Yale University Library
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JAMES E. SMITH.

A
FAMOUS BATTERY
AND
ITS CAMPAIGNS, l86l-'64

THE CAREER OF
CORPORAL JAMES TANNER
IN WAR AND IN PEACE

EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS
WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF
Cart. Jack Crawford
The Poet Scout

BY
CAPTAIN JAMES E. SMITH
4th N. Y. Independent Battery

WASHINGTON
W. H. LOWDERMILK & CO.
1892

Cc C^'-' ''/- -

Copyright, 1892, by James E. Smith

PRESS OF H. L. MCQUEEN, WASHINGTON

PREFACE

In presenting these memoirs to the pubHc my aim is
simply a plain, unvarnished tale to tell of the gallant
deeds of a Battery which, to use the words of the of&cial
report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New
York (Vol. I, page 169, 1868), " served during the war
with as bright a record as any in the whole Army,"
and, incidentally, to correct some erroneous statements
and reports in the light of the fuller information now
attainable regarding the tremendous events of the
memorable epoch in our Nation's history to which
thej' relate.
This sketch of its marches from the uplands of Bull
Run to the swamps of the Chickahominy, from the
malarious Peninsula to the breezy Pennsylvania hills,
is measurably a contemporaneous history of the battles
of the Army of the Potomac, for there were but few of
them that this Battery did not participate in. I have
endeavored to state facts, and trust that the verdict of
my readers may be : " He nothing extenuated, nor
aught set down in malice. ' '
J. E. S.

A FAMOUS BATTERY,

CONTENTS.

PART I.
THE THREE MONTHS' SERVICE IN VARIAN'S BATTERY.
Chapter I  i
Southward Ho I— An unrecorded engagement.
Chapter II  6
In Camp at Annapolis. — A tilt with General
Butler.
Chapter III  12
On Picket in Virginia. — Cub Run. — Home
Again.
Chapter IV  24
Some Personal Incidents.
PART II.
THE FOURTH NEW YORK BATTERY — ^ITS FORMATION,
ITS SERVICES, AND ITS DISSOLUTION.
Chapter I .  33
Organization. — On to Washington.
Chapter II  43
Winter Quarters in Lower Maryland. — In
cidents.

vi CONTENTS.
Chapter III ... .'  5^
Yorktown.
Chapter IV  57
Williamsburg.
Chapter V . .  66
Official Reports. — Some misstatements cor
rected.
Chapter VI  82
Fredericksburg.
Chapter VII  93
After Fredericksburg. — A Summer March
through Maryland.
Chapter VIII  loi
Gettysburg.
Chapter IX  113
Official Reports. — Union.
Chapter X  . . '  123
Official Reports.—- Confederate.
Chapter XI ....  133
Letters from participants in the battle refer
ring to the part taken by the Battery.
Chapter XII  147
Remarks and Criticisms.
Chapter XIII  156
Poetic Tributes to the Battery. — i. A Famous
Battery and its Day of Glory, by Capt. Jack
Crawford, the Poet Scout. — 11. Devil's Den,
by Comrade Samuel Adams Wiggin.
Chapter XIV  164
Back to Wasliington. — Disbanded.

contents. Vll
Appendix   175
The Career of Corporal Tanner . . , . 179
Early Days in the Black Hills  217
The Grand Army of the Republic  235

F»ART I

THE THREE MONTHS SERVICE IN
VARIAN'S BATTERY

CHAPTER I
Southward, Ho l^An Unrecorded Engagement
ONG before the first rays of the sun
had glinted on the topmasts
of the shipping in New York
Harbor, in the early dawn of
April 19, i86i,theold "Wash
ington Gray Troop," or Com
pany "I" of the 8th New
York State Militia, reorgan
ized the day before as Varian's
Battery of lyight Artillery,
started for ' ' the front ' ' — magic
words in the feverish days of the early sixties, that
made the blood dance in the veins, and filled the
souls of the average young man of that period with a
wild longing for the stirring life of the camp and the
battlefield.

2 A famous battery.
We were on board the steamship Montgomery under
sealed orders, and our destination was — well, some
where in the tumultuous South, just where we didn't
know and hardly cared, but with the confidence of
youth and inexperience we considered ourselves a
match for anything we might encounter.
A word of introduction as to who and what we were
that sailed away from New York that bright spring
morning to put down the Rebellion may be pardoned.
Varian's Battery consisted of six smooth-bore six-
pounder brass pieces, with carriages, obtained from the
7th Regiment, and thirty-six horses, all that could be
collected in the brief period allowed for that purpose.
We were provided with 200 rounds of ammunition per
gun. The personnel of the Battery was, perhaps, unex
celled by any organization that ever went into the serv
ice. The Captain, Joshua M. Varian, was a very pop
ular oificer in militia circles, and held in high esteem
by all who knew him. When it became known that he
needed a few recruits to bring his company up to a bat
tery standard, some of the best men in the city besieged
the armory in their efibrts to be enrolled, and it required
but an hour or so to obtain all the men that could be
carried, while he was obliged to refuse hundreds.
The nucleus of this Battery, "The Gray Troop," was
composed of some of the most prominent business men
in the city of New York, in fact none were admitted to
its ranks except those of good standing in mercantile
or professional life, and care was taken that their new
associates in the Battery should be young men of credit
able antecedents. In the enthusiastic crowd that stood

southward ho ! 3
on the deck of the Montgomery in the gray light of
that April morning were (the subsequently Hon.) Ed
ward Kearney, chief of piece, who distinguished him
self not long afterwards by retaking the light-ship at
Smith's Point, on the Potomac; Gunner James I^ynch,
afterwards Sheriff of New York City ; Private James S.
Eraser, since then Department Commander of the New
York G. A. R. , and numerous other privates who were
to wear officer's bars and eagles before the war was
over. When the steamer cast off her moorings and swung
out into the channel, Captain Varian, standing on the
upper deck, proposed three cheers for the flag floating
over us, three for our beloved New York, and three more
for the dear ones we were leaving behind. When the
last was given it is no blot on their manhood to state
that not a few turned aside to conceal the tears that
welled into their eyes. But the voyage had begun, a
new and probably stormy phase of life was unfolding,
and the path to a glorious career seemed shimmering
before us on the dancing waves glistening in the first
rays of the rising sun.
After passing Sandy Hook it was ascertained that the
ship was bound for Annapolis, Md. All went smoothly
until the 21st, when an incident occurred which has not
yet found a place in history. It had been rumored that
more than one cruiser carrying the Confederate flag had
caused considerable damage to Federal vessels, and many
hasty glances were cast towards the two guns in the
bow while the boys discussed the probabilities of fall
ing in with one of these unwelcome customers. So it
is not to be wondered at that a cry from the lookout at

4 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
the mast-head of ' ' Sail Ho ! " caused every man to rush
forward, eagerly scanning the surface of the ocean in
the direction indicated, and long before they obtained a
sight of the vessel signaled, it is safe to say she was
secretly considered by every one as something sus
picious. Finally, when she hove in sight, this belief
was confirmed, for it would have been difficult to find
a rnore rakish looking craft. Instinctively each man
moved nearer to the guns. Captain Varian stood near
the wheel-house, while the captain of the ship, with
glass and trumpet, stood by to execute any orders
given. Somehow, by the time the vessels were within
hailing distance, the men had crept up to the guns and
stood ready to open fire. All eyes were closely watch
ing the approaching piratical looking craft, which was
about to pass us on the starboard side. What a mean,
skulking thing she appeared to be ! Now the moment
to challenge was at hand, and the captain of the Mont
gomery hailed the mysterious stranger, demanding her
destination, whence she came, etc. Of this modest re
quest not the slightest notice was taken; then the notion
got into the boys' heads that she was trying to slip
away, after having discovered our guns and the resolute
men ready to serve them, but Captain Varian was equal
to the occasion and at once gave the order to load with
a solid shot and fire across her bows. (This means
"heave to or take the consequences"; it is, in fact, an
insult, and if not heeded in time of war, the vessel fir
ming the shot should, in accordance with the custom of
the sea, at once open fire with a view to cripple or sink
her adversary.) Away sped the old six-pound ball,
ricocheting in front of this insolent cruiser who had dis-

An unrecorded :^ngagBmenT. 5
regarded the invitation to explain her presence, but be
fore the smoke had cleared away some one, after the
style of gazers at a Fourth of July fire-works display,
exclaimed, "Ah! Ah!" This caused others to look,
and there, within five hundred yards was discovered a
sight that chilled our blood. The port-holes of this
strange craft were open and from each protruded the
muzzle of a long, nasty -looking gun, manned by ' ' Uncle
Sam's" Marines, ready to give us a broadside which
would, in all probability, have sent us to the bottom.
Then in thunder tones came the command: "Send an
officer on board, d  d quick." This, it is needless to
say, was done without unnecessary delay. Explana
tions followed, and it was gratifying to know that
" Varian's Battery " had taken a prominent part in the
first naval engagement after the fall of Sumter, and had
brought-to the Grape-shot, U. S. M. Service, whose
commander condescended to say that he judged it was
a lot of militia or he would have sunk the outfit. As
he sheered off he kindly volunteered this piece of in
formation: "The next time you wish to hail a vessel,
fire a blank, or you may not get off so easily."

A FAMOUS BATTERY.

CHAPTER II

In Camp at Annapolis— A Tilt with General Butler
' FTER quite a tedious sail around
Cape Henry and up the
Chesapeake Bay, we arrived
at Annapolis, Md., about
noon of the 22d of April,
where Captain Varian re
ported to General Butler,
then in command of the
post. He directed that the .
Battery be disembarked and
parked inside the marine grounds. This was accom
plished after a good deal of hard work. We lacked,
however, a complement of horses and harness. Provi
dence furnished the horses in a curious way, which I
will now relate, but it took the United States Govern
ment some time to provide the harness.
During a severe storm one night over one hundred
horses were lowered from a steamer outside and swim
ming ashore were attracted by the whinnying of our
thirty-six animals fastened to the picket rope, and at
once joined them. The grounds being enclosed by a
wall on three sides rendered it easy to capture and tie
up the entire lot. They were turned over to the Gov-

IN Camp at ANNAPOLIS. 7
emment at Centreville later on. General Butler, with
that restless energy characteristic of him, ordered two
detachments of sixteen of our men each, to be instructed
in handling two thirty-two pounders stationed in Fort
Severn and used formerly by the marines for practicing.
The commander of the brig Perry, at anchor near
by, kindly consented to give instructions, and loaned
our officers a book on naval tactics. The preliminary
drill requires each man from No. i, to i6, inclusive, to
"speak a piece," i. e., when the gun's crew has taken
its position, at the command of the officer in charge to
"cast loose and procure," then No. i explains his
duties, followed by No. 2, and so on to the end.
I was assigned to the command of these detachments
and reported to our naval instructor in the Fort, who,
after explaining some minor details, produced the book
and remarking that it would take some time to post the
men, promised to call around the next day.
I hit upon a plan that enabled us to make a good
showing in the morning, viz. : I copied on separate slips
of paper each man's "piece," so that all could study
at the same time, and during rehearsal that afternoon
succeeded in making our drill a perfect success. We
were at it again early the next day, to make assurance
doubly sure, and when the naval gentlemen put in an
appearance we were carelessly lounging around the drill
room. I think it was one of the proudest moments of
my life when I called the men to quarters and sang out
' ' Cast loose and procure. ' ' The boys were prompt and
rattled off their pieces without one mistake. The guns
were loaded (in our minds) and run out ready for dis
charging ; meanwhile our instructor looked on in as-

8 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
tonishment, declaring it required one year's time and
several marlin spikes to accomplish on board ship what
we had mastered in twenty-four hours.
We felt very proud of this work, especially when there
appeared to be some grounds for the rumor that the
enemy intended to make us a visit by water.
Shortly after this I had the ill-luck to come into per
sonal collision with General Butler, through no fault of
mine, in a way that is amusing enough to recall now,
but which did not strike me that way at the time of its
occurrence. I had a spirited gray horse which I was
accustomed to ride outside the walls, in company with
the other Battery officers, every evening when not on
duty. The horse was a famous jumper and as I felt
quite proud of his abilities in that line I was always
on the lookout for a fence to put him at and show off
his steeple-chasing qualities. As we frequently met the
General and his staff out riding, I suppose he noticed
the gray's superb action, and so I heard from him.
One evening the Captain sent for me, and upon re
porting, he informed me that General Butler wanted
my horse. I laughed at this, supposing it was a joke,
but when the orderly who had brought the message
turned to me and stolidly repeated it, I ceased laugh
ing. The situation was becoming serious. At that
time we still retained a large amount of ' ' militia-ism ' '
and were not much disturbed by the commanding tones
of ranking officers who, we suspected, had little if any
advantage over us in the knowledge of military matters.
Still, I concluded it might be as well for me to make a
call on the General. I had about made up my mind to
do so, when the same orderly, who had delivered the

A Tilt with general butler. 9
message and returned to headquarters, appeared again
and with a salute informed me that the General wished
to see me at once.
I lost no time in obeying the order. I found the
commanding officer pacing his room in slippers and
dressing gown and evidently in very bad humor. I
saluted and waited his pleasure. He looked at me
with an angry frown for a few moments and then burst
out with :
"Are you Ivieutenant Smith ? "
"At your service, General," I replied, with as calm
a demeanor as I could assume.
' ' Why did you not deliver that horse to my orderly,
sir, as directed? " was the next question, in^ imperious
tones. "Well, General," I answered, with a rather feeble
attempt at a smile, "the horse is not for sale; still, if
you are particularly desirous of having him, about four
hundred dollars might, perhaps, induce me to part with
him — to you."
Now this was, probably, a rather free way for a sub
ordinate to reply to his commanding officer, but I was
nettled by his dictatorial manner, and I really can not
see what else I could have said under the circumstances.
The General stared at me with such a malevolent
look out of his good eye that I began to feel quite un
comfortable until, with something very like a grunt,
he turned away, and I lost no time in getting out, sup
posing that was the end of the matter. But I changed
my ideas on that point before the sun had set.
The General kept an old tub of a steamer within call
for special duty purposes. It was deemed advisable at

lO a famous BATTERY.
this time to place a section of guns on board, with two
detachments under command of a commissioned officer,
for police duty on the bay; it was further ordered that
neither the officer nor men should land without permis
sion from the General commanding. Usually an order
of this kind would have directed the Captain of the
Battery to detail an officer, etc., but judge of my sur
prise to learn that the General had directed that ' ' I^ieu-
tenant Smith and one section of the Battery ' ' be detailed
for this duty. Practically I had no command, being
the lowest ranking officer in the company, and to com
ply with the order some one would be deprived of his
section. However, on board I bundled, not without
making a gentle " kick," believing I was the victim of
persecution. There was no way out of it but to take
my medicine. For two weeks we cruised up and down
the bay, during which period the General came on
board with his staff for a trip to Fort McHenry. The
day was very warm, as I had good reason to remember.
Our guns were stationed in the bow without the slight
est shelter and, as bad luck would have it, the General
took a seat in the wheel-house to make observations.
How he managed to twist his eyes in the direction of
the guns is more than I can tell ; nevertheless, he did ;
then he took a great interest in the practice of artillery,
for the time being, and made a pressing request that
for his edification the men be drilled. For over one
hour we stood under a broiling sun, which did not in
crease our love for the old man at that time.
Our release from police duty on the bay finally came,
when the General took his departure for Fortress Mon
roe, to which point we escorted him.

EDWARD KEARNEY.

A TILT WITH GENERAL BUTLER. II
We were ordered to anchor in the "Roads" after our
arrival, and not to visit the shore. I think we were de
tained four days. At last one night at midnight an
orderly delivered to me an order to report back to An
napolis. The news was passed and the boys landed the
anchor on record time. I stood by the helm determined
not to notice anything in the shape of signals, fearing
our order would be countermanded. I have always
thought there was a little desire to punish me in all
this, but it may have been accidental.
While this was going on, another section of the Bat
tery performed very valuable service in securing a light
ship which had been run up a creek to deceive vessels
in the night. Of this incident I can say but little, but
I remember that Ed. Kearney, then chief of piece, was
the hero of this encounter. He boldly stood by his
gun and was the only Federal in sight for a brief period.
His example and cool judgment, with a little vigorous
persuasion added, succeeded in establishing order and
turning defeat into victory. A reference to the records
as published in the Adjutant-General's Report, State
of New York, Vol. I, 1868, a copy of which is herewith
appended, will furnish a full account of this affair.
(See Report, page 169.)

li

A FAMOUS BATTERY.

CHAPTER III
On Picket in Virginia — Cub Run — Home Again

'he Battery finally reached
Arlington, Va., late in May,
1 86 1, and every night at
least one section was posted
for picket duty on one of the
roads leading from the inte
rior of Virginia.
The night of the great
false alarm that brought the
~^ ^  __ army over the Long Bridge
from Washington to the Virginia side, I was in charge
of two guns on the Vienna Pike. Captain Brackett
of the Second Dragoons, U. S. Cav. , detailed a sergeant
and six men to report to me for vidette and other duty.
About one o'clock A. m. I heard the clatter of a
horse's feet coming down the road at a slashing pace,
and as he came near the infantry picket a challenge,
quickly followed by the report of his piece, ringing
clear and loud on the midnight air; still on came the
horse. Bang ! went another gun, and by this time the
frightened beast was panting and blowing among the
horses of my section.
It was my duty to investigate and report at once to

ON PICKET IN VIRGINIA. I3
General McDowell at the Arlington House. I found
that the advanced vidette had dismounted, and relying
upon the friendship existing between himself and horse,
allowed him to crop the grass. The ungrateful beast
evidently intended to play his rider a trick, and watch
ing his opportunity jumped and started for camp.
While running the gauntlet one bullet cut him across
the crupper, but ere the reports of the guns had died
away, it seemed as if every drum on the Virginia side
of the Potomac was trying to wake the dead. The
long roll was sounded in every camp and was taken up
on the Washington side and kept up till the forces in
the city crossed over into Virginia, where they formed
in line of battle and remained until daylight.
I suppose it took longer to promulgate orders in the
earlier days of the war, which may account for the
seeming delay in giving notice of the cause, but this
was the last of the false alarms in this vicinity. Next
day General McDowell issued orders that thereafter no
notice would be taken of the discharge of small arms,
that the approach of the enemy would be designated
by the discharge of field pieces, and officers in charge
of such guns were instructed not to fire until they had
observed the enemy, with an additional caution that
they would be held personally responsible, etc.
Some time in June, while eating our mid-day meal in
our pleasant quarters at the foot of the eastern slope of
Arlington Hill, an order came from General McDowell
to send a section to report to General Tyler, then sta
tioned at Falls Church, Va. We had no idea of the
distance or location, but the order stated that a guide
would be furnished to pilot the way, and that haste was

14 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
necessary, as this point was threatened by the ' ' Black-
horse Cavalry."
General Tyler was without artillery, hence much de
pended on prompt action. The Captain left his seat at
the table with the order in his hand and coming to my
chair, stopped and asked, ' ' Who shall I send with this
section ? " having read aloud the order. There was
no response; indeed, there could be none until the se
lection of the section had been announced, then as
each section had a commander there would be no ques
tion as to who would or ought to go. I was still minus
a section and yet felt that I was doomed. It may have
been instinct; be that as it may, I was not much sur
prised when the Captain laid his hand on my shoulder
and exclaimed, "You go ! "
My first thought was that danger was apprehended
and I was made the scapegoat. My indignation almost
mastered me, but I left the table saying, ' ' Which sec
tion shall I take, sir?" Receiving my answer, I at
once assumed command and made speedy preparation
for our departure. Many men belonging to other sec
tions honored me by their earnest requests to join the
party. Some of them who appealed to the Captain
were allowed to do so. My anger was so great I de
termined to get away without bidding the Captain
"Good-bye." Therefore I hastened up the hill after
the carriages at a full gallop, but on reaching the sum
mit I found this grand little man shaking hands with
the boys. I checked my horse before him, he grasped
me by the hand, one look into his eyes and the story
was told without one word from either.
It was now about 3 o'clock p. m., and instead of a

ON PICKET IN VIRGINIA. 1 5
guide, a diagram of the route was placed in my hands
with a statement that the distance was about fifteen
miles. The pace was made accordingly, and if my
memory ser\'es me, the first halt made to inquire the
way was at "Ta3'lor's Inn," General Tyler's head
quarters, less than five miles from Arlington.
In this manner I had the honor of leading the first
artillery from the defences of Washington into Virginia
in 1861, before the grand advance, as well as firing
the first shot, which opened the campaign. (See Report,
S. N. Y.)
In a few days the balance of the Battery joined us
and again I was a free lance.
The services rendered by the Battery while stationed
at Falls Church can not be estimated too highly. Con
stant picket duty on the various roads greatly assisted
General Tyler in keeping a clear front.
When the advance began July 14, 1861, Tyler's bri
gade was assigned to General E. D. Keyes's Division.
The Battery had the right of the line for four days,
when the head of the Division reached a point near
the Fairfax road. Marching parallel to this the enemy
were plainly seen moving in the direction of Centre
ville ; their flank being exposed, the Battery took ad
vantage of the situation and opened fire. (See Ad
jutant-General's Report.) The army was detained by
the felled trees thrown across the road, and the Engineer
Corps was kept busy in clearing a passage.
A representative of the New York Evening Express
and myself passed to the front on the Germantown road,
riding rapidly until we reached an abatis of felled tim
ber, which my horse managed to pass. Observing a

1 6 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
fire and kettle on a tripod, I soon had a nice boiled
chicken which the Confederate outpost had hastily
abandoned. I also found a felt blanket which served
as a cloak or circular by using a cord to contract one
end. This I presented to the newspaper man. We
then discovered that the enemy had fired some build
ings in Germantown. Ayers' U. S. Battery by this
time reached the obstructions and to pass the time
while waiting for the trees to be removed, threw a few
shot in the direction of the enemy.
Afterwards I rode forward to the town, dismounted in
front of and entered a large frame house, then burning.
The first room visited on the ground floor contained a
bed and a few small pictures on the walls ; a hasty
glance under the bed disclosed a demijohn, which I
captured and secured, and with this my curiosity was
satisfied. I sat down, carefully guarding my prisoner,
when a cloud of dust down the road denoted the ap
proach of a body of cavalry. Up dashed the gallant
Tompkins of Fairfax Court- House fame. I knew him
well, and followed his troop until a halt was made ;
then, boldly riding into camp with my prize it goes with
out saying; my presence was welcomed.
The history of the demijohn was soon told. The
burning building had been used as an hospital by the
Confederates and my jug contained about one gallon of
good medicine, but was it poisoned ? The problem was
soon solved by Charlie Tompkins who, after smelling,
sampled it. Dr. Wilson was horrified, and shouted
" Hold on, lyieutenant, it may be poisoned ; let me ana
lyze it." " I do n't care, it's d  d good poison any
how," was the reply. The Doctor, turning to me, re-

CUB RUN. 17
marked, " If Charlie lives ten minutes, we'll try some."
Charlie lived.
On the 1 8th of July our Brigade, which included,
among others, the 69th New York, being" on the march
toward Centreville, had halted in a strip of woods about
three-quarters of a mile from Cub Run. General Tyler
had gone forward to feel his way to the Run. It was
a warm, clear day and we were lounging about in the
welcome shade, when we were startled by a sharp roll of
musketry from the front. We knew at once that Tyler
had developed the enemy and were instantly on the
alert. Drivers sprang to their horses, cannoneers leaped
to their places, and when an aid came galloping back
with a message to General Keyes, we of the Battery
felt sure that it meant us. But it did n't. The only
troops called for were the 69th. When they received the
order to go in they burst into frantic cheering and in a
few moments went past us on the double-quick still
shouting, and intensely eager to get to the front. The
wild .excitement was contagious, and mounting my
horse I followed the colijmn. When they reached a
cornfield about half a mile off, the regiment deployed
and soon was hotly engaged. I found General Tyler
and his staff behind a belt of timber running east and
west at the edge of the field. From here we could see
the position of the enemy along Cub Run and protected
by the thick woods shading both sides of the stream,
about 1,000 yards to the south. Their lines were com
pletely hidden by the trees, affording them excellent
cover, while the growing com made a very indifferent
screen for our men. But they fought gallantly until
the enemy opened on them firom several masked bat-

1 8 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
teries, when they were ordered to retire. As they fell
back the Confederate artillery kept up the cannonade,
and as they were passing the spot where General Tyler
was sitting on his horse the shells kept pace with them,
but at an elevation that swept the trees overhead, from
which' a shower of broken limbs and branches tumbled
down on him and his staff. When the 69th came by
with gallant Colonel Corcoran and knightly Maj.
Thomas Francis Meagher at its head, I rejoined them
and returned to the Brigade. I never could understand
why our Battery, idly standing within call, was not or
dered up to assist the infantry.
In this affair I saw for the first time dead, dying and
wounded soldiers, and I remember what a thrill came
over me as I noticed a young fellow, his blue uniform
stained with his blood, lying dead amid the rows of
corn, staring at the sky with sightless eyes — mustered
out forever at the very threshold of the mighty strug
gle. And then how curiously and even admiringly we
stared at the first wounded man that hobbled along to
the rear in search of medical treatment. I felt like
taking off my hat to him. "There," I said to myself,
" that fellow will be a hero when he gets home." But
we got pretty well hardened to these things before the
year was out.
This was the "baptism of fire" for the 69th, and
they bore themselves as bravely as ever did their ances
tors at Fontenoy, and here they first earned the title
that has clung to the regiment for thirty years, " The
Gallant Sixty -ninth, " a title which was sealed to them
by their immortal valor at Bull Run three days after
wards.

CUB RUN. 19
After this engagement we were marched to Centre
ville and there went into camp. Our term of enlist
ment had expired on the 1 7th and the question of our
discharge was now being agitated, aud it became the
subject of much and heated discussion. From the drift
and general tenor of the discussion it became evident
to me that an application for our muster out would be
sent in. I was not in harmony with this movement,
not caring to leave the field at this time, and made an
effort to find an opening where my services might be
acceptable. Lieutenant Gordon, of the 2d Dragoons,
aide to General Keyes, thought that he could arrange
it so that a place on Keyes's staff would be made for me.
This was entirely satisfactory, so, to avoid any ill-feel
ing, as the majority if not all the other officers of the
Battery were in favor of the proposed action, I deter
mined to keep away from camp for the day.
In company with Chief of Piece Edward Kearney, a
most excellent and companionable young fellow, pos
sessing soldierly qualities of the highest order, I started
to visit the battlefield of the i8th. We soon reached
the woods where I had seen General Tyler and staff
during the fight (having followed the gallant 69th, as
related elsewhere). Dismounting, we made our way
on foot through the corn field, intending to reach an
old log bam which was situated well down and within
about 200 yards of Cub Run, where the enemy's pickets
were concealed, as we soon discovered.
After leaving the com field we saw a Confederate
hospital flag flying from the roof of a building beyond
the stream, but before we could reach the bam several
puffs of white smoke down at the Run and the spite-

20 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
ful buzzing of minie-balls in our immediate vicinity
admonished us to hug mother earth for safety. Deem
ing it unadvisable under the circumstances to continue
our reconnaissance, having developed the enemy a little
too suddenly for our comfort, we retraced our steps, or
rather, to state the exact facts, crawled back to the
friendly shelter of the growing com, and so returned to
camp without further adventure.
I have frequently since, in recalling this little inci
dent, thought with wonder of the meagre precautions
taken in those early days of the war to prevent a sur
prise. I know we did not see a single Union picket on
our trip, although this was the left of our line. It is
barely possible that they were in the log bam, but there
was no support visible anywhere.
Coming into the large tent, that evening, used by
the Captain and his lieutenants, I was informed that a
vote had been taken during my absence whether to re
main, or to apply for the discharge that was overdue us,
and that I was expected to express my wishes. I asked
if my vote would change the result, and was answered
in the negative. I then declined to vote. ' ' And I,
sir," said the Captain sharply, "order you to vote."
" Very well, " was my answer, "then I wish it to be
distinctly understood that I vote to remain."
I don't know whether this decision of mine was ex
pected or not, but it certainly was rather ungraciously
received, and the chilly atmosphere of the tent became
decidedly unpleasant. So I had my servant prepare me a
shelter some distance away, and remove my traps to it.
My horse was saddled and picketed near by, and here I
awaited with what patience I could muster to hear from
General Keyes.

CUB RUN. a I
About lo o'clock p. M. on the 20th, Lieutenant Price,
General McDowell's ordnance officer, came into camp
and called for the Captain, to whom he delivered an
order to tum over the Battery, etc., and take his com
mand to the rear. He then called for Lieutenant
Smith. I stepped out and was informed that the
Battery was placed in my charge !
This sudden and unlocked for change in the status
of affairs took my breath away. The first thought that
came to me was this : Captain Varian had been my
best and truest friend ; I loved and respected him, and I
felt that for me to accept this charge would look like a
slight to this gallant soldier. Aside from this, lack of
confidence in my ability to handle the Battery, and a
belief that General Keyes would give me a position on
his staff induced me to hesitate. Captain Varian, see
ing my embarrassment, suggested that I request a half
an hour to consider the matter. During the discussion
a number of the men gathered around and intimated
that they would stay if I took command. This was
very flattering, but I finally concluded that I had bet
ter not accept, and so informed Lieutenant Price, and
thus I lost the first and best opportunity for promotion
that was thrown in my way.
I subsequently learned that this intended honor had
been arranged for me through the kind offices of Gen
eral Keyes, in compliment to my vote to remain.
At I o'clock on the morning of the 21st the march
to the rear began, and during the tedious tramp to
Washington I made up my mind to organize a battery
of my own.
And just here it may not be out of place to say a

22 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
word as to the action taken by the officers of the Bat
tery, especially as they have been rather severely cen
sured for it. While I did not advocate nor approve the
course taken by the company, yet I neither then nor
afterward questioned their right to demand their dis
charge. They had faithfully performed their part of
the contract ; they had done their whole duty beyond
the time for which they were enlisted, and that they
should be criticised for simply demanding that the Gov
ernment should fulfil its obligations to them was rank
injustice, and the condemnation of their action con
tained in General McDowell's official report was unwar
ranted and ungenerous. Most of the men again en
listed and served in various regiments and batteries. A
rather amusing part of the whole affair was that after
the application for muster-out was prepared and signed,
I, who had voted against it and expected to remain,
was selected to present it to General McDowell ! He
gave me a very cool reception, and after reading it re
marked in what I considered an exceedingly rude and
abrupt manner:
"Your discharge will be attended to, sir!" and
turned his back on me.

From early mom until late in the afternoon the con
stant booming of cannon served to furnish us food for
comment as we marched towards home. In the latter
part of the day the cannonading became very irregular,
at times being quite rapid, then slackening to a desul
tory fire. The general opinion was that our army was
destroying the enemy.

HOM^ AGAIN. 23
V/e reached our old camp at Falls Church that even
ing and bivouacked there for the night.
By daylight of the 2 2d, however, abundant evidence
of the disaster to our arms appeared. The road from
the front was filled with disorganized squads of retreat
ing troops, horses, mules, wagons — all aiming for the
Potomac. But the story ^ that wild rout has been so often
told that its repetition is needless here.
Our company marched in orderly ranks with the mob
into Alexandria, which we reached about 3 p. m., and
after much trouble secured transportation to Washing
ton that evening. Here we found quarters for the night
in a beer garden on Maryland Avenue, and the next
morning took train for New York City, where the com
pany was mustered out.

H

A FAMOUS BATTERY.

CHAPTER IV

Some Personal Incidents

i*=^

URING our stay at Falls Church
my duties in camp were
light, owing to my position
as chief of caissons. This
gave me frequent opportu
nities for scouting on my
own hook. On one occa
sion I suggested to a certain
captain of the outpost the rather foolhardy idea of
making a raid on the village of Anandale, some four
or five miles distant from the advanced picket on the
road leading from Falls Church. The officer of the
grand rounds was let into the secret and made one of
the number selected, he and myself being the only
mounted individuals in the party. They all belonged
to a Connecticut regiment.
Our plan was to leave a guard with the outpost, and
with the reserve (about twenty men, I think) move for
ward to within half a mile of the village and then di
vide the force into two equal parts; thus, ten men were
to move forward, say one hundred yards, and conceal
themselves behind a fence, while the other ten were to

some PERSONAL INCIDENTS. 25
remain hidden in the same manner, leaving an interval
of one hundred yards between, into which the enemy
were to be enticed and captured. The captain and my
self were to ride forward to attract attention. In doing
so we decided (between ourselves) that it would be best
for one to drop behind, and irr case the enemy should
give chase he was to turn and flee as an indication of
weakness, at the flrst sight of the enemy.
After both, with their pursuers, had passed the first
ten, they were to blockade the road in rear, when the
other ten would throw a line across the front. In this
way it was thought to spring a trap that would redound
to our glory. My horse being considered the fleetest,
it was left to me to raid the town and stir up the ' ' Black-
horse Cavalry," said to be camped near by. My arms
fconsisted of a pocket pistol, which was carried in my
hand. Thus equipped and with perfect confidence in our
ability to handle forty or fifty of the enemy by reason of
the wise (?) disposition of our force, I dashed into the
town, but seeing nothing of the enemy, turned to the
left and made for a toll-gate, where I interviewed the
keeper. He informed me that a regiment of Confed
erate cavalry had recently been camped in the woods
just outside the village, but it was not certain that they
were there now, as none had been seen for a day or two.
I did not make the haste expected of me by the rear
guard; at all events on my return I discovered that they
had acted upon the principle laid down and advice given
by the militia colonel to his troops before engaging the
enemy: "Boys," said he, " go in and give them h — 1 !
Fight like the d — 1, and if you can't whip them, run!

26 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
As I'm a little lame, I'll start now." This proved that
" 'the best-laid schemes o' mice and men, gang aft agley,"
SO the " Black-horse Cavalry" escaped.
I was not quite satisfied with the result of this expe
dition and resolved to reach Falls Church by a different
route from that occupied by the out-post, who had pre
ceded me on the return.
Two or three miles southwest of Falls Church there
was a belt of woods extending from north to south,
some miles from the Annandale road west. It was com
posed of small pines standing so closely together that a
man could not ride between them on horseback. The
soil is very light; at this time it was deep and dusty in
the road, which was about wide enough for wagons to
pass each other. I determined to reach the western
road by the route just described, the distance being
about two miles. After having traversed one-half this
distance my courage began to weaken. Imagination
pictured lurking foes on either side of the lonely road,
still there appeared to be no more danger in going for
ward than in returning so, almost in despair, I sank
the spurs deep into the flanks of my willing horse, who
sprang forward at the top of his speed, raising a cloud
of dust which was observed by Professor Xowe (then
located at General Tyler's Headquarters), who had just
made a balloon ascension. It was reported to the Gen
eral, who at once ordered Lieut. Chas. H. Tompkins with
"B" Company, Second U. S Cavalry, to find out the
cause. Meantime I succeeded in reaching a point
where the roads intersected. Here I ran into one of
our outposts consisting of three men. I was halted

SOME PERSONAL INCIDENTS. 27
and requested to give the password. This I did n't
know, so after a little parleying they placed me in charge
of one of their number, at my request, and marched me
to the lieutenant in charge of the reserve. Here I
found matters in a state of wild excitement caused by
the capture a little while before of their captain, who
had gallantly offered his services as escort to two young
ladies (the Misses Scott) to their home, a few hundred
yards distant on a road leading to the northwest and in
the open beyond the belt of woods described above.
I satisfied the lieutenant of my identity and started
for camp, feeling a little ' ' sheepish ' ' at this outcome to
my elaborately -planned raid, but had not proceeded far
when Lieutenant Tompkins with sixty men came thun
dering along. I wheeled, and riding up to the Lieuten
ant's side soon ascertained that he was after the party
responsible for "that dust-" I did n't deem it neces
sary to tell him what I knew of it, and Tompkins
branched off toward the Scott house, believing that the
party who had captured the captain had also created
the dust.
That night and part of the day following was con
sumed in scouting, ending with the arrest of the Misses
Scott and bringing them to headquarters, when, after
being questioned by the General, they were allowed to
return home.
I kept that dust business to myself, fearing it would
cause more strict orders in relation to my privileges.
Previous to this affair there resided in the village of
Falls Church an elderly lady with a son and daughter.
For some reason the General commanding considered
tbe family as "suspicious" and placed restrictions

28 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
Upon the inmates of the house, forbidding them to leave
the premises. The advanced picket line at this time
on the road leading to Vienna, and which passed the
house occupied by this lady, did not extend as far as
the house by two or three rods; the pickets stationed
here were instructed to keep a close watch on any visi
tors and prevent any such from entering the house.
During one of my outings I chanced to reach this
station, and while coaxing the picket to let me ride for
ward up the road for a mile or two (I had ,no pass
word), I noticed a young lady standing at the gate.
After being cautioned by the guard, I was allowed to
pass. Her manner plainly indicated a desire to speak
to me as I rode by the gate. So stopping my horse I
bowed, and she informed me that her mother was very
anxious to get a letter to General Scott; that they were
nearly starved by the cruel treatment which General
Tyler's suspicions had imposed upon them. "Why,"
said this beautiful, earnest little lady, with tears spark
ling like dew-drops in a pair of lovely, innocent eyes,
"General Scott rents my mother's house in the city
and we came out here for the summer. ' ' I said, ' ' write
your letter to General Scott and place it on top of the
gate post, I will ride forward and on my return will take
it, and promise that it shall reach its destination."
I can see her now, although three decades have gone
rumbling down the corridors of time, with tears rolling
down her sweet face as she thanked me. ' ' If you are
ever wounded or sick, or need a nurse," said she, "let
me know and I will gladly come." Her deep sense of
gratitude and tender years will plead her excuse, if she
needs one. Each word sank deep into my heart, I

SOME PERSONAL INCIDENTS. 29
knew her meaning and honored the noble little lady for
her sentiments.
That letter reached General Scott, and the very next
day a carriage and passes came from the city, to which
this persecuted little family returned. As they passed
headquarters and the Battery's camp I was inquired
for, but as usual was out of camp. They left with the
Captain their expressions of gratitude for me.
Upon my return a message from General Tyler to
report at once, caused me to apprehend a rating for
leaving camp without permission, but I was rather as
tounded when he abruptly broke out with —
" Lieutenant Smith, I am informed that you are aid
ing suspicious persons to escape to Washington." I
boldly declared that I had mailed a letter addressed to
General Scott, and if that was aiding in the escape of
suspicious persons, I was ready for punishment. This
ended the matter.
On another occasion I arranged with a countryman
who brought vegetables and berries to our camp, and
with whom I had become quite well acquainted, to go
out home with him to dinner, and, as he suggested,
enjoy a square meal.
His farm was about four miles from the village, on
or near the Vienna pike. The day selected for this
trip was an extremely warm one, and the road ex
cessively dusty, but I kept bravely on, enduring the
sun's hot rays and as we got out of sight of camp,
filled with misgivings as to the prudence of venturing
so far into what might well be called the enemy's
country, my active imagination began to conjure up
foes in. every bush. I quietly withdrew my trusty

30 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
pistol from the saddle holster and placed it inside my
coat, which I buttoned closely to prevent the pistol
from falling.
Arriving at our destination, the view of a lonely
farm house, surrounded by thick woods, did not add
to my equanimity.
I began to suspect, though utterly without reason,
that a trap had been laid for my capture, but could
not make up my mind to turn and make a break for
camp, as I certainly had not the slightest evidence of
any intended treachery.
Passing through a gate I noted the height of the
fence, and felt satisfied that my horse could carry me
over it, if necessary.
When dismounted my host kindly offered to care for
the animal, but to this I positively objected, and left
him under the shade of a tree in the yard, where I
knew he would be found if not interfered with. He
would not allow strangers to touch him, but would
always come at my call. I never tied him to anything
but the picket rope.
Entering the house, I was politely offered a glass of ,
brandy which I discreetly declined. Dinner was soon
on the table and it was a very good, substantial one,
which I would have hugely enjoyed under other cir
cumstances, but during the meal the perspiration fairly
streamed down my face, but I dared not unbutton my
coat, as then the pistol would be exposed.
I managed to keep my back to the wall and my eyes
open to all that took place around me. As the dinner
progressed my distress increased. I really do n't know
how I answered my host's well-meant efforts at con-

SOME PERSONAL INCIDENTS. 31
versation, nor how I got through the dinner. I was
possessed with an overpowering anxiety to get away
as speedily as possible. I believe I finally took my
leave by backing out of the house.
Calling my horse I mounted, while trying to devise
some plan for a rapid departure that would not expose
my suspicions. I felt that it would be impossible for
me to ride away quietly with my back towards the
people whom I believed to be plotting my destruction.
As my farmer friend started to open the gate that I
might pass out, a sudden inspiration came to me and I
said: ' ' Never mind the gate. Just watch my horse take
that fenc^."
Driving the spurs into the animal, now that I had a
good excuse for doing so, he rushed at the fence,
bounded over it like a deer, and dashed down the lane
in a mad gallop which was kept up until we reached
the main road. Here, feeling pretty safe, I pulled up
and opened my coat to cool off, and soon reached camp.
When my nerves had recovered their tone I felt
rather ashamed of myself, and was very glad that none
of the boys had seen the dreadful funk I was in.
What opinion the farmer and his family formed of
my queer actions I don't know, for I very carefully
avoided him thereafter when he was about the camp,
and during the rest of our stay in that locality I kept
within the lines.

