^- J'^-'-^'^. -■ ^^^.^... ^^. ^^•n*.. '^-o^ .* .V MY RECOLLECTIONS OF THH WAR OF THE REBELLION Bv WILLIAM B. LAPHAM, Bki-vet-Major U. S. Volunteers. ritlVATKLY I'l.MXTKl). AIGUSTA, MAINE: BITRLEIGII * FLYNT, IMUNTERS 1S9-2. THE SOUTHERN BATTLE-FIELD. "Once this soft turf, this rivulet's snuds. Were trampled by a hurryiiio- crowd, And tiery hearts and armed hands Encountered in the battle-cloud. Xow all is calm and fresh and still; Aloue the chii-p of tlittiui;- bird, And talk of children on th(» hill. And l)ell of wandering' kinc are heard. No solemn host goes trailing by, The Idack-mouthed gun and stiiggcring \v;iiii Men start not at the battle cry. — O, be it nevei- lieard agnin."" ^U BeMcation. ®a Pavy (Tynthia, §c» WiWum and JrancciSi §culah 7"///.>- volume is affectionately dedicated and inscribed by THE/R FAT HER. PREFACE. ^\'lly do you not write some of your ixTsonal recollections of the War of the Ivebellion, and relate some of your })ersoual ex[)eriences tliereiu for the anuiseuient and editication of your children? The above ({uestion was propounded to me ])y the mother of the children, some fifteen or more years after the war closed, and so pertinent \\as it that it seemed stranue I had not thoujrht of it before. I am aware that my experience ^vas by no means an exceptional one, that there were very many whose army life ^vas much more replete with thril- ling adventure than 1 am able to relate, yet in a service somewhat varied and covering a period embracing the greater part of the war, there were circumstances that came und(>r my personal obser- vation which may be of interest to the })ersons for whom this record is especially made. The minor events of a great war are those less likely to l)e recorded, but even these to a "[)osterity that delights in details," will not be devoid of interest. An iirmy is a vast machine of which soldiers, and subordinate officers are component parts, and un- questioned ol)edience to the will of the commanding- general is the chief element of success. This will 18 made known 1)V being handed down throuuh the various orade.s of offieers until it veaehes the [)rivate soldier. Whatever the eonnnand may be, whether to niareh or eneanip, to eni>:age the enemy or retreat from him, in order that the component' parts of the great machine^ may act in harmony, no questions should be asked and no criticisms made, but when moved upon l)y legally constituted })OAver, one si)irit should pervade the entire force and that of ])assive obedience. AVlien in action, a private or subordi- nate officer knows little or nothing of what is going on in other })arts of the tield, nor is it necessary that he should know. His business is to attend to the work allotted to him, and helj) take care of his })art of the line. Even the results may not be known to him for a time, and when ordered to move, he may not know whether it is in retreat or advance. So it was with many after the l)attle of the Wilderness, and so it was after many of the battles of the late war. The incidents related in this little volume are chietly confined to the regiment and battery to which I belonged, and yet what is true of one organization whether in cam]) or in the field, is to a certain extent, true of others. The drill, the guard duty and the canjp sports are essential 1}^ the same, and since " w^ar means killing," the methods adopted for this purpose in every action, are })ractically the same. The Twenty-third Maine Regiment served its term of enlistment in doinir uuard dutv on the Potomac, from AU'Xiindi-ia to Harper's Ferry. It had no en- aaueiuent with the enemy, and yet the death rate was uneonnnonly hirge, therehy indicatin<>- the character of its service. The Seventh Maine Battery joined the army of the Potomac in the march to the Wikler- ness, and participated in all the suhseqnent engaa^e- ments of that uallant army. There were a ninnher of men, includinir the writer, who served in hoth of these ori>'anizations and had the varied experience incident to both. There were no two organizations that left the State to aid in putting down the rel)el- lion, that contained a greater pro})ortion of tirst class men than the two under consideration. Besides a large numl)er of independent farmers, there were college graduates, merchants, mechanics, teachers and other professional men. They enlisted from purely patriotic motives, and served with an eye singl(> to the preservation of the Union. More than thirty }'ears have elapsed since the regiment was organized, and many "of those who survived the war, have since gone the way of all the earth. The scope ot this work will admit of only brief mention of any of them, 1)ut if such l)rief mention shall in any manner serve to kec}) green their memories and preserve the record of their sacrifices and heroic deeds, its preparation and its })ul)licati()n will not have been in vain. The primary oirject of the publication of this book is the amusement and edification of my children. From it thev will learn to some extent, of the causes 8 that led to the rebellion and secession of the South- ern states. They will see how causeless and un justi- Hahle was the movement, and how pure and patri- otic was the man on account of whose elexation to the })residency, they rebelled. They will see how an ()\ erruling Providence seemed to iiiiide the Shij) of State during the dreadful storm ; how tem})orary defeat only served to intensify the })atriotism of the loyal states, and ho^v it became apparent that the curse of slavery must be removed before complete success could crown our efforts. Had success attended our armies in the earlier ])attlcs of the war, there is no doul)t that a peace would have followed \\ ith legalized shivery retained. But this was not to be, and for the proclamation of emancipation. President Lincoln is entitled to the lasting gratitude of the whole American people and of the world. If there is one thing more than another for which I am grateful, it is that the slavery question has been settled, and so settled, in my day and generation, and has not been left as a troublesome legacy to my own and to other childi'en of the coming generation. And there is no act of my life that I look back upon with so much satisfaction and jiride, as to the humble part I bore in the war necessary to emanci- pate the slave. When I think of my years of ser- vice in the Union army, I feel that my life has not been entirely in vain. By the i)erusal of these pages, you, my children, will learn something of what the preservation of the union of these states has cost, and you will learn to prize it all the more highly. You will learn that it is cemented by the blood of hundreds of thou- sands of our patriotic people who sprang to arms to defend and preserve it. You Avill be told how they uncomplainingly endured every privation and hardshii), and how they unflinchingly faced the cannon's mouth to l)eat back the rebel hordes that would destroy it, and you will learn to respect and revere their })atriotic devotion to country, 'riiat what you may here read and learn, may increase your love of country, cause }ou to i)rize more highly the })rivileges you enj()y and make you better citizens, is the earnest wish of your Father. Augusta, Me., Oct. 10, 1892. ANTE BELLUM. As far l)ac'k as I can ienieinl)or, I was, or thouiiht myself, a Democrat. In my early ehildhood, the idea was instilled into me that the Tories of the Eevolution were the most depraved of human beings, and that the Whigs were their immediate .successors. I not only disliked the name of AVhig but I was innnediately i)rejudiced against any j)erson who called himself a Whig, or who was so called by others. I felt that there was something wrong- about him, and that he was not to l)e trusted. The tirst President of the United States whom I remem- ber was Andrew Jackson, and to l)e aljle to join in a hurrah for Andre\y Jackson, I considered a great })rivilege. Of ^vhat great things he had accom- l)lished, I was entirely ignorant, but that he was a Democrat was all that my youthful fancy recjuired, and I felt that I knew he was a great and good man, and a patriot. So of Martin Van Buren, his suc- cessor. When his election was announced, 1 felt that the country was safe for the time being, and that the Whigs, the allies of Great Britain and the enemies of the republic, had met with another signal defeat. At the opening of the memorable Campaign of 1840, I was t\velve years of age, and how much I 12 suffered from the noisy demonstrations of the A\'hii>s, I cannot describe. It was the famous log cabin and hard cider campaign, and the enemies of the Demo- cratic party were everywhere aggressive. The campaign songs in praise of Tij^pecanoe were in every1)ody's mouth, and accomplished more for the success of the l»arty. than oratory, eloquence and arifument. The Wliio- candidates were sung into office. AVhat signiticance there was in the name l)estowed upon the President, of "Old Tippecanoe," I did not knoAV, or perhaps I might not htive feh so sure that the success of the Whig i)arty was also tlie success of the Tories and of England. It was some years later that I learned that Tippecanoe was the name of a river in Indiana, upon whose banks Gen. Harrison had fought a famous l)attle Avith the Indians, Nov. 11, 1811, near the beginning of the War of 1812, and that the Indians were incited to hostilities l)y the efforts of the emissaries of Great Britain. Nor had I then learned that both General Jackson and General Harrison, distinguished them- selves in that war and were equally patriotic. I only knew that Jackson was a Democrat and Harri- son a Whig, and that Avas enough for me to know, and in those days I felt that I knew it all. I have since learned that soon after the War of the Ee volution had given freedom to the colonies, two political parties came into existence having no reference to the war. One aa.-is led by Alexander Hamilton and contended for the centralization of 13 })<)W('r ill oi'ck'i' to insure Ji stronu' iiatioiml iroverii- ment. The otlicr party ^vns impersonated by Tlioinas Jort'orsoii, the author of the Declaration of Iu(le[)endenee, who eonteuded for the ditfusion of power uniong the .states, or in other words, for the doctrine of state rii>hts. These twosystems of politi- cal doctrine have come doAvn to us as an inheritance, and have in })art, formed the issues that have entered into every political cann)aii>n. It was this doctrine of extreme state rights that gave a ])retext for the slave holding states to secede and precipitate war between the two sections of the country, and it was the doctrine of a strong Federal government put in })ractice and thoroughly carried out, that sub- dued the rebellion and preserved the union of the states. The issues which are before the i)eo})le to-day directly involve these two antagonistic ideas which are older than the government of the United States. There are side issues like the money (juestion, the tariff etc., but the real question is the centralization or ditfusion of power. On the question of tariti'as at present existing, the Democratic paily claims that it is unconstitutional, and the question must eventually be determined by the courts. The (|uestion of currency which is forced ui)on the coun- try as an issue, is presented in a form that brings into antagonism the State and Federal su})ervision. Now% I believe in a strong Federal government, sufficiently strong to protect itself in time of war, 14 whether at home or abroad, but when it conies to the centralization of power to give national control to railway and telei>raphic linos, or to other l)ranches of business that properly belono- to private enter- prise, I would say to the Federal goverunient, " hands off." In our })olitical cani})aigns, underly- ing principles have frequently l)een obscured 1)y side issues, and it is well to l)ear in niiud that underneath all these (juestions that are constantly l)eing brouglit up and })rcsj^cd to the front, lies the old and fundamental (jucstion of state rights, or the centralization and diffusion of ])ower. This (jues- tion, in some form, has been at issue since the formation of the govermnent, is at issue now, and will be at issue for 3'ears to come. President Harrison died in a month after his inauguration, and I felt that his death >vas })rovi- dential. That it was the interference of a higher power to prevent the consummation of the plans and purposes of the AVhig party. He Avas succeeded by John Tyler who had been elected ui)on the same ticket with him. It was generally understood at the time, that Tyler entertained views sonunvhat different from those of the leaders of his party, and soon after assuming the duties of the presidential office, this fact was fully demonstrated. The East- ern Argus was about the only })aper that I read in those days, and I rememl)er how I was comforted by the assurance found in the A7'(jus, that Tyler, though elected as a AVhii:-, was in re:ilitv a Demo- 15 ciiit : I t'clt that a second iiulcjx'iulciK'c had hccn ac'hi(>v(>d and that the country was ai>ain sate. I rcmcnihcr a little triph't which the Argus printed and which so impressed itself upon my mind that I ha\e not forirotton it in the half a century which has since elapsed. It was as follows : '' Honor to whom honor ii4 due, AVe forgive them for ehn'tiug' Tii)pec;nioc Because they went for Tyler too."" .Vt this period of my life, I knew hut little ahout African slavery. I was aware that such an institu- tion existed in the far South, hut this was before the days of teleiiraphs and railways, and the multij)iic- ity of news])a|)ers, so that the knowledge I had of it was very indetinite. I do remember how shocked I was, when a colored man living in Paris named Xatlian Fuller, the tirst and only negro I had e\er seen, was hired to go to Virginia to cut timber, a.nd was there sold into slavery by the monster who had hired him to work, but of the nature of his bondage, 1 knew nothing, and my sympathy for him was mainly l)ecause he could not return to visit his par- ents and his brothers and sisters. lie was then about twenty-three years old, and his friends never heard from him after the re[)ort came that he had been sold. He was an intelligent fellow and had learned to read and write. He was probably mur- dered in being "• lu'oken in," for he was pnmd s))irited and woidd prefer death to the kind of bond- age that awaited him on the sugar j)lantation where he was sold to i>o. 16 Toward the close of President Tyler's adminis- tration, the question of the annexation of Texas began to l)e agitated. Texas had maintained a heroic struggle for independence, was settled largely by })e()i)le from the states, and sympathy for the " Lone Star" was easily excited and quite general. There were those who shook their heads, and said it meant more slave territory, but tlie " Lone Star" shone so brightly as to dazzle the eyes of most people, that they could not or did not see what lay behind it. The act of annexation was })assed by C^ongress, and was signed l)y President Tyler, three days l)efore the expiration of his term of otHce, March 1, 1845. The annexation (juestion had entered largely into the canq)aign of 1844, although it was not nuich talked about in the political gatherings in Maine. I remember that I walked to Bethel Hill, a distance of eight miles, to hear Nathan Clifford and John Fairfield discuss the })()litical issues of the day. Their talk was mainly upon the tariff, but it was elocjuent and interesting, and 1 was very proud of them. It was known very well, that the annexa- tion of Texas would bring on a war with Mexico, and I afterwards knew that the South desired that very result. The South knew that not only Texas, but a good broad area of ^Mexican territory would be annexed to the United States as the result of such a war, and that in most if not tdl of this terri- tory, slavery could ])e made })rotital)le. 17 About this tinic or ;i little hctorc, the imti-slaverv luoA'cincnt ht'Uiin to (levolop in the tVco states, and a liheitv party had been formed in Maine. Its nienil)ers were few in nmnher, hut they were men of eneriiv and al)ility, conseientious in the work they had undertaken, men who stood high in the eonnnunity, and who eould ex})ress their views either in speaking or writing. Among their tirst etforts, was the dissemination of anti-shivery litera- ture in the form of i)am})hlets and books, in whieh was shown up and painted in glowing eolors, the enormity of the tratiic in human l)eings, and the misery whieh followed in its train. The eruelties ])raetieed under the Anieriean system were illustrated by both pen and peneil, so that the eye as well as the understanding eould take in the wliole seope of its atrocities. The separation of families was dwelt u})on,the unrestrained licentiousness which the sys- tem })ermitted, and its demoralizing and l)rutalizing etfect u})on master as well as u})on slave. These men were generally regarded as fanatical, and extremists they certainly were. Many of their statements were flatly contradicted by the political press, and some of them were doubtless untrue or lii'eath' exaji'o'erated ; but still, it could not be sue- cessfully denied that all the al)uses complained of, were [)ossiI)le. In the annexation of Texas, and the ac(|uisition of California and other large areas of new territory, the South had triiunphed. Sympathy for Texas in 18 her ettbrts to free licr.sclt" from lici' dis!i<>Toe:il)le connection with the half civilized rei)ul)lic of Mex- ico, was ke))t at the front, while the real (|iiestion, that of additional territory for slave labor, wa^; kept carefully concealed. The aid of poetry was invoked, and the '• Lone Stiir of Texas" hecanie the theme of many a })oetical elfusion. I well remember part of the tirst .stanza of .some verses which were set to the nnisic of a well known Scotch sono-, aiid sunu- throuuhout the lenirth and breadth of the land. This stanza beii'an as follows : ••l\'x:iti.-* \\]u) with lloustou t)le(l, Texan,* Jat-ki^on often led; Friends to yon. onr licarts ai'e wcil. Ignited let ns he."" The war with Mexico which was brouo-ht on by the annexation of Texa.s, lasted from l.S4() to 1e area of Mexi- c:in territory was ceded to the United States. General Ziichary Taylor had concUicted the opera- tions aii'ain.st Mexico with distiniiuished ability. H(^ was an otticer in the rcii'ular army, and in no way responsible for the war, but after it was declared, he performed his (Uities like the brave and able soldier he Avas. In politics, he was a Whi_u", and ^vitli characteristic shrewdness, the AMiius selected him as their candidate for President in 1(S4reat oU'ense. WhiU' a violent discussion was going on in ("on- uress rehitive to his rcw)mmendations, and other measures rehiting to the peculiar institution, Presi- dent Taylor died after tive days' ilhiess, July !