USA > Wisconsin > History of the First Wisconsin Battery Light Artillery > Part 5
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While on the "pike," and just before coming to one of the series of toll gates, one of the wagons. the one carrying head- quarters equipage and officers' baggage, was overturned, owing to the roughness of the road caused by "gully washing" show- ers which were then prevalent.
As previously stated we were not permitted to molest or dis- turb any property belonging to the people along the route. and all men who were guilty of such conduct were punished-if detected in the act. One day Lieutenant Webster was in-
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structed to arrest N. D. Ledyard for wantonly killing a goose. The order was obeyed and he reported to the commanding officer, which report was read for the information and warning of the rest of the company that N. D. Ledyard had been ar- rested and punished for "shooting a goose." This raised a laugh in the ranks, which was excusable when it was learned that Ledyard had killed the goose with his saber. For a long time "Webster's shooting geese with a saber" was a standing joke in the Battery.
For three or four days' march from Lexington the country was the most beautiful to behold, the farms being well culti- vated. At nearly every house were to be seen from three to ten negroes who were yet held as slaves. They were all strong, fat and healthy looking and seemingly contented. Occasion- ally we would pass a small house, or cabin, in which lived a poor white family, and more destitution was to be found among this latter class than among the negroes. A person must have been blind who could not have readily seen that the tendency of slavery was to degrade the poor white man, and it was com- mon to hear men say: "I'd rather be a nigger in Kentucky than to be a poor white man."
As we moved south the Union sentiment was more prevalent, and many houses displayed the Union flag, while we were greeted by the waving of handkerchiefs and cheers for the Union. At Lancaster one young lady, however, showed her contempt for the Stars and Stripes by putting her thumb to her nose and executing various gyrations with the fingers.
At Crab Orchard we came to the end of the "pike," and plunged among the rocks and mud. Still, on this trail, the old Wilderness Road, the toll gates appeared at regular intervals. The roads were to be much heavier from thence to our destina- tion. Our wagons were overhauled and everything that was not considered absolutely necessary taken out and stored until they should be called for. Here our stoves, skillets, dutch ovens and lots of other surplusage for an army were left, and for all we know, or ever heard, they are there yet. But when the Battery was mustered out in 1865 they had the finest invoice of culinary utensils to be found in any country. The country was mountainous, roads primitive and badly out of repair. After crossing the Laurel River Captain Foster, to lighten the cais- sons and the wagons, ordered the cannoneers to carry their knapsacks. This was no light task. as the roads were muddy and knapsacks at that time were big and fat. The boys had not then learned the secret of condensing both size and weight. But Gunner Riffenberg-Duffie-solved the avoirdupois question without in the least affecting the dimensions of his load. By virtue of his office he was captain of the limber chest, of which fact he took advantage by emptying his knapsack and storing
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its contents in said chest. He then inflated the knapsack with cotton, slung it on his shoulders and marched determinedly forward. During a short halt of the column Duffie worked his way to the front where rode Captain Foster, Lieutenant Ander- son, Sergeant Hill and Guidon Middaugh, and backing up against the fence rested his knapsack on the top rail, wiped the perspiration from his brow and said determinedly : "I will carry this knapsack if it kills me!" At which Captain Foster highly commended him and pointed him out as a model sol- dier whose actions and efforts should be imitated by every man in the service. In this case they were, for the men were not slow in "catching on," and if there was but little cotton carried after that, it was because the cotton could not be found.
When we came to Laurel River we found it out of its banks and the bridge crossing the stream still standing, but the road across the bottom was corduroy and under water for half a mile; but we must cross, so in we plunged. Many of the larger logs had washed out of the track, and as the horses could not see where they were walking they would frequently fall in the water, endangering their own limbs as well as the lives of the drivers. It was a rough experience, but was accomplished without delay. At another time, after plowing through the mud under a pelting rain, all worn, wet, weary and discour- aged, we came to a battered and weatherworn finger board pointing "To Sublimity." Verily, 'twas but a step from the sublime to the ridiculously bad roads.
