^ -^ ^ 
 
 • ■^'c. C-C CI- -^ 
 
 
 
 ex . 
 cc 
 
 <:<r c 
 dec 
 
 
 
 r <: c «^ic: < 
 
 
 ?c sc:. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
 IMTED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
 
 <gsl 
 
 ^'' (o'c C 
 
 ^«^C«= 
 
 
 
 
 ^? 
 
 
 It 
 
 ^< 
 
 m;-^ 
 
 '..cc:;. 
 
<WClV <3^fc: 
 
 <rcr<. 
 
 
 rcr 
 
 : cc «:: 
 
 ^^K^^ 
 
 • «i . c c ^"^ v«i-c ex. - c-r. 
 
 - , .-, ^^ <^^<^ . 
 _ _ :. c<. CSC 
 
 z: c:.c:««c .C' ^v. ^<; < < 
 
 <c- c:. ..^Ci^^' 
 
 ^: ■ •<! . <t f- err. 
 
 
 % 
 
 Sfc:f 
 
 
 :«-c<:^ 
 
 
 «OC:i 
 
 
 
 
 ^€ 
 
 
 5i & 
 
 t%5^ 
 
 -B^ 
 
 c<c<i 
 
 
 
 ^^: 
 
 ^s^ 
 
 
 If 
 
 c c 
 
 c c 
 e c 
 
 c c 
 
 c c 
 
 . <-■ c 
 
 ' ^' ' 
 
 ^£^ 
 
PERSONAL NARRATIVES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 T 
 
 Battles of the Rebellion 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 'PHE KHODE ISLAN"D AETILLEJBY 
 
 FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 
 
 BY 
 
 J. ALBERT MONROE. 
 
 «« 
 
PERSOlSrAL IvTAERATITES 
 
 Battles of the Rebellio^st, 
 
 PAPERS READ BEFORE THE 
 
 KHODE ISLAND SOLDIERS AMD SAILORS 
 
 HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 " Quaeque ipse miserrima vidi, 
 Et quorum pars magna fui." 
 
 PROVIDENCE: 
 
 SIDNEY S. RIDER 
 
 1878. 
 
Copja-ight by 
 SIDNEY S. RI DE It. 
 
 1878. 
 
 PRINTED BY PROVIDENCE PRESS COMPANY. 
 
THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY 
 
 First Battle of Bull Ru^. 
 
 J. ALBERT MONROE, 
 
 (Late Licuteuant-Colouul First Khode Islaud Light Artillery.) 
 
 PROVIDENCE : 
 SIDNEY S. RIDKR 
 
 1878. 
 

 Copyright by 
 SIDNEY S. RIDE 11. 
 
 1878. 
 
THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY 
 
 FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN 
 
 When the first call for troops,- to serve for the 
 term of three months, was made by President Lin- 
 coln, in 1861, for the purpose of suppressing the 
 rebellion, which had assumed most dangerous pro- 
 portions to the National Government, the Marine 
 Artillery, of this city, responded cheerfully to the 
 call, and under the command of Captain Charles H. 
 Tompkins, left Providence, April eighteenth, for the 
 seat of war. 
 
 The senior officer of the company, who remained 
 at home, was Captain William H. Parkhurst, then 
 bock-keeper at the Mechanics Bank on South Main 
 Street. Before the company was ftiirly away, I 
 called upon him and suggested the propriety of call- 
 
6 THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY AT 
 
 iug a meeting to organize a new company to take 
 the place of the one that had gone. The suggestion 
 met his views, and he at once published a notice that 
 a meeting for the purpose would be held that eve- 
 ning at the armory of the Marines, on Benefit Street. 
 The meeting was largely attended, and comprised 
 among its numbers a great many of our most intel- 
 ligent and influential citizens. A large number of 
 names were enrolled that night as members of the 
 new company, and arrangements Avere made to have 
 the armory open daily, for the purpose of obtaining 
 additional signatures to the roll of membership. In 
 a few days some three hundred names were obtained, 
 and every man whose name was enrolled seemed 
 to take the greatest interest in having the work 
 proceed. 
 
