USA > Rhode Island > Rhode Island : three centuries of democracy, Vol. II > Part 6
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Battery E-Left Rhode Island, October 5, 1861. After passing the winter of 1861-1862 in Virginia, Battery E moved to the Peninsula, and was engaged at Yorktown and Williams- burg, and in the "seven days" battles before Richmond. Joining Pope's army, the battery fought at Kettle Run, Second Bull Run, and Chantilly. With the Third Corps it was assigned to the defences of Washington to recuperate, remaining there until after Antietam. Two men were killed and two wounded at Fredericksburg, and two were killed and thirteen wounded at Chancellorsville, where the battery was subjected to a galling enfilading fire. Five members of the battery, William Torpy, John McAleer, Martin Harvey, Albert N. Colwell and Rich- ard Russell, were awarded the Kearney Cross "in recognition of meritorious services" in the battle of Chancellorsville. Captain Randolph of Battery E commanded the artillery brigade of the Third Army Corps, General Sickles, at Gettysburg. Battery E was posted on the Emmittsburg Road, near the Peach Orchard, which formed the angle of the union line; five men were killed or mortally wounded and twenty-five others were wounded. After various services, in which it was nowhere engaged in battle, Battery E surprised the enemy at Kel- ley's Ford, November 7, and drove him across the river. The battery shelled the Con- federates on the other side, silencing an enemy battery. The quiet of the winter camp at Brandy Station was interrupted by the battles of Payne's Farm and Mine Run, late in 1863, and in March, 1864, the battery moved to support Grant's drive toward Richmond, and was engaged in the fighting from the Wilderness to Petersburg. May 10, 1864, holding an impor- tant position and supported by the Second Rhode Island Infantry, it opened a vigorous fire. A Confederate battery enfiladed the right flank, but was driven off by Battery E. Battery E was credited with firing the first shot into Petersburg. After various services at important points, the battery was in position at the explosion of Burnside's mine at Petersburg. With the expiration of enlistments of three-year men, the battery was reinforced by detachments from Battery A, New Jersey. The battery was mustered out, June 14, 1865. The battery flag carries the names of Yorktown, Glendale, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg.
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Battery F-Left Rhode Island in two detachments late in October, 1861. Battery F joined Burnside's expedition to North Carolina, and served at various positions, including patrol duty as cavalry near Newbern and Beaufort. It was engaged with the enemy at Little Creek, Rawle's Mills, Whitehall Ferry, and Goldsboro. Battery F accompanied several expeditions moving from Newbern, making long marches. When recalled to Virginia, again its work was reconnoissances, involving rapid marches. The battery was in action at Drury's Bluff, where Captain Belger was taken prisoner, two men were killed, and ten wounded. Two guns and four limbers were lost. Battery F served in the trenches before Petersburg, and was engaged at Chapin's Farm. When the three-year men were relieved, the battery was filled temporarily by detachments from the Fifth Maryland Infantry. Battery F was mustered out, June 27, 1865, at Providence. Although engaged in few battles, Battery F was continually in active service, holding positions or engaged in reconnoissances or other expeditions. Its activities were not spectacular; it rendered loyal and persevering service wherever it was assigned to duty.