At the Kentucky River we found the 14th Kentucky Infan- try guarding the bridge and learned that General Carter was in command of all troops operating against the Gap, which was at that time held by about 2,500 rebels under General Stev- enson. Carter's command was camped from the Kentucky River to Cumberland Ford, where now stands the flourishing town of Pineville.
The people of this broken country were for the Union, and within a radius of fifteen miles from the Gap there were but four families in Tennessee and but two in Kentucky that were known rebel sympathizers. The farms were small, most of the houses were built of logs, and pigs and poultry were scarce.
The farmer himself was a tall, gothic. rawboned-looking proposition with the utmost confidence in himself. inherited from his father or grandfather, who came through the moun- tains in Daniel Boone's time.
One morning Captain Foster informed us that a short dis- tance down the road was a case of smallpox. and that we must hurry by, with no straggling. When the place was reached Dick Kimball cast an eye on the red flag waving at the peak and at two or three men lounging near the door. and unslinging his canteen. advanced on the premises, saying that he wanted
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some of that "smallpox." A few minutes later he joined us with a canteen full of excellent Bourbon. It was at one of these houses where whiskey was sold that Sergeant Myron D. Hill, as good and true a soldier as wore the blue, in a sudden pas- sion cursed and abused in threatening language Lieutenant Webster because the latter had, just before Hill arrived, forbid- den the man from selling any liquor to the soldiers. This being reported to Captain Foster, he at once reduced Hill to the ranks, where he remained during the balance of his service. But he never forgave Webster, or if he did he never gave any indication of it.
Along here, somewhere, at tattoo roll call, Captain Foster announced that this foraging must stop; that we were in a country of Union sentiment, etc., etc. Just as he had fin- ished his exordium from a far distant roost came pealing through the night air the most vociferous squalls that ever issued from a pullet's throat. Immediately, Foster, in stento- rian tones, commanded, "Front face! Orderly, call the roll !" muttering through his beard condign punishment to the ab- sentees. Lieutenant Anderson growled: "Do you suppose a member of your battery would ever let a fowl squall like that?" Foster saw the point and dismissed us.
On the 25th of April we arrived at Flat Lick, where we re- mained a day or two in the mud, when we proceeded to Cum- berland Ford and crossing the river camped in an open field that night, it being the first night we had really bivouacked during our military experience.
While at the Lick Sam Pound was sick. Lieutenant Web- ster called to see and cheer him up. Upon leaving his tent Web- ster asked. "Is there anything you want?" To which Sam re- sponded, "I wish I had a goose."
It was near sundown when we got to the river. Our instruc- tions were to cross that night. The river was too deep and rocky to ford, so the only alternative was to cross on a small scow ferryboat, which would carry but one wagon and team or one gun at a load. We found the boat in charge of a squad of Tennessee soldiers commanded by a Sergeant. They had been at work all day, had had no dinner, and were tired and hungry, and said they must have something to eat and a little rest be- fore they could ferry us over. As Lieutenant Anderson. who was the officer in command of the Battery, was unacquainted with the boating business and knowing that Lieutenant Web- ster had had experience in river navigation, he placed the mat- ter of crossing the ferry in charge of the latter. Webster prof- fered his services with an "awkward squad" to help manage the boat. But Tennessee thought awkward men worse than noth- ing. It was finally arranged that the Sergeant should com- mand and direct while we did the work. The first load was
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run across in true Tennessee style, which was, as soon as the load was on the boat, to let the stern drop down the stream while the bow was brought up to and parallel with the rope stretched from bank to bank. The boat was then pulled slowly and carefully across the stream sidewise until it reached the opposite shore, when, by the aid of setting poles and the rope, the stern was brought so the bow of the boat was parallel with the landing. It was then fastened to a stake until the team was driven off. Webster suggested that we run the boat straight across, bow foremost, but Tennessee said it would not do; that we would sink the boat, etc. But the Lieutenant went quietly to his own men, among whom were many river men and loggers, and told them that when he gave the word, to "shoot her across." When the second load was ready to start and while the Sergeant was still on shore, and before he had time to ob- serve what was going on, the word was given, and away the boat sped for the other shore as straight as an arrow flies, and as soon as it struck the bank several men were ashore with a line to hold it while the team was driven off. As we started Tennessee danced around and shouted, "Let the end swing down; you will sink the boat !" But the boat did not sink nor did the end drop down, but we were back and loaded again in less than one-third the time it had taken him to make one trip. We were all safely across by 10 o'clock. but the Tennesseean's astonishment at the way "them Yanks" handled that boat lasts until the present. But one accident occurred, and that did not delay operations to amount to anything. One of the wheel horses in getting on to the boat ran his hind foot between and under the end of the boat and the bank, and when the lead horses straightened their traces for a pull broke the leg square off just below the gambril joint. He was at once killed and his body thrown into the river to feed the "trout."