 By general consent, rather than by appointment 
 or election, I assumed the duty of conducting the 
 drills and of reducing matters to a system. It w^as 
 supposed at the time that the force already called 
 into the field, consisting of seventy-five thousand 
 men, would be amply sufficient to eftectually quell 
 the disturbance that had arisen at the South, but 
 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 7 
 
 there appeared to be in the minds of all the men 
 who gathered at the Marines' Armory, a quiet deter- 
 mination to go to the assistance of those who had 
 already gone, should they appear to need aid. The 
 call for men to serve for the period of three years 
 put a new phase upon matters. Those whose pri- 
 vate business was of such importance that absence 
 from home that length of time would injure the 
 interests of others as well as their own, Avithdrew, 
 leavino; more than a sufficient number to man a full 
 battery. From that time drilling of the men pro- 
 ceeded uninterruptedly both day and night. A 
 greater number than the capacity of the armory 
 would admit of drilling at one time, presented them- 
 selves daily. Many of the evenings were spent in 
 taking the men out on the streets and to vacant lots 
 near by, exercising them in marching drill. Through 
 the influence of Governor Sprague the company was 
 furnished with a complete battery of twelve pounder 
 James guns, which arrived here some time in May, I 
 think, and then the drills became spirited in exer- 
 cise in the manual of the piece, mechanical maneu- 
 vres, as well as in marching. 
 
O THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY AT 
 
 About the first of June Lieutenant William H. 
 Eeynolds and First Sergeant Thomas F. Vaughn of 
 the three months battery, Avere apjjointed Captain 
 and First Lieutenant respectively, and J. Albert 
 Monroe, John A. Tompkins and William B. Weeden 
 were appointed Second, Third and Fourth Lieuten- 
 ants, and they were so commissioned. The com- 
 missions should have been one captain, two first 
 lieutenants and two second lieutenants, but there 
 Avas so little knowledge of just the right Avay to do 
 things at that time, that this error occurred, and it 
 Avas not until after the First Battle of Bull Run that 
 it Avas corrected. 
 
 On the sixth of June, 1861, the company was 
 mustered into the United States service by Colonel 
 S. Loomis of the United States Army, for the period 
 of " three years unless sooner discharged," in a large 
 room of a building on Eddy^ street. 
 
 On the eighth of June, the regular business of sol- 
 dier's life began by the company going into camp on 
 Dexter Training Ground. The time was occupied in 
 detachment and liattery drills until the nineteenth of 
 the month, Avheu the guns, carriages, and the horses 
 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. \) 
 
 also, if my memory serves me, were embarked ou the 
 steamer Kill-von-Kull, at the Fox Point wharf. The 
 steamer landed at Elizabethport, New Jersey, where 
 the battery and men were transferred to cars. The 
 train left Elizabethport about four o'clock in the 
 afternoon. The journey to Washington was a most 
 tedious one. Harrisburg was not reached until the 
 next morning, and it was not until the following 
 morning that the train arrived in Washington. 
 
 Although the journey was a long one, and tire- 
 some, many incidents transpired to relieve the tedium 
 of the trip. At Baltimore, which was passed through 
 in the evening, every man was on the qui vive, with 
 nerves strung to the tension, so great was the fear 
 that an attack might be made upon us. Every one 
 who had a revolver carried it cocked. A corporal, 
 who is now a commissioned officer in the regular 
 army, remarked to me that he never was in such 
 danger in his life, though nothing had occurred to 
 awaken a sense of danger, except that a small pebble 
 ■ was thrown, probably by some boys, that hit one of 
 the gun carriages on the Hat car, upon which he and 
 I were riding. The next day rebel flags, in imagina- 
 
10 THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY AT 
 
 tioii, were frequent!}^ discovered while piissiug 
 through Maryland. 
 
 On our arrival at Washington, the morning of 
 the twenty-second, we were cordially greeted by 
 Captain Tompkins of the three months battery, and 
 he and his men lent us every assistance in their 
 power. The company went into camp in Gale's 
 woods, with the Second Regiment Rhode Island 
 Infantry, and adjoining were the camps of the three 
 months organizations — the First Regiment Rhode 
 Island Detached Militia and the First Battery. The 
 ground occupied by the three months men was 
 already known as " Camp Sprague ; " the ground 
 occupied by the Second Battery and the Second 
 Regiment was named " Camp Clark," in honor of 
 Bishop Thomas M. Clark, who had taken a great 
 interest in the raising and the organization of troops 
 in Rhode Island. 
 