•, 1850. Millard Fillmore of Xew York, Vice-Presi- dent, now succeeded to the presidential office. The Mexican War was opposed by Daniel ^^'el)ster and l>y many other leading AVhigs, partly because it was a Democratic measure, and partly because it was regarded by them as waged in the interests of slavery. On that account, tlie Whig party came to be regarded as anti-slavery so far as the extension of that institution into territory where it did not alreadv exist, was concerned. A ])rovis() was introduced into the bill relating to the disposition of the territory actjuired from Mexico, which forever excluded slavery from it, and this proviso was sup- ported by the Whigs and l)y many Northern Demo- crats, and was defeated only by a parliamentary trick. In 1S52, the fugitive slave bill was jjassed by ( ouii'Tss and receiving the signature of President Fillmore, became a law. The President also ex- pressed his determination to have it rigidly enforced. This alienated from him many of his strongest suppoi-tcrs, but Daniel Webster who was hisSecre- 20 tary of State, tstood ])y him. This action of Mr. Webster was regarded l)y many of his friends and former Whig associates as a hid for the })residency, and he never afterwards had their eontidenee and support. You may now desire to know what were my views and feelings u})()n these great (juestions which were agitating the })ublic mind, fori was then old enough to have ideas of my own, though I have to confess that they were warped somewhat by prejudice, and early influences. I was o])})osed to negro slavery, believing it to be unjust and wicked. I held it to be inc()m])atible with the })rinciples of the Declara- tion of lndei)en(lence, a document \\'hich 1 hiul ever regarded as sacred, and also as incom})atible with the fundamental princi})les of our free govermnent. But it was a local institution, confined to the Soutii, and I felt that the Xorth had no right to nunldle with it. It was all wrong, l)utthe South alone was responsil)Ie for it. 1 did not ))elieve it was recog- nized in the constitution of the United States, and therefore, could not in any sense be regarded as national. 1 felt that Congress had the right to pre- vent its extension into new territory, but had no right to al)olish it or in any way interfere Avith it in those states where it existed when the constitution was framed and adopted. Had the South been content to let it remain as it was, in all human ])r()b- ability, the institution would have remained to this day and perha])s forever. The slave i)ower 21 w;is aaii'i'cssivc, and was not only determined to carry slavery into all acquired territory where it could he made })rolitahle, hut they were constantly calliuii' for new safeguards to he thrown around it. \Mien Missouri and ]\Iaine were admitted into the I nion in 1820, there was a compromise entered into and em])()died in the liill for the admission of Missouri, which provided that slavery should not exist north of a certain line specified. I had not lost all confidence in the Democratic ])arty in 1852 , although my confidence had l)een some- what shaken hy the compromise measures, and hy the passage of the fugitive slave hill, but I consoled myself that, as this uieasure was passed during a AVliig administration, the AAHiigs were responsible for it, although I could not lose sight of the fact that a })ractically solid South had demanded, and voted for the ol)noxious measure. Obnoxious it was, and could not be otherwise. Il recognized slavery as a national institution, and made every man a slave hunter. Parties in Congress were di^'ided upon the question. Democrats and Whigs supported the measure, and Democrats and A^"higs voted against it. Franklin Pierce was nominated for President. lie was a New England man, and had not l>een especially prominent in pul)lic aflairs. The plat- form ui)on which he was placed was plausible and appeared conciliatory. I had faith in the candidate and voted for him. Jiut as soon as he was inau- 22 gnrated, he gave evidence that he was only a pliant tool in the hands of the Southern slave-holders, who made every other issue and interest sul^servient to their peculiar in>titution. Durina" his adminis- tration, the jNlissouri Compromise Act was repealed and the troubles in Kansas occurred. The South w as determined that Kansas should be a slave state, and the North was ecjually determined that it should be free. There was a reign of violence there, and all law and order were trampled under foot. The elections were controlled by people from the neigh- boring slave state of Missouri, who were not resi- dents, but came for the sole purpose of controlling the elections in the interest of the slave-holders. During this contest, President Pierce was in full accord with the South, and prostituted his high office to fui-ther their schemes. He characterized the lormation of a free state government in Kansas as an act of rebellion. But it a\ as all to no purpose. The tiat had gone forth from the millions of the free North that Kansas should be fiee and a free state it became. The re})cal of the ^Missouri compromise, the troul)k^s in Kansas and the intensely })ro-slavery attitude of President Pierce, created great excite- ment throughout the country, and it rc(]uired no prophetic vision to foretell that the old parties must soon break up and give place to other two great parties, l)etween which the slavery question would be the paramount issue. The enforcement of the fiiiiiti\(' slave law uas resisted l)v lar^e numlicrs in 23 the iVoo states, and •• undei'iiround " railways hy which fiiiiitivos fVoiii the f^outh were aided in leaehiiig Canada, were known to exist in nearly every free state. The anti-Slavery or Abolition party wliieh at tirst was eharaeterized as a hand of fanatics and disoruanizers, and was looked uj)()n Avith eon- tempt hy holh the old parties, had now assinned larire i)ro[)orti()ns. They had eminent re})resenta- ti\es in hoth branches of Congress, and some of the ablest men in the conntry had joined their ranks. Meantime, a new element had entered into the politii-s of the State of Maine which for a time over- sha(h)wc(l all other issnes. This was the Maine Li(jnor Law is.-ue. in 1S")1, the ]\hiine Legisla- ture };as.scd a law for the su])})ressi()n of driidvinu' houses and ti})pling shojis. The legislature was Democratic in its make-up, but theie was a large 1 umber of \\ higs and a good s|)rinkling of Free- soilerselei ted. In In.'jO, the Fieesoil candidate for (loverner in Maine, polled over seven thousand votes. The i)r()hil)itory law was bitterly o])posc(l by the leading l)enu)cratic nu'Uibers and l)v a few of the ^\'higs. l)ut it was jiassed In both branches, signed by (iovernor IIul)bard, and became a law of the State, (xovcn'uor IIubl)ard. accoiding to Democratic usage, was ('ntitle- and had broken out at least on two occasions, but it was at the date alcove named that it took form and its organization was begun. It was on that day that the Governor of South Carolina, a state which had lono; manifested a spirit of disloyalty to the national government, sent by the hand of a special messenger, a contidential communication to the governors of what were generally denominated the Cotton States. The object of this circular letter was to obtain an interchange of o})inions which he might be at lil)erty to submit to some of the leading citizens of South Carolina. He assured the governors that as soon as it should become cer- tain that a majority of Lincoln delegates htid been chosen, the state of South Carolina would call a convention, and in case a single state should secede from the Union, his oavu state would sj^eedily follow. And should no other state take the initiative. South Carolina would take the lead, if she could be assured that other states would follow. He advised concert of action and sought for information as to the disposition and proposed action of other states. Other states Avere not long in responding. North Carolina being the tirst. The answer of the Govern- or of this state was quite conservative, lie stated the election of Lincoln, taken by itself would not be considered a sutiicicnt cause for disunion and 28 that his .state would })r()l)al»ly not call a convention. Alabama responded that she would not secede alone but would declare herself out of the Union if two other states would go out with her. Mississi})pi was ripe for the movement and ready to co-operate. Louisiana hesitated, and the Governor responded that he should not advise secession and did not think his state would decide in favor of it. Georgia would wait for some overt act. Florida, after the lapse of a month, responded enthusiastically for a disrupture of the union of the states. It was thus demonstrated that outside of South Caro- lina and Florida, the rebellion at this time was l)y no means a po})uIar movement, but was a cons})iracy among certain iire-eating politicians, Avhich the masses (f the people neither desired nor expected, l)ut which they were e^•entually made to support and upliold l)y the artful schemes of these same conspiring politicians. South Carolina had long been the school of treason, and the writing of the letters to other states was only a matter of form, for before the answers were received, the consulta- tion which they asked for had been held and the plans for insurrection and revolution fully agreed ujjon. ^fo the legislature which had l)een elected in ()ctol)er, and was called together in special ses- sion Governer Gist, on the fifth of Noveml)er sent a revolutionary message, this being the first official notice of insurrection and revolution. From this time evervthino- was manaoed in a manner to 29 mcroa.se the revolutionaiy furor. The Icaishitiire of South Carolina ordered a convention, made larue a])i)ro})riation8 and })a.ssed ]n\h for or- and e(]ui})i)ing- the ndlitia ; companies were enrolled in all the i)rincipal cities ; there were constant drills, harrangues, bonfires, the disi)lay of secession liags, cockades, and nothing was left undone calculated to arouse the popular furor. A new Governor was elected of a still more pronounced secession type, and at a convention begun on the seventeenth day of December, first at Columbia, and afterward by adjournment, at Charleston, a so called ordinance of secession was passed on the twentieth, a little after noon. It is not within the scope of this work to follow minutely the })rogress of the secession movement from this time forward to the beginning of the great sanguinary struggle which followed the inaugu- ration of President Lincoln. SufKce it to say that the secession of South Carolina was followed by that of all the Cotton States and not only of these but of Virginia and others. The conspiracy had also established itself in the highest official circles of the national administration. Three Southern meml)ers of the cabinet became ardent and active disunionists, besides a large num])er of subordinate officials who, regardless of their oaths of office, lal)ored to the best of their al)ility to })romote the success of the c()n!>})ira(y . In the hands of such men, President Buchanan who had become old and enfeebled in 30 health, was conplclely i)()werle8s. A feeble eflbrt was made to re-enforce and sup})ly the gavri.son in Fort Sumter, l)ut the vessel earryinir relief was tired upon and oblioed to turn back without accom- plishing her object. The national ca[)ital was a hotbed of secession, and treason stalked o})enly and unrebuked through the streets in broad day-light, liuchanan tried to arouse himself a little, Imt the members of his cal)- inet were all traitors, and he had no more power to act than a dead man, and in fact he was })racti- ally dead. Some etf'ort was made by Congress to avert the coming storm. A Peace Congress assem- bled at Richmond, Va., on the day of the meeting of the legislature of that state. Among the mend)ers was Hon. Lot ]M. Aforrill, United States Senator fnnn Maine. Several pro])ositions were oti'ered and discussed, but nothing was acomplished. The new rebel government proceeded to seize and ai)i)ro})riate all the property of the United States government in the seceded states. This included all the custom houses, post otiice buildings, forts, ai'senals, store-houses, ordnance and ordnance stores, the sul)-treasury and the mint. As the time drew near for President Buchanan to retire from office the Southern members of his cabinet and the heads of departments, began to sneak away from Washington, and the officers of the regular army whose sym})athies were with secession, left their comnuinds and went South, The convention for 31 the organization of the rel)el g()^•e^nnlent was called to meet at jMontuoniciy, Alabama, on the fourth of February when Jctferson Davis Avas chosen presi- dent, and Alexander H. Stephens, vice-president. Abraham Lincoln left his home in Springiield, Illinois, on the eleventh of February, accompanied by a few friends, for AYashington. I'hrough the Western states, also through Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania, he was everywhere received with the honor due to the President-elect ot a great and free })eople. At Philadelphia he assisted in the raising of a United States flag over Independence Ilail, on which occasion he made a very impressive speech. As he drew near the line which se})arated the slave from the free states, there was a decided change in the treatment he received. The secession element was very strong in Balti- more, and the })apers of that city had articles cal- culated to incite tumult and mob violence. It had l)een openly threatened that Mr. Lincoln should not live to be inaugurated, and there is no doubt that his assassination had been decided upon. But by secretly taking a, train on the evening of Feb- ruary 22, the day before he was expected to leave, he passed through Baltimore unknoAvn and unsus- pected, and on the morning of the twenty-third, reached Washington. This ste[) was taken on the advice of his friends and against his own wishes, but subsecjuent develo})ments showed it to have been the part of wisdom. He was inaugurated and 32 assumed the duties of his office on the tbuith of March, l)ut instead of a united government to uphold and sustain him in his res})onsil)h' (hities, he stood face to face with another self-constituted aovernment, holdinu' })()sitions and maintaining assumi)ti()ns so palpahly and diametrically opposed to his own, as to necessitate an earlv collision. BELLUM. Foi-t Sumter was an important defensive work in the harbor of Charlcstown, South Carolina, and was connnanded l)y Major Robert Anderson of the reguhir army. After the re]:>els had seized the government property inCharlestown and elsewhere, Major Anderson, to avoid a eollision left his (juar- ters in Fort Moultrie, and with his small force, retired to Fort Sumter. This was on the night of December 26, I860. On the fifth day of Jan- uary, following, the steamer Star of the West left New York with supplies and re-enforcements for the beleaguered fort. A dispatch from New York was immediately sent by secession sympathizers to the ai^thorities at CHiarleston, informing them of the sailing of the vessel, its destination and object. When the Star of the West reached Cliarleston harbor and attempted to steam toward the fort, she was tired upon by Fort Moultrie and a battery on Morris Island, and being struck by a shot, without connnunicating with Major Anderson, she returned to New York.^ This was the first hostile gun. On the eleventh of April, the surrender of the fort was demanded by General lieauregard, and on its refusal by the patriotic and heroic Anderson,lire was opened 34 upon it on the twelfth. To man the fort he hud less than u Inindi'ed men, and only a few guns that were in a condition to bo used. Besides he was short of su})})lies of every kind. He made a man- ful resistance and surrendered only when he could no longer hold it. flis surrender was made on the thirteenth, and on the fourteenth, he marched out with colors tiying. The fort was re})aired by the rebels, and formed the chief defence of C^harlestown until the close of the war. The news of the attack and surrender of Fort Sumter was inunediately flashed over the country, and created intense excitement. There was iiulig- nation in the North which found exju-ession in words and deeds, and there was (exultation at the South that the ball had been put in motion, and that the first victory, though a barren one, was in favor of the confederacy. On the fifteenth day of A})ril, the day succeeding the surrender of Fort Sumter, President Lincoln issued a ])roclamati()n calling forth the; militia of the several states, to the mnnl)er of seventy-five thou- sand men, to be used in the su})pression of the rebellion and to cau>e the laws to ])e duly executed ; and also calling an extra session of Congress on the fourth day of July. This })roclamati()n was received with general appro\al throughout the free states, though there were those in every town and com- nmnity, ^vho sympathized with the South, and who opposed the coercion back into the Union, of the 35 seceded states. Under this })r()el:iiiiati()ii, one regle now beuan to be 39 appreciated, and every loyal state was s])eedily ))iit upon a war footinii'. Duiina- the summer and fall, Maine reiriments were oriianizcd from the First to the Fifteenth. Six batteries of Light Artillery were also raised, and a full regiment of Cavalry. The First Maine, which was nuistered out early in August, was reorganized as the Tenth. After my disapp(»intment at not going into one of the early regiments, I was in no hurry to re- enlist. My interest in the contest, however, was unabated, and I ex[)ected to have a part in it before it was over. But there was no lack of men during the tirst year of the war. Regiments were s})eedily tilled, and when organized, there were always more than the number required. I had a father and mother somewhat advanced in years who had for several years de})ended almost entirely upon me for their support. Two of my brothers had en- listed, and after the tirst iiery ardor had abated, I determined to wait until my services should be needed. I remained at Bryant's Pond during the summer. I had enlistment pa[)ers all tlie time, and during the season recruited a good many men. Late in the autunm of 18(U, (Governor Washburn sent for me to go to Augusta, to assist in looking after the sick of the ditferent regiments in camp at that i)lace. There was some trouble and delay al)out the ap])ointment of a surgeon of the Fif- teenth Maine Regiment, and I was tirst assigniMl to duty as acting surgeon of that regiment. 