Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery Part 14

The right section having expended all ammunition, filled up at once and crossed the Creek; being the first artillery on the other side of the North Anna River. We went in position, fortifying during the night.

_Tuesday, May 24._--Battle on the North Anna River. There was more or less fighting since daybreak. The enemy's artillery fired continuously on the stationary bridge leading across the North Anna. Our sharpshooters and infantry carried the bridge at ten o'clock A. M. Our battery was attached to General Birney's division to-day, and ordered to the right of the bridge to engage the enemy's battery sh.e.l.ling it. We engaged the battery for an hour without any result at all, as they were strongly fortified.

Tom Steere was shot in the leg by a sharpshooter. We were relieved by Battery K, Fourth Regulars, and returned to our first position. At four o'clock P. M. we crossed the bridge over the North Anna river, under the enemy's artillery fire. The cannoniers were told to scatter and go ahead of the battery, as horses were likely to draw the enemy's fire. We sustained no loss in this movement. Most of the infantry of the corps were in line of battle on the south side of the river. Our battery took position behind breastworks thrown up by our troops, and sheltered by a Virginia mansion, instantly. A short engagement took place before dark; but a heavy shower setting in, put an end to it.

_Wednesday, May 25._--Southside of the North Anna River. The battery was ordered to advance at eight o'clock A. M. The cannoniers were sent ahead with shovels and pick-axes, to fortify our position. Not much of any consequence was done in our front during the day, some sharpshooting excepted. The corps had three fortified lines of battle. Our battery was in the first--skirmishers in front of us. The mortar-battery was playing all the afternoon. Shower in evening.

_Thursday, May 26._--Southside of the North Anna river. The Ninth corps was considerably engaged. We held our line all day. Shower in evening. Our forces evacuated the southside of the North Anna River at ten o'clock in the night, going back to where the first line of battle was formed during the fight on the North Anna River, and rested until the next morning.

_Friday, May 27._--Flank march to the Pamunkey River. Sheridan's cavalry, the Fifth and Sixth corps ahead; the Second and Ninth corps in the rear.

Started about noon, and halted at eight o'clock, P. M., having marched fifteen miles. About eleven o'clock in the night we went three miles further and rested in a ploughed field.

_Sat.u.r.day, May 28._--Resumed marching at seven o'clock in the morning.

Crossed the Pamunkey River about four o'clock P. M., on a pontoon bridge.

General Meade's headquarters were on the southside of the river. Going a mile further, our battery went to camp, unhitched and unharnessed. The smoke of our gunboats on the Pamunkey River, was visible.

_Sunday, May 29._--Southside of the Pamunkey River. The battery was. .h.i.tched up at two o'clock in the morning. We remained until evening.

Marched off by seven o'clock, but returned soon after. We left camp again at eleven o'clock in the night, marched on the Mechanicsville road, going in park by one o'clock A. M., on

_Monday, May 30._--Within twenty miles of Richmond. The infantry was fortifying all of last night. Before daybreak, our battery was ordered to the extreme front, only one thousand yards from the enemy's works. We were set to work digging; but ordered back to the rear, until the engineers had thrown up breastworks. It was lucky for us that we could not be seen by the enemy, on account of the fog, or else but few would have escaped. At noon the battery returned, taking position behind the works. Shortly after the enemy opened, concentrating a heavy artillery fire on our battery, which was vigorously replied to by our four guns. Lieutenant Peter Hunt was the only man hurt, a piece of a sh.e.l.l fracturing his right heel.

During the afternoon a twenty-four pounder mortar battery was posted between our guns, keeping up a regular bombardment. Fighting lasted until eight o'clock in the evening. At that time, five of our batteries were playing on the enemy's works, which were considerably damaged. Our horses were sent a half mile to the rear.

_Tuesday, May 31._--The rebels evacuated their line of intrenchments during last night. We could hear the noise created by the removal of the artillery, mistaking it for the arrival of reinforcements. General Barlow's division occupied the works at ten o'clock A. M. A bra.s.s battery was put in position, keeping up a steady fire on the retiring enemy.

Considerable fighting was going on along the whole line to-day. The rebel sharpshooters were very troublesome, firing from high trees. Norris L.

Church was shot in the head at eleven o'clock A. M., and died ten minutes afterwards. We changed position about eight o'clock in the evening, going a-half mile to the right.

_Wednesday, June 1._--Heavy fighting was going on at Coal Harbor. The Sixth corps, and the Eighteenth, General Baldy Smith, being engaged with the rebels. Our battery was supported by two companies of the Twenty-eighth Ma.s.sachusetts regiment, but not engaged to-day. The Second corps commenced moving at dark, and marched all night.

_Thursday, June 2._--Battle of Coal Harbor. We arrived at Coal Harbor about ten o'clock in the morning. Fighting was still going on. The rebels had attacked the Sixth and Eighteenth corps about two o'clock in the morning, but were repulsed losing five hundred and twenty prisoners, who pa.s.sed by our battery. We were not in action to-day, but yet exposed to the enemy's artillery fire. Our horses were unhitched and unharnessed for the night.

_Friday, June 3._--Battle on Gaines' Farm. The battle began at four o'clock in the morning. Our battery took position about eight o'clock A.

M., but changed it two hours after, going nearer to the front, and engaging one of the enemy's batteries at once. The breastworks in our front were of a very weak construction. During the afternoon the enemy fired with solid shot. As soon as they struck our breastworks, they stopped. It was only to ascertain the exact range. The use of strengthening the breastworks was demonstrated to the men of the first piece, but they did not feel disposed to work. At eight o'clock in the evening, the enemy's batteries commenced a heavy cannonade on our lines.

