Chapter 2

_Wednesday, September 4._--After returning from a battery drill, orders awaited our section, in command of Lieut. J. A. Tompkins. We left Darnestown at five o'clock P. M., going at a fast rate towards Great Falls, a distance of ten miles. At our arrival we found the Seventh Pennsylvania Regiment, commanded by Col. Harvey. During the day the enemy had some pieces of artillery in position, to bear on the water-works at Great Falls, and on the Seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, firing a hundred rounds. Only one man was wounded. Col. Harvey guided our battery through the woods at midnight. Our section took position on the edge of a knoll, while the Seventh fortified our guns. It rained during the night.

_Thursday, September 5._--At dawn of day, contrary to our expectations, the enemy did not open on us again. Having had no food since the day before, some of us went to the town, and as fortune would have it, found bread, molasses, and that renowned coffee kettle, the fourth detachment will well remember. We enjoyed a good soldiers' breakfast. Lieut. Tompkins, behaving towards the men like a gentleman, they would have done most anything for him. In several cases he relieved our wants, out of his own purse. Late in the afternoon we left Great Falls, marching towards Seneca Mills, as the enemy made various demonstrations up and down the Potomac. Rain falling incessantly, and passing through dense woods marching became a matter of impossibility, and it was decided to halt by the roadside until daylight. An unoccupied house being close by, we all took possession of it, and found ourselves quite comfortable.

_Friday, September 6._--A bright morning greeted our eyes. The clear sky promised a pleasant day. We discovered an orchard near by, which furnished us with a variety of the most beautiful peaches. After taking a good supply of them, marching was resumed. Arrived by nine o'clock A. M. at Camp Jackson, occupied by the Thirty-fourth Regiment New York Volunteers, Col. LaDue. We were well received. Towards evening, the Colonel and Lieut. Tompkins took the fifth piece along, in the direction of the Potomac, getting the gun in position close to the canal, after masking it. All quiet during the night.

_Sunday, September 8._--A few shots were fired into the Old Dominion, without any response by the enemy.

_Monday, September 9._--Major Charles H. Tompkins, in company with Col. Wheaton, of the Second Rhode Island Regiment, tried a few shots, without reply.

_Tuesday, September 10._--Gov. Sprague, Col. Wheaton, Major Tompkins, and Capt. Reynolds, visited the section on picket. Quiet up to

_Monday, September 16._--In the evening, some of the Thirty-fourth New York Regiment crossed the river, had a skirmish with the rebels, and returned with the loss of four men. Capt. Reynolds being promoted to Major, left the battery. So did Lieut. Albert Munroe, promoted to Captain. Lieut. Tompkins, also promoted, took command of our battery.

_Tuesday, September 17._--Our piece kept on firing at an imaginary enemy for a whole hour; the Major of the Thirty-fourth being present. Nothing remarkable up to

_Sunday, September 22._--Squads of cavalry and infantry visible on the Virginia shore. Great changes took place during this period. Orderly J. H. Newton being promoted to Lieutenant, took command of the left section. Sergeants Owen and Randolph, after having been promoted to Lieutenants, left the battery, and were transferred to other Rhode Island batteries. The State having organized a regiment of light artillery, on the thirteenth of August, we were no longer called the Second Battery, but Battery A.

_Monday, September 23._--Orders came to leave the picket line at dark, and return to Camp Jackson.

_Tuesday, September 24._--We were paid off in gold for two months service. Quiet in Camp Jackson up to

_Monday, September 30._--The section returned to Darnestown, and the battery was once more together.

_Tuesday, October 1._--One o'clock A. M. Orders arrived to return immediately to Seneca Mills. The left section marched at once, arriving towards daybreak. At sunrise, the fifth gun went on picket duty once more. Lieut. Newton, Sergeants Hammond and Read, were with the left section. Commenced to throw up intrenchments during the night.

_Thursday, October 3._--Left the picket line again, returned to Camp Jackson, started for Darnestown by six o'clock, and arrived there by eight o'clock P. M. Thus ended our stay at Seneca Mills, the most pleasant period of our three years service. Vegetables and fruit, chickens and pigs, were plenty, for we owned the whole plantation of that old rebel Peters, who was sent to Fort Lafayette for treason. The Thirty-fourth New York, having the picket line on the river, always proved good companions. The view of the surrounding country is really imposing, including Sugar Loaf Mountain, the natural observatory of the signal corps. Some remarkable items must not be forgotten--for instance, novel songs of "The Nice Legs;" "Jimmy Nutt's Measuring the Guard Time by the Moon;" "Griffin's Apple Sauce," and "Doughnuts for Horses."

