bs PERSONAL NARRATIVES OF EVENTS IN THE WAR OF THE § BEING PAPERS READ BEFORE THE T RHODE ISLAND SOLDIERS AND SAILORS HISTORICAL SOCIETY. PROVIDENCE: PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY 1884. SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY, IN NORTH CAROLINA. PROVIDENCE PRESS COMPANY, PRINTERS. PHILIP S. CHASE, [Late Second Lieutenant Battery F, Rhode Island Light Artillery. PROVIDENCE: PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY 1884. SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY, IN NORTH CAROLINA. pay sot eis or. oe ‘ sa Gs ey sin ¢ ar New- [Edition limited to two hundred and fifty copies.] rei ni ee ee one Aes, apna Mow bern, North Carolina, were enjoying a season of quiet in their camps, securing the needed rest for both men and horses, after the expedition to Golds- boro during the latter part of the preceding month. The unsuccessful attempt of General Burnside with the Army of the Potomac to advance at Fred- ericksburg, and the return of that force to its camps on the north of the Rappahannock, was the principal subject of conversation at this time. Vague rumors reached us that General Burnside was not properly supported by some of his commanding officers, and an almost gloomy feeling seemed to have taken pos- 6 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, session of the whole force. General Burnside was loved by the troops in North Carolina, particularly that part of the force which accompanied him on the expedition to that State, and the expression of sym- pathy was well nigh universal, and in many instances concluded with remarks not complimentary to other officers, believing that jealousy was among the causes of the defeat. Early in the month, orders were received at Department Headquarters to embark a force to co- operate with the naval forces in an attack upon Wil- mington, North Carolina. Belger’s Battery was assigned to this force. The pieces were dismounted, and loaded on board a schooner, and thirty-one horses put on another schooner. Lieutenant Wil- liam A. Arnold, with a detail of men, accompanied them to Moorehead City, under sail, at which place the remaining officers and men were to join them on their arrival. On the twenty-fifth of January, Lieutenant Thomas Simpson, with forty men, w as ordered to Moorehead City, by rail, to disembark the battery and return to Newbern; the horses were left on board and transferred to a battery of the Third FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY. New York Artillery, ber from that command. in exchange for the same num- Major-General J. G. Foster, in a report to the committee on the conduct of this movement : “ I received orders from Major Gen- eral Halleck to co-operate with the naval forces in an attack on Wilmington, North Carolina. All the preparations were completed, and the troops about being embarked at ] seaufort, North Carolina, when the news arrived of the foundering of the Monitor, at sea. The loss of this iron-clad, which only armored vessel in was the service, of sufficient light draught to enter the new inlet of Cape Fear river and take up position in reverse of the enemy’s bat- teries on Federal Point, caused a change in the des- tination of the expedition. JI was then ordered to take the expedition to South C arolina, and co-operate with Admiral Du Pont in the projected attack on Charleston, South Carolina. “Accordingly, the fleet having on board about twelve thousand (12,000) men, the best troops in North Carolina, sailed from Beaufort harbor, North Caro- lina, on the second of February, 1863. Arriving at the war, thus writes of 8 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY. 9 Hilton Head, I paid my respects to Major-General Hunter. I then called on Admiral Du Pont to arrange the plan of the joint attack. The Admiral different from the report of General Foster, and short extracts from some of their letters may be of interest here. The New York Herald correspondent, under explained that he could not be ready in less than two date of Port Royal, South Carolina, February 9, weeks, in consequence of having to increase the 1863, wrote : : thickness of the decks of the monitors. I then de- “Foster's expedition is at a standstill — worse cided to profit by the delay in obtaining some 100- even, for the troops are disembarking from the trans- pound Parrotts for siege guns, and after informing ports, and taking up their quarters on St. Helena General Hunter of my intention, left for Fortress iid AN the uasery which enshrouded the expe- Monroe for that purpose. After I left, General dition for so many weeks is thus useless, and many Hunter issued an order breaking up my organiza- days must elapse before anything can be achieved by tion, and merging my whole force into the small it. Reports are rife as to disagreements between corps commanded by him. He also ordered my Generals Hunter and Foster, and it would seem as personal staff to leave his department forthwith. though the authorities at Washington had re-enacted Under these circumstances I requested and obtained the Butler-Banks embroglio with still worse results. authority from General Halleck to return to North General Hunter, however, does not seem disposed : - Carolina. The twelve thousand (12,000) picked to leave his department, but as it