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[Illustration: Capt. Jeffrey Hazard.]




                                  THE

                          HISTORY OF BATTERY H

             _FIRST REGIMENT RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY_

                    IN THE WAR TO PRESERVE THE UNION
                               1861–1865


                                   BY

                              EARL FENNER


                      _ILLUSTRATED WITH PORTRAITS_


                               PROVIDENCE
                        SNOW & FARNHAM, PRINTERS
                                  1894




         Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1893
                             BY EARL FENNER
    in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.




                        To the Surviving Members

                                   OF

                               BATTERY H.

                                 AND TO

      OUR COMRADES WHO ANSWER TO THE ROLL CALL ON THE OTHER SHORE

                               THE AUTHOR

                  AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBES THIS BOOK.

[Illustration]

------------------------------------------------------------------------




                                PREFACE.


On the 27th of June, 1891, a meeting of the surviving members of Battery
H was called in the City of Providence, R. I., and the writer was
appointed historian, and authorized and empowered to prepare a history
of the battery.

Fully realizing the magnitude of such an undertaking, and making no
pretense of special fitness for the task imposed upon him, yet he
entered upon the work with a determination to make a faithful record of
every event connected with the Battery so far as he was able to do with
the materials at hand. From daily memoranda kept during the entire
service of the Battery in the War for the Union, and from consultation
with reliable works relating to the Rebellion, this history has been
prepared, and to their aid the writer is greatly indebted for the
accuracy of the work.

He fully appreciates the kindly services rendered by Adjutant-General
Elisha Dyer and his assistants, and valuable material furnished by
Captain Hazard, Sergeant Cheever, Corporal Paul and others whose names
are not mentioned here, and to whom he is under many obligations.

Trusting that this work will be appreciated by those who take an
interest in the great struggle through which we passed for national
existence, I shall feel amply repaid if it merits the approbation of the
patriotic citizens of our State and country.

                                                            EARL FENNER.

 OCTOBER, 1894.




                               CONTENTS.


                               CHAPTER I.

                                                                   PAGE.

 Formation of Battery H—Camp Mauran—On to Washington—Camp Barry     1–10


                               CHAPTER II.

 Camp Barry—Artillery Drill—March to Fairfax Station—First Death
   in the Battery—Union Mills                                      11–14


                              CHAPTER III.

 Battles of Chancellorsville and Salem Heights—Battery H Ordered
   to Chantilly and Afterwards to Fairfax Court House—Return to
   Camp Barry—Picket Duty at Fairfax Seminary—Moved to Vicinity
   of Fort Scott                                                   15–27


                               CHAPTER IV.

 Again in Camp Barry—Batteries Reviewed by President
   Lincoln—Battery H Assigned to the Ninth Corps                   28–34


                               CHAPTER V.

 Battery H with the Ninth Corps Moves towards Fairfax Court
   House—March to the Rapidan—Battles of the Wilderness and
   Spottsylvania—Battery Ordered to Washington                     35–46

                               CHAPTER VI.

 Life at Fort Richardson—Moved to Fort Smith and Stationed
   there—Battery Equipped again and sent to City Point             47–52


                              CHAPTER VII.

 Battery H Proceeds to Petersburg and Encamps near Fort
   Tracy—Life in the Trenches—Rebel Attack on Fort Stedman
   Repulsed                                                        53–61


                              CHAPTER VIII.

 Forward Movement of the Army of the Potomac—Capture of
   Petersburg and Richmond—Pursuit of Lee’s Army—Battle of
   Sailor’s Creek                                                  62–72


                               CHAPTER IX.

 Pursuit of Lee’s Army still continued—Surrender of the Army of
   Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House—Sixth Corps March
   to Danville                                                     73–84


                               CHAPTER X.

 Return to City Point—March to Richmond—From thence to
   Washington—Returning Homeward—Muster-out                        85–95

 Memoirs                                                          97–156

 Roster                                                          157–192

 Roster of Temporarily Attached Men                              193–196

 Mortuary Record                                                 197–199




                             ILLUSTRATIONS.


                                                                   PAGE.

 Capt. Jeffrey Hazard                                      Frontispiece.

 Map of Washington and its Defences                          On page  10

 Lieut. Charles F. Mason                               Opposite page  12

 Brevet Lieut.-Col. Crawford Allen, Jr.                Opposite page  28

 Lieut. Benjamin H. Child                              Opposite page  34

 First Sergt. George Messinger                         Opposite page  47

 Lieut. Hezekiah Potter                                Opposite page  50

 Capt. Elmer L. Corthell                               Opposite page 110

 Lieut. George Lewis                                   Opposite page 117

 Company Clerk George Messinger                        Opposite page 120

 First Sergt. John P. Campbell                         Opposite page 125

 Corp. Earl Fenner                                     Opposite page 127

 Corp. Franklin E. Paul                                Opposite page 130

 Corp. John P. Campbell, 2d                            Opposite page 132

 Horace F. Floyd                                       Opposite page 135

 Edwin Northrop                                        Opposite page 147




                               CHAPTER I.

  FORMATION OF BATTERY H—CAMP MAURAN—ON TO WASHINGTON—CAMP BARRY.


Rhode Island enjoys the distinction of sending to the field in the War
of the Rebellion a regiment of volunteer light artillery which ranked
second to none in the service. The State was fortunate in having at the
commencement of the conflict a battery of light artillery, which was
widely known for its efficiency throughout the length and breadth of the
land. It was originally chartered as an independent organization in
1801, and was composed of seafaring men, the officers being members of
the Providence Marine Society, from whence its name was derived. It was
equipped with heavy guns, adapted for coast defence. Subsequently
muskets were used, and with old style field pieces it took part in the
expedition to Acote’s Hill in 1842. In the year 1847 it was equipped as
a light battery with four guns and caissons, battery wagon and forge.
The first parade was made at a training on Smith’s Hill, in Providence,
Oct. 17, 1847, and it was known as “flying artillery,” being _the first
light battery ever organized in the United States outside the regular
army_.

In 1852 it made an excursion to Boston, with four guns, battery wagon
and forge, and encamped on the Common. By its novel and interesting
evolutions of “light artillery,” and firing six-pounder cannon with
rapidity, which had never before been witnessed by the people of that
city, it so excited their wonder and admiration that a movement was
inaugurated to organize a similar battery there. Accordingly a
delegation of gentlemen was chosen to proceed to Providence, who were
instructed in the light artillery drill by Colonel Balch, of the Marine
Artillery. Therefore it is justly claimed that this famous corps is not
only the mother of Rhode Island batteries in the Civil War, but also of
Massachusetts batteries, and through them of all volunteer light
artillery.

From this battery sprang the men who subsequently won renown in the
light artillery branch of the service during the war. Indeed, Governor
Sprague himself commanded this battery for several years prior to the
Rebellion, and had spared neither time nor money to raise it to a high
standard of discipline and efficiency. Is it a marvel, then, that when
the call to arms resounded through the land, this battery furnished from
its membership officers and men who were a credit to their State and
country, and were enabled to send at once a battery to the field fully
manned and equipped for the service.

On the 13th of September, 1861, Governor Sprague received authority from
the War Department to increase the number of Rhode Island batteries to
eight, the whole to be known as the First Regiment Rhode Island Light
Artillery. In May, 1862, although seven batteries had already been
furnished for the regiment, yet when one more battery was required to
complete the number it was promptly recruited and forwarded to the seat
of war.

