Monday, August 26.—Great excitement. Reports of artillery firing in the direction of Edwards Ferry, created considerable stir. Capt. Reynolds, with two pieces, started towards Edwards Ferry. We changed our camp out of the enemy’s sight. Nothing of interest from this time up to Sunday, September 1.—Col. Geary received three hundred additional men for his regiment.
Thursday, August 22.—The right section left Berlin and went towards Frederick City. Friday, August 23.—Rebel cavalry plainly to be seen on the other side of the Potomac. Saturday, August 24, and Sunday, August 25.—Quiet. Great slaughter amongst turkeys and chickens!
Wednesday, August 21.—The Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania received two guns for their own use. Signs of a demonstration show themselves this evening. All our baggage was sent off; the tents only left standing, ready to be burnt in case we had to leave.
Friday, August 16.—Return of Capt. Reynolds, with the Third Battery, afterwards Battery B, Rhode Island Light Artillery, and some recruits for ours. The newly raised battery should have relieved us, and taken our pieces, as we had the promise of entirely new ones. We all expected to return to Washington; but Col. Geary, being in [...]
Thursday, August 15.—Witnessed the drumming out of a soldier of the Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania for stealing from his comrades.
Wednesday, August 14.—The Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania, commanded by Col. Geary, occupied the town1. We established our camp about five o’clock, P. M., close to that of the Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers. Berlin, Virginia, now West Virginia
Tuesday, August 13.—News arrived towards evening that the rebels were making a demonstration at Berlin and Point of Rocks. Lieut. Vaughan’s section left Maryland Heights, going, directly towards Berlin by eight o’clock. The other sections, commanded by Lieut. Munroe, left Sandy Hook for Point of Rocks, marched all night, and arrived at said place the [...]
From the personal diary of Private Theodore Reichardt of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery Monday, July 29.—Arrived at Sandy Hook by two o’clock P. M. Relieved the First Battery, the pieces being turned over to us. They started for home in the evening. Our camp is one mile from Weavertown. The right [...]
Sunday, July 28.—The Second Battery left Camp Clark by four o’clock P.M., for Harper’s Ferry, to receive the guns of the First Battery, whose term of service had expired. Gov. Sprague made a short speech to the men. The battery travelled by way of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, via Annapolis Junction and the Relay [...]
Saturday, July 27.—Men of every detachment were selected to accompany an expedition on board a steamer towards Aquia Creek, to try one of James’ ri?ed guns of heavy calibre upon the rebel battery there. They all returned in the evening without any disaster having occurred.
Thursday, July 25.—Received the ?rst government pay in gold. The First Regiment left Camp Sprague for home, marching by our camp. Capt. Reynolds proposed cheers for every company, which was spontaneously replied to.
Wednesday, July 24.—Lieut. Albert Munroe addressed the battery in regard to the battle, and attributed our defeat to the want of discipline. The men felt very indignant at his remarks. “We had to come down to regulations, the same as in the regular army, and should consider ourselves almost as State prison convicts.” We have [...]
Monday, July 22.—Arrived at, and effected our passage across the Long Bridge, by ten o’clock, and found ourselves once more at Camp Clark, where we had a day of rest after our debut on the battle-?eld yesterday, under the scorching sun of Virginia.
Sunday, July 21.-Battle of Manassas Plains. This battle will always occupy a prominent place in the memory of every man of the battery. They all expected to ?nd a disorganized mob, that would disperse at our mere appearance; while, to the general surprise, they not only were better disciplined, but also better of?cered than our [...]
Saturday, July 20.—Quiet during the day. About six o’clock in the evening the army got ready to advance; but after council of war was held by the chief commanders, they concluded to wait till the next day.
Friday, July 19.—Camp near Centreville. The troops remained quiet all day. Fresh beef as rations.
Thursday, July 18.—Advance at daylight. A part of the Union army, Gen. Tyler’s troops, engaged. This con?ict the rebels call battle of Bull Run1. While the contest was raging, our division halted two miles to the left of Fairfax Court House, at a place called Germantown. We could plainly hear the distant booming of artillery, [...]
Wednesday, July 17.—Resumed our march soon after break of day, and entered Fairfax Court House, contrary to our expectations, towards one o’clock, at mid-day, the rebels having evacuated the town shortly before our entrance. Their rear guard could be plainly seen some distance off. Our battery formed in park near the court house. Some of [...]
Tuesday, July 16.—The morning of that day found us marching across the Long Bridge, directly through Fort Runyon, on the Virginia side; did not march over seven miles; after which we formed in line of battle and prepared to camp for the night, this being the first night in the open air. All quiet during [...]
Monday July 15. — Great excitement in camp; order was received to get ready for a forward movement; ammunition packed; haversacks and canteens were issued.
Thursday, July 11. — Grand review before President Lincoln, Gens. Scott and Fremont. Salutes were fired.
Tuesday, July 9.—A sad accident occurred to-day. At section drill, through some unknown cause, a limber-chest of Lieut. Vaughan’s section, filled with cartridges, exploded, while the gunnner Morse, and privates Bourne and Freeman were mounted. They were thrown some twenty feet up in the air. Morse and Bourne died within the space of an hour. [...]
Thursday, July 4.—The day was duly celebrated in camp. Rhode Island furnished her troops with a good dinner. Prof. Sweet treated the multitude with a tight rope performance. The day passed off smoothly, with the exception of a strange display of authority by a few corporals, laboring under the idea that their dignity was injured [...]
Monday, October 28. — Commenced to build a stable for horses, three hundred feet long. Captain Bess, our chief of artillery. Our battery remained at Muddy Branch up to the twenty-seventh of November. Little is to be said of this period. Drill as usual. Received the news of the taking of Beaufort, South Carolina, and [...]
Sunday, October 27.—Established our camp.