1 at- 40 tended the morninii- call^; and })re^icril)cd for the sick for two or three Aveeks, when a h*ariieon and assistant Avere appointed, and I Avas relieved. AVinthro}) Hall had been titted up as a tem})orary general hospital and put in charge of Dr. Seth C. Hunkins, and at his re(|uest I Avas assigned to duty there. There Avere then three regiments of Infantry, one of CaA'alry and scA-eral batteries of Light Artillery in camp in Augusta, and there was a large amount of sickness. Measles had broken out, and the hosi)ital Avas very soon over-crowded Avith those stricken down with the disease. The first attacks were not unusually severe, but many insisted on returning to their (juarters on account of the crowded condition of the h()S})ital, before having tully recovered. They had -Sibley tents for (juarters, and the cold became very severe. Those who had returned pi'ematurely to their quarters, generally had a rela})sc, and Avere sent back to Winthro}) Hall Hosi)ital to die of jMieumonia. 1 cannot tell how many died, l»ut there were se\eral deaths each day for several days. I remained in Augusta until s})ring, when the troojis left for the front, and I returned to Bryant's Pond. During the season of 1862, four regiments of three years men Avere recruited and sent out of the State. I received j^ermission and papers to recruit i)art of a com})any for the Sixteenth INIaine Kegiment, and Avas to have a connnission. I took my men to Augusta, Init so many commissions had been promised tliat I Avas again left out. THE TWENTY-THIRD MAINE REGIMENT. During the summer of 18(52, the Peninsular eam- paign proved a faihire and the army of the Poto- mac retreated to James river. General Pope then took connnand and was badly defeated in what was known as the second battle of Bull Run which was fought Aug. 30th. The President called for trooi)S to serve for nine montiis and ^Nlaine wtis called upon to furnish eight regiments. The Twenty- third Maine was raised in Oxford and Androscog- oin counties and went into camp near Portland early in September. They were here in camp wdien the battle of Antietam was fought Septem- ber 17th. A large numl)er of personal friends joined this regiment so I went to Portland and enlisted as a private on the quota of Paris. Soon afterward, I was appointed l)y Col. V\'n\. W. Virgin, connnissary sergeant, tmd had quarters with the non-conmiissioned statf. My messmate was Sanuiel R. Carter, a lawyer from Paris Avho had l)een appointed quartermaster sergeant. The (juar- termaster was A^^illiam P>ray of Turner. Company F of this regiment was made uj) of (luotas from Paris, Rumford, Dixtield, and some other smaller 42 tonus. Horace X. liolstcr ot" Paris was coiiiiuis- sioncd captain, .Joseph II. Al)l>ot ot" Ivunitonl, tirst lieutanant and (too. M. Park, second lieutenant. When the time came for nuisterin<>- the reuinient into the United States ser\ice, for some cause never explained, T^ieutenant Park declined to he nnistered and there was therefore, a vacancy in Company F, Solomon C. Bolster, l)rother of the captain, was orderly sergeant and tirst in the line of jjromotion. But Quartermaster Bray desired to have his brother a])pointed commissary seru'eant, and the only way that this ould be accomplished was to provide some other place for me. This vacancy nave him the desired op[)ortunity and he at once set about getting me into it. He consulted with and gaini^d over the colonel before ap])roaching me on the su1)ject. A\'hen he and the colonel })resented the matter to me, I hesitated. Although enlisted on the (juota of Paris, I was fnmi the town of lA^ood- stock, and the (juota from Woodstock had united witli that from Turner. I knew thtit Sergeant Bolster Avaiited and expected })rom()tion, and as he was very popular with the men, I felt that if forced u})on the com})any without its consent, the place might 1)6 made uncomfortable for me. I very soon learned however, that a respectable number of the rank and tile of the company were not particular about having the place given to Bolster, and were willing it should go in ^ some other direction. When it became known that an elfort was being 43 uiadc to have inc apjjoiiitcd, (fiitc a iuniil)er ciune to me and desired me to aecept, if ai)p()inted. The ofiieers l)()tli eommissioiied and non-eommissioned, l)itterly opposed me, and sent a strong })etition to Governor Washburn in favor of 15olster. But Governor AVashburn had previously written me that he would appoint me if I would aecejjt, and finally, at the earnest solieitation of Quartermaster l^ray and others, I wrote the Governor that I would aeecpt the })Osition. The hostility to me in the eompany manifested itself in various ways. So marked was it, that 1 did not mess with the officers until about the time we were ordered to Washing- ton. Emmons, the eompan^^ cook, was my friend, and so 1 did not go hungry. Lieutenant Abl)ot did not remain long in the service. Soon after the rei»:iment reached the Potomac, he was taken sick and sent in his resignation which was promptly accepted. 1 was then })rom()ted to first lieutenant and Sergeant Bolster to second lieutenant. This was satisfactory to all parties, and [)eace and har- mony prevailed in the com})any from that time. The company as finally made up Avas as follows : Captain — Horace X. Bolster. First Lieut — Wm. B. Lapham. Second Lieut — Solomon C Bolster. Fikst Sergeant — James H. Barrows, Paris. Sergeants — Elery F. Goss, Riris ; Oscar M. Tucker, Peru; Joseph P. Packard, Paris; Olcott B. Poor, Andover, 44 Corporals — Daniel II. Voiiiig, Paris; J^cwis B. Newton, Andover ; Aurotstu.s S. Pcrliain, Paris; Gill)oi-t E. Shaw, Paris ; Horace Iloliiian, Dixticld ; Geo. H. Barrows, Paris ; Edward E. Stevens, Rumford. Promoted Corporals — Hazen M. Al)bot, Rum- ford ; Marion Ilolinan, Dixtield ; Hiram 11. Jack- son, Paris; Henry A. Ryerson, Paris; John F. Libl>y, Dixtield. Promoted Sergeant — Aurestus S. Perhani, Paris. MusiCLVNs — Geo. W. Younu", Paris; Daniel D. Delano, Peru. Wagoner — Joseph Brown, Milton plantation. I'IMVATES. Bennet, John P., Xewry Berry, William, Greenwood Bessee, Isaac R., Paris Bird, John M., Paris Brickett, Henry F., Andover Cole, Geo. W., Jr., Paris Cununings, Isaac D., " Cummings, John C, " Dunham. Chas. W., Dunham, James P., " Eastnnin, Holland F., Dixtield Emmons, Israel F., Greenwood Farrar, All)ert A., Paris Farrar, Granville M., " Foster, Lysander P., Peru Frost, Samuel B., Xewry 45 Giles, Dexter, Giles, Geo. W., Goodwin, Joel, Goodwin, Sanniel, Golder, Xathan I)., Gray, Wm. L., Gurney, Mctov, Holnian, Asa, Hohnan, Fairtield Jr , Ilolnian, Horace, Hopkins, Isaac W., Howe, Charles F., Jackson, Lewis L., Jackson. Samuel C, Knight, Hiram P., Kniuht, Hudson, Lang, Wm. P., Lufkin, Chas. A. E., Martin, AVintield S., Merrill, John E., Mitchcl, Shnon D., Morey, Ainsworth W., Morton, Charles H., :\Iorton, Milton, Morse, Joseph H., Newton, John 1)., Poland, James P>., Porter, John, Pratt, Edwin P., Richardson, Calvin, Paris Rumford Byron Paris Dixfield Rumford Paris Rumford Paris Byron Rumford Andover Paris (( Andover Peru Paris a Greenwood 46 Segar, Jiirvis M., Rumford Seveiy, Ebon 1)., Dixticld Smith, Andrew J., Paris Stevens, Wm. F., Kuniford Stiles, Enoch D., (Ireenwood Swift, Chandk'r, J*jiris Twitehell, (ieo. IL, Tueker, Hannibal S., Peru Viro-iu, Chas. K., Ivuniford \'iroin, Geo. J)., Virgin, ,James ]\r., '< AValker, Cahd) E., Walker, Geo. E., Paris Warren, Daniel C, DixHeld Winslow, Andrew, Woodis, ^^'nl., Paris Youiii:-. Freeliind, " DIED WHILE I\ THE SEltVICE. Eewis P). Xewlon, NoAeinher 2, 1h C. Snow, Chaplain ; Ivoyal E. AVhitman, Sergeant jNIajor ; Sanuiel R. Crocker, (Quartermaster Sergeant ; A\'m. B. Lap- ham, Commissary Sergeant; Ste})hen B. Kenney, Hospital Steward; Wm. AV. Eoss, Drum Major ; Robert AL Sykes, Eife Major. Before leaving the State, A\'illiam B. Lapham was commissioned second lieutenant of Company E, and Philip P>ray was appointed commissary ser- geant. The only changes in the Eield and Staff during the term ot service was the resignation of Dr. Richard R. Ricker, January 2, llonel Luce made u[) in enthusiasm and })erseverance what he at tirst lacked in practical knowledge, and soon l)ecanie a very etficient otHcer. In pleasant weather, there was compan\' drill in the forenoon and battalion (bill in the afternoon every week day. There was daily })rcscnt, a large number of visitors, mostly relatives and friends of the soldiers, and the enlisted men were (juite frecjuently ])ernntted to visit the city. My duties until nuistered as lieutenant, consisted in dealing out rations to the men, consisting of fresh beef, dessicated potatoes, salt pork, beans, hard bread and sometimes soft l)read, lodging with the (|uartermaster sergeant and taking my meals with the cook of C()mi)any F. Abner F. Jackson of Norway received the a})point- ment of sutler of the regiment, and had his (|ua,rters erected and opened for business before the regi- ment was mustered in. He drove a thriving trade while the troops were in Portland, and had for customers many from other regiments. About the middle of October Colonel \'irgin received onUns for the regiment to break camp and 49 proceed to Washington. I was mustered in as Second Lieutenant of Company F on tlic 14tli of October, and wlien orders to go to Wasliington came, I was with that company. Tliere was great interest to Ivuow where we were to be sent after reaching AVashington, l)ut we could only speculate. The camp was full of rumors. Some said that we were to join a secret expedition against some South- ern stronghold ; others that the department of the Gulf was our destination. Still others were certain that we were to go to swell the ranks of the Army of the Potomac. On the 18th of October we struck our tents and started for the National Capital. For two or three days, the camp had been thronged with visitors who had come to bid the soldier boys goodbye. There were fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, wives and sweet-hearts, and many a pathetic scene was enacted in and around the encam[)ment. But the boys l)raced up and ^vhen orders came to "fall in," it was promptly done, and the regiment moved out with driuns beating, colors flying, and many of the men singing "John Brown." Our mode of conveyance was by rail to Boston and Fall River, thence by sound steamer to Jersey City. Arriving in Philadelphia, the regiment was pro- vided with a hot dinner, and received words of good cheer from the patriotic men and women who served it. The patriotism of Philadelphia was unbounded all through the war, and no Eastern regiment could pass through the city without i)ar- 3 50 taking of its l)()untics. The next place of note after leaving Phila(lel})liia, was Baltimore, a hot- bed of secession when the war broke out and long- after. But the rebellious sjiirit was held in check l)y the constant presence of troo})s, and no hostile demonstration was made after the Hrst few months of the war. The steam cars did not then as now, pass through the city, Init the cars were drawn through l)y horses from station to station situated at the two extremes of the city. There were knots of people along the street through which we marched, and there were angry and vicious looks, showing that the rel)cl spirit was still there, but we kept closed ranks and had no fears of being mo- lested. We reached Washington in the early twilight Monday, and remained at the station of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad a long time, before Ave were instructed where to pitch our tents. It was with great difficulty that any one could be found who could give us information, and no one seemed to know what was to be done with us. We tinally marched a shoil distance from the railroad, in the suburl)s of the city and were shown 1)arracks on low damp ground which Avas covered with the dirt and litter of other reaiments. We got very little sleep that night and the next morning were much jaded out. During the day Ave received orders to go into cam]:) on Capitol hill, and drew our tents which we ])itched in a very windy place, but whcic we had a tine 51 view of the city and .surrounding country. The -weather was cold, the wind hiiih, and the air for much of the time, tilled with clouds of dust. We were on an old camping-ground, and there was hut little turf left and altogether, it was far from a pleasant encampment . j\Iy tirst impressions of Washington were some- what disappointing. It was larger than I supposed, and it was not as thickly settled. Xothing seemed to be finished. The Capital building was only little more than half completed, the Washington monu- ment was up only a few feet above the nearest building, while the streets were tilled with nuul and tilth. The war had been going on a year and a half and the National Capital Nvas a great military camp. It was environed by forts, and there were soldiers everywhere. At the hotels, at the theatres, and on the streets, almost everyone was dressed in government blue, and every day one \voukl meet army and navy officers of every grade. The uniforms of some were new and shiny, while others were okl and faded, showing long service in the field. We left Washington for Seneca Saturday not far from noon. It was raining hard, and the march that day was a very disagreeable one. The clayey soil was heavy and sticky, and we were soon drenched with water. We })assed Great Falls and reachetl a place called Muddy Branch where we were to camp for the night. By this time wo had 52 scarcely a dry thread in our clothing, our tents were wet, the wood with which we tried to kindle our tire was wet, the ground where we put up our tents was soaked with water, and altogether, we had a very sorr}^ time tor men not inured to the hardships of camp life. But there was not nuu-h complaining and the boys were generally disposed to make the best of it. We were tired with our sixteen mile march and turned in (juite early. I had a very good night's rest and sleep. The twjnty-sixth we moved up to Oft'uts' Cross Roads, a few miles from Muddy Branch, and soon after to Seneca where we were brigaded with the oDth Massachu ;etts, 14th New Hampshire and lOth Ver- mont, and called our camp " (j-rover" in honor of our brigade commander. Col. Cuvier Grover of the regular army, and Brigadier General of Volunteers. Colonel Grover was the youngest son of Dr. John Grover of Bethel and I was somewhat ac(|uainted with him in ante bellum days. He was an accom- plished officer, but he did not long remain with us, l)elng wanted where the duties were more active and responsible. After he left us. Col. Davis of the oHth Massachus(^tts assumed command of the brigade, though it was subse(iuently ascertained that he was not the ranking officer, and Colonel \"irgin assumed command. On account of the nuid march from Washington to Muddy Branch, the severe drenching which the men had, and it clear- inir off cold, several were taken sick and the sur- 53 geons were ke[)t (j[iiite ha.sy. The hnirii'eou and his assistant did not get alono- well t (gether, which fact greatly impaired the efficiency of the medical staff. Dr. Sweat was a skillful physician, but Avas fre([uently ill-tempered. Dr. Kicker was a temper- ance man, very <]uiet, fairly skillfid, but he could not stand the aljuse of his superior and after a time resigned. Dr. Sweat was unpopular with the uien at large, and having been engaged in regular })rac- tice liefore entering the service, besides having l)een previously acquainted with many of the men, I was often called upon to prescribe for and treat cases in quarters. I was under uo obligation to do this, but I could not ^vell refuse, and for several weeks, much of my time was employed in treating men in their cpuirters. This was not pleasing to Dr. Sweat, but I was sustained in this work by so many of the line officers and by Colonel Virgin, that we had no open rupture. My extra work was entirely gratuitous, and with my other duties, ke[)t me constantly em[)loyed. I kept no record of cases, l)ut from recollection and from applications I have had for certificates in pension cases, I think I must have treated more than a hundred i)ersons. As before stated, Seneca is situated about twenty miles above AVashington, on the Maryland side of the Potomac. The land here is quite high, so that a fine view is had of the Virginia side. At this time, the Potomac was the northern limit of the insurgent states, and we had no troops on the 54 \'ii'i:ini;i side in our \iciiiily. Our rcgiuR'nt w;is soiiicwhat l)r()k('ii u\), several companies bein*:- detached to <>uard the fords at different points. Our si)ecial duty was to guard against raids by re)>el cavalry conniianded by such partisans as Moseby and A\'hite. The latter was from Maryland, and from the same county in which we were encam[)ed. The strictest vigilance was enjoin'^l upon us, and yet (hiring the several months that we were in this service, we never saw an armed rel)el soldier. What might ha\'e been, hud we n)t been there, we have no means of knowing. There was a large stockade fort ab;)ut a mile above our cam]) at Seneca, from which the view along the river was grand. But the h;)rr()rs of war were notice;iblc everywhere, in ruin-vl homsiteid-;, mutilated forests and general desolation. The boys built winter (juartcrs here, using rifted chestnut i)lanks for walls and covering the roofs with their shelter tents. Fire[)laoes were built of red earth which is composed of clay and lime, and when dried by the tire, becomes hard like brick. They topped them out with })ieces of split chest- nut laid cob-house fashion, and plastered outside and in with the same red earth. It was (juite mar- vel Ions how (juickly the men learned to adai)t themselves to the service and make themselves comfortable under snch varying circumstances. It does not take the Yankees from the farms and workshops, a great while to become good soldiers. 