 Affairs went along more smoothly than could rea- 
 sonably have been expected from men just taken 
 from the pursuits of civil life. Captain Rejaiolds, 
 with rare tact, won the confidence of all his men and 
 oflicers. Section and battery drills took place daily, 
 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 11 
 
 in the morning, and the afternoons were generally 
 spent at standing gun drill. 
 
 On the ninth of July, while at section drill, a 
 sad accident occurred, by which Corporal Morse 
 (Nathan T.) and private Bourne (William E.) lost 
 their lives, and private Freeman (Edward R.) was 
 very seriously injured. From some unaccountable 
 cause the limber chest upon which they were 
 mounted exploded, almost instantly killing Morse 
 and Bourne and severely injuring Freeman. The 
 remains of Morse and Bourne were escorted to the 
 depot by the company, and there was extended to 
 them a marked tribute of respect upon their arrival 
 and l)urial at home. 
 
 On the sixteenth of July the battery left Camp 
 Clark at half past one o'clock in the morning, with 
 the First and Second Rhode Island Regiments, but 
 it was broad daylight before the command got fairlj^ 
 away from the vicinity of the camp. Under the lead 
 of Colonel Ambrose E. Burnside, who had command 
 of the Second New Hampshire, Seventy-iirst New 
 York, First and Second Rhode Island Regiments and 
 the battery, as a brigade, the company marched over 
 
12 THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY AT 
 
 Long Bridge to a jDoint about ten miles from Wash- 
 ington, where the whole brigade bivouacked for the 
 night. The next morning the march was resumed 
 at day-break, and Fairfax Court House was reached 
 about half past one in the afternoon. The battery 
 was parked and the company Avent into camp near 
 the Court House, on the ground and near the resi- 
 dence of a Mr. Stephenson, an English gentleman 
 with a large and interesting family, every member of 
 which appeared to do their utmost to promote our 
 comfort. Early the next morning, Thursday the 
 eighteenth, the advance again began and continued 
 with numerous delays until near night-fall, when 
 camp was established near Centreville, on the plan- 
 tation of a Mr. Utteback. 
 
 On the morning of Sunday the twenty-first the 
 brigade broke camp and commenced the march 
 towards Manassas. The march was a tedious and 
 lonely one until daybreak. The morning broke as 
 clear and lovely as any that ever opened upon Vir- 
 ginia soil. In the early daylight it seemed to dawn 
 upon the minds of both oiBcers and men, that they 
 were there for a fixed purpose, and that the actual 
 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 13 
 
 business of their vocation was to commence. Pre- 
 viously, nearly all had thought that upon the 
 approach of the United States troops, with their 
 splendid equipment and the vast resources behind 
 them, the "rebel mob," as it was deemed, but 
 which Ave afterwards learned to respect as the 
 rebel forces, would flee from their position and 
 disperse. 
 
 General Hunter's column, to which Colonel Burn- 
 side's brigade was attached, was the right of the 
 advancing line, and soon after sunrise the report of 
 heavy guns to the left told us that the work of the day 
 had commenced. Steadily, however, the column 
 pushed on, but with frequent halts, until Sudley 
 Church w^as reached, where a short stop was made in 
 the shade of the thick foliage of the trees in the vicin- 
 ity of the church. The battery was following the 
 Second Rhode Island, a portion of w'hich were 
 deployed as skirmishers, and contrary to the custom 
 of throwing them, the skirmishers, well in advance, 
 they moved directly on the flanks of the column. 
 Suddenly the outposts of the enemy opened fire, which, 
 to our inexperienced ears, sounded like the explosion 
 
 2 
 
14 THE KHODE ISLAND ARTILLEKY AT 
 
 of several bunches of tire crackers. Immediately 
 after came the order. " Forward tour Battery I " 
 Although the order was distinctly heard by both 
 officers and men of the battery, I have never believed 
 that it was detinitely known whether it was given by 
 General McDowell or General Hunter. With most 
 commendable promptness, but without that caution 
 which a battery commander learns to observe only 
 by experience. Captain Re\Tiolds rushed his battery 
 forward at once at a sharp gallop. The road at this 
 point was skirted by woods, but a short distance 
 beyond, the battery emerged upon an open tield, and 
 at once went into position and opened lire. 
 
