Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery Part 2

_Wednesday, December 18._--The right section went to Conrad's Ferry, but returned in the evening.

_Wednesday, December 25._--Christmas. Our officers presented the company with a barrel of beer.

_Thursday, December 26._--The project was started to build huts for winter-quarters. Details were made every day, to cut heavy timber, which was done for a week. But luckily, it failed completely, as it would have taken at least four months to get ready, by the plan worked on. Officers quarters had to be built first, then non-commissioned officers, and last, the poor privates. In fact, a great nuisance in the army, is the illegal using of soldiers for manual service for the benefit of commissioned officers, which is altogether contrary to army regulations. It is revolting to the mind, to see men, who perhaps never have been anything at home, make slaves of their equals, just because they happen to be in command of them, and this, they give the wrong name of discipline.

_Friday, December 27._--Arrival of Battery B, Pennsylvania artillery, coming from McCall's division, after having partic.i.p.ated in the battle of Drainesville.

_Monday, December 30._--The centre section, commanded by Lieutenant Jeffrey Ha.s.sard, relieved the section of Battery B, on picket at Conrad's Ferry. Our detachment accidentally changed its position in the battery--we were transferred to the centre section, being the fourth piece, sixth detachment. We arrived at the ferry by one o'clock P. M., and took up our quarters in a deserted n.i.g.g.e.r-shanty. Splendid view of the Potomac and Blue Ridge Mountains. At night, the camp-fires of the rebels were visible.

_Tuesday, December 31._--On picket, at Conrad's Ferry. The rebel camp plainly to be seen. Infantry and cavalry drilling outside the forts.

END OF THE YEAR 1861.

1862.

_Our Campaigns in the year 1862: The campaign to Winchester, under General Banks. The great Peninsular campaign, under General McClellan. The campaign in Maryland under the same; and Burnside's campaign on the Rappahannock, ending with the battle of Fredericksburg._

_Wednesday, January 1._--Battery in camp near Poolesville; we, the centre section, on picket at Conrad's Ferry. Our picket duty, at this place, has been a very pleasant one, being very light, except the guard duty. Firing of videttes was very frequent during the night. But never did either party disturb the other with artillery practice during our stay. Sometimes signal rockets were sent up on the Maryland side, by rebel sympathizers, which were generally answered from the Virginia sh.o.r.e. General Stone had strong block-houses, of solid oak-timber, built on the line from Muddy Branch to Conrad's Ferry, for the defence of the Maryland side, large enough to hold three hundred men each. May it be remembered, pigs had to suffer in our neighborhood. The weather, having been pleasant for weeks, became very wintry after the first of January.

_Sunday, January 5._--Battery G, Captain Owen, Rhode Island, (four twenty-pound Parrott guns and two howitzers,) arrived at Poolesville.

_Tuesday, January 7._--Great liveliness in the rebel forts,--bands playing and soldiers strengthening the fortifications.

_Thursday, January 9._--Severe cold since yesterday. The Potomac froze to-day. A steam tug coming up the river, was a rare sight to both sides.

_Friday, January 10._--An officer of the First Minnesota Regiment appeared at our quarters, communicating that rebel pickets occupied Harrison's Island.

_Sat.u.r.day, January 11._--Nothing stirring.

_Sunday, January 12._--Considerable picket firing. Nothing important up to

_Monday, January 20._--The centre section was relieved from picket at Conrad's Ferry, by the left section, under Lieut. Newton. The guns of the former remained there to be taken by the left section.

_Wednesday, January 22._--Received two months pay. News arrived in the evening of the Union victory at Springfield, Kentucky, and death of the rebel General Zollicoffer, in honor of which a national salute of thirty-four guns was fired. Quiet in camp, the latter part of January.

_Sat.u.r.day, February 1._--During the past month the right section done picket duty once on the Potomac.

_Monday, February 3._--The left section relieved the right section to-day.

_Friday, February 7._--Received the news of the surrender of Fort Henry.

_Sat.u.r.day, February 8._--General Stone was arrested to-day. General Sedgwick takes his command.

_Monday, February 10._--The centre section relieved the left section at Conrad's Ferry.

_Thursday, February 13._--Considerable picket firing. Captain Owen opened with his twenty-pound Parrott guns, from Edwards Ferry, on Fort Beauregard. Kept up firing for an hour. Four negroes crossed the river, bringing two horses along. Owen's Battery opened a second time in the afternoon.

_Friday, February 14._--One of the pickets of the Thirty-fourth New York, shot the rebel officer of the day, pa.s.sing the picket line alongside the river.

_Sat.u.r.day, February 15._--Heavy firing in the direction of Drainesville.

Snow-storm.

_Sunday, February 16._--Official news of the taking of Fort Donelson.

_Monday, February 17._--We (centre section) were relieved from picket duty by the right section, Lieutenant J. G. Ha.s.sard.

_Sat.u.r.day, February 22._--Camp Wilkes. The rebels fired salutes in honor of Was.h.i.+ngton's birth-day.