Part II

THE FOURTH NEW YORK BATTERY
Its Formation, its Services, and its Dissolution

CHAPTER I
Organizatidn — On to Washington
ETURNING home atter a ser
vice of three months in the
field, very much dissatisfied
with the manner in which
my brief military career had
terminated, my former re
solve to organize a Battery
now occupied my whole time
and energies.
In the early daj^s of 1861,
organizing and equipping companies of light artillery
was no small undertaking ; the State authorities fur
nished but little help in the way of infornJation, so that
progress in that direction was necessarily pretty slow.
My first intention was to attach the Battery to a

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34 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
regiment of infantry then being raised by Col. John
Cochran, believing it was necessary that batteries
should be thus attached. At this time independent
batteries had not been heard of, so far as I knew.
On the fifteenth day of August, 1861, I enrolled the
first man and sent him over to Staten Island, a rendez
vous for State troops, and by September 4th thirty-
seven men were mustered into the State service.
The company under State regulations was now enti
tled to elect a captain and a first lieutenant.
Joseph E. Nairn of New York City, who had served
in Varian's Battery, was selected for the latter position
and myself for that of Captain.
The men were sent down to Staten Island as soon as
they were mustered, and commenced drilling without
delay. About this time I learned that Col. E. W.
Serrell was raising a regiment of engineers, and as
recruiting was not brisk, a proposition to attach the
Battery to this organization, which, as represented,
would entitle the men to the same pay as that of first-
class engineers, was readily accepted by me. Large post
ers setting forth that authority had been obtained from
the War Department by Colonel Serrell to organize a
regiment of engineers with a battery attached and all to
receive pay as first-class engineers, were furnished me
by the regimental organization and used in good faith ;
and every man who enlisted thereafter in the Battery
was informed that while his duty would be that of an
artillerist his pay would be the same as that received
by the engineer corps, viz. : $17.00 a month (a misap
prehension, as shown by the sequel).
Mr. J. Courtland Parker, a young graduate of the

ORGANIZATION. 35
New York bar and a nephew of Mr. Parrott, enlisted
in the company with the understanding that he would
be commissioned as second lieutenant, jr., and his
uncle, Mr. Parrott, presented six ten-pounder rifled
guns, with two hundred rounds of ammunition per
piece, to the company, whereupon it was decided to
name the organization ' ' The Parrott Battery. ' ' After
consulting with our generous donor it was arranged to
have each gun stamped with this name — after a selection
had been made. Mr. Parrott insisted that each piece
should be thoroughly tested before the stamp was ap
plied. Several guns, I will not undertake to say how
many, were transported from the foundry to the target
ground. Here one at a time they were mounted and
thoroughly tested as to range and accuracy. Three or
four days were devoted to this work, when the guns
were finally left at the foundry subject to my order.
Recruiting posts were opened at Oswego and Carmel,
N. Y., and by October 24th, 1861, one hundred and
thirty-six men and five (prospectively) commissioned
officers were borne upon the company roll ; before this,
however, Col. E. W. Serrell left the rendezvous on
Staten Island with a part of the regiment and sailed
for Port Royal, S. C.
I now relied entirely upon such instructions as were
from time to time received from the headquarters of
the regiment. Realizing that the date of our departure
was near, I applied at regimental headquarters in New
York for final instructions and was directed to report
to General Marcy in Washington, D. C, who, it was
said, understood all the particulars regarding the
organization of the Battery and its connection with the

36 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
regiment, and would have the former forwarded to
Port Royal to join the latter. Mr. Parrott was re
quested to ship the guns to Washington.
Everything being ready by October 24th, I called at
the Adjutant-General's Office, State of New York, in
Walker Street, to get an order on the Quartermaster-
General for transportation. But before I had an oppor
tunity to make known the nature of my business. Gen
eral HiUhouse called me into his private office and in
the presence of my ist sergeant, E. S. Smith, made the
following proposition :
"Captain," said he, "how would you like to have
your Battery brigaded with three other companies now
on the island ? I intend to form a batallion of artillery
under the name of ' The Morgan Light Artillery ' ; you
have the largest company and I will commission you a
major and give you the command."
I replied, "General, I could not think of it ! My
men have been enlisted under the impression and prom
ise that they would receive the same pay as first-class
engineers, by reason of authority said to have been
given to Colonel Serrell by the authorities in Washing
ton. By accepting your proposition it would appear as
though I had bettered my position at the expense of the
men, who have been enlisted under this inducement."
' ' Very well, "said the General, ' ' I merely mentioned
it to you as a matter of courtesy. I propose to do it."
Bidding the General good-day, I took my 'leave,
without asking for the transportation order, and has
tened down to the office of Col. D. D. Tompkins, Q. M.
G., No. 6 State Street (relying upon a slight acquaint
ance obtained through an introduction from his son, a

ON TO WASHINGTON. 37
lieutenant in the U. S. Cavalry), to try and obtain trans
portation for my company to Washington, without an
order from the State.
The Colonel promptly complied with my request,
saying: "Bring your men here to-morrow and I will
have the papers ready."
From here I hastened to the Island and arranged to
have all men who were absent notified of our intended
departure on the day following. Every man was on
hand, and my scheme to run away the command from
the State of New York proved highly successful. I
felt proud of the achievement, believing I had acted an
unselfish part to benefit the men and fulfill the promises
made to them. We left Jersey City about 6 p. m., Oc
tober 25th.
At Philadelphia a committee from the Merchants'
and Mechanics' Association met us at midnight and es
corted the company to the dining rooms of the associa
tion, where a very acceptable and timely repast served
by the wives and daughters of said Merchants and
Mechanics was highly appreciated by those renegades
who were escaping from their State to serve the ^ag.
At Baltimore some kind persons under the auspices
of a few loyal women, I have since learned, furnished
coffee to the boys while they were lounging on the plat
form waiting for cars to carry them to the Capital.
Here, after a wearisome delay of several hours, some old
cattle cars, reeking with filth, were run up, which we
were informed constituted our train. I forbade the
men entering, declaring we would march the entire dis
tance on foot before I would consent to have them oc
cupy cars unfit for animals. There wa's no fun about

38 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
my kick and I fear my language may have been more
vigorous than elegant; be that as it may, it was not
very long before decent cars were provided, and the
trip to Washington was completed after consuming
twenty-six hours en-route.
On the 27th I reported our arrival to General Marcy,
explaining the particulars, as he was apparently ignor
ant of the existence of such an organization as the regi
ment with a battery attached. He referred me to Gen.
B. F. Barry, Chief of Artillery, who at once informed
me that if was contrary to orders for mounted troops to
be attached to regiments of foot, but advised me to lay
the subject before the men, telling them they could not
serve as light artillerists and receive pay as first-class
engineers, but if they wished he would mount the com
pany as a light battery; otherwise they would be sent
to the regiment, but not as a battery. He further said
that by consenting to be mounted at that tame the men
would not be prevented from joining their regiment at
some future period, provided Congress passed a law
legalizing the attachment of artillery to infantry.
Thi^ question was plainly and fully discussed by the
men, who, after one or two days consumed in delibera
tion, decided to accept the proposition to be mounted
as a battery of light artillery, reserving the right to
join the regiment under the foregoing provisions. All
but thirteen men agreed to these terms.
During this time the company was quartered in the
" Soldiers' Retreat," but now General Barry issued for
age-wagons, and tents, minus poles and pins — the latter
were procured from the woods near the Eastern Branch
— and we soon were in quarters at "Camp Duncan,"
East Capitol Hill.

ON To WASHINGTON. 39
I made an application to General Barry for the six
guns forwarded by Mr. Parrott; to my surprise I was
informed that the guns had been issued and that I could
not have them under any consideration. This was a
grievous disappointment and, I then thought, a piece
of rank injustice, but the inflexible reins of military
discipline were beginning to tighten on us, and objec
tions to orders were futile and dangerous.
We had our first company muster for pay November
ist, made by Captain, now General, Gibbon, U. S. Ar
tillery. Battery " D," N. Y. Light Artillery, was the
name given us by General Barry, and a few weeks later
it was changed to Battery " C." The officers' commis
sions were held back by the State authorities, conse
quently the organization, so far as the State was con
cerned, was without a name or number. General Barry
communicated with the State Adjutant-General, and
finally declared unless our commissions were forwarded
without delay, he would muster the company as U. S.
troops. In response to this the commissions were received
and the organization designated as the 4th New New
Independent Battery.
We were actively engaged at Camp Duncan in daily
drilling as drivers and cannoneers, dismounted, as there
were neither spare horses nor guns in the District. We
waited with what patience we could, till the Govern
ment would be able to supply us.
One day, in the early part of November, I called on
General Barry, and, to my surprise, he said, without
looking up: " Captain, I am going to break up Battery
"C," Chicago Light Artillery, whiOh is near your

40 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
camp, and have prepared an order for Captain Busteed
to turn over to you all ordnance and quartermaster's
stores now in his possession; be very careful and inspect
the property before receipting for it. ' '
During the delivery of these instructions Captain
Busteed himself entered and was a listener to the
greater part of General Barry's remarks. Turning in
his seat General Barry faced him and at once repeated
>the substance of the order, which he held in his hand.
Before sunset I was in possession of a complete six-
gun battery, composed of four ten-pounder Parrotts and
two six-pounder brass field pieces, and one hundred and
thirty-two horses. I also secured eight enlisted men,
and with a swelling heart I found myself at last the
proud commander of a splendidly equipped Battery,
ready for duty in the great army gathered at the Capital.
Now we began work in earnest. We were all la
mentably deficient in knowledge of our duties, but we
possessed the means of informing ourselves, viz. : a book
of instructions in artillery tactics, issued by the Gov
ernment, and we were not too proud to consult it. I
never gave an order which I could not explain — if I
blundered the men were not censured for it; if requested
by an inspecting officer to execute a maneuvre with
which I knew the men were not familiar, I would
frankly admit that they had not been instructed in that
particular movement, and so were not competent to
execute it properly.
I speak of this trifling matter because I have seen
battery commanders who issued orders during inspec
tion and on the drill field, not understanding or being
competent to explain the same, and then, assuming to

ON TO WASHINGTON. 41
be much annoyed, they would declare that the men
of their command were so stupid that it was difficult to
beat anything into their thick skulls.
I also have personal knowledge of two captains of
batteries who were most righteously discharged by
reason of an attempt to thus vilify their men, to hide
their own ignorance.
When it happened that the men of my command did
not understand matters appertaining to their duties, the
fault was mine. I had failed to properly instruct them.
I venture the assertion that this reasoning holds* good
in ninety-nine similar cases out of every hundred.
Before 10 o'clock A. m., November 24, one of Gen
eral Barry's aides brought me a verbal message that the
General would review and inspect the Battery at 4
P.M. We were ready for him when the time arrived,
passing in review at a walk and trot without a mishap ;
after this, inspection, and a talk with the cannoneers
to get an idea of their general intelligence. Then
the General, turning to me, stated that he had, during
his experience, inspected batteries which had been in
service as many years as we had weeks, which had not
pleased him so much. "Can you," he added, "be
ready to march by 5 o'clock to-morrow morning? "
I replied, "Certainly!"
Fortunately, I had a large quantity of hay and grain
on hand which would serve us for the march, to which
I called his attention. " O, well, you must take it with
you, ' ' said he, ' ' I will send the wagons in charge of a
wagon-master to report to-night. Your destination is
Budd's Ferry, lower Maryland, where you will report to
General Hooker."

42 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
The boys were wild with delight to get a chance to go
to the field, and began their preparations at once.
We crossed the Eastern Branch before sunrise on the
25th of November, a cool, crisp morning, and after a
pleasant march through the bleak hills of Maryland
reached Budd's Ferry at 6 o'clock p. m. on the 28th,
and when the bugle sounded ' ' drivers dismount, ' ' and
a moment later "unhitch and unharness," we went into
what proved to be our winter quarters.
It may be noted just here that General Barry's warm
praise ~ had the effect of inspiring confidence in the
whole company. Park and field drills were zealously
practiced during the winter, and the company could
execute every maneuvre in the book before our de
parture on the Peninsula campaign in March, 1862.

WINTER QUARTERS IN LOWER MARYLAND. 43

CHAPTER II
Winter Quarters in Lower Maryland— Incidents
RING our stay at Budd's
Ferry our time was prin
cipally occupied in per
forming picket duty op
posite Shipping Point
battery. The enemy had
captured the old river
steamboat George Page,
and kept her behind a small strip of land, in one of
the streams which enter the Potomac at this point, for
the purpose of securing any vessels that might be dis
abled by their batteries.
To offset this, Geneiral Hooker caused a hole to be
dug on the edge of the river bank near the ' ' Budd ' '
house (directly opposite the outlet to the stream in
which the Page was stationed), large enough for
two field pieces. Planks were laid for the gun carriages
to rest on, to enable the gunners to make some calcu
lation as to range and elevation. Here one section of
artillery was constantly stationed during the blockade,
to counteract and prevent the Page from interfering
with Union vessels, should occasion arise.
It is needless to say that she did not leave her moor-

44 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
ings once while the blockade lasted, and was burned
by the enemy when it was raised.
This picket duty offered an excellent opportunity for
practice in gunnery. A perfect range of the works
across the river was obtained, and we soon became
quite expert in placing our shots just about where we
wished. On more than one occasion have I driven the
sentry from the parapet by the accuracy of the aim ;
the distance was, I think, about two thousand yards,
and our annoyance was so great to the enemy, at times,
that they would return our fire with an apparent
determination to annihilate us. Sometimes the large
shells would nearly fill with sand the hole we occupied,
but they could not put a shot into it, at least, they did
not. During these spasmodic attacks we would hug the
bottom of the pit, and when their fire ceased we would
open up and tantalize them again. Reliefs took place
under cover of night, leaving the carriages in rear of
the ' ' Budd ' ' house during the day.
I remember visiting this post one night ; the moon
was shining brightly and it was expected there would
be some fun, for there was little doubt but some enter
prising Yankee skipper would try to run the blockade.
We were not disappointed, for at one time white sails
appeared to cover the surface of the water as far as the
eye could reach, all going up stream. They sailed very
near the Maryland shore, while the channel is on the
other side.
They were, of course, plainly visible from the other
side, and the firing from the forts there was very rapid,
but no damage was done to any vessel so far as known-

INCIDENTS. 45
I heard one fellow sing out, ' ' Fire away, you pesky
cusses, you can 't hit anything " ; and each time a shot
would pass over or go near his schooner he would yell
and ridicule the inaccuracy of the enemy's aim. At
last a shot passed through one of his sails, which seemed
to paralj'ze him for a moment, but recovering his voice
he shouted to his fellow sailors, " I '11 be d  d if they
did n't put a shot through my sail." After that he
kept silent.
While we lay here the famous passage of the Pensa-
cola occurred, now a matter of history. We had been
informed of her coming and consequently were on the
qui vive. The night was dark and from out the gloom
came a low, swishing sound caused by the steam being
nearly shut off, I presume ; but we heard the sound
before we could see her. Great anxiety prevailed
among those present as io the success of the passage.
Scarcely a word was spoken, while the cannonading
was very heavy from all the enemy's works. It did
not seem possible that a ship of her size could escape
"scot" free. No one seemed to hope for this.
The explosion of shells between our shore and the
Pensacola was appalling ; the earth was torn up along
the river bank where the shot plunged, giving it the
appearance of an ancient potato field after digging
time. We had no means of knowing at the time how much
or how little damage was done — we only knew that the
dark mass of shadow continued on her course, and that
was enough to relieve the terrible strain endured for
many minutes.
In this connection I remember that in the winter of

46 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
'62-' 63, while marching from Manassas to Falmouth,
Va., with Hooker's old Division, then under command
of Gen. D. E. Sickles, we camped one night at Dum
fries, Va. , about five miles as the crow flies, from Budd's
Ferry, Md. Here we were informed that all the gun
ners who participated in the bombardment of the Pen
sacola were imprisoned by the Confederates for their
failure to cripple her. And in this same town I saw a
solid Parrott shot which one of the citizens had picked
up in the street the preceding winter and kept as a relic.
I was informed that this shot had been fired from Budd's
Ferry, Md. The 4th New York Battery had the only
Parrott guns stationed at this post during the period
the shot was said to have been fired. I was surprised
to learn that a projectile could be propelled through the
air so great a distance by these guns.
The first winter of our military career was passed in
lower Maryland on Mr. Posey's farm, our camp being
about a mile back from the river. General Hooker ad
vised Mr. Posey to collect his rails and pile them near
his house, and he (General Hooker) would have a guard
placed over them.
This was done but, in some manner never explained,
the rails were not to be found in the spring. Several
paths leading from the spot once occupied by the rail
pile were visible to the naked eye, but alas the rails had
vanished. How the guards accounted for the total
disappearance of their charge I do not know. The
First Mass. Volunteers, Battery "H"; istU. S. Artil
lery, Battery " D " ; ist New York, and Smith's Battery
were all located on this farm.
One fact worthy of mention is that Mr. Posey had

INCIDENTS. 47
not made friends with the boys. For instance, at the
time we located on his premises some of the men found
two sucking pigs, very small, which they took to their
cabins and fed on condensed milk with a spoon until
old enough to eat other food. These pigs became great
pets, and when old enough followed the horses to and
from water and would show fight if a horse refused to
let them have a share of oats or com while feeding.
When half grown one was kicked to death by a horse;
the other, black as coal, roamed at will, rigged out in
a cover made from a scarlet saddle blanket. ¦
I firequently received reports fi-om the ist Mass. camp
concerning the conduct of his pig-ship, whose fireedom
in officers' quarters was the talk of the camp. He
stoutly resisted any attempt to remove him. Mr. Posey
heard that we had a shoat in camp and straightway
put in a claim of ownersl^p, which could not be well
denied, as the animal was found on the premises. But
we knew the pig owed his life to the care and attention
of those who had raised him.
These facts were laid before Mr. Posey when he came
with two slaves to assist him in taking possession. He,
however, refused to argue the matter, and armed with
authority from General Hooker demanded that the pig
be delivered up. I offered to pay any price he might
ask in reason rather than order the men to surrender
their pet. His only reply was, ' ' I want my property.' '
"Go and take it," I answered finally. He told his
slaves how to proceed, and the boys of the Battery,
who fully understood my sentiments, were not slow in
devising a way to solve tlJe problem and settle the
difficulty.

48 A FAMOUS BATTBRY.
They at once offered to help catch the object of all
this contention, so about fifty men started in hot pur
suit of the pig, managing, however, to keep near the
negroes, and whenever one of the latter was in the act
of stooping to seize a leg, several men would acci
dentally rush against and send him heels over head.
Mr. Posey after fuming and fretting over the ridiculous
spectacle, requested me to order thfe men away, which
I declined to do. It was very evident that the Yankees
were going to retain possession for the time being. So
hostilities ceased, not to be renewed.
I might add that Mr. Pig lost his life at Hampton,
Va., when following the horses to water. He was
killed by a New York lancer, who was ignorant of the
fact that he was a Battery pet. After some loud talk
ing the matter was disposed of by the men of the Bat
tery dressing and roasting " Pat," whose untimely end
was regretted by none more than myself.
Another appendage to the Battery was in the shape
of a white bull dog named Chauncey, brought from
New York by some member of the company. Chaun
cey was very useful. He too had a scarlet cover, and
while sitting on an ammunition chest during a march,
as was his wont, his general appearance was such as to
increase one's respect for the canine family. Chauncey
was never frolicsome, always sedate and dignified.
The many cabins with green hides stretched over
rafters for a roof bore evidence to his skill in catching
and holding cattle till they were disposed of without the
usual noise made by shooting, a dangerous proceeding
where a provost guard was in the neighborhood.
Some people lost cattle in the vicinity of Budd's

INCIDENTS. 49
Ferry and reported the fact to General Hooker. An
investigation followed, and the hides referred to caused
the occupants of the cabins so covered to be placed in
arrest. A court was in session in Posey's house, and the
men were ordered for trial. I felt apprehensive, fearing
the evidence was too convincing. Lieut. Parker assured
me there was no cause for worriment.
"I am going to defend the* boys, and clear them,
too, ' ' said he.
This statement proved to be correct in the end, but
how it was accomplished I never learned.
This recalls another little incident, although it
occurred some months later.
In August, 1862, when near Bottom's Bridge, on our
retreat from Harrison's Landing, Va., after going into
camp one afternoon. Generals Hooker and Heintzel-
man rode forward to inspect the crossing at the river,
when, unexpectedly, four men carrying two sheep
emerged from the high corn near the roadside, which had
hidden them from view. Too late they discovered the
presence of the Generals, so they boldly faced the music.
"Where did you get those sheep?" asked General
Hooker, pointing in the direction of a brick house; one
of the men replied, "Over there." "Very well," said
the General, " take them back, but first give me j'our
names." This was apparently done and a memorandum made.
' ' Ah ! ' ' exclaimed Hooker, ' ' I see, you belong to
'Smith's thieves' " (a nick-name he had given them
after the cattle trial; but he used to say, "they have
a redeeming quality — they will fight ! " ) ; " well, report
yourselves in arrest to Captain Smith."

50 ¦ A FAMOUS BATTERY.
The men started off towards the brick house, while
the Generals continued their journey.
Next day, while marching through the dust and
heat, I heard some cheering, caused, as I soon learned,
by General Hooker and staff riding along our flank to
reach the front. He asked one of the staff officers the
name of the Battery and sent for me. Riding out from
the road I reported.
"Captain," said he, "did four of your men report
for the guard-house last night for sheep stealing?"
"No, sir," was my answer; but I thought of the
mutton chops enjoyed the night before. He drew from
his pocket an old envelope and read off the names of
the culprits, as he supposed, which he had written down
the day before.
' ' General, ' ' I said, ' ' there must be some mistake;
the names you have mentioned are not on my rolls'."
He stared at me a moment, -while a smile crept over
his handsome face; then realizing how he had been
duped, he could not resist a broad grin, ending the in
terview by adding — "The d  d rascals,"

YORKTOWN.

.51

-i®

CHAPTER III
Yorktown.
E left Lower Maryland in March,
1862, bound south. It re-
==_^-^_ quired three schooners
to transport the horses
and the drivers, while
the cannoneers and
carriages were put on
board an old ferry boat.
A part of the expedi
tion was storm-bound at Point Lookout, while the
balance went on to Hampton Roads — the schooners,
with our horses, included.
After the storm had ceased the vessels that had re
mained at Point Lookout started for Fortress Monroe,
but as we approached the mouth of Cheeseman's Creek a
steamer from the fort met the head of the fleet and
turned our course up the creek, where we disembarked.
The news of the destruction wrought to vessels an
chored in Hampton Roads by the Rebel ram Merrimac
filled us with alarm for the safety of those who were on
the schooners. We plainly heard the booming of the
cannon while the terrible conflict raged.
Our suspense during the few days separation which

52 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
intervened was intense; not one word could we get in
the way of information regarding those who were ab
sent. I feared the worst, believing two-thirds of my
men had fallen victims without the means of firing one
shot in defense; but the arrival of Lieutenant Nairn
with every man and horse caused great rejoicing in our
camp. He had marched across country from Hampton.
We now moved up near Yorktown to take part in the
siege of that historic place. During our stay here the
Battery was in continual active service.
Our last night here was spent on picket duty. To
me this was the most trying night I remember. The
ground pointed out to me where the Battery was to
take position was in front of and about eight hundred
yards distant from the famous Red Redoubt, and in
front of the Federal battery known as No. 3, on the left
of the Union line.
I placed the Battery in the woods near by until night
to prevent the enemy from discovering our close prox
imity. I also 'caused some dry com stalks to be re
moved from the field where we were to take position, to
avoid making unnecessary noise by the carriages pass
ing over them. This seemed to be prudent, as the
enemy's sharpshooters were known to occupy positions
in rear of a cluster of standing chimneys, located nearly
midway between the lines, all that was left of some
structure which had been given to the flames.
After dark, by moving one carriage at a time, the
Battery was finally located as directed by the Division
Chief of Artillery, accompanied with instructions to
protect Battery No. 3, in the event of a sortie by the
enemy. (It was undoubtedly a mistake to place the

YoRKTowif. 53
battery in this exposed position before it was required;
it should have been posted in rear of the works.)
On this particular night the Federal commander ap
peared to have reason to believe that the enemy were
intending to make a move, and our army was disposed
so as to defend the unfinished works along our front.
The enemy did move, but in another direction from
that expected by us. While the Army of the Potomac
was preparing to repel an assault upon its front, the
Confederates were making tracks towards Williams
burg, after arranging to keep up a continual cannon
ade from their works for many hours during the night
to cover their retreat. This ruse was successful.
When the Federals moved forward next morning there
was not one Confederate soldier found in the fortifica
tions of Yorktown. This ended the siege of thirty
day's duration.
All through this dreadful night we were exposed to
this fire, and, unused to such demonstrations, it was our
firm conviction that the foe intended to come forth from
his lair and give us battle. Hence, every shot, with
lighted fuse attached, by which it couH be traced, trav
eling in our direction, was eagerly watched until its
destination had been reached. Some fell short, while
others passed over us, as good fortune would have it,
and notwithstanding the close calls made by some of
the many shells fired from mortars and huge guns, we
received no damage beyond being frightened half out
of our wits.
Just before dawn I withdrew the Battery out of range
and awaited results. I had no orders for this move
ment but acted on my own responsibility.

54 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
When it became light enough to see, the Army of
the Potomac was found to be in line of battle about eight
hundred yards in the rear, thus placing my battery be
tween the two lines. And here occurred an incident
that might have had very serious results to all con-
cemed. Captain Griffin, U. S. Artillery, whose bat
tery was in rear of my position, rode forward and or
dered me to remove my command, saying he intended
to shell the enemy. I informed him that I had received
my orders from General Hooker. He said he would
fire over our heads if I did not withdraw. I replied, ' ' If
you do, I will retum the fire." Returning to his Bat
tery he gave the order to load, and I reversed my guns.
At this moment one of General Hooker's aides came
dashing up and directed me to fall back.
I can not say at this late day what would have been
the consequences if Captain Griffin had carried out his
threat. Reporting to General Hooker he asked what
I was doing out there. I said, ' ' your Chief of Artillery
is responsible for the predicament from which you have
just extricated me."
" My God ! " he muttered, " Can 't I find any one
to carry out an order intelligently ? "
Returning to camp preparations were made for our
usual Sunday morning inspection, and a brand new
uniform was donned in honor of the occasion ; in fact
never after, during my service, was J so gorgeously
arrayed. Light colored kids, light boots and sky-blue
trousers, made up the most conspicuous part of my
attire. I had just commenced inspection when the Chief of
Artillery rode into the park and ordered me to pull out

YORKTOWN. 55
at a trot, saying, ' ' Yorktown is evacuated and we are
going to pursue the enemy."
I prided myself on promptness, and at once gave the
necessary orders, detailing a sergeant and six men to
strike camp and follow with camp equipage, etc.
The weather was fine, so I left without an overcoat,
expecting everything would be up by night.
Before leaving camp, having started the Battery
ahead, I visited the hospital. Here, one of our men,
a fine young fellow, named Kilby, appealed to me with
tears in his eyes to be taken with us, but the surgeon
in charge informed me that his condition was serious,
if not dangerous, and that it would be madness to
grant his request. Reluctantly I was compelled to
refuse. Poor boy, he did not long survive our departure,
he died four days later.
Another man (Charlton) who was in the hospital for
treatment, with glistening eyes and quivering lips asked
to be taken in the ambulance. The surgeon not object
ing, I consented.
These matters do not appear to contain much of in
terest to the general public; there is, however, a sequel
which will explain the motive for entering into details
as to my dress and the hospital episode as to Charlton.
Hastening on I overtook the command before enter
ing the works at Yorktown. Here the advance column
of the army seemed to meet with some obstacle. Later
on we learned that buried torpedoes were scattered pro
miscuously in the works around the guns left mounted
on the parapets; in fact, some of our troops had been
killed by the explosion of concealed shells, before the
necessary warning could be given. After this, every

56 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
foot of the road over which we marched was carefully
inspected by experienced engineers, who found many
shells buried along the entire route, leaving a small
wire exposed two or three inches above the ground,
which, being struck by the foot of man or beast would
cause an explosion.
The engineers marked the location of these shells by
sticking into the ground by the side of the wire a small
branch eighteen or twenty inches high, with a piece of
colored cloth fastened at the top. (This refers to hidden
torpedoes along each side of the road; those that were
buried in the middle of the road were removed.)

'mm

;i A,'

92'?- ¦¦ ¦
'VvT- -

PLAN OF THR BATIXK OF WII.I.IAMSBURG. FROM SKETCH
' MADE BY THE AUTHOR AT THE TIME.

GENERAL HOOKER.
CHAPTER IV

57

WHEN night came on we
had made just about one-half
the distance from Yorktown to
Williamsburg. Our battery,
ranking second in the Divis
ion, was the last in the line of
march of Division artillery.
It had commenced to driz
zle at dark and this soon
developed into a violent rain storm which lasted most
of the night. After a long, wearisome pull we were
halted in front of a brick church, subsequently made
famous as a prominent point in the line of march, and
remained there in the darkness and rain until midnight^
awaiting orders.
The Battery was then moved into an adjacent field
and the men were allowed to obtain such rest as they
could. With the aid of the tarpaulins they managed
to construct fairly comfortable shelters. I had a rather
cheerless time, principally owing to the absence of my
overcoat, which I had rather thoughtlessly left behind
with the baggage.

58 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
But the longest night has an ending and at daylight
we swung out on the road again and took our place in
the marching column, without a mouthful of food for
man or beast.
At 6 a. m., sharp firing in front gave notice that the
enemy had made a stand.
The Battery, notwithstanding the horrible roads,
moved forward, until it reached a cross road, near the
church above alluded to. Here we found a forage train
mired in the mud and blockading the road. The only
way to get by was to cut a passage through the woods,
which I decided to do, and the axes of the Battery
were at once set in motion by the men, who were wet
to the skin, cold and hungry, but willing and anxious
to do their whole duty.
While they were thus engaged I rode forward to
report the situation to General Hooker. I found him
in front of Fort Magruder just in the rear of Battery
"H," First U. S. Artillery, and Bramhall's 6th New
York Independent Battery, which were posted near the
edge of the felled timber, and vigorously engaged.
I stated our condition to him and the difficulty
experienced in getting through. Without turning his
eager gaze from the front he said quietly :
"Well, Captain, I do n't think you '11 be needed, but
get up as soon as possible."
Returning, I found the roads almost impassable,
teams being doubled every few rods to extricate gun-
carriages from the mud holes, while horses, wagons and
men seemed mixed up in irretrievable confusion.
By noon a road, or rather a passageway, had been cut
through the dense woods for half a mile, and by vigor-

GENERAL HOOKER. 59
OUS exertion, and, I am afraid, much profanity, five of
our guns and caissons were got through.
It was now between i and 2 o'clock p. m., and Gen
eral Hooker's lines were fully a mile away. Just as
we had got clear of our improvised road I met Lieu
tenant Abbott, aide to General Hooker, with verbal in
structions from the General to hasten forward.
The guns were then passed in front of the caissons,
and the drivers ordered to urge the horses with whip
and spur. The road we were now on was new and
narrow and bore evidence of having been recently opened
by cutting away the underbrush and trees through a
strip of heavy timber, and was so arranged that the
guns of Fort Magruder covered it.
As we were struggling forward I found Capt. Chaun
cey McKeever, General Heintzelman's Adjutant-Gen
eral, actively engaged in posting a line of cavalry to
check the retreat of disorganized troops whose faces
were turned in the wrong direction. When we came
up he shouted to me an order to tum my guns upon
these "stragglers," though I do n't think that term
could properly apply to men who had been fighting
since 6 o'clock in the morning. Rightly judging that
this was only a ruse of the captain to command the at
tention of the weary and disheartened soldiers, I disre
garded the orders and continued the march, through
masses of wounded men, some being assisted by com
rades, while others were hobbling along as best they
could trying to reach the field hospital. But a more
terrible sight to us, about to engage in our first battle,
were the numerous dead who lay where they had fallen
in the skirmish of the advance in the morning.

6o A FAMOUS BATTERY.
The hospital, and, near by. General Heintzelman's
headquarters (in the saddle) were passed ; two hundred
yards further on I found General Hooker in the middle
of the road, without an aide or an orderly in sight.
" Where are you going. Captain ? " he asked.
' ' To the front, ' ' was my answer.
"My God ! There is no front," he exclaimed. "Can
you go in battery here ? "
The guns were in column of pieces on a narrow road
not more than twenty-five feet wide, the carriages sunk
to the naves in mud, but at the command "Action
front ! " after the General had pointed out the direction
from which to expect the enemy, the boys promptly
and coolly executed the maneuvre, forming a line par
allel with the road with two sections, while one howit
zer covered the road leading to the fort.
From the muzzles of the four guns to the edge of
the wood opposite the distance was not greater than
twenty yards, and from this point we looked for an
attack. As many of Hooker's infantry were still somewhere
in the woods, we had to exercise great precaution not
to fire upon our own men, who were being forced back
by the Confederate advance.
The guns were double shotted with canister, the men
standing in the position of ' ' Ready. ' ' And now came
the most trying ordeal to which a soldier can be sub
jected. Our instractions were not to fire until the
enemy came in sight, and if we failed to repulse to
spike and surrender. This was made necessary by
the condition of the roads. We could neither retreat
nor advance, and as the horses were not needed they

WILLIAMSBURG. 6 1
were sent to the rear, thus relieving fifteen drivers from
the expected storm of bullets.
And then, while the men stood to their pieces, strain
ing their eager eyes to pierce the thick brush in front,
a dropping fire was opened on us by sharpshooters com
pletely hidden from view, resulting in the killing of
one gallant fellow, Robert C. Lowrie — the last man
recruited for the Battery, who had joined us at Phila
delphia and been mustered in at Washington. He
dropped at his gun and was sent to the field hospital,
where he died. In another moment brave Corporal
Riker tumbled over, mortally wounded, and then Pri
vate George Cipperly suddenly fell from his horse, with
a sharp cry, and was carried to the rear. In quick
succession John B. Johnston and Robert Shaw dropped
badly wounded.
This murderous fire from an invisible enemy was a
severe trial to men who had never yet been in the front
of battle, especially as no defense could be made, but
the Battery boys stood to their posts manfully and
quietly awaited orders.
The guns occupied a position upon a knoll on the
side of, and elevated aboiit three feet above, the road.
Near the edge of the bank General Hooker sat upon
his horse, calmly watching the progress of affairs, while
General Heintzelman had gathered a few musicians
and drummers at the field hospital near by, who, under
his orders to "Play Hail Columbia and Yankee Doodle
and drum like hell," were doing their level best to
make up in noise what they lacked in music.
Presently through the underbrush we could see the
legs of a mass of men hurriedly getting into line, their

62 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
bodies and faces being concealed by the leaves and
branches, and it was quite evident that they were form
ing for a charge. Now was the decisive moment, and
cautioning the men in a low voice as to what was ex
pected of them, I gave the order "Commence firing!"
A sheet of flame, a terrific roar, followed by three more
rounds, double shotted with canister, as fast as they
could be fired without sponging, and then, enveloped in
smoke, we awaited with intense anxiety the result.
It was as gratifying to us as it was disastrous to the
enemy. They had been swept away like chaff before
the wind, and none were left but the dead and wounded,
who littered the ground in front of us.
At our first round General Hooker's
horse reared and tumbled over the em
bankment into the road. I feared that
a "rotten shot" had struck him, but it
turned out that the sudden report had
startled the animal, and before the Gen
eral, a splendid horseman, could control
him he was over the bank, landing his rider in the mud
and falling partially on him. Some of the boys rushed
to his assistance, but he extricated himself and quickly
assuring them that he was not injured, remounted and
road away.
The report of our guns had attracted the attention of
the watchful enemy in Fort Magruder, and they instantly
opened on us, sending their compliments in the shape
of six-pound balls during the rest of the day. But
their range was poor and they did little damage. We
replied to them, besides shelling the woods wherever
there were indications that an attempt was being made
to re-form their lines.

