John D. Billings, The history of the Tenth Massachusetts battery of light artillery in the war of the rebellion

[347] much nearer the zenith, and we could hear the creaking whistle of the fuse as the shell slowly revolved through the air, business of a pressing nature suddenly called us into the bomb-proofs, and it was not transacted until an explosion was heard, or a jar told us the shell had expended itself in the earth.

Thus time rolled away for four weeks. The heat of the long weary summer was yielding to the clear and frosty nights of autumn. At Battery headquarters the airy tents gave way to substantial huts, and at the guns we were erecting new bomb-proofs, which would be more habitable than our present ones, the design being to combine safety with comfort and convenience. This we did, thinking the prospects were good for several weeks' further stay. Two additional Parrott guns were furnished us, thus restoring us to the dignity of a six-gun battery, and giving, as we reasoned, still further promise of our continued stay. But, alas! our nice calculations miscarried sadly, for on the morning of Monday, October 24, orders came for us to draw out quietly at dark, at which time the limbers. were driven up to receive the ammunition chests once more, another battery¹ appeared to relieve us, and we took our final leave of Battery XIV.

Lieut. G. Fred Gould

September 22, Sergeant G. Fred. Gould was commissioned as First Lieutenant in the 29th Unattached Co. of Massachusetts