is clearly impos- men that were thus lost to my command were not sible for two heads of departments to live amicably used with any effect in conjunction with Admiral in the came locality, one of them vacates and goes Du Pont’s attack on Charleston; and the expedition thus failed.” North for additional instructions. General Foster leaves to-morrow by the ‘Arago,’ and you must not, The war correspondents’ version of the trouble therefore, expect to hear anything further from this y \anearale “ae foster wac « rhe rey: » - ” between Generals Hunter and Foster was somewhat expedition for at least three weeks to come. 10 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, The same Correspondent under date of February Ad: 1863, wrote : “The vessels comprising sailed fron) Beaufort, ninth ult. the expedition which North Carolina, » have lain quietly at harbor ever on the twenty- anchor in Port Royal since their arrival, troops on board of them have reported Up to to-night the not, ina single instance, General Hunter, in are located, former commander for duty to whose department they General Foster, d them hither a few made an e their » followe days xcursion to Warsaw & reconnoiterir after their arrival, and Ossibau sounds, went on 1g trip to sterday for North Carolina during his stay, report for duty to ( Folly river, and left ye again, having, not only failed to reneral Hunter, but, order placing his corps unde and as I learn, , Just prior to his dep: r General Naglee’ assuring his troops that his column V way distinct and se department.” having issued an irture, S command, vas in every parate from General Hunter’s The Boston Journal contained the date of Moorehead City, Febru eer following under ary 12, 1863: Chis morning the steamer' S. R. Spaulding’ came SHT ARTILLERY. 11 FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLER in from Port Royal with Major-General Foster we is who is on his way to Washington to see pave himeelf or General Hunter shall command sh — dition now off the South Carolina coast. a ae Hunter is commander of that ee ~ wee eral Foster is commander of the North — ateack: The latter having entered — sm eral Hunter has jurisdiction, the latter, -_ “se . officer also, intends to be commader. Genera : va ter demurs, takes the ‘Spaulding,’ and steams eisiiacierd: So the expedition is er ee ies country suffers—so expectations vanish —s¢ 2s fade.” = pore the departure of General Foster for the INO 1 yene l er issue 3 LOW] y order . fc ] Wihg > y I int I ue d the N rtl ’ ( ral i INT OF THE SOUTH, * FLEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ro in Hitton Heap, Port Royat, S. Bt February 19, 1863. ee * Special Orders, No. 97. : ? r * Gener: ‘oster’s staff, now “Two members of General Fost eae imits of this department, hav- journing within the limits of this depart . qe \ ar bel On i ing ‘th a steamer belon ino been engaged in sending North a steam g ine bee gag assary for the operations ing to this command, and nece ssary for the } ] = ‘ 12 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, about to commence — such steamer being sent away clandestinely, and without the or order of the Major-Gene knowledge, consent, ral commanding — and it being found that many, if not all, the General Foster’s staff have indulged in statements and remarks tending to create disaffection, insubordi- nation and mutiny, it is hereby ordered that all the members of the staff of Major-General John G. Fos- ter, commanding the Department of North C arolina, partment of the South, shall quit this department by the first now within the limits of the De steamer going North. “By command of Major General D. Hunter, “CHARLES G. Haring, “Assistant Adjutant General, “Tenth Army Corps.” General Hunter issued General Order No. 13, which incorporated the troops from North Carolina as a part of the Tenth Corps, but on the twenty-third of February issued General Order No. 15, paragraph II of which revoked so much of General Order No. 13, as assigned the troops from North Carolina to members of " pm mpPYy 13 FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY. the Tenth Army Corps, end they remained a part of the Eighteenth Corps. The affair was discussed editorially by the ee daily papers in the North, nearly, if - sas arguing against the course pursued by General Fos- bee aaa yet it does not appear that General Halleck intended the troops from General Foster’s a. ment should be attached to General Hunter’s com- mand. . its The order to “swap” horses with the New York battery we considered a bad bargain; we always took ved pride in the appearance of our horses, 4 considered them worth, in every respect, much more than the ones we received by the change, but as we were not consulted on the subject or allowed to object, the trade was made. 7 = At that time I held a warrant as Sergeant, et 1A been acting First Sergeant since the ners from the Goldsboro expedition, where First ree Massie was severely wounded. On the sa inoaindaiahe February, while on “battery drill,” Captain on signed the three ranking non-commissioned air oece to ‘Se command of sections — platoons under Upton’s 2 14 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, tactics — that is, tain gave us lively the results of that day’s work occurre d the next day as follows: The building