Artillery Bivouac at West Roxbury Park

This is a neat story - an artillery unit camped out for the night at the future Franklin Park on their way from Newport, Rhode Island to South Framingham.



Boston Daily Globe June 5, 1885


Battery B's Bivouac.

Artillerymen Spend the Night at West Roxbury Park.


The bivouac fires of Battery B, Fourth Regiment, United States Artillery, merrily burned at West Roxbury Park last evening, and a large number of visitors viewed the camp and were courteously received by Brevet-Major John Eagen, the officer in Command. The battery, which is on its way to South Framingham, where it will remain next wee,, left its headquarters at Fort Adams, Newport, on Monday last, and has come over the roads by easy marches, averaging three miles per hour. Monday night the command pitched camp a mile or two outside Fall River. Tuesday night was spent on the fair grounds at Taunton, and Randolph was the scene of Wednesday night's encampment. The battery reached the West Roxbury Park about noon yesterday and was received by Generals Dalton and wales of Governor Robinson's staff. The camp is on the outskirts of a small grove, near which runs a small stream of clear sparkling water. The officer's tents are located on a slight knoll, while below on a gentle incline and in view of a stone wall beyond are the guns. These are four in number, and of an entirely modern pattern being 3-inch rifled cannon. The battery has sixty horses, and these are secured at a point a short distance within the grove. The battery is thoroughly equipped and includes forge, kitchen and ambulance wagons. A captain, two first lieutenants, one second lieutenant and sixty-five men constitute the force manning the battery, and in each limber are 225 rounds of ammunition. The greater part of this comprises blank cartridges for use during the coming week, but there are also a few shells for target practice. The battery is officered as follows: Captain, John Egan (brevet-major): first lieutenant, R.R. Strong; first lieutenant, L.N. Walker; second lieutenant, H.E. Schroeder.

Battery B is stated to be one of the best in the regiment. Lieutenant Walker was officer of the day yesterday and the guard consisted of Sergeant Parker, Corporal Knipple and Privates Garrity, wood, Noble, Schwiveller, Broderick and Bresnahan. Among the visitors last night were Colonel w.M. Strachan and other militia officers. "Taps" were sounded at 9 o'clock, and soon silence reigned throughout the camp, broken now and then by voices of the guard or the neighing of a horse. The battery will break camp about 8 o'clock this morning, and after "boots and saddles" the command will leave the park and march through Walnut avenue, Warren street, Washington street, Chester Park, Columbus avenue, Boylston, Tremont and Beacon streets to the Common, where a salute will be fired in the Governor's honor. This event will probably take place about 11 o'clock. The battery will then reform and march to the State camp ground at South Framingham.