_Sunday, October 6._--Camp at Darnestown. The battery received three new guns in the afternoon. Lieut. J. G. Hassard, having joined our battery, at Darnestown, commanded the right section as First Lieutenant. Company cooking was introduced by him. Before that, every detachment done its own cooking. The enterprise itself, of cooking for the whole company, and the selling of a part of the rations, for raising a company fund, would have been well enough, but the management was extremely poor. Some days we fared well; on other days there would be no dinner, but a detestable bacon soup, hardly fit for hogs. We were told that the government rations would not admit of a dinner every day. But what good did it do then to sell rations, under the pretext of raising a company fund? This is a question which never could nor never will be satisfactorily explained by those who started it.

_Monday, October 7._--Capt. Tompkins very suddenly marched off to Harper's Ferry, with the right section. Thunder storm in the evening.

_Friday, October 11._--A new lieutenant for our battery arrived to-day. Jeffrey Hassard, our First Lieutenant's brother.

_Sunday, October 13._--Gov. Sprague visited the camp. Private Benedict deserted.

_Tuesday, October 15._--Parade drill of the battery, in presence of Gov. Sprague, and Col. Tompkins, the drill proving very satisfactory. Capt. Vaughan visited us the same evening, and addressed us as follows: "Boys, I deserve to be kicked for ever leaving this battery, because, by right, it is my battery, and I should be with you." (Vociferous cheering, and cries, "Give us our old officers, and we will show you that we can drill.") Capt. Vaughan, mounting his horse, appeared very much affected. Turning round once more, he said, "I am hanging around; it is hard for me to leave you." Answer of the men: "We know it. You are a man every inch of you." Nine cheers for Capt. Vaughan, our old First Lieutenant, vibrated through the air.

_Wednesday, October 16._--Battery drill, and speech by our First Lieutenant. Gen. Banks visited our camp this evening. Nothing important up to

_Saturday, October 19._--Gen. Banks and staff honored our battery drill with their presence. Col. Geary of the Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania, and Capt. Tompkins, with the right section, had a fight with the rebels at Harper's Ferry and Bolivar Heights. Our right section, occupying Maryland Heights, fired into Bolivar and on a rebel battery on Loudon Heights. Even the drivers served an old iron gun. Col. Geary's troops, crossing the river in scows, carried the fight to Bolivar Heights. No loss of men in the right section.

_Monday, October 21._--Battle of Ball's Bluff. Gen. Stone crossed the Potomac near Conrad's Ferry, across Harrison's Island, with Col. Baker's brigade, this morning. (Forty-second New York, Fifteenth and Twentieth Massachusetts Regiments, and a piece of artillery, of Capt. Vaughan's battery. The rest of the battery stayed on Harrison Island.) By seven o'clock in the evening, the whole division of Gen. Banks left Darnestown, going to Edwards Ferry. Our battery started about nine o'clock. Arriving at Poolesville, we heard of the disastrous result. Our troops had withdrawn from Ball's Bluff. Col. Baker's corpse was brought into town.

_Tuesday, October 22._--Arrived at Edwards Ferry by six o'clock A. M. Two thousand men were already landed on the Virginia shore, opposite the ferry, others were continually crossing on canal boats. Since daylight, rain fell incessantly. On the Virginia side, skirmishing was going on all day. At five o'clock both lines of battle advanced. A brisk fight commenced. Two brass howitzers of Rickett's battery, First United States Artillery, did good execution, being in position on the Virginia shore. While the fight continued, the Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania, Col. Geary, the Twenty-ninth, Col. Mury, and Van Allen's cavalry, were sent as reinforcements across the Potomac. Fighting ceased an hour afterwards. Capt. Vaughan went to the enemy's lines, under a flag of truce, to see about some of his wounded men in the hands of the rebels. Gen. McClellan arrived at night.

_Wednesday, October 23._--A clear day. The enemy in great force around Leesburg. We can see the church steeples of that place. Skirmishing kept up all day. In the evening our battery received orders to embark and cross the river,--Capt. Tompkins, having come back from Harper's Ferry, with the right section, the evening before,--three guns were already loaded on a canal boat, together with Company C, First Maryland Regiment, and started; but the current of the stream being too strong, and losing half of the oars, they had to return again. Orders awaited us already to disembark immediately, and return to camp. All the troops withdrew from the Virginia shore before daylight,--eight thousand men in all.

