Draw the Sword

De Russey’s Battery

Location: Emmitsburg Road near the Klingel Farm.

Order of Battle: 3d Corps Artillery Brigade

Number Engaged: 6 Napoleons and 134 men

Commander: Lt. Francis W. Seeley (1837-1910)

Raised: New York City and Suffolk County, Massachusetts in 1838. When Fort Sumter was fired upon, this battery was stationed at Fort Ridgely in Minnesota.

Monument Specifications: Polished granite monument with bronze plaque affixed to the front.

Dedication Date: 1907-1908.

Sculptor/Artist/Company: Erected by the U.S. War Department.

Main Inscription: Plaque reads,

ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
THIRD CORPS
ARTILLERY BRIGADE
BATTERY K FOURTH U. S. ARTILLERY
Six 12 Pounders
Lieut. Francis W. Seeley Commanding

July 1. Arrived at night and encamped in a field south of the town between Emmitsburg and Taneytown Roads.

July 2. Went into position at 4 P. M. on the right of Smith’s log house on Emmitsburg Road with Brig. General A. A. Humphreys’s Division Third Corps and soon took position on the left of the log house and at the left of an apple orchard and opened fire on the Confederate infantry as it began to advance. Hotly engaged with the Confederate infantry and artillery in front and on the left until about 7 P. M. when forced to retire and took position on the line from Evergreen Cemetery to Little Round Top. Lieut. Seeley having been wounded the command devolved on Lieut. Robert James.

July 3. Remained in the positions of the previous night.

Casualties Killed 2 Men Wounded 1 Officer and 18 Men Missing 4 Men

Lost and Disabled 28 Horses

Other Monuments and Memorials: None.

Supplemental Materials: After Action Report of Lieut. Robert James (will open a pop up window).

Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:

Attached to Artillery Reserve, Army Potomac, August, 1861, to June, 1862. Artillery Reserve, 3rd Army Corps, Army Potomac, to August, 1862. Artillery, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, to May, 1863. Artillery Brigade, 3rd Army Corps, to March, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 2nd Army Corps, to June, 1865. Dept. of Washington, D. C., to August, 1865.

SERVICE.–Moved to Washington, D.C., August, 1861, and duty there until March, 1862. Ordered to the Virginia Peninsula March, 1862. Siege of Yorktown, Va., April 5-May 4. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Oak Grove June 25. Glendale and Brackett’s June 30. Malvern Hill July 1 and August 5. Moved to Alexandria August 16-23, and duty there until November. Operations on Orange & Alexandria Railroad November 10-12. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church February 5-7, 1863. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Wapping Heights, Manassas Gap, July 23. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. McLean’s Ford, Bull Run, October 15. Advance to the Rappahannock November 7-8. Kelly’s Ford November 7. Payne’s Farm November 27. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Wilderness May 5-7. Spotsylvania Court House May 8-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 22-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22, 1864. Deep Bottom July 27-29. Strawberry Plains August 14-18. Hatcher’s Run October 27-28. Warren’s Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7-14. Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Watkins’ House March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Hatcher’s Run, Boydton Road, March 30-31. White Oak Road March 31. Sutherland Station April 2. Sailor’s Creek April 6. High Bridge April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Washington, D. C, May. Grand Review May 23. Duty in the Defenses of Washington until August, 1865.