Official Records VOL LI PART 1
p. 314
L. Thomas AAG HQ of the Army, Washington Feb. 2, 1861
Instructions for defense of Washington: “on the instant of alarm, whether by day or night, a mounted messenger from Griffin’s battery will proceed at full speed to the arsenal to notify Barry’s battery.” Should the troops be suddenly called out..Griffin’s battery will in a similar manner guard the General Post-Office and Patent Office.”
p. 315 Orders No. 61 HQ Artillery Battalion Wash. DC March 2, 1861
Thos C. Sullivan 2LT 1Art and Adjutant:
As precautionary measure, the guards of all stations will tomorrow evening at sunset be doubled; the horses of the batteries will be kept during the night harnessed and those of the dragoons saddled. [316] Patrols from the dragoons and the West Point Battery guards will be sent out every hour during the night – …. The latter to go around Judiciary Square… one-third of the West Point company, beside the guard, will pass the night at the stables. The signals from Griffin’s battery, in case of an alarm from that quarter, will be fire-balls.”
Order No. 62 HQ Artillery Batt Wash DC March 2, 1861
Griffins’ battery will take post in line immediately in front of the City Hall at 10 o’clock, or as soon as the street is vacated.”
p. 343 Dept of Washington, 4/30/61
Post: Washington DC
Garrison: West Point Battery
Commander: Lieut. Charles Griffin : present for duty: 3/69; Agg pres: 82. Agg pres and absent: 86; Pieces of Artillery: 6.
West Point Battery arrived in Washington Feb. 1, 1861
Official Records VOL V
p. 178: No. 12.
Report of Capt. Charles Griffin, Fifth U. S. Artillery.
Battery D, Fifth Artillery,
Camp near Chain Bridge, September 12, 1861.
Sir : Yesterday, after the enemy opened fire on the troops under your command, in accordance with your instructions, two rifled pieces of Battery D, Fifth Artillery, were placed in position some 1,800 yards from the enemy’s battery and opened fire, and continued firing until the enemy ceased firing or until Lieutenant Hasbrouck placed two more pieces in position some 600 yards to the rear, on the road towards our camp. The two pieces first placed in battery were then limbered up and moved to a position in rear of Lieutenant Hasbrouck. Some time after Lieutenant Hasbrouck placed his pieces in battery the remaining two pieces of the battery under Lieutenant Hazlett joined and came into battery. The enemy at this time had ceased firing and the cannoneers were resting for [p. 179] the want of a target. Some twenty or thirty minutes after this the enemy showed himself in a little cleared place, whence a round from the guns started him in a full run. From the first position of the rifled pieces some 40 rounds were fired, all shell, and from the second position some 18, to which the enemy made no reply.
The conduct of the lieutenants (Hazlett and Hasbrouck) was that of gallant soldiers, and of the men of the battery all that could be desired. It affords me much gratification to testify to the coolness and handsome deportment of the Vermont Third and some 80 men of the Second Vermont, who were ordered to support the battery. They were for about an hour under a very warm fire from the enemy’s artillery.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
CHAS. GRIFFIN,
Captain, Fifth Artillery, Commanding Battery D. Col. Isaac I. Stevens.
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