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BREVET MAJOR A. JUDSON CLARK. 



HISTORY OF 

BATTERY B 

FIRST NEW JERSEY ARTILLERY 



BY 7 

MICHAEL HANIFEN 




> 1 

• . •• • * 



DEDICATED 
To those who laid down their lives on 
battlefieldf prison pen and hospital^ and 
to those who fought to save the Union. 




BREVET MAJOlt A. JUDSON Cl.AKK, 

Nl-I'MMAM'IN- JiATrKKVll, Fl HST Nl.W J MtSHV All' 

iKniru :i VViirTimo I'liiiliu'nipb, IHA:.'.) 



9) 



HISTORY OF 

BATTERY B 

FIRST NEW JERSEY ARTILLERY 

MICHAEL HANIFEN 




• » .- - < 



DEDICATED 
To those who laid down their lives on 
battlefield, prison pen and hospital* and 
to those who fought to save the Union. 



COPYRIGHT 1W6, 
BT BilCHAKL HANIFSN. 



• • r : 



RBPUBLICAlf-TIMBS, PRIIITSBS, 
OTTAWA, ILLUroiS. 



aV 



^^/ OCv^wvAjJ .< . '^^Cf uU^ 



/i'7'^^ 



PREFACE, 



At the last. Battery Reunion a committee of one from each 
of the old gun detachments was appointed to prepare a his- 
tory of Battery B, to perpetuate the memory and history of 
this celebrated Battery and its noble dead. The committee 
selected the undersigned to do that work. Many others were 
more competent than "The Wild Irish Boy," who came to 
the Battery camp at Trenton, Sept. 3, 1861, was taken in, 
but not deceived ; was always with the Battery, and would 
talk back at times to the officers — to his own loss. 

My aim has been to narrate concisely the story of camp 
life, march and battle of the men of Battery B, whose un- 
daunted pluck, manly courage, gallantry and heroism in 
action won the admiration and praise of the Brigade, Divis- 
ion and Corps Commanders of the Second and Third Corps, 
and of Gen. A. P. Howe of the Sixth Corps. The gunners 
were famous for the accuracy and effectiveness of their fire 
on every field where engaged. 

In the pages following I have endeavored to recall from 
memory's mystic cells glimpses of scenes in camp, on march, 
in bivouac and in battle, the skirmish line, the mime's buzz, 
the rifle's blaze, the thunderous volleys, the dash of the Bat- 
tery into action, the cannon's roar, the bursting shells, the 
charge and counter-charge, where men were mowed down 
by bullet, shell and canister, the white pall of battle-smoke 
that swirled around the combatants and their colors, and 
the scenes in hospital and on field after battle. Who that 
has ever witnessed them but feels, next to losing a battle, the 
next worst is the cost of a victory in human suffering ? Many 
incidents have been omitted, but if these recorded tend to 



4 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

Strengthen ties of comradeship and deepen the love of coun- 
try in our hearts — *'a sure shot." 

The illustrations were made especially for .this lxx)k, and 
I am under obligations to Major Clark and Comrade Henry 
Stivers for loan of photographs of comrades, from which 
half-tones were made. I also acknowledge indebtedness to 
Sergeants Clairville and Timm and Comrades Mitchell and 
McEowen for valuable information. The authorities quot- 
ed are official records of Union and Confederate armies, and 
the books of Longstreet, Hood, Gordon and other Confeder- 
ate writers. I hope my comrades and their families will 
value the lx)ok, and not only they, but every citizen of Xcw 
Jersey, will feel proud of the record of the deeds of Battery 
B, and that the Union we assisted in preserving may never 
again be the scene of civil war. 

MICHAEL HAXIFEX. 

Ottawa, Illinois, June 17, 1905. 



CONTENTS. 

Page 

Battery B — A History 5 

Antietam and Fredericksburg Campaign 31 

The Chancellorsville Campaign 45 

The Gettysburg Campaign 65 

Bristoe and Mine Run Campaign 94 

From the Rapidan to the James River 102 

From James River to Fort Sampson 113 

The Last Campaign — From Petersburg to Appo- 
mattox 13s 

Roster of Battery B 151 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Captain A. Judson Clark Frontispiece 

John H. George Group Facing 32 



Lieutenant Edward P. Clark 

Lieutenant Leander McChesney 

Sergeant Clairville and Staff 

Sergeant Ennis and Chums. 

Battery Monument and Group of Comrades 

Chillian D. Richards 

Lieutenants Looker and Galbraith, Group 
Eighteen of Battery B's Best Men 



48 

65 
72 

80 

93 
129 

136 
152 



BATTERY fi— A HISTORY, 



This Battery was recruited at Newark, N. J., most of the 
men and officers being from that vicinity, and all from north- 
ern New Jersey. The Captain, Second Lieutenants and 
thirty of the enlisted men had seen service in Company F, 
First New Jersey Infantry, during three months* service. 
A better lot of men physically and mentally never served the 
United States. Most of them were boys from 1 6 to 21 years 
of age ; nearly all workingmen from shop, factory and farm ; 
two — Carmody and Lynch — were veterans of the Mexican 
war; two — Wallace and Buckley — had seen service in the 
English army; two — Rhein and Ostermeyer — had served 
in the German army, and Bosoly jn the French army. Nearly 
every occupation had a representative, ranging from gold- 
smith to farmer, in our ranks. Seventy per cent, were na- 
tive born, but the naturalized soldiers in our ranks were 
equally devoted to their adopted country as its own sons. 

The Battery was mustered into the United States service 
at Trenton, N. J., Sept. 3, 1861, for three years' service, by 
Lieutenant Charles Brightly, Fourth United States Infan- 
try, under General Order No. 16, War Department, May 4, 
1 86 1. Immediately after muster the state furnished each 
man two suits of underwear, stockings, uniform, great -coat, 
knapsack, haversack, canteen, knife and fork, tin cup and 
plate, woolen and rubber blankets, all of which were far 
superior to what afterwards was supplied us by the United 
States Quartermasters. The Battery rendezvoused at Camp 
Olden, Trenton. In camp with us there were the First Cav- 
alry, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth New Jersey Infan- 
try, all of whom preceded us to the front, and the organiza- 



6 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

tion of the Ninth was going on when we were ordered to the 
front on October 22, 1861. 

The Battery left Trenton with 151 officers and men, every 
one of whom served faithfully until death or honorably dis- 
charged — a record to be very proud of. At Philadelphia 
supper was served us by patriotic ladies at the cooper shop. 
Next morning, in Baltimore, we were saluted with scowling 
faces, and munched our hard tack, and washed it down with 
cold water with increased loyalty. Arriving in Washington 
shortly after noon on the 23d, marched to Soldiers' Retreat 
for a dinner of rusty beef, hard boiled beans and weevily 
hard bread, after which marched to East Capitol Hill and 
pitched our tents, the first in what was afterwards known as 
Camp Dugan. That evening at retreat roll call the Battery 
was organized into six detachments, the names of Sergeants, 
Gunners and Chiefs of Caissons being read by First Ser- 
geant Galbraith. The Sergeants in turn selected Corporals 
and men for their detachments until every man in ranks was 
drawn. 

ROSTER. 
Captain, John E. Beam. 

First Lieutenants, John B. Monroe, A. Judson Clark. 
Second Lieutenants, George T. Woodbury, Samuel H. 
Baldwin. 

First Sergeant, Benjamin Galbraith. 
Quartermaster Sergeant, Edward P. Clark. 

RIGHT SECTION. 

First Detachment — Sergeant, William H. Clairville; 
Gunner, Ellis H. Timm; No. 8, Charles Banks; Daniel T. 
Nash, Patrick H. Hearey, William F. Dey, Samuel Ennis, 
James Z. Marcellus, Caleb H. Harrison, Henry Stivers, 
Elias V. Campbell, George W. Bonnell, John Higgins, Wil- 
liam L. Earl, Emanuel Raake, George H. Williams, Peter 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 7 

Vandyne, Michael Hanifen, William Riley, James Calhoun, 
Jacob Osborn, James Collins, Thomas M. Evarts. 

Fourth Detachment — Sergeant, William Carins; Gun- 
ner, John Fairchild ; No. 8, Henry C. Buffum ; James Cros- 
bie, Martin Donahue, John H. George, Edward Post, Harry 
Roydhouse, Leopold Smalley, Washington N. B. Steven- 
ton, William Schenck, John Whitmore, George Whitmore, 
Martin Whitmore, William D. Wyekaff, Rynear M. Wilson, 
Charles Molten, William /H. Mills, James H. Dabbins, Jo- 
seph P. Morris, Charles F. Frederick (Company Clerk), 
Joseph W. Matthews, Richard S. Price. 

CENTER SECTION. 

Third Detachment — Sergeant, Robert Sims; Gunner, 
Thompson P. Pollard ; No. 8, Randson D. Mattoon ; Charles 
Bush, Cornelius Bush, Patrick F. Costello, John A. Dough- 
erty, John Hardham, John McKowen, Chillian D. Richards, 
George Smith, Theodore P. Smith, Lyman Williams, Chas. 
Roe, Clark H. Worcester, Thomas Carmody, James 
Vaughn, John Vaughn, Albert Collins, Moses L. Tich- 
enor, Mahlon J. Stickles, Jacob Ostermayer, John Morris, 
John Muller. 

Sixth Detachment — Sergeant, William W. Lynch; 
Gunner, Leander McChesney; No. 8, James H. More- 
house; William B. Coggeshall, Rensalaer Casselman, An- 
son Halle, John Lumbine, Daniel W. Laws, Valentine 
Lounsberry, Charles Lounsberry, George Morton, Charles 
G. Pier, Samuel Post, Robert Stuart, Edward Vanhorn, Og- 
den N. Woodruff, Thomas N. Post, Moses Miller, John Oli- 
ver, Jacob P. Stickles, James B. Morris, Charles R. Lyons, 
Wallace Miller, James S. Leonard. 

LEFT SECTION. 

Second Detachment — Sergeant, Henry Morehouse; 
Gunner, Owen C. Looker; No. 8, William Wallace; Nich- 



8 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

olas L. Crossnian, Charles W. Dickerson, John Ferguson, 
William K. Garrison, John Moss, Charles Monks, Garrett 
Morgan, Daniel Morgan, Thomas McKecknee, Samuel H. 
McNaughton, Andrew L. Parkhurst, Daniel Soden, Albert 
K. Stickles, John P. Vanness, Frank A. Wilkinson, Ralph 
Arrowsniith, Edward H. Swanwick, Samuel Beardsley, Cal- 
vin R. Webster, Joseph Maxfield. 

Fifth Detachment — Sergeant, Robert Fairchild; Gun- 
ner, Jacob Rhein; No. 8, Silas D. Farrand; Martin V. B. 
Campbell, Lewis Carman, John H. Cronk, Charles Garra- 
brant, James H. Hopler, William H. McCormick, Thomas 
H. Primrose, James P. Onderdonk, Ward L. Parkhurst, 
David B. Ricker, Jacob W. Sattels, Elijah S. Smith, Wil- 
liam Smith, William Trenchard, Cornelius Vanhouten, Jo- 
seph Bosoly, Joseph Baker, Ralph Buckley, John Fairchild, 
William S. Reed. 

Artificers, Theodore P. Ackerman, Judson N. Ackerson. 

Buglers, Joseph Steventon, Albert N. Steventon. 

From this time on a generous rivalry commenced between 
the detachments and their Sergeants as to which excelled in 
drill, discipline, bravery, endurance and other soldierly qual- 
ities. Each with its Sergeant was a unit for all purposes, 
and practically one family, with its own cook, rations and 
shelter. Each had its nickname, as "Bully,'' "Fighting," 
"Dandy," "Lazy," "Growlers," "Bull Dogs." For the pur- 
pose of drill use on field and maneuvering the Battery was 
divided in sections of two guns, right, left and center, each 
under command of a Lieutenant, the line of caissons being 
under charge of Junior Second Lieutenant, and all under 
the command of the Captain. Each Sergeant was respon- 
sible for his gim, caisson, equipment, horses and harness; 
the gunner of the gun and its equipments, and to sight his 
gun and direct its fire in action. No. 8 had charge of the 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 9 

• 

caisson and its ammunition, which he was to pack carefully 
in limber chests, replenish ammunition in gun limber in ac- 
tion, and assist in cutting fuse and issuing ammunition in 
battle. No. i sponged the gim and rammed shot home ; No. 
2 loaded gim and assisted No. i in ramming; No. 3 stopped 
vent and pricked cartridge; No. 4 inserted friction prime 
and fired gun ; Nos. 5 and 7 carried ammunition and assisted 
gunner in sighting piece and changing direction of line of 
fire; No. 6 issued ammunition from limber of gims, cut fus« 
to time directed, or, in case of percussion shell, affixed cap 
of plunger. To each gun and caisson were six horses, under 
care of three drivers, called, respectively, lead, swing and 
wheel drivers, each mounted on nigh horse, booted and 
spurred, with whip on right wTist, to l3e used if necessary on 
oflf horse. Their duty was to care for their horses, feed and 
water them, and harness them quickly at call of boots and 
saddles. Every man was made familiar with the duty of 
every other, whether cannonier or driver. On October 24th 
Captain Beam, Lieutenants Monroe and Clark, the six duty 
Sergeants and about forty men marched to the government 
horse corral at Georgetown and selected 1 12 horses for bat- 
tery use. On return to camp we found boxes of harness, 
saddles and sidearms there. Next day four ten-pounder 
Parrott rifled, gims and two twelve-pounder brass howitzers. 
Battery wagon, forge and six caissons were drawn at ar- 
senal and brought to camp. These, with one six-mule team, 
two four-horse teams for three Quartermaster's wagons, and 
a two-horse ambulance completed our outfit. Other Bat- 
teries w^ere, on arrival, camped near us. Col. Wm. T. Barry 
was in command of camp. Immediately after receiving our 
equipments there were two battery drills each day, after 
which discipline was lax. Men visited the Capitol, the dome 
of which was about half completed, and Capitol Square was 
lumbered up with blocks of marble. Washington's Monu- 



10 HISTORY OF BATTERY B^ 

ment looked like a smokestack, 135 feet high; around its 
base was corraled the cattle to feed the army. Very few of 
the streets of Washington were paved, and it was difficult 
for army wagons to haul a load through the streets that 
were unpaved. Early in November we received our first 
pay in gold. About the middle of November the Battery 
was ordered to report to General S. P. Heintzelman at Alex- 
andria, Va., and went into camp near the telegraph road on 
Cameron's Run, north of Fort Lyon. A few days after that 
Captain Beam selected a spot for a camp in a glen southeast 
of Fort Lyon. There stables were built for the horses and 
on a plateau above stockades for the Sibley tents. Stoves 
were furnished for each tent, and there the winter was spent 
in drilling and the usual camp duties and amusements. Dur- 
ing December took part in two reconnaisances to Polick 
church — the first, November 12th, under command of Gen. 
Chas. D. Jamieson, the Battery under command of Capt. 
Beam. The second was December 18, 1861, under com- 
mand of Col. McKnight, One Hundred and Fifth 
Pennsylvania Infantry, and Capt. Jones, First New 
Jersey Cavalry, and only the right and left sections 
under command of Lieut. John B. Monroe. During 
this reconnaisance the right gim fired the first shot 
of the Battery at a squad of the enemy's cavalry, who w^ere 
in view on a hill south of Polick Run. We returned by way 
of Accotink and did our first foraging, among the spoils be- 
ing a long-legged, sharp-snouted razor-back hog, captured 
after a long and laughable chase, hidden on the footboards 
of caisson, and skinned on our return to camp. At Polick 
church President George Washington was married to Mar- 
tha Custiss. On Christmas and New Year's nearly all of us 
received boxes by express from home, and patriotic friends 
in Newark sent barrels of turkeys, chickens and fruit, of 
which all got a share. The officers' wives and a few of the 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 11 

men's visited them in camp. Special quarters were fitted up 
for them. December, 1861, was warm and pleasant. Janu- 
ary, 1862, was wet, with frequent snow storms which melt- 
ed nearly as fast as it fell. Drills were in a measure suspend- 
ed. The daily arrival of the mail and papers, visits to camp 
of pie, cake and fruit peddlers filled the day. The evenings 
were spent in singing songs, and we had many fine singers. 
Some religiously inclined sang hymns, and held prayer meet- 
ings, or attended revivial meetings in Fort Lyon. A few 
played cards and checkers. No gambling was allowed or in- 
dulged in until the fall of 1863. Among recruits received 
then were some gamblers and sharpers. 

About the middle of February, 1862, we were cheered by 
news of the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson by Gen. 
Grant, and of Roanoke Island by Gen. Burnside. Orders 
were issued by President Lincoln for the army to move on 
February 22d, but there was no movement until early in 
March. March 9th orders were read forming the armies 
into corps of three divisions of three brigades each, and three 
batteries of artillery to each division. We were assigned to 
First Division, Third Army Corps, C. S. Hamilton's Divis- 
ion, the other divisions being Fighting Joe Hooker's and 
Fitz John Porter's; Corps Commander, S. P. Heintzelman. 
All camp equipage and knapsacks were sent to Washington. 
March 17, 1862, struck tents and marched to Alexandria, 
as did all of Hamilton's Division. It was a beautiful spring 
morning, buds were bursting, the birds were singing on bush 
and tree. It was a beautiful sight to see the regiments of 
our division marching from )their camps at Fort Lyon and 
the surrounding hills to Alexandria, their bayonets flashing 
like burnished silver in the morning sun, their flags floating 
in the morning breeze, and all their bands playing "St. Pat- 
rick's day in the morning." The ^ight was an inspiring one, 
never to be forgotten. At arrival at the docks troops were 



1^ HISTORY OF BATtfiRY B, 

loaded on steamers and barges, and in the evening were 
towed or steamed down the Potomac to Acqitia Creek. Dur- 
ing the trip we viewed the beautiful scenery of the Potomac 
river, paying special attention to Mount Vernon. Next 
morning the steamer Herald towed us down to Cedar Creek 
lighthouse. Owing to a storm we cast anchor and remained 
there until Friday morning, March 21st. Many of the men 
became seasick and paid tribute to Neptune. The horse of 
Capt. Thompson, of Battery G, Second United States, broke 
loose, jumped overboard and swam to the Maryland shore. 
Two of our men — Calhoun and Roydhouse — took the dingy, 
caught the horse and secured him, for which the Captain 
gave them five dollars and a canteen full of whisky. Two of 
our gimboats were patrolling the river in our vicinity. On 
Wednesday morning a schooner under full sail emerged 
from the mouth of St. Mary's river, Maryland. Wind and 
tide were in her favor, but she was overhauled by the gun- 
boats and found to have a load of Rebel mail and contraband 
goods. 

On Friday morning, the 3torm having abated, the side- 
wheel steamer John Brooks towed our barges to Fortress 
Monroe. We arrived there about 2 p. m. The Monitor lay 
at anchor near our landing place. She appeared insignificant 
beside our men of war, yet on March 9th she defeated the 
iron-clad Mcrrimac after a four hours' battle, the result of 
which revolutionized the naval armaments and warfare of 
the world. That evening we disembarked our horses and 
gims and were given quarters in Fortress Monroe, where we 
remained until March 24th, when we marched to Hampton, 
Va., and encamped near the town. It had l^een burned down 
after the battle of Big Bethel, in June, 1861, by order of 
Rebel General Magruder. While we remained at Hampton 
the weather was delightful. Oysters, crabs and lobsters were 
plenty, and chicken and veal were not scarce. We were the 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 13 

van of McClellan's army, but other troops joined us rapidly 
until the entire plain was one vast encampment, where drills 
and reviews were held daily. April 4th marched to Big 
Bethel, where our advance had a skirmish. April 5th 
marched to near Yorktown. The road was obstructed by 
fallen trees, and part of the road led through a swamp over 
corduroyed roads. Lieut. Woodbury and horse got off the 
road into the swamp, and it was with difficulty they were 
rescued from a muddy grave by J. H. George. During the 
afternoon's march heard cannonading in front. Thompson's 
regulars, G, Second Artillery, and Randolph's Rhode Island 
Batteries got engaged with enemy at Yorktown ; lost some 
men and some horses wounded. We bivouacked in open 
field one mile south of Fort Magruder, remaining there all 
day the 6th, and at sundown were shelled by the enemy. 
Capt. Beam was eager to reply, but was ordered to the rear 
out of reach of the enemy's guns. 

April 7th, went into camp in Swampy Woods, about two 
miles southwest of Yorktown. Only solid ground enough to 
park the battery and place officers' tents. The men's dog 
tents were on stilts, their bunks supported on crotched sticks 
driven into the watery soil. In these crotched sticks were 
laid, and on them small branches of trees, covered with pine 
boughs, so arranged as to keep our bunks about eighteen 
inches above the water. For a few days we were kept busy 
building corduroy roads to get in and out of camp, and 
building log walks to our quarters. While here it rained 
almost constantly. Storm succeeded storm, with lightning 
brighter than we had ever seen. The heavens seemed to be 
one vast battery of electricity. In these storms we stood 
guard, dug ditches and trenches, built roads and fortifica- 
tions, nearly always wet to the skin. The only water to 
drink was obtained from the surrounding swamps. This 
gave nearly every one the diarrhoea. The hospital soon 



14 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

filled with sick from diarrhoea, fever and rheumatism. Al- 
bert N. Collins and George H. Matthews died from exposure 
at Yorktown. 

There were constant alarms at the front. In response to 
these we went quickly to the threatened point, and there laid 
down in the wet and mud. April 4th, at night, engaged in 
shelling Rebel lines and working parties. The 15th, were 
engaged near the Chimneys shelling enemy*s camp and bar- 
racks. The latter we set on fire. Our fire was directed by 
signal corps. We had four guns engaged, and a four-gfun 
battery of the enemy replied to us, but inflicted no damage 
other than to shower down the wood ticks who found lodg- 
ing places on our bodies and gorged themselves with our 
blood, in doing so burrowing partly through the skin. It 
caused an irritating and festering sore. 

The Battery was complimented for their work by Gen. 
McClellan in person. He said "Bully ,for Beam's New Jer- 
sey Battery." April i6th, engaged in shelling working par- 
ties of the enemy, about i ,000 in number, who were strength- 
ening a battery three miles to left of Yorktown on Warwick 
Creek. Randolph's Battery in position on our left. In our 
front were open fields gradually sloping to the creek, on op- 
posite side of which was a (two-gun redoubt, and to our left 
were several other redoubts, averaging 1,400 yards distant. 
The enemy opened fire as we emerged from the woods to go 
in battery. We replied slowly. Got their range almost im- 
mediately, and drove their working parties behind their 
works, inflicting some damage, for we could see them carry- 
ing away their wounded on stretchers. Our 'shots made the 
dirt fly on their fortifications. Our fire was slow, but very 
accurate. The Rebels opened on us with some very heavy 
guns. Some of their shots were wide of the mark, and most 
of their shells burst just behind us in the woods. About noon 
we ceased firing and ate our hardtack in peace. Shortly after. 



I FIRST NEW JERSEY. 15 

by orders from Capt. McKeever of Heintzelman's staff, our 
fire was directed over an enemy's redoubt, the guns of which 
were shelling our infantry on the left. A few moments after 
opening fire a shot from the right gun dismounted one of 
the enemy's guns. The Captain treated the detachment from 
his canteen, and promised a like treat for a repetition of the 
shot. Firing was kept up until 5 p. m. Every gun opened 
by the enemy was silenced by the fire of Battery B. As 
Toddy Williams said, "We knocked down their pins as fast 
as they could set them up." Having exhausted our ammuni- 
tion we returned to camp. Gen. C. S. Hamilton, in his re- 
port, says : **The batteries of my division opened a brisk fire 
on the enemy's works in front of my left at 1 1 a. m. to-day. 
The fire resulted, first, in driving the enemy from his rifle 
pits into his works ; second, in driving everything from their 
barracks and camp ; and, third, in driving all the infantry 
from the works into the woods in rear, leaving only a few 
men in the works to man the guns. One of the shots from 
Capt. Beam's Battery dismounted one of the Rebel's guns at 
3 p. M. A gun was directed over it, which was immediately 
knocked over by a well-directed shot, and a third shot scat- 
tered the Rebels, who have not approached their guns since." 
April i8th, night attack by Rebels repulsed. From this time 
on there was a constant racket at front every night, and 
sharpshooting during the day, until May 2d and 3d, when a 
steady fire was opened and kept up on the Rebel's works, 
and it was said that the heavy siege guns had been placed in 
position and would open all along the line May 4th. 

May 3d, Gen. Philip Kearney, in command of division; 
Gen. C. S. Hamilton relieved. May 4th, learned that the 
enemy had evacuated Yorktown. At noon left camp, march- 
ed to Yorktown, passing spot marked by monument where 
Cornwallis surrendered to Washington. Roads leading to 
fortifications planted with torpedoes. Several men killed 



16 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

and wounded by their explosion. Marched through the de- 
serted camps of the enemy for a couple of miles. Roads 
were muddy and littered with stuff abandoned by the Rebels. 
Stoneman's Cavalry and Hooker's Division, in advance, ot 
Kearney's, bivouacked about three miles from Yorktown; 
rained hard all night. The storm continued all day May 5th. 
At 7 A. M. heard artillery firing in the direction of Williams- 
burg. Hitched up and marched to junction of road at 
Cheeseman's brick church, where we were halted for several 
hours to allow Gen. Keyes' Corps to march past, at 3 p. m. 
Marched again; roads almost impassable. Caissons were 
left at side of road ; teams doubled on guns, and then made 
but slow progress. It was 6 p. m. when we arrived on the 
field of battle. Gen. Heintzelman had gathered portions of 
several bands, and had them playing to cheer the men on the 
firing line. The arrival of Kearney's Division and his im- 
petuous style of fighting restored the field to our possession. 
The Battery was not put in action. The right section was 
sent half a mile to the left and posted in a corn field to sup- 
port cavalry and pickets. The teams were sent back after 
caissons. One man was hit with spent bullet and one horse 
hit. Teams with caissons got back about 11 p. m. No fires 
were built. Laid down to sleep in the mud, which was every- 
where. Awoke May 6th to find that enemy had retreated. 
The section on picket rejoined the Battery. Coffee was 
made. The rays of the sun soon dissipated the clouds, and 
nature put on a cheerful face. Details of soldiers were gath- 
ering together the bodies of those who had met death on yes- 
terday to give them a soldier's burial. Each was wrapi>ed in 
a blanket, placed in shallow trenches in rows, a farewell vol- 
ley, Ihe earth shoveled back. In some cases their names 
were inscribed on pieces of boxes and set in the ground to 
mark their graves. Such was the heroes' funeral at Wil- 
liamsburg. We remained on the field during the day, and 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 17 

near evening marched through the enemy's works. Fort 
Magruder, in front of which most of the fighting took place, 
was flanked with six redoubts, four on left and two on right. 
In front was open ground for 600 to 800 yards to timber, 
from which our troops deployed to make the attack. Gen. 
Longstreet was in command of the enemy's forces at this 
point. The enemy abandoned thirty pieces of artillery on 
this line, and large quantities of other war material. We 
went into camp in a field east of Williamsburg. It was a 
beautiful place. Its dwellings were mostly embowered in 
shrubbery, vines and flowers. In the college and churches, 
which were used as hospitals, the enemy left about 1,000 of 
their sick and wounded, who *were attended to by our sur- 
geons and the ladies of the city. The latter treated the Un- 
ion soldiers disdainfully, and gloried in secession. Our sup- 
ply train returned to Yorktown for rations and ammunition. 
After their return, on May loth, broke camp, marched five 
miles west and bivouacked. Next day marched to Barhams- 
ville. Next march was to Slatersville, thence to New Kent 
Court House, from there to Cumberland Landing, from 
there to White House cross roads, from there to St. Peter's 
church, and from there to near Chickahominy river at Bot- 
tom's bridge. Crossed there May 26th, with Birney's Bri- 
gade. Fortified the White Oak swamp road. Battery B was 
sent to the right, at railroad bridge over Chickahominy, for 
a day or two. Camp was on Williamsburg stage road near 
Bottom's bridge. On May 30th we had a terrific storm of 
lightning, thunder and rain, the severest we had ever known. 
It continued until noon. May 31st, and the sluggish Chicka- 
hominy from a few rods became a mile wide. All around our 
camp was a lake, the ground a quagmire. Shortly after noon 
we heard cannonading in direction of Fair Oak's station. At 
3 p. M. orders came to march. In a few minutes we were 
hitched up and on the road waiting for the infantry of 

B 



18 HISTORY OF BATTERY B^ 

Kearney's Division. They soon formed in columns and the 
seven-mile march began. The roads were so bad that the in- 
fantry soon left us behind. Some three miles from the front 
we met a stream of fugitives, first single men, then in squads 
of three and four. They were from Casey's and Couch's 
Divisions. They told of disaster. Each one was the only 
survivor of company, regiment or battery. There were at 
least I, GOG of these men. The provost guard of Kearney's 
Division rallied them and marched them back to the front, 
where they were sent to their regiments. Later we learned 
that Casey's men had been surprised and almost overwhelm- 
ed, but they had made a grand fight. Kearney's arrival 
checked the Rebel's advance, and before dark repulsed their 
right and center, and regained considerable of the ground 
from which Casey's troops had been driven. The fighting 
was in a swampy timber country, where artillery could not 
be advantageously used. The Battery was parked on left 
of Williamsburg road near a field hospital. The right sec- 
tion was sent over to the right near the railroad with Bir- 
ney's Brigade, where they fired a few shells, that had the 
effect of clearing our front to the right. When all was quiet 
they returned to the Battery. A constant stream of wound- 
ed were being brought ito the hospital by ambulances and 
some on stetchers. A corps of surgeons and attendants 
were diligently at work dressing their wounds, amputating 
limbs, and alleviating the suffering of these shattered, torn 
and mutilated heroes by the flickering light of torches and 
tallow candles. During the night there was a constant sput- 
tering fire on the picket line. At times it rose to volleys. 
Then Capt. Beam would command "Cannoniers, attention" ; 
"Drivers, stand to horse," and we expected the next order 
would be "Action, front." About midnight Gen. Heintzel- 
man and staff and escort of a squadron of cavalry rode along 
the line in our rear on a trot. The clanking of sabres and 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 19 

rattle of canteens and accoutrements caused some to think it 
was Rebel cavalry, and some soldiers stampeded to the 
woods in front to escape from imaginary danger. 

June 1st, at sunrise, with Sickles' Brigade on left, and the 
Fifth and Sixth New Jersey regiments on our right, advanc- 
ed under heavy musketry fire through a belt of timber and 
took position on slight knoll on right of stage road. The ene- 
my's sharpshooters, posted in trees in front, werje picking off 
officers and men. Capt. Beam was ordered to shell the woods 
in which they were concealed, which was done for about 
twenty minutes. Then Sickles' Brigade, deployed brigade 
front, charged, and during advance made a right half wheel, 
brigade front, as perfectly as if on parade. The Battery con- 
tinued its shell fire until they entered the woods, which they 
charged through with ringing cheers. At this time Gen. 
McClellan and staff rode to our position and viewed the 
field. He complimented Capt. Beam for service done, and 
said he was a Jerseyman. 

June 2d, in position near the York River railroad. Toward 
evening moved forward toward Seven Pines with Kear- 
ney's Division. Bivouacked on ground from which Casey's 
Division was driven May 31st. 

June 3d, took position occupied by batteries of Casey's 
Division, under Col. Bailey. It bore witness to the terrible 
fight that was made there. Hundreds of our dead were still 
unburied. Nearly all their artillery horses had been killed, 
and were piled in heaps in positions occupied by Union bat- 
teries. The enemy had buried most of their dead on Satur- 
day night. They marked the graves with pieces of boards, 
giving name and regiment. The number of these indicated 
the bloody nature of the conflict at this point — eighty-three 
from Fourth North Carolina, forty-one from Sixth North 
Carolina, several from Fifth North Carolina, thirty-three 
from Sixth Alabama ; in fact, regiments from every seceded 



20 HISTORY OF BATTERY B^ 

State were represented by dead Confederates on this line, 

from Fair Oaks to White Oak swamp. The enemy drove in 

• • 

our pickets. The Rhode Island Battery took position on our 
left. The woods in front were shelled, causing the enemy to 
withdraw. Details of men were at work burying dead sol- 
diers and horses. The men were buried in shallow trenches, 
side by side. The horses were drawn together in heaps, 
rails and brush piled upon them and set on fire, to burn the 
flesh from their bones, which it failed to do. Earth was 
thrown over what remained, but the frequent storms which 
deluged the Peninsula at that time soon washed the earth off 
men and horses. The stench from their remains was intol- 
erable. In a few days maggots, the size of a grain of rice, 
generated from these bodies, and were in heaps all over the 
graves. They crawled everywhere and nearly whitened the 
ground. In a few days they developed wings and were able 
to fly when the air was still and warm. They crawled over 
us, into our haversacks, into our food. The water we drank 
was taken from swamp in rear. It was covered with frog 
spawn. When boiled for coffee we would find the maggot 
skins mingled with our coffee. There were but two wells 
on the field. One was at Kearney's headquarters, and was 
reserved for use of the officers. The other had been dug by 
one of Casey's regiments. Their camp was occupied by the 
Fifth Michigan. They were proud of owning this well# 
They lost numerous buckets and canteens in it. One day a 
week or so after the battle they went into the well to recover 
their lost treasures and, incidentally, clean the well. Thev 
found at the bottom the skeletons of two Confederates and 
their accoutrements. They were taken out and the use of 
the well continued. Our duty kept us on this ground fully 
two-thirds of the time from June 2d to 27th. Our camp was 
at Smead's house, a half mile in rear of main line of en- 
trenchments. Gen. Magruder kept making demonstrations 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 21 

by clay and racket by night, and at such times we always har- 
nessed up and went to front, took our positions in line and 
remained there until all was quiet. It seldom happened that 
a battery or picket line was relieved, but a demonstration 
was made by enemy. Men sickened and died by hundreds 
with diarrhoea, dysentery and miasmatic fevers. Orders 
were issued for company cooks to serve hot coffee to men at 
reveille. Rations of whisky and quinine were served twice 
in a day. It undoubtedly saved many lives. 

June 5th, rapid picket firing and volleys, went to front, 
remained all night ; 6th, regular duty ; 8th, picket on duty ; 
9th, regular duty, shelled by the enemy; loth, ditto; nth, 
quiet; 12th, regular tour; 15th, regular tour, hot skirmish. 
Sergeant Carins wounded, left arm amputated. Billy Earl 
wounded in thigh; i6th, sharp engagement Williamsburg 
road, enemy repulsed; 17th, Rebs attack in force, are re- 
pulsed ; i8th, regular tour ; 19th and 20th, quiet. 