WILLIAMSBURG. 63
As before related, I was in full dress uniform, yellow
kids, etc., which I had donned for the inspection at
Yorktown the day before, when we were so suddenly
ordered to the front. My trousers were now torn and
my whole suit soiled with the mud and rain, for the
skies poured down an incessant shower the whole day,
and having neither rubber nor overcoat I know that I
must have presented a rather bizarre appearance, es
pecially with the bright yellow kids, which fitted so
tightly that I had not taken the time to remove them,
so when, during the afternoon. Gen. Phil. Kearney, the
most reckless, daring, general officer that the Army of
the Potomac ever had, came riding up, in advance of
his Division, to the Battery, which presented the only
semblance of a line in sight, his quick eye took in the
situation at a glance. Briskly dashing up, he halted
near me, and looking me over firom head to foot, he
burst out:
" Well, you're a d  d fine looking peacock I Who
the devil are you ? ' '
I laughed, and we were soon exchanging news. After
a short conversation he requested me to cease firing
until he rode out to the felled timber to get a better view
of the situation. I gave the order, and in a moment he
was off up the road at full speed, his horse sending a
perfect shower of mud in all directions.
He returned in a few minutes and asked me to ad
vance a section of guns to the felled timber in order to
shell some infantry that were visible firom there, but
added: "Wait until I see you again," and started back to
urge forward his troops. He returned with a small de-

64 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
tachment which he place<J in the woods opposite us, and
then hurried up another squad and so soon established
his division in a new line. While thus occupied he
noticed a lot of soldiers gathering in the vicinity of the
Battery, without officers, and in a sharp tone of voice he
asked: "What troops are you ?"
"Jersey," was the reply.
"What brigade?"
"Second," was answered.
' ' Where are your officers ? ' '
' ' We haven't any, ' ' was the rather sullen rejoinder.
"Well ! " shouted Phil. " I am a one-armed Jersey
son-of-a-gun, follow me ! Three cheers ! ' '
And swinging his cap around his head, he succeeded
in infusing new life into these weary, worn-out heroes,
who had held their ground while a cartridge could be
obtained from the boxes of their fallen comrades, then
slowly retired until they reached the Battery. But they
were too loyal to continue their retrograde movement
while there was a show for making a stand, and they
followed General Kearney across the road and into the
woods with an answering cheer, and without a round of
ammunition among them.
He directed me to take my Battery where the men
could rest, and then just at sunset, when the rain had
ceased and the clouds parted and the whole western
horizon was luminous, he led his division to the charge ¦
through the gloomy, rain-soaked woods.
It took but a few minutes to reach the enemy, who
had watched these preparations and were ready for
them.

WILLIAMSBURG. 65
They encountered a terrible fusilade to which, from
scarcity of ammunition, they could make but a feeble
reply, and so were forced back, but the cautious Con
federates, smarting from their fearful experience of a
few moments before, did not follow.
It was now growing late, and the disorganized sol
diers belonging to other commands came back to the
Battery, not knowing where else to go, I presume.
The General ordered them to form in the rear of the
guns as a support, which the brave, patient fellows at
once did.
As there was no likelihood of any further hostilities
during the night, the Battery was collected and the car
riages parked in an open field about four hundred
yards in rear of the position we had occupied in the
morning, and the worn out, half-famished men, who had
eaten nothing since the day before, proceeded to make
themselves as comfortable as possible for the night. The
tarpaulins were utilized to sleep on, while a sort of shed,
covered with poles and brush, was put up for the officers
in the adjoining woods. In firont of this was built a
large fire, kept burning during the night by forming
five colored servants into reliefs of two hours each.
With a rail for a pillow and a saddle blanket for pro
tection firom the wet ground, and feet to the fire, we
slept the sleep of utter exhaustion on the battle field.

66 A FAMOUS BATTERY.

CHAPTER V
Official Reports — Some Misstatements Corrected
May 6th opened clear and warm. It was now remem
bered, with many pangs, that our fast had not been
broken since the morning of the 4th. Appearances
were not encouraging, but some of the men were
mounted and dispatched to search for our wagons and
bring up at least some boxes of hard tack if nothing
else, and others were sent out to forage in a quiet way.
The officers were not so well provided for in the way
of rations as the men, relying, as they were forced to
do, upon the commissary, or what could be purchased
from the farmers. I managed, however, to capture
three hogs and a steer found roaming in the woods,
which were hastily butchered and carried into camp.
By this time some hard tack and coffee were brought
up, which, together with the meat cooked on spits,
furnished a meal which in our exhausted condition
seemed fit for a king.
The officers' servants had secured a few eggs, and
borrowing coffee and hard tack from the men, we were
able to dine several officers whose situation was more
deplorable than our own.
Before night we marched into Williamsburg all in
good shape. On the route a Confederate soldier was

OFFICIAL REPORTS. 67
discovered in the southern edge of the woods upon the
northern side of which we had fought the day before.
He was without arms and we soon had him iri charge.
He stated that his captain and a comrade were hidden
in the woods both badly wounded; that he had left
them to obtain food. I directed him to lead the way
to his captain, taking several men and a stretcher with
us : by a loud shouting we managed to find their loca
tion. Some of my men succeeded in climbing a steep
hill, reaching the captain ahead of me, and to them he
had surrendered his sword. As he had on a linen
duster and trousers inside of drawers, without any
insignia of office in sight, I asked why he sought to
hide his rank. He replied that he had heard that we
shot all officers captured, and this was his reason.
I returned his sword, gave him refreshment from a
canteen, with some hard tack, placed him on the
stretcher, as he was too weak to walk, and the boys
carried him more than half a mile to the road. The
wounded enlisted man was able to walk.
I reported and turned over to General Hooker's pro
vost marshal my prisoners. I think the name of the
captain was Ward, belonging to an Alabama regiment,
probably the 5th. Before parting he assured me of his
sincere belief that they (the Confederates) were fight
ing their friends instead of their enemies, a belief we
entertained from the beginning, but it took four years of
hard fighting to convince a majority of the Confederate
Army. Referring to the part taken by the Battery in this
battle, with all the lights now before me obtained from
the published reports in the Rebellion Records not acces-

68 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
sible heretofore, I have reason to regret my failure to
make a report at the time.
Not being in possession of these facts until their pub
lication, as stated, it was impossible to make an earlier
correction of some misleading statements made at the
time. General Hooker handed me a copy of his official
report while the Division was in camp near Bottom
Bridge, and asked my opinion of that part referring to
the -Battery. I thought it well enough so far as it went,
but said it did not do justice to the service rendered by
the men at a critical time, when the Battery was pushed
forward to meet the advance of the foe who were flushed
with the advantage gained by reason of the Federal
infantry running out of ammunition; that the position
was considered in the nature of a "forlorn hope," the
character of our orders, ' ' to double-shot with canister,
and if we did not repulse to spike and surrender,"
plainly indicated; furthermore, that this check to the
enemy enabled General Kearney to establish his lines,
thereby contributing in no small degree to the victory
which followed.
My disappointment was expressed in a respectful
manner, as to the neglect to properly mention the value
of the services rendered by the action of the Battery.
(For myself the reward was on a par with my deserts.)
To this the General replied, " I could not say more
without making it look as if the Division was ' ske
daddling. ' ' ' The paragraph in the report referring to
the Battery is this:
* * * " While this was going on in front. Cap
tain Smith, by a skillful disposition of his Battery, held
complete command of the road, which, subsequently,

OFFICIAL REPORTS. 69
by a few well-directed shots, was turned to good ac
count. ' '
As before stated, the Battery was placed in position
under the General's supervision. Now note the remarks
of his Chief of Artillery in his official report, to wit:
" Headquartbrs Division Artillery, Hooker's Division,
"Camp Near Williamsburg, May 7, 1862.
" Captain : I have the honor to lay before the Gen
eral commanding this Division the following report as
to the part taken by the batteries under my command
in the battle of the 5th instant:
' ' Being in rear of the infantry, we camped about i
o'clock that morning, two batteries about half a mile
this side of King's Creek and two the same distance on
the other side. By 6 o'clock that morning we were en
route. Battery "H," ist U. S. Artillery, Captain Web
ber, and Battery " D," ist New York Artillery, Captain
Osbom, being in advance; Captain Bramhall's 6th New
York Battery about a mile in rear.
"On arriving at the firont I at once, by the General's
direction, ordered Captain Webber to place his guns in
battery — one on the road just at the comer of the
felled timber which lay on its left, another some twenty
yards in rear of this, and the other four in a field on the
right of the road. They were immediately got into
position, but while the first section in the road was be
ing unlimbered, Lieut. Chandler P. Eakin was shot down
close by my side and Lieut. Horace L- Pike near the
second piece, as also two of the privates. The drivers
of the limbers taking fright, as also some of the cannon
eers, they fell back about a hundred yards to the rear of
the pieces. Aided by Captain Webber and ist Sergeant
(William A.) Ham, I tried to urge and drive them for
ward to their guns, but did not succeed in .getting a
sufficient number up to open fire. I then went back to
Captain Osborn's four-gun Battery which had come up,

70 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
and called for volunteers to aid in manning these pieces.
Every cannoneer at once sprang to the front, and headed
by their officers, opened fire from four of Battery " H " 's
guns, while at the same time Captain Webber got some
fifteen or eighteen of his men at the other two. The
rain was falling fast at the time, rendering it impossible
to see the exact position of the enemy. Our fire was
directed in reply to some pieces on the works about
seven hundred yards directly in our front, and at a part
of a field battery to our front and left, which appeared
to be in the open, but which I have since ascertained was
in a sunken redoubt.
' ' Half an hour later Captain Bramhall came up and
I immediately ordered him to take position in the field
to the right of the other guns, which he did in a most
soldier-like manner. The ground in this field was
exceedingly soft and full of stumps, so that he was only
able to get five of his guns in battery. Our men soon
got the range and distance of the enemy, and in half
an hour more silenced their guns entirely. They did
not fire from the works in front except occasional shots
again, until later in the afternoon, but about lo o'clock
they opened again from the sunken redoubt and from
another still farther to the left. Finding that these
shots were enfilading some of my pieces, I moved my
right wing forward in eschelon, and by noon we had
again silenced them so effectually that their next effort
to open fire about an hour later was a very weak one.
' ' My men had now been in the open under fire, not
only of the guns we had silenced, but of a very severe
fire of the enemy's sharpshooters, for some seven hours,
and were greatly fatigued. As all had been quiet for
some time, I rode to the rear to hasten up Captain
Smith's 4th New York Battery, which had been kept
back by the bad roads and the baggage wagons of other
divisions. It was while I was absent on this duty that
the infantry supporting me abandoned the felled timber
on my left, leaving my batteries entirely exposed on

OFFICIAL REPORTS. 7 1
that flank. They (the enemy) came upon us over this
timber, driving the men firom the guns, which were
badly mired, and having lost a large number of horses
we were unable to bring them off. Captain Bramhall
gallantly fought his pieces until the battery on his left
was fairly in the hands of the enemy, when, finding
that his men were exposed not only to the fire of the
advancing foe but also to the return fire of his support
on the right he ordered his men to fall back. The
enemy keeping possession of a portion of the felled
timber on our left prevented any attempt again to work
or remove these pieces.
"So soon as I got Captain Smith's Battery up I
placed four of his guns in eschelon on a knoll to the
right of the road, just within the woods, and loaded
with canister, to be ready in case the enemy should
attempt to charge down the road. This was done
about a half an hour later. When the head of their
column had approached to within some one hundred
and fifty yards, we opened fire on them and effectually
stopped their advance. Directly after this we suffered
severely firom single men of this column who had taken
positions in ^he felled timber on the line of the road,
four or five of the cannoneers falling at the advanced
piece until General Kearney furnished me with a com
pany of sharpshooters as a support. After this charge
was repelled the battery was not seriously engaged,
only firing occasional shells in the direction of the
works in front and on our left, which had again opened
fire. At sunset, with the General's permission, I with
drew my two remaining batteries, leaving Captain
Thompson, Chief of Artillery in Kearney's Division, in
charge of the position.
' ' I regret exceedingly to be obliged to report the loss
of four of Battery " H " 's guns and one caisson, which
were carried off by the enemy when they had posses
sion. Captain Bramhall's guns were so deeply mired
that they did not succeed in moving them. I have

72 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
also to report the loss of four men killed and two offi
cers and eighteen enlisted men wounded, a full list of
which is appended. The enemy carried off forty
horses with the guns, and we have as many more left
dead in the field, besides a number wounded and miss
ing. " I have reason to be satisfied with the conduct of my
officers generally. Captain Webber, who only j oined his
command since our arrival at Ship Point, showed great
bravery in urging his men to the guns; Lieutenants
Eakin and Pike fell well to the front at the first fire of
the enemy. Captain Bramhall's conduct was that of
an experienced officer, having his men in perfect com
mand, and such as fully sustained his gallantry at
Ball's Bluff last October. He was seconded by all his
lieutenants and men. Captain Osborn and his lieuten
ants in this their first engagement gave promise of mak
ing brave and efficient officers. I would especially men
tion among the enlisted men Sergeants Harn and
(John) Doran and privates (Daniel) Barry and (Daniel)
Conway of Battery " H, " and privates (John) Shoe
maker and (George O.) Westcott of Battery "D," as
having done particularly good service. Captain Os
born's and Captain Smith's Batteries are still in condi
tion for service. Captain Bramhall's lacking horses, and
Captain Webber's both horses and pieces. * * *
"(Signed) C. S. Wainwright.
" Major and Division Chief of Artillery."
To my mind it is clear that a little prejudice existed
somewhere. The loss in killed and wounded in the
Division artillery was twenty-four, to wit: Battery " H, "
ist U. S. Artillery: killed, two enlisted men; wounded,
two officers and six enlisted men. Battery "D," ist
New York: killed, one enlisted man and seven wounded.
Fourth New York Battery: one enlisted man killed

OFFICIAL REPORTS. 73
and five wounded (two dying in hospital). Sixth New
York Battery report no casualties.
The reference made to the ' ' four or five men who fell
at the advanced pieces, ' ' and, ' ' After the charge was
repelled the Battery was not seriously engaged, only
firing occasional shells in the direction of the works in
front and on our left, which had again opened fire,"
could not be told in a less effective manner if the writer
intended to belittle the efforts of the men who actually
repulsed the enemy's charge.
The statement as to the distance, viz.: "one hundred
and fifty yards," and the direction, "down the road,"
is at variance with my recollection, and, I believe, the
facts. There was an apparent difference of opinion between
Generals Hooker and Kearney regarding an infantry
support to the Battery. As a matter of fact, the only
support was that improvised by General Keamey
alluded to before. His finding the Battery without
infantry support may have created the belief that the
artillerists had been driven from their guns during a
brief cessation of cannonading when there was no
enemy in sight. At such times the cannoneers were
directed to step back into the woods to avoid exposure
to the bullets of a few isolated sharpshooters whose fire
could not be returned by the Battery. The absence of
an infantry support compelled the adoption of this
method as the next best means of protection; but at no
time was the fire of our guns discontinued by reason of
the close proximity of the enemy in force, nor were the
men driven from their pieces; on the contrary, they stood
ready to and did defend them at all times.

74. A FAMOUS BATTERY.
General Keamey says:
* * * " This duty was performed by officers and
men with superior intrepidity, and enabled Major Wain
wright of Hooker's Division to collect his artillerists
and reopen fire from several pieces." (The artillerists
of this Battery were not scattered.)
To this paragraph General Hooker replied in a sup
plemental report, as follows:
' ' My attention has been called to that part of Briga
dier-General Kearney's official report of the battle of
Williamsburg, which states, ' and enabled Major Wain
wright of Hooker's Division to collect his artillerists
and reopen fire from several pieces,' and I give it my
positive and emphatic denial. This statement admits
of no application to any battery of mine except Smith's,
and I deny that any men of his were driven from their
pieces, or that the fire from his battery was suspended
from the proximity or fire of the enemy's skirmishers
at any time during that day. I request that this state
ment may be forwarded in order that it may be placed
on record with my official report of that battle of the
5th instant."
In this connection a paragraph from the official re
port of Gen. Grover, U. S. Army, who did not know
the name of the battery, but, as the records show, from
the time the 4th New York Battery took position, no
other battery was engaged in Hooker's or Kearney's
Divisions on that field ; hence, little doubt remains as
to the identity. He states :
* * * "I then withdrew that regiment entirely
from that position to support our retreating forces at
the point of the woods, and just in time to unmask the
position of the enemy and expose him to a most severe

SOME MISSTATEMENTS CORRECTED. 75
fire of canister from a part of a field battery thrown for
ward for the purpose of checking the rebel advance ;
and I think from my own observation, that this battery
contributed more toward sustaining our position than
anything else that could have been brought to bear in
that part of the field."
The 4th New York was the only battery in Hooker's
Division whose carriages were in park on the night of
the battle.
My motive for alluding to this matter at this late
day is to render, in a measure, some justice to the men
who nobly earned a fair share of praise so lavishly be
stowed in other directions. For instance : Lieut. Jos
eph E. Nairn, Sergt. Richard Hamblin, Corp'l J. A.
Thompson, and privates J. B. Johnson, Robert Shaw,
J. S. Eraser, W. H. Riker, Geo. C. Cipperly, R. C.
Lowrie, and J. C. Charlton were all conspicuous for
their bravery. I am writing from memory and do not
intend to reflect upon any member of the Battery, but
these men have ever been uppermost in my mind for
their gallantry — while others there may be who are
honestly entitled to honorable mention, and I feel jus
tified in referring to the above by name, believing there
are none who will or can object. Many of my men
were absent during the battle with the caissons and
horses, and in this manner were attending to their
duties. What more could have been asked of these men?
And yet their conduct failed to attract the attention of
the gallant Chief of Artillery by whose side they fought,
and many fell. An impartial Comparison of the facts
will place the reputation of the Battery in a more favor-

76 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
able light and the unprejudiced will accord to it the
privilege of standing upon an equality with those bat
teries more in touch with the headquarters of the Divis
ion Artillery.
Just before the Battery opened fire and while the rain
was pouring down in torrents, Charlton, who had ridden
from Yorktown in the ambulance, came to me with coat
off and sleeves rolled up and asked for the proper eleva
tion, saying he had loaded a gun and was ready to fire it.
He remained with the gun while it was in action, but
was not physically able to perform his ordinary duty
otherwise; therefore, in consideration of his gallantry
he was excused and allowed to ride in the ambulance
until his health permitted his return to duty. He never
missed a fight where the Battery was engaged.
Lieut. Joseph E. Nairn deserved especial mention for
his conduct; he was at his post from first to last, as was
Serg't Richard Hamblin, who stood by his piece man
fully and aided in handling and firing the same.
John B. Johnston and Robert Shaw were shot down at
their posts, while Riker, Lowrie, and Cipperly gave their
lives by reason of their devotion to the flag.
Usually there is no difficulty in finding men willing
to assist wounded comrades to the rear and the hospital,
but to their eternal praise be it said, not one man be
longing to the Battery would leave his piece to assist
the wounded from the field. Some of them threw a
tarpaulin down and lifted their disabled comrades out
of the mud and placed them on it and then returned to
their guns.
Captain Osbom offered to, and did send some men
from his Battery to carry back my wounded.

SOME MISSTATEMENTS CORRECTED. 77
It is a long time since the incidents above recorded
occurred, and I am writing without the assistance of
notes; many events doubtless have passed out of my
mind, but at this moment another incident comes up
from the recesses of my brain which I will relate.
When General Keamey requested a section to be sent
to the front, the horses were ordered up and everything
made ready to carry out his orders. While limbering
up, a solid shot from Fort Magruder struck a wheel-
horse square in the barrel, passing clear through him
and between the driver's legs. The horse pitched for
ward on his nose while the rider rolled over in the mud,
turning upon his hands and feet, face upwards, with a
look of " who-got-the-worst-of-it " on his countenance,
but did not utter one word. I think that driver was
none other than the genial Gen. James S. Eraser of New
York City.
I had been back to order up the horses to comply
with General Kearney's orders to move a section to the
front, etc., and while returning met Gen. Joe. Dickin
son, Hooker's Assistant Adjutant-General, now an offi
cial of the Pension Bureau in Washington, a few rods
in the rear of the guns. A large mud hole caused each
to tum to the right, leaving a space of about ten or
twelve feet between us as we passed. At this moment
a six-pound ball struck in the mud between us, splash
ing the dirty water over each and ricocheting, bounded
away to the rear. A glance and a shake of the head
was all the comment made as we parted, neither realiz
ing at the time the value of that mud hole.
The advance up the Peninsula was one continued

78 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
Struggle to extricate the carriages from the sticky mud.
Our Division did not meet the enemy again until after
crossing the Chickahominy River; then began a series of
contests, ending with the Seven Days' battles. The fa
tigue and exposure to the elements were very trying.
June 30th the Battery took part in the Malvern Hills
battle. (I must rely upon information obtained from
those who were present, being absent myself from June
12th to July 5th on sick leave.)
On my rejoining the Battery at Harrison's Landing,
Va., General Hunt, Chief of Artillery Army of the
Potomac, stated to me verbally that two or three offi
cers of the U. S. Army had reported to him that during
the engagement of June 30th the Battery had killed an
officer and two privates of the Union troops by firing
into our own line, and he desired me to investigate the
matter, which I did.
I was further informed by the General that it was re
ported that canister was used at a distance of eighteen
hundred yards. I knew that there was not a man in the
company who would be guilty of such an exhibition of
ignorance regarding range and ammunition, but an in
vestigation was necessary, which I made, with the fol
lowing result:
First, I learned that not one round of canister had
been used since the battle of Williamsburg. This was
very easy to figure out. The complement, it is well
known, is fifty rounds of canister to each gun, and as
that amount was on hand, while none had been drawn
on requisition, it was evidently an error as to that part
of the report.
As to the killing of our own men, every man in the

SOME MISSTATEMENTS CORRECTED. 79
company emphatically denied even the possibility of
such a catastrophe, explaining to me the position of
the enemy and the direction of the Battery's fire. I
was firmly convinced at the time that a mistake had
been made as to the name of the battery responsible
for such gross mismanagement, and was led to believe
that General Hunt shared my opinion, after learning
the particulars as above related, and I had reason to
believe at the time that the reputation of the Battery
had not suffered by the unfortunate error, but that all
had been satisfactorily explained. Twenty-eight years
after the occurrence alluded to above, I read with much
regret and surprise the following report, dated Harri
son's Landing, July 5th, 1862 :
* * * " The fight was too unequal and was ap
parently so considered by the New York Battery on my
right. The conduct of this Battery I have already
reported verbally to the General commanding the Di
vision and also to the Adjutant-General of the Army of
the Potomac. I here renew that report in writing. It
called itself the 4th New York, and was commanded by
a Lieutenant Nairn. I believe there is the amplest
evidence that it killed an officer and two enlisted men
of our own. However that may be, I can assert from
my own knowledge that if terrible at all it was only so
to its friends. It fired quite rapidly, making consider
able noise and smoke, but it fired canister at a distance
of from fifteen to eighteen hundred yards. Round
after round of canister was fired, and so far as I could
observe nothing else was until long after friend and foe
had ceased firing. This irrepressible Battery threw
several case shot or shell which struck somewhere,
certainly much nearer our own troops than the point at
which the hostile battery had been posted. * * *
"(Signed) Stephen H. Weed,
''Captain 5th U. S. Artillery:''

8o A FAMOUS BATTERY.
From the date of the foregoing report it is evident
that my investigation was made subsequent to it, and
yet not one word in regard to it is found on record in the
published reports. The testimony is ex-parte, inasmuch
as the explanation has been excluded, hence the charge
stands boldly recorded in history, while the defence
made at that time has been denied a hearing,
I am convinced that these gentlemen of the regular
army would have modified their opinion had they un
derstood the facts as herein stated. No doubt they
were honest in their convictions, but by comparing
notes and explaining the position held by the Battery
at the time the alleged ' ' wild firing ' ' occurred, I am
certain it could have been clearly shown that the Bat
tery was mistaken for some other.
At this late day it is useless to attempt a defense be
yond an impartial statement of facts. General Weed
was killed on Little Round Top July 2, 1863, an officer
of unquestioned merit and integrity, whose motive in
this unfortunate affair was evidently intended for the
good of the service. Of the other two officers no doubt
the same can be said. General Hunt, who appeared
to never forget any incident of the slightest import
ance, has ceased to live. I therefore state what few
facts still exist as a reasonable excuse for reopening a
case which has been so long a matter of undisputed
record, but carefully locked up with all other official
papers in the War Department until Congress author
ized their publication. Our defense is in the shape of
an explanation, the only course left to us.
While located near Harrison's Landing, the Battery
was placed on the outer line in a crude fortification

SOME MISSTATEMENTS CORRECTED. 8 1
within the Third Corps lines. While so posted Presi
dent Lincoln visited the Army of the Potomac and ex
amined the breastworks, coming towards our position
without the slightest warning being given to us — dur
ing his tour of inspection — and when within a distance
of less than twenty-five yards. Captain McKeever rode
up and directed that a salute be fired, so the President
was compelled to halt until the firing ceased, when he
passed between the guns and limbers, while the men
loudly cheered him.

82

A FAMOUS BATTERY.

CHAPTER VI

Fredericksburg.

UGUST 15th began the march
on the retreat towards York-
town, Va., where we arrived
in due time, and after a de
lay of some days we suc
ceeded in getting transpor
tation for the carriages to
Alexandria, Va. ; the horses
were shipped two or three
days later. We did not
'' ^ J reach Alexandria in time to
participate in Pope's cam
paign, at the front, but rendered service in and around
the defenses.
The Second Battle of Bull Run, like the First, was
disastrous to the Union Army, and impartial history
has verified the bitter accusations of the rank and file at
the time, that their defeat was due to the incapacity of
those to whom was entrusted the management and
maneuvering of that splendid body of men known as
The Army of the Potomac. These swarthy veterans of
the innumerable fights, skirmishes and marches of the
Peninsula deserved a better fate than met them at Ma
nassas.

FREDERICKSBURG. S3
None that died in this ill-starred campaign was more
generally mourned than gallant, dashing Phil. Keamy,
the Murat of our Army, the idol of the soldiers who
served under him.
Killed just at dusk on the field of Chantilly, his body
was sent into our lines under Confederate escort with
instructions to be delivered to General Hooker. As
the ambulance which contained all that was mortal of
the bravest man that ever drew a sword passed Fort
Ward with its blind-folded escort in gray, manj' an old
soldier, hardened to death and wounds in every shape,
shed tears, and when General Hooker received the re
mains of his gallant friend whom he should never look
upon again with the exultant light of battle in his
dauntless eyes, he could only say between his sobs,
"such is the curse of war."
There was another soldier laid low at Manassas,
though not to die, fit to be named on the same page
with brave Phil. Keamy. He wore neither stars nor
bars, the modest che\Tons of a corporal denoting but
one remove firom the rank of private. He was then un
known outside of his own company, and when an ex
ploding shell crushed his legs into a shapeless mass of
flesh and bones it was only one enlisted man less in the
regpiment, one of the numerous "killed, wounded and
missing" reported by the papers in round numbers.
But when this maimed youth's vigorous tenacity and
ambition enabled him to survive the surgeon's knife, to
make his way through the crowded walks of life to that
place in the fi-ont ranks accorded only to acknowledged
force and ability, then the world came to know that the
mangled boy carried off the bloody field of Bull Run

84 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
was one whom his country delights to honor, and who
is proud to bear the title he bore then — Corporal
Tanner. Hooker's Division, then commanded by General D.
E. Sickles, and to which the Batterj' , was still at
tached, was selected to remain near Washington during
the Aiitietam campaign. I was designated as Chief of
Division Artillery by virtue of the date of my commis
sion. My duties were subsequently enlarged by Gen
eral Barry, who directed that the field batteries lo
cated between, and at, Arlington and Alexandria, Va. ,
should be subject to my control for inspection, etc. I
relinquished the executive control of the Battery to
Lieut. J. E. Nairn, but remained with it for the time
being. On a certain date about midnight, General Sickles
received information of an intended raid by Stuart's
cavalry on Falls Church, Va., where two small forts
had been erected, and where the 120th New York Vol
unteers, Col. G. H. Sharpe, which had just entered
the service, were stationed.
I was directed to send a battery at once, I took my
own to save time, and went myself, because I was per
sonally familiar with the locality. This knowledge was
essential on account of the extreme darkness of the
night. We reached Fort Buffalo between 2 and 3
o'clock A. M., and the guns were soon in position;
then Colonel Sharpe desired me to visit the outposts
with him, which I did.
The infantry had been well placed and everything
put in shape to make the reception warm in case of an

IfREDERICESBURG. 85
attack. The Colonel was very active and did not pro
pose to give me an opportunity for sleep, as he com
pelled me by his presence to remain on the qui vive.
The enemy did not put in an appearance, however,
to our great relief.
The Division was reviewed by President Lincoln and
the members of his Cabinet, while occupying the
defenses of Washington. Again the Battery had the
honor of firing the salute for the President.
On this occasion I commanded at least ten batteries,
passing before the President in review, battery front.
Thejr made a splendid appearance. The President
instructed me to say to the battery commanders that
he was very much gratified with the fine, soldierly
appearance of the artillery, shaking me by the hand
warmly while speaking.
At General Sickles' s suggestion the artillery was
notified in special orders as to the President's compli
mentary and flattering comments.
Soon after this, November 4th, the Division moved
out to Manassas Junction, acting as a provisional com
mand, charged with the responsibility of putting and
keeping in order the railroad, opening as it were, a line
of communication by which the Army of the Potomac
could be furnished with supplies at a point where its
line of march intercepted that of the railroad. The
Battery was pushed out as far as Catlett Station, where
the bridge had been destroyed, it having been partly
burned by the enemy. This route was kept op^n until
after the Army had passed on its way to Falmouth, Va.
In the winter of '62 Gen. Geo. B. McClellan, after
being relieved of command, returned to Washington at
this time on one of the trains over this road.

86 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
Having performed the duty assigned it, the Division
took up the line of march to Falmouth, Va. At Wolf
Run Shoals General Patterson shot himself, and the
Battery was detailed to fire a blank at intervals of
thirty minutes between sunrise and sunset, as a token
of respect to his memory and rank. Arriving- at Fal
mouth, we rejoined the Corps, from which we had been
separated since before the battle of Antietam.
Preceding the battle of Fredricksburg the following
order was received:
"Headquarters Army op the Potomac,
" December 8, 1862.
' ' Major-General Hooker,
"Commanding Center Grand Division.
" General : The commanding General directs that
you will please have issued to each of the following
named battery commanders the accompanying order,
and take the necessary steps to have it executed: Lieut.
Hazlett, Battery "D," 5th U. S. Artillery, Griffin's
Division; Captain Smith, 4th New York Battery, Sick-
les's Division. " Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
" (Signed.) John G. Parker,
" Chief of Staff .
(Sub-inclosure.)
" The Commanding Officer, "Battery  .
"Sir: You will report in person to Lieut. -Colonel
Hayes, commanding artillery, at the office of Brigadier-
General Hunt, Chief of Artillery, at 10 A. M., Wednes
day, the loth instant. You will obey, until you are
ordered to rejoin your Division, such orders as you may
receive from Lieut. -Colonel Hayes, or Brigadier- Gen
eral Hunt, Chief of Staff."

FREDERICKSBURG. 87
Reporting as above ordered, my instructions were to
lead certain batteries to a point designated, between
dark and daylight, on a certain date ; said batteries
were then assigned to localities commanded by either
Colonels Tompkins or Hayes. Having disposed of all
the Division artilleiy, being Chief of the same, I re
quested permission to re-assume command of the 4th
New York Battery, which was granted.
This Battery was posted on Falmouth Heights, di
rectly opposite the Confederate works above and west
of Fredericksburg, and south from our position about
eighteen hundred or two thousand yards. It was ex
pected that a pontoon bridge would be thrown over
the river near this point, by which means troops could
be placed in the town.
Early on the morning of December 12, 1862, about
3 o'clock A. M., I discovered, by seeing them march
past street lamps, the flickering light of which betrayed
their movements, that the enemy were moving troops
in the edge of the town near the river bank. I con
cluded that they were placing sharpshooters in the cel
lars under the buildings on the bank of the river (to
pick off our artillerists, I thought at the time).
General Hunt, who appeared to be in the saddle all
the time, and constantly on the move, visited us sev
eral times during the night, and I related to him what
I had seen. It is my impression that he informed me
that by a mutual agreement between the Provost Mar
shals of the Army of the Potomac and that of Northern
Virginia, troops would not occupy the town ; be this
as it may, when our engineers began to construct a
bridge (known in history as the Upper Bridge) about

88 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
6 A. M., they were greeted with a few volleys fired by
men hidden in the cellars on the opposite bank. It
soon became evident that these Confederate marksmen
would have to be routed before a bridge could be put
down at this point.
After some delay it was arranged that the batteries,
which were in position on the north bank, were to open
and dislodge, if possible, the rebel infantry. Shortly
after 8 A. m. a shower of shot and shell was poured
into the different structures wherein the enemy lurked,
then our firing ceased and the engineers tried to work;
but the moment they did so, popping was resumed on
the other side. This firing first from one side and then
the other was continued at intervals until about 3
o'clock p. M., when volunteers were called for from the
infantry to cross over in pontoon boats and drive the
rebels from their holes.
Nearly one hundred men from the 7th Michigan
promptly offered their services. While the boats were
being loaded the firing increased, the bullets falling in
the water near the boats like hail, but there was no
flinching — the men who had willingly undertaken this
task had counted the cost and fearlessly placed their lives
on the altar of their country.
I thought, while gazing on this scene, that it would
rank with any deed of daring recorded in the pages of
history. Think of it ! less than one hundred men ex
posed in three open, clumsy boats, propelled with oars
or paddles, which made but slow progress* in the face of
a well-concealed and active foe, having no knowledge
of the numbers they were about to encounter, with lit
tle hope of reinforcements until the boats could retum

FREDERICKSBURG. 89
— and all for thirteen dollars per month ! No, there
must have been something else — loyalty and true pa
triotism overcame all thought of self, and without the
slightest ostentation they quietly went forward ready to
meet any fate that might await them.
I shall never forget my sensations during the few
moments required to cross the river. The first man to
jump ashore from the boats was a lieutenant, who was
hit before striking the ground. He crawled back into
the boat and subsequently recrossed the river; as soon
as a landing was made the men were hurried forward,
when a running fight through the streets ensued; more
men were rowed across, and finally the Rebel infantry
were driven back and the engineers soon completed the
bridge, over which a large force marched on the night
of the 1 2th.
During the nth and 12th a fitful cannonade was di
rected upon the town, with the intention of burning it
down. The Battery was employed after the completion
of the bridge in drawing the fire from the works oppo
site to relieve the troops while crossing. In this man
ner the assistance rendered was valuable and greatly
aided the infantry, by covering them while reinforcing
their comrades, who were on the other side.
The official report of this battle as to the participa
tion of the Battery will furnish further particulars:
" Camp near Fredericksburg, December 17, 1862.
"Colonel : I have the honor to submit the follow
ing report of the participation of the 4th New York
Battery under my command, in the late bombardment
of Fredericksburg. In obedience to orders from Head
quarters Centre Grand Division, dated December 10,

90 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
1862, I reported to you, and was by you ordered to
take command of the 4th New York Battery 'which had
been under the executive command of ist Lieut. J. E.
Nairn since November 4th, I at that time assuming
command of the Division Artillery, in compliance with
orders from headquarters, Sickles's Division, of that
date. Position was assigned me by you on the north
bank of the river about five hundred yards west of the
Lacey house, with instructions to obey all orders from
General Hunt, Colonel Tompkins and yourself. I placed
my guns in battery about 8:30 o'clock on the evening
of the nth; and set my men at work throwing up
small breastworks around each gun as a protection
against the enemy's sharpshooters. About 3 A. M. on
the morning of the 12th, General Hunt ordered me to
fire upon the town, when the battery adjoining my left
("K," ist U. S. Artillery, Captain Graham), opened.
In obedience to this order I opened fire about 5 A. m.,
(or soon after the enemy's sharpshooters opened fire
upon the engineers who were constructing pontoon
bridges). I kept up a rapid fire during the forenoon,
damaging the vents of five guns, which became enlarged.
On the 13th the enemy's batteries opened on the town
and our men. I undertook to draw their fire by reply
ing from my Battery, and several times during the day
succeeded in checking the fire from some of their bat
teries on our right and in front of my position. During
the 14th and 15th my orders were to fire upon the bat
teries in front whenever they opened upon our reinforce
ments or the town, which order I obeyed until ordered
by General Hunt not to fire under any circumstances.
Again during the night of the 15th I received orders
from Colonel Tompkins to be on the alert to cover the
retreat of our army; but as the enemy made no attempt
to interfere I had no occasion to fire. The ammunition
furnished me by Captain Young, ordnance officer of
Sickles's Division, was of an inferior quality. The con
cussion projectiles (Parrott) were used as solid shot; the

FREDERICKSBURG. 9T
case shot worked poorly; about one in twelve exploded.
The cartridges were composed of different kinds of
powder or of various quantities, which made accuracy
almost impossible. During the five days' firing I ex
pended, all told, about sixteen hundred rounds of case
shot and shell. I have no casualties to report. The
non-commissioned officers and privates of the Battery
conducted themselves admirably, obeying all orders with
promptness. Lieutenants Naim, Scott, McLean and
Smith, by their attention to duty, contributed greatly
to render the fire of the Battery effective. Lieutenant
Naim made several splendid shots, sighting the pieces
himself. The officers have my warmest thanks.
" I am sir, very respectfully,
' ' Your obedient servant,
"(Signed.) James E. Smith."
"Lieutenant-Colonel William Hayes,
" Command Reserve Artillery."
The vents were so much enlarged that vent tenders
were compelled to cover them with the hand instead of
the thumb, and not being able to use a friction-primer
by reason of this enlargement, the papier machi<ir slow
match was substituted; by this means fire was continued
until dark, when General Hunt sent from general head
quarters of the army a competent mechanic, for whose
convenience a tent was put up in rear, which covered the
light necessary to complete this work, and into which
one gun was run at a time until the entire six were re-
vented with copper vents, which did not again fail us.
During the nth the enemy's pickets were stationed
across the river with stacked arms; no attempt was
made to molest them and they disappeared during the
night. After four days and nights constantly exposed to the

92 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
inclemency of the weather, which was bitter cold, the
ground covered with snow, no shelter or fire, defeat
staring us in the face, every charge made by the infantry
on the heights within our full view greatly adding to
the mental strain already stretched to its fullest tension,
we received the command to fall back, which, although
not unexpected, was a great relief, and gladly we re
turned to camp to recuperate and prepare for the famous
"mud march."

after FREDERICKSBURG.

93

CHAPTER VII
After Fredericksburg. A Summer March through
Maryland.

