Henry L. Abbot to Henry J. Hunt, August 4, 1864

GENERAL:

I have the honor to submit the following report upon the: siege train organized by me in April last, according to the project drawn up by yourself:

I received a memorandum from General Halleck, on April 20, to get the train afloat at Washington Arsenal with all possible speed. It was to consist of forty siege guns (rifled), ten 10-inch mortars, twenty 8-inch mortars, twenty Coehorn mortars, six 100-pounder Parrotts, and ten 8inch siege howitzers (subsequently added), with 1,000 rounds per gun, 600 rounds per heavy mortar, and 200 rounds per Coehorn mortar; the necessary battery wagons, forges, mortar wagons, &c., being also included. This train was loaded under the immediate supervision of Capt. S. P. Hatfield, First Connecticut Artillery, my ordnance officer, as rapidly as it could be furnished by the Ordnance Department. With the exception of the ammunition, which to this day has never been fully supplied, the entire train was afloat on May 15, except sixteen of the Coehorn mortars, which were not received until June 18,

On May 10 my regiment was ordered to report to Major-General Butler, commanding Department of Virginia and North Carolina.

We arrived at Bermuda Hundred on May 13, and were immediately placed in charge of the heavy guns of that line, which still remain under my command. Between May 13 and the arrival of the Army of the Potomac, in the middle of June, my regiment fired about 2,000 rounds of siege ammunition in the almost daily bombardment which had taken place along our lines.

On June 20 the siege train was ordered to City Point and started on that day, arriving on June 23. On June 20 I sent Company I of my regiment, Captain Burton, with three 30-pounder Parrotts, belonging to Department of Virginia and North Carolina, to the lines of the Kighteenth Army Corps, near Petersburg. It was followed by other companies supplied with ordnance from the train proper, as follows, viz, Company D, Captain Brigham, on June 24, with four 30-pounder Parrotts and four 8-inch mortars (latter turned over to Company I). On June 25 Company D received six Coehorn mortars from ordnance officer of Eighteenth Corps.

On June 27 I sent Company F, Captain Dow, with three 30-pounder Parrotts and four 8-inch mortars to the lines of the same corps; also sending Major Trumbull, First Connecticut artillery, to assume command of the companies serving the heavy guns on the lines of the Eighteenth Corps.

On June 301 sent Company B, Captain Brooker, to the lines of the Ninth Corps with six 44-inch guns. On July 6 I sent to the same lines four 8-inch mortars, which have been served by a platoon of Company A, Captain Gillett.

On July 8 I sent two 8-inch mortars, followed on July 9 by four Coehorns, which have been served by a platoon of Company G, under Lieutenant Sargeant, the other platoon, under Captain Osborne, being placed on the same day in charge of a 13-inch mortar mounted on a railroad car. This mortar belonged to General Butler’s department, and was mounted at his personal suggestion in this manner. It has done good service. Company G served with Eighteenth Corps.

On July 14 Lieutenant-Colonel Allcock, with ten companies of the Fourth New York Heavy Artillery, was assigned to my command for the siege; aggregate, 1,072 men. On 15th I ordered Company A of that regiment, Captain McKeel, on duty at Broadway Landing, the depot of the train. When the train first arrived two companies of the One hundred and thirty-eighth Ohio National Guard were ordered on this duty by General Butler. On July 15 these companies were relieved by two companies of Thirty-seventh New Jersey Volunteers.

On July 25 fT sent Company M, First Connecticut Artillery, Captain Pratt, with six 43-inch guns to lines of Ninth Corps.

On July 28 sent Company K, Fourth New York Artillery, Captain Gould, with six Coehorns, to lines of Eighteenth Corps. On same date sent Company C, First Connecticut Artillery, Captain Pierce, with ten 10-inch mortars, and a platoon of Company A, First Connecticut Artillery, Lieutenant Patterson, with six 8-inch mortars, to the lines of the Fifth Corps. On July 29 I ordered Company M, Fourth New York Artillery, Captain Morrison, to report for duty at siego train depot, and sent Company H of that regiment, Captain Brown, with six 43-inch guns, and Company C of that regiment, Lieutenant McPherson, with six Coehorns, to the lines of the Fifth Corps.