June 2 1 St, regular tour. Howitzers in two guns' redoubt 
in front of twin houses. Rebels charge redoubt in two lines. 
Woodbury and his section used canister. Rest of Battery 
from second line kept up a sharp shell fire until enemy were 
driven back to the woods, leaving over thirty dead in front 
of redoubt. 23d, sharp engagement on right in front of 
Hooker's Division. Enemy attacked ; shelled their line vig- 
orously. Their artillery replied with great spirit, and their 
infantry from edge of woods with volleys of musketry. 
24th, regular tour. 25th, called to front at i :30 a. m. Rebs 
attacking on Hooker s front. At 5 a. m. moved to redoubt 
on left of Kearney's line. Enemy displayed considerable 
force in front. Shelled them from woods in front. Robin- 
son's Brigade and left section under Lieut. Clark advanced 
to left, driving the enemy before them to a- clearing near 
King's school house, called Peach Orchard, where they 
encountered the Rebel brigades of Mahone, Wright and 



24 HISTORY OF BATTERY d, 

Ransom, and Grimes' Battery of Rebel artillery. Lieut. 
Clark's section, by their accurate fire, silenced Grimes' Bat- 
tery, and drove the enemy's sharpshooters from French's 
house, where they were sheltered, by fire of percussion shell, 
which riddled the building, after which it was ordered to 
return to our lines. The enemy followed it closely. The sec- 
tion unlimbered, fired a few shots and drove them back. In 
this action James Vaughn was wounded. Buckley received 
injury to leg. Sergeant Rhein powder-burnt by fire of his 
gun. Gen. Robinson in his report says: "Immediately in 
front of our left was an open field from which the enemy 
opened upon us with artillery, throwing canister. I dis- 
covered in this field a two-story frame house which afforded 
shelter to the enemy's sharpshooters. I sent word to you 
that I could use artillery with advantage. Soon after I re- 
ceived a section of Battery B, First New Jersey Artillery, 
under command of First Lieut. A. Judson Qark. One piece 
being placed in position in the orchard sent four percussion 
shells through the house, rendering it untenable, and silenc- 
ing a section of the battery that had been playing on us. 
Lieut. Clark performed very important service, which enti- 
tles him to great credit as an artillerist and gallant soldier." 
Gen. Berry says : "The two pieces of Beam's Battery were 
now at work. The enemy seemed to be arranging for some- 
thing. I judged it to be to make a dash for the road in rear 
of the field pieces. I placed the right wing of the First New 
York Regiment on my extreme right, with orders to advance 
and hold the road at all hazards." Capt. (Truthful) Grimes 
(Rebel) : "I engaged him with one section of my battery at 
850 yards distance, driving the enemy from his position. I 
afterwards moved one piece to French's house, within 450 
yards of his position, and opened on him, which was quickly 
replied to with twelve-pounder Parrott rifle gun, but I had 
the pleasure of driving him from his position, leaving his 



KRST MEW JERSEY. 28 

horses and gun behind, which fact I was not aware of ^until 
informed of it by Col. Smith of the Forty-ninth Virginia 
and others.*' 

After Lieut. Clark's section rejoined the Battery at Fort 
Kearney a brigade of the enemy charged on it, but one regi- 
ment, the Twentieth Indiana, sent them howling into the 
woods. There was coilsiderable musketry firing at night, 
so much so we opened with artillery ; then all was quiet until 
daybreak, when the enemy made a demonstration on our 
front, which was repulsed. There was desultory firing until 
noon; then it quieted down, but there was heavy artillery 
firing on right at Mechanicsville. At 9 p. m., report read 
to us that enemy was defeated and driven three miles. 

June 27th, placed in position on HocJcer's front. At Seven 
Pines, engaged in morning. In afternoon marched with 
parts of Hooker's and Kearney's Divisions to the right, and 
went in a bivouac in front of Gen. Sumner's headquarters 
on Allen's farm. Sumner's troops sent to the right to rein- 
force Gen. Porter at Gaines' Mills. The roar of battle there 
we could distinctly hear until after dark. Heavy rain. 

June 28th, marched back to left of line ; occupied a re- 
doubt; had 100 infantry for support. The Fifty-fifth New 
York, Eighty-fifth and One Hundred and Second Pennsyl- 
vania Infantry had been on this line. They left their tents, 
knapsacks and all supplies after them. June 29th, received 
orders in morning to destroy or burn everything to prevent 
its falling into the enemy's possession. About noon ordered 
to report with Bramhall's and Osborn's Batteries and 
Sickles' Brigade to Gen. Smith, at rear line of entrench- 
ments, where we were shelled by the enemy's artillery, but 
slightly engaged. At 3:30, Osborn got hotly engaged. 
About 5 p. M. were ordered to move to rear and left through 
White Oak swamp. On road with us were parts of the Sixth 
Corps, army wagon train and ambulance trains filled with 



24 HISTORY OF BATTERY fi, 

wounded. Many sick from hospitals were getting on as best 
they could, rather than fall into enemy's hands as prisoners, 
as many did. The road was corduroyed, and narrow. All 
were required to hurry, and the roar of Summer's battle at 
Savage station made the teamsters hump their mules. After 
passing through the swamp we bivouacked near Charles 
City Cross Road, but all night long the trains were passing. 
June 30th, about 9 a. m., guns took position on New Mar- 
ket road. All quiet until 2 p. m. Skirmishers got engaged. 
Battery was relieved, and, with BranhalFs and Osborn's 
Batteries, ordered to report to officer in command on Mal- 
vern Hill. We went on a trot. The road ascended by a 
general slope to a low hill with a level top bare except a few- 
trees and two houses. The Battery being in advance was 
immediately placed in position facing west. To our front 
was a meadow about 500 yards wide and a mile long. On 
our right we could see the smoke and hear the noise of bat- 
tle at Glendale. On our left, distant three-quarters of a 
mile was the James river. We could see a Union gunboat. 
In our rear was Rush's Lancers and the wagon trains, pass- 
ing rapidly to the river. In our front were our skirmish- 
ers, engaged with those of the enemy, near where a road 
debouched from woods some distance to left. The enemy 
were in the woods. We had not been in position three min- 
utes when a Rebel battery opened on us from the woods to 
the west. We replied, firing over the heads of our infantry, 
and Bramhall and Osborn came into battery on our left, and 
in a few minutes the gunboat Galena poured a stream of 100- 
pound shells into their right flank. The combined fire of 
eighteen g^ns and gunboats tore through the woods like 
thunderbolts, smashed the enemy's batteries to pieces and 
drove their infantry and cavalry from the field in utter de- 
moralization, leaving two guns and six caissons in our 
hands. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 26 

We had only two regiments of infantry on field. The 
Rebel force had thirty guns and 15,000 men under Gen. 
Holmes. Gen. Henry S. Wise (Confederate) says: "The 
enemy commenced heavy shelling of the woods and open 
fields at its right and left. In a few moments the cavalry 
wheeled into the field on the left, rode irregularly around 
that field, and in a short time came rapidly past the infantry 
in the road, and in a few minutes more artillery horses, 
and then a caisson and then guns (said to be Branche's Bat- 
tery) came stampeding in wild confusion by the regiment 
next to the Twenty-Sixth of my brigade (said to be the 
Forty-Fifth North Carolina). It was with difficulty my men 
could avoid serious damage of this wild rout of cavalry, in- 
fantry and artillery." Captain Osborn, while giving num- 
ber of guns engaged in this action, failed to mention Battery 
B, part in action at Malvencliff, near Crew House. 

At 7 A. M., July 1st, the Battery was ordered into position 
in front of West house, in interval between left of Kearney's 
and right of Hooker's Division, facing north ; Bramhall's 
and Osborn's Batteries in position on our right ; the howit- 
zer section in reserve, to our rear. At our left was a clump 
of trees ; in our front was a meadow a mile long and three- 
quarters of a mile wide. Five hundred yards to our right 
was a ravine. The hill, sixty feet high, sloped gently to the 
meadow. About 9 a. m. the enemy brought a battery into 
position on edge of the woods, 1,500 yards distant, and open- 
ed fire on Battery B. Their fire was rapid and mostly too high, 
their shells bursting in the orchard near West house. To 
their fire we almost instantly replied, and after a sharp ar- 
tillery duel of an hour we knocked this battery to pieces. 
Shortly after two other batteries came into position in a 
clover field, and additional pieces in edge of woods. Battery 
B, and other batteries now in position to its left, soon knock- 
ed these batteries to pieces; they retiring with what they 



2« HISTORY OF BATtfiRY B, 

could carry off, but leaving heaps of dead horses and several 
disabled guns and caissons. One of these batteries fought 
very stubbornly, and at last retired into a lane in the woods 
with its last gun. Capt. Beam, believing the enemy's infan- 
try were sheltered in the woods, commenced shelling the 
woods in front and to our left, but Gen. Hooker ordered him 
to reserve his fire and save his ammunition. For more than 
an hour after this not a shot .was fired by the enemy in our 
direction, but they advanced their skirmish line and took 
possession of the ravine on our right. During this lull Gen. 
Kearney came to our position, and with a field glass viewed 
the enemy's position. He was very tired. Donohue helped 
him dismount. He said he had not slept a wink for a week. 
He remained chatting with us for a few minutes until firing 
commenced in front of his division. He remounted and gal- 
loped away. In the meantime the Rebels had advanced 
more artillery and opened a heavy fire to our left; which 
gradually extended to our front. Under the enemy's fire 
that of the batteries to our left slackened until the gunboats 
in the river, who during the morning had thrown a few 
shells to get the range, now joined in the artillery fire with 
their one and two hundred pound Parrott gims from the four 
boats. Many of them crashed through the woods in front 
like thunderbolts, and had the effect of slackening the ene- 
my's fire. The enemy in front also opened fire on us. Their 
fire was well directed and their shells well timed. The Cap- 
tain received order to reply and did so, but in a few minutes 
after a shell from the enemy pierced his body, dismounting 
him from his horse, a beautiful bay, who immediately com- 
menced prancing, striking and kicking at all who would ap- 
proach him. He would snort, break away in a circle, and 
return to the spot where his master was killed. The Cap- 
tain's body was taken to the orchard in the rear and buried 



FIRST NEW JERSEV. 27 

With Masonic honors, the rattle of musketry and the roar of 
cannon being the funeral dirge. 

Capt. John Edwin Beam was born in Newark, N. J., July 
5, 1825, and was educated in the public schools of that city. 
He was fond of the sea, and in early youth made several 
trips to Key West and the West Indies. On the death of his 
father he gave up his seafaring life, returned home and 
learned the trade of jeweler. On February 6, 1846, he was 
married to Miss S. Emeline Swallow, of New York City. In 
1848 he removed to near Springfield, Ohio, and engaged in 
farming. He returned to Newark in 1853 and engaged in 
the wood-turning business under the firm name of Beam & 
Turner. He was a member of the Newark fire department, 
and when war broke out assistant foreinan of Hook and Lad- 
der Company, No. i. He was a prominent member of St. 
Johns Lodge, A. F. & A. M. In April, 1861, he was com- 
missioned First Lieutenant of Company F, First New Jersey 
3 months volunteers. On the expiration of his term of en- 
listment he w^as authorized by Governor Olden to recruit a 
battery of light artillery for three years' service, and was 
mustered into the United States service as Captain of Bat- 
tery B, September 3. 1861. He proved to be a gallant, brave 
and faithful officer and strict disciplinarian. 

No braver man fell on the field of Malvern Hill. No purer 
patriot died there than Capt. John E. Beam. During his 
service he had won the respect and honor of Gens. Heintzel- 
man, Hamilton, Kearney and Hooker, all of whom had 
praised him in general orders. He was kind and good to 
all the men of his command, and every surviving veteran of 
Battery B reveres his memory as a fearless soldier, a just 
commander, a manly man and faithful Qiristian. 

The Captain's death was quickly avenged. A shot from 
Corp. John H. George's gun dismounted one of the enemy's 
guns. Every one of the gunners made good shots, and as 



28 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

the firing was slow and deliberate every shot found its in- 
tended billet, and resulted in driving the Rebels from their 
guns in front of us, and heaps of dead horses, broken giui 
carriages and caissons demonstrated the eflfectiveness of our 
fire. While we were paying strict attention to the battery in 
front the enemy had advanced heavy columns of infantry on 
our left. On these masses, as they charged the position occu- 
pied by Gens. Kearney and Couch, we now directed our fire, 
enfilading their lines. Three times did they advance, and as 
often were they mowed down by fire of infantry and artil- 
lery. Flesh and blood could not face that terrible fire. On 
their last advance a column composed of Meagher's, Sickles' 
and one of Kearney's Brigades made a counter charge and 
drove the Rebels into the heart of White Oak swamp. The 
cheers of this victorious charging column were heard for 
miles. We were elated at our victory and expected the or- 
der *'On to Richmond." But at 2 a. m., July 2d, we were 
ordered to march to Harrison's Landing in a severe rain 
storm. Of this order Gen. Kearney said : **I, an old officer, 
enter my solemn protest against this order for retreat; we 
ought, instead of retreating, follow up the enemy and take 
Richmond. I say to you all, such an order can only be 
prompted by cowardice or treason." Wet, cold and hungry 
we marched, in mud knee deep, to Harrison's Landing, on 
the James River, where we ^went into a cheerless bivouac in 
what had l^een a wheat field the day before, but was then 
a sea of mud. But the next morning the sun arose bright 
and clear. We moved back from the river a mile and camp- 
ed in a grove on mill race near mill pond. A part of the Bat- 
tery was sent back with Kearney's Division to picket duty on 
hills north of landing, where they were attacked by Stuart's 
cavalry, and captured some of Stuart's artillery. I quote 
Confederate reports of Col. Stephen D. Lee: "The enemy's 
artillery was admirably handled in this action, and it is ad- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 29 

mitted to have been the most terrible artillery fire during 
the war. Our artillery had to be brought up in a narrow 
line under a terrible fire, and as soon as they discovered a 
battery coming up they concentrated their entire artillery on 
it. Several batteries were in succession disabled, almost be- 
fore getting into action." Gen. Wright says: ^'Grimes' 
Battery was moved up, and only two pieces rifles of his bat- 
tery were put in battery. Grimes' guns had been silenced by 
loss of his horses and men, and he was forced to retire, leav- 
ing one of his pieces. I ordered up another battery (Moor- 
man's, I think) and got it into position a little under the 
crest of the hill in the clover field and opened on the enemy. 
The superior number and metal of the enemy's guns gave 
him the advantage of us, and very soon this battery was 
forced to retire." Gen. B. P. Hill says : '^Moorman's Bat- 
tery was ordered up and knocked to pieces in a few minutes. 
One or two others shared the same fate of being beaten in 
detail. Capt. Pegram's Battery was ordered up and, taking 
position two hundred yards to the left of Moorman's, opened 
a well-directed fire upon the enemy. Manfully these gallant 
men maintained the unequal conflict until their severe losses 
disabled them from using but a single piece. Even then, 
with one single piece, they firmly held their ground, until 
seeing the hopelessness of the contest, I ordered them to 
cease firing until I could get more guns into action. It was 
now 3 p. M. ; another battery was ordered up, and again 
the gallant Pegram opened with his single gun, himself as- 
sisting to work it. Still the superior number and calibre of 
the enemy's guns enabled him to pour a continuous and gall- 
ing fire upon our artillerists, and kept the skirt of wood in 
which my men lay wrapt in a sheet of flame and hail of iron 
from their guns." 

We went to the Peninsula with one hundred and forty- 
three officers and men for duty. Shortly after arrival at 



30 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

Harrison's Landing we had only seventy-four for duty. 
Four had died, one killed, three wounded, the balance were 
in hospital and Rebel prisons. August 5th, Lieut. Monroe 
resigned. An election for Captain was held, and Lieut. A. 
J. Clark was elected over Woodbury, who went north on 
furlough. The hills to the north were fortified, and the four 
Parrott g^ns placed in a redoubt on that line. 

At midnight, July 31st, the enemy shelled our camps and 
transports in river from Coggins' Point. It made a terrible 
racket. August 9th, our sick were sent north to hospital. 
August 15th, left Harrison^s Landing, and marched by way 
of Charles City court-house to Coles' ferry on the Chicka- 
hominy, where we were placed in battery to repel any at- 
tack the enemy might make. After all trains had crossed on 
pontoons we marched, via-burnt ordinary and Williams- 
burg, arriving at Yorktown August 19th. We remained 
there awaiting transportation until the 26th, then loa^letl 
guns and men on steamer Star, horses and wagons on 
schooner D. W. Vaughn. The Star took the schooner in 
tow. That night we anchored at Cedar Point, then up the 
Potomac to Acquia Creek, where we were ordered to Alex- 
andria, Va. Disembarked August 29th, bivouacked on side- 
walk for the next three days amid a mess of apparently dis- 
organized and demoralized infantry, cavalry and artillery, 
mixed up with wagons, ambulances and sutlers' outfits. It 
speaks well of our discipline that Gen. McQellan telegraph- 
ed to Halleck: **The only thing I have to send (to Pope) is 
a New Jersey Battery, but I have no troops to guard the 
trains." We were anxious to join our corps and be in 
line of battle with our comrades. It grieved us to hear 
of Gen. Kearney's tragic death at Chantilly. 

We were the vanguard of McClellan's Peninsula cam- 
paign, also the rear guard. We w^ent full of hope, anticipat- 
ing victory. We returned dispirited and despondent, after 
enduring much suffering and hardship. 



ANTIETAM AND FREDERICKSBURG 

CAMPAIGN, 



On September 2, 1862, Pope's army returned to the de- 
fences of Washington, and, as if by magic, order sprang 
from what had been chaos. Battery B marched from Alex- 
andria to the old camp near Fort Lyons, where it remained 
until the army was reorganized for the Antietam campaign. 
Gen. Stoneman succeeded Heintzelman in command of the 
Third Corps, Gen. D. B. Birney to Kearney's Division, and 
Gen. D. E. Sickles to Hooker's Division. Battery B was at- 
tached to Sickles' Division. A large detail of men from the 
Second, Third and Fifth Michigan Infantry filled our de- 
pleted ranks, and they were excellent soldiers, brave and 
faithful. The section of howitzers were turned in and replac- 
ed with Parrott guns. The Third Corps during the Antietam 
campaign held the defences of Washington south of the Po- 
tomac river — Birney on the right, Sickles on the left of line. 
For a few days we remained at Fort Lyons. September 
14th, marched to Roach's Mills on Four Mile Run. From 
there we were ordered to Upton's Hill, where the Battery 
occupied Fort Buffalo with four guns, the redoubt to its 
right with two guns. 

September 19th, commissions for A. J. Clark as Captain, 
George T. Woodbury and Samuel W. Baldwin as First 
Lieutenants, and Edward P. Clark and Robert Sims as Sec- 
ond Lieutenants were received from the Governor of Nqw 
Jersey. All of these gave satisfaction except that of Sims. 
The Captain, when tried, proved to be a strict disciplinarian, 
careful of his men and horses. In knowledge of the artillery . 
arm and its effective use he was the peer of any officer of his 



32 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

rank in the service; in action he was cool and deliberate, 
and shared every danger and hardship with his command. 

Sergeant Clairville was sent north on recruiting service 
with Lieut. Baldwin, who was appointed Captain of Com- 
pany E, Thirteenth New Jersey Infantry, arid afterwards 
Major of that regiment. Sam was a good fellow, and we 
were all glad that he was promoted. Clairville brought one 
recruit, Jim Lusk, December 6th. 

November i, 1862, left Upton's Hill and marched through 
Fairfax Court House, camping near Centreville; from there 
to Manassas Junction, and remained there one day. Frcnn 
there, under command of Col. Blaisdel, of the Sixteenth 
Massachusetts, that regiment, the Eleventh Massachusetts 
and Seventy-Second New York Infantry and Battery B, 
marched by way of Bristoe and Catlett's Stations to War- 
renton Junction. The railroad was covered in one confused 
jumble with debris of trains destroyed by Jeb Stuart and 
Stonewall Jackson during Pope's campaign. The purpose 
of our advances was to repair the railroad and accumulate 
supplies for McClellan's army as it advanced from Maryland 
into Virginia. We also had a squadron of Sixth Ohio Cav- 
alry for scouting the country between us and the Rappahan- 
nock river. With a portion of these Capt. Ulric Dahlgren 
made a dash into Fredericksburg and captured a number of 
prisoners and three wagons loaded with cloth for Confeder- 
ate uniforms, which he brought into our lines at Warrenton 
Junction. He was boyish in appearance, and modestly re- 
lated to us the story of his daring dash. 

November 12th, Battery B fired a farewell salute to Gen. 
McClellan, relieved of command of army by President Lin- 
coln's order. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside was appointed in 
his stead. The same evening a salute was fired in honor of 
Gen. H(X)ker, who returned to the army convalescent from 
wound received at battle of Antietam. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 33 

November 15th, army marched past our camp on its way 
to Falmouth, Va. It, with its immense trains of artillery, 
wagons and ambulances, was passing until November 21st. 
Next day we were rear guard. Marched to Catlett's, from 
there to near Brentsville, thence to Wolf Run Shoals, where 
we were caught in a snow storm. The ford was barely pass- 
able, and the roads, owing to the recent rains and travel of 
trains preceding, almost impassable. Our next bivouac was 
at Stafford Court House ; thence to Falmouth, arriving there 
at dusk, Nov. 26th. The plains near there were already dot- 
ted with hundreds of camps. It was necessary to go back a 
mile to procure fuel to make our coffee. The wind was 
strong and cold. No tents were erected. Many men spent 
the night shivering over the embers of the camp fires. Owing 
to a mistake of Gen. Halleck the pontoons which should have 
been at Falmouth Nov. 25th did not arrive until December 
loth, when we received orders to be ready for the attack on 
Fredericksburg next morning. All was ready. About half 
past five the signal, two guns on the right were fired ; then 
all was quiet for half an hour. Then, from oyer one hun- 
dred cannons, from ten to thirty-pound calibre, fire opened 
along our front. The ground trembled with the shock. The 
fire continued until noon, during which time our engineers 
had laid a pontoon bridge below the city, but were repulsed 
in front of the city by the deadly fire of the enemy's sharp- 
shooters concealed in buildings near river bank. Finally 
men rowed across the river, dislodged the enemy and the 
bridge was finished. We were spectators of the bombard- 
ment. We lay in front of the city all day, and bivouacked 
there. About noon the fire upon the city slackened up for 
an hour. In this fight we took no part. 

Friday, December 12, 1862, moved to Gen. Burnside's 
headquarters at Lacy house, where we remained until even- 
ing. Then ordered to march to Franklin's pontoon bridge, 
c 



34 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

by way of Belle Plain road, and new road cut through the 
woods by pioneers. On road with us were ammunition 
trains of Third, Fifth and Sixth Corps. About 9 p. m. park- 
ed and bivouacked a few hundred yards from bridge head. 
December 13th. Early reveille. Harnessed and waited in 
dense fog for orders to move, which came at half past nine. 
We moved rapidly to river, crossed on lower bridge, moved 
rapidly to Bernard house, where we reported to Gen. Sickles, 
who ordered the Captain to report to Gen, Smith of Frank- 
lin's Grand Division. He did so, and by his orders reported 
to Gen. A. P. Howe, who gave the Battery position in front 
of the Vermont Brigade of Sixth Corps. On our right from 
Deep Run were the batteries of Ayers, Butler and McCart- 
ney. Our position was in front of the Bowling Green road, 
on top of a slope that gradually fell to the railroad ; in front, 
from there to the enemy's position, about a mile, was level 
ground. Our line of battle conformed to that of the enemy, 
who were posted on a range of hills gradually receding from 
the river, concave in shape. These hills were mostly wooded. 
On these hills was posted the enemy's artillery behind heavy 
entrenchments. Our right rested on the Rappahannock, the 
left extending to Hamilton's crossing. In our front was a 
cedar thicket, on our left the ground was open and sloped 
gradually to a house that was apparently headquarters of 
some General. A mile to our left was heavy timber, reach • 
ing to edge of plain in front of Fifth Army Corps, \\1ien we 
arrived at this position the fog had not yet lifted. The Sec- 
ond Vermont was skirmishing heavily with the enemy, who 
were attempting to drive them back, but, instead, the Ver- 
mont boys drove the "Johnnies" back, and then returned and 
took position two hundred yards in advance of the artillery 
line. About this time the sun lifted the heavy fog. On look- 
ing to the front we saw the enemy coming into position in 
front of the cedars, with a battery or two. Gen. Howe or- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 35 

dered Capts. Clark and McCartney to open fire upon them. 
Capt. Clark fired by piece. The first shell exploded short of 
the enemy. The next >did better. The sixth shot knocked 
out two of their horses, and now, having their exact range, 
and time of fuse, orders were given to fire at will. It did not 
take long to knock wheels from their guns and limbers and 
put them in confusion. Other guns were brought into ac- 
tion on their left, and worked with energy and great obsti- 
nacy, but at the end of an hour's artillery duel they disap- 
peared with all they could jdraw off the field. During this 
duel we had no one hit. McCartney and Butler, to our right, 
had men killed and wounded from fire of 32-pounder on 
Lee's Hill. Its fire enfiladed the line and was quite annoying. 
One of McCartney's gunner's head was shot off while sight- 
ing his gun. In our battery Joe Baker was sitting down in 
the sunken road smoking his pipe. A solid shot bowling 
along took the cap off his head. He jumped up, looking for 
his cap, and said, ** Vot vas dat ?" On being told it was a 
Rebel twelve-pound solid shot he felt of his head and said, 
"Dot vas a purty close shave, wasn't it?" After the enemy 
drew the wreck of their artillery from our front a few shells 
were thrown into the cedars they had come from. Then or- 
ders came to cease firing. 

A mile to our left Meade's and Gibbon's Divisions had 
been advancing during this time, and had advanced about 
half a mile from starting point when this duel ended. In 
their front the battle was raging furiously. We stood and 
watched them as their lines advanced under a withering fire 
of artillery and musketry. As they entered the woods at the 
foot of the hill their cheers rang out loud and clear. The 
enemy gave way before them. Prisoners captured from the 
enemy were sent to our rear. The woods hid their lines from 
our view, but the thin line iof white battle smoke marked their 
advance to the crest of the mill. We also heard the boom of 



36 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

their volleys. They were unable to hold the ground gained, 
having lost heavily, and no reinforcements. The enemy, 
Jackson's Corps, hurried reinforcements to this point, and 
drove Meade and Gibbon back to the edge of the woods, their 
ranks broken, and into the plain. The enemy's line curved 
around them like a horseshoe. Birney's and Sickles' Divis- 
ions reinforced Meade and Gibbon, and drove the Rebels to 
the shelter of their fortifications. Heavy firing raged along 
both fronts. At times clouds of smoke hid the combatants 
from view. Then a glimpse of the battle flags would dis- 
close the lines, officers and orderlies rushing from point to 
point. Rebel yells were answered by Yankee cheers. Volley 
answered volley, while cannon to the right and left poured 
iron hail upon the combatants. 

During the advance of the enemy Gen. Howe ordered the 
Battery to open fire on the flank of advancing enemy, and 
asked one of the gunners to take a shot at an officer on a 
white horse, who was apparently in charge of the enemy's 
sharpshooters near a house southwest of our position. The 
shell blew the officer out of the saddle, and the horse went 
galloping into our lines. Another shot toppled the chimney 
of the house, and a -few more as well directed made the 
weather-boarding fly in splinters, rendering the house unten- 
able to the enemy, who scampered away to other cover. 
Early in the action a shot from our guns blew up a Rebel 
caisson. During this action the enemy brought other artil- 
lery into play on our front, which our accurate fire soon dis 
abled. A regiment on left of Deep Run advanced to capture 
it, and was repulsed by the enemy under Gen. Law, who in 
turn charged on our position. As they advanced we fired 
solid shot at first, then shrapnel. After each discharge we 
could see the gaps in their ranks. They closed on the cen- 
ter and came on as steadily as if on parade until they struck 
the skirmish line, where the Second Vermont, under Col. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 37 

Joyce, whose rapid musketry fire, and that of the batteries, 
repulsed them and drove them back to the cedars. As they 
fell back we fed them shrapnel and shell liberally, and drove 
the second showing of artillery from the field. The rising 
smoke disclosed the field in front and to the left, as far as eye 
could see, strewn with dead and wounded, thick as sheaves 
in a harvest field. Capt. Clark in this and all subsequent en- 
gagements opened fire slowly ; commencing with right gun, 
would direct elevation, time of fuse, until ^n effective fire 
was obtained on enemy. He watched the effect of shot, and 
when down fine would rub his hands with pleasure and order 
gunner to repeat. On the right, at Mary's Hill, there was 
heavy fighting from late in the afternoon until long after 
dark. This we could hear, and see the flash of the guns, but 
not the combatants. About dark Gen. Burnside and his staff 
rode along the line from right to left and was heartily cheer- 
ed. Desultory firing was kept up on our front until 9 p. m., 
after which all but the guards on guns and line of skirmish- 
ers were soon asleep, only to start into wakefulness as a vol- 
ley from the enemy's skirmishers sent their shots flying over 
us. 

On the morning of December 14th there was a bank of 
fog lying low along our front. As the sun rose it dissipated, 
and objects became visible. In front near the cedars the 
Rebels had in position fourteen twelve-pounder Napoleon 
guns, and they opened fire upon us. We were ordered not to 
reply to their fire, but to lie down and hug mother earth. 
Their solid shot plowed the ,ground between the guns and 
their shells burst over us. The solid shot, bowling along, 
seemed to be coming direct for a fellow, and gave one a 
creepy feeling. John Moss, seeing one coming straight for 
him, jumped up, held open his ammunition bag, and shouted, 
"See me catch that ball." McChestney and Lounsberry 
grabbed him and pulled him out of the way, and the shot 



38 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

buried itself in the road in the rear. Moss swore he would 
have caught it and sent it back to the Rebels if the fools had 
let him alone. We lay under this fire for half an hour, then 
an order came from Gen. Howe to reply. Battery B's men 
rose as one, and the guns rapidly sent shot and shell, blowing 
up limbers and caissons for the enemy, and disabling or dis- 
mounting five of their guns. The Rebels started to draw off 
their gims, when another limber exploded. All they seemed 
to care about was to get out of range of our Parrott guns 
This they succeeded in doing, having lost heavily in material, 
men and horses. 

That afternoon, under flag of truce, the dead were buried, 
and the wounded who lay between the lines brought in. Many 
of these were brought in through the Battery front. Some 
had died whose lives could have been saved if medical aid 
had been given at proper time. Several of the Battery boys 
went to the Rebel lines and traded during the truce. Some 
of the enemy were anxious to know whose that black Battery 
was, and, when told it was a Jersey one, said it did them con- 
siderable mischief. After truce all was comparatively quiet. 
We bivouacked in position, a cheerless one. 

December 15th. The enemy were at work strengthening 
their works on ridge in front, erecting a redoubt. About 4 
p. M. a staff officer brought orders to Capt. Clark to open 
fire on the cedars. He did, and we saw riderless horses run- 
ning over the fields. Evidently some of them were injured. 
In a few minutes Gen. Howe, in person, ordered the Battery 
to cease firing, as it was not desirable to bring on an en- 
gagement at that time. Shortly after it commenced to rain. 
A strong wind was blowing from the west. At 10 p. m. or- 
ders were received to recross the river. We moved into col- 
umn, marched to bridge, and after crossing bivouacked on 
Stafford Height. The bivouac fires in front were kept burn- 
ing until daylight, when every man of Burnside's army had 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 39 

recrossed the river, except those who would remain until the 
final reveille. The Rebel batteries engaged by us were those 
of Carpenter, Brockenborough, Davidson and Bronton. I 
quote report of Gen. A. P. Howe : "On the morning of the 
13th we discovered that the enemy had been active during 
the night in placing artillery in our front. Capt. Clark's New 
Jersey Battery and Lieut. Butler's Regular Battery were im- 
mediately placed on the front. The enemy worked their ar- 
tillery with energy and continued their fire obstinately, but 
after a reasonably short time for the guns they had they dis- 
appeared with all they could draw oflf. Soon after the enemy 
began their fire in our front they also opened fire upon our 
lines from artillery placed upon the heights upon our right. 
The fire from this point annoyed us very much during the 
day, it being almost a directly enfilading fire upon our sec- 
ond line. In a little time after the artillery on our front had 
been driven from its position, it was replaced by others, some 
of the guns of which were of heavier calibre. As soon as 
they showed themselves our artillery again opened upon 
them, and from the effects of our shots from the first fire the 
Rebels must have been well assured that our artillerymen 
knew at what degree of elevation to operate them. This sec- 
ond attempt of the enemy with their artillery resulted the 
same as the first. They retired with what they could carry 
oflf. Later in the day they again appeared with showering 
of artillery and opened upon our lines, but again our batter- 
ies drove them from the field as before. These three artil- 
lery skirmishes ended the work of the day. Soon after day- 
light on the 14th the enemy appeared on nearly the same 
ground as the day before with another outfit of artillery, and 
opened on our lines in a very spirited manner, but in twenty 
minutes from the first fire our batteries compelled them to 
leave the field. This was the last appearance of the enemy's 
artillery on our front while we held this position. Each of the 



40 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

four batteries with the Division was skillfully and gallantly 
served during the whole of these engagements, but I will 
make special mention of Capt. Clark's New Jersey Battery 
for continued accuracy and good effect in firing. I have 
never seen them equaled." 

Gen. D. E. Sickles says: ^'Clark's Battery had been de- 
tached in the morning and ordered to report to Gen. Smith. 
During the night some changes were made in the disposition 
of their (Rebel) artillery, by which two batteries were 
brought to bear on the right and front of my position. One 
of these appeared to be a heavy battery, probably 32s. About 
sunrise, simultaneously with brisk firing from his skirmish- 
ers, the enemy opened from one of these, which J>roved to be 
a four-gun battery. Capt. Clark, who was in position with 
his battery of rifled guns further to the right, opened at the 
same time. The well-directed fire compelled the enemy to 
retire very soon." 

At daylight, December i6th, we marched in a drenching 
rain to the old camp ground. The prospect was cheerless. 
Wet and chilled to the marrow, mud ankle deep, we were dis- 
pirited, but we fixed camp as best we could, and took up the 
usual life of soldiers in camp. Shortly after there was a re- 
view of the army by Gen. Burnside, which went oflf pleas- 
antly. We had numerous visitors from the North. The 
weather settled, and we were ordered to fix winter quarters. 
A site was chosen near Stoneman's Switch, situated on the 
side of a hill in form of a crescent, facing south. In front 
was a brook ; near it a grove of young timber where shelter 
was erected for the horses. Each gun detachment built such 
quarters as materials at hand and ability and ingenuity of 
men in it considered best, but the chimneys showed a variety 
in style and skill never before seen in a small space. As a 
whole they proved that necessity is the mother of invention. 
Some had large, commodious quarters in which, the day's 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 41 

duties done, the men had lots of fun evenings, and held camp 
fires, at which songs were sung and stories told, which passed 
the time to taps pleasantly. The sutler and commissary con- 
tributed, for a consideration, the usual milk punch, or cof- 
fee and milk. There was an extra officer, who went to some 
neighboring commissary, and would get three canteens filled 
for a dollar. While he went in daylight he always came back 
after dark. Poor fellow, he died at Panama in 1867 — Wni. 
Riley. 

The result of the battle of Fredericksburg was demoraliz- 
ing to the army. The commissary and quartermaster de- 
partments were in the worst condition we ever knew. Many 
men were in rags and tatters, and we were rejoiced to re- 
ceive our knapsacks January 16, 1863. Desertions were fre- 
quent, men and officers insubordinate, discipline slack. The 
Jews and the sutler prospered. Men and officers lost confi- 
dence in Gen. Burnside. 

January 19, 1863. Orders to march, with three days' 
cooked rations, received January 20th. Left camp at 10 a. 
M. Marched six miles west, where we closed in mass for 
three or four hours, while pontoons and infantry marched 
past us, and Gens. Hooker, Stoneman, Sickles and Birney 
and their staffs rode past to the front. From the time they 
passed until dark it was forward and halt, every five min- 
utes until after dark. At 8 p. m. Capt. Clark was ordered 
to occupy a position near Banks' ford. The guide sent him 
took the wrong road and the Battery had to countermarch 
back to the left. When we left camp it was pleasant, but 
cloudy. The roads were good. Early in the afternoon it 
commenced to snow, then turned to sleet, then to a cold, 
hard, pouring rain. The roads became slippery, and then 
muddy. They were hilly and through woods. In a short 
time it was liquid mud. Teams were doubled on guns and 
caissons, and shortly after midnight we arrived at position 



42 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

ordered. Fifteen pontoons were parked near us, also Smith*s 
New York Battery. The orders were to build no fires, but 
soon there were a hundred burning. Pine rails were plenty 
and they were used freely. The piercing northwest blast 
chilled one side while the fire heated the other, and the 
smoke was not minded. We huddled close to the fire. At 
daybreak we saw our position. It was about three hundred 
yards from the river, on a hill near Bank's ford, with a deep 
ravine in front. To our rear were three straw stacks. Thev 
disappeared into the pup tents, and served to keep us warm 
and dry. Teams were sent back after caissons and guns that 
were stalled near a brook. Near by was a headless barrel of 
w^hisky and a commissary wagon upset. Lieut. Sims order- 
ed barrel upset. Of our crowd no one was drunk, but sev- 
eral were tipsy. In a short time all were got to position of 
Battery. During the day every effort was made to get the 
pontoons to the front. Teams were trebled on them, and, 
in addition, gangs of one hundred men or more with ropes 
were put to pull with the teams. It was useless ; horses and 
men floundered in the mud until completely exhausted, but 
they could hardly budge the wagons. We remained in posi- 
tion until noon January 22d, when orders were received to 
march back to our old camp. The day was clear. After 
going half a mile a gun upset, and the wheel horses were 
thrown on their backs. How Raake then escaped being killed 
no one can tell, but he stood there knee deep in the mud, 
smiling, telling old John horse to get up as soon as pole yoke 
was loosened. A like accident happened to the battery 
wagon, which was left behind. The roads appeared to be 
bottomless, and of consistency of mortar. In it cannons, 
caissons, wagons and pontoons sank to the hubs, and were 
bogged in the sticky, clayey mud. 

