CHAPTER XXXI. Seventh Light Battery. - Detailed for Provost-duty at Fortress Monroe. - Goes to Norfolk, Corps. burg. - Loudon Valley. and Character of the Troops. -- THE SEVENTH LIGHT BATTERY. HE Seventh Light Battery was among the very first threeyears' men that left the State. It was recruited in Lowell, by Capt. Davis, as an infantry company; and was called the Richardson Light Guard, in honor of George F. Richardson, Esq., who had been very active in assisting the recruitment. The following is a list of the officers : The company sailed from Boston for Fortress Monroe May 22, 1861, and was intended to be attached to the Third Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia until its three-months' term of service was completed; but it was detailed at the fortress on provost-duty, and Capt. Davis was provost-marshal. It remained a part of the permanent garrison of the fortress, as an infantry company, until the 25th of December, 1861, when it was detailed on light artillery-duty; and on the 17th of March, 1862, by orders from the War Department, it was permanently changed to an artillery corps, and became the Seventh Battery of Massachusetts Volunteers. When the advance upon Norfolk was made, May 10, 1862, this company, acting as infantry, was the first to land, and formed the right of the advancing column. On the 13th, it again returned to Fortress Monroe. On the 19th of June, it left the fortress as a battery, fully equipped, and with full ranks, and proceeded to Newport News; thence, on the 25th of July, to Yorktown; and thence, Oct. 2, to Suffolk, Va. Thus far it had taken part in some skirmishes, but in no battle. While at this point, one section was sent to the front each night to guard the crossing of the Nansemond River. On the 29th of January, the battery was ordered to report to Brig.-Gen. Michael Corcoran for duty, and started at midnight on the march towards Blackwater River. Between two and three, A.M., Jan. 30, met the enemy's forces under Gen. R. A. Pryor at the Deserted House, nine miles from Suffolk, and the command was engaged until daylight; when the enemy fell back about two miles, and made another stand. Here, with four guns only, all others being disabled, it sustained the engagement for two hours against a superior force, and finally drove them across the Blackwater. The loss was two killed, eleven wounded, and two mortally wounded; five horses killed, and seven wounded. On the 17th of March, the battery reported to Col. S. P. Spear, commanding an expedition for a "flying trip." It engaged the enemy at Franklin three-quarters of an hour, but without loss. During the investment of Suffolk by Gen. Longstreet, the battery was in various parts of the defences, with horses harnessed day and night, from the 11th of April to the 3d of May; when it reported to Gen. G. W. Getty, crossed the Nansemond, attacked the enemy on the Providence-Church Road, and silenced their battery. On the 13th, it went on an expedition to Carrsville, one section engaging and repulsing the enemy one mile from that place. From this date to the 18th of August, the battery was stationed at various points in Virginia, frequently under fire, but participated in no important engagements. It was then ordered to New York to assist in enforcing the draft. It arrived there on the 21st, and encamped in Madison Square. On the 11th of Sep THE SEVENTH BATTERY IN TEXAS. 519 tember, it returned to Washington, where it remained until the beginning of the year 1864; when, in pursuance of orders from headquarters of the army, it sailed, Jan. 27, for the Department of the Gulf. Arriving at New Orleans, the battery became attached to the Nineteenth Army Corps, and, on the 31st of March, went into camp at Alexandria, La. May 11, the march from Alexandria to the Mississippi River began; the second brigade, to which the battery was attached, having the advance. From the 1st of June until the 11th of September, the battery took part in several expeditions sent to different points in Louisiana and Arkansas. At this latter date, it was in camp at St. Charles, Ark. Thence the largest part of the battery was sent to Duvall's Bluff, Ark.; one section remaining at St. Charles. On the 10th of January, 1865, it embarked on board the steamer "Rescue" for the Department of the Gulf; arriving at Kennerville, La., on the 15th. On the 9th of February, it sailed for Dauphine Island, Ala. On the 17th of March, crossed Mobile Bay, and next day joined the first division, Thirteenth Army Corps. On the 27th, it was ordered into position in front of Spanish Fort, and was engaged with the enemy every day from that time until the fall of that stronghold. April 20, the battery embarked on board steamer "Col. Cowles " as part of an expedition up the Mobile and Alabama Rivers. It returned to Mobile on the 16th of May, and sailed thence, on the 30th of June, for Galveston, Tex.; arrived there July 3, and, on the 9th, moved to Houston. Records an officer, Oct. 1, the property pertaining to the battery having been turned over, the company started on its return home. It was detained in Galveston four days, and at New Orleans six days, awaiting transportation. Oct. 14, it embarked on board steamship "Guiding Star." In the even ing, the ship grounded on the bar at the mouth of the Mississippi River, where it remained until the 19th, when it was got off, and proceeded on its way. On the 22d, the wind commenced blowing a gale from the north-east, and increased to a perfect hurricane on the night of the 