Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-29
AN INTERESTING PAPER
Read by Major c. J. House Before the
Union Veterans Union

Union Veterans Union.
The following interesting paper was
read at the last meeting of the Union
Veterans Union of this city, by Major
c. j. House:
Colonel and Comrades:
Perhaps the brief paper which i have
prepared and present to you this evening
will not come up to your expectations for
it in no way relates to the fierce engage
tanned by our army during Grants cam
paign from the Rapdan to Appomat-
tox. the only campaign in which II was
my fortune to participate. but my re-
marks will be confined to a bit of every
day history, of personal observation dur
ing the siege of Petersburg. l shall speak
ticularly of my own company, for the
ranks is necessarily circumscribed, bur
by consulting records OF the war l shall
ments of that part of the army with
which we We're Immediately connected.
pick up the thread of my talk at ii
point where our Third Division of the
Second Corps occupied a portion OF the
Petersburg line with the First Maine
Heavy Artillery on the extreme left rest
point known as Eft. He'll. | shall not
speak of ,he siege directly but of little
movement to the left, a side issue. so 10
speak. such as came occasionally TO
break up the monotony of life IN the
trenches.
But before proceeding / will stop an
give a little description of this motel
fort. not from my own pen, but from an
old lette' wiIeten in 1864 which | found IN
A ancient copy OF the Portland Pres,
Inc author 81 me letter was eviaentiy ,
| suspect. was Capt Adelbert Il. Twit-
chell, then in command of the battery
referred to- It 50 apply deseribeS The
lernal region that | give it entire.
seventh Maine Battery. Fort Sedgwicl.
alias Fort Hell. December 6, 1864.
To the Editor of the Press:
Summer seems TO inger in the lap Of
late autumn and early winter. We have
had q succession of warm sunny days,
very grateful to soldiers in the bivouac
ana in the trenches. This dry and pleas
ant weather enables the patriot army to
continue active operations in the field to
4 much later period than any previous
season during the war.
TO change position seems now to be the
order of the day in the Army of the Pc
tomac. Our battery occupied its position
in Fort WEIGH, near the extreme left of
the army, for over six weeks, a longer
period of rest-f there be such thing
as rest at the front-than has been vouct-
Safed to us since the commencement of
the years campaign We had prepared
winter quarters for men and horses. dug
wells and had everything in order fer
the iflciement season, WHEN. presto. came
the order to change position with the bat
teries Of the second corps. We We're or
de red into Fort Davis. at the left of the
same corps line, and were congratulatinS
ourselves on having the safest position
on that line, as neither picket or sharp
shooter could bring their guns to bear
upon us with any great effect, when We
were taken aback with the order TO
change. This time we were ordered into
Fort Sedgwick but known throughout
the army as Fort HE'LL" and five day
and nights here have convinced us that
the name is not inappropriate. Fort
Hell is situated on the Jerusalem Plank
road was not before aware that the
Jerusalem road passed near this place
and ia directly in front of and about
TWO miles distant from Petersburg. The
rebel main line is about 300 yards distant
al d the two. picket lines which are also
well entrenched. are situated about mid
way between the enemys main line and
ours. and in some places are not more
than ten rods asunder. Unless there is
some movement of troops i'll our rear
or men expose themselves conspcuously
or the crest of the works. there is but
little musketry firing in the day time
But as twilight approaches the ball is
opened by a single musket shot and then
a fusilade commences which continues
throughout the entire night. Sometimes
IN succession from right TO left and vice
versa. The minies plunging through the
air over our heads produce variety OF
sounds Sometimes it Is IKE the hlsSin1g
4 -
signing of the wind through the pines.
or moaning through the chinks of a d.
apidated building or 81 as a fancy m,gh'
which give greater significance to the
IA me of the place. Sometimes they strike
a gainst the trees. producing sharp re-
port like the firing of a pistol, tearing off
the bark and throwing the SpllntefS IN
every direction.
Like the ancient Briton the men live in
caves and holes in the ground. AS one
passes along in rear of the line ne VIII
find the surface all covered with mounds
of earth through the apex of which the
blue smoke curls and circles skyward,
while the occupants of these subterranean
a bodies will be seen standing at the NOUN
of their holes or popping their heads IN
and out reminding one OF a colony OF
prairie dogs. or with the difference in
color of the snow huts OF the EsqulmauX
Here the men, in comparative salety' can
cook and eat their food, and get few
hours of rest and sleep after their long
and weary vigils on the picket line.
These habitations. however, are not al
ways proof against the heavy Hi .,r
shells with which the enemy some times
greet us: for only a day or TWO ago saw
4 S4-pojlnd shell plunge into one OF these
mof,rds and the next instant blankets
and camp furniture Were .nrowh fo rw sa,,s
distance around was covered with the
Descensus in averno facilis est. says
Virgil but our Avernn ub,n rs ip' from no na thy
.,esr abolit milf a mile distant. covered
way commences which pursues zig gag
curse. the front always protected Dy
idge of earth, and from siii isa ,ai ~ u o:ber
,oints on the line, producing complete
abyrinth of ways, so that one umnlllaie1
night travel for half a day ana theli iIilu
himself at the starting point anu Hol