Battery D, 1st Artillery Regiment (Light) - Civil War Newspaper Clippings
PROMOTED.—We are glad to notice that Lieut. A. MATTHEWSON has been receiving a little distinguished consideration in the shape of promotions. So entirely devoted has the Lieutenant been to his duties since he entered the military service, that this recognition of his worth is as gratifying to his friends as it is deserved by him. We copy the orders, announcing the appointments, below:
HEAD-QUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac,
MAY 23d, 1863.
Special Orders
No. 140 (Extract)
1st Lieut. Angell Matthewson, Battery D, 1st New York Artillery, will report to Col. C.S. Wainwright, 1st N. Y. Artillery, for duty as Regimental Adjutant.
By command of Major General HOOKER,
(Signed)
S. F. BARSTOW,
Assistant Adj't Gen'l.
Official:
O.H. HART, Ass't Adj't Gen'l.
HEAD-QUARTERS, 1ST N. Y. ARTILLERY,
MAY 25, 1863
Orders:
No.27
1st Lieut. Angell Matthewson, having been assigned to these Head-Quarters as Regimental Adjutant, official communications will be addressed accordingly.
(Signed) C. S. WAINWRIGHT.
Colonel Commanding.
HEAD-QUARTERS, Artillery Brigade
1st Army Corps
May 25, 1863 Order
No. 5
Lieut. Angell Matthewson, 1st New York Artillery, is announced as Acting Assistant Adjutant General of this Brigade, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly.
(Signed) C. S. Wainwright,
Colonel Commanding
From Our Own Correspondent:
Army of the Potomac.
NO. 68.
HEAD QUARTERS ARTILLERY BRIGADE. 1st CORPS, CAMP NEAR WHITE OAK CHURCH, VA.,
May 10, 1863,
To the Editor of the Mohawk Valley Register :
The weather is getting quite warm and the roads very dusty. We have had no rain in twenty days.
The news from GRANT's Department is very cheering, and more than makes up for our unavoidable inactivity here. Every day we expect the news —glorious and long-coveted - "Vicksburg is ours!''
Last Sunday I received an order from General HOOKER, to report to Col. C.S. WAINWRIGHT as Adjutant of the 1st N. Y. Artillery Regiment, and transferring me from the 3d to the 1st Army Corps. I reported on Monday, and an order was immediately issued appointing me A'ct'g Ass't Adj't General of the Artillery Brigade of the 1st Army Corps, in which capacity I am now serving.
Yesterday we were somewhat stirred up by receiving orders from Army Head-Quarters, to be ready to move during the day; but in the afternoon it was modified so that we were merely to hold our-selves in readiness to move. Our Brigade is now all ready with eight days' rations for the men and five days' forage for the horses. But up to the present time (7 p.m.) no further orders have been received. I am totally ignorant of what caused the order.
One week ago to-night, one of our Signal Officers succeeded in reading a Rebel signal to the effect that if General LEE would send a dismounted cavalry regiment down the Rappahannock about fifteen miles, they could probably capture a Yankee cavalry regiment, with the assistance of the force they already had. This was immediately communicated to General HOOKER, and he ordered general Reynolds to dispatch a Brigade of Infantry from this Corps to the support of our Cavalry. The expedition returned day before yesterday, bringing with them over five hundred contrabands and upwards of one hundred horses. They had been down the river about sixty miles, and our Cavalry went to the outlet of the Rappahannock.
Yesterday the Balloon "Washington" was up all day, watching the movements of the Rebels. Professor Lowe has made this science an imperative necessity to our Army. He thinks no more of ma-king an ascension, than I do of mounting my horse for an hour's ride. Yesterday he reported thirteen Rebel regiments marching down the river, and this morning before breakfast, his balloon passed over our camp, with two occupants, being towed towards the river. Ballooning is now a branch of the Regular service, and the Corps belonging to it is under the command of Prof. LOWE, and no expense is spared by the Government in the outfit.
Recently there have been several promotions in our Regt. Among them are the following :
Capt. Thos. Ward Osburn to be Major, vice Van Valkenburg killed in battle, to rank from March 6, 1863.
Capt. John. A. Reynolds, to be Major, vice Kieffer discharged, March 6, 1863.