occupied as barr the men was a large in front. acks for two-story house, with a piazza which appeared to have been used in a boarding-house. the centre, days past as The front entrance was in with a large room on each side, that on the right being the C aptain’s office, and the one on the left the First Sergeant’s room. I was sitting in my room after reveille roll-call atte nding to the duties of the hour, when the ¢ Japtain walked in. Tremem- ber the incident as clearly as if it were but yesterday. Standing a few seconds looking at me he said: a recommendation for for yourself, and I will sign it,” remark went to his office. in “Sergeant, write a commission and without further After some time spent anxious thought upon the to write what I thought to be : kind wanted, and took it to subject, I ventured 1 good document of the the Captain ; he read it a word of comment tore it into and throwing it aw write it myself.” The through, and without small pieces, ay, said: “T will recommendation was for- acting as lieutenants. The Cap- work during that drill, and one of {HT ATTILLERY. 15 FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ATTILI A 2 i "Ss EA ne a Sif course of tit varded to Rhode Island, and in j Tillis . Arnold vacancy occurred — Lieutenant William A av o resione an § .celve ; é } ( me nt as "eC an ap IO ha ring resionead - and I recel d x6 bat- i ; assig » the same ba Second Lieutenant, was assigned t¢ 3 | of May, 1863, was tery, and on the seventeenth day of May, é 1ustered as such. mt ce a fell in torrents, February 27th, 1863, the rain ns ‘ r , ‘ fewbern, tha and unfortunately for the troops at Ne 2 ; ; 1 ; a - ‘ ‘orm: ag raising at Gen was the day assigned for a formal flag raising . = ag rer stpone- 1 Foster’s quarters As there were no post} eral fosters é rs. L if , seremonies nents on account of the weather, the cer ap ments : : », which include according to programme, whicl took place acco g fe Kage two salutes by Battery F: the first, a na if : ) i ater ajor-Gen- lute, early in the exercises, and later a Maj : » Carly . “ a review by eral’s salute, the whole closing with a re 3 Ber I i i weather, General Foster Notwithstanding the # yeNCLre ‘ e oe vas carried out wit every part of the programme was carrie military precision. Sih Tl incidents of flag raisings, salutes, pé 1ese , ‘ ag or i r se who were atc., May seem to some, especially those aoe r the Potomac, as unealled attached to the Army of the ; he Pe i ing , for whic for and out of place considering the duty or § ace, i j 3t be remem- we were called into service, but it must I 16 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, bered that the troops at Newbern were performing what might be termed garrison duty in a city taken from the enemy, and even then almost ete the enemy’s lines, whose white inhabitants — those that remained — were not altogether friendly to its occu- pancy by the United States forces, and witieiad doubt these demonstrations h: ] . > ; monstrations had the effect of proving to che that our troops were well drilled, well disci- plined, well equipped, and in every way prepared to defend the Union and the flag we upheld. From this time until March 6th, 1863, the usual routine of camp duties continued, when, in obedience to orders, the battery left quarters in the early morn- Ing to join another expedition into the country. Trenton, North Carolina, was reached at about 10 o'clock, a. M., March 7th; then the command re- turned a part of the distance and took a road lead- ing towards Wilmington, North Carolina; at about 9 o'clock, Pp. M., bivouaced at ‘“ Young’s Cross Roads ;” next morning the right section, under command of Lieutenant Simpson, in company with a part of the Third New York Cavalry, proceeded to within nine miles of Jacksonville, North Carolina, FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY. 17 and returned. This expedition remained out five days without meeting the enemy in any considerable force. The battery arrived back in its quarters soon after 4 o’clock, p. m., March 10th. The record says: “No engagements; distance travelled about eighty-five miles.” I suppose these expeditions into the country, without any apparent object in view, were planned for the purpose of ascertaining if any considerable force of the enemy was in our immediate vicinity, and may be looked upon as wise precautions taken by the commanding officers to prevent surprises upon and consequent disaster to our troops ; but as I re- member the thoughts of an enlisted man at the time, they seemed to be for the sole purpose of reminding us that we were in the field for active duty, and were expected to be marching or fighting most of the time. Undoubtedly they were important for both reasons, as they did prevent the enemy coming upon us unawares, and there might have been danger of our forgetting to a certain extent the active duties required, in the quiet occupancy of comfortable quarters in the city. 18 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, Early in March, signs of unusual activity within the rebel lines were noticed. The Raleigh (N. C.) Progress, (rebel), in its issue of March 1, 1863, had the following: “We are glad to learn that General D. H. Hill passed down on Tuesday to assume the command that has been tendered him in North