the guns he found on the enemy. Through the whole day, notwithstanding the repeated attempts made by the enemy to retake the works, Captain Ritchie held his own, though at times unavoidably short of ammunition he encouraged his support by cheering representations and personal exposure.

A working party of sixty men detailed from field batteries and provided with the necessary tools was organized under Captain Eaton, Twenty-seventh New York Battery, to open a way through the breastworks so that artillery could pass through and follow up the success of the assaulting column. Captain Eaton executed this work admirably and advanced two of his own pieces to the open ground in front of our works, where, notwithstanding the great exposure to the fire of the enemy, they were worked throughout the entire day.

The enemy still holding rear lines of their works in close proximity it was not advisable or necessary to advance other pieces.

During the night of April 2 a constant fire was kept up from Battery No. 5 and Fort McGilvery on the bridge across the Appomattox River, over which it was supposed the enemy might be retreating. It is fair to presume that this fire was of considerable annoyance to the enemy. Early in the morning of the 3d it was discovered that the enemy had withdrawn from their lines and were in rapid retreat. Brevet Captain Stone, Fifth U. S. Artillery, immediately followed with his battery over the skirmish line and entered Petersburg simultaneously with the infantry.

Fourteen thousand two hundred and fifty-one rounds is the amount of artillery ammunition expended during the engagement.

The operations herein detailed differ but little from the occurances which almost daily transpired from the 17th of June, when the line of Petersburg was first taken, up to the 3d of April. During this entire time the artillery was kept constantly on the alert. Every movement of the enemy was observed, and all working parties strengthening or extending their works were at once driven under cover by the admirable practice of our artillerists. The same vigilance and practice being observed by the enemy, the result was an almost daily or nightly cannonading.

Too much praise cannot be awarded to the officers and men of the artillery for the cheerful, patient, and hopeful manner in which, under the most trying circumstances, they performed their duties.

On the 3d, Major Miller, inspector of artillery, set about collecting the field pieces and ammunition abandoned by the enemy. The following is a description of the twenty guns captured in front of the lines occupied by the corps.

No. 1.-A Parrott gun, 3-inch, manufactured by J. R. A. & Co. No. 2180. Carriage made at Washington Arsenal.

No. 2.-A Parrott gun, 3-inch, manufactured by J. R. A. & Co. No. 2170. Carriage made by Wood & Bros. New York. 1844.

No. 3.—A U. S. Parrott, 3-inch. No. 95. 1861. R. P. P. W. P. F. maker.

No. 4.-A U. S. Parrott, 3-inch. No mark.

No. 5.-A howitzer, iron, 41-inch, manufactured by J. R. A. & Co. No. 6.-A boat howitzer, 24-pounder, manufactured by the Ames Manufacturing Company. No. 111. 1297-98.

No. 7.-A U. S. light 12-pounder brass gun. No. 33. 1862. Manufactured by the Ames Manufacturing Company.

No. 8.-A Dahlgren 12-pounder gun. No. 1817. Manufactured by J. R. A. & Co.; 1,220 pounds weight.

68 R R-VOL XLVI, PT I

No. 9.-A Dahlgren 12-pounder gun. J. R. A. & Co.; 1,260 pounds weight. No. 10.-A Dahlgren 12-pounder gun. J. R. A. & Co.; 1,250 pounds weight. No. 11.-A Dahlgren 12-pounder gun. J. R. A. & Co.; 1,245 pounds weight. No. 12.-A Dahlgren 12-pounder gun. J. R. A. & Co.; 1,255 pounds weight.

No. 13.-A Dahlgren, howitzer, 12-pounder. No. 1828. Manufactured by J. R. A. & Co., 1863; 1,245 pounds weight.

No. 14.-A Dahlgren howitzer. No. 1858. Manufactured by J. R. A. & Co., 1863; 1,225 pounds weight.

No. 15.-A 12-pounder smooth-bore gun. No. 2058. Manufactured by J. R. A. & Co.

No. 16.-A 12-pounder smooth-bore gun. No. 2118. Manufactured by J. R. A. & Co.

No. 17.-A 12-pounder smooth-bore gun. No number. Manufactured by J. R. A. & Co.

18.-A

No. 18. A 12-pounder smooth-bore gun. No. 2126. Manufactured by J. R. A. & Co.

No. 19.-A 12-pounder smooth-bore gun. No. 2126.

by J. R. A. & Co.

No. 20.-A 12-pounder smooth-bore gun. No. 2054. by J. R. A. & Co.

Manufactured

Manufactured

A large amount of ammunition was obtained. Brevet BrigadierGeneral Abbot collected the heavy ordnance and ammunition, and has, it is presumed, made a report of the amount to the chief of artillery, Army of the Potomac.