55 While here, Joel Perhain iimde us a visit and spent two days with us. Al)out this time, I received a letter from Hon. T. A. D. Fessenden stating that a petition had l)een tiled in the })ost office department at Washington, asking for my removal as postmaster at Bryant's Pond, and saying that the petition stated that I " had gone away and left the office in charge of an incompetent person." He closed l)y asking me what action he should take in the matter. I immediately laid the case before Judge Virgin, who ad^"ised me to go to AVashington at once and attend to it, at the same time giving me leave of absence for ten days. An ambulance from the regiment was going to Washington in which I took passage. On arriving, I sought an interview with the appointing power who advised me to remove that irresponsible person, and appoint one that would be responsible. I had already informed him that the person petitioned for was the one I had placed in charge of the office. The post office official said it was a rule of the office that no one should suffer by reason of having enlisted. My business thus s})eedily and happily accomplished, I had a few days in which to see the sights at the Capitol. Congress was in session and from the galleries, I had an opportunity of seeing some of the distin- guished men of the country. In the Senate, I saw Charles Sumner, Benjamin F. Wade, Henry Wilson, William Pitt Fessenden and other leadinij members 56 of that branch, and in the House, Bingham, Thad Stevens, Henry Winter Davis, Vorliees, and others. I visited the theater where I heard Forrest, Daven- port, the two Booths, Laura Keene, and many other leading actors and actresses. I made calls on Senators Fessenden and Morrill, and on Re})re- sentatives Fessenden and Frye. The time passed swiftly and pleasantly, and my leave of absence being nearly up, I returned to the regiment, on a canal boat. While we were stationed at Oftut's Cross Roads, I visited the headquarters of the brigade, where I had a pleasant interview with General Grover. He told me he expected soon to be ordered away. He soon afterward inspected our reghuent, and I never saw him again. He served throughout the war, then did good service in the West at the head of a cavalry regiment of which he was appointed colonel, and died some years ago. He was a brave and true man, and an honor to his town, state and country. He left us to join Banks' Red River ex})edition al)out the middle of Noveml)er. About this time, it had become quite evident that there would l)e a vacancy in the medical staff by the resignation of Dr. Ricker and I was offered the i)lace, and even urged to take it. Governor Washl)urn had previously offered me such a posi- tion, but I did not feel that there would be perfect accord between Dr. Sweat and myself, and l)esides, I had decided to serve as a comliatant. 57 Thursday, Deo. 2"), I wont down to Otliit's Cross Roads to soe the siok we left behind when wo oanio to this })laoo. I found the livino- doino- well, but three had died. 1 also visited a family by the name of Connell ^vitli whou] I had become ac(|iiainted. They were nice people and had been very friendly and helpful to the sick soldiers. Our former camp was very near their house. On my return, I visited a family by the name of Higgins, professionally. He w^as a coarse, ignorant man, and probably a rel)el at heart. I took dinner with him, the [)rinci- pal dishes being boiled bacon and cabbage. I made a little visit to DarnestoAvn to get a few things for our com})any moss. It is seven miles from camp and General Banks at one time had his headquarters there. There were three stores, a church, and some thirty dwelling houses, mostly in a dilapidated condition. In the store I went into, there was a crowd of rough looking fellows, some of thoni gambling, some smoking and some drink- ing. The stock in trade seemed to l)e largely com- })osed of liquors. One man came in and bought tive bottles of whiskey and two pounds of sugar. On the way, I stopped at a plantation owned and ooou})iod by John B. Dutiotf, a Frenchman. He had a tine })Iantation of a thousand acres and his crop of wheat was two thousand bushels. Sickness seemed to increase, and I was kept cjuite busy treating men in their quaiters. There Avere some tine singers in the Lewiston company, and often in pleasant weather they would 58 get together for a coueert. They eouUl .sing a great variety of songs inehidiiig tiie hitest war songs. These coneerts were very enj()3al)le. Sometimes when I stra3"ed from the camp, I fonnd wikl })ear trees with fruitage. Tiiough not ecjual to best home varieties, they were a great treat. I also gathered persinunons which were new to me. The skin is astringent and hitter l)iit after the frosts, the pulp is mildly acid and very nice. The wood one meets with here is oak, hickory, sycamore, chestnut and red cedar. There is also pine. Oak, hickory and chestnut make excellent fuel, but sycamore is almost incombusti- ble. When green, it is td)solutely so, and when dried, it is not much l)etter. Ours was a pleasant cani})ing ground at Otfut's Cross Roads and well sheltered. At the north was a dense growth of pines, and south and east a tine forest of white oak. Westward was a large tield, smooth and dry and very convenient for drill and parade . Al)out thetirst of Novemljer, we heard cannonad- ing all day in the direction of Leesburg. It was very exciting. We afterward learned that it was a cavalry engagement at Aldie in which the First Maine Cavalry was engaged and in which its Col. Doughty was killed. This was the tirst hostile tiring Ave had heard and it seemed not far aw^ay, though it actually was <|uite a long distance otf. The location of cani})ing grounds and dates of events have heretofore been a little confused in 50 those IvccoUoc-tions, lor after thirty years have chii)sed, the exact order of events is not readily recalled. On one occasion I made a trip from camp to AVashinirton in a canal l)oat and took special notice of })laces aloni>- the route. The captain of the boat was a roui>h old Pennsylvanian who had his wife alono- to do the cookinjr. He had two pairs of nudes to pull the boat, two working at a time, and the other })air when off duty had quarters on the deck of the boat. These boats on their down- ward tri}) were generally loaded with coal or luml)er, and on the return, with groceries, cured tish and other family supplies. Its rate of speed was from two to three miles an hour, including the delay at the locks. This trip was made in March, and innnense tlocks of l)irds crossed, at short intervals, from the Virginia side and passed northward on their wtiy to New England. Xoticeal)le on the ]\Iaryland side was a large farm and house wdiich the ca})tain informed me was 0(;cupied by the family of a Mr. AVhite who was a relative of the guerilla leader. There was a mixture of rebel and Union l)eople along the Maryland side and they had a hard time in this del)atable land. They were robbed by both armies and obliged frecpiently to repeat "Good Lord and Good Devil." Many of the sons of the r(>l)el families were in Lee's army, and oftentimes the head of the family would serve with AVhite's guerillas. It ^vas known that they occasionally visited their homes, arriving after dark and leaving 60 before day. Like other .sections of the South, the farmsteads in Maryhmd are large and the houses situated far apart. Looldng across to the Virginia side, the vistas were scenes of extreme desohition. There was no sign of life, and occasional stacks of chimneys where farm-houses had been burned were graphic monuments of devastating war. After a time we came to the Seneca quarries. The rocky formation is a high bluff of dark red sandstone, deposited in layers and very easy to work. The material for the Smithsonian Institute build- ing at AVashington was taken from this (juarry. Half a mile along are Seneca mills situated on a creek of the same name. Vast (juantities of \v^";it are here changed into flour, no small part of which comes from the upper Potomac l)y this canal. These mills, since the war bcran had furnished flour for both Union and rebel soldiers, and very likely did so again before the contest was over. Seneca lock is the next thing to attract our atten- tion. It was in this lock that private True of our regiment found a watery grave. His l)ody was found in the lock, his hands clutching his nnisket as though his last thoughts were fixed u})on his soldier duties. A "hotel" is hard by here, if a place where liquors and ])oor food is dispensed and cleanliness is dispensed with, is entitled to such a name. In the background was the encampment of Captain Lamb's Company G of our regiment, occupying the same ground where a company of 61 the loth VeniiDiit spent the siimnicr. South of the caini), on a little rise, the white headboards of the dead Vernionters eould he seen. They lost a large number of men here, and it is a low, suidceii, malarious plaee. It was an important ])laee and needed to be strictly guarded though at great sacrifice of precious li\ es. Laurel Hill is next passed, so called ))ecause it is covered by a thick growth of laurel. The laurel here is an everii'reen shrub o-vowinii* amono- the chestmits and locusts. It is about six feet high, covered with ovate leaves about the size oi those of the black alder. The leaves are thick and firm, and contain so little moisture that tlie frost does not injure them. They are very beautiful in their liglit green, shining foliage. The water in the Potomac which has moved quietly along for a num- ber of miles, here rushes over rocks and through gorges, its surface covered with foam and its roar heard for a long distance. Now we come to Muddy Branch where we cani])ed the first night u[) from Washington, and which recalls nothing pleasant. We were here some days, and were very glad to get away. Company B of our regiment was here at the time of this trip, doing guard duty in this vicinity. They had been here a long time and were heartily sick of the place and its surroundings. I have not spoken here of Offut's Cross Roads, our second camping place, l)ecause it was situated back from the river and could not be seen from the canal. 62 Passing dowinvai'd, we soon re;i:-h (livat Fulls on the Potoniiic. Here the govenmii'nt h;ul expended millions of dollars in eonstrueting works to furnish a supply of water to the District of Columbia. Ah this was their only dependence during tiie war, it was necessary to have it strictly guarded. While the boat was passing through the several locks, I stepped ashore and was shown througli the works. Passing the falls, we were sodu at Chain Bridge and then at Georgetown, the southern termimis of the cansd. The old boatman had his little son along with him to whom I gave a doughnut from my haversack. The little fellow did not know what it was and carried it to his father for information, which he failed to get. The old man declared that he had never before seen anything like it. The boy ate it after his curiosity was satisfied and, like Oliver Twist, wanted and asked for "more." About this time deaths were frequent in our regiment. There was a funeral almost every day, antl fre({uently two in one day. The measles had been prevailing in the regiment for some time, and the deaths generally resulted from the disease. It first broke out in (V)nn)any C. 1 was called to see a sick man and pronounced it measles, at which Doctor Sweat called me a blank fool, but he soon had to own up that I was right. Aurestus Perham had the measles and was the special charge of myself and Chaplain Snow. He got along very well and did not have a relapse. The relapse was 63 what itrovcd fatal in many cases. I w:is sent to A\"asliinLit()n with some siek men inehidim:" Iliram P. Kniiiht of Paris wiio was to be dischai'ued. He >v^as too frail for a soldier and never shoidd have entered the service. Claude Twitchell was sick and I went to see him before o-oing to Washinaton. He was in the 14th New Hampshire, and died. While in Washington I attended a court mar- tial where I tirst saw General jMcClcllan. 1 was quite disappointed in his personal ap})earance. 1 made no my mind then and there that he could not be a very great man. At the same time, I saw Generals Hunter, Hitchcock, Heintzelman and some others. In the Senate, I heard Senator Morrill of Maine reply to Powell of Kentucky in a most scathing spee(;h. It was the gay season in AVash- ington, and notwithstanding the impending crisis and the discouraging state of atiairs, ])alls and parties Avere the order of the day and night. The city was full of officers and all the theatres and other })laces of amusement were i)acked nightly. December 14tli I gallo})ed across the country to liockville, the shire town of ^Montgomery county, to get Baltimore ])a})ers. The })lace was dirty, the streets muddy and tilthy, and I saw l)ut few people save negroes. Saturday morning, December 2()th, we received orders to leave Cam]) G rover and move to Seneca though we did not understand we were to make a long stay thi're. Mc broke camj) at eight o'clock 64 ill the nioriiinu', and reached our })laee ot" destination l)ct()re niii'lit. Wi' lei't nearly a hundred and fifty siek at the old eanij). Tuesday night I was officer of the })icket, and as the place was new to nie, the duties were quite difficult. I stationed pickets at five different points, and visited each post several times during the night. Tliree refugees came into our lines from over the Potomac Tuesday afternoon and were detained. They were ragged and filthy, but hold and defiant in speech. Friday, December 26th, Colonel Virgin had orders to leave Seneca and march to P^dward's Ferry, about ten miles farther up the river, and establish head(juarters of the regiment there. Our company and several others were to go. We had been at Seneca only three days. We marched Along the tow path of the canal. The day was warm and with my blanket and overcoat strapped upon my back and haversack on my shoulder, I found the march (juite tedious. But the travelling was excellent, the ground being hard and dry. While we were on the route, at one point, a large number of colored peo[)le, })r()bably nearly a hun- dred came near the river and gave us a character- istic serenade. They sang numerous negro melo- dies, scores of both sexes joining in the chorus, and finally l)egan to dance to the music of several of our fifes. We stopped and Avitnessed the })erfor- mance for nearly half an hour. It was Christmas time and a holiday, and these people were out on 65 a lark. We reached the ferry about two o\-h)ck in the afternoon, l)ut our tents and cam}) equn)age which came l)y canal boat did not come u}) until far. into the night. We borrowed a few tents from the men of the 39th jMassachusett.s Regiment which had l^een here some time, and managed to get along quite Avell. This Edward's Ferry and ])laccs near by, Conrad's Ferry, Ball's Bluff and Poolesville, were quite familiar to me though I had not been there before. Ball's Bluff' Av^as the scene of Union defeat and the tragic death of the talented and gal- lant Colonel Baker. The officers of our company burrowed under a stack of wheat the first night at Edward's Ferry, and though annoyed somewhat by mice, we slept quite well. AVe crawled out early Saturday morn- ing, and after haying our coffee we were ready for pitching our tents. Edward's Ferry ^vas not nuicli of a place any way. There was one store kept by a man named Viers, and a few old houses. There Av^as neither ferryl)oat nor ferryman, and there was no call for any, for all crossing the riyer was pro- hil)ited. We laid out our camp aliout half a mile from the ferry, on the Poolesyille road. It was high and dry and afforded a beautiful pr()si)ect of the surrounding country and across into Dixie. Goose Creek empties into the riyer on the Virginia side just below the ferry, and extends back into the country nearly at right angles Ayitli the riyer. On the north side of this creek mounted rebel scouts 66 were said to have been seen tVoni our encampment, supposed to ')(' some of White's men. 1 saw none. Most of the ])eopk' al)()ut here were known to be secessionists, thouizh they, .too, had h'arned to say "Good liord and (rood Devil," e(|unl to those we left down the river. Many of the families here furnished men for AVhite's marauders, and were in almost constant connnunication ^\ ith the i>uei'illa chief. White's father lived within a short distance of our encam])ment, and rockets were sometimes sent up from his house in t!ie niulit, doubtless as signals to his son on the other side of the river. Colonel A'iruin received intelliii'ence to-day (Sun- day, Dec. 2- officer. He objected to 73 my })apers after a slight examination of them, and said I nnist have others. I sent to the regiment to have new ones made out and waited day after day for nearly two weeks, but no papers came. I called again on Captain De liussey Avho again examined my papers and pronounced them correct. I did not tell him they were the same papers he had condenmed before. This was the ^vay business was done in some of the departments during the entire war. Officers were kept from their com- mands for days and days on account of some alleged technicality and then it Avould appear, as in my case, that there was not even a technicality in the way. AVhile waiting in Washington, I visited Fairfax Seminary Hospital and Alexandria. I visited the house where the gallant Ellsworth was shot and other points of interest. Alexandria was a rusty old town and but little business seemed to be doing except that growing out of the war. I also visited the 25th Maine Keiiiment on Arlington Heiohts and found the camp in a very pleasant situation. They were (juartered in huts covered in with boards and a})})eared to be very comforta])le. The fortifi- cations at this i)lace appeared to me to be very strong, and all the forts l)ristled with heavy guns. I had a pleasant call on the medical staff. Doctors Carr, True and Bowker. Doctor True is the only one that survives at this writing. That evening, I S})ent with Major David P. Stowell who was feeling very sore over his supersedure, and also with 4 74 Captain John Quincy Adams of the 10th Maine who was wounded at Cedar jVIountain and liad not then recovered. On the night of the Kth, rebel cavahy made a raid upon Fairfax court house and carried otf a Union l)ri<>adier and his staff. They were all cauiiht sleeping. The conscription act was passed while 1 was at AVashinoton and alforded great pleasure to the loyal element in Washington. It incicated that the rebellion Avas to be put down at whatever cost. While in Washington this time, I went to the theatre