Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-04
GALLANT WARRIORS.
Major House Tells How First Maine
Heavy Artillery Lost ll79 Men.
c,,ohic and Interesting Story Of 80 Days on
The Battle Field.

Az the solicitation of the Journal, Maj
r House of this city, who is writing
,ho history of the First Maine Heavy
Artillery, has written up in a condensed
form the following graphic account Of the
movements of that regiment, covering
a period of 80 days in which their heaviest
loss occurred:
The organizations of heavy artillery con-
,.;tuted peculiar and distinct branch of
service in the late war. Practically speak
;no during the first three years Of the war,
tbev were neither artillery nor infantry,
,hough allied to both. Their uniform
was of the infantry pattern though
trm,ned with the red of the artillery, and
tbouph they were well drilled in the tao
tics Of all the heavy guns from the six
inch mortar to the hundred FOUNDER Par
rott vet they were fully armed and
equipped as infantry and could show a
better line and execute all the intricate
movements of that branch of service with
more precision than any infantry regi-
ment in the field.
This was their standing, when to the
number of $4,000, in the month of May
1854 this force was ordered from the
defences of Washington to join the forces
of General Grant near Spottsylvania court
bouse From this time until the surren-
der of General Lee at Appomattox, they
were to all intents and purposes so many
regiments of infantry, working in the
same brigades making the same marches,
enduring the same hardships and fighting
the same battles with the infantry regi-
ments. and, in short, after being incOr-
porated into the infantry brigades their
only distinction was the red trimming
upon their uniforms and the cross cannons
upon their caps. As a general thing these
regiments had been recruited and organ
ized as infantry, then by special orders
from the war department they were trans
ferred to the heavy artillery branch of the
service and recruited up to 1900 men by
filling the ten old companies to $50 men
each and by adding two new companies
of equal numbers
When the First Maine Heavy Artillery
marched down Pennsylvania avenue in
Washington, on the morning of May 10,
1854 it was a regimentsof nominally 1900
men but of course all were not present for
duty. Some had permanent details away
from the command Others were scattered
In northern hospitals while large CON
tingent including the large number of sick
in our post hospital and many others
who had been on light duty about camp,
hut were unable to bear the fatigues of
the march were left behind. Besides this
quite number were detailed as cooks,
orderlies and hostlers. The exact number
of men which the regiment took into bat
tie the 18th of May, | have been unable to
determine, but the knowledge l have of
my own company and the written state
ments Of several company commanders
noted down at the time and from all the
information / can gather l am satisfied
that not over 1900 were with us that day.
The regiment embarked on transport
at the foot of 7th street during the fore
noon of May 15,and landed at Belle Plain
the same evening where it remained until
the morning of the 18th, when 1t took up
the line of march, passed through Fred
ericksburg and arrived at Spottsylyania
at II o'clock that evening We had now
literally arrived at the seat Of war and
were liable to be called into action at any
time. Made up from good material, per-
than the average regiment from the OLD
Pine Tree State, the schooling we had re-
cevcd while in the defences of Washing
ton had made as thorough soldiers so far
as drill and discipline were concerned but
We lacked the practical knowledge Oh
fighting the enemy or of how best to pro-
tect ourselves when in range of the enc
my's bullets. This we learned later on III
the hard school of experience, that is, what
few of us there were left after thirty days
of such schooling Early on the morning
of the 18th, we were awakened by the
booming of cannon We had heard the
artillery firing at the second Bull Run
battle in 1862, and at Aldie i'm 1858 and IN
each case We're at a safe distance with no
likelihood of being called into action but
now the case was different. The 1lrlng
was only a mile or two away and in less
than ten minutes we We're moving on
double quick time towards the point OF
attack going into line behind well built
breast works in support of what proved
feeble attack by our forces on the bloody
angle, the scene of General Hancock
brilliant charge on the morning OF the
1sth Here we prepared breakfast, accus;
toned ourselves to our new surroundings
and enjoyed as best we could our firstsday
under fire. We We're well out of the range
of bullets but many shells burst along
the line yet we moved out late in the after
noon with ranks unoroken and at roll caii
the next morning, for the last time, every
comrade answered. there. -
All day the 10Th, the troops from the
right of our army were moving away 70
the left and the fredericksburg Pike, over
which our supply trains were moving DC,
came uncovered and the enemy, always
feeling for an opportunity, had advanced
force under General Ewell, which mao
cautiously moved along until late III tnt
afternoon they struck the wagon tram
protected only by light guard which was
Immediately swept away and our supplie,
were in their hands. Our regiment chanceo
10 be nearest the point of attack ana II
was started at once on the double QUICK
About the time we started heavy shower
came on but on we rushed through rali
and mud, and as we neared the train nice
OIL to the right SO as to bring ourselves
into line, then made dash for the wa
gons. The force of the enemy at Una
point was not a heavy one and they "er'
brushed away without a halt on our part
some being captured but the larger par
lell back to their main line. Advancing