ATE appeared to be against
General Burnside, at least
the elements were, but the
grand old army did n't mind
it; defeat and disappointment
could not discourage it.
Therefore, when the order to
march came again, promptly
moved forward the same old Corps, the same old bronzed
faces. I do not remember a single instance while the
army was marching towards the enemy, where the morale
was not most excellent; jokes were cracked and songs
sung, which seemed more suited to a picnic excursion.
An army composed of brain and muscle and minds
capable of reasoning stood behind muskets; an army of
intelligence and grit, it was certain of success in the
end. The rank and file understood the principles in
volved and aimed to perform the work appertaining to
their duties without regard to who might be in com
mand. Do not understand me as saying that they had
no preference in this respect; such was not the truth;

94 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
they simply disregarded their personal likes and dis
likes and yielded loyal allegiance to all superiors. To
conquer was the desire of all, and to this end their best
energies were directed. The grandest army that ever
trod the earth ! — The Federal army of '61-65.
Again the Battery left camp, January 20th, 1863,
and for four days floundered and struggled in the mud
while marching to the United States Ford and getting
back to camp.
By direction of General Hunt I had control of twelve
light batteries which were marched to a certain point,
where I met and turned over to Colonel De Russey
nine batteries. With the other three I was instructed
to move to our right and reach the United States Ford.
At twilight we entered a dense pine woods through
which there was a narrow road leading to the river.
Scarcely five hundred yards from the opening we
encountered a pontoon train heading in the opposite
direction and which was firmly mired in the mud; the
colored drivers were either stupidly drunk or too wildly
excited to know what they were doing. Everything
was in confusion. My orders were to reach United
States Ford; one Battery (my own, 4th New York) cut
its way around the train and camped as near the Ford
as prudence allowed. The other two did not make it.
The infantry were compelled to construct a corduroy
road before the Battery could retreat. Finally, after
five days (20th to 24th inclusive) hard work for men
and horses, for the second time during this winter we
returned to our old camping ground. During the bal
ance of the winter the Battery was subjected to much
harsh treatment and many disorganizing changes and

AFTER FREDERICKSBURG. 95
incidental disagreements that seriously impaired its
efficiency. In consequence of various transfers, resig
nations, etc., I became ranking artillery officer of the
Third Corps, and, in accordance with the Army regula
tions. Chief of the Corps Artillery. This compelled me to
relinquish control of and sever my connection with the
Battery. This was followed by the resignation of
Lieut. J. E. Naim, and the command of the Battery
devolved upon, Lieut. C. H. Scott, an officer totally
unfitted for the position. He was ordered before a
Board of Examining Officers, and it resulted in his
discharge by order of the Secretary of War. Lieut.
Wm. T. McLean, the next officer in command, appeared
before the same Board and passed a creditable examina
tion. Lieut. E. S. Smith, who had been promoted,
together with McLean, vice Naim and Scott, was trans
ferred to Battery "K," 4th U. S. Artillery, and a Lieu
tenant Goodman, 6th New Jersey Infantry (with whom
Lieutenant Smith traded off) transferred from Battery
"K" to the 4th New York.
Before this took place. General Bimey, commanding
ist Division, made application for another battery —
having but three while the 2d Division had five. I
was directed to send one battery from the 2d Division
to report to him. The order was issued to General
Berry, commanding 2d Division, who referred the mat
ter to Captain Osbome, Chief of Division Artillery,
and he designated the 4th New York as the Battery to
be transferred. This created a very ill feeling on the
part of the men. Except Battery "H," ist U. S.
Artillery, the Battery had been attached to the Division.
longer than any other serving with it, and the men

96 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
believed they were being discriminated against and
refused to move from the park when ordered.
This being reported to Headquarters Third Corps,
General Berry was notified, who declared that the Bat
tery no longer belonged to his command. Then Gen
eral Birney was notified, and he detailed the 40th New
York Volunteers with instructions to inove or bury the
Battery. Under these circumstances a transfer was made with
out further trouble, but much of the interest and pride
usually felt by those who had shared hardships and dan
gers together was, to a certain extent, diminished and
their ardor dampened. The men were despondent and
became lax in their duties, not without some excuse.
Finally, a Lieutenant Barstow of the U. S. Artillery was
assigned to the command, when matters went from
bad to worse, culminating in unwise and ill-advised
promotions. If I had remained blind' to all that concerned my
old Battery, my personal interests would have been
benefited, my position as chief of Corps Artillery, with
ten batteries to control, and a good prospect for the
creation of a brigade with the usual staff, making it
one of the most desirable commands in the army. I had
already submitted a proposition to General Hooker,
then commanding the Army of the Potomac, with a
view to organizing the Corps artillery as above stated,
and was instructed to again submit my proposition
after the then -pending movement (Chancellorsville).
This was afterwards carried out by Captain Ran
dolph, my successor, and the artillery so brigaded.
My position was all I could desire, but should have

AFTER FREDERICKSBURG. 97
had a higher rank to correspond with my command.
As a [^Captain I controlled ten field batteries, while
the date of my commission deprived me of the privilege
of assuming command of my own Battery, under army
regulations. After the assignment of a United States officer to the
command of the Battery, and the consequent demoral
ization, I determined to resign my commission and get
reappointed, by which proceeding the question of date
of rank would be settled, and I could return to my origi
nal command. Therefore, on the 26th day of April, 1863,
I tendered my resignation and received an honorable
disicharge. Having provided myself with proper let
ters to present to the Governor of the State of New
York, I. returned from the army to Washington, D. C,
and on May 4th presented my letters in person to Gov
ernor Seymour at Albany, N. Y., who accorded me an
audience. After explaining my reasons for resigning and again
applying for a re-appointment to the same position, I
was soon in possession of a new commission bearing
date of issue.
When I returned to Washington, D. C, Chancellors
ville battle had been fought, and the Army of the Po
tomac had returned for the third time to its camps near
Falmouth, Va. The Battery marched during this series
of battles with the First Division, and held several posi
tions of importance, but was not called on to open fire.
Early in June I reported for muster at Headquarters
Third Corps, but General Sickles being absent, sick, it
was decided to defer it until his retum.
The Corps broke up camp on the nth, and began

98 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
the campaign of Gettysburg. I offered my services as
volunteer aid to General Birney, commanding the
Corps, and^o acted until we reached Brandy Station,
Va., where I took the cars for Washington; D. C.
I soon found General Sickles, who directed me to be
on the lookout, as he intended to start for the front
when he could reach the army by rail, and that by so
doing I could go with him. On June 27th he started by
special train on the B. & O., from Relay House. We
made slow progress owing to a report that ' ' Guerrillas ' '
were raiding the country through which we were pass
ing, but beyond this we had no trouble, and reached
Frederick, Md., about i o'clock next morning.
Besides General Sickles and aids, there were on this
train General Marston and Colonel Hardie, the latter
bearer of despatches relieving General Hooker of the
command of the Army of the Potomac. (We were not
informed of the nature of his business, however.)
We found the Corps halted east of Frederick City
where we rejoined it, and my muster was made without
delay, and again I was at the head of the Battery. A
hasty inspection put me in possession of its condition,
which was more favorable than I had dared to hope.
The march from here through upper Maryland was
the most delightful we had made during our service.
It was harvest time; the weather was superb, and the
roads fairly good through a beautiful country which
had tasted but little of the destructive havoc of war.
The old familiar sights of great fields of yellow wheat,
orchards loaded with fruit, wide, green stretches of pas
ture and meadow-land, snug farm-houses and huge red-
roofed barns, made it seem a pleasure trip after the

A MARCH THROUGH MARYLAND. 99
hardships of the campaign in Virginia. Then the boys
very soon discovered that there was a very fair supply
of most excellent apple-jack along the route, as this
was considered by the farmers a prime necessity in the
arduous labors of harvest. It is true it was a little
difficult to get at, as these rural citizens had doubtless
heard of the partiality ever shown by soldiers towards
this famous Southern commodity. It was usually hid
den in various out-of-the-way places about the farms,
and it required much ingenious diplomacy to ascertain
the whereabouts of the concealed treasure. When all
else failed, a party of thirsty soldiers would frequently
march into a barn-yard, attach a couple of fine horses
and coolly inform the alarmed farmer that they were
required for the Government service. Upon his remon
strating, the leader of the gang would take him to one
side and suggest that, as he appeared to be a decent
kind of a fellow they would n't be hard on him, and if
he had anything like apple-jack, or peach-brandy, or
even plain whiskey about the place, they would com
promise the matter. They always got it.
Another source of constant enjoyment was the Third
Corps Band, which appeared to be ubiquitous. They
were always in the lead on the march, and yet when
passing through the numerous villages on our route
we would find them located on some balcony or front
porch or grouped around the town pump discoursing
lively martial airs as we gayly passed by with banners
flying and singing lo3'al songs, while ladies and chil
dren would, sometimes, be waving handkerchiefs from
their door yards.
It was, indeed, a gay and jolly march, such as sel-

lOO A FAMOUS BATTERY.
dom fell to our lot, but to many brave boys it was a
march to death, for its end was the bloodiest field of
the war — Gettysburg, and but two days away.
We reached Emmittsburg, Md. , in the afternoon of
July ist., and after a short halt the Corps moved for
ward towards the Pennsylvania line, while my Battery
and Winslow's were left here with Burling's and De
Trobriand's Brigades to guard the Hagerstown road.
Gen. Burling's official report refers to this detail as
follows :
* * * "I was ordered by Maj. Hamlin, Assist
ant Adjutant-General, Second Division, Third Army
Corps, to remain at this place with the Brigade and
Smith's Battery to guard the Hagerstown road. In
conjunction with Colonel Sewell, of the 5th New Jer
sey Volunteers, and Captain Smith of the Battery, I
immediately made such disposition of my command as
I deemed advisable to accomplish this object. * * *
"(Signed) Burling,
' ' Commanding Brigade. ' '
About 1.30 on the morning of the fateful 2d of July,
orders were received from Gen. Meade to re-join the
Corps at Gettysburg, eleven miles away.
It required some time to withdraw the pickets, there
fore it was 4 A. M. before we were ready to move for
ward, rejoining the Corps and Division at 9 o'clock A, m.

—  St

CONfEDET^ATE. mCHti'&l^'^'^^'^

riELiJ

PLAN OF THE BAT-TLE OF GETTYSBURG. FROM SKETCH MADE BY THE AUTHOR AT THE TIME.

GETTYSBURG.

lOI

CHAPTER VIII

Gettysburg. S we approached the ground
between the two armies
in the vicinity of the
"peach orchard," I no
ticed that the fences
had been cleared away
and all preparations
made that usually pre
ceded a battle; even
then the pickets and skirmishers were uneasy and kept
up a desultory fire, little puffs of thin blue smoke dot
ting the plain before us, indicating quite distinctly the
respective lines of the two greatest armies on earth, at
this hour.
Before reaching the "orchard " an aide came towards
us from the direction of the "wheat-field" riding at
great speed and waving a white handkerchief to attract
our attention. A halt was made in consequence and we
then learned that our position was equi-distant between
the two lines and somewhat critical.
No time was lost in leaving the Emmitsburg road,
moving due east as far as the "wheat-field," into which
the Battery was taken and parked. About i o'clock
p. M. Capt. G. E. Randolph, Chief of Third Corps.

I02 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
Artillery, piloted the Battery to "Devil's Den," point
ing to a steep and rocky ridge running north and south,
indicating that my guns were to find location thereon.
From the termination of the ridge at the " Den" to
the woods dividing the "wheatfield" from the valley
of Plum Run, the distance was not more than fifty
yards. Here I could not place more than four guns on
the crest. In rear of this ridge the ground descended
sharply to the east, leaving no room for the limbers on
the crest, therefore they were posted as near to the guns
as the nature of the declivity permitted. The remain
ing two guns were stationed in rear about seventy-five
yards, where they could be used to advantage, covering
the Plum Run Gorge passage, which lies to the south
of and below the crest.
The four guns could not be depressed to reach troops
moving through the gorge, hence the necessity for this
arrangement. Two regiments of infantry, viz : the 4th Maine, Col
onel Walker, and the 124th New York, Colonel Ellis,
were formed so as to cover the open space between
the woods and base of Round Top ; the former being
on the extreme left, while the latter, the ' ' Orange Blos
soms, ' ' were directly in rear of the four guns.
I felt anxious about our left flank and made an effort
to get some infantry posted in the woods along the base
of Round Top, but as the enemy gave little time for re
flection, my attention was occupied in looking after the
Battery, and replying to the concentrated fire of a num
ber of guns.
This artillery battle began about 2 p. m., and was a
trial of skill between artillerists. The accuracy of the

GETTYSBURG. I03
enemy's aim was astonishing, while that of the gunners
of the Battery may be judged from the reports of those
who have the best right to know. (See Confederate
reports.) About 3.30 o'clock the enemy's infantry appeared in
line of battle, moving directly upon the Round Tops.
The four guns were now used to oppose and cripple this
attack and check it as far as possible. I never saw the
men do better work ; every shot told ; the pieces were
discharged as rapidly as they could be with regard to
effectiveness, while the conduct of the men was superb ;
but when the enemy approached to within three hun
dred yards of our position the many obstacles in our
front afforded him excellent protection for his sharp
shooters, who soon had our guns under control. At
the fence at the base of the slope, which gently declines
to the west in front, they make a short halt, then press
on ; we use canister without sponging, but are firing at
a disadvantage for the reason just stated, to save the
guns. Colonel Ellis and Colonel Walker now advance
their commands, and, dashing through the Battery,
charge upon the Confederates with great impetuosity.
My fire is withheld until the firont is uncovered by the
falling back of the ' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' and 4th Maine ;
again the artillerists spring to their guns ; the 99th
Pennsylvania Volunteers move along a point in rear of
the guns, and boldly take position above the Den.
The 4th Maine on the left, with a line across the
mouth of the gorge, have been forced back; the situa
tion is most critical; I ask for assistance. General Hunt
¦ has told me how important it is to hold this position to the
last. The enemy are pressing on the left, while those

I04 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
in front and to the right-front are advancing skirmish
ers. My guns are again in danger of capture. The
brave "Orange Blossoms" have been withdrawn; the
4th Maine -and 99th Pennsylvania have retired. In
reply to my earnest plea for help I have been asked to
hold on for thirty minutes, when succor would surely
come; if the guns are to be saved it must be done now
at the risk of exposing our weakness. What is best to
do under the circumstances becomes a momentous
question. I finally determine to consume the time it will take to
remove the guns in fighting them, and thus trade them
for time, if it becomes necessary. The men are instruct
ed to remove all implements if they are compelled to
fall back, so that our pieces may not be turned against
us. The bold firont presented by the Battery cause the
enemy to approach it gingerly; but alas ! we are flanked
by the enemy moving through the gorge by the right
flank; our four pieces are now useless, but the two in
rear can be of service. I run with all the speed in me
and open fire with these two guns on the troops coming
through the gorge.
The enemy are taken by surprise; their battle flag
drops three different times from the effect of pur canis
ter. Thrice their line waVers and seeks shelter in the
woods, but in a moment they retum in a solid mass.
The 6th New Jersey moves forward from the ' ' wheat-
field " across my front, cutting off the fire of the two
pieces; then the 40th New York passes through the park
of the horses and carriages stationed near the position
occupied by the two guns, and attacks Benning's Bri
gade.

GETTYSBURG. 105
I now conclude to save the balance of the Battery, if
possible, and have the fence lowered that it may pass
through to the "wheat-field," but still hold it ready to
make a further sacrifice; if deemed necessary. The
four guns remain suspended, as it were, on the crest be
tween the lines. I appeal to Colonel Egan to save
them; he promises, but fails to fulfill his promise; the
odds are too great against us.
The men have faced every danger; two brave men
can do more than one — the one is on our side, the
two are opposed to us. Finally the Federal infantry
fall back. I have sent the carriages into the woods,
and closely watch the enemy's movements.
At this time the report of Hazlett' s guns from the
summit of Little Round Top announces the arrival of
assistance, none too soon, for Benning's Brigade, after
pushing through the gorge, is about to cross the " Val
ley of Death " to take possession of the goal for which
he has been fighting for more than two hours. The
race is a sharp one; the Federals win it. The two guns
are run through the woods, and seeing Winslow's Bat
tery in position, I take position on his right just as he
limbers up and retires.
Looking for the cause I perceive the enemy swarming
from the woods and I lose no 'time in falling back.
Before the crest was abandoned, one of the four guns,
having been disabled, was withdrawn; this left but three
and these were taken off by the enemy after dark.
I mistook the "Orange Blossoms" for the 4th Maine,
who were in our immediate rear when the artillery duel
opened, and in my official report make no mention of

Io6 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
this gallant regiment whose daring charge rendered
such valuable and timely assistance.
At no time during the day had we more than two regi
ments of foot at one time engaged in defending this im
portant point. The Battery was on the ground from 2
until 6 o'clock p.m.
By a careful comparison of the official reports here
with, it is shown that the impression of maiiy of the
Confederates is erroneous as to Little Round Top's oc
cupation by Federals, and that theysttffered from the
fire of guns on its summit while advancing to the as
sault of Devil's Den. If this was true, then those who
were on the line at the Den must have known it, as the
fire from Little Round Top would have to pass over
their heads.
In conclusion, let me say in further explanation of the
loss of my guns, that three times during the day I could
have withdrawn them without giving grounds for cen
sure. It has usually been considered proper to retire a
field battery when its infantry support falls back. Had
this course been adopted the guns might have been
saved, but the delay imposed upon the enemy was of in
estimable value to the Federal army and more than off
set the loss of the pieces. For instance, forty minutes
elapsed between the departure of the infantry from the
ridge and the arrival of the two regiments at the posi
tion in rear of it. Every one of those minutes con
tained sixty seconds and into each second was crowded
a lifetime. It had not occurred to me to save the Battery; in
deed, I could not see how I was to do it without aban
doning the defense of the valley and Little Round Top,

GETTYSBURG. I07
but the arrival of the 6th New Jersey and the 40th New
York Volunteers changed the situation somewhat. I
felt that the responsibility was, at least, divided.
During the interval which occurred between the time
we left the ridge and the coming of the two regiments,
it appeared to me that the defense of the key to the
Federal position depended upon the efforts of the men
who were handling the two guns, and I now believe,
laboring as I doubtless was, under the excitement and
strain brought about by the severe ordeal and, may I
say, peculiar features of the conflict, that my mental
faculties were not in condition to take under considera
tion the probabilities and advisability of withdrawing
from the contest while a gun could be discharged.
After the abandonment of the crest I felt personally
responsible for the defense of the position, until Colonel
Egan and Lieutenant-Colonel Gilkison with their regi
ments, entered the valley. (I do not intend to reflect
upon General Ward and the balance of his brigade, but
they were engaged more to the right and in the woods
— hence the idea that further assistance from this quar
ter was impossible). This seemed to give me time for
thought, and when the report of Hazlett' s guns from
Little Round Top proclaimed in thunder tones that our
friends were near, every sound in the air appeared to
ring with the welcome tidings that the victory was ours;
that a new lease of life, so to speak, was granted to us.
Under such a state of affairs may I not be pardoned for
retiring the men who had so nobly remained at their
posts and who had not taken advantage of the many
opportunities they had had to fall back during the daj^
without incurring the least blame for so doing. The

io8 A Famous battery.
wounded who had not been sent to the field-hospital
were placed upon the caissons and limbers, and every
care taken to avoid confusion. The Battery was re
tired at a slow walk with the guns in rear.
I do not wish to be understood as reflecting on the
infantry. Braver men never stood shoulder to shoulder
with their faces to the foe. The peculiar features of
this conflict and the nature of the ground made it pos
sible, nay, quite possible, for the enemy to suppose
that the woods and many large boulders concealed a
hidden foe; hence, it was not strange that the Battery
was permitted to stand as long as it did, but while our
infantry were in .sight they drew the fire of a force far
superior as to numbers; besides they were more exposed
than the few men who managed the pieces.
After the ridge was under control of the Confederate
infantry, the Federal infantry, which had formed the
defense to this part of the line, instead of retiring in
the direction of Little Round Top, naturally fell back
into the woods occupied by the balance of Ward's
Brigade. Lieutenant-Colonel Gilkison moved his regiment
through the woods from the "wheat-field" in rear of
the brigade and without seeing it. I venture to say
that, inasmuch as Lieutenant -Colonel Gilkison has
not been mentioned in any of the general reports for
the gallant and timely aid rendered, the presence of
his regiment was unknown to the brigade commander.
Colonel Egan was guided by Captain Bristow of Gen
eral Birney' s staff. The troops that were stationed on
the first line were relieved, after the charge had been
repulsed and their ammunition expended, while those

GETTYSBURG. IO9
two regiments that came last upon the scene were not;
they fell back before the advance of Benning's Brigade.
No blame can attach to any troops that fought in the
Valley of Plum Run July 2d; the fault lay in their
weakness, nothing else.
Colonel Walker misunderstood me, if I am to judge
by the tone of his letter published in 1886. I certainly
never said that I did not want his help; I was not fool
enough to think a Battery could maintain a position
such as was assigned to the 4th New York without a
strong force of infantry in support. Not having such
support in line, it was my belief that the best disposition
ought to be made of the limited force at hand; there
fore I suggested to Colonel Walker the advisability of
moving his regiment firom the rear of the Battery into
the woods on our left, saying at the time, if he would
protect the flank, the Battery would endeavor to take
care of the front.
I believed at the time that infantry stationed in those
woods would be able to resist any effort of the enemy
to take possession of, and tum to good account, the ex
cellent protection there offered. My desire to have Fed
eral troops posted in the woods on our left and in front
fif Round Top, led to my speaking to Colonel Walker
about the matter.
I regret that this brave old hero now attempts to place
me in a false position; there was no mistaking my mean
ing at the time, and there is no good reason for miscon
struing it now.
A few minutes before leaving the last position my
horse was killed, which led to a ludicrous incident at
my expense. I wore boots with a stiff leg to the knee

I ID A FAMOUS BATTERY.
and a light calf leg lined with white morocco reaching
to the hip. When dismounted the upper part was
rolled in a manner to form a top-boot; becoming dis
arranged during the battle the roll relapsed so that
from the knee to the ankle the appearance was that of
boots with white legs. Lieutenant Goodman seeing
that I was without a mount, kindly gave me the use of
his horse so that I might reach the head of the column
then moving through the woods. While moving back
from the position taken on Winslow's right, one of the
men caught me by the leg exclaiming, ' ' Captain, you 're
shot ! ' ' Glancing down I saw that the boot was covered
with blood, and located the supposed wound in the
calf of the right leg. The limb began to pain and I
plainly felt the blood running into the boot. I moved
my toes and the red liquid swashed between them. The
foot and the limb were much swollen I imagined, and I
became anxious to ascertain the extent of the damage;
therefore, at the first available moment I was down.
Calling one of the men to assist in drawing off the
boot (scolding him for causing, unnecessarily, extra
pain by.his carelessness, while doing so) I patiently and
calmly resigned myself to the inevitable. The boot
being removed and no sign of blood found, I quickly
glanced at the man who had drawn it and saw on his
face a broad grin. I hastily said, ' ' Let me tell this
story first, please."
Searching for an explanation, it was discovered that
the horse was shot in the flank, and by spurring, the
boot-leg had come in contact with the blood which
flowed from the wound. Imagination accomplished
the rest.

GETTYSBURG. Ill
Another incident occurred which, under the circum
stances, was amusing, and goes far towards displaying
the comic side of the Irish character. At a time when
the rebel riflemen were annoying the artillerists from
their concealed shelter behind the large boulders, etc. ,
Michael Broderick, detailed from the nth Massachu
setts Volunteers, and placed as driver on the Battery
wagon, left his team which was out of danger and came
forward to the crest where things were a little lively,
and picking up a musket which had been dropped by
one of the infantry, he was soon engaged with a foe who
was evidently behind one of the boulders in front. Mike
was oblivious to the bullets flying carelessly about; he
simply had an eye on his man, and to even up chances,
he too sought the friendly protection of a large rock.
His strange antics first attracted my notice, and when
I took him to task for leaving his team, his reply was:
' ' Let me stay here. Captain, sure there are plenty back
there to look after the horses." I said no more and
Mike again commenced to dance, first on one side of
the rock and then on the other, challenging his man to
come out and face him; then he would dodge behind
the rock to avoid, I presume, the privilege of stopping
a bullet, then out he would jump again shouting,
' ' Come on now, if you dare, bad luck to you. ' ' He was
thus engaged when I last noticed him. At night Mike
was reported missing, but early on the morning of the
3d, he reported, with a rebel musket and cartridge belt,
stating that he had been taken prisoner and placed in a
belt of timber with other Federal soldiers. Watching his
chance, he noticed the guards were few and far between,
and when opportunity offered he quickly found a belt

112 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
and musket and commenced to march up and down
like the Confederate guards (his slouch hat and old
blouse together with his general make-up aroused no
suspicion, as many rebels were dressed similarly).
When night came on he marched into the Federal lines
and reported as stated.
The Battery was parked on the Baltimore pike. I sent
to the Six;th Corps for a surgeon to care for the wounded.
Early on the morning of the 3d I reported three guns
for service and was assigned position in the second
line near the Third Corps, but was not again engaged
during this battle.

OFFICIAL REPORTS — UNION. 1 13

CHAPTER IX
Official Reports — U?iion
The Official Reports of Federaiv Officers, from Se
ries 1, Vol. xxvii, Part I, Rebellion Records.
Gen. H. J. Hunt, Chief of Artillery Army of the
Potomac, relating to the part taken by the Battery at
Gettysburg :
* * * "Smith's 4th New York on the extreme left
and on a steep and rocky eminence in advance of Sugar
Loaf, and on his right Winslow's ('D,' ist New York)
in a wheat-field, separated from Smith by a belt of woods.
* * * As Smith had not opened, I went to his bat
tery to ascertain the cause. When I arrived he had
succeeded in getting his guns into position, and just
opened fire. As his position commanded that of the
enemy and enfiladed their line, his fire was very effec
tive. * * * In the meantime the enemy had es
tablished his new batteries to the north of the road and
Smith turned his guns upon them. * * * Three
of these belonged to Smith's Battery on our extreme
left. The guns were stationed on the brow of a very
precipitous and rocky height, beyond a ravine in front
of our line. The difficulty in getting these guns up the
height had caused the delay in Smith's opening his fire.
He fought them to the last moment in hopes of keeping
the enemy off and in the belief that the ground would
be in our possession again before the guns could be car
ried off by the enemy. He got off one of the four guns

114

A FAMOUS BATTERY.

he had placed on the height, but was compelled to aban
don the other three." * * *
Report of Major General David B. Birney, First Di
vision, Third Corps :
* * * "Smith's battery of rifled guns was placed.
so as to command the gorge at the base of the Sugar
Loaf Mountain." *¦ * *
Report of Capt. George E. Randolph, Chief of
Third Corps Artillery :
*¦ * * "Smith's and Winslow's Batteries on their
arrival from Emmitsburg were parked until some better
disposition could be made of them. * * * i placed
Smith's Battery near the extreme left, between Round
Top Mountain and the woods, on a rocky hill com
manding a long valley running toward Emmitsburg. On
the right of Smith's, after passing a belt of woods, was
an opening. * * * It soon became evident that
the enemy was preparing for an attack at this point.
He soon opened more batteries on the right of his first
and commenced a heavy fire from them upon our troops.
Ames and Clark were soon so well at work that the
advantage was not on the side of the enemy, and at
last a well-directed fire from Smith's Battery on the
extreme left silenced them for a time. The respite,
however, was short, as at about 3 o'clock p. m. the en
emy re-opened fire, and, under cover of his artillery,
began to push infantry against our position. The part
of our line where Smith's Battery was placed was as
sailed in the most furious and determined manner, and
notwithstanding the conduct of our troops, after a long
struggle it became evident that the line would break.
The hill upon which the guns stood was very rough
and rocky, rendering maneuvering with horses almost
an impossibility. Four of Captain Smith's guns only
had been at first placed in battery. These were served

OFFICIAL REPORTS — UNION. II5
effectively till they could no longer be without danger
to our own troops, who had advanced to the front of
the battery. The remaining two were placed in a po
sition a few yards in rear, and pointed obliquely into
the woods on the left in front of Round Top Mountain,
which was occupied by the advancing lines of the en
emy. These guns continued their fire till their sup
ports were compelled to retire, when they were with
drawn by Captain Smith, leaving three of the four
that were in advance still on the hill and in possession
of the enemy.- Captain Smith says he supposed the
hill would be immediately re-taken by our troops and
that, as it was a place most difficult of access, it was
wiser to leave them where they could be used against
the enemy immediately we regained the hill. I regret
the loss, but from my knowledge of the position and of
the gallantry displayed by Captain Smith, I am con
vinced that it was one of those very unpleasant, but
yet unavoidable, results that sometimes attend the ef
forts of the most meritorious officers. " * * *
Report of Maj. -Gen. Sykes, U. S. Army, command
ing Fifth Corps:
* * * "A rocky ridge, commanding alm.ost an
entire view of the plateau held by our army, was on our
extreme left. Between it and the position occupied by
Bimey's Division, Third Corps, was a narrow gorge
filled with immense boulders and flanked on either side
by dense woods. It afforded excellent cover and an ex
cellent approach for the enemy, both of which he
promptly made use of. The rocky ridge commanded
and controlled this gorge. In examining it and the
ground adjacent previous to posting my troops, I found
a battery at its outer edge and without adequate sup
port. I galloped to General Birney, whose troops were
nearest, explained to him the necessity of protecting the
guns, and suggested that he should close his division on

II 6 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
the battery and hold the edge of the woods on its right.
I promised to fill the gap he opened, which I did with
Sweitzer's and Tilton's brigades, of my first division,
posting them myself."
[Note. — I have been mystified by the above, and can
not account for the scantiness of the support actually
provided; it was not adequate, nor was it in harmony
with the importance of the position. — ^J. E. S.J
Report of Thomas W. Egan, Colonel Commanding
40th New York Volunteer Infantry:
* * * " The enemy had at this time partly suc
ceeded in flanking the Second Brigade upon my right
by a movement upon their left. Captain Smith's (4th
New York) Battery was stationed upon the ridge at my
right and was in a very perilous situation; the enemy hav
ing already captured three of his pieces, he called upon me
in beseeching terms to save his Battery." * * *
[Note. — It must be remembered that our front had
changed when the 40th New York and 6th New Jersey
regiments arrived. Our former front faced west, but
after leaving the ridge we changed front to about south
west by south, to conform to the line made by Ben
ning's Brigade, which had marched through the gorge
by the right flank. (See map.) Therefore, when Col
onel Egan speaks of his right he alludes to the ridge,
and the troops on his right were the 6th New Jersey. —
J. E. S.J
Report of Col. S. R. Gilkison, 6th New Jersey In
fantry: * * * " j\(ivaiicing promptly through the woods
we came to a fence. Having no one to guide me and not

OFFICIAL REPORTS — UNION. I17
knowing the position the regiment was to occupy, I
formed line and opened fire on the enemy directly in our
front. Soon ascertaining the position of our line, under
a heavy fire from the enemy, I advanced the regiment
about two hundred yards across the open field directly
in front of the 4th New York Battery, Captain Smith,
taking position on the left of Ward's Brigade."
Report of Lieut. Charles F. Sawyer, 4th Maine:
* * * " Were then assigned position on the left
of the Brigade and advanced to a position on a rocky
hill, in support of the 4th New York Battery. The
position of the regiment was changed to the left of the
Battery on the advance of the enemy. One company
(" F") being left on the brow of the hill, the rest of
the regiment being in the ravine and left of the line ex
tending into the side of the hill on the left. " * * *
Report of Brig. -Gen. J. H. Hobart Ward, command
ing Second Brigade and First Division :
* * * " After placing my Brigade in the position
assigned. Major Stoughton, of the Second U. S. Sharp
shooters, reported to me with his command. I directed
him to advance his command as skirmishers across the
field in front of mine for half a mile and await further
orders. They had scarcely obtained the position desig
nated before the skirmishers of the enemy issued from
a wood in front, followed by heavy lines of infantry.
Captain Smith's Battery of rifled guns posted on the
eminence on my left, opened on the advancing enemy.
* * * In the meantime I had sent to General
Bimey for reinforcements, who directed Colonel Egan
with the 40th New York, to report. The enemy now
concentrated his force on our extreme left, with the
intention to tum our left flank through a gorge between
my left and Sugar Loaf Hill. The 40th New York
was despatched to cover the gap, which they did most

n8 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
effectually. Our men, now much exhausted and nearly
destitute of ammunition, were relieved by a portion of
the Second and Fifth Corps, when we retired and biv
ouacked for the night. ' '
[Note — Benning's Brigade had made the passage of
the gorge before the 40th New York volunteers reached
the ground. The two pieces of Smith' s Battery had been
briskly engaged in pouring canister into the head col
umn of these troops as they emerged from the gorge
near Devil's Den. After this Benning formed his line
between Little Round Top and Devil's Den, and then
the 6th New Jersey and 40th New York Volunteers
attacked them.— J. E. S.J
Report ot Captain James E. Smith, 4th New York
Battery: "Camp near Sandy Hook, yLv>.,July 20, 1863.
"Sir: I have the honor to report the participation of
the 4th New York Battery, under my command, during
the Battle of Gettysburg July 2d. In compliance with
instructions received from you, I placed two sections of
my Battery on a hill near the Devil's Cave, on the left of
General Bimey's line, leaving one section together with
caissons and horses, one hundred and fifty yards in the
rear. The 4th Maine Regiment was detailed as support,
forming line in rear, under cover of a hill. [This is an er
ror; this position was occupied by the 124th New York
Regiment. J On my left, extending half way to the
Emmitsburg road, was a thick wood, in which I re
quested Lieutenant Leigh, aide-de-camp to General
Ward, to place supports. He informed me that a bri
gade had already been placed there, but this must have
been a mistake. About 2:30 p. m. the enemy opened
fire on my right and front from several guns, directing
a portion of their fire upon my position. I was ordered
by one of General Ward's aides to retum their fire.

OFFICIAL REPORTS — UNION. II9
which order I complied with. Twenty minutes later I
discovered the enemy was endeavoring to get a section
of twelve-pounder guns in position on my left and front,
in order to enfilade this part of our line; but I suc
ceeded in driving them off before they had an oppor
tunity to open fire. Soon after, a battery of six light
twelve pounders marched from the woods near the Em
mitsburg road and went in battery in the field in front
about fourteen hundred yards distant. A spirited duel
immediately began between this battery and my own,
lasting nearly twenty minutes, when Anderson's Bri
gade of Hood's Division, Longstreef s Corps (rebel)
charged upon us."
[Note.— This impression was formed at the time,
based upon information obtained from some Confeder
ate wounded soldiers left in their hospitals; it should
have been Hood's Division. — ^J. E. S.J
" The rebel battery then left the field and I directed
my fire upon the infantry. At this time I requested
the officer in command of the 4th Maine Regiment to
place his command in the woods on my left, telling him
I could take care of my front, but my request was not
complied with."
[Note. — It has been stated by some that I intimated
my ability to whip the Confederate army with the Bat
tery, and did not wish any support ; but the truth of
the matter is, I wished to place the support where it
would do the most good. I felt very much annoyed
that the woods to the left of our line, which offered such
excellent protection for defensive operations, should
be left for the enemy to enter without opposition. From
this position the troops stationed on the ridge and
across the ravine at Devil's Den were flanked, and un-

I2G A FAMOUS BATTERY.
der cover of these woods Benning formed his brigade
for the march through the gorge, while the same woods
furnished cover to Law's brigade to prepare for the as
sault on Round Top.— J. E. S.J
' ' I used case shot upon the advancing column until
they emerged from the woods on my left flank in line
of battle three hundred yards distant ; then I used can
ister with little effect, owing to numerous large rocks
which afforded excellent protection to their sharpshoot
ers. I saw it would be impossible for me to hold my
position without assistance, and therefore called upon
my support, who gallantly advanced up the hill and en
gaged the enemy. Fighting became so close that I or
dered my men to cease firing, as many of the 4th Maine
had already advanced in front of the guns. ' '
[Note. — This error as to the name of regiment was
caused by my attention being directed to the front while
the 4th Maine moved across the ravine, and the 124th
New York occupied the vacancy in rear of the Battery.
For many years I labored under the impression that the
4th Maine was directly in rear of the guns at the time I
called for assistance. In this manner I failed to credit
the " Orange Blossoms " with the noble and gallant
charge they made at the most critical moment of that
trying contest for the possession of the ridge and the
guns stationed thereon. — ^J. E. S.J
' ' I then went to the rear and opened that section of
guns, firing obliquely through the guUey (gorge), doing
good execution. At this time the 6th New Jersey Vol
unteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Gilkison commanding, and
40th New York Regiment, Colonel Egan commanding
came to our support. These regiments marched down

OFFICIAL REPORTS — UNION. 121
the gulley fighting like tigers, exposed to a terrific fire
of musketry; and when within one hundred yards of
the rebel line the 4th Maine, which still held the hill,
were forced to retreat. ' '
[Note. — At the time the ' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' charged
in front of the guns on the ridge cutting off my fire, I
noticed the head of Benning's brigade moving by the
flank through the gorge. To check this, I ran to the
two guns in rear and opened with canister; seeing Fed
eral soldiers on the ridge, I naturally supposed they were
the same that had made the charge. Recent informa
tion leads me to believe the 99th Pennsylvania regi
ment was moved from the woods on the right, while the
"Orange Blossoms" |fell back into this same woods
lower down the slope, after changing their front from
west to south. It is certain that neither the 4th Maine
nor " Orange Blossoms " occupied the ridge after my de
parture. In this way only can I account for the pres
ence of the 99th Pennsylvania, which I failed to recog
nize at the time. — ^J. E. S.J
"Very soon afterward the 40th New York and 6th
New Jersey regiments were compelled to follow. I then
ordered my remaining guns to the rear. When I left
these guns on the hill, one having been sent to the rear
disabled, I was under the impression we would be able to
hold that position; but, if forced to retreat, I expected
my support would save the guns; which, however, they
failed to do. I could have run my guns to the rear, but
expecting to use them at any moment and the position
being difficult of access, I thought best to leave them
for a while. Again, I feared if I removed them the in
fantry might mistake the movement for a retreat. In
my opinion, had supports been placed in the woods, as

122 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
I wished, the hill could not have been taken. I con
ducted my command to a field near the Baltimore turn
pike — three-quarters of a mile fi-om Third Corps head
quarters — and encamped for the night, reporting three
guns for service next morning to Captain Clark, acting
Chief of Corps Artillery. * * * The non-com
missioned officers and privates conducted themselves
throughout the day with commendable bravery. * *
* I trust that no blame can be attached to me for
the loss of any guns; I did that which in my judgment
was best. "(Signed) James E. Smith."

