Chapter I: Preface

On the 27th of June, 1891, a meeting of the surviving members of Battery H was called in the City of Providence, R. I., and the writer was appointed historian, and authorized and empowered to prepare a history of the battery.

Fully realizing the magnitude of such an undertaking, and making no pretense of special fitness for the task imposed upon him, yet he entered upon the work with a determination to make a faithful record of every event connected with the Battery so far as he was able to do with the materials at hand. From daily memoranda kept during the entire service of the Battery in the War for the Union, and from consultation with reliable works relating to the Rebellion, this history has been prepared, and to their aid the writer is greatly indebted for the accuracy of the work.

He fully appreciates the kindly services rendered by Adjutant-General Elisha Dyer and his assistants, and valuable material furnished by Captain Hazard, Sergeant Cheever, Corporal Paul and others whose names are not mentioned here, and to whom he is under many obligations.

Trusting that this work will be appreciated by those who take an interest in the great struggle through which we passed for national existence, I shall feel amply repaid if it merits the approbation of the patriotic citizens of our State and country.

EARL FENNER.

OCTOBER, 1894.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGE.

Formation of Battery H—Camp Mauran—On to Washington—Camp Barry 1–10

CHAPTER II.

Camp Barry—Artillery Drill—March to Fairfax Station—First Death
in the Battery—Union Mills 11–14

CHAPTER III.

Battles of Chancellorsville and Salem Heights—Battery H Ordered
to Chantilly and Afterwards to Fairfax Court House—Return to
Camp Barry—Picket Duty at Fairfax Seminary—Moved to Vicinity
of Fort Scott 15–27

CHAPTER IV.

Again in Camp Barry—Batteries Reviewed by President
Lincoln—Battery H Assigned to the Ninth Corps 28–34

CHAPTER V.

Battery H with the Ninth Corps Moves towards Fairfax Court
House—March to the Rapidan—Battles of the Wilderness and
Spottsylvania—Battery Ordered to Washington 35–46

CHAPTER VI.

Life at Fort Richardson—Moved to Fort Smith and Stationed
there—Battery Equipped again and sent to City Point 47–52

CHAPTER VII.

Battery H Proceeds to Petersburg and Encamps near Fort
Tracy—Life in the Trenches—Rebel Attack on Fort Stedman
Repulsed 53–61

CHAPTER VIII.

Forward Movement of the Army of the Potomac—Capture of
Petersburg and Richmond—Pursuit of Lee’s Army—Battle of
Sailor’s Creek 62–72

CHAPTER IX.

Pursuit of Lee’s Army still continued—Surrender of the Army of
Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House—Sixth Corps March
to Danville 73–84