Fighting for the Honor of the Old Pine Tree State: The 4th Maine Battery at Cedar Mountain

Rolling into combat for the first time on the afternoon of August 9, 1862, at Cedar Mountain, First Lieutenant Lucius Haynes of the 4th Maine Battery noted how the wounding of one of the men inspired the men of the battery in the fight.

          “We had not fired but three shots before Abel Davis of New Portland fell, wounded in the leg,” he wrote. “But this did not intimidate, it rather incited our boys to renewed valor. Now the firing of the enemy becomes indeed terrific; a perfect storm of shell and solid shot pours in upon us from the front and right, coming apparently from six different Rebel batteries. We replied with spirit and undoubted effect. Every man stood bravely at his post- the officers working hand-to-hand with the men, taking the places of those who had so nobly fallen at the posts. We had never been under fire before, but I think it can be said of our Maine artillery not the first time under fire, that it did honor to the dear old Pine Tree State.”

          Lieutenant Haynes’ letter first saw publication in the August 29, 1862, edition of the Kennebec Journal published in Augusta, Maine. It is worth noting that the 4th Maine Battery was equipped with 3-inch Rodman rifles at Cedar Mountain, having been issued these guns in late May 1862 and was under the command of Captain O'Neil W. Robinson. 

 

This image depicts an artillerist in the 2nd Maine Battery who also fought at Cedar Mountain but a little later in the engagement than the 4th Maine. Note the hat brass that calls out the battery number (2), ME for Maine, and crossed cannons symbolizing the artillery branch. 

Culpeper Courthouse, Virginia

August 14, 1862

          Now that the excitement and confusion of the late battle of Slaughter Mountain has somewhat subsided, I will endeavor to give you a detailed description of its horrors and events.

          Prince’s brigade, to which we were attached, was ordered to move from their camp on Saturday morning last at 11 o’clock. After a rapid march of about five miles during which we were almost suffocated by heat and dust, we were halted in a growth of woods about a quarter mile in width. Hardly had we recovered from the fatigue of our rapid movement, when the order came again ‘Forward!’ Emerging from the woods, we saw at once that we were really to engage the enemy. Already the shells were flying over our heads. The infantry moved off and took up their position on the left of the line of battle, which, consisting of our entire corps (about 7,000 men) extended nearly a mile from east to west directly in front of Slaughter Mountain.

“Upon our arrival at the woods, General Prince placed Captain Robinson under arrest for some reason, the exact nature of which was never clearly understood but was generally supposed to be running by other troops and getting out of place in the line. There was not a very good feeling existing between the General and Captain Robinson as was shown by a little incident that occurred that morning. After first harnessing up, the captain sent a lieutenant to the general asking for orders. The general very curtly replied, ‘When I have orders for Captain Robinson, I will send them.’ This reply did not put the captain in the best of humor and perhaps had an effect on him during the remainder of the day. After about half an hour in the woods, the captain was relieved from arrest.” ~ History of the 4th Maine Battery Light Artillery

          In front of our line and about 30 rods in advance was a slight elevation. Here our battery, the 4th Maine, was ordered to take position and commence firing. We went into battle under a fire already becoming severe. But our boys were as cool as veterans. We were soon at work. We had not fired but three shots before Abel Davis of New Portland fell, wounded in the leg. But this did not intimidate, it rather incited our boys to renewed valor. Now the firing of the enemy becomes indeed terrific; a perfect storm of shell and solid shot pours in upon us from the front and right, coming apparently from six different Rebel batteries. We replied with spirit and undoubted effect. Every man stood bravely at his post- the officers working hand-to-hand with the men, taking the places of those who had so nobly fallen at the posts. We had never been under fire before, but I think it can be said of our Maine artillery not the first time under fire, that it did honor to the dear old Pine Tree State.