OFFICIAL REPORTS — CONFEDERATE. 1 23

CHAPTER X
Official Reports — Confederate
Before calling attention to the official reports of
Confederate officers engaged in our front and who make
reference to the Battery, I wish to state that no other
field pieces took part in the battle for the possession of
the gorge and ridge near Devil's Den (Hazlett' s not
being in use until after the ridge had fallen into the
enemy's possession, and the very nature of the posi
tions forbids the admission of the theory advanced by
some of the Confederates, that they suffered from the
fire of guns stationed on Little Round Top while charg
ing over the open space between the Devil's Deii and
Emmitsburg road); hence, all references here quoted
apply to the 4th New York Battery, because I do not
refer to that part of the battle for the possession of
Little Round Top.
Report of Brig. -Gen. Henry L. Benning, Confederate
States Army, commanding brigade :
* * * "A wood intervened between us and the
enemy, which, though it did not prevent their shells
from reaching us and producing some casualties, yet
completely hid them from our view. On emerging
from the woods their position became visible. Before
us at the distance of six hundred or eight hundred yards,
was an oblong mountain peak or spur, presenting to us a

124 A pamous battery.
steep face much roughened by rocks. To the right
four hundred or five hundred yards from the peak was
the mountain itself, with a side that looked almost
perpendicular; its summit overlooked the peak just
sufficiently to command it well. On the summit of
the peak were three pieces of artillery."
[Note. — This refers to the four guns, but as three
were captured the mistake is obvious. — ^J. E. S.J
"lOn a sort of uneven, irregular shelf were three
others. To the right and left of the Battery as well as
immediately in its rear, were lines of infantry, as we
afterwards ascertained. This formed the enemy's first
line of battle."
[Note. — This description of the position of the Bat
tery is accounted for by the manner in which this Bri
gade came through the gorge, as is the following state
ment in regard to Hazlett' s guns. When General Ben
ning first obtained a view of the second line it was after
his brigade had reached the space between the gap and
base of Little Round Top. At this time he had good
reason to believe there was a second line, but he is a
little premature in locating it. — ^J. E. S.J
" On the top of the mountain itself and a little to the
right of the peak were five other guns. These com
manded our approaches to the peak for nearly the whole
way. To the right and left of these extended the ene
my's second line of infantry. Where that line crossed
the gorge running between the peak and the mountain,
a point five or six hundred yards in the rear of the peak,
were two other guns. This was ascertained when the
right of the brigade reached the gorge by the terrible
fire firom them which swept down the gorge. ' '

OFFICIAL REPORTS — CONFEDERATE. 1 25
" Thus, what we had to encounter were thirteen guns
and two, if not more, lines of infantry, posted on moun
tain heights. The intervening spur over which we
had to march to reach the first line was nearly all open,
* * * Where my line reached the foot of the peak
(ridge) I found there a part of the ist Texas, strug
gling to make the ascent, the rest of the brigade hav
ing gone to the right and left, the 4th and 5th Texas
to the right and the 3d Arkansas to the left. The
part of the ist Texas referred to falling in with my
brigade, the whole line commenced ascending the
rugged steep and (on the right) crossing the gorge.
The ground was difficult — rocks in many places — pre
senting by their precipitous sides insurmountable obsta
cles, while the fire of the enemy was very heavy and
very deadly. The progress, therefore, was not very rapid,
but it was regular and uninterrupted. After awhile
the enemy were driven from their three front guns. The
advance continued and at length they were driven
completely from the peak, but they carried with them
the three guns on its summit, its sudden descent on
the other side favoring the operation, so that we cap
tured only the three front guns. These were ten-
pounder Parrotts. A number of prisoners were also
taken, more, I suppose, than one hundred. * * *
Colonel Jones was killed late in the action, not far from
the captured guns, after the enemy's forces were driven
from the position and they had themselves opened on it
with shell from the other batteries, a fragment of one
of which, glancing from the rock, passed through his
brain. * * * Colonel Harris was farther to the
right when he and his regiment were exposed to the
terrible fire of the two pieces which sw€pt the gorge,
as well as to the infantry fire of the enemy's left.
* * * Under a fire from so many cannon, and
toward the last from so much musketry, they (the
Confederates) advanced steadily over the ground, for
the most part open, mounted a difficult height, drove

126 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
back from it the enemy, occupied his lines, took three
guns, captured a number of prisoners, and against his
utmost efforts held all they had gained. The captured
guns were taken by the 20th Georgia (Colonel Jones,
and after his death, Lieutenant-Colonel Waddell), the
part of the 1st Texas above referred to (Colonel
Work), and the 17th Georgia (Colonel Hodges), but
the honor of the capture was not exclusively theirs.
They could not have taken, certainly could not have
held, the guns, if Lieutenant- Colonel Harris, and, after
his death. Major (W. S.) Shepherd, on the left with the
2d Georgia, and Colonel Du Boise, with the 15th
Georgia, on the right, had not by the hardest kind of
fighting and at great loss protected their flanks."
[Note. — The number of troops engaged in the cap
ture of the guns, and the evidence of such brave foes,
leaves little to be said as to the manner and character
of the defense.— J. E. S.J
Report of Colonel William F. Perry, commanding
44th Alabama Infantry :
* * * " When at a short distance from the stone
fence near the base of the mountain. General Law in
formed me that he expected my regiment to take a bat
tery which had been playing on our line from the mo
ment the advance began. This battery was situated
not on the mountain itself, but on a rugged cliff which
formed the abrupt termination of a ridge that proceeded
from the mountain, and ran in a direction somewhat
parallel with it, leaving a valley destitute of trees and
filled with immense boulders between them. This valley,
not more than three hundred paces in breadth, and the
cliff on which their artillery was stationed, were occu
pied by two regiments of the enemy's infantry. The
direction of the regiment after crossing the stone fence
was such that a march to the front would have carried

OFFICIAL REPORTS — CONFEDERATE. 1 27
it to the right of the enemy's position. It was, there
fore, wheeled to the left, so as to confront that position,
its left opposite the battery and its right extending to
ward the base of the mountain. This movement was
executed under fire, and within two hundred yards of
the enemy. The forward movement was immediately
ordered, and was responded to with an alacrity and
courage seldom, if ever, excelled on the battle-field.
As the men emerged from the forest into the valley be
fore mentioned, they received a deadly volley at short
range, which in a few seconds killed or disabled one-
fourth their number. Halting without an order from
me, and availing themselves of the shelter which the
rocks afforded, they returned the fire. Such was their
extreme exhaustion — having marched without inter
ruption twenty-four miles to reach the battle-field and
advanced at a double-quick step fully a mile to engage
the enemy — that I hesitated for an instant to order them
immediately forward. Perceiving very soon, however,
that the enemy were giving away, I rushed forward,
shouting to them to advance. It was with the greatest
difficulty that I could make myself heard or understood
above the din of battle. The order was, however, ex
tended along the line, and was' promptly obeyed ; the
men sprang forward over the rocks, swept the position
and took possession of the heights, capturing forty or
fifty prisoners around the battery and among the cliffs.
Meanwhile the enemy had put a battery in position
on a terrace of the mountain to our right, which opened
on us an enfilading fire of grape and spherical case shot.
A sharp fire of small arms was also opened from the
same direction. This was not destructive, however,
owing to the protection afforded by the rocks. At this
critical moment General Benning's Brigade of Geor
gians advanced gallantly into action ; his extreme right
lapping upon my left, swarmed over the cliffs and min
gled with my men. It was now past 5 p. M. ; the con
flict continued to rage with great fury until dark. Again

128 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
and again the enemy in great force attempted to dis
lodge us from the position and re-take the battery, in
each case with signal failure and heavy loss.
[Note. — Colonel Perry's report is very accurate in al
most every particular. He evidently witnessed the oc
cupation of Little Round Top by the Federal troops,
and alludes to Benning's Brigade as joining on his right
at this time. This was at the time that brigade moved
through the gorge. The fatal mistake of allowing the
enemy to occupy the woods on our left was turned to
good account by them, they making use of it as a rally
ing point.— J. E. S.J
Report of Brig. -Gen. J. B. Robertson, Confederate
States Army, commanding brigade:
* * * "Understanding before the action com
menced that the attack on our part was to be general,
and that the force of General Law's center was to ad
vance simultaneously with us on my immediate left, and
seeing at once that a mountain held by the enemy in
heavy force, with artillery, to the right of General Law's
centre was the key to the enemy's left, I abandoned the
pike, and closed on General Law's left. This caused
some separation of my regiments, which was remedied
as promptly as the numerous stone and rail fences that
intersected the field through which we were advancing
would allow. As we advanced through this field, for
half a mile, we were exposed to a heavy and destructive
fire of canister, grape, and shell from six pieces of their
artillery on the mountain alluded to, and the same num
ber on a commanding hill but a short distance to the
left of the mountain, and from the enemy's sharpshoot
ers from behind the numerous rocks, fences and houses
in the field. * * * Lieutenant-Colonel Work, with

OFFICIAL REPORTS — CONFEDERATE. 1 29
the ist Texas Regiment, having pressed forward to the
crest of the hill and driven the enemy from -his battery,
I ordered him to the left to the relief and support of
Colonel Manning, directing Major Bass, with two com
panies, to hold the hill while Colonel Worth with the
rest of the regiment went to Colonel Manning's relief
With this assistance. Colonel Manning drove the enemy
back and entered the woods after him, when the
enemy re-occupied the hill and his batteries in Colonel
Work's firont, firom which Colonel Work again drove
him." * * *
Report of Maj. J. P. Bane, 4th Texas:
* * * "Advancing at double-quick, we soon met
the enemy's skirmishers, who occupied a skirt of thick
undergrowth about one-quarter of a mile from the base
of the cliffs, upon which the enemy had a battery play
ing upon us with the most deadly effect." * * *
Report of Lieut. -Col. William S. Shepherd, 2d Geor
gia: * * * " Just before reaching its position in line,
the regiment advanced by the right flank through an
open field, under a heavy fire firom the enemy's artillery,
which was posted on a commanding position. * * *
Before advancing in line of battle, the command was
permitted to rest a few moments. The 2d Georgia
composed the right, and, with the 17th Georgia the
right wing of Benning's Brigade. Soon the order to
advance was given, when the entire regiment moved
forward in splendid order until it came to a deep gorge,
where the nature of the ground was such that it was
impossible to preserve an alignment; but, notwithstand
ing the rocks, undergrowth and the deadly fire of the
enemy, the officers and men of this regiment moved
forward with dauntless courage, driving the enemy be
fore them, and it did not halt until they saw they were

130 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
some distance in advance of their line, and beyond a
rocky eminence on the left, which had been previously
held by the enemy. Here the regiment made a stand
and fought as gallantly as men could fight, and did not
yield an inch of ground, but repulsed several charges
made by the enemy, who were protected by a battery
and a hill lined with sharpshooters." * * *
Report of Col. W. C. Hodges, 17th Georgia:
* * I* "The 2d and. 1 7th Georgia regiments
formed the right wing of Benning's Brigade ; and, after
being formed in line facing the enemy under a murder
ous fire of artillery, ably served, and volleys of musket
ry, dashed forward gallantly and with impetuosity, un
til a four-gun battery of the enemy, from which we had
received no little annoyance, was passed by the left of
my regiment ; and many of the officers and men, both
of said battery and its support, composed in part of a
detadiment of the 4th Maine infantry, were captured
and sent to the rear by the men of my command.
It is not intended in this statement to set up any ex
clusive claim to the capture of the battery, which, hav
ing had its support stripped from it in the manner indi
cated, remained at the command of the brigade until
removed under cover of night. The position of my
regiment in relation to this battery proves its instru
mentality in the valuable capture." * * *
[Note. — No officers or enlisted men, save Broderick,
were captured from the Battery. — ^J. E. S.J
Report of Col. J. Waddell, 17th Georgia:
* * * " The enemy's guns commanded a consid
erable portion of this distance and opened a heavy fire
of shell upon us for more than a mjle of the way.
About 5 p. M., having reached the intended point, we
advanced in line of battle to assault, the regiment

OFFICIAL REPORTS — CONFEDERATE. I3I
moving in excellent order and spirit. We had not
advanced far before it was ascertained that there was a
considerable space intervening between Law's and
Robertson's Brigades, unoccupied by any Confederate
troops save very few belonging to the ist Texas Regi
ment. Near to the center of this comparatively unoc
cupied ground, upon a steep, rocky, rugged hill, the
enemy had posted a battery of six guns from which a
destructive and vigorous fire was poured in our ranks.
To cover this ground and to support Brigadier- General
(J. B.) Robertson, who was pressed severely at the
time, a left and oblique movement was made and con
tinued until the 20th Regiment fironted this battery,
when the brigade was ordered to advance forward.
The order was obeyed by the regiment with prompt
ness and alacrity, and the charge upon the hill and
battery executed courageously and successfully. In
the space of fifteen minutes the hill was carried and
three ten-pounder Parrott guns captured. They were
brought off that night and the next day turned against
the enemy in that terrible artillery fight. Some twenty-
five prisoners were captured and sent to the rear, some
of whom aided our wounded in getting to the hospital.
Three regiments, viz.: the 99th Pennsylvania, 124th
New York and the 4th Maine were represented in the
persons of the prisoners." * * *
[Note. — These official reports of Confederate officers
in command of troops who were engaged in the capture
of the three guns, strongly corroborate every statement
made by me. When Hood's Division began the ad
vance, Law's Brigade was on his right, with Benning's
in rear, while Robertson's Brigade was on his left, with
Anderson's in rear, reaching the woods on our left.
Law's Brigade moved to their right to ascend Round
Top while Benning moved to their left to fill the open-

132 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
ing between Law's left and Robertson's right. This
movement placed Benning's Brigade across the gorge,
forming a line in the order indicated in the sketch, to
wit : Law' s, Benning' s, Robertson' s, Anderson' s. Ben
ning's Brigade, with right in front, moved up through
the gorge by the flank (see diagram). This explains
how the ridge was flanked ; the two guns were run for
ward by hand to dispute Benning's. advance. — J. E. S.J

LETTERS. 133

CHAPTER XI
Letters from Participants in the Battle Referring to the
Part Taken by the Battery.
To CONCLUDE, I will add a few quotations from letters,
etc. Correspondence with the New York Herald, in 1864,
relating to the battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, signed
"Historicus": * * * "The critical moment had now arrived ;
the enemy's movements indicated their purpose to seize
Round Top hill ; and this in their possession, General
Longstreet would have had easy work in cutting up our
left wing. To prevent this disaster. Sickles waited no
longer for orders from General Meade, but directed Gen
eral Hobart Ward's brigade and Smith's Battery (4th
New York to secure that vital position." * * *
A letter written by Major Thomas W. Bradley, 124th
New York Volunteers, and published in the National
Tribune, February 4, 1886 :
"Smith's Battery has not received in history full
credit for the heroic and valuable work done by its
members at Gettysburg. I was at that time ist ser
geant of Company " H," 124th New York. I saw
the Battery come down Rock Run Glen. The guns
were unlimbered at the foot of Rock Ridge and hauled

134 ¦*¦ FAMOUS BATTERY.
up the steep acclivity into position amid the rocks on
its crest, and the Battery was soon engaged in a hot
duel with the rebel batteries on the heights beyond the
' ' peach orchard. ' ' Under cover of the Confederate fire,
Longstreet' s Corps, massed in battle lines eight or ten
deep, moved in confident, rapid attack on our position.
The Battery changed from shell to canister, and, work
ing as I never saw gunners work before or since, tore
gap after gap through the ranks of the advancing foe.
All this time the men were exposed to the direct fire of
Longstreet' s Sharpshooters, and his front line. Every
round of ammunition had to be carried from the foot of
the ridge, the Battery keeping up a well-directed fire
until the enemy was at the base of the heights and the
guns could no longer' be depressed to reach him. Then
knowing that greatly superior force would overwhelm
us and capture the guns unless checked. Colonel Ellis
of the 124th, after a few rapid words with Major Crom
well, ordered a charge. It was immediately responded
to and as quickly repulsed. It was again made in the
face of a withering fire that left killed and wounded
two-fifths of the regiment. Flanked at the Devil's Den
by the turning of our line at that point, we were swept
from the position, and the crest and guns were for a
brief time in possession of the enemy. Meanwhile Cap
tain Smith had removed horses, caissons and ammuni
tion, rendering the guns useless to the enemy, whose
hold on the position was so short that he could not re
move them. * * * l^ongstreet's determined charge,
now so famous in history, was so dauntlessly met by our
single line of battle on the crest of Rock Ridge, his
force SO terribly broken by the merciless fire of Smith's
canister and the fierce grapple amid the rocks of Devil's
Den. * * * The foregoing account is my recollec
tion of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. It may be faulty; it
was more than twenty -two years ago, and I was but nine
teen years of age then. The business cares and thoughts
of an active life have come in between. I was seriously

LETTERS. T35
wounded in the second charge and my memories of the
last part of the contest are confused with the agony of
wounds, of being trampled under foot, carried and
placed helplessly beside a rock on the. other slope be
tween both fires, hoping as I lay there that I might live
long enough to see our side win, which I did, thank
God ! I recovered and returned to duty. During the
last of my service I was a major and aide-de-camp on
the staff of the Third Division, Second Corps. This
Division was formed by the remnant of the old Third
Corps left alive after Gettysburg. I managed to get
' plugged ' a couple of times after that and yet see aud
take part in some pretty active fighting, but I never saw
such a gallant rush 'into the jaws of Hell' as was
made by our little regiment that July day, or a Battery
worked and fought with such coolness and skill, such
tireless devotion, and with such terrible havoc to the
enemy. * * * Without that charge and the work
of Smith's Battery, our left would have been more
seriously turned; but now, in the light of after experi
ence, as I think of it, what a mad act it was. Our regi
ment — a mere handful, at that — with no order back of
its Colonel, charging from its base in line of battle to
lock arms with Longstreet. This good it did, it gave
pluck and steadiness to the men at our left, who were
needing it and who fought like heroes, as the slaughter
house in the Den abundantly attested."
The following is an extract from a private letter (to
Captain James E. Smith of Smith's 4th New York Bat
tery, now of Washington, D. C.) from A. W. Tucker,
124th New York, Dallas City, Pa., author of the article
on the ' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' in the National Tribune of
January 21, 1886:
' ' You are right in your conclusions why we did not
bring off your guns. . Your one supposition that we
were too few in numbers when relieved, is partially cor-

136 A FAMOUS BATTEiRY.
rect; and again that we did not occupy the same ground
as when the fight opened. By the loss occasioned during
the battle, we had kept closing to the right, so that when
relieved, my company, which was on the left of the regi
ment, was where the right of the regiment was when the
fight opened. Hence, we were at least one hundred
yards to the right of your guns. I do not know what
troops were in the vicinity of the guns, but think .it
must have been the 99th Pennsylvania. I am glad to
be able to clear up the mystery why we failed to bring
off your guns." * * *.
Extract from a letter published in National Tribune
January 21, 1886, by A. W. Tucker, Company "B,"
124th New York, Dallas City, Pa.:
* * * " A short time previous, Smith's Battery
went into position about two rods to the left and front
of Company " B " of our regiment. I was where I could
see every movement and hear every order. It had
hardly taken position before a rebel battery on the Em
mittsburg ridge opened on it. Smith's Battery re
sponded in gallant style. The rebels then brought two
more batteries of six guns each in position, nearly in
front of our regiment and not half a mile distant. Their
efforts to silence Smith's Battery made our position al
most untenable. Our Colonel (Ellis) moved us by the
right flank into the woods on which our right rested. I
judge he thought, after he had got us in there that in
stead of the woods being a protection they made our
next position more hazardous than the one we had just
abandoned. We were soon moved by the left flank back
to our old position, Company " B " resting within a few
feet of Smith's Battery. During all this time the can
nonading was going on incessantly. * * * it
lasted for about an hour. There were some several
casualties in our regiment from the enemy's shells.
About 3 p. M. the cannonading seemed to stop by mutual

J HARVEY HANFORD.

LETTERS. 137
consent, as though for a breathing spell; but it was of
short duration. At once we could see emerge from the
woods along the Emmittsburg road a deployed rebel
skirmish line; within supporting distance was a long line
of battle extending in either direction as far as the eye
could reach. It was followed by a second and third line,
each in supporting distance. It was at this particular
time that Smith's Battery did splendid service. The
guns were worked to their utmost, every order was given
in a clear, distinct tone that could be heard above the
tumult. I heard the gunners directed to use five and
six second fuse, and when the gunners reported that the
case shot and shrapnel were all gone, I heard the order,
' Give them shell ! Give them solid shot ! Damn them,
give them anything.'
" The guns were worked until the ammunition was
gone, several of the Battery men had been shot and the
rebels were within pistol range. " * * *
A letter published in the National Tribune December
23, 1885, from J. Harvey Hanford, Unionville, Orange
County, New York, formerly of the 124th New York:
To the Editor :
" In a late issue of the National Tribune you invite
a minute description of an active private soldier's ex
perience on the battlefield of Gettysburg. I will try
to give you a part of mine. I was 2d sergeant of Com
pany "B" 124th N. Y. Vols., and together with the
rest of the regiment and others reached the vicinity of
Gettysburg at 8.30 P. m., July i, 1863. We lay down
in an open field, with orders to sleep on our arms, and
not take off an article of clothing or any of our accou-
terments. This was hard sauce after such a march as
we had had; but soldier-like, we had to take it out in
grumbling. Early in the morning of the 2d we got our
breakfast, and were then formed in line of battle behind
a stone wall — an excellent position we thought. Not

138 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
long after the order ' Forward, march ! ' was given,
and after crossing one or two fields we came to the fa
mous wheat-field — an4, by the way, it was the finest I
ever saw, the wheat breast-high and ready to cut — but
we marched through and over it in line of battle, and
on looking back not a stock could be found, for it was
all trodden out of sight. When nearly through the
wheat-field the order was given, ' By the left flank,
march ! ' and when halt was sounded, I being the ex
treme left man in the regiment, I found myself on
the rocks at Devil's Den. A battery of guns, com
manded by Captain Smith, was soon in our midst. On
this spot we lounged for some time, taking it easy.
Our signal corps was a little to the left and rear of us,
on Little Round Top. Presently a shell came shriek
ing and bursting near us; we needed no order or invi
tation to get behind the rocks, but did so at once.
Then followed the usual cannonading until the infantry '
of the Confederates got so close as to pick off all our
gunners. Then shone out the bravery of Captain
Smith. When he had not men enough left to man the
guns, he would come to us and ask and beg of us to
help him fire them. Then he would run back to the
guns and do what he could, and then back to us, and,
with tears in his eyes would say: ' For God's sake,
men, don't let them take my guns away from me!'
(Twenty-two years ago, yet I can see his looks and
hear his voice.) O, how I would like to see him and
thank him for what he then did, and if this iheets his
eye I would like to have him write to me. We were
ordered to charge, and charge we did, driving the enemy
back to the foot of the hill. We made four charges
that afternoon, and held our ground until out of ammu
nition. ' ' A little incident happened after our last charge. As
I was kneeling behind a rock and loading my gun.
Lieutenant Dennison, of the next company, had picked
up a gun, and, there being a rock to my left hand, he

LETTERS. 139
jumped over my arms and caught his toe in my ram
rod, bending it so I could not use it. I scolded him
for it, but looking around I picked up another one.
The Lieutenant squatted behind the rock, and was in
the act of firing his gun when he was struck by a bul
let in the leg. With a cry, ' I've got it, I've got it,' he
started for the rear, but before getting far another one
struck him, so he had to be carried off the field. While
I was behind the rock I was struck four times, but not
seriously. My attention was all the time on an open
space, apparently like a pair of bars, in the stone wall
at the foot of the hill, behind which the enemy had
taken cover. Into this I did most of my firing, as it
was all the time crowded full of men. After using all
my ammunition I went back to and over the brow of
the hill, and there saw we were about to be relieved by
other troops. What there was left of us passed through
the ranks of the fresh troops, and we made our way to
the rear. Our regiment, which was raised in Orange
County, N. Y. , and was by its Colonel (Ellis) called
fhe ' Orange Blossoms, ' with the aid of citizens of the
county, have erected a nice monument on the ground
where we fought. This was all the fighting we were
in at this battle, as we were so badly cut up as to be
hardly a show of a regiment.
" I saw in a paper some time ago that our twin regi
ment, the 86th New York, which was on our right, were
going to erect a monument on the ground, and I hope
they will. I think when the battle commenced on the
second day I was the last man on the extreme left of
the army. I know that at one time the enemy had
passed our left flank and were enfilading us; but it was
only for a minute or two. Our regiment holds a reunion
each year, this year in Middletown, Orange County, N.
Y., September 23, 1885. I wish we could see a good
number of the 86th New York with us.
"J. Harvey Hanford,
" 2d Sergt. Co. 'B,' T24thN. Y,
"Unionville, Orange Co., N. Y."

140 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
Extract from a letter published in Orange County
Press, August 10, 1883.
* * * " The field and woods are as they were ex
cept the wheat. I could tell where the Battery stood
in front of us that did such fearful execution. And
how often do I think of the Captain's bravery and his
appeals to us not to let his guns be taken from him."
(J. Harvey Hanford, \24.th N. Y. Vols., "Orange
Blossoms.") Extract of letter from Elijah Walker, Colonel 4th
Maine, Somerville, Mass.
* * * "We took position on the left, our right
connecting with or near to the 124th New York. A
part of my command was to the right and a part to the
left of Smith's Battery, and it was the left of the army
at that time. I was ordered farther to the left, into the
Devil's Den, leaving Smith's Battery exposed, against
which I remonstrated; but Captain Smith said he could
take care of his guns and did not want my help. I
moved to the left, across the Den, to the woods, with
my right forming a skirmish line near the largest works,
and my left in line of battle near the woods, or bushes,
at the foot of Round Top. We were attacked by a
skirmish-line in the Den, and on our left flank by a force
from the woods. To meet these latter, the left of my
line was refused and their attack was repulsed. I then
found that the enemy was coming over Srnith's guns in
the rear of my right. Here was a desperate struggle.
We fell back, fixed bayonets, charged, re-took Smith's
guns and established our line in rear of them, with my
right near the 1 24th New York. My line thus formed,
my left was exposed, and for a few minutes we had a hot
time there, but the 99th Pennsylvania Reserves came
up in our rear and formed on our left, swinging back
and facing the Den; but they did not go beyond the

LETTERS. 141
high ground, and the 4th Maine was the only regiment
that had a line of men in the Devil's Den, July 2, 1863,
between the hours of 3 and 6 o'clock p. m., all stories
that have been told to the contrary notwithstanding.
We held the line until the entire brigade fell back, when
I was led to the rear by two of my men. My horse had
been killed, and I had lost the use of one leg."
' ' Capt. fames E. Smith.
' ' Dear Comrade : In compliance with your request
that I send you a brief statement of my recollection of
the part taken by a section of your Battery, the 4th New
York Independent, in the battle of Gettysburg, from my
personal observation, I take pleasure in furnishing my
evidence as to the important and signal service rendered
by you in that memorable engagement, from my point
of view.
' ' As preliminary, however, I will state that the Fifth
Corps, of which my regiment, the 44th New York,
formed a part, reached the Gettysburg battle-field on
the morning of July 2d, 1863, and was stationed on
the right of the Union line. In the afternoon General
Sykes in command of the Corps was ordered to protect
the left of the line, and about 4. p. m. we were moved
rapidly to the left, where Sickles was engaged with the
Third Corps in meeting and repelling the assault of
Longstreet. When we reached the wheat-field we
were halted and formed in line of battle. At this time
General Warren, who was then a member of General
Meade's staff, rode up and urged the necessity of seizing
' ' Little Round Top, ' ' a rocky hill to the left and rear
of our then line of battle. General Sykes, appreciating
the importance of Warren's suggestion, immediately
detached the Third Brigade of the First Division, consist
ing of the 83d Pennsylvania, 20th Maine, i6th Michigan,
and 44th New York, to which latter regiment I had the
honor to belong; and we were at once turned over to
General Warren and double-quicked to the rear of Lit-

142 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
tie Round Top, fronted and moved over the crest in the
line of battle to a position a little more than half way
down the slope, the i6th Michigan occupying the
right, the 44th New York and 83d Pennsylvania the
centre, and the 20th Maine the left. In front of Little
Round Top was a wood, beyond which was a wide,
open space of field, on the further edge of which
appeared another piece of woods. As we moved for
ward over the crest of Little Round Top, I noticed
three heavy lines of battle of the enemy emerging from
the farther woods and advancing on our front. At the
foot of Little Round Top, and extending around our
right, was a ravine or gorge leading out of the woods
in our front and to our right and rear, beyond which
was a rocky ridge or spur occupied by a battery then
in action, apparently forming the left of the Union line
prior to our occupancy of Little Round Top.
' ' We had harfily obtained our position in line of bat
tle, when our skirmishers were rapidly driven in by the
advancing enemy, and a heavy assault was made by
them on the centre of our line by Hood's division of
Texans, belonging to Longstreet's Corps, and the battle
for a time raged with terrific ferocity, neither side giv
ing an inch. Suddenly about this time we heard the
whirr of grape, canister and shell over our heads, and
leamed that Hazlett' s Battery "D," 5th Regular Artil
lery, had been hauled up by hand and placed in posi
tion on the crest of Little Round Top, in our rear. The
combined fire from our line and from this Battery caused
the rebel line in our front to recoil and surge toward
the right, and we were relieved from anxiety as to our
immediate front, and enabled to tum our attention to
the right, where our line had apparently given away
and the rebels were surging over the rocky ridge beyond
the ravine occupied by the battery already mentioned
as in action at the time we took the position. At this
Lime I noticed in the ravine at the foot of the hill, im
mediately on our right, two guns, apparently without

LETTERS. 143
any support, being rapidly loaded and fired into a col
umn of rebels advancing up the ravine, in the direction
of the guns, without regular formation, but in a heavy
mass composed of several regiments, judging from the
number of stands of colors in close proximity, and ap
parently intent on capturing the guns. From the more
elevated position occupied by our line we were better
enabled to see this advancing force than the officer in
command of the guns, and believing he was not fully
aware of his perilous position, I felt much anxiety for
the safety of the guns, and my special attention was at
tracted by the gallant manner in which they were han
dled and fought ; the rapidity with which they were
loaded and fired, and the terrible execution wrought by
their charges of grape and canister on the head of the
advancing column of the enemy, More especially was
my attention a^racted to the officer in command, who
immediately after each discharge rushed out beyond
the volume of smoke from his guns for the purpose of
observing the effect of the shot, and the position and
proximity of the enemy, when he would rush back,
seize the trail of a gun, slew it around for the purpose
of directing the fire a little to the right or left, and send
another charge of canister down the ravine to his front.
Meantime we were delivering a galling fire into the
flank of this rebel column, which apparently paid little
attention to us, being intent on capturing the guns and
turning our flank. From the effect of our fire and the
terrible storm of grape and canister poured into the
head of the column at close range from the two guns in
the ravine, they went down in scores ; at times two or
three stands of colors seemed to go to the ground at
once, but they were immediately picked up, and the col
umn, or more properly, mass of rebels, for they had lost
all regular formation, surged steadily forward until they
were enveloped by the smoke of the last discharge of
these two guns in their very faces. At the same time
the guns were enveloped from the right and flank by the

144 ¦*¦ FAMOUS BATTERY.
rebel line that rushed over the rocky ridge on the right,
and the gunners were compelled to abandon the guns
and were forced back through the opening in our line to
our right and rear.
"At this time a portion of the i6th Michigan, form
ing the right of our brigade, was forced back to the
crest of the hill, and our brigade commander. General
Vincent, was mortally wounded.
' ' I did not know then to what battery the two guns
belonged or who commanded them, but the brave fight
they made without support, in the very teeth of the ad
vancing enemy, and the gallant conduct of their com
manding officer, are features so forcibly impressed upon
my memory as never to be effaced.
" Some years after the war (1888) when on a visit to
Gettysburg battle-field with a comrade of my regiment,
D. W. Harrington, now, and for some years past, Chief
of the Division of Accounts, U. S. Treasury Depart
ment, we were looking over the ground and recalling
incidents of the battle, when I referred to that related
above concerning the fight made by these two guns in
the ravine at the foot of the hill on our right, and re
marked that I would give considerable to know the name
of the officer commanding those guns, and to what bat
tery they belonged.
' ' At the time of this conversation with Comrade Har
rington, I noticed a fine appearing, military looking
gentleman near us who seemed much interested in my
relation of the incident and who immediately intro
duced himself as Captain James E. Smith, who had the
honor to command a Battery, the 4th New York, to
which he assured me the section referred to belonged,
as well as the guns on the rocky ridge to the right of
the ravine, which I had noticed in action at the time
we went into position on Little Round Top, and which
he informed me were captured when the enemy gained
the ridge.
" It is needless to say that that gentleman was your-

LETTERS. 145
self, and thp acquaintance made with you that day has
continued, and has always been regarded by me as one
of the pleasant episodes of my life. In my own humble
opinion, the service performed by you with those two
guns was of vital importance, at a critical juncture of
the battle, when the weight and force of the rebel on
slaught had shattered our line on the right of Round
Top, and success was trembling in the balance; when
the holding of the left with tenacity and determina
tion until the victorious enemy could be checked, and
the gap closed, meant victory or defeat to our army in
the event of failure. Your services at that critical point
and time can not, in my opinion, be over-estimated, and
the record you made on that day is one of which any
soldier may well feel proud.
" It is generally conceded by writers on the battle,
that had the line on Round Top held by our brigade
given away at that time, the result would have been
far different, and in my opinion, the obstinate fight
made by you with the two guns in the ravine on the
right of that line, which had already begun to give
back, checked the rebel advance, and afforded time to
meet and drive them back, and thus enabled us to hold
our position, which possibly we would have been com
pelled to abandon, had the column checked by you had
a few moments more time to have got through the
opening in our line.
"I make this statement in justice to you in view
of my personal observation, because of the fact that
official reports appear to be confined more especially
to the operations of that portion ¦ of your Battery
engaged earlier in the action, on the rocky ridge
farther to the right and front, and to have overlooked
this section farther to the rear in the ravine, and failed
to reco^ize the important service performed by it, and
because I believe your natural modesty impelled you
to omit from your official report anything that might

146 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
be construed as egotistical, and hence failed to do you
full justice.
I am sincerely your friend and comrade,
Wm. J. Johnston,
Late 44th N. Y, jrd Brigade, ist Div., 3th Corps.
attorney-at-Law, 629 F Street,
Washington, D. C.
Extract from a history of the Fifth Army Corps :
* * * " The whole Confederate line was sweeping
from out the woods in which it had formed, far out
flanking the left of the Third Corps, and, where Smith's
Battery, in air and almost unsupported, on the rocks of
the Devil's Den, gallantly waited its doom, and between
that left and the Round Tops the way to the death of
the Nation lay invitingly open to the confidently ad
vancing enemy. * * * General Sykes discovering
the undefended gorge upon the left of the Third. Corps
line and the inadequacy of the support given to Smith's
Battery, he suggested to General Birney to close his
division line upon the Battery, while he (Sykes) would
fill the gap which would be made by the movement
with troops from the Fifth Corps." * * *
[Note. — ^The history by the Comte de Paris has
much to say upon this subject, but as it is based upon
the facts already introduced, it is thought to be un
necessary to quote therefrom. The same can be said
of the letters recently published in the Century Maga
zine. — ^J. E. S.]

REMARKS AND CRITICISMS. 1 47

CHAPTER XII
Remarks and Criticisms
It will be noticed that several allusions have been
made to the protection furnished by the large boulders
which covered the ground in the vicinity of the ridge.
I can bear witness that these rocks served to protect,
and no doubt, preserve the lives of many during that
battle; to their friendly shelter may be attributed the
small loss, comparatively speaking, sustained by the
Battery. Not that the men dodged nor neglected their
duty; this was by no means the case, but the close
proximity of the boulders to the guns made it possible
for the cannoneers to step behind them during the dis
charge of their respective pieces. I believe in this
manner the enemy's artillery was cheated, for notwith
standing their excellent and accurate aim, not one man
in the Battery was touched by their numerous shot and
shells which landed on the crest, or the countless mis
siles sent whizzing through the air, as the result of
larger metal coming in contact with the rocks.
The position occupied by the monument erected by
the State of New York is not upon the ground where
the guns were stationed; its location is in a hole and
indicates that the line of the Battery's fire was in the
direction of the " peach orchard."
I am not prepared to say that this unfortunate position

148 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
of the monument, intended to commemorate the posi
tion held by the guns, was the result of design or mis
apprehension; certain it is, my efforts were exerted to
the extent of my ability, backed by such eminent author
ity as the late Gen. H. J. Hunt, Chief of Artillery of
the Army of the Potomac, and Col. George E. Ran
dolph, Chief of Third Corps Artillery, not to mention
the rank and file of the ' ' Orange Blossoms, ' ' who were
interested spectators for more than one hour, as they
lay within a few feet of the guns during the artillery
duel. The only thing I could do was to enter my
earnest protest. In the future the monument may be
properly located; at least such is my hope. The fol
lowing resolution will show that the Battery Associa
tion has done all that it could to have this rectified:
(Copy.) " Headquarters
" 4tli N. Y. iND. Battery Association,
" 781 Eighth Avenue,
"New York City, October y.st, 1888.
' ' Major Geo. W. Cooney, Secretary.
' ' Dear Major: I have the honor to submit the follow
ing extract from minutes of meeting of above-mentioned
Association, held on Thursday evening, October 30, 1888:
" ' Whereas, in the judgment of several members of the
4th N. Y. Independent Battery Association (who partici
pated in the Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., on July 2, 1863,
and who have subsequently visited the scene of the con
flict), tha location of the Battery Monument erected
thereon is not historically correct; Therefore, be it
" ' Resolved, That the Honorable Board of New York
State Commissioners of Gettysburg Monuments be
most respectfully petitioned to change the location of

REMARKS And CRITICISMS. 1 49
the Monument, in accordance with views previously ex
pressed by
" 'Gen. Hunt, Chief of Artillery, A. of P.
" ' Col. Randolph, Chief of Artillery, 3d Corps.
¦ " "Capt. Jas. E. Smith, Commanding Battery.'
" Yours very truly,
" (Signed) Jas. S. Eraser."
" Acting Secretary."

