History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

962 FORTY-THIRD REGIMENT-FIRST ARTILLERY. 1863
to effect a real crossing, while the First, Second, Third and Sixth Corps made
a demonstration below. Early on the morning of Wednesday an attempt was
made to lay the pontoons, at the point where Franklin had crossed in the December previous, which was defeated by-the enemy's sharp-shooters. But as
the fog raised and their position was disclosed, they were quickly scattered by
the artillery, and the bridge was soon laid. Wadsworth's Division, and a part
of Sedgwick's Corps, crossed, and for three days a heavy artillery fire was kept
up, which was well directed and effective. On Saturday the troops re-crossed,
and the First Corps followed the Second and Third, which had already gone to
the support of Hooker at Chancellorsville. On the evening of Sunday, the
day on which the heaviest fighting occurred, Battery F relieved Seeley's regular battery, which had lost in the day's work fifty men and as many horses.
The enemy's line was only two hundred and fifty yards distant. Captain
Ricketts was ordered to hold the position at all hazards. The horses were, accordingly, sent away to the rear, and the grape and canister was silently piled
at the muzzles of the pieces, other ammunition being of little avail in so close
quarters. At ten o'clock P. M. our pickets were driven in and the guns were
double shotted. For a little time a perfect storm of bullets was showered upon
the battery by the enemy's infantry; but the canister, which was poured forth
in almost a continous stream, was too terrible for them to withstand. Several
times during the night the rebels advanced, but could not be induced to charge
up to the muzzles of the guns. On the same night our infantry threw up breastworks, and on the following day, Monday, a reconnoissance by Griffin's Division disclosed the fact that the enemy was heavily entrenched and awaiting an
attack. "Throughout the entire day," says Lieutenant Brockway,'we were
annoyed by their sharp-shooters. General Whipple was shot by one of them
close to our battery. Some of Berdan's sharp-shooters routed them, except one
persistent fellow stationed behind a large tree in the forks of which he rested
his rifle. He put six bullets in the sapling which covered one of Berdan's men.
He was finally shot by setting three men at work at him. On his person was
found forty-eight dollars in gold, two hundred in greenbacks, fifty in confederate
money, and three packs of cards. * * * At ten o'clock at night the enemy
advanced in strong columns, and peal upon peal of musketry rang on the still
night air. The'zit,''zit,' of the Minnie balls, and their'thud,'thud,' in the
ground, was interspersed with yells and cheers from friend and foe. Again the
enemy retired. The next morning they advanced in heavier columns and one
continued roar was kept-up, from muskets, rifles, Napoleon, Parrott, and Regulation guns. The rounds of double-shotted canister rattled among them and
finally compelled them to retire." During the night the army withdrew to the
north bank of the river.
On the 13th of May, the battery was ordered to report to General Tyler,
in command of the reserve artillery. On the 1st of June, Battery G was attached to Battery F. The order of transfer was distasteful to the men, and
they at first refused to obey it. But a section was finally created and manned
by its men, and Lieutenant Spence assigned to its command, when further oporder; the only corps so reported. The batteries reported in the best order are, Reynolds' L,
First New York; Ricketts' F, First Pennsylvania; and Lepperne's, Fifth Maine.
HENRY J. HUNT,
Brigadier General and Chief of Artillery,
Army of the Potomac."