BATTERY H PROCEEDS TO PETERSBURG AND ENCAMPS NEAR FORT TRACY—LIFE IN
THE TRENCHES—REBEL ATTACK ON FORT STEDMAN REPULSED.
When Battery H was ordered to the defenses of Washington, in May, 1864,
the Army of the Potomac was engaged in a deadly struggle with the
Confederate forces at Spottsylvania. Shortly after this encounter with
the enemy Grant commenced his celebrated left flank movement, crossed
the North Anna River, where a sharp battle was fought, and a few days
later the Union army was engaged in the more hotly contested battle of
Cold Harbor. After this engagement General Grant became convinced that
he could not accomplish all he desired north of Richmond, and determined
to hold the ground then occupied by his forces, and, after his cavalry
had been sent to break up the railroad communication between Richmond
and the Shenandoah Valley and Lynchburg, he began to move the Army of
the Potomac again by the left flank to the south side of the James
River, and where he believed he could more effectually cut off the
sources of the enemy’s supplies. He accordingly moved his army from Cold
Harbor and crossed the Chickahominy and James Rivers, and finally
reached the vicinity of Petersburg, which he proceeded to invest with
his forces. To the Army of the Potomac was entrusted the task of
investing the place, while the Army of the James occupied Bermuda
Hundred and the ground in possession of our troops north of the James
River.
The Army of the Potomac was still investing Petersburg when Battery H
reached City Point, in October, 1864. It will be observed that the
battery did not immediately join the forces on the Petersburg front at
that time, but remained at City Point until Jan. 2, 1865, when it was
ordered to join the Artillery Brigade of the Sixth Corps.
On the 2d of January our battery moved toward Patrick Station, in front
of Petersburg, Va., arriving there between three and four in the
forenoon, and went into camp near Fort Tracy.
January 7th, soon after tattoo, the long roll sounded, and the men of
the battery not on guard were ordered into the fort at double-quick and
the troops on the right manned Batteries Nos. 9, 10, and 11. As our
forces on the extreme right of the line, beyond the “Yellow House,” were
heavily engaged with the enemy, our cannoneers remained at their guns
till reveille.
Again on the 9th we were routed out at four o’clock in the morning by
the sound of the long roll, caused by our pickets on the right of our
lines being driven in by the enemy, and a sharp engagement followed. The
rebels were finally driven back with a heavy loss. Our cannoneers, as
usual, stood by their guns till morning.
While our forces were besieging Petersburg, the pickets of the two
armies would frequently engage in conversation, and a colloquy like the
following would take place:
“I say, Billy Yank?”
“What do you want, Johnny Reb?”
“Have you got any soft tack?”
“Yes,” replied the Yank. “Do you want to trade tobacco for soft tack?”
“Yes,” said the Reb.
“Lay down your gun, then,” says our Yankee soldier, “and we will trade
with you.”
Then the pickets on either side would approach each other and exchange
soft tack for tobacco, and other commodities. This illustrates the good
feeling that existed between the men who perhaps a few hours before had
been opposed to each other in deadly combat, and the war might possibly
have been brought to a speedier termination if it had been left to the
soldiers of the two contending armies to settle.
On the 9th of January long roll sounded about four P. M., when we found
that our pickets had been driven in on the right of our lines. A sharp
engagement ensued between our troops and the enemy, which finally
resulted in the rebels being forced back to their former positions with
considerable loss. Our men stood to their guns until seven o’clock in
the morning.
In consequence of our close proximity to the enemy, and the fear that
they might make a sudden attack on our immediate front, the men were
strictly enjoined not to leave camp without permission. On the evening
of the 11th heavy firing was heard on the right of our lines, and we
were ordered to be ready to move at short notice. The left section of
our battery, under command of Lieut. Anthony B. Horton, had been ordered
on the morning of this date to Hatcher’s Run for picket duty. This was
in accordance with a movement in conjunction with other troops to get
possession of the South Side Railroad. This section returned to camp on
the 13th. At midnight we were again aroused from our slumbers by the
sound of the long roll. We were led to expect that the enemy might be
endeavoring to make an attack on our lines directly in our front, as
heavy firing was heard in that direction. This, however, proved to be
only a feint to withdraw attention from our right where the real attack
of the enemy was made. They did not succeed, however, in gaining any
advantage at that point and were forced to retire.
Again on the 14th the cannoneers were summoned to their posts to be
ready to repel an attack of the enemy, and were ordered to remain by
their pieces till reveille the next morning. On the succeeding night the
same programme was repeated, with the exception that the men were
allowed to retire at twelve P. M. On the 16th, one-half of the men of
the battery remained by the guns until midnight, and the other half from
midnight until the next morning. On the 19th at ten P. M. orders were
received to be prepared to march to Hatcher’s Run at short notice. At
reveille on the 20th the orders were countermanded and we returned to
our quarters.
For several days we were occupied in constructing a barrack to shelter
us from the inclement weather. It was built of logs and said to resemble
somewhat Noah’s ark. This ark was eighty-five feet long, seventeen feet
wide, and a roof was made of poles, taking ninety-two pieces of our
shelter tents to cover it. Five chimneys were built, with the intention
of carrying the smoke out from the ark, but on the contrary when the
wind was high, about as much smoke remained inside as was carried out at
the top of these so-called chimneys, and occasioned the men to designate
it as “The Old Smoke House.”
Perhaps it may not be amiss to insert the following stanzas, as they
portrayed our thoughts and feelings at that time, and are indicative of
the many privations and hardships endured by our soldiers at the front:
THE OLD SMOKE HOUSE.