During the 25th Anniversary of the battle, July 2,
1888, the late General Hunt visited Devil's Den in my
company; standing on the same large rock we occupied
together twenty-five years before (while the guns on
our right were actively replying to those of the Confed
erates) he said: ' ' Captain, get a painter and have painted
upon this rock the fact that your left piece rested within
a few feet, and to the north, of this point, and you will
have a historical monument located upon the ground
occupied by your guns on this ridge. If you had placed
your pieces down where the monument stands, I would
have placed you in arrest for incompetency. It is not
flattering to my intelligence as an artillerist to infer that
I did countenance such a position while a better one
was to be had."
I will add that General Hunt repeated the sub
stance of the above conversation to General Sickles at
dinner that very day, and subsequently, in a letter to
me, which I filed with the Secretary of the New York
Monument Committee. It is not my purpose to furnish
the cause — I merely state the facts..
It may be well to add that when General Hunt and
I met in 1888, we talked over and explained several
matters not made clear before, by walking over the

150 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
ground and pointing out the different positions occupied
by the Battery, etc. The General expressed his aston
ishment at having failed to realize the importance of
the service rendered by the two pieces in rear of the
crest. " I never could," said he, "understand about
those two guns, but now you have made everything
very plain. If I had known this before writing my
Century article, it could have been used to good advan
tage. But never mind, I have been asked to write a
history of the artillery, and may do so; in the mean
time you can furnish me with a supplemental statement
to your official report, which, by the way, is very short,
and, in my opinion, does not cover the ground fully."
One word more before I leave this field. Many his
tories have been written by various authors whose in
formation was obtained from the best and most reliable
sources, much of it, presumably, from eye-witnesses.
That of the Compte de Paris is, beyond doubt, the most
exhaustive and impartial as well as the most correct.
In no other history, so far as I know, has the slightest
reference been made to the Battery, notwithstanding
this undeniable fact, that the Battery opened the battle
at Devil's Den and closed it just in rear of the ridge, so
far as the troops of the Third Corps were concerned.
Without a desire to appear conspicuous, I assert now
for the first time publicly, that I was the very last com
missioned officer, and, I believe, the last person, to with
draw from the Federal left, occupied by and attached to
Ward's Brigade. I arrive at this conclusion in this
manner, to wit: I sent every man, horse and carriage
into the woods on a road leading to the "wheat-field,"
following in rear until the woods were passed. Those

REMARKS AND CRITICISMS. I5I
who remained behind me were disabled and were be
yond the ridge, then held by the enemy.
I allude to the ground in front and west of Little
Round Top, where the left of the Third Corps fought
until relieved by the presence of the Fifth Corps on the
summit of Little Round Top. For not one moment
of the four long hours consumed on the ridge and at
the position a few rods in rear, was my attention di
verted from the work before us. Every movement of
the enemy was closely observed, the panorama lay be
fore me like a map. I believed then as I do now, that
my command had done nobly, and that their efforts
would be duly recognized. I believed then, as I do
now, that our position was wrested from us by men
equally brave and determined, superior only in point of
numbers. But time passed from days to weeks and
from weeks to months, and so on into long years with
out the scantiest evidence in the way of recognition. I
became careless and made up my mind to forget that
the Battery had been engaged in this battle.
At last, twenty-two years after the conflict, an en
listed man who served in the ranks of the ' ' Orange
Blossoms" made honorable mention of the Battery
(see J. Harvey Hanford 's letter), and I am proud to
know there are other men, too, now living who can tes
tify to the conduct of the Battery and who have not
forgotten the danger shared on the rock-bound crest of
Devil's Den. At this time the Rebellion Records had
not been published.
Extract from a letter written by General Hunt in
1883 in response to one asking why the Battery had
not been credited with having rendered some service at
Gettysburg July 2, 1863:

152 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
Washington, D. C, August 9, 1883.
* * * " I do not wonder at your feeling sore be
cause little or no mention has been made of your Bat
tery. When the war closed all official papers were
taken in charge by the War Department, and carefully
locked up where none but the initiated had access to
them. * * * I remember that your Battery occu
pied a position cut off firom the general view by a strip
of woods. There was no Corps Commander there to be
boomed, consequently, no newspaper correspondent.
* * * Your Battery imposed a delay on Hood's
troops at Devil's Den, which gave time to Warren to
hasten forward defenders for Little Round Top, which,
it is claimed, was lost by the enemy by less than five
minutes, hence the importance of your fight at Devil's
Den, of which little or no notice has been taken. They
did things strangely in those days. ' '
Extract from endorsement made by General Hunt,
Soldier's Home, Washington, February 23, 1886:
"Captain J. E. Smith commanded the 4th New York
Battery, Third Corps, Army of the Potomac. * * *
At the Battle of Gettysburg he greatly distinguished
himself and his Battery, under my personal observation,
in the advanced position on the left of the Third Corps
line. " His Battery was posted by him on Devil's Den and
maintained its position so long as a man was left to
protect it."
From a letter to General Sheridan:
* * * " Captain Smith, late of the 4th New
York Battery, was an excellent officer and greatly dis
tinguished himself at Gettysburg, where his Battery,
alone and but feebly supported, bore the first assault of
Hood's Division on Devil's Den, in front of Round Top
in the battle of the second day — (Sickles)."

REMARKS AND CRITICISMS. 1 53
There is nothing on record from the pen of Major-Gen-
eral D. E- Sickles, who commanded the Corps until he
fell on the evening of the second day, but I have many
assurances of his high opinion of the Battery and its
services at Gettysburg, as the following indicates :
Extract from a letter to the Secretary of the Depart
ment of the Interior :
* * * "At the battle of Gettysburg, where the
4th New York Independent Battery is recognized by
historians for its brilliant record."
Extract fi-om a letter to the Secretary of War:
* * * " Captain Smith's conduct at Gettysburg
in the defense of Round Top, at a critical moment on
July 2, 1863, attracted my personal attention and was
strongly commended by me on the field."
General Sickles has been severely criticised for ad
vancing his command as he did on the morning of the
2d of July, 1863. Having served in the Third Corps
under this distinguished officer (part of the time at
headquarters as Chief of Artillery) I may be pardoned
for here referring to this controversy.
I have noticed that those who shed their blood, or
who fought in the ranks of this gallant and well-tried
old Corps, on the advanced line, have found no fault
with their Corps Commander. They know that they
were never ordered forward while he remained in the
rear. They remember that the old Corps flag, repre
senting where their commander was to be found, was
ever in sight, and that he fell, desperately wounded,
right in the midst of the men who were struggling to

154 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
resist the onslaught of Longstreet's overwhelming le
gions. I will not presume to place my opinion as to the mer
its of the disputed position beside that of such high au
thorities as Generals Grant and Sheridan, who coin
cided in the view that ' ' the advanced position was the
only one to fight on. " I have undoubted authority for
stating that General Grant fully endorsed General Sick
les's course, and refer to the copy of a letter, given be
low, from Gov. A. J. Curtin, repeating the substance of
a conversation he had with General Sheridan on this
subject. This should be sufficient to vindicate the wis
dom and foresight of the one man who keenly realized
the critical situation of the Federal left, and who had
the nerve to meet the threatened danger with an inad
equate force.
But he did not take upon himself the responsibility of
this movement without consulting and endeavoring to
secure the sanction of General Meade. The latter, how
ever, seemed to attach slight importance to Sickles's
urgent appeals, and appeared to think that the danger
of any attack upon our left was too remote to be seriously
considered. But the result proved that Sickles was
right, and impartial history will accord him the justice
and the honor due to his military genius.
The following is the letter above referred to :
" BBLLBFONTE, Pa., October i8, 1889.
"Major-General Dan' I. E. Sickles, "New York City.
"My dear General :- 1 repeated to you a conversation
I had with General Sheridan before his death and after

REMARKS AND CRITICISMS. 1 55
his examination of the field at Gettysburg and a full
study of the strategy of both armies, and at your re
quest wrote a letter to you, which I had supposed you
had received until we met at Gettysburg in September.
' ' General Sheridan did not hesitate to say to me
without disrespect to other officers there, that the move
ments on the 2d of July were well advised and proper,
and as it was the design of the enemy to tum the flank
of the army, that the attack made at that time and un
der the circumstances, was very important to prevent
their advance. I am very clear in my judgment as to
the statement of the General, and inferred from what he
said that were it not for the attack made on the 2d, the
flank would likety have been turned.
" When last at Gettysburg, with my recollection of
what the General said to me, I went overall the ground
and made an examination, and with the historical re
ports of the battle was confirmed that the views of that
distinguished .officer are correct.
" You stated to me at Gettysburg that you never re
ceived my letter, and I then said to you that the fact
that you had not acknowledged its receipt gave me no
little surprise, but I am now happy to make this state
ment and explanation, as surely justice should be done
to you and all other men who bore so active and impor
tant a part in that long and terrible war.
" I remain as ever, truly your friend,
" (Signed.) A. G. Curtin,"

156

A FAMOUS BATTERY.

CHAPTER XIII
Poetic Tributes to the Battery

Capt. Jack Crawford,
widely known as the ' ' Poet-
Scout, ' ' the author of the fol
lowing spirited poem, needs
no introduction to the
American people. With his
splendid Army record when
a boy, his subsequent fame
as Chief of Scouts for deneral Crook in his Indian
campaigns, and his popularity as an off-hand speaker,
he is a familiar figure throughout our country.
A Famous Battery and its Day of Glory.
Respectfully Dedicated to the Gallant Survivors of Smithes 4tk New York
Independent Battery.
Sultrily dawned that summer day.
On the field where the waiting forces lay —
On the field of Gettysburg, where soon
The forms of the slain would be thickly strewn.
Up, like a ball of lurid fire.
The red sun mounted higher and higher,
Casting its shimmering, fiery rain

poetic tributes. 157
O'er the waving billows of ripening grain.
That waited the reaper's gleaming blade.
While near to its golden borders laid
A human harvest, with bated breath.
Awaiting the Reaper whose name is Death.
Eagerly gleamed each warrior eye — ^
Defiantly floated the flags on high —
One, the emblem of Union bands.
The other borne by disloyal hands.
Over the face of the peaceful farms
Echoed the clash of contending arms.
As, locked in the battle's dread embrace,
The smoke-grimed foemen stood face to face,
Hurling death to each other's ranks,
Blazin£; with fire from center to flanks.
Batteries belching their heated breath.
Over the carnival of death.
Up o'er a steep and rock-bound height.
Brave men toiled with unflagging might,
Dragging their guns to a point o'erhead.
Where hoofs of horses could never tread ;
Up to a point that must be maintained.
Spite of the leaden shower that rained.
Spite of the flocks of screaming shell
That filled the air with the music of hell.
Onward, upward, those heroes pressed.
Till their guns peered over the rocky crest,
And hurled their volleys of death away,
To check the advancing tide of gray.
Perched on a rock the leader stood,

158 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
Watching the ranks of the chieftain Hood —
Watching the flight of his well-aimed shot —
Watching the carnage their mad speed wrought.
Advancing, recoiling, advancing again.
Came surging billows of gray-clad men,
Striving to occupy that crest,
Striving those deadly guns to wrest
From the grasp of that brave, heroic band.
That hurled forth death with unsparing hand.
Waving aloft his glittering sword.
Cheering his men with approving word,
Facing the storm with his loyal breast.
Stood he there on that boulder's crest.
Never a thought of undying fame,
Never a hope of an honored name
Nerved him to stand on that rocky height.
Where his form would the rebel shot invite.
Heard he only his chief's command :
' ' Hold this height with unflinching hand !
Never release it while you ' ve got
A gunner left who can fire a shot I "
That the motive which held him there.
His form outlined in the smoke-tinged air —
No supporting force in his rear.
No reinforcements drawing near.
Naught but his own unaided band.
To hold that point from the rebel hand.
Longstreet's heroes of many a fight
Came charging up o'er the rocky height —
Came with their vengeful eyes awarm.
With the valor which nerves the warrior's arm.

POETIC TRIBUTES. 1 59
Closing each rent the wild shells made
In their long gray ranks as if on parade.
Steadily, swiftly, like ocean tide.
They surged up the mountain's rocky side.
Until their disloyal feet were pressed
To the blood-stained soil of the mountain crest.
The gallant gunners were forced at last.
Like leaves in the teeth of a tempest blast.
To quit their places, but not for long,
For up from the rear, like a cheering song.
Came a slogan that caused their hearts to leap.
As the ' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' charged up the steep.
Backward the rebel ranks were hurled,
And Union's flag was again unfurled
O'er the guns (that were) for a moment lost ;
Then gained again, at a fearful cost-
To the daring warriors of Longstreet's Corps,
And again did their fierce, ear-deafening roar
Belch forth in chorus the song of death.
As the missiles sped from their fiery breath.
Thinning the ranks of the fleeing foe,
That reeled and staggered beneath the blow;
Nor cooled a throat of a brazen gun.
Till the storm had passed and the day was won.

A memory, now, of near three decades.
Are the scenes 'mid Gettysburg's hills and glades.
When the dawn of a summer day gave birth
To a roar of battle heard 'round the earth.
Few live who so nobly then did stand
To the guns of that gallant chief's command.

l6o A FAMOUS BATTERY
And low on a bed of ceaseless pain.
That hero-commander long has lain —
Lain unflinching as when he stood.
Watching the ranks of the dauntless Hood —
Lain with laboring, pain-clogged breath,
Calmly awaiting the call of Death.
Men who no brighter laurels wore
Have trodden the path to death before.
And a world has wept in distress most dire
When the looked-for tidings flashed o'er the wire.
And every city along their track
Was swarthed in emblems of sombre black.
And yet the grief of a world can not
Eclipse the sorrow of those who fought
With the gallant Smith on that fearful day.
When he held the disloyal hordes at bay —
No tears so warm as the comrade tears.
When the tidiags will reach the comrade ears,
That he whose presence on that red field
Was an inspiration to them that steeled
Their valiant bosoms, and nerved their arms
To work in face of disloyal swarms,
Has passed from the scenes of earth away
To the gladsome light of Eternal Day.
Capt. Jack Crawford,
" The Poet Scout."

POETIC TRIBUTES.

l6l

The author of the poem below is well known in
Washington as a writer of graceful verse. He has
published a volume of his fugitive pieces, entitled
"Sprigs of Acacia," which is much admired.
"Devil's Den."
Gettysburg, fuly 2, 1863.
BY comrade SAMUEL ADAMS WIGGIN.
The day in matchless beauty dawned
in peace.
The sun in glowing splendor wreathed
the summer skies ;
Its golden chariot with its smoking
steeds
Passed the proud zenith of its path of
light.
The air waxed hot and hotter still,
Until the heavens like molten brass became.
Fierce rays from torrid zones of living flame
Descended on the verdant vales and hills,
On serried columns of the hosts of war.
On dashing cavalry — Artillery's dread array —
The furious cohorts of the Boys in Gray.
Desperate, impetuous as a hope forlorn.
Right onward dashed the battalions of the South,
Hood's bravest legions — valorous sons of Mars,
Longstreet's artillery in battle's set array.
Upon the lofty crest of famous Devil's Den,
Perched the brave boys of New York Battery Four,
Sons of the Empire State, valiant and tried and true.
They faced the rushing foe and held the fatal pass
'Gainst overwhelming legions of the Boys in Gray.
Close by the old Fourth Maine and "Orange Blossoms"
brave,

1 62 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
A living wall of grand, heroic souls.
That for the Nation's honor scorned the monster death.
In all his fearful forms of carnage, strife and blood,
They held the pass until the Boys in Blue,
On Little Round Top's crest, in mighty legions stood,
Massed in full force and eager for the fray.
They held the pass. They fought like heroes true;
Death and destruction swept the Southern lines;
The Devil's Den ablaze with fires of hell
Let loose the ' ' Dogs of War ' ' on the advancing foe.
With fangs of steel and scorching breath of flame.
Until the vale of Plum Run, battle's tide
Was piled with gasping heaps of mangled forms in gray.
A fearful, desperate fight of life and sudden death
For freedom and the Union's sacred cause ;
' Gainst all the martial flower of chivalry's proud might,
Three hours they held the pass, then spiked the guns.
Fell back on Round Top — facing still the foe
And Gettysburg, that saved the Union fair.
Sheds lustre on those heroes banded there.
Smith's New York Independent Battery Four,
Won there on Devil's Den renown forevermore.
The ' ' Old Fourth Maine ' ' that to the rescue came.
Brave ' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' on the scroll of fame,
In golden characters are written there.
The precious heritage of noble heroes rare.
Crown them with fadeless wreaths — our pride and
boast-^
Deck their broad breasts with Stars of Freedom's host.
Walk softly where their dying comrades fell.

POETIC TRIBUTES. 1 63
Loud let your glorious paeans for the living swell.
Room for the war-worn veterans true and bold.
Room for the noble boys fast growing old.
Honors and station, place and laurel crown
For heroes of that day of Gettysburg renown.
That saved the Nation and the Union sweet.
All hail the boys, the boys with way-worn feet.
The truest souls, the grandest hearts that beat.
All love and praise for Boys in Bonny Blue,
Our stalwart heroes, tender, brave and true.
No blot"of shame, no missing radiant star,
Mars the dear flag they saved in Freedom's glorious war.
Rest on your laurels bright, a fearful fight you fought
With ransom of your blood the Nation's life was bought.

164 A FAMOUS BATTERY.

CHAPTER XIV
Back to Washington — Disbanded
The Battery continued with the Third Corps until
the army feached Boonsboro, Md. General Hunt then
directed me to return to Frederick and tum over all the
ordnance stores appertaining to the ten-pounder Par
rotts, and then proceed to Washington and procure a
battery of six light twelve-pounders — Napoleons.
Owing to the washing away of a culvert on the B.
& O. R. R., I decided to make the trip during the
night on horse-back. It was a long ride. The debris
of burning forage wagons, destroyed by Mosby and his
men, were numerous, but beyond a few sutlers who
were trying to reach the army, we did not meet any one.
At one point on the road we came upon four or five of
these (sutlers) sleeping on long wooden benches on the
porch of a country inn. I did not like to pass them
without ascertaining who they were, therefore instruct
ing Lieutenant Goodman, who accompanied me, to ride
on one side of the orderly while I took the other, we
dismounted, handed the reins to the orderly, and drew
our revolvers, ready for use.
We approached from different directions, and on
reaching the benches called on the sleepers to hold up
their hands. Not being able to arouse them in this

BACK TO WASHINGTON. 1 65
gentle manner, I took hold of and capsized a bench,
when a comical scene occurred.
Every man jumped to his feet and stretched both
hands as high as he could hold them. Explanations
followed; they had taken us for Mosby 's Guerillas,
while we were in doubt as to the status of the sleepers.
Before leaving Frederick I directed Lieutenant Mc
Lean to march to Sandy Hook, Md., with the men and
horses, where I expected to rejoin the army. Being
detained some days in Washington, D. C, I found upon
my arrival at Sandy Hook that the army had crossed
the Potomac two days before. The bridge was still in
position and I proposed to follow, but General Lock-
wood, then in command of Harper's Ferry, telegraphed
the situation to General Halleck,^ and I was ordered
back to Washington. Transportation by rail over the
single track to the Capital was difficult to obtain and
uncertain in its results, blockades and smash ups being
of daily occurrence. So it was decided to send the
Battery by canal, in charge of Lieutenant McLean. A
number of empty boats were pressed into service, the
guns, carriages and baggage loaded, tow-lines impro
vised from prolonges, and the Battery horses, steeds that
"had smelt the battle from afar" — and near, too — took
the places of the patient mule on the tow-path, and the
company gayly started for Washington, some eighty
miles away.
The sturdy animals bent to their unaccustomed work,
and as the flotilla pulled around a bend and the lux
uriant foliage on the banks shut out the camps and
stores and dire confusion of "the Hook," we gently
glided into the quiet reaches of the canal, the broad, rock-

1 66 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
strewn river shimmering in the sun on the right (or
"starboard side," as the boys commenced to call it),
bordered on the west by the mighty spurs of the Blup
Ridge, with not a sound to break the stillness, it was as
if they had left the riotous tumult of war for some
lonely land of rest.
In truth, there could be no greater contrast to the
awful storms of battle from which we had just emerged
at Gettysburg. The scream of shells and the thunder
ous roar of artillery were replaced by the soft notes of
birds twittering in the trees, whose branches swayed in
the water, or the distant caw of a solitary crow circling
over the quiet river.
It was hard to realize, as the Battery floated down,
out of sight or sound of the exciting life of which it
had been part and parcel for two years, shut in from
the world by a green wall of verdure on either bank,
that only a few days before it was battling for life amid
a quarter of a million of armed soldiers.
That the boys enjoyed this unwonted break in their
soldier life was very apparent. Stretched on the deck
through the long summer day, some smoking, some dis
cussing the recent battle, others sleeping, or lazily observ
ing the scenery, it was an Elysian dream to the weary
marches, the rough handling, the desperate fighting to
which the Battery had become inured.
Then the "foraging" was something to delight a
veteran's heart. It was so easy to leap from the boats
onto the bank, scurry up the hills to a farm house and
return loaded with milk, butter, eggs, fruit, etc., and
that without having to watch every bush and tree, as
in the old days in Virginia, for a possible sharpshooter,

BAC]^ ^O WASHINGTON. 167
eager to send his leaden compliments from the end of
a rifle. But this pleasant kind of soldiering could n't last
long, and about noon of the third day out thg boats
pulled into Georgetown, where I met them.
The Battery was disembarked and marched through
Washington to Camp Barry, northeast of the city.
This was supposed to be a recruiting camp, but during
our stay here it was a camp of misery and degradation.
A Lieutenant- Colonel Monroe, of Rhode Island, was in
command, whom I learned to heartily despise. He
proved to be a martinet of the meanest kind; we had
trouble; I made application to be ordered to the front;
it was returned, disapproved, with the endorsement,
' ' This officer desires to evade duty, etc. ' '
It appeared odd to me, that asking to be sent to the
field should be construed as a " desire to evade duty."
However, I made another application. This time I ap
pealed to General Hunt, Chief of Artillery of the Army
of the Potomac. My application passed through Gen
eral Meade's headquarters, and was referred to General
Halleck, who caused an order to be issued at once, direct
ing me to report, etc., without delay. In this manner
I defeated an attempt to convert our heroes of Gettys
burg into laborers, for the purpose of keeping up this
"pet" camp by sweeping and digging in the hot sun
from morning until night. (Monroe was sent to the
field as Chief of Artillery, Fifth Corps; his record was
not brilliant, as might be supposed.)
One glorious August morning at 5 A. m. we left Camp
Barry, without a pang of regret, marching to Alexan
dria, Va. , where I was to wait for an escort.

1 68 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
The army was stationed near Warrenton, Va., at this
time and Mosby had been troublesome on the roads
leading from Washington into Virginia. I did not be
lieve he would molest us, therefore, with an escort of six
(a sergeant and five enlisted men of the cavalry), I de
cided to move forward. Four of my escort were sent to
the front and two to the rear; two of those in front were
instructed to ride well out on side roads and remain on
guard until the Battery passed, when they were to re
join their comrades in front. The guns were so dis
posed that the front, flanks and rear were well protected;
a surprise was out of the question.
At Alexandria I had found a train of sutlers anxious
to get to the army. They were determined to follow the
Battery. I plainly explained to them my intention to
prevent Mosby from capturing their train, if possible,
and told them that if the enemy got among their wagons
I would use canister without regard to sutlers.
" Now," said I, "if you care to take the chances, all
right." They took the chances, and I had a train fully half a
mile long as far as Centerville. We were not interfered
with, and reached the army in due time, and were as
signed to the artillery reserve.
After the march over the Rapidan in pursuit of Lee's
army, (which we found), we quietly slipped back into
camp near Warrenton, and remained there until the
Battery was disbanded by order of the Secretary of War.
Previous to this it had been reduced from six to foiir
guns by reason of its decimated ranks.
While in camp here the spirit of discontent, always
prevalent while in winter quarters, again manifested it-

BACK TO WASHINGTON. 1 69
self Those enlisted men who believed they were un
justly held in service, again took advantage of the situ
ation to agitate the question of their discharge.
The discussion ofthis matter first began in 1861, while
we were camped in Lower Maryland. I at that time
made an application to have the Battery sent to its regi
ment, the First Engineers, New York Volunteers. The
facts were plainly set forth, as a true copy herewith will
attest. I had no desire to have the men retained as ar
tillerists against their will, knowing the matter would
give more or less cause for dissension. But my papers
were returned disapproved and the claim disregarded by
reason of the exigencies of the service. The following
is a true copy, with endorsements, etc. :
"Camp Hooker, Lower Potomac, Md.
"28th fanuary, 1862.
"Brig. Gen'l foseph Hooker,
" Commanding Division.
Sir: — The Battery under my command was organ-
ganized 4th September, 1861, as Company 'L'' of Col.
Serrell's Volunteer Engineer Regiment, to do duty as a
Battery of Light Artillery, and was mustered into the
United Service as such, and a large majority of the men
composing it were enlisted under the impression, found
ed on representations in good faith made to them at
the time, that the Battery would be attached to the said
regiment, and that they would receive engineers' pay,
viz. : $17 per month. We left New York 25th October,
by order of Col. Serrell, and arrived in Washington 26th
October. On the 27th, reported to General Barry and
made application to be equipped as a battery of light ar
tillery, and to be attached to the above regiment, as
originally contemplated. General Barry then informed
me that he could not equip us as a. battery attached to

176 A FAMOUS bat*cery.
said regiment, inasmuch as all batteries hitherto attach
ed to regiments of infantry had been or would be de
tached therefrom, under orders from headquarters, at the
same time expressing his readiness to equip us as an in
dependent battery of light artillery, in which case the
men would receive the ordinary pay of artillerists, viz. :
$13 per month. He further led me to suppose that it
was a matter of much doubt whether any portion of the
regiment would receive more than the pay of second
class engineers, and stated that our being organized
and equipped at that time as an independent battery
would not militate against our being attached as a bat
tery to the regiment at some future time, should our ap
plication therefor meet with the approval of the proper
authorities. At the suggestion of General Barry I com
municated these facts to the men of my command, and
all except thirteen expressed their willingness, under
the circumstances, to serve as an independent battery.
I then reported to General Barry, and asked that we be
so equipped. On 2d and 4th November we received
our battery, and have done duty as light artillery since
that time. On 25th November we left Washington un
der orders from Headquarters, Army of the Potomac,
and arrived here and reported 2 7th November. Since our
arrival here it has been ascertained from letters from mem
bers of the Volunteer Engineer Regiment that they had
been paid off at the rate of $17 a month, the pay of first-
class engineers, and Colonel Serrell has given us to un
derstand that he has been assured that, if we could be
attached to his command, the men would receive pay at
the same rate, as they were told at the time of their en
listment. ' ' Under all the circumstances of the case, therefore,
of which the above is a brief, impartial statement, we
deem il eminently proper respectfully to make applica
tion that we be attached to the said regiment as a bat
tery of light artillery, as originally contemplated, and
that the non-commissioned officers and privates of this

BACK TO WASHINGTON. 17I
command be declared to be entitled to pay at the rate
fixed by law for the payment of engineers.
' ' The above statement is made at the request of the
non-commissioned officers and privates of my command
and respectfully submitted for your consideration.
"I am. General, your most obedient servant,
"(Signed) J. E. Smith,
" Capt. Comm'd'g 4th N. Y Battery."
"(Endorsement.)
' ' Respectfully submitted with the request that it may
receive the immediate attention of the Major-General
Commanding.
"Joseph Hooker,
"Brig. -Gen. Comm'd'g.
" Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac,
"January sg, 1862.
" Respectfully returned to Brigadier-General Barry,
Chief of Artillery.
' ' By command of Major-General McCleLLAN.
"James A. Hardie,
"Lt. Col. A. D. C."
" (Endorsement.)
' 'IRespectfully returned. This battery is now attached
to Hooker's Division, |and I have no other battery avail
able, at present, to take its place. It can not be spared
from its present duties. Captain Smith is somewhat in
error in one of his statements. I never informed him
that his battery might eventually be attached to Ser
rell's Regt., but on the contrary told him most posi
tively that it was against the orders of Major-General
McClellan for batteries to be attached to Regt's of foot,
and I doubtless told him, as I have manj-^ others under
similar circumstances, that if Serrell's Regt. belonged
to the Army of the Potomac, the Battery might possibly
be assigned to the same Division. I furthermore di
rected Captain Smith to inform his men that their pay

172 A famous battery.
would be that of light artillery soldiers — no more.
If it is decided to send this company to its regiment
(which is now at Port Royal) I would respectfully recom
mend that the guns, horses, and all other light art'y.
equipment be left with this army, where they are much
needed. ' ' (Signed) William F. Barry,
Brig. Gen., Chief of Art' y .
fan. JO, '62.
The matter came up again in the early spring of '62,
and Major Wainwright, Division Chief of Artillery, was
authorized by General Hooker to investigate the matter.
The cause of this second trouble was owing to a few
persistent enlisted men who made false representations
of the affair to the General, not flattering to myself; but
I had done all in my power to have the men sent to the
regiment. By following the instructions of Colonel
Serrell, I had gotten into difficulty, — whereas, if I had
quietly remained in New York and allowed myself to
be commissioned as Major, no blame could rest upon
me. After sacrificing my personal interests for what I
believed to be the best interests of the company, I now
felt conscious of my error; and, as before stated, had no
wish to prevent the men from being transferred, even if
I had the power, which I had not.
The result of the second, or Wainwright, investiga
tion was not imparted to me. I only know that no fur
ther action was taken; there was no further trouble on
this score until May and June, 1863, when Captain
Randolph, Chief of Corps Artillery, was directed by
General Sickles to look into the matter, presumably in
response to a communication from the men.
This also ended in smoke. But in the early winter of

disbanded. 173
1863 some men deserted, and, returning to New York
City, were discharged by order of the Supreme Court
of the State on the ground of false enlistment. This,
of course, was liable to have a demoralizing effect on
the Battery, so I then applied to have the balance o
the men, who were enlisted under the same conditions'^
or promise, transferred to the regiment or discharged
the service.
The matter was referred to the Secretary of War, who
ordered that those men who enlisted, etc., be transferred
to the regiment, and the balance of the company trans
ferred to the batteries from the State to serve the bal
ance of their term of enlistment. Those officers who
did not wish to go to the regiment were mustered out of
service. And so ended the career of the 4th New York Inde
pendent Battery, after a service of two years, three
months and nineteen days, having been disbanded De
cember 23, 1863. " Ne'er shall its glory fade.''
Many of the men who served the balance of their
term of service in other batteries distinguished them
selves and reflected honor on the old Battery by their
bravery and ability, some of them returning home with
a captain's commission. One of these was John B.
Johnston, mentioned in the early part of this history as
having been wounded at Williamsburg.
While on this subject I am reminded that a certain
enlisted man, one Thomas Graham, who was discharged
in December, 1861, on certificate of disability, vol
unteered this remarkable piece of information to the G.

174 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
A. R. Post to which he had made application for mem
bership :
"I enlisted in Company "L," ist Regiment Engi
neers, New York Volunteers, but the company was
surreptitiously run away from New York by Capt. J.
E. Smith and, forced to serve as a battery. ' '
I hope Graham has made a better record as a mem
ber of the G. A. R. than he did as a soldier for the
short period that he worfe "Uncle Sam's " uniform.
In regard to the officers of the Battery, I am responsi
ble for the first four Lieutenants. Great pains were
taken to make proper selections, but mistakes will
occur. Joseph E. Nairn, First Lieutenant, Sr., served three
months in Varian's Battery, and by his soldierly bear
ing then attracted my attention. While he was con
nected with the 4th New York Battery his conduct
fully sustained the high estimate I had placed upon his
qualifications and character.
Charles H. Scott, First Lieutenant, Jr., served as a
commissioned officer in one of the Connecticut regi
ments in Tyler's Brigade in the three months' service.
I thought he had some experience which would be
serviceable. William T. McLean, Second Lieutenant, Jr., also
served three months in Varian's Battery.
J. Courtland Parker, Second Lieutenant, Jr., was a
young lawyer of great promise. His early taking off
cut short a career which had given evidence of much
usefulness.

APPENDIX. 175

APPENDIX.
Extract from Volume i. Report of Adjutant- General
of the State of New York, 1868 (page 169).
First Troop Washington Grays.
" Headquarters
"Squadron Washington Grays, N. G. S. N. Y.
"New York, December 2ii., 1867.
' ' The following is a brief sketch of the services ren
dered to the U. S. Government, during the late war, by
the above company :
"In April, 1861, being then attached to the 8th
Regiment, N. Y. S. Militia, and known and designated
as company "I," they were, with that regiment, the
first to respond to the call of the President for 75,000
men, for the term of three months, to aid in the sup
pression of the rebellion. They accordingly enlisted in
the United States service on the i8th day of April, 1861,
as an artillery corps, under the command of Captain
Joshua M. Varian, now Brigadier-General of the Third
Brigade, N. G., to serve the aforementioned term of
three months, and to be disposed of during the term of
their enlistment as was thought proper by their superior
officers. They left New York on the morning of the
19th, on the steamer Montgomery, under sealed orders,
which were not made known till the steamer was well
out to sea. This was the first knowledge the troop had
of their destination, which was Annapolis, Md., and at

176 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
which place they arrived on the 2 2d, and were rejoined
by the infantry of the 8th Regiment, N. Y. S. M., un
der command of Col. Lyons. The company had been
detached from the regiment on leaving New York, as
one vessel was not sufficiently large to accommodate the
whole command. After being quartered with the regi
ment a few days, they were again separated by the in
fantry being ordered on to Washington, while the troop
remaining at Annapolis, performed guard duty on the
Annapolis river and Chesapeake Bay with the 13th Reg-
ment, N. Y. S. M., under command of Col. Smith.
The post at that time was under command of General
Benjamin F. Butler. A few days after the departure of
the regiment from Annapolis, two detachments of the
company with one company of the 13th Regiment, by
orders of General Butler, embarked on the steam tug
Stevens for the purpose of regaining the light ship for-
meriy stationed at Smith's Point, on the Chesapeake
Bay, which had been taken by the rebels and placed in
a position in a small creek running in from the bay —
their object being to mislead vessels in the night. The
vessel was found about two miles from the entrance of
Smith Creek, with no one on board to dispute the right
of possession, and not until lines had been made fast
and the vessel had begun to move out of the creek, did
the rebels open fire on the Stevens from the shores each
side, where they had been laying in ambush; four or
five volleys from the infantry, together with three or
four rounds of canister completely routed them. They
proved to be two companies of ist South Carolina regi
ment; their loss was two killed, a lieutenant and private;
seven wounded and thirteen prisoners. Three days
from that time, the troops were ordered to rejoin the 8th
Regiment at Arlington Heights, to strengthen the forces
about the Capitol at Washington. It was with the
regiment ten days, when it was again separated by being
ordered to join a Connecticut Brigade, and proceed to
the village of Falls Church, the farthest, outpost from

APPENDIX. 177
Washington, where it did very effective service on the
roads leading from Falls Church to Vienna and Fairfax
Court-House, capturing a number of rebel scouts and
spies; also in obtaining a great amount of valuable in
formation. In the grand advance, which commenced
on the 14th of July, this troop, with a battery of six-
pound brass field pieces, had the right of the line of the
middle division, commanded by Gen. E. D. Keyes and
General Tyler, and, at Fairfax Court-House, fired the
first ball that opened the campaign in northeastern Vir
ginia, driving the rebels in the wildest confusion. The
troop continued in the advance of the division through
Fairfax Court-House, thence to Germantown, and so on
to Centreville, meeting with very little opposition. After
leaving the Court-House, they were then relieved by
Ayer's U. S. Battery, after having been in the advance
four days, from the 14th to the i8th of July; was then
held in reserve during the battle of Centreville. On
the 1 8th, were preparing to go into action, when our
forces were called off by General McDowell, command
ing Department of Virginia. Its time expired on the
17th, and on the 20th it returned to Washington, and
from thence to New York, where it was mustered out of
service by reason of expiration of term of enlistment.
Immediately after being mustered out, Lieut. J. E.
Smith, with about forty members of the troop, formed
the nucleus of the famous 4th New York Independent
Battery, which served during the war with as bright a
record as any in the whole army. What was left then
of the troop was reorganized under Captain Robert
Brown, and was again in service during the invasion of
Pennsylvania by the rebels, in June, 1863. It was en
gaged both as cavalry and artillery, at Carlisle, Ship-
pensburg, Scotland, Chambersburgh, Oyster Point and
Kingston. Was recalled to New York before the ex
piration of its time, on account of the riots then taking
place; although enlisted for but thirty, it served forty-
six days, and was again mustered out of service. The

178 A FAMOUS BATTERY.
command was, in 1861, composed of 125 men, besides
its officers. After its first muster out, it is safe to say
two-thirds of its members re-enlisted, mostly under their
former Lieutenant, James E. Smith, but many of them in
other regiments. Out of nine that joined the 7th N. J.
v., six were killed; about thirty, were killed and
wounded in the 4th Independent Battery.
Maj. S. M. Swift,
Commanding.

JAMES TANNER.

THE CAREER of
CORPORAL TANNER

Chivalry in its best sense did not perish when the
steel-clad knights and men-at-arms passed away with
the advent of powder and rifled guns. The daring
deeds and wild adventures of the mailed heroes of me
diaeval romance pale their ineffectual fires before the cool
courage, the sublime devotion that carried the defenders
of the American Republic into the jaws of death as
unshrinkingly as ever the Cid or great Godfrey de
Bouillon rode into battle.
Among the gallant array whose names have won
deathless renown on the sanguinary fields of our great
Civil War none is more widely esteemed, or is more
deserving of his fame, than that hero of the rank and
file known of all men as " Corporal Tanner."
But of his career from the farm to the ranks, ' ' through
the valley of the shadow of death, ' ' to honorable service
179

l8o THE CAREER OF
in his native State and then to the high and responsible
position of Commissioner of Pensions of the United
States, of all these bare facts only are generally known.
A brief sketch of his life — never before published — may
be of interest to the American people. It is needless to
say that it will be welcomed by the million and more
ex-soldiers whose cause is the dearest thing on earth to
his brave heart, and to whose service he has given
twenty-five years of unselfish devotion by word and pen
and deed.
James Tanner was born near Richmondville, Scho
harie Co., New York, April 4, 1844. His early life
was spent on the farm, working in the fields in summer,
and attending the district school in winter, besides
' ' doing the chores ' ' about the farm which fall to the
lot of every country boy. That he profited above the
average by the meagre facilities afforded him for an
education is evident from the fact that before reaching
his eighteenth year he was engaged in teaching school
himself. At the outbreak of the war, although still a mere
boy, fired with the patriotic ardor that was his by birth
right, he enlisted in Company " C, " 87th New York Vol
unteer Infantry, and went with his regiment to the
front. The 87th was assigned to Keamy's Division,
and with it took part in the Peninsular campaign, being
engaged in the battles of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks,
Siege of Yorktown, Seven Days' Battles before Rich
mond, and Malvern Hill. Mr. Tanner, in one of his
lectures, gave a modest but vivid account of some inci
dents of his soldier life. As it is quite brief, it is here
reproduced.

