June 1st, found the battery marching toward Fredericksburg; on the 2d, we were at Dumfries; on the 3d, at Fairfax Court House; on the 4th, at Hall’s Hill. On the 7th, we reached Long Bridge at Washington, where we went into camp. On the 8th, the Sixth Corps, which was necessarily absent on the occasion of the great review of the Army of the Potomac on the 23d of May, now passed in review before the President. The troops made a fine appearance, and their marching and perfect alignment received favorable comments from the spectators along the route of march. Our battery was excused from participation in the review.

At ten o’clock on the morning of the 9th, an order came directing Captain Allen to march his battery to the Arsenal at Washington, and turn the guns and equipage over to the commanding officer there, and the horses were turned into the general corral. We returned to camp about four P. M. Private Franklin P. Burlingame came out to visit us, he having been on detached service in the adjutant-general’s office in the War Department since the fall of 1863, when our battery lay at Fort Scott.

June 12th still found our battery in camp near Long-Bridge. Private Earl Fenner, who was orderly at headquarters, imparted the joyful information to us about nightfall that our battery had been ordered to proceed to Washington on the following day, at noon, and take the cars for Providence, R. I. These glad tidings induced the men to strike up the familiar song:

“When Johnnie comes Marching Home!”

On the morning of the 13th, there was hurry and bustle in the various camps in our neighborhood. Preparations were being made to cross over Long Bridge into Washington, and from thence the different organizations would proceed on their homeward journey. At 12.30 we received orders to pack knapsacks, strike tents, and turn over all property belonging to the government to Quartermaster Sergeant Allen, and be ready to fall in at a moment’s notice. At two o’clock we bade adieu to old Virginia, and, marching into Washington, proceeded to the depot, and, at six P. M., boarded the train, with our faces toward the north, and our destination Rhode Island. While crossing the switch just out of Washington, a passenger train on the switch approached us from the opposite direction. There being but one track it should have waited on the upper end of the switch until our train had passed. The danger signal was up and could be seen a long distance, but instead of heeding the signal the passenger train from Baltimore came thundering along, and a frightful collision ensued. The locomotive of the passenger train struck our train in the centre, demolishing three cars, and resulted in the loss of thirty-four men killed and wounded. Ambulances from Washington were immediately dispatched to the scene, and removed the wounded.

Although none of Battery H were injured it was a sad sight to see our comrades of other commands after passing through all the dangers and vicissitudes of war, killed and mutilated in a railroad accident while returning to their homes. Comrade George F. Woodley, for many years since the war an honored citizen of Providence, was on board this train, and his escape from immediate death was almost miraculous. He was a member of Battery A, First New Jersey Artillery. He was sitting with a comrade on the top of a freight car, with a rubber blanket thrown over both of them as a protection from the rain. When the collision occurred his companion was instantly killed, while Comrade Woodley sustained a dislocation of the shoulder, besides receiving severe bruises. Just after midnight the track was cleared and we started on our way again.

At sunrise on the 14th, we arrived in Baltimore, marched, through the city, and embarked on the cars for Philadelphia. We arrived in that city about eleven A. M. After disembarking from the cars we received a royal welcome from the good people of this city while on our way to the famous Cooper Shop, so well known to every Union soldier who passed through Philadelphia on his way to and from the seat of war. Here we found a bountiful collation awaiting us. After partaking of this welcome repast we continued on our way, and about four o’clock in the afternoon took the train for New York, arriving there about dark, and quartered for the night in the barracks at Castle Garden.

At three o’clock on the afternoon of the 15th, we left Castle Garden and marched to the wharf of the Neptune line of steamers, and embarked on the propeller Galatea for Providence. We were accompanied by Battery G, First Rhode Island Light Artillery. We left New York at five P. M., and arrived in Providence Friday morning, June 16th. A salute was fired in honor of our arrival, and, under escort of the Burnside Zouaves we marched to Washington Hall, where an elegant collation had been provided under the direction of the Commissary-General of the State. We were welcomed by Adjutant-General Edward C. Mauran, and then partook of the refreshments before us, after which we marched to the Silvey Barracks on the Cove lands, and were dismissed until the 28th of June, when we were ordered to report at the same place for final muster out. We were subsequently ordered to report on South Main Street, July 3d, where we received our discharge papers, and were paid off and mustered out of service.

The following officers and men returned to Rhode Island with the battery:

Captain.