AIR.—“_The Old Oaken Bucket._”
How near to our hearts are the thoughts of that Smoke House,
As returning from duty we entered the door,
Not all the wealth of the Indies could tempt us to love it
As we strode o’er the planks of that old Smoke House floor.
As we crossed its foul portals what a smell there came from it,
Especially when pork had been fried on the fire;
How loud and how long were those deep exclamations
That greeted our ears and stirred up our ire.
How well we remember when the winds they were contrary,
And the smoke filled our eyes and our nostrils as well.
How we vowed that the man who had planned that old Smoke House
Should be consigned to a place I care not to tell.
Some called it an ark, and some an old barrack,
The Black Hole of Calcutta resembled it well;
But by whatever name or title you call it,
Its smoky old memories we cannot dispel.
And now far removed from that lone habitation,
The tear of regret will intrusively swell,
As fancy reverts to that Southern plantation,
And that dingy old Smoke House we all knew so well.
On the 7th of February cannonading was heard on our left in the
direction of the position occupied by the Second Corps, and we
understand that the Fifth and Second Corps with Gregg’s cavalry on the
fifth of this month moved out from our left to Reams’s Station, and
thence to Dinwiddie Court House, the Fifth Corps being directed to turn
the enemy’s right, while the Second assailed it in front. The two corps
then took position on the rebel flank, Smythe’s division, and
McAllister’s brigade of Mott’s (of the Second Corps) gallantly repulsed
the enemy’s attempt to turn the right of the former. The Confederates
then sent a strong force around our left to strike it in flank and rear.
Gregg’s cavalry was the first assailed and pushed back to Hatcher’s Run;
Ayres’s division, which was hurrying up to the support of Crawford’s
(both of the Fifth Corps), was next stricken in flank while marching,
and pushed back, when the blow fell on Crawford with heavy loss.
Following up their success the Confederates then attacked Humphrey’s
(Second) Corps, which had had time to intrench, and which promptly sent
them to the right about. The ground taken by the Second Corps was held,
and our left thus permanently extended to Hatcher’s Run. These movements
to the left involved the transfer of the Sixth and Ninth Corps to new
positions. General Wheaton’s division of the Sixth Corps was engaged on
the 7th, losing seventeen men wounded and about fifty prisoners. The
engagement resulted in a prolongation of our line for a few miles and
its intrenchment for a future point of departure. Lieut. Anthony B.
Morton, with the left section of our battery, accompanied the Sixth
Corps in this movement.
February 21st, a salute was fired in honor of the capture and occupation
of Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina, by the army of Sherman,
which had just completed its famous “march to the sea,” and was then
moving through that state toward Goldsboro, North Carolina. That evening
expecting an attack from the rebels, we remained by our guns all night,
but no enemy appeared.
On the 22d, this being the birthday of the “Father of his Country,” we
were hoping that the trite saying of “all quiet along the lines” might
be our experience, and that we be allowed to celebrate it in a becoming
manner, but we were doomed to disappointment, as the boom of cannon on
our right, where the Ninth Corps was located, was a sure indication that
the rebels were about to commence a celebration on their own account. At
eight P. M. long roll sounded and our cannoneers repaired to their posts
at the guns on the double-quick. The Fifth Corps, which was stationed in
our rear, hastened to the assistance of the Ninth Corps. The
Confederates had driven in our pickets and their reserves, and captured
Batteries Nine, Ten and Eleven, near Yellow House, on the Welden
Railroad, holding them for a short time. Our troops soon recovered from
the attack, and in turn poured a heavy flanking fire on the
Confederates, causing them to evacuate our batteries and retire in haste
to their own lines.
February 26th, the left section of our battery, under Lieutenant Horton,
was ordered to Hatcher’s Run to participate in a movement in conjunction
with portions of the Fifth, Sixth, and Ninth Corps. He returned to the
battery with his section on the 28th.
Early in March President Davis and General Lee had a consultation about
the situation of affairs in and about Richmond and Petersburg, and they
came to the conclusion that they must evacuate those places as soon as
possible. General Lee determined to make an attack upon our lines around
Petersburg to aid him in his plan of escape by the Danville Road. Near
daybreak on the morning of the 25th, General Gordon (Confederate) made
an attack on Fort Stedman and Battery Ten, nearly east of Petersburg,
where our lines were the closest together. They captured our pickets and
sent them to the rear as prisoners. Then they came upon our main line,
where our men were sleeping, surprising them, capturing many and putting
to flight the residue. Then turning to the right and left they took
possession of Fort Stedman and Battery No. Ten. They also charged and
carried Batteries Eleven and Twelve to our left, which they turned upon
City Point.
In the absence of General Meade, who was at City Point, General Parke,
commander of the Ninth Corps, took command. He ordered Hartranft with
his division to the right of the breach, where he headed the rebels off
in that direction and drove them back into Fort Stedman, while Wilcox
with his division drove the enemy back into the intrenched lines which
they had captured, and Batteries Eleven and Twelve were retaken by our
forces. General Parke threw a line around outside of the captured fort
and batteries, and the Confederates, being completely hemmed in,
surrendered themselves as prisoners. General Meade, who had now arrived,
at once ordered an advance along the front of the other corps holding
our works on the left. Our forces succeeded in wresting from the enemy
their intrenched picket line, which was held and strengthened by our
troops.
While heavy firing was going on in our front, from the position of our
battery near Fort Fisher we witnessed a grand and imposing sight as our
infantry marched out of our lines and moved forward to the attack. This
movement was observed by President Lincoln and several members of his
Cabinet.
On the 28th of March our battery was ordered to be ready to move at a
moment’s notice.