Battery G ---- Left Rhode Island in two detachments in December, 1861. After spending the winter of 1861-1862 in Maryland and Virginia, Battery G joined McClellan's advance by way of the Peninsula. It was engaged at Yorktown, Fair Oaks, and Malvern Hill. Battery G fought with great bravery at Antietam, and in November was at Falmouth, opposite Fred- ericksburg. At Fredericksburg, Battery G joined in the assault on December 13, its first posi- tion being at the extreme right of the artillery line. It drove off a Confederate battery sent
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to dislodge it, and crossed the Rappahannock to a position near the Gordon House. The winter of 1862-1863 was passed at Falmouth. At the battle of Marye's Heights, Battery G was sent to silence a Confederate battery, and was successful, although, while exposed to an enfilading fire, it lost twenty-four men, killed and wounded. At General Sedgwick's request, after Fredericksburg, Battery G was assigned to the Sixth Army Corps. It reached Gettys- burg, July 2, after a forced march of thirty-seven miles, and was held in reserve on July 3 and 4. Late in 1863 it participated in the Mine Run expedition, and wintered at Brandy Station. In May, 1864, Battery G joined in the Wilderness campaign, and later was in action at Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor. Withdrawn for the defence of Washington against Early, it joined the pursuit when Early retreated, overtaking the enemy rearguard at Poolesville. Battery G covered the union crossing of the Shenandoah near Snicker's Gap, and was engaged in an artillery duel with a Confederate battery brought up in an attempt to silence Battery G. The battery was engaged at Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, where six men were killed and twenty-one were wounded. In the morning two guns and two caissons were lost ; they were recovered in the afternoon after Sheridan's ride from Winchester. After camping at Winchester and Camp Barry, where Battery G obtained a new outfit of guns, departure was taken for Petersburg. Captain Adams and seventeen men from Battery G undertook at Petersburg to scale the enemy's defences, get possession of their guns, and turn them upon the Confederates, or spike and render them useless. The assault, April 2, was successful, and was accomplished without loss of life. For this valuable service the War Department awarded bronze medals to Sergeants Haveron and Malone, Corporals Barber and Lewis, Privates Ennis, Potter and Corcoran; Captain Adams was breveted Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel. Battery G was engaged at Sailor's Creek. It was mustered out, June 24, 1865. Its colors bear the names of Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Marye's Heights, Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Har- bor, Petersburg, Opequan, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek.
Battery H-Although recruiting of this battery was begun in 1861, it did not leave Rhode Island until October 23, 1862. Meanwhile four times its complement had been enlisted, the excess being sent forward from time to time to fill batteries at the front. The battery was assigned from position to position, and to the defences of Washington. It was close to many battlefields, but not engaged until the assault on the Confederate works at Petersburg, April 2, 1865. It silenced a Confederate battery, but was enfiladed by another battery beyond range of its guns, losing four men killed and six wounded. General Wheaton reported: "During our advance toward Petersburg, Captain Crawford Allen, Jr.'s Battery H of the First Rhode Island Artillery was admirably handled, and his losses were severe. His guns were always in front, frequently in advance of the skirmishers, and as our lines moved forward, he invari- ably forced the enemy's batteries to retire, and followed them closely. Earlier in the day, when the assault commenced Captain Allen very handsomely compelled a section of the enemy's artillery to retire. If these guns, occupying one of the entrenched works and thor- oughly enfilading our lines, had not been silenced, they might have materially retarded our advance." Battery H was engaged at Sailor's Run, at Sailor's Creek, and at Farmsville. Captain Allen was breveted Major "for gallant and meritorious services before Petersburg," and subsequently was breveted as Lieutenant Colonel. First Lieutenant Knight and Second Lieutenant Horton were brevetted for promotion. The battery returned to Rhode Island, June 16, 1865.
OTHER RECORDS-With the brief summaries in preceding paragraphs of activities of Rhode Island units of the Union armies should be mentioned those of nearly 1000* Rhode
*War Department records show 992 names clearly identified.