1st. Lieut. C.E. Mink, to be Captain, Feb. 4,1863, vice Spratt promoted to Lieut. Colonel of the 10th N. Y. Artillery. Assigned to the command of Battery H.
1st Lieut. Geo. B. Winslow, to be Captain, vice Osborn promoted, March 6,1863. Assigned to Battery D.
1st Lieut. G. H. Reynolds to be Captain, vice Reynolds promoted, March 6,1863. Assigned to Battery I.
1st Lieut. Nelson Ames to be Captain, vice Frank resigned, April 4,1863. Assigned to Battery G.
2d Lieut. David F. Ritchie, to be 1st Lieut., Feb. 4, 1863, vice Mink promoted. Assigned to Battery H.
2d Lieut. R. E. Rogers to be 1st Lieut., vice Wins-low promoted March 6, 1863. Assigned to Battery G.
2d Lieut. Chas. L. Anderson, to be 1st Lieut., vice Ames promoted April 4,1863. Assigned to Battery L.
Sergt. David L. Smith, of Battery E, to be 2d Lieut., (for gallant and meritorious conduct in the engagement at Lees Mills, before Yorktown) vice Ritchie promoted. Assigned to Battery M.
Sergt. Geo. P. Swartz, to be 2d Lieut., vice Shenkelberger resigned. Assigned to Battery L
Sergt. Fred. F. Goff, to be 2d Lieut., vice Robin-son resigned. Assigned to Battery G.
Sergt. W. H. Phillips, to be 2d Lieut., vice Rogers promoted. Assigned to Battery C.
Ex Sergt. Wm. H. Bowers, (arm shot off at Rappahannock Station, Aug. 21,1862) to be 2d Lieut., vice Anderson promoted. Assigned to Battery L.
Last evening, on invitation of Lieut. L. W. Muzzy, Acting Commissary of Subsistence of this Brigade, I attended a levee given by the officers of the 83d Regt. N. Y. Volunteers, (9th N. Y. S. Militia) at their Head-Quarters in the 1st Brigade, 2d Div. of this Corps. This affair was got up on the occasion of the presentation of a splendid gold watch to the Surgeon of the Regt., Dr. CHAS. J. NORDQUIST, by the Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates of the Regt. The watch cost $400. Among the guests were Generals ROBINSON and Baxter, Division and Brigade commanders. The affair was one of the pleasantest I ever attended, and was entwined by music, dancing and impromptu recitations from Shakspeare. When. I took my departure, at mid-night, the entertainment was at its height and all appeared to be enjoying themselves hugely.
At Gen. Hooker's Head-Quarters, a few days since, a man stepped up and addressed me, and who should it be but John MEAGHER, the man that Nick STELLER once mistook for GEORGE W. Bungay.
Battery, K (Fort Plain) are to have six guns— The 11th N.Y. Independent Battery (Putkammer's) | is to be broken up, and one section given to K. I hope your occasional correspondent, J.Q.A. Crounse will be one of the men transferred to K, and then your readers will hear from the old Battery direct. VON PUTKAMMER was tried by Court Martial immediately after the battle of Chancellorsville. I have not heard the decision of the Court, but presume he was dismissed from the service, as his Battery has since been broken up. He was a Presbyterian Minister, and his Battery was raised at Albany under the auspices of the Young Mens' Christian Association. His conduct, I am informed, has been very "spiritual" ever since he has been in the service.
Capt. VAN BUREN BATES, Provost Marshal of the 3d Corps, went home it Utica, N.Y., on sick leave, about the middle of April, and we soon had tidings that he was dead, and sincerely mourned him as such; for his noble and generous qualities, and hearty, jovial disposition had won him friends with-| out number. Imagine, then, our astonishment and genuine joy, when he rode into our camp, last Sun-day, alive and well and looking good for fifty years yet!
Yesterday I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of L. H. Rowan, your former fellow- townsman, and ex-Law-partner of P. G. WEBSTER, Esq. He is 1st Lieut. and Act'g Ass't Quarter-Master of this Army Corps. The acquaintance was purely accidental; but we soon got talking about Fort Plain, inside and out. He said it was the biggest place for its size in the State of New York and produced more pretty girls than any other town in the Union, and on the latter point we particularly agreed.