frequently. Jt was a great }>leasure to witness Daven})ort's Kichard the Third. I did not succeed in getting mustered until jNIarch 2irds and tlowers, and the nightly croaking of frogs, but the iandsca})e now wore a decided winter as}iect. The snow was accomjianied by a heavy gale, and ])icket duty was very uncomfortable. I was officer of the })icket during this storm and was out in most of it. While I was absent in AA'ashington, our camp w:is moved to the top of a hill about two-thirds of a mile from the old encampment. The removal was a great imiirovement as it took us to a dry and clean ti(»](l where the grass had made a good start and every- thing pleasant and nice. Headijuarters of the 75 picket were established at the Ferry, and the officer's quarters in the warehouse. The snow went off as suddenly as it came, and was followed by delightful sunny weather. One day I went out quail-hunt- ing, in company with Mr. Mers, the trader at the Ferry. He was an expert at shooting them on the wing while I was not, and the result was that he filled his l)ag while I saw game in })lenty l)ut bagged none. I found him a man of some cidture and a very pleasant comptmion. It was rumored at this time that we were soon to move to Poolesville and that the detached com- panies would rejoin us. The spring had now lully come, and the season for activity in the confronting armies. Changes in the position of troops were of daily occurrence. We located our camj) near the little village of Poolesville, but had not got fairly settled before we had orders to break camj) and march down the river. I had been appointed on a general court martial, and the court had just con- vened when word c:une that ^\e must be ready to march at three o'clock in the afternoon. \A'e adjourned our court at one o'clock, ate our dinners and then packed up. We started as usual in a drenching rain and marching to Edward's Ferry, camped there over night in our wet clothes. The rain })()ured down all night and was })ouring down when ^ve left in the morning. AVe marched to Great Falls and again turned in ^vet and cold and without lire. The next morning we started early 76 and reached Chain Bridiie in the forenoon. We crossed over and tor the lirst time went into camp on Virginia soil. ( )ur encani})ment was just over the ])ridiie. A New I'ork reiiinient was in camp here, commanded by Col. J)e liussey who hekl the rank of major in the regidar army. He was a brother of Captain De Kussey who annoyed me so about mustering me, and they were the sons of an officer in the old United States army. He praised our regimental drill, and complimented us highly on our exerci.es in the manual of arms. He was a tine officer and a gentleman, and was soon after made a l)rigadier. ]May 13th we were still in camp near Chain Bridge. We were situated about six miles above Washington and in the defenses of the city. The weather came on very warm, the mur- cury indicating 90" in the shade. We found the .s})ring weather here very capricious. There were very sudden changes, not at all conducive to health. In the early part of the night, an orderly from General Heintzleman's headquarters brought the report that Stewart's rebel cavalry had crossed the Kap])ahannock and was near our out})osts. A regi- ment of infantry was sent up to us and cannon were placed on Chain Bridge and on A(j[ueduct Bridge at Georgetown. The next day we heard of this cavalry between us and Bull Run mountain. Lieutenant Bolster came up from AVashington where he had spent the niaht and was glad to iind us all safe. He had heard that we had been attacked and 77 the 2od badjy cut to })icct'.s. It was found ai^ain that C\)l. Virii'iu was tlic rankino- officer and so he took couiniand of the l)rigade which Col.De Kussey relinquished very gracefully. On the 14th, about 5 o'clock, I started out with Major Soule to visit our outposts. We Avere on horseback. We went u}) the Leesburg pike about three miles and then struck off towards Arlington Heights to the Arling- ton road, then faced about and returned to camp, distant three miles. We passed many nol)le man- sions but negroes and women were the onl}'' occu- pants. Fathers and sons were in the rebel army. Our advance picket line was al)out three miles from camp and four miles in length. The detail was about one hundred privates beside officers. The exigencies of the case here demanded the strictest attention to duty, and the cheerfulness and alacrity with which our men i)erformed their work was highly commendable. Our camp was situated upon a side hill where many troops had encamped since the war began. The Sixth Maine was here a year before. I was out in charge of the picket the 15th and IGth. Hooker's defeat at Chancel lorsville caused great despondency in our camp for he had been the favorite and a l)rilliant record was anticipated for him. The woods looked very })retty at this time. The box-wood was in bloom and flowers of various shades and hues were very plentiful. I ol>tained 78 some Virginia ^iiakc-root and some l)l()()(l-r()()t, both t)f ^vhicli h-dXQ beautiful 1)1(),s.soiils. Flowers spriuii' u]) in the ])atli\vay of armies, and it is won- derful how soon nature asserts herself and hastens to reelothe the s})ots made bare by violenee and strife. ^yo Avere still at Chain Bridge on the 17th. ('haj)lain Snow ^vas with us. lieeause he declined to reeei})t for wood Avliieh he did not liaAe, (Quarter- master Bray refused him rations. While at Chain Bridge he l)oarded in our mess. Captain Bolster was quite sick for several days while we were here and the command of the company devolved upon me. Calvin Kichardson was taken sick here and was (juite feeble for some time. He had been a good soldier and had always done, his duty without com})laint or fuss. We were paid off here and I went to» Washington to forward the money sent home by the men amounting to $3900. I returned to cami) the same night. The fruit trees were now" in bloom, and wheat where it Avas sutiered to grow, had a good start. At this time, our regiment as a whole was healthy and in splendid condition for duty. Soon afterward, not far from May 24th, we had orders to ]\f arch to Alexandria. A raid into that old town was feared. AVe Avent into camp near the city and conmienced to dig ritle pits which were extended in dou])le lines all about the })lace. The streets were also closed by means of palisades and 79 every precaution taken to prevent an attack or to repel it, if it should l)e made. The men worked very hard here, and they did it without complaint. But time })assed and no raid was made or attempted. In all })rol)al)ility the prompt action taken by the authorities })re vented it. On the sixteenth of June, we received orders to march up the Potomac again, though our precise destination w'as unknown to us. Gen. Lee was marching toward Harrier's Ferry, while the army of the Potomac was advancing to head him oft". An invasion of the states of Pennsylvania and Mary- land was now fully expected. A^^e were to leave our cam}) equipage l)ehind and move in light march- ing order. Our term of enlistment was so nearly out that it seemed very strange that we should he sent away so far. But it was not yet out, and there was nothing for us to do but to obey orders. We marched to the vicinity of Poolesville where we remained a day or two. On the march, we camped one night near the edge of a wood. We had no tents and were olilio-ed to g-et alonjr o o o with our rubber ponchos. There w^as a severe shower in the night and I awoke half covered with water. I stood my back against a tree and remained standing the rest of the night. Many others Avere as badly otf. In the morning we resumed our march and after the sun came up and our clothes became dry, we felt not the least dis- comfort from the night's exposure. We were 80 becouiino- hardened and inured to the exposures of a sokliers life. While the regiment was halted near Poolesville, Company F was detached to <>uard the sijgnal station on Sugar Loaf, a conical hill sit- uated between Poolesvillc and Frederic. We at once repaired to the place, ])ut were destined to be there only a short time. While there we had a tine prospect of the country round about. We could see Frederic very plainly, and by the aid of a iield glass saw a rebel cavalry raid, probal)ly some of AVhite's men, into the town. The regi- ment was ordered to Harper's Ferry, and our com- pany was ordered to join the regiment as it passed along. The entire brigade was in the column and reached a i)()int ()})posite Harper's Ferry on the 2()thof June. AVe went into camp on jNIaryland Heights and formed part of the garrison of this place. Gen. Hooker proposed to evacuate the place and join the troo})s here to the arm 3^ of the Potomac, which was now advancing through Maryland on its way to Gettysburg. The war department declined to accede, and so General Hooker resigned. I saw him for a few moments at the headquarters of General French, the com- mander of the garrison. On Maryland Heights we found the half buried dead of the troops that fell there a yetir before. The soil was thin and sterile, and in many ])laces, skulls and feet were exposed aliove the surface. From this point too we could see the advance of Lee's army crossing the Poto- 81 mjic a few miles al)ove. Evervthinu- indicated a fearful battle, and although our term of enlistment had nearly expired, we fully expected to have a part in it. What the feelings of the men upon the su1)ject were, it was not easy to determine. They said but little about it. If any etfort had been made to keep them in the service until after the crisis had passed, I fully believe they would have remained. Colonel Virgin put in no remonstrance, and did not notify the commanding general that our time was so nearly up. But there were those in Washing-ton who were keeping our time, and on the twenty-seventh of June orders from the war de})artment were issued to the coumianding Gen- eral at Harper's Ferry, directing him to furnish transportation for our regiment to Baltimore. AVhile here, I crossed over to the Virginia side, visited the arsenal where John Brown made his last stand, and other places of interest. So on the twenty-seventh t)f June, the regiment took the cars at Sandy Hook and started homeward. In the evening, we passed the camps or tents of the advance ot the army of the Potomac. They cov- ered an immense area, and the glimmer of their lights in thousands of shelter tents, Avas a beautiful sight. At Baltimore we remained a day waiting for transportation which being furnished, ^vc i)assed on to Philadelphia. Here we were again feasted and earnestly solicited to remain a few days to aid in iiuarding the citv from a much feared raid by 82 r(0)el cavalry. But the men liad now turned their faces homeward and could not be peri-iuaded to remain. They had fulfilled their obligation, and mo.st of them intended to le-enlist and did re-enlist, hut l)ef()re doing so they desired to visit their homes and families. Some of the ofhcers would have remained but the enlisted men were evidently unani- mous or nearly so in their determination to go home. No vote Avas taken, but the indications were unmistakable. The regiment again took the cars and had an uneventf\d trip to Portland and the old camp, where on the fifteenth of June, it was mustered out of the service of the United States by Lieut. Grossman of the liegular Army. The Twenty-third Maine Regiment had had no fighting, but it had had a great deal of disagreeable ])icket duty and no small amount of marching. The loss by death from sickness was much larger than the average of Maine regiments, and for the time, ecjual to many which had been in active service witli the enemy. Those who blamed the regiment for leav- ing the field when the l;attle of Gettysbur;, I know not. John F. Lihl^y resides in Carthage, Daniel H. Young in Nel)raska and Edward E. Stevens in Rumtbrd. Many ofthe l)rivates have fallen into that slee[) that knows no waking. It was a good company and one that re(j[uired but little effort to keep in good discipline. Quite a number of them re-enlisted and served to the end of the war. The marches and stations of the 23d Maine Reg- iment are shown in tlie foUowing tal)le : i. Mustered into United States service at Port- land, Sept. 21), 1802. ii. Left Portland for Washington Octolx'r 1 i'e(iiu'st of the (iovernor uiid with the consent ot'the men enlisted, I changed ovei" to liii'ht artillery with the promise of the sec- ond })osition. The captaincy of the new 1)attcry was ui\cn to AdeUxnt I>. Twitchell who had seen honorable service in the Fifth Maine IJattery, and who had come to Maine to assist in recruit ing the seventh, f^oren K. Ihiiidy who was orderly ser- geant of the Fifth Battery was given a lieutenancy, and the other two commissions were given to Dan- iel 8ta})les of Old Town and Frank Tlior])e of Boothhay, hoth of Avhom had seen service in the infantry. Our conipany Avas made up mostly of veterans and was designated a veteran organization. Some of oui" sergeants had previously held com- missions. fJohn C. (^uimhy had served as lieuten- ant and caj)tain in the Second Maine, and Sergeant John E. A\'illis had served as lieutenant in a New Ham})sliire regiment. Some of our privates were graduates from college, many of them were students, and there was scarcely one who liad not received a good e(hicati()n. We had very c()mforta])le (juarters and had c()m})aratively little sickness while at Augusta- The cavalry regiment was encami)ed on the State grounds very near us, while the twenty-ninth and thirtieth were in camp on the Mulliken farm, a little out on th(» Wintlirop road. The battery was nmstered into the service of the United 91 States on the 29tli day of Deeciubcr, l>y Lieutenant Joshua Fessenden of the reiiidar army. Canij) life in Auiiu.sta was dull and monotonous. The officers studied the tacties but as Ave had no ouns to illus- trate the text, it was dry and uninterestinu'. AA'e had a few men in our company, and only a few, who would sometimes get intoxicated when they had the opportunity, and these gave us no little trouble. We could not keep them in cam}) all the time, and whenever they went into the city they were (j[uite sure to get into ti'onble. There were unscrupulous })eople in Augusta as well as else- where, Avho seemed to regard the l)ounty money of a drunken soldier as legitimate plunder. Intox- icating li(iuors were sold in many places and when a soldier l)ecame intoxicated in one of the mnnerous dens, he was sure to be rol)bed to his last dollar. If a soldier hired a stable team without making a definite agreement as to the price before leaving, he was often charged five ;ind six times the regular price . I went to Aul)urn one day in January, and was al)sent two days. When I returned a pleasant sur- prise awaited me. In the presence of the company and in their l)ehalf, a fine gold watch and chain were presented to me by Captain Twitchell, \vhich I still carry and highly prize. AVhile in Augusta, the non-commissioned officers and })rivates made up a purse of three hundred dollars for the purchase of a horse for Captain 92 Twitc'lu'll. The inoiu'v w:is })Iuc(hI in the haiul;^ of Corporal Lennan F. Jones who went u}) the Ihie of the Grand Trunk Kail way and in due time returned Avith a tine stallion, hlaek as the rav(Mrs win'oodman (ierrish, Sanuiel (joodwin, Henry H. Goudy, Joel Goodwin, Thomas H. Ilyde, David S. Hawes, John B. Ilazeltine, George Ilotham, George Holmes, Charles E. Ilaynes, William M. Hobbs, George II. Hutchins, George E. Howe, Charles B. Howard, IIerl)ert E. Hale, William Hamilton, Ens worth T. Harden, liobert S. Plysom, George A. Johnson, Private, Presque Isle. York. iVIonmouth. Rumford. Aulmrn. Sidney. 4 i Monmouth. Dresden. Dresden. Rumford. Woodstoek. Bethel. Bristol. Brunswiek. Trov. Bethel. Rumford. Bristol'. . Rumford. Limington. Ti'oy . Monmouth. Lis1)on. Mercer. Norridgewock. Rumford. Bethel. Al1)any. Norridgewock. Unitv. Bethel. Bristol. Alfred. 95 Levi D. Jewell, Private, George II. Kiiiihall, " Charles G. Kenney, " John W. Leavitt, " flames S. Lowell, " George 8. Landers, " Charles X. Lindsey, " Frank Lancaster, " Daniel H. Lovcjoy, " Orrin R. LeGrow, " Joseph La|)h:ini, " Isaac F. Laphani, Anil). Driver, A\'illiani iMartin, James McLoon, Sylvester JMason, George W . Marston, Finson R. Mclveen, Rol)ert W. Manning. Ilezekiah G. Mason, John Mason, flames B. Mtison, Alonzo 1>. Merrill, Gardiner F. MeDaniel, fl()sei)h K. Niles, Daniel F. Oakes, John G. Frehle, Simon Piper, fir., James H. Pratt, Sanniel fl. Peed, vVsa A. Powe, Charles (). Randall, CharU's A. Reed, floseph Jiing, Thomas J. Rowe. Asa Richardson, Ezra Ridlon, Jr., Private, Woodstock. Mercer. Bristol. A\"inthrop. Portland. Monmouth. Norridgewock. Dresden. AVindham. Rum ford. AA'oodstock Rumford . Bremen . Bethel. ]Monniouth. Dresd(Mi. ]\Iason. Bethel. A\'o()dstock. Ilolden. China. Webster. Fddington. Gilead. Weld. AA'oodstock. Daniariscotta. Crilead. Bangor. Monmouth. Ilolden. Gilead. Rumford. AVoodstock, 96 Alfred Ko])erts, rrivatc, Fordinaiid A. Smith, " William E. Stevens, "• FraiK'is F. Stevens, " Charles Stewart, " Thomas S. Simms, " Sanmel Stevens, " (ieoriie F. Sumner, " llarve}' B. Sinniions, " Lorino- C. Simpson, " Austin F. Twitchell, "■ Albert Towle, . " William L. Twitchell, Levi F. Towle, Jr., " Howard P. Todd, " Edward 11. ^^'aldron, " Charles E. Wheeler, " Frank S. Wade, " Alfred B. Wyman. " Apollos Williams, '' (Charles A. N. Waterman, " George AVilliston, Jr., " Edward P. A^'hitney, Harvey H. AN'ebber, " Freeland Youno-, " Durham. Portland. Unity Woodstock. Norridiicwock. Portland. Xorridi>ewock. Union. Alna. Bethel. Kenduskeao-. Bethel. Kenduskeaa*. Momnouth. Camden. Mason. Norridgewock. AA'ebster. (lorham, N. H. Durham. J^runswick. A^'intllro]). liristol. Paris. . JOINED AFTER JANUARY, 1864. Josei)h H. Anthoine, Private. Windham. Ebenezer A. Brooks, "■ Winslow. J()se})h E. Benner, '' Xobleboro. Oscar Blunt, " Brownville. Augustus Barden, Park B. Bachelder, ]\Ioses W. Bagley, liobert M. Commings, New Portland. Troy. Portland. 