CORPORAL Tanner. i8i
" When the war broke out I was just seventeen years
old. I was a big, green country boy, and had never
seen a railroad train until I went away to enlist. My
good old father had brought me up to glory in my na
tive land, and he believed that its liberties should be
preserved at any cost. But he was, as far as I was con-
cemed, like Deacon Stubbs of Maine and the prohibi
tion law. He was ' in favor of the law but agin its en
forcement. ' My father wanted the country saved, but,
like many others, he did n't want his boy to go to war.
We had many discussions on the subject, and one hot
afternoon, when we were out in the field, I told him that
my mind was made up, I was going to enlist. So one
day when it was raining so hard that you would ex
pect that no one in his senses would stir out of doors, I
slipped away to town and was duly mustered in. When
I found myself in the blue I wrote to father that I
would get a few days' leave of absence if he would
promise not to detain me when I came home. He
readily acquiesced, and so I had the consolation of
going to the front with his consent and blessing.
' ' My first experience of what was in store for us was
when we arrived at Fortress Monroe. It was late in
the afternoon and we camped in a field. When night
came on I selected a nice, dry furrow (which reminded
me of home) for my bed, and wrapping my blanket
around me, with my knapsack for a pillow, I was soon
sound asleep. It was the first time I had ever slept out
without a roof of some kind to cover me. Along- about
midnight I was awakened by a roaring noise and started
up in terror, but it was only an old-fashioned Virginia
rainstorm sweeping over us, and as I lay in a furrow I
had the full benefit of the torrents of water that poured
down it."
Speaking of Malvern Hill and the Seven Days'
Fight, Mr. Tanner relates this little personal incident,
which will be appreciated by the boys who were at the
front :

1 82 THE CAREER OF
"We were stationed in a field filled with blackberry
bushes, and it did n't take us long to find out that the
berries were ripe and plentiful. I stood my gun against
a tree and proceeded to fill up an ever-aching void (in
those days) in my interior. The shells were flying
pretty thick over us and I came to the conclusion that
we would soon have a warm time of it. I had just
secured a great big berry and was about to put it in
my mouth when a shell hit the tree where m^ gun was
standing and a shower of branches and bark struck
me. I thought the top of my head was gone, but felt
very much relieved when I found that I had nothing
worse to show for this close call than an enormously
swelled lip. But I lost the blackberry."
Subsequently, the 87th participated in the battles of
Warrenton, Bristow Station and Manassas. The sub
ject of this sketch was with his regiment through it
all, serving as a corporal, and his gallantry and
efficiency gave promise of a brilliant career, when the
chances of battle put a sudden and terrible end to the
ambitious boy's dreams of military glory in the service
of his country.
At the Second Battle of Bull Run, August 30, 1862,
Robinson's Brigade, of which the 87th was part, held
the extreme right of our line, in front of Stonewall
Jackson's Corps. About 3 p. m. of that fateful day the
enemy's artillery had gotten the exact range of this
line and opened on it with a terrific storm of shot and
shell which nothing mortal could withstand. As the
only means of saving them the men were ordered to
lie close to the ground until a lull in the murderous
fire to which they were exposed might offer opportunity
to use their guns. While thus hugging the earth, his
face to the foe, his musket at a ready, a hurtling frag-

CORPORAL TANNER. 1 83
ment from a bursting shell struck the brave young
corporal's left lower leg, nearly severing the foot at
the ankle, and then shattering the right leg below the
knee into a mass of crushed flesh and splintered bone.
At the first chance he was gently carried from the front
by his comrades, unconscious and apparently dying,
and placed in the field hospital where the surgeons at
once amputated both legs about four inches below the
knee. Meanwhile the Union line had been broken and his
comrades were forced to leave him at a farm house
with other desperately wounded soldiers. The enemy
soon had the house within their lines and made him
and his companions in suffering prisoners. Some ten
days afterwards they were all paroled and taken to
Fairfax Seminary Hospital near Alexandria. Mr.
Tanner's personal recollection of that momentous event
in his career is thus succinctly given in a private letter
to a friend which was published in the National Tribune
in 1887:
" Two or three nights prior to my being wounded at
the second Bull Run, my regiment (the 87th N. Y.) was
stationed along the Orange & Alexandria Railroad at
Manassas, Bristow, Catlett's and the bridge near Cat
lett' s. Jackson struck in there (at Manassas) and tore
us pretty well to pieces. John C. Robinson, then our
Brigadier, issued an order that the enlisted men of the
87th should report to and maneuver with the 105th Pa.,
and so at the time I was wounded we were under com
mand of Colonel Craige, of that regiment. Just prior
to my being struck, General Robinson had ordered us
to fix bayonets and lie down, and as we did so I threw
one heel up over the other and was in that position
when hit. I had been talking with the sergeant-major

I 84 The career oE
of the 105th Pennsylvania, 'and knew his position from
the chevrons on his sleeves, but was ignorant of his
name. The first intimation I had of the extent of my
injury was when he jumped to his feet and exclaimed:
' My God ! look at that poor boy with both feet gone ! '
' ' When the boys picked me up they laid me on a
blanket — no stretcher being available — and twisted a
musket in on each side and lifted me to their shoulders.
Neither of my legs had been entirely severed ; my feet
were hanging by shreds of flesh. The blanket was
short, and lying on it on my face, I looked under and
saw my feet dangling by the skin as they hung off of
the other end. Some kind-hearted soul gently lifted
them and laid them on the edge of the blanket."
The sergeant-major of whom Mr. Tanner speaks is
now (or was recently) a farmer residing near Washing
ton, Kansas. He wrote a long letter to the Corporal
under date of May 5, 1887, which has also been pub
lished, and extracts from which are here given:
' ' When Colonel Craige ordered me to take charge of
your squad you seemed to be the only one to whom they
looked for commands (there were, I think, seventeen of
you), and I remember that you impressed me as being
a young man of more than ordinary intelligence and
ability; and I left control of the boys almost entirely in
your hands, and that is how we happened to be to
gether when you were struck. I know that your squad
had been assigned to our regiment and that we were in
line of battle when you were hit by a cannon-ball. I
am led to believe it was a cannon-ball because there
was no after-explosion. I recollect that it was the whirr
of the missile that caused me to look up when I saw it
coming for us. I remember well the house above us
and a little to our right, with an old orchard, mostly
peach, between. We lay in a hollow where a tree had
once stood, you on your left and I on my right side as

CORPORAL Tanner. 185
we talked. While talking we noticed a ' speller ' near
a peach tree just above us. I crawled up to it and as I
laid my hand on it I heard, and then looking up, saw
the whizzing fragment coming down for us. My nose
went into the ground till I heard the thud behind me,
when I looked and saw at once your sad fate; the bleed
ing, feetless legs sticking up so shocked me that I have
no recollection of what I may have said. I will quote
verbatim firom my journal, written the next day while
we lay near Centreville:
" ' A few of the 87th New York boys were with us,
and one of them, lying within five or six feet of me,
had both feet cut off by a cannon ball that struck him.
He seemed to be a brave lad, but it was a heartrending
sight to see his look as he stuck up to view his footless
legs. I have witnessed many horrid scenes, but never
one that sent such a thrill of painful feeling through me
as this. * * * ' ' Fraternally yours,
" R. J. BOYINGTON,
"Sergeant Major lo^th Pa., and
"ist Lieut. Co. '/' 105th Pa."
Capt. B. F. Butterfield, of Erie, Pa., contributes his
quota to this ' ' o' er-true tale. ' ' He was the soldier who
tenderly lifted up the Corporal's mangled feet and re
placed them on- the blanket. He writes :
" I was then (August 30, 1862,) a private of Co. 'B,'
63d Pa. Our Brigade, as far as my memory now serves
me, consisted of the 57th, 63d, and 105th Pa., 87th N.
Y., and the 20th Ind., Gen. Robinson commanding.
" There was a sort of shallow ravine or dip about the
center of the field in which we lay, which ran at right
angles to the front. The bed of a small, dry rivulet ran
through this. The rebels seemed to have discovered us
early. I think it was from the men on the hill picking
peaches, the trees of which were full and ripe. I re-

I 86 THE CAREER OP
member there were yells from our line of ' Get down ! '
' Come down out of that ! ' to the fellows on the hill.
It was but a few moments until a battery of at least four
guns was pitching shells at and over us in a lively man
ner. The 105th, I think, was the next regiment to us,
and it was immediately after the explosion of a shell in
the air rather close to us that you were carried by in a
blanket. I thought at first that you were a 105th man,
but seeing your 'New York jacket,' concluded that you
belonged to Hobart Ward's (Second) Brigade.
' ' Your face was that of a youth of about eighteen,
and as our boys came up, with expressions of pity on
their faces, you remarked, if you recollect it, ' Never
mind, boys, ' or something like that. I thought it very
plucky at the time, and the incident left a vivid im
pression on my memory, and although the day previous
and on many battle-fields, both before and after, I wit
nessed death and wounds in many forms, the circum
stances of this case I shall always distinctly recall. ' '
Mr. Isaac W. Lawrence, at present an official in the
Department of Taxes and Assessments of the city of
Brooklyn, was one of the soldiers who carried Corporal
Tanner off the field when wounded. His recollection
of the incident is very clear and minute, and he thus re
lated it to a reporter of the New York Herald soon after
Mr. Tanner's appointment as Commissioner of Pensions:
"James Tanner was a tall but boyish-looking soldier
when the enemy's fire cut him down. He was color
corporal of Company ' C,' 87th New York Volunteers.
I was a private in ' H ' Company of the same regiment.
We were attached to the First Brigade, First Division,
Third Corps. General John C. Robinson was our
Brigade Commander when we came up from the Penin
sula and joined Pope's Army. Keamy's Division was
sent ahead, while our Brigade went along the line of

CORPORAL TANNER. 1 87
the Manassas road, from Warrenton to Manassas Junc
tion by way of Sulphur Springs. Five companies were
held at Catlett's Station while the other five companies
of our regiment were sent to Manassas.
' ' This was in the latter part of the summer of 1862
when Stonewall Jackson got in the rear of the army.
Three days before the second battle of Bull Run, and
the day before the fight at Bristow Station, Jackson
swooped down and gobbled our five companies at Ma
nassas Junction.
' ' The next day Hooker and Keamy engaged Jackson
at Bristow. There were two fights there. After being
cut up so, the 87th was consolidated with, or attached to,
the io5tli Pennsylvania. We had no field officers left
and only two or three captains when we formed the left
wing of the Pennsylvania regiment.
' ' From Bristow we marched to the battle-field of
Bull Run. Most of the remnant of our regiment got
scattered. We moved along with the Pennsylvania
boys to the right of the line, where on a knoll we sup
ported a battery.
' ' We were subjected to a sharp fire of shell and shrap
nel firom the guns of Hill's Corps. The 'rebs' were
trying to turn the flank of our army. We were ordered
to lie close and get ready to receive them.
' ' A shell burst over our heads. I was lying along
side of Corporal Tanner. The butt end of the shell
came down, struck Tanner's left ankle, and passing
through that member, lodged in his right ankle, sever
ing the left and shattering the right. Both feet hung
by shreds of flesh. We had to pick the metal out of
the right leg. ' Good Lord ! Look at that boy. He
has both legs off! ' exclaimed the sergeant-major of the
105th Pennsylvania.
' ' ' Yes, ' answered the plucky Corporal, ' and if you
don' t get me out of here pretty quick my head will be
off.' " 'Take him right back to the surgeon, boys,' said
an officer.

1 88 The CAREER OE
' ' Then Sergeant Sproul, a corporal and myself placed
Tanner on a blanket and carried him to the rear, where
we got a stretcher for him. A surgeon amputated both
legs. ' ' Then the fire of the enemy came nearer and nearer
to where we were, arid taking him on the stretcher, we
carried him about half a mile to a house which was used
as an hospital. But it was full of wounded, and we laid
him down on the ground beside the door.
' ' The Johnnies were hotly pressing our lines and Tan
ner said : ' Boys, never mind me. Get back for your
own safety. Give me a canteen of water and leave me. '
' ' I filled a canteen from a well near by and gave it to
him. Then we boys scattered in every direction.
' ' When I came back from the army on furlough in
March, 1864, I was going down Broadway one day, and
was in the neighborhood of Trinity Church when I saw a
young man walking towards me with a peculiar gait, and
carrying a cane.
' ' ' Hello ! Company ' H ' ! ' cried the young man.
" 'Hello yourself, but you've got the best of me,'
said I.
' ' ' What ! Don't you remember Jim Tanner ? '
' ' ' You ain' t Jim Tanner. He had both legs cut off ;
you haven't.'
' ' ' Feel them, ' said the Corporal, for such he really
was. ' ' I felt and saw they were artificial. Of course our
meeting was a pleasant one.
"When Mr. Tanner was made Collector of Taxes
for Brooklyn he sent for me and appointed me to a clerk
ship in his office, and I have been here ever since."
Mr. William A. Shute, now an employ^ of the Pen.
sion Bureau, was a fellow-sufferer with Corporal Tan
ner on this occasion, having lost a leg at the same battle.
His experience will be read with interest. He writes
thus under date of May i, 1892 :

CORPORAL TANNER. 1 89
"Dear Captain Smith: My recollection of the disas
trous Second Bull Run is naturally pretty clear, for I
ended my army service on that bloody field.
" During the battle a field hospital was established
in a farm yard just to the rear of where Rickett's Di
vision had made their splendid charge. Surgeon J. S.
Jamieson, of the 86th New York, was in charge, assist
ed by a nephew of Gov. Curtin, a surgeon in some
Pennsylvania regiment. We were, of course, inside the
enemy's lines and prisoners of war. Here were grouped
together 215 of the desperately wounded, and among
them six of us who had lost seven legs, Corporal Tanner
contributing the double amputation. The first night
we passed there with the dark canopy of a stormy sky
for a covering, which eventually dissolved and poured
down on us a drenching rain. Though this was dis
agreeable enough to us poor, helpless fellows, yet I have
¦ often thought since that it may have been a blessing in
disguise by the unstinted application of cold water it
afforded to our fevered limbs. After a couple of days
the Van Pelt residence was taken and used as a hos
pital and we legless victims of war were carried in and
laid in rows in the hall. The owner of the house came
along in the afternoon and his wrath at seeing his resi
dence used for such purposes was extreme, but little at
tention was paid to his bluster.
" Late in the evening of September 2d, -Medical Di
rector T. H. Wingfield, Inspector and Paroling Officer
of the C. S. A. , came around and paroled the wounded,
but sent some ten comrades who had been caring for us
off to Richmond. There was only one sound man left
with us, a bright, obliging young fellow who had been
acting as hospital steward for our surgeons, and who
certainly had his hands full in responding to the numer
ous demands made upon him. This youth is now
known as the Hon. Charles E. Coon, who was a few
years ago Assistant Secretary of the United States
Treasury.

190 THE CAREER OF
"That night a large tent was put up in the yard, and
the worst cases, among whom were Corporal Tanner
and myself, were removed to it. There we stayed ten
days and nights, suffering both for food and care. The
first four days, especially, we came pretty near being
starved. I remember that I traded my covered canteen
with one of the Confederate guards for his battered old
apology for one and two hard tack to boot. Then we
received some supplies under a flag of truce, but had to
divide with ' our friends, the enemy. '
' ' The weather was excessively warm, and with no
one to attend to us except the embryo Treasury official
alluded to, it is no wonder that we all suffered dread
fully, and some died whose lives might have been saved
under other sunoundings.
' ' I lay next to Tanner and, although he was but a
boy of eighteen, I never saw a wounded soldier bear
his misfortune with more nerve and patience. Weak
and exhausted as I was, he was still more helpless, and
I am glad to know that I was able, in a wavering kind
of a way, to be of some service to the gallant boy whose
fortitude I admired.
' ' On the 9th of September, just as the sun was sink
ing behind the Bull Run Mountains, the last train of
ambulances bore us away from the famous battle-field
with its immortal memories, and though we had a long
and wearisome ride through the night, its miseries were
wonderfully relieved by the thought that it was towards
our ' ain counteree ' that we wefe going. We reached
Fairfax Seminary at 10 A. m. the succeeding day, glad
to be able to rest our weary bodies on something softer
than the bare ground of Bull Run battle-field, and after
that we had every attention that medical skill could
supply. Very truly yours,
' ' W A Shute
"Late of Co. '/,' 13th Mass. Vol. 'inf."

CORPORAL TANNER. I9I
In Fairfax Hospital was continued his long struggle
for life, with the odds terribly against him, but a vigor
ous constitution and a stem determination to live
brought him through this dreadful time when he tasted
the bitterness of death daily. His courage never fal
tered, and when he began to improve his first thought
was: "What can I do, thus crippled, to hold my place
among men ? " His ambition could not brook the thought
that he must be contented to go to the wall in the
world's battle because of his misfortune.
After a long course of treatment in the hospital he
became strong enough to be removed to the old home
in Schoharie, where his native air and the cordial sym
pathy of every man, woman and child in the county
did wonders in bringing back his health. He was
skillfully fitted with artificial limbs, which he soon
learned to manage passably well. Through the in
fluence of his friends, who admired his plucky fight
against adverse circumstances, he was appointed Deputy
Doorkeeper of the Assembly, at Albany, and subse
quently held various positions under the Legislature,
which he filled with credit. His misfortune, his nerve
and his undoubted abilities soon made his name known
beyond his native State, and in 1864 he came to Wash
ington to take a clerkship in the War Department
under Secretary Stanton.
On the night of the assassination of President Lin
coln he was called upon to take notes of the first official
evidence regarding the tragedy, and this duty brought
him the sad privilege of standing by the bedside of the
dying President.
The monotonous routine of clerical life, however,

192 THE CAREER OF
soon wearied his energetic spirit, and in December, 1865,
he resigned his position, returned to Richmondville and
began the study of law with Judge William C. Lament.
He married in the same year a daughter of Alfred C.
White, of Jefferson, N. Y.
He was admitted to the bar in 1869. He then ac
cepted a position in the New York Custom House and
took up his residence in Brooklyn, where his eloquence,
his vim and tact soon made him a man of mark in the
councils of his party. On a competitive examination
he rose to the position of Deputy Collector and served
as such four years under Gen. Chester A. Arthur.
In 1 87 1 he was the Republican candidate for the
Assembly from the Fourth, King's County, district, but
was counted out in the election frauds of that year.
He was nominated for County Register by the Repub
licans in 1876, and while the Democratic ticket had a
majority of 19,000, he was defeated by less than 2,000
votes, a magnificent tribute to his popularity among
all classes of his fellow-citizens.
Connected as he had been with the Grand Army of
the Republic almost from its inception, no man more
enjoyed the esteem and confidence of his comrades
than "Corporal Tanner." They knew him to possess
sound judgment, ripe experience and enthusiastic de
votion to the Order, so it was but natural that he
should eventually become a leader. In 1876 he was
elected Commander of the Department of New York.
He assumed the office at a time when discouragement
and disappointment pervaded the organization, grow
ing out of the neglect of the State to provide for her
helpless and homeless disabled veterans.

CORPORAL TANNER. 1 93
The soldiers, stung by the ingratitude of those in
whose defense they had braved death and sacrificed
their health, began to despair. The outlook was dis
couraging, indeed. But Commander Tanner threw
himself into the work, heart and soul. Calling to his
assistance that true patriot. Rev. Henry Ward Beecher,
the good work was inaugurated by a mass meeting in
Brooklyn, when $13,000 was subscribed towards a
Home for the veterans. During the two years that
Mr. Tanner was Department Commander — for he served
two terms — he traversed the State from the sea to the
lakes, setting forth in glowing words the veterans'
needs, the debt of gratitude due them from the State,
and the shame of degrading her maimed defenders to
the condition of alms-house paupers. He so fired the
hearts of the citizens that a flood of petitions poured
in on the legislature, and tardy justice was meted out.
A magnificent "Soldiers' Home" was erected at Bath,
Steuben County, where six hundred disabled veterans
find the repose and comforts of a home. Truly "a
monument more durable than brass" to Commander
Tanner's zeal and energy in behalf of his comrades.
Mr. Tanner has been conspicuous for years in securing
just and generous pension legislation from Congress.
He has been a familiar figure before the Committees of
the Senate and House having these matters in charge,
and his eloquent pleas have had a powerful effect in
shaping legislative action for the benefit of those who
had suffered in defense of their country. He gave his
time, his labor and his talents to this cause without fee
or reward, paying his own expenses on his frequent
trips to the Capital in behalf of his disabled comrades.

194 '¦^HE CAREER OF
To show the broad-minded liberality of Mr. Tanner,
an incident, or rather, action, may be here related,
although it occuned subsequent to the period of which
we are speaking. Although a man of most positive
views, with the courage of his convictions in all places
and circumstances, a life-long sufferer from wounds re
ceived in the war, yet has he been quick to lend his help
to the sufferers who fought on the other side, ' ' not, ' '
as he said, ' ' on account of their cause, but for the
reason that they were brave Americans." While on a
visit to Richmond, Va., the sad condition of numerous
maimed and helpless soldiers of the Confederacy was
on one occasion the subject of discussion among several
ex-members of both armies, and their pitiful lot was
contrasted with that of the Urtion soldiers, for whom
the Government could not do too much. Corporal
Tanner's heart was touched, and his active brain worked
up a scheme for their relief. He suggested that the
citizens of Virginia should take the matter in hand,
build and equip a home, and then demand that the
State should care for it. The idea took at once, and acting
upon his advice appeals were made to the soldiers of the
Grand Army for aid. Further, a great meeting was held,
under his inspiration, at the Academy of Music in
Brooklyn, to aid in this object, which was addressed,
among others, by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher and Rev.
J. M. Foster, at which some $i,6oo was realized for the
-proposed Confederate Home. This was the nucleus of
a fund which has since swelled to $25,000. So grate
ful were the Southern friends of the institution that
when the work was inaugurated at Richmond this stal
wart Republican was unanimously selected as one of

CORPORAL TANNER. 1 95
the Trustees of the Home, which position, however, he
declined to accept, although assuring the promoters
that it would alwaj^s be a profound satisfaction to him
to feel that he had been able to do something towards
providing the comforts of life for some of the crippled,
homeless veterans who had gone down with the cause
for which they had battled in vain.
In November, 1877, Mr. Tanner was appointed Col
lector of Taxes for the City of Brooklyn, which office
he held with universal acceptance for eight years,
through both the Republican and Democratic municipal
administrations. With that restless energy characteristic of the man,
he instituted numerous reforms in the system of con
ducting the business, extending greater facilities to the
tax-payers and reducing the expenses of the office fully
fifty per cent.
To show the estimation in which he was held by his
fellow citizens a few extracts firom the leading journals
of the city are quoted.
The Brooklyn Daily Times of November 30, 1885,
calls his administration "A Phenomenal Success," and
then goes on to say.
' ' When he entered the office some ten years ago, the
receipt of $400,000 was considered a big thing for the
first day on which taxes could be received. Since he
introduced the system of payment by check through
the mails, the payments have so increased that a vast
amount of money is thrown into the municipal treasury
the moment the civic authorities can legally receive it.
Last year the amount in the hands of the Tax Col
lector, paid by check, on the ist of December, was
$2,000,000. The year before it was $1,500,000. To-

196 THE CAREER OF
day Collector Tanner is of the opinion that by to
morrow morning he will have in his possession $3,000,-
000 of the taxes of 1886, or not far from half of the
entire levy. The Collector and his cash room work
until midnight every night."
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle of December 2, 1885,
says: ' ' Collector Tanijer paid to the Treasurer last evening,
as the first day's receipts for the taxes of 1885, $3,236,-
885.69, as against $2,762,306 on the first day of pay
ment last year. He was enabled to make this large
payment through the system of furnishing bills and
allowing property owners to send checks for a fortnight
in advance of December i, on which date the taxes
actually become due."
The Daily Standard of December 8, 1885, has a long
article commending and detailing Collector Tanner's
improved methods. It is too long to quote entire, but
a few excerpts will show its gist :
"The success of the plan originated by Tax Collec
tor Tanner in accommodating the public in the matter
of paying their yearly taxes has been more marked
this year than ever before. The amount of taxes paid
the first day, when Corporal Tanner went in office, was
$400,000. This was doubled the next year, and has
gone on increasing until this year, when it is more than
half a million in excess of last year."
The Daily Times of December 26, 1885, said:
" It is generally admitted that the city never had a bet
ter tax collector than James Tanner. The reforms he
has introduced in the workings of the office have been
widely appreciated, and the public, without distinction of

CORPORAL Tanner. 197
party, have given repeated and tangible proofs of their
satisfaction. If he must now give place to a Demo
crat, it may at least be hoped that his successor will
be one who can be trusted to continue the administra
tion of the office in the same line of business princi
ples." Upon the incoming of a Democratic city government
in 1886 a strong effort was made to have Mr. Tanner re
tained in the office. General Isaac S. Catlin, who had
been the unsuccessful candidate for the mayoralty against
the Democratic nominee, said to a representative of the
Standard: ' ' There are in Brooklyn from five to seven thousand
veterans in the Posts of the Grand Army of the Re
public, and there is not a Post in the city that would
not pass resolutions warmly thanking Mr. Hardenburgh
(the newly-appointed collector) in getting out in favor
of a badly-maimed soldier if Mr. Tanner should be
re-appointed to his present position. By common con
sent Tanner has made the best collector of taxes that
any city in the United States ever had. Fifty-five
millions of dollars have passed through his hands, and
not one cent of this stupendous sum remains unac
counted for. Every Brooklyn taxpayer knows that he
has vastly improved the system of collection."
But the exigencies of the political situation prevented
the accomplishment of the popular wish to have him
retained. After his retirement from the collector's. office Mr.
Tanner was in constant demand on the lecture platform,
his reputation as a public speaker, eloquent, logical and
witty, having been firmly established, and the announce
ment of an address by ' ' Corporal Tanner ' ' was found

1 98 THE CAREER OF
to be about the best drawing card lyceum managers and
Grand Army posts throughout the country could offer.
He was especially happy in his remarks and thor
oughly in his element at the reunions of veteran sol
diers, and there is no one that the ' ' boys ' ' would rather
listen to.
At a meeting of New Hampshire veterans, held in
August, 1885, he was present, and, of course, was
called on "to speak a piece." His address was thus
reported by the Boston Globe :
' ' Corporal Tanner began by referring to camp-fires
and the soldier's life generally, and to the time ' When
Johnny came marching home.' He then described in a
facetious way soldiers' fare, the troubles they used to
have in baking ' hoe cakes, ' which were so often allowed
to bum up, before the fire, through the knavery of some
envious outsider who would manage to distract the at
tention of the cook at the critical moment, ¦ and so ruin
what he could not share in. He then made passing
allusions to certain raids on hen-roosts, of which he had
heard, but requested his hearers not to judge the boys
too harshly for little failings of this kind. They simply
wished in a quiet way to keep down the enormous ex
penses of the Commissary Department. ' After a liberal
dispensation of salt pork and hard tack,' he said, 'for
an indefinite length of time, it is not to be supposed that a
hungry soldier wants to have any conscientious scruples
as to the remarkable longevity attained by a well-fat
tened chicken. Yes, we all own up after a while. Some
would rather go into a fight than eat. I would rather
eat.' "The speaker then went on to relate the story of
Malvern Hill, giving a description of the field, paying
just tribute to the valor of the 'Johnny Rebs,' as they
charged up again and again to the very mouths of the
guns. He also related the anecdote of the rabbit which.

CORPORAL TANNER. 199
affrighted by the uproar all around it, fled at the top of
its speed across the front to the security of a distant
woods, and as it was disappearing over the brow of a
hill a gallant young officer, who was gazing after it
with longing eyes, burst out: ' Go it, old cotton-tail !
If it was n't for the looks of the thing I'd be with you ! '
' ' It may be that some people think and say that this
soldier business is played out. This, no well-informed
person will acknowledge, for the spirit that actuates the
boys now is the same that inspired them to march, to
suffer, to fight, when their valor was all that stood
between their country and ruin."
He was no less a favorite on the stump, and his abil
ity as an orator, his intense, infectious earnestness and
loyalty to the principles of the Republican party, made
his services eagerly sought for in every political cam
paign during that stirring period. In 1886 he stumped
the State of California for Mr. Swift, candidate for
Governor. In 1887 he went through Oregon like a
cyclone, and the Republican victory there was largely
owing to his labors.
Diiring the Presidential campaign of that year his
eloquent voice was heard through the length and
breadth of Indiana in impassioned appeals to the sol
diers to rally to the support of General Hanison and
the Republican candidate for Governor, Alvin P.
Hovey, and he contributed in no small measure to their
successful canvass.
Upon the inauguration of President Harrison there
seemed to be a general consensus of opinion, especially
among the soldiers, as to the proper person to take the
responsible office of Commissioner of Pensions under
the new administration. It seemed to belong to this

200 THE CAREER OF
maimed defender of his country, whose long service on
the National Pension Committee of the Grand Army of
the Republic, added to his legal knowledge and admitted
ability, rendered him, in popular estimation, peculiarly
fitted for its important duties.
He was appointed Commissioner of Pensions by
President Harrison, March 23, 1889, and here he found
a new and acceptable field for the exercise of his energy,
enthusiasm and talents. Thoroughly sympathizing
with the disabled victims of the War for the Union, he
yet determined to construe the pension laws with strict
and even-handed justice. What his personal feelings
were may be gathered from a rather celebrated address
he made at Columbia, Tenn., soon after his appoint
ment. Speaking of the policy to be pursued he said :
"For long years I have had one conscientious con
viction in my heart, which has grown with the years, and
which is stronger to-day than ever before, namely, that
it is the bounden duty of this great Republic of ours to
see to it that no man who wore the blue and laid it off
in honor shall ever be permitted to crawl under the
roof of an alms-house for shelter. ' '
And again :
' ' Within the limitations of the law, with due regard
to my official oath, I here broadly assert that everything
I can do to assist the needy and suffering veterans shall
be done."
The popular approval of Mr. Tanner's selection as
Commissioner of Pensions was universal and wide
spread. A few extracts from that ' ' pulse of the people, ' '
the Press, will show this.

CORPORAL TANNER. 201
The Chicago Inter-Ocean said :
' ' The Commissioner of Pensions is a man who has
made the pension system the study of the best years of
his life, and who is supremely desirous to apply it to the
benefit of those for whose aid it was devised. It is
much to have a Department administered by a chief
who is desirous that the object for which it was estab
lished shall be accomplished by it."
•The San Francisco Chronicle:
' ' The iiew Commissioner seems to be taking hold of
his work understandingly, and will make an efficient
and valuable officer. ' '
The Milwaukee Sentinel:
' ' The new Commissioner of Pensions is thoroughl}'
in sympathy with the veterans. He has shown himself
in every act he has performed a sincere friend of the sol
diers." The New York Tribune:
"Corporal Tanner, the new Commissioner of Pen
sions, has already instituted, several salutary reforms."
The Troy Times:
' ' The way in which Commissioner Tanner dispatches
the business of the Pension Department is commended
on all sides, particularly among the Grand Army vet-

The Grand Army Gazette:
"The Grand Army Gazette receives with pleasure
the announcement of the appointment of Comrade James
Tanner to the highly honorable position of Commis-

202 THE CAREER OF
sioner of Pensions, and begs to tender to him its very
hearty congratulations," etc.
The National Tribune addressed him an open letter of
congratulation, from which this sentence is quoted :
" Your appointment was a recognition of the wide
spread esteem of your comradeship and of the unmis
takable desire of the veterans all over the country that
you be put in charge of the administration of the Na
tion's justice to her soldiers."
And so it went all over the country. Mr. Tanner
"buckled down" to the great work before him with
that tremendous, cheerful energy that always charac
terized him. In the first six weeks of his administra
tion nearly 20,000 pension certificates were issued, a
gain of over 4,000 above the corresponding period of
the previous year.
And just here comes in a little "bit " of Mr. Tan
ner's home life that is delightful and thoroughly
characteristic. . After a couple of months' siege of hotel
life and ' ' the incessant appearance of the bell boys
with visitors' cards ' ' when* he was expecting a little
relief from the cares of the day, he broke out gleefully
as a school boy to a correspondent of one of the Brook
lyn papers :
" My wife has at last decided to take the old Weaver
mansion on Georgetown Heights, and I am more
relieved than I can tell you. The place has some great
advantages. There are three acres of ground and I can
keep a lot of dogs. This will render it rather difficult
of access to the average office-seeker. Since I have
been at the head of the Pension Bureau I have had
scarcely any time to myself, and I really could not

CORPORAL TANNER. 203
stand the constant strain. The Weaver place is most
delightfully situated; the air is cool, pleasant and
healthy, and we shall move in as soon as some repairs
are concluded, and the sooner we get there the better
satisfied both Mrs. Tanner and myself will be."
It is doubtful, however, whether the change gave
him much relief, for as one of his friends said : " They
left the latch-string hanging out, and it would n't be
Jim Tanner's house if they did n't."
One affecting incident that occuned early in Mr. Tan
ner's administration was connected with the troubles of
the New York City Agency for paying pensions, in charge
of Gen. Franz Sigel. The circumstances are familiar
enough to newspaper readers and it is not necessary to
detail them. General Sigel, himself the soul of honor,
was technically responsible for the misdeeds of a sub
ordinate, and tendered his resignation to Commissioner
Tanner, who assured him that the matter in question
did not reflect upon his honesty.
"I tell you," said the Commissioner, relating the
occurrence, " it was pathetic. I could remember how
General Sigel' s horse had splashed mud over me as I
stood in the ranks and he galloped along the line with
his splendid staff in the old heroic days, and now here
he was, a broken old man, offering me his resignation
of an honorable and lucrative office. But I want the
people to understand that General Sigel' s personal
record in the Pension Office is clean."
As the summer wore on the attacks of the opponents
of Commissioner Tanner grew in violence. His resolve
to cut red tape in the adjudication of meritorious claims;
his indignant denunciation of the paltry stipends of one,

204 The CAREER OF
two and three dollars per month doled out to disabled
veterans, and his avowed determination to reissue the
certificates of those unfortunates upon a more liberal
basis, as was within his legal discretion, aroused a host
of powerful enemies, not confined, it may be suggested,
to one political party. As it was a pretty dull season
anyhow, banen of any exciting subject for treatment,
the newspapers entered into the discussion of his meth
ods and plans with ardor (too often assumed). He was
specially accused of having nefarious designs, for the
benefit of the ex-soldiers, upon the mysterious ' ' sur
plus ' ' in the Treasury, that was a cause of much woni-
ment to many editors and politicians who had none of
their own. Then his noted Columbia, Tenn., speech,
delivered May, 1889, added to the excitement in various
quarters, and was made the subject of comment, friendly
' or otherwise, by almost every newspaper in the country.
As this was probably the most important address Mr.
Tanner made, at least during his incumbency of a Fed
eral office, extracts sufficient to show its general spirit
and tenor are appended.
Delivered before a distinctively Southern audience, its
beauty of diction and sentiment, the fervid eloquence
of its delivery, and the manly sympathy of the orator
with the "maimed victims of the Lost Cause, sitting in
the solitude of their wrecked and ruined homes," created
a profound sensation through the entire country, and
its echoes may be yet heard among the dwellers in the
deep forests, by the lonely lagoons and on the broad
plantations of the far South, who had borne arms for
the Confederacy.

CORPORAL TANNER. 205
" Friends and countrymen," he commenced, "we
thank God and congratulate ourselves, as we assemble
here to-day, that there is so much in our possession and
so much in prospect for us in common as citizens of this
great Republic. And without regard to the boundaries
of any particular State which we designate as our own,
we look back over a hundred years that are passed and
gone, and we see much of struggle, much of creation,
much of bitter sectionalism, and all too much, we will
all agree, in the last quarter-century, of bloody strife.
Thank God, we can contemplate it as of the past, and,
we firmly believe, the forever past. Standing to-day
upon the shining uplands of prosperity and peace, we
sweep the world with our gaze, and contemplate with
pride the fact that the American nation stands secure,
its position unchallenged in the face of the civilized
world, the glory of its citizenship respected and hon
ored in the four quarters of the earth. But a peculiar
combination of circumstances encompass, while they do
not embanass, me to-day, and seem to iiidicate that
there are some lines of thought and speech to which my
mind should fitly turn.
' ' Within the time of those of us who are now of mid
dle or elder age, this country has been shaken from cen
ter to circumference by the
RUDE SHOCK OF BLOODY WAR ;
of war in its most horrible form ; a death struggle be
tween brethren of the same household. Here to-day
are assembled many men who in the memorable struggle
of 1 86 1 to 1865, contested on the one side for the dis
ruption, and on the other for the preservation of the
Union. ' ' If there be any fitness in my appearance on this
platform to-day it arises from the fact that in the days
of that struggle I stood in the ranks of that mighty
column of blue. If there are any words to which my
tongue can most appropriately tum to give utterance
to-day, they should formulate themselves into a message

2o6 THE CAREER OF
which I feel I can honestly, conscientiously and con
sistently .bring from my comrades of the North, who in
the years of our strife, in answer to the defiance of the
old time and never-to-be-forgotten ' rebel yell, ' sent
ringing back to the extent of our lung power the Yan
kee hurrah. If there be any class of citizens over this
whole country with whose sentiments I am familiar
above that of any other class, it is
THE VETERANS
of the Union Armies who, from 1861 to 1865, when
health was in their faces and vigor in their steps, belted
the country across with a line of blue and beat back the
mighty hosts of the South; and I am proud of the fact
that I can bring from my comrades of the North-land a
sentiment in perfect harmony with the peace and pleas
antry and good feeling which is such an adjunct on this
occasion to-day. If I may be pardoned a personal
reference, then permit me to say that I am also proud
of the fact the sentiments of my heart are, and for long,
long years have been, utterly in accord with the unifica
tion and homogenity of the exercises of this hour.
" Very many years ago I stated, have repeated it
many times since then, meant it every time I repeated
it, and mean it to-day no less than ever, that if there
should walk into my office the ' Johnnie ' who pulled
the lanyard of the gun which sent the shell that crip
pled me for life, and I was satisfied that he stood with
me to-day for the honor of our common institutions and
the glory of our common flag, this right hand would
reach way out across the so-called bloody chasm, and I
would say: ' Put it there, Johnnie; you and I will go
out aud take dinner together and talk over old times.'
"The fact of the business is that when Lee sunen-
dered to Grant at Appomattox no two classes of men
were more nearly together, not only physically, but
mentally, than the two lines of men who stood there,
' one dressed in gray and one in blue. All true men
know this, that no matter how earnestly you may fight

CORPORAL TANNER. 207
a man, no matter how utterly you may condemn the
principles for which he contends, when you find that
man so terribly in earnest that he offers his life in be
half of the principles for which he combats, a respect
grows up for that mighty earnestness in spite of our ut
most antagonism to the principles he contends for.
" You will bear in mind that I am speaking of the
men who fought, not of those who never fronted the
shock of war, and did not get mad until all opportunity
to do battle had passed away. They are the fellows
who yelled themselves into an advanced stage of bron
chitis asking 'Why don't the army move?' and who
no sooner heard the call for three hundred thousand
more than they at once came to a position of " rest,"
with a draft list in one hand and a time-table of the
nearest route to Canada in the other, ready to skip
across the border if their names appeared among those
who were drawn for service."
Speaking of his duties as Commissioner of Pensions,
Mr. Tanner said:
" For long years I have had one conscientious co^r.-
viction in my heart which has grown with the years and
is stronger to-day than ever before, namely, that it is
the bounden duty of this great Republic of ours to see
to it that no man who wore the blue and laid it off in
honor, shall ever feel the necessity of, or be permitted,
to crawl under the roof of an almshouse for shelter."
He added:
' ' Let me put the question to them, and I will go
under bond that the men who aided in the defense of
the Confederacy will give a unanimous vote in the
affirmative to the proposition that, not only in common
decency and the natural promptings of the human heart,
but the best and highest exposition of wise political
economy demands that the boys who are growing up to-

208 THE CAREER OP
day must not see the defenders of the Union, who in
the past held life so cheap and their country so dear that
they freely flung life as a willing offering in its defense,
permitted to go hungry or in rags. ' '
Speaking of the 33,000 pensioners drawing less than
one dollar a week, he remarked: " I mean to put these
up to four dollars a month, though I may wring from
the hearts of some the prayer, ' God help the surplus.' "
After referring to the order he issued on Memorial
Day, when he was Department Commander of New York
State, in which he expressed the hope that the Comrades
would drop a wreath on the graves of such of the boys
of the South as had found a sepulchre among us, he
continued: ' ' Later on there came to us the cry of the stricken and
the maimed, and it was my high privilege, and my
halting footsteps made speed to|obey the willing dictates
of my heart, as we called together the citizens of that
great City of Churches, for a score of years my home,
and it was my privilege to present a plea for the vet
erans of the South. We of the North had the coffers
of the Treasury to draw upon for our pensions; we had
honor among the nations of the earth, but I stated that
the man who followed the fortunes of the Confederacy
and who had also been maimed, sat in the solitude of
his wrecked and ruined home and contemplated, possi
bly, loss of limb, and saw his wife in rags and his child
in hunger, and that as we were human and bowed before
a common God, it remained for us to see that in all the
desolation and want and misery that came to his hearth
stone, there S|hould not also come loss of faith in
humanity." Speaking again of his official duties as he saw them,
he said :

CORPORAL TANNER. 209
' ' I am clearly of the opinion that I voice the domi
nant sentiment of this country when I unhesitatingly
declare that a wise policy demands that in treating with
those who have just claims before this country I should
cease to hunt for merely technical reasons with which
to defeat them, and devote a little time, at least, to help
ing those claimants who in the past did not hesitate to
help the country in its hour of dire peril. Within the
limitations of the law, with due regard to my official
oath, I here broadly assert that everything that I can
do to assist the needy and suffering veterans shall be
done." After declaring that it was the solemn duty of the
Southern States to enact such laws as would provide
for the maimed and disabled ex- Con federates, he closed
with an eloquent and touching peroration, trusting
that, when the call shall be sounded for the last assem
bly, on the farther shore, the Blue and the Graj' would
be found together in the ranks commanded by the Prince
of Peace.
On the 12th of September, 1889, Mr. Tanner for
warded his resignation to the President in a manly,
straight- forward letter, which needs no explanation. It
was as follows : " Department of the Interior,
" Bureau of Pensions,
"Washington, D. C, September 12, i88g.
' ' To the President :
' ' The difference which exists between the Secretary
of the Interior and myself as to policy to be pursued
in the administration of the Pension Bureau has
reached a stage which threatens to embarrass you to an
extent which I feel I should not call upon you to suffer,
and as the investigation into the affairs of the Bureau

2IO THE CAREER OF
has been completed and, I am assured by yourself and
the Secretary of the Interior, it contains no reflection
on myself whether as an individual or an officer, I
hereby place my resignation in your hands, to take
effect at your pleasure, to the end that you may be
relieved of any further embarrassment in the matter.
' ' Very respectfully yours,
"James Tanner,
' ' Commissioner. ' '
The President replied as follows :
" Executive Mansion,
" Washington, September 13, i88g.
" To the Honorable fames Tanner,
Commissioner of Pensions:
' 'Dear Sir: Your letter tendering the offer of your
resignation of the office of Commissioner of Pensions
has been received, and your resignation is accepted to
take effect on the appointment and qualification of your
successor. " I do not think it necessary in this correspondence to
discuss the causes which have led to the present attitude
of affairs in the Pension Office. You have been kindly
and fully advised of my views upon most of these mat
ters. "It gives me pleasure to add that, so far as I am
advised, your honesty has not at any time been called
in question, and I beg to renew the expression of my
personal good will. ' ' Very truly yours,
"Benjamin Harrison."
Mr. Tanner's resignation, and the causes leading to
it, caused wide-spread comment. The papers from
Maine to California were full of it, and naturally, the
views expressed varied greatly, according to the senti
ments, feelings and prejudices of the writers.

