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4th Battery (D) Light ArtilleryOrganized at Trenton, N.J., and mustered in September 16, 1863. Left State for Washington, D.C., September 29, 1863. Attached to Barry's Artillery Command, Defenses of Washington, 22nd Army Corps, to April, 1864. Artillery, 2nd Division, 10th Army Corps, Army of the James, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to May, 1864. Unattached Artillery, 10th Army Corps, to June, 1864. Artillery, 2nd Division, 10th Army Corps, to August, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Corps, to December, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 25th Army Corps, to June, 1865.
SERVICE
·
At Artillery Camp of Instruction, Defenses of Washington, D.C.,
till April, 1864.
·
Moved to Fortress Monroe, thence to Gloucester Point, Va., April
23-24.
·
Butler's operations on south side of the James River and against
Petersburg and Richmond May 4-June 15.
·
Occupation of City Point and Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 5.
·
Swift Creek or Arrowfield Church May 9-10.
·
Petersburg and Richmond Turnpike May 10.
·
Operations against Fort Darling May 12-16.
·
Battle of Drury's Bluff May 14-16.
·
Operations at Bermuda Hundred May 16-30.
·
Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864,
to April 2, 1865.
·
Garrison Battery, Marshall, Bermuda Hundred front, till August
16, 1864.
·
Actions June 18 and 30, July 10 and 25, and August 7 and 14.
·
Near Malvern Hill August 15-16.
·
Fussell's Mills August 18.
·
Before Petersburg September 16-27.
·
Battle of Chaffin's Farm, New Market Heights, September 28-30.
·
Varina Road September 29.
·
In trenches before Richmond till April, 1865.
·
Occupation of Richmond April 3. (Battery detached from army for
duty in New York during Presidential election
of 1864 November 2-17.)
·
Moved to near
Petersburg April 14, 1865.
·
At City Point till June, and at Richmond, Va., till June 17.
·
Mustered out June 17, 1865.
Battery lost during service 6 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 26 Enlisted men by disease. Total 32.
Battle Report Filed By Lt. J. H. George of the 4th Battery (D) Light Artillery
BERMUDA,
VA., May 11, 1864. CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that in accordance
to your orders, issued and delivered to me at 2 a.m. May 10, I proceeded with
my section to report as directed to Major Butler for duty on outpost. Having
found the officer designated at a point near the outer intrenchments covering
our front, I awaited his orders. Under his directions I marched my command to a point
upon the Petersburg and Richmond turnpike, accompanied by two companies of the
One hundred and sixty-ninth Regiment New York Volunteers, at
which point I was halted by Colonel Voris, commanding the forces of that line,
who immediately designated a point upon the turnpike, where I placed my guns
in position, bearing directly upon the road, supported by the companies of
infantry which had marched with me. After having inspected my position, I found that no
vedettes or pickets were posted in my front, and fearing that the very exposed
position of my guns would draw upon them a quick and heavy attack, I requested
the officers commanding my supports to post a line of pickets covering my
front, and for the purpose of observing the movements of the enemy. A line was
established in a very irregular and unsafe manner, the men composing it
retiring before they had attacked our position. The first indications of the
presence of the enemy given me was at 10 a.m., at which time he made a most
furious attack upon me from a heavy underwood, skirting my right and left
flanks at a distance not to exceed 50 yards, thus completely raking my
section. I immediately commenced firing, using canister, and continued to do
so until ordered by the colonel commanding my supports to retire. At this time
an overwhelming attack was made upon my right and left flanks. My support upon the left evinced great disorder and
confusion, but upon the entreaties of the colonel commanding, and my own
assurance that I would give them a charge of canister, they became more
steady, but afterward broke and fled to the rear, which occasioned me the loss
of one of my pieces. I withdrew my remaining piece and carriages to the rear,
a distance of 100 yards, where I again placed myself in position and resumed
my fire with shot and shell, having for my support a portion of the Seventh
Regiment Connecticut Volunteers. I continued firing until the flames of the
burning wood upon my left became intolerable, and the enemy had gained a
distance of 200 yards in rear of my right flank. After ceasing my firing, I advanced with my uninjured
cannoneers, who were joined by a portion of my support, and recaptured and
withdrew my lost piece, after which I retired my section a distance of
one-half mile, where I reported to Brig. Gen. A. H. Terry the condition of my
command, who instructed me to remain for a short time, which order I obeyed,
after which was instructed to take my pieces to the rear. During the engagement, which lasted a period of twenty
minutes, I expended 48 rounds of ammunition, was wounded myself by being
struck in two places upon my person, and having 8 men disabled and 5 horses
shot. I would most respectfully state that during the
engagement the colonel commanding my supports of the One hundred and
sixty-ninth Regiment New York Volunteers, behaved with great gallantry, and by
his brave and manly example in striving to collect his partially disorganized
force, assisted me greatly in saying my guns and my noble men. I am, most respectfully, yours, J. H.
GEORGE, Second Lieutenant Fourth New
Jersey Battery. Capt. GEORGE T. WOODBURY,
Commanding Fourth New Jersey Battery. |