“HEADQUARTERS, DEFENCES OF NEW ORLEANS, "March 14, 1864. "The Major General commanding is proud to recognize in this company, the material and characteristics of good soldiers. Strict observance of order and discipline is alike creditable to officers and men. 653] "The expenditure of labor to secure comfort and cleanliness, and the means adopted for mutual improvement and mental culture are highly commended, and evince a determination to merit the proud distinction due to true soldiers who learn their whole duty and perform it. "BY COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL REYNOLDS : "(Signed) JOHN LEVERING, As part of the celebrated Red River Expedition, they left New Orleans on the 22d of April, and proceeding up the Mississippi and Red Rivers, landed on the 28th at Alexandria, and immediately took position in the front near the town.1 They participated in the engagements which took place near Alexandria from the 2d to the 7th of May, and on the 10th, Lieutenant Hackett, with the centre section, was detached to the cavalry division, in which capacity they formed part of the rear guard, in the retrograde movement of our forces, which commenced on the 13th. On the evening of the 17th, the battery reached the Atchafalaya, which they crossed on the 20th, and marching all night, struck the Mississippi River on the following morning. Following the right bank of the river ten miles in a southerly direction, they went into camp at Morganza Bend, where they remained during the month, returning early in June to camp in New Orleans. In the month of August, they moved up the river to Baton Rouge, from which place two sections of the battery set out on the 25th as a portion of an expedition to Clinton, La. Having taken part in the engagement at that place, they rejoined the command on the 27th at Baton Rouge. 2 During the past year, the First battery was stationed principally at Baton Rouge, La. On the 15th of November, 1864, the right section, under Lieutenant Nutting, accompanied an expedition to Liberty, where they participated in a skirmish with the rebels, returning on the 22d to camp. 161 Rebellion Records 279. 63 Ibid. 296, 335, 474, 568. 614. 109 Ibid. 44. Organization Jan., 1864, 62 Ibid. 194, of 'Capt. James T. Foster, 109 Ibid. 49-51. On the 26th, 6* Ibid. 107, 334, Report 419, 420. 84 Ibid. 497, 551, Report of 2 Report of Brig. Gen. Albert L. Lee, 83 Ibid. 881-882. 85 Ibid. 801. 86 Ibid. 362, 610, 974. 600, 646, 681, 799, 970. Brig. Gen. Albert L. Lee, 93 Ibid. 2–4, 1203. SECOND BATTERY-SUFFOLK, VA. 465 the battery left Baton Rouge with the cavalry expedition, under command of General Davidson, marching by way of Greensburg, La., Columbia and Augusta, Miss., to West Pascagoula, Miss., a distance of three hundred miles, which they accomplished in sixteen days. Embarking on the 27th of December, they reached New Orleans on the 30th, and marching thence on the 3d of January, 1865, arriving next day at Baton Rouge. Here they were stationed, until ordered to Wisconsin for discharge.1 The battery was mustered out of service on the 18th of July, 1865, at Camp Washburn, Milwaukee. The list of dead, pp. 654-655, is omitted and is published in full in volume 3. The Washington Artillery Company, recruited and organized under the direction of Captain Ernst Herzberg, went into rendezvous at Camp Utley, Racine, in the latter part of September, 1861, and was mustered into the United States service, on the 10th of October. They left the state for active service on the 21st of January, 1862, arriving at Baltimore on the 24th. Moving forward to Washington on the following day, they embarked on the 26th, and sailing down the Potomac, landed on the 27th at Fortress Monroe, Va., where the battery was stationed as a portion of the garrison, until September following.2 From Fortress Monroe they moved to Camp Hamilton, Va., near Hampton at which place they remained in the performance of garrison duty, until the 10th of January, 1863, when they marched arriving at Suffolk, Va., on the 12th. While stationed at this place, five pieces of the battery were engaged, on the 30th of January, in the battle near South Mary Bridge, ten miles from Suffolk. During the months of March and April, the battery was divided, three pieces being stationed between Forts Dix and Union, and two pieces on the Nansemond River, the headquarters of the battery remaining at Suffolk.4 3 1 101 Rebellion Records 855, 1021, 1109. 102 Ibid. 255, 624, 655, 680. 2 14 Ibid. 54. 3 Deserted House or Kelly's Store, Jan. 30, 1863, 26 Ibid. 133–145, 133, 137, 294, 302-307, 317, 377, 487. 4 49 Ibid. 143, 620. 60 Ibid. 484, 1057, 60 Ibid. 431. 30-A. G. On the 6th of May, they were ordered to Portsmouth, at which place they embarked on the 7th, and proceeding up the York River, landed on the 8th at West Point. Moving thence with General Gordon's division of the Seventh corps, they encamped on the 30th at Williamsburg, where they were stationed until the 20th of July. At this date they marched to Yorktown, encamping on the south side of the fortifications. This position was retained until the 8th, when they were assigned to duty within the fort. The Second battery remained in the fortifications at Yorktown, Va., until the 20th of January, 1864, when they embarked at that place, and proceeded by steamer to Point Lookout, Md.1 Here they were rejoined on the last of February, by forty-one of their number, who had previously re-enlisted and left the battery at Yorktown, on veteran furlough. 