Having gained the precise range of our battery, they fired very correct, two shots pa.s.sing clear through the breastworks, wounding five men of the first piece: W. Sweet, in the face; Gileo, slightly, in the face; Swett, in the back, badly; Coleman, in the groin; and Whitford, right arm shot off. The engagement lasted a-half an hour. We were told afterwards, that the firing of our battery caused great havoc amongst the rebels. Charles Lake was badly wounded by a sh.e.l.l, during the day. In the night, Major John G. Ha.s.sard brought orders for our battery to take an advanced position in front of Gaines' Hill, before daybreak the next morning, saying he would see to the erection of strong breastworks by the engineers.

_Sat.u.r.day, June 4._--Battle on Gaines' Farm. At the appointed time, we went to take position on Gaines' Hill, but were disagreeably surprised to find no fortifications at all. The Fourth Regiment, New York Heavy Artillery, had just began to throw up a miserable frame of rotten rails.

Besides that, these men were scared to death, and, as soon as the sharpshooters commenced to fire, could not be induced to work any longer.

We were compelled to lay down, the breastworks being so poor that we did not dare to provoke the enemy's artillery fire, and standing by the guns would have been sure death. It was clear to every one's mind that some mean, malignant villain, not worthy of wearing shoulder-straps, had got the battery in this dreadful position purposely, for our term of service expired the next day, and we had long-range guns, while short range guns were fired a quarter of a mile in our rear, the sh.e.l.ls exploding over our heads, instead of reaching the rebel works. Captain Arnold, sending word to the commanding general, informing him of our dangerous situation, engineers were set to work in our rear, throwing up strong works. After their completion, prolongs were attached to each gun, and these pulled by hand behind the works, without any loss at all. Shortly after that, Captain Dow's Maine battery fired a signal, and all our batteries opened on the long line of rebel works on Gaines' Hill, keeping up the bombardment for two hours. At eight o'clock in the evening, the enemy determined to open the fight again, provoked an artillery duel of three-quarters of an hour's duration, ending the day's contest. Patrick Murray was slightly wounded to-day.

_Sunday, June 5._--On Gaines' Hill. The enemy's sharpshooters kept up a deadly fire on our lines all day. Captain Arnold called on General Hanc.o.c.k to have our battery relieved, our time being out. Major Ha.s.sard appeared shortly afterwards, bringing orders that we were to be relieved by Captain Ames' New York battery. Just as we were getting ready to go to the rear, the enemy opened with artillery, and the _old battery_ replied once more, keeping up fire until nine o'clock in the night, fighting three hours beyond our time of service. On the appearance of Captain Ames' battery, we quietly withdrew our guns, and marched to the rear, being cheered by all the troops we pa.s.sed, as the services of the battery were well known in the Second corps, General Hanc.o.c.k saying himself, he was sorry to lose the battery, as it was the best one in the whole corps. Arriving in the rear, we joined our battery-wagon, forge and caissons.

_Monday, June 6._--On Gaines' Farm. Captain Arnold is going home with the old members of the battery. Lieutenant Gamaliel L. Dwight took command of the remnants of Battery A. A number of non-commissioned officers went to the quarters of Colonel Tompkins to obtain their warrants before going home. We changed camp in the evening, but were still exposed to the enemy's artillery fire.

_Tuesday, June 7._--On Gaines' Farm. The old members returned all articles that go by the name of camp-equipage, to the battery; the non-commissioned officers, their sabres and pistols. Some old member made the following proposition: "Our time having expired, and yet being under the enemy's fire, we should go a mile further to the rear, to sleep in the woods, as it would be no honor to get killed or wounded now." The proposition was readily accepted, and carried into effect.

_Wednesday, June 8._--Before break-of-day the old members a.s.sembled at the camp of Battery A. Captain Arnold procured a mule team to carry our baggage, and off we went at seven o'clock A. M. Never marched men with a better will, the fifteen miles to White House Landing, where we arrived by two o'clock P. M. Fortune smiled on us once more. We were put on board the propeller New Jersey at four o'clock, steaming down the Pamunkey, and dropping anchor opposite West Point about nine o'clock P. M.

_Thursday, June 9._--On board the New Jersey. The journey resumed at four o'clock in the morning. Steamed down the York River, past Yorktown, Gloucester Point, up the Chesapeake Bay, dropping anchor twenty miles from Aquia Creek.

_Friday, June 10._--On board the New Jersey. Steamed up the Potomac early in the morning. Most of the men were below deck to clean up and put their new clothes on, reserved for this occasion by most of the old members, when we laid in winter-quarters near Brandy Station. Our captain, and the crew of the propeller, were quite astonished, seeing us come up in new uniforms. At three o'clock P. M., the propeller stopped at the Was.h.i.+ngton Navy Yard, landing eighty condemned horses. We left the vessel about four o'clock, at the foot of Sixth street, proceeding to the Soldier's Home, and remained at the barracks over night.

_Sat.u.r.day, June 11._--Was.h.i.+ngton. We left at eleven o'clock A. M., in the express train. Came through Baltimore and Philadelphia, arriving in New York City by eleven o'clock in the night. We took up our quarters at the Park Barracks.

_Sunday, June 12._--New York City. We were at liberty to go wherever we pleased, until five o'clock P. M., leaving in the train for Rhode Island.

Arrived at Stonington by twelve o'clock P. M. Owing to some accident, we had to stay there all night.

_Monday, June 13._--We left Stonington at daybreak, arriving in Providence at six o'clock in the morning. It is unnecessary to give a description of our reception in this book. I believe it is well remembered by the inhabitants of Providence, and the old members of Battery A.

_On Sat.u.r.day, the 18th of June_, we were mustered out of the United States service, in Railroad Hall.

_On Monday, the 20th of June_, we attended the funeral of our lieutenant, Peter Hunt, who died from the effects of his wounds.