A Sergeant said : *'I feel that I have been through Vir- 
ginia from top to bottom. If the hellish state was sacred be- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 43 

fore, after this it will be sanctified, for d if we are not all 

sacred, living monuments of Virginia mud.'' That night 
we bivouacked in the mud. Next morning teams were dou- 
bled and half the Battery pulled through to camp over fresh- 
ly corduroyed roads. The teams were sent back after the 
other half of the Battery. Men and horses returned ex- 
hausted, and as dirty as mud could make them. During 
these five days of Burnside's mud march we suflfered much 
hardship, exposure and fatigue, but the men bore it with 
constancy and fortitude. 

A few days after this march Burnside resigned, and 
Fighting Joe Hooker succeeded him in command of the 
army. His first move was to disband the grand divisions 
and resume the corps organizations, and organize the cav- 
alry into a corps under the command of General Stoneman. 
Gen. D. E. Sickles succeeded him in command of the Third 
Corps. The Ninth Corps was sent west, and with it the Sec- 
ond Michigan Infantry of Birney's Division. The men de- 
tailed from that regiment to serve with Battery B returned 
to their regiment, and were replaced by men detailed from 
the Sixty-third and One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania 
Infantry, and Fifth and Seventh New Jersey Infantry. The 
first week in February we went with Birney's Division on a 
reconnaissance to a point near United States ford. The 
roads were in fine condition. It snowed during our march 
there. At night it changed to rain, and rained all next day. 
It cleared up cold and froze hard. In the evening, at lo 
o'clock, we were ordered to return to camp. The men had 
slept none the preceding night, and there was loud and deep 
grumbling by many whose clothes were frozen stiff. Shortly 
after this a grand review of the army was had by President 
Lincoln and General Hooker, on the plain near Lacy house. 
It was a beautiful sight. Seven corps of infantry, one of 
cavalry, and the artillery massed in one body, their Generals 



44 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

and staffs, and numerous bands. The many regiments with 
their flags flying in the breeze marched past the reviewing 
stand. The President was hailed with hearty cheers. The 
spirited horse on which he was mounted ran away with him. 
Staff officers and orderlies tried to catch the horse, but the 
President soon got him in control. Rigid inspections of men 
and accoutrements took place frequently. Furloughs were 
granted to commands showing high state of discipline. It 
speaks for itself that they were freely given to Battery B 
and denied to Battery A. The usual drills and camp duties 
were strictly enforced until orders came to prepare for the 
spring campaign. April ist, Lieuts. Clark and Sims pro- 
moted to First Lieutenants and Sergeant Robt. Fairchild to 
Second Lieutenant. 



THE CHANCELLORSVILLE CAMPAIGN, 



Tuesday, April 28th, marphed with Gen. Berry's Division, 
leaving our winter camp at 5 p. m., and marched to within 
a mile of Franklin's crossing, where we bivouacked in the 
woods. Daylight revealed to our view a line of hills on our 
left, covered with Sixth Corps troops, and our ears heard 
straggling shots of musketry, picket firing, followed occa- 
sionally by boom of artillery. About 8 a. m. reported to 
Gen. Newton with the batteries of Smith, Osborne and Von 
Putkamer of New York, and Livingston's Third United 
States, and were placed in position on the river bank to pre- 
vent our pontoon bridge being threatened by the enemy's ar- 
tillery, in position near Bernard house, and to assist in repel- 
ling attack on our troops then crossing. Gen. Brooks' Divis- 
ion was lying on opposite side of the river, close to its banks, 
with line of skirmishers advancing, feeling its way as it ad- 
vanced. Its left rested near ruins of house in our front. The 
enemy's sharpshooters in and near the Bernard house an- 
noyed them, but a few shots from our artillery made them 
skedaddle across the open fields towards the hills on which 
they were entrenched. We were not engaged, and had a 
view of all that happened during the day. To our right was 
a house used for field hospital, and the pontoon bridge on the 
same spot where we crossed in December, 1862. It rained 
some during the day, regular April showers. The men 
amused themselves jumping, wrestling, running three-legged 
races. One lot was playing ball. At night there was a 
drizzling rain. April 30th, clear and pleasant; all quiet. 
Most of our troops across the river. At 9 a. m. we saw a 
balloon to our right south of Rappahannock river, also one 



46 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

in our rear. At i p. m. we were told that our Battery had 
been transferred to Birney's Division, and that Capt. Clark 
had been appointed Chief of Artillery for First Division. 
The reason for our transfer was to have an experienced and 
capable officer to command Division Artillery. At 2 p. m. 
our corps (Third) were ordered to join Gen. Hooker at 
Chancellorsville. We marched to the right with Birney's 
Division and went into bivouac in a peach orchard near 
Berea church. Our march was concealed from the enemy 
by hills and woods, at times through old fields, over stumps 
and logs. Wagon trains were mired in places. The mule 
drivers indulged in profuse profanity in nine different lan- 
guages at once. Toddy Williams' horse Dandy reared up, 
struck him on the head with his fore feet and knocked him 
out of the saddle. 

May 1st. Reveille at 4 a. m. At 6 a. m. marched in rear 
of One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Infantry to United 
States ford, where two pontoon bridges were laid across the 
river, one for artillery and cavalry, and the other for infan- 
try. We heard that Fifth, Eleventh and Twelfth Corps 
were four miles in advance of us. We crossed and halted 
until noon, when we moved on top of a hill near the ford, 
from which the enemy had been driven. On it were a line 
of rifle pits and a redoubt. At 2 p. m. we advanced to the 
White house, where the enemy had their second line of 
works, from which they had been driven with loss of some 
prisoners. At 5 p. m. ordered to a position in front of an*! 
fifty yards to right of the Chancellor house. Our position 
was in an orchard. In front was a field 600 yards wide and 
nearly a mile long. Beyond this, on the south, was a dense 
woods of second growth pine and oak, so thick that it was 
with difficulty any advance could be made through it. In 
these woods the enemy lay. Our batteries were shelling it, 
and the infantry on its edge were skirmishing, and an oc- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 47 

casional volley was fired. In a few minutes we were relieved 
by Seeley's Battery K, Fourth United States, and we went 
back to the White house. Fires were built and men sent 
after water to make coffee. Before they returned we were 
ordered back to the front on a trot. The infantry sang out 
as we passed, "Give them h — , boys.*' In a few minutes we 
were at headquarters at Chancellor house. There was sharp 
fighting in front, artillery belching from both lines. Wc 
moved up under fire and formed line, but under orders moved 
off by the right flank in double column for a quarter of a 
mile, when we broke into column again and went up the 
plank road at a gallop. It was growing dark and the flash 
of musketry on our left from the continuous line of infantry 
showed that the "Rebs" were pressing our line, and wounded 
men were being helped back to the road. We moved to the 
west about a mile, when we turned off to the left into a nar- 
row wood road, across which the branches of trees were in- 
terlaced and brushed our faces as we trotted along. About 
a half a mile south we came to an open field, where Gen. Bir- 
ney ordered Lieut. Sims to take position behind a rail fence. 
Only three guns unlimbered. Some thought they saw an 
enemy's battery about five hundred yards to left and front. 
If one was there it was kept quiet. After remaining here an 
hour we went back to the plank road and bivouacked near the 
graveyard at Fairview, near Gen. Couch's. 

About 8 A. M., May 2d, the left section, under command 
of Lieut. E. P. Clark, was ordered to the position we had 
occupied the previous evening, where we took position on 
brow of hill near ruins of old house, and opened fire on a 
column of Rebel troops, trains and ambulances, who were 
marching to our right, and passing over brow of hill one 
and one-quarter miles distant. The effect of Clark's fire was 
to make the enemy double quick over the hill. The rest of 
the Battery, under Lieut. Sims, was ordered to same position, 



48 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

and ordered to shell the enemy's columns vigorously by Gren. 
Birney, and the well-directed shot threw the enemy into 
great confusion as they hurried past, endeavoring to escape 
our well-directed and destructive fire. This fire we kept up 
until noon, as we had stopped their columns, for whenever 
we saw a man or horse or their wagons we fired upon them 
and made them scatter. The field we were in was about 600 
yards wide, east and west, and seven or eight hundred yards 
long, and inclined to the south. Our support was the One 
Hundred and Fourteenth Pennsylvania Infantry, which 
moved forward with the general advance of Birney's Divis- 
ion about I p. M. Just previous to this we heard straggling 
shots on our right. Our guns were turned in that direction 
and the order given to load with canister, but from the 
woods, 350 yards distant, emerged a body of our scouts. 
While this was taking place the Twentieth Indiana and Ber- 
dan's Sharpshooters were advancing as skirmishers, and got 
engaged with those of the enemy on the hill in front, driv- 
ing them towards Wei ford's house. The rest of Birney 's 
Division and Whipple's Third Division was deployed and 
advanced, also the batteries of Jastrom, Livingston and 
Turnbull, and we ceased firing, but the rest of the troops 
had hot work. About 4 o'clock prisoners began Jo come in, 
first in squads, and then a whole regiment — the Twenty- 
third Georgia except the Colonel. One of his men said: 
"Yankee, you would have had the Colonel, too, but he ran 
away.*' Also parts of Forty-eighth South Carolina and 
Twenty-eighth North Carolina regiments as prisoners. 

The two divisions and batteries drove the enemy steadily 
for two miles. At 6 p. m. we heard firing on our extreme 
right. It continued to increase and to come nearer. Shortly 
after some of the broken regiments from the right came in 
on our flank in great disorder. At this time Gen. Sickles 
came to the Battery and told Lieut. Sims, "I may want you 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 49 

to fire in there," pointing to the woods in front, "or in there,'* 
pointing to the rear. A short time previous we had filled our 
limbers with ammunition. By this time the fugitives from 
the Eleventh Corps were swarming from the woods. Pack 
trains, ambulances and regiments of infantry swarmed in 
among our guns and caissons, and stampeded two of our 
caisson teams, whose drivers were not alert. Sam. Post 
stuck to the lead team, and, trying to check them, faced them 
to a six-rail fence. The six horses jumped it like hunters, 
catching the pole, which was broken oflf. It checked the 
team. He faced back to the Battery, and meeting another 
fence jumped that. When he got back he said he had been 
passing through toll gates on the turnpike, and the pole was 
taken for toll. He was true blue. We got the regiment and 
another clear of our guns, telling them to let us do what .they 
could not, that is, stop the enemy. Many laughable incidents 
occurred. Most of the Eleventh Corps officers were anxious 
to find the plank road. The Colonel of one regiment who 
was on horseback, and said he was wounded, asked "Vere 
is de plank roat?" Then, pointing in its direction, "Not 
dere, not dere, de tam Rebels ees dere.'' There was great 
confusion at this time. At this time, 6:30 p. m., a driver 
from one of the caissons came running up and said the Reb- 
els were on the road we had come down on, and had taken 
our wagons, battery wagon, forge, two caissons, that were 
left in a small clearing at junction of road and plank road, 
Melzi Chancellor's, one and one-half miles west from 
Chancellorsville ; that after firing a volley, shooting 
some of the horses, killing some of the men and 
wounding Sergt. Galbraith and John Vansant. The 
facts were, that after the Battery went in position 
Lieut. Sims ordered Sergt. Galbraith to return to this clear- 
ing with two caissons, battery wagon and forge and spare 
horses, put up picket rope and hold the ground for place of 

D 



60 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

bivouac. At noon coffee was made and carried to the men 
in front. Late in the afternoon the caissons refilled limber 
chests of guns. After return coffee was made and sent to 
guns. At this time there were a few shots of artillery and a 
rattling musketry fire on Eleventh Corps' front. A few min- 
utes after several pack mules, loaded with hay, camp kettles, 
tents and poles, hard tack and infantry ammunition, came 
running out of the woods to the west, and a few wounded 
were brought in ambulances to one of the Eleventh Corps' 
division hospitals established near us. 

Galbraith rode off to the Eleventh Corps front, telling us 
to hold our ground until he returned. The road to the posi- 
tion occupied by Battery B was filled with wagons and pack 
mules of Eleventh Corps, that had made their way to it 
through the woods. The Eleventh Corps had been routed 
and were running like scared sheep. The plank road and the 
woods skirting it were filled with men, pack mules, wagons, 
guns, caissons, ambulances and mounted officers, all appar- 
ently terror-stricken. Now and then a shell from the enemy 
burst among them, and spent bullets whizzed near. We 
watched this wild flood for a few minutes, and seeing the 
enemy close to us Corp. Charles Banks ordered the caissons 
to break into this flying mass of crescent-capped men. The 
caissons were formed in echelon and rushed across the road, 
piercing and dividing the column. The caissons literally 
dammed the stream for a few moments, and their drivers 
were well damned by those they had stopped, who tried to 
drive over them, during which time the spare horses, battery 
wagon, forge and wagons got out of the cul de sac we had 
been in, and then the caissons followed. This caused a ter- 
rific gorge, during which shells were bursting and a con- 
tinual hum of minie bullets. As we arrived on top of tli^ 
hill at Fairview at sundown one brigade of Berny's Division 
was forming into line and another was coming on the double 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 51 

quick. Four guns of Dimick's Battery were unlimbering. 
The other section was going further to the front. Winslow's 
Battery was coming up on a trot. Banks haUed and report- 
ed to Capt. Osborn for duty. He ordered him to fall back 
to the White house and remain near the road. Great eflforts 
were made to rally the men of the Eleventh Corps. Toddy 
said, "They were too scared to rally. One of them said, 
*Ach, mine Got, Sheneral, I can't rally, dem Repels have kilt 
me alreatty, undt I was awful sick.' '* But it was heartening 
to see the line of white diamonds forming, for diamonds 
were Union trumps at Chancellorsville. We will now re- 
turn to the guns. After clearing our guns we were alert, net 
knowing from which [X)int the attack would come, but our 
rear seemed the most probable. All was quiet fora short time, 
when a little after sundown, whizz, zip, came a volley that 
told the story. The order was given, **Change front to rear." 
The drivers mounted their horses and in five seconds the lim- 
bers were in rear of their guns, the guns pointing up the road 
we had come down in the morning. The flash of the enemy's 
guns could be seen in the woods. The order was given to 
commence firing. The earth fairly shook when the twenty 
pieces of artillery of Clark, Lewis, Turnbull and Martin 
opened on the enemy at 600 yards, where we were in posi- 
tion, to 250 yards, where Martin was on right of artillery 
line, being posted diagonally across the field, occupying a 
front of 500 yards. Battery B fired directly up the road back 
to the plank road. The enemy on our left were from 300 to 
400 yards distant and kept the edge of the woods. The 
slaughter of the enemy must have been terrible, for the fir- 
ing was kept up along the line as long as a single bullet came 
towards us, and none too soon, for our ammunition was 
nearly expended, but one of our caissons was found smashed 
up. We took out the ammunition and left it. This action 
lasted about an hour. During its continuance our infantry 



B2 HISTORY OF BATTERY B^ 

returned and were massed in our rear. Capt. Clark also re- 
turned. He had been with Jastram's and Turnbull's Batter- 
ies at old foundry near Welford's. 

All was quiet until 1 1 p. m.^ when Gen. Ward's Brigade, 
supported by balance of Birney's Division, advanced in the 
moonlight across the field, entering the woods. The enemy 
opened a terrific musketry fire, but the advance was made 
with uncapped muskets until they reached the plank road, re- 
capturing some of the Eleventh Corps artillery, and opening 
communication with the main army. At daylight Sunday 
morning, May 3d, we moved back to open field near the 
Chancellor house. Gen. Hooker was walking up and down 
the porch of the house. In a few minutes he mounted his 
horse and rode off to the front at Fairview, where the Rebels 
were attacking very spiritedly. About 5 a. m. Capt. Clark 
placed Battery B in position to the left and in front of log 
house at Fairview. Our artillery line was in form of a cres- 
cent. We were on a slight ridge, with a depression like a ra- 
vine in front of line of artillery. To our right were twenty- 
four i2-pounder Napoleon guns and six lo-pounder rifle 
Parrotts ; on our left Seeley's Battery of 12-pounders. This, 
with our six Parrotts, completed our artillery line. When 
we went into position the firing from both lines was terrific. 
The enemy was pressing our line very hard at the plank road, 
having massed their infantry and concentrated their artillery 
fire on that point. If they had pierced the line there few of 
us would have recrossed the Rappahannock. We opened 
with a cross fire on them, over the heads of our infantry, who 
were in the hollow ground. We made each shot tell, as they 
were closed in mass, the shells exploding among them or 
ploughing furrows in their ranks, and the gaps caused by 
them could be easily seen. This fire would stagger them. To 
enable the infantry to charge the Battery would cease firing 
and the charge would be made. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 63 

The enemy would drive our men back, then we would open 
fire upon them again. It is a terrible sight to see a line of 
men, two deep, coming up within 300 or 400 yards of you, 
with bayonets flashing and waving their colors, and you 
know that every shot you fire into them sends some one to 
eternity, but still you are prompted by a devilish desire to kill 
all you can. Our infantry again advanced, gaining ground 
foot by foot, and it was painful to see them lose it all by a 
single dashing charge of the Rebels. Then came our turn 
again, and human beings could not stand that fire of forty - 
two cannon belching forth their iron hail in less than half a 
mile front. The "Rebs'' advanced their colors on the plank 
road to within a few yards of our line. Our six guns poured 
a hail of shrapnel into them, and down went their colors. 
The slaughter was frightful. The Second New Jersey Bri- 
gade made a counter charge, drove the Rebels back into the 
woods, and returned in triumph to our lines with eight of the 
enemy's battle flags, five of which were captured by the Sev- 
enth New Jersey regiment. 

Up to this time our whole attention had been given to the 
front and right, but we now received a cross fire from a Rebel 
battery on our left, in position on the ground we vacated at 
daylight. Our ammunition was nearly gone; only nine 
rounds left. We were told more had been sent for. At this 
time the Rebels made another charge. We opened fire on 
them again and they soon fell back, but we had not a single 
round left. At that moment Capt. Clark came to us with two 
caissons of ammunition he had borrowed from a Twelfth 
Corps battery. The horses were taken off, the caissons left, 
and the contents transferred to our limber chests. We began 
firing slowly by piece. One of our drivers was killed by a 
solid shot. Horses were killed and wounded, but we had no 
time to look after casualties. It was 8 a. m., both sides be- 
coming reckless in fury of battle. A limber and caisson of 



54 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

the battery to our right (Hampton's) exploded, mortally 
wounding its Captain. From this time on limbers and cais- 
sons were blowing up along the line. A caisson with six 
horses attached, no driver, ran the gauntlet of fire between 
the two lines and disappeared in the Rebel line on our left. 
Horses were running loose, some dragging by the stirrups 
their riders. The sight was frightful. Our horses and men 
were being shot down by the enemy's sharpshooters, but we 
were mowing down the ranks of their infantry. Still they 
held their ground. Our second supply of ammunition wa^ 
nearly used up. Lieut. Sims ordered us to fire slow and de- 
liberate, and make each shot tell, which we did to the very 
last round of No. i gim, when E. Campbell, No. 2, in his 
hurry to load, shoved in the shell before the cartridge, for the 
time being making the gim useless. We were ordered to lie 
down behind the crest, out of sight of the enemy's sharp- 
shooters. We remained there until one of Gen. Birney's 
aid-de-camps ordered us to limber up and get off the field. 
In going we had to pass through the infantry line that lay in 
rear supporting the batteries. The Rebel shells were plough- 
ing through them and taking files out of their line. As soon 
as they saw us coming some of them began to run away. 
They felt that the Rebels were right upon us. We told them 
we were going back to fill our limber chests, but they doubted 
it. The air was full of shot and shell from the enemy's bat- 
teries on our left, and they had our range to a nicety. We 
came back for a half mile over the open ground at a gallop. 
The officer in command rode out with us and told us to hurry 
out. One of the drivers, unable to mount, hung by the stir- 
rup and ran the distance to army headquarters. In going 
back a team of one of the guns was killed. The harness was 
removed and the gun hauled in. Looking back we could see 
a caisson blow up. The field we crossed was soft and swampy. 
We left the field about 9 a. m., after four hours' hard bat- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 55 

tling. Army headquarters had been turned into a hospital. 
While halted there two ambulances passed. One bore the 
body of Gen. Berry, the other that of Gen. Whipple. They 
had been killed about a half hour before. They commanded 
the Second and Third Divisions of the Third Corps. A 
guard of cavalry were kept busy keeping stragglers up to 
the front. Officers forgot their dignity and were running 
away for dear life, as well as privates, but most of them were 
stopped, unless wounded. We were ordered to proceed to 
near United States Ford. Before we left for the river some 
one cried out, "The woods are on fire." It was too true. The 
intense artillery fire into the woods had set the pine needles 
on fire. Far and wide and fast the fire extended. Hundreds, 
if not thousands, of friends and foes perished in this fire. 
The Chancellor house was fired by the enemy's shells, and 
the family, who were in the cellar, rescued and cared for by 
Gen. Dickinson, of Hooker's staff. We had left Ralph 
Buckley, John Vaughn and William Kelly stark and cold on 
the field, and our hearts went out in sympathy to the homes 
that would miss them, and to the seven who were severely 
wounded and were being cared for in the hospital. Arriving 
at the river our limbers were filled, harness repaired, shell 
blown out of Sergt. Qairville's gun, and by evening some 
were amusing themselves, others singing the songs of the 
day. 

Tuesday, May 5th, ordered to north side of river. Placed 
in position by Col. Douell, of Gen. Hunt's staff, in ploughed 
field, on the heights commanding United States Ford. The 
rains on Tuesday night and Wednesday made it a mud hole, 
and caused the river to rise so as to endanger the pontoon 
bridges, of which there were three. One was taken up to 
lengthen the other tw^o, and there was danger they would be 
swept away from their anchorage. From midnight, Tues- 
day, until 3 p. M., Wednesday, there was a steady stream of 



56 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

infantry, cavalry and artillery, wagons, ambulances and pack 
trains, crossing the bridges in retreat. At last the rear guard 
was formed on the opposite heights. There they stood in a 
drenching rain, until the last man was safely across the river. 
There were about four companies to warn of the approach 
of the enemy. At half past four these came running down to 
the bridge. One bridge had been taken up. They had hardly 
reached the bridge when the "Rebs" made their appearance 
and were welcomed by us with our kindly regards, ten 
pounds at a lick. It was amusing to see the "Rebs" scamper 
back to cover, after losing a few, killed and wounded. Two 
of their batteries were brought to bear on us from a point 
nearly a mile below the ford, but they had to leave with loss 
of some of their caissons blown up by us. By 5 p. m. the last 
bridge was taken up, and orders came to limber lup, which 
we did. Thus ended the recrossing of the Rappahannock. 

I quote the following from Vol. 25, O. R. W. R., refer- 
ences to Battery B, its oflficers, or effect of its fire. Gen. 
Sickles says : "I received several reports in quick succession 
from Gen. Birney that a column of the enemy was moving 
along his front towards our right. This column I found, on 
going to the spot, to be within easy range of Clark's Bat- 
tery (about 1,600 yards), and Clark so effectually annoyed 
the enemy by his excellent practice that the infantry 
sought cover in the woods or some other road to the 
south, while the artillery and trains hurried past in 
great confusion, vainly endeavoring to escape our well- 
directed and destructive fire. ***** j con- 
fided to Pleasanton the direction of the artillery — three 
batteries, Clark's, Lewis' and Turnbull's, and his own horse 
battery. The fugitives of the Eleventh Corps swarmed from 
the woods and swept frantically over the cleared fields in 
which my artillery was parked. The exulting enemy at their 
heels mingled yells with their volleys, and in the confusion 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 57 

which followed it seemed as if cannon and caissons, dra- 
goons, cannoniers and infantry could never be disentangled 
from the mass in which they were suddenly thrown. The 
enemy showed himself on the plain. Pleasanton met the 
shock at short range with the well-directed fire of twenty- 
two pieces, double shotted with canister.'' 

Gen. Pleasanton, in his report to Sickles, says : **I heard 
heavy firing, and the Rebels yelling in the direction of the 
head of Hunting Run, and surmised at once it was an attack 
on the right of the Eleventh Corps. At that moment an 
aide-de-camp of Gen. Warren, of Gen. Hooker's staff, came 
up to say the Eleventh Corps was falling back rapidly and a 
regiment of cavalry was needed to check the movement. I 
immediately ordered the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry to 
proceed at a gallop, attack the Rebels, and check the attack, 
at any loss, until we could get ready for them. This service 
was splendidly performed, but with heavy loss, and I gained 
some fifteen minutes to bring Martin's Battery into position, 
facing the woods, to reverse a battery (Clark's) of your 
corps, to detach some cavalry to stop runaways, and to secure 
more guns from our retreating forces. It was at this mo- 
ment you joined me and gave every assistance your authority 
could command, but time was what we most wanted. For- 
tunately I succeeded before the advancing columns of the 
enemy came in sight in placing twenty-two pieces of artillery 
in position, double shotted with canister, and bearing on the 
direction the Rebels were pursuing. To support this force 
I had two small squadrons of cavalry ready to charge upon 
any attempt made to take the guns. My position was upon 
the extreme left of the line of the Eleventh Corps, and as it 
recoiled from the fierce onset of the Rebels through and over 
my guns, it was apparent we must meet the shock. In rear of 
the Eleventh Corps the Rebels came on rapidly, but now in 
silence, and with that skill and adroitness they often display 



68 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

to gain their object. The only color visible was an American 
flag with the center battalion. To clear up this doubt my 
aide-de-camp, Lieut. Thompson, First New York Cavalr}', 
rode to within one hundred yards of them, when they called 
out to him, *We are friends, come on,' and he was induced 
to go fifty yards closer, when the whole line, in a most das- 
tardly manner, opened on him with musketry, dropped the 
American color, and displayed eight or ten Rebel battle flags. 
He escaped unhurt, and I then ordered all the guns to fire as 
they were advancing. This terrible discharge staggered 
them, and threw the heads of their columns back on the 
woods, from which they opened a tremendous fire of mus- 
ketry, bringing up fresh forces constantly, and striving to 
advance as fast as they were swept back by our guns. It was 
now dark and their presence could only be ascertained by the 
flash of their muskets, from which a continuous stream of 
fire was seen encircling us, and gradually extended to our 
right to cut us off from the army. This was at last checked 
by our guns, and the Rebels withdrew. Several guns and 
caissons were then recovered from the woods where the ene- 
my had been posted. Such was the fight at the head of Scott's 
Run, artillery against infantry at 300 yards, the infantry in 
the woods, the artillery in the clearing. War presents many 
anomalies, but few so curious and strange in its results as 
this. I am unable to state what troops were engaged with 
me, as I left for another part of the field soon after. You 
probably know the part your artillery took in the affair. We 
cannot be too proud of such troops. Our loss was heavy." 

Gen. Sickles says : "Osborn and Clark, chiefs of First and 
Second Divisions, sustained their reputations as cool and re- 
liable officers." 

Gen. D. B. Birney says : "About 8 o'clock I reported to 
Ma j. -Gen. Sickles that a continuous column of infantry, 
trains and ambulances were passing my front towards the 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. B9 

right, and that I could give it a few shots from Clark's rifled 
battery. Sending a section to a good point in the little field 
in my front, it opened with effect. The column double-quick- 
ing past the point reached by our shots. I then ordered the 
battery to the same position, and threw the columns into 
great confusion as the battery poured its well-directed shots 
into its midst. Capt. Clark, Chief of the Artillery Division, 
was of great service, and displayed skill and gallantry in the 
management of his batteries." 

Gen. Henry J. Hunt, Chief of Artillery, A. P., says: 
"When the Eleventh Corps was broken up and routed, Gen. 
Pleasanton collected Qark's, Martin's, Lewis' and Turnbull's 
Batteries and formed a large battery of twenty-four guns. 
The retreating troops swept through and around this bat- 
tery, carrying off horses and caissons and even overturning 
one of the guns, but, as a whole, it held firm, and when the 
enemy, flushed with success, appeared before it, met them 
with a storm of canister, first checking and then driving them 
back into the woods, from which they emerged at 300 yards 
distance, in which the artillery repulsed the infantry, flushed, 
as they were, with a great success, which they were following 
up when checked by this battery. After being driven back 
the troops of the enemy (Jackson's Corps) tried by two flank 
movements to dislodge the battery and resume their advance. 
The first was repulsed by the artillery alone, the second by 

the artillery aided by the advance of Whipple's and Birney's 

D. . . ,, 
ivisions. 

Capt. Thos. Ward Osborn, Chief of Artillery, Second 
Division, says: "Capt. Clark's Battery was transferred to 
the First Division of this Corps. I regret this change very 
much. It was a rifled battery and splendid in its officers, men 
and all its equipments." 

Capt. George E. Randolph, Chief of Artillery, Third 
Corps, says : "I placed Clark's Battery in position, ordering 



60 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

to annoy and check the passage of the trains and troops he 
had seen. This was done by Qark effectually and hand- 
somely. The practice was on the whole excellent, and the 
enemy were compelled to stop the movement or continue it 
by some other road. These batteries, with Clark's and Mar- 
tin's horse battery, formed a line diagonally across the open 
field, and with the cavalry of Gen. Pleasanton held the enemy 
until the arrival of First and Third Divisions of infantry. 
On this line were, commencing on the right of the plank road, 
Dimick's and Osborn's ; Randolph's near and to the right of 
the house ; Clark near and to the left of the house, and Seeley 
on the extreme left of crest. Now began the hardest battle 
it has been my fate to witness. The five batteries were ad- 
mirably served. Never had artillery a finer opportunity to 
do good service, and never was a better use made of favora- 
ble circumstances. Twice the columns of the enemy on the 
plank road were repulsed by the concentration of fire from 
this line of batteries. As the batteries expended their ammu • 
nition they were withdrawn. Clark's borrowed ammunition 
after expending its own. Lieut. Sims, commanding Clark's, 
handled his command very creditably. Capt. Clark, Chief 
of Artillery, First Division, proved himself a brave, cool and 
reliable officer. The service done by the batteries under his 
command proves his merit. Clark's Batterv was retained in 
position covering the ford until the afternoon of the 5th." 

A Confederate officer. Major Hardaway, First Virginia 
Artillery, says: **At the highest point of the Mine Creek 
road the enemy's batteries at Chancellorsville had, by prac- 
tice, obtained a perfect range of this point with their three- 
inch rifles. In descending to Mine Creek I discovered that 
horses and drivers were so much excited by the closeness of 
the fire that they had left the gun detachment in the rear." 

Col. D. H. Hamilton, First South Carolina Infantry, in 
his report says : "We were subjected to the most trying or- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 61 

deal to which any troops can be subjected. As soon as we 
reached the open ground we were exposed in open and full 
view to the batteries of the enemy, and under a deliberate 
and annoying fire we passed these batteries. Projecting 
hills soon screened us." 

Col. Forney George, Eighteenth North Carolina Infantry, 
says : "We took our line of march by Welford Iron Forge. 
The enemy shelled us as we passed.'' 

Gen. R. E. Rodes says : "On arriving at the old furnace 
on this road the Twenty-third Georgia regiment was detach- 
ed by Gen. Jackson's orders to guard a road from the direc- 
tion of Chancellorsville, by which the enemy might threaten 
the moving column. This regiment, with the exception of 
the Colonel and a few men, was captured by the enemy, who 
made a vigorous assault upon the ordinance train and artil- 
lery then passing." 

Gen. F. L. Thomas says : "A message was received that 
the enemy had attacked and were threatening to capture ar- 
tillery and wagon train of the division near the foundry. 
One regiment was at first sent, but afterwards the whole bri- 
gade, with guns. Archer's Brigade returned and remained 
until the trains had passed." 

Of Saturday night's fight Col. Forney, Eighteenth Geor- 
gia, says : "About dark of the 2d came upon the right flank 
and rear of the enemy, and for a short time was exposed to 
a very heavy shelling, by which we lost several killed and 
wounded." 

Col. Winns, commanding Brigade, says : "When I reach- 
ed the field I found two regiments of the enemy, with artil- 
lery, posted about 300 yards obliquely to the left of the en- 
trance of the road into the field. I formed line behind a 
slight rail barricade. Just as the line was formed the officer 
commanding the Federal troops, which was standing in line, 
exhibited no purpose to attack, rode towards me. Though 



62 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

I ordered my men not to fire, when he got to within lOO 
yards of me two of the men excitedly fired at him, whereupon 
he rapidly rode back to his command, and immediately a ter- 
rible artillery and infantry fire was opened upon us. The 
men under my command gallantly returned the fire until 
their supply of ammunition was exhausted. Shortly after 
the cessation of our firing the enemy ceased firing, and my 
little force retired by the right and left flank." 

Col. Zachary, Twenty-seventh Georgia, says: "The ene- 
my gave us a well-directed fire of shell, grape and shrapnel." 

Col. Mercer, Twenty-first Georgia, says: "The Twenty- 
first Georgia entered the thick pine woods in front and ad- 
vanced to within 300 yards of a battery, which opened fire, 
and caused them to halt and protect themselves by lying 
down until a favorable opportunity was presented for retir- 
ing." 

Of Sunday morning's fight Gen. Jas. H. Lane says: "The 
Chancellorsville was fortified with a line of earthworks 
for twenty-eight pieces of artillery, running nearly parallel 
to our position, and between 400 and 500 yards distant, with 
a stream of water intervening. As soon as we had dislodged 
their infantry these guns with others opened a murderous 
fire of shell, grape and canister upon us, and with our right 
flank completely turned, wc w^ere forced to fall back, with tlu- 
loss of about one-third of the command." 

Col. Mayo, Forty-seventh Virginia, says : "We had to lie 
under the hottest shelling and fire of grape and canister I 
ever experienced." 

Gen. Wright says: "Here my command experienced the 
most terrific fire of artillery and musketry I have ever wit- 
nessed, and our further advance comparatively checked." 

Gen. A. P. Hill says: "The combat was furious. Col- 
ston's Division was thrown forward and repulsed, the enemy 
were again charged and his works taken, and twice relin- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 63 

quished. Rodes' Division came up and after some tremen- 
dous fighting the enemy were driven out." 

The rain fell in torrents as we left the ford. We marched 
to Hartwood church. Next morning started for our old 
camp at Stoneman's Switch. It was occupied by other troops. 
Capt. Clark selected a new site for camp on Potomac creek, 
one-half mile from the creek, about three miles away from 
old camp. It was on a hill. The view of the Potomac river 
and Acquia creek were magnificent from there. Wild cherry 
and dogwood trees were in blossom all around us ; beech, ma - 
pie, oak and sassafras were leafing out. The varying shades 
of foliage, trees and landscape were lovely. It made a beauti- 
ful camp ground, was well policed and was praised by our 
visitors from other commands. We had the usual camp fires 
and camp sports. Here we added a great swing, fully sixty 
feet high. While here the paymaster visited us. The Cap- 
tain headed a subscription for the benefit of the widow of 
Comrade Buckley with an X. The sum realized was $165.00, 
which was sent to her through Marcus L. Ward. She sent 
a very grateful letter to the Captain, thanking him and his 
command for the aid and sympathy extended her. 

The father of John Higgins was in the Eighth New Jersey 
regiment, and was wounded in Sunday morning's battle on 
the plank road. He was in the hospital, and as soon as camp 
was fixed John went to see his father in hospital. When John 
reached the hospital his father was dead. We all felt sorry 
for him, and missed the old man's- visits to his son, which he 
did whenever he could get a pass. It was an odd scene to 
see father and son sitting together for hours on stump or 
log, seldom looking at or speaking to each other, and not a 
dozen words spoken except ''How are you, dad ?" *'How are 
you, John?'* ''When did you hear from home?'* "How was 
mother?'' On parting it was "Good-bye, dad.*' "Good-bye, 
John.'' How sadly he missed the visits of his father we all 



64 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

knew, and no better driver, corporal or sergeant ever servetl 
in our ranks. He never blundered, was perfect in drill, and 
kindly in disposition. 