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Island men who enlisted in the United States regular army, particularly with the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Regiments of Infantry; and of more than 2800} Rhode Islanders who, true to the tradition of Rhode Island glory in earlier wars, betook themselves to the navy and served in the far-flung blockade and elsewhere as duty called them. As individuals their achieve- ments are identified with the units in army or navy to which they were assigned. Seven Rhode Island officers attained the rank of Major General during the war, as follows: Richard Arnold, famous artillery officer, for gallant and meritorious service (1) at Savage Station, (2) at Port Hudson, (3) at Fort Morgan, (4) during the war, and (5) in the field during the war; Ambrose E. Burnside, who commanded the North Carolina expedition, the Army of the Potomac, and the Ninth Army Corps, and who cleared East Tennessee of Confederates; Silas Casey, cited for gallant and meritorious service (I) at Fair Oaks, and (2) during the war; George Sears Greene, who fought gallantly at Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Gettys- burg, and who was cited for gallant and meritorious conduct during the war; Thomas W. Sherman, who commanded a division at Bull Run and another at Port Hudson, and who led the South Carolina expedition to Port Royal, cited for services at Port Hudson and during the war; David H. Vinton, cited for gallant and meritorious services during the war; Frank Wheaton, cited for gallant and meritorious services (I) at Wilderness, (2) at Cedar Creek, (3) at Opequan, Fisher's Hill and Middletown, (4) at Petersburg, and (5) in the field during the war. Burnside and Sherman, through successful coastwise expeditions, obtained for the union effective control of most important approaches to the coast and of bases for conducting effective operations for "surrounding" and invading the Confederacy. Silas Casey entrenched his position on the Peninsula, and saved McClellan's army from disaster at Fair Oaks or Seven Pines, when the Confederates attacked in force while the Chickahominy River divided the union forces. Casey held on stoutly against tremendous odds until reinforcements reached him, losing one-third of his own command in the heat of the battle, but maintaining his posi- tion under circumstances in which retreat or surrender must have terminated the second campaign as unfortunately for the union arms as Bull Run had the first. George Sears Greene saved Meade's army at Gettysburg on the second day of the battle by holding Culp's Hill against a determined onslaught by Confederates who had observed the withdrawal of a large part of the force assigned to this position. Culp's Hill marked the extreme right of the union line on July 2; the capture by the Confederates would have placed them in a strong posi- tion on the flank with control of the rear of the union army and also of the road to Baltimore. Regiments in Greene's command erected breastworks of heavy timber at Culp's Hill. Greene's brigade was weakened by withdrawals to strengthen other positions, no attack from the Con- federate left being anticipated. Greene held on stubbornly, beating back repeated charges, until reinforcements reached him, and then by counter-attack drove back the Confederate thrust. Greene's service passed unmentioned in Meade's early report of the battle; later Meade acknowledged an omission and praised the gallantry of General Greene and his com- mand .¿ Fourteen Rhode Island officers attained the rank of Brigadier General, as follows : William Ames, Joseph P. Balch, Charles R. Brayton, Alfred N. Duffie, William Goddard, Nathan Goff, Jr., John G. Hazard, Lewis Richmond, Isaac P. Rodman, Horatio Rogers, Jr., James Shaw, Jr., William Sprague, John L. Thompson, and Charles H. Tompkins.
Besides others officers, commissioned and non-commissioned, and enlisted men who ren- dered gallant service and earned promotion or recognition of gallantry, one Rhode Island woman went to the war -- the wife of Sergeant R. S. Brownell of the First Rhode Island Detached Militia and later of the Third Rhode Island Heavy Artillery. Mrs. Brownell was on the battlefields of Bull Run, Roanoke Island and Newbern, at the last of which her hus-
tNavy Department records show 2830 names clearly identified.
#Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol. III.
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band was severely wounded. She was adopted as "child of the regiment" by the First Rhode Island. At Newbern she was on the field throughout the engagement, attending to wounded men and giving encouragement to the soldiers. Seizing a flag when the color sergeant fell, she carried it across the field, herself receiving a flesh wound. Rhode Islanders played a glorious part in the attack on and capture of Fort Fisher, guarding the approach to Wilming- ton. The General Assembly passed resolutions of thanks and commended "certain officers from this state in the army and navy of the United States," mentioning: Lieutenant Com- mander Kidder Randolph Breese, who commanded the naval corps landed for the attack on Fort Fisher; Lieutenant Commander Francis Barron Blake, who commanded a division ; Lieutenant John R. Bartlett, Jr., who commanded a company of seamen, "by whose daring assault the attention of the rebel force was concentrated against them, thereby weakening other positions of the defence"; Captain Albert Gallatin Lawrence of the United States Army, "who, foremost among the brave, gallantly fell wounded, while in the act of planting his country's flag upon the ramparts of Fort Fisher."
