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ing batteries, magazines, &c., and putting guns in position. Company I was then sent to Winchester, Va., and was in the battle at that place, gaining much praise for good conduct. It was then ordered by Gen. Milroy to remain and spike the guns left by his command. Here Capt. Martin and forty men were taken

prisoners.

During the presence of the enemy in Pennsylvania, this command was called upon to picket in front of their line; thus doing the double duty of infantry and artillery, and proving itself ready for any duty, regardless of exposure.

For two years and a half, the First Massachusetts Heavy Artillery had done good service to the cause, and had performed without grudging a great deal of severe labor, but had had no opportunity of participating in any one of the more glorious achievements of the war.

The order, therefore, to join the Army of the Potomac at the front, received May 15, 1864, was obeyed with alacrity. It was assigned to the second brigade, of Tyler's division, Col. Tannett commanding. At Harris's Farm, the regiment was heavily engaged with the enemy, and for a time was alone opposed to Rhodes's division, of Ewell's corps. The men stood up to their work manfully until re-enforcements arrived, when they fell back to re-form and advance again. In this action, Major Rolfe, commanding first battalion, was killed. The entire loss of the regiment was fifty-five killed, and three hundred and twelve wounded. The engagement lasted until ten, P.M. The regiment remained on the field all night.

At the battle of North Anna, the regiment was held as reserve, and lost but one killed and eleven wounded.

On the 31st, in the battle of Tolopotomy, the regiment threw forward a skirmish line, and occupied the enemy's works. It lay under a heavy fire of artillery all day.

On the 3d of June, at Cold Harbor, four companies - viz., B, F, H, and K — were engaged in the charge on the enemy's works in the morning, and in the repulse of the enemy in his night charge.

On the 14th, the regiment crossed the James, and marched for Petersburg, and, on the 16th, charged the enemy's works in its front, and was repulsed with the loss of twenty-five killed, and a hundred and thirty-two wounded.

On the 18th, it charged the enemy's works near Hare House, and carried them, driving the enemy through the woods. The

men of the First Heavy Artillery held their position until the 20th, when they were ordered to the rear, and the next day advanced upon the Weldon Railroad. On the 22d, while throwing up breastworks with the brigade, they were flanked by the enemy, who, breaking through Gen. Barlow's division, succeeded in getting into position in the woods on the left of the brigade. The loss of the regiment here was nine killed, forty-six wounded, and a hundred and eighty-five captured.

July 6, the term of service of the original members expired, and the regiment was ordered to the rear to prepare for mustering out the men. For those who continued in the service, nothing of note took place until the 30th, when they occupied a position in the front, half a mile to the right of the mine exploded in the morning, and were ordered to keep up a continuous fire on the enemy in front, whose works were about two hundred yards distant. The regiment used during the day an average of a hundred and fifty rounds to the man.

On the 12th of August, it was ordered to City Point; on the 15th, advanced near five miles on the Charles-city Road, skirmishing nearly all the way.

On the 18th, the regiment returned to Petersburg, and garrisoned Fort Hayes until the 25th.

On the 2d of October, it was engaged with the enemy in a brisk encounter near Preble's Farm. On the 6th, it returned to Fort Hayes, where it remained until the 26th. Next day it marched to the Boydtown Plank-road, and in the afternoon became engaged with the enemy. Returning to Fort Hayes, the regiment remained there until the 28th of November, when it again marched to Preble's House, and went into camp near the Vaughn Road. On the 6th of December, it participated in Gen. Warren's raid on the Weldon Railroad, returning by the same route to camp on the 13th. On this raid, the men suffered extremely from cold, but had no engagement with the enemy.

The regiment remained in camp until the opening of the spring campaign, March 25, excepting during the affair at Hatcher's Run. In several of the most stirring events of this campaign, the regiment participated; and from the engagement at Duncan's Run, to the date of Gen. Lee's surrender to Gen. Grant, it was constantly in action or on the march. On the successful close of this campaign, the regiment remained in camp at Burkesville until May 2, when it started for Washington, via Richmond and Fredericksburg, reaching its destination on the 15th, just one year

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from the day it left the fortifications of that city to join the Army of the Potomac.

On the 15th of June, the regiment reported for duty to MajorGen. Hancock, and was assigned by him to duty at Forts Ethan Allen and Marcy, near Chain Bridge.

July 31, the regiment was consolidated into four companies, and the supernumerary and non-commissioned officers mustered out.

Aug. 11, orders were received from the Adjutant-General's office for the command to be at once mustered out of the United-States service, and reported to the mustering-officer of Massachusetts for final payment. It left Washington the evening of Aug. 17. Arrived in Boston Sunday, Aug. 20, and received its final discharge Aug. 25, 1865; having been in the United-States service four years, one month, and twenty-one days.

SECOND REGIMENT OF HEAVY ARTILLERY.