66 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

ton's Gap, near Burketsville, Carr's Brigade relieved an 
Eleventh Corps Brigade, and Battery B relieved Deickman's 
Thirteenth New York Battery at dark. In going into posi- 
tion on mountain top the wheel of the first caisson upset the 
supper of the officers' mess of that Battery. 28th, left 
Crampton's Gap, marching to Frederick City, from there to 
near Walkersville, where we bivouacked. 

29th, marched to Bruceville, thence to Taneytown, where 
we saw Gen. George E. Meade and staff on portico of hotel. 
He had succeeded Fighting Joe Hooker in command of the 
army. Bivouacked near Taneytown. 30th, marched to 
Bridgeport, bivouacking near large farm house and stone 
barn. Showers at night. July ist, washed our dirty cloth- 
ing in little stream said to be source of the Monacasy. Win- 
slow's Battery and a brigade of Second Division sent to 
guard pass in South mountains near Emmitsburg. A very 
hot day. About 10 a. m. heard artillery firing to north of 
us. Knew it was our cavalry that had run into the Rebel 
advance. About 2 130 p. m. orders were received to march 
to Gettysburg, and heard that a battle had been in progress 
since 9 A. m.; that Buford's Cavalry and Reynolds' Corps 
were heavily engaged, and that Howard's Corps was engag- 
ed also. Just then a refreshing and cooling shower fell. At 
3 p. M. we marched at head of Birney's Division. Our road 
was through a rich farming country. The people brought to 
the roadside bread, milk, cakes, pies, tea and coffee and fruit 
to refresh us. It was evident the people of Pennsylvania 
were determined we should not fight on empty stomachs. 
We felt we were in God's country. On the road we met 
people who had abandoned their homes. They had vehicles 
of every description, in which were household goods, women 
and children. Some encouraged us to hurry up. The wo- 
men waving handkerchiefs and cheering us with a "God 
bless you, boys." Other said our army was defeated; that 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 67 

Gettysburg was sacked; that Gen. Lee, with an army of 
100,000 men, had killed or captured all our troops opposed 
to him. It was a panic-stricken crowd. Our line of march 
was parallel with the South mountain and partly through 
woods. About sundown ,we emerged from a belt of woods 
into cleared fields ; the road was on a ridge. Looking west- 
ward we saw the wooded slopes of Seminary Ridge, and the 
rocky valley below. To the eastward the wide diversified 
landscape stretched away to the foot of the Round Tops, 
clothed in green from base to summit. At Sherfy's peach 
orchard we halted for the column to close up. We did not 
know then that on the morrow the battle would rage there 
in sublime fury, and that there our columns would be envel- 
oped in the clouds of war and buffeted by the cyclones of 
death. On our front and left were our cavalry, who were 
protecting our left flank, engaged in getting their suppers. 
On the ridge to the northwest we could see the smoke of the 
enemy's camp fires. To northeast, on Cemetery Ridge, we 
could see the bivouac fires of our army. We marched down 
the Fairfield road, crossing Plum Run and the Valley of 
Death, and went in bivouac on left of First Corps. They 
were still full of fight. Claimed they had fought Hill's and 
part of Eweirs Corps to a standstill, and had Howard's line 
not broken would have driven Hill from the field. Their 
loss was over 40 per cent. 

July 2d, JBattery B was moved to the front early in the 
morning and placed in position on second line near base of 
Little Round Top. At 9:30 a. m. the Battery was moved 
to front and left, and placed in line on ridge to left of Tros- 
tle house. On our right was an orchard containing cherry 
trees, that were soon bereft of fruit. To our right and rear, 
the house where Gen. Sickles had his headquarters. The 
forenoon was passed in quietness, except now and again the 
crack of some skirmishers' rifles on our right front. Shortly 



68 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

before noon Berdan's Sharpshooters advanced up the Fair- 
field road, on our left, passing the peach orchard and disap- 
pearing over the ridge on Emmitsburg road. It was but a 
short time until they were heavily engaged, and another reg- 
iment was sent to their support. Details of infantry were 
tearing down the fences in front. At about 2 p. m. the ene- 
my appeared, driving our skirmishers before them over the 
ridge in front, but far to our left. Gen. Sickles ordered 
Capt. Clark to take position with his Battery near Sherfy's 
peach orchard. He opened fire, using shell and shrapnel, 
firing slowly and with good effect, about six rounds from 
each gun, at the enemy, who were advancing in column, 
their front covered by a cloud of skirmishers, and crossing 
the Emmitsburg road 1,400 yards distant. The fire of the 
Battery drove them back to cover of the woods, after which 
the Battery, in double column, advanced to within fifty 
yards of the Emmitsburg road. At that time Gens. Sickles, 
Birney and Hunt met in conference at the peach orchard. 
Ames' Battery was coming up on a trot. In passing the 
position vacated by Battery B the enemy opened a hot fire 
on them, from batteries placed in position near the Emmits- 
burg road, 1,400 yards distant. The Generals rode off im- 
mediately after this fire opened. Capt. Randolph ordered 
Capt. Clark to go back and attack the enemy's batteries. The 
command was given, "Right reverse, trot," almost before 
the line was straightened, and the order was g^ven, "Action, 
right," and instantly around went the gims and down went 
the trails. Before getting into position Rensalear Cassel- 
man was shot out of his saddle. He sleeps with the un- 
known dead. Gen. Sickles said to Capt. Clark, "Hold this 
position while you have a shot in your limbers or a man to 
work your guns." The Battery opened with shell and case 
shot, firing slowly, first by gun, next by section, then by half 
battery, and once or twice by battery. The Captain gave 



FIRST N£W JERSEY. 69 

every order in a clear, ringing voice that could be heard 
above the roar of battle. He passed from gun to gun direct- 
ing the fire of each, character of missile and time of fuse. 
As soon as he was satisfied with effect of battery fire he gave 
the order, "Fire at will," and from that moment our six Par- 
rott guns poured a stream of shell and shrapnel into the en- 
emy's batteries, and not we alone, for Smith's Battery got 
in position on our left at the Devil's Den, and Ames' Bat- 
tery got in action at the angle of the peach orchard. The en- 
emy brought other batteries into action on left of Emmits- 
burg road. Three minutes after going into action Tom 
Post's head was shot off, and the horses became very rest- 
less under the enemy's artillery fire. Some were killed and 
wounded. In less than thirty minutes the enemy's fire 
slackened, one of their limbers blew up, and at almost the 
same moment one of their guns was dismounted. At this 
Billy Riley jumped astraddle of Clairville's gun and began 
cheering. The cheer was taken up by the infantry, and fol- 
lowed the line to right and left, until response was heard to 
our cheers from the Devil's Den to the Peach Orchard. 
Shortly after this the enemy ceased firing. When it com- 
menced our only line was a thin one of skirmishers. During 
its continuance Ward's Brigade went into line with its left 
on Little Round Top. On Ward's right and to our left was 
DeTrobriand's Brigade, with Winslow's Battery in the 
wheatfield in his rear. In our rear for support was the Six- 
ty-eighth, One Hundred ^nd Fourteenth and One Hundred 
and Forty-first Pennsylvania regiments. Graham was in 
the orchard with Second New Hampshire, Sixty-third Penn- 
sylvania, and, later in the day, all regiments supporting us 
were put in on his line. At the Peach Orchard the line form- 
ed a right angle, and ran parallel with the Emmitsburg road 
to the Rogers house, and was held by Brewster's and Carr's 
Brigades of Humphrey's Division. Turnbull's Battery on 



70 HISTORY OF BATTERY B^ 

right, Seeley's in center and Randolph's on left about in 
front of Sherfy house. Burling's Brigade in reserve. Such 
was the formation of our line of battle. 

The Confederate line — Longstreet's Corps, Hood's Divis- 
ion, 8,000 muskets, and Brigades of Law, Alabama, Robert- 
son, Texas, Anderson and Benning, Georgia; McLaw's 
Division, Kershaw's South Carolina, Semmes, Georgia, 
Walford, Georgia, Barksdale, Mississippi, Brigades; A. P. 
Hill's Corps, Anderson's Division (five Brigades), Wilcox, 
Perry, Wright, Mahone and Posey; Pender's Division 
(four Brigades), Perrin, Lane, Seal, Thomas; Heth's Di- 
vision, Brockenborough, Pettigrew and Davis. There were 
twenty-two batteries of four guns each brought into action 
on Longstreet's line. On Hill's line twelve batteries were 
put in action against Sickles' line, a total of 1 18 guns. Phil- 
lips got in about 4:30, Bigelow about 4:45. Hart at same 
time. At 5 130 Thompson relieved Ames. About same time 
Hazlett came into action on Round Top and Dows near the 
Trostle house ; a total of 76 guns. This artillery duel was 
only preliminary. About 3:15 the enemy opened again with 
a terrific artillery fire from front and right flank, and at half 
past three the enemy commenced moving down from our 
front and right in three columns. A cloud of skirmishers 
covered their front. We opened fire on them immediately 
with shell and shrapnel, and every shot tore gaps in their 
ranks as they exposed a slight flank to us. Its effects seemed 
to make them bear further to our left, until their front line 
disappeared behind the Rose woodland, where, by the sound 
of the musketry, Ward's Brigade gave them a warm recep- 
tion. After a few stunning volleys the enemy were repulsed 
and driven back into the open field. The enemy's second 
line, into which we were pitching shell, came up to the sup- 
port of the first line. Ward was driven back. A second 
time Ward repulsed them. The enemy's brigades appeared 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 71 

to be in echelon and inclined nearer to us. As each one ad- 
vanced they received a more galling fire from our line of ar- 
tillery. Phillips had come into action on our left, also Bige- 
low. The fire from our batteries drove many of them back 
into the woods on their right, but most of them got into the 
Rose woods, and were soon driving DeTrobriand back, and 
Winslow's Battery got into action in the wheatfield, firing 
into the woods freely and rapidly. We fired solid shot into 
the woods also. The Sixth and Eighth New Jersey regi- 
ment marched past our rear in quick time to reinforce our 
left, where the enemy were driving our troops. A staff offi- 
cer rode up and requested Capt. Clark to direct part of his 
fire to the point occupied by Smith's Fourth New York Bat- 
tery, at the Devil's Den, on our left, he being hard pressed 
and in danger of losing his guns. The fire of the Battery 
was directed there for ten or fifteen minutes. Then the 
boom of Hazlett's guns from the summit of Little Round 
Top greeted our ears. Its fire joined ours on the enemy, 
who were near Smith's gims, and captured three of them. 
About the same time Winslow's Battery was withdrawn 
from the wheatfield, 600 yards to our left. The enemy were 
near the edge of the woods in his front. Once there a vol- 
ley would have killed most of his horses and men. All of 
the regiments supporting us had been sent into the Peach 
Orchard to reinforce Graham's line, and the Seventh New 
Jersey was posted in our rear for support. About 4 o'clock 
a spherical case shot exploded to right of first caisson, kill- 
ing one horse and filling flanks of leader and shoulder of off 
pole horses with bullets. A fragment of shell disemboweled 
the nigh pole horse; another took off his fore leg. I was 
holding him by the bridle; the team started to run, made 
a fine "left about," dragging horse and me fifty yards to rear. 
Pole horse fell as soon as they stopped. Banks, Williams. 
Vandine and I replaced pole which was broken, divested the 



72 HISTORY OF BATTERY B^ 

dead horse of harness, and our farrier, Fairchild, brought 
up some spare horses to replace similar losses. We put har- 
ness on a pair and pulled the caisson to its place in line. The 
drivers were called upon to carry ammunition to replenish 
limber chests of guns, and No. 8 to issue ammunition and 
cut out fuse, as we were firing more rapidly than No. 6 
could issue it and cut fuse. Smalley and Morris were wound- 
ed. The latter, although having a painful wound, stuck to 
his gun until ammunition was exhausted, and rode out on 
trail. Collier and Tierney and McGowen were wounded, 
Costello also, and their places at guns were filled by drivers. 
Timm, gimner, and Riley, No. 5, had hold of a handspike to 
direct line of fire of gim, at Smith's position. A shell plung- 
ed into ground under the trail and exploded under their feet. 
Tlie trail flopped up and threw them twentv feet in the air • 
they fell together ; Riley was underneath, both covered with 
blood and dirt. Timm scrambled to his feet, wiped the dirt 
out of his eyes, and asked Riley if he was hurt. He said, 
"By Jiminey, I didn't think they could touch me without 
taking a limb, and now, d — 'em, they have taken half the 
meat I did have." The shell had sheared all the flesh from 
Riley's right hip clear to the bone. Bauer, No. i, received a 
painful wound in knee. Bonnell, No. 4, was knocked insen- 
sible by the concussion. Bauer was ordered to the hospital. 
Serg^. Clairville called on the drivers to take place of those 
wounded, as they took vacant positions. Riley stood still 
like one dazed. Lieut. Simms yelled at him, "Riley, why 
the bloody h — 1 don't you roll that gun by hand to the 
front?" Riley turned his wounded hip and thigh to the 
Lieutenant's view and said, "Lieutenant, if your hip was 
shot off like that, what the bloody h — 1 would you do?" He 
was ordered to go to the hospital, and went away on one foot 
and two hands like a lame dog. Caleb Harrison took the 
place of the injured No. i. The sponge bucket was broken 



nRST KEW JfiRSEV. 73 

and its contents spilled. He cursed the Rebels. The spare 
bucket was put in place, and what little water was in our can- 
teens emptied into it, after which he sponged and rammed 
home the shell, and the fire of the gun was directed to our 
opponent and Bonnell pulled the lanyard. We all said, 
"Take that for Riley." I was sent with seven or eight can- 
teens to the spring near the Trostle house to fill them. As I 
passed the supporting regiment a shell exploded over the 
line, killing or wounding seven or eight men. The canteens 
filled, I faced to the south. A grand but terrible picture met 
my view. On the road, near bv, the Fifth Corps was march- 
ing to the left. Our left and front was a sheet of flame. The 
air was dotted with little balloons of white smoke, showing 
where shells had burst, and sent their deadly messengers to 
the fighting lines below. From Long^treet's right, all along 
to our right as far as one could see, the enemy's artillery was 
actively engaged, as shown by the white steam-like clouds of 
smoke arising from their battery- positions. To the left I 
could see the enemy driving our men up the sides of the Lit- 
tle Round Top. and was rejoiced to see them driven back 
again. The Fifth Corps, which was miles away when the 
battle began, were hurried to the front to reinforce us. When 
I got back to the guns all hands had a refreshing drink of 
water. Some of the men said. ''My G^>1. f/ut that is g^y^, 
this is hotter than h — ^1 here." ^92 degrees in the sha/le that 
day at Gettysburg.) Ames' Battery left the F^each Orchard, 
and the infantry supportirig us were marched int/j it. HartS 
Battery also pulled otrt, and Wa:v.r/s h^Xitry I, Fifth C.'nit- 
ed States, took position vacated V.' /-.rrves. At thi^ time, 
5 130, enemy commenccc Tr/>v:r.g ^^>*a r. ^/^r ir^mx ^rA rijrlit 
in hca\'v colunms. from Ox> to >V» v^rc- ^A^^junt, ^'nA^ 
cover of a hca\-v aniHcrv f.re th-e*.- yrti-^crfj-A a ^!ijrf:t flanl: 
to us. The fire of the err::re !:rj^ 'ir^\ cir*/,^^ '/!:i rh^rn, and 
its effects seemed V^ be to rri;£k.e tryirr. ^^r.-'^^ce '^vki: into th^ 



74 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

Rose woods, where the enemy were pushing our troops back 
into the wheatfield. Our ammunition was running very 
low. Orderly Sergeant Galbraith was sent to the rear after 
John Cronk, whose six-mule team was loaded with extra 
ammunition. About 6 o'clock Cronk came up on a dead run. 
Under orders, we were ready to jump into his wagon and 
unload the boxes of ammunition. How he sung oaths to 
those mules to keep them quiet under that fire, where a hun- 
dred shells were exploding every minute, and the crackle of 
his whip was like a sharp skirmish fire! He was a hero. A 
shot in that load would have sent Cronk, Banks, Bush, Buf- 
fum and a few others where peace forever holds her court. 
In returning from gim to caisson a shell exploded over me. 
The concussion threw me to the ground, and for a short time 
I was unconscious. Martin Donohue was bending over me 
when I became conscious, tears from his eyes falling on my 
face, and as I bathed my eyelids he inserted the nozzle of his 
canteen l)etween my lips, and said, "Mike, shure you're not 
kilt entirely, for 'tis I would be lonesome without you." 
When I returned to the gim, which I did slowly, I was some- 
what benumbed from shock. The query was, "Were you hit 
hard?'' "No." "Bully boy! Hurry up the ammunition 
lively now, and we will give them h — 1 yet. You see the 
devils are gaining ground on our left." There was a break 
in our line 500 yards to the left. A crippled battery was 
leaving the Peach Orchard on the right. A brigade of the 
enemy, with six battleflags, moved across our front and 
formed line near the Rose house. They advanced against 
us under a galling fire. We had been throwing shell ancj 
shrapnel into them, but have nothing left but canister. They 
broke back and reformed at 450 yards. Timm, under Clair- 
ville's direction, tried a round of canister at leading regi- 
ment, the colors fell, making a beautiful gap in their line, 
w^hich was closed up, and on they came. Capt. Qark passed 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 75 

from gun to gun, animating and encouraging the men, as 
cool and calm as if it was a battery drill. Old Bill had a 
stick in his hand in which he cut a notch for every shot fired, 
grumbled at slightest error, telling us to keep cool and keep 
our shirts on. We were getting too wild, and might lose 
Old Betsey, No. i gun. As I handed the next two canisters 
to Elias Campbell, each containing 76 balls, he said, "This 
is the stuff to feed them ; 'tis good for them ; feed it to their 
bellies, Timm ; mow them down, Timm." And Timm aim- 
ed to hit them in the middle of their anatomy, and they fell 
like grass before a mower's scythe. Harrison, who had 
sponged after every shot and rammed every load since Bauer 
was hurt, said, "D — them, we ,are paying off for Riley 
now." During this time the front of the Battery was almost 
a sheet of flame; the men at the guns fairly flew to their 
work. The guns themselves seemed full of life; dogs of 
war, nearly red hot ; how they roared and thundered ! Shells 
of the enemy's guns were shrieking overhead, of throwing 
up clouds of dust and dirt where they exploded, bullets were 
zipping from front and flank. Serg^. McChesney and Bob 
Stuart were wounded badly, but still staid to work their 
guns. Splinters were flying from gun carriages and wheels. 
Horses were being killed and wounded, and taken out of 
harness, as they fell, by their drivers. At every gun were 
wounded men, many too slight for hospital. They staid 
until the last shot was fired, and then rode out on guns. 
Every one's shirt was soaked with sweat, some with blood. 
All were grimed with powder smoke, and not a man but kept 
to his work. Heroes, every one. Our canister fire was too 
much for the charging column. It threw it into great confu- 
sion, and all who were not killed and wounded changed 
direction to right when about 200 yards distant, and disap- 
peared, seeking shelter behind slope of a hill on our left, near 
the wheatfield, which had become a veritable crater of a 



76 HISTORY OP BATTERY B, 

volcano, a very whirlwind of battle. Rebel yells and Yan- 
kee cheers alternated rapidly, as either side gained an ad- 
vantage or reinforcement. There was an incessant roar of 
musketry and artillery, a rapid movement of troops. Now 
blue, now gray, as they emerged from the woods and rocks, 
and charged recklessly into each other's ranks, with yells and 
shouts and cheers, which were heard above the sound of 
musketry and artillery. The wheatfield was reaped with the 
harvest of death. In our front were over 120 dead from 
three South Carolina regiments. At the Rose house and 
barn were 200 more. The last round of canister was fired ; 
the last three had been three canisters to one cartridge. The 
Captain gave the orders to limber up and go to the rear. 
Phillips' Battery had gone. The infantry on our flanks had 
fallen back. The enemy (Barksdale's Brigade) were half 
way through the Peach Orchard on our right flank, as the 
wheels of the limber struck the trail of gim the lead team was 
hit. Higg^ns jumped out of the saddle and cut the traces, 
and the gim drove off with four horses. A Rebel yelled, 

"Halt, you Yankee sons of ; we want those guns!" 

Ennis yelled back, "Go to h — 1 ! We want to use them yet 
awhile." At that moment the remnant of the Sixty-third 
Pennsylvania, who were lying in sunken road, rose up and 
poured a volley into their faces, causing them to halt. Had 
their gims been loaded, a volley would have killed and 
wounded nearly all our horses and men. Two cannoniers 
rode out on axle, holding on as best they could. Harrison 
placed his hand on the gun to support himself. It burned 
all the skin from palm and fingers. Edson Shephard was 
hit in left breast, the ball encircling body, leaving a blue welt, 
and coming out of breast-bone three inches from place of en- 
trance. Just as we started a single gun of the enemy came 
into position in J. Wentz's yard and fired a round of canis- 
ter. It killed six horses on No. 4 caisson and four on No. 3, 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 77 

wounding Richard Price, Hiram Grover and John Truby. 
Joseph Baker also was wounded. This obliged us to leave 
one caisson and one caisson body on the field. Henry C. 
Buffum and Daniel W. Laws stopped to assist Price to the 
hospital. They were taken prisoners. Buffum died at An- 
dersonville July ii, 1864 — starved to death. Henry E. 
Davis took shelter behind a boulder and was captured when 
enemy was driven back. Price was taken to Rock Creek 
hospital ; both legs and one arm were amputated. He died 
August 22d, his songs cheering comrades to the last. Before 
Wentz could reload we were out of canister range. His fire 
no doubt was directed on Bigelow, and the cause of Bige- 
low's heavy loss. In passing to the rear we passed the left 
flank of Seventh New Jersey, 200 yards to our rear. We 
fell back through the Trostle lane, out of the vortex of fire 
that whirled around the Peach Orchard. We halted for 
some time on the ridge near the Trostle house. Some bat- 
teries went into position on our left. The Seventh New Jer- 
sey came back and formed line on our right. They had lost 
114 out of 331 men. 

Wheaton's Brigade of the Sixth Corps formed line in our 
rear. They had marched from Westminster, 35 miles, since 
midnight. The sun set while we were there, 7:34. Our 
losses were two killed, sixteen seriously and several slightly 
wounded, three taken prisoners, twenty-three horses killed, 
twenty-four wounded. Gen. Hunt informed the writer and 
several other members of the Battery, at Gettysburg, July 
2, 1886, that the returns to him showed that Battery B had 
fired 1,342 rounds of ammunition July 2, 1863, and that no 
battery in the United States' service had fired that amount 
in a single day during the war. Clairville's notches on his 
stick show that right gun fired 241 rounds. We opened the 
battle on the second day. The appearance of our front after 
the battle was over showed we made them pay dearly for 



78 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

ground gained, and gave time for reinforcements to reach 
the front. 

When the battle began the Fifth Army Corps, 12,500 
men, was miles away, the head of their column coming on 
the field about 5 p. m. The Sixth Corps, 15,500 men, were 
on their forced march from Manchester, 35 miles away from 
Gettysburg, the head of their corps arriving on the field 
about 7 p. M. It is now conceded that Gen. Sickles' advance 
to the Peach Orchard with the Third Army Corps was all 
that saved the field at Gettysburg to the Union army. The 
ammunition brought us by Galbraith and Cronk (whose 
father served in the war of 18 12, and whose uncle was the 
last survivor of that war) contributed much to shatter- 
ing the brigades of Kershaw and Wofford. But for it 
we would have been obliged to leave the field thirty minutes 
earlier, and Capt. Clark would have fully complied with 
Gen. Sickles' orders. The effect of those 200 rounds the re- 
ports quoted show fully. 

Gen. D. E. Sickles, now 82 years of age, was and is to the 
men of the Third Army Corps an ideal soldier of volunteers. 
Enlisting in the ranks in April, 1861, in the Seventy-first 
New York infantry, he rose by merit successively to the 
grade of Major General of Volunteers. He was the idol of 
Third Corps men, and they have always regretted that the 
fortunes of war caused the loss of his right leg on July 2, 
1863, "^^^ ^he wheatfield, about 6:30 p. m., while directing 
the operations of the Third Corps. In a letter to the author 
he expresses the following opinion of Battery B, its serv- 
ices and its men : 

23 Fifth Avenue, New York City, July 11, 1905. 
My Dear Sir and Comrade : My health has not been good 
lately or I would have replied to your letter sooner. * * 
I am very glad you are writing a history of Battery B, First 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 79 

New Jersey Artillery. The splendid record of that Battery 
under Capt. A. Judson Clark deserves to be preserved. 
Clark's Battery was the first to open fire on Jackson at Chan- 
cellorsville, and if that initiative had been followed up 
promptly the battle of Chancellorsville might have had a 
different ending. At Gettysburg Clark's Battery, in its po- 
sition on the Peach Orchard Ridge, was most effective, and 
contributed greatly towards checking Longstreet's assault 
until the arrival of reinforcements protected the left flank 
of the army. You are right in believing that I am proud of 
the men who served with me, under my command, in the 
Third Army Corps, and none are more deserving of honor 
and regard than the men of Clark's Battery. * * * 
When you write to Capt. Clark give him my regards. With 
best wishes to yourself and all your surviving comrades of 
Battery B, believe me, affectionately yours, 

D. E. SICKLES. 
Mr. M. Hanifen^ Ottawa, 111. 

Sickles' Corps inflicted frightful losses on Lee's army 
July 2d, and made possible the victory of July 3d. 

The official reports of Hood's and McLaw's Divisions of 
Longstreet's Corps, and Anderson's and Pender's Divisions 
of Hill's Corps, for example, Hood's losses are given as 335 
killed, 1,392 wounded; McLaw's 289 killed, 1.372 wounded 
July 2d, while the loss of Pickett's Division, in that grand 
charge and under the terrible cannonade on July 3d, was 
214 killed, 1,152 wounded. The enemy brought into action 
July 2d the artillery battalions of Henry, 16 guns, Cabell, 
16 guns, Alexander, 24 gims, Pougue, 10 guns, Pegram, 24 
guns, Mcintosh, 12 guns, Garrett, 9 guns, and Lane, 7 gims. 
Total, 118. 

We marched back over the ridge to the W. Patterson 
farm, where we bivouacked. Before the drivers dismounted 



80 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

Capt. Clark called all to "Attention," and said: "Boys, those 
of you who survive this war will have reason to be proud 
of this day's work. I ask you all to return thanks to God 
that he brought you safely out of this day's battle." We 
unharnessed, watered and fed the horses, had a good sup- 
per of coffee, hardtack and ham, sent us by Gen. Birney, for 
we had drawn no rations since June 27th. We shared our 
coffee with our comrades of the infantry, some of them, Ber- 
dan's Sharpshooters, who told incidents of the battle while 
we smoked our pipes. In the stone barn near us was a field 
hospital, in which a dozen or more surgeons were at work 
at the amputating tables by candle light, and all night and 
until noon next day they were busy plying their instruments. 
Trains of ambulances and stretchers were bringing from 
the fields of strife loads of wounded men. Many of these 
were laid under the apple trees in the orchard. Straw was 
strewn on the ground for beds, coffee made for them, and all 
made as comfortable as possible. The moon was at the full, 
and some of us filled our canteens and went to the front and 
aided the wounded. One comrade of the Eighty-second 
New York, who was badly wounded, asked that his Colonel 
(Huston), who was lying near, be cared for first. We found 
him mortally wounded and dying. He cried heartily when 
told the Colonel was dying. All were grateful for services 
rendered them, and canteens filled. Long after midnight 
we returned to the bivouac. Lieut. Clark, who had gallantly 
fought the left section, had gone into the country southeast 
with a squad of men to impress horses to replace those killed 
and wounded. They returned shortly after daylight with a 
fine lot of horses. Two of the guns whose vents were blown 
out were sent to artillery reserve for repairs. At daylight 
the crash of musketry and roar of artillery awakened us. It 
was the battle between Ewell and the Twelfth Corps for the 
possession of Gulp's Hill, and continued until 10 a. m., when 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 81 

the "Rebs" were driven back. The caissons were sent to the 
ammunition train and filled. The wounded were removed to 
Rock Creek. The surgeons had packed up, and the last am- 
bulance containing their instruments was leaving, when 
about I o'clock a shell from one of the two signal g^ns ex- 
ploded in the barn. It took the arm off a little negro boy, 
about 14 years old, a servant of an officer in a New York 
regiment. We were mounted ready to move out. Capt. 
Clark sent Alley Steventon to recall the surgeons. The arm 
of the boy was amputated. He was placed in the ambulance, 
and we moved out under fire to position in rear of DeTro- 
briand's Brigade, tothelright of Gen. Birney's headquarter's 
flag. It seemed a long time until our 80 g^ns commenced 
replying to Lee's 146. Our ammunition train was quickly 
moved out of range, but not until some of the wagons had 
exploded. In a few minutes the Taneytown road in our rear 
was filled with hospital attaches, camp followers and citi- 
zens ; then Gen. Meade and his escort, all anxious to get out 
of range. Shells were screaming and bursting everywhere. 
The cries of the wounded and dying were mingling with the 
roar of the iron storm. Horses were killed by the hundreds, 
and on the firing line caisson after caisson exploded. The 
hills seemed to be shaken to their foundations by the explo- 
sions and concussions. This fire continued about two hours, 
when our fire slackened, almost ceased. Batteries from the 
reserve, in our rear, went to the front on a ^llop to replace 
those disabled by the enemy's fire. We expected to be called 
out, but were not. Then the artillery fire of the enemy nearly 
ceased, and ours opened with full vigor. Some few men 
from the batteries were permitted to go to the infantry line, 
from which they witnessed the charge of Pickett and his 
supporting brigades, and their repulse. Some regiments 
of our division were sent to the right. The enemy were re- 
pulsed and a stream of prisoners, many of them wounded, 

F 



82 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

passed to the rear under guard. We returned to our place of 
bivouac. During the night of July 3d the rain fell in tor- 
rents, and deep darkness covered the battlefield. July 4th, 
at 7 A. M., we relieved Daniels' Ninth Michigan Battery on 
the front line. 

The skirmishers on the jEmmitsburg road kept up a sput- 
tering fire. The field in front, along the road from the Co- 
dori house on the right to the peach orchard on the left, was 
thickly strewn M^ith dead bodies. Some wounded were still 
in the field. At the Rogers' house and Codori house they 
were piled in winrows. About noon Gen. Birney's Division 
advanced. After a few rounds from a rifled battery on our 
right he advanced and was soon on Seminarv Ridge. Dur- 
ing this advance one of the heaviest rain storms we ever saw 
commenced. It continued all afternoon and night. During 
it Lee retreated. During this rain the waters of Rock Creek 
rose so rapidly it flooded the hospital grounds along its 
banks. The attendants were unable to imove all the sick as 
rapidly as the water endangered them. The water got so 
high that Dick Price was holding himself up with his elbows 
on the branch of a dogwood tree. His limbs had been ampu- 
tated. Looking over to Billy Riley, whose wounds had been 
dressed, who was also climbing, Price said, "Billy, they talk 
about Napoleon climbing the Alps, why, it isn't a marker to 
Dick Price climbing the dogwood." In 1886 Price's father 
accompanied us to the Third Corps reunion at Gettysburg. 
Early on the morning of July 2d, with Comrades Harrison, 
Woodruff, Bonnell, George, and the writer, and wives of 
several comrades, we visited the National Cemetery. As we 
stood by our comrade's grave we all praised his boy's pleas- 
ant ways, genial, kindly disposition, and brave deeds. He 
listened to it all, but his breast heaved, and he exclaimed, 
"My boy, my boy, O God, why did you take my boy? He 
was all I had," and sobbed as a man does when in g^eat men- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 83 

tal anguish. The wives of the comrades tried to soothe him. 
It was unavailing, until Mrs. Woodruff embraced him, say- 
ing, "Uncle Richard, look at that flag." It was sunrise and 
the star spangled banner was slowly unfolding from the flag- 
staff of the cemetery. Continuing, she said : "Your boy died 
for that flag, and while this nation endures his deeds will 
never be forgotten. When you and I are dead, patriots, 
standing where we are now, will remember his name and 
fame.'' We returned to breakfast at the McClellan hotel, 
and immediately after the old man went home. 

The Third Corps remained on the field for two days, bury- 
ing our own and the enemy's dead, and gathering up arms 
and accoutrements left on the field. Nine hundred and fifty- 
nine Rebel soldiers were buried by our burial parties in front 
of positions of Second and Third Corps. Near the Rose 
house the enemy had buried in three long trenches nearly 200 
from the brigades of Kershaw and Woffard. Some of us 
went to the positions occupied by batteries we had fired on, 
near Mrs. Sacks' and Emmitsburg road. The debris left 
there behind stone walls and in woods, the new-made graves, 
and dead horses, convinced us that our marksmanship was 
superior to theirs. The Peach Orchard had only the skele- 
tons of trees left ; there was scarcely a leaf remaining. We 
recovered the caisson and caisson body, removed the harness 
from the dead horses, cleaning it. The guns we used were 
never fired again. We got a new battery of 12-pound Na- 
poleon guns. 

Lee's army at Gettysburg numbered about 105,000 men, 
consisting of nine divisions of infantry, four brigades each. 
Pickett had five brigades. Three divisions — Heth, Hood 
and Pickett — had over 8,000 effective muskets each. With 
their officers (3,800) this army contained 75,500 infantry, 
248 gims with 5,500 men, and seven brigades of cavalry, 
12,000; non-combatants, teamsters, cooks, hospital corps. 



84 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

surgeons and chaplains, 12,000. Meade's army contained 
77,000 infantry, 6,500 artillery and 10,500 cavalry, a total 
of 94,000 men. The Sixth Corps, 15,500 strong, lost only 
242 men. The losses of the other corps were : First, 6,059 ; 
Second, 4,369 ; Third, 4,21 1 ; Fifth, 2,187 > Eleventh, 3,801 ; 
Twelfth, 1,082 — a loss of over 33 per cent. Lee's losses 
were 31,621. Alexander Stephens states it 37,000, and it is 
now known that it was nearly 42,000 during that campaign. 
The Union losses during that campaign were 31,997. 

Gen. Sickles was wounded, and Gen. Bimey succeeded 
him in command of the Third Corps. Captain Clark suc- 
ceeded Capt. Randolph (wounded) as Chief of Artillery of 
Corps. July 7th, left Gettysburg; marched to Emmitsburg 
and from thence to Mechanicsville. 8th, marched to Freder- 
ick City, via Catoctin Furnace. Gen. French's Division 
joined corps at Frederick. He succeeded Bimey. Bivou- 
acked three miles from Frederick. Marched through Fred- 
erick to Fox Gap, thence to Rohrersville, July loth, to An- 
tietam. nth, marched to near Antietam Bridge in support 
of Twelfth Corps reconnaissance. 12th, to Jones Cross 
Roads. 14th, to Marsh Creek, near Harper's Ferry, and 
camped in Pleasant Valley. 17th, crossed the Potomac at 
Harper's Ferry. Marched out five miles on Hillsboro road. 
i8th, to Hillsboro; 19th, to Woodgrove; 20th, to Upper- 
ville; 2 1 St, to Piedmont, thence to Linden; 22d, to Manas- 
sas Gap. 23d, battle of Wapping Heights; went to front, 
but not put in position. 25th, to Salem ; 26th, to Warrenton. 

Gen. French says : **I am indebted to Capt. Clark, acting 
Chief of Artillery, for the energy displayed in his depart- 
ment." 

I quote from official reports the following references to 
Battery B, its position and effect of its fire : 

Capt. Geo. E. Randolph, commanding Artillery Bri- 
gade, Third Corps, says: "Clark's Battery B, First New 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 86 

Jersey, was placed in position about 2 p. m. A column of 
the enemy had been discovered moving on the Fairfield road, 
toward the left of our line. Capt. Clark opened with shell 
and shrapnel, making excellent shots, and diverting the col- 
umn to some road in rear of and Covered by the ridge run- 
ning perpendicular to the Emmitsburg road, near its inter- 
section with the Fairfield. An hour later the enemv's batter- 

m 

ies opened from this ridge, and Qark replied while Ames* 
Battery was being placed in the Peach Orchard to his right. 
The combined fire of Smith's, Clark's and Ames' Batteries 
soon silenced those of the enemy. Shortly after 3 p. m. the 
attack was made by the enemy's infantry. Beginning on the 
left, near Smith's position, it extended to the right, and 
brought the line under a destructive fire of musketry. It 
soon became evident that the enemy were preparing for an 
attack at this point. He opened more batteries to the right 
of his first, and commenced a heavy fire from them upon our 
troops. Ames and Clark were soon so well at work the ad- 
vantage was not on the side of the enemy." 