97 Andrew L. Cram, Private, Warren O. Douglass, " Jonas P. Dudley, Joseph H. Dunham, Charles Emerson, " Willis C. Estes, Sewell B. Emery, Samuel Fessenden, " Francis G. Flao-g, Frederick C. Fuller, Leverett W. Gerrish, Adney C. Gurney, Asa D. Hazeltine, George Hewey, " Lorenzo B. Harringion, " Ivory C. Hanson, " David D. Hanson, " Alfred J. Haskell, Frank H. Hamilton, " Elery G. Harris, Lorenzo A. Jones, " James Kelly, Martin V. Knight, " Elias A. Lothrop, " Oscar W. Litchfield, Milfrcd Mahoney, Isaac J. Marble, Aaron A. Merrill, Samuel W. Nash, James li. Nickerson, Isaac F. PoUey, David R. Pierce, AurestusS. Perham, " John Reed, Orrin Ross, Poi-tland. Paris. Readticld. Paris. Turner. Troy. Poland. Rockland. Jeft'erson. Lewiston . Paris. Troy. Wells. Lewiston. New Portland. Windsor. Portland. (( Gilead. Jett'erson. Stronii'. Troy." Scarboro. Portland. Augusta. Brownvillc. Pownal. Jert'erson. Belgrade. Portland. Porter. Paris. Porter. 98 James A. Eolierts, Private, Paris. Ashley C. Rice, ( ( Windham. Charles V. llichards, ( ( Wavne. Wintield S. Starbird, 4 i Paris. Oliver B. Strout, i I lV)land. Llewellyn L. Stevens, li Troy. Charles W. Smith, i i i i Benjamin F. Snow, i i Brownville. fJohn T. Savage, i I Portland. Henry Stockbridge, i i Poland. Samnel Taylor, i i ( i William II. Thompson i i 5 Xew Portland. Edwin AVoodsnm, ( i Poland. Laforest Warner, (( Paris. Andrew J. W^oodbury, ( ( Belgrade. Thomas M. Adams, k ( Union. George II. Blake, i I Portland. Joseph L. Bennett, i i Bridgton . W^entworth M. Brown i i Poland. Randall Conant, i i Plymouth. Nathaniel C. Dean, I i A\'e])ster. P>mery C. Dunn, i i Dixmont. Harris W. Jordan, i i Wel)ster. Howard W. Merrill, i i Augusta. David H. Merrill, i i Saeo. William L. Newton, i k Portland. Those who were enlisted for the battery, but never joined it, and were discharged JVIay 18, 18()5, on account of the close of the war : — Alvin J. Poland, George ^I. Pease, Perry Russell, Wesley Strout, David'O. Sawtelle, Charles AV. Wormel Elliott B. Walker, I^ri vate , Portland. liridgton, Harrison. Poland. Sidnev. Betlu'i. Na[)les. 99 Whole number enlisted for the batteiy during its term of service, 221). rRo:\[OTioNS. Corporal Augustus M. Carter, promoted sergeant. Private Luther Briggs, promoted corporal, " I)el})hinus B. Bicknell, promoted corporal. " Finson R. jMcKeen, }n-omoted cor][)oral. " Ferdinand A. Smith, promoted corporal. " Harvey B. Sinnnons, promoted corporal. " All)ert Towle, promoted corporal. Capt. A. B. Twitchell, ])r<)moted hrevet-major of artillery. Lieut. Wm. r>. Lapham, promoted Capt. A. Q. ]\r. and hrevet-major U. S. volunteers. Lieut. Loren E. Bundy, promoted senior 1st Lieut., not mustered. " Frank rhorpe, 1st Lieut., not mustered. Orderl}^ Sergt. O.shorne J. Pierce, 2d Lieut., not mustered. Sergt. Howard Gould, ])romoted Q. M. sergeant. Corporal DelphinusB. Bicknell, promoted sergeant. Private Joseph H. Anthoine, promoted corporal. " Stanley C. Alley, promoted corporal. - " Alfred H. Briggs, promoted corporal. " Warren O. Carney, promoted ailiticer. " Herbert E. Hale, ]^romoted corporal. " Samuel J. Fessenden, promoted 1st Lieut., First Maine Battery. " Levi D. Jewell, promoted corporal. " Orrin R. LeGrow, promoted corporal. " Aurestus S. Perham, promoted sergeant- major First Maine Mounted Artillery, Fei)ruary 11, ISf)"). " Samuel Y. Keed, appointed l)ugler. 100 CASUALTIES AND DISCHAKGES. Sergt. William H. Jones, died of disease April 1, 1804. Musician Frank Q. Bodwell, wounded May 18, 1864. Artificer George S. Rieker, died of disease March 21,'l8G4. Private Moses H. Arthur, discharged for disability April'O, 18()4. *' AVilliam Andrew, died in hospital August 27, 1864. " diaries W. Ashley, died in hos})ital July 17, 1864. " ^^'illianl R. Bean, wounded May 12, 1865 ; discharged. " Charles C. Burt, discharged for disability April 111, 1864. " Lemuel T. Field, died of disease March 23, 1864. " James IT. Fall, wounded ]\Ia\' 12, died May 16, 18(54. " Samuel Goodwin, died of disease October 4, 1864. " Georire Holmes, discharged for disability June 20, 1864. " John W. Leavitt, died of disease March 16, 1864. " Robert W. Manning, dro})ped from rolls as deserter January 11, 1864. " Hezekiah G. Mason, wounded July 25, 1864. " Joseph R. Niles, wounded June 3, died July 26, 1864. " Asa A. Rowe, died of disease April 19. 1864. 101 Private Charles O. Eandall, ^vounded .May 21, 1864. '' Charles A. Reed, died of disease lebruyra 17, 1861. '' Charles E. Wheeler, died of disease Aug. 6,1864. ^ ., . . Brioos G. Besse, discharged June 2!) , 1 864 . '^ LoSnzo Billings, discharged April KK 1865. " 1 T 1 - Ebenezer A. Brooks, discharged June i, 186:k . - lienjaniin S. Crawford, discharged tor dis- ai)ilitv January 17, 1865. '- Archy S. Cole, deserted at Augusta, Alarch 1, 1865. " Georo-e E. Dewitt, died of disease >.ovem- be?9, 1864. Asbury E. Eastman, discharged June 2, 1865. " John Goudy, discharged for disability June 10, 1865. " James Gould, deserted on furlough Marcli 28, 1865. '' Thomas H. Hyde, transferred to V et. Kes. Corps March 15, 18(i5. " Ellsworth T. Harden, discharged tor disa- bility January 2, 18(55. " William C. Hutchinson, discharged June 2, 1865. " Erank H. Hamilton, absent, whereabouts unknown. Georo-e A. Johnson, discharged tor disa- bility January 13, 1865. George W. Marston, discharged June 17, 1865. 102 Private Jauics B. Ma.soii, (lischarii'cd for disability June 10, 18(i5. " CliarlcsO. Randall, discharged tbrdisability March 20, iSCo. Alfred Koberts, dischari2,ed July 17, 15. Laforest ^^^lrller, died of disease January 1, 18(>5. " Emery C. Dunn, died of disease ^lay 17, 18G5. " Howard W. Merrill, died of disease ]\Iareli 27, 1865. Sylvester Mason, died of disease June 20, 1865. " Alpheus Fuller, wounded by a frairment of shell in Fort Sedgwick in February, 1865, but continued on duty. DIED SINCE THE AVAIL Lieut. Loreii A. Bnndy. Priv. James Gould. " Daniel Staples. "^ " Tlios. H. Hyde. Sergt. John E. Willis. " David S. Hawes. ''' Geo. A. McLellan. " J. B. Hazeltine. Corp. Harve}^ B. Simmons. '' W.C. Hutchinson. " Orrin R. LcGrow. " Geoi'ge Hewey. " Luther Briggs. " David D. Hanson. " Omar Smith. " L. A. Jones. " Albert To wle. " Geo. A. Johnson. " Levi D. Jewell. ^' A. B. Merrill. Priv. Samuel W. P)arker. " John Mason. ' ' Lorenzo Bill i ngs . "Mil fred ^Nlahoney . " Zaccheus Baker. " Geo.W. Marston. " Ebenezer A. Brooks. " Frank J. Norton. " Park B. l^achelder. " J. R. Xiekerson. " Wm. R. Bean. " Geo. M. Pease. 103 Priv. Charle.s C. Burt. Priv. Joseph Ring. " Benj. S. Crawford. " Asa Richardson. " Robert M. Cummino-s. " John Reed. " Randall Conant. " Orrin Ross. " Nathaniel C. Dean. " Oliver B. Strout. '^ Asbuiy E. Eastman. " L. S. Stevens. " Edgar Emery. " W. L. Twitchell. " Willis C. Estes. " Ed. H. Waldron. " Eben M. Field. " T.Q.AVaterhouse. " Edward F. Gerrish. " Apollos Williams. There were many discomforts in winter camp life, at the very best, in this high northern latitude, thouiih the later reg-iments fared much better than those that wintered here early in the war. The early regiments lodged under canvas, while we had board barracks made warm and comparatively com- fortable. But the men grew restive under the dis- cipline we were obliged to enforce, and we were not sorry when orders came for the Seventh Maine Battery to repair to Washington. Following this order, there was considerable stir and bustle in camp. Men were called in who had received brief furloughs to visit their friends, the sick in quarters were examined and those unlit for duty were sent to the hospital. The day of departure was fixed for the hrst of Fel)ruary. Ca})tain Twitchell had been boarding at the Augusta House, and the legislature being in session, he had made the acquaintance of many members and their ladies who became interested in his battery and were desirous of seeing the men as they marched by on their way to the cars. Captain 104 Twitc'liell went to the Augusta House leaving me in charge of the company and the line Avas formed in two ranks. We had made every effort to keep li(]uor out of the camp T)y granting no passes t(j the city for twenty-four hours, and thought we had succeeded. The men came into line pr()m[)tly and with great i)recision, and we marched up the avenue between the elms, reaching the street in front of the State House. Then taking the center of State street Ave marched toward the station. The uni- forms of men and oflicers were new, and the com- i)any made a very fine appearance. As we reached the Augusta House where we were to pass in review, the doors and verandas were filled with gentlemen and ladies Avho greeted us with smiling faces and with cheers. The company had good accommodations on the train, reached Boston and Providence without adventure and there took steamer for Jersey City. 1 st()])ped over in Boston to t:dve some sick to the h()s})ital but overtook the company at Providence. At Jersey City we were detained for an hour or t\A'o, and while there Lieutenant Biuidy's sister who was teaching in New Jersey came to see him. With us Avas Miss Adeltha, sister of Captain Twitchcll who went as far as Philadeli)hia. She was in the South teaching when the war broke out, and her return to the Noilh Avas attended Avitli many hardships and difficulties. She afterwards married a Colonel Thompson wiio had command of 105 a colored regiiuont during the Avar and f^ettled in Pennsylvania. She died a few years after the war. She was a lady of al)ility, well edncated and pos- sessed of many aniial)le (qualities. At Philadelphia the company was the recipient of the usual hospitalities and then went on to Washino-ton. Our first ni£>ht was s])ent in barracks where there were other soldiers, s(jme of whom were drunk and noisy and gave us but little chance to sleep. The next morning, the battery went to the artillery camp, some three miles from the city on the Bladensburg road. This was a cam}) of instruction and kno\vn as Camp Barry. Several batteries were there Asdien we arrived including the 14th Massachusetts, the 14th New York and the 2d Maine. The latter had been two years in the service, and was ordered there to recruit uj). AVe had A'ery nice (juarters and at once entered u})on the study of the tactics. Contrabands, as negroes are called, were very [)lenty about AVashington, and I hired a servant named Charles. He had been a slave in Virginia and proved to be a most unmitigated scamp. He would lie, steal and get drunk and yet he plead for forgiveness so effectively that he was retained sev- eral weeks. About his only redeeming trait was that he was a very tine singer. His voice was plaintive and as clear as that of a bird, and I never heard plantation songs and hynms sang with more touching pathos. But one day I had occasion to 100 ifo to town, and when I rcliirned '* (Charley "' was uudor arrest and in the uiiard liouso. Little uiorcy was shown colored })6o})lc in tlu! district courts at that time, and I knew if the olfenihn* should he handed over to the ci\'il authorities which would doul)tless have been the case, it would go very hard witli him, as his oltence was of an auuravated nature. So I went to the u'uard house and after a little i)arley with the officer in charge, he directed the soldier on duty, to allow the culprit to come out and see me. Camp Barry was enclosed by a high board fence yet not so high but a })ers()n of great strength and agility couhl si)ring up, catch by the top board and throw himself over. I walked with Charley out toward the fence, and then turned to him and asked him if he supposed he could get over that fence. He said he would like to have a chance to try. "Well," I said to him, "you have such a chance now and the (piicker you improve it, tlie l)etter it will be for you." He re(]uired no further hint, and was over tlie feuce almost in a twinkling. I never saw him nor -heard of him ao-ain. His full name was (yharles Simms. The guard had the good sense to be looking in the opposite direction, and when I returned by the guard house no (questions were asked. Connected with the batteries in Camp B irry, were many very hard customers, and hardly a day ])asse(l that more or less of them were not i)unished by l)eing tied to the spare wheel. The usual oU'ences were 107 hrcuking from camp, riuiiiing jiway to the city, drunkenness and disorderly conduct on their return. ]\Iany of them di;l not return until hrouiiht in by the i)rovost guard. Such were treated as deserters and tried as such. Ah)ng toward the hist of February, I was detailed as judge advocate of a general court martial convened to try a lot of these fello\vs. I have the charges and specifications, or many of them, at this date. The court was in ses- sion some weeks, and some thirty or forty soldiers were tried and most of them were convicted. The l)unishment was generally light. Forfeiture of i)ay and allowances, imprisonment, and police service in camp were the usual sentences. AVe had now been at Camp J)arry nearly three months and as the spring advanced and the time for active army operations approached, we naturally began to be solicitious, or at any rate curious, to know what was to be done with us. We had no doubt that we should see active service and that was what we wanted. AVe had had drilling to our hearts' content and were heartily tired of the routine of camp life. There were various rumors in camp, l)ut none could be traced to any reliable source. And there is something very strange al)out camp rumors. The most extravaaant stories will go from mouth to mouth and every effort to trace them to the fountain head, Avill be utterly unavailing. Of course they have their origin, but I never yet knew a case where it was found. Some said that 108 wc Avere to go with a secret expedition to some ])oint in the far South, and wlien it was said that Burnside was to have charge of the expedition, we felt tliat there might be some trutli in it, for we knew the Ninth Corps to be short of fiekl artillery, and when it landed at Annapolis we had felt and expressed the opinion th;it our destiny was more or less involved in the operations of this corps. Nor did we ol)iect. We had formed a very high o[)ini()n of General Burnside. We knew him to be every inch a man ; we knew him to l)e patriotic and self- sacrificing, nor did we think an}^ worse of him because he had failed as connnander-in-chief of the army of the Potomac. Orders finally came for us to draw our guns and other necessary articles, and to be ready to join the Ninth Army Corps which was to reinforce the army of the Potomac. Tlie Second Maine Battery in camp with us, and several others were to be attached to the Ninth Corps. This cor})s was to come up from Annapolis and march through the city of Washington, crossing the Potomac at Long- Bridge, and the batteries from Camp Barry were to join it as it passed through. Then there was great hurry and bustle in camp. Horses were drawn ; harnesses and other necessary articles pro- cured ; riders were selected and men for the dif- ferent positions about the guns. Theoretical infor- mation received from the study of the tactics, was now })ut in practice, and in this work Lieutenant 109 Bundy who had ])eon orderly scrueaiit in the Fifth Maine Battery, and was thoroughly familiar with everything pertaining to this branch of the service, was a valual)le man. Ca[)tain Twitchell had also l)een an officer in the same l)attery, and upon these two devolved chietiy, the duty of })utting things to rights and in shape for active service. We had considerable sickness among the men while in Camp Barry and lost several by death. Sergeant William H. -Tones from AYinthrop, one of the most intelligent and accomplished men in the company, was among the first to go. He was a graduate of Kent's Hill Seminar}", a line scholar, a po[)ular teacher and a very promising writer. His death was greatly deplored. There were several left behind when the battery went from Washing- ton, and some started with us who soon fell out l)y the way. How well I rememl)er the day ^vhen we joined the long column and crossed over Long Bridge and into Virginia. We were destined to see many a hard fought battle before we should return. The Ninth Corps at this time numbered nearly fifteen thousand men. There was a division of colored troops connected with it, and this was the first time I had seen negroes armed. The men of the corps had drawn new clothing at Annaj)()lis. and made a very fine appearance. In passing through Wash- ington and across the 1)ridge and also while passing the defences on the Virginia side, the troops marched in column of four al)reast, and it took a no long time for the entire corps to pass any given })()int. After jjassing through the defences and reaching tlie line of the Orange and Alexandria Kailroad, the ,sanie order of march was not insisted ii})on and it became very much a "' go as you please." The officers of the battery were mounted, the drivers of spans were also mounted while the detachments walked by their guns or rode upon the caisons. We now began to tiiid recently deserted camps, where troops that had been s[)ending the winter near Washington, or along the railroad, had recently l)roken cam}) and started for the front. Only a light guard was left to })rotect the coimniinication with the l)ase of supplies. Our battery was in the third division and well toward the rear of the column. It was not often that we could see much of the line, l)ut once in a while as we ascended a hill with a plain beyond, we could see the blue line for miles ahead, undulating and writhing like the contortions of a huge blue ser})ent. After we had reached a point a few miles out, General Burnside passed us with his staft\ and the men cheered him right heartily as he rode along. On the march after that, he would halt at the wayside for the column to pass, then he would mount and pass to the head of the column, where he would again halt, and allow the corps to pass him. His appearance, no matter how often, was always the signal for vociferous cheering. He was ever popular with the Ill oiilistcd men. He rodo a lari>e brown horse whose tail was docked and very short. He was a famous war horse and an animal of o:reat endurance. When nisiht came we camped in the most convenient phice ah)ni>- the line of march. We had shelter tents for the men, while conveniences for camping for the officers were taken along with the battery. We had our mess chest with earthern cups, saucers and })lates, and all other conveniences for getting ui) a good meal at any time and place. We generally camped wIkh'c we could get a supj)ly of fuel for broiling our meat and steeping our coffee, but the countr}^ through which we were now passing over had ))een fought over so many times and occu- pied so long with trooj)-;, that fuel had ' become very scarce. We soon learned that chestnut, hick- ory', locust and white oak made good fuel even when green, and our camping places were generally in the vicinity of a grove of one of these woods. It has already been stated that most of the l)oys of our battery had seen service l)efore, and knew iiow to take care of themselves, while the new men soon learned the lesson of the veterans. The essen- tials for a good camping ground are wood, water and a well-drained soil. The tirst thing after halt- ing when on the march, was to lay out the camp, l)itch the tents, then get wood and build tires. The canteens were then tilled with water, and each soldier tilled his di})per, })ut in his coffee and held it over the tire until it came to a boil. 