Yours Truly,
A. MATTHEWSON
From Our Own Correspondent.
Army of the Potomac.
NO. 76.
HEAD QUARTERS ARTILLERY BRIGADE, 1st CORPS, CAMP AT RAPPARANNOCK STATION, VA.,
WEDNESDAY August 12th,1863.
To the Editor of the Mohawk Valley Register :
The position of the Army is not materially changed since my last. Our Cavalry and some infantry still hold the South side of the river at this point.
With the exception of a smart Cavalry fight one week ago yesterday, everything has been remarkably quiet during the week. The fight last week was opened by the enemy, to cover the falling back of a consider-able force of their infantry, which had been thrown forward in anticipation of an advance of our Army. The signal telegraph from General LEE to General Stewart, to commence the engagement, was read by our Signal Officer, and our Cavalry, under Gen. Buford immediately sounded "boots and saddles," and were prepared and waiting some time before the enemy opened the fight. With the anticipation of seeing a cavalry 'charge,' I went over the river to watch progress; but it was mostly con-fined to the Artillery and skirmishing with both mounted and dismounted Cavalry, and although I went to the very front and remained there three hours, under the fire of the enemy's Artillery, I saw nothing to create an excitement, and returned. The enemy were driven back about two miles.
Some troops have arrived who came out under the draft; but they are nearly all substitutes. I think they will make good soldiers when they get 'broke in,' which will not take long where they have so many and willing teachers.
The weather is very warm and there is considerable sickness; but not one-quarter as much as last year this time. Every effort is made to secure healthy camps and keep them well policed. Good water is very scarce and no ice to be had. Our soldiers have the full benefit of the Rappahannock to bathe in, and improve it well. Four men have already been drowned near the Railroad Bridge.
The following promotions and assignments have recently been made in the 1st New York Artillery, and their commissions from the Governor of New York were received to-day :
1st Lieut. John D. Woodbury, to be Captain, vice Cothran, resigned. Assigned to Battery M.
1st Lieut. Albert S. Sheldon, to be Captain, vice Pettit resigned. Assigned to Battery B.
2d Lieut. Ela H. Clark, to be 1st Lieut, vice Sheldon promoted. Assigned to Battery C. 1st Sergeant Francis Henchen, to be 2d Lieut., vice Swartz resigned. Assigned to Battery I.
Quarter Master Sergeant William J, Can-field, Battery K, to be 2d Lieut., vice Clark promoted. Not yet assigned.
I think Lieut. CANFIELD will be assigned to duty at these Head-Quarters, as Ordnance Officer of the Brigade. His friends in Fort Plain and vicinity will all be glad to learn of his promotion, and to know that he de-serves it.
Mrs. General John Newton arrived here last night, and promises to be with us for some time, if the preparations the General had made for her are any indication. A large hospital tent has been pitched, surrounded with evergreens interwoven to the height of five feet, and two bowers of the same have been woven at each end of the tent. Besides this, two rooms have been fitted up for her use in the house of Mr. Brown, whose grounds we occupy, and if she doesn't enjoy camp life it will be her own fault.
The young lady of the house Miss Brown, sits a horse very gracefully, is quite pretty, plays the piano and sings admirably, has got no less than a half a score of suitors already among the officers, and best of all, is sound on the 'Union' Question. (So 'Charley' says.) To be sure, she sings all the secesh songs with a 'native grace,' but of course we are liberal and generous enough to at-tribute that to the difficulty of obtaining any other kind of music down this way and you know what a passion all young la-dies have for the 'last new piece of music.' The Pay-Masters have been amongst us for more than a week, and almost every-body has got lots of money. Certainly, no fault can be found with Uncle Sam, now, I in regard to payments, for he is as punctual as clock work.
Warm weather agrees with me. I am in excellent health and perfectly happy. Ride four mules for every meal, and as a consequence, appetite good and no indigestion.
Yours Truly,
A. MATTHESON
From Our Own Correspondent.
Army of the Potomac.
NO. 81 _____
HEAD QUARTERS ARTILLERY BRIGADE,. 1st Corps, Camp 3 miles South-east of Culpepper C. H. VA
September 17th, 1863.