Gen. Henry J. Hunt, Chief of Artillery, A. P., says : 
"About 2 p. M. Gen. Sickles formed his corps in line to meet 
an attack from this direction (our left flank), his right rest- 
ing in a p)each orchard in advance of the center of our left, 
his line extending in a general direction toward Round Top. 
I accompanied Capt. Randolph, and assisted him in posting 
Clark's Battery (B, First New Jersey; six ten-pounders) on 
the line to the left of the peach orchard, Ames in the orchard, 
both facing south and perpendicular to Emmitsburg road. 
While Clark and Ames were moving up the enemy opened 
a brisk fire upon them from a position near the Emmitsburg 
road, and on the opposite side of it. Ames and Clark soon 
silenced that battery." 1 

Gen. D. B. Birney says: "I was ordered by Maj. Gen. 
Sickles to change my front to meet that attack. I did this 



86 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

by advancing my left 500 yards, and swinging round my 
right so as to rest on the Emmitsburg road at the peach or- 
chard. I now opened with Clark's and Smith's Batteries, 
Clark and Ames to the right in rear of the peach orchard, 
supported by Graham's Brigade. The Third Michigan held 
the peach orchard until nearly dusk." 

Col. Freeman McGilvery, commanding First Brigade Re- 
serve Artillery, says : "At about 3 130 I received an order to 
report to Gen. Sickles with one light 12-pounder and one 
rifled battery. I made an examination of the grounds and 
placed the two Massachusetts batteries in a position that com- 
manded most of the open country between the woods held by 
our troops on the left center and the high ground held by 
the enemy on their right. A New Jersey battery (Clark's) 
immediately on the right of the two Massachusetts batteries 
was receiving most of the fire of two or more Rebel batteries. 
About 5 o'clock a heavy column of Rebel infantry made its 
appearance in a g^ain field about 850 yards in front, moving 
at quick time towards the woods on our left, where the in- 
fantry fighting was then going on. A well-directed fire from 
all the batteries was brought to bear on them. While de- 
stroying the order of their march and driving many back 
into the woods on their right, the main portion of the column 
succeeded in reaching the point for which they started, and 
shelered themselves from the artillery fire. In a few min- 
utes another and larger column appeared at about 750 yards, 
presenting a slight flank to our position. I immediately 
trained the entire line of guns upon them, and opened with 
various kinds of ammunition. The column continued to 
move on at double quick until its head reached a barn and 
farm house immediately in front of my left battery, about 
450 yards distant, when it came to a halt. I gave them can- 
ister and solid shot. The column was broken; part fled in 
the direction whence it came, part pushed on into the woods 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 87 

on our left. The infantry of the enemy ^ined possession 
of the woods immediately on the left of my line of batteries, 
and our infantry fell back both on our right and left, when 
great disorder ensued on both flanks of the line of batteries. 
At this point of the action all of the batteries were exposed 
to a warm infantry fire from both flanks and front, where- 
upon I ordered them to retire 250 yards and renew their fire. 
The New Jersey battery mentioned, being out of ammuni- 
tion, retired to the rear. A volunteer battery, which I have 
never been able to learn the name of, came into line in the 
right. The unknown volunteer battery heretofore mention- 
ed left the field.'' This evidently refers to our halt near Tros- 
tle house. 

Col. Andrew H. Tippen, Sixty-eighth Pennsylvania, Capt. 
Edward R. Bowen, One Hundred and Fourteenth Pennsyl- 
vania, Col. Henry J. Madill, One Hundred and Forty-first, 
and Maj. Frederick Cooper, Seventh New Jersey, all report- 
ed that they supported Clark's Battery under severe and de- 
structive artillery fire, and sustained considerable loss while 
doing so. ' 

Charles G. Coffin says: "Kershaw's and Wafford's bri- 
gades are advancing from Rose's house north towards the 
peach orchard, and Barksdale is pushing east upon Graham 
in the orchard. The fire of nearly one hundred cannon is 
concentrated on the orchard and Union batteries, and is ter- 
ribly destructive. Phillips and Clark have done fearful exe- 
cution in the Confederate ranks, one shell from their guns 
killing and wounding thirty out of a company of thirty- 
seven. They limber up and hasten to the rear, coming into 
position near the Trostle house." 

Capt. A. Judson Clark says : "Early on the morning of 
July 2d the Battery was moved to the front, and placed in 
the second, near the left, of the line of batteries. About 9 130 
A. M. the Battery by your orders was moved to the front and 



88 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

left, and placed in line on the rise of ground midway be- 
tween Gen. Sickles' headquarters and the peach orchard, on 
the Emmitsburg road, where we remained until about 2 p. m. 
At this time the enemy's infantry was discovered passing in 
column across the Emmitsburg road to our left and front, 
and distant about 1,400 yards, and by direction of Gen. 
Sickles I placed my battery in position and opened fire upon 
their position, using shell and case shot, firing very slowly 
and apparently with good effect, as, after some six or seven 
rounds the coUimns had entirely disappeared, and no more 
were seen to pass that point. Nothing more transpired until 
3 p. M. (at this time the Battery was in line at the foot of the 
next slope near the peach orchard), when a Rebel battery, 
which had just been placed in position near a house on Em- 
mitsburg road, about 1,400 yards to our front, op)ened fire 
on my position, and I was ordered by you to go back and 
attack the battery. This I did, using shell and case shot, 
and, after a pretty short fight, silenced the battery, but only 
for a short time, when they opened again, as did other bat- 
teries which they had put into position on my right. From 
this time until night the fire from them was rapid and severe. 
About 3 130 p. M. the enemy's infantry commenced moving 
down from our front and right in strong columns under 
cover of a heavy artillery fire, and the fire soon became sharp 
and obstinate. I immediately opened on them with shell and 
case shot, but although the fire seemed very destructive, 
opening large gaps in their ranks, it only temporarily check- 
ed them, and they pressed steadily on. I continued firing 
case and shell, however, at the column, and later in the fight 
in the woods on my immediate front and left, in which the 
enemy were pushing our troops, there seeming to be at the 
time the main point of attack. About 6 130 p. m. another of 
the enemy's columns commenced moving across my front, 
and distant about 350 yards, when I began firing canister. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 89 

doing great execution, throwing the column wholly into con- 
fusion, and causing it to seek shelter behind the slope of the 
hill just beyond them. By this time our infantry on both 
sides had fallen back, as had also several batteries, when, 
having no supports, I deemed it best to retire, which I did, 
to near the ground occupied the previous evening. In the 
battle of the following day the Battery was not engaged. I 
was obliged to leave one caisson and one caisson body on 
the field for the want of horses to bring them off, but subse- 
quently recovered them. My loss in men was as follows: 
One man killed (two), sixteen men wounded and three miss- 
ing, two of whom are known to be prisoners. I had seven- 
teen horses killed and six disabled so badly I was obliged to 
abandon them. Of the conduct of the officers and men I 
can only say it was in the highest degree commendable for 
courage and bravery. I am. Captain, your obedient servant, 
A. Judson Clark, Captain Com'g Battery B, First New Jer- 
sey Artillery." 

Extracts from Confederate report : 

Gen. R. E. Lee says : "In front of Gen. Longstreet the 
enemy held a position from which, if he could be driven, it 
was thought our artillery could be used to advantage in as- 
sailing the more elevated ground beyond, and thus enable us 
to reach the crest of the ridge, that officer was directed to 
carry the position.'' 

Gen. A. P. Hill says : "On the extreme right Hood com- 
menced the attack about 2 o'clock ; McLaws about 5 '.30 
o'clock." 

Gen. Richard H. Anderson says : "About 2 o'clock in the 
afternoon the engagement between the artillery of the enemy 
and that of the First Corps commenced, and was soon fol- 
lowed by furious and sustained musketry." 

Gen. John B. Hood says : "As soon as I arrived upon the 
Emmitsburg road I placed one or two batteries in position 



90 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

and op)ened fire. A reply from the enemy's guns soon devel- 
oped his lines. A considerable body of troops was posted in 
front of their main line, between the Emmitsburg road and 
Round Top. This force was in line of battle upon an emin- 
ence near a peach orchard. The division numbered approx- 
imately 8,000 effectives as were ever made ready for service." 
Gen. James Longstreet says : "There occurred three hours 
of the hardest fighting in the world's history. His skillfully 
handled batteries swept the passes between the rocks. The 
thickening fire hurt Hood's left and held him in a steady 

fight." 

Gen. Swallow says : "An awful cannonade opened and ex- 
tended all around the Confederate line of battle. Over three 
hundred shots of artillery were fired every minute. The re- 
ports were distinctly heard for over forty miles. After the 
artillery opened the heavy columns of Hood's Division 
emerged from a wood on Longstreet's extreme right, and 
moved rapidly towards the Emmitsburg road, in the direc- 
tion of Round Top.*' 

Gen. J. B. Robertson says : "For a half mile we were ex- 
posed to a heavy and destructive fire of shot and shell from 
six pieces of their artillery on the mountain (Smith), and 
the same number on a commanding hill to the left (Clark)." 

Col. Manning, Third Arkansas, says: "All the time ex- 
posed to a destructive fire from artillery." 

Col. W. W. White, Seventh Georgia, says: "The scene 
of action was reached by a march under a broiling sun, and, 
a portion of the way, a terrific fire of the enemy's batteries 
was on left of Hood's Division." 

Col. Geo. Hilzer, Ninth Georgia, says : "While advancing 
nearly the distance of a mile was very much exposed to an 
enfilading fire of the enemy's batteries." 

Maj. H. D. McDaniel, Eleventh Georgia, says: "The reg- 
iment bore unflinchingly the severe enfilading fire of the en- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 91 

emy's batteries and advanced for the distance of one mile un- 
der a terrific fire of the enemy's batteries/' 

Maj. B. H. Gee, Fifty-ninth Georgia, says: "Double- 
quicked a distance of some forty yards under a severe shell- 
mg. 

Col. L. H. Scruggs, Fourth Alabama, says : "The enemy's 
batteries played on us with great effect until we arrived at a 
stone fence/' 

Gen. J. B. Kershaw says: "The numerous fences in the 
way, the stone building and barn, and the morass and a rak- 
ing fire of g^ape and canister rendered it difficult to retain 
the line in good order. I had extended an order to Col. Ken- 
nedy, Second South Carolina, to charge the battery in their 
front, being the second battery mentioned above, and which 
most annoyed us, leaving Barksdale, who was coming up 
to carry the orchard, to aid this attack. I changed the direc- 
tion of the Seventh regiment and Third to the left.'* 

Maj. R. C. Maffet, Third South Carolina, says: "Our or- 
der from Gen. Kershaw was to gradually swing around to 
the left until nearly facing an orchard from which the enemy 
were pouring a deadly fire of artillery. The wheel was ac- 
complished in gallant style. We moved forward under a 
galling fire of grape, shell and canister, when within 300 
yards of the batteries the order was given to move to the 
right flank double quick, to the cover of a piece of woods." 

Capt. B. C. Manley, A, First North Carolina Artillery, 
says: "We forwarded into a line by the right oblique and 
came into battery on an eminence a short distance to the 
right of the road on which we were advancing. From this 
position we engaged at 2:30 p. m., giving and receiving a 
very heavy fire for several hours. Fired 1,146 rounds.'' 

Maj. M. W. Henry says: "Took position on the right of 
our line and engaged the enemy with two batteries. Lost, 
four killed, twenty-three wounded." 



92 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

Lieut. C. W. Mates, Georgia Artillery, says: "About 3 
o'clock Capt. Carlton ordered a fire from the Parrots to be 
opened on the enemy, who were endeavoring to place a bat- 
tery in position on the left, near the orchard." 

Lieut. \Vm. J. Furlong, Georgia Artillery, says : "On the 
2d the battery was placed in position on the right of the bat- 
talion, behind a l(X)se stone fence. The battery was in posi- 
tion before the order was given to commence firing. The 
battery opened fire from four gims on some light batteries of 
the enemy which had taken position to our left. The firing 
at first was rapid, but soon l)ecame slow and cautious. The 
enemy replied with spirit, their fire being incessant, severe 
and well directed. Capt. Frazer fell dangerously wounded. 
I then took command of the battery, using but two guns. 
Our loss being so great in cannoniers and drivers I could 
muster but two detachments.'* 

Col. H. C. Cabell, commanding Artillery Battalion, says: 
"On July 2d my battalion moved to the head of the column. 
Near the crest of the hill I turned to the right, and placed the 
battalion in position on the edge of the woods, the right rest- 
ing near the road leading from Gettysburg to Emmitsburg. 
One horse was wounded while crossing the field, and directly 
in front, about 600 or 700 yards distant, were a large num- 
ber of batteries occupying a peach orchard. Receiving or- 
ders we opened a most effective fire on these batteries, the 
battalion being the first to open fire, received for a short time 
a concentrated fire from the enemy's batteries. The fire 
from our line and the enemy's became incessant, rendering it 
necessary for us sometimes to pause and allow the smoke to 
clear away, in order to allow the gimners to take aim. The 
loss in my battalion was very heavy (8 killed, 40 wounded). 
During this cannonading Capt. Frazer fell, dangerously 
wounded by the bursting of a shell. The same shell killed 
two sergeants and one man." 



; FIRST NEW JERSEY. 93 

MONUMENT TO CLARK'S BATTERY AT 

GETTYSBURG. 
This monument was erected by the State of New Jersey, 
under acts of its Legislature providing for the erection of 
suitable monuments to mark the positions occupied by New 
Jersey regiments and batteries upon the battlefield of Get- 
tysburg, to commemorate their services in enduring granite. 
The monument is a massive structure of dark Quincy gran- 
ite and highly polished. The base is six feet three inches long 
and five feet three inches wide; its height is twelve feet six 
inches; its weight thirteen tons. The die is four feet long 
and three feet wide. On each end is carved a representa- 
tion of a cannon and two rammers. The finial has on neck, 
front and rear Third Corps badge and a band of thirteen 
stars, and terminates with cap on which an enlarged repre- 
sentation of a cannon ball, which is cut solid on the stone. 
The die-piece contains the following inscriptions : 

[front.] 

Clark's Battery. 

Battery B, First New Jersey Artillery, fought here from 
2 until 7 o'clock, on July 2, 1863, firing 1,300 rounds of am- 
munition. Losses: Killed i, wounded 16, missing 3. 

Erected by the State of New Jersey 1888. 

[rear.] 

Mustered in September 3, 1861. Mustered out June 16, 
1865. 

Engaged in twenty-six battles, including all the im- 
portant actions on the Peninsula, Fredericksburg, Chancel- 
lorsville, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Peters- 
burg, Appomattox. It was dedicated July 2, 1888. The 
picture on the opposite page is a faithful representation of 
monument, and group of surviving comrades present at its 
dedication. It is located on Sickles Avenue, north of the 
wheatfield^ and near the east line of Sherfy's Peach Orchard. 



BRISTOE AND MINE RUN CAMPAIGN. 



We remained in camp near Warrenton until Sept. 14th. 
The time was spent in usual routine of drill and camp life. 
One incident, the military execution of five deserters from 
Fifth Corps — three Germans and two Italians — we wit- 
nessed. We, with troops to number of 25,000, were marched 
to a natural amphitheatre and formed three sides of a square. 
The condemned men marched in procession behind their cof- 
fins to the place of execution, accompanied by a rabbi, a 
Catholic priest and a Protestant clergyman. On arrival 
there they sat down on their coffins. Their open graves 
were in the rear. The consolations of their respective relig- 
ions were given, first by the rabbi reciting portions of the 
Psalms to the Jews. The priest in his robes gave absolution 
to the two Catholics, they kneeling to receive it. The 
Protestants and their minister knelt and prayed to- 
gether, after which the condemned men's eyes were bandag- 
ed. Then a company of thirty-six men, whose guns had 
been previously loaded, some with blank cartridges, took 
their g^ns from the stacks. A Captain gave the orders, 
**Ready," **Aim," **Fire,*' and thirty-six muskets were dis- 
charged at once. The five deserters were dead, a fearful 
yet salutary example. The bands struck up lively tunes 
and the troops were marched back to camp. 

Sept. 1 6th. The Third Corps crossed the Rappahannock 
river and advanced to Culpepper Court House, where it was 
posted on the right of the army. 

October ist. The Eleventh and Twelfth Corps were sent 
west to Chattanooga under command of Gen. Hooker. Oct. 
8th, the Battery reported to Gen. Prince, commanding Third 
94 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 96 

Division, at 4 a. m., with three days' rations. Right section 
was ordered to report to leading brigade. The battery, after 
Second Brigade marched to near James City, bivouacked 
at Brown's house. loth, right section, Sixth New Jersey, 
One Hundred and Fifteenth Pennsylvania, One Hundred 
and Twentieth New York Infantry, under command of Col. 
Burling, ordered to report to Gen. Judson Kilpatrick, which 
we did to left of James City at 10 a. m. The regiments and 
artillery were to repel any attack from the enemy. A four- 
gun rifled battery of horse artillery in position to our left. 
The enemy were in force at Pony Mountain in our front. 
We were ordered to open on them, but could not reach them 
with our Napoleon guns. About 4 p. m. Custer's Cavalry 
Brigade formed by squadrons in echelon, with ,a band at head 
of column playing "Garryowen." They charged the enemy's 
position, supported by fire of rifled guns of the horse artil- 
lery, and captured it and ^ome prisoners. It was a beautiful 
sight to see their colors floating in the breeze and their sabres 
flashing in the light of the evening sun. We cheered them 
heartily, as also jdid our comrades of the infantry. At 10 
p. M. Sims' section and Burling's Brigade were ordered to 
march back to Culpepper. The rest of the Battery was in 
position two miles in the rear and marched with Prince's 
Division. At 3 a. m., nth, we reached Culpepper Court 
House. The army was retreating. We again marched, by 
way of Sperryville Pike, to^Welford's Ford on Hazel river, 
from there to Freeman's Ford on the Rappahannock. 

Oct. 1 2th, placed in position near Fox Ford, covering 
roads near there. 13th, marched back to Greenwich. Sleep- 
er's Battery got engaged with enemy's advance. Gen. 
French placed Sims' section and section from Sleeper's Bat- 
tery in position on top of hill to left of road near Auburn to 
re|>el cavalry attack. Sleeper's Battery fired a few rounds. 
We had no occasion to fire. 14th, marched to Broad Run; 



S6 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

halted and massed corp there. Continued march to Man- 
assas Junction. Crossed Bull Run at Mitchell's Ford and 
marched to Centreville. Remained in camp there until Oct. 
19th, when we advanced to Bristoe Station. Lee's army 
had completely destroyed the Orange and Alexandria rail- 
road, carrying off the rails. 

Headquarters of Battery B, New Jersey Artillery, Oct. 
25, 1863. Capt. Clark says: "I have the honor to submit 
the following report of the part taken by imy 'Battery in the 
recent movement to James City. At 10 p. m., October 7th, 

I received an order from Capt. Randolph, Chief of Artillery, 
Third Corps, to report to Gen. Prince, commanding Second 
Division, Third Corps, which I did immediately, and was or- 
dered by him to move at 4 a. m. next morning, one section 
following the leading brigade, and the remainder of the Bat- 
tery following the Second Brigade in column. This I did, 
and marched to near James City, halting about 12 m. Noth- 
ing of moment occurred that day or the day following. 
Early on Saturday, October loth, information was received 
that the enemy were crossing Robertson's river in force, and 
that the pickets were being driven in. The Battery was held 
in readiness for immediate service, but did not move from 
its position. At 10 a. u. one section was ordered to report 
to Gen. Kilpatrick, and was by him placed in position about 
a half mile w^est of James City, commanding a road leading 
from that place. About 4 o'clock I was ordered by Gen. 
Prince to move the Battery back on the road, until I was in a 
good position, where I would await further order, which I 
did. The Division arrived at the same place about dark. At 
9 .30 p. M. I received orders to go back to Culpepper, and at 

I I -.30 reached that place, reporting to Captain Randolph, 
Chief of Artillery. The section which reported to Gen. Kil- 
patrick reached Culpepper at 3 a. m. The Battery was not 
engaged at any time." 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 97 

October 20th, marched to Greenwich. 21st, to Catlett's 
Station, and from there to Foulke's, on Licking Rim, where 
we encamped until November 7th, when we left there and 
marched to Kelly's Ford, on the Rappahannock, arriving* 
there at 4 p. m. Capt. Clark reported to Gen. Ward. The 
Battery was placed in position on hill at Kellysville. At 
dusk fell back, and bivouacked at foot of hill to the left of the 
village. Next morning the Battery marched with Birney's 
Division to near Brandy Station, and were placed in posi- 
tion on hill near station. Witnessed cavalry charge, after 
which moved* up to station and camped near there. Novem- 
ber loth, moved camp one mile west to farm of John Minor 
Botts, and remained there until Nov. 26th. 

Capt. Clark's report: "At 8:30 a. m., November 7th, by 
order of Capt. Randolph, Chief of Artillery, Third Corps, 
I broke camp and took up the line of march for Kelly's Ford, 
reaching the banks of the river about 4 p. m. The Battery 
at this time was in the reserve of the Corps. Alx)ut 4:30 
p. M. you brought me orders to cross the river and report to 
Gen. Ward, commanding First Division. I did so, and upon 
reporting to Gen. Ward was directed to place the Battery 
near the shore in Kellysville, and hold myself in readiness 
for any movement. I remained in this position until dusk, 
when, by the direction of Capt. Randolph, I moved my Bat- 
tery to the left of the village at the foot of the hill. Here it 
remained all night. At 7 o'clock next morning I was or- 
dered to follow the leading brigade of the First Division on 
the march to Brandy Station. When the troops halted near 
the railroad my Battery was placed in position on the hill 
near by, and to the right of the road the troops were then on. 
In the afternoon, however, the troops again moved on to- 
ward the station. Upon reaching that place I was ordered 
by Capt. Randolph to go into camp for the night. On Tues- 
day the Battery was ordered to present camp." 

G 



98 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

We broke camp and marched with Prince's Third Divis- 
ion, crossing Mountain Run (at Milton's Mill. From there 
marched to Jacob's Ford on the Rapidan river. Battery L> 
was placed in position on a hill near a white house about 501^ 
yards from the river. The hill south of the ford was too 
steep for artillery to climb. The Battery was ordered to 
march to Germania Ford. After an all night's march we 
crossed there, and Capt. Clark was ordered to report to Gen. 
Birney. Marched through the woods to near Robertson's 
tavern, where we joined the infantry. About 3 p. m. ad- 
vanced in the line with them. About 4 p. m. met the enemy 
in force. Under a sharp, hot skirmish fire the enemy, who 
proved to be Johnson's and Rode's Divisions of Ewell's 
Corps, were driven through the woods to an open field. The 
enemy opened with artillery. Battery B was brought for- 
ward and placed in position in an open field, and was sup- 
ported by the First Massachusetts and One Hundred and 
Fourteenth Pennsylvania Infantry. Our fire was principally 
directed on the enemy's infantry in the woods in front. The 
engagement soon became general and continued until after 
dark. The Battery suffered no loss. 

Maj. Edward Bowen, commanding One Hundred and 
Fourteenth Pennsylvania Infantry, says: **About 2 p. m. 
on the 27th of November we moved forward, after being 
halted a couple of hours. I was ordered by Colonel Collis 
to move on the right flank of Clark's Battery (B, First New 
Jersey Artillery), and if an engagement should occur to sup- 
port it. I did so until reaching an open field, when the Bat- 
tery halted and went into position, and I took up one to sup- 
port it. At this time the musketry fire was very heavy, and 
a battery of the enemy fired a few shots a short distance to 
the rear of the battery I was supporting. Shortly after the 
engagement became general." 

During the night our foragers captured a lot of chickens 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 99 

and the historical tough goose whose soup freely physicked 
the first detachment. 

November 28th, marched to the right. Were in reserve 
also the 29th. 30th, in position on right of Birney's line, 
Battery K to our left, as we moved up. The writer receiveci 
a slight wound, which was attended to by Dr. Smith, One 
Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Infantry. December ist, 
still in position. At 6 p. m. marched back to Culpepper Ford, 
arriving there at 5 a. m., December 2d, from there to Moun- 
tain Run, where we halted and rested. 

December 3d, marched to our old camp near Brandy Sta- 
tion and fixed up winter quarters. Early in December Sergt. 
John H. George procured from the Christian Commission a 
large hospital canvas for a church, and permission from Gen. 
Marsena Patrick to cut trees to make a stockade for the 
church. In a few days the men of Randolph's and Clark's 
Batteries had a fine commodious church built, capable of 
seating 200 or more. Services were held in it every night 
and Sunday afternoon and evening, conducted by comrades 
of the batteries and Chaplains Watson, Moore, Redwood, 
Higgins and Roswell, and visiting clergymen from the 
North. The Christian and Sanitary Commission freely fur- 
nished testaments, hymn books and other reading matter. 
Our camp was in the edge of a pine woods, beautifully sit- 
uated on a ridge, one of the prettiest in the army, and the 
best we ever had. The men made their quarters, by doubling 
up, large and comfortable. December 12th, Corp. Thomp- 
son B. Pallard was discharged for promotion to Second 
Lieutenant in Battery D. December 24th, Capt. George T. 
Woodbury visited the Battery. He and Lieut. Sims whoop- 
ed it up lively through the camp, in fact they were as noisy 
as two Comanche Indians. Woodbury left Deceml^er 25th, 
taking with him Sergt. John H. George, who had been dis- 
charged to accept Second Lieutenant's commission in Bat- 



100 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

tery D. While we rejoiced in his promotion we realized we 
had lost a kind-hearted, pure-minded man, a brave and fear- 
less soldier and a true Christian. 

During the fall and early winter we received a very large 
number of recruits for three-year service. On February 2, 
1864, 104 c>f these recruits were sent to Washington under 
charge of two Sergeants and two Lieutenants, there to be 
transferred to other New Jersey batteries. January 19th, 
John Kelly, alias Shea, died at Brandy Station, result of sut- 
ler's whisky. January 28th, Alfred Hurin, alias Rood, died 
in brigade hospital of typhoid fever. During the winter 37 
men re-enlisted, and went north on veteran furlough of 35 
days. February 6th, marched with Birney's Division to 
James City, camping near Pony Mountain. 7th, marched 
to near Morton's Ford to support crossing of Kilpatrick's 
Cavalry. At 5 p. m. marched back to camp. 

February 28th, left camp with five days' rations. Marched 
to Gen. Birney's headquarters, from there to Culpepper, 
thence to James City, arriving there at 3 p. m. Destroyed 
a number of sheds, wagons, buildings and burnt a saw mill, 
tannery and grist mill. Heard artillery firing in the direction 
of Raccoon Ford. March ist, rained during the day, snow 
at night. Bivouacked under tarpaulins; w^oke up in the 
morning with blanket of snow three inches deep. At 7 a. m., 
marched for Culpepper, from there to camp, arriving there 
at 3 p. M. The winter was cold, and February 17th and i8th 
were two very cold days. When weather permitted drills 
were continued, and large details were made daily to keep 
camp supplied with firewood. 

March 24, 1864, General Order No. 10, A. P. The Third 
Army Corps was discontinued. Birney's and Mott's Divis- 
ions being made Third and Fourth Divisions of Hancock's 
Second Army Corps. Prince's Third Division attached to 
Sixth Corps, as was also Randolph's Battery. Battery K 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 101 

was attached to Second Corps. Clark's Battery B, New Jer- 
sey, to Second Brigade of Reserve Artillery, under Maj. 
John A. Tompkins. 



FROM THE RAPIDAN TO THE JAMES RIVER. 



May 4th, broke camp and marched to Ely's Ford, crossed 
the Rappahannock and marched to and camped near Chan- 
cellorsville. May 5th, advanced up plank road. Battle of 
Wilderness commenced. Hancock attacked at 4 p. m. Heavy 
musketry and a little artillery firing on both lines until 7 -.30 
p. M. One or two attacks during night. Camped at Hawk- 
ins' church, junction of Chancellorsville and old Wilderness 
turnpike. Remained there all day. May 6th, battle began 
at 4:30 A. M. Seemed to cease about 9 a. m., but from 3 
p. M. until II p. M. raged with great fury. 7th, at 10 a. m., 
opened with light artillery fire and musketry in volleys at 
short intervals. A large number of prisoners were sent to 
the rear. For three days a stream of wounded men passed 
dow^n the road on foot and in ambulances to the hospital at 
Chancellorsville. During all this time we expected to be or- 
dered into action at any moment, but Rickett's and Roder's 
Batteries were the only ones put in on our front. 

May 7th, at 7 p. m., ordered to march to left. Halted at 
3 A. M., May 8th, at Piney Branch church. A number of 
our men were detailed at commencement of campaign to ar- 
tillery brigade wagon and ambulance train. May 9th, six 
ambulances belonging to artillery reserve were captured by 
a party of the enemy's cavalry near Chancellorsville, where 
they had been sent to assist in removing the w'ounded. Ogden 
N. Woodruff, Ward Parkhurst, George Stowe and Stephen 
Utter were among the captured. Wpodruff and Lieut. Hero 
Holzborn (volume 36, page 228), who were in charge, es- 
caped from the enemy a few days later, but Parkhurst, Stowe 

and Utter died in Andersonville prison. 
102 



i FIRST NEW JERSEY. 108 

May loth, moved to Aldrich's. In the evening caissons 
supplied Winslow's Battery with ammunition. Peter Van- 
dyne wounded seriously, i ith, very heavy rain. 12th, about 
5 p. M., received orders to report at army headquarters. 
Marched there through woods and over narrow corduroy 
roads, arriving at 11 p. m., and bivouacked, and at daylight 
on the 13th reported to Col. J. C. Tidball, commanding Ar- 
tillery Brigade, Second Corps, consisting of Brown's B, 
First Rhode Island, Ames' G, First New York, Gillis* C and 
I, Fifth United States, Clark's B, First New Jersey, Roder's 
K, Fourth United States, Dow's Sixth Maine; all equipped 
with i2-pounder Napoleon guns; Sleeper's Tenth Massa- 
chusetts, Edgell's First New Hampshire, Rickett's B, First 
Pennsylvania, Arnold's A, First Rhode Island, Burton's 
Eleventh New York, McKnight's Twelfth New York, 
all equipped with three-inch rifled guns. The Battery was 
parked near Second Corps headquarters during the 13th. 
The 13th we had an opportunity to view the scene of the 
fighting at the bloody angle. Somehow a few of the men 
had assisted in working two guns on the 12th, to left of the 
pine woods in which Birney had formed his men. About 4 
p. M., 13th, Sims' section was sent to the front and placed in 
position in captured works, on left of Gen. Birney's line, with 
Brown's Rhode Island Battery. Three times during the 
night the men were called to stand to the guns, while the en- 
emy were feeling our lines. 

May 14th, the enemy's sharpshooters annoyed us by their 
sniping. About 9 a. m. the section fired eight or nine rounds 
of case shot into tree tops in front, with effect of stopping 
their sharpshooting. In our front, lying between the lines, 
were two guns and caissons of the enemy's. Brown's four 
guns and Sims' section were moved to the right and placed 
in position to silence artillery or musketry fire from enemy's 
line. Details of men from Sixty-first New York, Eighty- 



104 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

first, One Hundred and Fortieth and One Hundred and 
Eighty-third Pennsylvania Infantry, Miles' Brigade, charg- 
ed over the neutral ground and drew off by hand the guns 
and caissons. Our artillery fire diverted the enemy's atten- 
tion from their gims and caused their sharpshooters to seek 
shelter back in the woods. The Battery remained in position 
until 2 130 A. M., May 15th. It then marched to Second Corps 
headquarters, arriving there at 4 a. m.^ and from there 
marched to the left of line to army headquarters, where Sec- 
ond, Sixth and Ninth Corps were massed in field, prepara- 
tory to charging enemy's line ; but a careful reconnaisance de- 
veloped the fact that the enemy's line was strongly held and 
well entrenched. May i6th, turned in two guns. Sergt. 
Timm and several men detailed for duty at Artillery Bri- 
gade headquarters, and Lieut. Fairchild as aide-de-camp to 
Lieut.-Col. Tidball. Engaged in shelling enemy's line from 
3 to 5 p. M. May 17th, Tyler's Division of heavy artillery 
joined corps. Battery marched to right and bivouacked 
near Ninth Corps hospital. May i8th, marched to position 
occupied by the Battery on May 14th, arriving there at day- 
light. Went in battery at 6 a. m. At 8 a. m. moved to right 
of Bloody Angle, near where Sixth Corps engaged on I2tli. 
The only water near us was a little stream at bottom of slope 
in rear of our position. Only part of those killed on May 
1 2th were buried. The stench was almost intolerable from 
bodies of men and horses, some of whom lay in the stream, 
and the bodies of all covered with maggots. A comrade 
who was sent back there to fill canteens, when he saw an in- 
fantryman filling canteen near a dead horse, told him the 
water nnist l)e purer higher up. He replied, **Oh, h — 1, there 
are lots of dead men up there in the stream where the Sixth 
Corps crossed." At 8 p. m. left position and marched to 
Anderson's plantation, arriving there at 1 1 p. m. May 19th, 
moved to near Po river, and grazed our horses, washed 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 105 

and cleaned up. While eating supper, at 5 p. m., Capt. Clark 
was ordered to report to Gen. Hunt, on the Fredericksburg 
and Spottsylvania road, to repel EwelKs raid around our 
right flank. We went on a trot, passing some stampeded 
teams. On arrival Gen. Hunt placed the Battery in position. 
Tyler's Division was being charged by the enemy. The rat- 
tle of musketry, the ^ip of minies, Rebel yells and Yankee 
cheers made us think for a moment we were in hot quarters, 
but the first barking roar of our Napoleons inspired our men. 
The yell of the charging enemy ceased, and the buzz of min- 
ies stopped. Augustus Schmidt was wounded. The cheers 
of our infantry told us the enemy were repulsed. We 
limbered up, and Capt. Clark was ordered to report to Gen. 
Birney, further to our right and north. He placed the Bat- 
tery in position about 600 yards to right of the road, where 
a few rounds were fired. We remained here until 4 a. m., 
when the Battery fired six or eight solid shots into the woods 
to wake up Ewell. At 9 a. m. marched back to camp, and 
packed up at 11 p. m. Reported to Gen. Birney, and at 1 1 
p. M., May 2 1 St, commenced the march to Milford Station, 
passing Guiney Station at 8 a. m., and Bowling Green at 2 
p. M. Crossed the Mattapony and bivouacked. May 22d, 
moved out with Birney's Division, right section. Built re- 
doubt in front of Robinson's Tavern. Left section in works, 
near center of Birney*s line. Could see enemy marching 
south. Quartermaster Samuel McNaughten was captured 
by the enemy. May 23d. marched with Birney's Division 
at 4 a. m. on telegraph road. Crossed Polecat river, passing 
Fifth Corps on road. About 6:30 went into position near 
North Anna river, left section near railroad, right section 
about 400 yards to left on brow of hill. Opened fire, with 
good effect, on enemy's redoubt with four guns in it at bridge 
head. One of our shells exploded a limber or caisson of the 
enemy's, and as it went up, oh, how our infantry cheered ! 



