Saturday, June 27.—Crossed the Potomac at two o’clock in the morning. Went to rest a mile from the river. Remained until two o’clock P. M. Resumed marching. Passed through Poolesville at four, Barnesville at nine, and went to camp at the foot of Sugar Loaf Mountain at ten o’clock P. M.
Sunday, June 28.—Resumed our march at six o’clock A. M., passed through Urbana by one, and came in sight of Frederick at three o’clock P. M. We went in position on a hill, five miles from the city, having marched nine miles. Joe Hooker has been superseded by General Meade in the command of the Army of the Potomac. The rebels occupied Carlisle, in Pennsylvania.
Monday, June 29.—Marched at eight o’clock. Crossed the Monocacy river. After passing through Frederick, we turned off to the Baltimore road, crossing the Stone Bridge. We went through Mount Pleasant, Liberty, Union Bridge and Uniontown. Cherries are plenty on the road. The people in general are very patriotic, doing anything for the soldiers. This day’s march, thirty-five miles, is the longest ever made by the battery, excepting that after the first Bull Run battle. We went to camp at ten o’clock in the night.
Tuesday, June 30.—Uniontown. Our corps is resting to-day. Whiskey is very abundant round here. We have marched one hundred and thirty-nine miles since the fourteenth of June.
Wednesday, July 1.—Left Uniontown in the morning, passed through Taneytown, and were two miles from Gettysburg at dark, having marched fifteen miles. The First and Eleventh corps fought a battle to-day, losing the town of Gettysburg. General Reynolds, of the First corps, was killed.
Thursday, July 2.—Second day’s battle of Gettysburg. In line of battle since six o’clock in the morning. The First, Second, Third and Eleventh corps in array. Skirmishers firing briskly. Artillery commenced to play. Nothing of importance was done, until about half-past four, our left wing advanced and opened the battle. The centre and left were soon hotly engaged. Our battery was in action all the afternoon. The Third corps lost ground towards evening, until General Hancock advanced with the First and Second corps and decided the day. The enemy made another demonstration on the right, without success. The battle raged until nine o’clock in the night. One time it seemed as if we were all surrounded. Battery A, Fourth regulars, reversed their pieces ready to fire to the rear. This battery and ours fired canister in the evening. Our fourth piece was disabled early in the action, and sent to the rear in charge of Corporal W. Drape. One of the rear wheels of the fourth caisson, was shot away. When night settled down upon the battle-field, each army rested for the final blow.
Friday, July 3.—Third day’s battle of Gettysburg. The enemy’s batteries on his right opened on us before daylight. Three limbers of Battery A, Fourth regulars, were blown up early in the morning. Our caissons were sent after ammunition several times. At eleven o’clock firing ceased, rations were given out, and the men commenced cooking. At one o’clock, all of a sudden, two signal guns were fired by the enemy, followed by the most terrific cannonade of more than a hundred pieces of artillery, playing on our centre. Our reply did not seem to make any impression at all. That dreadful artillery fire seemed to paralyze our whole line for a spell. Suddenly as it commenced it ceased, and three immense lines of infantry advanced to take our almost annihilated batteries. Battery B, Rhode Island, A, Fourth regulars, I, First regulars, and Pettit’s New York Battery, were taken, but not held by the rebels. Our battery withdrew their guns with honor, leaving the dead, some of the wounded, and two caissons behind. At the time of our leaving, the battle was at its turning point. The most desperate fighting was done on Cemetery Hill and the Emmettsburg road. The field presented a ghastly appearance. Our officers behaved very well, especially Lieutenant Jacob Lamb, who, being wounded in the hand, refused to leave the field, carried ammunition and encouraged the men. Our loss was: Killed—Patrick Lannegan, first piece, shot in the groin; John Zimmerli, fourth piece, head taken off by a cannon ball; Simon Creamer, sixth piece, skull severed by a shell. Wounded—Lieutenant J. Lamb, hand; Sergeant Benjamin Childs, shoulder; Corporal W. Rider, arm; Corporal W. R. Calder, back; Corporal Shaw, shoulder; Privates—Grady, leg off, died afterwards; Gil. Harrison, foot; Higgins, arm shot away, died afterwards; Markey, shoulder; Curtis, foot, slightly; Googin, arm, slightly; Cargill, leg; Byron Snow, back; Walter Arnold, leg; Wellman, elbow, slightly; Morrissey, leg, badly; Hathaway, shoulder; Shampman, hip; Tuttle, arm; Carlier, slightly; Middleton, leg, slightly; Dawson, slightly; Tomdorf, leg, slightly; Oaks, slightly. Jack Hughes, and Long Clark and his brother, ran away. Our battery went two miles to the rear, in an exhausted condition. The Sixth corps reached the battle-field about three o’clock P. M.
Saturday, July 4.—Gettysburg. The battle is over. The skirmishers of the two armies are yet still confronting each other. Three men of our battery rode back to the battle-ground to inter our dead; but found them already buried by Battery C, Rhode Island. Lannegan was buried near our camp; also, Lieutenant Cushing, Battery A, Fourth Regulars—this battery is to be consolidated with Battery I, First Regulars. The great artillery assault on our centre, was the last effort of Lee’s army to force our lines from Cemetery Hill. The rebels’ ammunition must have been nearly expended after that. Our battery used as much as twenty-two hundred rounds of ammunition, during the battle. The town of Gettysburg is occupied by our forces. A heavy shower this evening.
Sunday, July 5.—Battlefield of Gettysburg. Our army has taken twelve thousand prisoners. The rebels are in full retreat. Pleasanton’s cavalry and the Sixth corps are in pursuit. Our battery will be consolidated with Battery B, Rhode Island. We received a new supply of ammunition and marched off on the Baltimore road, by seven o’clock P. M., going in camp near Littletown, six miles from Gettysburg, by nine P. M. It rained during the night.
Monday, July 6.—Remained in camp near Littletown all day. General French took a pontoon train from the rebels near Williamsport. The Potomac reported to be very high.