CORPORAL TANNER. 211
Among the prominent men interviewed upon the sub
ject was General B. F. Butler, who, not to be misunder
stood, wrote out in his own incisive style, his opinion
on the merits of the case as follows :
* * * "The Commissioners, as a rule, have
looked upon a pension as something in the nature of a
bounty, which was to be given to the soldier as a gra
tuity; that it was a charge on the Government, and that,
like every other charge against the Government, a man,
to get it, must do everything he is called upon to do, to
prove every fact that he is called upon to prove beyond
doubt, and make such proof of the case as would be a
necessity in a court of justice. It was, therefore, the
rule that he must take two comrades to swear to his
original disability, or one commissioned officer to certify
to this disability. Why that rule ? There is nothing
in the law about it, but it has been the rule of the Of
fice. ' ' Everything else in the world, except how a soldier
became injured, could be proved by the oath of one
good man, the crime of perjury could be established by
the oath of one good man, but the rule of the Pension
Office was that it must take the oath of two of his com
rades, and the effect was, if a man could not find two
of his comrades, or one commissioned officer, to prove
how he got hurt and where, and whether he was in line
of duty, he was deprived of his pension. The distinc
tion between officers and men in regard to truth telling
I do not believe ought to exist. Again, the feeling has
been created t" at everything that was gotten out of the
Treasury was so much taken from the people of the
United States, and that everything should be done to
prevent its being gotten out. Every doubt was against
the pension, never the benefit of a doubt given the
soldier. The Pension Office was administered according
to a rule of Hoyle — 'When in doubt, take the trick.'
" One of the most benificent as well as the most just

212 THE CAREER OF
acts of Commissioner Tanner is that he has abolished
that rule that it takes two volunteers to prove a com
rade's disability and only one commissioned officer.
[It was so regarded by just men all over the United
States, and cases which, for lack of that second com
rade's testimony, when it was impossible to get it, but
which contained the affidavit of one good and true man,
cases which had lain from fifteen to twenty years in
the archives of the Pension Office, and the applicant
suffering through the years for the necessities of life,
were taken out of their dusty receptacles and acted
upon, some completed, others were being pushed to that
end. Two weeks after Mr. Tanner's retirement from
office the order was revoked and all those cases ordered
back to their long resting place. — ^J. E. S.] His critics
say he has no discrimination. Well, he had discrimi
nation enough to know that his own certificate to a
comrade's wounds ought to weigh as much as that of
anyone else, yet by that rule he would have to get some
body else, also, to certify, to give a pension to a man
he saw shot down by his side. He did not mean to serve
under any such disability as that, and I am sure every
right-feeling man will say amen.
' ' Again he believes that in a case proven beyond
a reasonable doubt, the pension should be granted. To
illustrate what I mean— the rules of the Office on the
subject of marriage, when I had to do with them, were
against the law, and different from every State in the
Union. By the decision of the Supreme Court, the
fact that a man and woman live together in a form of
marriage and are so known and reputed, is a proof that
they are man arid wife, uuless something is shown to
the contrary. All States have a law that in case of a
divorce either to be obtained or to be resisted, cohabita
tion as man and wife is suffici|ent evidence of maniage.
But the rule of the Pension Office has been that a sol
dier's widow must produce the certificate of some one
,who married them, or produce the record of her mar-

CORPORAL Tanner. 213
riage and the evidence of her identity with the person
who was married, or a witness who was present at the
maniage — no matter how long she may have lived with
her husband or how many children she may have borne
him, who have grown up to be held in honor as sons of
veterans — before she can get a pension, in case her hus
band dies, and her husband's certificate to the fact of
their maniage, or his will in favor of his wife were not
evidence in the Pension Office. Thousands and thou
sands of soldiers' widows have been denied a pension
on these technical rules, that are not in use or required
in any court of justice on a trial of marriage.
' ' For what reason ? Why, that there are bad women
who pretend to be married when they are not. Would
/ pay such women pensions if they were not married ?
No, not if I knew it, not if it were so shown to me.
But I would act in regard to them under the pension
laws as everybody acts under every other law, and if I
made a mistake, I should rather it be in favor of the
woman. If she has taken care of and rendered com
fortable, the soldier in his sickness and old age, and
tended his grave, I should not be so very much troubled
as to whether there was a ceremony prior to that or not,
if she acted as his wife. Oh, but I would deplete the
Treasury, would I ? Well, I would not have any
trouble on that account, I would a great deal rather
deplete the Treasury that way, than by putting it into
Englishmen's pockets by a free-trade tariff. To get
the surplus out of the Treasury, we are buying up
bonds and making a little profit out of the speculation,
so as to get the money into circulation, and to keep it
from being locked up in the Tfeasury. Is there any
better way on earth to distribute the money gotten out
of the Treasury, than to give it to poor pensioners, who
pay it out at once to 'the butcher, the baker and can
dlestick maker,' and everybody else, before it gets into
a bank, or into an accumulation of money ?
' ' Whereas, when they buy bonds it goes directly into

214 THE CAREER OF
the hands of the capitalist, and enables him to foster
great trusts, which make provisions dearer, and puts a
tax upon the necessities of life. No such thing happens
when the money is paid the pensioner.
' ' Mr. Tanner has not gone so far as I would have
gone in his place, is all I can say. The only difference,
otherwise, between us would have been, that I, being
an old politician and used to being vilified, and being
reasonably strong in body, with my legs to walk upon,
would not have been rendered a little peevish by my pain,
and should have heard all my opponents had to say,
without caring a copper, and without reply. The soldier,
wounded and suffering, stung to death by the spiders
and gnats and mosquitoes of the Press, did reply, and
that is brought up against him. They say it was not
in good taste. I never heard he did not fight in good
taste when he shot the enemies of his country. It is
nothing to me, whether his rifle was clean or dirty in
the Rebellion, and it is just as little to me now, when
he shoots at the enemies of his country in peace,
whether his words are exactly as rhetorical as they
would have been had he in 1861 gone to college instead
of to battle. I think he made the better Commissioner
that he went to battle instead of to college.
"Well, of what do they accuse him? Does any
body say he has given the money of the Government
to any body who was not a soldier in the War of the
Rebellion? Why, it is said he has given pensions
to soldiers who had not an honorable discharge. But
that was not his ruling; that was the ruling of the
Assistant Secretary of the Interior, and I am quite sure
he is not right. The country promised everybody a
pension who went to the war, was injured and had an
honorable discharge. If he deserted, and so did not
get an honorable discharge, the penalty by law for that
was death, if the Government chose to enforce it. But
you will search in vain for loss of pension on that ac
count. But what the Assistant Secretary of the In
terior decided regarding this is of very little account

CORPORAL TANNER. 21 5
SO far as Mr. Tanner is concerned. , He only followed
the decision of his superior.
* * * "To the honor of the Confederates be it
spoken that no complaint of Mr. Tanner's course comes
up firom the South. There may be now and then some
Yankee who has wandered down there, and got some
newspaper to say something about it, but from the
Confederate soldier nothing is said. In the political
organizations of the South — Southern men — nothing is
said. It is only the worst enemies that the country
had in its struggles for its life — the Copperheads of the
North — that are against the Grand Army, and against
Corporal Tanner.
' The mower mows on, thougli the adder may writhe
And the copperhead curl round the blade of the scythe.'
"About re-rating, those cases re-rated by Corporal
Tanner. A law was passed that they should be re-rated,
not long before the late Commissioner Black went out
of office. That law was executed by him faithfully,
fully, and generously, and I never heard of any body
that complained about the manner in which it was ex
ecuted. And it will turn out, I have no doubt, that
after the law was passed, in the latter part of General
Black's administration, he re-rated and raised more
pensions, and raised them higher than Corporal Tanner
has done. At any rate, let any commission of investi
gation take that into account.
' ' Does anybody complain that Mr. Tanner has done
anything more than his duty, done it diligently, has
been restless in the good work? He ought indeed to
be commended for doing justice according to the laws that
Congress has passed to his poor, bleeding, dying com
rades. Let any soldier cast the first stone and then a
mugwump may follow with a bad egg. ' '
Among the numerous public expressions of sympathy
tendered to Mr. Tanner on this occasion probably none
affected him more than the resolution unanimously
adopted by the Genesee Methodist Conference Veteran

2l6 THE CAREER OE CORPORAL TANNER.
Association at Lockport, N. Y. This Association is
composed of ministers who saw active service at the
front during the war, and the resolution, adopted with
out a dissenting voice was as follows:
" Resolved, That we have heard with sincere regret of
the resignation as Commissioner of Pensions of Corporal
James Tanner, forced from him by the influence of politi
cians, and that we deprecate the subordination of the
pension department to political wirepullers so that it can
not be administered by a man who, like Corporal Tan
ner, has the true interests of the soldiers at heart; and we
call upon the President of the United States to place the
granting of pensions in the hands of those who will ad
minister it in the interests of those who fought, bled
and suffered for their country, and to bestow upon Cor
poral Tanner recognition as befits the man who, in every
position, has shown himself the true friend of the sol
dier." After his retirement from the Pension Bureau, Mr.
Tanner entered upon the practice of his profession in
Washington and has built up an excellent business.
He still resides in picturesque old Georgetown, and
has a most delightful home, presided over by his accom
plished wife, a lady thoroughly fitted to be his helper
and inspiration, and brightened by two charming young
daughters, and a pair of sturdy sons.
Corporal Tanner is in the prime of his manhood,
vigorous, alert and ambitious,^ and it needs no prophet
to predict that he will yet be prominent in the councils
of the Nation. He is a man with a future as well as a
glorious past, and his career, here imperfectly sketched,
is not closed. "All things come to him who waits,"
and when the opportunity anives the man will be found
ready. James E. Smith.

EARLY DAYS IN THE
BLACK HILLS

The explorations of Professor Jenny and General
Custer during the years 1874 ^^^ 1875 in that wild up
heaval of the earth's surface known as the Black Hills
of Dakota, resulted in their purchase by the Government.
Long before the completion of the treaty, however,
by which this tract was acquired from its aboriginal in
habitants, organized bands of "prospectors" were on
hand, hovering along the borderland, much as in later
years attended the opening up of Oklahoma. But the
Black Hills had been for ages the hunting ground of
numerous bands of restless, untamable savages, who
recognized no right in the Sioux chiefs to transfer these
lands, and they openly declared that they would lift the
scalp of every white man they caught in their domain.
This was not a pleasant outlook for the gold-hunters,
but, while mostly unskilled in Indian warfare, they were
as a rule bold, reckless men, not unused to taking des-
217

2l8 EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS.
perate chances, so when the military let down the bars
a great horde rushed in, the most of whom succeeded in
reaching Custer City. This was a post established by
General Custer, and consisted of log banacks and, some
distance down the valley of French Creek, a stockade.
erected by Professor Jenny. The first comers put up
tents and rough log shanties, and so the infant city was
started. The roving Indians promptly opened hostil
ities by blockading the only two roads leading into the
Hills from the south, one through the Red Canon, the
other by way of Buffalo Gap. Red Canon became a
veritable valley of death. Train after train was cap
tured, the freighters slaughtered and their goods carried
away or burned. As the young city and the adjacent
mining camps depended on these trains for supplies, the
situation was rapidly becoming desperate. Outside,
grim death awaited all stragglers, while in the city the
prospect of starvation was disagreeably imminent.
We had the usual supply of alleged desperadoes with
us in that trying time — "Red-handed Mike " and "Ara
pahoe Joe" and numerous others with blood-curdling
nick-names, who adorned the saloons, and with huge
revolvers strapped to their hips, made the air blue with
details of the sanguinary deeds they had done and
could do, but not one of them volunteelred to go out on
the trail or venture their worthless carcasses beyond
the danger line for the protection of the trains. In this
desperate strait a meeting was called in Custer to con
sider what was best to do. Among those present was a
quiet, unassuming young man who had seen service in
the Civil War, and enjoyed the unique distinction, in
that part of the country, of having never tasted liquor

J. W. CRAWFORD

EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 219
in his life, nor gambled, nor was he given to profane
relations of his own wonderful exploits ; yet he was
pretty well known as a man of iron nerve, sound judg
ment, and a courage that no danger could appall. About
the only concession he made to the established customs
of the plains was in allowing his abundant brown hair to
float down his shoulders in silky waves, and in wearing
a great, wide-brimmed, felt hat. His handsome features
and soft blue eyes, with a dreamy cast of countenance,
rendered him a remarkable man in any gathering. His
gentle, courteous manners, however, were never mis
understood by the desperate characters so plentiful on
the border. They treated him with the respect that his
record wananted. This was Capt. Jack Crawford, who
later on commanded Crook's scouts.
With rather unexpected good judgment the meeting
decided to appeal to Captain Jack, whose headquarters
were then in Custer City, to take charge of the situation,
with full powers. He accepted the responsibility, and
an immediate change for the better became apparent.
He and his band of trained scouts soon taught the fierce
Arabs of the plains to keep out of their reach, and so
vigilantly did they guard the trails that an unwonted
sense of security pervaded the city and surrounding
camps. The trains came through with reasonable regu
larity, and provisions became plentiful. Rifles and
revolvers were no longer considered necessary bed-fel
lows, and I can recall with what a comfortable feeling
of security I would lie down in my bunk at night when
I knew that Jack and his faithful troop were out on the
road between us and the savages.
But this peaceful state of affairs did n't last a great

220 EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS.
while. General Crook's column came along and ab
sorbed Captain Crawford and his gallant scouts. With
their disappearance on that long campaign our troubles
recommenced. Our wily foes resumed their bloody work, and just be
yond Custer City there seemed to be an invisible dead
line — whoever crossed it never returned. His bones
alone were afterwards found on the arid desert.
The passage of the Red Canon again became so
fraught with peril that few were bold enough to attempt
it. I recall the horror that thrilled us when we heard
of the massacre of the Metz party of seven determined
men who had made the venture. Not one lived to get
through. There was an irregular line of stages running between
Cheyenne and the Hills. That is a coach, so called,
would make the passage when it was considered safe to
do so. After Captain Jack' s departure the stages ceased
their trips until one night a bold driver known as
' ' Stuttering Brown ' ' determined to try and get through.
He carried no passengers. He had not gone many miles
before he was attacked by the watchful savages, and
lashing his animals to the top of their speed he kept up
a running fight until, becoming desperately wounded,
he mounted one of the mules, cut him loose from the
stage and so escaped into Fort Laramie, where he died.
On the road which enters the Hills through Buffalo
Gap matters were equally as bad. Incoming trains
were corralled and attacked, the animals stampeded and
supplies destroyed. The few that did reach us left
many of their companions on the plains. Certain death
awaited those who ventured beyond the foot-hills. A

EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 221
number of so-called ' ' scouts ' ' were engaged to replace
Captain Crawford's band, but their services were of
slight account.
A few incidents will serve to show the perilous char
acter of the sunoundings of the mining towns in the
Hills. One Sunday early in June, 1876, a Rev. Dr.
Smith preached a sermon to an attentive crowd on the
only street in Deadwood. After concluding his dis
course he started on foot and alone for Crook City, eight
miles east, where he had promised to hold services. It
was, of course, a rash undertaking, but he was a reso
lute, fearless man, and could not be persuaded to wait
until a party would go over. He was killed and scalped
within two miles of the spof where he had delivered his
last sermon. When the news reached Deadwood a
force was organized to go out and bring in his body,
which they did, but at the cost of three more lives be
fore sunset. The bodies were all brought in and buried
in a newly-opened cemetery, since made famous by Capt.
Jack Crawford in a poem dedicated to ' ' Wild Bill. ' '
One of the brave dead was Charley Holland, who had
come out in our train. He was an Odd Fellow, and
about seventy brothers of the Order, including this
writer, were gathered together and followed his remains
to their last resting place across the creek of Deadwood.
Under the shadow of a tall cypress we laid him away,
while Judge Kuykendall, of Cheyenne, read the burial
service of the I. O. O. F.
While this ceremony was going on, a second party
was performing the last sad rites for another of the vic
tims, Ike Brown, who, although a professional gambler,
had many manly qualities and an unflinching courage

222 EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS.
that extorted universal admiration. He died, at the
least, in a good cause.
Meanwhile things were rapidly going from bad to
worse, and finally the miners of Deadwood and vicinity
took the bull by the horns as it were, and offered a
reward of $300 for every Indian head brought in. The
first (and the only one, I believe) that was presented
created the wildest excitement in the camp. Business
was suspended, the head elevated on a pole and carried
up and down the gulch, followed by a frantic crowd,
yelling like lunatics.
The man who had brought in the cause of all this
commotion was the hero of the hour; nothing was too
good for him. He owned the town. But he bore his
blushing honors meekly, and modestly declined to talk
much of his daring achievement.
The next morning, however, produced a startling
change in the situation, at least for one man, in the
shape of another "Richmond" in quest of a head that
had been separated from the body of an Indian killed
by him the day before while he was in pursuit of a
small band that had stolen some horses from him. He
did not stop until he had recovered his animals some
distance below Crook City. When he returned to his
' ' good Indian ' ' he found the head missing. The wrath
of the rancher may be imagined. He swore a mighty
oath to slay the man who had played him such a scurvy
trick. He soon got on his trail and tracked him to
Deadwood. The meeting between them was sharp and
decisive, and ended in the hero of the celebration of the
day before biting the dust. Nothing was ever done to
the ranchman, for the Deadwood of that period, rough
as it was, had no use for a thief

EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 223
Early in June, I decided to leave Deadwood for civ
ilization. On arriving at Custer City I had to wait sev
eral days until a train was made up for the trip to
Cheyenne, as the chances of one man, or even two or
three, reaching it were of the slimmest kind. A party
of twenty-one men and ten wagons finally got ready,
elected a Captain, one Glynn, to whom was delegated
absolute authority over the outfit, and, by a majority
vote, the route through Red Canon was selected.
About this time, as we afterwards learned, the
deserters firom the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Agen
cies were moving north to join Sitting Bull. Their
trail crossed ours between the mouth of Red Canon and
"Down Indian" Creek.
The first station after leaving the Red Canon is
"Cheyenne River Ranch," and from there it is thirty-
three miles to ' ' Down Indian ' ' Creek, the next station
where wood and water was to be had. This is called
"the long drive."
On this part of thte route we found abundant evidence
that a large force of braves had very recently passed to
the north. We saw numerous ponies and troops of for
lorn looking dogs straggling along, evidently in the
wake of the advancing column. Our party captured a
number of the ponies, that were secured by the men
without going too far away from the train, for Indian
"signs" were becoming alarmingly thick. We pro
ceeded cautiously until about noon when we were
halted by a fusilade from the crest of a bluff, which
concealed the enemy firom our view. The train was
corralled and preparations made for defence.
After standing around for about an hour and hearing

224 EARLY DAYS IN THE BtACK HILLS.
nothing further from the enemy, I became impatient
and asked the Captain what he intended doing. ' ' Oh,
we must wait for developments, ' ' was his reply.
Now my knowledge of Indian fighting was very
limited, but it seemed to me that if the savages were
strong enough to attack us they would have done so
before this, and I so stated to the Captain, ad,ding that
if he would give me ten men, half the force, I would
deploy them as skirmishers and find out the exact situ
ation of affairs. He flatly refused.
Meantime the firing from the bluff had re-commenced
and stray bullets were dropping unpleasantly near,
liable to do damage any minute, while twenty drmed
men were hugging the ground inside the corral.
I tried to convince the party of the danger of remain
ing inactive, thus giving the Indians time to collect a
force large enough to overwhelm us, but all to no pur
pose. Becoming thoroughly e^^asperated, I leaped on my
horse and dashed straight for the bluffs, where I had
just seen two heads cautiously raised to take observa
tions. As I neared the hills I noticed a gap, caused by
a dry creek or ravine, on the left, and making for it at
a run, I flanked the bluff and was rewarded by seeing
two braves in hasty retreat ! This, of course, increased
my courage, and dashing across the sandy bed of the
creek I fired two or three shots in quick succession after
the flying foe. Just then my horse stumbled and threw
me over his head. I had a pretty hard fall, but recovered
myself and started back, leading the horse. I expected
that at least a few of my brave companions would have
come to my assistance, but not one of them had moved

EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 225
from the safe covert of the conal. I was sore from the
fall, and deeply chagrined by the womanish timidity of
the men I was traveling with through this dangerous
countrj', and when I got back to them I expressed my
views of their conduct in no measured terms. They
took the rating meekly enough, and the Captain, feeling
that he was out of his element, resigned his charge. I
was immediately elected to the vacancy, but promptly
declined the honor. I curtly informed the gang that I
had no doubt of my ability to reach Cheyenne, but
doubted very much whether they would ever see it.
The next night we camped at Hat Creek, where we
met a detachment of soldiers who had been sent out to
help the ranchers, whose property had been destroyed
by the Indians on their march to the Little Big Horn.
A sutler, who was with the troops, had a generous sup
ply of whiskey, and the members of our train clubbed
together and purchased some twenty half-pint flasks,
which were solemnly tendered to me as a peace-offering !
I declined the testimonial, and as we reached Laramie
soon after, I there left the outfit and rode into Cheyenne,
ninety-three miles, alone.
Several days later, while seated in a barber's chair
enjoying a civilized shave, I was treated to a thrilling
tale of the wild adventures of a small party that had
just come in from the Black Hills. The individual who
was giving his experience of the desperate fight his train
had had — how they were compelled to entrench on the
prairie; how a mere handful of brave men had, after a
long and bloody struggle, beat off a vastly superior
body of Indians — was behind me and I could not see
his face. When the barber had completed his job I

226 EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS.
tumed to ask this gallant hero where he and his party
had been rounded up, and was struck speechless at be
holding one of our own party, a freighter named Harris,
who had never showed his nose outside the conal while
the two Indians remained on the bluffs.
When he saw me he collapsed at once, but recovering
himself he declared to the crowd that I had saved the
train by my personal prowess. I was pretty wrathy,
and nipped the blood-curdling story in the bud by re
lating the actual facts of the case, which were tame
enough. When I had got through the freighter had
disappeared and I saw no more of him or his com
panions. I may be pardoned for relating here a few little in
cidents connected with Captain Crawford.
When General Crook and his famished army reached
Deadwood on their return, they had been subsisting on
horse-flesh for many days prior to their arrival. Cap
tain Jack had promised the correspondent of the New
York Herald to deliver his dispatches at the nearest
telegraph office in advance of his competitors, and so
hurried on ahead of the army at his utmost speed. He
came into Deadwood in advance of the column — to
anange for his eighty-mile ride to Custer and thence to
Laramie. He was, needless to say, very hungry, and
carried with him his share of the last army rations
issued— a hind leg of a colt ! Entering the " I. X. L. "
hotel he slapped his meat on the counter and requested
the man in charge to have a steak cooked from that,
quick. Jack had just come off a long and fatiguing cam
paign, part of the time hunting Indians, and a consid-

EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 227
erable portion of it being hunted by them. He was
weary and haggard, his hair unkempt and face covered
with a beard an inch long, and although no man was
better known in Deadwood and the mining camps
around it, it was not strange that the barkeeper failed
to recognize the pleasant-mannered pioneer scout of the
Black Hills in the wild looking individual who wanted
a steak prepared from the leg of a colt.
Keeping an eye on his suspicious customer, he backed
off towards the kitchen, separated from the bar and
dining room by a screen door. Through this he plunged
rather precipitately, almost upsetting the proprietor,
Jimmy Van Danniker, who was coming in from the
kitchen. " What the devil ails you ? " he shouted.
"There 's a wild man at the counter who wants a
horse cooked ! " gasped the barkeeper.
Van Danniker cautiously reconnoitered the situation,
and, slipping behind the bar, secured his revolver and
then sternly demanded of the uncouth object before
him an explanation. Jack, who had laid his weary
head on bis folded arms was half asleep, but at the sum
mons raised up and looked his old friend full in the
face, but could discern no answering glance of .recogni
tion in the angry eyes that glared threateningly at him.
Van was known to be, in the Hills vernacular, ' ' a bad
man with a gun, ' ' and unpleasantly quick sometimes to
resent any "fooling," to use another expressive term,
so Crawford just quietly said, "Jim, don't you know
me?" The musical voice was about all that was left of
Jack, seemingly, but it was enough. Down went the

228 EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS.
revolver, out of the front door the leg of the colt, and Cap
tain Jack soon sat down to a repast that included the
best of everything in the Deadwood market.
After filling up to the limit, and a short Test, he pulled
out for Custer City, urging his wiry little broncho to its
utmost speed. Upon his arrival, just before dark, the
horse was so utterly worn out that he found himself
compelled to lay over and give it a chance to recuperate.
He placed him in a stall next to one occupied by a fa
mous race horse owned by a well-known sporting
man from Denver, named Davis, who happened to be in
Custer City, and knowing Jack intimately, had offered
him the use of his stable.
Returning to the cabin dignified by the name of hotel,
he rolled himself in his blanket on the floor of an empty
room and would have been instantly asleep had he not
overheard a few words of conversation, from a party in
the adjoining room, in which his own name occuned.
Listening with the trained intensity of a frontiersman,
he discovered that a scheme had been . formed by the
other newspaper correspondents at Custer to get their
dispatches in ahead of Jack. They had engaged a well-
known mail-ridei to carry their matter, with the under
standing that if he succeeded in reaching a telegraph
station in advance of Crawford his compensation would
be something princely. After the business had been
disposed of the party separated, the mail-rider stipulat
ing that he should have a couple of hours' sleep before
starting. "Jack's broncho is used up, anyhow," he remarked.
"I've looked him over, and he can't stir before morn
ing, if then."

EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 229
This was enough for Captain Jack, and waiting until
he heard his rival snoring, he silently crept out, and
going to the stable he felt around in the dark for his
horse. To his intense dismay he found him lying in
in the stall dead. This was a state of affairs he had not
counted upon. Where to get another animal at that
hour he did not know, and delay meant defeat, for the
mail-rider was undoubtedly well equipped for his trip.
Jack had a well- written account of Crook's great
campaign to its termination, but its special value de
pended upon his getting it telegraphed to the Herald
ahead of th% rival news-gatherers.
Just then the Davis mare neighed.
"Aha! said Jack softly, "that settles it." And in
a few minutes he had her saddled and bridled, led out
and mounted.
Walking her cautiously past the house, he suddenly
found himself, in the dim light, looking into the muzzle
of a Henry rifle protruding from an open window, with
Davis' grim face behind it !
"Don't shoot, Davis!" he cried. "It's I— Jack
Crawford. I'll take good care of the mare and bring
her back to you, but I must have her to-night," and
he was off on the trail like the wind. Davis did n't
shoot, although that mare was the apple of his eye, for
he knew that he could trust Jack.
That long, solitary, and dangerous ride through a
desert, peopled only by roving bands of hostile savages;
the arrival the next day at Laramie ; the holding of the
wires (after the despatches had been sent off), with a
mass of personal adventures, against the delayed matter
of the other conespondents until he felt assured (which

230 EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS.
turned out to be a fact) that the New York Herald had
the exclusive details of the campaign a day in advance
of any other paper in America, all this has been pub
lished heretofore and need not be repeated.
The Herald was so pleased with the exploit that its
proprietor sent Jack a check high up in three figures,
and his thanks besides.
Captain Crawford has collected and published his
poems in an elegant volume, which has had a wide sale.
With his permission one of them, a dialect poem, is
here given. It is an excellent example of his versatil
ity and of the sparkling wit that bubbles from his pen
as naturally and refreshingly as the cool waters from
some mountain spring. It originally appeared in the
New York Clipper. SANTA CLAUS in THE MINES.
It seemed so tarnal foolish like
Fur men ter tackle children's play.
But w'en ol' Califomy Mike
Said: "Boys, to-monow 's Christmas day;
Suppose we all hang up our socks
An' see what Sandy Claws '11 bring? "
Us four, big, burly miner gawks
Decided it war jest the thing.
So thar, beside our cabin fire.
All glowin' with its ruddy coals,
We made a play, but I 'm a liar
If every sock wan't full o' holes I
At this diskivery we all
Roared out in laughin' shouts an' hoots,

EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 23I
Till Forty-niner Jim McCall /
Said: "Durn it, le 's hang up our Ix/fs."
The new suggestion seemed to strike
The gang as bein' payin' ore.
So every boot went on a spike
Drove jest outside the cabin door.
An' then fur two hull hours we set
A talkin' Chris' mas talk, an' all
The boys a guessin' w'at they 'd get
When Sandy made his flyin' call.
We talked of boyhood's happy times
W'en Chris' mas cum, back in the States,
An' how we used ter save the dimes
Ter buy our little sleds an' skates.
An' how the row of little socks
'D hang above the fireplace light
An' all about our hopeful talks
W'en in our trundle beds at night.
I '11 tell ye, pard, thar wa'nt no lack
O' regular, outpourin' tears.
As recollection tuk us back
Along the trail now dimmed with years.
An' every heart jest seemed to melt
While talkin' of our kith and kin.
An' each ol' grizzled miner felt
Jest like he war a boy agin.
Next mornin' jest as peep o' day
Across the mountain 'gan ter drift.
As in our bunks we snoozin' lay,

232 EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HlLt.S.
One o' the boys yelled " Chris'mas Gift ! "
Then up we sprung onto the floor,
A bilin' with ol' boyish fun.
An' made a rush out o' the door
Ter see w'at Sandy Claws had done.

I 've heard o' men so cussed mean
They wa'nt fit ter live with hogs.
Nor wa'nt proper ter be seen
In company o' decent dogs.
But they war angels w'en compar'd
Unto that meanest o' galoots
Thet in the quiet night-time dar'd
Ter sneak along an' steal our boots !
A string o' tracks out through the snow.
Toward a distant minin' camp.
The thief's direction went to show.
An' indicated him a tramp.
But somehow in my mind it runs
'Twar Sandy Claws as tuk 'em in,
Ter punish us big sons of guns.
Fur tryin' ter be boys agin.
Capt. Crawford is of Scottish lineage, and doubtless
some tinge of the Highland blood of his remote ances
try is responsible for his adventurous life. He enlisted
early in the war in a company recruited about Miners-
ville. Pa. His company was in the advance in the gi
gantic work of undermining the forts in front of Peters
burg. He was twice wounded, once at Chancellorsville,

EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 233
and again at Spottsylvania, and a very slight limp in
his gait serves as a reminder of his life at the front.
After the war he drifted to the West, and was one of
the seven men who first penetrated the Black Hills,
being chief of scouts for a party of rangers. He subse
quently served with Custer, and then as chief of scouts
for Gen. Crook. He afterwards took part in the cam
paign against the old Indian chief Victoria, following
him to the Mexican line, where Victoria was killed.
Secretary Lincoln appointed him post trader at Fort
Craig, New Mexico, after this campaign, and after that
post was abandoned he was made custodian of the res
ervation. He is now employed as a Special Agent of the Indian
Bureau, looking up frauds against these wards of the
Nation, and waging war against those selling them
liquor. His home is an ideal one for a borderman, being ro
mantically situated on the banks of the Rio Grande, in
the centre of his cattle range of forty-two miles square,
where his herds of cattle and brood-mares roam at will
in the wide river bottoms and through the grassy foot
hills. Here he resides with his wife and children, two
daughters and a son. This son, Harry, although but
twenty, is a famous rider, and Captain Jack is specially
proud of his abilities as a "roper," he having on one
occasion thrown a wild steer and tied him in forty -seven
and a half seconds from the word "go," a record which
has never been equalled by the most expert cow boy in
the West.
As has been before stated. Captain Crawford has
never tasted liquor, and his reason for it, as given by

234 EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS.
himself, shows both the affectionate and resolute side of
his character. He says:
"Through my father's one great failing, intemper
ance, I was deprived of most everything that a boy
should have had. When my mother lay on her death
bed she called me to her, and placing her hand on my
head, she whispered: 'Johnny, my son, my wild and
reckless boy, you know how much your mother loves
you. I am going to heaven, my boy, and I want you
to give me a promise that I may take it hence with me.
Promise that you will never drink intoxicating liquors,
and it will not be so hard for me' to leave this world.'
I gave that promise, and amid all the temptations of
army and frontier life, whenever I was asked to take a
drink, that scene at my Christian mother's bedside came
to me, and I was safe."
Captain Crawford is a ready, eloquent and witty
speaker, and is in constant request at camp-fires, re
unions and temperance meetings, when his duties per
mit his absence from home.

To The grand army of the republic. 235

To the Grand Army of the Republic.
I feel that I can not close these memoirs without re
ferring to the grandest body of men ever banded to
gether for mutual protection, brotherly assistance and
mutual comradeship.
Being an invalid, physically helpless, these noble at
tributes of the Order whose name appears above have
been forcibly brought home to me during the years I
have been confined to room and bed, and through many
a sleepless night have my thoughts reverted to the old
heroic days that gave reason for the present existence
of the Grand Army of the Republic.
It was bom in the storm of battle, nurtured in the
weary marches through pestilential swamps under a
burning Southern sun, and cemented in the prison stock
ade, on the deadly skirmish line, at the lonely picket
post — for those who were comrades at the front are com
rades still, and will be unril iJue last man is mustered
out. These are the "boys" who marched away in the
sixties, singing gayly:
"We are coming, Father Abraham,
Six hundred thousand more,"
leaving father and mother, wife and children, sweet
heart and friends, at their country's call, and whether

236 TO THE GRAND Army of the republic.
their brave young lives went out amid the thundering
of the guns, or wasted away by fell disease, or they sur
vived to join hands and hearts in after years in the G.
A. R., they are the Nation's immortal heroes.
When the mighty armies, whose tramp had been
heard around the world, had quietly dissolved, their
survivors would come together to talk over the perils
they had shared together, and these reunions gradually
crystalized into one vast aggregation, banded together
in Friendship, Charity and Loyalty.
These are the men whom Lincoln trusted — the men
who solved the problem that could only be solved by
the sword.
Is it strange that during the tedious hours of the past
two years the bright faces of visiting comrades were
like rays of sunshine ? for I, like the others who wore
the blue, am now proud to wear the bronze button of
the G. A. R.
The benefits of the Order are most forcibly ex
perienced when sickness or want invades the home, and
'tis then the soldier feels that he is not alone in the
world, but is the object of the care and solicitude of his
comrades. When deserted by hope, racked with pain, mental
and physical, believing that I would never leave my
bed alive, many weary hours of the night have I passed
with the " Phantom Army " long since gone to its
eternal camping ground; the Army that crossed the
River of Life many years ago and is now awaiting the
rear guard. In my fancy I found two armies about me,
the material and the spiritual, the former composed of
comrades whose friendly visits cheered me during the

TO THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. 237
day, the latter my companions of the night. So it
was that day or night present or absent comrades con
tributed to my comfort.
To the living soldier friei\ds my best thanks are due
for calls that seemed to relieve me of half the suffering I
endured, their very presence a better medicine for body
and mind than all the drugs in the pharmacopoeia.
And when the last tattoo is sounded and our spirits
are called to join the Grand Army gone before, we
know that our comrades' loving hands will bear us ten
derly to the tomb, and that each recuning year will see
our graves blooming with the roses of remembrance
while a member of the Grand Army of the Republic
survives.
James E. Smith,
Kit Carson Post, No. 2, Dep't of the Potomac.

THE END.

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