106 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

At this moment Elgan's and Pierce's Brigades charged and 
captured the redoubt, with 400 prisoners and four guns, and 
saved the bridge which the enemy attempted to fire. Next 
morning the Battery was placed in position near Doswell's 
house, near bank of the river. From there we shelled the 
enemy's skirmish line while engineers were laying pontoon 
bridge. Our cooks prepared a good dinner of chickens for- 
aged from Doswell's hen-roost the preceding night, and veg- 
etables from his garden, his family having sought a more 
peaceable location. He and the battery officers joined us at 
dinner, while one of the foragers investigated his cellar and 
reported back with some hams and preserves. At noon the 
Battery w^as ordered to cross the North Anna river. After 
crossing the Battery was parked for a short time near the 
railroad bridge. A Rebel battery came into position west 
of the railroad, and opened a sharp and annoying fire on our 
troops north of the river. Battery B was ordered to reply to 
it. Cannoniers were mounted and the Battery went on a 
gallop for five hundred yards. Went in position in a trice 
and opened fire with such vigor and precision that the en- 
emy's battery was silenced, and withdrew in a crippled con- 
dition. Almost immediately after this Capt. Clark was or- 
dered to report to Gen. Gibbon on extreme left of line, where 
we w^ere placed in position in a cornfield in support of 
Smyth's Brigade, whose flank the enemy were attempting to 
turn. After a pretty sharp fight the enemy were repulsed. 
Col. Tidball says : "Clark did good service." We remained 
in this position all night, and were relieved by Dow's Battery 
at 7 A. M. May 25th, moved back near the river. In the af- 
ternoon left section, under Lieut. Clark, was placed in posi- 
tion on left of railroad to protect a break in line. There was 
a swamp in front. May 26th, in reserve near railroad 
bridge. At dark moved north of river and bivouacked on a 
hill on the west side of the railroad. Horses harness- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 107 

ed all night. Fifth and Ninth Corps marching to the left. 
27th, Sixth Corps marching past to left. Battery moved 
several times. About lo a. m. right section placed in posi- 
tion near the river. Shelled the enemy, who were pressing 
our line of skirmishers. At i p. m. marched in rear of Sixth 
Corps. Bivouacked at 11 p. m. 28th, marched at 5 a. m.; 
crossed the Paminkey river at 2 p. m. ; marched three miles to 
Pollard's farm and bivouacked. 29th, rested during day 
and in evening marched to near Totopotomoy creek and biv- 
ouacked. Threw up works on line with Rickett's Battery. 
May 30th, advanced and built works to right of Col. Shel- 
ton*s house. Slightly engaged. Roder's Battery to left of 
and in line with house. When enemy's fire was hottest a 
wench came up out of cellar kitchen and threw a shovel full 
of hot coals in limber chest of right gun of Battery, blowing 
up limber, killing one man and destroying eyesight of two 
others, and killing wheel team. The wench was burned some 
and became nearly wild with fear. She disclaimed all knowl- 
edge of the effect of her act. She said the noise made her 
crazy, and her young mistress told her to throw hot ashes on 
the Yankees and they would jquit making noise. A safe 
guard was put on the house. 

May 31st, opened a hot shell fire on the enemy's rifle pits, 
under cover of which Birney's skirmish line advanced and 
captured enemy's first line by 11 a. m._ They then drove the 
enemy across Swift Run. At night the enemy shelled our 
lines with coehorn mortars. 

June 1st, skirmish line sharply engaged all day. Enemy 
drove Birney back across the Run to line captured. May 
31st, at night, marched to Hanovertown, from there to Old 
Church, thence to Hawes' shop, from there to Cold Harbor, 
arriving there after noon, June 2d. Our cavalry fell back 
as we got there. ' 

June 3d, hitched up at 3 a. m., waiting for orders. About 



108 HISTORY OF BATTERY B^ 

5 A. M. our infantry charged enemy's lines. They made a 
lodgement to our left, but were driven out and back with 
heavy loss. Henry Roydhouse wounded. At 6 a. m. the 
Battery was placed in position on right of Dow's Battery, 
and in front of M. Booz's house, under a heavy artillery and 
musketry fire. Sharpshooting and artillery fire continued 
all day. At dusk Capt. Clark, Lieut. Rhein, all spare men, 
and a detail from Fourth New York Heavy Artillery ad- 
vanced about 300 yards to the front, in edge of a fringe of 
second-growth pine, to put up a four-gun redoubt. About 
10 p. M. the enemy heard us at work and opened a concen- 
trated fire of artillery and musketry upon us. Jumped over 
their works and charged. Being unarmed, the men, led by 
Lieut. Rhein, sprinted to second line. Rhein fell in a sharp- 
shooter's pit and was run over by some of the men. Shortly 
after midnight the firing subsided. The men returned to the 
front, completed the redoubt, and the guns were moved out 
there before daylight on June 4th. The limber chests were 
dismounted and limbers and caissons sent to the rear. En- 
emy shelled us sharply at 10 a. m., 2 and 5 p. m. At noon 
received orders to reply, and fire a shot every two minutes 
from each gun ; afterwards a shot every fifteen minutes. At 
8 130 the enemy attacked again, advancing from their works, 
but were easily repulsed. Their dead of the night before lay 
between the lines, as did their wounded. The Booz 
house was torn down by us and timbers used to build bomb- 
proofs for each section on June 5th ; also bomb-proof privy. 
Marvin Green was wounded June 5th, Arthur McGurk and 
Jacob Osborn on the 6th, George Bonnell on the 8th, Eph- 
raim Harris on the 9th. Jacob Sattles was shot through the 
heart at 2 130 p. m., 12th, and buried at sunset at Booz house. 
We were on the alert the whole time, night and day, and en- 
gaged at various hours. The heaviest was on evening of 
the 5th, the last time the enemy ventured outside his works. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 109 

Sharpshooting was constant during daylight. Mortar firing 
was constantly practiced night and day by both sides. Mor- 
tars are short, big-mouthed cannon, and were pointed up- 
ward, leaning slightly towards the enemy's line. Their 
shells were thrown upwards and then came whirling down, 
their fuses burning like the tail of a flying comet, and burst 
in a shower of iron and bullets behind the breastworks, that 
an ordinary cannon-ball could not penetrate, and reached the 
soldiers that lay or stood behind them. Dow's and Arnold's 
Batteries were on line to our left, coming up the night of 
June 4th. Twenty-five men from Battery B were detailed to 
serve with Arnold's Battery. 

On June 8th Ellis H. Timm took first detachment. On 
evening of the 9th bands were playing patriotic and senti 
mental airs. Ally Steventon gathered our singers in travers? 
of right gun and led a comic concert. The ten days we were 
confined in the works at Cold Harbor were the most trying 
we ever had, unable to stand erect or obey a call of nature 
without being a target for the enemy's sharpshooters. No 
water to drink or wash with unless brought to us under 
cover of night, and the same with our food and coffee. Tried 
a man to the utmost ; still all bore it cheerfully and joked 
about the hostile shot and shell that whistled over our heads, 
some of which found their targets in men on the second line. 
Yet we found time to play practical jokes, sing the songs 
and tell the stories of home. 

June nth, Dow's Battery left the front at 11 130 p. m. 
June 1 2th, pulled our gims out of works with prolongs to 
second line. At 9 p. m. hitched up and marched back to 
fourth line, where we went into position near Second Corps 
headquarters. About midnight marched with Gibbon's Divi- 
sion as rear guard of army. Crossed the Richmond and 
York River railroad at 6 a. m., June 13th, where we watered 
horses, fed and had breakfast, after which marched to Chick- 



110 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

ahominy river and crossed on pontoon at 1 1 a. m. Remained 
there until nearly evening, when bridge was taken up, then 
marched to Dr. Wilcox's farm near Charles City and biv- 
ouacked. W. N. B. Steventon went foraging this day, and 
was captured or killed by enemy. Never heard of after. 

June 14th, marched to Wilcox landing on James river. 
June 15th, crossed river at 9 a. m. on ferry boat to Windmill 
Point, where we received rations. Infantry crossed on pon- 
toon bridge. Thus ended the first stage of overland cam- 
paign to Appomattox. 

CAPTAIN CLARK^S REPORT. 

"Colonel : I have the honor to report the following as 
the part taken by this command in the operations of this 
corps, from the time the Battery reported to the Artillery 
Brigade, Second Corps, to the present date : Late in the af- 
ternoon of May 1 2th I received orders from Major Hazzard, 
commanding Second Brigade, Artillery Reserve, to report 
with my Battery to Gen. Hunt, Chief of Artillery, and, mov- 
ing my Battery immediately, I marched to near army head- 
quarters, where, by direction of Gen. Hunt, I bivouacked 
for the night. At daylight next morning ( 13th) I moved to 
near Second Corps headquarters, and, by order of Gen. 
Hunt, reported to Col. Tidball, Chief of Artillery, Second 
Corps. In the evening of the same day sent one section of 
my Battery through the woods in front and placed it in posi- 
tion on the left of Gen. Birney's line. 14th, placed one sec- 
tion in forenoon on the right of Gen. Birney's Division, in 
the old Rebel works. In the afternoon an effort was made 
by our troops to bring in two gims and caissons of the ene- 
my's, which were lying between the lines in our front, and 
the section on the left opened fire on the Rebel skirmishers., 
who were annoying our men, seemingly with excellent ef- 
fect, as they left their works and retired. In the evening of 
the same day, withdrew both sections and moved to near 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. Ill 

army headquarters, reaching there just after daylight on 
the 15th. i6th, by order of Col. Tidball, I turned in two 
guns to ordnance depot. 17th, marched towards the right of 
the line, but owing to the blocking up of the roads did not go 
far ; only reached our old position on the right after daylight 
on the 1 8th. Took position on extreme right of the corps 
in the forenoon, but in the evening of same day withdrew 
and marched back to camp near army headquarters. In the 
afternoon of the 19th the enemy made a demonstration on 
our right and rear, and about 6 p. m. I was ordered in posi- 
tion near the road leading to Spotsylvania Court House for 
a short time, and afterward was sent to report to Ma j .-Gen. 
Birney (Third Division), and by him placed in position 
about 600 yards to the right of the road, where I remained 
until the forenoon of the 20th, when I was ordered back to 
camp. At 1 1 p. M. I reported to Maj.-Gen. Birney, and com- 
menced the march to Milford Station, reaching it and cross- 
ing the Mattapony river in the afternoon of the 21st; biv- 
ouacked for the night. On the 22d went into position, one 
section on right and one nearly in center of Gen. Birney's 
line. On the 23d marched to near the North Anna river, and 
to a position on left of the railroad, one section (Lieut. 
Sims') in position on hill, about 400 yards to left of the rail- 
road. Was engaged in afternoon a short time while the 
Third Division charged the Rebel works near the bridge. 
24th, the section already in position moved down to near 
the bank of the river by farm house (DoswelKs) in forenoon 
At noon the whole Battery crossed the North Anna river. 
In position a short time on west side of railroad, but after 
firing a few rounds was ordered to extreme left of corps and 
placed in position in a cornfield near the left of Gen. Gib- 
bon's line. Here I was engaged a short time, the enemy at- 
tempting, though vainly, to turn the left of the Second Divi- 
sion. Remained in this position all night, and, on being re- 



112 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

lieved on the morning of the 25th, withdrew to near river. 
In tlie afternoon of same day sent one section on left of rail- 
road to protect a break in the line where it should cross the 
railroad, a morass preventing a complete connection. Even- 
ing of 26th withdrew my Battery across the river, by direc- 
tion of Col. Tidball, and bivouacked on the hill on the west 
side of the railroad. 27th and 28th, on march to Pamunkey 
river. Crossed and bivouacked on Pollard's farm. Evening 
of 29th, marched to near Totopotomoy creek. 30th, works 
were thrown up by aid of Fourth New York Heavy Artil- 
lery, and went into position, near Shelton house. Slightly 
engaged in afternoon. 31st, opened fire on the Rebel rifle 
pits and works to cover advance of our skirmish line. The 
movement was a complete success, and the enemy's line was 
taken and held. June 2d, marched to Cold Harbor. 3d, in 
position on left of line, and near the Dispatch Station road. 
Engaged in the afternoon. In evening went about 300 yards 
to the front with my own men and a detachment of the 
Fourth New York Heavy Artillery to put up a work for my 
guns, but we were compelled to abandon it for a time, owing 
to an attack on that part of the line by the enemy. Later 
in the evening, however, the work was put up, and the Bat- 
tery went into position at 3 a. m. On the morning of the 
4th quite sharply engaged part of the day with the enemy, 
and also on the evening of the 5th. From that time until 
the 1 2th was slightly engaged the whole time." 



FROM JAMES RIVER TO FORT SAMPSON, 



About noon, June 15th, marched with Birney's Division. 
The day was extremely hot ; water very scarce on the route. 
Shortly after dark we arrived in front of Petersburg, at Bry- 
ant's house on Bailey's creek. In our front the negro troops 
of Hink's Division of Butler's army had captured the outer 
line of entrenchments of the enemy, from the Appomattox 
river to in front of the Avery house, and seventeen pieces 
of artillery. 

About midnight Capt. Clark placed the Battery in positioi] 
near Battery No. 8, in front of the hill on which the Avery 
house stood. To our left were the Hare and Gibson houses. 
The pop of skirmishers' rifles was heard all night. Shortly 
after daylight, on i6th, Birney's Division moved to the left, 
and by 6 a. m. they had lively skirmishing to our front and 
left. Gibbon's Division took position on line with Battery 
B. Birney drove the enemy back some distance on the left. 
There was sharp fighting by skirmishers, and many artillery 
duels during the day. About 6 p. m. the Second Corps at- 
tacked and drove the enemy back along the entire front. 
Egan's Brigade captured and held a redoubt on their line. 
During the night the enemy made several attempts to retake 
redoubt and lost ground. 

June 17th, Birney's and Gibbon's Divisions drove the en- 
emy from Hare house hill. The enemy made several attempts 
to retake the hill, but were always repulsed. Batterry B was 
actively engaged all day, rendering very effective service in 
keeping down the enemy's fire, and McKnight's Battery as- 
sisted very ably. Burnside's Ninth Corps attacked on the 
left. 

H— 113 



114 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

June i8th, at 4 a. m.. Second, Fifth and Ninth Corps at- 
tacked enemy's fortified line, but made no permanent lodg- 
ments. The artillery aided in keeping down the enemy's 
fire. At noon Battery B was advanced about 600 yards to 
the front, and placed in position in a cornfield near the City 
Point railroad, from which it had an enfilading fire on the en- 
emy's line. The Battery was enfiladed, however, by one of 
the enemy's 32-pounder Whitworth guns, in position north 
of the Appomattox river. We soon threw up pits. One of 
their shells exploded near a pit, and for a few moments 
bugler Toddy Williams and one other were prematurely 
buried, but were soon dug out. The horses were sent to the 
rear. Fortunately for us the Whitworth gun burst on its 
fifth discharge, as afterwards learned from the enemy. We 
opened from here on the enemy, who were in line of rifle pits 
on a ridge to the left. Barlow's Division charged and drove 
them out, capturing quite a number of prisoners. While the 
enemy were falling back to their next line we shelled them 
vigorously. In the evening went to old position on line. 

19th, both armies engaged in entrenching. 20th, brisk 
musketry and artillery firing. Relieved at dusk by Sixth 
Corps Battery, and marched with Gibbon's Division and 
bivouacked in rear of Ninth Corps. June 21st, marched to 
the left to the Jerusalem plank road. Marched up the road 
towards Petersburg about two miles, where we were parked 
behind a belt of timber. About 5 p. m. the skirmishers ad- 
vanced to within a few hundred yards of the enemy's posi- 
tion. They made obstinate resistance to our advance. The 
Battery was brought forward and put in action and shelled 
the enemy's skirmishers out of their pits. Barlow's men took 
the pits, but the enemy advanced in force, and Barlow's line 
was driven back, but in a short time the Rebels were driven 
out again. The enemy replied spiritedly to the fire of our 
batteries. After dark the Battery was withdawn behind 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 115 

the woods. The enemy's works in our front were strong, 
and on the crest of chain of hills that begin at the Appomat- 
tox and encircle Petersburg. Between them and our line 
were open fields, some in grain and some meadow ; to our 
left a belt of heavy timber. 

June 22d, our line was again advanced to the position held 
previous night, with slight skirmishing. Battery B was put 
in position at edge of woods, to left of plank road, facing 
north. McKnight's Battery was 400 yards to our left. Here 
we built works, in which we were assisted by a detail from 
Fourth New York Heavy Artillery. Before the redoubt was 
completed the enemy attacked our left, and, finding an inter- 
val between the left of Second and the right of the Sixth 
Corps, they struck Barlow's Division in flank, and rolled 
up his line on Mott's Division, which got doubled up also. 
Still pressing his advantage they captured McKnight's Bat- 
tery, and turned McKnight's guns on Battery B. When 
this engagement opened at 2 p. m. the enemy concentrated 
on Battery B the fire of three or more batteries, to which we 
replied with only two guns, the other section being with- 
drawn about 100 yards to the rear, and faced to the west, 
and fire opened upon the enemy and checked his advance. 
Our horses, which had been sent to the rear, were brought 
up, and the limbers were kept going up and down the road 
with and for ammunition. The enemy's shot came thick and 
fast and battered down our entrenchments. The engage- 
ment ceased at dark. Daniel T. Nash was killed at dusk. 
Ten horses were killedand five wounded. At 10 p. m. Dow's 
Battery relieved us. The enemy captured four g^ms and 
2,000 prisoners from Second Corps. 

Col. John C. Tidball, Chief of Artillery, Second Corps, 
says : "Clark retired one section, when the troops broke, but 
retained the others in position, firing vigorously, and receiv- 



116 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

ing a very hot reply from four of the enemy's batteries. Well 
protected by his works, and loss small." 

Gen. Byron R. Pierce says : "But a few rounds had been 
fired by Qark when I heard the musketry on the left, and 
in a very short time the road leading to McKnight's Battery 
was filled with troops from the Third Division, in a disor- 
ganized state, coming to the rear. They said they were 
flanked and the enemy in their rear. Next came the officers 
of McKnight's Battery, saying their guns were captured 
At this time I ordered Capt. Clark to order up his horses, 
which had been sent to the rear by my order on the advice of 
Col. Tidball. As soon as the horses arrived I ordered his 
left section a little to the rear, across the plank road, and to 
go into battery facing McKnight's Battery, at same time 
to keep up a sharp fire from the right section, which he did." 

The enemy's troops were the divisions of Mahone, Wil- 
cox and Johnson. The batteries those of Dement, Clutter 
and Wilkes. 

June 23d, went into camp near the Jones house, on the 
Jerusalem plank road, where we dug wells about thirty feet 
deep, through the clay, which cut like cheese, to bed of fine 
gravel, covered with a hardpan, that as soon as it was broken 
clear cold water rushed in to depth of five or six feet. In 
the morning a detail buried Daniel T. Nash, and put a head- 
board to mark his grave. About 10 a. m. received orders 
to go in position, as there was sharp artillery and musketry 
firing on our front. Hitched up, but by that time it had 
ceased, and order was countermanded. That night the en- 
emy attacked our line in force, but after an hour's engage- 
ment they were repulsed. 

From June 24th to 27th there was constant skirmishing 
and artillery firing on our part of the line. Working parties 
of ours were engaged in throwing up entrenchments from 
sites of Fort Davis to Fort Alex. Hayes, the enemy's line of 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. lit 

works being about 800 yards distant, the rifle pits of each be- 
ing from 200 to 300 yards in advance of the main line. 

June 27th, Battery B relieved Gilliss' Battery, on line 
held by Mott's Division, to left of Jerusalem road. The guns 
were retired each night. During the day, at times, we shell- 
ed the enemy's working parties. July 2d, Battery B was 
relieved by McKnight's Battery. They had received new 
guns to replace the ones captured by the enemy June 22d. 

CAPTAIN Clark's report. 
"July I, 1864. Colonel: Just after dark, on the evening 
of June 1 2th, I withdrew from the works and took up posi- 
tion near the wood on the road leading to corps headquar- 
ters, where I remained until 12 o'clock, when we marched 
with the Second Division toward the Chickahominy. Reach- 
ed Chickahominy river about noon on the 13th, and after re- 
maining until the bridge was taken up marched to near 
Qiarles City Court House. 14th, moved down to bank of 
James river, and on the morning of the 15th crossed the 
river and marched with Gibbon's Division to near Peters- 
burg, putting my Battery into position at 2 a. m. on the 
morning of the i6th, near Battery Number 8 of the Rebel 
line of works. Engaged at different times during the day. 
17th, heavy fighting nearly all day on our left and front. 
i8th, the enemy's works in our front assaulted several times 
during the day. In afternoon I was placed in position in 
the cornfield about 600 yards in front of my former position 
on the meadow near the City Point railroad. 19th, slightly 
engaged. 20th, in evening marched with Second Division 
about one mile and a half from corps headquarters to the 
left and went into camp. 21st, marched to the left, striking 
the Jerusalem plank road about four miles from Petersburg. 
Marched up the road about two miles and went into position 
near the edge of the woods. In the evening built works on 
the brow of the hill in front, and went into position at 3 a. m. 



118 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

On the 22d, about 2 p. m.^ the enemy attacked the left, and 
turning the position drove the troops back on the right and 
right center of the corps. I immediately opened fire on the 
enemy's batteries that were firing, throwing solid shot, case 
and shell, and succeeded in drawing the greater part of their 
fire from the infantry to my Battery, and sustained a very 
heavy fire for the greater part of the afternoon. During the 
latter part of the afternoon I sent one section of the Battery 
about 150 yards to the rear, and placed it in position near 
the road to check any further advance of the enemy in that 
direction, as at one time it was feared that it would be neces- 
sary, and the guns that were left in the works could protect 
the ground in their front. Fortuntely, however, they were 
not required in that position. At 10 p. m. the Battery was 
relieved and moved back near corps headquarters on the 
plank road. 28th, went into position on the part of the line 
occupied by Gen. Birney's Division, where the Battery is 
at present. My loss in killed and wounded has been small 
during these engagements — two killed and four wounded." 

July 4th, sharp picket and artillery firing, every battery on 
the line firing a shotted national salute. At night the mor- 
tars got busy, and as many as twenty-five mortar shells could 
be seen at one time in the air as they flew from line to line. 
It was beautiful fireworks, but somewhat dangerous to some 
of the spectators. 

On July 2d, 7th and 9th we received from the Sanitary 
Commission generous supplies of potatoes, onions, tomatoes 
and lemons, much-needed antiscorbutics. The greater part 
of those received the first day were eaten raw. I saw one 
comrade eat seven good-sized potatoes raw, and then trade 
tobacco for more. From that time on we received from the 
commissary department full rations of vegetables. 

July 5th, a rigid inspection of Batterry B by Capt. Miller, 
of Artillery Brigade staflf. Last inspection was at Brandy 



I^lRSt NfiW JERSEY. lid 

Station. 1:20 men present for duty; 85 horses. Guns, cais- 
sons and equipments in good order ; harness needed repairs ; 
discipline good. Inspections held regularly thereafter utitil 
mustered out. 

July 6th, the Sixth Army Corps sent to Washington, re- 
lieving a Sixth Corps battery. Dow relieved another on line 
held by Sixth Corps. Built bomb-proofs. Usual sharp- 
shooting and firing on line from 6th to loth. nth, relieved 
and went in camp near First Division hospital. 12th, old 
line of works leveled. 13th, marched with Mott's Division 
and relieved part of Fifth Corps line. Battery camp in grove 
south of the Jones house, remaining there until July 26th. 
Guns in position supporting skirmish line from i6th to 26th ; 
artillery firing every day at enemy's working parties. July 
25th, news of Sherman's victory at Atlanta. Every battery 
ordered to fire a shotted salute of 100 guns at enemy, and a 
similar order was issued thereafter for each victory won by 
Sherman, Sheridan or Thomas. 26th, marched with Second 
Corps to Deep Bottom. Assault of enemy's line by Mott's 
Division, resulting in capture of four guns and 100 prison- 
ers. 27th to 29th, Battery engaged. 28th, Mott's Division 
and Gregg^s Cavalry Division recrossed the James river and 
marched back to Petersburg. 29th, after dark balance of 
corps marched to Petersburg, arriving there before day- 
light, and with reserve artillery of the army were massed 
near the Petersburg railroad, in rear of position held by the 
Eighteenth Corps. Shortly after sunrise on July 30th the 
enemy's fort on Burnside's front was blown up by a mine, 
the debris rising nearly two hundred feet before it broke into 
a cloud of smoke and dust. As it went up one of our men 
said, "Hell has broke loose over there," and almost imme- 
diately after we heard the cheers of the negro troops of Fer- 
raro's Division of Burnside's Corps. The assault on the cra- 
ter was a failure, although there was hard fighting nearly all 



120 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

day, and too late a column of troops were marched in 
through the narrow sap on our left. Later in the day a 
stream of wounded and a few prisoners flowed from it. At 
night we marched to the old camp. It was occupied by Bat- 
tery E, Second United States Artillery. They refused to 
give us water from the wells we had dug. Next day we 
fixed up another camp and dug new wells at deserted house, 
where we staid until August 12th, during which there was 
usual firing on line daily, and very heavy on 8th. On the 
9th an ammunition boat exploded at City Point, and 200 
were killed and wounded. 

August 1 2th, left camp at deserted house and marched to 
City Point, where Second Coiips infantry were loaded on 
transports. Capt. Clark was chief of artillery ; Sims in com- 
mand of Battery. From City Point marched to Point of 
Rocks bridge, arriving there at 11 130 p. m. 13th, marched 
to Jones Neck, by way of Bermuda landing. 14th, crossed 
the James river on pontoon bridge at 6 a. m. Infantry dis- 
embarked. Went to front and took position near the old 
pottery, where we engaged several times with enemy's bat- 
teries, and had the pleasure of silencing their artillery when- 
ever it opened. Bivouacked in position and remained there 
until noon. 15th, supporting Mott's Division, we then 
marched to fort near river. The Tenth Corps charged en- 
emy's position repeatedly and were repulsed every time. 

August 17th, gunboats engaged enemy, but made little 
impression. August i8th, Mott's Division and Battery B 
marched back to the Petersburg line. 19th, bivouacked in 
rear of Ninth Corps. At dusk moved to the rear of the Fifth 
Corps. Enemy shelled our place of bivouac at 1 1 p. m. Her- 
man McEwen was wounded. Lieut. Sims ordered Battery 
hitched up, or we "would all be blown to bloody h — out of 
that." Firing daily, 13th to 19th. 20th, marched to camp. 
In evening guns were placed in Fort Davis, relieving a Fifth 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. I2l 

Corps battery. Lieut. Sims was ruptured while placing the 
guns in position. 21st, "Rebs" shelled fort at 2 a. m.^ and 
kept it up until 10 a. m., 22d, when Dow's Battery, which 
had relieved the Twenty-seventh New York at dusk, and 
Battery B replied and soon silenced them. The Jersey 
Brigade relieved the negro troops in the fort. 23d, en- 
emy shelled fort again. Killed the sutler while Stickler was 
buying a pair of boots. Cheap. He got satchel and sutler's 
passes. We again silenced enemy's battery. 24th, First and 
Second Divisions and part of Artillery Brigade marched to 
Ream's Station to destroy railroad. August 25th, battle of 
Ream's Station fought. They had destroyed a few miles 
of railroad when the enemy attacked in force. Repulsed 
corps with loss of 2,000 killed, wounded and prisoners, and 
nine pieces of artillery. Woerner's Third New Jersey Bat- 
tery made a gallant fight, and Lieut. Fairchild with their 
teams saved the guns of the Twelfth New York from cap- 
ture. The artillery fought gallantly, but the infantry had 
been fighting and marching until about all desire for fight 
had left them. 

August 26th, veterans and three-year men, whose time 
was about to expire, held xi meeting to form battery asso- 
ciation at Sergt. Morehouse's gun in Fort Davis. 

CAPTAIN Clark's report. 

Volume 42, O. R., pp. 405-409. — Headquarters Artillery 
Brigade, Second Corps. 

"Before Petersburg, Va., October 18, 1864. 

"Captain : I have the honor to submit the following re- 
port of the part taken by the artillery of the Second Corps 
in the late movement across the James river, and the action 
at Ream's Station, on the Weldon railroad, being from the 
1 2th to the 26th day of August, 1864, inclusive. 

"In obedience to instructions received through Lieut.-Col. 
Morgan, chief of staflf to Gen. Hancock, the batteries of the 



122 HISTORY OF BATtfiRV ti, 

corps were moved from their camps, near the deserted house, 
at dusk on evening of August I2th and, marching by way 
of Point of Rocks, crossed the Appomattox and bivouacked 
about two miles and a half from Maj.-Gen. Butler's head- 
quarters, on the road to Jones Neck, where they remained 
until the night of the 13th of August, when, in obedience 
to orders received through Lieut.-Col. Morgan, chief of 
staff, I directed the following named batteries to report to 
the divisions named at Jones Neck at daylight on the morn- 
ing of August 14th : K, Fourth United States, Lieut. Roder, 
and Eleventh New York, Capt. Burton, to the First Divis- 
ion; F, First Pennsylvania, Capt. Ricketts, and B, First 
New Jersey, Lieut. Sims, to Third Division; Sixth Maine, 
Capt. Dow, and G, First New York, Capt. Ames, to the 
Second Division. 

These batteries accordingly crossed the James river be- 
fore daylight, at Jones Neck, and reported as directed, al- 
though at that time the troops had but just commenced to 
disembark. The Third Division was advanced during the 
day and occupied the line of works thrown up by our troops, 
where the Corps made the demonstration at this point in July, 
near the pottery. Battery F, First Pennsylvania (rifled 
guns), and B, First New Jersey (light twelve-pounders), 
were placed in position near the old pottery, and were en- 
gaged several times by the enemy's artillery, but had no diffi- 
culty in silencing it at any time. Meantime the First and 
Second Divisions had swung around on the right and occu- 
pied the New Market road, and the Eleventh New York, 
Capt. Burton, and a section of the Sixth Maine, under Lieut. 
Rogers, were brought up and placed in position on the left 
of the First Division, where they did excellent service in 
silencing one of the enemy's batteries, which was seriously 
annoying our troops. At dusk these guns were withdrawn. 

On the following day (15th) the Tenth Corps were 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 12.1 

thrown to our right and front, and on the i6th attacked the 
enemy's position near Fussell's mill. By direction of Maj.- 
Gen. Hancock I sent Batteries K, Fourth United States, 
Lieut. Roder, and G, First New York, Capt. Ames, to report 
to Gen. Birney, commanding Tenth Corps. They were im- 
mediately ordered into position by Lieut.-Col. McGilvery, 
Qiief of Artillery, Tenth Corps, on an elevated piece of 
ground near the mill, about 550 or 600 yards from the en- 
emy's position, and commenced firing at once with good ef- 
fect, rendering excellent service to the assaulting columns. 
Their losses in this engagement were slight, K, Fourth U. 
S., losing two men wounded and three horses. At dusk they 
were ordered to rejoin their corps. In the afternoon of the 
same day a section of the Sixth Maine, under the command 
of Lieut. Rogers, was placed in position on the right of the 
Second Corps line, to silence the fire of a Rebel battery, 
which enfiladed the attacking party of the Tenth Corps, and 
accomplished the object satisfactorily. The batteries of the 
corps near the pontoon bridge, meantime, were placed in 
position to repel any flank attack by the enemy's cavalry, 
cither by the Malvern Hill or river road. On the i8th the 
Third Division, with Batteries F, First Pennsylvania, and B, 
First New Jersey, marched back to Petersburg, and took 
positions in the line of works previously occupied by the 
Fifth Corps. The Eleventh New York, Capt. Burton, and 
Sixth Maine, Capt. Dow, took the position left by the above 
batteries. On the 19th Battery K, Fourth United States, 
was placed in position on the New Market road on the right 
of Gen. Miles' line of battle, but was not engaged. No 
change of any moment occurred until the night of the 20th, 
when the remaining divisions and batteries of the corps 
crossed the James river and marched back to their old camps 
in front of Petersburg. On the morning of the 21st, march- 
ed about one mile and a half to the left and took position 



124 HISTORY OP BATTERY B, 

near the Jones house, on the west side of and nearly parallel 
to the Jerusalem plank road. On the 22d the divisions march- 
ed to the left and massed near the Gurley house. The bat- 
teries which had been with the First and Second Divisions 
were now relieved and ordered into camp near the Southall 
house. The Tenth Massachusetts, Capt. Sleeper, and A and 
B, First Rhode Island, Capt. Brown, reported to the First 
Division ; C, First New Jersey, Capt. Woemer, and Twelfth 
New York, Lieut. Dauchy, reporting to the Second Division. 
On the morning of the 23d these divisions, with the batter- 
ies, marched back to and three miles down the plank road 
and bivouacked until 4 a. m. of the 24th, when they marched 
to Ream's Station on the Weldon railroad. The infantry 
immediately commenced destroying the railroad, by tearing 
up the track and burning the ties. The batteries were placed 
in position in a line of rifle pits near the station. The Tenth 
Massachusetts and Batteries A and E, First Rhode Island, 
Lieut. Perrin commanding, Capt. Brown being absent since 
the 23d on special service, were placed on the west side of 
the railroad, and on the left of the station, and the Twelfth 
New York and C, First New Jersey, on the right of the sta- 
tion, in the east side of and nearly perpendicular with the 
railroad. Everything remained quiet on this day, and until 
about 8 o'clock on the morning of the 25th. At this time 
the Second Division was moving down the railroad, with the 
intention of destroying the road still further, and had al- 
ready proceeded about a mile from the station, when the 
cavalry pickets in their front were attacked by the enemy's 
skirmishers, consisting of dismounted cavalry, and were be- 
ing slowly driven back. The troops immediately formed 
and advanced to the support of the cavalry. While this was 
being done the enemy brought a section of rifled guns into 
position near the railroad, about one and three-quarter miles 
from the station, and opened fire on our line of troc^s. I 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 126 

immediately sent a section of the Tenth Massachusetts Bat- 
tery (rifled g^ns), under Lieut. Granger, about one mile 
down the railroad, where it was placed in position by Capt. 
Sleeper, about seventy yards to the left of the road. They 
immediately opened fire on the enemy's guns, and compelled 
them to withdraw at once to a position further to the rear, 
and finally drove them entirely from the field. The section 
returned to its original position about noon. The enemy, 
meantime, and up to noon, continued to make demonstra- 
tions at different parts of the line, and nearly around us, at 
one time almost entirely in our rear. Battery C, First New 
Jersey, Capt. Woerner, was withdrawn from the line of rifle 
pits about noon and placed in the cornfield in rear of the sta- 
tion, in order to repel any attack from the rear and left ; one 
section placed on the knoll near the rear line, and one section 
near the grove, and immediately in rear of the church. In 
the early part of the afternoon our line in front of the station 
was attacked by the enemy's infantry and dismounted cav- 
alry, but they were easily and quickly repulsed. From this 
time until about 3 o'clock the enemy continued to feel the 
line, but made no other attack until the hour named, when 
they assaulted the line again and nearly in the same place. 
This attack was stronger and more persistent, but was re- 
pulsed handsomely. During this attack Capt. J. Henry 
Sleeper, commanding the Tenth Massachusetts Battery, was 
wounded, but though a painful wound he remained with 
the Battery nearly half an hour, until the firing had ceased. 
He then turned the command of the Battery over to Lieut. 
Granger, and left the field. About 4 130 o'clock the enemy 
were reported advancing in column on our right, and near 
the edge of a swamp about 600 yards distant. The Twelfth 
New York Battery, Lieut. Dauchy, immediately opened fire 
in the direction in which they were reported advancing, and 
although he could not see the enemy on account of the woods 



126 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

which intervened, he aided materially in checking and break- 
ing the column. One piece of his battery, under the com- 
mand of Lieut. Henry D. Brown, was at the same time, by 
order of Brig.-Gen. Miles, placed in (position near the rail- 
road, in front of a couple of small buildings, and where the 
line on the right crossed the road. About 5 130 p. m. the en- 
emy opened suddenly a furious artillery fire from a large 
number of guns which he had massed in our front, under 
cover of a piece of second-growth pine wood. This fire was 
concentrated almost entirely on our immediate front. The 
batteries which could be brought to bear upon the enemy's 
guns immediately replied to their fire. A short time after 
the enemy's artillery commenced firing their infantry and 
dismounted cavalry attacked with great fury that part of 
the line which the artillery had attempted to shake. Against 
these troops the batteries which could bear upon them gave 
their whole attention, using shell and shrapnel until within 
short range, when they .fired rapidly with canister. Almost 
at the commencement of the assault Lieut. Brown was killed, 
while bravely fighting his gun in the most gallant manner. 
The command of the g^n devolved upon Corp. Liddle, who, 
after firing canister as the enemy came over the works until 
they had nearly surrounded him, limbered the gun and at- 
tempted to bring it off, but part of the horses were instantly 
killed. He cut the others loose and escaped with them. The 
other g^ns of the battery, under the command of Lieut. 
Dauchy, were firing canister at the advancing line (the most 
of the drivers carrying ammunition), until the enemy had 
broken through the work and were, endeavoring to form 
on the road near the church, when he drew his left gun out 
of the work, and, throwing it to the left, fired double shotted 
canister, and, as soon as our infantry left the work immedi- 
ately on his left, threw canister from his other guns down 
the outside face of the work where the enemy-were endeav- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 127 

oring to come. This he did until the enemy had advanced 
nearly to his guns, under cover of the wood to his rear, when 
he endeavored to limber his guns. With two of them the 
horses were shot before it could be done. The remaining 
one he succeeded in limbering, and went a short distance 
down the road, where these horses fell, and he was obliged 
to leave them all. On the left of the line of batteries, A and 
B, First Rhode Island, and the Tenth Massachusetts were 
hotly engaged, and both were firing rapidly with double 
shotted canister, fighting gallantly. Even after the enemy 
had swept the line back, and were completely in their rear, 
they continued to fire, ceasing only when the cannoniers 
were driven or taken away from the guns. Lieut. Perrin, 
commanding A and B, First Rhode Island, a brave and gal- 
lant ojfficer, lost his leg by a cannon shot, and, with other 
officers of the Battery, Lieuts. Chase and Spencer, were cap- 
tured by the enemy at their guns. The officers of the Tenth 
Massachusetts fortunately succeeded in escaping. When 
the enemy first broke through the lines I caused the guns of 
the section of Battery C, First New Jersey, which was near 
the grove, to change direction to fire to the right. Capt. 
Woerner also changed the other section, and as soon as it 
could be safely done they opened fire on the enemy's line. 
The section on the right, near the grove, was charged sev- 
eral times, but by a rapid fire of canister repulsed them each 
time, and aided very materially in checking the enemy. Soon 
after the line had broken the First Division (Gen. Miles) 
was reformed and gallantly charged the enemy, retaking and 
holding the greater part of their original line of works, and 
also three of the guns of the Twelfth New York Battery. 
The other one lay between the buildings, and it was impossi- 
ble to get it. 