Captain O'Neil W. Robinson of the 4th Maine Battery sits in the chair with two of his fellow battery commanders of the 3rd Corps artillery brigade in this image taken at Brandy Station, Virginia. Artist Alfred Waud of Harper's Weekly stands at right. At Cedar Mountain, Captain Robinson found himself temporarily under arrest by his brigade commander General Henry Prince; Prince himself would be captured during the battle by a private in the 23rd Virginia. 

          Thus, we fought for two hours, aided by two batteries on our right and the 6th Maine on our left. Occupying the center of the artillery line as we did, we necessarily received the most direct and fearful fire of the enemy. At one time, in the short space of half an hour, one man was killed, three horses shot, and both pieces in the right section struck, one of the pieces being entirely disabled by a shot, which, striking its wrought iron axle three inches squares, broke it near the wheel. [Ed. note- this was Lieutenant Haynes' section]

 

“Lieutenant Haynes section on the right seemed to get the brunt of the fire and after getting about 50 rounds from each gun, a shell struck the wheel of Sergeant Bangs’ piece and glancing struck Byron Phillips, tearing away part of his chin and shoulder. He was taken to the rear where he died about two hours later. A little later, Sergeant Owen’s piece was struck by a shell and the axle broken so that it could not be used again. The splinters slightly wounded several of the gunners and the concussion of a shell as it struck and exploded very near Ambrose Vittum’s head caused a deafness in one ear from which he has never recovered.” ~ History of the 4th Maine Battery Light Artillery

          At 5 o’clock, the infantry came to our rescue and amid incessant cheering, charged upon the enemy. The volleys of musketry, the booming of cannon, the cheers of the men, the clouds of smoke, and the whizzing of the shell through the air, with the mingled groans of the wounded and dying, gave a tone of infernal horror to a scene which I hope never to witness again.

          The battle lasted until nearly 8 o’clock. When we retired from the field, almost exhausted, the moon was shining brightly, lighting up this field of carnage with unearthly splendor. As we passed through the woods again to encamp under arms for the night, we found that heavy reinforcements from Sigel and McDowell had arrived and we felt comparatively safe. But it was not until the next day (the Sabbath) that we secured any peaceful rest. Then indeed it was refreshing to lie down upon the ground and easing our tired limbs, thank God for His kind deliverance from the jaws of death.

This detail from the American Battlefield Trust's map of the Battle of Cedar Mountain shows the Federal artillery arrayed along the Mitchell's Station Road, the 4th Maine Battery being the battery just to the right of "Banks" on the map. According to Lieutenant Haynes, the 6th Maine Battery occupied the position to the 4th Maine's left. 

          Our loss in killed and wounded already amounts to about 1,000; it will not much, if any, exceed that amount. General Prince of Maine is taken prisoner but is unhurt. In our battery we had one man killed and six slightly wounded. If our ranks had been full, we must have lost many more. Ten of our horses were either killed or disabled by solid shot or pieces of shell.

          It is stated in some of the dailies that the 2nd and 5th Maine Batteries were in the fight and did great execution; this is a mistake. They were not on the field at all. The 5th Maine did not fire a single round while the 2nd Maine fired a few rounds of ammunition after 9 o’clock upon a battery that contrived to annoy our advance until late at night. We do not detract from the honor of others but must claim our own. The 4th and 6th Maine were all the Maine batteries upon the field and they were there, too, until they were ordered to leave. This was done in good order with the Rebel infantry within 30 rods of their rear sections.

          The battle itself was a draw game. But the results flowing from it are replete with success to our army. Jackson commenced a retreat the next day and is now beyond the Rapidan with General Pope close on his heels. So much for the first fight; I will write again.

   Lucius M.S. Haynes was a young pastor at the Baptist Church of Augusta, Maine when he joined the 4th Maine Battery in late 1861. 

Sources:

Letter from First Lieutenant Lucius M.S. Haynes, 4th Maine Battery Light Artillery, Kennebec Journal (Maine), August 29, 1862, pg. 2 

History of the 4th Maine Battery Light Artillery in the Civil War, 1861-1865. Augusta: Burleigh & Flynt, 1905

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