 The battery was now considerably in advance of 
 the infontry and could easily have been captured 
 and taken from the field by the enemy, before the 
 supporting infantry were formed in line of battle ; 
 and tw-o years later under the same circumstances, 
 the entire battery would have been lost ; but neither 
 side hardly understood the rudimeuts of the art of 
 war. "When we reached the open field the air seemed 
 to be filled with myriads of serpents, such was the 
 sound of the bullets passing through it. Above us 
 

 I dim^ Onk & ^ famr 
 
 .r kesd so ~§ m 
 
 - was tfae wii 
 
 the re- ,1 
 
 
16 THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY AT 
 
 sacrificed the impulses of bis nature and stuck to his 
 command to look out for the interests of all. 
 
 A great many amusing incidents occurred during 
 the first hour of the action, that, undoubtedly, have 
 aftbrded many hours of enjoyment to the partakers. 
 Two of the corporals seemed to find great relief 
 in getting behind a limber- chest with its cover 
 opened, though they pluckily performed their duties, 
 and I confess that I experienced a similar relief myself 
 when I was obliged to go there once or twice to 
 examine the ammunition, though I fully realized that 
 it was like a quail running his head into a snowbank 
 to escape the hunter. 
 
 The firing was exceedingly rapid, every one 
 appearing to feel that the great object was to make 
 as much noise as possible, and get an immense quan- 
 tity of iron into the enemy's line in the shortest 
 possible space of time, without regard to whether it 
 hit anything or not. The firing was principally 
 directed towards the smoke of a rebel battery, 
 posted near what is shown as the "Henry House" 
 on the map accompanying General McDowell's re- 
 port of the action, but was really the "Lewis House," 
 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 17 
 
 which house served as the headquarters of General 
 Beauregard. But very little attention was paid to the 
 effect of the shot for some time. Considerable of the 
 fire was directed into a clump of woods in our imme- 
 diate front, in which was quite a force of rebel infan- 
 try, and I have reason to believe that this fire was 
 very effective; for, upon visiting the spot during 
 the action of the Second Bull Run I found the trees 
 thickly scarred at the height where the shot would 
 be likely to do the most execution. 
 
 We had with us a young man, who was hardly 
 more than a mere boy, by the name of Henry H. 
 Stewart, who had been taken out from here by Cap- 
 tain Reynolds to act as an orderly and guidon, who, 
 while nearly every one else was excited and every- 
 thing was in confusion, preserved, apparently, the 
 utmost coolness, moving from point to point as 
 calmly as if performing the ordinary duties of 
 parade, and it was not until I ordered him so to do 
 that he dismounted from his horse. But the coolest 
 one of our number, and, I believe, the coolest man 
 on the field that day, was Sergeant G. Lyman 
 Dwifht. When the storm of bullets was thickest 
 
18 THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY AT 
 
 and the rebel artillery was delivering upon us its 
 heaviest fire, Dwight would step aside from the 
 smoke from his gun, and seemed perfectly absorbed 
 by the sublime and magnificent spectacle. Once or 
 twice he called my attention to the glorious scene, 
 but I was too much engaged and my mind was too 
 much occupied in thinking how we were to get out 
 of the " glorious scene " to take much pleasure in 
 the observance of it. Dwight was associated with 
 me, more or less, during the whole war, and I found 
 in his character more admirable qualities than I ever 
 found possessed by any other man, and the objec- 
 tionable qualities of his nature I could never dis- 
 cover. War had no terrors for him, and his aesthetic 
 taste found beauties to admire even under the most 
 adverse circumstances. When the leaden rain and 
 iron hail were thickest, I have known him to muse 
 upon philosophy, and to repeat a quotation from 
 some favorite author applicable to the situation and 
 circumstances. He was quick and unerring, and no 
 emergency could arise that would deprive him of 
 his full self-possession. This is digressing from my 
 subject, but my admiration for him was such, that I 
 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 19 
 
 feel justified in thus alluding to a life that was prac- 
 tically lost in the war, though his death did not take 
 place until within the past year. 
 