Caro- lina, with the headquarters at Goldsboro. We have had vastly too much strategy, too much science, and too much ditching and digging in North Carolina. Had we had less of these and more fighting things . * o might have been better than at present ; and as Gen- eral Hill has established a reputation for being one of the best fighting men in the service, we may expect a change in management, if not a ‘change in base’ in North Carolina. We do not expect any advance from Newbern for some time to come; but the small force of Yankees at this place will have to make occasional raids to keep themselves employed and to keep our people alarmed and excited. These raids we hope in future will be confined to a very small circle around Newbern, and that if they at- tempt any extensive depredations they will be promptly met and whipped back. If this is not to FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY. 19 be done, we see no use in keeping any force in North Carolina. There can be no doubt, we think, but General Hill is or soon will be in command below ; and we can promise the people of the State that whatever can be done by him for their relief and protection will be done.” The thirteenth and fourteenth days of March, 1863, were days of excitement in and around New- bern, caused by the appearance of General D. H. Hill, with a force estimated at about sixteen thou- sand men, in our front. On the thirteenth the pick- ets on the Trent road were driven in, and troops were sent out from the city to reinforce that point. Battery F was ordered to proceed to Deep Gully, a position near the outpost on this road, arriving there early in the evening of the same day, and remained in position through the night, returning to the city on the morning of the fourteenth. The enemy advanced on Newbern in three col- umns; the main force by the Trent road, which leads direct to the city ; a column by way of Trenton and Pollockville, which approached on our left; and a column which came down the north bank of the fe Se ee oe tS a ba AN, 20 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, Neuse river and appeared upon our extreme right. rhe columns approaching our left and centre made no serious demonstration beyond driving in the pickets; but the column on our right, across the Neuse river, seemed to be charged with the duty of apturing our small force on that side of the river, which, at this time, consisted of the Ninety-second ~ New York Volunteers, about four hundred strone D>? commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Anderson, oceu- pying a small unfinished earthwork. Daylight of the fourteenth found the enemy about four thousand strong, with eighteen pleces of artillery in position, under command of General Pettigrew, earthwork. General Pettigrew before this sent a summons to saying that he had a large force prepared to reduce the Colonel Anderson to surrender, work, but to avoid unnecessary destruction of life he would give on) in opportunity to capitulate, which offer was refused, and he opened fire. magnanimous This day was the first anniversary of the capture of Newbern by General Burnside, and undoubtedly the time was chosen with reference to that fact. We had no artil- lery on that side of the river, but a New York bat- _ spy 2 FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY. 21 tery of heavy guns was placed in position on the # ee Tee ; 4 ait conan ure opposite bank within easy range of Pettigrew's The eunboat “ Hunchback” ran up the river The Ninety- troops. and trained her guns upon the enemy. second New York remained under cover of the earth- work, protected from the fire of Pettigrew’s guns, prepared to repel an assault should one be made. During the morning a force of infantry was suc- cessfully sent across the river, and the fire from the cunboat and battery proving too much for the endur- ance of Pettigrew’s troops, he withdrew. The destruction of life which he was anxious to avoid, occurred entirely within his own command, and the only casualties on our side were two men of the Ninety-second New York, wounded. Thus ended very unexpectedly what promised to be a determined effort to recover Newbern to Con- federate control, and to drive the Union troops trom the shores of North Carolina. It would appear that the enemy in our front si left were waiting for the success of General slaasee! grew on our right, and had he been successful in capturing the small force of infantry in his front, or SERVICE WITH BATTERY F ’ driving riving them across the river b ( 1ave been very diffi it i 1 very difficult, and it is doubtful if with the force at his comm: i ” umand it could have been done, the effect would have ] on : é ye » «© rT J ee en to draw troops from our front to event the crossing crossing, thus weakening the lines and making a dir i : ey g 4 direct attack 1 atts on that - : as point more sure of L pon the failure of General I ettig 3 vi hx "ew fr igrew, the enemy wit re rom around Newbern, and their ney t movement was I \ shine O ( ] ¥ € t as upon \ ashing The pro } » > gt n, N orth Carolina. z Pp 1ecy of the Raleigh E ro @SS See ye correct ( \ 5 G7 ESS Se =med to JOULe renera Hi é ing 4 Ss = ; ] ll had inaugurated offen sive I erations 4 for i i! Ss € i s 1n North Carolina, and our troo IS W ut upc o.