CAMP BARRY—ARTILLERY DRILL—MARCH TO FAIRFAX STATION—FIRST DEATH IN THE
BATTERY—UNION MILLS.
During the fall and winter of 1862–3 the battery was chiefly occupied in
perfecting itself in drill. With other batteries, it frequently went to
East Capitol Hill and engaged in battalion drill, and became quite
proficient in light artillery movements. While at Camp Barry the battery
suffered severely by the desertion of the men who had joined it in New
York city. Their only apparent motive in enlisting was to obtain the
bounty which was offered them, and then desert on the first opportunity.
This was a serious drawback, and greatly impaired the usefulness of the
battery.
Jan. 1st, 1863. This was a red-letter day in our history. We moved into
new wooden barracks, which had recently been constructed. It was an
agreeable change to our men from the cold and cheerless Sibley tents to
the warm and comfortable quarters to which we were now assigned. We
celebrated the event by a grand house-warming in the evening. The bill
of fare was in marked contrast to what soldiers were accustomed to
select while serving in the field. It consisted of a roast turkey supper
with all the fixings. Not wishing to share our feast and pleasures
alone, we invited as our guests the men of the Third New Jersey and
Second Maine batteries. That occasion will long be remembered by the
participants as a bright epoch in their soldier lives.
While encamped here we often obtained permission to visit Washington,
and we made good use of our time while there. The Capitol was a place of
special interest to us, and we were accustomed to visit the Senate
Chamber and the House of Representatives, and hear the lawgivers of our
land expound the momentous questions of the day. We recall the stalwart
forms of Sumner and Wilson of Massachusetts, Anthony of our own little
Rhody, and a score of others well known to fame, who stood as beacon
lights in that stormy period of our nation’s history. The White House
and Treasury Building were visited by us, likewise the Patent Office,
where our First Rhode Island regiment was quartered in the spring of
1861, received our attention. What a contrast the city presented at that
time to the Washington of to-day. Then (in 1863) the uncompleted
monument of the “Father of his Country” was a disgrace to every
patriotic citizen. Now that majestic shaft in full completion towers
above all others in this country, while the public and private buildings
will vie in splendor and magnitude with many of the capitals of the old
world. The unpaved streets through which roamed the swine and fowl in
the old war time days excite the wonder and admiration of the visitor at
the present time by their well constructed appearance and cleanly
condition.
[Illustration: Lieut. Charles F. Mason.]
January 5th. A mounted drill took place at nine A. M. to-day of all the
batteries encamped here. Lieut.-Col. J. Albert Monroe, of our First
Rhode Island Light Artillery regiment, was present in command.
January 19th, we received orders to prepare three days’ cooked rations.
On the following day we marched into Washington in a terrific
rain-storm. When we arrived on Arlington Heights the wheels of the
battery sank into the mud nearly to the hubs.
On the 23d we arrived at Fairfax Station about noon, and went into camp.
This was a severe and exhausting march, and many of our men became
disabled and contracted diseases from the effects of which they never
fully recovered.
On the 24th our battery was assigned to General Casey’s division, and
attached to the Vermont brigade commanded by General Stannard. He was a
brave and gentlemanly officer, and respected by the entire command. He
was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Second Vermont Infantry in
May, 1861, and was in May, 1862, assigned as colonel of the Ninth
Vermont Infantry; promoted brigadier-general United States Volunteers,
March 12, 1863, and brevetted major-general United States Volunteers,
Oct. 28, 1864. General Stannard’s prompt movement upon the flank of
Pickett’s division at Gettysburg won for him the strongest commendation
of his superiors. He was four times wounded, the last time losing an arm
in the successful assault on Fort Harrison, Sept. 29, 1864. He died in
Washington, June 3, 1886.
February 10th. Bugler Thomas J. Goff died to-day. The death of our
comrade cast a sadness over us, as it was the first that had occurred
since our existence as a battery.
February 12th. The battery was reviewed at two o’clock P. M. to-day, by
General Stannard.
February 13th. Private William G. Manter died in camp hospital. He was
buried in the little graveyard near our camp.
March 1st. Sergt. George P. Carpenter and Private John Phillips died in
company hospital to-day. They were comrades tried and true, and we
sorely missed them.
As we lacked a sufficient number of men to fully man our battery,
several soldiers were detached from the different regiments of the
Vermont brigade and sent to us on the 16th of this month.
March 23d. At seven A. M. the battery received orders to proceed with
the Vermont brigade to Union Mills, Va. On arriving there the right
section was ordered on picket on the heights overlooking the fording
place at Kettle Run Shoals, and a detail of men was also sent to man an
iron clad car on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, to act as guard at
the same place.
April 9th. A severe snow storm set in which continued through the day
and night, and was particularly trying to our men on picket, and a
disappointment to the hopes of the government. It was the severest storm
(so the traditional “oldest inhabitant” said) that had visited that
section of the country for several years.