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Back to Cook's Battery Boston Light Artillery
Primary Sources for the Cook's Battery Boston Light Artillery
Figure 1: Title: War views. No. 1501, Camp life, Army of the Potomac - writing to friends at home
Summary: Stereograph shows Boston Light Artillery soldiers in camp at Relay House in Maryland sitting at a long table, writing letters, as one soldier, in the foreground, appears to be sewing. Photographed June 1861. LoC image.
Boston. Light Artillery, Cook's Battery
Minute Men of '61
(Three Months' Volunteers.)
On the morning of April 20, 1861, Major Cook received orders to have his Company ready to proceed to Washington, with Colonel Lawrence in command.
The Company numbered over one hundred and twenty men, and were each armed with a sabre and a revolver, and provided with heavy overcoats by the State. Their battery consisted of six six-pounders, together with seventy horses, ten tons of cartridges, shot and grape. The corps marched to the Worcester depot between one and two o'clock a.m. Here they remained until the arrival of the Fifth Regiment, and left with them early Sunday morning, April 21. At Framingham they were surrounded by crowds and greeted with music and salutes of cannon. At every stopping place. people left their homes and churches to show their approval of the cause, and their admiration of the troops who, forgetting everything but country, were ready to peril life for it.
They arrived in New York about dark and embarked in the steamer "De Soto," and sailed for Fortress Monroe, thence direct to Annapolis. where they arrived early April 24. The patriotic and cordial feelings which met them at every station in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, as they passed along, were chilled by the traitorous and hostile rebel atmosphere of Maryland; and preparations were made to gallantly meet and repel any attack that might be made upon them.
At Annapolis they were quartered in the Naval School buildings, and remained as a guard for troops passing to Washington, until May 4, when they marched to the Relay House, nine miles southwest of Baltimore, and encamped on the heights. Here they remained for some time as a guard, and were daily exercised in drilling and other military duties, being mustered into United States service May 18.
On June 13, went to Baltimore with the Sixth Regiment to protect the polls, and encamped at Mt. Clare, a suburb of the city. Major Cook received a letter from Major-General Dix, on July 26, stating that, though the term of service of the Company had expired, yet it was the earnest desire of the Department Commander that the Battery should continue to hold their position until July 30. In accordance with this request, the letter was read to the members of the corps, who voted to a man to accede to the wish of General Dix, for whom they gave three cheers and a skyrocket.
On August 3, the Battery arrived in Boston once more, and were met with a most cordial reception, and escorted into the city by the First Battalion of Dragoons, Major White; the Second Battalion of Infantry. Major Newton and the National Lancers, Captain Slade; and welcomed in a speech by Mayor Wightman, and were shortly mustered out.
Orders were received at 8.30 o'clock on the morning of April 20, 1861, by Major Cook, to have his Company in readiness to proceed to Washington with
288 MINUTE MEN of '61
Colonel Lawrence's Command. and at 10 o'clock in the evening he reported that his Company was ready. During the day they were busily engaged in perfecting arrangements to leave. The Company numbered over 120 men, and were each armed with a sabre and a revolver, and provided with heavy overcoats by the State. They supped at the Cornhill Hotel, the interior of which was beautifully decorated in their honor, and having sent forward, at 10 o'clock in the evening, their battery of six brass six-pounders, together with seventy horses selected mainly from the Metropolitan Railroad Stables, and ten tons of cartridges, shot and grape, the corps marched to the Worcester Depot between one and two o'clock. Here they remained until the arrival of the Fifth Regiment, and left with them early Sunday morning, the 21st. Stopping at Framingham, to wood and water, they were surrounded by crowds, who manifested the greatest excitement, and not only showered blessings upon them, but greeted them with music and salutes of cannon, and forced upon them eatables in great abundance. Indeed, at every stopping place the people left their houses and churches to show their approval of the cause, and their admiration of the troops, who, forgetting everything but country, were ready to peril life for R.
They arrived at New York about dark, and embarked late that evening in the steamer "De Soto," in which they sailed for Fortress Monroe. They arrived the 23d, at noon, and were ordered direct to Annapolis, and arrived there early the next morning. The patriotic and cordial feelings which met them at every station in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York, as they passed along, were here chilled by the traitorous and hostile rebel atmosphere of Maryland; and preparations were
made to gallantly meet and repulse any attack that might be made upon them.
