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Oliver Boardman correspondence and journals, 1861-1863

07_1862-04-24 Page 07

to work on some of the enemies guns trying to dislodge them there was about two Regts of us staid there to protect our battery I got to see some tall cannonadeing the rebels battery was not over four hundred yards from ours which is pretty close for cannon especialy where it is in the open field like it was there they sent afew men over to take our battery at the point of the bayonet but there was to many of us protecting it they didnt succeed they then plant another battery there but we had as many as they had in fact the most of of our artillery was there in the course of time. they had such a good chance to work on the rebel infantry from there it was an open field or woods for amile and it was not over half that distance to where they were fighting.  our artillery had a good position and they couldnt get us out of it it was as much as their infantry could do to attend to ours without noticeing our artillery.  but their artillery worked hard to get us out of our position. they had three or four batteries to work on us but the most hurt they done was in killing a great many of the horses they didnt hurt many of the guns nor kill many men we had the advantage of the ground we were on aridge and alittle over the top so that by laying down the balls, grape, shell, and such likes would most all pass over us or struck before they got to us but I tell you they made music,  whenever they shot these canisters filled with pieces of chaines slugs of iron bolts and every thing else they could find. it was hard to tell where they would go they would explode and fly every way just as apt to fly into our ranks as any other place. it would be useless to tell you that there was no noise about these times I expect. I couldnt describe the sight let alone the noise. it put me in mind of aharder

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to work on some of the enemies guns trying to dislodge them there was about two Regts of us staid there to protect our battery I got to see some tall cannonadeing the rebels battery was not over four hundred yards from ours which is pretty close for cannon especialy where it is in the open field like it was there they sent afew men over to take our battery at the point of the bayonet but there was to many of us protecting it they didnt succeed they then plant another battery there but we had as many as they had in fact the most of of our artillery was there in the course of time. they had such a good chance to work on the rebel infantry from there it was an open field or woods for amile and it was not over half that distance to where they were fighting. our artillery had a good position and they couldnt get us out of it it was as much as their infantry could do to attend to ours without noticeing our artillery. but their artillery worked hard to get us out of our position. they had three or four batteries to work on us but the most hurt they done was in killing a great many of the horses they didnt hurt many of the guns nor kill many men we had the advantage of the ground we were on aridge and alittle over the top so that by laying down the balls, grape, shell, and such likes would most all pass over us or struck before they got to us but I tell you they made music, whenever they shot these canisters filled with pieces of chaines slugs of iron bolts and every thing else they could find. it was hard to tell where they would go they would explode and fly every way just as apt to fly into our ranks as any other place. it would be useless to tell you that there was no noise about these times I expect. I couldnt describe the sight let alone the noise. it put me in mind of aharder