Other Rhode Island officers received recognition in 1867 in resolutions which declared : "It is the duty of a state to cherish the memory of those of her sons who have done good service in her behalf; and the interests of the different states of the union are so closely interwoven that he who serves one of them serves them all; and several officers, natives of Rhode Island who were admitted as such to the national military academy, were led by the exigencies of the service to take commands in regiments from other states, and in these com- mands distinguished themselves on various occasions in such a manner as to reflect honor upon the state of their birth," and named: Major General George Sears Greene of Apponaug "for his prompt recognition of the claims of his country at the breaking out of the war of the rebellion, and his gallant and good service at the battles of Winchester, Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg; for his brilliant repulse of an overwhelming force in the night attack of the rebels upon the bivouac at Wauhatchie"; his son, Lieutenant Samuel Dana Greene of the United States Navy, "for the resolution, gallantry and skill with which, after his commander had been disabled, he continued and brought to a successful ter- mination the memorable fight between the 'Monitor' and the 'Merrimac'"; Major General Silas Casey of East Greenwich "for having by his bravery, skill and energy at the battle of Fair Oaks averted a great disaster from the Army of the Peninsula, and his valuable services in the less brilliant but equally difficult task of organizing and preparing recruits for active service and examining and selecting officers for the command of colored regiments"; Major General Richard Arnold of Providence, "distinguished through the war for his skill in the handling of artillery and brevetted Major General for gallant and meritorious service at Port Hudson and Fort Morgan"; and Commodore William R. Taylor of Newport "for gallant and distinguished service in the navy of the United States, beginning in the war of Mexico and continued throughout the war of the rebellion."
Certainly Rhode Island might feel, at the end of the war, that her sons had lived and died true to ancient traditions of courage and loyalty ; Governor Smith, in his annual message to the General Assembly in 1866, said :
Rhode Island has had a record of loyalty during this strife of which all, even the humblest citizen, may well feel proud. She has kept her faith and honor with her sister states and with the general government. Her sons have bravely borne the honor of the state upon nearly every battlefield, and have brought it untarnished from the bloodiest scenes of strife. Our gallant dead have their graves in nearly every southern state, but their record as living soldiers or dead patriots is our glory. These torn and faded battleflags which adorn this hall are not displayed simply for its decoration, but they are the emblems of the heroism of our state, and every rent and sacred shred has a voice to us before whose eloquence words become dumb, and the language of the tongue loses its force. They have been borne on the most sanguinary fields by stout Rhode
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Island hands and defended with stouter Rhode Island hearts. Every one of these has been brought back to us for preservation, that our children may look upon and remember through what peril the liberty which they will enjoy was defended and secured. Thus shall our posterity do justice to the memory of our soldiers and reverence the fame of our gallant state.
POST BELLUM RECONSTRUCTION -- With the close of the war Rhode Island urged action to assure realization of the fruits of victory by determining finally the issues that had pro- duced a divided country ; the Assembly, at the May session, 1865, adopted resolutions, thus :
Whereas, the government of the United States has reestablished its authority in the states which were recently in rebellion against it; and some of said states are already proceeding to organize state governments with a view to reinstatement in the union; and, in a matter so vitally concerning the welfare of the whole union, it is important that the opinion of that portion of the people who have always continued faithful to the cause of the union should be authoritatively declared, in order that it may have its proper weight and influ- ence ; it is, therefore, resolved, that it is the sense of the General Assembly and people of this state that in the reconstruction of the governments of the states lately in rebellion against the government and authority of the United States, the moral power and legal authority vested in the federal government should be executed to secure equal rights, without respect to color, to all citizens residing in those states, including herein the right of the elective franchise.
At the January session following, the Assembly put into practice its own belief in "equal rights" by enacting a statute forbidding discrimination because of color in the public schools of Rhode Island, declaring that "no person shall be excluded from any public school by reason of race or color," thus purposing to close the separate schools for colored children maintained in Bristol, Newport and Providence, and to open to colored children the high school in Prov- idence, which had been established "for white children" only.
Rhode Island ratified the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, February 12, 1867. The amendment (1) defined United States citizenship and state citizenship; (2) forbade abridgment of the privileges and immunities of citizenship; (3) guaranteed due process of law and equal protection of law; (4) apportioned representation on population without the old correction for "all other persons"; (5) excluded certain per- sons engaged in insurrection from holding public office; (6) guaranteed payment of the pub- lic debt ; and (7) forbade United States or state assumption of the Confederate debt. Rhode Island ratified the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, January 18, 1870; the amend- ment forbids denial or abridgment of the right to vote on account of "race, color or previous condition of servitude."