1 The Second battery was stationed at Point Lookout, Md., employed principally as guard to rebel prisoners at that place, until mustered out of service; the date of which, in the absence of the muster-out rolls, I am unable to give. The list of dead, pp. 657, is omitted and is published in full in volume 3. The Badger Battery, recruited and organized under the superintendence of Captain Lu H. Drury, arrived at rendezvous, Camp Utley, Racine, in the latter part of September, 1861, and was mustered into the United States service on the 10th of October. They left the state on the 23d of January, 1862, under orders to report to Louisville, Ky. On their arrival, they were placed in camp of instruction, near the city, and shortly afterwards, armed with rifled thirty-two pounders. On the 10th of March, they embarked at Louisville, and proceeding up the Cumberland River, landed on the 14th, at Nashville, Tenn., at which place they went into camp, remaining until the 29th, when they marched to reinforce General Grant, then at Savannah, on the Tennessee River. They encamped on the 171 Rebellion Records 699. 90 Ibid. 977. 91 Ibid. 503, 848. 96 Ibid. 757.. 97 Ibid. 1039. 120 Ibid. 154. 3d of April, at Savannah, whence they were transferred, on the 19th, to Pittsburg Landing.1 Thenceforward it is difficult to trace their movements. During the summer they marched from place to place in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky, and on the 2d of October left Louisville, with Buell's army, to meet the rebels under Bragg. On the 8th of October, they took part in the battle of Chaplin Hills," and accompanied our army in the subsequent advance southward. Stationed for some time at Mount Vernon, Ky., they went into camp at Nashville, in the latter part of November, remaining until called upon on the 26th of December to take part in the forward movement towards Murfreesboro, near which place, after the battle of Stone's River, they went into camp early in January, 1863. 3 Leaving Murfreesboro on the 5th of July, they marched to McMinnville, Tenn., from which place they marched, accompanying the general movement of the army of the Cumberland. Upon the occupation of Chattanooga, by the army under General Rosecrans, the battery was assigned to duty as a portion of the permanent garrison of that important post, and stationed in Fort Phelps.* The Third battery remained at Chattanooga, Tenn., until the spring of the present year, when they moved to Murfreesboro, Tenn., at which place they were stationed until ordered to Wisconsin, to be discharged. The battery arrived at Madison, Wisconsin, on the 3d of July, 1865, and on the 20th, was mustered out and disbanded. The returns from this battery are imperfect so far as relates to its military history. The list of dead, pp. 659-660, is omitted and is published in full in volume 3. 111 Rebellion Records 151. 2 23 Ibid. 6, 593. * Stone's River Campaign, December 26, 1862-January 5, 1863. 29 Ibid. 166-979, 214, 240-242, 450, 456, 599. Report of Lieut. Cortland Livingston, 29 Ibid. 582-583. Col. Samuel Beatty, 29 Ibid. 575-578. 34 Ibid. 416. 35 Ibid. 578. • Located at Chattanooga. 52 Ibid. 273. 54 Ibid. 808. 55 Ibid. 21. 56 Ibid. 259, 275, 556. 59 Ibid. 212, 559. 78 Ibid. 551. 79 Ibid. 562. 93 Ibid. 879, 1203. - 661] 1 FOURTH BATTERY. The Fourth battery was organized on the 14th of September, 1861, at Beloit, under the direction of Captain John F. Vallee. Thence they moved on the 19th to the general rendezvous, at Camp Utley, Racine, where they were mustered into United States' service on the 1st of October. They remained in this camp, without horses or equipments, until the 21st of January, 1862, when they left the state for active service, under orders to report at Baltimore, Md., from which place they immediately proceeded to Washington. Leaving Washington on the 26th, they moved down the Potomac, and arrived on the 28th, at Fortress Monroe, Va., where they were incorporated with the garrison of that important post. They remained here during the summer, having been put in charge of the barbette guns of the fort, and also firing the gun Union during the celebrated engagement of the Monitor and Merrimac. 2 On the 13th of September, having been mounted and equipped, they were ordered to Camp Hamilton, near Hampton, Va., where they remained, doing garrison and guard duty, until the 11th of January, 1863, at which date they left Hampton under orders to proceed to Suffolk. During the month of April, while Suffolk was besieged by the rebels under Longstreet, they were constantly on duty in the most unprotected part of our lines. The siege having been raised, they marched during the night of the 5th of May, to Portsmouth, where they embarked, and proceeding up the York River, landed on the 7th at West Point, where they were employed in constructing fortifications, and in guard duty. It having been decided to abandon this place, they embarked on the 30th of May, and landed at Yorktown on the following day. On the 9th of June, they marched with the advance column of troops, who were ordered to advance up the peninsula, under command of General Keyes. This expedition effected a junction with the main body under General Dix, on the 29th of June, at the White House, near Richmond. They left this place on the 7th of July, and marching by way of Williamsburg, went 114 Rebellion Records 54. * Siege of Suffolk, Va., April 11-May 4, 1863. 26 Ibid. 267-341, 278, 293, 306, 317-319. |