¢ ‘ si F c 3 be i yn th lefen: ive for the time being ultl | we at ates 7 5? ‘ Lough the cam A1ON was of short duration March 30 Me 30th, the enemy ny appeare for ashi y appeared before W ashing- ton, N. C » N. C., and commence 1 C » € a vA P ed a slege of the place. { nmur 8) as 1 € sut i al ] G snera OL 1icati n wa as ent > I y Cl off, anc 7eNE } Os te r Ww ith o f rce abc it tw sly 3 hi 1 ] , a orce of JO e e 1 dred me n, ») y i FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY. consisting of the Twenty-seventh and Forty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry, a part of the Third New York Artillery, and Third New York Cavalry, and the First North Carolina Volunteers, were com- pletely shut in with a small supply of ammunition and rations. I believe there were one or more gun- boats in front of the town, which were also shut in. Washington, North Carolina, is situated on the Pamlico river, near the mouth of the Tar river, dis- tant from Newbern by land from twenty-five to thirty miles, and by water something over one hundred miles. Several strong batteries on the banks of the river below the town, together with a barricade across the channel, effectually prevented the passage gunboats or supply vessels to the relief of the of little garrison, so it was thought, but subsequent events caused a change of opinion on that point. April 8th, a comparatively small force, under the command of Brigadier-General T. B. Spinola, left Newbern to march overland to the relief of General Foster, and by attacking the enemy in the rear, raise the siege and liberate the garrison. Battery F accompanied this command. The troops met with 24 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, no resistance until on the ninth of April, Blount’s creek, a stream sufliciently large to require a bridge for crossing, was reached. Here the enemy were found with artillery posted to resist further advance As our advance reached this bridge, i ‘ idvance reached this bridge, it was found to have been rendered impassible by removine the plank flooring, and a halt at once took place. I remember the road we were on lay through a heavily wooded country, and when the battery, which cey near the right, halted, there was no position to be seen suffi- ciently open for artillery maneuvering. We were directed to open fire, and Captain Belger ordered “action left,” as we stood in the road. While the Captain was superintending the movements of the first piece, accompanied by myself — being First Ser- geant at the time—and the two buglers, and before a shot had been fired by us, he was severely wounded in the thigh by a ball from a case shot from the ene- my’s guns, which exploded directly in our front, killing the Captain’s horse and two battery horses. This shot was the first from the enemy, and I think the result was not proof of proficiency on the part of the gunner, but rather a chance shot, for no other FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY. 25 during the hour which we were engaged did us any damage. In a very short time, considering the nature of the ground upon which we were, our guns were at work, and for an hour fired at, we did not know what, as nothing could be seen but woods. For a time, however, the shell and ease shot which passed over our heads, and exploded in the woods in our rear, assured us that an enemy was somewhere in our front. Inoticed but few troops pass to the front or right of our position in which direction the bridge lay, and if an effort was made to cross the bridge it must have been quickly abandoned, as the enemy’s fire having ceased, we were ordered to cease firing and retire. Of course being an enlisted man, I was not in possession of that knowledge of the situation which the commanding general was supposed to have, but it seemed to me, and was freely talked among the men of the battery, that had the attempt been pushed, as it should have been, the result might have been different. The return march commenced immediately, and at 4 o'clock, Pp. M., April 10th, we arrived at our quar- ters in Newbern with no other loss than that men- 3 26 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, tioned above. After Captain Belger had been placed in an ambulance and taken a short distance to the rear, I stripped his horse of its equipments, placed them in a baggage-wagon, and when the firing ceased, rode back to see if the Captain was comfort- abie. I found him stretched out in the ambulance, and upon inquiry as to his condition, was greeted with the reply, “The —— cusses have got my horse,” a spirited animal, prized very highly. I assured him his horse was dead, “dead as a door nail.” He then said, * Well, they have got my equipments,” and not until I had explained to him that the equipments were safe, did he reply to my inquiry. Evidently he had been imagining, as he lay helpless in the ambulance, his favorite horse, well equipped, being ridden by some confederate officer, and the thought was troubling him more at that moment than his own condition. The official report of the operations of the battery on this expedition, made by First Lieutenant Thomas Simpson, who succeeded Captain Belger in com- mand, states that during the engagement on the oD ninth, “three hundred and two (302) rounds of FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY. ammunition, principally