Wood, James
Woodward, Alden H.
As has already been mentioned Battery H was the last battery sent out from Rhode Island, and it labored under many disadvantages. It suffered severely by the desertion of men who enlisted solely for the bounty obtained, and many incurred physical disability incident to the service, causing their transfer to the Veteran Reserve Corps. All these circumstances contributed to weaken the battery for effective work, and we were unable to show such a long and honorable record as the majority of our Rhode Island batteries won on many hotly contested fields, yet every true soldier of our battery may take pride in the consciousness that he faithfully performed every duty and task assigned him, and that his name is recorded on the rolls as among those who risked their lives in the defense of constitutional liberty in the dark hours of the nation’s peril, and although ours may have been the humbler service, yet we stood ready to offer our all for home and fatherland.
MEMOIRS.
[We have inserted sketches of the officers and men of the battery so far as obtainable.]
JEFFREY HAZARD.
Capt. Jeffrey Hazard, son of John Hazard, and grandson of Governor Jeffrey Hazard, was born in the town of Exeter, R. I., on the 23d day of September, 1835. His elder brother, John G. Hazard, served with distinction in the War of the Rebellion, rising from the rank of first lieutenant to brevet brigadier-general of volunteers. The subject of our sketch obtained his education at the Providence High School, and, previous to the war, was a teller in the Manufacturers’ Bank.
He received a commission as second lieutenant in Battery A, First Rhode Island Light Artillery, Oct. 5, 1861, and was subsequently appointed regimental adjutant. He participated with his battery in many engagements. Among these may be mentioned Balls Bluff, Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, and Antietam. At the latter battle the battery won for itself great renown, holding an advanced position under a heavy fire from the enemy. It fought nearly four hours within three hundred yards of the enemy’s line of battle, losing four men killed and fifteen wounded. The only officers of the battery present with Captain Tompkins were lieutenants Hazard and Mason, who bravely worked the guns for want of men.
On the 1st of October, 1862, Lieutenant Hazard was promoted to the captaincy of Battery H, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Capt. C. H. J. Hamlin. Captain Hazard immediately proceeded to Rhode Island, joined the battery at Camp Mauran, and assumed command. Shortly after his arrival he was ordered by the governor to proceed with his battery to the Dexter Training Ground, where the Twelfth Rhode Island Infantry was encamped. Trouble was anticipated in regard to bounties, which had been promised the men before leaving the State. Four guns of the battery were placed at the corners of the grounds ready to repel any mutiny that might arise. Happily no blood was shed, and Captain Hazard returned with his command to Camp Mauran.
Oct. 23, 1862, Captain Hazard’s battery left Providence for Washington, D. C, and proceeded to the artillery camp of instruction, Camp Barry. While stationed here the battery attained great efficiency in drill and discipline, due in great measure to the indefatigable efforts of its commander.