'He then 112 put in his sugar and cooled it down to tlie right temperature for drinking. The coftce furnished by the government was generally of the tirst (juality, and nothing could l)c l)etter for the tired soldier than a i)int of this dclecta))le I)everage. Under its exhilarating intiuence, he soon lost his tired-out, exhausted feeling, and in a short time became as gay and as exul)erant as when he set out in the morning. I verily ])elieve that but for cotlee, the rebellion would never have been crushed out, and if the Southern soldiers could have been su})plied with it, the contest would h;ive been much prolonged. Our beef was driven ak)ng with us and slaughtered as it was wanted. As soon as the halt for the night was made the Ixief was -dressed, furnished to (|Uartcrniasters of regi- ments, by them to companies and by the com- pany officer to squads, in quantities according to the number of men to be supplied. Very soon after it was slaughtered it was divided and sub- divided into small })orti()ns and stuck upon sticks and tlien broiled over the fire. At such times the savory odors arising from l)roiling steak tilled the air for a long distance beyond the limits of the camp. The amount of meat per man was about a pound [)er day, and when it is remembered that there were tifteen thousand men in the corps, some estimate may be made of the number of animals necessary to supply the demand for a single day. Hard l)rcad, fresh beef, colfee and sugar con- 113 stituted tlic inarchina- ration for tlir soldirr. The second day out from Washington we readied Brandy station. We had passed tlie famous l)ull Kun battle ground where twice, the rel)els had been successful ; passed Manasas Junction where so much skirmishing had been done ; by Warrenton Junc- tion the scene of many a ca\'alry tight ; here we stopped two days and then passed Catlett's station and Bealton ; }xissed Ra[)})alianno:'\ station the scene of one of the more recent encouiters where the Fifth and Sixth Maine achieved great things, and tinally we reached lirandy station in Culpepper county where a portion of the army of the Potomac had spent the winter. We were now between the Rappjdiannock and the Rapidan (Rapid Ann), the latter formino- the dividino- line between Orange and Culpepper counties, and between the army of the Potomac and the army of Northern Virginia. A portion of the army had already crossed the Rapidan and we halted for a short time at Brandy station and camped there, waiting for the roads to be cleared so that we could move on and join the attacking column. Of course, the plan of the canii)aign which we knew had now 0})ened, was entirely unknown out- side of headcjuai-ters. The army l)eing only a machine, subordinate otKcers and men had nothing to do but to obe}^ orders. There was no end to speculation, for in this free country soldiers will think and talk, Init as to what was before us, we 114 were all e(|ually in the dark. While at Brandy station, I called on the Fourth Maine Battery which had spent the winter there. I saw Lieutenant Kiinhall and several ])rivate soldiers from Jjethel. This battery was attached to the Sixth Army Corps, and was under marching orders. The Second and Fifth Corps had already left for the tlank movement toward Richmond. Tlw order for the movement was issued on the second of ^lay, and the move- ment was l)egun at inidnii>ht of May Hd. At (iliu'mania Ford on the Kapidan, General (irant sent a dispatch to (xeneral Burnside to make a forced march to join the main army which had then crossed into the "old AVilderness." The Itth Corps had not yet been assiiiiied to the army of the Potomac and was directly under the command of General Grant. This dispatch was sent at a quarter past one on the fourth of ]May. At that time the first division, Gen. Stevenson's was at Brandy Sta- tion, while the other divisions were back, some of them nearly forty miles from the Ford. Steven- son's division crossed the Rapidan on the morning' of the tiftii, and toward night the other two divi- sions wei'c across. The division of colored troops did not cross until the morning of the sixth. General Lee who had his headquarters at Orange court house, was fully apprised of the })roposed movement and his troops left their winter (juarters almost simultaneously with ours. I do not propose to give anything like a history of the campaign 115 which had now l)eru {)})ened, for that has ))een Avrittcu aiiiiin and again hy tliosc who were in a position to know and \\'h() have wiehled nuieh al>U>r pens than mine. A subaltern coukl know but little of what was going on except right around him, and it is of that little that I pur})ose to speak. 1 was only ;i small part ot the great machine, and my dnty was to obey orders without question. The battle had o})ened ^vhen we were miles away from the Rapidan river, and the loud booming of the cannon informed us that the two great armies had again met in mortal combat. As we drew nearer, volleys of nmsketry could be heard, followed by that long, indescribable roll of continuous tiring. We crossed the Rapichm at Germania Ford, 1)y means of a pon- toon l)ridge upon which other corps had crossed and which had been left for us. Crossing the river we passed into the Wilderness and pushed on al)out three miles. It was (pdckly understood by us that light artillery could not be used to any great extent on account of the density of the undergrowth which rendered it extremely difficult even for infan- try to get along. The signs that a great battle was going on in our immediate vicinity Avere everywhere manifest. The booming of cannon and rattle of musketry Avas cjuito constant. The ambulances were busy in remoA'ing the wounded and army sur- geons had all the} could attend to. On the morn- ing of the sixth, the Ninth Corps Avas ordered to start at two o'clock and take a position l)etween the 116 Second and Fifth (\)r[).s, the first division to remain in reserve at the Lacy House. Near this tavern, the battery lialted for the dny. The woody hill al)()vc the tavern, it was thouLi'ht during ilm after- noon, might 1)e occupied by artillery, and our bat- tery was ordered to take jK)sition there. We accordingly proceeded to the crest of this hill. Beyond, toward the enemy, the growth was so dense as to entirely obstruct the view, luit the enemy saw us from their signal stations, and before we had unlimbered, the shells began to fall around us and in^ close proximity. They htul our range completely and were on much higher ground than we. The situation Avas taken in from headcpiarters at the tavern, and an orderly was sent directing us to get out of there as soon as possible. We were glad enough to obey and left the hill without tiring a gun. But the battery had been under fire, and Ave began to feel like veterans. And here we S[,ent a large part of the time while the battle of the AVilderness was beino- foui>:ht. A large number of batteries Avas in our Aicinity, and one afternoon an order came for us to harness u]) and })roceed as (piickly as possible, toward the lva[)idan. It Avas understood that the rel)els were l)ressing hard upon our right occupied l)ythe Sixth Corps, Avith the idea of turning it and cai)turing our supply trains which Avere then in rear of this corps. We run our horses at the to}) of their speed, and Avent into position as directed. Artillery was 117 placed ill position as near t()ii:ctlicr as possil:)lc fou tlic distance of nearly a mile. AVhether this for- midal)le array of guns prevented the proposed attack upon our riirht, I never knew, but it was not made, and our supply wagons passed safely along toward our left. While it was not permissible for any officer to stray far from his command Avhile a conflict was going on, yet so little could be accomplished with artillery that the officers of this branch of the ser- vice took some lil)erties. I went to the cleared field not far away, where our hospital tents had been set up and such a sight as there met my view, may I never behold again. There were acres of Avounded men stretched upon the ground and the few hospital tents were filled to overflowing. A very large number were only slightly wounded, and this was one of the peculiarities of the battle of the Wilderness. In trying to screen themselves from the foe, tlie men took position behind trees which were too small to protect the whole })erson, the arms in the operation of loading being exposed, so that wounded arms, hands and legs were unusu- ally common. But there were wounds of every kind, and the surgeons' knives were kept constantly ))usy in amputating wounded limbs, and other instruments in probing for l)ullets. And so the great 1)attle went on. Sometimes one side gained an advantage, and then the other, but nt) decisive results could be reached either wav. In the thick 118 tano'le of the forost, squads of men would <>"ot deliiclied from their rcgiuients and waudei- al)out and sometimes march directly into the enemy's line. This ha})})ened not unfrequently to squads from both armies. 8(]uads from the two armies would sometimes meet, and the one that was the largest generally made prisoners of the smaller. Finally, after this thing had been going on for some days, there were decided indications that we were about to move. But where? We were quite sure that no victory had been won, and l)elieved that no decided advantage had been gained by either side. Were we about to retreat, or recross, as had been the case after Chancellorsville ? There was great depression in the rank and hie and with all who did not understand the exact situation. But we harnessed up and moved off toward the left with the trooi)s. Still we did not know whether ^^■e were retreating or advancing. Perhaps w(^ had no business to know, only our army was not made up of serfs, but of intelligent men, and the meanest private felt a personal interest in the result. Toward noon we reached the old Chancellorsville l)attle ground, and there we sto})ped for dinner. The place where the r)th Maine Battery was in position when its horses were shot do^\ n and Cap- tain Leppein received his death wound, was pointed out. Less than a year had elapsed since this terrible battle took place, and the bones of the slain horse.; were bleaching in the sun on the spot 119 where they fell. And now the (juestion would soon be decided in our ininds as to whether we were retreating or advancing. If retreating, we shoukl cross the lvap])ahannock somewhere near Fredricks- burg, and if not, we should continue to move by the left toward Spotsylvania. The latter proved to be our course, and we were happy. I only judge others l)y myself, and I was truly ha]ij)y that Ave were advancing, which indicated that we had not been l)eaten. The rank and tile of the army wanted no more retreating, and from the moment when we passed the roads that led to the Ra})})a- hannock Fords and continued straight on toward Spotsylvania, I never had a doubt that General Gnint would lead us on to tinal victory. As we advanced toward Spots^dvania, we again heard the roar of artillery and the rattle of mus- ketry, showing that the corps which had preceded us were already engaged with the enemy. The sanguinary battle of S})otsylvania court house had begun. In the battle oi the Wilderness, while General Lee cannot be said to have l)een worsted, yet he had failet to acconqjlish his object, which was to fall upon the Union army and prevent its farther advance. General Grant hoped to avoid a battle at this point, and by pushing rapidly forward to gain the open country beyond, before colliding with his op|)onent. So up to this time, the hopes of neither conmiander had been realized. The advan- 120 tage, however, was decidedly with the Union army, enahling it to continue its flank movement toward the rebel capital. Our loss in the Wilderness was very heavy, ))at the losses on the other side were bv no means small, and the advantao-e <>-ained for our side, we felt to greatly outweigh the cost. It was early in the morning, May 9th, that the 9th Corps moved from Aldrich's on the Orange and Fredicksburg plank road to Gates' house, on the road from S})otsylvjinia court house to Fredericks- burg, and then toward the court house, crossing the Ny river at Gates' house, a mile and a half from the court house. There are several rivers in this part of Virginia, the Matt, the Tay, the Po and the JV?/, and when these rivers converge and form one stream, the combined water takes the very appro- priate name of Mattapony. Wilcox' division which was in front, had a brush with some dismounted cavalry, and a brigade of Longstreet's corps. It was over before the other divisions came up. The battery was jilaced in position and was more or less engaged for the next three days. It was while here that the tirst casualties occurred. Three of our men were very severely Avounded. This oc- curred on the twelfth of June. The names of those wounded were William 11. Bean, James H. Fall Avho died four days after, and Charles O. Randall. Bean lost a leg and Randall did not return to the l)atter3^ A little night adventure in which I l)ore a humble part, occurred while we were at Spotsylvania. The 121 Second Corps was on our right, and the division next to the ninth was conunanded by General Bar- low. This division had been ordered to charge the enemy's works, and General Barlow thought a little more artillery than he had, might be used to advantage. So he sent to the Ninth Corps, and an order Avas issued to detach a section from our l)attery and send it up to the point whence the change was to be made. For this purpose, the right section was detached. The night was very dark and rainy, and our course was through the woods and over very rough and miry roads. A staff officer accompanied us to show us the way, and about two o'clock in the morning, we reached a place where we were directed to unlimber and take the horses back over the brow of a hill, a short distance to the rear. We lay down near the guns after mounting a sufficient guard, and had a little sleep, but as the day began to break we were awakened and prepared for action. As it grew light, we found ourselves in an advanced position with only a light picket line between us and the enemy's entrenched position . The spring birds sung sweetly in the trees, but other sounds than bird songs were to l)e heard ere long. Soon after light, we noticed a column of union infantry in our rear a:nd advanc- ing upon us. This was the attacking column, and the rebels saw it about as soon as we did, and opened a heavy lire upon it and us. For a few mouDents the air was full of whizzing, whistling G 122 bullets and as we were l^etween the advancing column and the rebel works, we of course had our share of the ])ullets. We immediately opened upon the rebel line with cannister shot, and after the Union coluniu had passed us, we changed to shell. Our troops advanced with a cheer. Men occasionally fell, but the ranks were ((uickly closed up, and after tiring a few rounds, our infantry charged the works and carried them. We then chano-ed to solid shot which we continued to throw into the woods for about an hour. There were some twenty guns besides ours, and for a little while, we made things lively. Toward noon, the union troops returned with the report that the charge had practically, l)een a failure. Our troops had charged and captured a second line of works, but they found a third line impregnable and after losing many men in a vain effort to capture it, they withdrew. In the afternoon we rejoined the bat- tery. And alter several days more of fighting there were indications of another Hank movement toward the left. Our guns were withdrawn from the works, l)ut previously, long columns of infantry had passed us marching toward the south. It was just at night that we withdrew our guns and harnessed up, and about this time active tiring was heard in rear of our right and for a little time, we feared that our right flank had really been turned. We remained where we were for several hours until the Hrinu' ceased. The ;itt;ick was made 123 by Ewoll's rel^el corps, ^'ith the view of captiiriuii" our supply trains. It so happened that General Tyler with some ten thousand heav^^ artillery-men was on his way to join the army of the Potomac, and encountered EwelTs troops in our rear. They at once attacked them, and the sound of their guns was what we heard. This Avas the first time these regiments which had been drawn from the defences of Washington had been under lire, and they l)ehaved most s[)Iendidly. The loss however was very severe, as they stood up and fought and did not take advantage of shelter as veteran troops always do. The 1st Maine Heavy Artillery was in this engagement and lost heavily. The second corps which had started toward the left l)ut had not gone far, hurried back and liirney's division which C(mtained several Maine regiments, had a hand in driving the rebels back which was speedily accom- ])lished. In the several engagements at Spotsylvania, the i)th CV)rps lost over three thousand men, in killed, wounded and prisoners, and most of them were lost on the twelfth of May. The losses in other cori)s on that day swelled the number to seven thousand. The Ninth Corps led in the charge on that day, and hence its greater loss. Ewell's move- ment on our right and his defeat occurred on the IHth. Among the killed of the Ninth Corps was General Stevenson, commanding the first division. The number of killed, wounded and prisoners in 124 the Union sinny at Spotsylvania was 17,723, and inclndini; the hattk' of the Wikk'rness, 33,110. The movement to the left which was ordered for the nineteenth of May, l)iit which was jiostponed on account of E well's attack, commenced on the 20th. Gen. Hancock with the Second (^orps, as usual took the lead. The Fifth Cor[)s followed next, and as soon as the roads were clear fV)r us, the Ninth mo'sed on toward the North Anna river. The Sixth Corps remained in the works and were suddenly attacked, but the movement on the part of the