To the Editor of the Mohawk Valley Register :
Yesterday morning at 6 o'clock, we broke camp at Rappahannock Station and marched to this place, a point midway between Culpepper Court House and Stephensburgh, and about four miles from the Rapid Ann river, and at the foot of Pony Mountain. This move is not confined to our own Corps, but the whole Army is now South of the Rappahannock, and our operations are now on the Rapid Ann in- stead of the Rappahannock. Cedar Mountain is about nine miles south west of here—the scene of the great battle one year ago the 9th of last August. During the entire march yesterday, our ears were greeted by the booming of cannon, proceeding from an engagement of our Cavalry with the enemy on the Rapid Ann, and we expected every moment to be double quicked into a fight as we were at (Gettysburg; but we went quietly into camp on the north bank of Mountain Creek—a romantic and lovely place, abounding with mountain scenery.
Our Head-Quarters are in the grounds of what was once a fine, large old Virginia Mansion, with graveled and shaded walks; but the old house is now fast going to decay and the shrubbery is growing rank for want of care. The estate is a large one but the proprietor has fled and it is now occupied by two old women, a red-headed girl, several tooth less old negro women and two or three little woolly- heads, with no visible means of subsistence.
Today is the anniversary of the battle of Antietam, and I have just returned from a flag presentation to the "Iron Brigade," 1st Division of this Corps. This Brigade is composed of the 19th Indiana, 24th Mich., 2d. 6th and 7th Wisconsin Regiments. The flag was presented by citizens of those States now residing in Washington, D.C. The presentation was to have been made by your old friend Hon. A. W. RANDALL, 2d Ass't P. M. General and Ex Gov. of Wisconsin; but owing to the movement of the Army, he was not present. Great preparations had been made for this occasion while at Rappahannock Station, among other things a race course had been laid out and several horses were in training, and the movement of the Army came near upsetting the whole thing. They had been to great expense in getting an excellent collation from Washington, and as they had no transportation for the wines, &c., and fearing the ice-cream, et cetera would not keep until the anniversary of some other battle in which the Brigade had been engaged, they concluded to have the affair come off at the appointed time (to day.)
The presentation took place in a wood of stately old Oaks, where the Brigade were drawn up in hollow square, two brass bands furnishing the music for the occasion.
After the presentation, the invited guests, about two hundred in number, assembled around a long table laid under the foliage of the overhanging branches, and groaning beneath the weight of the culinary load. Everything was complete, from champaigne to lobster salad, and the popping of corks reminded me of a smart skirmish, where jokes took the place of bullets.
After the dinner had received ample justice, speeches were made by Major Gen'l NEWTON, Brig. Gen'l ROBINSON, Brig. Gen'l RICE, Col. MORROW, Col. BRAGG, and others, and toasts were given and drunk without number. At the conclusion of Gen'l. ROBINSON'S speech he proposed the following toast, to be drunk in silence:
"Major General JOHN A. REYNOLDS, the bravest of the brave,—may he ever live in memory, and flowers always blossom on his grave."
This toast was drunk amid a death-like stillness, broken only by the band playing a low and sweet melody. You will remember that Major General REYNOLDS commanded our Corps, and was killed at the commencement of the first day's battle at Gettysburgh.
Capt. G. H. Reynolds commanding Battery "L," 1st N. Y. Art'y who was wounded at Gettysburg July 1st, has returned to duty. He has lost his left eye, Lieut. BOWER of that Battery, lost his left arm at Rappahannock Station, one year ago the 21st of last August. The next one will probably lose his left leg.
At present, matters look very much as though we should soon have a battle on the Rapid Ann; but many officers think we shall not have any battle at all. A few days will probably "let the cat out of the bag."
Yours Truly,
A. MATTHEWSON
1st Artillery - Among the named wounded officers at Locust Grove Hospital, Va., we find the name of Lieut. Wm. A. SHELTON, Co. D.
