After this action, it went into winter quarters near Brandy Station.
May 4th, 1864, the battery moved with the army to share in the successive battles fought from the Wilderness to Petersburg.
June 1st, the battery reached Cold Harbor in the afternoon, and immediately engaged the enemy, expending 583 rounds of ammuni- tion. On the 17th, it arrived before Petersburg, and the next day went into position within 300 yards of the enemy's skirmish lines. Changing to a point nearer the city, it threw solid shot into Peters- burg, being the first fired into the city. Its casualties were five men wounded and three horses killed. June 29th the battery accompanied the 6th Corps to Reams' Station to reinforce General Wilson. July Ist it was in position to command the plank road from Reams' Sta- tion; the next day it marched with the corps to Williams' Farm; thence on the 9th to City Point, and on the 13th embarked for Balti- more. It arrived in Washington July 16th, and the next day was ordered back to City Point, where it arrived on the 19th. Through the residue of the year, the battery met promptly all the duties as- signed it.
From the 29th of March until the morning of the 2d of April, 1865, the battery remained in position in "Fort Wadsworth," on the Wel- don railroad, where it had been since December 30th, 1864.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
On closing its career on the Peninsula, the battery proceeded to Washington, and June 3d set out under Captain Jacob H. Lamb for Providence. It arrived from New York on the steamer " Galatea," on Wednesday, June 7th. The returned men numbered one hundred and forty. The battery was mustered out of service June 14th. The names of the following battles in which it had borne a meritorious part were inscribed upon its colors: Yorktown, Charles City Cross Roads, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Har- bor, Petersburg.
Battery F was sent to Washington early in November, 1861, and quartered at "Camp Sprague." After a few weeks it proceeded to "Camp California," near Alexandria, Va., and thence to Annapolis, Md., where it joined the North Carolina expedition under General Burnside.
October 10th, the battery marched on an expedition to Elizabeth City, N. C., and returned to Newbern on the 16th without engage- ment, marching 425 miles. It was now called from the field of its first experience to mingle in struggles with succession on the Penin- sula. On the 3d of November it marched by the way of Dismal Swamp tow path to Deep Creek, Va., a distance of 41 miles, skirmish- ing with the enemy for about ten miles. On the 4th it marched to Portsmouth, Va., and embarked for Fortress Monroe. It disem- barked there on the 5th, and arrived on the same day at Newport News. The whole distance traveled was 320 miles. December 23d it left Newport News, and proceeded on board the steamer "Con- queror " to Point Lookout, Md., where it disembarked on the 24th.
January 24th, 1864, the battery embarked on board transports and proceeded to Yorktown. It left Yorktown May 3d, proceeded to Newport News, and on the 4th embarked on board transports. Sailing up the James river, it disembarked at Bermuda Hundred, marched five miles toward Petersburg, and encamped May 6th. On the 12th of May it again left camp, and engaged the enemy on the Richmond and Petersburg Pike. In this engagement one man was killed and three men were severely wounded. On the 16th a conflict occurred at Drury's Bluff, where Captain Belger was taken prisoner, and the command devolved on Lieutenant Thomas Simpson. The entire casualties were three men killed, eight wounded, four missing, 26 horses, two guns and four limbers lost. It again left camp June 22d, took position in the trenches in front of Petersburg, and skir- mished continually with the enemy until the 27th. During this time five men were wounded, and four horses were killed. The battery remained in position in the trenches until July 8th, and on the after- noon of that day engaged the enemy, having one man slightly wounded.
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IHISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
April 3d, 1865, Lieutenant Simpson, who was taken prisoner Octo- ber 27th, 1864, rejoined the battery, which, on the morning of April 7th, broke camp and marched to Richmond, where it was stationed, and June 27th was there mustered out of service. On the 1st of July it arrived in Providence direct from Richmond, coming from New York in the steamer " Galatea."
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