 About one or two hours after the engao-ement 
 began, Captain Reynolds, with Lieutenants Tomp- 
 kins and Weeden, went off to the right of our posi- 
 tion with two guns, which were placed in position 
 near the Doogan House, I think, where they went 
 earnestly at work. During their absence. Sergeant 
 John H. Hammond, of my section, reported to me 
 that he was entirely out of ammunition, and as I knew 
 that there was no reserve supply for the James gun 
 within available distance, I directed him to take his 
 piece to the rear, to some safe place and wait for 
 orders. I remained with my other piece and the 
 pieces of Lieutenant Vaughn. Either before or after 
 this, a shot from the enemy struck the axle of one 
 of the pieces, which entirely disabled it.* The gun 
 
 * At the conclusion of the reading of this paper, Governor Sprague and 
 WUliam A. Sabin, formerly a member of the battery, gave it as their recollec- 
 tion that the stock of the gun carriage broke on account of the extreme eleva- 
 tion of the gun, and that it was not hit by the enemy's shot; but a letter of 
 mine, written after the battle, implies that the gun carriage was struck by a 
 shot. 
 
20 THE KHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY AT 
 
 was dismounted and slung under its limber and 
 immediately taken from the field. The mechanical 
 maneuvres that the men had been exercised in before 
 they left home, for the first time now found oppor- 
 tunity for practical application, and the slinging of 
 the piece was performed as thoroughly as upon the 
 floor of the drill-room. 
 
 Sometime after mid-day Governor Sprague, 
 accompanied by Captain Reynolds, rode up to me 
 and said, " Monroe, can't you get your guns over on 
 the hill there, where those batteries are?" The bat- 
 teries referred to were those of Captains Ricketts 
 and Grifiin, which were then in position near the 
 "Henry" or "Lewis" House. Without any thought, 
 except to take the pieces to that position, I ordered 
 my remaining piece and one of Lieutenant Vaughn's 
 forward, and accompanied by Captain Reynolds pro- 
 ceeded across the turnpike and up the road leading 
 to the place where the two batteries were in posi- 
 tion. The day was a very hot one, and I remember 
 that my thirst, at this time, was almost unendurable. 
 Crossing the turnpike, I saw a pool of muddy water 
 which appeared like the watering places beside our 
 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 21 
 
 New England country roads, where they are crossed 
 by rivulets or brooks. Although the water was 
 muddy and the dead bodies of a man and a horse 
 were lying in it, so great was my thirst, I could not 
 resist the inclination to dismount to slake it, aud did 
 so. Quickly remounting, I went forward with the 
 section through what appeared to be a lane, on a 
 side hill, which was completely filled with infantry, 
 who had been hotly engaged in the fight since the 
 opening of the battle. Just as we diverged to the right 
 in order to secure the ground between the two bat- 
 teries, a shot came very near to me, aud turning my 
 head, I saw Captain Reynolds go off his horse. I 
 supposed, of course, that he was hit, and started to 
 his assistance, but to my surprise he jumped up 
 nimbly and remounted, saying, " That about took my 
 breath away." The shot must have passed within a 
 few inches of him, and was what afterwards was 
 known in soldier's parlance, as " a close call." 
 
 We pushed forward and got the pieces in position 
 between Ricketts's and Grifiin's batteries, but before 
 a sinirle shot could be fired, the fatal mistake of the 
 day occurred, the mistake of supposing a rebel com- 
 
22 THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY AT 
 
 maiid to be a portion of our own forces. Thick and 
 fast their bullets came in upon us, antl they were 
 fast approaching in their charge, when Avith almost 
 superhuman energy, and with a rapidity that I never 
 saw excelled and I think I never saw equaled, our 
 cannoneers limbered to the rear and we withdrew 
 with a loss in material of only a caisson, the pole of 
 which was broken in the endeavor to turn on the 
 side hill, and there was no time then to stop for 
 repairs. Here private Bubb (Frederick) lost his 
 life, and private Vose (Warren L.) was wounded and 
 taken prisoner. A bullet went through my cap and 
 ploughed a little furrow in my scalp. Jumj)ing 
 from my horse to assist Sergeant Wilcox (G. 
 Holmes) in limbering his piece, the animal dashed 
 oft' frightened by the confusion, and I was obliged to 
 ride to the rear on the stock of the g^un carriage. 
 
