1st Artillery Regiment (Light)
Battery K
Civil War Newspaper Clippings

Correspondence of the Register.
BATTERY K , 1 S T N . Y . ART'Y,
RESERVE ART'Y , 4th Brigade,
Friend Webster: Within the last month the Army of the Potomac has marched over 250 miles, defeated the rebels in several sanguinary engagements, and chased them out of Pennsylvania and "My Maryland" most effectually. We have opened our harvest work in good earnest, with plenty of " help" and hot weather, but no whisky.— At present the Grand Army is feeling its way cautiously down the London Valley to Warrenton, and thence to Richmond, I presume, although we may meet some vexatious delays on the road, such as another Fredericksburg or Chancellorville in store for us.
On our march through Maryland, we found a magnificent country, abounding in wheat fields almost ready for the harvest, and the evidences of thrift and comfort on every hand; the people are loyal, and greeted the appearance of the Union Troops enthusiastically. Arrived in Pennsylvania, we found that the Rebs. had plundered and devasted generally-—determining it seems, to make their brief stay as destructive as possible.
In the three days' engagement at Gettysburg our battery was only in action on Friday afternoon; but it was when the battles raged fiercest and hottest. Three hundred pieces of artillery were belching forth their thunder from both lines, and the din and destruction were truly awful. If the artillery fire ceased for a moment, it was only to be relieved by heavy volleys of musketry and the cheering of our boys as they hurled back the rebel lines in desperate hand-to-hand conflict. The lines of battle were something like two arcs of concentric circles, our array occupying the inner arc, hence it was easier for us to mass troops at any exposed point than for the Rebs. although they had better opportunity to run away or alter their line. In the brief space of one hour, I saw them make two separate charges on the batteries of our center, which were repulsed with great slaughter, and about 3000 prisoners taken. We took over 12,000 prisoners, besides having to bury several thousand of their dead, and attend to multitudes of their wounded which fell into our hands. The battle ceased on the going down of Friday's sun, and the rebel army was in full retreat. They kept up a line of skirmishers on Saturday as a decoy but Lee was off with the main body of his army in in a hasty retreat to the Potomac to the tune of "Carry me back to Old Virginia," receiving as a parting requiere, whilst the green hills of Maryland were fading from his view, the dirge of "My Maryland."
We had some half dozen wounded in the battery, all of the 11th N. Y.; none of them so seriously as to endanger life or limbs. I regret to say that Solomon Goodbread, our cook, was wounded on Saturday whilst serving coffee and beef to our exhausted boys on the battle-field. --The ball was sent by a rebel sharp-shooter, and entered the loins near the back-bone, passing out through the abdomen. I fear he will not survive, even if he is not already dead. He was a good soldier, and much esteemed by every one who knew him.
Contrary to custom, I venture no comment at this time on the "Conduct of the War," but only suggest that you send me a REGISTER occasionally; and as soldiers are only blessed with treasury notes at very long intervals, and then only in: very small quantities, I would only have thanks to reward you with at present.
Yours Very Truly,
J. Q. A. Grounse

We are glad to again hear from our friend J. Q. A. Crounse and Battery K, and print his letter elsewhere. In acknowledgement of 'the corn' on his well taken point in the concluding paragraph of his letter, we have forwarded him several back numbers of the Register, and w ill endeavor hereafter to reciprocate his favors.

A Private Soldier's Account of the Feeling in the Army - Determination to Conquer an Honorable Peace- The Rebels in Close Quarters.
Fort ETHAN ALLEN, Va., Sept 27th, 1864.
To the Editor of the Syracuse Journal:
Having seen several soldiers' letters in your paper, I thought it might be interesting to you or your readers, to know the state of feeling in the army about the coming election, and matters and things in general. I cannot speak for the army at large, although I have had very favorable reports from friends in several different departments, and there is no doubt but that the sentiments here are a fair sample of the whole army. There is getting to be quite an excitement here about election, which is kept alive by arguments with about half a dozen of the rankest kind of Copperheads. They comprise all of that kind of reptile attached to our battery. I am happy to say that there is not a man in the company, of any education or intelligence, who sides with them. It makes my blood boil to hear them argue in favor of an armistice and peace on any terms. " Armistice," forsooth! When we have them " on the hip," in every quarter, and all we need is to have our armies filled up, (as they are now being filled, rapidly,) to crush the rebellion. I don't know what a man can be thinking of, to enlist to fight for his Government and then use his vote and influence against the cause he is fighting for.
I have no doubt at all that if Mr. Lincoln is elected, (and he will certainly be elected,) that the war will be ended before the close of another summer. The rebel armies are depleted by sickness, desertion and death, and the rebel authorities have already conscripted all able-bodied males from sixteen to sixty-five years of age, and are putting cripples and sick men into the ranks. To use the language of our brave Lieutenant- General: "They have robbed the cradle and the grave, to fill up their shattered ranks," and where men are to come from to fill up their armies for another campaign, I can't see. There is, no doubt, a great deal of heavy fighting to be done yet. But I hope to live to see the rebellion put down, and that arch-traitor, Jeff Davis, hung. But if I do not, a man can die in no nobler cause. My motto is: "No compromise with armed traitors!" And, although I leave a home, and those who are dear to me in my native State, I would sooner stay here and fight until I am grey than see peace on any other terms than a union of the states and unconditional surrender of the rebels. I began this letter to tell you the feeling in the army, but have allowed myself to get a trifle excited, and have told you my own feelings instead. But I honestly think they are also those of at least nine-tenths of the army at large.
Yours, E.F.C.
Battery K, 1st N. Y. Light Artillery.

Back to 1st Artillery (Light) Battery K