One o'clock A. M. Orders arrived to return immediately to Seneca Mills. The left section marched at once, arriving towards day-break. At sunrise, the fifth gun went on picket duty once more. Lieut. Newton, Sergeants Hammond and Read, were with the left section. Commenced to throw up intrenchments during the night.
SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 21-2
Left the picket line again, returned to Camp Jackson, started for Darnestown by six o'clock, and arrived there by eight o'clock P. M. Thus ended our stay at Seneca Mills, the most pleasant period of our three years service. Vegetables and fruit, chickens and pigs, were plenty, for we owned the whole plantation of that old rebel Peters, who was sent to Fort Lafayette for treason. The Thirty-fourth New York, having the picket line on the river, always proved good companions. The view of the surrounding country is really imposing, including Sugar Loaf Mountain, the natural observatory of the signal corps. Some remarkable items must not be forgotten—for instance, novel songs of "The Nice Legs;" "Jimmy Nutt's Measuring the Guard Time by the Moon;" "Griffin's Apple Sauce," and "Doughnuts for Horses."
SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 22
Camp at Darnestown. The battery received three new guns in the afternoon. Lieut. J. G. Hassard, having joined our battery, at Darnestown, commanded the right section as First Lieutenant. Company cooking was introduced by him. Before that, every detachment done its own cooking. The enterprise itself, of cooking for the whole company, and the selling of a part of the rations, for raising a company fund, would have been well enough, but the management was extremely poor. Some days we fared well; on other days there would be no dinner, but a detestable bacon soup, hardly fit for hogs. We were told that the government rations would not admit of a dinner every day. But what good did it do then to sell rations, under the pretext of raising a company fund? This is a question which never could nor never will be satisfactorily, explained by those who started it.
SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 22-3
Capt. Tompkins very suddenly marched off to Harper's Ferry, with the right section. Thunder storm in the evening.
SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 23
A new lieutenant for our battery arrived to-day. Jeffrey Hassard, our First Lieutenant's brother.
SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 23
Gov. Sprague visited the camp. Private Benedict deserted.
SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 23
Parade drill of the battery, in presence of Gov. Sprague, and Col. Tompkins, the drill proving very satisfactory. Capt. Vaughan visited us the same evening, and addressed us as follows: "Boys, I deserve to be kicked for ever leaving this battery, because, by right, it is my battery, and I should be with you. (Vociferous cheering, and cries, "Give us our old officers, and we will show you that we can drill.") Capt. Vaughan, mounting his horse, appeared very much affected. Turning round once more, he said, "I am hanging around; it is hard for me to leave you. Answer of the men: "We know it. You are a man every inch of you." Nine cheers for Capt. Vaughan, our old First Lieutenant, vibrated through the air.
SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 23-4
Battery drill, and speech by our First Lieutenant. Gen. Banks visited our camp this evening. Nothing important up to [Saturday, October 19.]
SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 24
Gen. Banks and staff honored our battery drill with their presence. Col. Geary of the Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania, and Capt. Tompkins, with the right section, had a fight with the rebels at Harper's Ferry and Bolivar Heights. Our right section, occupying Maryland Heights, fired into Bolivar and on a rebel battery on Loudon Heights. Even the drivers served an old iron gun. Col. Geary's troops, crossing the river in scows, carried the fight to Bolivar Heights. No loss of men in the right section.
SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 24
After returning from a
battery drill, orders awaited our section, in command of Lieut. J. A. Tompkins.
We left Darnestown at five o'clock P. M., going at a fast rate towards Great
Falls, a distance of ten miles. At our arrival we found the Seventh
Pennsylvania Regiment, commanded by Col. Harvey. During the day the enemy had
some pieces of artillery in position, to bear on the water-works at Great
Falls, and on the Seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, firing a hundred rounds.
Only one man was wounded. Col. Harvey guided our battery through the woods at
midnight. Our section took position on the edge of a knoll, while the Seventh
fortified our guns. It rained during the night.
SOURCE: Theodore
Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light
Artillery, p. 19
At dawn of day, contrary to
our expectations, the enemy did not open on us again. Having had no food since
the day before, some of us went to the town, and as fortune, would have it,
found bread, molasses, and that renowned coffee kettle, the fourth detachment
will well remember. We enjoyed a good soldiers' breakfast. Lieut. Tompkins,
behaving towards the men like a gentleman, they would have done most anything
for him. In several cases he relieved our wants, out of his own purse. Late in
the afternoon we left Great Falls, marching towards Seneca Mills, as the enemy
made various demonstrations up and down the Potomac. Rain falling incessantly,
and passing through dense woods marching became a matter of impossibility, and
it was decided to halt by the roadside until daylight. An unoccupied house
being close by, we all took possession of it, and found ourselves quite
comfortable.
SOURCE: Theodore
Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light
Artillery, p. 19-20
A bright morning greeted our
eyes. The clear sky promised a pleasant day. We discovered an orchard near by,
which furnished us with a variety of the most beautiful peaches. After taking a
good supply of them, marching was resumed. Arrived by nine o'clock A. M. at
Camp Jackson, occupied by the Thirty-fourth Regiment New York Volunteers, Col.
LaDue. We were well received. Towards evening, the Colonel and Lieut. Tompkins
took the fifth piece along, in the direction of the Potomac, getting the gun in
position close to the canal, after masking it. All quiet during the night.
SOURCE: Theodore
Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light
Artillery, p. 20
A few shots were fired into
the Old Dominion, without any response by the enemy.
SOURCE: Theodore
Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light
Artillery, p. 20
Major Charles H. Tompkins, in
company with Col. Wheaton, of the Second Rhode Island Regiment, tried a few
shots, without reply.
SOURCE: Theodore
Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light
Artillery, p. 20
Gov. Sprague, Col. Wheaton,
Major Tompkins, and Capt. Reynolds, visited the section on picket. Quiet up to
[Monday, September 16.]
SOURCE: Theodore
Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light
Artillery, p. 20
In the evening, some of the
Thirty-fourth New York Regiment crossed the river, had a skirmish with the
rebels, and returned with the loss of four men. Capt. Reynolds being promoted
to Major, left the battery. So did Lieut. Albert Munroe, promoted to Captain.
Lieut. Tompkins, also promoted, took command of our battery.
SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary
of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 20-1
Our piece kept on firing at
an imaginary enemy for a whole hour; the Major of the Thirty-fourth being
present. Nothing remarkable up to [Sunday, September 22.]
SOURCE: Theodore
Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light
Artillery, p. 21
Squads of cavalry and
infantry visible on the Virginia shore. Great changes took place during this
period. Orderly J. H. Newton being promoted to Lieutenant, took command of the
left section. Sergeants Owen and Randolph, after having been promoted to
Lieutenants, left the battery, and were transferred to other Rhode Island
batteries. The State having organized a regiment of light artillery, on the
thirteenth of August, we were no longer called the Second Battery, but Battery
A.
SOURCE: Theodore
Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light
Artillery, p. 21
Orders came to leave the
picket line at dark, and return to Camp Jackson.
SOURCE: Theodore
Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light
Artillery, p. 21
We were paid off in gold for
two months service. Quiet in Camp Jackson up to [Monday, September 30.]
SOURCE: Theodore
Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light
Artillery, p. 21