To promote the reorganization of state banks as national banks, in pursuance of Secre- tary Salmon P. Chase's plans, (I) to refund part of the national debts by issuing bonds for the sale of which the new banks would furnish a market; and (2) to provide a new national bank currency secured by government bonds and guaranteed by the federal government, the General Assembly, in 1865, established a bank commission and set up the legal machinery for adjusting, accounting, retiring of state bank currency and transfers of banks to the new system. Later provision was made for liquidation of state banks which did not choose to enter the national system, and which found a general banking business unprofitable when stripped of the privilege of issuing circulating notes; the federal tax on state bank issues was practically prohibitive.
POLITICAL QUARRELS- Unfortunately, perhaps, in view of a record which otherwise tends to reveal only splendid cooperation of public officers and citizens in the enterprise of sustaining and supporting the common cause, bitterly partisan political quarrels disturbed the administration of Governor James Y. Smith, in consequence of which there were attacks and reprisals and a series of investigations. In the end it appeared that, while there had been
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errors of judgment due in large part to irritability arising from distracting situations, no public officer had been guilty of conduct that merited censure. The accusations and investigations involved three state officers, Governor, Adjutant General and Quartermaster General.
(I) Because of the large amounts of money placed at his disposal by the General Assembly for use at discretion in his very earnest effort to avoid a draft in Rhode Island, and because the Governor did not hesitate to spend the money for bounties and hand money and other expenses in obtaining recruits to fill the levies ordered by the President, Governor Smith did not escape criticism and accusation of misappropriation. There is no doubt now, as there was no doubt then, that the bounty system lent itself to fraudulent practices by men who enlisted with the purpose of deserting as soon as the bounty was paid, and by other men who sought hand money and a share in the bounties as their wages for obtaining recruits whom they later helped to desert. The Governor was an honest man. A legislative committee of investigation reported that they did not "believe that he has intentionally done anything wrong in the recruiting business, or that he has directly or indirectly profited therefrom." The Governor retained the confidence of the people, who reelected him with a majority in every precinct. After opposing him politically the "Providence Journal," in an obituary notice, said: "Governor Smith did not altogether escape the shafts of partisan censure and attack, but the sober judgment of the people in reviewing his administration will accord to him an honest and sincere desire to uphold the honor and patriotism of the state." He had, indeed, endeavored to sustain, in a period in which the early flush of enthusiasm for the war had waned, in face of the grim seriousness of tremendous reverses, the proud reputation which had been established for Rhode Island during the administration of Governor Sprague; and success had rewarded his efforts. Rhode Island's war record is consistent for prompt response to country's call from Sumter to Appomattox.
(2) Governor Smith, on September 22, 1865, requested Brigadier General Edward C. Mauran, Adjutant General, to resign, and on the Adjutant General's refusal to resign revoked his commission. The Adjutant General was elected by the General Assembly; the Governor as Commander-in-Chief under the Constitution, was his superior officer. The statute per- mitted the Governor to remove the Adjutant General, but required the filing of charges and a court-martial. Governor Smith appointed Captain Henri Crandall as Adjutant General, and on September 26 ordered the technical "arrest" of General Mauran for "disobedience" in " refusing to deliver a certain document to his successor. General Mauran demanded a court- martial and a copy of charges against him as a statutory right; his demand was ignored. Fifteen days later counsel for General Mauran requested the Governor to inform them whether or not he intended "to cause charges to be preferred and to order a court-martial to be convened for the trial of General Mauran thereon, and if so, within what time." The Governor's answer, that he would give the communication "proper attention," was construed as a refusal, in view of military usage, which, in the absence of other rule, allows ten days for filing charges. General Mauran, through counsel, applied to the Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus to compel the Governor to perform what was alleged to be his official duty. The Supreme Court* refused to issue the writ. (a) on the general ground that the executive and judicial departments are independent of each other, and that the court, unless the Consti- tution expressly makes provision, has no jurisdiction to control the executive; and (b) on the specific grounds that the Governor had not actually refused to order a court-martial and that the statute did not indicate clearly the time within which a court-martial must be convened. The state reimbursed the Governor for expenditures incurred in defence of the petition for mandamus. Governor Smith later filed charges against General Mauran, alleging (a) neglect and violation of duty (i) in issuing certificates that certain recruits had been "credited to the
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