Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery Part 7

_Tuesday, November 11._--Warrenton. The army is poorly supplied with provisions at present.

_Wednesday, November 12._--Warrenton. We received the first mail since the twenty-first of October.

_Sat.u.r.day, November 15._--Left Warrenton this morning. Marched nine miles and went to camp.

_Sunday, November 16,_--Started at eight o'clock A. M. Marched fifteen miles and went to camp.

_Monday, November 17._--Left at eight o'clock A. M. for Falmouth. Pett.i.t's Battery went in position on a hill opposite Fredericksburg, and had quite an action with a rebel battery. Our battery advanced to support, but did not fire. At five o'clock P. M. we retired and went to camp.

_Tuesday, November 18._--Camp near Falmouth. The Army of the Potomac is divided in three grand divisions. Sumner commands the right, Franklin the left, Joe Hooker the centre, and Sigel the reserve.

_Thursday, November 20._--We moved our camp closer to Falmouth. It rained all day.

_Wednesday, November 26._--Near Falmouth. Lieutenant Henry Newton left the battery and service to-day.

_Thursday, November 27._--Thanksgiving day, but a poor one for us. The army lives on hard bread, pork and coffee.

_Sunday, November 30._--The railroad to Aquia Creek is in operation now.

_Monday, December 1._--The men of our battery cleaned up the camp of the First Minnesota regiment. A guard was kept on the ground all night.

_Tuesday, December 2._--Near Falmouth. The battery moved on the new ground.

_Wednesday, December 3._--A stable for the officers' horses in the course of building.

_Monday, December 8._--Commenced to build a stable for the battery horses.

_Wednesday, December 10._--New clothes were given out to-day. Everything ready for an advance.

_Thursday, December 11._--Bombardment of Fredericksburg. Last night a large part of the artillery was brought in position, close to the river, and before daybreak, about one hundred and thirty guns were throwing sh.e.l.l and shot in the city, without eliciting any reply, except from rebel sharpshooters in the cellars on the river line, compelling the engineers to give up the attempt of laying pontoons across the river. Fires broke out in several places during the day. Towards evening, two companies, one of the Seventy-first New York, (Tammany,) and one of the Seventh Michigan, volunteered to cross the Rappahannock on scows, charged on the sharpshooters, and took fifty prisoners, losing fifteen killed. The pontoon bridge was completed shortly after, and three thousand men entered the city before night. We remained this side of the Rappahannock. Our battery was close to the river all day, but did not fire.

_Friday, December 12._--Troops are crossing over on the pontoons to Fredericksburg. Our battery moved towards the river about eight o'clock A.

M. Near the bridge we were received by a tremendous fire from the enemy's batteries on St. Mary's Heights, but, fortunately, sustained no loss. Not so, Frank's New York battery, they having one man killed and several wounded. One shot took effect in stopping one of their pieces. Without delay we crossed the Rappahannock. Artillery, cavalry and infantry went over all the morning. A new regiment crossed the bridge at four o'clock P. M., their band playing the tune of "Bully for you." All of a sudden the enemy's batteries opened on the regiment, which run back in bad order, committing the mistake of running right in the enemy's fire. The troops are committing depredations all over the town. The stores were completely ransacked. Most every man had a lot of tobacco. In the evening, the battery marched around the town, but returned again to our former place, close to the river. The scenes in the streets were really picturesque.

Soldiers could be seen, sitting on splendid furniture, mixing dough for flap-jacks. Most of our battery were cooking all night.

_Sat.u.r.day, December 13._--The battle of Fredericksburg. Firing commenced about eleven o'clock in the morning. Captain Tompkins left the battery to-day, being promoted to Major. Making his farewell speech to us, he introduced our new commander, Captain Arnold, who addressed the company, also, saying, he understood we were a fighting set, and he would stick to us to the last. Shortly after that the command, "forward," was given, and we went to the outskirts of the town. Sh.e.l.l and shot were ploughing through the streets already. Our battery went in action by sections, posted at different roads leading to St. Mary's Heights. The battery kept up a constant fire all the afternoon. Some of the nine months regiments behaved very badly, leaving the field ingloriously, without orders.

Battery B, Rhode Island, Frank's New York battery, and Kirby's regular artillery, smooth-bore guns, were ordered out to encourage the infantry, while Humphrey's division of regular infantry, were in readiness as a reserve. General Couch wanted our battery to advance to the extreme front; but, thanks to Colonel Morgan, chief-of-artillery, who objected to that, it was not done. Lieutenant Jacob Lamb made the most splendid shots during the day. Owing to our being covered by houses, our loss was small. Henry Hicks was shot through both heels by a musket ball, making the amputation of both of his legs necessary. Captain Arnold's horse was shot. After the action was over, we occupied the surrounding houses, which were found well stocked with all sort of provisions. Cooking and eating was kept up all night. The caissons recrossed the river during the night, for a new supply of ammunition. The night was very cold, and the groans of the wounded on the field of battle, sounded terrible.

