1st Artillery Regiment (Light) Battery L
Civil War Newspaper Clippings

Battery L in the Late Fight at Hatcher's Run--Notes of what's Transpired.
BATTERY L, CAMP WAINWRIGHT,
Feb 12th, 1865.

Another left flank movement has been made by the Army of the Potomac, resulting in the extension of its lines about four miles, and wresting from the enemy the ground in the vicinity of Hatcher's Run, where the scene of last October's unfortunate operations took place. This result was accomplished with the loss of about one thousand men killed and wounded and taken prisoners on our side, with a similar loss on the part of the enemy. The papers have furnished my readers the particulars of the movement, and so I shall confine myself to the operations performed by Battery L and what passed under my own observation in the affair.

Three batteries, or rather two sections each of three batteries of the Fifth Corps, started off last Sunday morning, following Gibbin's Division, namely, Batteries L and D 1st N, Y., and the 9th Mass. Battery. The guns and caissons were each drawn by eight horses, and the men and animals were supplied with four day's rations and forage. We took the Halifax road, running nearly parallel with the Weldon road, and then struck off in a north-westerly direction, to form a junction with the 3d corps, whose course was on the Vaughn road. The roads were in a very favorable condition, admiting the passage of artillery and wagons with little trouble. Arriving at Romanty Creek, or a stream which emptied into it, called Monk's Head, we found the bridge destroyed, which necessitated the building of another, the bed of the stream being extremely marshy. This was done under the personal direction of General Warden. Near the east side of this creek was a large frame house, surrounded by several barns, sheds and negro huts, which, before the troops got across the stream, were all set on fire and consumed. Several buildings had been burned before this along the route of march, but happily all deserted if I mistake not. In front of the above house, near the road, scattered on the ground, were human bones—here the bone of an arm, there of a leg, burned and blackened, portraying fearfully the horrors of war. It was on this spot, so I was informed, that some ambulances were abandoned or captured and destroyed by fire during Wilton's great cavalry raid on Burkesville last summer. In these ambulances were some wounded Union soldiers, left to take care of themselves, which they were unable to do in consequence of their helpless condition, and so they perished in the flames. The men who thus fired the buildings were reported to have said that they wanted revenge for the fate of their burnt comrades.

In the course of our march on Sunday, we encountered no enemy, though in the afternoon the 2nd corps on our right, was hotly and heavily engaged. We halted that evening, about six o'clock near the Vaughn road went into camp, but at 10 o'clock we were routed up and proceeded to Hatcher's Run, reaching there about day light. Here we quietly remained on the west side of the run, while our cavalry and infantry advanced and maneuvered against the enemy. The densely wooded character of the country hereabouts, rendered it very difficult to use artillery on our side, and in fact, during the three days fighting, only six shots were fired by our artillery, to my knowledge, and those were fired by a section of Battery L. on Tuesday afternoon, which, in obedience to orders advanced to the line of our reserve pickets, and threw a few shell into some woods at an unseen battery, eliciting a reply, and the unacceptable fire from hidden rebel sharp-shooters, who blazed away at us with their minnie balls, hitting the carriage wheels, sponge buckets and coming into very close personal proximity. That was no place for rifled guns, especially as not a rebel could be seen, and so we were wisely ordered back into our old position.

But to return to Monday afternoon. The 5th corps troops were driving the enemy finely. Crawford's division was pushing forward vigorously, supported by Griffins and Ayer's divisions and a brigade of the sixth corps. They drove the enemy full two miles from where the Vaughn road crossed the run, and the south side road appeared to begetting within grasping distance. But just here, matters took another turn, our line began to waver, then it broke, a kind of panic seized our troops, caused by our cavalry falling back hastily, through our lines and by the sixth corps troops firing upon our men, and in a few minutes all the ground that had been gained was lost and there was general confusion and disorder. The men were hurrying towards the corduroy bridge crossing Hatcher's run, wagons and ambulances were beating a rapid retreat and in a word, there was " demoralization", and a regular stampede.

Mounted officers and orderlies were hurrying to and fro, Gen. Warren was reported killed or captured and things looked extremely shaky.— Bitterly L had not as yet been ordered into position, but a galloping orderly soon brought orders for us to take position, just about where we were, and "in battery" we quickly went to await the onset of the advancing enemy, with double rounds of canister to each gun. We thought the time had come when the true metal of the battery would be unmistakably told, and what wonder, if there loomed up visions of Libby Prison, Andersonville or Salsbury? Our caissons and army wagons had been ordered across the Run. The latter vehicle, while in transit over the bridge, was lifted up by the demoralized stampeders, and tossed into the stream, mules, driver and all. The wagon was fished out the next morning, a broken concern. We very naturally regretted the wetting and loss of its contents, containing as it did, rations, forage, baggage, &c.

The enemy after breaking our lines and driving our troops, failed to follow his advantages, and in a short time our lines were reformed and a new start was taken from the first starting point. The rebels did not come near enough for us to fire at, and on the reformation of our lines, we advanced to a temporary line of works where we remained in position, with the horses kept in harness every day, until yesterday when we were relieved, as were Battery D and the Massachusetts Battery, by three other batteries of our Brigade. We returned to camp, which is about eight miles from Hatcher's Run. Thus ended one of the severest campaigns for a short one, as to weather, &c., we have experienced for many a month. We are now in the enjoyment of our quarters, snug and comfortable, which took so long to build, but how long we shall tarry here is doubtful.

The 5th Corps (infantry) have not returned to their old quarters, but will occupy the new lines established on the left. The headquarters of the corps have been moved. The batteries of our brigade continue to garrison some of the forts along the 9th Corps. This is one of the beauties of being in the reserve, to be on hand for every movement and afford relief to those at the front.

I suppose, ere long, another attempt will be made to get possession of the South Side Road. Whether this last move was really for that purpose or not I cannot say. I think it was made more for a diversion in favor of Sherman than any thing else, though the alleged original object of the expedition is said to have been the capture of one of the enemy's trains on its way to Wilmington. This was accomplished, or at least forty wagons were captured. We now hold Hatcher's Run, and have built formidable works just this side of that stream, at Vaughn Road crossing. The entire length of our lines from the extreme right to the extreme left must now be in the neighborhood of fifty miles. Of course the enemy's lines are proportionately as long, and yet where is the weak spot in either line, or isn't there any? O ye despised and ridiculed spades of by-gone days, what power and virtue ye do now possess! Where the spade was formerly used in the advance of miles by him who once commanded the Army of the Potomac, it is now used in the advance of yards by the army's present commander, and wisely so used.

Gen. Bragg's Brigade of veteran troops, who fought so heroically in the recent movement—a brigade of Gen. Crawford's Division—started for Baltimore yesterday on business pertaining to the draft, we surmise. By-the-bye, speaking of the draft, we have not heard from our honest appeal made in November last. We are waiting patiently. Come, good, loyal friends of Rochester, come, fill up the ranks, step to the music of the Union, and don't delay for the draft or expend time and money in hunting up substitutes. Give a helping hand to the "peace commissioners" of your heart and choice.

G.B.

From:

New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs: Military History
Last modified: March 14, 2006
URL: http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/historic/reghist/civil/artillery/1stArtLt/1stArtLtBatLCWN.htm