 Arriving on the northerly side of the turnpike, we 
 were joined by Captain Reynolds near the "Doogan" 
 House, and shortly after by Lieutenant Weeden. 
 Captain Reynolds said that he had just seen Arnold, 
 (Captain of the regular artillery) who had lost his 
 battery. I hastened Avith the two guns off to the 
 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 23 
 
 left, to the position that we first occupied in the 
 morning, and, going into battery, commenced firing. 
 The men worked steadier and cooler than they had 
 at any time during the da}^ All at once there 
 emerged from the timber in our front, a regiment 
 or brigade of the enemy, evidently preparing for a 
 charge upon us, and simultaneously came an order, 
 from Captain Reynolds, I believe, to limber to the 
 rear. I could not resist the temptation, in spite of 
 the order, to give them one more shot before part- 
 ing, and I directed the left piece to be loaded with 
 canister. As the piece was fired, the enemy, appar- 
 ently, was just ready to move forward on their 
 charge. It appeared to me that a gap of full twenty 
 feet was made in their line, which completely stag- 
 gered them. This, I think, Avas the last shot fired 
 on the field that day. The first one was fired by 
 Sergeant D wight. 
 
 Leaving the field on foot with this piece, I found 
 the remainder of the battery a short distance away 
 on the road, moving toward Centreville. Procuring 
 a horse from one of the sergeants, I returned to the 
 field in search of the horse that 1 had lost, for which 
 
24 THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY AT 
 
 I had great affection. The scene was one of inde- 
 scribable confusion, although there appeared to be 
 no friofht or terror in the minds of the men who 
 were leaving the field. Officers seemed to have lost 
 all identity with their commands, subalterns and 
 even colonels moving along in the scattered crowd 
 as if their work was over and they were wearily 
 seeking the repose of their domiciles. The scene 
 was such as to remind one of that which can be seen 
 daily in any large manufacturing town or village, 
 when the operatives, let loose by the expiration of 
 their hours of labor, all set out for their respective 
 homes. During working hours the system for work 
 is maintained, but upon the ringing of the bell, all 
 depart according to their respective bents and wills. 
 So upon this field, the general impression seemed to 
 be that the day's work was done and that the next 
 thing in order was repose. There were a few notable 
 exceptions. I remember Avell a large and powerful 
 man, a field officer of what I took to be a Maine 
 regiment — at any rate he and his men were uniformed 
 in gray — using the most strenuous exertions to get 
 his men together. He coaxed, threatened and 
 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 25 
 
 applied to them every epithet that he seemed capa- 
 ble of, bat all to no purpose. The idea of the men 
 seemed to be that their Avork was over for the day, 
 and that they Avere going home to rest, not realizing 
 apparently, that Avhether on or off duty, they Avere 
 subject to the orders that their officers deemed best 
 to give. 
 
 The bullets began to Avhistle uncomfortably thick, 
 and I gave up the search for my horse, and rejoined 
 the battery, theu moving along the road in good 
 order, in Avhich condition it continued until the head 
 of the column reached the foot of the hill at the 
 base of Avhich floAved Avhat is kuoAvn as Cub Run. 
 Here, was a bridge rendered impassable by the wrecks 
 of several baggage Avagons. In the ford at the left 
 was an overturned siege gun, completely blocking 
 up that passage, and the right ford was completely 
 filled Avith troops and wagons. Of course the lead- 
 ing team of the battery had to halt, and it was 
 impossible to stop the rear carriages on the steep 
 hill, so that the column became only a jumbled heap 
 of horses, limbers, caissons and gun carriages. To 
 add to the confusion, just at this moment a rebel 
 
2ti THK KHODK ISLAM) AiniLLKHY AT 
 
 l)attorv in our r(;ai' opened fire, nnd it seemed as if 
 cvei'v oiK^ of their shots came down into onr very 
 midst. The men innnediately set to work tailing 
 the horses from their hai'iicsses, aft(!r doing which 
 they mounted upon tluHu in the most lively manner. 
 Some horses carricMJ only a single passenger, others 
 liad on their hacks doublets and some triplets. Still, 
 notwithstanding all this confusion, there did not 
 seem to me to he what has been almost universally 
 reported, "a jjcrfcct })anic." It appeared to me only 
 that confusion which of necessity must arise from 
 the sudden breaking up of organization. 
 