rebels was oidy to ascertain what force was confronting them. We marched nearly all niiiht, and as it was rainy and dark the march was a very disagreeable one. We reached Guinea Station on the Petersburg and Richmond Kailroad, about two o'clock on the morn- ing of jVIay 2 2d. On the 24th we were confronting the enemy on the North Anna river, and the Ninth Corps was ordered to take position on the right of the Second, and seize Oxford, Ixit General Burn- side found the enemy so strongly intrenched on the south bank that he did not make the attack. The Seventh Maine Battery was not re(|uired to do much here. From the position occupied l)y us, we had a good view of the enemy's works. An occa- sional Imllet from a sharp-shooter would reach us though the rebel line was well nigh a jnile away. While Lieutenant Staples and 1 were conversing tou'cther and standing (luite near each other, face 125 to face, a ))all passed between us and stniek his horse which an orderly was holdinii' a few stci)s from lis. StapU's directed the orderly to move the horse a little farther away, l)iit the animal, after walking a few steps, fell dead. On examination, it w^as found that a minnio ball had passed through him and was lodged in the hair on the opposite side. The Fifth and Sixth Corps had considerable fighting on the 24th, somewhat to our right, but near enough for us to hear the Yankee cheers and the rel)el yells. These movements developed the fact that General Lee occu})ied a very strong position and one that could not l)e carried without great sacrifice of life, if indeed it could be carried at all. It was there- fore determined to make another fiank movement, and this time Cold Harbor was the objective point. The Union losses at the North Anna, few of Avhich were from our corps, were not far from 2000. The army began its fourth fiank movement on the 27th of May. Our corps w^as directed to cross the Panninkey river at Hanover Farm, and we crossed about midnight on the 28th, and after us came the trains which did not all cross before the 30th. Wilson's cavalry remained on the north bank until all had crossed. This river is navigable up as far as White House Landing, and when the army reached this point the river was full of vessels bring- ing supplies of which we had l)een (jiiite short since leaving the North Anna. For two days, the officers 126 could l)iiy uothiujj:, but we found sonic dry corn in •d granary by the road side and with this w^e tilled our pockets and ate as we rode along. On one occasion we crossed a tield w'here sweet potatoes had been planted, and it did not take long tov our boys to dig iq) the seed wdiich they devoured raw. One day we halted near a large wheat tield. There must have been iifty or more acres, and the grain was just heading out. A division of cavalry turned their horses u})on it, and in a very short time, the crop was harvested. I asked an old darkey who was sitting upon the fence watching the operation, how^ he liked to have his grain harvested in that way? "I don't care," said he, "I shouldn't have had any of it." We passed through a portion of Virginia which had not suti'ered much from invasion, and the farms and buildings showed but little of the ravages of war. From one })lace we took more than three hundred bushels of nice corn. This place was owned by a general in Lee's army. We also captured quantities of bacon which the men highly relished >vith their hard tack. It was proper for our men to capture stores of corn, bacon and other su[)plies while passing through an enemy's country, l)ut some of our sol- diers were guilty of certain acts of vandalism which it would have l)een much better to have left undone. The white inhabitants along our route generally abandoned their houses which was a very great mis- take. Our soldiers always treated the inhabitants 127 civilly, and where tliey remained in their houses, they were not molested. One day as we were ])assing- a house, I noticed that soldiers were going in and out and every one who came out had a book in his hand. I dismounted and went in. It was a tine house, elegantly furnished, and had a very extensive lilirary. The cases were of solid mahog- any and the books very expensively bound. The liln-ary must have contained four or five thousand volumes of standard works. But the soldiers took them from the shelves, these volumes bound in Turkey or Russian leather, resplendent with gold, and carried them away. It was an act of |)ure ^v■antonness, for ^vhat could soldiers in the field, liable to go into action at any moment, do with costly books ? The}^ were soon thrown away and spoiled by exposure. Had the owner's family remained in the house, this costly library would have l)een i)reserved. The boys sometimes called at houses and asked for food ; they robbed smoke-houses and hen-roosts, caught live pigs, and sometimes confiscated a tul) of butter, but this was only living on the enemy according to usage when in a hostile country. There is no doubt that many of these i)e()})le regarded the Union soldiers as but little better than savages. At houses where I and others called, great surprise would be manifested at the civil treatment the inmates recei\'ed at the hands of the Yankee soldiers. The colored people were often 128 afraid of us at tirst, having been told that we woidd surely murder them. At one house where we halted for water, the lady of the house ran from room to room, n\) stairs and down, screaming at the to}) of her voice like a maniac. Nothing that we could say seemed to reassure her, and after having drawn a })ail of water and quenched our thirst, we went away but she continued to scream as new soldiers came along, until Ave were out of hearing. The colored people, shy at first, soon I)ecame familiar enough, and even here where Yankee soldiers had never before been seen, these })eo})le had some idea that in some way, they were mixed up with the contest. They had heard of "Massa Linkun," and believed that the year of jubilee was at hand. One old colored woman, as our column was passing, said to me; "Seems to me you don't do noffin up norf l)ut make Avhite men ; I never seen so many men afore in all my life." The troo])s had l)een steadily tramping by the l)lace where she lived for more than twenty-four hours, and it is no wonder the poor darky was astonished at the number. On the 30th of May, the Ninth Cori)s with shar}) skirmishing, formed on the left of the Second ( Jorps, and toward night had crossed the Tolopotomoy river, our right resting on that stream, near the Whitlock House, and its left near Shady Grove church. Our l)attery was near the left. The Eigh- teenth Corps which had been with General Butler 129 at the nt)rtli of James river, joined the ariny of the Potoiiiae at Cokl Harlwr, and i)articipated in the lieree and bloody eno'aaenients at that point. Cold Harbor was an im})ortant point to the Union army, as it was on the line of our extension to the left, and roads concentrated there from l)ethesda church, from Old church, from White House, direct from New Bridge, and either directly or indirectly from all the l)ridges across the Chickahominy above and below New Bridge. I do not propose to give a statement of the engagements which took place on this line. The army of the Potomac remained here over two Aveeks and our losses here were very heavy. The battery was engaged here on several occasions, but for a considera])le portion of the time, was 1)ehind entrenchments and not actively engaged. June 1st, the battery followed the third division, and all the guns opened upon the rebel line and followed it up until dark. One battery man Avas killed here, and one Avounded who sul)sequently died of his Avounds. On the sixth of June, the battery Avent into position at the Cross Roads near Cold Harbor where it remained until the twelfth. It occasionally had artillery duels Avith the enemy, but Avas well protected, and there were no more casualties. The Avife of Apollos Williams came to Washing- ton Avhile Ave Avere in camp there, and by some means, Avhen the battery left Washington, she AA^ent Avitli us. Willianifi was mess cook for the officers, 130 iiiid after we had uot .so far IVoiii Washington tliat his Avife conld not well retni-n, she joined her hus- band and assisted him in eooking. Williams was from Gorham, N. II. When we reaehcd Cold Harbor, our base of supplies was at White House Landino', and this athjrded the first op|)ortunity we had had of sending jNIrs. Williams baek to AVash- ington. Aecordingiy on the tenth of June, as the battery was in position and not engaged, we had the aml)ulanee harnessed with Levi D. Jewell as driver, and with Mrs. AVilliams as passenger, we drove to AMiite House where Mrs. AVilliams was })ut on a trans})ort and sent off. This place was General McClellan's base of supplies during the seven days' fight, and it Avas here that he l)urned his immense stores Avhen he left for Harrison's Landing on the James. I remained here over night and on my return the next day, I took along with me a few bushels of C^hesa})eake Bay oysters which 1 purchased out of a schooner. That even- ing on arriving at cam}), wo roasted onr oysters by the camp-fire and it was a rich treat. Ofiicers and men joined in the feast, and for the nonce forgot the dangers with which they were surrounded. Ap[)ol- los Williams was taken sick alxnit the time his wife left, went to the hospital and never rejoined the iKittery. He was a frail man and never should have been acce})ted. On the eleventh of June, an order was issued that there would be no more charging over defences, 131 but that the seiu'o of Richinoiul would ho coiumeiiccd from \vh(H"c wo thou wero, and that tho city would bo advMUccd u[)()U by rouular a|)i)i'oaohes. On the vory uext day, thoro was au cngagemont all aloug the line ; breastworks were charged and very severe losses sustained by the Union army. The reason for this charge, I never fully understood. But after the repulses or perhaps failures is the better term, of the twelfth, it became evident that another movement to the left was to 1)0 made. Whether the movement was to l)e up the north or on the south side of the .lames river, we did not know, l)ut the general opinion was that we sh(ndd cross the James. The Eighteenth Corps Avas first sent away. The Second Corps pulled out and went away next and then the Fifth. The Ninth Corps moved and crossed the Chickaliomin,\ on the four- teenth. On the next day, we crossed the James river at Wilcox I^anding, some forty miles below City Point. Towards night, of the sixteenth, we reached the front of Petersburg. On the eighteenth, the battery was engaged with the corps, in driving the enemy across the Norfolk railroad. As we neared the vicinity of Petersburg, there was evi- dence of sharp fighting l)y the Eighteenth Corps Avhich had captured several redoubts and driven the enemy back to within a mile and a half of Petersburg into an entrenched line. Reports came to us of the capture of Petersburg and the close siege of Richmond, but we found afterwards that 132 they were groundless. We renuiined in the position we had taken on our arrival until the twentieth, constantly throwing shot and shell upon the enemy to })revent him from changing his position. We then went into position at the Hare House, situated within 300 yards of the enemy's entrenched line, where we remained working our guns for three days. The enemy kept up a constant fusilade, and generally picked off every person who showed himself above the works. On the 23d, our division moved to the left and our battery took a position near the Taylor House. This was a much exposed position, and there was constant musketry firing by the enemy. Our orders here were not to work t'le guns except in case of an attack by the enemy, or unless the enemy's artillery should open upon us. We remained in this position many days. The weather was hot and dry, but the nights were cool. We had no rain for nearly foily consecutive days, and the supply of di'inking water became a serious (]uestion. The brooks were dried up and in low places the little water found was very impure. The Taylor House near which w^e were stationed had formerly been a hotel, l)ut wdien we went into position, the buildings had been burned. There was a trotting course here, and the place was the resort of horsemen and others from Petersburs: and elsewhere. Near by w^as a large and well filled ice-house, and wdien we made our advance, this ice- house was between our lines near where our corps 133 joined the Fifth. It was a treasure wortlu-ontendiiiii: for, and one day after quite a skirmish, in Avliich we lost several men, we succeeded in l)ringing it within our i)icket line. This ice lasted us nearly two weeks, the two corps sharing it alike. A por- tion of it Avas taken to the hospitals. So vexed were the Johnies at its loss that they tired upon every one wdio ap})roached it. The next morning after the Ninth Corps made its advance, I rode over to the 32d Maiue llegiment w^iich was in (leneral Griffin's division. They were just taking their breakfasts and the ground all along the line was thickly strewn with dead, the l)hie and the gray together ; the latter largely predominated. A letter written the night before but unsealed, showed how complete was the sur- prise. It was from a line officer in a North Caro- lina regiment to his sister. He said there was a report that the "Yanks" were advancing, l)uthe did not credit it, "and if they are coming," he wrote, "we are ready for them and will surely hurl them back across the James." The writer of this letter was killed in the rifle })it where he had written it, and the successful charge was })robal)ly made while he held his pen in his hand. The rifle pit was fllled with dead bodies piled one upon another. I found Captain Noyes of Norway and others whom I knew here and then started to return to the battery which was at the right of this })lace. While crossing a stream which came down from the enemy's line. 134 the pickets got sight of me and o[)en('(l upon nie, Wlien I was fording the stream the bullets tiew about me in a very lively manner, striking in the water quite near and l)uzzing through the air, but none of them struck nic or my horse, and wIumi I reached the baidv 1 was screened from view by the shrul)bery that intervened. After the advance of the Second Cor|)s on our right, I rode over the ground, soon after the charge was made. The 17th Maine and the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery were in this charge and lost very heavily. The Union dead over the ground which I passed, were numerous, though uiauy of them had then been interred — a work which was then going on. One day while we were in position, John Mar- shall Brown who was lieutenant colonel of the 32d Maine was wounded in our front, and was brought out past us. I had known him well when we attended Dr. True's school at Bethel. I have said that our position near the Taylor House was a very uncomfortable one. The enemy's picket line was only a short distance off, and the pickets kept up a constant tire. When we tirst Avent into this position, an unsuccessful attack had just been made upon a strongly entrenched line, farther towards Petersburg, and the attacking l)arty had been obliged to fall ])ack, leaving their dead and wounded where they had fallen. A truce was asked for to enable us to recover our wounded, but was refused by the rebel authorities, and these poor 135 fellows remained between the two lines, exposed to the hot sun by day and chillis damp air at night, until death came to their relief. Curiosity im[)ened some of our men, notwithstandinir the extreme hazard of so doing, to look over the works and the wounded were seen to move their hands and feet for two or three days after they fell. It was a ter- rible, heart-rending sight, but one which could not be helped. One day as George E. Howe, a private in our ])attery was sitting down a little too far in the rear of our works to be entirely sheltered, a minnie ball })assed over his head so near as to s})lit his cai) nearly in two, and cut off some of his hair while ihe seal}) was not injured. One day I was fitting upon the ])()le of the limber when a ball struck the pole within a foot of me, and chip})ed out quite a large piece. These incidents attracted but little attention at the time, because there were so many casualties of a serious nature. The guns of the l)attery remained in i)ositi()n in front of Petersburg for many days. The famous Burnside mine was sprung on the 30th of July. On that morning at four o'clock, all the artillery along the line was ready to open fire, the explosion of the mine to be the signal. There was an hour's delay, but at tive o'clock there was a concussion that made the earth tremble beneath our feet. Then came the artillery tire, such as I had never heard, and never expect to hear again. Cannon of all sizes belching forth tire and smoke, shot and shell screeching through the air ; in tive 136 minutes from the opening, the entire landscape was shrouded in smol^e, wliile the l)urstino; shells pro- duced a lurid appearance, very diflicult to describe. While this was going on, the infantry was pouring into tlie crater, and there was hand-to-hand fighting and a great slaughter on both sides. All this was hidden by the clouds of smoke. The w^ounded soon began to be brought out and ambulances were loaded for the City Point general hospitals. Quite early in July, I was taken ill with malarial fever. After remaining in quarters until the day of the mine ex})losion, I went to City Point and from there to Washington. After remaining there a few days, 1 had leave of absence for thirty days to go to Maine, which was subsequently extended to forty-five days. The extension of time was given that I might recruit for the battery ; and after obtaining what men I wanted, I took them into camp in Portland. I then received orders to report with my men, at Gall()[)'s Island in Boston IIarl)or. We went to Boston hy boat, and in addition to my own squad, there were some two hundred and fifty recruits for dift'erent regiments in the field. On l)oard the steamer, we found a man who was ped- dling whiskey at the rate of fifteen dollars per canteen. We arrested him, confiscated his liquor which was thrown overboard, and on our arrival in Boston, the cul})rit was sunnnarily punished. After remaining at Gallop's Island three days, I was ordered to assist in taking recruits to City Point, The steamer Northern Light of the California line, 137 was })resse