case shot and shell,” were expended. The next movement for the relief of the garrison at Washington, occurred on the night of April 12th, when the steam transport “Escort,” with the Fifth Rhode Island Volunteers on board, and a supply of ammunition and stores, ran the batteries on the river, and arrived safely at the wharf in Washington with- out loss. On the 14th, General Foster returned with the same steamer by daylight. In passing the batteries on the return trip, the steamer received forty-seven shots, losing the pilot, killed, and seven of the crew killed or wounded. Referring to the attempt of General Spinola to reinforce General Foster or raise the siege, a report was printed in the New York Tribune, on the author- ity of a “ gentleman who came from Newbern, a passenger on board the “Mary Sanford,’ that about fifty men of one of the Rhode Island batteries, who were with him, had volunteered to take the Rebel battery, and were about to do it, when one of Gen- eral Spinola’s aids rode up with peremptory order to retreat.” Of course we do not know the name of C PES rs Ae Oe oR 28 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, the gentleman, and cannot learn how he became pos- sessed of so much knowledge, but I feel bound to state, in the interest of truth, that no Rhode Island artillery men volunteered to perform such duty, however brave and patriotic such action might have been. ‘The menof the battery, except the sergeants, who carried sabres, were not armed, and it would have been a novel sight in war for fifty unarmed men to storm a battery in broad daylight. General Foster arrived in Newbern from Wash- ington, N.C., by the steamer “ Escort,” on the 14th of April, and on the 17th, with the force that could be collected in and around Newbern, amounting to about ten thousand men, started to return overland to the relief of the garrison, and to raise the siege. Battery F accompanied the expedition, being as- signed to General Heckman’s brigade. The com- mand marched over the same route as was taken by General Spinola the previous week. On the 18th of April we arrived at Blount’s Creek, found the bridge unprotected, and signs that the enemy were in full retreat, having abandoned the attempt to cap- ture Washington and the small force defending it, as FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY. 29 they did the similar attempt upon Newbern the pre- vious month, although a much more determined effort was made at the former place. After a short delay to repair the bridge over the creek, and render it passable for the troops, the force pushed forward, arriving at Washington during the afternoon of the 19th. The Battery remained outside until the 21st, when it entered the town. The enemy had entirely disappeared, evidently abandoning the siege, upon discovering that an unarmed wooden transport could safely pass their batteries on the banks of the Pam- lico river, which were thought to have been an effectual blockade. The Battery remained at Washington until April 28th, when it returned to its quarters at Newbern by transport, arriving soon after midnight, having been absent twelve days. I am not competent to criticise the movements of either side during the campaign which commenced early in March, with the attempt to capture Newbern, and which ended on the 19th of April, when the enemy had retreated and disap- peared from before Washington. The slight losses of men and material would seem to indicate that the 30 SERVICE WITH BATTERY F, movements of both armies were easily resisted ; that there was a lack of that persistence which insured success; and compared with the desperate encount- ers of the later campaigns of the war, were not much more than skirmishes. The health of the men continued good, six only being absent sick, one of whom had not recovered from wounds received in December previous. The alterations and casualties in the battery dur- ing the four months covered by this paper, left the aggregate of commissioned officers one more, and enlisted men four less, than it was on the first day of January, 1863, and is accounted for as follows: Sec- ond Lieutenant Albert E. Adams, whose appointment dated December 4, 1862, joined for duty January 5, 1863. Four enlisted men were discharged ; two to accept promotion, viz. : First Sergeant Alexander M. Massie, as Second Lieutenant in the Third Regi- ment, Rhode Island Heavy Artillery, subsequently transferred to the Veteran Reserve ( orps, and Quar- termaster Sergeant Walter M. Knight, as Second Lieutenant, Battery H, First Rhode Island Light Artillery ; and two on Surgeon’s certificate of dis- FIRST RHODE ISLAND LIGHT ARTILLERY. 31 ability, viz.: privates John Wood, at Newbern, January 14th, 1863, and Philip L. Bassett, at Annapolis, Md., December 2, 1862, information of which was received at the battery February 10, 1863. There was no gain during this period, conse- quently the strength of the battery April 30th, as appears upon the monthly return bearing that date, was five commissioned officers, and one hundred and thirty-four enlisted men, with six twelve-pounder Napoleon guns—light twelves we called them — caissons, etc., complete, and one hundred and two horses. An addition of sixteen enlisted men would have given the maximum number allowed.