In the morning the Battery was moved a short distance from the river and camped in the edge of an orchard near a large two-story brick residence. the owner of which had gone South for his health, but the wife held the fort, was a secesh sympa- thizer, an admirer of John H. Morgan, and was agitating the scheme of a flag to be made and presented by the ladies of Ken- tucky. We afterwards met her at Perkins Plantation. Foster took possession of a ground floor room as headquarters and Lieutenant Cameron and Carl Cameron. with the first case of diphtheria. were allowed sleeping space therein. The orchard was partially of mulberry trees, red and black, something most of us had never before seen. When the berries ripened we climbed the trees and partook of the fruit. Oh ! didn't some of us have the colic. For an hour we feared we'd die, and then feared we wouldn't.
The 9th Ohio, a four-gun battery, commanded by Captain
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Wetmore, and which had been through the campaigns of the previous season, and had wintered in the mountains, was camp- ed at the "Ford." Captain Wetmore was a young man of con- siderable energy in a certain direction-but it was not toward good discipline or providing for his men or horses. His Bat- tery was in a sorry condition, horses poor in flesh and men poorly clothed and equipped. The Captain had been a cadet at West Point, but for some sufficient cause had been expelled, suspended or permitted to resign, and as a little military knowledge went a long way at that time found no trouble in getting a commission from the Governor of Ohio to recruit a battery of light artillery. There were, also, several regi- ments of loval East Tennesseeans, one of which was com- manded by Bob Johnson, son of Andy Johnson, and in which regiment Jim Brownlow, son of Parson Brownlow, was a Cap- tain.
We were now in front of the enemy and constantly looking for a skirmish with him. Battery drill was resumed and prose- cuted with vigor. Captain Foster, though Chief of Artillery, and the Battery nominally in command of Lieutenant Ander- son, gave personal attention to the same. In the maneuver of the Battery it was not strange that an occasional accident would result in the dismounting of a driver, but to have a com- missioned officer placed hors de combat was a rarity. One morning Lieutenant Webster had forgotten his spurs and, com- ing to a shallow ditch with mud and water in it, thinking to make his horse jump it, as he had done the day before, rode for it on the gallop, and as he neared the bank prepared himself for the leap and pressed his heels to the horse's flank to en- courage him in the effort. But just when Old Fox, the horse, should have raised and gone over the ditch, feeling the heels and no spurs, he stopped dead still, while the Lieutenant went over his head and landed in the ditch. Fox stood his ground and fairly laughed at the spectacle. The Lieutenant returned to his quarters, scraped off the thickest of the mud and put on his spurs, after which ] Fox was the surest horse on the ground and would rather jump the aforesaid ditch than not. The horse was rightly named, for he was cunning to a degree seldom found in that animal. He at one time got Jerry, the colored servant. in his manger and would not let him get out. If Jerry attempted it Fox would go for him with ears back and mouth wide open, or turn his heels and kick at him. So long as Jerry would remain quiet Fox would eat as good natur- edly and socially as if all were on the best of terms.
We had been camped in the orchard but a few days, when, one night, after all was dark and quiet in camp, a horseman was heard approaching at a rapid pace. There had been rain the day before and the road was quite sloppy, and by the time the
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horse and rider had reached headquarters he was covered with mud. Presently the long roll was beaten by the drummers and boots and saddles blown by the buglers. There was then "hur- rying in hot haste." It was our "first scare," and there is no doubt that we did the occasion full justice.
