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

[196] charged in many quarters with seriously impairing the efficiency of the army, and now, under the new military administration, he was striving to make his pen say yes when every impulse of his great heart said no.

Battery drills, section drills, standing gun drills, inspections, etc., engrossed much of our time and attention in pleasant weather, as we lay in hourly anticipation of marching orders, and soon they came.

At this time the question of forming a regimental organization of the light batteries from Massachusetts was under consideration. Had it been carried through it was expected that Captain Martin of the Third Battery would have been made the colonel and Captain Sleeper the lieutenant colonel of the regiment. The following letters are interesting in this connection:—

Headquarters Art'y, 3rd Army Corps, December 30, 1863.
To His Excellency, John A. Andrew, Governor of Massachusetts.

Sir,—I learn, and hope correctly, that the independent Batteries of your state are to be organized as a regiment and field officers appointed, and write to ask you to consider favorably the claim to promotion of Captain J. Henry Sleeper, 10th Mass. Battery.

He has served under me since his connection with the Army of the Potomac and has taken a high stand as a Battery commander and placed his Battery among the best in the Army.

I am sure from my knowledge of Captain Sleeper's merits that he will fill the office and perform the duties of any grade among the field officers of the proposed Regiment with honor to himself and credit to the state. I shall consider his promotion as an act of justice to a meritorious officer, as a promotive of the interest of the service and as a personal favor to

Your Ob't Serv't,

[Signed]

George E. Randolph, Capt. 1st R. I. Artillery, Chief of Art'y, 3rd Army Corps.

This letter bears the following endorsements.

Head Qr's 3rd Army Corps, Jan. 1, 1864.

It gives me great pleasure to fully confirm Captain Randolph, Chief of Artillery's high testimony regarding the military services