The Writing of John N. Hubbard
John Nelson Hubbard, was a private in Company A, 7th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, 2nd Bridgade, 1st Division, 1st Corps at Gettysburg and later with the 1st "Iron Brigade", 4th Division, 5th Corps. He served from September 13, 1861 until September 20, 1864. Hubbard was born on June 9, 1843 in Dearborn County, Indiana and died on September 19, 1927 in Boyd County, Kentucky. If you lookup his record, don't be confused by his friend, John N. Hubbard who served with the 19th Indiana Volunteer Infantry and died at the Veterans Home of California in Yount (now Yountville), California. Following is Hubbard's writing concerning "Bloody B". Also included a letter from one J. N. Hubbard to another J. N. Hubbard. Hubbard became a lawyer and judge after the War and was very active with the reunion groups from Indiana and Ohio. He wrote many articles and letters to the National Tribune located in Washington City (Washington, DC).
[Editor's Note: Thanks to grandson Daniel Renfroe of Los Gatos, CA for Pvt. Hubbard's writings about Battery B.]
The Fifth Corps was lined up at Cold Harbor at the Bethesda
Church. It was there where old Battery B of the Fourth Regulars made that famous
charge, called in history, "The Charge of Battery B".
The battery was parked back of the church; the men on the horses and
limber chests; ready for action. A rebel battery was annoying us and General
Griffin, commander of the First Division, rode up to the battery and said to Captain
Stewart, "Can't you quiet that rebel battery?" Stewart turned on his horse
and gave his sword a whirl; a signal the men seemed to understand. They at once put
spurs to the horses and they went under the rundown toward the rebel battery. The
rebs poured the cannister into them as they went, killing and wounding ten or twelve men
of the battery. They unlimbered and went into action and in ten minutes that rebel
battery was put out of commission.
I was on the skirmish line, out in front of the battle line and could
see the result of the artillery duel. Dead and wounded rebs lay around their
dismantled guns. The gun's muzzel up, broken wheels, axels broken; the battery
completely destroyed. Old Battery B was the most famous battery in either the Union
or Confederate armies.
Colonel Fox in his regimental losses, says that, that battery had more
men killed and wounded around the muzzels of her guns than any battery in either
army. This battery had one hundred and ten men killed and wounded in ten months,
from Bull Run to including the first day at Gettysburg. It was a regular battery and
was at Salt Lake Utah when the war broke out and drove overland from there and was put
into our division and remained with us to the end of the war. She had six brass [bronze] twelve pound Napoleon's and a short range
battery, but was "holy terror" when it came to throwing cannister. At
Gettysburg, three of the guns the first day stood on one half on each side of the
railroad. Lieutenant Davidson commanded the left half and was on the left side of
the "cut." The rebels had five men to our one and their lines at one time
lapped us a half mile. Scales' [Alfred M. Scales]
rebel brigade was on our left and was swinging around to enclose us. Davidson
brought his three guns and opened on Scales. A few rounds and Scales' men began
retiring and in a hurry! Davidson's orders to his cannoneers was to keep your
muzzels down. The Cannoneer, a story written by Buell, [Augustus
Buell, published, Washington, DC, 1890] of the old battery, said after the
first round, a grey squirrel could not of crossed that road and come out alive. As
their men were killed and wounded, Captain Stewart would come to the Iron Brigade and ask
the officers if they had any men that would do to go into the old battery. It became
finally, almostly made up of men out of the regiments composing Wadsworth's Division.
[Editors Note: This letter was mailed on February 11, 1924 from John N. Hubbard, Veterans Home of California, Yount, California to John N. Hubbard, Rt 1, Box 136, Ashland, KY.]
Veterans Home of California feb 10th
1924.
My Deare old name-sake,
John
N. Hubbard.
Do you remember of ever meating me?
Well I will try to explain, althoe it
was been many years ago, at a place cald,
Camp Distribution, not far from Wash-
ington, D.C. in the early part of the rebel-
lion of '61 to '65.
I belonged to the 19th Ind. 1st Bigade,
1st Division, 1st Corps. in other words,
The Iron Brigade.
So you can see I was at Fredericks
burg, when that little shooting match
was pulled off.
I was with that brigade, in every
battle the brigade was in, until my
time expired July 29th 64. Was always
on-hands to answer at role-call, and a
rebbel-bullet, never touched me.
I read the National Tribune and that's
how I came to locate you now.
And if you could make it convenient
I would like to heare from you.
As ever your namesake -
John N. Hubbard
P.S. My time expired, at
Petersburg, Va.
Was with U S Grant from Gettys-
burg to Petersburg Va.
My address now is,
J. N. Hubbard.
Veterans Home of California
Box 137