It will always remain a mystery, however, how inanimate objects could so change their location as to be out of reach when wanted. Articles of clothing were wild and frisky and had to be chased all around the quarters before they could be captured. The harness was badly mixed and sule arms had "gone off"-nobody knew where.
Winfield Scott, who drove a six-mule team, had five of the animals harnessed and was charging through camp on the sixth yelling, "Where in h-1 is my other mule?" Mike Trafts is said to have pulled a camp-kettle on for a boot, and never found his mistake until he tried to put his foot in the stirrup to mount his wheel mule. It was not long, however. before the battery was out and in position commanding the road along the left bank of the Cumberland River, over which the enemy was expected. The night wore away and no enemy came. The alarm resulted in the withdrawal of the Battery to the opposite side of the river, where a new camp was established, and tem- porary fortifications erected. The new camp was at the foot of a high hill, and to determine by a practical demonstration if a gun would shoot farther from an elevation than from the level one of the guns was run up the hill by hand. It was a task to get it there, too; but when did Captain Foster ever abandon an undertaking or a movement of the Battery because of any dif- ficulty attending the same? And when did the Battery ever fail to accomplish whatever he ordered? The gun was to remain there some time, and of course must have a guard over it at night as well as during the day. One night John Heck- man and Edson J. Harris were stationed as guards over said gun. Becoming satisfied that the matter of range had been fully demonstrated, they, by the aid of the prolonge and lock chain. ran the gun down the hill and returned it to its proper place in the park before morning. The men now began to real- ize something what military discipline was. One man, I now forget his name, for using threatening language toward one of the commissioned officers was court-martialed and sentenced to six days' solitary confinement on bread and water and 20 days extra duty. Another for refusing to obey the orders of his Sergeant and "talking back" was given 40 days' continuous guard duty and forfeited one month's pay.
A favorite punishment for breach of discipline at this time was assigning the culprit to extra guard duty. Gillet was gone all night. This in the face of the enemy was an enormity. The next night at roll call six reliefs, to stand one hour each.
WM. J. DAVIDSON.
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were detailed. The Orderly read the detail about thus: First relief, Gillet, Bunn, Bradfield; second relief, Gillet, Boyce, Brown; third relief, Gillet, Clark, Calkins, etc. At the call of the second relief Gillet cocked up his ear. At the third he stepped forward to see where all these Gillets answered from. At the fifth he realized that he was on for an all-night's trip.
One day the Battery was ordered out for foot drill. Many of the men were sick, but the autonomy of the sections, pla- toons, etc., was maintained as nearly as possible. Sergeant Blake being on the sick list, the command of his platoon de- volved upon Corporal McKeith. When the company assem- bled Billy found but one man of his command present for duty, but Billy had him fall in while he maneuvered him as if the whole sixteen men had been present. He marched him by platoon, by twos, by right flank and left flank, and wheeled him into line as occasion called for. It is not known what Billy would have done if it had been necessary to march in open order or to form a hollow square. It is safe to presume, how- ever, that he would have complied with the order in a satisfac- tory manner.
The telegraph was completed to the Ford soon after the army arrived there, so we were kept posted as to the general move- ments of our armies in the field. It was a novelty to the na- tives. They could not understand how "them wires" could carry letters. One old lady told Billy McKeith that "Lots of news went over the wires last night; I heered it."
Properly supported by infantry, the Battery went on a three days' expedition up Clear Creek. Cralls was a prisoner, Rath- bun was a guard at the time the Battery left camp. After standing three or four hours, and not being relieved, and learn- ing the Battery had gone, he took charge of the camp, made the prisoner officer of the day, and had things their own way until Captain Foster returned, who sent for Rathbun and wanted to know why the prisoner was at liberty? Cap. stood with one eye shut and Rathbun explained the matter, the impossibility of remaining at his post so long. Cap. said he would excuse him this time, but he must not let it occur again, as when on guard he must remain at his post until relieved-or during the war.