"Darkness now put an end to the fight. Battery C, First 
New Jersey, being out of ammunition, was then taken to the 



128 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

rear about one-half of a mile, halted, and its horses brought 
back to bring off the recaptured guns of the Twelfth New 
York, and such limbers and caissons as could be brought 
away. After considerable time was lost in trying to get 
men three of the puns were dragged off the line down into 
the ravine at the rear of the battle field, where the horses 
were hitched to them and the guns taken to the rear. The 
other guns could not be reached. Three of the limbers and 
two caissons were afterwards saved by the assistance of 
Lieut. Sweeney, with the provost guard of the First Divis- 
ion, and a few men of the Sixty-first New York Volunteers, 
they having volunteered for that purpose. All the pickets, 
with the exception of the cavalry vedettes, had been with- 
drawn ere the last caisson was drawn away. Horses from 
one of the batteries near the Southall house were sent down 
as soon as possible, where the limbers and caissons were, and 
drew them away, taking also the caissons of Capt. Woer- 
ner's Battery, which had been left by taking the horses to 
draw off the guns of the Twelfth New York Battery. By 8 
o*clock, on the morning of the 26th, the guns and caissons 
were in camp near the Jones house. Our losses in this move- 
ment were severe. They are as follows, viz : Officers, killed, 
I ; wounded, i ; wounded and missing, i ; missing 2. 
Total, 5. Enlisted men, killed, 10; wounded, 24: 
missing, 65. Total, 99. Many of the wounded are among 
the missing. The total number of guns lost, 9 — 5 light 12- 
pounders and 4 three-inch ordnance guns ; also 8 caissons. 
The total number of horses lost was 134. In closing this 
report I cannot speak of the conduct of the officers of the 
different batteries and the men under their charge during 
this movement, and especially during this last engagement. 
Under a terrible fire of artillery and musketry combined 
they stood bravely to their guns, fighting with the g|:.eatest 
gallantry to the end. For coolness and courage they could 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 129 

not be surpassed, and the record of their gallant deeds will 
be cherished with pride, and will ever hold a bright and hon- 
orable place in the history of the corps. 

**And I would not forget the cool courage and gallantry 
on the field of Lieuts. Eddy, Bull and Pairchild, of the bri- 
gade staff, for their unwearied exertions at the close of the 
engagement, in getting off the shattered remnants of the ar- 
tillery engaged. 

"Individual acts of gallantry were numerous, but where 
all were brave it were almost an injustice to speak of indi- 
vidual cases. I will only mention one. Private Ginley, G, 
First New York Artillery, who was acting as mounted or- 
derly on the field. When the line was giving way he drew 
his sabre and, riding gallantly among the men, succeeded in 
rallying a large number, and taking them back into the fight. 
But while we remember with pride the glorious deeds of 
thosfe who fought so gallantly, we do not forget the heroes 
who have fallen at the post of duty. We deeply mourn their 
loss, and will ever cherish and keep green their memory.*' 

Comrade Chillon Richards says : **When I was discharg- 
ed from the army my old artillery jacket was hung up in a 
corner of our old garret and remained hidden there for over 
thirty years, when one day on visiting my old home I hap- 
pened to find it. You may imagine my feelings when it came 
to light. The finding of it was the incentive of the lines dedi- 
cated to 

MY OLD ARMY COAT. 

Dear friend of my need, in truth and in deed. 

So faithful in battle's wild storm. 
In thy fold will I keep when I sleep my last sleep. 

Together we'll wait the bright morn. 

The rain and the dew have faded the blue, 
And the sleeves are all tattered and torn, 
I 



180 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

You will pardon, I hope, for I love this old coat, 
For its shelter in sunshine and storm. 

On Gettysburg field 'twas my strength and my shield, 

While many lay dead all around; 
It proved itself true, for no bullets got through 

To mar it or leave it unsound. 

Through Grant's last campaign, to the bank of the James, 

Through that valley of sorrow and woe, 
Like an angel of light on safe through the fight 

It stood between me and the foe. 

And when I pass o'er to eternity's shore, 

A task I will leave, friends, to you ; 
This old coat so dear, just place on my bier, 

With the flag that it helped to pull through. 

C. D. RICHARDS. 

June 21, 1900. 

September ist, men of 1861 (non- veterans) relieved and 
went north, accompanied by Capt. Clark. Sept. 2d, Earl, 
Moore, Higgins and Vanhouten appointed gunners. Stiv- 
ers, Hani fen, Burton and Sharpstein chiefs of caissons. 
One-year recruits who came to Battery were 14 on Septem- 
ber 1st, 6 on 3d and 8 on the 6th. On September 3d had 
108 men for duty ; 39 men short. 

September 6th, heavy firing during the afternoon. Ninth 
Corps' darkies skedaddled. September 9th, picket and ar- 
tillery fire all day. At 3 ,p. m. enemy opened fire on our in- 
fantry on the plank road and later on our works. Battery 
B and Sixth Maine silenced them quickly when ordered to 
do so, and our infantry captured their pits and 200 prisoners, 
and advanced our line. September loth, picket firing; one 
man wounded in camp. September i ith, picket firing. Sept. 
1 2th, usual picket firing. Infantryman wounded near camp. 
September i8th, 19th, 22d, 23d and 24th, engaged in firing 
at enemy from Fort Davis. That of Sept. 22d was quite 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 131 

Spirited, Battery B, Sixth Maine and Eleventh New York 
being engaged before enemy were silenced. 

October 2d, 4th, 9th, 14th and i8th, Battery fired a few 
rounds to silence enemy's guns in .support of our working 
parties. October 22d, received two additional guns. They 
relieved Sixth Maine, and were engaged October 23d. Octo- 
ber 13th, Lieut. Fairchild, First Lieutenant, and Sergt. 
Looker, as Second Lieutenant, were transferred to Bat- 
tery A. October 29th, Capt. Clark, who for over two months 
had charge of the batteries on firing line and erection of 
works for their protection, relieved and returned to com- 
mand of Battery B. Battery B remained in Fort Davis. Oc- 
tober 27th and 28th, Second Corps engaged at Hatcher's 
Run. November 3d, One Hundred and Twentieth New 
York relieved by Fifth Michigan and Berdan's Sharpshoot- 
ers. November 4th, engaged in firing. November 9th, un- 
der orders, shelled barn in front and to left of Fort Davis. 
It had been a harbor for enemy's sharpshooters, and from 
there they had kept up an annoying and fatal fire on our line. 
After firing 280 rounds it was reduced to splinters. Novem- 
ber 29th, a Ninth Corps battery relieved us in Fort Davis. 
November 30th, marched about four miles west to Peebles' 
house. Four guns put in Fort Samson, two in reserve. De- 
cember 1st, one gun withdrawn and half battery sent to Fort 
Gregg to relieve Edgell's First New Hampshire Battery. 
The Battery garrisoned Fort Samson almost continuously 
from November 30, 1864, to March 29, 1865. Comfortable 
quarters were built for cannoniers. A camp for caissons 
and limbers. Battery wagon and forge, stables for horses, 
and ojfficers' quarters were built some distance to the rear. 
At times a section would be in Fort Welsh or Fort Fisher, 
or in redoubt near the Cumberland Chimneys. While oc- 
cupying these forts we were subject day and night to fire of 
artillery and mortars, and almost nightly were called to our 



182 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

posts to resist attack from the enemy. The zip of minie bul- 
lets was heard night and day, while in Fort Samson. As a 
rule the shelling was light, \ior we had a perfect range on 
the enemy's forts and redoubts, and were always able to 
silence their fire, but any movement of troops or batteries on 
either line would cause the opposing batteries to open fire. 
At times a section would be taken to the rear for drill. On 
its return the enemy would always open a sharp fire, suppos 
ing it was a fresh battery, and ignorant of ranges in front, 
but as soon as shots from Battery B hit their accustomed 
marks in their embrasures their fire would cease. 

During December Capt. Clark was in charge of artillery on 
firing line of Second Corps. December 8th, new section was 
sent to Fort Welsh. Lieut. Sims was dismissed from serv- 
ice December 21st. The two Bobs loved commissary sup- 
plies, and shared it generously. 

From January 9 to February 10^ 1865, Lieut. Clark was 
in command of Batteries C and I, Fifth United States Artil- 
lery, during Lieut. Beek's absence. January 17th, Sergts. 
McChesney and Galbraith were mustered in as Second Lieu- 
tenants. His comrades presented McChesney with an ele- 
gant sword. In the final campaign he was detached to serve 
with First Rhode Island Battery. February 3d, one gun, 
Ennis, was placed en barbette near Fort Welsh. No one was 
ever hit while working it, and it swept everything in its 
range. February 3d, Mott's Division engaged at Hatcher's 
Run. Battery remained on entrenched line. February 8th, 
two gims sent to Fort Fisher. February 12th, all guns in 
redoubts near Westmoreland's Chimneys. Lieut. Rhein 
went on furlough, and returned on the 19th. March 5th, 
Capt. Clark went on furlough. March 7th, General Order 
No. 10, A. iP., read. It ordered inscribed on Battery colors 
the following battles in which it had taken a meritorious 
part: 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 133 

Siege of Yorktown, April 4 to May 4, 1862 ; Lee's Mills, 
or Chimneys, April 16, 1862; Williamsburg, May 5, 1862; 
Fair Oaks, June i, 1862; Peach Orchard, June 29th; Oak 
Grove, June 25, 1862 ; Malvern Jlill, July .1, 1862; Freder- 
icksburg, Dec. 11-15, 1862; Chancellorsville, May 1-4, 
1863; Gettysburg, July 2-3, 1863; Kelly's Ford, November 
7, 1863 > Locust Grove, November 29, 1863 1 Spotsylvania, 
May 13-18, 1864; Fredericksburg Road, May 19th; North 
Anna, May 23d-24th ; Totopotomoy, May 30th-3ist; Cold 
Harbor, June 3d- 12th; siege of Petersburg, June 16, 1864, 
to March 29, 1865; Deep Bottom, July 26th-29th and 
August I3th-i8th, After which Armstrong Mills, March 
31st; Boydtown Road, April ist; Sutherland Station, 
April 2d; Sailors' Creek, April 6th; Farmsville Height, 
April 7th; Appomattox, April 9th; Somehow Williams- 
burg Road, June 17, 1862; Malven Cliff, June 30, 1862; 
James City, October loth; Auburn, October 14, 1863; Mine 
Run, Nov. 29, 1863 ; Jerusalem Plank Road, June 22, 1864, 
are omitted, 

March i6th, Galbraith went on furlough; returned April 
3d. March 2Sth, enemy attacked and captured Fort Stead- 
man on Ninth Corps front about 4 a. m. Very heavy in- 
fantry and artillery fire until 7 a. m. Under order Battery 
hitched up and moved to Gen. Mott's headquarters. At 8 
A. M. went back to Fort Samson and shelled enemy's en- 
trenched skirmish line and new fort erected by enemy, re- 
sulting in capture of enemy's entrenched skirmish line and a 
few hundred prisoners. 



THE LAST CAMPAIGN— FROM PETERSBURG 

TO APPOMATTOX 



Lee's surrender. Peace. The Grand Review. Sum- 
mary. When we broke camp March 29, 1865, every man 
believed it was the last campaign of the Army of the Poto- 
mac. We marched with Mott's Division on the Vaughan 
road, and went into park near Brown's house. March 30th, 
in position near Brown's house. Fired a few shots in reply 
to enemy's battery. A very rainy day. 

March 31st, in the afternoon the enemy attacked the right 
of the Fifth Army Corps. Their line was broken by the en- 
emy. Mott's Division and Battery B were hurried to their 
support. The Battery was put in position in front of Rai- 
ney's house, on the Boydtown road. It opened fire and the 
enemy were driven back, Mott's men taking several hundred 
prisoners and the flag of the Nineteenth Virginia Infantry. 
The writer picked up an officer's sabre presented to J. M. 
Meebury by the people of Macon, Ga., and gave it to Capt. 
Clark. Miles' Division advanced nearly a mile, and at 9 
p. M. the Battery was advanced to a position in the line occu- 
pied by Miles. Remained there until midnight, when we 
were ordered back to park, arriving there about 2 a. m., 
April 1st. Harnessed up at 4 130 and marched to Boydtown 
road, near Rainey's, the enemy's fortified line in our front, 
where we went in position and from there advanved 400 
yards to line of works built by Miles' Division. At dark 
we heard of Sheridan's victory at Five Forks. Miles* 
Division was marched to Sheridan's support, leaving the 
Battery without even a vedette. Capt. Qark armed Stickles 
and Hani fen, and sent them to the front to act as pickets and 
134 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 136 

give timely notice of enemy's advance. About midnight 
McAllister's Brigade came to our support. Very heavy ar- 
tillery firing in front of Petersburg all night. It seemed as 
if hell had broken loose. The roar and crash of cannon and 
mortar sounded, as their shot and shell screeched through 
the air, as if they were competing with each other with every 
kind of noise gunpowder and iron were able to make. The 
enemy in front fired a little musketry. A few shells made 
them quiet and quit fooling. 

April 2d was la beautiful day. At daylight the 'Rebels in 
front gave us a series of yells and hurrahs. The Battery re- 
plied by shelling their line. At 9 a. m. Gen. McAllister's 
Brigade advanced and drove them from their works. They 
retreated towards Petersburg, followed by Second and Third 
Divisions. Shortly after noon Capt. Clark was ordered to 
report to Gen. Miles with his Battery. We marched down 
the White Oak road about two miles, turned to the right up 
the Cox road, where about 4 p. m. we found our infantry 
engaged. They had charged the enemy's position twice and 
were repulsed. The Battery was placed in position, in edge 
of the woods near the road, and opened fire on the enemy's 
battery of four guns, which was entrenched about 1,200 
yards distant. 

Gen. N. A. Miles says: "As soon as my artillery could 
be got up I directed it to open upon the enemy at once. The 
order was promptly obeyed, Capt. Clark going quickly into 
position, and delivering a well-directed fire. The effect was 
visible immediately in the rapid falling back of the enemy." 

Gen. C. D. McDougall says: "At about 4 p. m. a third 
charge was made, and this time, with the assistance of a well- 
directed fire from Capt. Clark's (First New Jersey) Bat- 
tery, the enemy were driven back of his works and the South 
Side railroad held by us." 

Maj.-Gen. A. A. Humphrey says: "Clark's Battery B, 



136 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

First New Jersey, rendered great assistance in keeping up a 
vigorous and well-directed fire upon the enemy." 

In this battle Gen. Miles cut off the enemy's line of re- 
treat and captured 600 prisoners and two pieces of artillery. 
Our losses were Jacob Dilley mortally wounded and Joe Ba- 
ker, 2d, slightly wounded. Oscar Johnson took Dilley's 
place at the gv\n. Some horses were killed. The Lieuten- 
ant in command and several of the enemy's battery were 
killed and some others wounded. They tried to retreat 
across a bridge, but our fire was so deadly that the bridge 
became jammed with wagons and ambulances, dead horses 
and mules. The greater part of their infantry swam the 
canal. We bivouacked near a field full of prisoners. 

April 3d, marched to Namozine Creek and halted there 
until the engineers rebuilt bridge, and Sheridan's cavalry 
had crossed. The road to there was littered with broken 
g^n carriages, caissons and wagons abandoned by the en- 
emy. 

April 4th, marched to Bridgeforth's, near Deep Creek. 
Frequent halts to repair bridges and let cavalry and Fifth 
Corps pass to the front. April 5th, marched to Jetersville. 
At 5 p. M. took position on left of Fifth Corps and threw up 
works. April 6th, marched to northeast towards Amelia 
Springs. Mott's Division struck rear of Longstreet's and 
Gordon's column about 9:30 a. m., and from then until 
dark, for a distance of more than fourteen miles, it was a 
continuous skirmish, and at Deatonsville, Flat Creek and 
Sailor's Creek a battle. We advanced from hill to hill over 
the rolling country, the batteries alternately taking positions 
and shelling the enemy from their positions and peppering 
them with shrapnel as they fell back to their next fortified 
position. At Flat Creek they made a very spirited resistance 
to our crossing, but the stream was quickly bridged for the 
artillery, and our lines swept steadily and resistlessly on- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 137 

ward. On every hill top they had little breastworks to pro- 
tect their rear, but we drove them over the hills, out of the 
hollows through the woods, and away from the streams, 
They littered the road with cast-off clothing, bedding, camp 
equipage, wagons and a forge or two. A large number of 
prisoners were sent to the rear, one of whom said with tears 
in his eyes, "Stonewall Jackson's men in line of battle were 
driven like sheep by a Yankee skirmish line.'* 

The enemy were brought to bay at Parkinson's Mill, on 
Sailor's Creek, at 6 p. m. Battery B and Dakin's Battery 
were brought up on a trot and placed in position on a hill 
above the valley of the creek. Their infantry, except the 
line of battle, were climbing the hill west of the creek, and 
a stream of wagons were crossing the bridge. Their wag- 
ons, ambulances and some infantry were huddled together 
on the bottom near the bridge and hill beyond. In a few 
minutes both were gorged with crippled wagons, dead 
horses and mules, which the enemy vainly endeavored to re- 
move. They had eight guns in position, but the fire of the 
two batteries made them limber up. They only got away 
with four guns. The drivers cut their traces and tried 
to get away through the woods, but very many left their 
teams. 

Gen. Mahone says: "The scene beggared description; 
hurrying teamsters with their teams and dangling traces, no 
wagons; retreating infantry without guns, and barehead- 
ed; a demoralized mob." 

Lieut.-Gen. James Longstreet says : "The enemy dashed 
their batteries into close range, putting in artillery and in- 
fantry until the Confederate rear was crushed." 

Our chief of artillery, Lieut. -Col. John G. Hazard, says : 
"Clark's and Dakin's batteries were put in and opened fire 
on two of the enemy's batteries, causing them to withdraw 
hastily. These batteries assisted materially in the capture 



138 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

of a large wagon train at Sailor's Creek, by causing the en- 
emy's batteries to cease firing." 

The captures at Sailor's Creek by Humphery's Corps 
were 1,700 prisoners, 400 wagons, 70 ambulances, 13 bat- 
tle flags and 5 pieces of artillery. Gen. Lee's official reports 
and records of the Army of Northern Virginia were burnt 
when wagon train was destroyed by fire. 

April 7th, marched with Barlow's Division at daylight. 
On our approach to High Bridge over the Appomattox the 
First Brigade charged. The enemy had fired the east span 
of the railroad bridge, blew up the redoubt, and fell back to 
the north side of the Appomattox river over the wagon 
bridge, which they set on fire. The Nineteenth Maine charg- 
ed the bridge, and put out the fire with the water in their can- 
teens. They drove back the enemy's skirmish line several 
hundred yards, until the enemy (Gordon's Corps) sent back 
Mahone's Brigade to reinforce their line. They in turn 
drove back Barlow's skirmishers nearly to the banks of the 
river. Capt. Qark's and Dakin's Batteries were brought up 
on a trot. I quote Gen. Miles : "Both batteries going quick- 
ly into position and delivering a well-directed fire, the effect 
was visible immediately in the rapid falling back of the en- 
emy." Gen. Humphrey crossed Miles' and Mott's Divisions 
to north side of the river, and followed a road leading north- 
west for about four miles, where he found Lee's army en- 
trenched in a strong position at Cumberland church. Bar- 
low's Division followed a column of the enemy along the 
railroad and High Bridge road towards Farmville, following 
which was the artillery captured at Sailor's Creek, under 
charge of Lieut. Galbraith and a detail of men from Qark's 
Battery. Two miles from Farmville Barlow's Division had 
a sharp engagement with the enemy before they cleared the 
road, after which the artillery and caissons were taken to 
Farmville and parked north of the court house. Then, with 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 139 

the mules^ they followed Barlow's Division to Farmville 
Heights, rejoining the Battery while they were still firing. 
About 6 p. M. the mules were turned over to the quartermas- 
ter of the artillery brigade. As soon as the head of Miles' 
Division appeared at Farmville Heights, and the skirmishers 
began to deploy, the enemy opened a lively artillery fire on 
them. Dakin's New Hampshire Battery was put in posi- 
tion, and Capt. Clark's Battery was brought up on a gallop. 
As it went into position Lieut. Rhein's horse was hit. For- 
tunately Rhein was not hit, but oh, how he swore in Dutch ! 
The enemy had the choice of and i6 guns in position, but 
after a pretty sharp artillery duel Clark and Dakin silenced 
the enemy until our infantry advanced. They opened again 
and Roder's Battery, K, Fourth United States, was brought 
up and put in on the right of Battery B. The left section of 
Battery B, under Lieut. Rhein, was taken on a trot half a 
mile to the left and placed in position on the crest on the 
right of Mott's Division, where it did good service until Bar- 
low's Division with Sleeper's Massachusetts and Chase's 
Rhode Island Batteries came up about 6 p. m.^ and after 
them the Sixth Corps. It was too late then to deploy lines 
to make an attack. This was Lee's last battle. Humphrey, 
by saving the bridge, and the battles at High Bridge, Farm- 
ville and Farmville Heights, caused Lee to lose a day's 
march, and gave Sheridan time to capture his rations and 
put his troops across his line of retreat at Appomattox Sta- 
tion and Court House. 

April 8th, daylight revealed that Lee was gone. A view 
of the positions occupied by his batteries showed wrecked 
guns, dead horses and new-made graves, and some wounded. 
Humphrey followed Lee's army on the Lynchburg road. It 
was very muddy, and bore evidence of hasty retreat in four 
guns, numerous wagons, battery wagon and forges aban- 
doned. At dark we had marched to new store, halted and 



140 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

made coffee, and the march was kept up until about mid- 
night, then our advance was up against Lee's rear guard. 
We bivouacked after marching i8 miles. April 9th, marched 
at 8 A. M. with Miles' Division, the One Hundred and For- 
tieth Pennsylvania in advance as skirmishers, Twenty-sixth 
Michigan and Fifth New Hampshire on the flanks. At Do- 
ver Hill, on farm of Wingfield, they were exchanging vol- 
leys with the Rebel rear guard. The front line was reinforc- 
ed by Sixty-first New York. Capt. Clark's Battery B was 
ordered up to support the skirmish line. He placed it in po- 
sition on Clover Hill, to left of the Lynchburg road, and 
gave the order, "Load with shell, 2^-second fuse." In our 
front, distant about 800 yards, were four brass guns of the 
enemy glittering in the morning sun, but partly hidden by 
the opening oak leaves. Our g^ns were loaded, and we were 
ready to fire, and anxious to do so, knowing the first fire dis- 
concerts the enemy, when afi ojfficer rode up, and called the 
Captain's attention to an oJfficer bearing a flag of truce on 
line of enemy skirmishers on the road to our right. The 
bearer was passed through our skirmish line at 10 a. m., put 
in an ambulance and conducted to Gen. Grant. We lounged 
about our guns until 2 p. m., when we were called to "atten- 
tion." The skirmishers advanced to foot of slope in front, 
and were again halted. News came back that Grant and 
Lee had met, and were then arranging terms of Lee's sur- 
render. The troops in our front were Longstreet's. Near 
the road in their center was New Hope church. Their right 
rested on Wolf Creek, and their left on the Devil's Creek. 
Longstreet's headquarters were at Pleasant Retreat. 

At 4 o'clock it was announced that Gen. R. E. Lee had sur- 
rendered the army of Northern Virginia. How wildly the 
men and ojfficers cheered, what scenes of joy and gladness, 
beyond description, as the news went back from regiment to 
regiment and the Sixth Corps in our rear, waves of cheers 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 141 

reached the front. The batteries unlimbered and, with blank 
cartridges, their throats seemed to roar on that Sabbath day, 
**Glory to God," "Peace on earth,'' "Good will and freedom 
to men.'' The charges were drawn from the guns and re- 
turned to the limbers, and the Battery limbered up. Its fire 
had never been silenced by the enemy's guns, and no two bat- 
teries of the enemy ever faced it in action that it failed to 
silence or cripple. It had never left a position with a shot in 
its limbers except under orders. Its guns had thundered on 
every field from Yorktown to Appomattox, and though often 
battered and splintered by the enemy's fire, whether the field 
was lost or won, they came off smoking hot. No traitor's 
hands had ever touched them. The men who worked them 
were heart and soul for union and liberty, one country and 
one flag, the star-spangled banner of Washington. Officers 
and men cut up all kinds of capers, perpetrated all sorts of 
jokes, sang songs, and made some grand and funny speeches 
until the "wee small hours." Our battles were all fought 
over again at the camp fires, and we agreed to the fact that 
we had fired our last shot, that the storms of battle were 
ended. The future looked rosy with promise to the soldier 
boys. The angel of peace was guarding us, and as we sank 
to sleep sweet visions of home and of loved ones solaced our 
rest. 

After the surrender the Confederates, no longer our ene- 
mies, came to our lines for coffee and hardtack, which we 
gave freely, and that evening wagons loaded with rations 
were sent from our supply trains to their camps. We con- 
versed freely with them. Some few had a feeling of fight 
left. Nearly all were glad the war was over, and a few 
blamed their leaders for keeping up a hopeless struggle. 

We remained at Clover Hill until lo a. m., April nth. 
Maj.-Gen. Humphrey issued congratulatory order to Sec- 
ond Corps. It said that in ten days we had captured 5,000 



142 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

prisoners, 400 wagons and contents, 70 ambulances, 35 gfuns, 
and 15 battle flags. 

Lee's forces at Petersburg and Richmond, March 20, 
1864, were 72,000 men present. Deducting Gordon's losses 
March 25th, 4,500, left him 67,500 men at beginning of cam- 
paign. His losses were 1,500 on March 31st at White Oak 
road, 5,000 at Five Forks April ist, 4,100 at Petersburg and 
Sutherland Station April 2d, 7,000 at Sailor's Creek April 
6th, 1,000 at Farmville April 7th; stragglers picked up, 
2,000; minor engagements, 2,500. Surrendered at Appo- 
mattox, 28,356; at Lynchburg by Fitzhugh Lee, 2,400. 
Sheridan says : "Ten thousand or 15,000 deserted on march 
and left for home." Lee's killed, 1,000, make an aggregate 
of 62,750 or 67,750, as we accept or reject Sheridan's esti- 
mate of deserters. Grant left his lines with Second, Fifth, 
Sixth and Twenty-fourth Corps of infantry and Sheridan's 
cavalry. Aggregate force, 90,000; line of battle strength, 
67,000. Grant's losses were 10,000 — killed, 1,209; wound- 
ed, 7,180; missing, 1,600. 

Col. John G. Hazard says: "April 7th, on approach of 
head of our column the enemy opened a lively artillery fire. 
Dakin's and Clark's Batteries were put in position and suc- 
ceeded in silencing the enemy's battery. * * One section 
of Battery B, First New Jersey Artillery, Lieut. Rhein, was 
moved to the left about 800 yards on a crest on right of 
Third Division. * * April 9th, Capt. Clark's Battery 
was put in position to cover the skirmish line of the Firsc 
Division. Pending the conference of Lieut.-Gen. Grant and 
Gen. Lee this Battery remained in position, and the other 
batteries halted in the road until 4 p. m., when announce- 
ment was made that the army of Northern Virginia had sur- 
rendered. ♦ ♦ I would make special mention of Capt. 
Clark, Battery B, First New Jersey Artillery, for his valua- 
ble assistance. * * I desire to recommend for promo- 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 143 

tion, on account of services rendered during last campaign, 
Capt. A. Judson Qark, commanding Battery B, First New 
Jersey Artillery, to be made Major, by brevet, for distin- 
guished services rendered on the 2d day of April, contribut- 
ing materially to the success achieved on that day by the 
First Division." 

He was promoted by Congress to date from April 2, 1865. 
He richly deserved it, and if justice had been done him he 
should have been advanced a grade after Chancellorsville, 
Gettysburg and the siege of Petersburg, but it was notorious 
that promotion came slowly to volunteer officers of artillery. 
Capt. Clark had received honorable mention in official re- 
ports of Gens. Robinson, Berry, Sickles, Birney, Hunt, Han- 
cock, Humphrey, Miles, Mott and McDougall, and was 
recommended to the Governor of New Jersey by many of 
them for promotion to grade of field officer as early as i86^^ 

Brevet Major A. Judson Clark was born in Fayetteville, 
New York, October, 1838. He removed to Newark, New 
Jersey, in i860, where he studied medicine. In April, 1861, 
he enlisted under first call for 75,000 volunteers, for three 
months' service, in Company F, First Regiment New Jersey 
Volunteer Infantry. He was promoted Sergeant. At the 
expiration of his term of enlistment he assisted in recruiting 
and organizing Battery B, then known as Beam's Battery. 
Was mustered in as First Lieutenant September 3, 1861. 
After Captain John E. Beam's death he was elected Captain, 
and the Battery was ever afterward known as Clark's Bat- 
tery. Under his command the Battery was engaged in every 
battle of importance except Antietam. His Battery was 
noted for the accuracy and effectiveness of its fire, and his 
officers and men for their fighting and staying qualities. At 
the battle of Ream's Station Capt. Clark was wounded in 
the forehead by a minie bullet. He was Chief of Artillery 
of First Division, Third Army Corps, at Chancellorsville. 



144 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

At the close of the second day's battle at Gettysburg Capt. 
George E. Randolph, commanding Artillery Brigade of 
Third Army Corps, was wounded, and Capt. Clark was ap- 
pointed to command the Artillery Brigade of Third Corps 
from July 3 to November 5, 1863. He commanded the Ar- 
tillery Brigade of the Second Army Corps from August 12th 
to August 29, 1864. During this time the corps was en- 
gaged at Deep Bottom (i3th-20th) and at Ream's Station 
(24th-25th), where there was some desperate fighting by 
the artillery and Miles' First Division. He was in com- 
mand of the batteries of the firing line of the Second Corps 
and superintended the erection of fortifications for their 
protection the greater part of the time during the siege of 
Petersburg. 

Since the war liis abilities have been recognized by those 
governing the city of Newark, N. J., by his appointment, 
first, to chief of police of city of Newark for many years, 
then appointed as secretary of the board of assessments and 
revision of taxes, and as receiver of taxes. He was also a 
prominent officer of the National Guard of New Jersey, 
holding the rank of Colonel, and was inspector of artillery 
and rifle practice. In 1901 he was appointed treasurer of 
Central Branch of National Soldiers' Home at Dayton, 
Ohio. A better man for the position and its duties can not 
be found. His surviving comrades hope he will continue to 
fill the office until the last veteran of '61 -'65 has been called 
by the Supreme Commander to join the innumerable host 
above. > 

He never placed a battery until he had inspected the posi- 
tion, and then chose it with the view to its offensive and de- 
fensive possibilities, both for range of guns and protection of 
men and horses. He knew the value of slight works, and 
once in position urged the men to use mattock and spade. 
Had he not done so our list of killed and wounded would 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 145 

have been much larger. We were fortunate in having so 
good a Captain. He should be congratulated by his men. 
Better men than those of 1861, and from 1862 to the end of 
the war, were not to be found in any command. Nearly 
every man in the ranks was capable, had such an emergency 
occurred, of taking command of a battery. Only the best 
of recruits were kept; the rest were transferred to other 
batteries, unless it was the lost seventh detachment, that 
joined the Battery at Trenton in June, 1865. I think there 
were about forty of them who were one-year men, that never 
saw a day's service with the Battery, or an enemy with arms 
in hand. On the whole. Battery B had a splendid lot of men, 
and good, efficient officers, commissioned and non-commis- 
sioned. It earned the reputation of being perfect in disci- 
pline, accurate in fire and effective in action, doing good ex- 
ecution, and known as a battery to be relied on to fight, and 
stay until ordered to the rear. During its service one officer 
and nine men were killed in battle, three died from wounds, 
forty-two were wounded, twelve were taken prisoners, one 
escaped, four were exchanged, and seven died in Rebel 
prison pens. Their fame should endure as long as that of 
those who died at Gettysburg. Fifty-four were discharged 
for wounds or disability, thirty-two deserted, and 125 were 
transferred to other New Jersey batteries. Eleven of its en- 
listed men won commissions. Its ranks furnished a Major 
and Lieutenant to Thirteenth New Jersey Infantry, Cap- 
tain and two Lieutenants to Battery D, and two Lieutenants 
to Battery A. Lieut. Clark for some time was in command 
of Batteries C and I, Fifth United States Artillery. Lieut. 
McChesney, in last campaign, served with Chase's Rhode 
Island Battery. Two served as First Sergeant, three as 
Quartermaster Sergeant, twenty as duty Sergeants, fifty- 
two as Corporals (including lance), six as buglers, two far- 

J 



146 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

riers, two guidon carriers, six artificers, and two black- 
smiths, i 

The battle losses of the Third Corps were 2,322 killed, 
12,214 wounded and 3,941 missing, from April 4, 1862, to 
December i, 1863. 

The battle losses of Second Corps were 3,883 killed, 18,- 
434 wounded and 7,782 missing, from May 5, 1864, ^^ 
April 9, 1865. 

Aggregate during our service with Second and I'hird 
Corps, 48,576. 

Our homeward march commenced April nth, camping 
successively at New Store, near Farmsville, Wingsfield's, 
near Rice's Station, and Burkesville, where we camped until 
May 2d. While there we were saddened by the news of Lin- 
coln's assassination. The deed produced a feeling of grief 
unspeakable for the loss of the worthiest and best of Presi- 
dents. Shortly after came the news of Gen. Joseph E. John- 
ston's surrender to Gen. W. T. Sherman, which was greeted 
with hearty cheers. 

May 2d, marched to Jetersville ; 3d, Amelia Court House ; 
4th, six miles from Richmond; 5th, Manchester. Cleaned 
up for a review. Received some belated recruits, one of 
whom was tossed in a blanket until he lost his bountv wal- 
let. May 6th, crossed the James river on a pontoon bridge. 
Marched through the burned and desolate city. Its people 
had a saddened and woe-begone appearance. We passed 
Belle Isle, Castle Thunder and Libby Prison, then empty of 
the boys in blue. Gen. Halleck reviewed us. Camped at 
Brook Creek, nine miles from Richmond. Upset a sutler's 
wagon with its stock of tobacco, cakes and sewed and pegged 
pies. Luckily he got away with wagon and mules, which 
some of the boys were trying to sell to an Afro- American. 