The companies composing this regiment were mustered into the service of the United States at different dates. Four companies left Boston for Newbern, N.C., Sept. 4, 1863; two companies, Nov. 6; and the balance (six companies) in January, 1864. Each detachment reached its destination in safety. During its fall term of service, the regiment was stationed in North Carolina and Virginia, under the following officers:

In March, 1864, the headquarters of the regiment were at Norfolk, Va.; while detachments were stationed at Fort Macon, Newport Barracks, Fort Totten, Morehead City, and Plymouth, N.C.

In October, fifty-six fell victims to the yellow-fever, then raging in Newbern.

At the opening of the year 1865, four companies, then at Plymouth, went on an expedition to the interior of North Carolina, and on the 13th of February to Columbia, N.C., and seized a quantity of Confederate stores.

On the 27th of March, a reconnoissance was made towards Rainbow Bluff, Hamilton, N.C.; which returned April 1, with the loss of one man.

After performing garrison and provost-guard duty in Virginia, Newbern, N.C., and Kinston, orders were received, Sept. 2, to proceed to Galloupe's Island, Boston Harbor, and there await muster-out. The regiment arrived on the 15th of September, and the muster-out was effected on the 23d of that month.

The regiment has had a total of twenty-seven hundred men upon its rolls, and brought home twelve hundred. In the fall of 1864, it was recruited beyond the maximum standard by the arrival of a number of men, many of whom were one-year's men. About five hundred of these were, by orders from the War Department, transferred to the Seventeenth Massachusetts Infantry. The remaining one-year's men were discharged in the latter part of July of that

year.

With a single exception, the men have appeared to be well satisfied. Many of them were enlisted under a general order from the Commonwealth headquarters, offering certain bounties to men who enlisted in "veteran organiations;" and the Second Artillery was named as one of those organizations. The United-States bounty advertised was not, however, paid the men; it being claimed by the paymasters that the regiment was not a veteran organization." This created much dissatisfaction for a time, the more especially as the men learned that these United-States bounties had been regularly paid to the Fifty-sixth, Fifty-seventh, Fifty-eighth, and Fifty-ninth Regiments, which were recruited under the same order.

Two companies of this regiment, G and H, were captured by the enemy at Plymouth, N.C., in April, 1864. They were then about two hundred and seventy-five strong. In the early part of the next year, the remnant of them rejoined the regiment, thirty-five in number!-a commentary on the tender mercies of the Andersonville prison-keepers and their superiors.

THIRD REGIMENT OF HEAVY ARTILLERY.

This regiment, organized in accordance with orders from the War Department, was composed of the Third, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Unattached Companies of Heavy Artillery.

The first eight of these companies were originally raised for, and for a time were on duty in, the coast defences of this State. They were sent forward to Washington early in the fall of 1864, and were on duty in the defences of that city until the date of muster-out, Sept. 18, 1865.

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Col. Abert, United-States army, was a popular and competent officer.

With the exception of Company I, which was on detached service, the regiment remained on duty in the forts near Washington during its entire term of service. We append a brief notice of Company I from the report of Gen. Michie, chief engineer, Department of Virginia. He writes,

Company I was ordered to report to Major-Gen. Butler, commanding Department of Virginia and North Carolina. It was mostly recruited from Springfield Armory, and was composed of as fine a body of men as I have ever seen in the service; and I may add here, that their after-conduct more than justified the highest expectations then formed.

It was at once assigned to duty with Capt. F. U. Farquhar, United-States corps of engineers, chief engineer of the department; and was put in charge of the pontoon-trains of this army. Knowing nothing of pontoon-drill, the officers and men applied themselves so steadily, that, early in May, they were excellent pontoniers, and could build a bridge as rapidly and as well as any men of longer experience.

Briefly, it has since built two bridges across the Appomattox River, and taken care of them. These bridges connected the Armies of the Potomac and the James. Repaired and almost remade the bridge train-wagons furnished by the Government. Built two pontoon-bridges across the James, which enabled our army to cross and advance on Chaffin's Farm, Sept. 29, 1864. Assisted in building wharves, permanent bridges, and roadways. Repaired and taken charge of three captured and burnt saw-mills, which have cut nearly two million feet of lumber since October last, used in building hospitals, bridges, batteries, and magazines, and thereby saved the Government the cost of that quantity. Had charge of the poontoon-train which accompanied the Army of the James in its rapid march against Gen. Lee; and built the pontoon-bridges at Farmville, which passed over the artillery and trains of two corps of the Army of the Potomac, Second and Sixth, and enabled them to follow in rapid pursuit of the enemy. Had charge of the pontoon-bridges across the James River at Richmond, which passed over safely all of the Army of the James, Army of the Potomac, Sherman's army, and Sheridan's cavalry, with their trains and artillery. Furnished the assistance to the surveying-parties engaged in mapping the rebel lines and country in the vicinity of Richmond.

This company has merited the best praise and commendation that a commander can give his men. They have always given a ready and willing obedience to every order, are good and worthy men, and are ready now to make upright citizens.