Battery D First Rhode Island Light Artillery in the Civil War

by George C. Sumner

Gen. Burnside desired to redeem, if possible, the disaster which had befallen the Union army, and he originated a new plan, the purpose of which was an immediate advance upon Richmond. His plan was to make a feint above Fredericksburg, and to cross with the main body six miles below. A large force of cavalry with four guns was to cross at Kelly's Ford, push towards the Rapidan, destroy the railroad and bridges in the rear of Gen. Lee, traverse Virginia, and join the Union garrison at Suffolk.

This movement was stopped by order of the President, representations from dissatisfied officers had had their effect, and Gen. Burnside was ordered not to make the movement.

By Jan. 10th the plan had been changed. It was now proposed to cross the Rappahannock above Fredericksburg, flank the enemy and force a battle. The President gave his permission, and the troops were placed under marching orders. The pontoons were brought up to the vicinity of Banks' Ford, and everything made ready to throw the bridge across the swollen river. Most of the army had been brought up to the vicinity of the ford, and it was contemplated to make the movement on the morning of the 21st of Jan., but on the evening of the 20th a fearful storm of wind, sleet and rain came on, such as is seldom seen in that region, which continued all night, and when morning came the entire country had been converted into a vast bed of mud, and for hours the troops were hopelessly mired—it was impossible to move in either direction—every attempt to move only sank the wheels of the artillery and of the wagons deeper into the soft sticky mud. Orders were finally issued to the troops to return to winter quarters, and what is known as the "Mud March" was ended.

Battery D was fortunate enough not to have left its camp on this occasion; for ten days we were hitched up ready to move at a moment's notice, but happily were not called upon, and thus escaped a most disagreeable episode.

Stormy and cold weather prevailed during the last week of January, but as we were comfortably housed, rations plenty, and duty light, we managed to get through it without much discomfort.

February came in like a lion—the 2d was very cold, the 3d still colder, and on the 4th the men could do little else than sit by their fires, the cold was so intense.

On the 6th orders were received to pack up as soon as possible, and be ready to march in an hour. About eight o'clock the battery moved out of our winter camp and took up its line of march in a cold drenching rain, towards Bell's Landing on the Potomac River, distant about twelve miles. The roads were exceedingly muddy, so that our progress was necessarily very slow; the very best we could do was about six miles on the first day; the pieces and caissons would become fast in the mud, and we would have to double our teams to pull them out. Our condition may be imagined—tired out, wet through, and no way of protecting ourselves from the cold storm, which continued through the night.

We succeeded after great difficulty in pulling our pieces and caissons through to the landing on the next day; but the battery wagon and forge not having arrived, six teams of horses were sent back after them, and they were found about five miles back, the forge being bottom side up in a creek, having run off the bridge the night before. We finally got it on the road and hauled it and the battery wagon to camp.

About two o'clock in the morning of the 9th, the men were aroused, and commenced loading the battery on canal boats. At nine o'clock the loading of the battery was completed. The boats were shoved out into the stream and anchored until four o'clock in the afternoon, when a steamer took our tow-line and towed us down the river a few miles, where we again anchored, and remained until the 11th, when we continued our journey; but about noon it commenced storming, and we put into St. Mary's Bay for a harbor. All day of the 12th the storm continued, and we remained in the harbor.

Within a hundred yards of where our boats lay, were some immense rocks, and at low tide large numbers of oysters could be seen clinging to their sides. Permission was given that the men could use the small boats to gather them, and soon large quantities were secured, and, as it may be imagined, to men whose diet had been principally "salt junk" and pork, this change in their diet was very acceptable.