It was with much pleasure that, in compliance with an invitation from the major general commanding the corps, I was enabled to recommend the under-mentioned officers for promotion by brevet: Capt. Ed. J. Jones, Eleventh Massachusetts Battery; Capt. A. B. Twitchell, Seventh Mainé Battery; Capt. Theo. Miller, Fourth New York Artillery; Capt. David F. Ritchie, C, First New York Artillery; First Lieut. William H. Rogers, First Connecticut Artillery; First Lieut. George E. Ketchum and Second Lieut. David B. Cooper, C, First New York Artillery; and also to make honorable mention of Bvt. Maj. Christian Woerner, Third New Jersey Battery; Capt. John B. Eaton, Twenty-seventh New York Battery; Capt. William McClelland, Battery B, First Pennsylvania Artillery; Bvt. Capt. Val. H. Stone, C and I, Fifth U. S. Artillery; First Lieut. John J. Teller, Twenty-seventh New York Battery; Second Lieut. Mason W. Page, Fifth Massachusetts Battery, Second Lieut. Theo. Huysman, Fourth New York Artillery, all of whom did excellent service with their commands in repulsing the assault on Fort Stedman and in the assault on Petersburg on the 2d day of April, 1865.

The following-named men, who pre-eminently distinguished themselves in working the guns captured from the enemy, have also been recommended as deserving the medal of honor: Sergt. David Cole, Sergt. Gustavus A. Rice, Corpl. Samuel T. Mallet, and Private Hiram Webster, Battery C, First New York Artillery.

Among all who behaved admirably on this duty these men are mentioned by their commanding officers as having behaved with distinguished bravery and coolness; their guns were only partially covered, consequently were much exposed to the enemy's fire. Sergeant Colé distinguished himself by attending to the supply of ammunition, cross

ing the field several times under a hot fire. Sergt. G. A. Rice was wounded. Corpl. S. T. Mallet sighted and fired the first captured gun. Private H. Webster was wounded.

Considering the very important results obtained and the stubborn resistance of the enemy, the casualties in this command were very slight, the total number being 6 men killed and 1 commissioned officer and 20 men wounded. The slight loss under so heavy a fire may be accounted for from the fact that from long experience in the positions occupied the majority of the pieces were enabled to be kept under cover.

APPENDIX.

April 3, Petersburg being in our possession, preparations were immediately made to follow the retreating enemy, and the following batteries were selected to accompany this corps: Seventh Maine, Eleventh Massachusetts, D, Pennsylvania Volunteer Artillery, Ninth Massachusetts, and Third New Jersey Batteries. It not being considered that the other batteries would be required, they were sent with the Reserve Artillery of the army to City Point, Maj. Theo. Miller being placed temporarily in command of the whole. The Second Division being the leading division of the corps, two batteries, the Seventh Maine and Eleventh Massachusetts, were attached to it and accompanied it during the march, ready for any service that might be required. Though none of the batteries were called into action after the capture of Petersburg good use was made of the horses and men of the two batteries of the division in collecting the abandoned and captured enemy's guns.

It having been reported by Captain Twitchell, Seventh Maine Battery, who had arrived with his command at Farmville, that a number of abandoned guns were in that vicinity, Maj. R. B. Ricketts was sent to find and collect them. The total number collected and placed near the railway at Burkeville was 110.

This corps being extended along the whole of the line of railway between Petersburg and Farmville, a distance of sixty-nine miles, the batteries were necessarily a long distance apart; while the Seventh Maine Battery was at Farmville, the Eleventh Massachusetts was at Burkeville, the Ninth Massachusetts at Nottoway Court-House, Battery D, Pennsylvania Artillery, at Beasley's house, and the Third New Jersey some miles nearer to Petersburg.

Orders to that effect having been received the batteries (on the morning of April 20) commenced to march back to City Point, where they arrived in good order on the 23d. The commanding officer of the Ninth Massachusetts and Third New Jersey Batteries were then ordered to report to Brigadier-General Hays, who had relieved Major Miller in command of the Artillery Reserve, and the Nineteenth, Twenty-sev enth, and Thirty-fourth New York Batteries were ordered to rejoin this corps, to which they originally belonged.

Transports having been provided the six batteries were embarked at City Point for Alexandria, where they arrived on the 28th of April' and near to which city they are now in park.

In closing this report of the important part taken by the artillery under my charge in the memorable siege of Petersburg, it affords me pleasure to mention the efficient, cheerful, and harmonious manner in which the members of my staff performed their respective duties. The following officers composed it: Maj. R. B. Ricketts, First Pennsylvania Artillery, assistant to chief of artillery; Capt. Theodore Miller, Fourth New York Artillery, inspector of artillery; First Lieut. Thomas

Heasley, Thirty-fourth New York Battery, acting assistant adjutantgeneral; First Lieut. George W. Booth, Eleventh Massachusetts Battery, acting ordnance officer; Capt. Harry Brownson, assistant quartermaster; Capt. Daniel S. Tompkins, Twenty-seventh Michigan Volunteers, acting commissary of subsistence; First Lieut. Seth N. Hedges, Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery, acting ordnance officer, in charge of ammunition train; Surg. William Ingalls, Fifty-ninth Massachusetts Veteran Volunteers, surgeon-in-chief.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. C. TIDBALL,

Brevet Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Lieut. Col. J. D. BERTOLETTE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Ninth Army Corps.

