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

[66] of quiet were broken in upon by frequent rumors of a move. The centre section, commanded by Lieut. Asa Smith, was sent to Edwards Ferry the 9th of May, and its guns put in position to command the crossing of the Potomac and the mouth of Goose Creek opposite. It was supported by a squadron of cavalry under command of Capt. Closson.

During its stay there Capt. Sleeper concluded to try an experiment, which was, to see how long it would require, should any emergency arise demanding it, to hitch in the rest of the Battery and join this section at the Ferry. The ‘Boot and Saddle’ call was sounded, the horses taken from the picket, harnessed, hitched in, the cannoneers mounted, and the two sections driven at rapid speed over the more than two miles that intervened, reaching their destination in just forty-four minutes after the bugle call. Satisfactory as the result was in the testing of this particular question, it nevertheless came near resulting disastrously; for the centre section, unapprised of the experiment, made up of fearless men, and commanded by one of the same kind, when they saw the continuous cloud of dust raised by the approaching column, very naturally surmising it to be a squadron of Rebel cavalry dashing down upon them, manned the guns, and in another instant would have sent their deadly compliments among their own brethren when, providentially they caught a glimpse of the colors, and the disaster was averted.

Another incident in which this detached section played an interesting part has been the subject of much pleasantry inside and outside the Company. It happened that one Sunday afternoon the cannoneers on lookout at the guns reported a party issuing from the woods into an opening some distance