_Sunday, December 14._--Fredericksburg. The rebel batteries opened early, firing thirty-two pound sh.e.l.ls. One sh.e.l.l took effect in the centre section, tearing off the head of Sergeant Thompson's horse, splintering the limber-chest, fracturing a heel of Charles Spencer, and wounding an infantry man. Our pieces were instantly pulled out of sight. Our infantry fortified during the night past. We expected another a.s.sault to be made to-day; but General Sumner's advice, in the council of war, was against it. The rebel sharpshooters kept up an incessant fire all day, killing quite a number of our men that were exposing themselves. The day was well-spent by the battery in cooking and baking, Jim Harrison and Stacy, acting as cooks and bottle-washers.

_Monday, December 15._--Fredericksburg. The enemy's artillery and sharpshooters were firing all day. Our guns were kept out of sight during the afternoon. Generals Howard, Couch and Sully, inspected our lines, and said they would send a brigade of infantry to fortify our position. The men of our battery worked all day, throwing up breastworks behind a fence.

Once in a while the rebel batteries threw a sh.e.l.l at us. The weather has been beautiful since we occupied the city. While we were sleeping by our guns, orders came at eleven o'clock in the night, to pack up quietly and get away as quick as possible, which was executed without the least noise, every man being anxious to move away, but not without being loaded with all sorts of provisions. We recrossed the Rappahannock at twelve o'clock in the night. The whole army followed during the night under cover of the batteries. We lay down to rest immediately after arriving on the other side. One gun of the right section was dismounted, one limber and several wheels disabled.

_Tuesday, December 16._--The rain commenced pouring down in streams since four o'clock in the morning. A deep gloom spread all over the army in consequence of our unsuccessful movement. At six o'clock A. M., our battery returned to the old camp on the hill, which was no small undertaking, the mud being a foot deep. At dark, Captain Arnold, with a squad of men, went to the river to obtain the trail of the dismounted gun.

_Wednesday, December 17._--Camp near Falmouth. General Sigel's reserve corps is camping around Falmouth. Our camp has its usual appearance. It is cold, and snowing.

_Sat.u.r.day, December 20._--The troops are building winter-quarters.

_Wednesday, December 24._--Great inspection in camp, by Generals Sumner, Howard, and Sully, and their staffs. They all expressed their satisfaction with the appearance of the battery. This was the last visit of the venerable hero, General Sumner, to our battery.

_Friday, December 26._--The pontoons were sent to Belle Plains.

_Wednesday, December 31._--Quiet in camp.

1863.

_Thursday, January 1._--Camp near Falmouth. The army is very poorly provisioned.

_Monday, January 5._--A new stable for the battery horses commenced, below the ravine.

_Tuesday, January 6._--The news of the battle of Murfreesboro arrived.

_Thursday, January 15._--Our camp was partly burned down to-day, through a fire in the camp of the Thirty-fourth Regiment New York volunteers.

_Friday, January 16._--A severe storm. Rations are to be cooked for three days. We are kept in uneasiness all the time, about moving.

_Sat.u.r.day, January 17._--Great review of the army by General Burnside.

_Sunday, January 18._--The coldest day we have had this winter.

_Tuesday, January 20._--The Army of the Potomac commenced another move to-day. Troops are marching by, towards United States Ford. The weather is of the poorest kind, raining and snowing.

_Wednesday, January 21._--Our corps is retained in camp yet. Quite a miracle.

_Thursday, January 22._--A heavy storm.

_Friday, January 23._--Franklin's corps is marching back to the winter-quarters. The great forward movement is given up. The troops are returning in disgust. Some of the artillery left their guns sticking in the mud. Bodies of soldiers were found dead in the woods, having perished from exposure.

_Sat.u.r.day, January 24._--Stragglers are coming in yet.

_Monday, January 26._--We were paid off for two months.

_Tuesday, January 27._--Heavy rain.

_Wednesday, January 28._--Severe snow-storm.

_Thursday, January 29._--Generals Burnside, Sumner and Franklin left the army to-day. Joe Hooker is in command now.

_Sunday, February 1._--Mounted and foot inspection.

_Monday, February 2._--Mounted inspection.

_Tuesday, February 3._--Captain Arnold was thrown from his horse, and left on furlough.