On July 30 the mine on General Burnside’s front was sprung at 4.45 a.m. and a heavy cannonade was instantly opened and continued until about 10.30 a. m., when it gradually ceased, the assault by the infantry having failed and the attack being discontinued. The part assigned to the artillery, to keep down the fire of the enemy upon the flanks of our column of attack, and to keep back his re-enforcements, was successfully executed.

Cuap. LI.) The following table exhibits the amount of fire of the different batteries under my command during this battle:

= Armament. AmmuniCommanding tion exCompany. officer. pended Remarks. No Character. (rounds). B, 1st Connecticut Artillery.. Captain Brooker .. 6 44-inch guns…. 216 Ninth Corps front. M, ist Connecticut Artillery . Captain Pratt….. 6 iach ee ee 331 Do. pains A, 1st Connecticut Artillerya Captain Gillett….) 4 8-inch mortars.. 259 Do. H, 4th New York Artillery .. Captain Brown…. 6 44-inch guns…. 300 Fifth Corps front. A, 1st Connecticut Artillerya Lieutenant Patter- 6 8-inch mortars.. 217 Do. son. C, 1st Connecticut Artillery. Captain Pierce ..-.. 10 10-inch mortars . 360 Do. C, 4th New York Artillery… ee Mc- 6 Coehorn mortars 315 Do. erson. I, 1st Connecticut Artillerya Lieutenant Jack- 4 8-inch mortars… 337 Bigbioenth Corps, son. ront. I, 1st Connecticut Artillerya} Captain Burton … 3 30-pounder Par- 176 Do. rotts. D, 1st Connecticut Artillerya) Captain Brigham.. 4 30-pounder Par- 65 Do. rotts. D, ist Connecticut Artillerya Lieutenant Wil- 5} Coehorns……. 121 Do. liams. 3 30-pounder Par- 206 Do. F, 1st Connecticut Artillery. Captain Dow…-..- ; rotts. 4 8-inch mortars… 174 Do. G, 1st Connecticut Artillerya Captain Osborne… 1 13-inch mortar .. 19 Do. G, ist Connecticut Artillerya Lieutenant Sar- § 2 8-inch mortars.. 136 Do. : geant. ; 5 Coehorn mortars 334 Do. K, 4th New York Artillery . Captain Gould …. 6 Coehorn mortars 267 Do. Motel ts ceee ee ea Sees ee CSE ie ees Sigieseem tees. Fee 8,

a Half company.

The aggregate of the firing was thus, as follows: 30-pounder Parrott, 447; 44-inch gun (Schenk), 847; 13-inch mortar, 19; 10-inch mortar, 360; 8-inch mortar, 1,123; Coehorn mortar, 1,037—weighing over 75 tons.

In each of the 10-inch mortar shells about thirty 12-pounder canistershot were inserted with the bursting charge on top of them. Their effect was thus more than doubled.

At 11.30 p. m. of July 30 I received a telegram from yourself to withdraw all the train on the fronts of the Fifth and Ninth Corps, with a part of that on the Eighteenth Corps; all to be done with urgent haste. In obedience to this order fifty-two seige guns and mortars, with all their ammunition, implements, platforms, mantlets, &c., complete, were secretly withdrawn from the batteries and transported a mean distance of about seven miles, to Broadway Landing, in twenty-seven hours; and the whole material, weighing some 225 tons, loaded on barges and schooners in thirty-six hours from the receipt of the telegram. For the transportation required, some 200 wagons, I am indebted chiefly to Brigadier-General Ingalls, chief quartermaster, armies in the field, and in part to Colonel Piper, chief of artillery, Eighteenth Corps, who supplied light battery horses for seven siege guns.

During the service of the guns, the only injury which has occurred is the blowing off the muzzle of a 30-pounder Parrott for about one foot from the face. It was cut smooth with cold chisels, and the gun seems to be as accurate in its fire as heretofore. I have now in position on the Eighteenth Corps front three 30-pounder Parrotts, ten 8-inch mortars, and 16 Coehorn mortars. I shall send the 13-inch mortar back as soon as the track is repaired.

I have had reason to be gratified with the earnest exertions of the officers and men of my command, both my own regiment and the Fourth New York Artillery, to render the siege train as effective as possible, and hope that we have answered your expectations.

43 RB R—VOL XL, PT I The casualties in my own regiment during the siege have been 1 officer and 6 enlisted men killed, and 1 officer and 24 men wounded. I have not been informed of any casualties in the Fourth New York Artillery.

respectfully, your obedient servant,