_Thursday, October 24._--After all the troops had been withdrawn, the rebel pickets held the line close to the river, and fired a shot once in a while. Rickett's, ours, and Captain Bess' batteries, were drawn up in one line. Our battery is detached to General Williams' brigade.

_Friday, October 25._--Remained the same, at Edwards Ferry.

_Saturday, October 26._--General Williams' brigade and our battery marched off to Muddy Branch in the morning. Arrived there, in camp of the Twenty-eighth New York, in the afternoon.

_Sunday, October 27._--Established our camp.

_Monday, October 28._--Commenced to build a stable for horses, three hundred feet long. Captain Bess, our chief of artillery. Our battery remained at Muddy Branch up to the twenty-seventh of November. Little is to be said of this period. Drill as usual. Received the news of the taking of Beaufort, South Carolina, and the capture of Slidell and Mason. Captain Reynolds visited the battery for the last time, having been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the Rhode Island artillery, and transferred to another department.

_Wednesday, November 27._--The battery left Muddy Branch, with the understanding to go into winter-quarters near Poolesville. We were told that we should have many drills together with Battery B, no longer Captain Vaughan's battery, who, having had disagreements, left the service. We marched by nine o'clock in the morning. The weather was very unpleasant, raining and freezing all day. Passed through Poolesville at four o'clock, and commenced to pitch tents by five o'clock. Our camp is next to Battery B's, commanded by Lieutenant Perry. We had a good reception by the men, who treated all of us to coffee.

_Thursday, November 28._--Thanksgiving day. Governor Sprague furnished twenty turkeys for us.

_Friday, 29th, and Saturday, November 30._--A stable for the horses commenced on.

_Sunday, December 1, to Tuesday the 10th._--Nothing of any consequence happened. Camp wore a wintry aspect. The time was mostly occupied in building stables for the horses. Colonel Tompkins, now on General Stone's staff, arrived at Poolesville; we did no longer belong to General Banks' division, but to General Stone's.

_Tuesday, December 10._--Our division had quite an interesting sham-fight at Poolesville, four regiments of infantry, three batteries, and Van Allen's cavalry partaking in it. We fired blank cartridges. Van Allen's cavalry had several men injured in charging.

_Wednesday, December 11._--While going to a drill, through Poolesville, on trot, Corporal Burrows was thrown off the limber-chest, and his leg broken by a wheel passing over him.

_Thursday, December 12._--Great artillery manoeuvre.

_Friday, December 13._--Batteries A and B were ordered to report near Conrad's Ferry, where we arrived before sunrise, it being only five miles from our camp. While going through the woods, orders were given not to talk loud, the distance between us and the enemy being not more than three miles at the time. The enemy's position, which was a fortified one, consisting of two forts, called Beauregard and Johnson, had already been reconnoitred from a balloon, the day before. At our arrival, we found General Stone and Colonel Tompkins, with two companies of Van Allen's cavalry, two companies of the Thirty-fourth New York, and two of the First Minnesota, already there. We opened on the two forts, without much effect. Lieutenant Perry was more successful, with his Parrott guns. The enemy could be seen standing in squads by his artillery, yet no reply was made. By four o'clock we all withdrew, except the Parrott guns of Battery B, doing picket duty. The old members will remember, when returning to camp, Lieutenant Perry rode that nigger down. Quiet up to

_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 participated in the battle of Drainesville.

_Monday, December 30._--The centre section, commanded by Lieutenant Jeffrey Hassard, 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 nigger-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 shore. 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.

_Saturday, 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.

_Saturday, 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.

_Saturday, 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, passing the picket line alongside the river.

_Saturday, 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. Hassard.

_Saturday, February 22._--Camp Wilkes. The rebels fired salutes in honor of Washington's birth-day.

_Sunday, February 23._--The rebels opened with their artillery, the first time during the winter, demolishing 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 passing 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 passed 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.

_Saturday, 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.

_Saturday, 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 anticipated. Rebels were seen beyond Ripton. By one and a-half o'clock, our left section unlimbered, and fired two shells 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 substitute 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 Manassas arrived, in consequence of which, a salute of forty guns was fired. In the evening, when Captain Tompkins rode into camp, the assembly 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.

_Saturday, 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.