(Same to Bvt. Maj. Gen. Henry J. Hunt, Chief of Artillery, Army of the Potomac.)

No. 176.

Report of Capt. Adelbert B. Twitchell, Seventh Battery Maine Light

Artillery.

HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH MAINE BATTERY,

Farmville, Va., April 12, 1865.

Report of operations of the Seventh Maine Battery, Artillery Brigade, Ninth Army Corps, from March 30 to April 12, 1865:

March 30, 1865, four of my guns were in position at Fort Sedgwick and two at Battery 21. Nothing unusual occurred at that point until evening of April 1. At 10 p. m. I received orders to open immediately and fired all my guns rapidly. For an hour, from 11 o'clock until 12 m., fired slowly, one gun in five minutes. About fifty mortar shells were thrown in and about the fort the early part of the evening, wounding some three of the infantry soldiers. At 4 a. m., April 2, at the signal from Fort Avery, all my guns opened, firing rapidly for fifteen minutes. Ceased firing for a time as the infantry was gathering for the charge in our front. The rebel line was carried just before the break of day. The enemy threw shell and canister quite rapidly for a few moments, but gave too high elevation, as nearly all the missiles passed over our works.

A little after light I received a request from Colonel Harriman, commanding a brigade of the First Division, to send cannoneers to the line in front of Battery 21 to work the captured guns. Lieutenant Staples immediately volunteered, as also did all the men of his section (in Battery 21) and one detachment of men from Battery D, Pennsylvania Artillery.

Lieutenant Staples, with the three detachments, went over to the captured guns and assisted in getting them in position, but returned in about an hour and a half, as plenty of men were found to work the guns, nearly 100 having come over from our batteries in park and those guns stationed in the rear line. Frequent calls being made for ammunition I sent Private Frank S. Wade to the line occupied to ascertain the number and caliber of the captured guns. He reported eight in working order,

six light 12-pounders and two 3-inch. Details of men were furnished me from the infantry stationed in Fort Sedgwick, and I sent over to the front line all the ammunition needed, the men taking the ammunition up the Jerusalem plank road and delivering it to Captain Ritchie, Battery C, First New York, who distributed it along the line. After the line was taken and it was light enough to see my guns were trained and opened upon the forts and redoubts in rear of the main rebel line, and I kept up almost a constant fire the entire day.

From Fort Sedgwick we observed two or three charges by the rebels during the day, and my guns sent shell and case-shot into their ranks with effect. About 8 a. m. I ordered that one 3-inch Parrott gun of Battery D, Pennsylvania Artillery, be taken from Battery 21 and placed on the left flank of my guns in Sedgwick, which, in connection with the left gun of my battery, could cover the left flank of Curtin's brigade, Potter's division.

These guns were well served and did good service during the day in checking the rebels, constantly threatening the left flank. My men worked without intermission during the entire day of April 2 in serv. ing their guns and in receiving and sending ammunition to the line occupied by our troops.

Lieutenants Bundy and Thorp both volunteered to go over with their men to work the captured guns, but I was satisfied that a sufficient number of artillerymen had been sent over to work all the guns, and it was necessary to keep that point on our lines well manned. Besides, I believed my guns were doing good service in Sedgwick and Bat tery 21.

Though several officers and numbers of men were wounded in Sedgwick during the day I am happy to state that no casualties occurred in my command.

As near as I can judge I expended about 1,000 rounds of ammunition during the night of April 1 and the day of April 2. I cannot tell how many rounds were sent over to the front line. Monday, April 3, broke camp about noon and marched through Petersburg, via Fort Sedgwick (Fort Hell), on the Jerusalem plank road; marched about ten miles beyond Petersburg and went into camp about midnight. Starting at 8 a. m. Tuesday, the 4th, marched about five miles and halted until 4.30 p. m., and encamped not far from Saw-Mill Station; marched about fifteen miles. Wednesday, the 5th, between the hours of 10 a. m. and 9 p. m., marched about twenty-two miles, crossing the railroad frequently, and encamped for the night at Wellville Station. Thursday, 6th, left park about 6.30 a. m., and marched all day and until 10 p. m., when we arrived at Burkeville and went into park, having marched about twenty miles. On our way passed through the village of Nottoway CourtHouse, eight miles from Burkeville. Friday, 7th, moved our park about one-half mile, where we remained until Sunday, 9th, when, at 2.30 p. m., we started on the road to Farmville, marched about twelve miles and parked for the night. Monday, the 10th, resumed the march at 7 a. m. and arrived at Farmville at 9 a. m., having marched six miles.

Wednesday, the 5th, I reported with my battery to Brigadier-General Curtin, commanding First Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Army Corps, and have been with the brigade since. Respectfully submitted.

A. B. TWITCHELL, Captain, Commanding Seventh Maine Battery.