General Morgan, who had arrived at the Ford, April 11. 1862, and who had taken command of the forces, Seventh Di- vision. Army or the Ohio, already there and to arrive, set himself earnestly at work to organize his force for the purpose of taking Cumberland Gap from the enemy, thereby open- ing up communication with Knoxville and East Tennessee. The 42d Ohio Regiment and the 7th Michigan Battery of Light Artillery, composed of six guns, arriving, the army was organized in brigades, etc., for more effective discipline. As
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the three batteries then in his command were armed with light guns he organized a provisional battery consisting of two 20-pounder and two 30-pounder Parrott rifles and SO men. This was manned by men detailed from the several infantry regiments, and officered by men taken from the 1st Wisconsin Battery. Lieutenant Dan Webster was given the command and L. A. Paddock and C. E. Middaugh Acting Lieutenants, with R. Richards and E. N. Trowbridge as Sergeants and B. E. Hall Quartermaster Sergeant. Captain Foster was ap- pointed Chief of Artillery. Of this officer General Morgan afterwards wrote: "Too much praise cannot be awarded Captain Foster, Chief of Artillery. As an artillerist of energy and skill he will not compare unfavorably with any in the ser- vice. The corps under his command is also deserving of the highest commendation."
Upon the first appearance of the siege battery, commanded by Lieutenant Webster, owing to its composition being largely of men only drilled in the infantry tactics. it appeared some- what awkward in its movements. Captain Wetmore, of the 9th Ohio Battery, thinking to raise a laugh at the expense of the new company, called it the "Hog-Eve Battery." Which name not only "stuck to it," but was made respectable by the effi- ciency of its members and by the work accomplished by them.
As Captain Foster was Chief of Artillery. Lieutenant Cam- eron absent, sick, and Lieutenant Webster on detached service in an independent command, it left the Battery in command of Lieutenant Anderson, assisted by Lieutenant Kimball. In many respects it was unfortunate that those two officers should not have agreed better as to the respective duties of each. At one time Anderson had Kimball under arrest for refusing to act as officer of the day, and the latter threatened to prefer charges against the former. It is to the credit of the members of the Battery, however, to record the fact that those things never demoralized them, affected their discipline or efficiency. They could always be relied upon to perform their duty in an acceptable manner, however remiss the commissioned officers may have been in their conduct or behavior. Upon the death of Lieutenant Cameron, First Sergeant O. F. Nutting was com- missioned a Lieutenant, which promotion was eminently pop- ular with the members of the Battery.
While the drilling of the artillery was under the direct com- mand of each company commander, Captain Foster gave it a close supervision. Captain Wetmore was detailed to give in- structions in the saber exercise.
The siege battery, owing to the weight of its guns, did but little drilling in battery maneuver with horses. but confined itself to the manual of the piece, foot drill, etc.
About the 20th of May a movement was made for an attack
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on the Gap. For this purpose there was a general reorganiza- tion of the artillery force. Wetmore's Battery was in poor con- dition so far as concerned horses and equipments, but the men had seen considerable service and were considered "veterans." Lamphere's Michigan Battery was splendidly equipped with guns and horses, but it was a new organization; its men had never seen service in the field. The siege battery had good horses and equipments, but its 30-pounder Parrott guns were to? heavy for the expedition. It was, therefore, ordered that Cap- tain Lamphere turn his battery, horses and guns complete over to Captain Wetmore and his men, and that Captain Wetmore transfer his worn-out horses, guns and equipments to Captain Lamphere; also that Lieutenant Webster transfer his two 30- pounder Parrotts, etc., to Lamphere, while himself and the two 20-pounder Parrotts were attached to the 1st Wisconsin Bat- tery. Lamphere and his men were to remain at the Ford while the other batteries were to join the expedition. On the 21st of May the little army crossed the river for an advance on the Gap, and marched some seven or eight miles, when, learning something concerning the movement or position of the enemy, we were halted for the balance of the day and remained there until the 24th, when we retraced our steps to the Moss House, about four miles from the Ford. Here we gave a general over- hauling to arms and harness preparatory to another forward movement. Horses were shod, harness mended and oiled, gun carirages and implements put in good condition, and batteries transferred to their original organizations. It had been de- termined that the garrison at the Gap was too strong to be taken by assault, and that it must be turned.
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