| From the Biblical Recorder (Raleigh,
N. C.) |
| |
| July 16, 1862 |
| |
| The Railway Battery or Dry Land Merrimac |
| For weeks before the opening
of the recent bloody battles before Richmond hundreds of our citizens
daily flocked to look upon and wonder at an ironclad railroad battery
that was being swiftly but mysteriously constructed on the railroad near
the York River {Richmond & York River RR}
depot. Many were the speculations as to the specific purpose for which
it was designed, and not a few were the predictions that it would prove
a failure. Some persons, indeed, conceived so low an opinion of its
usefulness as to predict that it would be 'taken prisoner' on its first
trip. Unchecked by ominous predictions, the work went on and the battery
was completed. Lest our enemies should borrow the idea, we refrain from
giving a minute description of the work. It is an iron-clad battery,
mounted on seven sets of wheels, and carrying one large rifle gun. The
whole machine was propelled by an ordinary locomotive. |
| Lieutenant James Barry, of the
Norfolk United Artillery, was assigned to the command of the novel
craft. His crew consisted of Sergeant Daniel Knowles and thirteen men,
all members of the same artillery corps. Mr. N. S. Walker, one of the
engineers of the York River railroad, volunteered to run the engine
which was to push the battery into action. Owing to the breaking of one
of the timbers supporting the gun, the first trip of the battery down
the railroad proved a failure, and it was necessary to bring it back to
the city for repairs. These were soon effected, and on Saturday evening
it again got under way and bore down towards the Yankee army at Fair
Oaks. It was halted that night at our last entrenchment, between five
and six miles from Richmond. Sunday morning the engine attached to the
battery got up steam, and Lieutenant Barry prepared for action and
awaited orders. The men were in exuberant spirits and anxious for the
fray. At ten o'clock, A. M. having received orders from General Magruder,
Lieutenant Barry proceeded down the road a mile, when his further
advance was obstructed by the Yankee fortification, which crossed the
track. About two hours were consumed in reopening the track, when the
battery advanced steadily down the road. About twelve o'clock, the
battery being about seven miles from Richmond, Lieutenant Barry came in
sight of several thousand Yankees moving at a double quick down the road
in front of him, in the direction of Savage's. He was about to open into
the flying mass, when he was stopped by General Magruder, who suggested
that they were our own troops in pursuit of the enemy. Just as the
troops disappeared round a curve one of the enemy's batteries, stationed
in the woods, in front of Savage's house, opened upon our forces, who
were in the wood to the left of the railroad, and about seven miles from
Richmond. The first gun of the enemy killed General Griffith, of
Mississippi. Lieutenant Barry was ordered to engage this battery, which
he did with such effect that the second shell from hi gun silenced it.
He then continued for some time to shell the woods near and around the
spot from which the Yankee battery had retreated. At four o'clock he was
ordered to proceed down the railroad abreast of our skirmishers, and to
fire into anything and everything he saw ahead. As he turned the curve
and entered Savage's field, he saw a half mile in advance of him a party
of Yankees engaged in setting fire to a train on the track. Having fired
two shots into this train, a white flag was raised on it, and, General
Cobb coming up at the moment, ordered him not to fire into it again, as
he had information the train was loaded with sick. Immediately
afterwards General Magruder rode up, and seeing the enemy drawn up in
line of battle in the field in front of Savage's house, ordered
Lieutenant Barry to go a quarter of a mile nearer and open into his
ranks. On the bursting of the second shell the enemy fled in confusion
to the cover of the woods to the right of the battery, and from that
point poured on it and the engine a perfect hail of rifle bullets.
Kumper's battery now opening on the enemy from a position in the rear of
the battery, Lieutenant Barry was obliged to withdraw in the direction
of Richmond. As he was receding up the railroad, his battery drew the
whole fire of the enemy, but fortunately, though the narrow escapes were
innumerable, not one of his men was struck. A Minie ball passed within
an inch of the engineer's head and stuck in the railroad embankment. As
the battery drew back to Fair Oaks the Third South Carolina, supported
by other regiments, dashed across the railroad, and charging into the
woods in which the enemy had taken shelter from the rifle shells of
Lieutenant Barry, drove them in the direction of Bottom's Bridge with
great slaughter. It was estimated by General Magruder, at the time, the
loss of the enemy in this engagement was between eight hundred and a
thousand killed and wounded. How important a part was played by the
railroad battery in this engagement may be conjectured from the
statement of a prisoner who was captured on the occasion. He informed
Lieutenant Barry that the second shell thrown into the ranks drawn up in
the field just in front of Savage's house killed and wounded one hundred
men and thirty horses. It is believed also to have done great execution
in the wood, and contributed by the terror inspired by its immense
missiles to the easy rout of the entire division of the enemy. |
| Since that battle, the enemy
having left the track of the railroad, the battery has seen no service.
It has performed handsomely all it has undertaken, and must, therefore
be pronounced a complete success. But had the enemy, after the fight at
Cold Harbor, retreated toward the White House on the Pamukey instead of
towards James river, in protecting our advance, and annoying the enemy,
and destroying his trains, it would have been of incalculable value to
our cause. As it is, its period of usefulness may not have terminated.
We have hopes of its playing a conspicuous part, either at Drury's Bluff
or Westover. |
| {Richmond}
Examiner |
|