 I forded the run on the right hand, or down stream 
 side of the bridge, (ioing u}) the hill after crossing, 
 1 overtook Captain Reynolds who crossed a little in 
 advance of nic, and Just as I rode along side of him, 
 a shot from the cn(>my's artillery stiMick the ground 
 only a few feet from us. Unsophisticated as 1 was, I 
 could not understand why they should continue to 
 tire upon us when we were <loing the best that we 
 could to let them alone, and 1 said to Captain 
 Reynolds, " What do you suppose they are trying to 
 doV" His reply was a churacteristic one; "They 
 
THE FIliST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 27 
 
 are Irving to kill everv mother's son of us ; that is 
 what they are trying to do," the truth of whieh \vas 
 very forcibly impressed upon me as shot after shot 
 came screeching after us in rapid succession. 
 
 After getting beyond range of their lire, each one 
 exerted himself to get togetiier as many members of 
 the battery as possible, and upon reaching Centre- 
 ville all who liad collected together assembled at 
 the house of Mr. Utteback, which we had left in the 
 morning. Captain Reynolds and most of the others, 
 took up their quarters on the stoop or piazza of the 
 house. I Avas suffering severely from a lame leg, 
 which had been injured during the action by the 
 recoil of a piece, and liaving won the good graces of 
 the family during our stay there, I asked for more 
 comfortable quarters, and was given a nice bed. 
 About two o'clock in the morning, I was awakened 
 and informed that orders had been received to leave 
 for Washington at once. While I was dressing, one 
 of the daughters of Mr. Utteback slipped into the 
 room with a flask of Avine which she handed to me 
 with the remark, "1 think you ma}' need this before 
 3'^ou reach Washington,'' and she added, "Don't, for 
 
28 THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY AT 
 
 Heiiven's sake, tell anybody of it." The act was an 
 extremely kind one, for from the moment of our 
 arrival on the farm, every memljer of the family had 
 been besieged for liquor of any kind, but they had 
 persistently refused to furnish any, declaring that 
 they had not a drop in the house. I concealed the 
 flask under my vest and found its contents of great 
 cheer and comfort during our long night ride. 
 
 Upon going out of the house to resume the march, 
 I found, to my surprise, that some time during the 
 night, private Scott (Charles V.) had arrived in 
 camp with the piece that I had sent ofl* the field 
 under Serofcant Hammond for want of ammunition. 
 Upon enquiring of Scott for the particulars of his 
 becoming possessed of it, he informed me that he 
 got strayed from the company, and while picking his 
 way through the woods, came upon the piece with 
 all or a portion of the horses still hitched to it. 
 Calling upon some infantry men near by, who were 
 also estray, he mounted one horse himself and 
 directed them to mount the other horses, and 
 together they took the piece to Centreville. Its 
 advent was hailed with special delight by every 
 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 29 
 
 member of the battery. Sergeant Hammond told 
 me that he followed his instructions to the letter ; 
 that after directing his cannoneers to serve with the 
 other pieces, he took the piece well to the rear and 
 sought an o))scure, and, as he thought, a secure 
 place, and with his drivers remained by it awaiting 
 orders. During the afternoon some cavalry appeared 
 in their near vicinity, and supposing them to be 
 rebel cavalry, they tied, knowing that if they 
 attempted to take the piece with them, it would be 
 captured and they wcnild certainly be taken with it. 
 It is highly prol)able that the cavalry they saw Avere 
 a part of our own forces, but such had been the 
 rumors and talk of rel)el cavalry, its etHciency and 
 the terrible work it was capable of performing, that 
 the appearance of even a solitar\- horseman was 
 enough to strike terror to the hearts of half a dozen 
 ordinary men. Sergeant Hammond and his drivers 
 rejoined the company at Centreville, assumed com- 
 mand of his piece, and took it to A\'ashington with 
 the company.* 
 