_Sunday, February 23._--The rebels opened with their artillery, the first time during the winter, demolis.h.i.+ng a government wagon.

_Monday, February 24._--Orders came in the afternoon to get ready to march the coming day. New knapsacks were issued, and rations kept ready for three days. Great times in camp, especially in the sixth detachment, all the rations on hand being sold to Benson's for whiskey. Who would not remember S. that evening, the stove, and O! Su!

_Tuesday, February 25._--Sedgwick's division left Poolesville at eight o'clock, A. M. Marched through Barnesville, and after several unsuccessful attempts to get the artillery across the Sugar Loaf Mountain, stopped over night at the foot of the mountain. A very cold night. No tents.

_Wednesday, February 26._--Marched at seven o'clock A. M. Arrived at Adamstown by eleven o'clock A. M. General Banks was at Harper's Ferry already. Troops were pa.s.sing by railroad, en route for Harper's Ferry, all the time. Our battery went in park, for the rest of the day, close to the railroad. General McClellan pa.s.sed through in a special train. Rain all night.

_Thursday, February 27._--The battery was loaded on cars in the morning.

The baggage teams, and the drivers with the battery-horses, went on the turnpike road, through Jefferson City, Petersville, Knoxville, and Weavertown, and arrived at Sandy Hook by nightfall. The cannoniers, coming by railroad, made a raid on a number of express boxes, after which, eatables and all sorts of liquors being plenty, all night, the happiness of the men reached such a degree, as to make it impossible to post a guard,--Novel and Drape being the happiest men in the sixth detachment, while Jim Lewes hallooed for Billy Knight all the time. The night was extremely windy and cold.

_Friday, February 28._--The battery crossed the Potomac to Harper's Ferry on a pontoon bridge. We occupy one of the government buildings on the hill.

_Sat.u.r.day, March 1._--Remained in our quarters up to

_Friday, March 7._--Left Harper's Ferry. Detached to General Gorman's brigade. Marched till within a mile of Charlestown, Virginia, and went in camp to the left of the road, close to the First Minnesota, Colonel Sully.

_Sat.u.r.day, March 8._--Remained in camp near Charlestown, and received new Sibly tents to-day.

_Monday, March 10._--Marched through Charlestown, and thence to Berryville. On this occasion, something happened that wants mentioning.

When leaving Poolesville, Captain J. A. Tompkins ordered the men to carry the knapsacks on the back. This is contrary to regulations. It created a great deal of dissatisfaction. The lot of a soldier is hard enough, without irritating him unreasonably. But, honor to the lamented hero, General Sedgwick, who, riding by our battery, at Charlestown, peremptorily ordered Captain Tompkins to have no more knapsacks carried by any of his men. An engagement was antic.i.p.ated. Rebels were seen beyond Ripton. By one and a-half o'clock, our left section unlimbered, and fired two sh.e.l.ls towards Berryville. Van Allen's, and the Eighth Michigan cavalry, drove the rebel cavalry, two hundred and fifty strong, out of the town. Our battery followed closely--Gorman's brigade in our rear. The stars and bars were lowered from the church steeple, and a subst.i.tute furnished in the shape of the colors of the First Minnesota. The pieces of the battery were brought in separate position by sections.

_Tuesday, March 11._--Halted at Berryville during daytime. In the evening, the battery united outside the town, going in camp; but the guns in position.

_Wednesday, March 12._--Some men of the First Minnesota, and Corporal Butler, of our battery, took possession of Gregg's printing office, of "The Berryville Observator," and published quite a number of copies of said paper. News of McClellan's occupation of Mana.s.sas arrived, in consequence of which, a salute of forty guns was fired. In the evening, when Captain Tompkins rode into camp, the a.s.sembly was blown at once, and he addressed the men as follows: "Boys, a fight is going on at Winchester, and this battery must be there within twenty-five minutes." Camp was struck, and the battery on the road, when the order was countermanded.

_Thursday, March 13._--At Berryville. Marched by eight o'clock A. M.

towards Winchester. When within two miles of the latter place, orders arrived for our division to return to Harper's Ferry. General Banks'

troops were occupying Winchester already. Arrived at Berryville again by four o'clock in the afternoon.

_Friday, March 14._--Marched to our old campground, beyond Charlestown.

_Sat.u.r.day, March 15._--Marched to Harper's Ferry, and occupied the government building, in which we were quartered before, again. A heavy rain-storm to-day.

_Sat.u.r.day, March 22._--We left Harper's Ferry in the morning. During the afternoon, the battery was loaded on railroad cars at Sandy Hook. The train started by seven o'clock in the evening, for Was.h.i.+ngton.

_Sunday, March 23._--Arrived at Was.h.i.+ngton by eleven o'clock A. M., and unloaded the battery at once. Marched from the depot to the camp of the New England cavalry. The guns were guarded near the depot. The horses, under charge of Captain Tompkins, and Lieutenant J. G. Ha.s.sard, were coming on the country road.