CASUALTIES IN BATTERY D., 1st N. Y. ARTILLERY.—The following comprises the list of casualties of Battery D., of the 1st New York Artillery, since it crossed the Rapidan:
At the Battle of the Wilderness, wounded, Capt. G. B. Winslow, Lieut. Seldon, (the latter was taken prisoner), private Mile C. Dunton, John Shoemaker, B. N. Smith, George Baker, and a new recruit by the name of Davis, William Pie and Dav's were taken prisoners, at Spottsylvania Court House, two wounded, Christopher B gerl, William and Leonard.
Battle of Jerico Ford, on the North Anna River, 3 wounded, names Lieut. Angell Matteson, private Charles Hurd, and a new recruit named Fitzpatrick.
At the battle of the 30th May, near Coal Harbor, Va., 4 wounded, Sergt. H. Palmer, seriously, Corp. O. V. Munger, the latter, I hear has since died, William Esseletine and Ham were slightly wounded, but soon re-turned to the Battery.
In the action on the 3rd June, 8 killed, names, Lieut., Charles Dermott, privates William Grogan, Charles Fenton, wounded, Corp. R.H. Sterling, and 3 new recruits, Derrick, Smith and Conger.
Near Petersburg, on the18th June, 3 wounded, two by the premature discharge of the piece, names Lewis La hine, William Eseltine, the former was mortally wounded and live 24 hours only, the third, Harry La-sell by a piece of shell.
W. G.
N.B.- I regret to state that Capt. Henry W. Davis, of Col. Wainright's staff, and who was formerly an orderly Sergeant in D. Battery, was wounded at Jericks Ford, and has since died and been buried at Port Royal.
Letter from Capt. Matthewson.
A private letter from Capt. MATTHEWSON was received on Monday, dated at Six Mile House, on the Petersburgh & Weldon Rail-road, Friday, Aug. 26, 1864. The Captain is in command of Battery "D," 1st. N. Y. Artillery, Artillery Brigade, 5th Corps. He will resume his correspondence with this journal as soon as "things get a little settled," and although this letter is private, we take the liberty to make some extracts which we know will be interesting to our readers:-
"Sunday the 21st inst., we had another battle as I anticipated we should. You will find something of an account of it in the N.Y. Herald of the 24th, in which I see that they mention me and my battery. It was a warm fight for two hours; but the rebels got all the hard knocks. Our loss was very small in comparison. Day before yesterday (Wednesday 24th.) I was ordered into position farther to the left of our line, and was instructed by Gen. Warren to construct a Redan or Fort for my guns. This was no easy undertaking, as the place select-ed for me was almost a swamp and covered by dense wood. But the General placed a whole Brigade of Infantry at my service, about 2,000 strong, to clear away the wood, drain the swamp and erect the Redan. I immediately called upon the Brigade commander, Col. Gregory, for a detail of 400 men and set them at work night and day ever since. I have accomplished a great deal. Have dug a ditch three feet wide and four feet deep a distance of six hundred yards; have slashed about 20 acres of heavy wood in my front, and the Redan is three- fourths completed. The diameter of its base is fifty-six yards; the base of the work is12 feet on all sides, and when completed it will be 10 feet high and three feet on top. There are embrasures for 8 guns; two of which sweep the front of our line of battle to the right, two to the left and four to the front. The difficulties attending the erection of this Redan are greater than the erection of any of the works in front of Petersburgh. I planned the whole work, and have had the sole supervision and direction of it.— Considering that this is my first real attempt at engineering, I feel proud of it. The enemy attacked the 2d Corps on our left last night, just before dark, and a heavy battle ensued. I have not heard the result. It is reported that they lost four pieces of artillery. The battle took place near Reams' Station, between four and five miles south of here. I expected they would attack my front about the same time, but they did not. About 8 o'clock this morning, however, they attacked the 9th Corps on the right of our Corps, and were repulsed. Have learned no particulars. We are all expecting another battle this afternoon, on some part of the line. This Railroad is too important to the rebels for them to give it up without the greatest struggle in their power; so you may expect to hear of a battle here every day until they are satisfied that we cannot be dislodged or driven away.
I forgot to tell you that the work I am now at, when completed, will be named after me and called Redan Matthewson. Col. Wainwright, Chief of Artillery of the Corps, Gen. Griffin, commanding the 1st Division, and Gen. Warren, commanding the Corps, were all here to take a look at it yesterday.