TENTH BATTERY MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER LIGHT ARTILLERY THREE YEARS

The 10th Batty. Mass. Vol. Lt. Arty. was recruited by Henry H. Granger under Special Order No. 614, A. G. O. Mass., dated August 12, 1862. Within ten days the battery was filled, and on August 20 Mr. Granger was commissioned 1st Lieutenant. After a few days spent in camp at Lynnfield, the men were transferred to Camp Stanton, Boxford, where, on the 9th of September, they were mustered into the United States service. Near the last of the month J. Henry Sleeper, formerly a lieutenant in the 1st Massachusetts Battery, arrived and assumed command as Captain. On October 14 the battery entrained for Fall River on the way to Washington, and on the 17th went into quarters at Camp Barry near the Bladensburg Toll Gate. Here, on December 17, it received its six 3 inch rifled Rodman guns. The day after Christmas the battery proceeded to Poolesville, Md., where a new camp was laid out known as Camp Davis. Here it remained until the spring of 1863. From the 18th of April, 1863, to June 24 the battery was posted at Camp Heintzleman about a mile from Poolesville. It was then sent to join General French's command on Maryland Heights near Harper's Ferry. In the early days of July it was sent to Frederick Junction to guard the railroad. On the 8th, with the rest of General French's command, it was assigned to the 3d Corps Army of the Potomac, and ten days later it crossed the Potomac at Harper's Ferry. After some marching and counter-marching the battery went into camp at Fauquier White Sulphur Springs where it remained until the middle of September. It then participated in the campaign on the Rappahannock being in action on October 13 near the little town of Auburn and losing two men severely wounded. Retiring to Centreville, in mid October it again advanced reaching Catlett's Station on the 21st and remaining there until November 7. After a period spent at Kellysville and Brandy Station, in the latter part of the month it took part in the Mine Run campaign cannonading the enemy's lines but suffering no casualties. The winter was spent in the old camp near Brandy Station. In the spring of 1864, the 3d Corps having been abolished, the battery found itself assigned to Tidball's Artillery Brigade of Hancock's (2d) Corps. On April 8 the battery moved to Stevensburg near which place the 2d Corps was encamped. Here it remained until May 3 when just at sunset it started for the Rapidan. Crossing at Ely's Ford on the 4th, it encamped that night on the Chancellorsville battlefield, starting early next morning in a southwesterly direction for Shady Grove Church, but halting at Todd's Tavern. From here the entire 2d Corps was ordered up the Brock road toward its intersection with the Plank road, where the battle of the Wilderness had begun. The 10th Battery was posted near the Union left on high ground overlooking the Fredericksburg and Orange Court House railroad. Here on the 6th it was sharply engaged with a Confederate battery beyond the railroad without loss. Accompanying the 2d Corps to Spottsylvania, on May 9 it shelled a Confederate wagon train on the Shady Grove Church road south of the Po River, then crossed the river with the 2d Corps near the Pritchett farm, and spent the night on the Graves farm. Recrossing the Po with Gibbon's and Birney's Divisions on the morning of the 10th, it took position on the Pritchett farm and aided in covering the retirement of Barlow's Division. Its loss at the Po River was one man killed and two wounded. It was not further engaged at Spottsylvania. Moving to the North Anna on the 22d, it crossed the river on the Union left and remained on the south bank until the flank movement to Cold Harbor began. Near the Totopotomoy the battery was engaged May 30, losing one man. It was later engaged on the Cold Harbor front at intervals from the 2d to the 12th of June. On the 15th the James River was crossed on the WINNISSIMMET, an old Boston and Chelsea ferry boat, and the battery advanced on Petersburg. It was in action on the east front of the city until well past the middle of July. On the 26th it crossed the Appomattox and James Rivers on the first Deep Bottom expedition, and on the 13th of August it again crossed the Appomattox to Bermuda Hundred. On August 23 it accompanied the 2d Corps on the movement to the Weldon Railroad, being heavily engaged at Reams' Station on the 25th and losing five men killed or mortally wounded, four others wounded, including Captain Sleeper, 19 prisoners, 54 horses, and all its guns. Its position was a very unfortunate one, and its heavy loss was no reflection on the courage of the officers and men. A full new equipment having been secured, on the 24th of September the command was placed in Battery XIV near Fort Morton. Here the battery was active until October 24 when it was ordered to the left with the 2d Corps. It was heavily engaged at Hatcher's Run, October 27, losing two officers and one man killed, two wounded, seven horses killed, and one gun disabled. Here, Lieutenant Granger, who had raised the battery, fell, and the command was temporarily given to Lieutenant Smith of Battery "K" 4th U. S. Artillery. The battery was now moved to the right and located in Forts Stevenson and Blaisdell. Captain Sleeper soon returned, as did also Lieutenant Adams, and with certain promotions a full complement of officers was again secured. Later moved to Forts Emory and Siebert the battery spent the winter of 186465 without important event until February 5, when, under the personal command of Lieutenant Adams, it accompanied the 2d Corps to a point on Hatcher's Run near Armstrong's Mill where it was sharply engaged without loss. On February 27 Captain Sleeper resigned and Lieutenant Adams became captain. The battery was engaged in shelling the enemy's lines March 25, 1865, during the capture and recapture of Fort Stedman. It was in action again April 2 supporting the assault on the Confederate right near the Boydton road. After the evacuation of Petersburg by the Confederates it followed in pursuit of the enemy until the day of the surrender. At a point a little beyond Farmville, on the 7th, it fired its last hostile shots. After the surrender, the command returned to Burkeville Junction where it remained until May 2, when it began its march to Washington. The arduous service of the spring campaign is shown by the fact that between April 3 and April 15 thirty-six horses died of exhaustion. The outskirts of Washington were reached April 13, and after the Grand Review the guns and horses were turned in, and on June 2 the men entrained for home. Arriving in Boston they were transferred to Galloup's Island to be mustered out. Their muster out rolls bear the date of June 9, but not until the 14th were the men paid off and finally disbanded.

Source: Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors & Marines in the Civil War

Massachusetts 10th Volunteer Light Artillery (Union)

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