The National tribune., 1902-12-25
BEFORE PETERSBURG.
An Account of the Operations 81 the Artillery
Contingent, by an oficer Of The Siege Train.


garding the identity of the "Petersburg
Express" There have been many sur
misses, guesses and hearshy opinions ex-
pressed, but shall aim to give only facts.
l have before me the official report of Maj.
Samuel P. Hatfield. Chief Ordnance Off
Ger Siege Artillery, Armies operating
against Richmond and Petersburg. made
Immediately after the close ,of operations
in that memorable campaign, and as l.,
under the direction Of Maj. Hatfield, conf
piled the statistics of this. report OTIS copy,
in the archives of the War Department.,
think may reasonably claim for it more
| accuracy than some of the statements al
| ready made. l would state that all bat
| terry commanders had to report each morn
| ing all events taking place in their respec-
| tive batteries during the preceding 81
hours, giving number of shots fired, from
what gun or mortar, ETC.. These reports
were filed in the Ordnance Office, and
from them the report of Maj. Hatfield
was made by me.
The 13-inch mortar used by the list
Conn. II. A. in front of Petersburg, and
widely known as the Petersburg EX-
press" had the bolt by which it was .ais-
ed or lowered accidentally broken in Pc
culiar manner. 1t was the only mortar
of its size used before Petersburg. Com
rade Frank Miller, who helped serve this
mortar during its period of service there,
| some eight years ago visited Fortress
Monroe, and among other mortars saw
and recognized this by the broken bolt be-
fore mentioned, but to make assurance
doubly sure he took the number of the
piece. and writing to Washington for in
formation. was informed that he was cor
| rect; that it was the identical one used be-
fore Petersburg. By consultation with
other comrades steps We're taken to in
terest Congressman Russell, of Connect
cut who succeeded in persuading the
Government to grant the mortar to the
Regimental Association OF the 1st Conn.
II. A., when it was brought to Hartford.
and now surmOunts the monument of the
regiment, as has been already stated. The
mortar was fired from a platform car,
strengthened for the purpose. running on
line of track near Fort Sedgwick. and
while it did not fire as many rounds as
many other guns and mortars, nor do the
execution in the city, yet its 200-pOund
shells, dropping within the Confederate
lines outside the city made it terror to
the enemy. The number of shells fired
from it was 21S. Following l give the
number of rounds fired from our other
batteries and the kind of gun or mortar
from which fred. viz:
Battery No. /, 20-pounder Parrot, ri
fled, 1913 shots.
Battery No. 4, 20pounder Parrot, ri
fled, 1872 shots.
Battery Nc. 5, s-inch siege mortars,
G,200 shots.
Battery Nc. 5, 30-pounder PARROT, ri
fed, 1853 shots.
Battery No. 8, 24-pounder Coehorn NOR
tars, 3, 142 shots.
Battery No. 10, 24-pounder Coehorn
Battery No. 10, S-inch siege mortars,
BAD shots = Il
Battery No. II, S-inch siege mortars,
1,023 shots. &c.
Battery No. II, 24-pounder Coehorn
mortars, 271 shots. 5sHB
Battery No. II, 24-pounder Coehorn
mortars, 9,125 shots. Ia
Battery No. u, S-inch siege mortars,
zoos shots. ysRs
Battery No. ID, s-inch siege mortars,
1886 shots. sia5
Battery No. Is, 24-pounder Coehorn
mortars, 315 shots. 20
Fort Morton DIETER known in the army
as Fort He'll, 10-inch siege fnortars, 1,25S
Shots Biib
Fort Morton, 4k1a-incho ordnance guns.
LII shots.
Battery No. II, 4R-inch ordnance guns,
1,611 shots. IftiA
Fort Emory, 41A-inehm ordnance guns,
Battery No. 20, s-inch siege mortars,
1,765 shots.
Fort Rice, 10-inch siege mortars, $50
shots.
Fort Sedgwick, s-inch siege mortars, IL
shots.
This gives total of 44.O06 rounds fred
from the batteries served by this regiment
in front of Petersburg.
Our batteries in the Army of the James
and on the lines of the Bermuda Hundred
H.
total Of 81 1884 rounds, weighing a trife
over S79 tons. The number Of siege guns
and mortars on this siege train was 1O7.
The list Conn. H. A. also served the siege
train on the Peninsula under Mcclellan.
and Maj. Doule, of the Queens Royal
Art, London, sent by his Government to
watch artillery operations during this
campaign, in his report stated that the
weight of the guns and mortars used,
number. weight and efficiency Of projec-
tiles used, and the general efficiency of the
officers and men Of the list Conn. Art. was
far in excess of anything shown in the
Crimean war, in spite Of the fact that the
artillerymen of the European armies We're
generally veterans of long service and
much experience, while our guns were
served by men and boys not long from
the ranks Of civil life, and unskilled in
the art Of war. The records show that
just as unstinted praise was given this
regiment by such Generals as Meade,
Hancock, Hunt and Barry, Of our own
army. Both Colonies of the regiment,
Robert o. Tyler and Henry s. Abbot,
were the recipients Of high h0nors at for
eign courts by reason of their connection
with the operations of these siege trains
When the LIST Art. was mustered out of
the service the 25th Of September, 1865,
Gen. Barry, U. s. A., as farewell token
wrote as follows:
Gas Chief Of Artillery successfully of
the two principal armies of the United
States during the four years of war, now
happily ended, have enjoyed unusual op-
portunities of observation. You will, on
this account, value my opinion when as
sure you that the LIST Conn. Art, in in
telligence and the requirements of its spe-
cial arm. stands unrivalled in the armies
of the United States.' This regiment
also has the unique distinction of being
the first sworn into the service of the
United States for 'Three years or the
war;, regiment raised in Pennsylvania,
and credited to California being the sec
ond. 1t was also the largest in the SER
vice, having enlisted during its period of
service 1892 officers ards men. Cos. B,
G and l., under Col Abbot, participated
IL the attack on and capture of Fort
Fisher, ut the mouth Of the Cape Fear
River, N. C."-WALTER F. SAGE, 1st
Conn. II. A., National Home, Milwaukee,
Wis. sdIs.
What Company Was 1T"