 *This account of the saving of the one piece from capture, docs not agree 
 with the statement in Stone's " Rhode Island in the Rebellion," 18(H, nor with 
 the " Adjutant General's Report, State of Rhode Island, 18C5," which repeat J 
 
30 THE RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY AT 
 
 We reached Fort Runyon about six o'clock in the 
 morning, but no troops were allowed to cross Long 
 Bridire. I remember seeing^ Colonel Burnside about 
 daylight that morning, pushing forward all alone, 
 considerably in advance of the main column. Occa- 
 sionally he would stop and look back as if to assure 
 himself that all was right in that direction, as far as 
 it could be right ; then he would again push forward. 
 About ten o'clock it became plain that he was look- 
 ins: out for the welfare of his conmiand both in front 
 and rear, for an order was received to allow Colonel 
 Burnside's brigade to cross the bridge, the first who 
 were allowed the privilege of returning to the camps 
 
 the statement of Blr. Stone. The testimony of Sergeant Hammond is here- 
 with subjoined, also that of Captain Charles D. Owen : 
 
 The account given by Colonel Monroe, of the manner in which was saved 
 from capture one of the pieces of his section, at the tirst battle of Bull Run, 
 of which piece I was sergeant, is substantially correct. 
 
 JOHN H. HAMMOND, 
 Formerly Sergeant Battery A, First R. I. L. A., 
 Lute Lieutenant U. G., R. I. V. 
 
 To the best of my recollection the account as given by Colonel Monroe is 
 
 correct. 
 
 CHAS. D. OWEN, 
 
 Formerly Sergeant Battery A, R. I. L. A., 
 
 Late Captain Battery G, R. I. L. A. 
 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 31 
 
 thcit they had left and which seemed to them like 
 home. Ill passing through the streets of Washing- 
 ton to our Camp Clark the sidewalks were lined with 
 people, many of Avhom furnished us with refresh- 
 ments. 
 
 The act of private Scott was finally rewarded by 
 the bestowing upon him a commission as Second 
 Lieutenant, in 1864. The piece Avas presented by 
 the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island 
 to Governor Sprague, who placed it in trust Avith 
 the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery, in Avhose 
 armory it is now kept. 
 
 This paper wa.s read before the Rhode Island Soldiers and 
 Sailors Historical Society, December first, 1875. 
 

 
 7 <I<Cl<L 
 
 
 
 ^ocC. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 "^G «^ ^ 
 
 c . « 
 
 -- -<t.;. d- ^ 
 
 ' Cc ^ 
 
 'CSCl * 
 
 " CV ^ 
 
 ^<£:<^ 
 
 '" C ' C 
 
 '- <g. <^- 
 
 r"' ' • • 
 
 Er^*^ 
 
 ^f=-- - ^ t 
 
 ^=- '-/ ' 
 
 ^^ <: < 
 
 ^ c ■ * 
 
 t^ "^ 
 
 ^ .- J 
 
 r^'«g; - <S 
 
 CIT •. J7 
 
 -• «rc d: 
 
 *r r "^^/ 
 
 Cc^<3^ 
 
 ^Cl<^<^ 
 
 ^^a 
 
 
 
 ;--^^ 
 c ^^' 
 
 
 
 CC<£ ^ 
 
 Me 
 
 ^^ 
 
 
<2C O <^ 
 
 
 '^'ttc? car 
 
 
 
 
 ,-^5-5 
 
 I <C Oi ^ 
 ^^ «^ 5: ^ 
 
 CZ CC Cc 
 
 err c c ^ " — —--- 
 
 d < <r •^'-/ CA <: ^ 
 ■eye «c:c<: d^ 
 
 , <j:e. 
 
 Cf.C 
 
 ■•<;"■ <^. 
 
 
 < c 
 
 
 ,<S- ■C 
 
 ■ <£■ < 
 
 
 ft 
 
 c 
 
 „ c: ■ 
 
 c c 
 
 c c 
 r < 
 
 K^ •£ 
 
 
 •«fcL >*'':' 
 
 s^^