We continued our march, camping on successive nights 
at Winslow's Bridge, Hanover Court House, Concord 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 147 

church, Chesterfield Station, Mt. Carmel church, Massa- 
ponax, Fredericksburg, Old Tavern, Wolf Run Shoals, Cat- 
lett's, Fairfax, and finally camped at Bailey's Cross Roads 
on May 15th. There A. K. Stickles made his last raid on a 
sutler, getting a wad of greenbacks. The sutler on discover- 
ing his loss wailed, **Ach, mine Gott, mine Gott, I'm ruined.'* 
A few days after Gen. Humphrey reviewed Second Corps, 
after which guns, harness and equipment were polished and 
uniforms brushed up for the grand review on May 23d. The 
day was a beautiful one, the sky a clear blue, flecked with 
white fleecy clouds, that deepened its beauty. We were stir- 
ring early, and formed on Maryland avenue. At 9 a. m. 
the signal gun was fired for the march to begin, and the col- 
umns of cavalry of the Ninth and Fifth Corps were seen 
marching towards the Capitol until after i p. m. Then the 
bugle sounded attention, drivers and cannoniers mounted, 
and our march began. We marched past the old Capitol 
prison, whose windows were filled with the faces of Rebel 
prisoners. Then marched the circular driveway, around 
the Capitol building, which was adorned with flags of all 
nations from base to dome. Every tree was crowded with, 
and every fence covered, with boys. On north side of Capi- 
tol, on a great stand, were thousands of the school children 
of Washington, singing patriotic songs and waving small 
flags. Floral arches spanned the streets, and flags were 
hanging from every possible point. As we descended the 
hill and turned into Pennsylvania avenue, 160 feet wide, a 
magnificent spectacle presented itself to our eyes. Looking 
westward it terminated by the colonnade of the Treasury 
building and the White House. The wide avenue was filled 
from curb to curb with marching troops, the mass waving 
with cadenced step to the music of the bands ; bayonets, gim 
barrels, sabres and spear heads glistening and sparkling in 
the sunlight. The tattered battle flags waved gloriously in 



148 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

the wind, "For every stripe of stainless hue, and every star 
in the field of blue, ten thousand of the brave and true have 
laid them down and died." The music of the bands was 
jubilant, but in it were strains of sadness that moved one's 
heart to tears as they thought of the gallant comrades who 
had laid down to final rest on the battle field, prison pen and 
hospital. The sidewalks were crowded, the windows packed 
and housetops thronged with people. Numerous banners 
with patriotic mottoes were hung across the avenue. The 
buildings bloomed with the national colors, and a profusion 
of flowers, from roofs and balconies, were flung in showers 
of bouquets and garlands of flowers, until every officer and 
man had a floral tribute. Wreaths were hung on our guns. 
As we advanced up the avenue the ovation we received was 
wildly grand. Men and women cheered themselves hoarse. 
Rome in her grandeur, Paris in Napoleon's days, had never 
witnessed such a grand triumphal procession as marched 
through the broad avenue of our Capitol city. As we passed 
Willard's hotel and the Treasury building we passed through 
a perfect sea of heads and fluttering handkerchiefs, and 
stands covered with gay canopies filled with the beauty and 
wealth of the land. The music was hushed by the hearty 
cheers as we approached the White House, in front of which 
were two great stands on each side of the avenue, profusely 
decorated. That on the left contained the President, Gens. 
Grant, Halleck and Meade, Cabinet officers and Foreign 
Ministers, and that on the right Senators and Representa- 
tives that the people had elected to conduct the government. 
To them the victorious soldiers of the Union armies commit- 
ted the government they had saved, the stain of slavery re- 
moved, treason crushed and freedom crowned. As we 
marched past these stands the colors drooped and the offi- 
cers saluted. We turned oflf into a side street and halted for 



rtftSt NfiW JERSEY. 149 

a few minutes, while young ladies, dressed in red, white and 
blue, gave us a drink of water. The grand review was over. 

May 29th, Lieut. Rhein resigned and went back to Ger- 
many. June 1st, our guns and horses and quartermaster's 
outfit were turned in. June 2d, left Washington and pro- 
ceeded by train to Trenton, N. J. Muster out and pay rolls 
were made out under General Order No. 105. The Battery 
was mustered out June 16, 1865, by Capt. R. Burnet Smith, 
Eleventh United States Infantry, and grand old Battery B, 
First New Jersey Artillery, ceased to exist as a military or- 
ganization. 

The men returned to the pursuit of peace with greater love 
for the free institutions they had so valiantly defended. 
Their proudest boast, that they fought in the war for the 
Union in Battery B, under Beam and Clark, and under corps 
commanders like Heintzelman, Stoneman, Sickles, Birney, 
French, Hancock, Humphrey, Barlow and Mott, and such 
division commanders at Kearney, Hooker, Howe, Prince, 
Gibbon and Miles. No braver body of men battled in de- 
fense of the nation's life and the honor of its flag. 



ROSTER OF OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN 

Of Battery B, First New Jersey Artillery. 



Abbreviations used : Capt., for Captain ; Lt., for Lieuten- 
ant; Sergt., for Sergeant; Corp., for Corporal; Mus., for 
mustered ; Dis., for discharged ; Pro., for promoted. 

The date of muster of first 156 named was September 3, 
1861. 

Beam, John E. — Captain; killed at Malvern Hill July i, 
1862. 

Clark, A. Jui>son — ist Lt. ; Capt. Aug. 29, 1862; Major 
April 2, 1865; wounded at Ream's Station Aug. 25, 
1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 

Monroe, John B. — ist Lt. ; resigned at Harrison's Land- 
ing, Va., Aug. I, 1862. 

Woodbury, George T. — 2d Lt. ; ist Lt. Sept. 19, 1862; 
Capt. Battery D 1863. 

Baldwin, Samuel H. — 2d Lt. ; ist Lt. Aug. 29, 1862; 
Capt. Co. F, 13th N. J. Inf. 

Galbraith, Benjamin — ist Sergt.; re-enlisted; 2d. Lt. 
Jan. 17, 1865; dis. June 16, 1865. 

Clark, Edward P. — Quartermaster Sergt. ; 2d Lt. Aug. 
29, 1862; 1st Lt. April I, 1863; dis. June 16, 1865 ; re-en- 
listed. 

Clairville, William H. — Sergt.; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

Morehouse, Henry — Sergt. ; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

Sims, Robert — Sergt.; 2d Lt. Aug. 29, 1862; ist Lt. April 
I, 1863; dismissed Dec. 21, 1864. 

Carins, William — Sergt.; wounded at Fair Oaks, Va., 
June 9, 1862; dis. Sept. 9, 1862. 
151 



152 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

Fairchild, Robert — Sergt. ; 2d Lt. April i, 1863; ist Lt. 

Oct. 13, 1864 J transferred to Battery A, Oct. 13, 1864. 
Lynch, William U. — Sergt.; dis. disability iFeb. 11, 1863. 
TiMM, Ellis H. — Corp.; Sergt. Jan. i, 1864; dis. Sept. 14, 

1864. 
Looker, Owen C. — Corp. ; Sergt. Sept. 27, 1862 ; re-enlist- 
ed 2d Lt. Oct. 13, 1864; transferred to Battery A Oct. 

13, 1864. 
Pollard, Thompson B. — Corp.; 2d Lt. Nov. 18, 1863; 

transferred to Battery D Nov. 19, 1863. 
Fairchild, John T. — Corp.; wounded at Williamsburg, 

Va., May 5, 1862; dis. Oct. 19, 1862. , 

Rhein, Jacob — Corp. ; Sergt. April 28, 1862 ; wounded at 

Oak Grove, Va., June 25, 1862; re-enlisted 2d Lt. March 

12, 1864; 1st Lt. Dec. 21, 1864; resigned May 29, 1865. 
McChesney, Leander — Corp.; Sergt. Feb. 11, 1863; 

wounded at Gettysburg, Pa., July 2, 1863; re-enlisted 2d 

Lt. Jan. 17, 1865; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Banks, Charles — Corp. ; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Wallace, William — Corp. ; dis. disability April 9, 1863. 
Mattoon, Randsom D. — Corp.; re-enlisted Sergt. 1864; 

dis. June 16, 1865. 
Buffum, Henry — Corp.; prisoner of war at Gettysburg, 

Pa., July 2, 1863; died at Andersonville, Ga., July 10, 

1864; his grave is No. 3,099. 
Farrand, Silas D. — Corp.; Sergt. April 19, 1864; dis. 

Sept. 14, 1864. 
Morehouse, James H. — Corp.; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

AcKERMAN, JuDSON — Artificer ; dis. disability Jan. 28, 1862. 
Ackerman, Theodore P. — Dis. disability Dec. 21, 1861. 
Arrowsmith, Ralph — Prisoner of war; died at Richmond, 

Va., July 3, 1862. 
Baker, Joseph — Wounded at Gettysburg, Pa., July 2, 1863. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 153 

Beardsley^ Samuel H. — 2d Lt. Co. F, 13th N. J. Inf., 

Nov I, 1862. 
Bon NELL, George W. — Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., 

June 8, 1864. 
BosoLY, Joseph — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Buckley, Ralph — Killed at Chancellorsville, Va., May 3, 

1863. 
Bush, Charles — Corp. Jan. 28, 1863; dis. Sept. 14, 1863. 
Bush, Corneuus — Guidon bearer; wounded; dis. Sept. 14, 

1864. 
Calhoun, James — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Campbell, Euas V. — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Campbell, Martin V. B. — Artificer; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Carmen, Louis — Dis. Sept. 14, 1862. 
Carmody, Thomas — Dis. disability Dec. 14, 1862. 
Casselman, Rensalaer — Killed at Gettysburg, Pa., July 

2, 1863. 
Coggeshall, Wiluam B. — Re-enlisted Corp. Sept. 2, 

1864; Sergt. Jan. i, 1865; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Collins, Albert — Died at Fortress Monroe, Va., April 8, 

1862. 
Colons, James — Died at Fortress Monrroe, Va., Sept 22, 

1862. 
CoLYER, Anthony — By transfer; wounded at Gettysburg, 

Pa., July 2, 1863; re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 
CosTELLO, Patrick T. — Wounded at Gettysburg, Pa., July 

2, 1863; Corp. Mar. 27, 1864; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Cronk, John H. — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Crosby, James — Artificer; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Grossman, Nicholas L. — Transferred to V. R. C. Mar., 

1864; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Dey, Wiluam F. — Dis. disability Dec. 17, 1862. 
Dickerson, Charles W. — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
I>obbins, James H. — Dis. disability April 30, 1863. 



154 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

DoNOHOE, Martin — Dis. disability Mar. 22, 1864. 
Dougherty, John L. — Re-enlisted Corp.; dis. June 16, 

1864. 
Earl, William L. — Wounded at Fair Oaks, Va., re-enlist- 
ed Corp. Sept. 2, 1864; Sergt. Sept. 19, 1864; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Ennis, Samuel — Corp. Feb. 11, 1863; re-enlisted Sergt. 

Sept. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Evarts, Thomas N. — Died at Fairfax Seminary Oct. 17, 

1862. 
Fairchild, John — Farrier; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Ferguson, John — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Fredericks, Charles T. — Company clerk; dis. Sept. 14, 

1864. 
Garrabrant, Charles — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Garrison, William H. — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
George, John H. — Corp. Mar. 4, 1862; Sergt. April 2, 

1863; 2d Lt. Dec. 6, 1863; transferred to Battery D 

Dec. 24, 1863. 
Hale, Anson — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Hanifen, Michael — Re-enlisted Corp. Sept. 2, 1864; dis. 

June 16, 1865. 
Hardham, John — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Harrison, Caleb H. — Corp. Jan. 21, 1864; dis. Sept. 14, 

1864. 
Hearey, Patrick — Dis. disability Dec. 26, 1862; re-enlist- 
ed in Battery D. 
HiGGiNS, John — Re-enlisted Corp. Sept. 2, 1864; Sergt. 

Mar. I, 1865; dis. June 16, 1865. 
HoPLER, James H. — Corp. Oct. 31, 1863; dis. Sept. 14, 

1864. 
Huffman, William — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Kelly, William — Killed at Chancellorsville, Va., May 3, 

1863. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 156 

Laws, Daniel — Prisoner of war at Gettysburg, Pa. ; dis. 
Sept. 14, 1864. 

Leonard, James S. — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

LouNSBERRY, Charles — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

Lounsberry, Valentine — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

LuMBiNE, John — Re-enlisted Corp. Sept. 2, 1864; dis. June 
16, 1865. 

Lyons, Charles — Dis. disability Jan. 14, 1863. 

Marcellus, James — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 

Matthews, George W. — Died at Fortress Monroe April 
20, 1862. 

Maxfield, Joseph — Dis. June 4, 1862. 

Mayo, Arthur — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 

Miller, John — Dis. disability Jan. 26, 1863. 

Miller, Moses — Dis. disability April 22, 1863. 

Miller, Wallace — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

Mills, William H. — Dis. disability Mar. 17, 1863. 

Molten, Charles — Dis. disability April 19, 1862. 

Monks, Charles — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

Morgan, Daniel — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

Morgan, Garrett — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

Morris, James B. — Dis. disability Oct. 2, 1862. 

Morris, John — Dis. disability Feb. 28, 1863. 

Morris, Joseph B. — Dis. Dec. 3, 1863, for wounds receiv- 
ed at Gettysburg July 3, 1863. 

Morten, George — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 

Moss, John — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

McCoRMACK, William H. — Corp. April 23, 1862; dis. 
disability Jan. 2, 1864. 

McKechnie, Thomas — Corp. Sept. 27, 1862; wounded; 
dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

McKowen, John — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

McNaughten, Samuel H. — Re-enlisted Corp. Sept., 



156 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

1862; Sergt. Dec., 1863; captured by enemy May 22, 

1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Nash, Daniel T. — Killed at battle of Jerusalem Plank 

Road June 22, 1864; buried at Poplar Grove Cemetery, 

grave No. 272. 
Oliver, John — Prisoner ^f war; died at Belle Isle, Va., 

July 22, 1862. 
Onderdonk, James B. — Dis. disability Oct. 21, 1862. 
OsBORN, Jacob — Re-enlisted; wounded at G>ld Harbor, 

Va., June 6, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
OsTERMEYER, Jacob — Woundcd at Chancellorsville, May 3, 

1863; dis. for wounds Dec. 11, 1863. 
Parkhurst, Andrew L. — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Parkhurst, Ward L. — Prisoner of war May 9, 1864; died 

in Andersonville prison Sept. 30, 1864; his grave is No. 

10,100. 
Pier, Charles G. — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Post, Edward — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Post, Samuel — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Post, Thomas N. — Killed at Gettysburg, Pa., July 2, 1863. 
Price, Richard S. — Died Aug. 22, 1863, from wounds re- 
ceived at Gettysburg July 2, 1863. 
Primrose, Thomas H. — Corp. Nov. i, 1863; dis. Sept. 14, 

1864. 
Raakee, Emanuel — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Reed, William S. — Dis. disability Sept. 14, 1862. 
Richards, Chillon D. — Wounded at Gettysburg, Pa., 

July 2, 1863; dis. Sept. 14, ,1864. 
RiCKER, David B. — Artificer; dis. disability Aug. 31, 1863. 
Riley, William — Dis. Mar. 17, 1864, wounds received at 

Gettysburg July 2, 1863. 
Roe, Charles — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Roydhouse, Henry — Wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 

3, 1864; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 






FIRST NEW JERSEY. 157 

Sattles^ Jacob W. — Re-enlisted; killed at Cold Harbor, 

Va., June 12, 1864. 
ScHENK^ William — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Smalley^ Leopold — Wounded at Gettysburg July 2, 1863; 

dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Smith, Elijah S. — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Smith, George — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Smith, Theodore P. — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Smith, William P. — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
SoDEN, Daniel — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Steventon, Albert K. — Bugler; wounded; dis. Sept. 14, 

1864. 
Steventon, Joseph — Bugler; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Steventon, Washington N. B. — Re-enlisted; taken pris- 
oner June 13, 1864; died in hands of enemy. 
Stickles, Albert K. — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Stickles, Jacob P. — Dis. disability Aug. i, 1862. 
Stickles, Mahlon J. — Dis. disability Nov. i, 1862. 
Stivers, Henry — Re-enlisted Corp. Dec. 15, 1864; dis. 

June 16, 1865. 
Stuart, Robert — Wounded at Chancellorsville May 2, 

1863, and at Gettysburg July 2, 1863; ^^s. Sept. 14, 1864. 
SwANWiCK, Edward — Died at Harrison's Landing, Va., 

Aug. 10, 1862; grave 41. 
TiCHENOR, Moses — Dis. disability June 22, 1862. 
Trenchard, William J. — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Vandine, Peter — Wounded at Spotsvylvania C. H., May 

10, 1864; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Van HORN, Edward — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 
Vanhouten, Cornelius — Re-enlisted Corp. Sept. 27, 

1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Vanness, John P. — Wounded at Chancellorsville May 3, 

1863; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 



158 HISTORY OF BATTERY B^ 

Vaughn, James — Wounded at Oak Grove, Va., June 25, 
1862; dis. wounds April 22, 1863. 

Vaughn, John — Killed at Chancellorsville May 3, 1863. 

Webster, Calvin R. — Artificer ; dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

Whitmore, George W. — Re-enlisted; transferred to Eat- 
ery E Feb. 2, 1864. 

Whitmore, John — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 

Whitmore, Martin — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 

Wilkinson, Frank A. — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

Williams, George H. — Re-enlisted Bugler; dis. June 16, 
1865. 

WiLUAMS, Lyman — Dis. Sept. 14, 1864. 

Wilson, Rynear M. — Re-enlisted Corp.; dis. June 16, 
1865. 

Woodruff, Ogden N. — Prisoner of war; dis. Sept. 14, 

Worcester, Clark H. — Dis. disability Mar. 26, 1864. 

Wyckoff, William D. — Re-enlisted; dis. June 16, 1865. 
1864. 

INFANTRYMEN DETAILED TO SERVE WITH THE BATTERY. 

Bauer, Matthias — 2d Mich. ; wounded at Gettysburg. 
Church, Peter C. — 2d Mich. 
CuRTiss, William S. — 2d Mich. 

Davis, Henry E. — 63d Pa. Inf. ; captured at Gettysburg. 
Foster, C. — 2d Mich. 

Grover, Hiram A. — 2d Mich. ; wounded at Gettysburg. 
Keiger, — . — 5th New Jersey Inf. 

McGowEN, Stephen — 99th Pa. Inf. ; wounded at Gettys- 
burg. 
Pettis, James — 5th New Jersey Inf. 
Shepard, Edson — 68th Pa. Inf. ; wounded at Gettysburg. 
Stephens, Horace S. — 2d Mich. 
TiERNEY, Hiram — 2d Mich. 
Truby, John — 63d Pa. Inf. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 169 

Vanhorn, Samuel — 2d »Mich. 
Wood, John — 2d Mich. 

There are a number of others, but I have no list of them. 
I have found the above names in my diary of events while 
with the Battery. 

recruits enlisted for three years' service. 
Allen, David — Mus. Jan. i, 1864; dis. disability April 26. 

1865. 
Anderson, Edward — Mus. Jan. i, 1864; died Feb. 17, 

1865. 
Backstickler, Frederick — Mus. Dec, 1862; never join- 
ed; dis. disability April 2y, 1863. 
Baldwin, Marcus — Mus. Dec. 28, 1863; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Beam, Theodore — Mus. Jan. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Bell, William — Mus. Oct. 13, 1863; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Brown, Thomas — Mus. Dec. 29, 1863; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Bryant, Thomas — Mus. Jan. 12, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Burns, Moses — Mus. Sept. 3, 1863; dis. disability April 

28, 1865. 
Burton, John — Mus. Jan. 4. 1864; Corp.; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Cahill, Thomas — Mus. Feb. 7, 1864; died Sept. 9, 1864. 
Carr, Joseph — Transferred from Co. A, 6th N. J. Inf. 
Classen, Frederick — Mus. Jan. 19, 1864; <^icd June 16, 

1865. 
Collins, James 2d — Mus. Sept. 14, 1863; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Collins, James 3D — Mus. Oct. 14, 1863; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Connell, Michael — Mus. June 14, 1863; transferred to 

Battery D. 



160 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

ConwAY, James — Mus. Sq)t. 3, 1863; dis. disability Oct. 3, 

1864. 
CosTON, Edward — Mus. Dec. 20, 1863; dis, June 16, 1865. 
CuMMiNGS, Christian — Mus. June 19, 1863; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Decker, John — Mus. Jan. 4, 1864; transferred to Battery 

E. 
Decker, Leonard — Mus. Dec. 29, 1863; transferred to 

Battery D. 
Dehoe, Robert — Mus. Jan. 4, 1864; artificer; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Dickey, Erskine H. — Mus. Jan. 4, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Doremus, Stephen G. — Mus. Aug. 17, 1862; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Edmonds, Robert — Mus. Jan. 4, 1864; Corp.; ist Sergt. 

Mar. I, 1865; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Egbert, Charles — Mus. Aug. 17, 1862; died in hospital 

July 7, 1865. 
Parr, Ephraim — Mus. Dec. 20, 1863; ^^s. June 16, 1865. 
Flanagan, James — Mus. Jan. 5, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
GiBBS, James H. — Mus. Oct. 19, 1863; Corp.; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Green, Marvin J. — Mus. Jan. 18, 1864; wounded at Cold 

Harbor, Va., June 5, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Greenwood, Nelson — Mus. Jan. 9, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Haight, George — Mus. Jan. 5, 1864; veterinary; dis. 

June 16, 1865. 
Harris, Ephraim — Mus. Jan. 2, 1864; wounded at Cold 

Harbor, Va., June 9, 1864; transferred to V. R. C. Mar. 

20, 1865. 
Harrison, George D. — Mus. Jan. 4, 1864; Corp.; dis. 

June 16, 1865. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 161 

Harvey^ Solomon — Mus. Dec. 29, 1863; dis. disability 

July 3, 1865. 
Hesley, Abraham — Mus. Dec. 23, 1863; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
HoGG^ William — Mus. Aug. 16, 1863; dis. disability May 

3> 1865. 
HoLCOMB^ George — Mus. Jan. 14, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
HousEN^ Herman — Mus. Jan. 5, 1864; Corp.; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
HuRiN, Alfred — Mus. Aug. 16, 1863; died at Brandy Sta- 
tion, Va., Nov. II, 1864. 
Ireman, Basil — Mus. Jan. 18, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Jennings, Frank — Mus. Jan. 5, 1864; farrier; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Johnson, David — Mus. Oct. 17, 1863; Corp.; Sergt. June 

4, 1865; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Johnson, Oscar — Mus. Jan. 5, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Jones, William — Mus. Jan. 5, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Kearney, Francis — Mus. Dec. 29, 1863 ; killed at Peters- 
burg Dec. 2, 1864. 
Lappin, Patrick — Mus. Dec. 20, 1863 ; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Leo, Thomas T. — Mus. Nov. 15, 1863; Corp.; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Loveless, George B. — Mus. Jan. i. 1864; dis. disability 

July 19, 1865. 
LusK, James — Mus. Dec. i, 1862; Corp.; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Mitchell, Wiluam S. — Mus. Dec. 3, 1863 ; Corp. ; dis. 

June 16, 1865. 
Moore, William — Mus. Aug. 31, 1863; Sergt.; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Morehouse, George — Mus. Jan. 4, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 

K 



162 HISTORY OF BATTERY B^ 

McBuRTH, John — Mus. Dec. 29, 1863; Guidon Bearer; 

dis. June 16, 1865. 
McCloud, John G. — Mus. Jan. 4, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
McDouGALL, Wesley — Mus. Dec. 15, 1863; ^^s. June 16, 

1865. 
McEowEN, Herman — Mus. Nov. 9, 1863; wounded at 

Petersburg Aug. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
McGuRK, Arthur — Mus. Jan. 14, 1864; dis; June 16, 

1865 f wounded at Cold Harbor. 
McNeil, John — Mus. Jan. 2, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Osborn, Henry — Mus. Dec. 30, 1863; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Penn, John W. — Mus. July 27, 1863; transferred to Bat- 
tery D. 
Peters, John — Mus. Sept. 19, 1863; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Riddle, William C. — Mus. Dec. 29, 1863 ; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Riley, Robert — Mus. Aug. 27, 1863 ; died at Brandy Sta- 
tion, Va., Jan. 18, 1864. 
Ryan, Patrick — Mus. Jan. 4, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Schmidt, Augustus — Mus. Dec. 2, 1863; wounded at 

Spotsylvania May 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 1864. 
Sharpstein, Clark W. — Mus. Dec. 24, 1863; Corp.: 

dis. June 16, 1865. 
Sharpstein, John M. — Mus. Dec. 24, 1863; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Slade, William — Mus. Dec. 2, 1863; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Smith, John — Mus. Jan. 16, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Soden, John — Mus. Jan. 19, 1864; dis June 16, 1865. 
Steitzler, Frank — Mus. July 27 y 1863; dis. June 16, 

1865 ; bugler. 
Stowe, George — Mus. Jan. 18, 1864; prisoner of war; 

died at Anderson ville, Ga., July 16, 1864. 
Sullivan, John — Mus. Jan. 14, 1864; died of wounds 

July I, 1865. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 163 

Sutton, William — Mus. Jan. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 
■ 1865. 
Sweet, Warren — Mus. Nov. 15, 1863; Corp.; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Thompkins, Newlin — Mus. Dec. 4, 1863; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Toner, Peter — Mus. Dec. i, 1863; dis. disability Oct. 7, 

1864. 
Utter, Stephen — Mus. Jan. 4, 1864; prisoner of war; 

died at Andersonville, Ga., June 29, 1864. 
Vangordon, Andrew J. — Mus. Jan. 8, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Vansickle, Bowdoin — Mus. Jan. 2, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Walker, John — Mus. Nov. 23, 1863; Corp.; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Watts, William — Mus. Aug. 7, 1863; Corp.; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Westcoat, Charles — Mus. Jan. 2, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
White, Harry — Mus. Oct. 19, 1863; Corp.; dis June 16, 

1865. 
Wilson, Edward — Mus. Jan. 14, 1864; died April 29, 

1864. 
Wintermute, George — Mus. Jan. 14, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
WoRDEN, Martin — Mus. Dec. 20, 1863; dis. June 16, 

1865. 

RECRUITS ONE YEAR SERVICE. 

Alpaugh, Peter — Mus. Sept. 2, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Anderson, Patrick — Mus. Sept. 21, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Apgar, Jacob — Mus. Sept. i, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 



164 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

Apgar, Matthias — Mus. Sept. 14, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
AsH^ William H. — Mus. Sept. 21, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Ashley, Wiluam— Mus. Sept. 21, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Astley, James — Mus. Sept. 21, 1864; died in hospital 

April 27, 1865. 
Baker, Joseph 2i>— Mus. Oct. 7, 1864; died from wounds 

received at Sutherland Station, Va., April 2, 1865. 
Basler, Wiluam — ^Mus. Oct. 6, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Baulby, Stewart — Mus. Sept. i, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Berkle, George — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Berry, Philip — Mus. Oct. 6, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
BlockwOod, Wiluam — Mus. Oct. 12, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Blue, Alonzo — Mus. Sept. 14, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Brayshaw, John — Mus. Sept. 30, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Briscoe, Wiluam — Mus. Sept. 27, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Broadbent, Edward — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864 ; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Broadfoot, John — Mus. Oct. 10, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Broadwell, Silas — Mus. Aug. 15, 1864; dis. June i6» 

1865. 
Brown, Abram — Mus. Oct. i, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Brown, Phineas — Mus. Sept. 8, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Bullivant, William — Mus. Oct. 8, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Butler, Robert — Mus. Oct. 12, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Calhoun, Samuel — Mus. Aug. 10, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Clark, David — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 165 

Clark, Hampton — Mus. Oct. 7, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Cline, George — Mus. Aug. 22, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Cline, Joseph Z. — Mus. Aug. 22, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Cole, James B. — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Collins, James 3D — Mus. Sept. 7, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
CoRDMAN, Edward F. — Mus. Sept. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Craig, Hugh — Mus. Oct. 11, 1864; dis. Jiuie 16, 1865. 
CuMMiNGS, Michael — Mus. Sept. 2, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
CuMMiNGS, Nathaniel — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
CuMMiNGS, William N. — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Dalton, Leonard — Mus. Sept. 2, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Dalton, Peter — Mus. Oct. 7, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Datey, John — Mus. Sept. 12, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Davis, George — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
De La Croy, Alexander — Mus. Sept. 8, 1864; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Dempsey, John — Mus. Sept. 13, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Dewey, Percival — Mus. Aug. 10, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Dilley, Jacob — Mus. Sept. 13, 1864; wounded at Suther- 
land Station, Va., April 2, 1865 ; died April 28, 1865. 
Dobbins, Jeremiah — Mus. Aug. 15, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Dodd, Robert — Mus. Sept. 6, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Donald, John B. — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Donald, Wiluam — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. Jvme 16, 

1865. 
DoNELLY, James — Mus. Sept. 21, 1864; dis. Jyne 16, 1865. 



166 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

DoNLAN^ John — Mus. Sept. 14, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
DoNNEGAN, Michael — Mus. Sept. 14, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Drew, James — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Druitt, Robert — Mus. Sept. 12, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
DuGAN, James — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. Tune 16, 1865. 
Durand, James M. — 'Mus. Sept. 14, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Eaton, David L. — Mus. Sept. 20, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Elston, Stewart — Mus. Sept. 20, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Fitzgerald, John — Mus. Sept. 14, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Fitzgerald, Richard — Mus. Sept. 12, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
FiTzsiMMONS, Pheux — Mus. Sept. 21, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Flynn, Martin — Mus. Sept. i, 1864; dis, June 16, 1865. 
Foley, James — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
FoLSOM, Edward — Mus. Sept. 2, 1864; dis. Tune 16, 1865. 
Force, William H. — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Freeland, Henry — Mus. Sept. 13, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Gaffa, Julius — Mus. Aug. 21, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Gaffney, Patrick — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Genung, Irwin M. — Mus. Sept. 26, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Geth, August — Mus. Oct. 11, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Gillespie, Thomas — Mus. Oct. 12, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Gilliam, John A. — Mus. Aug. 31, 1864; dis. disability 

May 3, 1865. 



FIRST N£W JERSEY. 167 

GiLLROY, Edward — Mus. Sept. 17, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
GiLOGLEY, Thomas — Mus. Oct. 24, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Glancey, Michael — Mus. Sept. 24, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Gould, Peter — Mus. Sept. 13, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Green, Joseph — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Hance, Peter — Mus. Sept. 21, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Hand, Albert — Mus. Sept. 21, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Handt, Frederick — Mus. Oct. i, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Hamnill, Thomas — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Hathway, John — Mus. Oct. 21, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Hazen, John — Mus. Sept. 6, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Hendershot, John R. — Mus. Sept. 30, 1864; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Heady, James — Mus. Sept. 2, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Henry, Ambrose — Mus. Sept. 13, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
HiCKEY, John — Mus. Oct. 4, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
HiGGiNS, Michael — Mus. Oct. 4, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Holland, Charles — Mus. Sept. 24, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Hopkins, Michael — Mus. Sept. 28, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
HoRNBACKER, WiLLiAM — Mus. Sept. I, 1864; dis. Juuc 16, 

1865. 

Howell, Frederick K. — Mus. Sept. 19, 1864; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Jacobus, Blakely — Mus. Sept. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Jaques, Thomas — Mus. Sept. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Jewett, John — Mus. Sept. 30, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 



168 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

Jones, James^ — Mus. Sept. i6, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Kealy, Michael — Mus. Sept. 13, 1864; Sergt. ; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Kellar, Joseph — Mus. Sept. 27, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Kelly, Michael — Mus. Sept. 30, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Kendrick, Wiluam H. — Mus. Sept. 26, 1864; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Kent, Joseph T. — Mus. Aug. 31, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
KiNGPORT, David — Mus. Sept. 14, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Klump, John — Mus. Aug. 26, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Kniper, William — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Kruger, Charles — Mus. Oct. 10, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Lapeer, Alpheus — Mus. Aug. 24, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Latimer, John — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Lerz, Fred — Mus. Sept. 2, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
LocKwooD, Moses — Mus. Sept. 14, 1864; transferred to 

Battery A. 
LocKWOOD, Wiluam G. — Mus. Sept. 14, 1864; trans- 
ferred to Battery A. 
LouNSBERRY, Valentine 2D — Mus. Sept. 28, 1864; dis. 

June 16, 1865. 
Lynch, Matthew — Mus. Sept. 28, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Lyons, Samuel — Mus. Sept. 2, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Manning, Walter — Mus. Sept. 30, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Marlatt, William H. — Mus. Sept. i, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Marschenor, Lewis — Mus. Oct. 11, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Matthews, James — Mus. Oct. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Mitchell, Silas M. — Mus. Sept. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 169 

Mitchell^ Wiluam — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
MiLZEG, Antonia — Mus. Sept. 5, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
MoNiER^ Frederick — Mus. Sept. 26, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
MooNEY, Henry — Mus. Sept. 5, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865^ 
MooNEY^ Robert — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Morris, Arthur — Mus. Sept. 2, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Morris, Charles — Mus. Sept. 30, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
MoTT, Francis — Mus. Sept. 20, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
MowDER, Benjamin — Mus. Sept. 8, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Murray, Ira — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
McCall, William — Mus. Aug. 10, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
McCarthy, Patrick — Mus. Oct. 11, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
McDonald, Michael — Mus. Sept. 28, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
McElroy, Corneous — Mus. Aug. 25, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
McElroy, Jacob — Mus. Aug. 25, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
McGuiRE, Michael — Mus. Sept. 14, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
McKecknu:, John — Mus. Sept. 20, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
McLaughun, Henry A. — Mus. Oct. 6, 1864; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
McLaughlin, Terrence — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
McManus, Edward — Mus. Sept. 14, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 



170 HISTORY OF BATTERY B, 

McPartland, Patrick — Mus. Aug. 24, 1864; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
McTague, Patrick — Mus. Sept. 8, 1864; d^s. June 16, 

1865. 
O'Shea, Robert — Mus. Oct. 6, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Parcell, William C. — Mus. Sept. 30, 1864; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Pecant, Lewis — Mus. Sept. 5, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Pervis, George — Mus. Sept. 26. 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Peters, John — Mus. Oct. 7, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Pettigrew, Charles — Mus. Sept. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Pettigrew, William — Mus. Sept. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
•Petty, John — Mus. Sept. i, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Pfarfflin, William — Mus. Sept. 9, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Phelps, Abraham — Mus. Sept. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Pierson, Abraham — Mus. Sept. 13, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Pinney, Nelson — Mus. Sept. i, 1864; artificer; dis. June 

16, 1865. 
Pittenger, John — Mus. Sept. 23, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Platt, David — Mus. Sept. 17, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Plotts, John S. — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Plotts, William A. — Mus. Sept. i, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Price, Almen — Mus. Sept. 6, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Price, Nathaniel — Mus. Sept. 30, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Rall, Benedict — Mus. Sept. 8, 1964; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Ray, Andrew — Mus. Aug. 31, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 



FIRST NEW JERSEY. 171 

Rednor^ Joel — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Reeves^ Alexander — Mus. Sept. 26, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
RiEBER, Francis — Mus. Oct. 31, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
RiGBY, Evan — Mus. Sept. 23, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
RiGHTER, Gilbert — Mus. Aug. 31, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
RiGHTER, Peter — Mus. Aug. 31, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Riley, Michael — Mus. Sept. 21, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Sandford, William H. — Mus. Oct. 4, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
ScEiPLE, John — Mus. Aug. 23, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
ScHMEAL, Augustus — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
ScHMEAL, John F. — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Schneider, George — Mus. Sept. 5, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Schuyler, William — Mus. Sept. 19, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Scott, Thomas — Mus. Sept. 26, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Seaver, Joseph Z. — Mus. Sept. 22, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Skinner, George B. — Mus. Dec. 20, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Smith, Adam — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Smith, Benjamin H. — Mus. Sept. 26, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865. 
Smith, Charles — Mus. Sept. 5, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Smith, John W. — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Smith, Oscar — Mus. Sept. 2, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Smith, Owen — Mus. Sept. 3, 1864; dis. June 16, 1865. 
Smith, Sylvester — Mus. Aug. 23, 1864; dis. June 16, 

1865.