At Annapolis they were quartered at the Naval School Building, and remained posted in this city as a safeguard for troops passing to Washington, until May 4th, when they marched to the Relay House and encamped. Here they remained for some time as a guard, and were daily exercised in drilling and in other military duties. May 18, the oath of allegiance to the United States was administered to the corps by Lieut. H. S. Putnam. June 13, went to Baltimore with the Sixth Regiment, to protect the polls, it being election day in that city,—returned soon after to the Relay Station, but were immediately again ordered to Baltimore, and encamped at Camp Clare. June 30, ordered to march from the camp into the heart of the city, two detachments being stationed in Monument square, and the others at the Custom House. July 10th, returned to Camp Clare.
July 26, Major-General Dix addressed a letter to Major Cook, stating that, though the term of service of the company had expired, yet it was the earnest desire of the Major-General commanding that they should continue to hold their position until the 30th.
In accordance with this request the letter was read to the members of the corps, who voted to a man to accede to the wish of General Dix, for whom they gave three cheers and a "skyrocket"
August 3d, the Battery arrived in Boston once more, where they met with a most cordial reception, being escorted into the city by the First Battalion of Dragoons, Major White; the Second Battalion of Infantry, Major Newton, and the Lancers, Captain Slade, and welcomed in a speech by Mayor Wightman.
Thus ended the three-months' service of Cook's Battery.
screenshot_20181107_155008_p1.png
Boston Evening Transcript, May 13, 1861
FROM THE BOSTON LIGHT ARTILLERY.
A letter received in this city from a member of the Boston Light Artillery, dated at the Relay House, May 8th, gives some details of the recent movements of that corps, from which we take several extracts:
You no doubt have heard of our march from Annapolis to this place. We were roused up at one o clock in the morning and supplied with twenty-four rations, and then started, no one of us knowing where, excepting Gen. Butler. We went over the worst roads you can imagine, also through tobacco and cornfields and woods, across rivers, &c. till we reached Washington Junction, a distance of thirty-one miles. There to halted to feed our horses, took another negro guide, and pushed forward to this place, a distance of eleven miles, with better roads, and arrived at eleven o'clock. Some of our horses as well as men dropped from fatigue as soon as we halted, from this forced march.
We are here to protect the great bridge of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. It is the most stupendous work of the kind I ever saw, being 112 feet high, with solid granite arched pillars. The arches at the bottom are sixty feet wide, and the structure is about a quarter of a mile in length. The Baltimore roughs intended to blow up this bridge, and we were only in time to save it. This and another covered bridge are the only great thoroughfares for passing from the Northwest to the South.
Our battery is stationed on a very high and steep within half a mile of both bridges. We are 172 feet above the town, if the small settlement may be so called. We are with the New York Eighth and the Massachusetts Sixth Regiment's, and are entrenched in a position which we can hold against any odds. It required sixteen of our stoutest horses to pull each field piece up here. We are only a rifle shot from Baltimore County. Our name has gone before us, and the people feel secure where we move. Hundreds come to see us, and the praise of the Boston Light Artillery is in all mouths.
The people here pretend to be all for the Union, but still there are secessionists among them. Several of our party ate breakfast with a colonel of a secession regiment, but were not aware of the fact till he had departed.
As one of the incidents of camp ills I will mention that one of our guard was shot at last night, but was not hit. He instantly gave a return fire, and shot the cowardly rebel on the spot, and the miscreant was soon put under the sod. The whole affair passed so quickly that many of the company were not aware of an attack and its results.
boston_evening_transcript_1861-05-13_1.jpg
Figure 2: boston_evening_transcript_-_may_16_1861
Figure 3: boston_evening_transcript_1861-05-27
Figure 4: Letter page 1
Figure 5: Letter page 2
The Baltimore Sun, June 17, 1861
The Boston Light Artillery Company, stationed at the Relay House, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, has been brought in and located at the camp near Mount Clare.
the_baltimore_sun_mon_jun_17_1861.jpg
Figure 6: boston_evening_transcript_1861-06-18
The Baltimore Sun, July 9, 1861
Withdrawal of Artillery from the City.—The Boston Light Artillery, which has been stationed for several days past in Monument square and on Lombard, street, in front of the custom-house, was withdrawn yesterday morning, and it was stated sent to the Relay House. The infantry are still in the city, and the custom-house and postoffice closely guarded. There is also a considerable reserve force of infantry quartered in the old postoffice. building and in Monument square.
units/cook_s_battery_boston_light_artillery_primary_sources.1558616815.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/05/23 13:06 by admin