23d. At one o'clock on the morning of the 24th, the ship fell off into the trough of the sea, where it remained for thirty-six hours, the men working at the pumps during that time On the morning of the 25th, the wind having abated, it proceeded to Port Royal, S.C., for coal. The company arrived at New-York City on the 2d of November, and in Boston on the 3d: it then proceeded to Gal loupe's Island, in the harbor, where it was mustered out of service on the 10th, and paid off and discharged on the 12th, of November. EIGHTH LIGHT BATTERY. The Eighth Light Battery was organized under the following officers: We take a brief notice of its early history from the official report: The order for the recruitment of this battery for six months' service was issued on the 27th of May, 1862; and, on the 30th of that month, the first squad of recruits, numbering over forty, were sworn into service, and went into camp at Camp Cameron, North Cambridge. The recruiting proceeded rapidly until the full complement was obtained; and having received its pieces, horses, uniform, and equipments, the battery left Boston for Washington June 25. Its journey was interrupted by a most melancholy accident a short distance south of Trenton, N. J. The train containing the battery ran off the track, and several of the forward cars were thrown into the canal. Two men were killed by this event, a number more or less wounded, thirteen horses killed, and a large amount of property destroyed. The battery returned to Trenton to be put in shape again; and, on the 27th of June, resumed its march, and proceeded to Washington, where it halted until July 1 by the side of the railroad track. It then crossed into Virginia by the Long Bridge, and went into camp near Fairfax Seminary. While here, it was attached to the brigade of Gen. John Cook, in Gen. S. D. Sturgis's reserve army corps. On the 8th of August, it was ordered to report for service in the corps of Gen. Burnside. It marched to camp near Falmouth, Va., arriving Aug. 11. There it was attached to the division of Gen. Stevens, and marched with a detachment of the Ninth Army Corps to the re-enforcement of the Army of Virginia, taking a position on the left, seven miles south of Culpeper. On the retreat to the Rappahannock, it was detached from the division, and sent to guard Barnett's Ford, an important position, which it held, from Aug. 20th to the 23d, almost without support. At this time, the right section was detached from the battery, and was engaged in a skirmish near Sulphur Springs, supported by a part of Gen. Sigel's corps. The battery marched to Warrenton Aug. 23, and thence to Warrenton Junction. On the discovery of Jackson's appearance on our flank at Ma THE EIGHTH BATTERY AT ANTIETAM. 521 nassas, it marched with the rest of the division in pursuit of him. It wa engaged in the battle of Bull Run, Aug. 30, and, at the end of the action, fell back with the army to Centreville, without the loss of a man or a gun. On the 1st of September, it took part in the battle of Chantilly, and came out with similar good fortune. On the 2d, it encamped near Pond's Mills, only one mile from its previous camp at the Seminary. On the 5th, it marched to Washington, and received new limbers and caissons, as well as ammunition for the coming Maryland campaign. It marched through Leesborough, Brookville, Frederick City, and Middletown, in pursuit of the enemy. It was engaged in the battle of South Mountain, Sept. 14, occupying a very exposed position on the left, in the teeth of the rebel batteries, and under a murderous fire of canister. Loss, one killed, four wounded. On the 17th of September, it took part in the great battle of Antietam. During the day, it occupied several positions of extreme exposure and danger on the left wing of the army; and its services were highly complimented by Gen. Wilcox, commanding the first division, Ninth Army Corps. During the night, it held an advanced position on an eminence on the west bank of tho creek, believed to be the only battery of Gen. Burnside's command which remained on that side after sunset. It continued to hold the position until late in the afternoon of the 18th, when it was relieved by other troops. The battery lay in camp, near the mouth of Antietam Creek, until Oct. 5, when it was ordered to Washington Arsenal to exchange its guns for pieces. of a longer range. Oct. 21, it rejoined at Pleasant Valley just in time to participate in the advance into Virginia. On the 8th of November, the battery was in camp at Waterloo. During the last march of the battery through Maryland, on its return from Washington, as it was passing through Hyattstown, its commander was informed by a disguised scout of the existence of a nest of rebels in the vicinity A party of mounted volunteers of non-commissioned officers and privates, under the leadership of Lieuts. Coffin and Kirk, went out in search of the rebels, and succeeded in capturing several members of Stuart's cavalry, with some recruits for the same regiment who were hiding in a secession house in the neighborhood, together with several horses and other valuable contraband property. Having completed its term of service, this battery returned to Boston. Capt. Cook, who commanded it, is the same gentleman who commanded the First Massachusetts in the three-months' service. THE NINTH LIGHT BATTERY Was recruited chiefly at Camp Meigs, Readville; though, for a portion of the time, it was encamped at Camp Stanton, Lynnfield. The following is its list of officers : |